cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Plantwide control of a coupled reformer/ammonia process

Abstract Ammonia is one of the most important chemicals from a humanitarian perspective because of its vital use in fertilizer production to maintain food supplies for an ever growing world population. An earlier study explored the design and control of the ammonia process given a fresh feed of hydrogen and nitrogen. The importance of having the correct feed composition to satisfy the reaction stoichiometry was highlighted. The purpose of this paper is to study both the design and the control of a combined reformer/ammonia process in which steam-methane reforming, autothermal reforming and water-gas shift reactors are used to produce the hydrogen/nitrogen feed to the ammonia plant from fresh feeds of methane, water and air.
Transport of Phosphorus and Fractionation of Residual Phosphorus in Various Horizons of a Spodosol

The retention and transport of P by three horizon samples (A, E, and Bh) of a Spososol (Oldsmar sand: sandy, silicious, hyperthermic Alfic Arenic Haplaquods) were evaluated using a batch-equilibration and leaching column techniques with application of P in rates equivalent to 25 and 100 kg P ha-1. Adsorption coefficient (K) values followed the order: Bh > A > E. Adsorption of P by the E horizon soil sample was negligible (M = 4 μg g-1 soil) as compared to that of either A or Bh horizon samples, e.g., 303 and 479 μg g-1, respectively. The leaching column study with application of P equivalent to 100 kg ha-1 showed 39, 68, and 98% of applied P were leached from the Bh, A, and E horizons, respectively, with eight pore volumes of leachate. Elution curves showed the peak P elution at the second pore volume (equivalent to 3.7 cm of water addition). After leaching with eight pore volumes, the residual P in the soil was present primarily in non-occluded Fe and Al-P forms in the A and Bh horizons.
De Minimis Risk from Chemicals in Food

The concept of de minimis risk is based on the idea that certain risks involving exposures to carcinogens are too small to cause concern. If this idea has merit, it will require a real effort in risk communication to gain public acceptance. It will involve asking the public to unlearn certain fears concerning carcinogens that federal agencies are in part responsible for creating.
Selecting Compliant Agents for Opt-in Micro-Tolling

This paper examines the impact of tolls on social welfare in the context of a transportation network in which only a portion of the agents are subject to tolls. More specifically, this paper addresses the question: which subset of agents provides the most system benefit if they are compliant with an approximate marginal cost tolling scheme? Since previous work suggests this problem is NP-hard, we examine a heuristic approach. Our experimental results on three real-world traffic scenarios suggest that evaluating the marginal impact of a given agent serves as a particularly strong heuristic for selecting an agent to be compliant. Results from using this heuristic for selecting 7.6% of the agents to be compliant achieved an increase of up to 10.9% in social welfare over not tolling at all. The presented heuristic approach and conclusions can help practitioners target specific agents to participate in an opt-in tolling scheme.
Different Roles of the CD2 and LFA-1 T-Cell Co-receptors for Regulating Cytotoxic, Proliferative, and Cytokine Responses of Human Vγ9/Vδ2 T Cells

Human Vγ9/Vδ2 T lymphocytes recognize nonpeptidic antigens in a manner distinct from the classical antigen recognition by aβ T cells. The apparent lack of major histocompatibility (MHC) restriction and antigen processing allows very fast responses against pathogenic insults. To address the potential functional requirement for accessory molecules, we investigated the roles of the CD2 and lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 T-cell co-receptors in antigen-induced activities of human Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cell clones. Human peripheral blood Vγ9/Vδ2 T lymphocytes were cloned and their cytotoxicity against Daudi lymphoma was measured by a standard 51Cr-release assay. The responses of Vγ9/Vδ2 T lymphocytes to nonpeptidic antigens were assessed using DNA synthesis and cytokine ELISA assays. Monoclonal antibodies specific for various molecules with potential T-cell accessory functions were utilized in blocking assays. All of our Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cell clones displayed the Th1 phenotype. The anti-LFA-1 antibody strongly inhibited the cytotoxicity of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells against Daudi B-cell lymphoma; whereas, it had no influence on the antigen-induced cytokine release or proliferation. In contrast, antibodies against CD2 and LFA-3 had no effect on the lytic activity of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells, but strongly inhibited the cytokine release and proliferation. However, the CD2-LFA-3 interaction was not an absolute requirement for the cytokine release and the DNA synthetic activity of antigen-stimulated Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells, since the inhibitory effect could be reversed by addition of exogenous interleukin 2 (IL-2). These novel observations indicate that the signals generated by different accessory molecules and IL-2 can contribute in an integrated fashion to the regulation of Vγ9/Vδ2 T cells. These interactions may be important for the effectiveness of Vγ9/Vδ2 T-cell responses.
5-Fluorouracil Management of Oculofacial Scars: A Systematic Literature Review.

Purpose To review the literature for the safety and efficacy of intralesional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in the management of oculofacial scars. Methods A literature search was performed in July 2019 in the PubMed database to identify reports of the use of 5-FU injections for modulating oculofacial cutaneous scars. The search yielded 152 articles, of which 15 met criteria outlined for assessment. Data were abstracted from these 15 relevant articles. Results While there were no high-level prospective randomized controlled trials, 8 were lower-quality randomized controlled trial, 3 were retrospective cohort studies, and 4 were case series. Most studies pooled results of facial and nonfacial cutaneous applications. Three studies focused solely on oculofacial applications, and these were all lower-level evidence studies. The study outcomes included scar dimension reduction, erythema, patient satisfaction score, observer assessment of scar improvement, and recurrence rates. 5-Fluorouracil was administered as monotherapy or as part of multimodality treatment with other agents (usually corticosteroids) or with CO2 laser, radiotherapy, or pulsed dye laser. 5-Fluorouracil was usually given as an intralesional injection, but in some studies, it was applied topically after micropuncture of the skin. The number and timing of treatments varied between studies. Overall, the level of safety of 5-FU was high. Pain with injection was the most common reported side effect. Other common adverse side effects included pruritus, telangiectasias, changes in pigmentation, and purpura, and 2 studies noted more serious events, such as ulceration, superficial necrosis, and local infection. There were no severe side effects such as anaphylaxis, immune suppression, secondary malignancy, systemic infection, blindness, or death. In all studies, 5-FU was associated with prophylaxis of oculofacial scars or improvement of keloids or hypertrophic scars in terms of reducing size, erythema, and pruritus. 5-Fluorouracil application was associated with favorable patient satisfaction and observer assessment scores especially compared with corticosteroid injections alone. Conclusions High-quality randomized controlled trials are currently lacking, and the existing literature is predominately not specific to use of 5-FU on the face. These studies, however, suggest that intralesional 5-FU is safe and probably more effective than other options in the management of cutaneous scars in the oculofacial region. The delivery methods, timing, dosing, and concomitant therapies were highly variable. Further high-quality controlled studies specific to oculofacial scars may be indicated to assess the efficacy of 5-FU and to establish the best protocols for administering this medication.
Successful Outcomes Achieved Via Web-based, Home Program after Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

Background: The primary goals of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) are to relieve pain, improve range of motion,and restore function. Physical therapy is commonly used to help achieve these goals. Recent evidence has pointedto the success and safety of a purely physician-guided, home-based or internet-based, program versus the traditionaltherapist guided program.The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of TSA in patients using a web-based, home therapy program.Methods: A retrospective review was performed of TSA patients who were given the option of using a web-based,home therapy program. Functional outcomes were collected preoperatively, 6-month, and 12-month post-operativeexaminations. Physical examination parameters were recorded at preoperative, 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month timepoints.Results: Forty-seven patients used the web-based, home therapy program and had complete follow-up data at alltime intervals. All mean range of motion parameters and functional scores improved significantly from preoperatively topostoperatively. There was one reported complication in a patient who sustained a subscapularis rupture and underwentsubsequent open repair at 10 months postoperatively.Conclusion: This study demonstrates successful improvements in range of motion and functional outcomes in asubset of patients who utilized an online therapy program after TSA. Future study will be necessary to directly compareresults in patients enrolled in formal, outpatient therapy programs and to determine barriers to utilization of web-basedtherapy programs.Level of evidence: IV
A pitfall of using general equivalence mappings to estimate national trends of surgical utilization for pediatric patients

Abstract Background General equivalence mappings (GEMs) were developed to facilitate a transition from International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) to ICD, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Validation of GEMs is suggested as coding errors have been reported for adult populations. The purpose of this study was to illustrate limitations of the GEMs for pediatric surgical procedures. Methods Using the 2014 to 2016 National Inpatient Sample, we evaluated all patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair. ICD-9 codes for the repair were independently classified as laparoscopic or open approach by two surgeons. Conversions of the ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes were compared between the GEMs strategy and surgeons' manual mapping. National trends were compared for overall, adult, and pediatric populations. Results We found significant inconsistencies in the proportion of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair based on mapping strategies employed. For adults, the comparison of the proportions in 2016 was 17.79% (GEMs) versus 21.44% (Manual). In pediatric population, the contrast was 0.45% (GEMs) versus 17.75% (Manual), and no laparoscopic repair cases were found using GEMs in the last quarter of 2015. Conclusion Some conversions of ICD-9 and ICD-10 using the current GEMs are not valid for certain populations and procedures. Clinical validation of coding conversions is essential. Level of evidence Level V.
Challenges of Online Learning in Nigeria

Education has traditionally been administered via physical interactions between teachers and students in classrooms. Through technological advancement in communications and digital devices, online education has been developed with the potential to scale education, making it affordable and accessible. With an internet connection and a laptop or mobile phone, learners can access massive open online courses (MOOCs) for free. Nonetheless, the opportunity to scale education and the advantages of online learning are not always fulfilled due to certain challenges. In this work, Socioeconomic, Sociocultural, and IT infrastructural factors are categorized as challenges hindering the adoption of online learning in Nigeria. Although some factors mitigating online learning have been identified in the past, there is relatively little empirical evidence indicating the reality and severity of these challenges. Since scaling education involves worldwide reach, local contexts such as found in Nigeria and other developing countries become critical. The objective of this work, therefore, is to understand these challenges, present empirical evidence through a questionnaire survey, rank these challenges in order of severity, and propose solutions.
Electrophysiologic approach to diagnosis and ablation of patients with permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia associated with complex anatomy and/or physiology.

Introduction: Permanent junctional reciprocating tachycardia (PJRT) is a rare supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), typically involving a single decremental posteroseptal accessory pathway (AP). Methods: Four patients with long RP SVT underwent electrophysiology (EP) study and ablation. The cases were reviewed. Results: Case 1 recurred despite 3 prior ablations at the site of earliest retrograde atrial activation during orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia (ORT). Mapping during a repeat EP study demonstrated a prepotential in the coronary sinus (CS). Ablation over the earliest atrial activation in the CS resulted in dissociation of the potential from the atrium during sinus rhythm. The potential was traced back to the CS os and ablated. Case 2 underwent successful ablation at 6 o'clock on the mitral annulus (MA). ORT recurred and successful ablation was performed at 1 o'clock on the MA. Case 3 had tachycardia with variation in both V-A and A-H intervals which precluded the use of usual maneuvers so we used simultaneous atrial and ventricular pacing and introduced a premature atrial contraction with a closely coupled premature ventricular contraction. Case 4 had had two prior atrial fibrillation ablations with continued SVT over a decremental atrioventricular bypass tract that was successfully ablated at 5 o'clock on the tricuspid annulus. A second SVT consistent with a concealed nodoventricular pathway was successfully ablated at the right inferior extension of the AV nodal slow pathway. Conclusion: We describe challenging cases of PJRT by virtue of complex anatomy, diagnostic features, and multiple arrhythmia mechanisms.
On-Demand Mobility Cargo Demand Estimation in Northern California Region

The objective of this paper is to study the potential market for electric Vertical-Takeoff-and-Landing (eVTOL) aircraft in the cargo delivery role in an urban network. Specifically, we study the potential small-package cargo operations network in the Northern California region. Recent developments in the cargo shipping industry have opened opportunities for faster modes of small-package delivery in intra-city markets. With increasing congestion of ground transportation modes and limited catchment areas, there is a potential for small-package, high-value cargo delivery using proposed eVTOL aircraft.The On-Demand Mobility (ODM) concept for cargo transportation could improve the speed and efficiency of the delivery of small packages to communities. The concept could expand the delivery services offered by traditional ground transportation modes. The concept, however, needs to offer compelling speed advantages at a reasonable cost. The objective of this study is to estimate the potential demand for ODM cargo operations in the Northern California area encompassing 17 counties. Annual cargo flows in the study area are estimated using the Transearch, Freight Analysis Framework 4, and Bureau of Transportation Statistics T-100 International datasets. A parametric analysis of market share presents the results of this study.The study presents a first-order impact analysis of ODM cargo operations on passenger ODM operations. A significant challenge in this study is the lack of specific level of detail of the shipment cost of the various databases used. Generally, private cargo companies do disclose detailed records of shipments to the public.
Hormone Deficiency Syndromes of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

Hypopituitarism results from various causes which can be either inherited or acquired. Its clinical presentation depends on the extent and severity of the pituitary hormone deficiency. Both the anterior and posterior pituitary can be affected with loss of one, multiple, or all hormonal axes. Deficits can also result from hypothalamic disease, which is the main regulator of pituitary function. This chapter reviews the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of the deficiency of each of the pituitary hormones. It is important to diagnose and treat these hormonal deficiencies as in certain cases it can be lifesaving.
Currency of Love: Customary International Law and the Battle for Same-Sex Marriage in the United States

The battle for same-sex marriage is likely to be the civil rights issue of this decade. Developments all over the world over the last several years have caused celebration, public outcry and passionate debate. In the last year alone, the first Latin American same-sex wedding was performed, Sweden joined the nations who allow same-sex marriage, and the United States saw the “Proposition 8” debacle in California, and the new federal lawsuits that will inevitably propel the issues toward the Supreme Court. The legal debate in the United States has asked the crucial question: is there a legal right to marriage for each person, regardless of sexual orientation? This article examines the debate through the prism of international law and argues that there is. Scholars and courts have analyzed the constitutional, legal and moral implications of this debate. This article adds a new argument to the debate: same-sex marriage should be allowed in the United States because it is protected by customary international law, and U.S. courts do, and should, consider international custom in their jurisprudence.Part One of the article details the myriad of areas in which “marriage” is a legally significant designation. Part Two describes the legislation, judicial opinions and contours of the debate in the United States to date. Part Three presents arguments for how same-sex marriage is protected by customary international law: it is protected through codifications of custom, it is a trend in at least parts of the world, and most importantly, the justifications of the nations who allow same-sex marriage evidence a sense of legal obligation to allow it. Part Four examines how the United States courts have used customary international law in a variety of cases, and explains how courts could incorporate those norms to find that same-sex marriage should be legalized. The article concludes with two essential appendices that illustrate the current status of same-sex marriage: a state-by-state current summary of the issue in the United States and a large selected nation-by-nation compilation.
The Closing of a Major Airport: Immediate and Longer-Term Housing Market Effects

The closing of a busy airport has large effects on noise and economic activity. Using a unique dataset, we examine the effects of closing Denver’s Stapleton Airport on nearby housing markets. We find evidence of immediate anticipatory price effects upon announcement, but no price changes at closing and little evidence of upward trending prices between announcement and closing. However, after airport closure, more higher income and fewer black households moved into these locations, and developers built higher quality houses. Finally, post-closing, these demographic and housing stock changes had substantial effects on housing prices, even after restricting the sample to sales of pre-existing housing.
Heights of Justice

In this book, Boston College Law School's Academic Dean, Lawrence Cunningham, arranges selected contributions of his faculty's scholarship into a meditation upon justice. The book weaves a combination of theory and practice to articulate moral and ethical values that facilitate rational application of law. It envisions legal arrangements imbued with commitments of the Jesuit tradition, including the dignity of persons, the common good and compassion for the poor. This reflective collection of inquiry evokes a signature motif of the BC Law faculty in dozens of different legal subjects. Materials downloadable from this abstract consist of: Table of Contents, Acknowledgements, Introduction and Index of Contributions.
Public health impact of a US ban on menthol in cigarettes and cigars: a simulation study.

Introduction The US Food and Drug Administration most recently announced its intention to ban menthol cigarettes and cigars nationwide in April 2021. Implementation of the ban will require evidence that it would improve public health. This paper simulates the potential public health impact of a ban on menthol in cigarettes and cigars through its impacts on smoking initiation, smoking cessation and switching to nicotine vaping products (NVPs). Methods After calibrating an established US simulation model to reflect recent use trends in cigarette and NVP use, we extended the model to incorporate menthol and non-menthol cigarette use under a status quo scenario. Applying estimates from a recent expert elicitation on the behavioural impacts of a menthol ban, we developed a menthol ban scenario with the ban starting in 2021. We estimated the public health impact as the difference between smoking and vaping-attributable deaths and life-years lost in the status quo scenario and the menthol ban scenario from 2021 to 2060. Results As a result of the ban, overall smoking was estimated to decline by 15% as early as 2026 due to menthol smokers quitting both NVP and combustible use or switching to NVPs. These transitions are projected to reduce cumulative smoking and vaping-attributable deaths from 2021 to 2060 by 5% (650 000 in total) and reduce life-years lost by 8.8% (11.3 million). Sensitivity analyses showed appreciable public health benefits across different parameter specifications. Conclusions and relevance Our findings strongly support the implementation of a ban on menthol in cigarettes and cigars.
Effects of membrane and flexural stiffnesses on aortic valve dynamics: identifying the mechanics of leaflet flutter in thinner biological tissues

Abstract Valvular pathologies that induce deterioration in the aortic valve are a common cause of heart disease among aging populations. Although there are numerous available technologies to treat valvular conditions and replicate normal aortic function by replacing the diseased valve with a bioprosthetic implant, many of these devices face challenges in terms of long-term durability. One such phenomenon that may exacerbate valve deterioration and induce undesirable hemodynamic effects in the aorta is leaflet flutter, which is characterized by oscillatory motion in the biological tissues. While this behavior has been observed for thinner bioprosthetic valves, the specific underlying mechanics that lead to leaflet flutter have not previously been identified. This work proposes a computational approach to isolate the fundamental mechanics that induce leaflet flutter in thinner biological tissues during the cardiac cycle. The simulations in this work identify reduced flexural stiffness as the primary factor that contributes to increased leaflet flutter in thinner biological tissues, while decreased membrane stiffness and mass of the thinner tissues do not directly induce flutter in these valves. The results of this study provide an improved understanding of the mechanical tissue properties that contribute to flutter and offer significant insights into possible developments in the design of bioprosthetic tissues to account for and reduce the incidence of flutter.
Spatio-temporal filtering of dynamic PET data using a low-pass filter with EM deconvolution

2354 Objectives We introduce a method for denoising dynamic PET data, temporal expectation-maximization (TEM) filtering. Low-pass filtering of voxel TACs is followed by EM deconvolution that quickly restores the low frequencies that dominate the signal. Extension to both spatial and temporal filtering (STEM) achieves even greater noise suppression. We further demonstrate that TEM and STEM filtering improve the kinetic analysis of dynamic PET tracer studies. Methods The effects of TEM and STEM filtering on spatial and temporal resolution and voxel variance were studied using a NEMA body phantom scanned dynamically for 2.5 hours with a 18F background (13.1 kBq/ml at start) and spherical inserts filled with 11C (96.4 kBq/ml at start). The effects on the bias and variance of quantitative parameter estimates was assessed using parametric images of BPND generated with MRTM2 and RPM2 from 40 realizations of a simulated 11C-raclopride study. Images were reconstructed by FBP with a ramp or a Hann filter, and TEM and STEM applied to the ramp images. The simulation results were qualitatively confirmed with 2 human 11C-raclopride studies acquired on an HRRT scanner. Results In the phantom, TEM and STEM filtering with 3 EM iterations did not measurably degrade the contrast of the 13 mm sphere relative to background, whereas the Hann filter did. Averaged over the frames studied, reductions in the voxel coefficient of variation (COV) were: TEM 14%, STEM 24%, and Hann filter 17%. For the 11C-raclopride simulations, the median bias and COV of BPND in the striatum are summarized in the table. The human data qualitatively confirm these results. Conclusions TEM and STEM filtering significantly reduce noise in dynamic PET studies with minimal loss of temporal or spatial resolution. This reduction in noise improves the estimation of quantitative parameters in PET tracer studies. Research Support John Floberg is supported by the NIH Radiological Sciences Training Grant (T32 CA009206
An optimal control approach for communication and motion co-optimization in realistic fading environments

We consider an energy co-optimization problem of minimizing the total communication and motion energy of a robot tasked with transmitting a given number of information bits while moving along a fixed path. The data is transmitted to a remote station over a fading channel, which changes along the trajectory of the robot. While a previous approach to the problem used a speed-based motion-energy model, this paper uses acceleration both as an input to the system and as a basis for the motion energy which is more realistic. Furthermore, while previous approaches posed the problem in discrete time, we formulate it in continuous time. This enables us to pose the problem in an optimal control framework amenable to the use of maximum principle. We then compute the optimal control input via an effective algorithm recently developed by us that converges very fast. We use practical models for channel fading and energy consumption: the channel quality is predicted based on actual measurements, and the energy models are based on physical principles. Simulation is used to solve a specific problem and demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed approach.
A Technique for Power-Aware Query-Informed Routing in Support of Long-Duration Queries for Sensor Networks

In-network aggregation is a useful technique to mitigate the limited power problem in sensor networks. In order to further reduce power usage, many efforts have focused on the application layer. In contrast, our work integrates the application and network layers with a focus on the generation of a routing topology for sensor networks. We present a grouping technique to construct a routing tree topology based on information contained within specific queries. This "query informed" method enables the query process to be efficient in terms of energy consumption. The technique is aimed at applications that require long-duration queries, and is described in terms of algorithmic behavior, simulation experiments, and comparative analysis to conventional techniques
Demonstration of human reagin using monkey tissues. VI. Pharmacologic studies of in vitro passive sensitization of monkey ileum with sera from atopic patients.

Abstract The response of isolated monkey ileum to various chemical substances which have been described as mediators in the anaphylactic antigen-antibody reaction were studied previously. 2 In this report, several materials that supposedly inhibit these actions in this system are presented. The effect of these antagonists on the prevention of a contraction of a sensitized strip of monkey ileum following the addition of the specific antigen was likewise determined. In this manner, and with all these data available, the probable mediators of the antigen-antibody reaction in the Schultz-Dale—type monkey ileum system could be assessed. It would appear that histamine was the most important mediator of the antigen-antibody reaction in this system. This conclusion is based on the observations listed below. (1) Chlorpheniramine maleate and BP400 were able to suppress the contractions of the monkey ileum produced by histamine and anaphylactic challenge in relatively small dosages (0.05 to 1 μg), respectively. (2) There was no close correlation between the inhibition of the anaphylactic contractions and those produced by serotonin or bradykinin. (3) Phenol, phenylbutazone, salicylic acid, and hydrocortisone each inhibited the contractions produced by each of the chemical mediators (histamine, serotonin, and bradykinin) and the anaphylactic challenge to the same degree. There was no specific action of any of these inhibitory agents, and relatively huge dosages were necessary to produce these effects. Hence, it is assumed that they have a direct action on the ability of the muscle to contract, rather than a specific antagonistic action on any of the mediators. (4) KB-95 demonstrated much more potent antibradykinin activity than any of the other drugs tested.
Knowledge management support for decision making in the pharmaceutical industry

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the practical application of knowledge management as an aid to decision making by pharmaceutical firms which comprise an industry that seems very well suited for knowledge management investigation. Although researchers assert that knowledge management has moved beyond fad status to become mainstream, practitioners remain skeptical and express major concerns regarding the ambiguity surrounding the sub-discipline associated with the management of knowledge. The major players in the pharmaceutical industry have already implemented knowledge management systems and therefore may experience a competitive advantage over other pharmaceutical companies. No attempt will be made in this chapter to suggest how the lessons learned from the pharmaceutical industry can be generalized to other industries.
The ML-EM Algorithm is Not Optimal for Poisson Noise

The ML-EM (maximum likelihood expectation maximization) algorithm is the most popular image reconstruction method when the measurement noise is Poisson distributed. This short paper considers the problem that for a given noisy projection data set, whether the ML-EM algorithm is able to provide an approximate solution that is close to the true solution. It is well-known that the ML-EM algorithm at early iterations converges towards the true solution and then in later iterations diverges away from the true solution. Therefore a potential good approximate solution can only be obtained by early termination. This short paper argues that the ML-EM algorithm is not optimal in providing such an approximate solution. In order to show that the ML-EM algorithm is not optimal, it is only necessary to provide a different algorithm that performs better. An alternative algorithm is suggested in this paper and this alternative algorithm is able to outperform the ML-EM algorithm.
Developing multi-target therapeutics to fine-tune the evolutionary dynamics of the cancer ecosystem

Multi-target therapies, either in combination or in sequential order, have been advocated to combat intrinsic and acquired resistance to anti-cancer drugs (Holohan et al., 2013; Yardley, 2013). However, the effectiveness of multi-target anti-cancer therapy in the clinic is limited. The selection of cancer cells obeys Darwin's law of evolution. Under the pressure of drug perturbation, the cancer cell can adapt versatile molecular and cellular mechanisms for survival, and often evolves into more aggressive or metastasis phenotypes (Holohan et al., 2013). At the molecular level, acquired mutations resulting from drug treatment may modify drug metabolism (e.g., increasing efflux, decreasing uptake, and enhancing detoxification etc.) and alter drug-target interactions. At the cellular level, multiple pathways support the survival of cancer cells. The inhibition of one pathway may result in the activation of an alternative pathway. Although novel approaches to optimizing combination therapies have been proposed to defer these drug resistance mechanisms (Crystal et al., 2014; Wang et al., 2015), intra-tumor heterogeneity that have been observed ubiquitously may make the drug combination fail (McGranahan and Swanton, 2015). Polygenic drug-resistance mechanisms are present in sub-clones prior to the initiation of therapy (Bozic et al., 2013). If the therapy cannot target all sub-clones that drive the cancer progress in a fast-killing mode, it would prompt the rapid growth of sub-clones that are not sensitive to the treatment (Gatenby et al., 2009). Unfortunately, the number of driver mutations in advanced tumors is substantial (Gerlinger et al., 2014). It could be an impossible mission to target all driver mutations. The existence of cancer stem cells adds another dimension of complexity. The conventional single or combinational anti-cancer drug is incapable of killing cancer stem cells. When a cancer cell is killed by chemotherapy, it could send signals to stimulate the proliferation of the cancer stem cell, leading to the repopulation of the drug-resistance tumor (Kurtova et al., 2015). Thus, new strategies are needed to combat anti-cancer drug resistance with the goal to improve the effectiveness of anti-cancer therapy.
Allelic Variation in the Dihydrofolate Reductase Gene at Amino Acid Position 95 Contributes to Antifolate Resistance in Chinese Hamster Cells

Abstract The Chinese hamster lung cell line DC-3F contains two polymorphic dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) alleles that are defined by an Asp-Asn amino acid sequence difference at position 95 in the protein. Previously, we reported that the antifolate-resistant subline DC-3F/A3 overexpressed a Leu22 → Phe mutant of the Asp95 (21k) allele and that this was the basis of its resistance to methotrexate (MTX) and methasquin [P. W. Melera, J. P. Davide, C. A. Hession, and K. W. Scotto. Mol. Cell. Biol., 4: 38–48, 1984]. We now show that another independently selected antifolate-resistant subline of DC-3F, DC-3F8/A55, in addition to being severely compromised in its ability to accumulate MTX, overexpresses a Leu22 → Phe mutant form of the Asn95 (20k) allele. Characterization of purified DHFR from these cells showed that the enzyme displayed a 6-fold higher Kd for MTX (3.92 ± 0.17 pm) than the wild type (0.58 ± 0.10 pm), thus explaining its lowered sensitivity to drug. Unexpectedly, however, this value was 4-fold lower than that displayed by the DC-3F/A3 enzyme even though both contain the same (Leu22 → Phe) mutation and differ only at position 95. Indeed, we have also shown that the 21k and 20k wild type enzymes, both containing Leu at position 22, in fact differ by 3-fold (1.58 ± 0.08 and 0.58 ± 0.10 pm, respectively) in their Kd9s for MTX. This demonstrates that the amino acid at position 95 has an effect on the ability of DHFR to bind MTX. On the other hand, these allelic variants are indistinguishable from each other in their catalytic properties and in their respective Kd9s for dihydrofolate. Taken together, these characteristics are consistent with the observation that it is the wild type 21k allele which is preferentially overexpressed at a frequency of 3:1 in MTX-resistant Chinese hamster lung sublines derived by long-term selection in MTX. The results of these studies are novel in that they establish a role for allelic variation in the DHFR gene as a contributor to antifolate resistance in mammalian cells. Moreover, they implicate amino acid position 95 in the maintenance of the structure of the MTX binding pocket.
Suppression of Optical Parametric Generation in the High-Efficient OPCPA System

An orbital tip of crystals and a higher level of a seed signal have significantly suppressed super-luminescent optical-parametric generation as the main limitation factor in high-efficient optical-parametric chirped-pulse amplifiers.
Abstract 5631: Nitric oxide-based immune response modifications: A novel paradigm in tumor vaccine development against melanoma

Although of cardinal importance, the specific role of nitric oxide (NO) in the immune response to cancer remains elusive. NO is generally considered to act as a terminal effector molecule that will promote direct cell death due to its cytotoxic and/or cytostatic properties. Conversely, NO has been also found to be associated with a cytoprotective effect due to its ability to interfere with the apoptotic machinery. We have previously shown that NO is capable to immuno-sensitized tumor cells by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes and modifying the structure of many protein targets. Thus, we hypothesize that NO-based modification of an autologous tumor vaccine preparation may improve the immunological priming against tumor cells and potentiate the specific anti-tumor immune response. In order to test this hypothesis we used the well-characterized B16-C57BL/6 syngeneic mouse model of melanoma. B16-F0 melanoma cells were cultured in the presence or absence of a non-cytotoxic concentration of a slow rate release NO donor for 18 hours, and later homogenized into a crude lysate. These preparations were used to vaccinate mice previously challenged with B16-F0 melanoma cells on the contralateral dorsal flank one week before, in order to frame a therapeutic paradigm of treatment in cancer. Additional doses of vaccine were applied every 7 days for a period of 3 weeks and tumor volume was determined every 3 days. Our results demonstrate that the NO-modified autologous cancer vaccine decreases the rate of tumor growth by approximately 85% (p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5631.
Reliability and Validity of the LPC Scale: A Reply

In this article the author responds to the comments of Schriesheim, Bannister and Money on his article and reassess the implications of certain measurement properties of the Least Preferred Co-worker (LPC) scale. The author notes that in his review he concluded that the high internal consistency of LPC has been demonstrated. He adds that, since the writing his review, five additional coefficients of internal consistency have become available. As he indicated in his initial review, the literature provides no examples of parallel form reliability as the term is usually used. As noted correctly by Schriesheim et al., alternate forms of LPC meeting the criteria of true equivalent forms have never been developed or tested.
NaCl Dissociation Dynamics at the Air−Water Interface

The rate for NaCl dissociation was compared between the air−water interface and water bulk using the transition path sampling formulism to begin understanding how an interface affects reaction dyna...
Managing The Lactating Body: The Breast-Feeding Project and Privileged Motherhood

Drawing on interviews with twenty-five mostly white, educated, work-force experienced and class-privileged mothers, this paper explores how these women construct the lactating body as a carefully managed site and breast-feeding as a project—a task to be researched, planned, implemented, and assessed, with reliance on expert knowledge, professional advice, and consumption. The framing of breast-feeding as a project contrasts with the emphases on pleasure, embodied subjectivity, relationality, and empowerment that characterizes much of the recent breast-feeding literature across the humanities and social sciences. I argue that the project frame sheds light on the amount of work and self-discipline involved in compliance with broader middle-class mothering standards set in the consumerist, technological, medicalized, and professionalized contexts that shape parenting in late capitalist America.
Recombinant activated factor VII for neurological and neurosurgical bleeding emergencies

SUMMARY The management of central nervous system bleeding emergencies is a common clinical challenge. The most common scenarios include spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), traumatic epidural and subdural hematomas, hemorrhagic infarction and spinal epidural bleeding. A recent phase II clinical trial demonstrated that ultra-early hemostatic therapy with recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) limits ongoing bleeding, reduces hematoma volume and improves survival and functional outcome, despite a small increase in the risk of thromboembolic complications. A definitive phase III study (the FAST [rFVIIa in Acute Hemorrhagic Stroke Treatment] Trial) is now in progress to confirm these results. A pilot trial of continuous rFVIIa infusion to prevent re-bleeding after SAH was stopped because of concerns regarding ischemic complications related to vasospasm. Intravenous vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma are the mainstays of therapy for coagulopathic intracranial bleeding, but normalization of coagulation can take many hours, and outcomes are often unsatisfactory. Successful off-label use of rFVIIa to stabilize patients with warfarin-associated ICH and subdural hematoma or to expedite emergency surgery has been reported, but questions remain regarding the optimal dose for this indication. Clinical trials are urgently needed to confirm that rFVIIa can safely arrest active bleeding and expedite life-saving emergency neurosurgical procedures in anticoagulated patients with intracranial hemorrhage.
831 LONG TERM TREATMENT OF GLYCOGEN STORAGE DISEASE TYPE I (GSD I): CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT BUT PERSISTENT ABNORMALITIES OF LACTATE & TRIGLYCERIDE CONCENTRATION

831 LONG TERM TREATMENT OF GLYCOGEN STORAGE DISEASE TYPE I (GSD I): CLINICAL IMPROVEMENT BUT PERSISTENT ABNORMALITIES OF LACTATE & TRIGLYCERIDE CONCENTRATION
Injury Risk Posed by Side Impact of Nontracking Vehicles into Guardrails

Side impact is one of the most dangerous types of guardrail crashes. Of particular concern is a nontracking vehicle sliding sideways into a guardrail end treatment. This study investigated the issue of end terminal-side crashes with the use of a data set of 142 guardrail crashes extracted from the National Automotive Sampling System-Crashworthiness Data System. Side crashes involving an end terminal were substantially overrepresented in driver injuries. End terminal contact occurred in about 25% of all guardrail-side crashes but represented almost 70% of driver injuries. Terminals that were noncompliant with NCHRP Report 350 were roughly five times as likely as compliant designs to cause serious crash injury. Collisions with terminals were also about twice as likely to initiate rollover compared with collisions with the length-of-need section of the guardrail. When injuries caused by rollovers, unbelted drivers, and driver ejections were accounted for, the risk presented by terminal contact was accentuate...
One-Year Outcomes of Project Towards No Drug Abuse

at highest risk for drug abuse. It may be more costObjectives. This paper presents the 1-year outcomes effective to target youth who are most likely to abuse evaluation of Project Towards No Drug Abuse (Project drugs in the future than to target much larger numbers TND), a large-scale indicated drug abuse prevention of youth, many of whom will not abuse drugs. It is not program in southern California applied to continua- surprising that one of the most difficult but important tion high school youth, who are at high risk for drug tasks in the minds of many drug abuse prevention reabuse. searchers and practitioners is to intervene with youth Methods. The efficacy of a nine-lesson health motiva- at highest risk for future drug abuse [1,2]. This task tion‐social skills‐decision-making curriculum was of indicated prevention was the primary goal of the evaluated in a three-condition experimental design. present study. Twenty-one schools were randomly assigned by block to one of three conditions—standard care (control), Definitions of “High Risk” classroom program, and classroom program plus a semester-long school-as-community component. A pre- Applicability of substance abuse prevention programtest was followed by a 3-week-long drug abuse preven- ming to higher risk populations is contingent on how tion program and then a posttest at 14 continuation “high risk” is defined [3]. High risk could refer to a high schools. The 7 standard care schools received only disadvantaged socioeconomic group, risk takers, youth the pretest followed by the posttest (same time dura- at risk of dropping out of school, targets of some drug tion). Subjects were followed up 1 year later.
A comparison of data serialization formats for optimal efficiency on a mobile platform

Because of the increase in easily obtainable internet-connected mobile devices and their unique characteristics, choosing the proper data serialization format has become increasingly difficult. These devices are resource scarce and bandwidth limited. In this paper, we compare four different data serialization formats with an emphasis on serialization speed, data size, and usability. The selected serialization formats include XML, JSON, Thrift, and ProtoBuf. XML and JSON are the most well known text-based data formats, while ProtoBuf and Thrift are relatively new binary serialization formats. These data serialization formats are tested on an Android device using both text-heavy and number-heavy objects.
Parallel finite element computation of missile aerodynamics

A flow simulation tool, developed by the authors at the Army HPC Research Center, for compressible flows governed by the Navier-Stokes equations is used to study missile aerodynamics at supersonic speeds, high angles of attack and for large Reynolds numbers. The goal of this study is the evaluation of this Navier-Stokes computational technique for the prediction of separated flow fields around high-length-to-diameter (L/D) bodies. In particular, this paper addresses two issues: (i) turbulence modelling with a finite element computational technique and (ii) efficient performance of the computational technique on two different multiprocessor mainframes, the Thinking Machines CM-5 and CRAY T3D. The paper first provides a discussion of the Navier-Stokes computational technique and the algorithm issues for achieving efficient performance on the CM-5 and T3D. Next, comparisons are shown between the computation and experiment for supersonic ramp flow to evaluate the suitability of the turbulence model.
Concerning the sites of synthesis of proteins of chloroplast ribosomes and of fraction I protein (ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase)

Summary Chloramphenicol and spectinomycin selectively inhibit amino acid incorporation into Fraction I protein but have no effect on incorporation into Fraction II protein. Neither antibiotic depresses specific radioactivities of either 70 or 80 S ribosomes. Cycloheximide inhibits incorporation of amino acid into Fraction I and Fraction II proteins equally. The specific radioactivities of 70 S and 80 S ribosomes are depressed equally by cycloheximide. These results suggest that most of the proteins of 70 S chloroplast ribosomes are made outside the chloroplast. They also confirm previous findings that accumulation of ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase is inhibited by both chloramphenicol and cycloheximide.