cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of model approximation in multiparametric model predictive control

Abstract Incorporating a high fidelity model that accurately describes a dynamical system in a model predictive control study may often lead to an intractable formulation where the use of model approximation is required. This study examines system identification, time series modeling, and linearization in the context of multiparametric model predictive control with the use of key error metrics including: (i) a novel comparison of key features of the feasible space and objective function in the optimization formulation, (ii) integral time absolute error, (iii) error distribution analysis, and (iv) step response profiles. Two examples are used as a basis for this study: a tank system which highlights the techniques used and a Continuously Stirred Tank Reactor (CSTR).
The American Revolution as the Last European Peasants’ Rebellion

This introductory chapter sketches the main argument of the book: that the American Revolution was a rebellion against the modern state, animated by the same kinds of concerns the European anti-state rebellions were driven by. These include taxation, economic dirigisme and military conscription in the first place. It also describes the methodology emphasizing the interdisciplinary use of economic and political arguments to shed light on the problem. The basic model of decoupled modernization is sketched that claims that centralization and state-building as expressions of political modernization should be radically separated from social modernization reflected in economic entrepreneurship, individualism, and cultural openness. The chapter reviews the basic arguments for an organic connection between political fragmentation and social liberalism and modernity, taking America as an embodiment of this connection.
Bilevel Programming-Based Unit Commitment for Locational Marginal Price Computation

In the current practice, locational marginal prices (LMPs) are computed every few minutes by solving an optimization problem with continuous variables only. Generator on/off statuses are decided by the day-ahead unit commitment scheduling procedure. Thus, unit commitment and locational marginal price computing are two separate steps. This paper presents a model that substitutes the traditional two-step method. It is based on bilevel programming. The proposed problem determines generator on/off status and locational marginal prices simultaneously. The efficiency of the model is demonstrated on the 5- and 30-bus systems.
Impact of lymph node sampling on survival in cN0 major salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma

Background The role of elective neck dissection in the management of major salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma is unclear. Methods Data were retrospectively extracted from the National Cancer Center Database. The study cohort included 1504 patients with adenoid cystic carcinoma of major salivary glands with clinical N0 necks who were treated with surgery between 2004 and 2014. The cohort was divided into four groups based on number of lymph nodes (LNs) examined on pathology: 0, 1-8, 9-17, and ≥18 LNs. Results The rate of occult nodal metastasis was 9.0%. Number of LNs removed was not associated with survival (Reference, 0 LNs; HR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.73-1.32 for 1-8 LNs; HR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.80-1.88 for 9-17 LNs; HR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.61-1.46 for ≥18 LNs) after adjusting for important covariates. Conclusions LN sampling is not associated with survival in cN0 major salivary gland ACC.
Questioning a new intellectual property right for press publishers

Considering the implications of the "link tax" provision of the proposed EU Directive for the Digital Single Market for traditional press publishers.
Hypoxia-Primed Stem Cell Transplantation in Stroke

Spanning the past decade, stem cell research has made rapid progress, and stem cell transplantation in stroke has emerged as a promising treatment. Clinical applications of the cell-based therapy can benefit from the protective mechanisms of ischemic/hypoxic preconditioning. Genetic engineering techniques have been applied to the development of novel stem cell lines and augmenting the differentiation potency of different stem cells, which may ultimately provide far-reaching applications for translational studies, as well as developmental and pathological models.
Clinical Outcomes of Micropulse Transscleral Cyclophotocoagulation in Patients with a History of Keratoplasty

Author(s): Lee, Jun Hui; Vu, Vivian; Lazcano-Gomez, Gabriel; Han, Katherine; Suvannachart, Pukkapol; Rose-Nussbaumer, Jennifer; Schallhorn, Julie; Hwang, David; Han, Ying | Abstract: PurposeTo examine the surgical outcomes and graft conditions in patients receiving micropulse transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (MP-TSCPC) to treat post-keratoplasty ocular hypertension.MethodsThis retrospective observational study included 30 eyes of 28 consecutive glaucoma patients with a history of penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) or Descemet's stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) who underwent MP-TSCPC at the University of California, San Francisco from 09/2015 to 08/2018. Using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, we compared preoperative and postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications, visual acuity, and central corneal thickness at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Postoperative complications, additional surgeries, and graft failures were also recorded at these follow-up times. Linear regression model was used to study whether PKP vs. DSAEK affects the effectiveness of MP-TSCPC.ResultsThirty eyes from 28 patients were followed for 12 months. IOP was significantly decreased from preop at all follow-up points (P l 0.001). There was no significant change in the number of glaucoma drops, visual acuity, or CCT. At 12 months, 21 of the 30 eyes met the definition of success, and only one underwent repeat PKP due to graft rejection. The type of corneal transplant was not a significant factor for IOP reduction at the last follow-up.ConclusionsMP-TSCPC achieved desirable IOP control and success rates for postkeratoplasty patients while resulting in minimal complications and graft failure. It appears to be a safe and effective procedure in patients who received corneal transplant with one-year follow-up.
Original contributionColonic motility after surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease

OBJECTIVE: Years after surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease, many children continue to suffer from fecal incontinence or constipation. The purpose of the present investigation was to define the physiology underlying the persistent symptoms in children after surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease, and to determine the outcome of interventions based on the results of the motility testing. METHODS: We studied 46 symptomatic patients (5.5 ± 3.3 yr old, 35 male) >10 months after surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease. We performed a colonic manometry with a catheter placed with the tip in the proximal colon. We used a structured questionnaire and phone interview to follow up the patients an average of 34 months after the manometry. RESULTS: We identified four motility patterns: 1) high-amplitude propagating contractions (HAPCs) migrating through the neorectum to the anal sphincter, associated with fecal soiling (n = 18); 2) normal colonic manometry associated with fear of defecation and retentive posturing (n = 9); 3) absence of HAPCs or persistent simultaneous contractions over two or more recording sites (n = 15), associated with constipation (n = 13); and 4) normal colonic motility and a hypertensive internal anal sphincter (>80 mm Hg) (n = 4). We based treatment on results of the motility studies. There was improvement in global health (mean score, 3.9 ± 1.1 vs 2.8 ± 1.3 at the time of initial evaluation, p < 0.001) and emotional health (3.8 ± 1.1 vs 2.6 ± 1.1, p < 0.0001). Improvement in the number of bowel movements occurred in 72% of children. Resolution or decreased abdominal pain was reported in 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Colonic manometry clarifies the pathophysiology and directs treatment in symptomatic children after surgery for Hirschsprung’s disease.
Changes in Stage Distribution and Disease-Specific Survival in Differentiated Thyroid Cancer with Transition to American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th Edition: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background Recent revision significantly changed the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging criteria for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). To quantitatively evaluate resulting changes in patient stage distribution and the associated disease-specific survival (DSS) incorporating diverse populations, we performed a meta-analysis of studies comparing the AJCC 7th edition (AJCC-7) with 8th edition (AJCC-8) staging for DTC. Materials and methods After PROSPERO registration (#CRD42019123657), publications in English reporting DSS of DTC with AJCC-7 and AJCC-8 from inception to June 2019 were identified by search of MEDLINE and PubMed. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to compare differences in survival between AJCC-7 and AJCC-8. Pooled hazard ratios, 10-year DSS, and corresponding interval estimates were calculated for AJCC subgroups. Differences in survival between editions were assessed using subgroup analysis with nonoverlapping confidence intervals indicating statistical significance. Results Final analysis included six studies with 10,850 subjects and median follow-up from 55 to 148 months. Use of AJCC-8 shifted classification to earlier stages: stage I, from 60% to 81%; stage II, from 5% to 13%; stage III, from 21% to 2%; stage IV, from 10% to 3%. Ten-year DSS was significantly lower in AJCC-8 versus AJCC-7 in patients with stage II (88.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 82.7-94.6% vs. 98.1%, 95% CI 96.6-99.6%, respectively) and stage III disease (70.5%, 95% CI 59.1-83.9% vs. 96.8%, 95% CI 94.1-99.64%, respectively). Conclusion Meta-analysis of revised AJCC staging for DTC, incorporating diverse populations, demonstrates redistribution of patients toward earlier clinical stages and better stratification of disease-specific mortality risk, specifically among patients now classified with stage II and III disease. Implications for practice This study provides updated estimates of disease-specific survival for patients with differentiated thyroid cancer determined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system that are generalizable to broader populations and support improved stratification using the recently revised criteria.
HER2 Immunohistochemistry in Invasive Micropapillary Breast Carcinoma: Complete Assessment of an Incomplete Pattern

Context.— Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPC) is a rare variant of breast carcinoma, composed of avascular morula-like tumor clusters surrounded by stromal spaces, which can affect the HER2 immunohistochemical (IHC) staining pattern. The 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists (ASCO/CAP) HER2 testing guideline suggests moderate to intense but incomplete (basolateral) staining be considered equivocal. Objectives.— To perform a detailed assessment of HER2 IHC staining patterns in IMPC. Design.— Hematoxylin-eosin and HER2 IHC slides were retrospectively reviewed to assess the morphology and HER2 IHC characteristics of IMPC. The 2018 ASCO/CAP guideline was applied. Results.— The cohort consisted of 187 IMPCs from 181 patients with median age of 58 years. Homogeneous (≥90%) micropapillary component was found in 40% (75 of 187) of cases. Receptor profile was as follows: 75% (140 of 187) ER+ HER2-, 19% (37 of 187) ER+ HER2+, 4% (7 of 187) ER- HER2+, and 2% (3 of 187) ER- HER2-. Of 26 cases with HER2 IHC 3+, 65% (17 of 26) showed a basolateral staining pattern with strong intensity. HER2 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed amplification in 26% (17 of 66) of HER2 IHC equivocal cases: 76% (13 of 17) showed basolateral staining pattern and 24% (4 of 17) complete staining, with weak to moderate (2), moderate (14), or moderate to strong (1) intensity. Conclusions.— The most frequent staining pattern was basolateral, seen in 49% of cases, including 65% HER2 IHC positive and 76% HER2 IHC equivocal/FISH amplified. If a basolateral pattern and weak to moderate staining is observed in IMPC, alternative testing should be performed to confirm the HER2 status.
Why Things Fall

Let us accept the quantum mechanical description of a free particle and one fact from special relativity: rest mass contributes to energy. If we add to this bare framework one additional fact—that time runs slower near the earth—we can account for our everyday experience of gravity.
Molecular analysis of cyclin D1 modulators PRKN and FBX4 as candidate tumor suppressors in sporadic parathyroid adenomas.

Objective Primary hyperparathyroidism is most often caused by a sporadic single-gland parathyroid adenoma (PTA), a tumor type for which cyclin D1 is the only known and experimentally validated oncoprotein. However, the molecular origins of its frequent overexpression have remained mostly elusive. In this study, we explored a potential tumorigenic mechanism that could increase cyclin D1 stability through a defect in molecules responsible for its degradation. Methods We examined two tumor suppressor genes known to modulate cyclin D1 ubiquitination, PRKN and FBX4, for evidence of classic two-hit tumor suppressor inactivation within a cohort of 82 PTA cases. We examined the cohort for intragenic inactivating and splice site mutations by Sanger sequencing and for locus-associated loss of heterozygosity (LOH) by microsatellite analysis. Results We identified no evidence of bi-allelic tumor suppressor inactivation of PRKN or FBX4 via inactivating mutation or splice site perturbation, neither in combination with nor independent of LOH. Among the 82 cases, we encountered previously documented benign single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 35 tumors at frequencies similar to those reported in the germlines of the general population. Eight cases exhibited intragenic LOH at the PRKN locus, in some cases extending to cover at least an additional 1.7Mb of chromosome 6q25-26. FBX4 was not affected by LOH. Conclusion The absence of evidence for specific bi-allelic inactivation in PRKN and FBX4 in this sizeable cohort suggests that these genes only rarely, if ever, serve as classic driver tumor suppressors responsible for the growth of PTAs.
The rise of illicit fentanyls, stimulants and the fourth wave of the opioid overdose crisis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review provides an update on recently published literature on the rise of illicit fentanyls, risks for overdose, combinations with other substances, e.g. stimulants, consequences, and treatment. RECENT FINDINGS: Overdose due to illicit synthetic opioids (e.g. fentanyl and fentanyl analogs) continues to rise in the US both preceding and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fentanyl-related overdose is rising in new geographic areas e.g. the western USA. Stimulant-related overdose is also increasing nationwide driven by methamphetamine and cocaine. Polysubstance use, e.g. the use of a stimulant along with an opioid is driving stimulant-related overdose. Other medical consequences of injection drug use are rising including HIV and hepatitis C infections. Medication approaches to treating opioid use disorder remain the standard of care and there are new promising pharmacological approaches to treating methamphetamine use disorder. SUMMARY: A 'fourth wave' of high mortality involving methamphetamine and cocaine use has been gathering force in the USA. Availability and use of illicit fentanyls are still the major drivers of overdose deaths and the current rise in stimulant-related deaths appears entwined with the ongoing opioid epidemic.
Validity of Using Billing Codes From Electronic Health Records to Estimate Skin Cancer Counts

Importance Patients can develop multiple skin cancers, and their medical data can be spread over multiple health care systems. This fragmented care, combined with the lack of skin cancer registries, has limited our ability both to provide accurate estimates of incidence and to study the pathogenesis of multiple skin cancers. Objective To assess whether standard diagnostic and procedural codes present in the electronic health records at a single health care system are a valid proxy for estimating the number of overall skin cancers. Design, setting, and participants Retrospective cohort study of patients seen at a single-center tertiary care hospital (ie, Vanderbilt University Medical Center) between July 1, 2008, and June 30, 2018. All patients with at least 1 electronic health record-based diagnostic or procedural code for any skin cancer and at least 1 pathology report of a skin cancer. Exposure The number of International Classification of Disease (ICD) or Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes relating to skin cancer. Main outcomes and measures Pearson correlation coefficient and R2 were calculated for the total number of ICD or CPT codes for skin cancer and histologically verified skin cancers. Results In this cohort study of 35 901 patients, the mean (SD) age was 70.4 (14.4) years, 20 404 (56.8%) were men, and 31 623 (88.1%) were White individuals. Of these patients, 6307 had at least 1 ICD or CPT code or pathology report for a skin cancer, of whom 5688 patients had both a CPT code related to skin malignancy and a histologically verified skin cancer. There was a strong linear correlation between the number of CPT codes and pathology records (r = 0.87). There was a poor correlation between the number of ICD codes and pathology records (r = 0.22). Conclusions and relevance This cohort study found that the use of ICD codes was a poor proxy measure for the number of skin cancers per patient. In contrast, CPT codes accounted for more than 75% of the variability in the number of skin cancers (R2 = 0.76) and were a better proxy measure for the total number of skin cancers per patient.
Changing Ohio Corrections

Ohio corrections has demonstrated an impressive and growing commitment to reform shaped by the extraordinary reach and collaborative efforts of Ed Latessa. Joining the University of Cincinnati as a...
Opening The (Artists') Books: Enhancing Discovery Through Student Research

Location: Dewberry Hall Over the past few years, Mason Libraries has collected a critical mass of artists' books, which are complex artistic expressions that incorporate a range of techniques, styles, materials, and subjects. Our project will address new modes of discovery and access for this collection. Artists’ books–an artistic expression that uses the book as a medium–are collected by the University Libraries and used in research and classes from multiple disciplines. With over 350 items in this growing collection, representing a broad variety of disciplines, media, and modes of production, it is imperative to have multiple points of access in order for students, faculty, librarians, and other researchers to identify and more easily locate and use these unique objects. More specifically, we need to develop a way to facilitate searching for items based on their features such as bindings, paper types, and printing technologies in addition to their topic(s)and more traditional “author/date/title” searches. A team of librarians, archivists, and digital scholarship specialists is developing a long-term plan for the Libraries to collaborate with undergraduate and graduate student teams and subject faculty to first analyze and describe the books, and then create an online resource that incorporates their descriptions with a robust search functionality to provide a scholarly resource for students, faculty, and researchers. The project is multi-faceted, will last more than 24 months, and includes at least two cohorts of students. These students will have the opportunity to apply their learned artistic knowledge to more fulsomely describe the Libraries’ artists’ books, as well as develop leadership and project management skills. By analyzing artists’ books within established best practices and recognized standards, students will be able to transfer these experiences to both their own future coursework and research, as well as their creative and professional careers. A second phase of the project will involve developing these descriptions into a digital format. Students will work with the project team to assess existing digital platforms in relation to project needs and then implement the metadata schema to the selected digital resource. Ultimately, this resource will enhance the discoverability of the artists’ book collection, and students, faculty, and researchers will be able to perform faceted searches to view detailed descriptions and browse high-quality images of each book. In this presentation, the librarians and archivists will discuss the project stages, outlining the artistic and technology goals and needs of the students, and partnership opportunities with faculty and classes during the project and after its completion.
Spatial variation in high temperature-regulated gene expression predicts evolution of plasticity with climate change in the scarlet monkeyflower.

A major way that organisms can adapt to changing environmental conditions is by evolving increased or decreased phenotypic plasticity. In the face of current global warming, more attention is being paid to the role of plasticity in maintaining fitness as abiotic conditions change over time. However, given that temporal data can be challenging to acquire, a major question is whether evolution in plasticity across space can predict adaptive plasticity across time. In growth chambers simulating two thermal regimes, we generated transcriptome data for western North American scarlet monkeyflowers (Mimulus cardinalis) collected from different latitudes and years (2010 and 2017) to test hypotheses about how plasticity in gene expression is responding to increases in temperature, and if this pattern is consistent across time and space. Supporting the genetic compensation hypothesis, individuals whose progenitors were collected from the warmer-origin northern 2017 descendant cohort showed lower thermal plasticity in gene expression than their cooler-origin northern 2010 ancestors. This was largely due to a change in response at the warmer (40oC) rather than cooler (20oC) treatment. A similar pattern of reduced plasticity, largely due to a change in response at 40oC, was also found for the cooler-origin northern versus the warmer-origin southern population from 2017. Our results demonstrate that reduced phenotypic plasticity can evolve with warming and that spatial and temporal changes in plasticity predict one another.
Diversity Analysis of Multiple-Antenna Multi-User Systems

In this chapter we analyze the performance of the scheme we introduced in the previous chapter. We show that our intuitive guess about the diversity order of this method was correct. In other words, when J users each with N transmit antennas are sending data to a receiver with M antennas, the diversity order with usage of array processing will be N(M−J+1).
Adequate transvaginal drainage of the pelvis

Abstract The advantages of the transvaginal glass tube pelvic drain following hysterectomy are: 1. 1. The special glass tube affords adequate and prolonged gravity drainage of the pelvic peritoneal cavity which cannot be obtained by the use of gauze or rubber drains. 2. 2. Septic or spreading peritonitis is prevented by removal of all free fluid from the pelvis which may act as a culture medium for bacteria and a vector for transmitting infection into the abdominal cavity. 3. 3. Intestinal obstruction after operation is prevented by free drainage through the glass tube of septic materials which result in plastic exudate and peritoneal adhesions. Gauze and rubber, because of their organic composition, produce irritation resulting in fibroplastic exudate and should not be introduced into the peritoneal cavity. 4. 4. Immediate recognition of secondary hemorrhage after hysterectomy may be lifesaving. Hemorrhage from a slipping ligature becomes apparent at once, since the open glass drain gives rapid egress for blood from the pelvis and thereby prevents unrecognized hemoperitoneum. 5. 5. The glass drain does not stick to the tissues and can be removed easily without trauma. Foreign body irritation of the peritoneum is reduced to a minimum, since the inorganic glass tube produces little or no tissue reaction. 6. 6. Reduction of postoperative morbidity from intrapelvic complications results in a shorter period of hospitalization. Adequate prolonged drainage of the pelvis from the time of operation prevents the formation of abscess and hematoma. 7. 7. Excision of the uterus by any technique or method does not preclude the use of the transvaginal glass tube drain, nor does this tube interdict vaginal plastic or perineal operations in conjunction with hysterectomy.
Postmortem Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB) binding increases with Alzheimer's disease progression.

The development of imaging reagents is of considerable interest in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) field. Some of these, such as Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB), were designed to bind to the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), the major component of amyloid deposits in the AD brain. Although these agents were designed for imaging amyloid deposits in vivo, a major avenue of evaluation relies on postmortem cross validation with established indices of AD pathology. In this study, we evaluated changes in the postmortem binding of PiB and its relationship to other aspects of Aβ-related pathology in a series of AD cases and age-matched controls. We also examined cases of preclinical AD (PCAD) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI), both considered early points in the AD continuum. PiB binding was found to increase with the progression of the disease, and paralleled increases in the less soluble forms of Aβ, including SDS-stable Aβ oligomers. Increased PiB binding and its relationship to Aβ was only significant in a brain region vulnerable to the development of AD pathology (the superior and middle temporal gyri) but not in an unaffected region (cerebellum). This implies that the amyloid deposited in disease affected regions may possess fundamental, brain region specific characteristics that may not as yet be fully appreciated. These data support the idea that PiB is a useful diagnostic tool for AD, particularly in the early stage of the disease, and also show that PiB could be a useful agent for the discovery of novel disease-related properties of amyloid.
Chapter 6 Oxidative Modification of Ca2+ Channels, Ryanodine Receptors, and the Sarco/Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPase

Abstract This paper reviews our current knowledge on the oxidative modifications of membrane proteins implicated in Ca 2+ transport. The high sensitivity of some Ca 2+ handling proteins, such as the L-type voltage-gated channel, the ryanodine receptor, and the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA) to oxidative modifications renders them important targets for oxidative regulation/modulation endowing a crosstalk between redox signaling and calcium transients in the cell. The main focus of this review is to correlate either loss or gain of protein function under conditions of oxidative stress to selective, potentially reversible, modifications of specific amino acids. Among those special emphasis will be placed on S-nitrosation, S-glutathiolation, disulfide formation, and Tyr nitration, as potential mechanism of redox-dependent signaling in the cell.
Characterization of 2D colloid aggregations created by optically induced electrohydrodynamics

Rapid electrokinetic patterning (REP) is a technique for creating self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of spherical particles in a liquid medium, and dynamically controlling them though the simultaneous application of an electric field and optically induced temperature gradients. Previous work has investigated and characterized REP axisymmetric aggregations generated from a focus laser within a uniform electric field; work herein characterizes line-shaped particle assemblies derived from the application of a linearly scanned laser. The resulting aggregations of spherical polystyrene particles (1 μm) suspended in low-conductivity aqueous potassium chloride solution (KCl, 2.5 mS/m) resembled elliptical-shaped crystalline geometries. The mean particle-to-particle spacing within the aggregation remained greater than 1.5 diameters for experiments herein (6.5 Vrms , 30 kHz) due to dipole-dipole repulsive forces. Interparticle spacing demonstrated a linear relationship (1.6-2.1 μm) with increasing scanning lengths (up to 83 μm), decreased from 1.9 to 1.7 μm with increasing scanning frequency (0.38-16 Hz) for a 53 μm scan length, and decreased from 2.0 to 1.6 μm with increasing laser power (11.9-18.8 mW) for a 59 μm, 16 Hz laser scan.
Inexpressibility results for regular languages in nonregular settings

My ostensible purpose in this talk is to describe some new results (found in collaboration with Amitabha Roy) on expressibility of regular languages in certain generalizations of first-order logic. [10]. This provides me with a good excuse for describing some the work on the algebraic theory of regular languages in what one might call “nonregular settings”. The syntactic monoid and syntactic morphism of a regular language provide a highly effective tool for proving that a given regular language is not expressible or recognizable in certain compuational models, as long as the model is guaranteed to produce only regular languages. This includes finite automata, of course. but also formulas of propositional temporal logic, and first-order logic, provided one is careful to restrict the expressive power of such logics. (For example, by only allowing the order relation in first-order formulas.) Things become much harder, and quite a bit more interesting, when we drop this kind of restriction on the model. The questions that arise are important (particularly in computational complexity), and most of them are unsolved. They all point to a rich theory that extends the reach of algebraic methods beyond the domain of finite automata
Multiple q -zeta functions and multiple q -polylogarithms

For every positive integer d we define the q-analog of multiple zeta function of depth d and study its properties, generalizing the work of Kaneko et al. who dealt with the case d=1. We first analytically continue it to a meromorphic function on ℂd with explicit poles. In our Main Theorem we show that its limit when q↑1 is the ordinary multiple zeta function. Then we consider some special values of these functions when d=2. At the end of the paper we also propose the q-analogs of multiple polylogarithms by using Jackson’s q-iterated integrals and then study some of their properties. Our definition is motivated by those of Koornwinder and Schlesinger although theirs are slightly different from ours.
Scalable fault tolerant MPI: extending the recovery algorithm

Fault Tolerant MPI (FT-MPI) [6] was designed as a solution to allow applications different methods to handle process failures beyond simple check-point restart schemes. The initial implementation of FT-MPI included a robust heavy weight system state recovery algorithm that was designed to manage the membership of MPI communicators during multiple failures. The algorithm and its implementation although robust, was very conservative and this effected its scalability on both very large clusters as well as on distributed systems. This paper details the FT-MPI recovery algorithm and our initial experiments with new recovery algorithms that are aimed at being both scalable and latency tolerant. Our conclusions shows that the use of both topology aware collective communication and distributed consensus algorithms together produce the best results.
The impact of AOA energy distribution on the spatial fading correlation of linear antenna array

In this paper, we present the comparative spatial fading correlation function of a uniform linear array (ULA) for various angle-of-arrival (AOA) distributions in a mobile radio environment. The spatial fading correlation for ULA is a function of the angle spread and distance between elements. Angle spread is a measure of the energy distribution in AOA and is defined to be the variance in this work. Three AOA distributions are considered in this work: uniform, truncated Gaussian, and Laplacian. Results show that the three AOA distributions give similar spatial fading correlation for the same angle spread suggesting that the variance of the distribution is more important than the actual distribution. Computer simulations are carried out to verify the analytical results.
Evaluating the Wald Test for Item‐Level Comparison of Saturated and Reduced Models in Cognitive Diagnosis

This article used the Wald test to evaluate the item-level fit of a saturated cognitive diagnosis model (CDM) relative to the fits of the reduced models it subsumes. A simulation study was carried out to examine the Type I error and power of the Wald test in the context of the G-DINA model. Results show that when the sample size is small and a larger number of attributes are required, the Type I error rate of the Wald test for the DINA and DINO models can be higher than the nominal significance levels, while the Type I error rate of the A-CDM is closer to the nominal significance levels. However, with larger sample sizes, the Type I error rates for the three models are closer to the nominal significance levels. In addition, the Wald test has excellent statistical power to detect when the true underlying model is none of the reduced models examined even for relatively small sample sizes. The performance of the Wald test was also examined with real data. With an increasing number of CDMs from which to choose, this article provides an important contribution toward advancing the use of CDMs in practical educational settings.
1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase: are there charge and size variants in tomato?

Summary Several techniques of electrofocusing have been used to determine whether 1-aminocyclopropane-1- carboxylate (ACC) synthase isolated from wounded tomato pericarp tissue exists in different isoforms, each with its characteristic isoelectric point (pI).The pI of the native enzyme was found to be 6.0 ± 0.2.When radiolabeled, denatured ACC synthase was electrofocused by non-equilibrium pH gradient electrophoresis (NEpHGE), the enzyme separated into four discernible spots which, upon reaching equilibrium, ranged in pI from 6.6 to 6.9.Immunopurified ACC synthase from four tomato cultivars (Duke, Cornell, Mountain Pride and Pik Red) migrated in each case as a 50 kDa protein on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels (SDS-PAGE).We propose that native ACC synthase in extracts of tomato pericarp tissue exists in one single size and that the charge heterogeneities observed upon electrofocusing of denatured enzyme result from modifications of pre-existing protein.
Cytotoxicity of nickel-chromium alloys: Bulk alloys compared to multiple ion salt solutions

Abstract Objective. Nickel-based alloys have been in use since the 1930s; however, there are concerns regarding the biocompatibility of the metallic ions released from these alloys to surrounding tissues. The objective of this study was to better understand nickel-based alloy cytotoxicity as well as determine if multiple ion salt solutions can be used to model the cytotoxic effects of bulk implant alloys. Methods. This study evaluated cellular morphology, viability, membrane integrity, and alterations in metabolic activity, including DNA synthesis, RNA synthesis, protein synthesis, oxygen consumption, intracellular ATP levels, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in response to bulk alloys and multiple ion salt solutions. Results. Over a 24- or 72-h exposure time, the nickel-based alloys released a total ion concentration in the parts per billion range and caused alterations in DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis, intracellular ATP levels, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Interestingly, cellular responses to the salt solutions representing the ions released from the alloys were not consistently significantly similar to those elicited from the alloys. Significance. From these studies, it was shown that a number of cellular functions are altered in response to ions released from these implant alloys. However, cellular functions were not similarly altered in response to salt solutions representing the ions released from the alloys. These results demonstrated salt solutions cannot be easily used to represent alloy cytotoxicity, and ionic release from alloys is a complex process dependent on variables including ion chemistry, ion valence, and dose-time dependence. This study provides a better understanding of the metabolic response of fibroblasts to ions released from dental alloys; and is a good first step towards developing a more reliable cell culture model of cytotoxicity.
Magnetic properties of polycrystalline materials

The variation of the magnetic Q with internal magnetization is discussed, using both the domain rotation and the domain-wall motion model of magnetization change. The var- iation of the reversible susceptibilities with magnetic moment is reported on four samples, and the results are compared with results from the frequency spectra in the initial and remanent states. The distribution of magnetic moments in the system as a function of the angle between individual and averaged moments is discussed in terms of an infinite series expansion in Legen- dre polynomials. The coefficients of the first four terms can be measured. Experimental data are given for the first three.
Metabolic Regulation of Neuronal Plasticity by the Energy Sensor AMPK

Long Term Potentiation (LTP) is a leading candidate mechanism for learning and memory and is also thought to play a role in the progression of seizures to intractable epilepsy. Maintenance of LTP requires RNA transcription, protein translation and signaling through the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. In peripheral tissue, the energy sensor AMP-activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) negatively regulates the mTOR cascade upon glycolytic inhibition and cellular energy stress. We recently demonstrated that the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) alters plasticity to retard epileptogenesis in the kindling model of epilepsy. Reduced kindling progression was associated with increased recruitment of the nuclear metabolic sensor CtBP to NRSF at the BDNF promoter. Given that energy metabolism controls mTOR through AMPK in peripheral tissue and the role of mTOR in LTP in neurons, we asked whether energy metabolism and AMPK control LTP. Using a combination of biochemical approaches and field-recordings in mouse hippocampal slices, we show that the master regulator of energy homeostasis, AMPK couples energy metabolism to LTP expression. Administration of the glycolytic inhibitor 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) or the mitochondrial toxin and anti-Type II Diabetes drug, metformin, or AMP mimetic AICAR results in activation of AMPK, repression of the mTOR pathway and prevents maintenance of Late-Phase LTP (L-LTP). Inhibition of AMPK by either compound-C or the ATP mimetic ara-A rescues the suppression of L-LTP by energy stress. We also show that enhanced LTP via AMPK inhibition requires mTOR signaling. These results directly link energy metabolism to plasticity in the mammalian brain and demonstrate that AMPK is a modulator of LTP. Our work opens up the possibility of using modulators of energy metabolism to control neuronal plasticity in diseases and conditions of aberrant plasticity such as epilepsy.
Silk-elastinlike protein polymer hydrogels for localized adenoviral gene therapy of head and neck tumors

Vector dissemination, transient gene expression, and rapid clearance are major obstacles to successful human gene therapy. In this study, we investigated the effect of silk-elastinlike protein polymer (SELP) hydrogels on biodistribution and anticancer efficacy of adenoviral gene therapy in a head and neck cancer model. Transcriptional activities of adenovirus carrying β-galactosidase (Ad-LacZ) and luciferase (Ad-Luc) reporter genes were evaluated in (nu/nu) mice with head and neck cancer as a function of polymer concentration. Antitumor efficacy of thymidine kinase encoding adenovirus (Ad-Tk) and ganciclovir (GSV) combination was also evaluated. SELP (4 wt %) matrices localized viral release, minimized dissemination to liver, and enhanced reporter gene expression levels by 4−8-fold compared to virus alone. SELP- Ad-Tk with GSV reduced tumor volume significantly compared to the virus alone. SELPs provide a means for temporal and spatial control of viral gene delivery to head and neck tumors.
Low Cost, Low Power 12VDC Surgical Suction Device for Use in Developing Countries

In developing countries, many clinics have unreliable power or no access to grid power at all. Doctors in these countries must delay or cancel life-saving surgeries because they are unable to power necessary medical equipment. In this paper we describe a low-cost surgical suction device which can be used for cesarean sections and altered for tracheotomies and mucus removal from the trachea. This device will primarily be used to clear the operating field of blood and other fluids for more visibility during surgeries. Powering options can include rechargeable batteries charged by the Solar Suitcase (www.wecaresolar.org), any 12 VDC battery (car or motorcycle battery), or grid power when available. Introducing this cost-effective, energy efficient 12VDC medical device offers a paradigm shift in terms of sanitation, accessibility and usability. This inexpensive, sustainable device holds the potential to reduce mortality rates by minimizing complications such as obstructed maternal labor as well as improving hygienic conditions to lower risk of infection.
Soliton instability in an easy plane ferromagnet

Abstract We report here an analysis of the limitations of a sine-Gordon like description of an easy plane ferromagnetic chain. We show that the sG description is valid only at low magnetic fields and low velocities of soliton motion. Even at low velocities, the soliton emits magnons. For fields larger than a critical field Hc(u), the soliton is unstable towards the formation of a distorted texture with large off-easy plane excursions for the spin. This instability is preceded by a split-off-localized mode (from the magnon continuum) that goes soft at the critical field. The distorted texture is found to be immobile in that no ω = 0 translational mode exists. Instead we find oscillation frequencies for the texture. The sG soliton distorts its environment and gets trapped in it.
Can Drought Increase Total Calorie Availability? The Impact of Drought on Food Consumption and the Mitigating Effects of a Conditional Cash Transfer Program

Abstract This study uses the panel data of a randomized experiment from the Mexican PROGRESA program to evaluate the impact of drought on total calorie availability and the mitigating effects of PROGRESA on food consumption in periods of drought. Drought reduced total expenditures and total food expenditures but increased the total availability of calories. This paradox can be explained by the impact of drought on the composition of calories; that is, it reduced the consumption of expensive calories in such foods as vegetables, fruits, and animal products but increased calories consumed from cheaper sources, such as grains. This study finds that PROGRESA can completely mitigate the negative effects of drought on calorie availability from vegetables, fruits, and other sources. However, PROGRESA cannot mitigate the impact of drought on calories available from grains. The analysis also shows that, during drought, households who increase their consumption of grains get them mainly from purchased sources rathe...
Mechanical Motion Rectifier Based Energy-Harvesting Shock Absorber

Energy-harvesting shock absorber is able to recover the energy otherwise dissipated in the suspension vibration while simultaneously suppress the vibration induced by road roughness. It can work as a controllable damper as well as an energy generator. An innovative design of regenerative shock absorbers is proposed in this paper, with the advantage of significantly improving energy harvesting efficiency and reducing the impact forces caused by oscillation. The key component is a unique motion mechanism, which we called “mechanical motion rectifier (MMR)”, to convert the suspension’s oscillatory vibration into unidirectional rotation of the generator. An implementation of motion rectifier based harvester with high compactness is introduced and prototyped. A dynamic model is created to analyze the general properties of the motion rectifier by making analogy between mechanical systems and electrical circuits. The model is capable of analyzing electrical and mechanical components at the same time. Both simulation and experiments are carried out to verify the modeling and the advantages. The prototype achieved over 60% efficiency at high frequency, much better than the conventional regenerative shock absorbers in oscillatory motion. Furthermore, road tests are done to verify the feasibility of the MMR shock absorber, in which more than 15 Watts’ electricity is harvested while driving at 15 mph. The motion rectifier based design can also be used for other applications of electromagnetic vibration energy harvesting.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Cardiac hypertrophy caused by glycogen storage disease in a fifteen-year-old boy

Abstract Evidence is presented which suggests that some cases of idiopathic hypertrophy of the heart, described in the older literature, represent end stages of glycogenosis of the heart, and that our first case represents a transition between the infantile, fully developed picture of massive glycogen deposition, and the end stage, with only reactive inflammation, degeneration, and fibrosis.
A lymph node neutral proteinase acting on myelin basic protein.

— A neutral protease present in inguinal and popliteal lymph nodes of rats with acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), rats injected with Freund's adjuvant, and rats that are normal has been found to hydrolyze basic protein present in purified brain and spinal cord myelin. The enzyme has been enriched by ammonium sulfate precipitation, and its properties have been studied. The protease activity toward different substrates was very specific and decreased in the following order: Protamine sulfate = polylysine (MW 183,000) > myelin basic protein > histone > polylysine (MW 2000) > polyarginine > cytochrome c. Other proteins including casein, freshly denatured hemoglobin, egg albumin, bovine serum albumin, and ribonuclease were ineffective as substrates. The pH curve showed a peak at pH 7 for rat myelin, isolated beef basic protein, and histone. A possible role for this enzyme in demyelination in acute experimental allergic encephalomyelitis is suggested.
Massively parallel exon capture and library-free resequencing across 16 genomes.

To the Editor: The adoption of molecular inversion probes (MIPs) to massively parallel exon capture1 has been limited by representational and allelic bias. We describe modifications enabling simultaneous amplification and accurate shotgun sequencing of 50,000 exons. We also prove the scalability and accuracy of direct sequencing of MIP amplicons, which circumvents all shotgun library construction, while resequencing 1 megabase of coding sequence across 16 human genomes with >99% HapMap concordance.