cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can the rate of wash load be predicted from the bed-load function?

There exist two types of sediment load, one that bears a certain relationship with the discharge (bed-material load), and the other which does not (wash load). The result of flume study indicates that the transport rate of wash load, just as that of the bed-material load, can be calculated according to the Einstein bed-load function if the instantaneous bed composition is known. On the other hand, the bed-material load is equally available in the entire bed, but only the surface bed layer contains any significant amount of wash-load material. Any change of flow or of sediment supply may immediately change the composition of the wash-load material in the bed. The bed composition as determined from the instantaneous condition of the channel has no lasting significance so far as the wash load is concerned, and this makes the prediction of the wash-load rate from the bed-load function impossible.
Migration as Engendered Practice: Mexican Men, Masculinity, and Northward Migration

As Mexico endures the far-reaching economic and social dislocations wrought by neoliberalism, many predominantly rural states in southern Mexico have witnessed an unprecedented northward exodus of working age men and women. This article argues that in response to these intense pressures to emigrate, poor men from rural Mexico do more than make instrumental calculations about migration to the border; they must negotiate masculine ideals and adopt strategic gendered practices in relation to the migration experience and the dynamic economic, social and cultural conditions of the border region. This article finds that men adopt one or a hybrid of three fluid masculine stances—traditionalist, adventurer, and breadwinner—in response to migration pressures in neoliberal Mexico.
A Multiple Instance Learning Strategy for Combating Good Word Attacks on Spam Filters

Statistical spam filters are known to be vulnerable to adversarial attacks. One of the more common adversarial attacks, known as the good word attack, thwarts spam filters by appending to spam messages sets of "good" words, which are words that are common in legitimate email but rare in spam. We present a counterattack strategy that attempts to differentiate spam from legitimate email in the input space by transforming each email into a bag of multiple segments, and subsequently applying multiple instance logistic regression on the bags. We treat each segment in the bag as an instance. An email is classified as spam if at least one instance in the corresponding bag is spam, and as legitimate if all the instances in it are legitimate. We show that a classifier using our multiple instance counterattack strategy is more robust to good word attacks than its single instance counterpart and other single instance learners commonly used in the spam filtering domain.
Log-periodic array of dual-mode patch elements

The antenna presented is an LP (log-periodic) array of dual-mode patches that offers improved performance in a reduced size. A rectangular patch of high aspect ratio is used. This patch is excited simultaneously in two modes from the same feedline, a microstrip line on the opposite side of the ground plane from the patch. A constant-field mode is driven by the capacitively loaded post, which is connected at its base to the microstrip line and is centered under the patch. The post passes through the ground plane in the center of a rectangular slot that serves also to excite the TM/sub 01/ mode. The first array was designed to have a structure bandwidth of two. A scale factor of tau =0.9 was chosen on the basis of the desired overlap of the loading effect of several adjacent elements. The measured S/sub 11/ data (referenced to 50 Omega ) for the array are shown. The operating band of the antenna (1.03 GHz to 1.75 GHz) is reasonably less than the structure bandwidth. Wideband performance at a high-efficiency level has been obtained. >
Impact of IRB Requirements on a Multicenter Survey of Prophylactic Mastectomy Outcomes

Objective This study assesses the variability in requirements among six institutional review boards (IRBs) and the resulting protocol variations for a multicenter mailed survey. Study Design and Setting We utilized a cross-sectional mailed survey to gather information on long-term psychosocial outcomes of prophylactic mastectomy among women at six health maintenance organizations, all of which are part of the Cancer Research Network. In the context of this collaborative study, we characterized the impact of the different sites' IRB review processes on the study protocol and participation. Results IRB review resulted in site differences in physician consent prior to participant contact, invitation letter content and signatories, and incentive type. The review process required two to eight modifications beyond the initial application and resulted in unanticipated delays and costs. Conclusion Site-to-site variability in IRB requirements may adversely impact scientific rigor and delay implementation of collaborative studies, especially when not considered in project planning. IRB review is an essential aspect of research but one that can present substantial challenges for multicenter studies.
The area-wide real-time traffic control system (ARTC): a distributed computing system

The authors present an efficient software application of a distributed system for area-wide traffic control. This system, called area-wide real-time traffic control (ARTC), can provide orderly movement of traffic, shorten average vehicle delay, prevent congestion, and improve road utilization. The signal controllers in ARTC, which are microcomputers, are interconnected through a computer network. By exchanging traffic flow information among the signal controllers, ARTC provides a novel concept in traffic control by using the computer network. Simulation results of the ARTC prototype control algorithm are presented. The results show substantial improvement over an optimized fixer time control. The signal controllers and the computer network were designed to support real-time communication requirements and a sufficient level of fault tolerance. >
Ablation of Cypher, a PDZ-LIM domain Z-line protein, causes a severe form of congenital myopathy

Cypher is a member of a recently emerging family of proteins containing a PDZ domain at their NH(2) terminus and one or three LIM domains at their COOH terminus. Cypher knockout mice display a severe form of congenital myopathy and die postnatally from functional failure in multiple striated muscles. Examination of striated muscle from the mutants revealed that Cypher is not required for sarcomerogenesis or Z-line assembly, but rather is required for maintenance of the Z-line during muscle function. In vitro studies demonstrated that individual domains within Cypher localize independently to the Z-line via interactions with alpha-actinin or other Z-line components. These results suggest that Cypher functions as a linker-strut to maintain cytoskeletal structure during contraction.
Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Because of the high level of biocompatibility, low level of corrosion, and excellent mechanical properties, titanium and many of its alloys have found extended use as the metal of choice for many implant applications. In addition, because of these properties there continues to be research on the properties of these alloys as well as prolific research and development of new titanium alloy systems. The newer β-titanium alloys have shown promise for applications where a lower modulus of elasticity is desirable. Newer alloys being developed must meet the primary requirement of biocompatibility as well as having the desired mechanical properties Keywords: titanium; biocompatibility; crevice corrosion
The Location of US Manufacturing: Some Empirical Evidence on Recent Geographical Shifts

In this paper, current theories and hypotheses of industrial location are tested, using a cross-sectional regression analysis of employment change in total manufacturing, and in five high-technolog...
Seronegative hepatitis C-related fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis after renal transplant: a case report and review of the literature

Ms J is a 52-year-old female who underwent deceased donor renal transplant (RT) in May 2006 for membranous glomerulonephritis after 6 years on haemodialysis. She was initially treated post-transplant with alemtuzumab (Campath) secondary to delayed graft function and was subsequently discharged on tacrolimus, mycophenolate and prednisone for chronic immunosuppression. Ms J tested negative for anti-HCV in her first transplant consultation in 2004 and again just 12 days prior to surgery. Her bilirubin (0.5 mg/dL), alkaline phosphatase (ALP 94 IU/L), aspartate aminotransferase (AST 28 IU/L) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT 14 IU/L) were all within normal limits before transplant. Subsequently, Ms J’s alkaline phosphatase rose to 178 IU/L 7 days after procedure. Within 6 months her aminotransferases (AST 96 IU/L and ALT 78 IU/L) and bilirubin (1.5 mg/dL) became elevated as well, never returning normal. At that time tacrolimus was stopped in favor of cyclosporine, and computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen demonstrated cholelithiasis and small ascites. Despite this, an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not result in improved liver chemistries and several repeat measurements of chronic anti-HCV/HBV antibody serologies remained negative. Testing for abnormal antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti-smooth muscle antibody (ASMA), anti-mitochondial antibody (AMA) and quantitative immunoglobulins was also negative. Unfortunately, HCV RNA testing was not done. Over the next 7 months, Ms J became increasingly jaundiced with worsening, symp-
High-temperature 23Na MAS NMR data for albite: Comparison to chemical-shift models

Recently, correlations of 23Na chemical shifts with structural parameters such as bond length, coordination number, and bond strength in inorganic compounds have been proposed. When considering only silicate materials we have found that some of these models lead to conflicting predictions. To test the applicability of these correlations to silicates, we collected 23Na MAS NMR spectra of a pure, ordered albite (NaAISi30g) from 25 to 352°C. Over this temperature range, the Na-O bond lengths increase, and the measured isotropic shifts relative to 1 M NaCI decrease linearly from -7.1 ppm at room temperature to -7.8 ppm at 352°C. This agrees with the observed trend in silicates of increasing bond length leading to more negative values of 0 but is not consistent with the bond-valence model, which predicts a change of several parts per million in the opposite direction over this temperature range. Quadrupolar coupling constants were also seen to change, decreasing linearly with temperature from 2.69 MHz at 20°C to 2.30 MHz at 352°C. Static spectra measured from 22 to 1020 °C yielded values consistent with this in the low-temperature range and continued to decrease linearly to 1.50 MHz at the highest temperature. The 23Na spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) were collected between 25 and 1140 °C as well. T[ decreases gradually up to about 500°C and then drops rapidly, indicating that there is a change in the relaxation mechanism at this temperature.
Fat Supplementation to Alfalfa Diets for Refeeding the Starved Horse

Abstract The objective was to examine the metabolic responses of chronically starved horses using two isoenergetic diets consisting of either 100% alfalfa hay (AH) or 80% alfalfa hay with 20% corn oil (AO), on a caloric basis. Two 10-d trials were conducted using 14 emaciated, but otherwise healthy, horses with an initial mean body condition score of 1.8 ± 0.9 and mean BW of 336 ± 31 kg. The initial DE intake of 50% of maintenance was gradually increased to 100% during the 10-d refeeding period. Two of the horses receiving the AH diet were euthanized, thus 12 horses (AH, n = 7; AO, n = 5) survived the 10-d study. One preprandial and four postprandial venous blood samples were collected daily. Dietary effects (P
Low friction arthroplasty for old untreated congenital dislocation of the hip

We report the replacement of 42 hips in 34 adults with untreated congenital dislocation. We used Charnley low friction implants, cementing the cup at the level of the true acetabulum after deepening and enlarging it by our own technique of cotyloplasty. Results were evaluated in 38 hips after a mean of 5.5 years. All the patients showed marked improvement, with no infection and, as yet, no late revision. The technical difficulties of the operation and the complications are discussed.
The evolution of capture myopathy in hooved mammals: a model for human stress cardiomyopathy?

Background and objectives: Capture myopathy (CM) syndromes in wildlife may be a model for human stress cardiomyopathy, including Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Emotional stress or grief may trigger heart attack-like symptoms, and occasionally, sudden death in some humans. Similarly, wildlife exposed to predatory stresses, chase, or capture occasionally results in sudden death. To better understand the nature of vulnerability to stress-induced sudden death, we studied cases of CM in hooved mammals—ungulates—and hypothesized that CM would be associated with a syndrome of longevity-related traits. Methodology: We reconstructed the evolution of CM in ungulates then determined how a set of life history traits explained variation in the likelihood that CM was reported. Results: CM is broadly reported, but not in all genera, and phylogenetic analyses suggest that it is an evolutionarily labile trait. We found that the following traits were significantly associated with reports of CM: greater brain mass, faster maximum running speed, greater minimum group size and greater maximum longevity. Conclusions and implications: CM may be an unavoidable consequence of adaptations to reduce predation risk that include increased running speed, sociality and having larger brains. Moreover, longer-lived species seem to be more likely to be susceptible to CM. Exploring variable susceptibility to CM highlights the evolutionary origins of the disorder, potential basic mechanisms that underlie vulnerability to the phenomenon, and the potential for reduction of risk through modification of life history trajectory.
Quadrupole contributions to /sup 10,11/B+/sup 16/O elastic scattering

Elastic scattering angular distributions have been measured for the systems $^{10}\mathrm{B}$ + $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ at ${E}_{L}=33.7, 41.6, \mathrm{and} 49.5$ MeV and $^{11}\mathrm{B}$ + $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ at ${E}_{L}=41.6 \mathrm{and} 49.5$ MeV. The $^{10}\mathrm{B}$ and $^{11}\mathrm{B}$ data are oscillatory and similar for angles less than 50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} c.m. For angles greater than 50\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} c.m., the oscillations in the $^{10}\mathrm{B}$ data are damped and the data stop decreasing with increasing angle. Elastic scattering angular distributions have been calculated for $^{10,11}\mathrm{B}$ + $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ with the coupling to the ground-state quadrupole moment included explicitly. Potentials which describe the scattering are extracted with the double folding model. It is found that the quadrupole coupling is necessary to explain the difference in $^{10}\mathrm{B}$ and $^{11}\mathrm{B}$ scattering from $^{16}\mathrm{O}$.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ ($^{10}\mathrm{B}$, $^{10}\mathrm{B}$) $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, ${E}_{L}=33.7, 41.6, \mathrm{and} 49.5$ MeV, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$ ($^{11}\mathrm{B}$, $^{11}\mathrm{B}$) $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, ${E}_{L}=41.6 \mathrm{and} 49.5$ MeV. Measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(\ensuremath{\theta})$, deduced Woods-Saxon, and double-folding model parameters. Coupled channels calculations for the ground-state quadrupole moment contributions.
Twelve Turning Points of the Second World War

Anyone seeking a reliable and readable account of the Second World War faces a daunting task. With over 50,000 titles ranging from broad outlines of major events to detailed studies of battles and ...
Introduction to the Symposium

Utopia is, in its literal sense, an impossible place. If utopia is impossible, why does it captivate our political imagination so? Utopian narratives present a vision of the world with alternative ...
Impact of indocyanine green videoangiography on rate of clip adjustments following intraoperative angiography.

Background Intraoperative angiography (IA) is used to evaluate the adequacy of clip reconstruction of intracranial aneurysms. Alternative imaging such as indocyanine green videoangiography (ICG-VA) has been proposed. The additional benefit of ICG-VA when IA is routinely used has not been previously determined. Objective To report our experience with the use of ICG-VA in combination with IA vs IA alone. Methods We retrospectively reviewed cases of aneurysm clipping during a 21-month period by a single surgeon in which ICG-VA was performed after clip reconstruction prior to IA, or IA alone was performed to verify optimal clipping. Records were reviewed for age, sex, race, length of stay, rupture status, Hunt and Hess grade, aneurysm size, location, and temporary clipping. Intraoperative decision making was determined for each group. Results Ninety-four patients who underwent 97 craniotomies for 128 aneurysms met inclusion criteria for this study. ICG-VA+IA was performed in 37 craniotomies; IA alone was performed for 60 craniotomies. Baseline characteristics were similar with the exception that median aneurysm size was slightly larger in the ICG-VA group (5.6 mm vs 4.3 mm, P = .04). ICG-VA produced 4 false negatives, which required clip adjustments following IA (10.8%), vs 7 patients (11.7%) in the IA-alone group requiring clip adjustments (P = .897). Conclusion When IA is routinely performed, the additional use of ICG-VA does not eliminate the need for post-IA clip adjustments owing to the possibility of false negatives. When ICG-VA suggests optimal clipping, but is followed by IA, the rate of post-IA modifications in this study did not differ significantly than if ICG-VA had not been performed.
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SAFETY AND DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF COMMONLY USED VASODILATOR STRESSORS IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS

Increasing numbers of patients are undergoing evaluation for transcatheter aortic valve replacement, which often involves assessment of coronary artery disease ischemic burden. The safety and diagnostic accuracy of commonly used vasodilator stress agents in patients with severe aortic stenosis
Morphology and Development of Calcium Oxalate Deposits in Gilbertella Persicaria (Mucorales)

Walls of sporangiophores and sporangia of Gilbertella persicaria contain conspicuous deposits of calcium oxalate. The morphology of these crystalline deposits varies with location on the fruiting structure. Deposits over most of the sporangiophore consist of elongate, flattened plates embedded in the sporangiophore wall, and these plates often bear single or paired, upright appendages. In the area of transition between sporangiophore and sporangium the crystals consist of short, verrucose projections borne on flattened, polygonal basal plates. Crystals on the sporangium proper are morphologically complex, composed of an apical, flattened, polygonal cap, an angular, upright column, and a flattened, polygonal base plate. Scanning electron micrographs and X-ray elemental analysis of these crystals are presented. The morphology of these crystals and their relationship to sporangiophore and sporangium development are discussed, along with speculations on the function of these deposits.
Biomechanical assessment of fixation methods for segmental mandible reconstruction with fibula in the polyurethane model

Background A variety of plating techniques are employed by microsurgeons to provide rigid fixation for vascularized bone constructs of the mandible. The aim of this study was to biomechanically compare three commonly utilized plating techniques for rigid fixation of fibula bone flaps in reconstructing lateral segmental mandibular defects. Materials and Methods Polyurethane mandibles with 3-cm segmental defects were reconstructed using polyurethane fibula models. Three fixation techniques were compared (n = 5 models per group): Group 1 used two 2.0-mm miniplates at each osteotomy site, Group 2 used a single 2.3-mm plate, and Group 3 used a single 2.7-mm plate. Biomechanical testing of maximum force and displacement at failure for each plating technique was assessed and statistical comparison performed. Results The average displacement for Group 1 was 14.08 ± 1.42 mm, Group 2 was 5.79 ± 0.89 mm, and Group 3 was 6.03 ± 1.59 mm. Group 1 had significantly greater (P < 0.05) displacement when compared with Group 2 and 3. Analysis of variance demonstrated the three groups varied significantly in mean displacement (0 < 0.01). The average force before failure for Group 1 was 616.4 ± 33.83N, Group 2 was 737.8 ± 72.57N, and Group 3 was 681.0 ± 67.98N. Group 2 withstood significantly greater force than Group 1 (P < 0.05), and withstood greater force than Group 3, although the difference was not significant. Analysis of variance showed the three groups varied significantly in mean force at failure (P < 0.05). Conclusion Reconstruction using a single 2.3-mm plate provided the best rigid fixation for lateral segmental defects of the mandible. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microsurgery, 2016.
Diet-Induced Obesity Causes Selective Insulin Resistance

Peripheral insulin resistance is a hallmark characteristic of the metabolic syndrome and obesity. However, whether obesity causes insulin resistance in brain is not known. To test this hypothesis, ...
Colon Conduit in Pediatric Renal Transplantation

AbstractDuring the last 2 years we have used contralateral colon conduit diversion for renal transplant drainage in 2 children. Patient selection and rationale for this operative technique are discussed as well as other diversion alternatives. Our review of the literature revealed that of 36 patients with renal transplants into intestinal conduits 19 (52.8 per cent) survived with a functional transplant. Of these patients 17 were children, including 12 (70.6 per cent) who have functional grafts. In 1 of our patients a large submucosal hematoma developed along the ureteral tunnel, which resolved with expectant management. These preliminary data for this high risk group of pediatric transplant patients requiring intestinal diversion are encouraging.
Attentional Functions in Learning and Memory

Following an evaluation of the conceptual overlaps and functional relationships between attentional processes and learning and memory (L&M), this article reviews the neuronal macrosystems as well as the role of neurotransmitter-specific projection systems in the mediation of attentional functions and L&M. The conceptual relationships and overlaps between the two sets of cognitive functions correspond with overlaps in the neuronal systems involved in the regulation of attentional functions and L&M. The relevance of these cognitive and anatomical interrelationships for the analysis of the cognitive disorders in aging, dementia, and schizophrenia is explored in the last section of this article.
Effect of market variations in gasoline composition on aspects of stochastic pre-ignition

Abstract The sensitivity of stochastic pre-ignition (SPI) behavior to commercial variations in fuel composition in the United States was systematically evaluated in a typical modern 2.0 L downsized boosted engine. In-cylinder pressure time history measurements made during a prescribed speed-load test sequence were used to determine the frequency and pattern of SPI occurrence and the resulting in-cylinder peak pressures. Ten fuels in total were evaluated all with “regular” commercial octane ratings and broad variation in paraffin, olefin, and aromatic concentrations. The engine was operated using a production calibration, and air conditions in the intake manifold were held constant at approximately two bar and 35 °C. A wide range of SPI frequency results was indeed observed, between zero and 45 events in 135,000 engine cycles; whereas, variation in peak pressures during SPI across all fuels was minimal. Analysis of the present results combined with those from a previous study indicated that the sum of aromatic and olefin concentrations in each fuel, represented in an exponential model, is the most accurate predictor of SPI frequency. SPI behaviors were often observed in groups of “chain-reaction” events in rapid succession and increases in SPI frequency corresponded chiefly to a rapid increase in the number of groups not the number of events in each group. Collectively the present results support the hypothesis that increases in SPI frequency for high aromatic and olefin fuels are driven by enhanced engine deposit formation and dynamics, not an heightening of local reactivity as has often been proposed in previous literature.
The Predentary Bone and Its Significance in the Evolution of Feeding Mechanisms in Ornithischian Dinosaurs

The characteristic predentary bone in ornithischian dinosaurs is a unique, unpaired element located at the midline of the mandibular symphysis. Although traditionally thought to only be a plant "nipping" bone, the true functional significance of this bone among feeding mechanisms of ornithischian dinosaurs is poorly known. Recent studies of a select few ornithischian genera have suggested rotation of the mandibular corpora around their long axes relative to their midline joint articulation with the predentary bone. This study aims to re-evaluate these hypotheses as well as provide in-depth qualitative comparative descriptions of predentary bone morphology in ornithischian genera throughout all subclades, including heterodontosaurids, thyreophorans, ornithopods, and marginocephalians. Descriptions evaluate overall shape of the predentary, its articular surfaces contacting the rostral ends of the dentaries, and the morphology of the rostral extent of the dentaries and their midline symphysis. Functionally relevant morphologies in each predentary morphotype are accentuated for further speculation of feeding mechanisms. Three predentary morphotypes are described throughout ornithischian subclades and each plays a unique role in feeding adaptations. Most notably, the predentary likely evolved as a midline axial point of the mandibular symphysis for simultaneous variable movement or rotation of the mandibular corpora in many, but not all, taxa. This simultaneous movement of the hemimandibles would have aided in feeding on both sides of the jaw at once. The function of the predentary as well as other jaw adaptations is discussed for genera throughout all subclades, focusing on both general shape and joint morphology. Anat Rec, 299:1358-1388, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Some Remarks on the Number of Solutions to the Equation f(X1) + … + f(Xn) = 0

Let S, T be finite sets, and let f be a function from S to T. Fix an element t in T, and let cn denote the number of n-tuples (X1,…,Xn) satisfying f(X1) + … + f(Xn) = t here + denotes any binary operation on T. The sequence c1, c2,… satisfies a linear recurrence relation of degree at most |T|.
Activity Limitation Disparities by Sexual Minority Status, Gender, and Union Status

Objectives: We examined whether sexual minorities have greater risk of activity limitations than straight population, and whether the association between activity limitations and sexual minority status differs by gender and union status before and after controlling for key health variables of body mass index (BMI) and psychological distress . Methods: We used logistic regression on nationally representative data from the 2013 to 2014 National Health Interview Surveys . Results: Sexual minority status is associated with activity limitations risk, with important differences by union status and gender. Gay single men’s heightened risk relative to straight married men is explained by psychological distress and BMI, while lesbian/gay single women experience no heightened risk relative to straight married women. Straight cohabiting and partnered gay men do not differ from straight married men regarding risk, while lesbian/gay partnered women experience heightened risk relative to straight married women even after controlling for psychological distress and BMI. Lesbian/gay previously married women do not differ from the straight married of either gender. Conclusions: Findings suggest that activity limitations risk varies across the intersections of sexual minority status with union status and gender. We identify several groups within sexual minorities that are at greatest risk of health disparity, demonstrating that sexual minority health is not a monolith.
Highly Synergistic Interaction between Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors and the Chk1 Inhibitor UCN-01 to Induce Apoptosis in Human Leukemia Cells through Interruption of Both Akt and MEK/ERK Pathways and Activation of SEK1/JNK.

Abstract Ras mutations, which result in constitutive Ras activation, occur frequently in human malignancies, including leukemia. This finding has prompted the development of farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs), which interfere with Ras farnesylation and membrane translocation necessary for Ras function. However, FTIs alone have not yet fulfilled their clinical potential, raising the possibility that their role may lie in combination with other agents. The present studies examined interactions between the farnesyltransferase inhibitor L744832 and the Chk1 inhibitor UCN-01 in human leukemia cells. Combined exposure of U937 cells to sub-toxic concentrations of UCN-01 (100nM) and the FTI L744352 (10μM) resulted in a dramatic and highly synergistic increase in mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, and loss of clonogenicity. Similar interactions were noted in other leukemia cells (HL-60, Raji, Jurkat) and primary AML blasts, and with other farnesyltransferase inhibitors (e.g., FTI-277). These events were accompanied by cleavage of the anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2, XIAP, and Mcl-1. Co-administration of L744832 blocked UCN-01-mediated phosphorylation of MEK/ERK, leading to down-regulation of phospho-CREB and -p90RSK, and activation of p34cdc2 and SEK/JNK. Combined treatment also resulted in pronounced reductions in levels of phospho-Akt, -GSK, -p70S6K, -mTOR, -FKHR, -caspase-9, and -Bad. Ectopic expression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL but not dominant-negative caspase-8 blocked UCN-01/L744832-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis, but did not prevent activation of p34cdc2 and JNK, or inactivation of MEK/ERK and Akt. Enforced expression of myristolated Akt but not constitutively-active MEK significantly attenuated UCN-01/L744832-induced apoptosis. However, dual transfection with constitutively active Akt and MEK resulted in further protection from UCN-01/L744832-mediated lethality. Finally, down-regulation of JNK1 by siRNA significantly reduced the lethality of the UCN-01/L744832 regimen. Together, these findings suggest that farnesyltransferase inhibitors interrupt the cytoprotective Akt and MAPK pathways while reciprocally activating SAPK/JNK in leukemia cells exposed to UCN-01, and in so doing, dramatically increase mitochondria-dependent apoptosis. They also raise the possibility that combined treatment with FTIs and UCN-01 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy in leukemia.
RIGHT-SIDED VENTRICULO-ARTERIAL COUPLING INDICES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CLINICAL OUTCOMES AMONG PATIENTS RECEIVING BIVENTRICULAR IMPELLA (BIPELLA) SUPPORT FOR CARDIOGENIC SHOCK

Background: Biventricular Impella (BiPella) is a novel acute mechanical support strategy for patients with BiVF. We hypothesized that indices of right ventricular-pulmonary arterial coupling are associated with clinical outcomes among BiPella recipients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed
Energy-scalable, 150-fs fiber source seeded by a gain-switched diode

We generate 150-fs pulses from a fiber system based on a gain-switched diode. A combination of nonlinear spectral-temporal filtering and amplification by parabolic pre-shaping compresses 14-ps pulses by nearly 100-fold with transform-limited pulse quality.
A quantum theory of thermal dilatation in solids

Abstract A new approach to the theory of thermal dilatation for a solid is presented. Because of the presence of anharmonic terms in the crystal Hamiltonian, it is shown that every atom becomes a centre of expansion, applying to its neighbours a distribution of radial forces that, in principle, can be evaluated when the interatomic potential is known. The corresponding change in volume is obtained using a result given by Eshelby. The theory is specialized to a Debye model, by which a very simple formula for the high temperature limit of the Gruneisen constant can be obtained. The result is applied to a crystal of solid argon and a fair agreement between theory and experiment is achieved.
The school adjustment of South Asian immigrant children in the United States

This study examined the school adjustment process among South Asian children who had immigrated to the United States with their parents, and who had below-average grades. Both risk and protective factors for dropping out of school were explored in the context of the traditions, familial values, and social norms of South Asians. Data were collected from 75 parents and 75 children in separate semistructured interviews. Content analysis revealed three major themes: congruence of the parents' and school's views on the value of education, congruence of the parents' and children's beliefs that education is the tool to achieve goals, and determination of the children to achieve goals. The low level of proficiency in English was found to be a critical factor in low achievement and school failure. It was concluded that parental encouragement to succeed, in conjunction with teachers' efforts, can be used to facilitate children's school adjustment. Strategies for assisting immigrant children are discussed.
CCAAT box binding protein NF-Y facilitates in vivo recruitment of upstream DNA binding transcription factors

NF-Y binds a CCAAT motif found in many eukaryotic polymerase II-dependent promoters. In the HLA-DRA promoter it has been demonstrated that stereo-specific alignment between this motif and the upstream elements X1 and X2 is required for activation. To study the underlying mechanism for this requirement, a panel of transfected cell lines that maintained integrated, wild-type and mutant promoters were analyzed by in vivo genomic footprinting. Cell lines harboring a mutated CCAAT element exhibited a loss of interactions at the CCAAT site, as expected, and no transcriptional activity. Most importantly, mutation of the CCAAT sequence nearly abolished in vivo binding at the X1 and X2 sites, while mutations of X1 and X2 had little effect on CCAAT box binding. However, X1 and X2 binding was interdependent. In vitro, X1 binding activities are known to be stabilized by NF-Y binding. Interaction between NF-Y and X box binding proteins was demonstrated by reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation in the absence of DNA and co-affinity purification in the presence of DNA. Collectively, these studies indicate that occupancy of the CCAAT element represents an early event affecting other protein-DNA interactions and suggest that NF-Y stabilizes and interacts with X box factors to mediate this function. These findings may represent a common theme among promoters containing a CCAAT element.
Page-Flow in Query Engine Grid

As scaling out applications with multiple servers has become a popular industry practice, we investigate collaborating distributed Query Engines (QEs) to support graph-structured SQL dataflow processes. A SQL dataflow process consists of queries (optionally with UDFs) linked with relational dataflow. We focus on using Distributed Caching Platform (DCP) for inter-QEs data communication. While DCP has gained popularity lately, exchanging query results tuple-by-tuple through DCP is often inefficient due to the tiny granularity of cache access and the overhead of data conversion and interpretation. This has motivated us to explore a new and more efficient mechanism for inter-QEs communication, taking advantage of DCP’s binary protocol. We propose the page-flow approach characterized by extending and externalizing the database buffer pool to DCP to allow the producer QE to put query results as data pages (blocks) to the DCP to be retrieved by the consumer QE. In this way, the relational dataflow logically becomes binary page-flow; the tuples contained in the transferred pages are exactly in the format required by the relational operators thus can be feed in queries directly without any conversion. Further, using pages as mini-batches of tuples, enhances the latency of DCP access. We have implemented this mechanism on a cluster of PostgreSQL engines. Our experiments results demonstrate its value.
Phenylalanine: Transplacental Concentrations in Rhesus Monkeys

Amino acids are actively transported across the mammalian placenta, with concentrations in fetal blood being higher than those in the maternal circulation. Elevated concentrations of phenylalanine ...
The Retention of Adult Sport Participants: The Challenge of Player Ratings

The current study investigates the retention of competitive tennis players in the United States Tennis Association’s (USTA’s) adult league system to answer the following questions: What factors do participants identify as impactful to their participation in adult league tennis? How do participants believe these factors impact their retention? Results suggest participants believe the current system fails to incentivize development as competitors fail to transition successfully to a higher rating and struggle socializing into a new team. Competitors therefore seek to cheat the system. The current study illustrates the importance for league policymakers to consider unintended consequences and provides recommendations. Subscribe to JASM
Hepatocellular Carcinoma: State of the Art Imaging and Recent Advances

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing, with this trend expected to continue to the year 2030. Hepatocarcinogenesis follows a predictable course, which makes adequate identification and surveillance of at-risk individuals central to a successful outcome. Moreover, imaging is central to this surveillance, and ultimately to diagnosis and management. Many liver study groups throughout Asia, North America and Europe advocate a surveillance program for at-risk individuals to allow early identification of HCC. Ultrasound is the most commonly utilized imaging modality. Many societies offer guidelines on how to diagnose HCC. The Liver Image Reporting and Data System (LIRADS) was introduced to standardize the acquisition, interpretation, reporting and data collection of HCC cases. The LIRADS advocates diagnosis using multiphase computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging. The 2017 version also introduces contrast-enhanced ultrasound as a novel approach to diagnosis. Indeed, imaging techniques have evolved to improve diagnostic accuracy and characterization of HCC lesions. Newer techniques, such as T1 mapping, intravoxel incoherent motion analysis and textural analysis, assess specific characteristics that may help grade the tumor and guide management, allowing for a more personalized approach to patient care. This review aims to analyze the utility of imaging in the surveillance and diagnosis of HCC and to assess novel techniques which may increase the accuracy of imaging and determine optimal treatment strategies.
The interaction of repetition and difficulty for working memory in melodic dictation tasks

This research examines the effect of repetition on melodic dictation tasks in an undergraduate ear-training class. A pilot group of freshman music majors (n = 17) were asked to notate four melodies...
Las políticas de la integración regional latinoamericana. Aprendizajes a partir del caso de la Estrategia Centroamericana de Desarrollo Rural Territorial

The Central American Integration System (SICA) has defined, during the recent years, a positive integration agenda through the generation of public goods and the implementation of regional policy a...
Damage monitoring of adhesively bonded composite-metal hybrid joints using carbon nanotube-based sensing layer

Improving mechanical properties and decreasing costs have significantly increased the use of fiber composites in automotive, aerospace, and civil engineering applications. Structural composites are...
USE OF METHOTREXATE FOR REFRACTORY INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE

Methotrexate is an antimetabolite with significant anti-inflammatory properties. As such, it has been used in a heterogeneous group of inflammatory disorders and prompted a study of its use in idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease. Eighty percent of 38 patients with refractory Crohn’s disease or chronic ulcerative colitis patients had a statistically significant clinical improvement to 25 mg of parenteral methotrexate weekly within 12 weeks. This clinical improvement was associated with steroid reductions and endoscopic and histologic improvement or normalization in a subset of patients. Seventy-seven percent of 30 patients switched to a tapered oral methotrexate dose have maintained remission with oral methotrexate at mean follow-up of approximately one year. Toxicity was generally mild and related to minor liver function abnormalities, nausea and abdominal cramping, or leukopenia, although one opportunistic infection and one case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis were noted. Moreover, given methotrexate’s known ability to induce hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis, long term follow-up of our patients remains necessary. Additional studies will be required to define what place methotrexate will play in the treatment of idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease.
Global proteomics analysis of circulating extracellular vesicles isolated from lung transplant recipients

Lung transplant recipients (LTxRs) with acute rejection (AR) and chronic rejection (bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome [BOS]) induce circulating exosomes known to contain donor human leukocyte antig...
Stochastic Gradient Descent on Nonconvex Functions with General Noise Models

Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) is a widely deployed optimization procedure throughout data-driven and simulation-driven disciplines, which has drawn a substantial interest in understanding its global behavior across a broad class of nonconvex problems and noise models. Recent analyses of SGD have made noteworthy progress in this direction, and these analyses have innovated important and insightful new strategies for understanding SGD. However, these analyses often have imposed certain restrictions (e.g., convexity, global Lipschitz continuity, uniform Holder continuity, expected smoothness, etc.) that leave room for innovation. In this work, we address this gap by proving that, for a rather general class of nonconvex functions and noise models, SGD's iterates either diverge to infinity or converge to a stationary point with probability one. By further restricting to globally Holder continuous functions and the expected smoothness noise model, we prove that -- regardless of whether the iterates diverge or remain finite -- the norm of the gradient function evaluated at SGD's iterates converges to zero with probability one and in expectation. As a result of our work, we broaden the scope of nonconvex problems and noise models to which SGD can be applied with rigorous guarantees of its global behavior.
Specificity of Some Exo- and Endo-ß-Galactosidases Toward Glycosphingolipids

The importance of the specific action of glycosidases for maintaining normal cell function has been reflected in the heritable diseases characterized by their absence. Our appreciation of the role of glycosidases in the biological system would be enhanced by a better understanding of their substrate specificity. In this communication, we wish to use the specificities of s-galactosidases isolated from Escherichia coli, jack bean and human liver to point out that the conventional nomenclature for glycosidases based solely on their specificity toward the glycon moiety of the substrates is misleading and sometimes confusing. In addition, the specificity of endo-s-galactosidase isolated from Escherichia freundii will be presented.
Ketones Increase ROS by Upregulating NADPH Oxidases in T1D Liver and Hepatocytes

The incidence of liver dysfunction is common in Type 1 diabetic (T1D) patients, but the mechanism is not well elucidated. There is no study that has examined whether hyperketonemia per se contribut...
Enabling bit-by-bit backscatter communication in severe energy harvesting environments

Micro-powered wireless sensors present new challenges due to the severe harvesting conditions under which they need to operate and their tiny energy reservoirs. However, existing low-power network stacks make a slew of design choices that limit the ability to scale down to such environments. We address these issues with QuarkNet, a backscatter-based network stack that is designed to enable continuous communication even if there is only enough harvested energy to transmit a few bits at a time while simultaneously optimizing throughput across a network of micro-powered devices. We design and implement QuarkNet on a software radio based RFID reader and the UMass Moo platform, and show that QuarkNet increases the communication distance by 3.5× over Dewdrop, 9× over Buzz, and is within 96% of the upper bound of achievable range. QuarkNet also improves the communication throughput by 10.5× over EPC Gen 2, 5.8× over Dewdrop, and 3.3× over Flit for tag-to-reader communication and by 1.5× over EPC Gen 2 for reader-to-tag communication.
Object View Hierarchies in DB2 UDB

In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of object views in IBM's DB2 Universal Database system. We first describe the object-oriented aspects of DB2's type system, their implications for views, and our design requirements. We then describe DB2's object view facility, showing its use to create object views of object data and of legacy relational data. We discuss key aspects of its implementation, explaining how the correctness of object view definitions is checked and how we ensure that queries against object views are translated into efficient queries against the underlying stored database. We close by discussing the current status of object views in DB2.
Three-dimensional cellular development is essential for ex vivo formation of human bone.

Tissue engineering of human bone is a complex process, as the functional development of bone cells requires that regulatory signals be temporally and spatially ordered. The role of three-dimensional cellular interactions is well understood in embryonic osteogenesis, but in vitro correlates are lacking. Here we report that in vitro serum-free transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 stimulation of osteogenic cells immediately after passage results in the formation of three-dimensional cellular condensations (bone cell spheroids) within 24 to 48 hours. In turn, bone cell spheroid formation results in the up-regulation of several bone-related proteins (e.g., alkaline phosphatase, type I collagen, osteonectin) during days 3–7, and the concomitant formation of micro-crystalline bone. This system of ex vivo bone formation should provide important information on the physiological, biological and molecular basis of osteogenesis.