cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case Studies About Financial Crises and Civic Reactions

This note describes a collection of 26 teaching case studies and 5 expository notes on the history of financial crises from 1720 to 2008. The note also summarizes a semester-length course design based on these materials. The purpose of this collection is to advance pedagogy and research in the field of financial crises. Excerpt UVA-F-1975 Feb. 23, 2021 Case Studies about Financial Crises and Civic Reactions This note describes a collection of Darden teaching materials on financial crises and a semester-length course design based on these materials. The aim of circulating this collection is to advance pedagogy and research in the field of financial crises. What. The case collection includes case studies and teaching notes for the instructor on 23 financial crises, as well as six technical notes that support conceptual content in the cases. These cases are set in the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and the USSR. All the cases place the student in the shoes of one or more protagonists and at a point where the student must analyze the issues, make a decision, and recommend action. Exhibit1 is a collection of the synopses and teaching objectives for every case in the collection. Instructors can obtain examination copies of cases and teaching notes by ordering online from Darden Business Publishing (http://store.darden.virginia.edu/). Who. The cases aim to serve masters-level university students; they have also been taught successfully to upper-level undergraduate students. All of these materials have been classroom-tested successfully with MBA students at the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. . . .
Predicting Throughput of Cloud Network Infrastructure Using Neural Networks

Throughput prediction of network infrastructures is an important aspect of capacity planning, scheduling, resource management, route selection and other network functions. In this paper, we describe throughput measurements collected over a network infrastructure that supports cloud computing spanning the globe. We train deep learning models to predict TCP throughput using these measurements, which show performance improvements with buffer tuning and parallel streams. We also compare the accuracy of machine learning and conventional methods in predicting both single thread and mutli-stream throughput in a public cloud environment.
Outcomes of Ureteroneocystostomy in Patients With Cancer.

Abstract Objective To determine the durability of ureteroneocystostomy as well as pre- or post-operative factors that may be associated with failure to provide appropriate renal drainage. Methods A total of 290 patients who underwent ureteral reimplantation to native bladder between 2003 and 2015 were identified. After excluding pediatric patients and those without any follow-up, 255 patients, 3 of whom had a subsequent contralateral reimplantation were included, for 258 observations. Kaplan-Meier method and univariate Cox models were used to assess whether factors such as radiation, prior abdominal surgery, age at re-implantation, gender and BMI are associated with re-implantation failure. Results Among 258 observations, there were 27 failures. Median follow-up time was 1.1 years from re-implantation surgery among patients without a failure.1 and 5-year ureteral re-implantation failure is 7% (95% CI 4%, 12%) and 22% (95% CI 15%, 33%), respectively. On univariate analysis, post-operative radiation was found to be strongly associated with poorer ureteral re-implantation survival (HR: 6.62; CI 2.40, 18.29; P = .0003) No significant association between re-implantation failure-free survival and age at reimplantation, gender, BMI, previous abdominal surgery, preoperative radiation and adjuvant radiation was noted (all P > .4). Conclusions Ureteroneocystotomy in the malignant setting has reasonable success rates through five years. No preoperative factors were associated with re-implantation failure. While all patients need to be followed due to increasing rates of failure with time, patients receiving palliative or salvage radiation therapy appear to be more prone to failure requiring further intervention.
Arts, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation

There is growing interest in the relationships between the arts, entrepreneurship and innovation. Nevertheless, the concepts of arts, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and the overlaps between, lack specificity, especially in terms of how each supports the other. This article proposes a definition of art entrepreneurship both as a concept and a field of study. The definition proposed helped target articles to be included in the special issue that this article also describes, which focus on relationships between arts, entrepreneurship and innovation for workers, firms, and industry.
Automated Large Artery Occlusion Detection in Stroke: A Single-Center Validation Study of an Artificial Intelligence Algorithm.

INTRODUCTION Expediting notification of lesions in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is critical. Limited availability of experts to assess such lesions and delays in large vessel occlusion (LVO) recognition can negatively affect outcomes. Artificial intelligence (AI) may aid LVO recognition and treatment. This study aims to evaluate the performance of an AI-based algorithm for LVO detection in AIS. METHODS Retrospective analysis of a database of AIS patients admitted in a single center between 2014 and 2019. Vascular neurologists graded computed tomography angiographies (CTAs) for presence and site of LVO. Studies were analyzed by the Viz-LVO Algorithm® version 1.4 - neural network programmed to detect occlusions from the internal carotid artery terminus (ICA-T) to the Sylvian fissure. Comparisons between human versus AI-based readings were done by test characteristic analysis and Cohen's kappa. Primary analysis included ICA-T and/or middle cerebral artery (MCA)-M1 LVOs versus non-LVOs/more distal occlusions. Secondary analysis included MCA-M2 occlusions. RESULTS 610 CTAs were analyzed. The AI algorithm rejected 2.5% of the CTAs due to poor quality, which were excluded from the analysis. Viz-LVO identified ICA-T and MCA-M1 LVOs with a sensitivity of 87.6%, specificity of 88.5%, and accuracy of 87.9% (AUC 0.88, 95% CI: 0.85-0.92, p < 0.001). Cohen's kappa was 0.74. In the secondary analysis, the algorithm yielded a sensitivity of 80.3%, specificity of 88.5%, and accuracy of 82.7%. The mean run time of the algorithm was 2.78 ± 0.5 min. CONCLUSION Automated AI reading allows for fast and accurate identification of LVO strokes with timely notification to emergency teams, enabling quick decision-making for reperfusion therapies or transfer to specialized centers if needed.
Potential Pathways for Platelet Activation

As platelets are transported they are continuously stretched, compressed and sheared by local gradients in the flow. Exposure to elevated gradients can cause platelets to actively react with conformational, chemical and enzymatic responses, i.e. becoming activated. Once switched to the activated state, platelets perform multifaceted roles to orchestrate clotting. Mechanically-induced platelet activation under pathological conditions has been studied since the late 1970s. This work builds on [1], which introduced a trajectory-based level of activation parameter for platelets, and [2] describing coherent structures in cardiovascular flow. We introduce a new direction-independent Lagrangian measure. This measure is introduced as an activation potential in two senses. First, it provides a measure of mechanical strain, which has been shown to have the potential to activate platelets. Second, it is plotted at the initial location of the platelets. This latter condition is subtle, but it enables us to uncover an interesting observation that locations of highest activation potential tend to occur along structures that have important implications to the transport topology.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The beast is not easily starved

Public choice insights, with an emphasis on expressive voting, provide support for the empirical findings that starving the beast is not an effective way of reducing government. The key implication behind that theoretical support is that political ideology trumps narrowly defined self-interest in influencing voting decisions.
Media Programming in an Era of Big Data

While scholars are producing a growing body of work that speculates on the theoretical significance of “algorithmic culture,” where the role of human agents in recommending and sharing cultural objects are replaced by machines, very little of this work examines the algorithms themselves and how the different kinds of knowledge they produce affect existing cultural practices, including production practices. In this essay, I use the original Netflix series House of Cards to think through some of the ways that Big Data is influencing the television industry and some of the questions that it raises for both the study and operation of the media industries. Ultimately, I argue that media industry scholarship, which is rooted in methods of observation, interview, and ethnography, could add a great deal to ongoing scholarly discussions of algorithmic culture.
Flip Chip Underfill: Materials, Process, and Reliability

In order to enhance the reliability of a flip-chip on organic board package, underfill is usually used to redistribute the thermo-mechanical stress created by the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) mismatch between the silicon chip and organic substrate. However, the conventional underfill relies on the capillary flow of the underfill material and has many disadvantages. In order to overcome these disadvantages, many variations have been invented to improve the flip-chip underfill process. This paper reviews the recent advances in the material design, process development, and reliability issues of flip-chip underfill, especially in no-flow underfill, molded underfill, and wafer-level underfill. The relationship between the materials, process and reliability in these packages is discussed.
Design Challenges in Multiprocessor Systems-on-Chip

A multiprocessor system-on-chip is an integrated system that performs real-time tasks at low power and for low cost. The stringent requirements on multiprocessor systems-on-chips force us to use advanced design methods to create these systems. Both hardware and software design must be taken into account. In this paper, we will survey some important challenges in the design of these systems.
Design Tradeoffs for Autonomous Trading Agents

We examine several issues associated with the design of agents trading in e-marketplaces. We use an adaptive, robust agent architecture combining principled methods and empirical knowledge. The agent needs to solve an optimization problem in order to maximize its gain. Deciding the optimal quantities to buy and sell is only part of the problem. The desired prices and the time of bid placement is also important. Bid aggressiveness must be balanced against the cost of obtaining increased flexibility.
A 200-MHz CMOS x/sin(x) digital filter for compensating D/A converter frequency response distortion in high-speed communication systems

A 200-MHz 11-tap FIR (finite-impulse response) digital filter for compensating the sin(x)/x spectrum distortion introduced by D/A (digital-to-analog) converters has been designed and fabricated in a 1- mu m CMOS technology. This filter chip was designed mainly to operate with a high-speed all-digital QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) modulator chip for digital radio applications. A bit-level pipelined transpose-form carry-save architecture using simple powers-of-two coefficients was used to achieve high throughput. The filter design and VLSI implementation issues, which play important roles in determining the maximum throughput as well as the chip complexity, are discussed. The features of the filter chip are summarized as follows: >200-MHz maximum sampling rate (tested): 3.45*4.25-mm/sup 2/ die area (1.91*3.28-mm/sup 2/ core area); 14000 transistors; 2-W power dissipation at 200 MHz; 14-b maximum input wordlength; 16-b internal wordlength; 8 approximately 14-b selectable rounded output wordlength; two's complement data format; and 15-clock-cycle pipeline latency. >
Overview of the Retrovirus Transduction System

A retrovirus vector is an infectious virus used to introduce a nonviral gene into mitotic cells in vivo or in vitro. The efficient and precise integration machinery of naturally occurring retroviruses is utilized to produce either a single copy or a few copies of the viral genome stably integrated into a host chromosome. This unit presents an overview of the retrovirus life cycle and a description of vector designs and packaging cell lines.
Police Involvement in Pediatric Prehospital Care

One hundred fourteen emergency medical services agencies and 76 police chiefs throughout the United States were prospectively surveyed to ascertain the current utilization of police personnel within the prehospital care system. More than three fourths (77%) of the surveys mailed were completed. Respondents indicated the following: (1) a majority (92%) of police personnel were trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and basic first aid, (2) only half (57%) of police were trained in moving or transporting patients, and (3) few (36%) police were provided ongoing training in emergency pediatric medical skills. In spite of this, police were reportedly present at calls activating emergency medical services systems between 24% and 69% of the time, and the majority of these were trauma related. Police chiefs surveyed indicated that their officers played a large role in medical management prior to arrival of emergency medical services personnel; 87% would initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation and 93% would begin basic first aid. Sixty-one percent of police chiefs indicated that officers would occasionally "scoop and run" with a critically ill child rather than await emergency medical services arrival. The data indicate that, right or wrong, police personnel are actively involved in their prehospital care system at present. In many instances, their help may be needed. Further thought should be given toward defining an exact emergency medical services role for police personnel and toward providing adequate initial and ongoing basic medical training for these individuals.
Ethical Typology in the Novel Crime and Punishment by Fedor Dostoevsky

This novel is important for us because it is structured around the collision of two ethical systems. The author brings these systems into contact in two ways. First, the two ethical systems collide in the soul of one person. Second, different characters representing the different ethical systems confront one another in the plot.
Electronic influence of ligand substituents on the rate of polymerization of ε-caprolactone by single-site aluminium alkoxide catalysts

A series of novel five-coordinate aluminium mono alkoxide complexes supported by R1,R2BPBA (bis-3-R1-5-R2-phenoxymethyl-bisamine) ligands were synthesized to probe the effect of electronic variation in the supporting ligand on the rate of e-caprolactone polymerization. Substitution on the aromatic position para to the phenoxide donor oxygen by tert-butyl, methoxy and bromo substituents furnished aluminium complexes that catalyzed the polymerization of e-caprolactone at different rates. We propose that a subtle interplay between complex Lewis acidity and alkoxide nucleophilicity determines the overall rate of polymerization in these systems.
Current Management of Chronic Hepatitis B and C in Chronic Kidney Disease

The landscape of therapeutic options for hepatitis B and C has changed drastically over the course of 2 decades. There are now novel, effective, well-tolerated, oral antiviral agents being used to successfully control chronic hepatitis B (HBV) infections and cure chronic hepatitis C (HCV) infections. However, patients with CKD were rarely included in the Phase II and III randomized trials for these medications. This paucity of data and the high prevalence of comorbidities associated with CKD pose distinct challenges to physicians treating chronic hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus infections in the setting of kidney insufficiency/failure. Thus, this review will attempt to summarize the current data regarding novel antiviral therapies for HBV and HCV in the CKD population.
Efficacy of postoperative epidural analgesia in adolescent scoliosis surgery: a meta-analysis.

Summary Background: Scoliosis surgery is one of the most painful operations performed. Postoperative pain management has been historically based on the use of intravenous opioids. Many of the adolescents who undergo these procedures are at increased risk for opioid-related side effects because of underlying medical problems. Epidural analgesia has been demonstrated to provide superior pain control with fewer side effects for chest and abdominal surgery in children as well as adults. We aim to analyze the available literature for sufficient evidence to allow recommendations regarding the use of epidural analgesia with parenteral opioids vs. intravenous opioids only. Search strategy: Public Medline and the Cochrane database were searched (1966-10/2008) using scoliosis-related and epidural analgesia-related terms. In Medline, the intersection of these results was combined with Phases 1 and 2 of a highly sensitive search strategy recommended for identifying randomized trials. No limits were used in any search. Additionally, professional journals and proceedings of meetings were screened, and nationally recognized experts in the field of pediatric pain management were asked for further sources of data. Selection criteria: Randomized, controlled trials comparing the use of a continuous infusion of epidural local anesthetics plus intravenous opioids vs. intravenous opioids only for postoperative pain management in adolescent scoliosis repair were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. All studies had to include at least the primary outcome of interest, postoperative pain scores. Data collection and analysis: After the development of a data collection and extraction form, two independent reviewers extracted all. No data conflicts were encountered. Data were analyzed with Review Manager when possible, significance for difference between relative rates between groups was analyzed by chi-square tests. Main results: Average pain scores were lower in the epidural group than no epidural group at 24, 48 and 72 h after surgery. Pain scores (0–100) were lower on all first three postoperative days (POD) in the epidural group: −15.2 on POD1, −10.1 on POD2 and −11.5 on POD3. Differences were significant in the summary analysis for all 3 days (P < 0.05). Authors’ Conclusion: Epidural analgesia is beneficial to patients in terms of improving pain control and reducing side effects. The influence on respiratory depression, length of stay in the intensive care unit, or mortality is not available in the literature at this time.
The syndrome of acute anterior lumbar spinal cord injury

Abstract This is a presentation of 3 patients who manifested with the clinical syndrome of anterior spinal cord injury at the lumbar level. A combined injury of conus medullaris and cauda equina in this particular level of the cord between T12 to L2 spines makes clinical assessment difficult leading to a false diagnosis of “cauda equina injury”. Careful studies of the ventral cord of the conus medullaris are needed to confirm a contusion, hematomyelia or compression. Basis for theoretical presence of lumbar anterior cord syndrome as well as clinical diagnosis are discussed.
Advanced subsonic aircraft concepts for passenger transportation

This paper discusses the potential for new subsonic transport aircraft designs that may evolve in the relatively near future, taking into account the added requirements for improved environmental compatibility and the potential constraints due to system congestion, substantial financial risk, and higher fuel costs or limited availability. Reflecting these additional requirements, potential aircraft developments are presented for new CTOL transports with significantly improved fuel economy, new STOL transports with improved short field capability, and new VTOL transports that could provide direct city-center service.
Come Early and Enjoy the (Pre-)Show: Screenvision and the Growth of Cinema Advertising

The Black Mamba—Robert Rodriguez's six-minute short film starring Kobe Bryant and featuring Danny Trejo, Bruce Willis, and Kanye West—was released exclusively in movie theaters in Los Angeles from ...
Volume-resolved flame chemiluminescence and laser-induced fluorescence imaging

There is significant need for optical diagnostic techniques to measure instantaneous volumetric vector and scalar distributions in fluid flows and combustion processes. This is especially true for investigations where only limited optical access is available, such as in internal combustion engines, furnaces, flow reactors, etc. While techniques such as tomographic PIV for velocity measurement have emerged and reached a good level of maturity, instantaneous 3D measurements of scalar quantities are not available at the same level. Recently, developments in light field technology have progressed to a degree where implementation into scientific 3D imaging becomes feasible. Others have already demonstrated the utility of light field technology toward imaging high-contrast particles for PIV and for imaging flames when treated as single-surface objects. Here, the applicability and shortcomings of current commercially available light field technology toward volumetric imaging of translucent scalar distributions and flames are investigated. Results are presented from imaging canonical chemiluminescent and laser-induced fluorescent systems. While the current light field technology is able to qualitatively determine the position of surfaces by locating high-contrast features, the correlation-based reconstruction algorithm is unable to fully reconstruct the imaged objects for quantitative diagnostics. Current analysis algorithms are based on high-contrast correlation schemes, and new tools, possibly based on tomographic concepts, will have to be implemented to reconstruct the full 3D structure of translucent objects for quantitative analysis.
A time-mode translinear principle for implementing analog multiplication

Analog computation traditionally processes information as differences in voltage or current amplitudes. With technology scaling resulting in reduced headroom and limited dynamic range, time-mode computation has emerged as a viable approach for low-power high-precision analog signal processing. Time mode circuits use differences in time to represent information. So far, only linear relationships between voltage/current and time has been explored for applications in data conversion, frequency synthesis and signal processing. In this paper, we present a time-mode analog of the well-known “translinear” principle using linear RC circuits and exploiting the exponential relationship between voltage and time for step charging or discharging of the capacitor. We present basic circuit analysis and utilize the technique to implement a simple single quadrant analog multiplier in an 180nm CMOS process. At 1.8V supply, the multiplier consumes approximately 5mW for a sampling frequency of 100kHz and a maximum input peak-to-peak voltage swing of 0.8V. The average non-linearity error is 0.44%. The time mode translinear principle could facilitate high dynamic range, high precision, complex linear and nonlinear arithmetic and other signal processing functions.
Bernstein-Bézier Methods for the Computer-Aided Design of Free-Form Curves and Surfaces

The mth degree Bernstein polynomial approximation to a function ƒ defined over [0, 1] is Σmμ=0 ƒ(μ/m)φμ(s), where the weights φμ(s) are binomial density functions. The Bernstein approximations inherit many of the global characteristics of ƒ, like monotonicity and convexity, and they always are at least as “smooth” as ƒ, where “smooth” refers to the number of undulations, the total variation, and the differentiability class of ƒ. Historically, their relatively slow convergence in the L∞-norm has tended to discourage their use in practical applications. However, in a large class of problems the smoothness of an approximating function is of greater importance than closeness of fit. This is especially true in connection with problems of computer-aided geometric design of curves and surfaces where aesthetic criteria and the intrinsic properties of shape are major considerations. For this latter class of problems, P. Bezier of Renault has successfully exploited the properties of parametric Bernstein polynomials. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the Bezier techniques and to explore various extensions and generalizations. In a sequel, the authors consider the extension of the results contained herein to free-form curve and surface design using polynomial splines. These B-spline methods have several advantages over the techniques described in the present paper.
Photoelectrochemical detection in analytical chemistry

Abstract Over the past five years, photoelectrochemical detection as an analytical technique has been increasing in importance. Contributing factors in this new popularity are the rapid and unique reactions possible with photochemistry, and the superior selectivity and sensitivity of electrochemical detection.
Angiogenesis in the Mouse Lung

When pulmonary arterial blood flow is obstructed in all mammals studied, there is a compensatory growth of the bronchial vasculature. This angiogenesis normally occurs through a proliferation of the systemic circulation to the intraparenchymal airways. It is an important pathophysiological process, not only in pulmonary vascular disease, but also in lung cancer, because the blood flow that supplies primary lung tumors arises from the systemic circulation. In the mouse, however, the systemic blood vessels that supply the trachea and mainstem bronchi do not penetrate into the intraparenchymal airways, as they do in all other larger species. In this study, we attempted to generate a new functional bronchial circulation in the mouse by permanently obstructing 40% of the pulmonary circulation. We quantified the systemic blood flow to the lung with fluorescent microspheres for 3 months after left pulmonary artery ligation. Results demonstrated that a substantial systemic blood flow to the lung that can eventually supply up to 15% of the normal pulmonary flow can be generated beginning 5–6 days after ligation. These new angiogenic vessels do not arise from the extraparenchymal bronchial circulation. Rather they enter the lung directly via a totally new vasculature that develops between the visceral and parietal pleuras, supplied by several intercostal arteries. This unique model of angiogenesis occurs in the absence of any hypoxic stimulus and mimics the vascular source of many lung tumors.
Initial steps of alpha- and beta-D-glucose binding to intact red cell membrane.

The kinetics of the initial phases of d-glucose binding to the glucose transport protein (GLUT1) of the human red cell can be followed by stopped-flow measurements of the time course of tryptophan (trp) fluorescence enhancement. A number of control experiments have shown that the trp fluorescence kinetics are the result of conformational changes in GLUT1. One shows that nontransportable l-glucose has no kinetic response, in contrast to d-glucose kinetics. Other controls show that d-glucose binding is inhibited by cytochalasin B and by extracellular d-maltose. A typical time course for a transportable sugar, such as d-glucose, consists of a zero-time displacement, too fast for us to measure, followed by three rapid reactions whose exponential time courses have rate constants of0.5–100 sec+−1 at 20°C. It is suggested that the zero-time displacement represents the initial bimolecular ligand/GLUT1 association. Exponential 1 appears to be located at, or near, the external membrane face where it is involved in discriminating among the sugars. Exponential 3 is apparently controlled by events at the cytosolic face. Trp kinetics distinguish the K d of the epimer, d-galactose, from the K dfor d-glucose, with results in agreement with determinations by other methods. Trp kinetics distinguish between the binding of the α- and β-d-glucose anomers. The exponential 1 activation energy of the β-anomer, 13.6 ± 1.4 kcal mol+−1, is less than that of α-d-glucose, 18.4 ± 0.8 kcal mol+−1, and the two Arrhenius lines cross at ≈23.5°C. The temperature dependence of the kinetic response following α-d-glucose binding illustrates the interplay among the exponentials and the increasing dominance of exponential 2 as the temperature increases from 22.3 to 36.6°C. The existence of these interrelations means that previously acceptable approximations in simplified reaction schemes for sugar transport will now have to be justified on a point-to-point basis.
Mechanical buckling of arterioles in collateral development

Collateral arterioles enlarge in both diameter and length, and develop corkscrew-like tortuous patterns during remodeling. Recent studies showed that artery buckling could lead to tortuosity. The objective of this study was to determine arteriole critical buckling pressure and buckling pattern during arteriole remodeling. Arterioles were modeled as elastic cylindrical vessels with an elastic matrix support and underwent axial and radial growth. Our results demonstrated that arteriole critical buckling pressure decreased with increasing axial growth ratio and radius growth ratio, but increased with increasing wall thickness. Arteriole buckling mode number increased (wavelength decreased) with increasing axial growth ratio, but decreased with increasing radius growth ratio and wall thickness. Our study suggests that axial growth in arterioles makes them prone to buckling and that buckling leads to tortuous collaterals. These results shed light on the mechanism of collateral arteriole tortuosity.
Inductive magnetic footpoint tracking by combining the minimum energy fit with the local correlation tracking and doppler velocity

Time-dependent magneto-hydrodynamic simulations of active region coronal magnetic field require the underlying photospheric magnetic footpoint velocities. The minimum energy fit (MEF) is a new velocity inversion technique to infer the photospheric magnetic footpoint velocities using a pair of vector magnetograms, introduced by Longcope (2004). The MEF selects the smallest overall flow from several consistent flows by minimizing an energy functional. The inferred horizontal and vertical flow fields by the MEF can be further constrained by incorporating the partial or imperfect velocity information obtained through independent means. This hybrid method is expected to give a velocity close to the true magnetic footpoint velocity. Here, we demonstrate that a combination of the MEF, the local correlation tracking (LCT) and Doppler velocity is capable of inferring the velocity close to the photospheric flow.
Chemo-enzymatic synthesis of C-9 acetylated sialosides.

Abstract A chemo-enzymatic synthesis of [(5-acetamido-9-O-acetyl-3,5-dideoxy- d -glycero-α- d -galacto-2-nonulopyranosylonic acid)-(2→3)-O-(β- d -galactopyranosyl)-(1→3)-O-(2-acetamido-2-deoxy-α- d -galactopyranosyl)]- l -serine acetate (1) has been accomplished by a regioselective chemical acetylation of Neu5Ac (2) to give 9-O-acetylated sialic acid 3, which was enzymatically converted into CMP-Neu5,9Ac2 (4) employing a recombinant CMP-sialic acid synthetase from Neisseria meningitis [EC 2.7.7.43]. The resulting compound was then employed for the enzymatic glycosylation of the C-3′ hydroxyl of chemically prepared glycosylated amino acid 10 using recombinant rat α-(2→3)-O-sialyltransferase expressed in Spodooptera frugiperda [EC 2.4.99.4] to give, after deprotection of the Nα-benzyloxycarbonyl (CBz)-protecting group of serine, target compound 1. The Nα-CBz-protected intermediate 11 can be employed for the synthesis of glycolipopeptides for immunization purposes.
Effects Of Structure On Scattering From Marine Organisms: Rayleigh-Debye And Mie Predictions

Microscopic particulates (organisms and non-living components) in the ocean are responsible for the largest and most variable component of oceanic scattering. Marine scattering is dominated by small unicelluar populations that are the most effective organisms per unit mass for scattering and absorption. Most unicelluar organisms important for scattering can be identified as members of groups that are self-similar (that is, they have the same structure) and can be described in terms of simple geometric forms or combinations thereof. Thus the light scattering characteristics of prevalent marine populations may be predicted by applying particular scattering theories. This is a complementary approach to current methodologies for the prediction and interpretation of the radiative transport properties of the ocean. To better predict realistic scattering from marine organisms, structural models for small unicellular oceanic organisms are being implemented. For a few special geometries (spherical symmetries, infinite cylinders), rigorous calculations can be performed for unrestricted size and optical properties. Models based on the Rayleigh-Debye approximation allow many more shapes but are only valid for a restricted range of sizes and optical properties. We have examined the range of validity of the approximate theories by comparing their results to those of the rigorous theories for simple geometries. We compare predictions of the scattering and absorption coefficients as well as the angular dependence of scattering and discuss the limits of applicability of the Rayleigh-Debye theory for predicting optical characteristics of marine organisms. The results indicate that the approximate theory can be applied to small organisms that in many cases dominate the oceanic light scattering.
A Brief Life-Graph Technique for Work with Geriatric Patients*

Patients aged 60 or older from the practice of a private physician (n = 32) and from a geriatric outpatient clinic (n = 132) responded to a questionnaire designed to assess perceived present and future health, treatment expectations, and general future projection. Of interest was the extent to which present health, as measured by a brief life-graph technique, might be predictive of perceptions in these other areas. Results from the two samples were consistent in suggesting that present health ratings were related to anticipated future health, general future projection, and certain treatment expectations. However, expectations of when benefits from treatment would begin, and of the probable duration of treatment, were not predicted in either sample. The life-graph technique seems useful for practitioners' interactions with older patients and for understanding these patients' extended views of their health.
The HPr Proteins from the Thermophile Bacillus stearothermophilus Can Form Domain-swapped Dimers

The study of proteins from extremophilic organisms continues to generate interest in the field of protein folding because paradigms explaining the enhanced stability of these proteins still elude us and such studies have the potential to further our knowledge of the forces stabilizing proteins. We have undertaken such a study with our model protein HPr from a mesophile, Bacillus subtilis, and a thermophile, Bacillus stearothermophilus. We report here the high-resolution structures of the wild-type HPr protein from the thermophile and a variant, F29W. The variant proved to crystallize in two forms: a monomeric form with a structure very similar to the wild-type protein as well as a domain-swapped dimer. Interestingly, the structure of the domain-swapped dimer for HPr is very different from that observed for a homologous protein, Crh, from B.subtilis. The existence of a domain-swapped dimer has implications for amyloid formation and is consistent with recent results showing that the HPr proteins can form amyloid fibrils. We also characterized the conformational stability of the thermophilic HPr proteins using thermal and solvent denaturation methods and have used the high-resolution structures in an attempt to explain the differences in stability between the different HPr proteins. Finally, we present a detailed analysis of the solution properties of the HPr proteins using a variety of biochemical and biophysical methods.
Fourier Domain Functional Optical Coherence Tomography

We will describe and review the recent advance in Fourier domain functional optical coherence tomography, including Doppler, polarization, and second harmonic OCT. Integration of MEMS technology with Fourier domain functional OCT will also be discussed.
Laparoscopic management of primary intestinal trichobezoar

Abstract We report a rare case of primary small intestinal trichobezoar in a 5-year-old girl presenting as subacute intestinal obstruction. Clinical, radiological, endoscopic, and laparoscopic investigations suggested the diagnosis. Most reported cases use diagnostic or laparoscopic assisted removal mainly in the adults. We describe the complete laparoscopic removal of a primary intestinal trichobezoar without significant spillage. A retrieval bag allowed the trichobezoar to be removed via a small umbilical incision before closing the enterotomy.
High altitude trapping of beam ions by self‐generated plasma waves in interhemispheric plasma flows

Counterstreaming ion beams originating from the ionosphere are a natural product of interhemispheric plasma flow in empty plasmaspheric flux tubes after geomagnetic storms. Owing to the prevailing collisionless conditions during the early stage of the flow, trapping of the plasma in the flow at relatively high altitudes has remained a mystery. Using 2.5-D particle-in-cell simulations, a study of the ion-beam driven plasma instabilities indicates that the fastest growing wave mode is an effective source for the pitch angle scattering of the ions transferring part of the parallel energy in the magnetic field-aligned flows into the ions' perpendicular energy. The pitch angle scattering is facilitated by the anomalous cyclotron resonance of the beam ions with the fastest growing waves driven by the interaction between the Doppler-shifted cyclotron modes of the two counterstreaming ion beams; the interaction generates purely growing waves at nearly zero frequency. The Landau resonance of the Doppler-shifted cyclotron mode of one of the beams with the other beam, and vice versa, also generates waves which are relatively slow growing at frequencies ω ≅nΩi /2, where n is an integer and Ωi is the ion cyclotron frequency. Since these waves appear at ω ≅Ωi in the rest frame of the beams, they transversely accelerate the ions. Both the pitch angle scattering and the transverse acceleration contribute to the trapping of the flow in the flux tubes, but the former being a much faster and more effective process than the latter. This collisionless trapping at high altitudes, facilitated by the self-generated waves, can be a major process in plasmaspheric refilling.
Influence of cultivar and primed or germinated seed on stand establishment of watermelon in soil infested with Pythium irregulare or Rhizoctonia solani AG-4

Abstract In 1990 and 1991, primed, germinated, and untreated watermelon [ Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai] seeds of three cultivars were planted in March and April to evaluate the influence of these seed treatments on damping-off incited by Pythium irregulare and Rhizoctonia solani AG-4. One week after seeding in 1990, plant stand was greater from primed and germinated than untreated seeds in noninfested soil and greater from primed seeds than from germinated or untreated seeds in soil infested with P. irregulare . By 2 weeks after planting, seed treatments did not influence stand counts in non-infested soil. However, in soil infested with P. irregulare , stand counts were greater from primed seeds than from untreated seeds. In 1991, plant stands were not influenced with germinated seeds but were lower with primed seed, compared with untreated seeds, in non-infested soil or in soil infested with P. irregulare . Plant stand was greater from the April than the March planting in 1990, but this condition existed for only 1 week after planting in 1991. Neither germinated nor primed seeds improved plant establishment in soil infested with R. solani AG-4. Plant establishment was more consistent from cv. Crimson Sweet than from cvs Jubilee or Charleston Gray for the 2 years, but cultivar differences in response to P. irregulare or R. solani AG-4 were not detected. Primed watermelon seeds may enhance stand establishment in soil infested with P. irregulare when soil temperature at planting is suboptimal to optimal for watermelon seed germination and growth.
Sensitive and quantitative detection of botulinum neurotoxin in neurons derived from mouse embryonic stem cells

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs), the most poisonous protein toxins known, represent a serious bioterrorism threat but are also used as a unique and important bio-pharmaceutical to treat an increasing myriad of neurological disorders. The only currently accepted detection method by the United States Food and Drug Administration for biological activity of BoNTs and for potency determination of pharmaceutical preparations is the mouse bioassay (MBA). Recent advances have indicated that cell-based assays using primary neuronal cells can provide an equally sensitive and robust detection platform as the MBA to reliably and quantitatively detect biologically active BoNTs. This study reports for the first time a BoNT detection assay using mouse embryonic stem cells to produce a neuronal cell culture. The data presented indicate that this assay can reliably detect BoNT/A with a similar sensitivity as the MBA.
Current Strategies for the Management of Treatment-Resistant Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

While intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is currently the standard of care for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, there are some eyes which show varying degrees of treatment resistance manifested as persistent or increasing signs of exudation, often associated with vision loss. Numerous therapeutic strategies have been proposed to manage these challenging cases including increasing the dose of the same anti-VEGF agent, increasing the frequency of administration of anti-VEGF therapy, switching to a different anti-VEGF agent, and combining anti-VEGF therapy with another treatment modality, most commonly verteporfin photodynamic therapy. This manuscript will review our definition of treatment resistance, discuss its possible causes, and review the rationale and outcomes for the various management options used in these patients.
Student Success Courses in the Community College: Early Enrollment and Educational Outcomes

Using data from the Virginia Community College System and building upon prior Florida-based research, this study examines whether student success course enrollment, as well as student and instituti...
Preparation of high purity 1,4‐Dioxane, Tetrahydrofuran and Dimethoxyethane as solvents for organometallic compounds

1,4-Dioxan, Tetrahydrofuran and Dimethoxyethan were dried over potassium and subsequently degassed, under high vacuum conditions. The u. v. spectra and the electric conductivities of the high purity ethers were measured. The solvents could be stored under high vacuum conditions for an unlimited period of time, without any changes of their physico-chemical properties. Treatment with potassium under high vacuum conditions caused a partial cleavage of the high purity ethers resulting in increased electric conductance and absorption of light.
Somatic mutations in MYD88 and CXCR4 are determinants of clinical presentation and overall survival in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.

Whole genome sequencing has revealed activating somatic mutations in MYD88 (L265P) and CXCR4 in Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM). CXCR4 somatic mutations in WM are the first ever reported in human cancer and are similar to nonsense (NS) and frameshift (FS) germline mutations found in warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections and myelokathexis (WHIM) syndrome. We genotyped lymphoplasmacytic cells from 175 WM patients and observed significantly higher bone marrow (BM) disease involvement, serum immunoglobulin-M levels, and symptomatic disease requiring therapy, including hyperviscosity syndrome in those patients with MYD88(L265P)CXCR4(WHIM/NS) mutations (P < .03). Patients with MYD88(L265P)CXCR4(WHIM/FS) or MYD88(L265P)CXCR4(WILDTYPE (WT)) had intermediate BM and serum immunoglobulin-M levels; those with MYD88(WT)CXCR4(WT) showed lowest BM disease burden. Fewer patients with MYD88(L265P) and CXCR4(WHIM/FS or NS) vs MYD88(L265P)CXCR4(WT) presented with adenopathy (P < .01), further delineating differences in disease tropism based on CXCR4 status. Neither MYD88 nor CXCR4 mutations correlated with SDF-1a (RS1801157) polymorphisms in 54 patients who were genotyped for these variants. Unexpectedly, risk of death was not impacted by CXCR4 mutation status, but by MYD88(WT) status (hazard ratio 10.54; 95% confidence interval 2.4-46.2, P = .0018). Somatic mutations in MYD88 and CXCR4 are important determinants of clinical presentation and impact overall survival in WM. Targeted therapies directed against MYD88 and/or CXCR4 signaling may provide a personalized treatment approach to WM.
Architecture of SOAR: Smalltalk on a RISC

Smalltalk on a RISC (SOAR) is a simple, Von Neumann computer that is designed to execute the Smalltalk-80 system much faster than existing VLSI microcomputers. The Smalltalk-80 system is a highly productive programming environment but poses tough challenges for implementors: dynamic data typing, a high level instruction set, frequent and expensive procedure calls, and object-oriented storage management. SOAR compiles programs to a low level, efficient instruction set. Parallel tag checks permit high performance for the simple common cases and cause traps to software routines for the complex cases. Parallel register initialization and multiple on-chip register windows speed procedure calls. Sophisticated software techniques relieve the hardware of the burden of managing objects. We have initial evaluations of the effectiveness of the SOAR architecture by compiling and simulating benchmarks, and will prove SOAR's feasibility by fabricating a 35,000-transistor SOAR chip. These early results suggest that a Reduced Instruction Set Computer can provide high performance in an exploratory programming environment.
Surface effects on tritium diffusion in niobium, zirconium and stainless steel

Abstract Tritium diffusion in niobium, Zircaloy-2 and stainless steel has been studied by measurement of both tritium concentration profiles and surface tritium release rates. Concentration profiles show buildup of tritium in the surface layers of a specimen with classical diffusion behavior at depths greater than about 5 μm from the surface. Application of a two-region diffusion model to the experimental data gives tritium diffusion coefficients in the surface films which are lower than the bulk diffusion coefficients by two orders of magnitude in stainless steel and eight to ten orders of magnitude in niobium and Zircaloy over a temperature range of interest for fission and fusion reactor systems. The surface effect appears to be a consequence of oxide film formation and is not due to the helium injected into specimens along with the tritium.