cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RC-BLAST: towards a portable, cost-effective open source hardware implementation

Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) is a standard computer application that molecular biologists use to search for sequence similarity in genomic databases. This paper describes the implementation of an FPGA-based hardware implementation designed to accelerate the BLAST algorithm. FPGA-based custom computing machines, more widely known as reconfigurable computing, are supported by a number of vendors and the basic cost of FPGA hardware is dramatically decreasing. Hence, the main objective of this project is to explore the feasibility of using this new technology to realize a portable, open source FPGA-based accelerator for the BLAST algorithm. The present design is targeted to an AceIIcard and the design is based on the latest version of BLAST available from NCBI. Since the entire application does not fit in hardware, a profile study was conducted that identifies the computationally intensive part of BLAST. An FPGA hardware component has been designed and implemented for this critical segment. The portability and cost-effectiveness of the design are discussed.
Simple topologies for single phase AC line conditioning

This paper presents a variety of single phase AC line conditioning approaches. The topologies use a minimal number of devices and feature buck-boost voltage regulation capability without a transformer, while preserving a neutral connection which is common with the input AC line. The simplest form of the converter is seen to be an AC voltage regulator with output voltage range of 0-2 p.u. with reasonable line current waveform. Modifications allow the circuit to operate with fully controlled input current. The circuit can be further extended to provide significant ride-through capability without using a battery. Finally, a full function single phase UPS can also be realized if required. The paper contains analytical, simulation and experimental results. >
In Situ Fracture of Stents Implanted for Relief of Pulmonary Arterial Stenosis in Patients with Congenitally Malformed Hearts

The development and widening use of balloon-expandable stents has revolutionized the management of many vascular disorders in children and adults alike. In patients with congenitally malformed hearts, stenting is used for the treatment of systemic and pulmonary arterial and venous obstructions, as well as to establish and maintain communications between cardiac chambers.1–7 In essentially all cases, such stents are used off-label, for indications for which the stents were not developed or approved. Frequently, stents are placed in sites that are exposed to high cyclic mechanical stress, and sometimes to dynamic compression between relatively inelastic adjacent structures, such as the sternum and the heart in patients who undergo stenting for treatment of an obstructed conduit placed from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries.8 As we and others have recently reported, in situ fracture, as opposed to deliberate or iatrogenic fracture, of stents placed for some congenital conditions is relatively common.8–12 Fractures occurring in stents used for a variety of other vascular and visceral applications, have also been recognized with increasing frequency.13–29 One of the most common and effective applications of vascular stents in the setting of the congenitally malformed heart is treatment of pulmonary arterial stenosis. Stents may be useful for treating pulmonary arterial stenoses that are resistant to dilation or subject to recoil after simple balloon angioplasty, stenoses caused by kinking or distortion of the vessel, stenoses of freshly operated pulmonary arteries that are at risk for disruption with angioplasty alone, or for stabilizing tears or intimal flaps that occur after angioplasty. Although there are many advantages to stenting for the treatment of pulmonary arterial stenosis, there are potential problems as well, including “jailing” of lobar or segmental branches, in-stent restenosis due to neo-intimal proliferation, and limited capacity for reexpansion of small stents.3,5,30 We have recognized that, like stents used to treat obstructed conduits placed between the right ventricle and the pulmonary arteries, stents in the pulmonary arteries are also subject to fracture in situ, presumably due to fatigue from cyclic compressive stress. Although there are published case reports of fractured pulmonary arterial stents,31 little is known about the risk factors for, and implications of, such fractures. We hypothesized that the primary risk factor for in situ fracture of stents placed in the pulmonary arterial branches is fatigue related to cyclic compression by adjacent cardiovascular structures, most often by the ascending aorta or between the ascending aorta and other mediastinal structures.
A History of Calculating Machines

To commemorate the one-hundredth year of the IEEE, we present this review of the history of preelectronic calculation. Probably few engineers are aware of the story Derek Price tells here, and so it may be appropriate-especially in this centennial yearto consider the origins of our profession. Computer engineers, as it turns out, have intellectual forebears stretching back to furthest antiquity. In a distant mirror, we see reflections of ourselves. Though we work in metal, oxide, and semiconductor rather than stone, wood, and bronze, the task remains fundamentally the same-science and technique, mind and hand, have joined forces since the earliest times to build instruments for counting and measuring.
Lesion contrast enhancement in medical ultrasound imaging

Methods for improving the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of low-contrast lesions in medical ultrasound imaging are described. Differences in the frequency spectra and amplitude distributions of the lesion and its surroundings can be used to increase the CNR of the lesion relative to the background. Automated graylevel mapping is used in combination with a contrast-weighted form of frequency-diversity speckle reduction. In clinical studies, the techniques have yielded mean CNR improvements of 3.2 dB above ordinary frequency-diversity imaging and 5.6 dB over sharper conventional images, with no post-processing graylevel mapping.
Leveraging Social Contacts for Message Confidentiality in Delay Tolerant Networks

Delay- and disruption-tolerant networks (DTNs) can bring much-needed connectivity to rural areas and other settings with limited or non-existing infrastructures. High node mobility and infrequent connectivity inherent to DTNs make it challenging to implement simple and traditional security services, e.g., message integrity and confidentiality.In this paper, we focus on the problem of initial secure context establishment in DTNs. Concretely, we design a scheme that allows users to leverage social contact information to exchange confidential and authentic messages. We then evaluate the proposed scheme by analyzing real-world social network data, simulating communication scenarios, and through an informal security analysis.
Protein Kinase A Regulates Constitutive Expression of Small Heat-Shock Genes in an Msn2/4p-Independent and Hsf1p-Dependent Manner in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Hsf1p, the heat-shock transcription factor from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has a low level of constitutive transcriptional activity and is kept in this state through negative regulation. In an effort to understand this negative regulation, we developed a novel genetic selection that detects altered expression from the HSP26 promoter. Using this reporter strain, we identified mutations and dosage compensators in the Ras/cAMP signaling pathway that decrease cAMP levels and increase expression from the HSP26 promoter. In yeast, low cAMP levels reduce the catalytic activity of the cAMP-dependent kinase PKA. Previous studies had proposed that the stress response transcription factors Msn2p/4p, but not Hsf1p, are repressed by PKA. However, we found that reduction or elimination of PKA activity strongly derepresses transcription of the small heat-shock genes HSP26 and HSP12, even in the absence of MSN2/4. In a strain deleted for MSN2/4 and the PKA catalytic subunits, expression of HSP12 and HSP26 depends on HSF1 expression. Our findings indicate that Hsf1p functions downstream of PKA and suggest that PKA might be involved in negative regulation of Hsf1p activity. These results represent a major change in our understanding of how PKA signaling influences the heat-shock response and heat-shock protein expression.
Adhesion of Glycosaminoglycan-deficient Chinese Hamster Ovary Cell Mutants to Fibronectin Substrata

We have examined the role of cell surface glycosaminoglycans in fibronectin-mediated cell adhesion by analyzing the adhesive properties of Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants deficient in glycosaminoglycans. The results of our study suggest that the absence of glycosaminoglycans does not affect the initial attachment and subsequent spreading of these cells on substrata composed of intact fibronectin or a fibronectin fragment containing the primary cell-binding domain. However, in contrast to wild-type cells, the glycosaminoglycan-deficient cells did not attach to substrate composed of a heparin-binding fibronectin fragment. Furthermore, the wild-type but not the glycosaminoglycan-deficient cells formed F-actin-containing stress fibers and focal adhesions on substrata composed of intact fibronectin. We propose, therefore, that cell surface proteoglycan(s) participate in the transmembrane linking of intracellular cytoskeletal components to extracellular matrix components which occurs in focal adhesions.
The Collaboration between Welfare and Advocacy Organizations: Learning from the Experiences of Domestic Violence Survivors:

The intertwined relationship between poverty and violence, especially in the lives of women on welfare, has been receiving critical attention since welfare reform. The Family Violence Option (FVO), an amendment to the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996, gives states the flexibility to offer more time for battered women to seek safety. Kansas created the Orientation, Assessment, Referral, and Safety (OARS) program, in which the state's welfare system contracts services with advocacy organizations that provide on-site services for women who qualify to participate under the FVO. This study explored the interagency collaboration model used in Kansas by talking directly with domestic violence survivors about their experiences. The results from this study challenge practitioners to think differently about collaboration to meet the needs of domestic violence survivors on welfare.
The identification of phosphoglycerate kinase‐1 and histone H4 autoantibodies in pancreatic cancer patient serum using a natural protein microarray

Protein microarrays have been used to explore whether a humoral response to pancreatic cancer-specific tumor antigens has utility as a biomarker of pancreatic cancer. To determine if such arrays can be used to identify novel autoantibodies in the sera from pancreatic cancer patients, proteins from a pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line (MIAPACA) were resolved by 2-D liquid-based separations, and then arrayed on nitrocellulose slides. The slides were probed with serum from a set of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and compared with age- and sex-matched normal subjects. To account for patient-to-patient variability, we used a rank-based non-parametric statistical testing approach in which proteins eliciting significant differences in the humoral response in cancer compared with control samples were identified. The prediction analysis for microarrays classification algorithm was used to explore the classification power of the proteins found to be differentially expressed in cancer and control sera. The generalization error of the classification analysis was estimated using leave-one-out cross-validation. A serum diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in this set was predicted with 86.7% accuracy, with a sensitivity and specificity of 93.3 and 80%, respectively. Candidate autoantibody biomarkers identified using this approach were studied for their classification power by performing a humoral response experiment on recombinant proteins using an independent sample set of 238 serum samples. Phosphoglycerate kinase-1 and histone H4 were noted to elicit a significant differential humoral response in cancer sera compared with age- and sex-matched sera from normal patients and patients with chronic pancreatitis and diabetes. This work demonstrates the use of natural protein arrays to study the humoral response as a means to search for the potential markers of cancer in serum.
A new stochastic projection-based image recovery method

The method of projections onto convex sets has been used effectively in the solution many important signal and image processing applications. This method however fails in circumstances when the desired constraints form non-convex sets. A new approach to image recovery based on a stochastic projections method is presented. At its core the method relies on the iteration of projections onto closed sets (not necessarily convex). A stochastic parameter is used to update the projections among the images in their neighborhood subsequent to each iteration. Computer simulation experiments are used for the comparison of the stochastic projections with several existing methods to signal recovery for phase-from-magnitude image restoration.
Effects of trenbolone acetate on carcass characteristics and serum testosterone and cortisol concentrations in bulls and steers on different management and implant schemes.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different implanting schemes on serum testosterone and cortisol concentrations, and carcass traits of bulls and steers implanted with trenbolone acetate (TBA) and zeranol (Z). Twenty Polled Hereford bulls were randomly assigned to one of three treatments after birth. Five calves served as nonimplanted control bulls (NIB). Nine bulls were implanted (IB) with 140 mg of TBA and 36 mg of Z at about 1 mo of age and reimplanted with both compounds 10 wk later. When IB calves were about 21 wk of age, the TBA implant was removed and calves were reimplanted with Z every 10 wk until slaughter. Six calves were castrated at 3 wk of age and implanted (IS) with TBA and Z every 10 wk until slaughter. Blood samples from each animal were obtained at 14-d intervals beginning at 14 wk of age and serum cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) concentrations were determined. The NIB had higher C levels than IB or IS (P less than .05) during the preweaning period. During the finishing period, there were no differences in C concentrations between NIB and IB; however, IS had lower levels (P less than .05) than both bull treatments. Serum T concentrations began to increase about 12 wk later (42 vs 30 wk, respectively) in IB compared with NIB. Testicular size was smaller (P less than .05) in IB than in NIB. No differences (P greater than .05) were observed in carcass characteristics. Taste-panel scores were not different among treatments. In conclusion, implanting schemes using TBA and Z lowered serum levels of C and delayed puberty in bulls; however, they did not alter carcass characteristics or eating quality.
Path-Sensitive Analysis for Linear Arithmetic and Uninterpreted Functions

We describe data structures and algorithms for performing a path-sensitive program analysis to discover equivalences of expressions involving linear arithmetic or uninterpreted functions. We assume that conditionals are abstracted as boolean variables, which may be repeated to reflect equivalent conditionals. We introduce free conditional expression diagrams (FCEDs), which extend binary decision diagrams (BDDs) with internal nodes corresponding to linear arithmetic operators or uninterpreted functions. FCEDs can represent values of expressions in a program involving conditionals and linear arithmetic (or uninterpreted functions). We show how to construct them easily from a program, and give a randomized linear time algorithm (or quadratic time for uninterpreted functions) for comparing FCEDs for equality. FCEDs are compact due to maximal representation sharing for portions of the program with independent conditionals. They inherit from BDDs the precise reasoning about boolean expressions needed to handle dependent conditionals.
An analog VLSI model of central pattern generation in the medicinal leech

The design and construction of a working silicon model of the neural system responsible for swimming behaviors of the medicinal leech (Hirundo medicinalis) are presented. The silicon model spans three levels of organization in the leech nervous system (neuron, ganglion, system) and represents one of the first comprehensive models of leech swimming. The circuit employs biophysically motivated analog neural elements networked to form biologically plausible ganglia. These ganglia are coupled using known interganglionic connections. Though the model is highly simplified, the output of this circuit is similar to the observed activity of the leech swim central pattern generator. The model operates on the same time-scale as its biological counterpart and may provide an excellent framework with which to explore adaptive response related to locomotion in the leech and other simple invertebrate nervous systems. >
Present and Future Optics Challenges at CHESS and for Proposed Energy Recovery Linac Source of Synchrotron Radiation

We present recent test results and discuss design challenges on x-ray optical components for the wiggler sources at CHESS and for the proposed energy recovery linac (ERL) source at Cornell. For the existing wiggler sources, a new white-beam collimating mirror has been installed and tested at F-line and some preliminary test results are presented. For the proposed ERL, three types of x-ray optical components are identified and considered: (1) high-heat-load capable optics for high-power and high-power-density insertion-device sources, (2) brilliance preserving optics that can provide high transverse coherence, and (3) optics used to manipulate, preserve and produce short x-ray pulses.
Gradients of strain and strain rate in the hollow muscular organs of soft-bodied animals

The cylindrical shape of soft-bodied invertebrates is well suited to functions in skeletal support and locomotion, but may result in a previously unrecognized cost—large non-uniformities in muscle strain and strain rate among the circular muscle fibres of the body wall. We investigated such gradients of strain and strain rate in the mantle of eight long-finned squid Doryteuthis pealeii and two oval squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana. Transmural gradients of circumferential strain were present during all jets (n = 312); i.e. for a given change in the circumference of the outer surface of the mantle, the inner surface experienced a greater proportional change. The magnitude of the difference increased with the amplitude of the mantle movement, with circular muscle fibres at the inner surface of the mantle experiencing a total range of strains up to 1.45 times greater than fibres at the outer surface during vigorous jets. Differences in strain rate between the circular fibres near the inner versus the outer surface of the mantle were also present in all jets, with the greatest differences occurring during vigorous jetting. The transmural gradients of circumferential strain and strain rate we describe probably apply not only to squids and other coleoid cephalopods, but also to diverse soft-bodied invertebrates with hollow cylindrical or conical bodies and muscular organs.
Learning Through Quests and Contests: Games in Information Literacy Instruction

Games-based learning is an innovative pedagogical strategy employed at all levels of education, and much research in education, psychology, and other disciplines supports its effectiveness in engaging and motivating students, as well as increasing student learning.Â Many libraries have incorporated games into their collections and programming.Â College and university libraries have begun to use games for information literacy and library instruction.Â Academic librarians use commercially-produced games, create their own games, and employ game principles and mechanics to enhance their traditional instructional offerings.Â While there may be impediments to implementing games-based learning for information literacy, the promising benefits of this approach outweigh the obstacles.Â Using games in library instruction capitalizes on the many similarities between games and the way that students do research, and has the strong potential to increase student engagement in information literacy training. Â
Correlations of changes in dietary potassium and sodium with blood pressure during a one-year study.

Twenty eight adults, 12 rrien and 16 women, participated in a l-yr study designed to assess accurately daily nutrient intake. All subjects lived at home, consumed self­ chosen diets, and maintained a detailed daily dietary record throughout the year. Four times during the year blood pressure was measured. Mean daily sodium and potassium intake was calculated for each subject for the 7-day period before blood pressure measurements. Dietary intakes averaged 3.9 and 2.6 gjday of sodium and 3.3. and 2.2 gfday of potassium for men and women, respectively. Mean blood pressures for the four measurements were 120 mm Hg (systolic) and 77 mm Hg (diastolic) for men and 110 mm Hg (systolic) and 70 mm Hg (diastolic) for women. There were no significant correlations between absolute sodium or potassium intake and blood pressure. However, an individual's variability about his own mean potassium intake was significantly negatively correlated to the variability about his own mean systolic pressure in the male subjects (r = -0.43, p < 0.002). There was no similar correlation in the female subjects. Changes in sodium intake were not associated with changes in blood pressure in either the men or women. Am J Clin Nutr 1984;40: 1390-1392.
Diet quality and risk of neural tube defects.

Many studies have examined the impact of single nutrients on neural tube defect (NTD) risk, particularly folate. The impact of dietary patterns or nutrients in combination has received much less attention. This study examines the association of diet quality with NTD risk, using food frequency data from a population-based case-control study of NTDs (n=454 cases and 462 controls). The diet quality score was based on low ( 90th percentile) values for intakes of iron, vitamins B(6) and A, calcium, folate, and percentage of kilocalories from fat and from sweets (range=0-14). Women with a low score (i.e., <4, or <10th percentile) had an elevated risk of an NTD-affected pregnancy (odds ratio 1.6, 95% CI 1.0-2.6). Stratified analyses suggested that the effect may be restricted to certain groups of women who may be at greater nutritional risk (i.e., women who did not take vitamin supplements or regularly consume breakfast cereals before pregnancy).
High-throughput Screening Identifies Aclacinomycin as a Radiosensitizer of EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) provides a specialized environment for the folding and modification of trans-membrane proteins, including receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), which are vital for the growth and survival of malignancies. To identify compounds which disrupt the function of the ER and thus could potentially impair cancer cell survival signaling, we adapted a set of glycosylation-sensitive luciferase reporters for the development and optimization of a cell-based high-throughput screen (HTS). Secondary screens for false-positive luciferase activation and tertiary lectin-based and biochemical analyses were also devised for compound triage. Through a pilot screen of 2802 compounds from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) chemical libraries, we identified aclacinomycin (Acm) as a compound that preferentially affects ER function. We report that Acm reduces plasma membrane expression of glycoproteins including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Met but does not inhibit N-linked glycosylation or generalized protein translation. Fluorescence microscopy co-localization experiments were also performed and demonstrated Acm accumulation in the ER in further support of the overall HTS design. The consequences of Acm treatment on cell survival were analyzed through clonogenic survival analysis. Consistent with the reduction of EGFR levels, pretreatment with Acm sensitizes the EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines HCC827 and HCC2935 to ionizing radiation and did not affect the sensitivity of the RTK-independent and KRAS-mutant A549 NSCLC cell line. Thus, Acm and similar compounds targeting the ER may represent a novel approach for radiosensitizing tumor cells dependent on RTK function.
Building business and application systems with the retail application architecture

An industry application architecture is a framework for integrating applications and databases and can also be used for analyzing and re-engineering the business of an enterprise as a whole, provided it is structured correctly. This paper describes the motivation, structure, and possible uses of the Retail Application ArchitectureTM (RAATM). The core of RAA is a set of generic enterprise models for companies in the retail and wholesale distribution industry. RAA is oriented as much to the business expert as to the information systems (I/S) department. The goal of RAA is to contribute to the task of building sound business systems in a more efficient and effective manner.
DIETARY EFFECTS ON PREDICTION OF BODY MASS CHANGES IN BIRDS BY PLASMA METABOLITES

Abstract Concentrations of plasma metabolites, including triglyceride, glycerol, and B-OH butyrate, can be used to determine refueling performance of migratory birds. We tested the effects of diet type and diet lipid content on the predictive relationships between metabolites and body mass changes in three species of passerines in captivity. In addition, we tested whether measurement of plasma phospholipids improved predictions of mass change. Rate of mass change was positively related to triglycerides in a captive frugivore (Cedar Waxwing; Bombycilla cedrorum) and a granivore (White-crowned Sparrow; Zonotrichia leucophrys). B-OH butyrate was negatively and nonlinearly related to mass change in Cedar Waxwings and White-crowned Sparrows. Glycerol was negatively related to mass change in Cedar Waxwings but not in White-crowned Sparrows. Mass change was positively related to triglycerides and negatively related to B-OH butyrate in Yellow-rumped Warblers (Dendroica coronata). There was no effect of diet lipid...
Insulinase-inhibitory activity of protein hydrolysates.

ConclusionDestruction of insulin by extracts of rat liver is inhibited competitively by 3-hour acid hydrolysates and by tryptic and chymotryptic digests of a variety of proteins. Insulinase-inhibitory activity is attributed to a peptide (or peptides) which loses activity on complete hydrolysis.
Field Persistence of Trichoplusia ni (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Single-embedded Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus on Cabbage Foliage

Sections of the upper or lower surfaces of leaves of cabbage plants were painted with the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), single-embedded nuclear polyhedrosis virus (100 PIB/mm2). Discs of leaves sampled between 0 and 28 days after treatment were fed to individually reared first-instar T. ni for 48 h. The larvae were subsequently fed semisynthetic diet and held to determine mortality. The insecticidal activity of the virus placed on the lower leaf surfaces was more persistent (50% mortality of test larvae after 3 weeks), compared with the activity of the virus on the upper leaf surfaces (13% mortality after 5 days). The importance of virus placement on the plants and of the feeding behavior of the target insect on virus effectiveness is discussed.
Effect of amygdaloid lesions on avoidance learning in the rat

Rats with bilateral lesions in the basolateral amygdaloid nuclei were taught to press a lever to avoid electric shock. The difficulty of the avoidance task was manipulated by using an auditory or visual cue to signal the preshock period during which an avoidance response could be made. Amygdaloid lesions had no effect, either disruptive or facilitative on either the easy or difficult task. The effect of septal lesions on the acquisition of easy and difficult avoidance tasks obtained by other investigators is compared with the results obtained in the present experiment.
The role of adipokines in the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine

We previously found that body mass index (BMI) strongly predicted response to ketamine. Adipokines have a key role in metabolism (including BMI). They directly regulate inflammation and neuroplasticity pathways and also influence insulin sensitivity, bone metabolism and sympathetic outflow; all of these have been implicated in mood disorders. Here, we sought to examine the role of three key adipokines-adiponectin, resistin and leptin-as potential predictors of response to ketamine or as possible transducers of its therapeutic effects. Eighty treatment-resistant subjects who met DSM-IV criteria for either major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder I/II and who were currently experiencing a major depressive episode received a single ketamine infusion (0.5 mg kg-1 for 40 min). Plasma adipokine levels were measured at three time points (pre-infusion baseline, 230 min post infusion and day 1 post infusion). Overall improvement and response were assessed using percent change from baseline on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Lower baseline levels of adiponectin significantly predicted ketamine's antidepressant efficacy, suggesting an adverse metabolic state. Because adiponectin significantly improves insulin sensitivity and has potent anti-inflammatory effects, this finding suggests that specific systemic abnormalities might predict positive response to ketamine. A ketamine-induced decrease in resistin was also observed; because resistin is a potent pro-inflammatory compound, this decrease suggests that ketamine's anti-inflammatory effects may be transduced, in part, by its impact on resistin. Overall, the findings suggest that adipokines may either predict response to ketamine or have a role in its possible therapeutic effects.
Designs of biased Stark guides for polar molecules

Here we consider three possible biased electrostatic guides of polar molecules. The design of these guides is motivated by their possible uses in a precision measurement of the electron's electric dipole moment. These guides may also have applications in the alignment-preserving transportation of ultracold molecules.
Newly-Recognized Roles of Factor XIII in Thrombosis

Arterial and venous thromboses are major contributors to coagulation-associated morbidity and mortality. Greater understanding of mechanisms leading to thrombus formation and stability is expected to lead to improved treatment strategies. Factor XIII (FXIII) is a transglutaminase found in plasma and platelets. During thrombosis, activated FXIII cross-links fibrin and promotes thrombus stability. Recent studies have provided new information about FXIII activity during coagulation and its effects on clot composition and function. These findings reveal newly-recognized roles for FXIII in thrombosis. Herein, we review published literature on FXIII biology and effects on fibrin structure and stability, epidemiologic data associating FXIII with thrombosis, and evidence from animal models indicating FXIII has an essential role in determining thrombus stability, composition, and size.
Synthesis of meso Tetramethoxyphenyl Porphyrin

meso Tetramethoxyphenyl porphyrin has been prepared catalyzed by 2% chloroacetic acid in xylene solvent ,using pyrrol and para hydroxy benzaldehyde as reactants which volume ratio is 1∶1.76.The yield of the pure purple product achieved by recrystallization in mixed organic solvent and separation with Al 2O 3 column chromatography was 23.6%.The absorption spectrum of the product was determined by visible spectrophotometer,in which there are 6 maxium peaks located at 421.3,487.2,518.1,555.2,593.6 and 650.3 nm,and proved that it is a more photoactive substance than tetraphenyl porphyrin .
Integrable discrete PT symmetric model.

An exactly solvable discrete $PT$ invariant nonlinear Schr\"odinger-like model is introduced. It is an integrable Hamiltonian system that exhibits a nontrivial nonlinear $PT$ symmetry. A discrete one-soliton solution is constructed using a left-right Riemann-Hilbert formulation. It is shown that this pure soliton exhibits unique features such as power oscillations and singularity formation. The proposed model can be viewed as a discretization of a recently obtained integrable nonlocal nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation.
HDAC Inhibitors: Much to Learn About Effective Therapy

Shabason and colleagues’ review of the development of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as treatment for cancers is timely, with an emphasis on therapeutic strategies combining HDAC inhibitors and radiation therapy. As the authors indicate, vorinostat (Zolinza)—originally known as suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, or SAHA—was the first of the HDAC inhibitors approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).[1] In November 2009, a second HDAC inhibitor—romidepsin (Istodax)—received FDA approval for the treatment of CTCL. Currently there is a great deal of competition in the HDAC inhibitor field, as several new and, hopefully, more effective compounds are being developed and entering clinical trials.[2]
On Low Rank Approximation of Linear Operators in p-Norms and Some Algorithms

In this paper, we study the optimal or best approximation of any linear operator by low rank linear operators, especially, any linear operator on the lp-space, p ∈ [1,∞), under lp norm, or in Minkowski distance. Considering generalized singular values and using techniques from differential geometry, we extend the classical Schmidt–Mirsky theorem in the direction of the lp-norm of linear operators for some p values. Also, we develop and provide algorithms for finding the solution to the low rank approximation problems in some nontrivial scenarios. The results can be applied to, in particular, matrix completion and sparse matrix recovery.
Post-Traumatic Headache

The occurrence and persistence of headache after closed head injury was investigated in 129 children, 70 boys and 59 girls, during a follow-up period, average 5.9 yrs., in the Depts of Neuropsychology and Child Neurology, State University Hospital, P.O. Box 9600, 2300 RC Leiden, The Netherlands.
Transient Diabetes Insipidus After Discontinuation of Vasopressin in Neurological Intensive Care Unit Patients: Case Series and Literature Review

Background Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a common second-line or third-line vasopressor used in critically ill neurosurgical patients. Neurosurgical indications include hyperdynamic therapy for vasospasm, maintenance of cerebral perfusion pressure in patients with intracranial hypertension, and prevention of hypotension in patients with sepsis. Case Description A series of 6 neurosurgical patients receiving AVP infusions developed severe but transient diabetes insipidus (tDI) after cessation of AVP. To our knowledge, no previous reports of this phenomenon in neurosurgical patients have been published. We reviewed the clinical histories, intensive care unit treatment, medication administration records, and laboratory values of these patients, and we found recurrent elevated serum sodium and urine output and decreased urine specific gravity after discontinuation of AVP. Resolution of tDI occurred upon resumption of AVP or administration of desmopressin. Elevated serum sodium levels were often severe, resulting in worsened clinical outcomes. When AVP was resumed, tDI typically recurred if AVP was again tapered and discontinued. Routine administration of desmopressin was useful in controlling sodium levels until the tDI resolved. Conclusions Recognition of this phenomenon has caused us to change our clinical management of neurosurgical patients receiving AVP. We hypothesize that tDI is caused by downregulation of the V2 receptor mass in the renal distal convoluted tubule and collecting duct cells. When AVP is discontinued, patients develop nephrogenic tDI secondary to decreased V2 receptor binding, which explains why desmopressin is effective in correcting tDI. Future research includes a large prospective study to determine risk factors for tDI, its incidence, and its pathophysiology.
N -dimensional Blotto game with heterogeneous battlefield values

This paper introduces the irregular N-gon solution, a new geometric method for constructing equilibrium distributions in the Colonel Blotto game with heterogeneous battlefield values, generalising known construction methods. Using results on the existence of tangential polygons, it derives necessary and sufficient conditions for the irregular N-gon method to be applied, given the parameters of a Blotto game. The method does particularly well when the battlefield values satisfy some clearly defined regularity conditions. The paper establishes the parallel between these conditions and the constrained integer partitioning problem in combinatorial optimisation. The properties of equilibrium distributions numerically generated using the irregular N-gon method are illustrated. They indicate that the realised allocations, weighted by battlefield value, are less egalitarian and depend more strongly on battlefield values than previously thought. In the context of the US presidential elections, the explicit construction of equilibria provides new insights into the relation between the size of a state and the campaign resources spent there by presidential candidates.
Wind farm wake modeling using NWTC design codes

Wind turbines located in a wind farm are subject to a wind field that is substantially modified when compared to the ambient wind field due to wake effects. It is clear that in addition to the powe...
Transformation of prostatic adenocarcinoma to well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor after hormonal treatment

Carcinoid tumor of the prostate is extremely rare. Here we report a unique case of prostate cancer that underwent complete transformation from conventional adenocarcinoma to carcinoid-like tumor shortly after androgen-deprivation treatment (ADT). The patient was a 59-year-old man who presented with lower urinary tract symptoms. His biopsy specimen demonstrated a high-grade prostatic adenocarcinoma with mixed acinar and ductal features. After ADT for 6months, the patient underwent radical prostatectomy. The post-ADT tumor showed monotonous neoplastic cells with fine granular chromatin forming rosette-like structures, resembling a carcinoid tumor. No residual conventional adenocarcinoma was present. On immunostain, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for synaptophysin and chromogranin and negative for prostate-specific antigen and prostein. Thus, the carcinoid-like tumor represented complete transformation from prostatic adenocarcinoma to well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor after ADT. This unique case highlights the important role of ADT in neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer.
An assessment of differences in gridded precipitation datasets in complex terrain

Abstract Hydrologic modeling and other geophysical applications are sensitive to precipitation forcing data quality, and there are known challenges in spatially distributing gauge-based precipitation over complex terrain. We conduct a comparison of six high-resolution, daily and monthly gridded precipitation datasets over the Western United States. We compare the long-term average spatial patterns, and interannual variability of water-year total precipitation, as well as multi-year trends in precipitation across the datasets. We find that the greatest absolute differences among datasets occur in high-elevation areas and in the maritime mountain ranges of the Western United States, while the greatest percent differences among datasets relative to annual total precipitation occur in arid and rain-shadowed areas. Differences between datasets in some high-elevation areas exceed 200 mm yr−1 on average, and relative differences range from 5 to 60% across the Western United States. In areas of high topographic relief, true uncertainties and biases are likely higher than the differences among the datasets; we present evidence of this based on streamflow observations. Precipitation trends in the datasets differ in magnitude and sign at smaller scales, and are sensitive to how temporal inhomogeneities in the underlying precipitation gauge data are handled.
Foreword: Special Section on Electrical Contacts

Welcome to the Special Topics Section dedicated to the 2016 Holm Conference on Electrical Contacts. This Special Section contains six high-quality papers that comprehensively describe the state of the art and potential future directions for topics of great interest to our readers. The Editor-in-Chief (EIC), in consultation with the other EICs, Associate Editors (AEs), and domain experts, selects the topics for the Special Sections, and a Guest Editor or AE (GE/AE), who is a leading expert in the technical area, and then directs the solicitation and peer review of the papers. In cases where the GE/AE is also an author, the EIC is responsible for the peer review to avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interest.
Witches, Activists, and Bureaucrats: Navigating Gatekeeping in Qualitative Research

This article contributes to methodological discussions on gatekeeping issues encountered during fieldwork on stigmatized practices. Here, negotiating gatekeeping becomes particularly relevant, as access to a research population is often mediated via institutions. The situation is further complicated given the location of research, where the researcher has to navigate unfamiliar social and cultural norms of conduct. The paper examines gatekeeping during data collection and investigates resulting complications, focusing on the ways researchers negotiate class, gender, and ethics-related power dynamics in the field. Using examples of interactions with three groups of gatekeepers in a multiyear ethnographic study, the author finds that the constituencies that have the least amount of formal bureaucratic power are the ones that perform the most problematic kind of gatekeeping. Finally, strategies are offered that can help researchers maintain control over data, develop allies, manage potentially problematic in...
Metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of high quality, high indium composition N-polar InGaN layers for tunnel devices

In this study, the growth of high quality N-polar InGaN films by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is presented with a focus on growth process optimization for high indium compositions and the structural and tunneling properties of such films. Uniform InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well stacks with indium compositions up to 0.46 were grown with local compositional analysis performed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy within a scanning transmission electron microscope. Bright room-temperature photoluminescence up to 600 nm was observed for films with indium compositions up to 0.35. To study the tunneling behavior of the InGaN layers, N-polar GaN/In0.35Ga0.65N/GaN tunnel diodes were fabricated which reached a maximum current density of 1.7 kA/cm2 at 5 V reverse bias. Temperature-dependent measurements are presented and confirm tunneling behavior under reverse bias.
δ-Doping Effects on Electronic and Energetic Properties of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 Heterostructure: First-Principles Analysis of 23 Transition-Metal Dopants

The 2D electron gas (2DEG) formed at the interface between two insulating perovskite oxides such as LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 provides a playground for developing all-oxide electronic devices, though improving the 2DEG mobility is still a great challenge. One possible way of improving the 2DEG mobility is via δ-doping at the heterointerface. As a proof of concept, one recent experiment achieves an ultra-high 2DEG mobility of 73 000 cm2 V−1 s−1 at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerface via Mn δ-doping. Here the electronic and energetic properties of δ-doped LaAlO3/SrTiO3 are studied with 23 transition-metal dopants from group 3 to group 10 using first-principles calculations. A clear trend is found for the electron effective mass and interfacial energy change in the δ-doped LaAlO3/SrTiO3 with various dopants, and there exists a trade-off between achieving light effective mass bands and forming energetically favorable structures. It is found that the Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, and Ir could also serve as promising candidate dopants to produce light effective mass bands and relatively high energetic stability, in addition to the experimentally confirmed Mn dopant. The findings of this study provide a wide avenue to increase the 2DEG mobility in the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure via δ-doping with transition metals.
Aberrant Plant Diversity in the Purgatory Watershed of Southeastern Colorado and Northeastern New Mexico

Despite a dearth of biological study in the area, the Purgatory Watershed concentrated in southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico is home to a number of unique land formations and endemic organisms. At onetime nonarable land where Dust Bowl storms of the 1930s originated, the Purgatory Watershed is presently home to the Comanche National Grasslands, the Picketwire Canyonlands, and the expansive Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site. The Purgatory Watershed is composed of deep canyons, eroded mesas, and extensive intact shortgrass plains, and is located at a crossroads of the biodiversity of the Southern Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Chihuahuan Desert. Here we describe 2 anomalous populations of 2 plant species, prompted by observation of these and several additional, unrelated plants marked by morphologically aberrant forms in this watershed. Specifically, we described morphology of and generated sequence data for Amorpha nana (Fabaceae) and Tetraneuris acaulis (Asteraceae) to assess potential differences between Purgatory populations of these plants and populations from elsewhere across their ranges. Morphometric data from Purgatory and non-Purgatory populations of these 2 unrelated species were collected from specimens housed at herbaria. Similarly, molecular data from Purgatory and non-Purgatory populations of these 2 species, plus near outgroups, were generated from herbarium collections to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within each species complex. Maximum likelihood bootstrap analysis recovered moderate support for a clade of aberrant A. nana, indicating the presence of a distinct Purgatory lineage of A. nana, which was also supported by our morphological data. In contrast, insufficient phylogenetic signal and morphological results in our Tetraneuris data set yielded unresolved relationships between aberrant and nonaberrant forms. The Purgatory Watershed is a biologically unique region hosting marked biodiversity in numerous groups, despite having been the focus of little prior research.