cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of endoscopy in noniatrogenic injuries of the liver.

Traumatic noniatrogenic biliary injuries, unlike iatrogenic injuries, are usually complex in nature and are frequently associated with other multiorgan trauma and infection. Bile leaks following these injuries are an important source of short-and long-term morbidity. Repeat surgery for primary repair of complex bile leaks is difficult and can be complicated by anastomotic leakage and biliary stricture formation. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) was initially used only as a diagnostic technique to guide surgical repair in this setting. However, with the high success rates observed in treatment of iatrogenic bile leaks, ERCP has emerged as a nonoperative treatment option for noniatrogenic biliary leaks as well. Recent data show that ERCP is effective in managing bile leaks after blunt and sharp liver injuries, using transpapillary stenting, endoscopic sphincterotomy, or both, with greater than 80% healing rates. The evidence is not clear regarding which ERCP maneuver—endoscopic sphincterotomy, transpapillary stenting, or both—should be used.
Insulin inhibits serotonin-induced Ca2+ influx in vascular smooth muscle.

BACKGROUND Insulin in physiological concentrations attenuates the agonist-induced intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) transient and inhibits contraction in individual nonproliferated cultured canine femoral artery vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). In the present study, we wished to define the effects of insulin on individual components of Ca2+ transport in vascular smooth muscle. METHODS AND RESULTS Insulin (40 microU/mL) attenuated the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin; 10(-5) mol/L)-induced [Ca2+]i transient (measured by fura 2 fluorescence) in primary confluent canine femoral artery VSMCs in the presence of extracellular Ca2+. In Ca(2+)-free media, the 5-HT-induced [Ca2+]i transient was reduced by 42% and was not affected by insulin. This finding suggested that insulin inhibits 5-HT-induced Ca2+ influx but does not affect sarcolemmal Ca2+ efflux or Ca2+ release from intracellular stores. In support of those conclusions, we found that insulin inhibited the 5-HT-induced component of Mn2+ (a Ca2+ surrogate) influx (measured by fura 2 fluorescence quenching at the Ca2+ isosbestic excitation wavelength). In addition, 5-HT stimulated the rates of 45Ca2+ efflux from intact cells (a measure of sarcolemmal Ca2+ efflux) and from saponin-permeabilized cells (a measure of Ca2+ release from intracellular stores), but insulin did not affect these rates of 45Ca2+ efflux. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that a physiological insulin concentration attenuates the 5-HT-induced [Ca2+]i transient in confluent primary cultured canine femoral artery VSMCs by inhibiting the 5-HT-induced component of Ca2+ influx but not by affecting sarcolemmal Ca2+ efflux or Ca2+ release from intracellular stores.
Inhibition of progesterone-mediated maturation of oocytes of Xenopus laevis by oocyte maturation inhibitor from pig follicular fluid: Development of a routine assay for the inhibitor with Xenopus oocytes

We describe an assay for oocyte maturation inhibitor (OMI) using the progesterone-mediated maturation of Xenopus oocytes. The test fraction used was a partially purified fraction from pig follicular fluid, which gave consistent inhibition of maturation in the pig oocyte assay. In the toad assay, oocytes (30-50) from each toad were pretested to determine whether satisfactory maturation was achieved because widespread animal variation was observed. Toads whose oocytes showed greater than 60% maturation in the pretest could be used directly. Toads whose oocytes showed less than 60% maturation were injected with pregnant mares serum gonadotropin (PMSG) in order to increase progesterone-mediated maturation. The dose and time after injection of PMSG before harvesting oocytes, dose and duration of progesterone exposure, and order of exposure of oocytes to OMI and progesterone were important variables. Opposing effects of OMI and progesterone were seen in oocytes from toads receiving 60 IU PMSG. In the routine assay we use animals whose oocytes show greater than 60% maturation in the pretest or animals treated with 12 IU of PMSG 4 to 7 days before use. Oocytes are exposed to the OMI fraction for 1 hr, progesterone is added, and incubations continued until controls reach maximum maturation (5 to 8 hr). The inhibition of toad oocyte maturation by OMI is reversible. The toad and mammalian oocyte assays were compared using more highly purified fractions of OMI and gave identical results.
Assessment of Coarse Sediment Mobility in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison River, Colorado

The Gunnison River in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park (BCNP) near Montrose, Colorado is a mixed gravel and bedrock river with ephemeral side tributaries. Flow rates are controlled immediately upstream by a diversion tunnel and three reservoirs. The management of the hydraulic control structures has decreased low-frequency, high-stage flows, which are the dominant geomorphic force in bedrock channel systems. We developed a simple model to estimate the extent of sediment mobilization at a given flow in the BCNP and to evaluate changes in the extent and frequency of sediment mobilization for flow regimes before and after flow regulation in 1966. Our methodology provides a screening process for identifying and prioritizing areas in terms of sediment mobility criteria when more precise systematic field data are unavailable. The model uses the ratio between reach-averaged bed shear stress and critical shear stress to estimate when a particular grain size is mobilized for a given reach. We used aerial photography from 1992, digital elevation models, and field surveys to identify individual reaches and estimate reach-averaged hydraulic geometry. Pebble counts of talus and debris fan deposits were used to estimate regional colluvial grain-size distributions. Our results show that the frequency of flows mobilizing river bank sediment along a majority of the Gunnison River in the BCNP has significantly declined since 1966. The model results correspond well to those obtained from more detailed, site-specific field studies carried out by other investigators. Decreases in the frequency of significant sediment-mobilizing flows were more pronounced for regions within the BCNP where the channel gradient is lower. Implications of these results for management include increased risk of encroachment of vegetation on the active channel and long-term channel narrowing by colluvial deposits. It must be recognized that our methodology represents a screening of regional differences in sediment mobility. More precise estimates of hydraulic and sediment parameters would likely be required for dictating quantitative management objectives within the context of sediment mobility and sensitivity to changes in the flow regime.
Bemisia tabaci (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) instar effects on rate of parasitism by Eretmocerus mundus and Encarsia pergandiella (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae)

Studies were conducted to compare preference among Bemisia tabaci Gennadius, biotype B instars for parasitization by Eretmocerus mundus Mercet and Encarsia pergandiella Howard when provided one instar only, two different instars, and four different instars simultaneously. In the single-instar no choice treatment, Er. mundus was more successful in parasitizing the younger host instars, while En. pergandiella parasitized a greater proportion of the older instars. Similar results were observed when parasitoids were provided a choice of two instars in six different pair combinations. When all four instars were provided simultaneously, the numbers of first, second, and third instars parasitized by Er. mundus were not significantly different from each other (range 10.3-16.4%), but all were significantly higher than parasitism of fourth instar nymphs (2.1%). The highest percentage parasitization by En. pergandiella was in third instar (17.2%), and the lowest in first instar (2.8%).
A correlation-based pulse detection technique for gamma-ray/neutron detectors

We present a correlation-based detection technique that significantly improves the probability of detection for low energy pulses. We propose performing a normalized cross-correlation of the incoming pulse data to a predefined pulse template, and using a threshold correlation value to trigger the detection of a pulse. This technique improves the detector sensitivity by amplifying the signal component of incoming pulse data and rejecting noise. Simulation results for various different templates are presented. Finally, the performance of the correlation-based detection technique is compared to the current state-of-the-art techniques.
COMPUTATIONS OF TWO-PHASE SUPERSONIC NOZZLE FLOWS BY A SPACE-MARCHING METHOD.

A practical method for efficiently analyzing the two-phase flow field in the supersonic region of an axisymmetric rocket nozzle is presented. The governing hyperbolic equations for the gas- and particle-phases are simultaneously integrated downstream using a space-marching procedure. Both one- and two-phase flow computations are performed for the JPL axisymmetric nozzle. The results show the nonequilibrium effects which are due to the existence of particles in the flow. The comparisons with the experimental data and other numerical solutions are made to examine the accuracy of the present method.
TIP, a T-cell factor identified using high-throughput screening increases survival in a graft-versus-host disease model.

A coordinated effort combining bioinformatic tools with high-throughput cell-based screening assays was implemented to identify novel factors involved in T-cell biology. We generated a unique library of cDNAs encoding predicted secreted and transmembrane domain–containing proteins generated by analyzing the Human Genome Sciences cDNA database with a combination of two algorithms that predict signal peptides. Supernatants from mammalian cells transiently transfected with this library were incubated with primary T cells and T-cell lines in several high-throughput assays. Here we describe the discovery of a T cell factor, TIP (T cell immunomodulatory protein), which does not show any homology to proteins with known function. Treatment of primary human and murine T cells with TIP in vitro resulted in the secretion of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-10, whereas in vivo TIP had a protective effect in a mouse acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) model. Therefore, combining functional genomics with high-throughput cell-based screening is a valuable and efficient approach to identifying immunomodulatory activities for novel proteins.
Effect of a multimodality natural medicine program on carotid atherosclerosis in older subjects: a pilot trial of Maharishi Vedic Medicine

Although the onset and progression of coronary heart disease (CHD) involve multiple risk factors, few intervention studies have attempted to modify these factors simultaneously. This pilot study tested the effect of a multimodality intervention involving dietary, exercise, herbal food supplement, and stress reduction approaches from a traditional system of natural medicine, Maharishi Vedic Medicine (MVM). The primary outcome measure was carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), a noninvasive measure of peripheral atherosclerosis and surrogate measure of coronary atherosclerosis. Comparison groups included modern medicine (conventional dietary, exercise, and multivitamin approaches) and usual care (no added intervention). Of 57 healthy seniors (mean age 74 years) randomized to the 3 treatment groups, 46 completed IMT post-testing. Carotid IMT was determined by B-mode ultrasound before and after 1 year of treatment. IMT decreased in a larger fraction of MVM subjects (16 of 20) than in the modern (5 of 9) and usual care (7 of 14) groups combined (i.e., 12 of 23; odds ratio 3.7, p = 0.05). For subjects with multiple CHD risk factors ("high-risk" subjects, n = 15), IMT decreased more in the MVM (-0.32 +/- 0.23 mm, mean +/- SD) than in the usual care (+0.022 +/- 0.085; p = 0.009) or modern (-0.082 +/- 0.095, p = 0.10) groups. Within-group reductions in IMT were significant for all MVM subjects (-0.15 +/- 0.21, n = 20, p = 0.004) and for high-risk MVM subjects (n = 6, p = 0.01). These results show that this multimodality traditional approach can attenuate atherosclerosis in older subjects, particularly those with marked CHD risk.
Vitamin E as an antioxidant for poly(etherurethane urea) : In vivo studies

Poly(etherurethane) elastomers are useful materials in medical devices because of their mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, it is necessary to stabilize these elastomers against the oxidation of their ether soft segments. Synthetic antioxidants such as Santowhite® and Irganox® are often satisfactory; however, particularly for biomedical applications, it was of interest to test the natural antioxidant vitamin E in poly(etherurethane urea) (PEUU) elastomers in vivo. The α-tocopherol form of vitamin E was added to PEUU at 5% by weight. Biaxially strained PEUU specimens with and without vitamin E were tested in vivo in the cage implant system. The influence of vitamin E on PEUU biostability was analyzed by attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) characterization of the PEUU surface. ATR-FTIR results showed that vitamin E prevented chemical degradation of the PEUU surface up to 5 weeks implantation, and at 10 weeks 82% of the ether remained. In contrast, without an antioxidant, only 18% of the ether remained after 10 weeks. No surface pitting or cracking was observed by SEM on PEUU with vitamin E; PEUU without antioxidant ruptured owing to extensive pitting and cracking. It was concluded that the antioxidant properties of vitamin E prevented oxidation of strained PEUU elastomers in vivo. The influence of vitamin E on PEUU biocompatibility was characterized by exudate leukocyte counts, density of leukocytes adherent to the PEUU, and morphology of adherent leukocytes. These results indicated decreased leukocyte counts in the exudate and less active adherent cells on the PEUU with vitamin E compared to PEUU without anti-oxidant. A proposed cell-polymer feedback system demonstrates how vitamin E improves both biostability and bio-compatibility of PEUU elastomers in vivo. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Point placement algorithms for Delaunay triangulation of polygonal domains

In some applications of triangulation, such as finite-element mesh generation, the aim is to triangulate a given domain, not just a set of points. One approach to meeting this requirement, while maintaining the desirable properties of Delaunay triangulation, has been to enforce the empty circumcircle property of Delaunay triangulation, subject to the additional constraint that the edges of a polygon be covered by edges of the triangulation. In finite-element mesh generation it is usually necessary to include additional points besides the vertices of the domain boundary. This motivates us to ask whether it is possible to trinagulate a domain by introducing additional points in such a manner that the Delaunay triangulation of the points includes the edges of the domain boundary. We present algorithms that given a multiply connected polygonal domain withN vertices, placeK additional points on the boundary inO(N logN + K) time such that the polygon is covered by the edges of the Delaunay triangulation of theN + K points. Furthermore,K is the minimum number of additional points such that a circle, passing through the endpoints of each boundary edge segment, exists that does not contain in its interior any other part of the domain boundary. We also show that by adding only one more point per edge, certain degeneracies that may otherwise arise can be avoided.
Phase-only filters with improved signal to noise ratio

We introduce the notion of optimal phase-only filters (OPOFs) that yield improved signal to noise ratios (SNRs). We illustrate the improvement in SNR resulting from the use of OPOFs with the help of several analytical examples and simulation results.
Structure-dependent sequence alignment for remotely related proteins.

Motivation: The quality of a model structure derived from a comparative modeling procedure is dictated by the accuracy of the predicted sequence-template alignment. As the sequence-template pairs are increasingly remote in sequence relationship, the prediction of the sequence-template alignments becomes increasingly problematic with sequence alignment methods. Structural information of the template, used in connection with the sequence relationship of the sequence-template pair, could significantly improve the accuracy of the sequence-template alignment. In this paper, we describe a sequence-template alignment method that integrates sequence and structural information to enhance the accuracy of sequence-template alignments for distantly related protein pairs. Results: The structure-dependent sequence alignment (SDSA) procedure was optimized for coverage and accuracy on a training set of 412 protein pairs; the structures for each of the training pairs are similar (RMSD<∼4A) but the sequence relationship is undetectable (average pair-wise sequence identity = 8%). The optimized SDSA procedure was then applied to extend PSI-BLAST local alignments by calculating the global alignments under the constraint of the residue pairs in the local alignments. This composite alignment procedure was assessed with a testing set of 1421 protein pairs, of which the pair-wise structures are similar (RMSD<∼4A) but the sequences are marginally related at best in each pair (average pair-wise sequence identity = 13%). The assessment showed that the composite alignment procedure predicted more aligned residues pairs with an average of 27% increase in correctly aligned residues over the standard PSI-BLAST alignments for the protein pairs in the testing set. Availability: All the computational and assessment procedures have been implemented in the integrated computational system PrISM.1 (Protein Informatics System for Modeling). The system and associated databases for LINUX systems can be downloaded from the website: http://www.columbia.edu/∼ay1/.
Crop rotation efficiencies and biological diversity in farming systems

The positive role of biological diversity in enhancing agricultural sustainability is presented in the context of crop rotation. Once common in virtually all farming systems, crop rotations have been simplified or eliminated during the past two decades from farming systems in most industrialized countries. Specialization, production intensification, government commodity programs, and the resulting short-term economic decisions have all had an influence in reducing crop rotation and diversity. Economic and environmental concerns have raised the question of agricultural sustainability in the public arena. We discuss here the role of diversity and crop rotation in relation to the sustainability issue, including matters of agronomic, economic, and environmental benefits, as well as increased efficiency in the use of fossil fuels. Constraints and future directions in the use of crop rotation in modern agriculture are described.
Membrane Localization of Motility, Signaling, and Polyketide Synthetase Proteins in Myxococcus xanthus

Myxococcus xanthus cells coordinate cellular motility, biofilm formation, and development through the use of cell signaling pathways. In an effort to understand the mechanisms underlying these processes, the inner membrane (IM) and outer membrane (OM) of strain DK1622 were fractionated to examine protein localization. Membranes were enriched from spheroplasts of vegetative cells and then separated into three peaks on a three-step sucrose gradient. The high-density fraction corresponded to the putative IM, the medium-density fraction corresponded to a putative hybrid membrane (HM), and the low-density fraction corresponded to the putative OM. Each fraction was subjected to further separation on discontinuous sucrose gradients, which resulted in discrete protein peaks for each major fraction. The purity and origin of each peak were assessed by using succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity as the IM marker and reactivities to lipopolysaccharide core and O-antigen monoclonal antibodies as the OM markers. As previously reported, the OM markers localized to the low-density membrane fractions, while SDH localized to high-density fractions. Immunoblotting was used to localize important motility and signaling proteins within the protein peaks. CsgA, the C-signal-producing protein, and FibA, a fibril-associated protease, were localized in the IM (density, 1.17 to 1.24 g cm(-3)). Tgl and Cgl lipoproteins were localized in the OM, which contained areas of high buoyant density (1.21 to 1.24 g cm(-3)) and low buoyant density (1.169 to 1.171 g cm(-3)). FrzCD, a methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein, was predominantly located in the IM, although smaller amounts were found in the OM. The HM peaks showed twofold enrichment for the type IV pilin protein PilA, suggesting that this fraction contained cell poles. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of proteins that were unique to the IM and OM. Characterization of proteins in an unusually low-density membrane peak (1.072 to 1.094 g cm(-3)) showed the presence of Ta-1 polyketide synthetase, which synthesizes the antibiotic myxovirescin A.
Nonlinear control of wind power generation systems

This paper proposes a nonlinear control design technique for wind generation systems that deals with both active power and reactive power at the same time in consideration of the fact that the wind generation system is a high order nonlinear dynamical system. Unlike the existing controller designs, the proposed technique is developed based on original nonlinear models of electric machine and wind turbine, and does not use any linear assumption. In addition to the desired reactive power control, the proposed controller also regulates the active power output in either maximum power tracking mode or power regulation mode. The effectiveness of the controller is demonstrated through simulation.
Involvement of microtubules, p38, and Rho kinases pathway in 2-methoxyestradiol-induced lung vascular barrier dysfunction.

2-Methoxyestradiol (2ME), a promising anti-tumor agent, is currently tested in phase I/II clinical trial to assess drug tolerance and clinical effects. 2ME is known to affect microtubule (MT) polym...
Skyline and mapping aware join query evaluation

Growing interests in multi-criteria decision support applications have resulted in a flurry of efficient skyline algorithms. In practice, real-world decision support applications require to access data from disparate sources. Existing techniques define the skyline operation to work on a single set, and therefore, treat skylines as an ''add-on'' on top of a traditional Select-Project-Join query plan. In many real-world applications, the skyline dimensions can be anti-correlated such as the attribute pair {price, mileage} for cars and {price, distance} for hotels. Anti-correlated data are particularly challenging for skyline evaluation and therefore have commonly been ignored by existing techniques. In this work, we propose a robust execution framework called SKIN to evaluate skyline over joins. The salient features of SKIN are: (a) effective in reducing the two primary costs, namely the cost of generating the join results and the cost of dominance comparisons to compute the final skyline of join results, (b) shown to be robust for both skyline-friendly (independent and correlated) as well as skyline-unfriendly (anti-correlated) data distributions. SKIN is effective in exploiting the skyline knowledge in both local within individual data sources and across disparate sources-to significantly reduce the above-mentioned costs incurred during the evaluation of skyline over join. Our experimental study demonstrates the superiority of our proposed approach over state-of-the-art techniques to handle a wide variety of data distributions.
Autonomous robotic wheelchair with collision-avoidance navigation and real-time path planning

This paper presents a wheelchair-size autonomous robot, the robotic wheelchair, moving in a real-life unknown environment with real-time path planning. To optimize its motion trajectory, it is necessary for it to be able to turn around the axle middle point. With this kinematics, a real-time path-planning algorithm was implemented by detecting the range to obstacles and tracking specific light sources used as beacons. During the testing, the seat was first removed but can be installed back. The experimental results verified that the robotic wheelchair could move successfully in an unknown environment with collision-avoidance navigation.
Parameter estimation of an electronic load sensing pump using the Recursive Least Squares algorithm

This paper describes a method to estimate in realtime the parameters of a linear model of an electronic load sensing (ELS) pump. It consists of a pressure sensor to measure the load pressure, a pressure sensor to measure the pump discharge pressure, and a Recursive Least Squares (RLS) algorithm implemented in software that runs on an Electronic Control (ECM) in real-time. The RLS algorithm estimates a linear model of the electronic load-sensing pump by measuring the load pressure data, which is the input to the model, the pump discharge pressure data which is the output of the model, and obtaining recursively a least-squares fit to the input-output data. This method can be used to design robust, adaptive controllers for load-sensing systems, or simply to monitor the dynamic performance of the load-sensing pump. The feasibility of this concept has been verified using models of the electronic load-sensing system, and a floating-point implementation of the RLS algorithm.
Learning Connections in Financial Time Series

To reduce risk, investors seek assets that have high expected return and are unlikely to move in tandem. Correlation measures are generally used to quantify the connections between equities. The 2008 financial crisis, and its aftermath, demonstrated the need for a better way to quantify these connections. We present a machine learning-based method to build a connectedness matrix to address the shortcomings of correlation in capturing events such as large losses. Our method uses an unconstrained optimization to learn this matrix, while ensuring that the resulting matrix is positive semi-definite. We show that this matrix can be used to build portfolios that not only "beat the market," but also outperform optimal (i.e., minimum variance) portfolios.
The 2.5-D multidomain pseudospectral time-domain algorithm

A 2.5-D multidomain pseudospectral time-domain (PSTD) method with a suitable well-posed perfectly matched layer is developed as an accurate and flexible tool for the simulation of electromagnetic wave propagation and scattering in conductive and inhomogeneous media. This approach allows for an accurate treatment of curved geometries with a high efficiency. Numerical results show an excellent agreement with analytical solutions for lossy dielectric cylinders. The 2.5-D multidomain PSTD algorithm is applied to several scattering and waveguiding problems.
The response of a microwave multipolar bucket plasma to a high voltage pulse

A collisional model that describes the response of a microwave multipolar bucket plasma to a high voltage pulse is developed for plasma source ion implantation (PSII). The primary purpose is to develop a theoretical model of PSII plasma physics to be used in conjunction with a model of ion-target interaction to optimize PSII processing. Measurements of the sheath position and target current in a 100 mtorr helium plasma are found to be consistent with the model. Sheath thicknesses predicted by the collisional model are significantly less than those predicted by similar noncollisional models. >
Primal-dual quadratic programming approach to multiple conflict resolution

This paper considers a multiple conflict resolution problem for air traffic control systems. The time required to optimally solve aircraft conflicts is known to grow exponentially with the number of aircraft involved and may become prohibitive when large numbers of aircraft are involved. As an attempt to circumvent this issue, a heuristic polynomial-time conflict resolution algorithm is proposed on the basis of analysis results on the relationship between primal and dual quadratic programs.
Follow The Sun Software Development: New Perspectives, Conceptual Foundation, and Exploratory Field Study

Follow The Sun (FTS) is a special case of global software development. FTS means that software work is handed off every day from one development site to the next -- many time zones away. The main benefit is reduction in development duration. Surprisingly, unlike the broader trend of offshore outsourcing, FTS is practiced rarely and misunderstood often. In this article we present a foundation for understanding FTS including a definition, a description of its place in the life cycle, and choice of methodologies. We also present the outcomes of a first quasi-experiment designed to test FTS and measure the speed of software work. This quasi-experiment is part of our comprehensive research to explore FTS and its implications.
Learning to get along despite struggling to get by

How cooperation can evolve by natural selection is important for understanding the evolutionary transition from unicellular to multicellular life. Here we review the evolutionary theories for cooperation, with emphasis on the mechanisms that can favor cooperation and reduce conflict in multicellular organisms.
The HMG-box transcription factor SoxNeuro acts with Tcf to control Wg/Wnt signaling activity

Wnt signaling specifies cell fates in many tissues during vertebrate and invertebrate embryogenesis. To understand better how Wnt signaling is regulated during development, we have performed genetic screens to isolate mutations that suppress or enhance mutations in the fly Wnt homolog, wingless (wg). We find that loss-of-function mutations in the neural determinant SoxNeuro (also known as Sox-neuro, SoxN) partially suppress wg mutant pattern defects. SoxN encodes a HMG-box-containing protein related to the vertebrate Sox1, Sox2 and Sox3 proteins, which have been implicated in patterning events in the early mouse embryo. In Drosophila, SoxN has previously been shown to specify neural progenitors in the embryonic central nervous system. Here, we show that SoxN negatively regulates Wg pathway activity in the embryonic epidermis. Loss of SoxN function hyperactivates the Wg pathway, whereas its overexpression represses pathway activity. Epistasis analysis with other components of the Wg pathway places SoxN at the level of the transcription factor Pan (also known as Lef, Tcf) in regulating target gene expression. In human cell culture assays, SoxN represses Tcf-responsive reporter expression, indicating that the fly gene product can interact with mammalian Wnt pathway components. In both flies and in human cells, SoxN repression is potentiated by adding ectopic Tcf, suggesting that SoxN interacts with the repressor form of Tcf to influence Wg/Wnt target gene transcription.
Symmetries in geometrical optics: theory

A study of light and charged-particle optical systems with inversion, reflection, rotation, translation, and/or glide symmetries is presented. The constraints imposed by the various symmetries on the first-order properties of a lens are investigated. In particular, the mathematical structures of the deflection vectors and the transfer matrices are described for various symmetrical systems. In the course of studying the translation and the glide symmetries, a simple technique for characterizing a general system of N identical components in series (or cascade) is also developed, based on the linear algebra theory of factoring matrices into Jordan canonical forms. Applications of these results are presented in a follow-up paper [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. A12, 2760 ( 1995)].
High efficiency excitation of plasmonic waveguides with vertically integrated resonant bowtie apertures

In recent years, many nanophotonic devices have been developed. Much attention has been given to the waveguides carrying surface plasmon polariton modes with subwavelength confinement and long propagation length. However, coupling far field light into a nano structure is a significant challenge. In this work, we present an architecture that enables high efficiency excitation of nanoscale waveguides in the direction normal to the waveguide. Our approach employs a bowtie aperture to provide both field confinement and high transmission efficiency. More than six times the power incident on the open area of the bowtie aperture can be coupled into the waveguide. The intensity in the waveguide can be more than twenty times higher than that of the incident light, with mode localization better than λ2/250. The vertical excitation of waveguide allows easy integration. The bowtie aperture/waveguide architecture presented in this work will open up numerous possibilities for the development of nanoscale optical systems for applications ranging from localized chemical sensing to compact communication devices.
Robot Localization Using Overhead Camera and LEDs

Determining the position of a robot in an environment, termed localization, is one of the challenges facing roboticist. Localization is essential to solving more complex problems such as locomotion, path planning and environmental learning. Our lab is developing a multi agent system to use multiple small robots to accomplish tasks normally completed by larger robots. However, because of the reduced size of these robots, methods previously used to determine the position of the robot, such as GPS, cannot be employed. The problem we are facing is that we need to be able to determine the position of each of the robots in this multi agent system simultaneously. We have developed a system to help track and identify robots using an overhead camera and LEDs, mounted on the robots, to efficiently solve the localization problem.
The nitrous oxide-acetylene flame in emission analysis—I. General characteristics

Abstract Detection limits of 34 elements by flame emission have been determined in the nitrous oxide-acetylene flame. The slot burner used for this flame in atomic absorption proves successful also in emission. Excellent sensitivities are found for many elements, especially lithium, the heavier alkaline earths and the IIIA elements. The intense background requires the use of a high quality monochromator.
Continuous Passive Motion in the Treatment of Knee Flexion Contractures

Joint contractures are a problem frequently encountered by therapists. Methods of treating joint contractures traditionally have consisted of range-of-motion and stretching exercises. The medical literature suggests that, to be effective, ROM and stretching exercises must be performed with well-controlled speed, force, and duration. The patient in our case study used continuous passive motion machines after conventional methods of exercise failed. He subsequently demonstrated a 55-degree, bilateral reduction in knee flexion contractures. The purpose of this case report is to illustrate the use of continuous passive motion machines in the treatment of severe knee flexion contractures.
Benzyl butyl phthalate induces epigenetic stress to enhance adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells.

Endocrine disruptors, phthalates, may have contributed to recent global obesity health crisis. Our study investigated the potential of benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) to regulate the mesenchymal stem cell epigenome to drive adipogenesis. BBP exposure enhanced lipid accumulation and adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner compared to control (P < 0.001). Adipogenesis markers, PPARγ (P < 0.001), C/EBPα (P < 0.01), and aP2 (P < 0.001) were significantly upregulated by increasing concentrations of BBP when compared to DMSO. BBP enhanced H3K9 acetylation while decreasing H3K9 dimethylation. Fifty μM BBP increased histone acetyltransferases, p300 (P < 0.05) and GCN5 (P < 0.01) gene expression. Furthermore, histone deacetylases (HDACs), HDAC3 (P < 0.01) and HDAC10 (P < 0.01, 10 μM BBP; P < 0.001, 50 μM BBP) and histone methyltransferases, SETDB1 (P < 0.01) and G9a (P < 0.01), were significantly downregulated by BBP exposure. BBP acts, in part, through PPARγ, as PPARγ knockdown led to decreased H3K9ac and rescued H3K9me2 during BBP exposure. In conclusion, BBP regulated MSCs towards adipogenesis by tipping the epigenomic balance.
Procedural Portfolio Planning in Plastic Surgery, Part 2: Collaboration Between Surgeons and Hospital Administrators to Develop a Funds Flow Model for Procedures Performed at an Academic Medical Center

IntroductionAlthough plastic surgeons make important contributions to the clinical, educational, and research missions of academic medical centers (AMCs), determining the financial value of a plastic surgery service can be difficult, due to complex cost accounting systems. We analyzed the financial
Abstract SY10-01: How aneuploidy drives cancer

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA Aneuploidy has been recognized as a hallmark of cancer for over 100 years, yet no general theory to explain the recurring patterns of aneuploidy in cancer has emerged. We developed Tumor Suppressor and Oncogene (TUSON) Explorer, a computational method that analyzes the patterns of mutational signatures in tumors and predicts the likelihood that any individual gene functions as a tumor suppressor (TSG) or oncogene (OG). By analyzing >8200 tumor-normal pairs we provide statistical evidence suggesting many more genes possess cancer driver properties than anticipated, forming a continuum of oncogenic potential. These genes represent the vast majority of cancer drivers and the genetic networks they drive are a focus of future cancer system biological approaches to cancer research. Integrating our driver predictions with information on somatic copy number alterations, we find that the distribution and the potency of TSGs (STOP genes), OGs and essential genes (GO genes) on chromosomes can predict the complex patterns of aneuploidy and copy number variation characteristic of cancer genomes. We propose that the cancer genome is shaped through a process of cumulative haploinsufficiency and triplosensitivity. We are now assessing how aneuploidy drives cancer and the potency with which it does so. We have found that aneuploidy predicts survival better than mutational drivers and as well as existing clinical parameters in many cases. We have also discovered that different classes of aneuploidy drive transcriptional programs for two hallmarks of cancer and will present data supporting these observations and their implications. Citation Format: Teresa Davoli, Hajima Uno, Andrew Xu, Kristen Mengwasser, Laura Sack, Peter J. Park, Stephen J. Elledge. How aneuploidy drives cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr SY10-01.
A generalized mixed-sensitivity convex approach to hierarchical multivariable inner-outer loop control design subject to simultaneous input and output loop breaking specifications

In this paper, we present a generalized mixed-sensitivity multivariable framework for designing hierarchical inner-outer loop control systems for linear time invariant (LTI) plants subject to simultaneous input and output convex specifications. The methodology presented can handle a broad class of closed loop (e.g. ℋ∞, ℋ2, frequency- and time-domain) objectives. This is accomplished by exploiting the Youla-Jabr-Bongiorno-Kucera (YJBK) parameterization, the resulting convexification, and state-of-the-art polynomial-time convex solvers that can be applied to smooth and non-differentiable problems. It is well known that ill-conditioned plants (with large relative gain array entries (RGA)) can be particularly troublesome when specifications must be met at multiple loop breaking points (e.g. inputs/controls, outputs/errors). The associated tradeoffs can be quite severe for such systems. A hierarchical control architecture can exploit the additional feedback information in order to significantly help in making reasonable tradeoffs between properties at these loop-breaking points. The utility of the framework is illustrated by designing a control system for the longitudinal dynamics of a 3-DOF scramjet-powered hypersonic vehicle model - one that is unstable, non-minimum phase and flexible. For such a challenging vehicle, the method is shown to generate very good designs - designs that would be difficult to obtain without the new framework presented. Comparisons to other methods are made to further illustrate its power and transparency. While the focus of the paper is on finite-dimensional LTI multivariable plants and frequency domain specifications, the methods presented can also be applied to infinite-dimensional plants subject to time-domain specifications. In short, the paper provides a systematic approach to a large class of important control design problems.
Head Circumference and IQ in Duchenne MD

The head circumferences of 64 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy were greater than normal and the intellectual performance tested by the Wechsler was significantly impaired in a study performed at The Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital, Alder Hey, Liverpool and The University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Resume of Fundamental Mathematical Notions

This chapter contains sections titled: 1.00 Fourier Series, 1.01 Orthogonal Functions, 1.02 The Fourier Integral, 1.04 More on the Fourier Integral; Realizability of Filters, 1.1 Generalized Harmonic Analysis, 1.18 Discrete Arrays and Their Spectra, 1.2 Multiple Harmonic Analysis and Coherency Matrices, 1.3 Smoothing Problems, 1.4 Ergodic Theory, 1.5 Brownian Motion, 1.6 Poisson Distributions, 1.7 Harmonic Analysis in the Complex Domain
Differentiation Hotspots on a Cell Cycle Related Continuum.

Directed differentiation is defined as the ability to program a stem cell at the most primitive level while it still has its reproductive and full proliferative potential. This is in contrast to ex-vivo expansion where the stem cells are forced into specific lineage commitments, limiting the overall therapeutic utility. We have demonstrated differentiation “hotspots” on a cell cycle continuum (Exp Heme35:96, 2007). In this work we showed marked but reversible increases in differentiation potential to megakryocyte and granulocytes at different phases of a single cytokine induced cell cycle passage of highly purified quiescent murine lineage negative rhodamine low Hoescht low (LRH) marrow stem cells. We have reproducibly induced directed stem cell differentiation by capitalizing on inherent changes in sensitivities to inductive cytokine signals in the context of cell cycle position. These cells, when exposed to thrombopoietin, FLT3-ligand and steel factor, synchronously pass through cell cycle. We have found that using a differentiation cytokine cocktail of G-CSF at 0.075ng/ml, GM-CSF at 0.0375ng/ml and steel factor at 50ng/ml, we were able to see enhanced megakaryopoiesis occurring 14-days after culture in those LRH stem cells that were in early to mid S-phase at time of inductive signaling. We have now shown that a megakaryocyte hotspot clusters around 32 hours; the G 1 /S interface, and that dramatic reversible changes in differentiation potential occur over one hour time intervals. We have confirmed this data by looking at LRH cells through cell cycle transit after initial cell division showing that a megakaryocyte hotspot occurs in two sequential cell cycles and still tied to S-phase at time of inductive signaling of the daughter cells. This hotspot has been demonstrated on a clonal basis, although the kinetics of the hotspot shifts when clonal as opposed to population studies are carried out. An important issue is whether in vitro cytokine exposure, separate from cell cycle status, determines the existence of the hotspot. To address this, we used Hoechst 33342 dye content to assist in separation of different cell cycle fractions (G 0–1 , early, mid and late components of S, G 2 /M) of lineage negative Sca-1+ stem cells, a cycling stem/progenitor cell population in which approximately 20% of the cells are in S-phase at isolation. These cells were only exposed to the differentiation cytokines and showed a megakaryocyte hotspot present in only early S-phase cells after 14-days of culture, showing that in vitro cell cycle phase determined the presence of the hotspot, separate from cytokine exposure. These data indicate that differentiation potential of marrow stem cells exists on a cell cycle related continuum and that this potential can be demonstrated on a single cell basis. This suggests a continuum model of stem cell regulation at the stem cell level as opposed to a pure hierarchical model.
Trans* College Students: Moving Beyond Inclusion

Trans* college students are a growing group in higher education, necessitating a reframing of policies and practices to ensure inclusion for all, particularly those whose gender identities fall outside of the gender binary. In this chapter, extant literature on trans* student identity and experience is reviewed, with a focus on evidence of these students’ many resiliencies. The chapter concludes with an argument for working to reduce genderism (Bilodeau, Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education 3: 29–44, 2005) in higher education through questioning presupposed foundations for gender-restrictive campus spaces, enacting changes in these policies and practices, and restating a commitment to “trickle up” social justice (Nicolazzo, Just go in looking good: The resilience, resistance, and kinship building of trans* college students. PhD dissertation, Miami University, 2014. OhioLINK (miami1426251164); Spade, Normal life: Administrative violence, critical trans politics, and the limitations of law. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2011).
Membrane Fluidity Modulates Biofilm Formation in E. coli via the Rcs Phosphorelay

Lipid membranes are essential for the survival of any cell. The phase behavior of membranes is tightly regulated to maintain their physical integrity and their utility as protein scaffolds. The Escherichia coli inner membrane is composed mainly of three lipid species: phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and cardiolipin (CL). In vitro studies have shown that the presence of CL increases the fluidity of model membranes. Using real-time PCR, we have found that disruption of the three enzymes responsible for CL synthesis—ClsA, ClsB, and ClsC—causes activation of the Rcs signaling pathway. Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM) shows that ΔclsABC biofilms grown under flow are significantly denser than their wild-type counterparts. These mutants also display decreased biofilm formation in crystal violet staining assays. Disruption of the Rcs pathway in a ΔclsABC background restores crystal violet staining to the level of wild-type or better, suggesting that increased Rcs activation is responsible for the observed effects on biofilm formation. We hypothesize the Rcs phosphorelay responds to changes in membrane fluidity, such as that caused by removal of CL from the inner membrane of E. coli.