cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transposon site hybridization in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Microarray mapping of transposon insertions can be used to quantify the relative abundance of different transposon mutants within a complex pool after exposure to selective pressure. The transposon site hybridization (TraSH) method applies this strategy to the study of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and can be adapted to the study of other microorganisms. This chapter describes the methods used to mutagenize mycobacteria with transposons, extract genomic DNA, amplify genomic DNA adjacent to transposon ends using polymerase chain reaction and T7 transcription, and synthesize labeled cDNA. It also describes methods used to construct an appropriate microarray, hybridize labeled cDNA, and analyze the microarray data. Important considerations involved in the experimental design of the selective pressure, the design of the microarray, and the statistical analysis of collected data are discussed.
Endocrine and Metabolic Emergencies

This chapter discusses endocrine and metabolic complications in cancer patients. Cancer and its treatment can lead to endocrine and metabolic abnormalities. Some of these abnormalities can be long term or delayed, and emergency care providers must be aware of these issues in cancer survivors as well as patients with active malignancies. Routine assessment of chemistry tests in the laboratory often reveals abnormalities in cancer patients visiting emergency departments. Emergency physicians must be aware of potentially serious underlying causes of these abnormalities to make appropriate decisions regarding cancer patients.
Mycoplasmas and Ureaplasmas of Humans

Mycoplasmas and ureaplasmas are important human pathogens of adults and infants, predominantly affecting the respiratory and urogenital tracts. Being the smallest free-living organisms, they have evolved characteristics that make them unique among the prokaryotes and the focus of investigations aimed at learning what constitutes the minimal set of genes that can support independent life. Development of molecular-based methods for detection and characterization of these fascinating organisms over the past two decades has enabled more rapid and accurate diagnosis as well as increased knowledge about their basic biology and the infections they cause. Much information has been learned from genome sequencing and proteomics. Genome sequencing that took months to years a decade ago can now be done in a matter of hours for only a few percent of the investment once required. This chapter reviews the classification, structure, pathogenesis, detection, identification, and typing methods for Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Mycoplasma genitalium, Mycoplasma hominis, Ureaplasma parvum and Ureaplasma urealyticum. Emergence and mechanisms involved in acquired antimicrobial resistance in these organisms is also discussed.
Clinical significance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in breast cancer

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) play an essential role in mediating response to chemotherapy and improving clinical outcomes in all subtypes of breast cancer. Triple negative breast cancers (TN) are most likely to have tumors with >50 % lymphocytic infiltrate, termed lymphocyte predominant breast cancer, and derive the greatest survival benefit from each 10 % increase in TIL. The majority of HER2+ breast cancers have similar level of immune infiltrate as TN breast cancer yet the presence of TILs has not shown the same survival benefit. For HER2+ breast cancers, type 1 T-cells, either increased TBET+ tumor infiltration or increased type 1 HER2-specific CD4+ T-cells in the peripheral blood, are associated with better outcomes. Hormone receptor positive HER2 negative tumors tend to have the least immune infiltrate yet are the only breast cancer subtype to show worse prognosis with increased FOXP3 regulatory T-cell infiltrate. Notably, all breast cancer subtypes have tumors with low, intermediate, or high TIL infiltrate. Tumors with high TILs may also have increased PD-L1 expression which might be the reason that TN breast cancer seems to demonstrate the most robust clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy but further investigation is needed. Tumors with intermediate or low levels of pre-treatment immune infiltrate, on the other hand, may benefit from an intervention that may increase TIL, particularly type 1 T-cells. Examples of these interventions include specific types of cytotoxic chemotherapy, radiation, or vaccine therapy. Therefore, the systematic evaluation of TIL and specific populations of TIL may be able to both guide prognosis and the appropriate sequencing of therapies in breast cancer.
Measurement of voltage-induced charge distributions in pet filbs

Significant negative ionic space charge occur in PET films poled by fields as low as 0.14 MV/em at 420°K. The negative charge lies adjacent to the anode and results in a highly distorted electric field distribution which, at the anode, can be several times greater than the applied field strength. The anode is blocking to this negative ionic charge which can be discharged primarily by carrier movement through the cathode.
REFRACTORY HYPOGLYCEMIA FROM PARANEOPLASTIC INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 2 SECRETION IN A PATIENT WITH HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

ABSTRACT Objective: Hypoglycemia due to insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-2 secretion by a tumor, referred to as non–islet cell tumor hypoglycemia, or IGF-2-oma, is a rare and serious paraneoplastic complication of malignancy. When surgical resection is not an option, studies have shown improvement of hypoglycemia with glucocorticoids. We describe the case of a patient with persistent hypoglycemia despite prolonged high-dose glucocorticoid therapy. Methods: A 22-year-old man with known metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma presented with dizziness and weakness. Initial blood glucose level was found to be 10 mg/dL. Multiple injections of 50% dextrose and continuous infusion with 25% dextrose were required to maintain normal blood glucose levels. Laboratory work-up revealed suppressed C-peptide and insulin levels with hypoglycemia and an elevated ratio of IGF-2 to IGF-1, consistent with IGF-2 secretion by the tumor. Results: Despite high-dose glucocorticoid therapy, continuous intravenous dextrose was necessar...
A redox beginning: Which came first phosphoryl, acyl, or electron transfer ?

Thermodynamic and kinetic information available on the synthesis of prebiotic monomers and polymers will be examined in order to illuminate the prebiotic plausibility of polymer syntheses based on (a) phosphoryl transfer that yields phosphodiester polymers, (b) acyl transfer that gives polyamides, and (c) electron transfer that produces polydisulfide or poly(thio)ester polymers. New experimental results on the oxidative polymerization of 2,3-dimercaptopropanol by ferric ions on the surface of ferric hydroxide oxide will be discussed as a chemical model of polymerization by electron transfer. This redox polymerization that yields polymers with a polydisulfide backbone was found to give oligomers up to the 15-mer from 1 mM of 2,3-dimercaptopropanol after one day at 25 C. High pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the oligomers was carried out on an Alltech OH-100 column eluted with acetonitrile-water.
WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS ON THE TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION'S AUTHORITY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RULES FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING

As an SEC Commissioner, William O. Douglas favored active SEC participation in the development of rules of accounting for financial reporting under the Securities Acts. A retrospective letter dated September 29, 1973 indicates that the pre-War SEC Commission did not contemplate the virtually complete transfer to the private sector of the authority for development of corporate financial reporting that characterizes the position of today's SEC.
Classification of multispectral lidar point clouds

Airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data are widely used for high-resolution land cover mapping. The LiDAR data are typically used as complementary information to passive multispectral or hyperspectral imagery to obtain higher land cover classification accuracy. In this paper, we examine the capabilities of a recently developed multispectral airborne laser scanner, manufactured by Teledyne Optech, for classification of multispectral point clouds into typical land cover classes. This scanner, Titan MW (multi-wavelength), collects point clouds using three different wavelength lasers simultaneously, hence opening the door to new possibilities in land cover classification using only LiDAR data. We show that the recorded intensities of returned laser pulses together with structural characteristics of the features on the Earth surface calculated from the 3D positions of returns are sufficient enough to classify the point cloud into 10 distinct land cover classes. We achieved an overall accuracy of 95.9% with a kappa coefficient of 0.95 using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to classify single-return points and an overall accuracy of 89.2% and kappa coefficient of 0.82 using a rule-based classifier on multi-return points.
Implementation of Emergency Medical Text Classifier for Syndromic Surveillance

Public health officials use syndromic surveillance systems to facilitate early detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks. Emergency department clinical notes are becoming more available for surveillance but present the challenge of accurately extracting concepts from these text data. The purpose of this study was to implement a new system, Emergency Medical Text Classifier (EMT-C), into daily production for syndromic surveillance and evaluate system performance and user satisfaction. The system was designed to meet user preferences for a syndromic classifier that maximized positive predictive value and minimized false positives in order to provide a manageable workload. EMT-C performed better than the baseline system on all metrics and users were slightly more satisfied with it. It is vital to obtain user input and test new systems in the production environment.
Tailoring the Electronic Structure of Uranium Mono(imido) Species through Ligand Variation

Uranium mono(imido) species have been prepared via the oxidation of Cp*U(MesPDIMe)(THF) (1-Cp*) and [CpPU(MesPDIMe)]2 (1-CpP), where Cp* = η5-1,2,3,4,5-pentamethylcyclopentadienide, CpP = 1-(7,7-dimethylbenzyl)cyclopentadienide, MesPDIMe = 2,6-[(Mes)N═CMe]2C5H3N, and Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, with organoazides. Treating either with N3DIPP (DIPP = 2,6-diisopropylphenyl) formed uranium(IV) mono(imido) complexes, CpPU(NDIPP)(MesPDIMe) (2-CpP) and Cp*U(NDIPP)(MesPDIMe) (2-Cp*), featuring reduced [MesPDIMe]−. The addition of electron-donating 1-azidoadamantane (N3Ad) to 1-Cp* generated a dimeric product, [Cp*U(NAd)(MesHPDIMe)]2 (3), from radical coupling at the p-pyridine position of the pyridine(diimine) ligand and H-atom abstraction, formed through a monomeric intermediate that was observed in solution but could not be isolated. To support this, Cp*U(tBu-MesPDIMe)(THF) (1-tBu), which has a tert-butyl group protecting the para position, was also treated with N3Ad, and the monomeric product, Cp*U(NAd)(tBu-M...
Pathophysiological Consequences of Protein N -Homocysteinylation

Elevated Hcy-thiolactone and N-Hcy-protein levels are found to be associated with pathological conditions. For example, plasma Hcy-thiolactone and N-Hcy-protein are elevated under conditions predisposing to atherothrombosis and neurological abnormalities, such as caused by CBS or MTHFR deficiencies in humans [115] and mice [113]. In humans, plasma Hcy-thiolactone levels are also associated with the development and progression of vascular complications in diabetic patients [362], whereas elevated N-Hcy-protein levels are associated with an increased risk of heart disease [168]. Furthermore, Hcy-thiolactonase activity of PON1, which protects against protein N-homocysteinylation in CBS-deficient patients [250], also predicts cardiovascular disease in humans [269].
A text-constrained prosodic system for speaker verification.

We describe four improvements to a prosody SVM system, including a new method based on textand part-of-speechconstrained prosodic features. The improved system shows remarkably good performance on NIST SRE06 data, reducing the error rate of an MLLR system by as much as 23% after combination. In addition, an N -best system analysis using eight systems reveals that the prosody SVM is the third and second most important system for 1and 8-side training conditions, respectively—providing more complementary information than other state-of-the-art cepstral systems. We conclude that as cepstral systems continue to improve, it should become only more important to develop systems based on higher-level features.
Phosphoproteomic analysis of cocaine memory extinction and reconsolidation in the nucleus accumbens

Environmental stimuli, or cues, associated with the use of drugs such as cocaine are one of the primary drivers of relapse. Thus, identifying mechanisms to reduce the motivational properties of drug cues is an important research goal. The purpose of this study was to identify cellular signaling events in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) that are induced when a cocaine cue memory is either extinguished through repeated cue presentation in the absence of drug, or when the memory is reactivated and reconsolidated by a brief cue re-exposure. Signaling events specific to extinction or reconsolidation represent potential targets for pharmacotherapeutics that may enhance extinction or disrupt reconsolidation to reduce the likelihood of relapse. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer cocaine paired with an audiovisual cue. Following a period of self-administration, the memory for the cocaine-associated cue was either extinguished, reactivated, or not manipulated (control) 15 min before sacrifice. Tissue from the NAc was subsequently analyzed using mass spectrometry based phosphoproteomics to identify cellular signaling events induced by each condition. Extinction and reconsolidation of the cocaine cue memory produced both common and distinct changes in protein phosphorylation. Notably, there were no significant changes in protein phosphorylation that were modulated in the opposite direction by the two behavioral conditions. Comparison of NAc phosphoproteomic changes to previously identified changes in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) revealed that cue extinction increases phosphorylation at serine (S) 883 of the GABAB receptor subunit 2 and on S14 of syntaxin 1a in both regions, while no common regional signaling events were identified in the reconsolidation group. Phosphoproteomics is a useful tool for identifying signaling cascades involved in different memory processes and revealed novel potential targets for selectively targeting extinction versus reconsolidation of a cocaine cue memory. Furthermore, cross region analysis suggests that cue extinction may produce unique signaling events associated with increased inhibitory signaling.
Equilibrium-State Emission of Electron-Trapping Material Thin-Film for applications in Nonlinear-Dynamics

It is shown that the equilibrium-state emission of the electron-trapping material has highly nonlinear behavior. Thin film of this stimulable storage phosphor can be used in optical signal processing for the generation of one-dimensional maps.
New lung cancer treatments (immunotherapy and targeted therapies) and their associations with depression and other psychological side effects as compared to chemotherapy.

Abstract Objective Lung cancer carries a high prevalence of distress, anxiety and depression. New treatments, targeted therapy and immunotherapy have changed the disease course for subsets of patients and confer longer survival, but their psychological associations and possible mechanisms (e.g., inflammation and physical symptoms) are not well described. Method Patients with metastatic lung cancer undergoing systemic treatment (n = 109) were evaluated for distress, self-endorsed problems using the Distress Thermometer and Problem List, and depression and anxiety using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Demography, cancer-related information, and inflammation were evaluated for their associations with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Inflammation was measured by C-reactive protein, albumin, and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio. Results Chemotherapies were given most often followed by immunotherapy and targeted therapies. Depression and anxiety were endorsed by 23.9%, respectively, and 41.1% had significant distress. Chemotherapy was associated with depression (p = .006) and inflammation (p Conclusion New immunotherapy and targeted therapies are associated with less depression and inflammation among patients who are living longer while their physical symptoms are the same.
A phase I/II trial of cetuximab in combination with interleukin-12 administered to patients with unresectable primary or recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose: mAbs including cetuximab can induce antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and cytokine production mediated via innate immune cells with the ability to recognize mAb-coated tumors. Preclinical modeling has shown that costimulation of natural killer (NK) cells via the Fc receptor and the IL12 receptor promotes NK-cell–mediated ADCC and production of cytokines. Patients and Methods: This phase I/II trial evaluated the combination of cetuximab with IL12 for the treatment of EGFR-expressing head and neck cancer. Treatment consisted of cetuximab 500 mg/m2 i.v. every 2 weeks with either 0.2 mcg/kg or 0.3 mcg/kg IL12 s.c. on days 2 and 5 of the 2-week cycle, beginning with cycle 2. Correlative studies from blood draws obtained prior to treatment and during therapy included measurement of ADCC, serum cytokine, and chemokine analysis, determination of NK cell FcγRIIIa polymorphisms, and an analysis of myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) frequency in peripheral blood. Results: The combination of cetuximab and IL12 was well tolerated. No clinical responses were observed, however, 48% of patients exhibited prolonged progression-free survival (PFS; average of 6.5 months). Compared with patients that did not exhibit clinical benefit, patients with PFS >100 days exhibited increased ADCC as therapy continued compared with baseline, greater production of IFNγ, IP-10, and TNFα at the beginning of cycle 8 compared with baseline values and had a predominance of monocytic MDSCs versus granulocytic MDSCs prior to therapy. Conclusions: Further investigation of IL12 as an immunomodulatory agent in combination with cetuximab in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is warranted.
Dynamically Optimized Unstructured Grid (doug) for analog ensemble of numerical weather predictions using evolutionary algorithms

Abstract The Analog Ensemble is a statistical technique that generates probabilistic forecasts using a current deterministic prediction, a set of historical predictions, and the associated observations. It generates ensemble forecasts by first identifying the most similar past predictions to the current one, and then summarizing the corresponding observations. This is a computationally efficient solution for ensemble modeling because it does not require multiple numerical weather prediction simulations, but a single model realization. Despite this intrinsic computational efficiency, the required computation can grow very large because atmospheric models are routinely run with increasing resolutions. For example, the North American Mesoscale forecast system contains over 262 792 grid points to generate a 12 km prediction. The North American Mesoscale model generally uses a structured grid to represent the domain, despite the fact that certain physical changes occur non-uniformly across space and time. For example, temperature changes tend to occur more rapidly in mountains than plains. An evolutionary algorithm is proposed to dynamically and automatically learn the optimal unstructured grid pattern. This iterative evolutionary algorithm is guided by Darwinian evolutionary rule generation and instantiation to identify grid vertices. Analog computations are performed only at vertices. Therefore, minimizing the number of vertices and identifying their locations are paramount to optimizing the available computational resources, minimizing queue time, and ultimately achieving better results. The optimal unstructured grid is then reused to guide the predictions for a variety of applications like temperature and wind speed.
Acquisition and Representation of Spatio-Temporal Signals in Polychronizing Spiking Neural Networks

The ability of an intelligent agent to process complex signals such as those found in audio or video depends heavily on the nature of the internal representation of the relevant information. This work explores the mechanisms underlying this process by investigating theories inspired by the function of the neocortex. In particular, we focus on the phenomenon of polychronization, which describes the self-organization in a spiking neural network resulting from the interplay between network structure, driven spiking activity, and synaptic plasticity. What emerges are groups of neurons that exhibit reproducible, time-locked patterns of spiking activity. We propose that this representation is well suited to spatio-temporal signal processing, as it naturally resembles patterns found in real-world signals. We explore the computational properties of this approach and demonstrate the ability of a simple polychronizing network to learn different spatio-temporal signals.
Emulsion stability with nanoparticles and utilization of demulsifiers for break-up

Abstract A state-of-the-art Portable Dispersion Characterization Rig (P-DCR) is used to generate emulsions with Exxsol mineral oil, commercial distilled water, as well as hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (NP) as emulsifiers. The emulsion is prepared in the P-DCR batch separator vessel, whereby the separation kinetics are observed and recorded. In this study, two data sets are acquired, as follows: 1) Emulsion stabilization utilizing nanoparticles (Data Set I); and 2) Emulsion break-up using demulsifiers (Data Set II). Data Set I includes experiments conducted with mineral oil and distilled water as test fluids, and spherical silica nanoparticles of 20 nm mean diameter at concentrations of 0.01% and 1% by weight. The emulsions are created at a rotational speed of 600 RPM and at three water-cuts of 25%, 50% and 75%. Data for the hydrophobic particles, dispersed initially in the oil phase, confirm that highest emulsion stability is obtained with 25% water-cut, and only oil creaming occurs, while the emulsion is very resistant to water coalescence and sedimentation. The data also show that the separation rate improves with increasing water-cut to higher values. The second phase of Set I experiments includes the effects of hydrophilic nanoparticles, where the particles are initially dispersed in the water phase. The data demonstrate that in contrast to the hydrophobic particles, fast separation occurs at 25% water-cut, and increasing water-cut resulted to slower oil creaming process. Emulsions with combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles is the last phase of the Data Set I. The data show that similar behavior as hydrophobic particles is observed, which emphasizes the dominant role of the hydrophobic particles as compared to hydrophilic ones. The experimental data for all cases show that increasing particle concentration results in more stable emulsions. The emulsion (base case) break-up using demulsifiers data (Data Set II) are acquired with 25% water-cut and 0.01% w/w hydrophobic NP utilizing 3 commercial demulsifiers, namely, ALKEN 860, ALKEN 862 and DB 964 with concentrations of 100, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 ppm. It is evident that the different chemical compositions of the demulsifiers produce different separation behavior. In general, an increase of the demulsifier concentration leads to an improvement of the emulsion separation. The recommended demulsifier for break-up of the base case emulsion is ALKEN 862 with a concentration of 500 ppm, which results in a fast and almost complete separation.
Racial differences in trends of serious hypoglycemia among higher risk older adults in US Veterans Health Administration, 2004–2015: Relationship to comorbid conditions, insulin use, and hemoglobin A1c level

Abstract Aims To evaluate temporal trends in racial/ethnic groups in rates of serious hypoglycemia among higher risk patients dually enrolled in Veterans Health Administration and Medicare fee-for-service and assess the relationship(s) between hypoglycemia rates, insulin/secretagogues and comorbid conditions. Methods Retrospective observational serial cross-sectional design. Patients were ≥65 years receiving insulin and/or secretagogues. The primary outcome was the annual (period prevalence) rates (2004–2015), per 1000 patient years, of serious hypoglycemic events, defined as hypoglycemic-related emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Results Subjects were 77–83% White, 7–10% Black, 4–5% Hispanic, Conclusion Marked declines in serious hypoglycemia events occurred across race, medications, and comorbidities, suggesting significant changes in clinical practice.
Anisotropic Motions of Fibrils Dictated by Their Orientations in the Lamella: A Coarse-Grained Model of a Plant Cell Wall

Plant cell walls are complex systems that exhibit the characteristics of both rigid and soft material depending on their external perturbations. The three main polymeric components in a plant primary cell wall are cellulose fibrils, hemicellulose, and pectins. These components interact in a hierarchical fashion giving rise to mesoscale structural features such as cellulose bundles, lamella stacking, and so on. Although several studies have focused on understanding these unique structural features, a clear picture linking them to cell wall mechanics is still lacking. As a first step toward this goal, a phenomenological model of plant cell wall has been developed in this work by using available experimental data to investigate the underlying connections between mesoscale structural features and the motions of fibrils during deformation. In this model cellulose fibrils exhibit motions such as angular reorientations and kinking upon forced stretching. These motions are dependent on the orientation of fibrils with respect to the stretch direction, i.e., fibrils that are at an angle to the stretch direction exhibit predominant angular reorientations, while fibrils transverse to the stretch direction undergo kinking as a result of transverse compression. Varying the chain length of pectin had negligible effects on these motions. One of the main contributions from this work is the development of a simple model that can be easily fine-tuned to test other hypotheses and extended to include additional experimental knowledge about the structural aspects of cell walls in the future.
114 Adverse childhood experiences and adult adversities clusters by gender

The overarching goal of this study is to better understand how adverse childhood experiences and adult adversities cluster together by gender. Methods/Approach We used latent class analysis (LCA) in the College Student Health Survey (CSHS), a large state surveillance system of 2- and 4-year Minnesota college students to identify clusters of childhood adversities plus highly correlated adult adversities among emerging adults aged 18–24. Exploratory LCA was conducted in 2015 data and replicated with 2018 data. Given observed differences between men and women with regard to experiences of adversities, the analyses were stratified by gender. Results In the 2015 sample, the seven-class and five-class models were selected for females and males, respectively, based on fit statistics and class interpretability. Both females and males had a low adversity and childhood household dysfunction with childhood emotional abuse clusters. The low adversity clusters made up the highest prevalence in each sample, 48% for females and 66% for males. In females, the remaining clusters included childhood household mental illness, high adversities, adult sexual abuse, childhood emotional abuse, and high adult adversities with low child adversities. In contrast, in males, the remaining clusters were childhood household alcohol abuse, child physical and emotional abuse, and intimate partner emotional abuse. The classes identified in the 2015 sample replicated well in the 2018 sample. Conclusions The assessment of adversity clusters revealed distinct patterns of lifetime adversity by gender. These different patterns may have different impacts throughout life that are not captured by a simple summed score of the number of adversities. Significance and Contributions to Injury and Violence Prevention Science The unique pattern of adversity from those with different backgrounds is important to prevent adversity and to advance understanding of its impacts across different populations.
Acoustic energy and momentum in a moving medium

By exploiting the mathematical analogy between the propagation of sound in a nonhomogeneous potential flow and the propagation of a scalar field in curved space-time, various wave ``energy'' and wave ``momentum'' conservation laws are established in a systematic manner. In particular, the acoustic energy conservation law due to Blokhintsev appears as the result of the conservation of a mixed covariant and contravariant energy-momentum tensor, while the exchange of relative energy between the wave and mean flow, first noted by Longuet-Higgins and Stewart in the context of ocean waves, appears as the covariant conservation of the doubly contravariant form of the same energy-momentum tensor.
Case Report of a Left-sided Superior Vena Cava Causing Unique Positioning of Central Line.

Author(s): Mancera, Michael; Genthe, Nicholas; Lepa, Nicholas | Abstract: Introduction: Persistent left-sided superior vena cava is a rare congenital venous malformation. While often clinically asymptomatic, these variations in normal anatomy may give rise to complications with central venous catheter placement.Case Report: We present a case of a 71-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with sepsis of unknown etiology. A right-sided central venous catheter was placed, and due to a persistent left-sided superior vena cava the post-procedure chest radiograph showed a uniquely positioned catheter tip within the left atrium.Conclusion: A persistent left-sided superior vena cava may lead to uniquely positioned catheter tip placement on post-procedural imaging. This case demonstrates the need to consider variants in normal venous anatomy, such as persistent left-sided superior vena cava, to aid with correct interpretation of post-procedure imaging findings.
Risk Exposure, Externalization and Allocation in Unbundled Power Systems

Each stakeholder in a power system not only carries some risk, but also creates risks for others and has the ability to mitigate these risks. For some, these risks are purely financial. For others the major concern is the socio-economic risk of an outage, which is not easily translated in monetary terms. This paper analyzes how the interactions of these participants across a complex physical system affect their risk exposure as well as the benefits they derive from this system. It also argues that charging the cost of mitigation measures back to the parties that create outage risks might ultimately reduce this risk and its associated cost. Rules and techniques to implement this approach should be developed and tested. Finally, it proposes directions for research on how making power system operation more risk-aware would help enhance reliability, control cost and facilitate the integration of variable energy resources.
HnRNP A1/A2 Proteins Assemble onto 7SK snRNA via Context Dependent Interactions

7SK small nuclear RNA (snRNA) is an abundant and ubiquitously expressed noncoding RNA that functions to modulate the activity of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) in part by stabilizing distinct pools of 7SK-protein complexes. Prevailing models suggest that the secondary structure of 7SK is dynamically remodeled within its alternative RNA-protein pools such that its architecture differentially regulates the exchange of cognate binding partners. The nuclear hnRNP A1/A2 proteins influence the biology of 7SK snRNA via processes that require an intact stem loop (SL) 3 domain; however, the molecular details by which hnRNPs assemble onto 7SK snRNA are yet to be described. Here, we have taken an integrated approach to present a detailed description of the 7SK-hnRNP A1 complex. We show that unbound 7SK snRNA adopts at least two major conformations in solution, with significant structural differences localizing to the SL2-3 linker and the base of SL3. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that this same region is the least genetically conserved feature of 7SK snRNA. By performing DMS modifications with the presence of excess protein, we reveal that hnRNP A1 binds with selectivity to SL3 through mechanisms that increase the flexibility of the RNA adjacent to putative binding sites. Calorimetric titrations further validate that hnRNP A1-SL3 assembly is complex with the affinity of discrete binding events modulated by the surrounding RNA structure. To interpret this context-dependent binding phenomenon, we determined a 3D model of SL3 to show that it folds to position minimal hnRNP A1/A2 binding sites (5'-Y/RAG-3') within different local environments. SL3-protein complexes resolved by SEC-MALS-SAXS confirm that up to four hnRNP A1 proteins bind along the entire surface of SL3 via interactions that preserve the overall structural integrity of this domain. In sum, the collective results presented here reveal a specific role for a folded SL3 domain to scaffold hnRNP A1/A2-7SK assembly via mechanisms modulated by the surrounding RNA structure.
A 6 GHz phase-locked loop using AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

The authors fabricated in an AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) process, that can be used as a building block for clock-recovery circuits in high-speed fiber-optic receivers, so that the maximum data rate of fully integrated receivers can be extended from 2.5 Gb/s to 6 Gb/s. A block diagram of the PLL circuit is shown and a micrograph of the chip is presented. >
Condensation of CaOMgOAl2O3SiO2 liquids from cosmic gases

Abstract The Berman (1983) activity-composition model for non-ideal liquid solutions in the CaO MgO Al2O3 SiO2 (CMAS) system is incorporated into equilibrium condensation calculations which are used to explore the vapor-solid-liquid stability relations as a function of temperature and total pressure (Ptot) in a gas of solar composition, and as a function of temperature and dust/gas ratio at Ptot = 1 × 10−3 atm in gases produced by total vaporization of systems enriched in interstellar dust relative to the gas compared to solar abundances. Condensate liquids are very non-ideal, suggesting that results of previous attempts to model their formation using ideal solution models are highly inaccurate. As is the case for the Berman (1983) liquid model itself, results of the present calculations are in very good agreement with experimentally determined liquid-crystal phase relations except where intermediate members of solid solution series, such as melilite and fassaite, are predicted to be in equilibrium with liquid, in which cases liquid-crystal equilibration temperatures are overestimated by 50 to 100 K. CMAS liquids are stable in a solar gas at a Ptot at least as low as 5 × 10−2 atm and perhaps as low as 1 × 10−2 atnt, much lower than previous estimates for liquids of pure forsterite composition, due to the colligative effects of CaO and Al203. CMAS liquids are stable at Ptot = 1 × 10−3 atm in systems with dust/gas enrichment factors at least as low as 16 and perhaps as low as 5 relative to solar abundances. Results of these calculations suggest that, upon cooling, a solid melilite + spinel condensate assemblage, comparable to a Type A refractory inclusion, would react with the vapor to produce a liquid much richer in MgO and SiO2 than the starting material, at either elevated Ptot or enhanced dust/gas ratio. If this partial melt were isolated from further reaction with the nebular gas, it would solidify into a spinel + melilite + fassaite + anorthite assemblage, similar in chemical and mineralogical composition to a Type B refractory inclusion. Forsterite coexists stably with CMAS condensate liquids over wide ranges of Ptot and dust/gas ratio, extending to the lowest Ptot and dust/gas ratio at which liquids are stable. If the compositions of glass inclusions inside isolated forsterite crystals in the Murchison CM2 chondrite have been modified by precipitation of 25 wt% forsterite as a daughter mineral from the liquid precursors of those glasses, the inclusions could represent condensate liquids that were in equilibrium with forsterite at Ptot = 0.3 atm or at dust/gas enrichment factors of ∼70 at Ptot = 1 × 10−3 atm.
Esophageal potential difference measurements in esophageal disease.

Abstract To determine if esophageal transmural electrical potential difference measurements are of use for evaluating esophageal disease, we recorded potential difference in 129 patients with one or more of the following: heartburn, dysphagia, and chest pain. All potential difference studies were performed at the time of esophageal manometry using a Ringer-perfused catheter technique which yields accurate and reproducible results in healthy subjects. In 103 of the 129 patients, esophageal potential difference measurements could be correlated with findings at manometry, endoscopy, and biopsy. The remaining 26 patients had primary esophageal motor disease and were not biopsied. The results of this investigation showed: (a) that 94% of patients with gross endoscopic lesions have an abnormal esophageal potential difference, (b) that an abnormal esophageal potential difference (found in only 1 of 24 patients with normal mucosa) is highly specific for the presence of esophageal mucosal disease, (c) that the type of potential difference abnormality may suggest the nature of the mucosal abnormality, for example high potential difference with Barrett's esophagus and low potential difference with esophagitis or invasive carcinoma, and (d) that while an abnormal esophageal potential difference is highly sensitive for detecting gross esophagitis (38 of 40 patients), it is less sensitive for diagnosing microscopic esophagitis (8 of 16 patients). Based on these findings we conclude that the measurement of esophageal potential difference at the time of manometry can provide additional valuable information about the state of the esophageal mucosa.
Development of molecular genetics for Neospora caninum: A complementary system to Toxoplasma gondii.

Abstract The development of molecular genetics has greatly enhanced the study of Toxoplasma gondii, and investigations into the biology and pathology associated with neosporosis will be similarly benefited by the development of molecular tools for Neospora caninum. We have demonstrated the feasibility of using the existing DNA vectors developed for T. gondii to transfect and transform the Nc-1 strain of Neospora. We have also shown that T. gondii proteins are faithfully expressed and targeted in N. caninum, indicating the suitability of using Neospora as a heterologous expression system for studying T. gondii. These studies provide the basis for initiating molecular genetic studies on N. caninum and will allow for a number of molecular comparisons of these two closely related, though phenotypically distinct, parasites. Here we describe the methods and reagents used to perform genetic manipulations of N. caninum, and we present some of the principles and potential utilities of these molecular studies, including the use of N. caninum as a heterologous system for the study of T. gondii proteins.
Mechanism of void formation in Cu post solder joint under electromigration

This paper reports experimental observations made on the mechanism of electromigration (EM) voiding and its kinetics active in low-profile solder joint consisting of long Cu-post (∼300×110µm), thin solder layer (15µm), and Ni coated Cu-lead frame assembly. When EM testing on the samples was conducted at accelerated conditions it revealed that although they are immune to EM failure, they contained a small amount of residual void as a result of EM. Kinetic analysis of EM voiding was done based on the analysis of resistance change and post EM microstructural characterization. Our analysis suggests that the origin of the residual voids is EM in Sn and it occurred prior to conversion of Sn to Cu 6 Sn 5 phase. It further suggests that the extent of voiding is determined by the two competing kinetic factors that are producing opposite effect on the voiding. The first is the kinetics of Sn EM because it determines the amount of vacancy responsible for voiding while the second is the Cu EM as it promotes the growth of Cu 6 Sn 5 phase that interrupts voids growth by removing Sn phase in the joint. The kinetic interplay between these two factors makes EM voiding kinetics of the low-profile solder joint to be different from the more conventional solder joint where Cu EM has a rather insignificant influence.
The Initiation of T4 Deoxyribonucleic Acid-dependent β-Glucosyltransferase Synthesis in Vitro

Abstract Bacteriophage T4 DNA was used in vitro as a template for RNA and protein synthesis with ribosomes and supernatant enzymes prepared from uninfected Escherichia coli. Protein synthesis in this system was previously shown to result in synthesis de novo of an enzymatically active β-glucosyltransferase, an early T4-specific protein not detectable in uninfected cells. E. coli cells treated with trimethoprim were used to prepare extracts with decreased levels of N10-formyltetrahydrofolic acid. T4 DNA-dependent β-glucosyltransferase synthesis in such systems was stimulated markedly both by exogenously added folinic acid and by purified N-formylmethionyl transfer RNA. These experiments suggest that early enzyme synthesis in T4-infected cells utilizes the same chain initiator as the uninfected host. E. coli cells infected with T4 were found to retain preinfection levels of formylmethionine-specific tRNA as well as the enzymes needed to charge and formylate that species of tRNA.
Hippocampal Synaptogenesis in Cell Culture: Developmental Time Course of Synapse Formation, Calcium Influx, and Synaptic Protein Distribution

The formation of chemical synapses between hippocampal neurons in primary cell culture was studied using electrophysiology, calcium imaging, and immunocytochemical approaches. Inhibitory and excitatory synapses formed within 12 d in cell culture (DIC) that were sensitive to the N-type calcium channel blocker omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega-CgTx). At 4 DIC, immature connections were present in which spontaneous, but rarely evoked, synaptic currents were detected. At both 4 and 12 DIC, the synaptic proteins rab3a, synapsin I, and synaptotagmin were present in hippocampal neurons, but the subcellular distribution changed from one in which immunoreactivity was initially distributed within soma and neurites to a punctate varicose appearance. Correlated with the transformation from immature to mature synaptic states was the onset of omega-CgTx-sensitive calcium influx. Taken together, these data suggest that the expression of functional omega-CgTx-sensitive calcium influx is temporally coincident with synapse formation, and that during the maturation of the synapse there is a redistribution of synaptic proteins.
Financial Analyst Assessment of Company Earnings Quality

This study investigates sell-side financial analysts' interpretations of the phrase “earnings quality” and their preference for accounting methods. The data are a sample consisting of 479 sell-side...
The falling needle viscometer a new technique for viscosity measurements

A new type of viscometer, the “Falling Needle Viscometer” (FNV) has been developed. It has several advantages over the better known “Falling Ball Viscometer” (FBV) including better control over the trajectory and terminal velocity and a “wall correction” which is an integral part of the analytical solution. A Stokes' type solution for the FNV is presented which is compared with experimental measurements made on Glycerol. Experiments were also conducted with a Falling Ball Viscometer and Weissenberg Rheogoniometer using the same fluid and a comparison made among the three systems. Glycerol viscosities measured with the FNV agreed with those measured by the FBV and Weissenberg Rheogoniometer within approximately one percent. It is concluded that the Falling Needle Viscometer is a useful device that in some situations is superior to the Falling Ball Viscometer.
Adherence with inhaled respiratory therapeutics is associated with reduced acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Adherence to inhaled chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) medications is variable and generally low. We examined the association of medication adherence with subsequent acute exacerbations (AE) among adult members of a large health maintenance organization. Methods: We used data from electronic medical records to identify individuals with COPD defined by ICD-9 coded encounters during the period 2000-2008 and computed modified medication possession ratio (mMPR) to measure adherence to three classes of inhaled COPD medications. Using Cox regression, we evaluated the association between six-month adherence score (calculated forward from index date) and subsequent risk of first AE-COPD within 12 months, adjusting for age, race, sex, baseline smoking status, body habitus, and co-morbidities. AE-COPD was defined by outpatient/emergency encounters with steroid use or hospitalization. Results: We identified 26,516 individuals with COPD (59% female, mean age 61±13 years) of whom 80% contributed adherence data. Adherence rates (mMPR±S.D, number contributing) were 0.62±0.34, n=11317 for anticholinergics (Ach), 0.61±0.32, n=17018 for inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), and 0.66±0.29, n=5336 for long-acting beta-agonists (LABA). The relative risk for subsequent AE based on a 0.20 difference in mMPR at the start of follow-up was 0.86 (95% CI=0.84, 0.93) for ICS, 0.91 (0.84, 1.00) for LABA, and 0.89 (0.84, 0.93) for Ach. Conclusions: Better adherence to any of the major classes of inhaled controller therapeutics reduced the risk of subsequent AE-COPD. Funding: Investigator Initiated Grant, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
The Politics of Regulatory Change: National Forest Management Planning under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush

This paper examines regulatory change from the William J. Clinton administration through the presidency of George W. Bush by focusing on their respective efforts to alter national forest planning procedures mandated by the National Forest Management Act of 1976 (NFMA). While rule making has become an important alternative pathway for making policy, the strategies used to develop a new rule may vary among presidents because of differing values and management styles. Both presidents were adept at framing the planning regulation to reflect dominant values such as preserving ecosystems (Clinton) or administrative efficiency (Bush). Between-administration differences in regulatory tactics also tended to alter the relative importance of institutional venues and, by extension, the influence exercised by differing political constituencies.