cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring Peptide Interactions with Interfacial Water Using Reversed Micelles

Water adjacent to biological membranes or macromolecules has properties distinct from bulk water. Many biological processes such as energy transduction or recognition events occur in this interfacial water region. It is critical to understanding these processes that the nature of interactions between polypeptide chains and the interfacial water be elucidated. Water within reversed micelles shows behavior very similar to this biochemically important interfacial water. The small water pools offer an excellent system for studying interfacial water, since there is no large pool of bulk water to obscure the parameters due to the interfacial water. We have been exploring the interactions of polypeptides with interfacial water by solubilizing synthetic model peptides in Aerosol OT (AOT, sodium bis-2-ethylhexyl-sulfosuccinate) reversed micelles and using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) to analyze the conformations of the peptides. Our results indicate that the model peptides undergo a conformational change in the interfacial water that is induced by the counterions of the AOT headgroups. CD, 1H and 13c NMR parameters enable conformational monitoring of the peptide upon variation of the amount of water in the internal pools. Furthermore, the influence of the presence of the model peptide in the water pool on the state of the water has been explored using NMR and infrared (IR) spectroscopies. We have found evidence of the perturbation of an amount of water that can be qualitatively related to the nature and size of the surface of the solubilized peptide. These results show promise of using reversed micelles to study polypeptide hydration.
Lahontan sagebrush ( Artemisia arbuscula ssp. longicaulis ): a new taxon

A new subspecies of Artemisia arbuscula is described, A. arbuscula ssp. longicaulis Winward & McArthur, ssp. Nov. This taxon is a landscape dominant in portions of northwestern Nevada and adjacent California and Oregon at elevations from 1050 to 2000 m on shallow or argillic (clayey) soils. It differs from A. arbuscula ssp. arbuscula in its long floral stalks and large leaves. Morphological, chemical, ecological, and cytological data suggest that it is of hybrid origin. It is hexaploid (6x). We hypothesize that 2x A. arbusucla ssp. arbusucla and 4x A. tridentata ssp. wyomingensis are its parents.
Online Power Control for Block i.i.d. Bernoulli Energy Harvesting Channels

This work studies the problem of online power control for energy harvesting systems with random energy arrivals and a finite battery. The stochastic model for the energy arrivals is block i.i.d., in which the energy arrivals are constant for a fixed duration, but can change independently between different blocks. We propose a simple online power control policy for the case of Bernoulli energy arrivals, and prove that its performance gap to the optimal throughput is bounded by a constant which is independent of the parameters of the problem. This also yields a simple formula for the approximately optimal long-term average throughput, which sheds some light on the qualitative behavior of the throughput and how it depends on the ``coherence time'' of the energy arrival process. Specifically, this formula exhibits different behavior in three different regimes, depending on the parameters of the communication system.
Cost-Containment Strategies for Population Health Management and How They Relate to Poly Chronic Conditions

The effectiveness in population health management relies on employing multiple strategies in the improvement of the delivery system, particularly in the implementation of integrated care and continuity of care to avoid any drawbacks or ill side effects. Every nation has to refine outcome-based measurements and payment schemes to develop innovative and equitable rewards for key players or stakeholders in the health-care delivery system, to incentivize patients who are in tune to lifestyle changes (e.g., cessation of smoking, prevention and treatment of substance abuses, encouragement of patient participation in nutritional and dietary changes), and to facilitate patient engagement in the self-care practice of chronic disease management and prevention. This chapter offers an international perspective to examination of the prospective payment system, pay-for-performance evaluation, and value-based payment system.
Comprehensive condensation flow regimes in air gap membrane distillation: Visualization and energy efficiency

Abstract The thermal performance of air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) desalination is dominated by heat and mass transfer across the air gap between the membrane and the condensing surface. However, little is known about the impact of condensate flow patterns in some design variations of the air gap. In this study, air gap membrane distillation experiments were performed at various inlet temperatures, varying module inclination angle, condensing surface hydrophobicity, and gap spacer design to identify the effect of each on the permeate production rate and thermal efficiency of the system. Additionally, this study is one of the first with enhanced visualization of flow patterns within the air gap itself, by using a transparent, high thermal conductivity sapphire plate as the condenser surface. System-level numerical modeling is used to further understand the impact of these flow regimes on overall energy efficiency, including flux and GOR. A brief review of membrane distillation condensation regimes is provided as well. For tilting the AGMD flat-plate module, permeate flux was barely influenced except at extreme positive angles (> 80°), and moderate negative angles ( 1 mm). Meanwhile, the hydrophilic surface for small gap sizes (
Treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia in paediatric patients: A monocentric experience.

Background Homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia is a rare life-threatening disease characterized by markedly elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations and accelerated atherosclerosis. The presence of double gene defects in the LDL-Receptor, either the same defect (homozygous) or two different LDL-raising mutations (compound heterozygotes) or other variants, identify the homozygous phenotype (HopFH). Apheresis is a procedure in which plasma is separated from red blood cells before the physical removal of LDL-C or the LDL-C is directly removed from whole blood. It is currently the treatment of choice for patients with HopFH whose LDL-C levels are not able to be reduced to target levels with conventional lipid-lowering drug therapy. Design The aim of this study is to report a cohort of six paediatric patients and to evaluate the long term efficacy of combined medical therapy and LDL-apheresis on LDL-C reduction. Methods We collected data from six children with confirmed diagnosis of HopFH (two females and four males; age range at diagnosis 3-8 years, mean 6 ± 1 years) from a single clinical hospital in Italy from 2007 to 2017. Results Clinical manifestations and outcomes may greatly vary in children with HopFH. Medical therapy and LDL-apheresis for the severe form should be started promptly in order to prevent cardiovascular disease. Conclusions Lipoprotein apheresis is a very important tool in managing patients with HopFH at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Based on our experience and the literature data, the method is feasible in very young children, efficient regarding biological results and cardiac events, and safe with minor side-effects and technical problems. We advise treating homozygous and compound heterozygous children as soon as possible.
Relevance of in Vitro and Animal Models to Clinical Thrombosis

I have been thinking during this conference about the relevance to clinical thrombosis of the various experimental models that have been discussed. I now feel somewhat like the cartoon scientist sitting at the bench of his cluttered laboratory, gazing into space. In the background one colleague says to another: “Since he became an Aristotelian, he has stopped experimenting, and he now believes that all knowledge comes from thought alone.” Perhaps it is unjustified to be that negative about the methods that have been described; yet it is vitally important to consider whether the experimental model which each of us doggedly espouses has any relevance to thrombosis in the human. This brings me to the definition of relevance. Dr. Spaet says what is relevant is the work being done in his laboratory.
The Measurement of Orthopaedic Surgeon Quality and Quantity of Sleep Using a Validated Wearable Device.

Introduction Recurrent episodes of partial sleep deprivation resulting from shift work or call schedules are commonly seen in physicians. This study measures the quantity and quality of sleep in orthopaedic surgeons and determines the factors that are correlated with decreased quantity and quality of sleep. Methods Orthopaedic surgery residents and attending surgeons at a single institution were prospectively enrolled and provided with a validated wearable device to objectively determine sleep quantity (total hours of sleep) and quality (sleep disturbances; sleep latency; sleep efficiency; and amount of rapid eye movement [REM] sleep, deep sleep, and light sleep). Sleep deprivation was defined as getting less than 7 hours of sleep per day. Bivariate correlations were determined using Spearman rank correlation. Multiple linear regression models were constructed to determine the effect of independent variables (age, attending physician, resident, postgraduate year [PGY] level, sex, number of calls, and total hours worked) and sleep quantity and quality. All P values were reported, and a significance level of α = 0.05 was used (ie, P < 0.05). Results Of 26 enrolled subjects, 21 (80.8%; 12 residents and 9 attending surgeons, where 15 were men and 6 women, with mean age of 37.2 ± 10.9 years) completed the 4-week duration of the study. Orthopaedic surgeons obtained 6.5 ± 0.8 hours of sleep per night (17.7% REM, 19.4% deep sleep, and 62.6% light sleep; 4.5 ± 1.1 minutes of sleep latency; 4.9 ± 1.7 sleep disturbances; and 89.9% sleep efficiency). Fourteen orthopaedic surgeons (66.7%) of the 21 slept less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. The total hours worked had a moderate negative correlation (r = -0.550; P = 0.010) with total sleep. PGY level had a moderate positive correlation with sleep latency (r = 0.546; P = 0.010). Discussion Diminished sleep quantity is considered sleeping less than 7 hours per night, whereas decreased sleep quality is associated with decreased REM sleep, decreased deep sleep, increased light sleep, decreased sleep latency, decreased sleep efficiency, and increased sleep disturbances. Sleep deprivation in orthopaedic surgeons poses notable health and safety risks for both surgeons and patients. Conclusion Orthopaedic surgeons demonstrate poor sleep quantity and quality which is markedly worse than the general population, with increased work hours markedly correlated with decreased hours of sleep.
Analysis of Emergency Room Visits Reveals a Seriously Mentally Ill, Medically Fragile Population Requiring Strategic Management:

OBJECTIVE: This practice improvement project evaluated the cost of health care services utilized by patients with comorbid mental and physical chronic conditions who were psychiatrically hospitalized but transported for health care services of physical symptoms that developed during their psychiatric hospitalization. METHOD: A retrospective review of invoices to a regional psychiatric hospital for non-psychiatric health services utilized by inpatients revealed high costs of emergency room (ER) visits from July 2016 to June 2017. Medical records for these seriously mentally ill inpatients who visited the ER for evaluation of sudden emergent physical symptoms were reviewed. The collected data were analyzed. RESULTS: ER invoices revealed that 41 visits had been made by 28 patients with a total cost of $308,466.67, of which $258,668.15 was judged to be for the treatment of patients with symptoms of preventable side effect syndromes. This chart review and analysis suggest a need for improved strategic medication management in an integrated model of care. CONCLUSIONS: Polypharmacy was found to be responsible for increased debilitating physical symptoms requiring ER visits for this seriously mentally ill, medically fragile population. An integration of care services for comorbid conditions by advanced practice registered nurses with protocols specifically designed for this population was recommended.
An integrated car-and-ride sharing system for mobilizing heterogeneous travelers with application in underserved communities

The fast-growing carsharing and ride-hailing businesses are generating economic benefits and societal impacts in modern society, while both have limitations to satisfy diverse users, e.g., traveler...
Environmental Modification of Adult Weight Loss, Physical Activity, and Diet Intervention Effects

Evolving understanding of the epidemiology of breast and other cancers suggests increased body mass index (BMI) is a major risk factor. Unfortunately, more than two-thirds of US adults are overweight or obese. Despite tremendous investment by individuals, the federal government, and other groups, weight loss interventions are ineffective in achieving sustained weight loss for most individuals. Environmental factors may play a role. In this chapter, we review evidence for whether people’s environments modify the effectiveness of interventions to reduce weight and improve related behavioral determinants, physical activity and diet. We identified a total of 13 studies testing environmental modification of intervention effects: two for weight loss, eight for physical activity, and three for diet interventions. We found little evidence suggesting effectiveness of interventions varied between people living in different environments. However, given the small number of studies and even smaller number of studies testing any particular environmental feature, our understanding of environmental modification of weight loss and related behavioral interventions is incomplete. We discuss limitations of the research conducted to date and next steps for research.
HDFJavaIO: A Java library for reading and writing Octave HDF files

Scientific Java programs often need to interact with specialized programming environments, such as Octave and Matlab, that focus on numerical computations. This paper presents the HDFJavaIO library that allows Java programs to interact with Octave using Hierarchical Data Format 5 (HDF5) files, which are commonly used in the scientific community for working with large data sets. Because features of HDF5 files include almost all of the features of NetCDF, this library and method may also be used to create data files that can be used with NCL scripts and other applications that use these large-data formats without the need for further modifications by Java application developers. This paper presents the relevant details of the Octave HDF5 file format and the Java techniques used to build the data interchange library. It also presents the results of an experimental analysis of the library’s performance and its comparison to existing approaches.
Resolving attacker-defender conflicts through intergroup negotiation.

The target article focuses on how attacker-defender conflicts are fought . This commentary complements it by considering how attacker-defender conflicts may be resolved at the bargaining table. I highlight multiple linkages between asymmetric intergroup conflict as modeled with the attacker-defender game and negotiation research and illustrate how the proposed model of attacker-defender conflicts can inspire new research on intergroup negotiation.
The Balance of Gfi-1 and Gfi-1b Maintains the Undifferentiated, Multipotent State of Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Regulates Lineage-Commitment

Abstract 1210 Gfi-1 and Gfi-1b are homologous transcriptional repressors that are expressed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Gfi-1 is crucial for the terminal maturation of neutrophils, and Gfi-1b is critical for erythropoiesis and thrombopoiesis. HSCs give rise to all mature blood lineages through a tightly regulated multistep differentiation process, but the mechanism of their early lineage specification remains largely elusive. Here, we have dissected the role of the Gfi-family factors in HSC maintenance and early lineage-commitment. To this end, we generated conditional targeted alleles for Gfi-1 and Gfi-1b that allowed for time controlled induced disruption of their genes. Acute disruption of Gfi-1 resulted in a rapid, severe decrease of HSCs numbers in the bone marrow and ablated their function in competitive repopulation assays. Surprisingly, and sharply contradicting recent claims to the opposite, acute disruption of Gfi-1b also led to decreased numbers of long-term repopulating HSCs in the bone marrow and decreased fitness in competitive transplantation. After induced, combined disruption of both factors, no HSC and progenitor cells were maintained in the bone marrow for more than 2 weeks. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the Gfi-family mediated HSC maintenance we performed global gene expression profiling of Gfi-1 −/− and Gfi-1b −/− HSCs. Unexpectedly, both factors regulate highly distinct gene sets involved in differentiation of alternative lineages. Thus, surprisingly, their action in HSCs is not redundant but synergistic. Consistent with this, disruption of individual Gfi-family factors renders HSCs prone to differentiation to specific alternative lineages, while combined disruption is entirely incompatible with HSCs maintenance, in large part due to unchecked differentiation. Together, our data reveal that balanced expression of Gfi-1 and Gfi-1b is required for maintaining the undifferentiated, multipotent state of HSCs, while altering the balance is sufficient for inducing commitment to specific lineages. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Forensic human factors and ergonomics analysis of a trip and fall event in a parking lot

Built (constructed) environments should have level surfaces to promote mobility and avoid injuries from trips and falls. Wheel stops (usually long concrete slabs with metal bolts to hold them in pl...
A Data-driven Control Method for Operating the Commercial HVAC Load as a Virtual Battery

This paper presents a data-driven control method for operating the commercial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) load as a virtual battery (VB). Unlike an electric battery, a VB charges/discharges by consuming more/less than its scheduled baseline power. Therefore, while acting as a VB, it is critical for an HVAC load to follow a baseline consumption when no control signal is received and increase/decrease its consumption against the baseline if a charging/discharging signal is received. The HVAC load in a commercial building serves many thermal zones, so each zone can be viewed as a cell in a battery. The total power consumption of the HVAC can be controlled by adjusting the airflow rate of each zone. In this paper, models are presented for approximating the thermal dynamic and the operation of different HVAC components based on measurement data. Then, a control algorithm is proposed for adjusting zonal airflow rate in a commercial building to regulate the total HVAC consumption at desired level. A commercial building located in Richland, WA, is modeled in EnergyPlus to test the performance of the proposed control algorithm for operating the building HVAC load as a VB.
Value Uncertainty Analysis in Architecture and Trade Studies

A key element of architecture studies, analyses-of-alternatives, and related trade studies is a quantitative value model (VM). The VM maps stakeholder preferences for baskets of capabilities to a single number. The mapping ideally has properties that allow for cost-benefit calculations and quantitative trades. An important and difficult element in building a VM is quantifying uncertainty. Uncertainty may stem from uncertainty in stakeholder prioritization, inexact scoring of alternatives against the VM, and the effects of issues outside the VM. This article presents several methods of quantifying uncertainty in the VM resulting from these sources and assessing the sensitivity of preferred alternative architectures to this uncertainty. We discuss methods focused on value uncertainty related to stakeholder consensus, performance scoring, and stakeholder preference uncertainty. Importantly, we include approaches for modeling the strong correlations that exist between alternatives. The methods are applied to a real case study of satellite constellation architecture, the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture study, which contains all of the above-mentioned complexities.
Maternal smoking in pregnancy, fetal activity & newborn behavioral state: An observational ultrasound study.

Abstract Maternal smoking during pregnancy (MSDP) remains one of the most common prenatal drug exposures in the US and worldwide. MSDP is associated with medical risk for the fetus and altered behavioral development in infants; however, fewer studies have examined the impact of MSDP on fetal behavior or newborn behavioral state. We investigated associations between MSDP and (a) fetal motor activity and (b) newborn behavioral state following handling. Participants were 79 healthy mother-fetus/newborn pairs (57% MSDP-exposed). MSDP was measured by maternal interview and verified by saliva biomarkers. Mothers completed an observational fetal ultrasound assessment between 24 and 37 weeks gestation (M = 28 weeks), including baseline, vibro-acoustic stimulus and recovery periods. Total fetal motor activity and complex body movements were coded from ultrasound videos. Following delivery, newborn post-handling behavioral state was assessed by direct observational coding. MSDP exposure was associated with higher baseline fetal motor activity, particularly at younger gestational ages. Further, motor reactivity to stimulation emerged at later gestational ages in MSDP-exposed fetuses, while motor reactivity was consistent across gestational ages in unexposed fetuses. Finally, heavy MSDP exposure was associated with more arousal following handling and greater need for soothing interventions in the newborn period. Monitoring of fetal behavior via ultrasound may offer a unique opportunity to identify at-risk infants and provides data for stronger public health messaging regarding risks of MSDP. Associations between MSDP and increased newborn fussiness highlight opportunities for education and anticipatory guidance in the postpartum period.
Long-term vehicle speed prediction via historical traffic data analysis for improved energy efficiency of connected electric vehicles

Connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) are expected to provide enhanced safety, mobility, and energy efficiency. While abundant evidence has been accumulated showing substantial energy saving pote...
Post-Binary Robotics: Using Memristors With Ternary States for Robotics Control

This paper presents a method to read and write ternary (three-valued) signals on memristors to control a robotic actuator in real-time. The paper is a continuation of earlier work by [1] and implements a ternary memory controller for memristors in hardware. This post-binary approach with nonvolatile memory is used to program a memristor as a "trit". The paper contributes to the state-of-the-art in memristor controlled robotics by reporting an entropy gain of log2(3)= 58% information at (20 versus 14)= 43% more component cost compared to binary. This advantage (eg. less wire complexity) increases when multi-trit architectures are considered.This article demonstrates both an LTspice simulation of the circuit and implementation with source code. The memristor programmer circuit writes a state to the memristor using a pattern of 100us pulses at 3 different amplitudes. The memristor read circuit sends 500 nA pulses and converts these using two reference resistors to three logic levels using an op amp window comparator. An Arduino Mega microcontroller ADC pin converts the analog output to a digital trit. Strenuous effort was made for predictable and replicable applied memristor research in pursuit of a post-binary robotics era. The multiple-valued circuit has safety features to prevent harm to the memristance state, standardized forming of new memristors and programming flexibility by sending patterns of different pulse amounts, pulse width and pulse amplitudes.
Non-Uniform Secrecy Capacity in Terahertz Networks

We present the first security study of THz networks which employ leaky wave antennas (LWAs). We show that the LWA's angle-frequency coupling leads to non-uniform secrecy capacity across sub-channels, very different from conventional eavesdropping threat models. This offers both challenges and opportunities for designing systems with enhanced security.
From public goods theory to municipal capitalism: Evaluating investments in sport venues from an urban entrepreneurial perspective

Using public goods theory as a guidepost, scholars have correctly observed that subsidies for sport venues are a product of the monopolistic structure of major sport leagues. Without challenging th...
Abstract MP01: Effect Of The DASH-Sodium Diet On Serum Biomarkers Of Inflammation And Mineral Metabolism

Background: The blood pressure-lowering effects of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and reduced sodium intake are well-established. The effects on other biomarkers...
LIGHTNING TALK: Impact Of Academic Advising On Retention: Care Within The Context Of Student Success

Location: George's Student data in higher education is increasingly available, yet understanding how to better support students given this data remains a challenge. Computational models help synthesize the data in a way where trends and patterns become more easily understood. The ability to use modeling software to test theories of student support help us understand, predict, and mitigate challenges. By capitalizing on the access to data and technology we can better support our students for better retention.
Venous injury in abusive head trauma

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is an important cause of serious brain injury in infants and young children who have characteristic clinical and imaging findings that are discordant with the clinical history provided. Recent attention has focused on abnormalities of the cranial venous sinuses and cortical veins, both on MRI and at autopsy. Although many have interpreted these to be secondary to the AHT, some have recently argued that these venous abnormalities represent primary cortical sinus and venous thrombosis that leads secondarily to subdural hemorrhage and secondary brain injury. Direct trauma to the veins and sinuses has been reported at autopsy in AHT, but there has been no systematic study of venous abnormalities in cases of AHT. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence and characteristics of venous and sinus abnormalities in AHT. We included all children <36 months of age who were diagnosed with abusive head trauma between 2001 and 2012 and who had MRI and magnetic resonance (MR) venography as part of their diagnostic workup. We analyzed age, gender and clinical findings. MRI and MR venography were analyzed independently by two neuroradiologists with a focus on abnormalities involving the intracranial veins and venous sinuses. A total of 45 children were included. The median age was 3 months (range 15 days to 31 months) and 28 were boys (62%). Clinical findings included retinal hemorrhage in 71% and extracranial fractures in 55%. CT or MRI demonstrated subdural hemorrhage in 41 (91%); none had subdural effusions. In 31 cases (69%) MR venography demonstrated mass effect on the venous sinuses or cortical draining veins, with either displacement or partial or complete effacement of the venous structures from an adjacent subdural hematoma or brain swelling. We also describe the lollipop sign, which represents direct trauma to the cortical bridging veins and was present in 20/45 (44%) children. Evidence of displacement or compression of cortical veins and sinuses from subdural hemorrhage or edema on MR venography was present in the majority of children with abusive head trauma. Evidence of direct trauma to the veins (lollipop sign) was identified in nearly half of cases. It is important to understand the superimposed effects of subdural hematoma and brain swelling on the veins and sinuses to differentiate it from cortical sinus and venous thrombosis.
A Review of: “Gurman, A. S. (Ed.). (2008). Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy (4th Ed.).”

The Clinical Handbook of Couple Therapy is a valuable, comprehensive resource for any researcher or clinician interested in couple therapy, providing informative and insightful descriptions of the ...
Hydrogen Lyα Absorption Predictions by Boltzmann Models of the Heliosphere

We use self-consistent kinetic/hydrodynamic models of the heliosphere to predict H I Lyα absorption profiles for various lines of sight through the heliosphere. These results are compared with Lyα absorption lines of six nearby stars observed by the Hubble Space Telescope. The directions of these lines of sight range from nearly upwind (36 Oph) to nearly downwind ( Eri). Only three of the Lyα spectra (36 Oph, α Cen, and Sirius) actually show evidence for the presence of heliospheric absorption, which is blended with the ubiquitous interstellar absorption, but the other three spectra still provide useful upper limits for the amount of heliospheric absorption for those lines of sight. Most of our models use a Boltzmann particle code for the neutrals, allowing us to estimate neutral velocity distributions throughout the heliosphere, from which we compute model Lyα absorption profiles. In comparing these models with the data, we find they predict too much absorption in sidewind and downwind directions, especially when higher Mach numbers are assumed for the interstellar wind. Models created assuming different values of the interstellar temperature and proton density fail to improve the agreement. Somewhat surprisingly, a model that uses a multifluid treatment of the neutrals rather than the Boltzmann particle code is more consistent with the data, and we speculate as to why this may be the case.
Biobank for America

All over the world, collections of biospecimens and medical records databases help researchers and scientists draw conclusions about disease and genetic mutation. These collections are comprised of excised tumors, blood samples, and saliva swabs, and are generally the by-product of a hypothesis-guided study into a particular topic. At the same time, and for the quite-different purposes of fertility treatment, life extension, and life-saving transfusions, other types of collections are being amassed at sperm banks, cryobanks, and blood banks. And, while they may not be expressly bound for biobanks, all sorts of samples and biometric data— fingerprints, facial recognition metrics, and newborn baby blood stamps—are being collected and recorded constantly by private security firms, law enforcement, and public health officials. Most large biobank projects are begun with specific research aims in mind, and are funded either privately by stakeholders who stand to profit from the venture, like DeCode1 in Iceland, or by public sources that have money earmarked for research into specific types of studies, like Kaiser Permanente2 in California. These narrowly focused ventures may satisfy individual research aims, but they don’t feed information back into a forum where it can continue to contribute to the public good. The tight hold that researchers have on their data once their studies have been completed represents a detrimental dead end, and is a function of complex archaic funding structures that need to change. It is in this forum of productive use for dead ends that the most research potential is housed since, as ventures like the Personal Genome Project have shown, the most meaningful statistical data is that in which all aspects of an individual’s genotype, their genetic code and phenotype, their biometrics like CT scans and MRIs, as well as their health history and environmental exposure, can be cross-referenced and compared. The more metrics, the better. A new American institution is needed to harness the power of all this information – a Biobank for America. 3.3 M KP Network Members Health Care Network RPEGH = Research Program on Genes, Environment, and Health $25 M to Meet the Institute on Aging’s Priorities, Avg. Age of Test Subjects is 65.
Design, expression, and crystallization of recombinant lectin from the garden pea (Pisum sativum).

Abstract The propeptide form of the lectin from the garden pea (Pisum sativum agglutinin) has been expressed in Escherichia coli by attaching its cDNA to an inducible promoter. By a number of criteria, including the ability to form dimers, hemagglutination titer, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the resulting propeptide molecule is virtually indistinguishable from the mature proteolytically processed lectin isolated from peas. Preliminary crystallization experiments using the recombinant propeptide lectin yield crystals in space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 64.8 A, b = 73.8 A, and c = 109.0 A (1 A = 0.1 nm) that diffract to 2.8-A resolution. This unit cell size is quite similar to the unit cell determined for native pea lectin, suggesting that the overall structure of the recombinant prolectin is virtually identical.
Site-specific Uncoupling of Photosynthetic Phosphorylation in Spinach Chloroplasts

In spinach chloroplasts which have been shaken with n-heptane, photophosphorylation coupled to the reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate is inhibited about 95% while the photoreduction of NADP+ (and ferricyanide) is stimulated as much as 50%. Photophosphorylation catalyzed by phenazine methosulfate, however, is inhibited only 50%. These data are interpreted to indicate that there are two sites of photophosphorylation in spinach chloroplasts. Both sites are utilized in cyclic photophosphorylation, whereas one of the sites is common to both cyclic and noncyclic photophosphorylation. In heptane-treated chloroplasts the only site functioning is that site associated exclusively with cyclic electron flow. Heptane treatment also has a differential effect upon the adenosine triphosphatase activities of chloroplasts. Trypsin-activated Ca++-dependent ATPase is not affected by heptane treatment, whereas Mg++-dependent ATPase activated by light in the presence of dithiothreitol is inhibited 80 to 90%. After heptane treatment, the ability of chloroplasts to accumulate protons upon illumination is inhibited 40 to 60% and their ability to synthesize ATP when transferred from acidic to alkaline environment is inhibited 50%.
TU-C-201-00: Clinical Implementation of HDR Brachytherapy

Recent use of HDR has increased while planning has become more complex often necessitating 3D image-based planning. While many guidelines for the use of HDR exist, they have not kept pace with the increased complexity of 3D image-based planning. Furthermore, no comprehensive document exists to describe the wide variety of current HDR clinical indications. This educational session aims to summarize existing national and international guidelines for the safe implementation of an HDR program. A summary of HDR afterloaders available on the market and their existing applicators will be provided, with guidance on how to select the best fit for each institution’s needs. Finally, the use of checklists will be discussed as a means to implement a safe and efficient HDR program and as a method by which to verify the quality of an existing HDR program. This session will provide the perspective of expert HDR physicists as well as the perspective of a new HDR user. Learning Objectives: 1. Summarize national and international safety and staffing guidelines for HDR implementation 2. Discuss the process of afterloader and applicator selection for gynecologic, prostate, breast, interstitial, surface treatments 3. Learn about the use of an audit checklist tool to measure of quality control of a new or existing HDR program 4. Describe the evolving use of checklists within an HDR program
Does One Size Fit All? A Comparative Study to Determine an Alternative to International Patent Harmonization

The Agreement for Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was ratified by a majority of the countries of the world in 1994 as a precondition to membership in the World Trade Organization. Today, 153 of the countries of the world are parties to the TRIPS Agreement. The effect of the TRIPS Agreement was to create the first international substantive standards of patent harmonization, and to cause many countries to adopt intellectual property laws far stronger than they had in existence at the time. Today, the process of patent harmonization initiated with the TRIPS Agreement moves forward, through a combination of multilateral discussions for a Substantive Patent Law Treaty and bilateral treaties and negotiations incorporating stronger standards of intellectual property protection than those implemented under the TRIPS Agreement. Whether this process of international adoption of stronger patent standards is beneficial to all countries involved is a question that has dominated the international patent debate since the TRIPS Agreement. Many developing countries have protested having to adopt stronger patent protection measures, and public health and access to medicine concerns caused by the rising prices of patented pharmaceuticals dominate the discourse around the TRIPS Agreement. All of these factors beg the question: Does a 'one size fit all' policy of international patent harmonization make sense to all countries equally? From the experience of the United States, it appears that a strong patent system can be beneficial to the economic and industrial development of a country. However, the experiences of other countries have shown that stronger standards can even retard economic growth, instead of benefiting it. The purpose of this paper is to examine the economic and historic justifications of the worldwide shift towards stronger patent laws. In doing so, it also seeks to determine whether there is a case to be made for the alternative, a shift towards discrete levels of patent protection, where countries choose patent laws according to their economic, social and industrial needs, and not according to an externally dictated process of standardization. The first part of my paper examines the history of patent harmonization, and current efforts to extend the process of harmonization further. The second part asks whether there is a stronger argument for each country to take its own discrete stand on its patent laws instead of staying on the harmonization bandwagon. In doing this, it examines examples from the histories of some major developing countries, as well as the history of patent law in the developing country experience. It also analyses the economic benefits of patent harmonization versus a discrete patent system. The third part of this paper compares the patent systems of India and the United States, two countries with distinct approaches to the use of intellectual property, and determines the extent to which the unique features of each benefit them.
Electrical properties of chemically derived (Pb,La)TiO/sub 3/ thin films

Ferroelectric lead lanthanum titanate (PLT) thin films with compositions varying from pure PbTiO/sub 3/ to PLT 25/100 (0 to 25 mol.% La) were prepared by spin-casting 0.25 M solutions containing metallo-organic precursors of Pb, La and Ti. The as-deposited amorphous films were crystallized into the perovskite structure by heat treatment at temperatures between 450 and 650 degrees C. Dielectric and ferroelectric properties of the thin (410-nm) films were characterized. The dielectric constants of the films varied from approximately 80 to approximately 690 for La contents varying from 0 to 25 mol.%, respectively. Dissipation factors varied from approximately 0.03 to approximately 0.09 over the same compositional range. Also studied was the temperature dependence of the dielectric properties in order to determine the effects of La content on the Curie point (T/sub c/). It is as found that T/sub c/ decreased with increasing La concentration. Coercive field and remanent polarization also decreased with increased La concentration. Hysteresis loops became slim and more symmetric with increasing La content. >
MP35N: a corrosion resistant, high strength alloy for orthopedic surgical impants: bio-assay results.

A cobalt based alloy, MP35N, with excellent mechanical properties has been recently introduced as a material for surgical orthopedic implants. A study was made of local and systemic host response to this material in two different mammal species. The implantation time ranged from one to 12 months. The result of this study indicated: MP35N produces a degree of local tissue response comparable to that of 316L stainless steel. No sytemic side effects were observed during the implantation times included in this study.
The important role of coherence for the heavy fermion state

We investigated the influence of non-magnetic dopants on two heavy fermion systems and discovered a common behavior. When copper in CeCu 2 Si 2 is substituted by up to 20% by metals like Pt, Ir, Os, or Ni, there is a reduction of the Sommerfeld parameter, γ, that is solely a function of the concentration. This decrease is thus independent of the special element. Furthermore, there is quantitatively the same rate-dependent γ decrease when cerium is partially substituted by Y or Lu. This means an equal behavior of the f-atom sublattice and the ligand sublattice. Recent measurements on another heavy fermion system, namely CePtSi, yield the same rate-dependent relative γ decrease (for Ni impurities on Pt sites) as in CeCu 2 Si 2 and thus suggest a possible universal role of coherence for the forming of the heavy fermion ground state. Measurements of resistivity and magnetic susceptibility show how the lattice disturbances are reflected in the electronic transport and magnetic response. We especially try to elucidate to what extent electronic scattering and the coherence length affect the heavy fermion state
The current legal regime of the geostationary orbit and prospects for the future

Abstract The legal status of the geostationary orbit is defined by the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty, which provides that space is “free for use by all countries”, and the ITU Convention and Radio Regulations, which give priority to existing satellite systems, thus arguably limiting the right of other countries to access. Thus arises a conflict between space powers, which favour pragmatic technical co-ordination through the ITU, and developing countries, which look to the United Nations for general political and legal principles based on the equality of all States. A process of compromise is underway in the ITU WARC-ORB conference. While the results of the 1985 session were encouraging, ongoing negotiations will be necessary, with compromises involving both general legal principles and pragmatic mechanisms for co-ordinating existing satellites. While the ITU will be the main negotiating forum, the UN can incorporate general principles into international space law. An Appendix contains the main provisions of international law relating to the orbit.
Signet-ring Cells in Pleural and Peritoneal Effusions Identified on Wright Stains – A Diagnostic Pitfall

s S17 Materials and Methods: Pathology reports of BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) specimens were obtained by searching for “Pneumocystis” in our present Anatomic Pathology Laboratory Information System (PowerPath) from January 2006 to December 2013. Pneumocystis positivity was determined by Grocott’s methenamine silver (GMS) stain results. Immune status history was identified from the pathology reports. Fisher’s exact test was used to compare PJP in HIV positive and non-HIV patients between 2006-2009 and 2010-2013. Results: A total of 2877 cases were reviewed. Ninety-eight patients, with variable immune status, were diagnosed with PJP. Of the 98 positive cases, 34 cases were HIV positive and 64 cases were in non-HIV immunocompromised patients, with hematologic malignancy, chemotherapy, bone marrow and solid organ transplant or viremia. PJP positivity in patients with transplant and malignancies (mostly hematologic) has increased from 11% of total patients in 2006-2010 to 33% in 2011, 42% in 2012 and 80% in 2013 (Table 1). A significant increase in non-HIV PJP patients in 20102013 is observed when compared to those in 2006-2009 (pZ 0.03). Conclusions: There is a significant increase in the incidence of PJP in nonHIV immunocompromised patients and a decrease of PJP in HIV patients. These results reflect the clinical improvement due to anti-retroviral therapy and primary prophylaxis. These results support the possible utility of rapid GMS testing in the non-HIV immunocompromised population, suggesting the indication for early prophylaxis against pneumocystis in this demographic, warranting further studies.
Thurstonian models for variants of the method of tetrads

Variants of the method of tetrads are discussed and their psychometric functions are both derived and presented in table form. For the first variant, the Unspecified method, subject response is correct provided that the subject, when presented with two stimuli from one set and two stimuli from a second set, correctly segregates the four stimuli into their two appropriate groups. In the second variant, the Specified method, subject response is correct provided that the subject, when presented with two stimuli from one set and two stimuli from a second set, correctly discerns the two strongest stimuli. For the Unspecified method, where Pc is the probability of correct response, and o (x) and Φ (x) are the density and distribution functions respectively, for the standard normal distribution. The parameter δ is the perceptual difference between stimulus means and corresponds to the signal detection measure of sensitivity d. For the Specified method, For each of the two variants, tables connect the probability of correct response to δ.
Monte Carlo stability analysis of two-dimensional Lennard-Jones strained layer superlattice interfaces

Abstract We have developed a procedure, based on conventional Monte Carlo methods, to investigate the limits of stability of a strained layer superlattice (SLS) system as a function of lattice mismatch and layer thickness. We apply this method to the analysis of two-dimensional Lennard-Jones SLS systems, for which the regime of absolute SLS stability is mapped out. Use of the technique on three-dimensional silicon-like model systems is discussed, and model potentials for stability analysis of the Si SiGe system are considered.
Geriatric dentistry on the Internet: Can we reach our elderly patients using cyberspace?

A growing number of older Americans use a computer at home, and half of seniors who own computers also own modems that can connect them to online services; 25% of seniors with computers communicate with online services. Over 70% of online seniors use their computers every day. The dental office can interactively communicate one-on-one with current and prospective patients using an electronic mail newsletter, a Web page newsletter, an "Ask the Dentist" online service, or by making dental appointments online. Dental practitioners can take advantage of this online revolution and promote oral health for seniors using these technologies.
Quantum-mechanical theory including angular momenta analysis of atom-atom collisions in a laser field

The problem of two atoms colliding in the presence of an intense radiation field, such as that of a laser, is investigated. The radiation field, which couples states of different electronic symmetry, is described by the number state representation while the electronic degrees of freedom (plus spin-orbit interaction) are discussed in terms of a diabatic representation. The total angular momentum of the field-free system and the angular momentum transferred by absorption (or emission) of a photon are explicitly considered in the derivation of the coupled scattering equations. A model calculation is discussed for the Xe + F collision system.