cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of aortic injury during minimally invasive lateral lumbar interbody fusion

Minimally invasive lateral approaches to the lumbar spine allow for interbody fusion with good visualization of the disk space, minimal blood loss, and decreased length of stay. Major neurologic, vascular, and visceral complications are rare with this approach; however, the steps in management for severe vascular injuries are not well defined. We present a case report of aortic injury during lateral interbody fusion and discuss the use of endovascular repair. This study is a case report of an intraoperative aortic injury. A 59-year-old male with ankylosing spondylitis suffered an acute L1 Chance fracture after mechanical fall. He was taken to the operating room for a T10–L4 posterior instrumented fusion followed by a minimally invasive L1–L2 lateral interbody fusion for anterior column support. During the discectomy, brisk arterial bleeding was encountered due to an aortic injury. The vascular surgery team expanded the incision in an attempt to control the bleeding but with limited success. The patient underwent intraoperative angiogram with placement of stent grafts at the level of the injury followed by completion of the interbody fusion. Despite the potentially catastrophic nature of this injury, the patient made a good recovery and was discharged home in stable condition with no new neurologic deficits. This case highlights the importance of immediate recognition and imaging of any potential vascular injury during minimally invasive lateral interbody fusion. Given the poor outcomes associated with attempted open repair, endovascular techniques provide a valuable tool for the treatment of these complex injuries with significantly less morbidity.
Personal Adventures in the Synthesis of Copolymers from Carbon Dioxide and Cyclic Ethers

Abstract This chapter focuses on recent advances in the development of well-defined metal catalysts for the coupling of CO2 and oxiranes for the production of polycarbonates and cyclic carbonates. Since this subject has been comprehensively covered in several reviews recently, this treatment will center on contributions from our laboratory within the context of other published work. Special attention will be given to our current studies dealing with depolymerization pathways of polymeric materials derived from completely alternating copolymerization of CO2 and epoxides.
Economic Feasibility of a Cooperative

It can be said that from the standpoint of professionalism, two positions in regard to the appropriateness of agricultural cooperatives in overcoming marketing problems are completely untenable and do not fit into the clinical or diagnostic procedures suggested in previous chapters. These positions are as follows: 1. There is absolutely no place for cooperatives in solving marketing problems, or 2. Cooperatives are the answer to any and all problems in marketing.
A prevalence study of xerophthalmia in the Philippines: implications for supplementation strategies.

In Quezon Northern Samar and Zamboanga del Sur provinces in the Philippines 2 survey teams each with a physician and 3 interviewers in each province collected data on 11378 children 6-83 months old to determine the prevalence of xerophthalmia and undernutrition. The survey was part of an on-going study to determine the relative cost-effectiveness of alternative vitamin A capsule distribution and nutrition education approaches. Corneal ulcers were rare (0.0003-0.2). Nightblindness prevalences were 1.5-4.4%. Prevalence of Bitots spots ranged from 0.6 to 2.7%. The national prevalences of nightblindness and Bitots spots were lower (0.7% and 0.2% respectively) indicating that the national prevalence of xerophthalmia masks the problem of vitamin A deficiency in some areas. The prevalence for all 3 forms of xerophthalmia was highest in Northern Samar and lowest in Quezon except for nightblindness. Weight for age was not consistently associated with xerophthalmia suggesting that the existing strategy in the Philippines is not valid. Currently weight for age status is used to screen preschoolers for vitamin A capsule distribution. Boys were more likely to have nightblindness and Bitots spots than girls in all 3 provinces. The difference was especially distinct in Northern Samar (5.1% vs. 3.8% for nightblindness; 3.3% vs. 2% for Bitots spots). Children 4-6 years old had a higher prevalence of these 2 manifestations of xerophthalmia than did the other age groups. These findings reveal serious levels of xerophthalmia in the 3 provinces. They suggest that distribution of vitamin A supplements to all young children in high prevalence provinces may be more effective at treating xerophthalmia than the current strategy. Regional vitamin A assessments would identify areas endemic for xerophthalmia.
Éloge du livre à l’âge du numérique

Quel est l'avenir du livre a l'âge du numerique ? Paradoxalement, l'invention du numerique nous fait redecouvrir les vertus et les potentiels du livre. Merveille ergonomique et technique, il a permis l'essor de la pensee occidentale. Il est egalement capable d'exciter l'imagination beaucoup plus activement que l'hypermedia obese, qui nuit au message. Nous sommes en fait confrontes a deux defis opposes : d'une part inventer les nouveaux langages et contenus des medias numeriques, et d'autre part repenser l'ecriture, les vertus et les libertes du livre.
Abstract 2629: Genome-informed therapy for osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (OS) is characterized by numerous copy-number alterations (CNAs) and structural variations (SVs) in cancer-relevant genes. In contrast, recurrent point mutations are not seen. Thus, OS is a “C-class” (copy number driven) rather than an “M-class” (mutation driven) cancer. However, little is known with regards to whether copy-number alterations can be used to select therapies for aggressive cancers such as OS. The genomic heterogeneity of OS suggests that there may be different oncogenic drivers in subsets of patients. Thus, a systematic effort to identify targetable, patient-specific key driver genes (likely CNAs) is required. We established a clinically annotated patient derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) bank of 16 OS samples obtained at diagnosis, after surgical resection and from metastasis, thus representing the full spectrum of disease. Comparison between PDTXs with a corresponding matched primary tumor demonstrated high correlation in copy number (by WGS for 12 samples) and gene expression (by RNAseq for 13 samples), suggesting that PDTXs are faithful preclinical models for OS. To identify recurrent CNAs, we analyzed this WGS dataset together with a public dataset of OS WGS samples. With this combined dataset of 69 samples from 52 patients, we searched for recurrent CNAs across an actionable cancer gene list and identified genes amplified at least 4-fold in at least 2 samples. The two most frequently amplified genes in OS are CCNE1 and MYC. Other frequent alterations were those in the PI3K pathway (PTEN loss and/or AKT amplification), AURKB amplification, CDK4 amplification and VEGFA amplification. Importantly, all of these CNAs were reflected in at least one PDTX model. We hypothesized that in OS some of these CNAs are key cancer drivers that can be targeted for cancer treatment. To test this hypothesis, we rank-ordered the CNAs in 9 PDTXs by the amplitude of the copy number gain. We used this simple heuristic to identify candidate drivers for individual samples. We then identified 6 drugs that could be used to target specific amplified genes and tested these drugs in corresponding CNA-matched PDTX. In all cases, we saw significant growth inhibition in “matched” PDTXs whereas the effect was minimal in PDTXs treated with “unmatched” therapies. These results support the hypothesis that specific genes within CNA serve as oncogenic drivers in OS and thus outline a feasible approach to personalized, genome-informed therapy for this disease. This work could serve as the necessary pre-clinical proof of principle for development of a targeted therapy “basket” trial for OS. Citation Format: Leanne Sayles, Marcus Breeese, Amanda Koehne, Bogdan Tanasa, Stanley Leung, Alex Lee, Avanthi Shah, krystal Straessler, Kim Hazard, Mi-Ok Kim, Alejandro Sweet-Cordero. Genome-informed therapy for osteosarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2629.
Object-Oriented Voltage Control for AC-DC Hybrid Distribution Systems

An AC-DC hybrid distribution system (HDS) including renewable resources and converters adds complexities to controlling the system voltage profile. This paper proposes an object-oriented voltage control method for the HDS. By using physically based device models, an HDS can be constructed according to the connectivity of the devices. Then, an optimal power flow (OPF) problem with the objective of optimizing the system voltages profile is formulated automatically. Both system and individual device constraints are considered. The OPF problem is formulated as a quadratic optimization problem and it is solved via a set of successive linear programs. The solution space involves successive linear program solutions which are optimal but infeasible. Convergence is achieved when feasibility is reached. After the problem is solved, the computed controls are implemented and the optimal system voltage profile is computed. An example test system of a simplified HDS is used for the demonstration of the proposed method.
Effects of Moulding Condition and Curing Atmosphere on the Flexural Properties of Vinyl Ester

The effects of moulding condition and curing atmosphere on the flexural properties of a neat 33 wt.%-styrene epoxy vinyl ester (VE) were investigated. Specimens were prepared using either open or c...
Abstract TP263: Activation of Endothelial p21-Activated Kinase 1 Provides Neuroprotection After Stroke

Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term disability. Pak1 is implicated in many neurological disorders as it has been suggested to promote neuronal survival. However, its function and mechani...
Calcium mobilization is responsible for Thapsigargin induced Epstein Barr virus lytic reactivation in in vitro immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines

Abstract The latent state is a critical component of all herpesvirus infections, and its regulation remains one of the most active areas of Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) research. In particular, identifying environmental factors that trigger EBV reactivation into a virus-productive state has become a central goal in EBV latency research. Recently, a category of chemicals known as inducers of the endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response (UPR) have been shown to trigger EBV lytic reactivation in various established EBV-associated lymphoma cell lines. This has led to the recent belief that UPR is a universal cellular signaling pathway that directly triggers EBV lytic reactivation irrespective of cell type. We tested the potency of several widely used UPR inducers for EBV lytic reactivation on virus-immortalized primary lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) in vitro. We found that, with the exception of Thapsigargin (Tg), UPR inducers did not trigger significant increases in BZLF1 transcripts or changes in the numbers of EBV genomic copies/cell in our panel of primary LCLs. Further investigation revealed that induction of lytic reactivation by Tg appeared to be due to its ability to trigger intracellular Ca2+ mobilization rather than its ability to induce UPR, based on our observations in which UPR induction alone was not sufficient to trigger the EBV lytic cycle in our LCLs. EBV immortalized LCLs have rarely been included in the majority of the lytic reactivation studies yet the characteristics of latent infection in LCLs should resemble those of proliferating B cells in clinically encountered lymphoproliferative diseases. Based on these observations, we propose an alternative mechanism of action for Tg in triggering EBV lytic reactivation in LCLs, and suggest that the proposed use of any chemical inducers of UPR for a purpose of oncolytic/lytic induction therapy needs to be fully evaluated pre-clinically in a panel of LCLs.
A Hybrid Framework for Functional Verification using Reinforcement Learning and Deep Learning

In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid verification framework (HVF) which uses Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) to accelerate the verification of complex systems. More precisely, our HVF incorporates RL to generate all possible sequences of vectors needed to approach a target state as well as the corresponding path to the target state which contains a potential design error. Furthermore, HVF utilizes DNNs to accelerate the verification of complex data paths in the target states. We have tested our framework on several circuits including multi-core designs as well as bus-arbiters and confirmed its significant verification speedup when compared to prior work. For example, HVF provides a total speedup of 4.5x for a quad-core MIPS processor verification.
Interference and Resource management strategy for handover in femtocells

Interference in femtocells due to neighboring femtocells and macrocells is a major issue of two-tier networks. Handover should be made to reduce interference, if and only if, when resources are available. Otherwise, it will further degrade network performance. Resource management should be made in an efficient manner that will not cause interference between macrocells and neighboring femtocells. Since distance between macro base station (MBS) and femto access point (FAP) is short, therefore, it is very hard to sustain low handover probability when macro user moves from MBS to FAP. We proposed handover algorithm for uplink co-channel interference mitigation that will make handover decision on the basis of time-to-stay and signal to interference plus noise ratio thresholds along with efficient resource management mechanism to reduce number of handovers and also resolve interference problem.
Women, Trauma, and Human Rights

Women experience discrimination, violence, and oppression due to their unequal position in society, but only recently have these assaults on women’s dignity been addressed as violations within the human rights framework. When trauma and human rights violations are viewed as arising from patriarchal oppression, trauma-informed and rights-based paradigms converge: recovery does not solely lie with the victims, but requires official accountability and larger systemic change. This chapter challenges readers to understand women’s traumatic experiences as human rights violations, and thus to respond with interventions that enhance gender equity, reduce women’s vulnerability to violence, and improve access to human rights for all. Two case studies provide a road map for how human rights and trauma-informed work can combine to help women successfully assert their human rights.
Cloning and expression of human 75-kDa inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase

Inositol polyphosphate-5-phosphatase (5-phosphatase) hydrolyzes inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate and thereby functions as a signal terminating enzyme in cellular calcium ion mobilization. A cDNA encoding human platelet 5-phosphatase has been isolated by screening for beta-galactosidase fusion proteins that bind to inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate. The sensitivity of the screening procedure was enhanced 50- to 100-fold by amplification of "sublibraries" prior to carrying out binding assays. The sequences derived from the "expression clone" were used to screen human erythroleukemia cell line and human megakaryocytic cell line cDNA libraries. We obtained two additional clones which together consist of 2381 base pairs. The amino-terminal amino acid sequence from the 75-kDa 5-phosphatase purified from platelets is identical to amino acids 38-56 predicted from the cDNA. This suggests that the platelet 5-phosphatase is formed by proteolytic processing of a larger precursor. The cDNA predicts that the mature enzyme contains 635 amino acids (Mr 72, 891). Antibodies directed against recombinant TrpE fusion proteins of either an amino-terminal region or a carboxyl-terminal region immunoprecipitate the enzyme activity from a preparation of the 75-kDa form of platelet 5-phosphatase (Type II) but do not precipitate the distinct 47-kDa 5-phosphatase (Type I) also found in platelets. In addition, the recombinant protein expressed in Cos-7 cells has the same 5-phosphatase activity as the platelet 5-phosphatase.
Kinetic theory of the electron strahl in the solar wind

We develop a kinetic theory for {the electron strahl, a beam of energetic electrons which propagate} from the sun along the Parker-spiral-shaped magnetic field lines. By assuming a Maxwellian electron distribution function in the near-sun region where the plasma is collisional, we derive the strahl distribution function at larger heliospheric distances. We consider the two most important mechanisms that broaden the strahl: Coulomb collisions and interactions with oblique ambient whistler turbulence (anomalous diffusion). We propose that the energy regimes where these mechanisms are important are separated by an approximate threshold, ${\cal E}_c$; for the electron kinetic energies ${\cal E} {\cal E}_c$ by interactions with the whistlers. The Coulomb broadening decreases as the electron energy increases; the whistler-dominated broadening, on the contrary, increases with energy and it can lead to efficient isotropization of energetic electrons and to formation of the electron halo. The threshold energy ${\cal E}_c$ is relatively high in the regions closer to the sun, and it gradually decreases with the distance, implying that the anomalous diffusion becomes progressively more important at large heliospheric distances. At $1$ AU, we estimate the energy threshold to be about ${\cal E}_c\sim 200\,{\rm eV}$.
Preservice teachers perceptions of teaching for global mindedness and social justice: Using the 4Cs (Collaboration, Critical thinking, Creativity and Communication) in teacher education.

The present study examined preservice teachers (N=47) perceptions relative to teaching for global mindedness and social justice. A phenomenological approach was used to help the researcher gain a deeper understanding of the participants’ perceptions of the effectiveness of instructional practices used in a social studies methods course. Of particular interest was the effect of Collaboration, Critical thinking, Creativity and Communication (4Cs) as instructional practices. Qualitative data were collected from online discussions, in-class written reflections and feedback from open-ended questions. Data showed that although learners were initially uncomfortable exploring global and social justice issues, they eventually gained essential multiple perspectives. The study illuminates the importance of using 4Cs while teaching knowledge and skills in global mindedness and social justice in pre-service teacher education.
Relevance of education to occupation: a new empirical approach based on college courses

We introduce a new approach to measuring the match between education and occupation by using the number of college courses related to one's occupation. Previous studies have only considered the mat...
Diboration of 3-substituted propargylic alcohols using a bimetallic catalyst system: access to (Z)-allyl, vinyldiboronates

The diboration of substituted propargylic alcohols has been achieved using a bimetallic Pd/Cu catalyst system. The in situ formation of a pentrafluoroboronic acid intermediate sufficiently activates the C–O bond towards dual catalysis affording (Z)-allyl, vinyldiboronates stereoselectively.
The Impact of Learning Content on Secondary Students’ Motivation to Learn English In Lebanese Public Schools: Three Case Studies

Purpose: The aim of this research is to investigate the effect of “the learning content” on “students’ motivation” in learning English as a foreign language. Approach/Methodology/Design: A mixed-method design was employed in this study to explore the correlation between the two variables from the perspective of teachers and students. The sample included three secondary public schools in the region of Mount Lebanon. Six classes were examined in each school. Qualitative data was obtained from the interview answers of 18 grade eleven English teachers and 18 one-session class observations in the three schools. Quantitative data was obtained from questionnaires of 355 grade eleven students in the three schools. Findings: Interviews and observations’ content analysis indicated that students show a high level of motivation when they perceive the content as interesting, relevant, and beneficial. Surveys’ SPSS analysis revealed the existence of a strong positive significant correlation between the learning content and students’ motivation. Practical Implications: The study investigates the effect of one of the repeatedly mentioned factors of students’ motivation and demotivation in learning English as a foreign language “the learning content”. Originality/value: It is recommended for teachers and educators to adjust the learning content according to students’ needs and interests in order to create chances of success and achievement for students, build students’ competence, relate students to their society, and allow technology integration.
Clinical presenting characteristics of pediatric COVID-19 infection in a tertiary care Children's Hospital in Detroit

Background: There is limited data regarding the presenting clinical characteristics of COVID-19 in children Our objective is to describe the clinical presentations and outcomes of COVID-19 infection early in the pandemic at our institution Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of children up to 18 years who underwent testing for SARS CoV-2 from March 1st to May 10th 2020 at our pediatric emergency department We abstracted patient's demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic studies and patient disposition We classified the severity of clinical illness based on published criteria We excluded patients diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 Results: SARS CoV-2 testing was performed on 481 patients of whom 43 (8 9%) tested positive Of these, 4 were diagnosed with MIS-C Data of 39 patients were analyzed Patients' demographics, co-morbidities, presenting signs and symptoms and disposition are shown in Table 1 Age range was 47 days - 18 years Infants representing one third (14/39;35 9%) of our study cohort There was equal sex distribution Asthma or obesity was present in 17 (44%) The most common presenting symptoms included fever, cough, shortness of breath and diarrhea Chest radiograph showed pneumonia in 12 (30 8%) patients Two thirds (27/39;69 2%) were asymptomatic or had mild disease;six patients (15 4%) had severe or critical illness (Figure 1) Nineteen (48%) patients were admitted to the general pediatric service Eleven (28%) were admitted to the Intensive Care Units (ICU) The characteristics, presenting symptoms and interventions performed in the PICU cohort are shown in Table 2 Half of these patients required mechanical ventilation There was one death in a 3 month old infant unrelated to SARS CoV-2 Majority of the infants required hospitalization (12/14;85 7%), including 4 to the PICU (one each for non accidental trauma, ingestion, seizure and pneumonia) Conclusion: Majority (17;43%) of our children with COVID-19 had a mild disease Eleven (28%) including 4 infants required critical care;5 required mechanical ventilation There was no COVID-19 related mortality Larger studies are needed to further define the spectrum of COVID- 19 and risk factors associated with severe disease in children (Table Presented)
Life history patterns of modern and fossil Mercenaria spp. from warm vs. cold climates

Abstract Recent work projects significant increases in sea surface temperature by the end of the 21st century. The biological consequences of such temperature increases are poorly understood. Study designs using a conservation paleobiology approach combined with sclerochronology methods can provide a powerful framework in which to assess these consequences. This study focuses on the ecological and economically important hard clam, Mercenaria, from modern and fossil settings that grew during climates that were warmer than or comparable to today. We compared lifespans and growth rates (von Bertalanffy k) of modern Mercenaria spp. populations to those from the Mid Pliocene Warm Period (MPWP) and early Pleistocene to better understand the influences of temperature on life history. We found that growth rates tend to increase with increasing temperature both through space and time. However, the relationship between lifespan and climate state is not as clear. Further, we observe that mid-to high-latitude individuals seem to be more impacted by changes in climate state than low latitude individuals. We suggest in response to increased seawater temperatures, mid- and high-latitude individuals might experience significant shifts towards faster growth rates whereas low latitude individuals might not see as much change. These findings provide insight to how growth rates and lifespans of Mercenaria might shift in response to future increases in seawater temperature. Understanding such impacts are critical for the development of management strategies and policies for future environmental change.
The experience and the expectations of achondroplastic subjects during the period of surgical lengthening.

The aim of the research was to examine the psychological effect that surgical lengthening of the lower limbs has upon achondroplastic subjects (2, 3, 4, 5); in particular the study was focused on the personality of the achondroplastic subjects, on the subjective experience of the lengthening during the period of physiotherapy and on their expectations related to the surgical operation.
Joint Infringement after BMC: The Demise of Process Patents

There is a moment when inspiration strikes in an otherwise average life—it can be described as none other than a “flash of genius.”2 When innovation moves into the larger culture, it takes on a life—and commercial possibilities—of its own.3 These flashes of genius have cured polio,4 created weapons of mass destruction,5 and allowed humans to fly.6 To protect these inventions, the patent system was born.7 The power of the patent system and the critical protection it affords inventors is illustrated by the infamous story of Bob Kearns.8 After a rogue champagne cork nearly blinded Kearns,9 he began thinking about
Money and the Expert Witness: An Ethical Dilemma

I will first argue that expert testimony is essential to the administration of justice. I will then attempt to demonstrate that the legal system is hostile to expert testimony. The last subdivision deals with payment for expert testimony.
Propagation characteristics and losses in graded tapered slab optimal coupler

An analysis of a graded tapered glass waveguide is presented. A technique for constructing the waveguide is described. An applied electric field is varied along the length of the waveguide while the temperature is raised. As a result, the extent of diffusion of silver ion in the glass is larger at high electric field regions. This method should produce a graded index tapered slab waveguide whose depth varies along the length of the waveguide. Simple relations for angular dispersion and losses for such a coupler are presented. >
Modern Technological and Traditional Social Identities

For much of human history, identity was linked to community. Within the community, identity was clearly understood and context defined all. Who you were and what others thought depended on where you sat: throne, bar stool, or the side of the field. Now, where you are sitting proves nothing.
Morphological Phylogeny of the Bat Genus Platyrrhinus Saussure, 1860 (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae) with the Description of Four New Species

Abstract Platyrrhinus, comprising 10 species of broad-nosed bats, is one of the most diverse genera in the Neotropical family Phyllostomidae. To evaluate the content and limits of this genus, the phylogenetic relationships among these species and other closely related taxa were examined using a data set of 60 morphological characters including external, cranial, dental, and post-cranial characters. Four species (Carollia subrufa, Sturnira erythromos, Uroderma magnirostrum, and Vampyrodes caraccioli) of the family Phyllostomidae were used as outgroups to test the monophyly of Platyrrhinus and to resolve intrageneric relationships. Parsimony analysis resulted in two most parsimonious trees. The results support Platyrrhinus monophyly with a bootstrap value of 84% and a Bremer support of 3. Three synapomorphies are recognized for the genus. The results also support the recognition of P. umbratus as a junior synonym of P. dorsalis, the division of P. dorsalis into three distinct species, and the discovery of t...
Towards modeling and control of large space stations

A preliminary formulation is presented for a large space structure. The system consists of a (rigid) massive body, which can play the role of experimental modules located at the center of the space station, and flexible configurations, consisting of several beams, that form the space structure. A complete dynamics of the system has been developed using Hamilton's principle. The equations that govern the motion of the complete system consist of several partial differential equations with boundary conditions describing the vibration of flexible components coupled with six ordinary differential equations that describe the rotational and translational motion of the central body. Consideration is given to the problem of feedback stabilization of the system. Asymptotic stability is proved using Lyapunov's method. This study is expected to provide some insight into the complexity of modeling, analysis, and stabilization of actual space stations. Some numerical results are presented to illustrate the coupling effects and the effectiveness of the suggested feedback controls for stabilization. >
Magnetometer Boom blockage effects on performance of reflector antenna of Europa habitability mission

The objective of this study is to provide a parametric analysis of the effects of the Magnetometer Boom of the Europa spacecraft on the performance of the 0.8m-diameter High Gain Antenna (HGA) at 8- and 32-GHz frequencies with circular polarization, used for gravity studies. Specifically of interest, are the changes in the phase of the main beam region of the antenna patterns. For the purpose of this study, the antenna and Boom parameters (dimensions and distances) are approximated. EM Analysis is performed using the GRASP software. Only first order strut effects are included. Input data files for GRASP for parametric study of the antenna and Boom in various representative positions are obtained using a MATLAB program. A number of antenna gain amplitude and phase plots have been obtained and compared with no-struts interference case. Worst case scenarios are identified and presented.
Species-specific Standardisation of Licorice by Metabolomic Profiling of Flavanones and Chalcones.

Introduction Major phenolics from licorice roots (Glycyrrhiza sp.) are glycosides of the flavanone liquiritigenin (F) and its 2′-hydroxychalcone isomer, isoliquiritigenin (C). As the F and C contents fluctuate between batches of licorice, both quality control and standardisation of its preparations become complex tasks. Objective To characterise the F and C metabolome in extracts from Glycyrrhiza glabra L. and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. ex DC. by addressing their composition in major F–C pairs and defining the total F:C proportion. Material and methods Three types of extracts from DNA-authenticated samples were analysed by a validated UHPLC/UV method to quantify major F and C glycosides. Each extract was characterised by the identity of major F–C pairs and the proportion of Fs among all quantified Fs:Cs. Results The F and C compositions and proportions were found to be constant for all extracts from a Glycyrrhiza species. All G. uralensis extracts contained up to 2.5 more Fs than G. glabra extracts. Major F–C pairs were B-ring glycosidated in G. uralensis, and A-/B-ring apiosyl-glucosidated in the G. glabra extracts. The F:C proportion was found to be linked to the glycosidation site: the more B-ring F-C glycosides were present, the higher was the final F:C proportion in the extract. These results enable the chemical differentiation of extracts from G. uralensis and G. glabra, which are characterised by total F:C proportions of 8.37:1.63 and 7.18:2.82, respectively. Conclusion Extracts from G. glabra and G. uralensis can be differentiated by their respective F and C compositions and proportions, which are both useful for further standardisation of licorice botanicals. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Abnormal Type I Collagen Post-translational Modification and Crosslinking in a Cyclophilin B KO Mouse Model of Recessive Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Cyclophilin B (CyPB), encoded by PPIB, is an ER-resident peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase (PPIase) that functions independently and as a component of the collagen prolyl 3-hydroxylation complex. CyPB is proposed to be the major PPIase catalyzing the rate-limiting step in collagen folding. Mutations in PPIB cause recessively inherited osteogenesis imperfecta type IX, a moderately severe to lethal bone dysplasia. To investigate the role of CyPB in collagen folding and post-translational modifications, we generated Ppib−/− mice that recapitulate the OI phenotype. Knock-out (KO) mice are small, with reduced femoral areal bone mineral density (aBMD), bone volume per total volume (BV/TV) and mechanical properties, as well as increased femoral brittleness. Ppib transcripts are absent in skin, fibroblasts, femora and calvarial osteoblasts, and CyPB is absent from KO osteoblasts and fibroblasts on western blots. Only residual (2–11%) collagen prolyl 3-hydroxylation is detectable in KO cells and tissues. Collagen folds more slowly in the absence of CyPB, supporting its rate-limiting role in folding. However, treatment of KO cells with cyclosporine A causes further delay in folding, indicating the potential existence of another collagen PPIase. We confirmed and extended the reported role of CyPB in supporting collagen lysyl hydroxylase (LH1) activity. Ppib−/− fibroblast and osteoblast collagen has normal total lysyl hydroxylation, while increased collagen diglycosylation is observed. Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) analysis of bone and osteoblast type I collagen revealed site-specific alterations of helical lysine hydroxylation, in particular, significantly reduced hydroxylation of helical crosslinking residue K87. Consequently, underhydroxylated forms of di- and trivalent crosslinks are strikingly increased in KO bone, leading to increased total crosslinks and decreased helical hydroxylysine- to lysine-derived crosslink ratios. The altered crosslink pattern was associated with decreased collagen deposition into matrix in culture, altered fibril structure in tissue, and reduced bone strength. These studies demonstrate novel consequences of the indirect regulatory effect of CyPB on collagen hydroxylation, impacting collagen glycosylation, crosslinking and fibrillogenesis, which contribute to maintaining bone mechanical properties.
Odyssey of an academic surgeon.

This ultimate honor of my career greatly pleases me but also humbles me as I look to the giants of the past who have held the honor of presidency of our society, the Southern Surgical Association. The major responsibility for directing the activities of our organization falls on the Secretary and Council, not the President. Among his duties include choosing the dinner menu and wine, and participating in the selection of the scientific program papers. His most pressing obligation is to prepare a presidential address, not too scientific so that laypersons in the audience can appreciate it, and not too long, with some personal thoughts about the surgical endeavors that reflect the times and progress in surgery. I have chosen the topic, “Odyssey of an Academic Surgeon.” The title is borrowed from my father-in-law, R.B. MacMullin, who wrote “The Odyssey of a Chemical Engineer” to describe his life’s work.
Analysis of an Experiment Aimed at Improving the Reliability of Transmission Centre Shafts

Smith (1991) presents a paper proposing the use of Weibull regression models to establish dependence of failure data (usually times) on covariates related to the design of the test specimens and test procedures. In his article Smith made the point that good experimental design was as important in reliability applications as elsewhere, and in view of the current interest in design inspired by Taguchi and others, we pay some attention in this article to that topic. A real case study from the Ford Motor Company is presented. Our main approach is to utilize suggestions in the literature for applying standard least squares techniques of experimental analysis even when there is likely to be nonnormal error, and censoring. This approach lacks theoretical justification, but its appeal is its simplicity and flexibility. For completeness we also include some analysis based on the proportional hazards model, and in an attempt to link back to Smith (1991), look at a Weibull regression model.
Reproducibility of Emergent Plant Mapping on Lakes

Abstract Bulrushes Schoenoplectus spp. are widely distributed emergent plants that provide important fish habitat. Despite their importance, the precision of aquatic plant surveys conducted within lakes is rarely studied. Reproducibility of field-based bulrush stand coverage was assessed by using three different surveyors to conduct repeated delineations of bulrush stands in five north-central Minnesota lakes. Lakes were mapped by means of Global Positioning System delineation. The reproducibility trial of this study demonstrated that coverage mapping of bulrush stands could be completed in a timely manner and with reasonable precision. No significant differences were found among surveyor estimates of whole-lake bulrush stand coverage. The ability to detect a change in bulrush coverage over time appears to depend on the extent of mixed stands of bulrushes and perhaps on stand size. For lakes with monospecific bulrush stands, it may be reasonable to detect a whole-lake change of 10% or greater by using the...
CD47 and osteopontin expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with nodal and intravascular involvement.

Clinical Practice Points Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and can arise anywhere in the body. One-third of DLBCL cases can present with extranodal disease. Even more rarely, patients can present with intravascular lymphomatous involvement. Symptoms of intravascular lymphoma can include fever, weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, neurologic symptoms, and cutaneous lesions. Median overall survival with intravascular lymphoma is 7 months. Prompt recognition of the disease and initiating treatment is vital to improving overall survival. We present an extremely rare case of DLBCL with nodal and disseminated intravascular involvement. Studies have shown that CD47 and osteopontin (OPN) expression by lymphoma cells can contribute to their ability to evade the immune system and disseminate. This is the first case report to investigate these proteins in intravascular lymphoma. In our case, both CD47 and OPN were highly expressed in the nodal and intravascular specimens, suggesting a possible mechanism for intravascular involvement. Treatment strategies designed at blocking CD47 and OPN is a promising area of research being developed in NHL and other malignancies.
On the origin of multiphasic kinetics in peptide binding to phospholipid vesicles

We critically examined a series of exact kinetic models for their ability to describe binding of a typical α-helical amphipathic peptide to lipid bilayers. Binding of the model peptide lysette-26 was measured through fluorescence resonance energy transfer from a Trp residue on the peptide to a fluorescently labeled acceptor lipid included in vesicles composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Experimental data was collected varying peptide and lipid concentrations over an order of magnitude. The kinetic models were fit to all the experimental data simultaneously. Of the four models examined, the simplest one that is sufficient to correctly describe the experimental data includes two coupled equilibria, one between peptide monomers in solution and bound to the lipid membrane, and a second one between lipid-bound peptides that oligomerize to form dimers. We found that individual kinetic binding curves are insufficient to distinguish among kinetic models of peptide binding to lipid bilayer...
Thermodynamic model for the stabilization of trigonal thiolato mercury(II) in designed three-stranded coiled coils.

A thermodynamic model is presented that describes the binding of Hg(II) to de novo designed peptides, Tri L9C and Baby L9C, which were derived from the Tri family. The Tri peptides are based on the parent sequence Ac-NH-G(LKALEEK)xG-CONH2 and are known to form two-stranded coiled coils at low pH (pH 7). Tri L9C (x = 4) contains a four heptad repeat sequence with cysteine in position 9 and leucines in the other a and d positions; Baby L9C (x = 3), which also has a cysteine in position 9 but is one heptad shorter than Tri L9C, was designed to form less stable helical coiled coils in solution. The free energies of coiled coil formation for Tri, Tri L9C, Baby Tri, and Baby L9C at pH 2.5 and 8.5 were determined by guanidinium denaturation titrations; Tri L9C was observed to be highly helical in the absence of denaturant at pH 8.5 while Baby L9C contained <20% helical content at pH 8.5, indicating a weakly associated or unassociated coiled coil. Size-exclusion...
Aromatic hydrocarbons in marine tissues from the central Gulf of Mexico

Abstract High resolution capillary gas chromatography and GC/MS were used to determine the concentrations and distribution of aromatic hydrocarbons in tissues of fishes and macroepifauna obtained from an oil producing area in the Central Gulf of Mexico. Although a number of tissues were found to contain relatively low levels of various aromatic hydrocarbons, no instances of massive contamination were found.
IL-4 upregulates tenascin synthesis in scleroderma and healthy skin fibroblasts.

Tenascin (TN), a large extracellular matrix glycoprotein, is transiently expressed during embryonic development, but is absent from most normal adult tissues. TN is reexpressed, however, in healing wounds, in the stroma of some tumors, and in fibrotic diseases such as systemic sclerosis (SSc) and rheumatoid arthritis. To clarify the mechanisms regulating TN expression, we studied the effects of selected cytokines (PDGF, bFGF, TGF- β , IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IFN- γ , and TNF- α ) found in fibrotic tissue on TN expression by dermal fibroblasts. IL-4 strongly induced TN protein levels (up to 10-fold over the basal level), whereas PDGF and bFGF were less potent inducers of TN than IL-4. All other cytokines tested, including TGF- β , did not stimulate TN synthesis IL-4 also increased TN mRNA expression, and this effect was blocked by actinomycin D. Cycloheximide increased basal TN mRNA expression and induced TN mRNA in IL-4-treated fibroblasts, suggesting that repressor protein(s) may regulate transcription of the TN gene. Although no differences in constitutive TN expression or effects of cytokines on TN expression were observed between SSc and healthy fibroblasts, these data are consistent with the observations that high levels of both LL-4 and TN are present in the affected skin of patients with SSc. These results suggest that the high level of TN found in the affected tissue of patients with SSc results from the high level of IL-4 present.
Impartiality and Associative Duties

Consequentialism is often criticized for failing to accommodate impersonal constraints and personal options. A common consequentialist response is to acknowledge the anticonsequentialist intuitions but to argue either that the consequentialist can, after all, accommodate the allegedly recalcitrant intuitions or that, where accommodation is impossible, the recalcitrant intuition can be dismissed for want of an adequate philosophical rationale. Whereas these consequentialist responses have some plausibility, associational duties represent a somewhat different challenge to consequentialism, inasmuch as they embody neither impersonal constraints nor personal options, but rather personal constraints. Our intuitions about associational duties resist capture within the intellectual net of consequentialism, and such duties do admit of a philosophical rationale at least as plausible as anything the consequentialist has to offer.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation of the Janus Kinase 2 Activation Loop Is Essential for a High-Activity Catalytic State but Dispensable for a Basal Catalytic State†

The phosphorylation of an "activation loop" within protein kinases is commonly associated with establishing catalytic competence, and phosphorylation of the Tyr(1007) residue in the activation loop of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) has been shown to be essential for intracellular propagation of cytokine-initiated signaling. We provide evidence for the presence of a basal activity state of JAK2, which was observed in the absence of activation loop phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of the JAK2 activation loop was essential for conversion to the high-activity state, characterized by high-efficiency ATP utilization during autophosphorylation. Mutagenesis of activation loop tyrosine residues Tyr(1007/1008) to phenylalanine residues impaired, but did not abolish, the enzyme's ability to autophosphorylate. The activation loop mutant JAK2 could also transphosphorylate an inactive JAK2 fragment coexpressed in Sf21 cells, providing evidence of exogenous substrate phosphorylation. The mutant enzyme remained in a basal activity state characterized by low-efficiency ATP utilization during autophosphorylation. Mutagenesis of a critical Lys(882) residue to a glutamate residue abolished all evidence of kinase activity, confirming that the observed activity of Tyr-to-Phe mutants was not due to another kinase. Our data are consistent with the proposal that JAK2 is an inefficient but active enzyme in the absence of activation loop phosphorylation and is capable of conversion to a high-activity state by autophosphorylation under physiological ATP concentrations. This theoretically precludes the need for an upstream activating kinase. The activation process of JAK2 may be envisioned as a multistate process involving at least two kinetically distinct states of activity.
Insect effectors and gene-for-gene interactions with host plants

Within the context of the four-phase model of plant immunity, gene-for-gene interactions have gained new relevance. Genes conferring resistance to the Asian rice gall midge (Orseolia oryzae) and the small brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens) have been cloned in rice (Oryza sativa). Mutations in insect avirulence genes that defeat plant resistance have been identified and cloned. Results are consistent with both the gene-for-gene hypothesis and the new model of plant immunity. Insect resistance genes encode proteins with nucleotide binding sites and leucine-rich repeats. Insects use effectors that elicit effector-triggered immunity. At least seven-percent of Hessian fly genes are effector encoding.