cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complementary reciprocity theorems for two-port networks and transmission lines

Two complementary reciprocity theorems have been formulated in this work; one for two-port passive networks and another for transmission lines. The theorems involve two networks or two identical sections of lines with different load impedances that must satisfy a complementary impedance condition relating to the characteristic impedances of the network or the characteristic impedance of a line. >
Intracrystalline Diffusion of Linear and Branched Alkanes in the Zeolites TON, EUO, and MFI

Diffusion constants D and activation energies for diffusion Ea were obtained for linear and branched alkanes inside the zeolites TON, EUO, and MFI via molecular dynamics simulations. Molecules with carbon numbers in the range n = 7−30 were studied in the dilute limit. The zeolites used have channels formed by 10-member silicate rings, but the diameter and connectivity of the channels differ between zeolites. Because the zeolites' channel features are different, it was observed that the influences of channel structure on molecular transport, or lattice effects, were also different between zeolites. For linear alkanes in the relatively uniform channels of TON, lattice effects were least pronounced so the highest values for D were observed and D scaled as 1/n. Furthermore, Ea ≈ 1 kcal/mol at small n and decreased to nearly zero for large n. The features of the channels in EUO and MFI were such that lattice effects were observed for linear alkanes. Generally, D was lower than in TON and decreased faster than ...
The transcriptional regulation of Xenopus 5S RNA genes in chromatin: The roles of active stable transcription complexes and histone H1

The properties of active and repressed 5S rna genes in somatic cell chromatin from Xenopus laevis cultured cells were studied by transcription in vitro. The somatic 5S RNA genes, which are active in vivo, are packaged in chromatin as active stable transcription complexes lacking only RNA polymerase III for transcription activity. The oocyte 5S RNA genes, which are inactive in somatic tissues, do not have transcription factors bound to them in purified chromatin and are prevented from binding these factors by a structure dependent on histone H1. In chromatin active stable transcription complexes protect 5S RNA genes from histone H1-mediated repression and H1 binding prevents the formation of stable active transcription complexes.
Attenuation of scopolamine-induced spatial learning impairments by an angiotensin IV analog

Abstract Recently, a receptor for the angiotensin II(3-8) (Ang IV) hexapeptide, was discovered in the hippocampus, suggesting a possible role in learning. The present study utilized intracerebroventricularly (icv) infused scopolamine hydrobromide (scop) to disrupt spatial learning in the circular water maze, followed by the Ang IV analog norleucine1-Ang IV (Nle1-Ang IV), to restore normal performance. Rats were icv pretreated with either scop or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) followed by either icv injected Nle1-Ang IV or aCSF, and then behaviourally tested. During acquisition training, each animal's latency to locate the platform, path distance, speed, and efficiency ratios were measured. A probe trial was conducted on the final day of training and the time spent in the target quadrant and the number of crossings over the former location of the platform (annulus crossings) were observed. The results indicate that those animals treated with scop followed by aCSF performed poorly during acquisition training as compared with controls. In contrast, those animals that received scop followed by Nle1-Ang IV attained equivalent latencies, distances, and efficiency ratios to find the platform as those achieved by controls. There were no observed differences in swimming speed, thus arguing against drug-induced motor impairment. During the probe trial, animals treated with scop followed by aCSF spent less time in the target quadrant and made fewer annulus crossings as compared to controls, while the scop, Nle1-Ang IV treated animals performed equivalently to controls. These results suggest that Nle1-Ang IV acts to counteract the disruption of spatial learning induced by scopolamine.
Vibronic Coupling in the Ground and Excited States of Oligoacene Cations

The vibrational coupling in the ground and excited states of positively charged naphthalene, anthracene, tetracene, and pentacene molecules is studied on the basis of a joint experimental and theoretical study of ionization spectra using high-resolution gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles correlated quantum-mechanical calculations. Our theoretical and experimental results reveal that, while the main contribution to relaxation energy in the ground state of oligoacene systems comes from high-energy vibrations, the excited-state relaxation energies show a significant redistribution toward lower-frequency vibrations. A direct correlation is found between the nature of the vibronic interaction and the pattern of the electronic state structure.
The effect of repetition of objects and object names on free recall

Repeated presentation of objects or object names increased their probability of recall Objects were recalled better than object names, although the significance was borderline. Presentation of objects and their names separately in a sequence resulted in recall at least as good as the repetition of an object. When asked to recall how the items had been presented, Ss made more errors on presentation conditions of names than of objects. These results support an imaginal-verbal dual code interpretation of memory for objects and object names and indicate differences in the codes.
Optimization of lymphocyte proliferation assay for cells with high spontaneous proliferation in vitro: CD4+ T cell proliferation in bovine leukemia virus infected animals with persistent lymphocytosis.

Abstract Evaluation of antigen specific lymphocyte proliferation is extremely difficult with cells displaying high spontaneous proliferation in vitro, such as bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) infected cells. We introduced modifications to a standard proliferation protocol, and for the first time report antigen specific proliferation in BLV infected animals with persistent lymphocytosis (a benign proliferation of B lymphocytes). Serum (autologous, heterologous or fetal) but not medium was a major factor contributing to spontaneous proliferation. Spontaneous proliferation was strongly serum concentration dependent and reducing serum to 0.5–1% resulted in decreased background proliferation and development of a functional assay. Addition of indomethacin (3–6 μg/ml) further increased antigen specific responses not only from persistently lymphocytotic but also from lymphosarcoma animals. Thus, this modified proliferation protocol can be used in infections where background proliferation hinders evaluation of antigen-specific CD4 + T cells.
Time-resolved polarization imaging: Monte Carlo simulation

Monte Carlo method was used to simulate time resolved polarization imaging in turbid media. Mie theory was used to calculate the Meuller matrix of a single scattering event. In the simulation, the Stokes vector of each incident photon package was traced. The summation of the Stokes vectors of the traced photon packages gave the total output Stokes vector. The time integrated Mueller matrix of transmittance and reflectance light of a turbid media were calculated. The transmittance Mueller matrix and reflectance Mueller matrix have very different patterns. The time resolved 2D images of degree of polarization (DOP) for transmitted light and reflected light were calculated. The patterns showed different features for linearly polarized incident light and for circularly polarized light. The DOP patterns were also related to the scattering properties of the sample. The time resolved 2D DOP of the internal optical flux was also calculated. The DOP evolution was demonstrated vividly by the simulation results. The different patterns for linearly/circularly polarized light were compared. Linearly polarized light survived longer in turbid media with a small particle size. Circularly polarized light survived longer in turbid media with a larger particle size.
An overview of model-robust regression

The proper combination of parametric and nonparametric regression procedures can improve upon the shortcomings of each when used individually. Considered is the situation where the researcher has an idea of which parametric model should explain the behavior of the data, but this model is not adequate throughout the entire range of the data. An extension of partial linear regression and two other methods of model-robust regression are developed and compared in this context. The model-robust procedures each involve the proportional mixing of a parametric fit to the data and a nonparametric fit to either the data or residuals. The emphasis of this work is on fitting in the small-sample situation, where nonparametric regression alone has well-known inadequacies. Performance is based on bias and variance considerations, and theoretical mean squared error formulas are developed for each procedure. An example is given that uses generated data from an underlying model with defined misspecification to provide grap...
Poor prognosis of acute stroke patients denied thrombolysis due to early CT findings.

OBJECTIVES Whether acute stroke patients with major early infarct signs on computed tomography (CT) should be treated with intravenous (i.v.) thrombolysis remains controversial. The authors sought to define the outcomes in 5 consecutive patients who were not treated with i.v. thrombolysis, according to established guidelines. METHODS The authors retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of a consecutive series of 5 patients evaluated by an acute stroke team at a university medical center and who were denied i.v. tissue plasminogen activator due to early CT changes. RESULTS Five patients with a median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 22 (range 20-28) were evaluated. Despite aggressive care (e.g., hemicraniectomy), 2 patients died owing to herniation, 1 patient died of cardiac causes, and neither of the 2 surviving patients achieved a 3-month Rankin score below 4 (moderately severe disability). CONCLUSIONS Given the poor prognosis of patients with hemispheric stroke and early CT changes, alternative treatment modalities such as intra-arterial thrombolysis, early hemicraniectomy, and neuroprotective therapy should be vigorously pursued.
When Stepparents Adopt: Demographic, Health and Health Care Characteristics of Adopted Children, Stepchildren, and Adopted Stepchildren

This article compares adopted stepchildren to both stepchildren and adopted children to determine which group adopted stepchildren more closely resemble. Adopted stepchildren more closely resemble stepchildren in terms of the child's demographic characteristics, but more closely resemble adopted children in terms of household socioeconomic characteristics. Stepchildren tend to have better health than adopted children, and adopted children tend to have better health care than stepchildren. Adopted stepchildren are more like stepchildren with respect to health and more like adopted children with respect to health care although this last finding is diluted once estimates are adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.
Seismic moment connections for MRFs

Abstract This paper provides an overview of the state of the art for the design of steel moment connections for moment-resisting frames (MRFs) for regions of high seismic risk. The need to design such connections to be ductile with the capacity to sustain full load reversals is indicated first. The generally accepted approach of ‘strong columns/weak girders’, i.e. designing the joints to develop inelastic activity in the connections and beams rather than columns, is emphasized. A major section of the paper is devoted to presenting experimental results to illustrate the observed behavior of beam-to-column connections and column panel zones under severe cyclic loadings simulating extreme seismic conditions. Procedures are given for seismic moment joint calculations pertaining to flange-beam connections, web connections, and panel zone design. Typical seismic moment connections of beam-to-column flanges as well as to webs and column splices are illustrated. Because of further developments since 1982, the original date of the paper, a new section on recent research and additional references has been added. The paper concludes by indicating some of the problems requiring further investigation.
Serine Residues 286, 288, and 293 within the CIITA: A Mechanism for Down-Regulating CIITA Activity through Phosphorylation

CIITA is the primary factor activating the expression of the class II MHC genes necessary for the exogenous pathway of Ag processing and presentation. Strict control of CIITA is necessary to regulate MHC class II gene expression and induction of an immune response. We show in this study that the nuclear localized form of CIITA is a predominantly phosphorylated form of the protein, whereas cytoplasmic CIITA is predominantly unphosphorylated. Novel phosphorylation sites were determined to be located within a region that contains serine residues 286, 288, and 293. Double mutations of these residues increased nuclear CIITA, indicating that these sites are not required for nuclear import. CIITA-bearing mutations of these serine residues significantly increased endogenous MHC class II expression, but did not significantly enhance trans-activation from a MHC class II promoter, indicating that these phosphorylation sites may be important for gene activation from intact chromatin rather than artificial plasmid-based promoters. These data suggest a model for CIITA function in which phosphorylation of these specific sites in CIITA in the nucleus serves to down-regulate CIITA activity.
Mimicking biological phenomena in hydrogel-based biomaterials to promote dynamic cellular responses

Hydrogel-based biomaterials, often classified as synthetic or natural, have long been pursued for cell culture, tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. This classification system is now being blurred as hybrid partially synthetic systems using elements of native and designer molecules gain traction. Partially synthetic polymer gels can offer protection of encapsulated cells or drugs and provide instructional biochemical and/or biophysical cues to cells. To enable cellular interaction however, they must be endowed with bioactive elements. The extracellular matrix (ECM) provides a “toolbox” of bioactive moieties that can be incorporated into user-defined synthetic polymer scaffolds to promote cell responses such as migration or cell-derived material responses such as matrix multimerization. Incorporating bioactive elements like cell-adhesive peptides, protease-cleavable sites, and ECM-mimetic mechanical properties such as stiffness and porosity into robust well-characterized hydrogels has been pursued for decades. Through careful selection of linkage chemistries and structured design of material subunits, hydrogels have been created that facilitate a great deal of native cellular functions while retaining the customizable nature of engineered materials. A new thrust has emerged to engineer materials with the innate, dynamic bioresponsive activity of native ECM materials. This review characterizes the cell responsive units of native materials and the literature that has recently incorporated these elements into hydrogel tissue engineering and drug delivery materials to promote cell-controlled dynamic responses, a defining characteristic of native functional tissue.
The globalization of sex tourism and Cuba: A commodity chains approach

During the past decade Cuba has become a haven for international sex tourists. How do we explain this phenomenon? This article contends that the Cuban experience must be understood as part of a set of larger global processes. It utilizes a commodity chains framework in order to uncover the links between the local sex tourism industry and these larger international processes. The framework highlights aspects of production and consumption of an illicit blobal commodity and shows how tourism aimed at consuming sexual services has become a truly global industry in recent years. It also, however, seeks to avoid global determinism by showing how particular aspects of the Cuban political economy and policymaking have shaped the local development and organization of the Cuban link in the chain.
Overpotential deposition of Ag monolayer and bilayer on Au(111) mediated by Pb adlayer underpotential deposition/stripping cycles

Abstract Ultra-thin Ag films on the Au(1 1 1) surface were prepared via overpotential deposition (OPD) in the presence of Pb 2+ ions. By carrying out repetitive Pb adlayer underpotential deposition (UPD) and stripping cycles during Ag bulk deposition, the two-dimensional growth of Ag films was significantly enhanced in high OPD. The Ag monolayer sample was made by comparing the voltammetry curves, in which the signatures for Pb adlayer UPD on Au(1 1 1) changed to that on Ag(1 1 1). As demonstrated by the X-ray specular reflectivity measurements, nearly complete monolayer and bilayer films can be made with optimized deposition procedures. On subatomic scale, however, we found that these films have significant higher root-mean-square displacement amplitudes than those underpotentially deposited Ag monolayer and bilayer on either Au(1 1 1) or Pt(1 1 1).
A survey of synchronization methods for parallel computers

An examination is given of how traditional synchronization methods influence the design of MIMD (multiple-instruction multiple-data-stream) multiprocessors. She provides an overview of MIMD multiprocessing and goes on to discuss semaphore-based implementations (Ultracomputers, Cedar, and the Sequent Balance/21000), monitor-based implementations (the HM/sup 2/p) and implementations based on message-passing (HEP, the BBN Butterfly and the Transputer). >
Mapping physiological states from microarray expression measurements.

Motivation: The increasing use of DNA microarrays to probe cell physiology requires methods for visualizing different expression phenotypes and explicitly connecting individual genes to discriminating expression features. Such methods should be robust and maintain biological interpretability. Results: We propose a method for the mapping of the physiological state of cells and tissues from multidimensional expression data such as those obtained with DNA microarrays. The method uses Fisher discriminant analysis to create a linear projection of gene expression measurements that maximizes the separation of different sample classes. Relative to other typical classification methods, this method provides insights into the discriminating characteristics of expression measurements in terms of the contribution of individual genes to the definition of distinct physiological states. This projection method also facilitates visualization of classification results in a reduced dimensional space. Examples from four different cases demonstrate the ability of the method to produce wellseparated groups in the projection space and to identify important genes for defining physiological states. The method can be augmented to also include data from the proteomic and metabolic phenotypes and can be useful in disease diagnosis, drug screening and bioprocessing
Quasiparticle Scattering by Quantum Phase Slips in One-Dimensional Superfluids

Quantum phase slips (QPS) in narrow superfluid channels generate momentum by unwinding the supercurrent. In a uniform Bose gas, this momentum needs to be absorbed by quasiparticles (phonons). We show that this requirement results in an additional exponential suppression of the QPS rate (compared to the rate of QPS induced by a sharply localized perturbation). In BCS-paired fluids, momentum can be transferred to fermionic quasiparticles, and we find an interesting interplay between quasiparticle scattering on QPS and on disorder.
Preference domains and the monotonicity of condorcet extensions

An alternative is a Condorcet winner if it beats all other alternatives in a pairwise majority vote. A social choice correspondence is a Condorcet extension if it selects the Condorcet winners–and nothing else–whenever a Condorcet winner exists. It is well known that Condorcet extensions are not monotonic (hence, not Nash implementable) when all preferences are admissible, but are implementable when restricted to a domain in which Condorcet winners always exist. We fill the gap by studying the intermediate domains and find that monotonicity is violated on all such domains.
Scattering by single ice needles and plates at 30 GHz

Because of the small loss tangent of ice at 30-50 GHz, significant depolarization of satellite-to-ground communication signals could occur due to the presence of cirrus clouds in their paths. It is known that cirrus clouds basically consist of ice needles and plates. Extensive calculations have been performed for the problem of scattering by a family of ice needles and plates for various length-to-width ratios ranging from 1 to 10. Scattering results with special attention to induced cross-polarized fields will be presented.
Change in gonadotropin-binding sites in intracellular organelles and plasma membranes during luteal growth, development and regression

Abstract Changes in the gonadotropin-binding sites in plasma membranes and several intracellular organelles of bovine corpora lutea of days 3, 13 and 19 of the cycle were investigated. These three times represent periods of rapid luteal growth (early luteal phase), maturity (mid luteal phase) and the onset of regression (late luteal phase), respectively. The 5′-nucleotidase activity was highest in the fraction possessing a predominance of plasma membranes. It was undetectable in nuclear fractions and detectable to a varying extent in fractions enriched with mitochondria-lysosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi. The gonadotropin-binding sites, as measured by 125I-human choriogonadotropin (hCG) specific binding, were found in all the subcellular organelles. Whereas the affinities remained about the same, the total number of available gonadotropin-binding sites in all the organelles increased from day 3 to 13 and then declined by day 19 of the cycle. Occupancy of binding sites by endogenous luteinizing hormone was not detectable and therefore was unlikely to be responsible for the changes in total number of available binding sites. Thus, binding site changes observed in all the organelles of early, mid and late luteal phase corpora lutea probably reflect actual changes in the steady-state turnover of binding sites. Morphometrically determined relative membrane counts of various subcellular organelles varied with the luteal phase. The relative total gonadotropin-binding sites, calculated from the relative membrane counts and the total number of available binding sites, increased in all the organelles from early to mid and then declined by late luteal phase. Plasma membranes of all three luteal phases contained greater relative total gonadotropin-binding sites than any other single intracellular organelle. However, all the intracellular organelles combined contained 59% of the total luteal cell gonadotropin-binding sites in early luteal phase which decreased to 43 and 28% by mid and late luteal phases respectively.
Irradiation-Induced Amorphization and Elastic Shear Instability in Intermetallic Compounds *

Previously we reported a substantial ({approximately}50%) decrease in shear modulus prior to amorphization in Kr irradiated Zr{sub 3}Al, and proposed that amorphization is triggered when the crystalline lattice becomes unstable against shear stress. In the present work, the relation between amorphization and shear elastic instability has been investigated in two additional compounds (FeTi and NiAl) during room temperature irradiation with 1.7-MeV Kr{sup +}. A shear modulus was measured using Brillouin scattering; structural information was obtained in situ in a high voltage electron microscope interfaced to a tandem accelerator. During irradiation of FeTi, chemical disordering and a large ({approximately}40%) decrease of shear modulus were observed, and an amorphous phase developed subsequently. In contrast, NiAl remained crystalline and chemically ordered during irradiation, and exhibited only a {approximately}10% decrease in shear modulus. Hence, these two results provide further support that a shear instability triggers irradiation-induced amorphization. The shear instability mechanism may also apply to other solid-state amorphization techniques, e.g., hydrogen charging and mechanical deformation. 22 refs., 3 figs.
Fractured femurs in pediatric patients

We reviewed the incidence of shock in pediatric patients suffering from fractured femurs. Of 65 patients included in the study, three developed shock; all had additional fractures and associated injuries. All three developed shock within two hours of admission.
Comparison of basic converter topologies for power factor correction

Basic types of DC-DC converters, when operating in discontinuous conduction mode, have self power factor correction (PFC) property, that is, if these converters are connected to the rectified AC line, they have the capability to give higher power factor by the nature of their topologies. Input current feedback is unnecessary when these converters are employed to improve power factor. In this paper, basic types of DC-DC converter topologies are studied to investigate their self-PFC capabilities. Their input characteristics are compared and their input line current waveforms are predicted.
Use Alteration: Absorbed Residues

Sophisticated analytical techniques have had mixed results in archaeology. Some techniques, like carbon-14 dating, have become commonplace—and indispensable—in archaeological analysis, whereas others come and go with little effect. Part of this problem can be attributed to the lack of communication between archaeologists and those in the “hard” sciences; many new techniques are simply not applied to issues that interest archaeologists (see De Atley and Bishop 1991 for a discussion of these issues). But I am certain that most archaeologists would immediately see the usefulness of a technique that could determine what was cooked or stored in a ceramic vessel.
Displacement Potentials and Stress Functions: Applications to Three-Dimensional Problems

We now wish to investigate the method of potentials to generate solutions to elasticity problems. Several different potential techniques have been developed in order to solve problems within both displacement and stress formulations. Methods related to the displacement formulation include the scalar and vector potentials from the Helmholtz decomposition, Galerkin vector, and Papkovich–Neuber functions. These schemes provide general solution forms for Navier’s equations. Potentials used in the stress formulation are those related to the Maxwell and Morera stress functions, and these lead to Airy and other common stress functions that we have already used for the solution of particular elasticity problems. As observed previously, these stress functions normally satisfy the equilibrium equations identically and when combined with the compatibility relations they yield a simpler and more tractable system of equations. For many cases these potential approaches are useful to solve particular three-dimensional elasticity problems, and we will investigate several such solutions.
Online learning and forecast combination in unbalanced panels

ABSTRACTThis article evaluates the performance of a few newly proposed online forecast combination algorithms and compares them with some of the existing ones including the simple average and that of Bates and Granger (1969). We derive asymptotic results for the new algorithms that justify certain established approaches to forecast combination including trimming, clustering, weighting, and shrinkage. We also show that when implemented on unbalanced panels, different combination algorithms implicitly impute missing data differently, so that the performance of the resulting combined forecasts are not comparable. After explicitly imputing the missing observations in the U.S. Survey of Professional Forecasters (SPF) over 1968 IV-2013 I, we find that the equally weighted average continues to be hard to beat, but the new algorithms can potentially deliver superior performance at shorter horizons, especially during periods of volatility clustering and structural breaks.
Politics, perception and related social issues of life-cycle cost management for civil infrastructure systems

This special issue is devoted to the subject of political and related societal issues associated with the use of life-cycle concepts for civil infrastructure systems. It consists of six papers that...
Tuning the Transition Temperature of WSi $$_{x}$$ x Alloys for Use in Cryogenic Microcalorimeters

Microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKID) provide a pathway to highly multiplexed, high-resolution, detectors. Over the past several years we have introduced the concept of the thermal kinetic inductance detector (TKID), which operates as a microcalorimeter. As with other microcalorimeters, the thermal noise of a TKID is reduced when the operating temperature is decreased. However, because the sensitivity of a TKID decreases as the operating temperature drops below 20 % of $$T_\mathrm{C}$$ , the $$T_\mathrm{C}$$ of the resonator material must be tuned to match the desired operating temperature. We have investigated the WSi $$_{x}$$ alloy system as a material for these detectors. By co-sputtering from a Si and W $$_{2}$$ Si target, we have deposited WSi $$_{x}$$ films with a tunable $$T_\mathrm{C}$$ that ranges from 5 K down to 500 mK. These films provide a large kinetic inductance fraction and relatively low noise levels. We provide results of these studies showing the $$T_\mathrm{C}$$ , resistivity, quality factors, and noise as a function of deposition conditions. These results show that WSi $$_{x}$$ is a good candidate for TKIDs.
Personalizing the royal treatment for hemophilia

Hemophilia, perhaps more than any other monogenic disease of childhood, has been mythologized in popular culture. Its moniker is “the royal disease” because Queen Victoria’s descendants were affected, it contributed to the Russian Revolution a century ago, and it regained media attention in the 1980s when children acquired AIDS from pooled human Factor VIII (FVIII) products. Despite popular awareness of the disease, treatment of severe FVIII deficiency remains challenging. In response to the AIDS crisis, recombinant FVIII products were developed to avoid human plasma exposure and have become the most common treatment. Yet a recent randomized trial found that children receiving recombinant FVIII were 70% more likely to develop neutralizing FVIII antibodies, called inhibitors, than those receiving plasma-derived FVIII concentrates. These inhibitors block the blood-clotting properties of FVIII. Alternative treatments for severe hemophilia are less effective at preventing bleeding than FVIII replacement, so patients with inhibitors require immune tolerance therapy. This process aims to eliminate the immune response to FVIII but is expensive, cumbersome, and frequently unsuccessful. Against this backdrop, Gorski and colleagues undertook whole-exome sequencing to search for genetic variants associated with inhibitor formation in a cohort of Italian boys with severe FVIII deficiency. Some of their candidate mutations were related to immune function, but the most strongly associated change in the discovery and validation cohorts was a missense mutation in the lactase gene ( LCT ). What role could lactase, the enzyme that digests lactose, play in preventing inhibitor development? The authors speculate that the protective effect may be due to another gene linked to the LCT mutation in a highly conserved haplotype, rather than lactase itself. Whole-exome studies require confirmation in independent cohorts, so this finding is not definitive. However, the possibility of personalized medicine for severe hemophilia may be on the horizon. If hematologists could accurately predict inhibitor risk from genetic profiling, perhaps FVIII replacement therapy could be tailored to maximize protection from bleeding while minimizing inhibitor development. Hopefully, future clinical trials in hemophilia will incorporate genetic risk prediction to individualize FVIII treatment. M. M. Gorski et al. , Whole-exome sequencing to identify genetic risk variants underlying inhibitor development in severe hemophilia A patients. Blood 10.1182/blood-2015-12-685735 (2016). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.bloodjournal.org/content/early/2016/04/08/blood-2015-12-685735
473 COMPLIANCE WITH EVIDENCE-BASED GUIDELINES DECREASES READMISSIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA EXACERBATIONS.

Study Purpose Pediatric asthma care remains a significant burden for patients, families, and the health care system. The objectives were to assess provider compliance with evidence-based recommendations regarding appropriate inpatient asthma care and to determine its effect on readmission rates. Methods Retrospective study of 101 consecutive admissions in 2005 of children admitted for asthma exacerbations to the study hospital. Data were obtained through manual chart review. Provider compliance with two known evidence level A recommendations was assessed. These recommendations are documentation of chronic asthma symptoms and severity and discontinuation of ipatropium bromide 24 hours after admission. Results Nineteen percent of children were assessed for the presence/degree of chronic asthma symptoms and severity. Twenty-four percent of children received ipratropium bromide for longer than 24 hours after admission. Readmission rates for children whose chronic asthma severity assessment was documented were lower (11% vs 15%, p Conclusions Provider compliance with evidence-based recommendations remains low. Children whose chronic asthma symptoms were assessed were less likely to be readmitted within 6 months. Quality of inpatient pediatric asthma care could be improved through increased compliance with evidence-based recommendations. New strategies are needed to enforce compliance among the physicians.
Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction Welded Joint of Non-Quenched and Tempered Steel Used for Sucker Rod

In order to provide theoretical foundation and practical technological parameters for used for friction welding super strength sucker rod,the relationship between friction welding technological parameters and joint mechanical properties of FG 20 steel used for super strength sucker rod was investigated .With orthogonal testing,mechanical property testing and microstructure analysis,the applicable range and optimized direction of the main technological parameters for friction welding were determined.Because FG 20 steel has high tensile strength,compared with normal steel,lower welding velocity and larger upset pressure should be adopted.In addition,during the friction welding process ,the microstructures and mechanical properties of FG 20 steel HAZ have been changed, so it is special essential to have postweld tempering heat treatment for improving joint mechanical properties.
Comment: 'Is the Phillips Curve Alive and Well after All? Inflation Expectations and the Missing Disinflation'

This comment provides a correction to the paper "Is the Phillips Curve Alive and Well After All? Inflation Expectations and the Missing Disinflation" by Olivier Coibion and Yuriy Gorodnichenko (2015) in the American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics.
Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Arthralgia: How Big Is the Problem and What Can Be Done?

Aromatase inhibitor-induced arthralgia (AIA) remains a significant clinical dilemma for breast cancer survivors and their oncologists. Approximately half of women who take aromatase inhibitors (AIs) experience joint pain which often affects daily functioning and quality of life. Effects can be so severe that many women stop taking the AI; nonetheless, we know very little about what causes AIA, or how to effectively treat it. This article briefly describes the syndrome of AIA and then discusses several potential management strategies for this frequent clinical quandary.
Emergent local integrals of motion without a complete set of localized eigenstates

Systems where all energy eigenstates are localized are known to display an emergent local integrability, in the sense that one can construct an extensive number of operators that commute with the Hamiltonian and are localized in real space. Here we show that emergent local integrability does not require a set of localized eigenstates to be complete. Given a set of localized eigenstates comprising a nonzero fraction $(1\ensuremath{-}{p}_{f})$ of the full many-body spectrum, one can construct an extensive number of integrals of motion which are local in the sense that they have nonzero weight in a compact region of real space, in the thermodynamic limit. However, these modified integrals of motion have a ``global dressing'' whose weight vanishes as $\ensuremath{\sim}{p}_{f}$ as ${p}_{f}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$. In this sense, the existence of a nonzero fraction of localized eigenstates is sufficient for emergent local integrability. We discuss the implications of our findings for systems where the spectrum contains delocalized states, for systems with projected Hilbert spaces, and for the robustness of quantum integrability.
Combination of ATRA with a COX2 Inhibitor Induces Synergistic Effects On RARalpha2-Expressing Multiple Myeloma (MM) Cells.

Abstract 2809 Poster Board II-785 We recently observed that ATRA treatment selectively kills RARalpha2-expressing, while sparing RARalpha2-deficient MM cells. Previous investigations in the colon cancer cells have shown that ATRA inhibits WNT signaling through down-regulation of COX-2. Therefore, we wanted to evaluate the role of WNT signaling in ATRA-induced cell death and growth inhibition of RARalpha2-expressing myeloma cells. To our surprise, we found that ATRA treatment activated but not inhibited WNT signaling in RARalpha2-expressing myeloma cells, based on increased β-catenin levels in ATRA-treated cells. ATRA exerted minimal effects on activation of WNT signaling pathway in RARalpha2-deficient MM cells, and forced expression of RARalpha2 in RARalpha2-deficient cells restored the stimulatory activities of ATRA on the WNT signaling pathway, demonstrating that RARalpha2 expression is required for the ATRA-induced stimulation of WNT signaling in MM cells. Lithium chloride (LiCl) treatment, which activates WNT signaling, partially abrogated ATRA-induced cell death and growth inhibition in RARalpha2-expressing cells, indicating that ATRA-induced activation of WNT signaling resulted in ATRA-resistance and decreased killing of MM cells, suggesting that a combination of targeting WNT signaling pathway and ATRA treatment is necessary for ATRA-based therapy of RARalpha2-expressing myeloma. COX-2 inhibition blocks WNT signaling in colon cancer. Similarly, we found that a COX-2 inhibitor [CAY10404][1] also blocked WNT signaling in RARalpha2-expressing cells as well as in ATRA-treated cells. Interestingly, [CAY10404][1] activated MEK/ERK signaling pathway, while ATRA abrogated [CAY10404][1]-induced activation of MEK/ERK signaling pathway. These results demonstrate that the combination of ATRA and COX-2 inhibitor exerts synergistic inhibitory effects on both WNT and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. A combination of ATRA and the COX-2 inhibitor resulted in synergistic cytotoxicity of RARalpha2-expressing MM cells in-vitro . More importantly, the combination of ATRA and [CAY10404][1] also resulted in a synergistic growth inhibition of established MM tumors in SCID mice. Our study demonstrates the importance of targeting WNT signaling in ATRA-based therapy in RARalpha2-expressing myeloma and provides a rationale for the combinational use of ATRA and COX-2 inhibitors. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=GENPEPT&access_num=CAY10404&atom=%2Fbloodjournal%2F114%2F22%2F2809.atom
Selective use of the electrocardiogram in pediatric preparticipation athletic examinations among pediatric primary care providers.

Objectives Recent literature examining insurance administrative data suggests that a selective approach, with concurrent history and physical exam (H&P), for obtaining an electrocardiogram (ECG) as a part of a preparticipation examination (PPE) for pediatric athletes is commonly used in the primary care setting demonstrating a high rate of disease detection. We sought to understand practice patterns of providers with regard to usage of ECG as a part of PPE. Methods Utilizing an online survey, we queried primary care providers regarding their practice patterns, rationale, and concerns regarding use of ECGs as a part of the PPE. Results A total of 125 pediatricians completed the survey; 73.7% selectively use the ECG, 24.6% never use the ECG, and only 1.7% always obtain an ECG as part of the PPE. The most common rationale for selectively or never using the ECG is the belief that the H&P is sufficient to identify cardiac disease (70%). The most common H&P findings that lead to ECG screening include chest pain or syncope with exertion, family history of sudden cardiac death, an irregular heart rate, and a diastolic murmur. Among the diseases associated with sudden cardiac death, most pediatricians fear missing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Conclusion Based on a survey of primary care providers, most practitioners are utilizing a selective approach of obtaining an ECG as a part of a PPE for athletic participation, which is in agreement with the current American Heart Association guidelines. Significant practice variation continues to exist, and may represent an area for future resource optimization.
“Snowflake” divertor configuration in NSTX

Abstract Steady-state handling of divertor heat flux is a critical issue for present and future conventional and spherical tokamaks with compact high power density divertors. A novel “snowflake” divertor (SFD) configuration that takes advantage of magnetic properties of a second-order poloidal null has been predicted to have a larger plasma-wetted area and a larger divertor volume, in comparison with a standard first-order poloidal X-point divertor configuration. The SFD was obtained in 0.8 MA, 4–6 MW NBI-heated H-mode discharges in NSTX using two divertor magnetic coils. The SFD led to a partial detachment of the outer strike point even in low-collisionality scrape-off layer plasma obtained with lithium coatings in NSTX. Significant divertor peak heat flux reduction and impurity screening have been achieved simultaneously with good core confinement and MHD properties.
Cuprate High Temperature Superconductors and the Vision for Room Temperature Superconductivity

Superconducting transition temperatures of 164 K in cuprate high temperature superconductors (HTS) and recently 200 K in H3S under high pressure encourage us to believe that room temperature superconductivity (RTS) might be possible. In considering paths to RTS, we contrast conventional (BCS) SC, such as probably manifested by H3S, with the unconventional superconductivity (SC) in the cuprate HTS family. Turning to SC models, we show that in the presence of one or more van Hove singularities (vHs) near the Fermi level, SC mediated by classical phonons (kBTc>ℏ×phonon frequency) can occur. The phonon frequency in the standard Tc formula is replaced by an electronic cutoff, enabling a much higher Tc independent of phonon frequency. The resulting Tc and isotope shift plot versus doping strongly resembles that seen experimentally in HTS. A more detailed theory of HTS, which involves mediation by classical phonons, satisfactorily reproduces the chief anomalous features characteristic of these materials. We propose that, while a path to RTS through an H3S-like scenario via strongly-coupled ultra-high frequency phonons is attractive, features perhaps unavailable at ordinary pressures, a route involving SC mediated by classical phonons which can be low frequency may be found.
Postprandial hormone response after endurance or resistance exercise in obese women

Physiological changes with endurance exercise (EE) and resistance training (RT) are likely influenced by the metabolic and hormonal response to each exercise bout, but may be blunted in obese individuals. To compare acute effects of EE, RT, and a control upon hormonal changes in obese women, sedentary, obese women (n=12) participated in a randomised crossover-design study on 3 occasions. EE consisted of treadmill walking (65% VO2max for 1 h). A total-body RT workout consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions, 90 s rest for 8 exercises at 90-100% of 10RM. Blood samples were taken 30 min before exercise (0 min), 30 min post-exercise (120 min), and again at 200, 280, and 520 min to assess changes in growth hormone (GH), cortisol, and insulin throughout the postprandial period. A 20 kcal/kg fat-free mass (FFM) meal was given after post-exercise blood sample. There was a main effect of condition for GH ΔAUC (change in area under the curve), with both RT and EE significantly different from the control (RT = 463.0±13...
Nitrogen-fixing trees inhibit growth of regenerating Costa Rican rainforests.

More than half of the world’s tropical forests are currently recovering from human land use, and this regenerating biomass now represents the largest carbon (C)-capturing potential on Earth. How quickly these forests regenerate is now a central concern for both conservation and global climate-modeling efforts. Symbiotic nitrogen-fixing trees are thought to provide much of the nitrogen (N) required to fuel tropical secondary regrowth and therefore to drive the rate of forest regeneration, yet we have a poor understanding of how these N fixers influence the trees around them. Do they promote forest growth, as expected if the new N they fix facilitates neighboring trees? Or do they suppress growth, as expected if competitive inhibition of their neighbors is strong? Using 17 consecutive years of data from tropical rainforest plots in Costa Rica that range from 10 y since abandonment to old-growth forest, we assessed how N fixers influenced the growth of forest stands and the demographic rates of neighboring trees. Surprisingly, we found no evidence that N fixers facilitate biomass regeneration in these forests. At the hectare scale, plots with more N-fixing trees grew slower. At the individual scale, N fixers inhibited their neighbors even more strongly than did nonfixing trees. These results provide strong evidence that N-fixing trees do not always serve the facilitative role to neighboring trees during tropical forest regeneration that is expected given their N inputs into these systems.