cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A generalized elastoplastic plate theory and its algorithmic implementation

In continuum mechanics within specific classes of problems, one- or two-dimensional theories are often simpler to apply than the more complete three-dimensional one. This is, for example, the case of thin bodies, such as plates or shells, which may be studied using appropriate two-dimensionai theories. Within this approach, the reduction of the dimension is traded for a loss of information relative to the motion in the transverse direction. For example, in the case of non-linear material behaviour, classical plasticity plate theories are usually not able to model the effects related to the spreading of plasticity through the cross-section. In the present paper we discuss a generalized plasticity plate model, which can be used to reproduce some of the three-dimensional effects in a two-dimensional setting. We present the continuous and the discrete time model, including both isotropic and kinematic hardening mechanisms; moreover, the form of the tangent matrix consistent with the discrete model is addressed. Finally, some examples (cantilever beam, clamped circular plate and clamped square plate under monotonic and cyclic loading) are studied numerically using a three-dimensional classical plasticity theory, a classical plasticity plate theory and the proposed plate theory. The generalized plasticity plate model matches the three-dimensional response with greater accuracy, than the classical plasticity plate model.
Electromechanical biosensors for pathogen detection

Rapid and sensitive detection of pathogen is critical for public health, defense and security. Methods such as culture and immunoassays, though highly selective and accurate, are time-consuming and not sufficient for fast decision-making in many situations. Biosensors have been developed to meet the challenges in pathogen detection. This article reviews the development and application of electromechanical biosensors for pathogen detection. It covers the most commonly used electromechanical biosensor systems, specifically quartz crystal microbalances, cantilever sensors and surface wave acoustic sensors. Sensing principles, immobilization of biorecognition elements, and applications to the detection of pathogens in food and water samples are sequentially discussed.
Respiration and dissolution in the sediments of the western North Atlantic: estimates from models of in situ microelectrode measurements of porewater oxygen and pH

We present in situ microelectrode measurements of sediment formation factor and porewater oxygen and pH from six stations in the North Atlantic varying in depth from 2159 to 5380 m. A numerical model of the oxygen data indicates that fluxes of oxygen to the sediments are as much as an order of magnitude higher than benthic chamber flux measurements previously reported in the same area. Model results require dissolution driven by metabolic CO2 production within the sediments to explain the pH data; even at the station with the most undersaturated bottom waters >60% of the calcite dissolution occurs in response to metabolic CO2. Aragonite dissolution alone cannot provide the observed buffering of porewater pH, even at the shallowest station. A sensitivity test of the model that accounts for uncertainties in the bottom water saturation state and the stoichiometry between oxygen consumption and CO2 production during respiration constrains the dissolution rate constant for calcite to between 3 and 30% day−1, in agreement with earlier in situ determinations of the rate constant. Model results predict that over 35% of the calcium carbonate rain to these sediments dissolves at all stations, confirmed by sediment trap and CaCO3 accumulation data.
On estimating dirichlet parameters—a comparison of initial values

In many disciplines there is a need to model real world phenomena which occur as shares or as proportions. The Dirichlet distribution has been the predominant choice of researchers to model the proportions. The main advantage of using Dirichlet is its flexibility to accommodate a variety of shapes. The maximum likelihood approach has been the preferred route for estimating the Dirichlet parameters. Because this approach involves iterative procedures it is important to have good starting values. This study has identified at least three different methods in the literature for computing the initial estimates. Two are well known while the other has rarely been cited in the literature. This paper compares the different methods using a common simulated data set. The methods are compared with respect to speed of convergence, for different sample sizes. The paper also proposes two other simpler methods for the starting values. The results of this investigation indicate that one of the starting values proposed in ...
Substituent and solvent effects on tautomeric equilibria of barbituric acid derivatives and isoterically related compounds

N-Mono and N,N-dialkyl/diarylbarbituric acids exist in solution as a single tautomer. The 13C nmr spectroscopy shows that they are present in the triketo form in a number of polar and non-polar solvents. 2-Thiobarbituric acid derivatives, however, show extensive tautomerization. Their 13C chemical shift assignments were achieved by utilizing models 11a, 11c, 12b and 12d and from which relative tautomer distribution ratios were determined. These ratios were correlated with the dielectric constant of the various solvents (ϵ). Thio-barbituric acids also formed adducts with solvents having carbonyl groups, characteristic observed only with barbiturates possessing the thione or thiophenolic group. 6-Amino and 6-methyluracils and thiouracils exist in DMSO solution as stable “ene” forms as do orotic acid, 24, and its thio analogue 25. Compound 25 undergoes disproportionantion and tautomerization when heated or on prolonged standing in solution. Literature contradictions regarding the structure of “4,6-dihydroxypyrimidine,” 26, were resolved and its tautomers in solution correctly assigned by 13C nmr. Anions of barbiturics and related systems exist in one of the two possible types A and B, depending on whether ring nitrogens are substituted (type A), or not (type B). Rapid H/D exchange at C5 was evident from C-deuterium coupling. The redistribution of charge through C4(C6) carbonyl groups shown by 13C shifts of carbonyl carbon atoms of up to 10 ppm as compared to the CO carbons of the neutral species was evident.
Effect of output variation with dose rate on the Virtual Wedge factor

Siemens Virtual Wedge factor may drift significantly due to increase in output as dose rate decreases. This variation of output is caused by defective sample and hold boards in the dosimetry circuit due to radiation damage. In this note, we present a simple model based on the principle of Virtual Wedge operation and the measured output variation with dose rate to quantitatively describe Virtual Wedge factor drift as a function of field size and wedge angle. Our results support the recommendation that VWF be measured for large field sizes (e.g., 20 ´ 20 cm 2 ) and large wedge angles (e.g., 60 ° ) as a part of routine quality assurance.
Molecular Cloning of a Lobster Gαq Protein Expressed in Neurons of Olfactory Organ and Brain

We have isolated from an American lobster (Homarus americanus) olfactory organ cDNA library a clone, hG alpha(q), with >80% identity to mammalian and arthropod G alpha(q) sequences. In brain and olfactory organ, hG alpha(q) mRNA was expressed predominantly in neurons, including virtually all the neuronal cell body clusters of the brain. G alpha(q) protein was also expressed broadly, appearing on western blots as a single band of 46 kDa in brain, eyestalk, pereiopod, dactyl, tail muscle, olfactory organ, and aesthetasc hairs. These results suggest that hG alpha(q) plays a role in a wide variety of signal transduction events. Its presence in the olfactory aesthetasc hairs, which are almost pure preparations of the outer dendrites of the olfactory receptor neurons, the expression of a single hG alpha(q) mRNA species (6 kb) in the olfactory organ, and the localization of hG alpha(q) mRNA predominantly in the olfactory receptor neurons of the olfactory organ strongly suggest that one function of hG alpha(q) is to mediate olfactory transduction.
A Modified Two-Incision Technique for Primary Total Hip Replacement

The complications and difficulty associated with the minimally invasive surgery (MIS) two-incision technique in total hip replacement have been well publicized. In this report, the authors describe a modified technique for primary total hip replacement, using two small incisions and no fluoroscopy during surgery. Instead, a stepwise approach and adequate visualization of the surgical field during each step of the procedure are used to reliably and reproducibly perform the operation. In reviewing 102 consecutive hips, neither serious complications nor radiographic malpositioning were found. Provided that the surgeon has received appropriate training and is familiar with the anatomy of the anterior thigh, primary total hip replacement can done safely with the MIS two-incision technique. The advantages of this procedure are the cosmetically appealing incisions, the preservation of muscles and tendons, and superior recovery and return to function.
Synthesis and characterization of polyamides containing octadecanedioic acid: Nylon‐2,18, nylon‐3,18, nylon‐4,18, nylon‐6,18, nylon‐8,18, nylon‐9,18, and nylon‐12,18

High-aliphatic-content linear nylons were produced with an 18-carbon diacid with diamines containing both odd and even methylene segments. The resulting polymers were characterized with viscosimetric, thermal, and spectroscopic techniques. Solid-state 15 N NMR was used to determine the nylon crystalline form present.
Chemical strategies for tagging and imaging the proteome

Proteomic visualization serves as a complement to proteomic identification. In recent years, chemical biologists have made rapid progress developing new methods to tag and image defined sets of proteins. These researchers have requisitioned cellular machinery to place small, reactive analogues into biomolecules. The analogue has been labeled subsequently using a selective ligation reaction. Many groups have demonstrated the efficacy of the copper-catalyzed or strain-promoted azide-alkyne ligation; both enable rapid and precise labeling in complex biological mixtures. This review provides an overview of the methods which have been optimized to tag and fluorophore-label biomolecules for imaging subsets of the proteome in bacterial and mammalian cells. With the approaches described herein, it should be possible to image cells as they undergo changes over time.
An oxygen free 6061 aluminum alloy surface produced by ammonia dc plasma and sputtering processes

Abstract An oxygen free polycrystalline 6061 aluminum alloy surface was obtained for the first time in an UHV environment ( 1×10 −9 to 3×10 −9 Torr) after dc ammonia plasma treatment in a separate vacuum system. The specimen was first sputtered and processed in the plasma chamber for about 1 h, transferred after air exposure into the UHV chamber, then cleaned by 2.8 keV Ar+ ion bombardment for about 10 min to remove the air-grown oxide. An oxygen free 6061 aluminum surface was observed using Auger electron spectroscopy. Regrowth of the oxide layer in the UHV environment was monitored versus time. A possible cleaning mechanism by the ammonia plasma is proposed. This oxygen free surface is key to achieving thin film growth/deposition on aluminum or its alloys.
The Missing Link Between Insider Trading and Securities Fraud

In a recent article, I argued that diversified investors - the vast majority of investors - would prefer that securities fraud class actions under the 1934 Act and Rule 10b-5 be dismissed in the absence of insider trading or similar offenses during the fraud period. See Richard A. Booth, The End of the Securities Fraud Class Action as We Know It, 4 Berk. Bus. L. J. 1 (2007), http://ssrn.com/abstract=683197. In this article, I draw on the classic case, SEC v. Texas Gulf Sulfur Company, to show that the federal courts originally viewed securities fraud as inextricably connected to insider trading and that the recognition of separable causes of action has caused much of the difficulty in this area. I argue that the federal law of insider trading fails to capture many of ways that insiders can misappropriate stockholder wealth. For example, timing and backdating in connection with stock option grants likely do not constitute insider trading but likely do constitute misappropriation. Thus, I here address the question of how to define misappropriation of stockholder wealth in the context of a derivative action based on securities fraud. I conclude that the question is essentially one of state law fiduciary duty that should be decided by state courts under the emerging duty of candor. Although this solution raises potential conflicts with federal law in general and SLUSA in particular, I argue that these conflicts are no different from conflicts that arise in many state law cases that touch on issues of disclosure. Moreover, I argue that handling such claims under state law is more consistent with the federal statutory scheme and ultimately preferable to developing or maintaining a separate body of federal law addressing either securities fraud or insider trading.
Oral contraceptives, hormone therapy and cardiovascular risk

Background Soon after combined estrogen/progestogen oral contraceptives (COCs) were introduced in the 1950s, it was established that they cause venous thromboembolism (VTE), that the risk is related to estrogen dose, and that COCs also increase the risk of myocardial infarction among female smokers over age 35. Stroke risk is also increased. Early studies of supplemental hormone therapy were inconclusive.Objective To consider new findings.New findings on oral contraceptives Genetic predisposition to VTE has been established with the discovery of Leiden factor V mutation. Based on an irrational classification of low-estrogen-dose (≤ 30 μg ethinylestradiol) COCs as ‘second generation’ (containing ‘older’ progestogens, mainly norethisterone), or ‘third generation’ (containing the ‘newer’ progestogens, desogestrel or gestodene), it was claimed that the latter cause more VTE than the former. That claim has been rebutted, and it has been shown that VTE is a class effect, also shared by the newest progestogen, d...
SD-VBS: The San Diego Vision Benchmark Suite

In the era of multi-core, computer vision has emerged as an exciting application area which promises to continue to drive the demand for both more powerful and more energy efficient processors. Although there is still a long way to go, vision has matured significantly over the last few decades, and the list of applications that are useful to end users continues to grow. The parallelism inherent in vision applications makes them a promising workload for multi-core and many-core processors.
Effect of mechanical stretch and shortening on the stiffness of human aortic endothelial cells

External mechanical stimuli influence a broad range of biological phenomena-cell shape, motility, and adhesion, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, and the pathology of diseases such as arteriosclerosis and cancer. Changes in the cell cytoskeleton have been observed in response to mechanical stimuli-including single and cyclic stretch, as well as shortening. Changes in the cytoskeleton have also been shown to affect the cell's mechanical properties. Previous work has demonstrated that the cytoskeleton breaks down and reorganizes in response to mechanical stretch or shortening. Therefore, we expect the mechanical properties of the cell to be affected by stretch or shortening as well. We developed a unique device to stretch and shorten cells grown on compliant silicone membranes, while positioned on an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) stage. After a single stretch or shortening of the membrane, we indent the cells in force-volume mode with the AFM, allowing us to measure the dynamic effect of these deformations on the mechanical properties of the cells.
Species limits in avian malaria parasites (Haemosporida): how to move forward in the molecular era

Delimiting species of malaria parasites (Haemosporida) has become increasingly problematic as new lineages of parasites are identified solely by molecular information, particularly mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence data. In this review, we highlight some of the issues, both historical and contemporary, that have hindered the development of objective criteria to diagnose, delimit and define species of haemosporidians. Defining species is not the focal interest of most researchers, most of whom merely wish to determine whether lineages identified in their samples match those of other researchers, and if so, where and in which host species. Rather than revisiting all the issues with respect to delimiting and naming species, we instead focus on finding a practical near-term resolution to the ‘species problem’ that utilizes the community's largest resource: mitochondrial cytochrome b DNA sequences. We recommend a standardized procedure to ‘tag’ these sequences, based on per cent sequence similarity, that will allow researchers to directly assess the novelty, known hosts and geographic distribution of avian malaria parasite lineages.
Occupancy Modeling and Prediction for Building Energy Management

Heating, cooling and ventilation accounts for 35p energy usage in the United States. Currently, most modern buildings still condition rooms assuming maximum occupancy rather than actual usage. As a result, rooms are often over-conditioned needlessly. Thus, in order to achieve efficient conditioning, we require knowledge of occupancy. This article shows how real time occupancy data from a wireless sensor network can be used to create occupancy models, which in turn can be integrated into building conditioning system for usage-based demand control conditioning strategies. Using strategies based on sensor network occupancy model predictions, we show that it is possible to achieve 42p annual energy savings while still maintaining American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) comfort standards.
Family dynamics through childhood: A sibling model of behavior problems☆

Abstract This article draws upon theories of the life course and child development to examine how structural changes in the family and parenting practices affect child behavior problems in middle childhood. Our analysis improves upon prior research by simultaneously examining the effects of poverty, single-motherhood, welfare, and kin co-residence, distinguishing between early and current exposure to changes of these family conditions, and controlling for unobserved, preexisting family differences. We estimate fixed-effects sibling models using the matched mother–child data of NLSY79. We find two robust relationships: child behavior problems are shaped by early childhood poverty, which is not mediated by current parenting nor contaminated by family selection, and mothers’ use of physical punishment, which is not contaminated by family selection. The findings support the early childhood exposure hypothesis applied to poverty, a parenting hypothesis applied to mother’s physical punishment, and a family selection hypothesis applied to positive parenting, father’s time, and cultural activities.
Characterization of secretory sphingomyelinase activity, lipoprotein sphingolipid content and LDL aggregation in ldlr-/- mice fed on a high-fat diet.

The propensity of LDLs (low-density lipoproteins) for aggregation and/or oxidation has been linked to their sphingolipid content, specifically the levels of SM (sphingomyelin) and ceramide. To investigate this association in vivo, ldlr (LDL receptor)-null mice (ldlr−/−) were fed on a modified (atherogenic) diet containing saturated fats and cholesterol. The diet led to significantly elevated SM content in all serum lipoproteins. In contrast, ceramide increased only in the LDL particles. MS-based analyses of the lipid acyl chain composition revealed a marked elevation in C16:0 fatty acid in SM and ceramide, consistent with the prevalence of palmitic acid in the modified diet. The diet also led to increased activity of the S-SMase [secretory SMase (sphingomyelinase)], a protein that is generated by ASMase (acid SMase) and acts on serum LDL. An increased macrophage secretion seemed to be responsible for the elevated S-SMase activity. ASMase-deficient mice (asm−/−/ldlr−/−) lacked S-SMase activity and were protected from diet-induced elevation in LDL ceramide. LDL from asm−/−/ldlr−/− mice fed on the modified diet were less aggregated and oxidized than LDL from asm+/+/ldlr−/− mice. When tested in vitro, the propensity for aggregation was dependent on the SM level: only LDL from animals on modified diet that have high SM content aggregated when treated with recombinant S-SMase. In conclusion, LDL-SM content and S-SMase activity are up-regulated in mice fed on an atherogenic diet. S-SMase mediates diet-induced changes in LDL ceramide content and aggregation. S-SMase effectiveness in inducing aggregation is dependent on diet-induced enrichment of LDL with SM, possibly through increased hepatic synthesis.
Formal verification as a technology transfer problem

Around 1990, various groups began to sense that the methods were sufficiently mature to warrant turning them into commercial tools. With ever-increasing design complexity, the cost of design testing was consuming an ever-greater portion of the design budget - as much as 80% - so more powerful methods for testing became badly needed. However, it soon became evident that what was useful in the hands of experts could not be directly converted into a useful commercial tool. The required methodology change included advancing verification to earlier stages of the development flow. This offered a big potential advantage for reducing development costs, since finding bugs earlier could save more costly fixes later. However, it required that developers participate in the verification process.
Effect of a cover layer on the edge admittance of a wide microstrip

The canonical problem of a grounded dielectric slab with a truncated upper conductor and a dielectric cover layer is solved by the Wiener-Hopf technique. The method yields the value of the reflection coefficient at the open edge and the equivalent edge admittance. Numerical results show that the presence of a cover layer increases both the conductance and the susceptance. An increase in the value of edge conductance corresponds to an increase in the radiated power and surface-wave power. An increase in the value of the susceptance corresponds to an increase in the fringing capacitance at the edge. This results in a reduction of the physical length of a resonant rectangular patch. On the basis of Wiener-Hopf analysis it is seen that the space-wave power and the power carried by the surface wave are separated from the total radiated power. The numerical results show that the radiation efficiency decreases with an increase in the cover layer thickness. >
Aspecific and specific intermolecular interactions in aqueous media

Aspecific as well as specific interactions involve the same noncovalent forces, consisting of Lifshitz-van der Waals, Lewis acid/base, electrostatic, and thermal or Brownian movement interactions. In vivo, aspecific interactions between, e.g., cells and/or biopolymers usually are repulsive, while specific interactions are always attractive. The differences between the two classes of interactions can be shown to lie in the fact that aspecifically interacting bodies are large, while specifically interacting sites are small, or have a small radius of curvature, and in the fact that aspecifically interacting surfaces are homogeneous, whereas specific sites have a heterogeneous composition.
Transformational Leadership Using TED Talks

There is an ongoing debate about the efficacy of professional development with the field of gifted education. While some studies have found a positive relationship between professional development ...
Erythropoietic Stimulating Action of Acetylcholinesterase

SummaryDaily subcutaneous injections of 200 units Acetylcholinesterase into rats caused stimulation of erythropoiesis demonstrated by significant reticulocytosis within 7 days and increased erythrocyte counts after 14 days. Hematocrit values did not change significantly.
Genetic variability and phylogeographical patterns of a nonindigenous species invasion: a comparison of exotic vs. native zebra and quagga mussel populations

There have been few investigations of the number of founding sources and amount of genetic variability that lead to a successful nonindigenous species invasion, although genetic diversity is believed to play a central role. In the present study, population genetic structure, diversity and divergence patterns were analysed for the zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha [na 280 samples and 63 putative randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPDs) gene loci] and the quagga mussel D. bugensis (na 136 and 52 loci) from 10 nonindigenous North American and six Eurasian sampling sites, representing their present-day ranges. Results showed that exotic populations of zebra and quagga mussels had surprisingly high genetic variability, similar to those in the Eurasian populations, suggesting large numbers of founding individuals and consistent with the hypothesis of multiple colonizations. Patterns of genetic relationships indicate that the North American populations of D. polymorpha likely were founded by multiple source populations from north-western and northcentral Europe, but not from southcentral or eastern Europe. Sampling areas within North America also were significantly divergent, having levels of gene flow and migration about twice those separating long-established Eurasian populations. Samples of D. bugensis in Lakes Erie and Ontario were significantly different, with the former being more closely related to a native population from the Dnieper River, Ukraine. No evidence for a founder effect was discerned for either species.
Cell-selective arrhythmia ablation for photomodulation of heart rhythm

Heart disease, a leading cause of death in the developed world, is overwhelmingly correlated with arrhythmias, where heart muscle cells, myocytes, beat abnormally. Cardiac arrhythmias are usually managed by electric shock intervention, antiarrhythmic drugs, surgery, and/or catheter ablation. Despite recent improvements in techniques, ablation procedures are still limited by the risk of complications from unwanted cellular damage, caused by the nonspecific delivery of ablative energy to all heart cell types. We describe an engineered nanoparticle containing a cardiac-targeting peptide (CTP) and a photosensitizer, chlorin e6 (Ce6), for specific delivery to myocytes. Specificity was confirmed in vitro using adult rat heart cell and human stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte and fibroblast cocultures. In vivo, the CTP-Ce6 nanoparticles were injected intravenously into rats and, upon laser illumination of the heart, induced localized, myocyte-specific ablation with 85% efficiency, restoring sinus rhythm without collateral damage to other cell types in the heart, such as fibroblasts. In both sheep and rat hearts ex vivo, upon perfusion of CTP-Ce6 particles, laser illumination led to the formation of a complete electrical block at the ablated region and restored the physiological rhythm of the heart. This nano-based, cell-targeted approach could improve ablative technologies for patients with arrhythmias by reducing currently encountered complications.
Short-term, within-person variability in clinical chemistry test results. Experience from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

We report the within-person, between-person, and methodological variances of a number of chemical analytes for free-living, middle-aged adults who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study's Intraindividual Variability Study. The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study is a National Institutes of Health-sponsored multicenter study of atherosclerotic risk factors. In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and its Intraindividual Variability Study, concentrations of the following 12 chemical analytes were measured in serum from fasting individuals: sodium, calcium, potassium, creatinine, albumin, total protein, magnesium, phosphorus, urea, insulin, glucose, and urate. The analytes are listed in order of the increasing reliability coefficient (ie, the fraction that between-person variance represents of the total observed population variance), which ranged from .59 for sodium to .91 for urate. The reliability coefficient is a strong predictor of the possibility of finding statistical correlations between measured analyte concentrations and disease occurrence in an epidemiological study like the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. The within-person variance and methodological variance are also useful in computing confidence intervals for sequential laboratory test results in patients and evaluating limits for internal quality control and proficiency testing programs.
Regulated secretion of atrial natriuretic factor from cultured ventricular myocytes.

We have investigated endothelin (ET)-regulated secretion of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) from primary neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, where hormone release is thought to be constitutive. In a dose-dependent, nifedipine-sensitive manner, ET acutely enhanced ANF release by two- to fivefold over control cultures within 15 min of agonist exposure, demonstrating that ventricular myocytes display a primary characteristic of a regulated secretory cell type. Unlike atrial cultures, ET enhanced ANF release during the first 30 min of exposure; thereafter, secretion rates returned to control levels. KCl, however, effectively enhanced ANF release only during the first 15 min of exposure. Subcellular fractionation of ventricular culture homogenates did not reveal atrial-type dense secretory granules, and pulse-chase labeling experiments showed that the transit time of newly synthesized ANF was short in ventricular myocytes [time required for half of labeled ANF to be released from cells (t1/2) = 0.5-1.5 h) compared with atrial myocytes (t1/2 = 4 h). These results suggest that, whereas ventricular myocytes possess some of the characteristics of a constitutively secreting cell type (e.g., few, if any, dense secretory granules and rapid transit time for newly synthesized hormone); however, they also display the capacity for regulated secretion of ANF in response to the physiological agonist ET.
Directed Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells Into Cardiomyocytes by Bacterial Injection of Defined Transcription Factors

Forced expression of defined transcriptional factors has been well documented as an effective method for cellular reprogramming or directed differentiation. However, transgene expression is not amenable for therapeutic application due to potential insertional mutagenesis. Here, we have developed a bacterial type III secretion system (T3SS)-based protein delivery tool and shown its application in directing pluripotent stem cell differentiation by a controlled delivery of transcription factors relevant to early heart development. By fusing to an N-terminal secretion sequence for T3SS-dependent injection, three transcriptional factors, namely Gata4, Mef2c, and Tbx5 (abbreviated as GMT), were translocated into murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs), where the proteins are effectively targeted to the nucleus with an average intracellular half-life of 5.5 hours. Exogenous GMT protein injection activated the cardiac program, and multiple rounds of GMT protein delivery significantly improved the efficiency of ESC differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Combination of T3SS-mediated GMT delivery and Activin A treatment showed an additive effect, resulting in on average 60% of the ESCs differentiated into cardiomyocytes. ESC derived cardiomyocytes displayed spontaneous rhythmic contractile movement as well as normal hormonal responses. This work serves as a foundation for the bacterial delivery of multiple transcription factors to direct cell fate without jeopardizing genomic integrity.
Hilbert transforms: Hilbert transforms in En

Definition of the Hilbert transform in E n In this chapter the elementary properties of the n -dimensional Hilbert transform are discussed. Basic aspects of the Calderon–Zygmund theory of singular integral operators in the n -dimensional Euclidean space, E n , are also considered. Applications of Hilbert transforms in E n for n ≥ 2 are significantly less numerous than the one-dimensional case; however, they do arise in important areas. These include problems in nonlinear optics that focus on deriving dispersion relations and sum rules for the nonlinear susceptibility. The publications of Smet and Smet (1974), Nieto-Vesperinas (1980), Peiponen, (1987b), 1988), Bassani and Scandolo (1991, 1992), and Peiponen, Vartiainen, and Asakura (1999), will give the reader a sense of the advances in this field. There are applications in signal processing (see Bose and Prabhu (1979), Zhu, Peyrin, and Goutte (1990), and Reddy et al . (1991a, 1991b)), and in spectroscopy (see Peiponen, Vartiainen, and Tsuboi (1990)). In scattering theory, the double dispersion relations, frequently referred to as the Mandelstam representation, express the scattering amplitude as a double iterated dispersion relation in the energy and momentum transfer variables; see Roman (1965) and Nussenzveig (1972). Some of these applications are touched upon in later chapters. To proceed, some preliminary definitions are required. Let x denote the n -tuple { x 1 , x 2 , x 3 , …, x n }, and let s denote the n -tuple { s 1 , s 2 , s 3 , …, s n }. It is quite common in the literature to represent multi-dimensional integration factors by d s (or some similar variable), where the context is meant to signify an n -dimensional integration factor d s 1 d s 2 d s 3 … d s n .
Managing the female patient with hereditary angioedema

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare disorder resulting from decreased functional levels of C1-inhibitor (C1-INH), which manifests as periodic episodes of localized edema which can be extremely painful, debilitating and even fatal if the swelling affects the larynx. HAE can complicate many aspects of obstetric/gynecologic care, and an awareness of the disease is critical for clinicians involved in the care of women because of potential HAE-related complications pertaining to pregnancy, labor and delivery, and other women's health issues. This article provides a review of published literature specific to HAE and its management in female patients, including important concerns regarding obstetric/gynecologic care. A growing body of relevant experience is presented to help guide the care of women with HAE.
12 – Measurement of Expectations and Direct Tests of the REH*

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the quantification of qualitative expectations data and discusses the alternative procedures that can be used for this purpose. Qualitative surveys with more than three but a finite number of response categories are also known as polychotomous surveys. This chapter also discusses the methods of quantification of ordinal responses. The conversion method is based on the assumption that except for a finite number of parameters, the form of the subjective probability distribution of the respondents over future changes in the variable in question is the same, and another assumption that an expected change will be reported only when respondents expect the variable in question to change by more than a certain threshold value. There is also an alternative method of computing average expectations from individuals' categorical responses, which does not require making assumptions concerning the subjective probability distribution of respondents. This alternative method can be applied whenever surveys report on past perceptions and on future expectations of the respondents.
Timeliness of treatment is more important than choice of reperfusion therapy

The most important modifiable predictor of outcome in ST-segment elevation MI is the time to treatment, a biological truth that continues to be supported by clinical evidence.
Effect of luminal perfusion on glucose production by isolated proximal tubules.

The effects of luminal perfusion on glucose production by the proximal tubule were examined by use of the technique of in vitro microperfusion with an ultramicroassay for glucose to measure the net glucose production rates in isolated mouse midproximal tubule segments. Tubules bathed in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate (KRB) buffer containing L-glutamine and acetate and perfused with KRB buffer at a high flow rate produced glucose at a lower rate (0.12 +/- 0.02 pmol.min-1.mm-1) than unperfused segments (0.40 +/- 0.03) or segments perfused at a lower flow rate (0.24 +/- 0.03). In contrast, the estimated rates of glucose utilization were not affected by luminal perfusion. The inhibition of net fluid reabsorption by perfusion with a modified KRB buffer containing amiloride or by addition of ouabain to the bath medium raised glucose production rates to levels equaling or exceeding those observed in unperfused tubules. The inhibition of glucose production by luminal perfusion occurred in the presence of multiple substrates (i.e., glutamine, acetate, lactate, pyruvate, alanine, and valerate) or nonammoniagenic substrates (i.e., lactate and pyruvate) in the bath medium. Thus net glucose production is inhibited by luminal perfusion and the inhibitory effect is dependent on intact fluid reabsorption. The reduction in net glucose production observed with perfusion does not result from increased glucose utilization and is not dependent on the presence of specific substrates.
SYSTEMATIC ASSESSMENT OF THE EFFECT OF DIRECT ORAL ANTICOAGULANTS DABIGATRAN, RIVAROXABAN AND APIXABAN USING CALIBRATED AUTOMATED THROMBIN GENERATION ASSAY IN VIVO

There are clinical situations where monitoring Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) may be useful including bleeding, trauma, and thromboembolic event while on anticoagulation. Thrombin generation Assay (TGA) measures formation of thrombin in Plasma during clot formation. The clinical application of
Combined measurement and modeling of the hydrological impact of hydraulic redistribution using CLM4.5 at eight AmeriFlux sites

Abstract. Effects of hydraulic redistribution (HR) on hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological processes have been demonstrated in the field, but the current generation of standard earth system models does not include a representation of HR. Though recent studies have examined the effect of incorporating HR into land surface models, few (if any) have done cross-site comparisons for contrasting climate regimes and multiple vegetation types via the integration of measurement and modeling. Here, we incorporated the HR scheme of Ryel et al. (2002) into the NCAR Community Land Model Version 4.5 (CLM4.5), and examined the ability of the resulting hybrid model to capture the magnitude of HR flux and/or soil moisture dynamics from which HR can be directly inferred, to assess the impact of HR on land surface water and energy budgets, and to explore how the impact may depend on climate regimes and vegetation conditions. Eight AmeriFlux sites with contrasting climate regimes and multiple vegetation types were studied, including the Wind River Crane site in Washington State, the Santa Rita Mesquite savanna site in southern Arizona, and six sites along the Southern California Climate Gradient. HR flux, evapotranspiration (ET), and soil moisture were properly simulated in the present study, even in the face of various uncertainties. Our cross-ecosystem comparison showed that the timing, magnitude, and direction (upward or downward) of HR vary across ecosystems, and incorporation of HR into CLM4.5 improved the model-measurement matches of evapotranspiration, Bowen ratio, and soil moisture particularly during dry seasons. Our results also reveal that HR has important hydrological impact in ecosystems that have a pronounced dry season but are not overall so dry that sparse vegetation and very low soil moisture limit HR.
Combined cancer therapy with hyaluronan-decorated fullerene-silica multifunctional nanoparticles to target cancer stem-like cells.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are resistant to chemotherapy and highly tumorigenic, which contributes to tumor occurrence and post-treatment relapse. We developed a novel C60 fullerene-silica nanoparticle system surface-decorated with hyaluronan (HA) to target the variant CD44 overexpressed on breast CSCs. Furthermore, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and indocyanine green (ICG) can be encapsulated in the nanoparticles with ultrahigh encapsulation efficiency (>90%) and loading content (e.g., 48.5% at a drug-to-nanoparticle feeding ratio of 1:1, compared to the commonly used drug-to-nanoparticle feeding ratio of 1:20 with a drug loading content of less than 5%). As a result, the DOX and ICG-laden nanoparticles can be used as a single nanoplatform to achieve combined chemo, photodynamic, and photothermal therapy under near infrared laser irradiation for effective destruction of the breast CSCs both in vitro and in vivo, with no evident systemic toxicity. Moreover, we found the nanoparticles with a higher drug loading content (e.g., 48.5 versus 4.6%) also have significantly higher antitumor efficacy, given the same total drug dose. These results demonstrate the great potential of the multifunctional hybrid nanoparticle system for augmenting cancer therapy by eliminating the CSCs.
Facial Ethnic Appearance Synthesis

In this work, we have explored several subspace reconstruction methods for facial ethnic appearance synthesis (FEAS). In our experiments, our proposed dual subspace modeling using the Fukunaga Koontz transform (FKT) yields much better facial ethnic synthesis results than the \(\ell _1\) minimization, the \(\ell _2\) minimization and the principal component analysis (PCA) reconstruction method. With that, we are able to automatically and efficiently synthesize different facial ethnic appearance and alter the facial ethnic appearance of the query image to any other ethnic appearance as desired. Our technique well preserves the facial structure of the query image and simultaneously synthesize the skin tone and ethnic features that best matches target ethnicity group. Facial ethnic appearance synthesis can be applied to synthesizing facial images of a particular ethnicity group for unbalanced database, and can be used to train ethnicity invariant classifiers by generating multiple ethnic appearances of the same subject in the training stage.
Arthroscopic Labral Repair in the Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement

Labral repair has become an essential technique in the arthroscopic surgical management of femoroacetabular impingement. Several clinical studies suggest that labral repair results in superior patient outcomes in comparison to labral debridement alone. The repair procedure requires accurate evaluation of labral tissue quality, precise placement of sutures and anchors, and careful re-tensioning of the labrum. We present our preferred technique for labral repair.
DELAYED UNION AND NON-UNION OF TIBIAL-SHAFT FRACTURES. A REVIEW OF 100 CASES.

One hundred fractures with delayed union or non-union in sixty-three men and thirty-four women were reviewed. Forty of the fractures were closed and sixty were open. Fifty-six were clean and forty-four were infected. The duration of nonunion ranged from six months to twenty-two years. The follow-up was from one to twenty-seven years. From this study there was evidence that certain factors predispose to non-union. These are severe injury, comminution of the fracture, fracture in the distal third of the tibial shaft, an open fracture, infection, open reduction, distraction, and insufficient immobilization. Treatment in this series fell into three groups: bone-grafting in eighty-one fractures, miscellaneous operations in twelve fractures, and fibular transplantations or synostosis in seven fractures. Bone-grafting techniques were iliac slabs and onlay tibial bone grafts. Twenty-five of the forty-four infected fractures had bone-grafting. The clean fractures had better results than the infected ones. With or without infection, the iliac slabs gave a higher incidence of union than the onlay tibial grafts. Comminuted fractures in which non-union developed took longer than other types of fractures to heal. The causes of failure after bone-grafting were infection, insufficient immobilization, and errors in technique. Fibular osteotomy and excision of the pseudarthrosis did not accelerate healing time significantly, although osteotomy was beneficial in correcting deformity. Eleven limbs were amputated because of persistent sepsis. Union was achieved after bone-grafting in seventy-four fractures, after miscellaneous operations in seven fractures, and after fibular transplantation in three fractures. Five fractures remained ununited.
Metastatic small cell carcinoma to the masseter muscle originating from the uterine cervix.

Metastatic tumors to the head from infraclavicular primaries are relatively uncommon. The vast majority of primary tumors that metastasize to the head originate from the lung and breast. Tumors metastatic to the masseter are exceedingly rare with only one other case being reported in the literature. The case of a 34-year-old woman with a history of surgically-treated small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix is presented. This case and our review of the literature illustrates the unusual nature of metastatic patterns in the head and their diagnostic complexity. Masses localized to the buccomasseteric region are usually considered to be of parotid origin. The differential diagnosis for masses in this area is generally limited to cogenital, inflammatory, or neoplastic lesions. Though uncommon, metastatic tumors from non-head and neck primary malignancies should be considered in the diagnosis as they may herald the onset of a new disease or the recurrence of cancer
Recent developments in high-efficiency PV cells

Enormous progress has been made in recent years on a number of photovoltaic (PV) materials and devices in terms of conversion efficiencies. Ultrahigh-efficiency (>30{percent}) PV cells have been fabricated from gallium arsenide (GaAs) and its ternary alloys such as gallium indium phosphide (GaInP{sub 2}). The high-efficiency GaAs-based solar cells are being produced on a commercial scale, particularly for space applications. Efficiencies in the range of 18{percent} to 24{percent} have been achieved in traditional silicon-based devices fabricated from both multicrystalline and single-crystal materials. Major advances in efficiency have also been made on various thin-film solar cells based on amorphous silicon (aSi:H), copper gallium indium diselenide (CIGS), and cadmium telluride materials. This paper gives a brief overview of the recent progress in PV cell efficiencies based on these materials and devices.
Rationalism, Mysticism, Faith, and Reason

Abdiel responds to the arguments given by Satan to justify rebellion against God. Among these are claims by Satan about how he and the angels know God, and claims that perhaps they are eternal (without beginning) like God. This chapter studies Hodge’s work on various theories of the knowledge of God such as rationalism and Mysticism.