cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geneshot: search engine for ranking genes from arbitrary text queries.

The frequency by which genes are studied correlates with the prior knowledge accumulated about them. This leads to an imbalance in research attention where some genes are highly investigated while others are ignored. Geneshot is a search engine developed to illuminate this gap and to promote attention to the under-studied genome. Through a simple web interface, Geneshot enables researchers to enter arbitrary search terms, to receive ranked lists of genes relevant to the search terms. Returned ranked gene lists contain genes that were previously published in association with the search terms, as well as genes predicted to be associated with the terms based on data integration from multiple sources. The search results are presented with interactive visualizations. To predict gene function, Geneshot utilizes gene-gene similarity matrices from processed RNA-seq data, or from gene-gene co-occurrence data obtained from multiple sources. In addition, Geneshot can be used to analyze the novelty of gene sets and augment gene sets with additional relevant genes. The Geneshot web-server and API are freely and openly available from https://amp.pharm.mssm.edu/geneshot.
Single-Cell Editing: The CRISPR/Cas9 and Applications

Abstract The emergence of modifiable sequence-specific nucleases such as translation activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), and the potent Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-related nuclease 9 (Cas9) (CRISPR/Cas9) system has transformed the field of genome editing. The CRISPR/Cas9 system is chiefly multipurpose and has been applied in numerous species representing all branches of life. Furthermore, the advent of human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) technology has offered an exclusive opening to create cellular models to study the properties of the core genetic abnormalities of several diverse cell types. Merging this with the current developments in genome editing techniques, CRISPR has delivered a facility to repair recognized causative alleles in patient lines, or to introduce disease alleles into a healthy wild-type cell line. Here, we estimate the advantages and applications of CRISPR along with iPSC in terms of workflow, understanding, strengths, and flaws.
Clinical significance of the bronchodilator response in children with severe asthma.

Background Our objective was to determine those characteristics associated with reversibility of airflow obstruction and response to maximal bronchodilation in children with severe asthma through the Severe Asthma Research Program (SARP). Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis evaluating children ages 6 to 17 years with nonsevere asthma (NSA) and severe asthma (SA). Participants underwent spirometry before and after 180 µg of albuterol to determine reversibility (≥12% increase in FEV1 ). Participants were then given escalating doses up to 720 µg of albuterol to determine their maximum reversibility. Results We evaluated 230 children (n = 129 SA, n = 101 NSA) from five centers across the United States in the SARP I and II cohorts. SA (odds ratio [OR], 2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-4.13), second-hand smoke exposure (OR, 2.81, 95%CI, 1.23-6.43), and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO; OR, 1.97, 95%CI, 1.35-2.87) were associated with increased odds of airway reversibility after maximal bronchodilation, while higher prebronchodilator (BD) FEV1 % predicted (OR, 0.91, 95%CI, 0.88-0.94) was associated with decreased odds. In an analysis using the SARP III cohort (n = 186), blood neutrophils, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and FEV1 % predicted were significantly associated with BD reversibility. In addition, children with BD response have greater healthcare utilization. BD reversibility was associated with reduced lung function at enrollment and 1-year follow-up though less decline in lung function over 1 year compared to those without reversibility. Conclusions Lung function, that is FEV1 % predicted, is a predictor of BD response in children with asthma. Additionally, smoke exposure, higher FeNO or IgE level, and low peripheral blood neutrophils are associated with a greater likelihood of BD reversibility. BD response can identify a phenotype of pediatric asthma associated with low lung function and poor asthma control.
Anticipated Pain During Intrauterine Device Insertion.

Abstract Study Objective To identify predictors of anticipated pain with intrauterine device (IUD) insertion in adolescents and young women. Design We performed linear regression to identify demographic, sexual/gynecologic history, and mood covariates associated with anticipated pain using visual analog pain scores (VAS) collected as part of a single-blind randomized trial of women receiving a 13.5 mg levonorgestrel IUD. Setting Three academic family planning clinics in Philadelphia PA. Participants Ninety-three adolescents and young adult women age 14-22. Intervention: Participants received either a 1% lidocaine or sham paracervical block. Main Outcome Measures Anticipated pain measured using a Visual Analog Scores (VAS) before and perceived pain at 6 time points during the IUD insertion procedure. Results Black or African-American participants had a median anticipated pain score of 68 (IQR 52, 83), White participants had a median anticipated pain of 51 (IQR 35, 68), while participants of other races had a median anticipated pain score of 64 (IQR 36, 73); p=0.012. In multivariate analysis, race was the only covariate that significantly predicted anticipated pain at IUD insertion. Women with anticipated pain scores above the median had significantly higher perceived pain during all timepoints of the IUD insertion procedure. Conclusions Increased anticipated pain is associated with increased perceived pain with IUD insertion. Black adolescent women experience greater anticipated pain with IUD insertion. This population may benefit from counseling and clinical measures to reduce this barrier to IUD use.
Finding a Mentor

The benefits of mentorship are increasingly recognized and include accelerated advancement of mentees, improved program retention and diversity, and greater research productivity. However, finding a mentor can be challenging. When searching for a mentor, reflect on what you’re hoping to gain. Also, consider how many mentors you might need; having a mentorship team might better fulfill your mentorship needs than relying on one busy person. Mentors can be found anywhere, but look for a good fit. Consider what you would like your mentors to have in common with you but also whether diversity among your mentors might offer important, contrasting viewpoints and access to expanded networks. Finally, once you’ve found a mentor, discuss your expectations, invest in the relationship, assess whether the mentorship is effective, and recognize when a mentorship relationship needs to be terminated. Receiving good mentorship can be invaluable and can prepare you to become a mentor one day, as well.
Exponential stability of a mixture of two elastic solids with a degenerate weak damping mechanism

Abstract In this note, we investigate stability issues for a mixture of two elastic solids. The governing equations consist of two coupled systems of elastodynamic equations with a weak damping. The damping involves the difference of velocities, so that the damping operator is degenerate. First, we show that the underlying semigroup is strongly stable under a weaker parameters constraint, thereby improving an earlier strong stability result of Dafermos. Next, we show that under extra appropriate constraints on the parameters of the coupled system, the semigroup is exponentially stable. Our proof relies on the frequency domain method, the multipliers technique, and a seemingly new vector calculus identity (Lemma B). Our exponential stability result is new in the framework of mixtures involving elastodynamic equations with weak damping. We also show that for some sets of parameters, the system is asymptotically unstable; in particular, we use a concrete example to show that strong stability fails for a certain parameters constraint.
Acute Liver Failure in a Pediatric Patient with Tetralogy of Fallot following Cardiac Catheterization.

A 4-month-old female with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) developed acute liver failure (ALF) following a cardiac catheterization procedure to correct severe stenosis of her right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) conduit via balloon angioplasty. Cardiac history included TOF, heterotaxy syndrome, ipsilateral pulmonary veins, interrupted inferior vena cava (IVC) with azygos continuation, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), and pulmonary atresia that was repaired with a right ventricle (RV) to pulmonary artery (PA) conduit. This is the first case described of its kind to our knowledge. Consent was obtained from the patient’s family to publish this case report.
Tracking oral health in a standardized, evidence-based, prevention-focused dental care system.

Objectives Learning health-care systems are foundational for measuring and achieving value in oral health care. This article describes the components of a preventive dental care program and the quality of care in a large dental accountable care organization. Methods A retrospective study design describes and evaluates the cross-sectional measures of process of care (PoC), appropriateness of care (AoC), and outcomes of care (OoC) extracted from the electronic health record (EHR), between 2014 and 2019. Annual and composite measures are derived from EHR-based clinical decision support for risk determination, diagnostic and treatment terminology, and decayed-missing-filled-teeth (DMFT) measures. Results Annually, 253,515 ± 27,850 patients were cared for with 618,084 ± 80,559 visits, 209,366 ± 22,300 exams, and 2,072,844 ± 300,363 clinical procedures. PoC metrics included provider adherence (98.3 percent) in completing caries risk assessments and patient receipt (96.9 percent) of a proactive dental care plan. AoC metrics included patients receiving prevention according to the risk-based protocol. The percent of patients at risk for caries receiving fluoride varnish was 95.4 ± 0.4 percent. OoC metrics included untreated decay and new decay. The 6-year average prevalence of untreated decay was 11.3 ± 0.3 percent, and average incidence of new decay was 13.6 ± 0.5 percent, increasing with risk level: low = 7.5 percent, medium = 18.8 percent, high = 29.4 percent, and extreme = 28.1 percent. Conclusions The preventive dental care system demonstrates excellent provider adherence to the evidence-based prevention protocol, with measurably better dental outcomes by patient risk compared to national estimates. These achievements are enabled by a value-centric, accountable model of care and incentivized by a compensation model aligned with performance measures.
Imaging-based indices of Neuropathology and gait speed decline in older adults: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

Imaging markers of cerebrovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are implicated in mobility impairment in older adults, but few studies have examined these relationships longitudinally in a racially-diverse population-based sample. At Visit 5 (2011–13) of the ARIC Study, 1859 participants had usual pace gait speed (cm/s) assessed and brain MRI (mean age = 76.3, 28.5% Black) and PET (n = 343; mean age = 75.9, 42.6% Black) measures including total/regional brain volume (cm3), white matter hyperintensities (WMH; cm3), infarcts (present/absent), microbleeds (count) and global beta-amyloid (Aβ). Participants returned at Visit 6 (n = 1264, 2016–17) and Visit 7 (n = 1108, 2018–19) for follow-up gait speed assessments. We used linear regression to estimate effects of baseline infarct presence, higher microbleed count, and a one interquartile range (IQR) poorer measures of continuous predictors (−1 IQR total brain volume, temporal-parietal lobe meta region of interest(ROI); +1 IQR WMH volume, global Aβ SUVR) on cross-sectional gait speed and change in gait speed adjusting for age, sex, education, study site, APOE e4, estimated intracranial volume, BMI, and cardiovascular risk factors. Cross-sectionally, slower gait speed outcome was associated with higher WMH volume, −3.38 cm/s (95%CI:-4.71, −2.04), infarct presence, −5.60 cm/s (−7.69, −3.51), microbleed count, −2.20 cm/s (−3.20, −0.91), smaller total brain volume, −9.26 cm/s (−12.1, −6.43), and smaller temporal-parietal lobe ROI -6.28 cm/s (−8.28, −4.28). Longitudinally, faster gait speed outcome decline was associated with higher WMH volume, −0.27 cm/s/year, (−0.51, −0.03) and higher global Aβ SUVR, −0.62 cm/s/year (−1.20, −0.03). Both cerebrovascular and AD pathology may contribute to mobility decline commonly seen with aging.
Mortality Predictors in COVID-19 Patients with Cardiogenic Shock

Purpose Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV2 disease (COVID-19) primarily affects the respiratory system; however, severe cases have been reported that have resulted in cardiogenic shock (CS). While it is known that COVID-19 is more severe in those cardiovascular disease, the predictors of mortality of CS with COVID-19 has yet to be explored in depth. Utilizing a large hospital research database, we explored the predictors of death in these patients. Methods Subjects with diagnosis codes “COVID-19” and “cardiogenic shock” or “acute dilated cardiomyopathy” were identified in an institutional registry of patients. 72 patients met the diagnostic criteria. Clinical variables studied included disease history, biomarkers, and imaging were included. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression modeling were performed using STATA/ SE 15.1. Results Of the 72 patients diagnosed with CS with COVID-19, 29 died. History of heart failure (HF) was associated with a higher risk of death (OR 4.06, p=0.012) as was diuretic use (likely a proxy for HF (OR 2.71, p=0.05)). Age, sex, and other clinical variables (see table) were not associated with death. In a multivariable model including age and sex, prior HF diagnosis remained significantly associated with death (OR 4.27 p=0.015). Conclusion In CS with COVID-19, a history of cardiac disease and/or HF strongly predicted mortality. Other markers presumed to be associated with mortality such as age, sex and biomarkers were not significantly associated with death in this population. Given these findings, HF patients should be strongly encouraged to reduce their risk of exposure to infection.
Differentiated Instruction to Teach Mathematics: Through the Lens of Responsive Teaching

Preparing future teachers to be responsive to the needs of all students in their classrooms is the goal of any excellent teacher preparation program. How to prepare the preservice teachers (PTs) to be responsive to their students can be challenging. The study followed eight preservice teachers for two years and investigated their differentiation strategies and approaches for responding to their students’ academic and cultural needs. Two data sources - lesson plans and reflective commentary about their lessons - were analysed through document analysis. There was an overall improvement in differentiation and responsiveness from third to fourth year. Results indicate some skill in process differentiation and responding to community culture, but more skills are necessary in the practice of teaching.Preparing future teachers to be responsive to the needs of all students in their classrooms is the goal of any excellent teacher preparation program. How to prepare the preservice teachers (PTs) to be responsive to their students can be challenging. The study followed eight preservice teachers for two years and investigated their differentiation strategies and approaches for responding to their students’ academic and cultural needs. Two data sources - lesson plans and reflective commentary about their lessons - were analysed through document analysis. There was an overall improvement in differentiation and responsiveness from third to fourth year. Results indicate some skill in process differentiation and responding to community culture, but more skills are necessary in the practice of teaching.
OAB-053: Clinical outcomes of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients after BCMA-targeted CAR T therapy

Background Anti-BCMA chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T have shown remarkable efficacy in highly pretreated multiple myeloma (MM) patients. With recent FDA approval of BCMA-targeted CAR T in MM and other agents in late stages of development, CAR T is poised to become more widely used. However, the outcomes of MM patients after relapse on CAR T are largely unknown and effective approaches to salvage after CAR T are urgently needed. Methods Demographics, disease characteristics and post-clinical trial outcomes were collected retrospectively on 31 MM patients who relapsed after CAR T therapy at a single academic hospital. Results 31 MM patients had a median age of 61 years at time of disease progression after CAR T; 19 (61%) were male. Median time from diagnosis to CAR T relapse was 74 months (range 22-282). Post-CAR T follow-up was a median of 391 days (range 86-943). Twenty-six patients (84%) had high-risk cytogenetics. Most patients were highly pretreated with a median of 5 prior lines (range 1-18) and 28 patients (90%) had received autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT). Patient exposure/refractoriness included: lenalidomide (100%/74%), pomalidomide (87%/84%), bortezomib (90%/61%), carfilzomib (94%/87%), CD38-mAb (97%/97%) and alkylating agents (100%/54). Fifteen patients (48%) had received DCEP and four patients (13%) had received prior treatment with a non-BCMA-targeted bispecific Ab. The median time to a subsequent treatment following relapse on CAR T was 34 days (range 0-378). At time of analysis, patients had already received a median of 2 subsequent treatment lines (range 1-8). The most common initial treatment after CAR T relapse was chemotherapy with V-DCEP or VD-PACE (10/29, 34%). Stem cell boost was part of the initial approach in five patients (17%) and was performed in 12 patients at any time after CAR T relapse (41%). Five patients (17%) were treated with bispecific Ab immediately after CAR T and 11 patients (38%) received bispecific Ab therapy at any point after CAR T. Best response to initial treatment varied widely (10 PD, 4 SD, 1 MR, 1 PR, 6 VGPR, 7 CR) with overall response rate (ORR, ≥PR) of 48%. Median time to progression was 104 days for the initial treatment and 62 days for the second line after CAR T. Twenty occurrences of durable responses (>120 days, range 126-513) were observed, of which were 4 selinexor-based treatments, 4 with non-BCMA bispecific Ab, 4 involving stem cell boost and 2 venetoclax-based. At the time of analysis, 17 patients (55%) were alive and the median OS after relapse on CAR T was 496 days. Conclusion Studying the prognosis of patients after relapse and the response to subsequent therapy will provide important clinical insights for salvage, especially as CAR T moves to an earlier treatment setting. At the meeting, we will compare and contrast more mature data on the CAR T cohort with >50 patients that relapsed after bispecific Ab therapy.
The People of the River's Mouth: In Search of the Missouria Indians

Review of: "The People of the River's Mouth: In Search of the Missouria Indians," which is part of the "Missouri Heritage Readers Series," by Michael Dickey.
Genes Encoding Human VDAC Proteins: Identification of Multiple Isoforms, Expression in Yeast and Chromosomal Localization

The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC, also known as mitochondrial porin) of the outer mitochondrial membrane is a small (∼30 kDa) abundant protein found in cells from all eukaryotic kingdoms. VDAC forms large (∼3nm), voltage-gated pores when incorporated into planar lipid bilayers (Colombini, 1989; Sorgato and Moran, 1993). Physiologically, VDAC is thought to be the primary pathway for the movement of adenine nucleotides through the mitochondrial outer membrane, controlling the traffic of these essential compounds to and from the mitochondria, as well as the passage of the substrates and products of a variety of metabolic pathways. VDAC has also been shown to be the binding site for hexokinase (HEX) and glycerol kinase (GK) on the outer surface of the mitochondrion (Adams et al., 1991). Binding of these enzymes to the mitochondria may allow them preferential access to mitochondrial ATP (Brdiczka, 1991) although recently this view has been questioned (Kabir and Nelson, 1991). The association of these enzymes with the outer membrane may constitute a significant metabolic regulatory interaction, since association of HEX and GK with mitochondria is dynamic and varies among different tissues, during development and depending on the metabolic state of the cell (Adams et al, 1991). For example, cells in highly malignant tumors have an increased percentage of mitochondrially bound hexokinase when compared to normal cells (Nakashima et al, 1988). Furthermore, binding of HEX and GK to VDAC may occur specifically at contact sites between the inner and outer mitochondrial membranes, thus linking cytoplasmic metabolism and ADP production as regulated by these enzymes with the regulation of mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in the mitochondrial matrix (Kottke et al, 1988; Brdiczka, 1990). In addition, it appears that VDAC is part of a complex forming the mitochondrial benzodiazepine receptor (McEnery et al, 1992).
Chapter 2: Charge Motion in Solid Helium

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of charge motion in solid helium (He). The study of ions in liquid helium has proved to be very rewarding and developed into a subfield of superfluid physics. These probes provided information on quantized vorticity and turbulence and are used for the study of vortex lattices and vortex excitations. They are useful in studying the quasiparticle spectrum through scattering from phonons, rotons, and He impurities and are also used in roton creation. They are used to study the He–He interface and the condensation of He atoms on surfaces and vortex lines in dilute solutions of He in He have been used to probe the anisotropic properties of superfluid He. The structure of ions in liquid helium is discussed in the chapter because their structure in the crystal phase is expected to be similar. Some theories for ionic motion in solid helium are based on concepts first developed for vacancies and isotopic impurities in helium. In addition, an understanding of the nature of vacancies is essential for understanding their role in ion motion.
DUALITY: An Architecture Independent Design Model for Parallel Systems Based on Partial Orders Semantics

This paper introduces DUALITY, a design model that provides a more structured style of parallel programming and refines causality from concurrency. We investigate semantic and syntactic transformations that support identifying the structure of a parallel program, as the basis for reducing the design complexity. The initial focus is on specification and correctness, then gradually adding architectural details and finally addressing efficiency. A parallel program is viewed as a Meta-Program -the result of causally composing an architecture-independent algorithm - the specification, with an architecture-dependent program -the mapping. This approach supports the derivation of efficient parallel implementations from program specifications. Consequently, transparent and architecture-independent specifications can be transformed into forms that match particular target architectures. Correctness of the implementation is inferred from correctness of the specification, by gradually imposing temporal and causal order and by transforming any property of the specification into a property of the parallel program. DUALITY relates data and process parallelism and aims to reuse design knowledge from sequential patterns. DUALITY is developed in the context of the UNITY formalism and the principle and algebraic laws of Communication Closed Layers (CCL), and illustrated through the algorithm of all-points shortest path.
Market Cycles and Business Cycles

This paper explains the differences and connections between business cycles and market cycles. We use a ranking technique to illustrate which asset classes do better in different parts of the business cycle.
Dermal irritation of petrolatum in rabbits but not in mice, rats or minipigs

Petrolatum is widely used in cosmetics, topical pharmaceuticals and also as a vehicle in dermal toxicity studies. New Zealand white rabbits treated with white petrolatum (vehicle control) in a 2-week dermal irritation study exhibited moderate to severe erythema starting on Day 7 that subsided towards the end of the study. Histological examination of abraded and non-abraded petrolatum-treated skin obtained at termination (Day 15) revealed mild acanthosis, hyperkeratosis, dermal edema with mixed inflammatory cells in the dermis. Macroscopic and microscopic features noted in rabbits were consistent with dermal irritation to petrolatum. Wistar-Han rats, CD1 mice, C57/Bl/6J mice and Gottingen minipigs treated topically with white petrolatum did not exhibit clinical or histologic evidence of dermal irritation. Therapeutic agents developed for topical application are generally tested in rabbits during some point in development. Interpretation of skin irritation data from a single species can impact risk assessment for humans and on product labeling. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
FIXATION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM FOR ELECTRON MICROSCOPY BY ALDEHYDE PERFUSION. II. EFFECT OF OSMOLARITY, PH OF PERFUSATE, AND FIXATIVE CONCENTRATION.

Hypertonic fixatives perfused well, but gross brain shrinkage was excessive with extreme hypertonicity. Increasing the amount of buffer in a perfusate to 1200 mOsM resulted in shrinkage of cells and large amounts of extracellular space. Increasing the fixative concentration did not cause extensive extracellular space formation but had only relatively subtle effects on fine structure. Moderate hypertonicity resulted in little gross brain volume change. Isotonic (300–320 mOsM) perfusates acted similarly to hypotonic fixatives, which caused gross swelling of the brain and poor preservation on the ultrastructural scale and would not flow well at perfusion. While extreme pH's (2 and 11) were detrimental to preservation of structure, pH's of 6 and 8 caused little change. A brief “wash” of pH 2.0 buffer immediately preceding pH 7.4 perfusion caused the appearance of large scale extracellular space, but also fair preservation of ultrastructure.
Ethical concerns in computer security and privacy research involving human subjects

In this panel statement I highlight four specific types of ethical concerns I've encountered when designing security and privacy human subjects studies.
A distributed database server for continuous media

In our project, we are adopting a new approach for handling video data. We view the video as a well-defined data type with its own description, parameters and applicable methods. The system is based on PREDATOR, an open-source object-relational DBMS. PREDATOR uses Shore as the underlying storage manager. Supporting video operations (storing, searching-by-content and streaming) and new query types (query-by-example and multi-feature similarity searching) requires major changes in many of the traditional system components. More specifically, the storage and buffer manager has to deal with huge volumes of data with real-time constraints. Query processing has to consider the video methods and operators in generating, optimizing and executing the query plans.
The radiation crosslinking of block copolymers of butadiene and styrene

Block copolymers of butadiene and styrene containing 21 and 61 wt.-% styrene as well as pure polybutadiene have been investigated with respect to the extent of crosslinking produced by the irradiation with 60Co γ-rays. The free radical yield at 77 K, G(R.), has also been measured. Addition of the styrene blocks to the butadiene chains causes a rapid decrease in both G(X), the G-value for crosslink formation, and the free radical yield in nearly the same proportion for both, but G(X) is about twice as high as expected if crosslinks arose only from free radical recombination reactions. The effect of the styrene segments in the block copolymers on G(X) is approximately the same as in random copolymers of butadiene and styrene up to 21 wt.-% styrene compositions.
An inner ear gene expression database.

Microarray technology has provided an unprecedented opportunity to study gene expression profiles at a whole-genome level. As a first step toward a comprehensive understanding of inner ear gene expression, mouse cochleas were examined at two developmental stages (P2 and P32) using GeneChip oligonucleotide arrays. A large number of genes and ESTs (>10,000) were found to be expressed in the cochlea. Expression profiles derived from duplicate samples at the same developmental stages showed general agreement and indicated the reproducibility of the assay. The expression of many known hair-cell genes was detected in the whole-cochlea samples, demonstrating the relatively high sensitivity of the assay. Genes highly expressed only at P2 or P32 were also identified and their expression patterns correlate with their functions in the cochlea. A web-based database with external links was set up for public access, which should facilitate the discovery of genes important in the development and function of the inner ear and should aid the identification of additional deafness genes.
Cascade synthesis of a gold nanoparticle–network polymer composite

The multi-step, cascade synthesis of a self-supporting, hierarchically-structured gold nanoparticle hydrogel composite is described. The composite is spontaneously prepared from a non-covalent, lamellar lyotropic mesophase composed of amphiphiles that support the reactive constituents, a mixture of hydroxyl- and acrylate-end-derivatized PEO117-PPO47-PEO117 and [AuCl4](-). The reaction sequence begins with the auto-reduction of aqueous [AuCl4](-) by PEO117-PPO47-PEO117 which leads to both the production of Au NPs and the free radical initiated polymerization and crosslinking of the acrylate end-derivatized PEO117-PPO47-PEO117 to yield a network polymer. Optical spectroscopy and TEM monitored the reduction of [AuCl4](-), formation of large aggregated Au NPs and oxidative etching into a final state of dispersed, spherical Au NPs. ATR/FT-IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis confirms acrylate crosslinking to yield the polymer network. X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) monitored the evolution of the multi-lamellar structured mesophase and revealed the presence of semi-crystalline PEO confined within the water layers. The hydrogel could be reversibly swollen without loss of the well-entrained Au NPs with full recovery of composite structure. Optical spectroscopy shows a notable red shift (Δλ ∼ 45 nm) in the surface plasmon resonance between swollen and contracted states, demonstrating solvent-mediated modulation of the internal NP packing arrangement.
Application of generalized deformation theory to irradiation creep of fcc and bcc stainless steels

The physical framework employed for most of the current irradiation creep models of cubic polycrystalline materials is a single crystal with a dislocation system consisting of three orthogonal Burgers vectors. The irradiation creep models based on this crystal system can be broken into two categories, one where irradiation creep occurs by dislocation climb alone, and the other where irradiation creep occurs by a combination of dislocation climb and glide. Often, irradiation creep is presumed to proceed by dislocation climb alone at low applied stresses, but by a combination of dislocation climb and glide at higher applied stresses. However, the rules for generalized deformation, as applied to dislocation climb, determine if a polycrystal is capable of deformation by dislocation climb alone. The current work analyzes generalized deformation by dislocation climb of fcc and bcc stainless steel crystals. Some implications for irradiation creep of polycrystalline fcc and bcc stainless steels are discussed.
Echocardiographic and clinical factors related to paravalvular leak incidence in low-gradient severe aortic stenosis patients post-transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Background Paravalvular leak (PVL) following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is associated with poor outcomes. The association of clinical and echocardiographic parameters in the occurrence of even mild PVL in patients with low-gradient severe aortic stenosis (LGSAS) after TAVI and predictors of all-cause mortality and re-hospitalization during 2-year follow-up was studied, as data are sparse in the literature. Methods Seventy-five consecutive LGSAS patients (age 80 ± 8 years, 68% male, 89% Caucasians) were enrolled and followed-up for PVL development at hospital discharge, as well as mortality or re-hospitalization for cardiovascular disease, during a 2-year follow-up period. Patients' characteristics were retrospectively extracted from hospital's database. Mortality was determined either by chart review or the Social Security Death Index. Results PVL was evident in 29 out of 75 patients. Patients with PVL had higher death rates at 6-month, 1-year of follow-up (27 vs. 7%, P = 0.05, 32 vs. 8%, P = 0.04, respectively) and lower stroke rates (0 vs. 7%, P = 0.009), compared with those who had no PVL. Patients with PVL were older, had lower BMI, higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation, higher brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), lower rest left ventricular ejection fraction, higher aortic cross-sectional area (Aa), lower stroke volume index, higher aortic resistance, stroke work, and higher energy loss index at rest and during dobutamine stress. Multivariable predictors of PVL post-TAVI were pre-procedural BNP levels and Aa. Conclusions PVL remains a common complication after TAVI, related to adverse events in LGSAS patients. Aa and BNP levels remain the most important predictors of PVL.
Spectra and structure of organophosphorus compounds, XVIII: Infrared and Raman spectra of [(CH3)2PS]2, [(CD3)2PS]2, and [(CH3CH2)2PS]2 in the solid state

The infrared (80–3500 cm−1) and Raman (10–3500 cm−1) spectra of solid [(CH3)2PS]2, [(CD3)2PS]2, and [(CH3CH2)2PS]2 have been recorded. A complete vibrational assignment is proposed for tetramethyldiphosphine disulfide on the basis ofC2h molecular symmetry. The observed intermolecular vibrations indicate little factor group effects, and no frequency differences were observed for the normal modes of the two different molecules which exist in the crystal as reported from the x-ray study. Most of the observed bands in the spectrum of tetraethyldiphosphine disulfide have been assigned. At least two of the three optical librational modes were observed in the Raman effect.
Towards an optimal resolution to information overload: an infomediary approach

The rapid growth of Internet and the improved accessibility of web information amplify the problem of information overload in our modern life. Information overload affects not only individual's work performance, but also business productivity on an organizational level. In this paper, we investigated the information overload problem as reported by five industry cases and identified three common factors that are related to the problem: information quantity, information format and information quality. We found that in the current practice of infomediary models, solutions to the information overload are mainly established through the control of information quantity, while the two additional dimensions are partially ignored or not resolved in an optimal manner. We thus conclude that the effective resolution to information overload may only be reached after a fully evolved infomediary approach is implemented. Such approach integrates all three aspects of information overload, with information format and information quality being considered as having an equal significance as information quantity.
Impact of Maternal Obesity on Fetal Programming of Cardiovascular Disease

The in utero environment is a key determinant of long-term health outcomes; poor maternal metabolic state and placental insufficiency are strongly associated with these long-term health risks. Human epidemiological studies link maternal obesity and offspring cardiovascular disease in later life, but mechanistic studies in animal models are limited. Here, we review the literature pertaining to maternal consequences of obesity during pregnancy and the subsequent impact on fetal cardiovascular development.
Why and How We Age, and Is That Process Modifiable?

Aging is an almost-universal biological process that is better understood in terms of an evolutionary explanation than in terms of a medical or adaptationist explanation. The major advances in human longevity which took place in developed countries during the past century arose from decreases in external (e.g., environmental) sources of mortality, and not from any effect on the aging process. Laboratory studies show that the aging process is under genetic control, can be manipulated, and can be expressed in three different phenotypes. The adult lifespan consists of the health span (ages 20-55 yrs) and the senescent span (ages 55+), with a relatively short but variable transition phase between the two. The most socially desirable phenotype would be that where the transition phase is delayed and the health span extended with little effect on the senescent span. The genetic, nutritional, cell-signaling and pharmecutical interventions inducing this phenotype are discussed. The genetic architecture of senescence is discussed and its stochastic nature made clear. The social and ethical consequences of pharmecutical intervention into the aging process are briefly discussed.
Improvement of Robot Mapping and Localization Using Combined Sensory Data (Abstract Only)

Robotic mapping and localization are two large areas in robotics research that focus on how robots know and navigate within an environment. The current methods used to complete these tasks are not extremely accurate due to errors that are compounded as the robot moves. Since robots are often used in situations where precise navigation is a necessity, there is a strong motivation for the mapping and localization processes to be as accurate as possible.This project hopes to reduce the accumulated error which occurs during the mapping and localization processes through the integration of a Kinect sensor, which provides both visual and depth data about objects in front of a mobile robot and a sonar sensor which provides depth information about objects on the sides of the robot.The Kinect's images and depth information will be used to form an occupancy grid map of the environment, while the sonar data will track the walls as the robot moves throughout the environment in order to assist in keeping track of both position and orientation of the robot. These two sensors will allow the robot to reduce the errors accumulated during localization and navigation within the map being created and in navigating the subsequently completed map.When the occupancy grid map is completed, the cells in it will be combined into a topological map, which will hold information about the rooms such as doorway locations. The topological map will then be used as the robot plans a path to its goal.
Geotechnical studies associated with decommisioning the strategic petroleum reserve facility at Weeks Island, Louisiana: A case history

The first sinkhole at the Weeks Island Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) site was initially observed in May 1992. Concurrent with the increasing dissolution of salt over the mined oil storage area below, it has gradually enlarged and deepened. Beginning in 1994 and continuing to the present, the injection of saturated brine directly into the sinkhole throat some 76 m beneath the ground surface essentially arrested further dissolution, providing time to make adequate preparation for the safe and orderly transfer of crude oil to other storage facilities. This mitigation measure marked the first time that such a control procedure has been used in salt mining; previously all control has been achieved by either in-mine or from-surface grouting. A second and much smaller sinkhole was noticed in early 1995 on an opposite edge of the SPR mine, but with a very similar geological and mine mechanics setting. Both sinkholes occur where the edges of upper 152 m and lower 213 m mined storage levels are nearly vertically aligned. Such coincidence maximizes the tensional stress development, leading to fracturing in the salt. This cracking takes 20 or more years to develop. The cracks then become flow paths for brine incursion, which after time progress into the mined openings. Undersaturated ground water gradually enlarges the cracks in salt through dissolution, leading to eventual collapse of the overlying sand to form sinkholes. Other geologic conditions may also be secondary factors in controlling both mining extent and sinkhole location.
Some viscoplastic characteristics of bovine and human cortical bone.

Abstract Multiple cycle tensile creep tests were performed on human and bovine cortical bone specimens. The tests enabled total strain to be decomposed into elastic, linear viscoelastic, creep and permanent plastic components. The results indicate that a stress threshold exists; above which time dependent effects dominate material response and below which the behavior is primarily linear viscoelastic, with time effects playing only a secondary role. A constant stress above the threshold produces a constant steady state creep rate, with the magnitude of the creep rate being an exponential function of the stress magnitude. Additionally, it was found that a major portion of the inelastic strain is always recovered on unloading and that the accujulation of creep strain increases the materials compliance on subsequent loadings below the threshold. These two factors suggest that a damage mechanism is responsible for the nonlinear behavior.
Part II: Numerical solution

Two new algorithms for calculating minimum reflux conditions in multicomponent distillation columns are described. Both algorithms are based on the continuum model for an infinite stage column proposed by Nandakumar and Andres. Several example problems demonstrate the accuracy and computational efficiency of the new algorithms.
Regulation of tubulin synthesis and cell cycle progression in mammalian cells by γ-tubulin-mediated microtubule nucleation

We have previously shown that gamma-tubulin, the third member of the tubulin family that functions in microtubule nucleation, when overexpressed, accumulates throughout the cytoplasm and forms numerous ectopic microtubule nucleation sites in mammalian cells (Shu and Joshi [1995] J. Cell. Biol. 130:1137-1147). We now show that overexpression of gamma-tubulin differentially upregulates the synthesis of alpha- and beta-tubulins in mammalian cells. Surprisingly, despite a dramatic increase in the level of gamma-tubulin protein in transfected cells, there is no obvious alteration in the level of endogenous gamma-tubulin mRNA, suggesting that synthesis of gamma-tubulin might employ a regulatory mechanism other than the autoregulatory pathway shared by alpha- and beta-tubulins. Interestingly, a significant number of mammalian cells transfected with gamma-tubulin fail to form normal bipolar mitotic spindle during mitosis; instead, numerous microtubules occur in the cytoplasm intermingled with the condensed chromosomes. In addition, they reduplicate their DNA after an abnormal mitotic exit. These results thus suggest that the number of microtubule nucleation sites, or even gamma-tubulin itself, might play an important role in the regulation of tubulin synthesis as well as cell cycle progression.
Antigen Presentation by B7−Nonprofessional APC Does Not Prevent Responses to Solid Tumor Cells

Abstract The growth of tumors in vivo often is associated with immune suppression. In this report we tested whether the expression of a known antigen by tumor cells would inhibit the development of antitumor responses when the antigen was subsequently expressed in an immunogenic form. For this, we expressed a well-characterized surrogate tumor antigen, the nucleoprotein (NP) of the PR8 virus, in solid tumor cells. Although the NP + tumor cells were not rejected in vivo and stimulated nondetectable CTL response in vitro, T cells from these mice differentiated into CTL following ip inoculation of PR8 virus and their tumors regressed. The results suggested that prior presentation of tumor antigens by tumor cells does not necessary preclude a response if the peptide is subsequently presented appropriately.
Probing anomalous structural features in polypurine tract-containing RNA-DNA hybrids with neomycin B.

During (−)-strand DNA synthesis in retroviruses and Saccharomyces cerevisiae LTR retrotransposons, a purine rich region of the RNA template, known as the polypurine tract (PPT), is resistant to RNase H-mediated hydrolysis and subsequently serves as a primer for (+)-strand, DNA-dependent DNA synthesis. Although HIV-1 and Ty3 PPT sequences share no sequence similarity beyond the fact that both include runs of purine ribonucleotides, it has been suggested that these PPTs are processed by their cognate reverse transcriptases (RTs) through a common molecular mechanism. Here, we have used the aminoglycoside neomycin B (NB) to examine which structural features of the Ty3 PPT contribute to specific recognition and processing by its cognate RT. Using high-resolution NMR, direct infusion FTICR mass spectrometry, and isothermal titration calorimetry, we show that NB binds preferentially and selectively adjacent to the Ty3 3′ PPT–U3 cleavage junction and in an upstream 5′ region where the thumb subdomain of Ty3 RT putatively grips the substrate. Regions highlighted by NB on the Ty3 PPT are similar to those previously identified on the HIV-1 PPT sequence that are implicated as contact points for substrate binding by its RT. Our findings thus support the notion that common structural features of lentiviral and LTR-retrotransposon PPTs facilitate the interaction with their cognate RT.
Off-highway heavy-duty truck under-hood thermal analysis

Abstract A full-size of machine-level, under-hood thermal analysis has been conducted using CFD. In particular, an iterative approach has been developed and was used to speed up the convergence of the numerical solution of the energy equation, where the large heat source term poses a computational challenge. The Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) method was applied to simulate under-hood turbulent flow, while a net-radiation enclosure model was included in the energy equation. The numerical results are used to verify and validate the concept design and prototyping of off-highway heavy-duty trucks, including parameters and components such as: the speed of cooling fans; core size of the heat exchangers; temperature; pressure drop; thickness of insulation and design options of the heat shield. Another objective is to benchmark a one-dimensional lumped in-house tool for industrial cooling system concept design and analysis. The CFD method is a powerful tool that can identify possible design drawbacks, evaluate design options, improve the heat transfer efficiency and provide optimal engineering solutions and strategies for complicated heavy-duty thermal management.
An application of Hadamard multiplication to operators on weighted Hardy spaces

Abstract The monomials z n form an orthogonal basis for the weighted Hardy Hilbert spaces. It is shown that versions of some natural operators defined on different weighted Hardy spaces are related (in the corresponding orthonormal bases) by a Hadamard product map. Cases in which the Hadamard multiplier is positive are established, and the results used to derive new norm and spectral information for operators on the weighted spaces from well-known information about operators on the usual (unweighted) Hardy space.