cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial Experience with Proton Beam Therapy for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer.

Purpose External beam radiotherapy is used in a subset of high-risk patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Recurrent, radioactive iodine (RAI)-refractory DTC carries a poor prognosis. We report our initial experience of intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) for recurrent, RAI-refractory DTC. Patients and methods Fourteen patients with recurrent, RAI-refractory DTC were consecutively treated with IMPT from November 2016 to March 2020 at our multisite institution. Patient, tumor, and treatment characteristics were recorded. Overall survival and local-regional recurrence-free survival were recorded and estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Acute and late treatment-related toxicities were recorded based on the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. Patients completed the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Head and Neck Module at baseline and after IMPT. Eleven patients were included in the final analysis. Results Median follow-up was 8 months (range, 3-40) for all patients. Median age at treatment with IMPT was 64 years (range, 40-77), and the majority were men (64%). Recurrent histologies included papillary (55%), Hurthle cell (36%), and poorly differentiated (9%) carcinoma; 1 patient had tall cell variant. Concurrent chemotherapy was not administered for any patient in this cohort. At 8 months, all patients were alive without local-regional failure. Acute grade 3 toxicities were limited to 1 patient with dysphagia, requiring feeding tube placement. Two patients experienced late grade 3 esophageal stenosis requiring dilation. There were no grade 4 or 5 toxicities. There were no differences in pretreatment versus posttreatment patient-reported outcomes in terms of dysphagia or hoarseness. Conclusion In our early experience, IMPT provided promising local-regional control for recurrent, RAI-refractory DTC. Further study is warranted to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of IMPT in this patient population.
Preoperative β-lactam antibiotic prophylaxis is superior to bacteriostatic alternatives in immediate expander-based breast reconstruction.

Background Staged implant-based breast reconstruction is the most common reconstructive modality following mastectomy. Postoperative implant infections can have a significant impact on adjuvant oncologic care and reconstructive outcome. Here, we investigate the impact of β-lactam antibiotics (i.e., bactericidal) compared to alternative antibiotic agents on postoperative outcomes for implant-based breast reconstruction. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients who underwent immediate sub-pectoral tissue expander placement with an inferior acellular dermal matrix (ADM) sling at a single institution between May 2008 and July 2018 was performed. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and complication rates were retrieved. The impact of antibiotic regimen on postoperative outcomes, including infection rate and reconstructive failure, was investigated. Results A total of 320 patients with a mean age and BMI of 48.2 years and 25.0 kg/m2 , respectively, who underwent 542 immediate breast reconstructions were included in the study. The use of a β-lactam antibiotic was protective against postoperative infection (odds ratio [OR] = 0.467, p = .046), infection requiring operative management (OR = 0.313, p = .022), and reconstructive failure (OR = 0.365, p = .028). Extended, that is, post-discharge, prophylaxis was not associated with any clinical benefit. Conclusion The use of β-lactam antibiotics for pre-/peri-operative prophylaxis is superior to alternative antibiotics with a bacteriostatic mechanism of action regarding rates of postoperative infection and reconstructive failure following immediate tissue expander-based breast reconstruction. Extended, that is, post-discharge, prophylaxis does not appear to be indicated, regardless of the antibiotic chosen.
Effect of Process Parameters on Energy Consumption, Physical, and Mechanical Properties of Fused Deposition Modeling

The application of the fused deposition modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing process has increased in the production of functional parts across all industries. FDM is also being introduced for industrial tooling and fixture applications due to its capabilities in building free-form and complex shapes that are otherwise challenging to manufacture by conventional methods. However, there is not yet a comprehensive understanding of how the FDM process parameters impact the mechanical behavior of engineered products, energy consumption, and other physical properties for different material stocks. Acquiring this information is quite a complex task, given the large variety of possible combinations of materials–additive manufacturing machines–slicing software process parameters. In this study, the knowledge gap is filled by using the Taguchi L27 orthogonal array design of experiments to evaluate the impact of five notable FDM process parameters: infill density, infill pattern, layer thickness, print speed, and shell thickness on energy consumption, production time, part weight, dimensional accuracy, hardness, and tensile strength. Signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed on the experimental data to quantify the parameters’ main effects on the responses and establish an optimal combination for the FDM process. The novelty of this work is the simultaneous evaluation of the effects of the FDM process parameters on the quality performances because most studies have considered one or two of the performances alone. The study opens an opportunity for multiobjective function optimization of the FDM process that can be used to effectively minimize resource consumption and production time while maximizing the mechanical and physical characteristics to fit the design requirements of FDM-manufactured products.
Determining age and sex-specific distribution of pancreatic whole-gland CT attenuation using artificial intelligence aided image segmentation: Associations with body composition and pancreatic cancer risk.

Abstract Background & aims Increased intrapancreatic fat is associated with pancreatic diseases; however, there are no established objective diagnostic criteria for fatty pancreas. On non-contrast computed tomography (CT), adipose tissue shows negative Hounsfield Unit (HU) attenuations (−150 to −30 HU). Using whole organ segmentation on non-contrast CT, we aimed to describe whole gland pancreatic attenuation and establish 5th and 10th percentile thresholds across a spectrum of age and sex. Subsequently, we aimed to evaluate the association between low pancreatic HU and risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods The whole pancreas was segmented in 19,456 images from 469 non-contrast CT scans. A convolutional neural network was trained to assist pancreas segmentation. Mean pancreatic HU, volume, and body composition metrics were calculated. The lower 5th and 10th percentile for mean pancreatic HU were identified, examining the association with age and sex. Pre-diagnostic CT scans from patients who later developed PDAC were compared to cancer-free controls. Results Less than 5th percentile mean pancreatic HU was significantly associated with increase in BMI (OR 1.07; 1.03–1.11), visceral fat (OR 1.37; 1.15–1.64), total abdominal fat (OR 1.12; 1.03–1.22), and diabetes mellitus type 1 (OR 6.76; 1.68–27.28). Compared to controls, pre-diagnostic scans in PDAC cases had lower mean whole gland pancreatic HU (−0.2 vs 7.8, p = 0.026). Conclusion In this study, we report age and sex-specific distribution of pancreatic whole-gland CT attenuation. Compared to controls, mean whole gland pancreatic HU is significantly lower in the pre-diagnostic phase of PDAC.
An Economic Analysis of Restitution for Mistaken Payments

The law of restitution and unjust enrichment has emerged as an important and independent branch of private law. However, it has attracted relatively little economic analysis. The aim of this paper is to develop a general conceptual framework for the economic analysis of the core example of restitution - mistaken payments. Our framework distinguishes between scenarios with unilateral and bilateral harms from mistakes, and unilateral and bilateral precaution by payers and recipients. Using this taxonomy, we develop a formal model in a parsimonious setting with two buyer-seller pairs. This model generates several novel insights, based on the idea that mistaken payments impose a “transaction tax” on contracting parties. It implies that full restitution is socially optimal when harm is unilateral (i.e., when a mistaken payment harms only the payer). When harm is bilateral (i.e., the recipient would suffer net harm from receiving the payment and making full restitution), partial restitution is generally optimal. However, we propose a hypothetical decoupled regime that would (if it were feasible) lead to more efficient outcomes than would partial restitution. The decoupling regime is intended as a thought experiment that can arguably shed light on some of the foundational debates surrounding the law of restitution.
Graph Neural Networks Bootstrapped for Synthetic Selection and Validation of Small Molecule Immunomodulators

The Programmed Cell Death Protein 1/Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) interaction is an immune checkpoint utilized by cancer cells to enhance immune suppression. There is a huge need to develop small molecule drugs that are fast acting, cost effective, and readily bioavailable compared to antibodies. Unfortunately, synthesizing and validating large libraries of small- molecules to inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 interaction in a blind manner is both time-consuming and expensive. To improve this drug discovery pipeline, we have developed a machine learning methodology trained on patent data to identify, synthesize, and validate PD-1/PD-L1 small molecule inhibitors. Our model incorporates two features: docking scores to represent the energy of binding (E) as a global feature and sub-graph features through a graph neural network (GNN) of molecular topology to represent local features. This interaction energy-based Graph Neural Network (EGNN) model outperforms traditional machine learning methods and a simple GNN with a F1 score of 0.9524 and Cohen’s kappa score of 0.8861 for the hold out test set, suggesting that the topology of the small molecule, the structural interaction in the binding pocket, and chemical diversity of the training data are all important considerations for enhancing model performance. A Bootstrapped EGNN model was used to select compounds for synthesis and experimental validation with predicted high and low potency to inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. The potent inhibitor, (4-((3-(2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl)-2- methylbenzyl)oxy)-2,6-dimethoxybenzyl)-D-serine, is a hybrid of two known bioactive scaffolds, with an IC50 of 339.9 nM that is comparatively better than the known bioactive compound. We conclude that our bootstrapped EGNN model will be useful to identify target-specific high potency molecules designed by scaffold hopping, a well-known medicinal chemistry technique.
High-performance thermoelectric fabric based on PEDOT:Tosylate/CuI

Abstract Fabric-based thermoelectrics can be seamlessly integrated into clothing so they would be ideal to power devices embedded into smart clothing. This study describes the development of thermoelectric fabrics that have their fibers covered with PEDOT:Tosylate and CuI nanocrystals. Several types of fabrics (e.g., cotton, nylon, NYCO, polyester, nomex, modacrylic etc.) have been used in the fabrication of different fabrics PEDOT:Tosylate composites and it was concluded that NYCO (a fabric composed of 50% cotton, 50% nylon) provided the highest thermoelectric performance. The integration of CuI nanocrystals in the NYCO/PEDOT:Tos/CuI composites boosted the thermoelectric power of the composites, almost 8 times compared to NYCO/PEDOT:Tos, to reach a power density equal to 3.68 nW cm−2 (ΔΤ = 12 Κ). A proof-of-concept wearable thermoelectric device that uses four strips of NYCO/PEDOT:Tos/CuI and four monel wires was able to produce up to 70 nW of power when ΔT = 25 K. The device was folded and attached at the edge of an armband (so that one end of each fabric PEDOT:Tos/CuI composite to be in contact with the skin and the other open to environment) and was able to produce 12.4 nW when the armband is worn by a person and the difference between the surface of the skin and the outer side of the device was 8 K.
Use and evaluation of the ALEKS interactive tutoring system

Instructors of development math have long desired a way to individualize instruction allowing each student to focus on material which he or she does not already know but is ready to learn. Since Fall semester of 2002, many of the developmental math sections at the author's university have used ALEKS, a web based intelligent tutoring program to achieve this end. (ALEKS stands for 'Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces.') This paper briefly describes the ALEKS system and the data that can be collected from it in order to determine its effectiveness. It describes an analysis of data collected from 135 students who used the program in Intermediate Algebra during the Fall semester of 2002 discusses ways to improve data collection to better answer questions about the effectiveness of the system.
Implications of new anticoagulants in primary practice

Summary Background: Effective prophylaxis and treatment of thromboembolic disorders remain suboptimal in many healthcare systems, partly owing to limitations of traditional anticoagulants. New oral anticoagulants have been developed and among these, rivaroxaban, apixaban and dabigatran etexilate are in the most advanced stage of clinical development. Method: A literature search using the PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov databases was performed to identify English-language publications. The search was performed up to 31 December 2011 with the terms rivaroxaban OR Xarelto, apixaban OR Eliquis and dabigatran OR Pradaxa. Ongoing, completed and published phase III randomised controlled trials were selected as the primary source of information for the clinical development programme of each drug. Results: The new oral agents demonstrate several advantages over traditional anticoagulants, including administration at fixed doses and no requirement for routine coagulation monitoring On the basis of phase III clinical trials, rivaroxaban, apixaban and dabigatran etexilate have been approved in many countries for the prevention of venous thromboembolism after hip and knee replacement surgery. Dabigatran etexilate and rivaroxaban have also been approved for the prevention of stroke and systemic embolism in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation in Europe and the US. In addition, rivaroxaban has been approved in Europe for the treatment of acute deep vein thrombosis and prevention of recurrent venous thromboembolism. Approval of these agents and postapproval monitoring of their safety and efficacy will have implications for primary care. Conclusion: Rivaroxaban, apixaban and dabigatran etexilate offer the possibility of simplified prevention and treatment strategies for thromboembolic disorders in the outpatient setting.
Stabilization of networked control systems with clock offsets

We consider the stabilization of networked control systems with time-invariant clock offsets between the sensors and the controllers. Clock offsets are modeled as parametric uncertainty and we provide necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a single controller that is capable of stabilizing the closed loop for every clock offset in a given range. For scalar systems, we obtain the maximum length of the offset interval for which the system can be stabilized by a single linear time-invariant controller. We compare the offset bounds that would be allowed by specific classes of controllers for scalar systems.
Copernicus and the Origin of his Heliocentric System

L'introduction d'un systeme heliocentrique par Copernic etait a l'epoque consideree comme revolutionnaire pour la cosmologie traditionnelle et apparait comme etant un evenement globalement marquant de l'histoire des sciences. Mais quelle etait la base de la recherche qui a abouti a l'heliocentrisme ? L'auteur explore les raisons qui ont pousse Copernic a rejeter les principes relatifs aux distances cosmiques et au systeme geocentrique dans lequel ils etaient ancres.
Ultrawideband pulse propagation through a homogeneous, isotropic, lossy plasma

[1] We investigate a linearly polarized, plane wave electromagnetic step function modulated sine wave pulse traveling through an isotropic, homogeneous, lossy plasma with dielectric permittivity described by the Drude model. The results of this investigation extend the useful frequency domain below the plasma cutoff frequency. An asymptotic method of analysis is used to provide a closed-form approximation to the integral representation of the propagated pulse that is valid for all input carrier frequencies. This closed-form expression is the sum of its three asymptotic component fields: the Sommerfeld precursor, the Brillouin precursor and the signal contribution. These expressions reveal that, because of conductivity, each field component attenuates exponentially with distance at its own characteristic rate and that, for sufficiently large propagation distance, the Sommerfeld precursor will be the dominant contribution to the field. However, a study of the penetration capability of each field component shows that, for a large enough propagation distance with carrier frequencies below cutoff, the Brillouin precursor decays algebraically as z � 2 with a minimal exponential attenuation with propagation distance while the Sommerfeld precursor decays at a rate that approaches a z � 3/4 algebraic decay. Optimal signal penetration through a finite distance of a lossy plasma medium, for either radar imaging, remote sensing, or communication applications, may then be realized by using an appropriately constructed sequence of Brillouin precursor pulses.
Manifold t-spline

This paper develops the manifold T-splines, which naturally extend the concept and the currently available algorithms/techniques of the popular planar tensor-product NURBS and T-splines to arbitrary manifold domain of any topological type. The key idea is the global conformal parameterization that intuitively induces a tensor-product structure with a finite number of zero points, and hence offering a natural mechanism for generalizing the tensor-product splines throughout the entire manifold. In our shape modeling framework, the manifold T-splines are globally well-defined except at a finite number of extraordinary points, without the need of any tedious trimming and patching work. We present an efficient algorithm to convert triangular meshes to manifold T-splines. Because of the natural, built-in hierarchy of T-splines, we can easily reconstruct a manifold T-spline surface of high-quality with LOD control and hierarchical structure.
Library LANs: case studies in practice and application

Networking in the Macintosh library CD-ROM networks small general purpose networks multi-purpose LANs list of vendors and products.
Clinical Use of Loop Gain Measures to Determine Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Efficacy in Patients with Complex Sleep Apnea. A Pilot Study.

Rationale: Measures of unstable ventilatory control (loop gain) can be obtained directly from the periodic breathing duty ratio on polysomnography in patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration/central sleep apnea and can predict the efficacy of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.Objectives: In this pilot study, we aimed to determine if this measure could also be applied to patients with complex sleep apnea (predominant obstructive sleep apnea, with worsening or emergent central apneas on CPAP). We hypothesized that loop gain was higher in patients whose central events persisted 1 month later despite CPAP treatment versus those whose events resolved over time.Methods: We calculated the duty ratio of the periodic central apneas remaining on the CPAP titration (or second half of the split night) while patients were on optimal CPAP with the airway open (obstructive apnea index < 1/h). Loop gain was calculated by the formula: LG = 2π/[(2πDR − sin(2πDR)]. Patients were followed on CPAP for 1 month....
Comparative analysis of static and dynamic probabilistic risk assessment

This study examines three different methodologies for producing loss-of-mission (LOM) and loss-of-crew (LOC) risks estimates for probabilistic risk assessments (PRA) of crewed spacecraft. The three bottom-up, component-based PRA approaches examined are a traditional static fault tree, a dynamic Monte Carlo simulation, and a fault tree hybrid that incorporates some dynamic elements. These approaches were used to model the reaction control system thruster pod of a generic crewed spacecraft and mission, and a comparative analysis of the methods is presented. The methodologies are assessed in terms of the process of modeling a system, the actionable information produced for the design team, and the overall fidelity of the quantitative risk evaluation generated. The system modeling process is compared in terms of the effort required to generate the initial model, update the model in response to design changes, and support mass-versus-risk trade studies. The results are compared by examining the top-level LOM/LOC estimates and the relative risk driver rankings at the failure mode level. The fidelity of each modeling methodology is discussed in terms of its capability to handle real-world system dynamics such as cold-sparing, changes in mission operations due to loss of redundancy, and common cause failure modes. The paper also discusses the applicability of each methodology to different phases of system development and shows that a single methodology may not be suitable for all of the many purposes of a spacecraft PRA. The fault tree hybrid approach is shown to be best suited to the needs of early assessments during conceptual design phases. As the design beg ins to mature, the level of detail represented in the risk model must go beyond redundancy and nominal mission operations to include dynamic, time- and state-dependent system responses as well as diverse system capabilities. This is best accomplished using the dynamic simulation approach, since these phenomena are not easily captured by static methods. Ultimately, once the design has been finalized and the goal of the PRA is to provide design validation and requirement verification, more traditional, static fault tree approaches may become as appropriate as the simulation method.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma Ablation and Possible Immunity in the Age of Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Fields

The liver, the largest internal organ in the body, is stationed between us and everything that enters our gastrointestinal tract. Among the many roles of the liver (digestion, metabolism, storage, and production), filtration, detoxification, and immunity are major functions that shelter us from the storm of potential toxins, harmful metabolites, and microorganisms that enter the liver through the hepatic portal vein. There is sometimes a price to pay for this cleansing service, but the liver is a forgiving organ. It can regenerate itself, and when one “unit” is damaged, other units take over. The liver can suffer extensive impairment before it malfunctions and presents symptoms. These absolving liver characteristics are major causes for morbidity and mortality in liver disease. While there are hundreds of liver diseases, major ones that lead to liver cancer and, specifically, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are chronic syndromes, such as hepatitis, excessive chronic alcohol consumption, metabolic syndrome, and obesity/diabetes. The single most common cause of liver disease and HCC in the USA is the hepatitis C virus (HCV), which infects nearly 4 million people.1 Under such harsh circumstances, the “merciful” and tolerant liver is progressively damaged and scarred as liver cancer progresses, before warning signs appear.
Web services computing: advancing software interoperability

Web services computing poses significant challenges as developers determine how to leverage emerging technologies to automate individual applications based on cross-organizational, heterogeneous software components.
Hydroxypolychlorodibenzofurans in technical pentachlorophenol: Electron capture negative ion chemical ionization mass spectra of alkoxypolychlorodibenzofurans

A mixture of hydroxypolychlorodibenzofurans was isolated from technical pentachlorophenol. The alkyl ethers were prepared, and analyzed by fused silica capillary column gas chromatography electron capture negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry. The appearance of intense molecular ion peaks for the alkyl ethers apparently depends on the ring position of alkoxy substitution. Loss of chlorine atoms from the ring, followed by protonation of the resultant anion as the alkyl group is eliminated, is postulated on the basis of deuterium labeling experlments. Evidence is also presented for the presence of a hydroxyheptachlorodibenzodioxin in technical pentachlorophenol.
Multilayer thin film capacitors by selective etching of Pt and Ru electrodes

Display Omitted Process developed to fabricate thin film multilayer capacitors.The number of fabrication steps is independent of the number of layers.Demonstrated proof-of-concept fabrication of one-, two-, and three-layer capacitors. Capacitors and other passive components within electronic devices can significantly affect the size of electronic devices. To continue decreasing the size of electronics, the miniaturization and potential integration of capacitors require thin film technologies. However, the number of fabrication steps needed for many thin film multilayer capacitor fabrication methods is proportional to the number of active capacitor layers, rendering them cost and time consuming. To overcome this issue, we developed a method using the highly selective etching capability of platinum and ruthenium for the fabrication of multilayer thin film capacitors, resulting in a process which is independent of the number of capacitive layers. To demonstrate the process, one-, two-, and three-layer 2.5mmi?2.5mm devices were fabricated using a proof-of-concept silicon oxycarbonitride dielectric grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The resulting 278?3pF, 508?5pF, and 762?5pF capacitors showed negligible frequency dispersion up to 1MHz, and had low dissipation factors of ~0.001 at 10kHz. As a demonstration of the versatility of the process, devices with thicker dielectric layers (3.5µm) were also fabricated with a capacitance of 101?2pF which could achieve up to 640V before the devices were permanently damaged. The versatility of the process suggests it is a good candidate for the future integration of multilayer capacitors, since it can potentially be fabricated by a variety of deposition methods, and can be formed on two- or three-dimensional substrates.
Kinetics and Stereoselectivity of Thiol Trapping of Deoxyuridin-1‘-yl in Biopolymers and Their Relationship to the Formation of Premutagenic α-Deoxynucleotides

α-Deoxynucleotides are potentially deleterious lesions when produced in DNA. They are presumably formed in part via misrepair of the respective C1‘-nucleotide radicals by thiols. However, the selectivity and extent to which these lesions are formed via this pathway has not been ascertained. Using the ability to independently generate deoxyuridin-1‘-yl (4) at a defined site in a biopolymer, we have determined that thiol trapping in duplex DNA occurs with high stereoselectivity from the α-face, resulting in restoration of the naturally occurring β-deoxynucleotide. The observed stereoselectivity of thiol trapping in duplex DNA suggests that 4 is intrahelical. The rate constant for hydrogen atom donation to 4 is reduced 2−3-fold in double-stranded DNA compared to single-stranded DNA. This decrease is attributed to the relative inaccessibility of the C1‘-position in duplex DNA. The combination of these two properties of 4 indicates that, at O2 concentrations present in aerated water, α-deoxynucleotide formatio...
Structural, optical and electrical properties of In doped CdO thin films for optoelectronic applications

Abstract Thin films of indium doped cadmium oxide were deposited on quartz substrate using pulsed laser deposition technique. The effect of growth temperature and partial oxygen pressure on structural, optical and electrical properties was studied. We find that the optical transparency of the films largely depends on the growth temperature, while partial oxygen pressure has virtually no effect on the transparency of the films. Electrical properties are found to be sensitive to both the growth temperature and oxygen pressure. It is observed that conductivity and carrier concentration decreases with temperature. The film grown at 200 °C under an oxygen pressure of 5.0 × 10 − 4 mbar shows high mobility (155 cm 2 /V s), high carrier concentration (1.41 × 10 21 cm 3 ), and low resistivity (2.86 × 10 − 5 Ω cm).
Lantibiotics as probes for phosphatidylethanolamine.

Phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) is a major component in the mammalian plasma membrane. It is present mainly in the inner leaflet of the membrane bilayer in a viable, typical mammalian cell. However, accumulating evidence indicates that a number of biological events involve PE externalization. For instance, PE is concentrated at the surface of cleavage furrow between mitotic daughter cells and is correlated with the dynamics of contractile ring. In apoptotic cells, PE is exposed to the cell surface, thus providing a molecular marker for detection. In addition, PE is a cofactor in the anticoagulant mechanism, and a distinct distribution profile of PE has been documented at the blood–endothelium interface. These recent discoveries were made possible using PE-specific probes derived from duramycin and cinnamycin, which are members of type B lantibiotics. This review provides an account on the features of these PE-specific lantibiotics in the context of molecular probes for the characterization of PE on a cellular and tissue level. According to the existing data, PE is likely a versatile chemical species that plays a role in the regulation of defined biological and physiological activities. The utilities of lantibiotic-based molecular probes will help accelerate the characterization of PE as an abundant, yet elusive membrane component.
Topological analysis of protein co-abundance networks identifies novel host targets important for HCV infection and pathogenesis

High-throughput methods for obtaining global measurements of transcript and protein levels in biological samples has provided a large amount of data for identification of 'target' genes and proteins of interest. These targets may be mediators of functional processes involved in disease and therefore represent key points of control for viruses and bacterial pathogens. Genes and proteins that are the most highly differentially regulated are generally considered to be the most important. We present topological analysis of co-abundance networks as an alternative to differential regulation for confident identification of target proteins from two related global proteomics studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We analyzed global proteomics data sets from a cell culture study of HCV infection and from a clinical study of liver biopsies from HCV-positive patients. Using lists of proteins known to be interaction partners with pathogen proteins we show that the most differentially regulated proteins in both data sets are indeed enriched in pathogen interactors. We then use these data sets to generate co-abundance networks that link proteins based on similar abundance patterns in time or across patients. Analysis of these co-abundance networks using a variety of network topology measures revealed that both degree and betweenness could be used to identify pathogen interactors with better accuracy than differential regulation alone, though betweenness provides the best discrimination. We found that though overall differential regulation was not correlated between the cell culture and liver biopsy data, network topology was conserved to an extent. Finally, we identified a set of proteins that has high betweenness topology in both networks including a protein that we have recently shown to be essential for HCV replication in cell culture. The results presented show that the network topology of protein co-abundance networks can be used to identify proteins important for viral replication. These proteins represent targets for further experimental investigation that will provide biological insight and potentially could be exploited for novel therapeutic approaches to combat HCV infection.
Assessment of lung cancer risk from inhaled environmental cadmium

Chronic inhalation of aerosols of different Cd compounds by rats gave sufficient evidence that inhaled Cd is a lung carcinogen in rats. In contrast, the evidence in humans has been termed limited that inhaled Cd causes lung cancer in occupationally exposed humans. In order to assess the carcinogenic potential of ambient air concentrations of Cd, the accumulated dose of Cd in lung tissue from a rat inhalation study was modelled taking into account deposition and retention of Cd in the lung. A lung Cd—cancer incidence relationship could then be established, and an equivalent human exposure could be calculated using man specific pulmonary Cd retention and deposition data for Cd containing particle sizes in the ambient air. Linear interpolation to low doses showed that the pulmonary carcinogenic risk from inhalation of environmental airborne Cd is generally very low, but may reach about 1 × 10‐4 in polluted industrialized areas. Combined exposures to Cd plus other carcinogens or air pollutants may increase th...
Numerical Analysis and Test Research on Work Process of PSD in Pulse Solid Rocket Motor

To achieve engineering application of pulse motor as soon as possible,designed a soft pulse separation device(PSD), numerical simulated its process of bearing pressure and turning on,used the XFEM to simulate its failure form,got strain and stress distribution,found the bearing capability and failure form of the structure of soft PSD was reliable;Designed a few of verification monomial tests,verified the accuracy of simulation,proved that its bearing capability and failure form satisfied with design requirements,could be applied to pulse motor.The simulation technique,test method and conclusion are useful for designing pulse solid rocket motor configuration.
Testing Significance of a Mean Vector - A Possible Alternative to Hotelling's T Squared.

Abstract : In problems involving multivariate measurements experimental considerations often indicate grouping of variables into subsets ordered according to their importance. In such situations, the problems such as comparison of two mean vectors and profile analysis may be treated by Hotelling's T-square-test, adapted along the lines of the step-wise procedure of J. Roy, or the well known test for additional information due to Rao. In this paper, a modification of the step-wise procedure obtained by combining the component tests is studied. The exact Bahadur slopes of resulting procedures are computed and it is shown that the procedure based upon Fisher's combination method is asymptotically equivalent to Hotelling's T-square. A Monte Carlo study suggests that even in small samples the power functions of the new method and Hotelling's T-square-test are practically equivalent.
Demodulation improvement analysis of FEC quasi-coherent CPM

Continuous Phase Modulation (CPM) schemes are advantageous for low-power radios. The constant envelope transmit signal is more efficient for both linear and non-linear amplifier architectures. A standard, coherent CPM receiver can take advantage of modulation memory and is more complex than a coherent Phase Shift Keyed receiver. But the CPM signal can be demodulated non-coherently and still take advantage of the trellis structure inherent in the modulation. Prior analyses of several different non-coherent CPM schemes have been provided with many providing coherent or near coherent performance. In this paper we will discuss a new, reduced complexity decoder that improves upon the noncoherent performance. In addition, this new algorithm generates soft decision metrics that allow the addition of a forward error correction scheme (an outer code) with coherent equivalent performance gains.
Corticosterone Responses in Wild Birds: The Importance of Rapid Initial Sampling

Abstract Corticosterone concentrations in birds usually rise in response to capture and handling, and it is often assumed that this change is predictable. We tested this assumption by leaving Gambel's White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii), House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), and Lapland Longspurs (Calcarius lapponicus) in nets or traps for 15 min following capture and comparing their corticosterone response over the next 60 min with birds removed immediately. White-crowned Sparrows and House Sparrows left in mist nets for 15 min and then bled had significantly elevated corticosterone concentrations compared to controls that were immediately removed from the net and bled. Corticosterone concentrations over the next 45 min of handling and restraint were similar between groups. In another experiment, White-crowned Sparrows and Lapland Longspurs were captured using seed-baited Potter traps. The corticosterone response of White-crowned Sparrows left in the trap for 15 min did not differ from...
Parallel processing in the auditory cortex of primates.

Evidence from anatomical tracer studies as well as lesions of the primary auditory cortex (AI) indicate that the principal relay nucleus of the auditory thalamus, the ventral part of the medial genicu
Sensation seeking among whitewater canoe and kayak paddlers

Abstract Thirty-four male and 20 female members of two canoe clubs completed Zuckerman's Sensation Seeking Scale, Form V. Respondents also rated their paddling level, highest difficulty level of the rivers they paddled with regularity, highest difficulty level of the rivers they would like to paddle, and anxiety level prior to put-in. As predicted, male and female paddlers had significantly higher Thrill and Adventure Seeking scores than the comparable normative scores. Thrill and Adventure Seeking scores correlated negatively with anxiety level, and their correlation with difficulty level of the rivers paddlers would like to attempt approached significance. Similar results were obtained when questionnaire responses were dichotomized and analyses of variance were conducted with sensation seeking scores as dependent variables.
Pericytes augment the capillary barrier in in vitro cocultures.

Abstract Most in vitro studies of capillary permeability focus on endothelial cell (MVEC) monolayers and ignore the second cell that forms the capillary wall: the microvascular pericyte (PC). We describe a model to study the permeability characteristics of MVEC, PC, and MVEC:PC cocultures. Methods. Semipermeable culture inserts were coated with collagen and then plated with early passage bovine pulmonary MVEC. On Day 3, bovine pulmonary PC were added at concentrations to approximate MVEC:PC ratios of 1:1, 5:1, and 10:1. Electrical resistance was measured on subsequent days and fluorescently labeled (FITC) albumin was used in a permeability assay to calculate an albumin clearance for each culture. Results. The results for electrical resistance measurements and albumin assays showed a similar pattern. Resistance for endothelial cell monolayers was significantly higher and albumin permeability was significantly lower than that of controls. Addition of pericytes at a 10:1 and 5:1 ratios increased the permeability barrier compared to endothelial cells alone, although these cultures were not significantly different from one another. Cocultures at a 1:1 ratio had the best barrier, significantly better than all other cultures. Conclusions. Endothelial cell monolayers are an inadequate model of the microcirculation. As PC form a key component of the capillary wall in vivo and as addition of PC to MVEC monolayers in vitro, optimally at a 1:1 ratio, increase their barrier effect to large and small molecules, we believe it is necessary to include both cells in future in vitro studies.
The effects of intrahypothalamic hemicholinium-3 on muricide, irritability and feeding.

Abstract Male Long-Evans rats that consistently killed mice when food deprived were injected unilaterally in the lateral hypothalamus with 20 μg and 30 μg of the acetylcholine synthesis inhibitor hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) and saline in a counterbalanced order. Rats were evaluated 1,2,3,24,48 and 72 hours post-injection for effects on muricide, irritability and feeding. HC-3 suppressed muricide and feeding and produced a trend toward reduced irritability during the first three hours post-injection. These data indicate that modulation of cholinergic systems in the lateral hypothalamus influences several behaviors and not any one behavior specifically.
The undiagnosed split-root syndrome

The painful and rarely diagnosed problem of cracked teeth and split roots is discussed with a review of the literature and a report of two cases. The painful and rarely diagnosed problem of cracked teeth and split roots is discussed. Primary causes include the effects of some restorative procedures and thermal cycling. Subjective symptoms and clinical signs are emphasized by a comprehensive literature review and a report of two cases.
Hemoglobin Interactions with αB Crystallin: A Direct Test of Sensitivity to Protein Instability

As a small stress response protein, human αB crystallin, detects protein destabilization that can alter structure and function to cause self assembly of fibrils or aggregates in diseases of aging. The sensitivity of αB crystallin to protein instability was evaluated using wild-type hemoglobin (HbA) and hemoglobin S (HbS), the glutamate-6-valine mutant that forms elongated, filamentous aggregates in sickling red blood cells. The progressive thermal unfolding and aggregation of HbA and HbS in solution at 37°C, 50°C and 55°C was measured as increased light scattering. UV circular dichroism (UVCD) was used to evaluate conformational changes in HbA and HbS with time at the selected temperatures. The changes in interactions between αB crystallin and HbA or HbS with temperature were analyzed using differential centrifugation and SDS PAGE at 37°C, 50°C and 55°C. After only 5 minutes at the selected temperatures, differences in the aggregation or conformation of HbA and HbS were not observed, but αB crystallin bound approximately 6% and 25% more HbS than HbA at 37°C, and 50°C respectively. The results confirmed (a) the remarkable sensitivity of αB crystallin to structural instabilities at the very earliest stages of thermal unfolding and (b) an ability to distinguish the self assembling mutant form of HbS from the wild type HbA in solution.
Bitterness and immature flavor in grapefruit: analyses and improvement of quality.

Coumarin concentration was very high in early grapefruit juice had an undesirable “immature” or “greenish” flavor. Thirteen Coumarins and psoralens were isolated and identified from such juices. Specific compounds added to mature Duncan juice increases in astringency, sourness and bitterness. About 35% of naringenin-7-beta-rutinoside and 80% of the hesperidin were along with most suspended pulp when such juices were centrifuged. TLC analysis of insoluble solids indicated over 50% of five coumarins and about 25% of five other compounds were removed. Overall quality of grapefruit juice was improved following centrifugation.
Regulation of glycogen synthase in human muscle during isometric contraction and recovery

Six subjects performed isometric contraction (66% maximal force) to fatigue with the knee extensor muscles. Biopsies were taken from the quadriceps femoris muscle at rest, at fatigue and 1 min after termination of contraction. In three of the subjects recovery from contraction occurred in the presence of an intact circulation (non-occluded, NON) to the thigh, whereas in the other three the circulation during recovery was occluded (OCC). Glycogen synthase fractional activity (GSF) decreased in all subjects from (mean +/- SE) 0.53 +/- 0.06 at rest to 0.37 +/- 0.04 at fatigue (P < 0.001). In the OCC group GSF returned to the pre-exercise value within 1 min after termination of contraction (0.59 +/- 0.07 at rest vs. 0.57 +/- 0.04 at 1 min post-exercise), whereas in the NON group GSF increased to a higher extent (0.48 +/- 0.09 at rest vs. 0.70 +/- 0.06 at 1 min post-exercise). The increase in GSF during the 1-min recovery was almost three-fold higher in the NON group (0.15 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.38 +/- 0.03). Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (cAMP-PK) (assayed at 0/100 microM and 0.2/100 microM cAMP) did not change at fatigue or during recovery in either group. Glycogen synthase phosphatase (GSP) increased at fatigue by approximately 30% (P < 0.05 vs. rest). It is concluded that isometric contraction mediated inactivation of GS (i.e. phosphorylation of GS) is due to activation of a protein kinase(s) but not cAMP-PK. The rapid activation of GS in the NON group demonstrates that a humoral factor(s), possibly insulin and/or oxygen, is responsible for this phenomenon.
Political Considerations in the Common Core State Standards: Toward a Racial Analysis of Curricular Reform

In the 1980s U.S. school reform took on a structural character whereby change in school organization was perceived to ameliorate the persistent problem of uneven student development between social ...