cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experience with distribution transformer loading and failure prediction

Summary form only given. Utilities have used for years indicators such as loading, hot spot and top oil temperatures to determine ratings and health of substation transformers where the required data is readily available. However, the same level of data is not available for low voltage distribution transformers and loading prediction is difficult. Overload failures of distribution transformers, while not particularly significant to the utility network, can strain maintenance budgets, drain resources and sour customer relationships. Typically utilities use a transformer load management program that aggregates customer usage, estimates a peak and aggregates the peaks to a transformer for determining transformer load. Transformer replacement programs will then use loading as an indicator of replacement priority. However, most utilities have many more overloaded distribution transformers than they can economically replace, and predicting transformer failure is a very inexact science. One cause among several is poor data quality. Yet estimating loading requires good customer to transformer connectivity data and validated usage data at a minimum. We presented here one utility's experience with a continuous program of proactive distribution transformer replacements based on continuous calculation of loading from end use data. This program was the result of an alarming rate of transformer failures experience during several recent hot summers. Byproducts of this program were the recognition that loading alone is not a good indicator of potential outage, and that transformer age appears to have little or no correlation with transformer outages. Three consecutive years of locating and proactively replacing transformers that are likely to cause a transformer outage were presented including: data sources; methods; analysis; results to date; issues; conclusions to date. Calculated loading on actually failed distribution transformers was compared with loading of a large control group of not, or not-yet failed, distribution transformers, showing a clear correlation of calculated loading with probability of transformer failure.
Spectral Excitation by Recombination in the Electric Arc

Recent measurements of electron velocities in arcs have made it probable that most of the light in the negative glow is emitted as a result of recombination of positive ions and electrons. Since the velocities of the positive ions are high, spectral lines emitted in this way should show D\"oppler broadening. This broadening was measured photometrically for a hot cathode arc in helium in which measurements of electron velocities were also made and results were obtained which can be explained by assuming all of the light in the negative glow to result from recombination of ions having a temperature about one-tenth that of the electrons.
Change in rats' serum triglyceride concentration with graded levels of thyroxine and exercise.

SummaryMale thyroidectomized rats with varying levels of daily L-thyroxine injection were subjected to different amounts of physical activity to determine the influence of both factors on serum TG concentration. The study indicated that exercise is effective in lowering serum TG and that this hypotriglyceridemic response is directly related to the increasing severity of exercise. The control animals with intact thyroids had higher TG levels as compared to the thyroidectomized rats with differing replacement levels of L-T4 irrespective of the degree of physical activity. The differing feed intake in the various groups could not account for this hypotriglyceridemic effect. The lower body weight of the thyroidectomized animals, as compared to the control rats with intact thyroid glands, may be related, in part, to the lower TG concentration. The study suggests that the thyroid gland, in some manner, plays an important role in the hypotriglyceridemic effect of exercise.
Heparin binding on poly(L-lysine) immobilized surface

Abstract A poly(ethylene-vinyl alcohol) (PEVAL) copolymer surface with immobilized poly( L -lysine) · HBr (PLL · HBr) has been used as a model surface to study the interaction of heparin with polycationic surfaces. The amount of heparin bound from PBS was 0.52 ± 0.19 μg/cm 2 on a smooth PLL immobilized PEVAL surface and 1.69 ± 0.26 μg/cm 2 on a porous PLL-PEVAL surface. Heparin adsorption kinetic studies indicated that heparin adsorption from plasma or blood exhibited a “two step” profile, which may be related to the effects of competitive binding between heparin and proteins, membrane porosity, and solution viscosity. The time needed to reach heparin binding saturation was 10 min in PBS and 30 min in plasma or blood at flow rate of 100 ml/min. However, under similar experimental conditions, heparin binding in PBS did not reach saturation for 2 h at flow rate of 3 ml/min. The difference in time required to reach saturation for two different flow rates (3 and 100 ml/min) was attributed to the heparin concentration gradient between bulk and surface. Bound heparin was eluted with a basic solution. The recovery of heparin bound from PBS, plasma, and blood was 85 ± 3%, which implied that most of the heparin was tightly bound to protonated amino groups on the side chain of PLL. The data suggest that electrostatic interactions between heparin and PLL may be the driving force for heparin binding. This study offers information for understanding heparin binding onto polycationic surfaces, especially in biological systems.
The electromagnetic calorimeter of CMS: Status and performance with cosmic rays data and first LHC data

Abstract The CMS detector at the LHC is ready to take physics data. The high resolution electromagnetic calorimeter, which consists of 75 848 lead tungstate crystals, will play a crucial role in the physics searches undertaken by the CMS. The design and the status of the calorimeter will be presented, and its performance in tests with beams, cosmic rays, and data from the first LHC beams will be reviewed.
Control System Design for an Electrohydraulic Fully Flexible Valve Actuator with Mechanical Feedback for a Camless Engine

This paper deals with the control system design of an electrohydraulic fully flexible valve actuator (EHVA) with a mechanical feedback for a camless engine. A model of the actuator was obtained using a frequency response identification method in a closed loop configuration from which a fifth-order linear model was subsequently derived. The problem was formulated using quantitative feedback theory (QFT), primarily because of the presence of structured as well as unstructured uncertainties. Results show improved results at the low-speed range but not at the high-speed range. This was due to several factors one of which was the introduction of significant lag into the system due to the need to have an underlap at the low- pressure port of the spool valve and an overlap at the high-pressure port.
Differing Rates of Return to Performance: A Comparison of the PGA and Senior Golf Tours

Recent academic literature has argued that there is no gender discrimination in professional golf and that the gender earnings gap is due to differences in average skill levels. This article examines whether the earnings gap between Professional Golf Association (PGA) and Senior Tour golfers is due to differences in average skill levels or the rates of return to these skills. Data used are from the 1999 professional golf season. OLS estimation, interaction terms, Oaxaca’s decomposition procedure, and gap analysis are employed to investigate this question. The results suggest that the primary source of the earnings gap between PGA and Senior Tour golfers is differences in the rates of return to performance. Although there are plausible explanations for why these differences in coefficients exist, the presence of age discrimination cannot be dismissed.
Effect of the elevated-rim acetabular liner on loosening after total hip arthroplasty

Elevated-rim acetabular liners recently were shown to be associated with improved stability of total hip prostheses in a large clinical series. However, the effect of this design on loosening remains unknown. To address this question, we reviewed the results of 5167 primary and revision total hip arthroplasties that had been performed at our institution from September 1, 1985, through December 31, 1991; 2469 of the acetabular components had an elevated-rim liner (10 degrees of elevation), and 2698 had a standard liner. Five-year follow-up data were available for 1237 hips (174 that had an elevated-rim acetabular liner and 1063 that had a standard acetabular liner). The cumulative probability of revision because of loosening of the implant was estimated as a function of time since the operation with use of the Kaplan-Meier survivorship method. The five-year probability of survival of the acetabular component was 98.8 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, 97.9 to 99.6 per cent) for the prostheses that had an elevated-rim liner and 98.3 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, 97.7 to 99.0 per cent) for those that had a standard liner (p = 0.87). The effect of the elevated-rim acetabular liner on the probability of revision because of loosening of the acetabular or the femoral component was analyzed for several subgroups: components inserted with cement, components inserted without cement, primary total hip arthroplasties, revision total hip arthroplasties, male patients, and female patients. With the numbers available, no significant differences were found in the probability of survival of the acetabular or the femoral component in any of the subgroups. Theoretical considerations suggest that the geometric design of the elevated-rim acetabular liner may have biomechanical characteristics that predispose the implant to early loosening. However, our initial review of the results of total hip arthroplasties after a mean follow-up period of five years (range, 0.25 to ten years) failed to demonstrate any difference in the cumulative probability of revision because of loosening of the implant. Continued surveillance is warranted and ongoing.
Dynamic Simulation of the Gravel Bed Combustor-Gas Turbine System

A novel gravel bed, downdraft, woodchip combustor that directly-fires a gas turbine for use in a cogeneration system has been developed. In this combustor, the fuel burning rate is determined by pressure, temperature, air flow rate, and fuel moisture content, and not by the fuel feed rate. When the gravel bed combustor is connected to a gas turbine system, the operator loses the freedom to directly set the fuel flow rate, which is the primary control variable for conventional gas turbine systems. Other control problems introduced by the gravel bed include a large thermal lag and a sizable pressure drop. This paper presents a computer model that integrates the dynamic characteristics of an actual gas turbine with the characteristics of the gravel bed combustor. The program determines system behavior and helps evaluate possible control strategies. The system is controlled using the CO2 level leaving the gravel bed. The bypass valve setting determines the load level. Both the slow temperature dynamics and quick turbomachinery dynamics must be considered when operating the system.Copyright © 1991 by ASME
Guidelines for bioanalytical 2D chromatography method development and implementation

2D chromatography is a rapidly evolving, very powerful tool for bioanalysis. Advances in the theory of 2D separations, instrument technology and data analysis strategies continue to complement each other and advance the state of the art. Separations of complex mixtures of biomolecules yielding several hundred peaks in practical analysis times (tens of minutes to several hours) are relatively common. However, this level of performance largely remains the domain of expert researchers and several practical limitations stand in the way of more widespread use of 2D separations among practitioners. While off-the-shelf instruments are increasing in number, the most effective 2D instruments are often home-built, and analysis of the extremely rich datasets resulting from these separations continues to be a serious bottleneck in the overall workflow. This review summarizes some of the most serious challenges in method development and describes best practices to help guide users in designing effective 2D separations for bioanalysis.
Parametric tabu-search for mixed integer programs

A parametric form of tabu-search is proposed for solving mixed integer programming (MIP) problems that creates and solves a series of linear programming (LP) problems embodying branching inequalities as weighted terms in the objective function. The approach extends and modifies a parametric branch and bound procedure of Glover [Parametic branch and bound. OMEGA, The International Journal of Management Science 1978;6:1-9], replacing its tree search memory by the adaptive memory framework of tabu-search and introducing new associated strategies that are more flexible than the mechanisms of branch and bound.We also introduce new types of intensification and diversification procedures based on scatter search and frequency analysis, and also based on a variant of adaptive memory called model embedded memory. In one form this approach incorporates recency and frequency memory within the objective function structure of the parameterized LP formulations. In another form it generates valid inequalities from the optimized objective of the parameterized LP problem, and uses these as a supplement to traditional types of tabu memory. The integrated parametric approach affords a spectrum of variations that include useful simplifications for pure 0-1 MIP problems and problems with special structures, such as GUB constraints. The approach exploits both spatial and logical relationships, and is appropriate for discovering feasible solutions, as in the case of satisfiability problems. It is particularly designed to provide adaptive strategies for problems that are difficult for branch and bound and for branch and cut procedures, as opposed to problems these latter methods can handle effectively, and hence can be used to complement or supplement these more traditional types of methods.
“Multiplication is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children by Lisa Delpit

Lisa Delpit’s caustically titled “Multiplication is for White People”: Raising Expectations for Other People’s Children, offers a compelling discourse on the plight of modern African American stude...
Metal Concentrations in Tissues of Mountain Beaver (Aplodontia rufa)

Abstract Carcasses of the federally endangered subspecies of Mountain Beaver, Aplodontia rufa nigra, were recovered and necropsied. Metals chemistry revealed mean concentrations of copper (x ¯ = 1250.0, s = 60.8 µg/g dry weight [dw]) and iron (x ¯ = 3573.3, s = 2505.0 µg/g dw) in liver tissue that were in the range indicative of possible copper toxicosis and liver storage disease in other species. Normal ranges of metal concentrations in the tissues of Mountain Beavers, however, are unknown. Livers of trapped Mountain Beavers from other locations also showed high mean copper (x ¯ = 1035.3, s = 612.3 µg/g dw) and iron (x ¯ = 8317.5, s = 7985.6 µg/g dw) concentrations. Metals in soil and plant tissue samples collected from the territories of the necropsied animals were within expected ranges. These results suggest that copper and iron might be naturally higher in Mountain Beaver livers relative to other rodent species. However, the possibility that at least some of the animals exhibited a di...
A Characterization of the Present-Day Arctic Atmosphere in CCSM4

Simulation of key features of the Arctic atmosphere in the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4) is evaluated against observational and reanalysis datasets for the present-day (1981‐2005). Surface air temperature, sea level pressure, cloud cover and phase, precipitation and evaporation, the atmospheric energy budget, and lower-tropospheric stability are evaluated. Simulated surface air temperatures are found to be slightly too cold when compared with the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40). Spatial patterns and temporal variability are well simulated. Evaluation of the sea level pressure demonstrates some large biases, most noticeably an under simulation of the Beaufort High during spring and autumn. Monthly Arctic-wide biases of up to 13 mb are reported.Cloud cover is underpredicted for all but summermonths, and cloud phase is demonstrated to be different from observations. Despite low cloud cover, simulated all-sky liquid water pathsaretoohigh,whileicewaterpathwasgenerallytoolow.Precipitationisfoundtobeexcessiveovermuch oftheArcticcomparedtoERA-40andtheGlobalPrecipitation ClimatologyProject(GPCP) estimates.With some exceptions, evaporation is well captured by CCSM4, resulting in P 2 E estimates that are too high. CCSM4 energy budget terms show promising agreement with estimates from several sources. The most noticeable exception to this is the top of the atmosphere (TOA) fluxes that are found to be too low while surface fluxes are found to be too high during summer months. Finally, the lower troposphere is found to be too stable when compared to ERA-40 during all times of year but particularly during spring and summer months.
Adolescent Pain Catastrophizing Mediates the Relationship Between Protective Parental Responses to Pain and Disability Over Time

(FDI) before Time 1 (T1) and 2 months after Time 2 (T2) an initial interdisciplinary pain clinic evaluation. Results PCS was a significant mediator of the PPRP–FDI relationship at T1 and T2 for the adolescents and T2 for their parents. A decrease in PPRP over time was associated with T2 PCS, which in turn was associated with T2 FDI for adolescents and their parents. Conclusion Parental protectiveness is associated with disability indirectly through pain catastrophizing at the initial visit and follow-up. Decreases in parent protectiveness, potentially initiated through the initial evaluation, were related to lower levels of disability at follow-up through pain catastrophizing.
Insights into the Structural Organization of the I1 Inner Arm Dynein from a Domain Analysis of the 1β Dynein Heavy Chain

To identify domains in the dynein heavy chain (Dhc) required for the assembly of an inner arm dynein, we characterized a new motility mutant (ida2-6) obtained by insertional mutagenesis. ida2-6 axonemes lack the polypeptides associated with the I1 inner arm complex. Recovery of genomic DNA flanking the mutation indicates that the defects are caused by plasmid insertion into the Dhc10 transcription unit, which encodes the 1beta Dhc of the I1 complex. Transformation with Dhc10 constructs encoding <20% of the Dhc can partially rescue the motility defects by reassembly of an I1 complex containing an N-terminal 1beta Dhc fragment and a full-length 1alpha Dhc. Electron microscopic analysis reveals the location of the missing 1beta Dhc motor domain within the axoneme structure. These observations, together with recent studies on the 1alpha Dhc, identify a Dhc domain required for complex assembly and further demonstrate that the intermediate and light chains are associated with the stem regions of the Dhcs in a distinct structural location. The positioning of these subunits within the I1 structure has significant implications for the pathways that target the assembly of the I1 complex into the axoneme and modify the activity of the I1 dynein during flagellar motility.
The Oncogenic microRNA-27a Targets Genes That Regulate Specificity Protein Transcription Factors and the G2-M Checkpoint in MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells

There is evidence that specificity proteins (Sp), such as Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4, are overexpressed in tumors and contribute to the proliferative and angiogenic phenotype associated with cancer cells. Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 are expressed in a panel of estrogen receptor (ER)–positive and ER-negative breast cancer cell lines, and we hypothesized that regulation of their expression may be due to microRNA-27a (miR-27a), which is also expressed in these cell lines and has been reported to regulate the zinc finger ZBTB10 gene, a putative Sp repressor. Transfection of ER-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells with antisense miR-27a (as-miR-27a) resulted in increased expression of ZBTB10 mRNA and decreased expression of Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 at the mRNA and protein levels and also decreased activity in cells transfected with constructs containing Sp1 and Sp3 promoter inserts. In addition, these responses were accompanied by decreased expression of Sp-dependent survival and angiogenic genes, including survivin, vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF ), and VEGF receptor 1 ( VEGFR1 ). Moreover, similar results were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with ZBTB10 expression plasmid. Both as-miR-27a and ZBTB10 overexpression decreased the percentage of MDA-MB-231 cells in S phase of the cell cycle; however, ZBTB10 increased the percentage of cells in G-G1, whereas as-miR-27a increased the percentage in G2-M. This latter response was associated with induction of Myt-1 (another miR-27a target gene), which inhibits G2-M through enhanced phosphorylation and inactivation of cdc2. Thus, the oncogenic activity of miR-27a in MDA-MB-231 cells is due, in part, to suppression of ZBTB10 and Myt-1 . [Cancer Res 2007;67(22):11001–11]
Air-to-air missile vector scoring

An air-to-air missile vector scoring system is proposed for test and evaluation applications. A linear six-state constant velocity (CV) dynamics model is used, consisting of missile position and velocity in a Cartesian coordinate system. Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar sensors, carefully located to provide spherical coverage around the target, provide updates of missile kinematic information relative to a drone aircraft. Data from the radar sensors are linearized about a nominal measurement and fused with missile model predictions using an extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm. The performance of the system is evaluated through high-fidelity, six-degree of freedom (6DOF) simulations yielding sub-meter end-game accuracy in a variety of scenarios.
Issues in elderly patient-provider interactions.

The current state of knowledge concerning relationships between elderly patients and their health care providers is reviewed in this article, chiefly in terms of physicians as providers. Characteristics of physicians, including age, gender, practice styles, and psychological attitudes, are shown to be relevant to the course and content of interactions. Equally critical are characteristics of the elderly patients, such as cohort membership, health status, gender, race, and health-related attitudes and beliefs. Also significant are the organizational settings in which interactions occur. Implications for elderly patient compliance and satisfaction, as well as health services utilization, are discussed in light of communication issues. The need for according elderly patients respect and dignity is stressed, particularly in light of ageist attitudes still prevalent among health practitioners and the society at large.
Review: renal protection by inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.

Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) inhibition exerts a renoprotective effect independent of blood pressure reduction. Many studies using an end-point of proteinuria compared the effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) monotherapy with combination ACE-I/ARB therapy. Despite methodological limitations, most studies suggest that combination therapy provides a greater antiproteinuric effect than monotherapy, perhaps because of more prolonged and complete RAAS inhibition. COOPERATE and ONTARGET used more robust end-points to study renoprotective effects. In COOPERATE, combination therapy resulted in significantly longer times to doubling serum creatinine or developing end-stage renal disease than trandolapril or losartan monotherapy. However, a secondary ONTARGET finding was that combination therapy significantly increased the risk for renal dysfunction compared with ramipril or telmisartan alone. Eventually, the VA NEPHRON-D trial should provide definitive data relating to patients with diabetic nephropathy. Results of AVOID suggest the renoprotective benefits of combination therapy extend to the direct renin inhibitors (DRI). In AVOID, combination therapy with aliskiren, a DRI, and losartan resulted in 20% greater protein excretion decrement than losartan monotherapy. Future trials should examine higher RAAS inhibitor doses, facilitate differentiation of renoprotective and antihypertensive effects of RAAS blockade, and use end-points that robustly demonstrate renoprotective effects.
DNAse treatment following thawing of cryopreserved PBMC is a procedure suitable for lymphocyte functional studies

Testing freshly isolated PBMC is not practical for immune monitoring analysis in large clinical trials or natural history studies. Thus, cryopreserved PBMC represent a more practical alternative. However, cell clumping is a common problem following thawing of PBMC isolated from blood that was previously transported and stored. Cell clumping leads to loss of cells, and could affect cell function and/or phenotype. The development and validation of procedures that prevent cell clumping and preserve cell function and surface marker expression levels are necessary to allow evaluation of immune function and phenotype in cryopreserved samples from clinical studies. The incorporation of a DNAse treatment step in the standard thawing procedure efficiently avoided clump formation, and did not result in detectable changes in cell viability, expression of standard leukocyte surface markers or two key parameters of immune function, proliferation and cytokine induction in response to a variety of common stimuli. Therefore, this procedure seems suitable for standard immunologic assays.
Synthesis of Optimal Nonorthogonal Routes

This paper introduces a novel approach to three dimensional routing optimization. Examples of routing tasks for engineering applications include routing of pipes, wires and air ducts. Traditionally, routing algorithms perform Manhattan, or orthogonal, routing. Nonorthogonal routing can be less costly than Manhattan routing and for applications such as automotive or aerospace design, Manhattan routing is impractical due to spatial limitations. The research presented in this paper uses simulated annealing as the basis of a nonorthogonal routing optimization algorithm. Several examples comparing the two approaches are given.
Nonlinear Static and Dynamic Deformations of Viscoelastic Cables

The rate equation method is used in this work to facilitate the analyses of finite deflection problems involving viscoelastic cables. In addition, within the confines of a structural theory, the rate equation method has been extended to allow changes in the original cross-sectional area to the cable to occur as its deformation takes place. To illustrate the details of the technique, static and dynamic geometrically nonlinear deformations of viscoelastic cables and hoops under various loadings are investigated and numerical results are presented for several cases. The accuracy of the rate equation method as applied to viscoelastic cables of contracting cross-sectional area is verified through comparisons of the rate equation solutions with solutions obtained through quasi-analytic techniques.
Race, Class and 'Illegality' in the Sahel

My paper centers on the lived experiences of the rapidly growing population of sub-Saharan African migrants who are “trapped” in Morocco – between their sending countries and their desired European destinations. Contributing to debates on identity construction in the Sahel, I apply political categories of “citizen” and “migrant” alongside traditional racial categories. I question how one individual can be labeled “Arab” and “black,” “Moroccan” and “African,” “citizen” and “migrant” in the course of one day, depending on dress, speech or social spaces occupied. Since a range of skin colors exists in Morocco, and some nationals are read as khal (black), the migrant population is not always physically identifiable. The identification of particular neighborhoods or vocations as “migrant” spaces is therefore leading to the syncretization of class, race and “illegality.” The mutable nature of racial and political identities drives the constant negotiation of labels, and new meanings of blackness, Islam and nationhood are emerging daily. I illuminate interconnections between people of the Sahel and the broader African continent. Furthermore, I explore how shifting patterns of economic migration are changing how people conceive of themselves racially, ethnically and nationally, as categorizations of political inclusion and exclusion become increasingly important markers of identity.
What Should Policy Makers Know When Economists Say 'Market' Failure?

Two of the most recognized and discussed “market” failures in public policy exist when spillover effects on third parties exist to market transactions, and when individuals can enjoy the benefit of a good or service without paying for its provision. In this essay I illustrate these forms of market failures are actually institutional failures to adequately assign property rights. Recognizing this and framing them as a problem of property rights has helped economists and policy makers discover various innovative solutions that were previously overlooked. Policy makers who similarly frame these difficult problems as such, may themselves contribute to the ever expanding domain of new solutions.
Governmental Capital Markets Research in Accounting: A Review

This paper provides an introduction to and a review of governmental capital markets based research. It updates earlier studies and focuses on recent methodological developments. Prior research is classified ac­cording to the type of data used, emphasizing special topics that have received attention in the literature. The paper also seeks to identify governmental accounting research questions that may be appropriately addressed by markets-based research. and the characteristics of the governmental setting which might cause differences from corporate accounting research. A new data source for government bond prices and a methodology not previously used in accounting research are offered as fruitful avenues for future research.
Abstract 220: Reduction in Atherosclerosis Plaque by Intravenous Injections of Engineered Bone Marrow Stem Cells With Low Notch Activity in Apo E-/- Mice

Objectives: We test a novel paradigm in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis as an imbalance in the pro-repair function of circulating bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMDSC) that can be modulated by Notch activity. Methods: Significance Analysis of Microarray (SAM) and PCRArray/immunoblotting were used to study Notch activity in empirically-derived repair-competent versus repair-incompetent BMDSC (RC-BMDSC vs. RI-BMDSC). In parallel experiments, BMDSC with low-Notch activity were generated by transducing cells with dominant-negative Master-mind like 1 (DN-MAML1)/lentivirus (Notch-inhibited). Mock/lentivirus transduced cells were used as control. 5 x 10^6 Lin- BMDSC were infused bi-weekly for 4 consecutive weeks i.v. into Apo E -/- mice under high fat diet (HFD); (N=5/group). Atherosclerosis plaque burden was assessed using Oil Red O staining and blinded computerized quantitative measurements. Results: Of 289 genes with differential expression in RC-BMDSC vs. RI-BMDSC, by SAM, Notch1 expression was significantly elevated in RI-BMDSC compared to RC-BMDSC, p<0.0009. Notch activity was higher in BMDSC (EPC and MSC) from ApoE-/- mice before initiation of HFD (Notch target genes, Hes-1 and Hey-1, with 6.6- and 8.2-fold higher expression, respectively (p<0.05)). Compared to mice infused with control Lin-BMDSC, ApoE-/- mice treated with DN-MAML1/Lin-BMDSC had significantly decreased aortic plaque burden (p<0.05). Conclusions: For the first time we demonstrate a direct correlation between Notch activity and pro-repair function in BMDSC that modulates atherosclerosis plaque burden. Lower Notch activity in BMDSC appears to confer a pro-repair or repair-competent BMDSC phenotype. These novel findings provide rationale for further studies into clinically-relevant cell-based therapy for atherosclerosis.
Fifth Alon Dembo memorial workshop: case 3.

Background: OVO5/EORTC 55855, a study punitively refuting the value of CA-125 in the follow-up of ovarian cancer patients, has many deficiencies, including a heterogeneous ovarian cancer patient population, no control of initial treatment regimens, and no control of subsequent surgery or chemotherapeutic management for recurrence. Recent studies suggest a role for prompt surgery in selected cases of recurrent ovarian cancer with CA-125 elevations, a role for tamoxifen in managing rising CA-125 levels in patients without evidence of disease and the use of platinum doublets for treating recurrent platinum-sensitive disease, none of which were incorporated into OVo5/EORTC 55955. Case: A patient with advanced stage ovarian cancer presenting with a CA-125 level of 2000 U/mL, who is initially treated with surgery followed by chemotherapy and has a normal CT scan and normal CA-125 at completion of her initial chemotherapy. Conclusion: This patient remains at a very high risk for recurrence. I would continue to monitor this patient with serial CA-125 levels to identify recurrent cancer and consider initiating treatment before it is clinically obvious.
Technical procedures for the study of organogenesis in vitro in Amblystoma.

Summary1. A technic is described for rendering surface and subsurface tissues of amphibia wholly sterile for use in tissue culture. Advantage is taken of the nontoxic selective antibiotic action of small concentrations of sodium sulfadiazine and streptomycin.2. A medium which supports organogenesis, differentiation and growth of isolated organ and organ system primordia of amphibian embryos has been reported. The principal components of this medium are citrated plasma, salts, agar, glucose and sodium nucleate.3. Morphogenetic activity in an explanted piece of tissue occurs only when the epidermis heals so as completely to cover the explant.
Impact of sex and APOE4 on cerebral amyloid angiopathy in Alzheimer’s disease

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) often coexists with Alzheimer's disease (AD). APOE4 is a strong genetic risk factor for both AD and CAA. Sex-dependent differences have been shown in AD as well as in cerebrovascular diseases. Therefore, we examined the effects of APOE4, sex, and pathological components on CAA in AD subjects. A total of 428 autopsied brain samples from pathologically confirmed AD cases were analyzed. CAA severity was histologically scored in inferior parietal, middle frontal, motor, superior temporal and visual cortexes. In addition, subgroups with severe CAA (n = 60) or without CAA (n = 39) were subjected to biochemical analysis of amyloid-β (Aβ) and apolipoprotein E (apoE) by ELISA in the temporal cortex. After adjusting for age, Braak neurofibrillary tangle stage and Thal amyloid phase, we found that overall CAA scores were higher in males than females. Furthermore, carrying one or more APOE4 alleles was associated with higher overall CAA scores. Biochemical analysis revealed that the levels of detergent-soluble and detergent-insoluble Aβ40, and insoluble apoE were significantly elevated in individuals with severe CAA or APOE4. The ratio of Aβ40/Aβ42 in insoluble fractions was also increased in the presence of CAA or APOE4, although it was negatively associated with male sex. Levels of insoluble Aβ40 were positively associated with those of insoluble apoE, which were strongly influenced by CAA status. Pertaining to insoluble Aβ42, the levels of apoE correlated regardless of CAA status. Our results indicate that sex and APOE genotypes differentially influence the presence and severity of CAA in AD, likely by affecting interaction and aggregation of Aβ40 and apoE.
Stomach Organ and Cell Lineage Differentiation: From Embryogenesis to Adult Homeostasis

Gastric diseases cause considerable worldwide burden. However, the stomach is still poorly understood in terms of the molecular-cellular processes that govern its development and homeostasis. In particular, the complex relationship between the differentiated cell types located within the stomach and the stem and progenitor cells that give rise to them is significantly understudied relative to other organs. In this review, we will highlight the current state of the literature relating to specification of gastric cell lineages from embryogenesis to adulthood. Special emphasis is placed on substantial gaps in knowledge about stomach specification that we think should be tackled to advance the field. For example, it has long been assumed that adult gastric units have a granule-free stem cell that gives rise to all differentiated lineages. Here we will point out that there are also other models that fit all extant data, such as long-lived lineage-committed progenitors that might serve as a source of new cells during homeostasis.
Fusion and Thermal Degradation Behavior of Symmetric Sulfur-Containing Quaternary Ammonium Bromides

Quaternary ammonium salts are widely used in consumer products and industrial processes, where their instability at elevated temperatures limits their range of applications. In this work, the thermal behavior of a new class of quaternary ammonium salts was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. These salts contain a sulfur atom in each chain at the fourth position from the central nitrogen and are thus termed thiaquats. The temperatures at which these salts melt and thermally degrade were determined, and enthalpies and entropies of fusion were evaluated. Their melting points increase with chain lengths, in contrast to the behavior of traditional quaternary ammonium salts. Furthermore, they exhibit enthalpies and entropies of fusion significantly lower than corresponding tetraalkyl analogues. These trends provide physical insight into the molecular-level behavior of these salts, suggesting that they do not fully dissociate upon melting. The thiaquats also exhibit thermal stability to markedl...
Choroiditis compatible with the histopathologic diagnosis of sympathetic ophthalmia following cyclocryotherapy of neovascular glaucoma

A 44-year-old man had a blind painful right eye secondary to neovascular glaucoma. Cyclocryotherapy was performed because medical therapy was ineffective in lowering the intraocular pressure or reducing the pain. The eye became comfortable, but 5 months later vision decreased in the left eye. Examination revealed a marked posterior uveitis suggestive of sympathetic ophthalmia. Enucleation of the right eye and corticosteroid therapy were effective in eliminating inflammation in the left eye. Histopathologic examination of the exciting right eye revealed classic signs of sympathetic ophthalmia. This case is particularly unusual because there was no history or evidence of ocular perforation in the exciting eye.
The Photosensitivity of Rhodopsin Bleaching and Light-Induced Increases of Fundus Reflectance in Mice Measured In Vivo With Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy.

Author(s): Zhang, Pengfei; Goswami, Mayank; Zawadzki, Robert J; Pugh, Edward N | Abstract: PurposeTo quantify bleaching-induced changes in fundus reflectance in the mouse retina.MethodsLight reflected from the fundus of albino (Balb/c) and pigmented (C57Bl/6J) mice was measured with a multichannel scanning laser ophthalmoscopy optical coherence tomography (SLO-OCT) optical system. Serial scanning of small retinal regions was used for bleaching rhodopsin and measuring reflectance changes.ResultsSerial scanning generated a saturating reflectance increase centered at 501 nm with a photosensitivity of 1.4 × 10-8 per molecule μm2 in both strains, 2-fold higher than expected were irradiance at the rod outer segment base equal to that at the retinal surface. The action spectrum of the reflectance increase corresponds to the absorption spectrum of mouse rhodopsin in situ. Spectra obtained before and after bleaching were fitted with a model of fundus reflectance, quantifying contributions from loss of rhodopsin absorption with bleaching, absorption by oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO2) in the choroid (Balb/c), and absorption by melanin (C57Bl/6J). Both mouse strains exhibited light-induced broadband reflectance changes explained as bleaching-induced reflectivity increases at photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junctions and OS tips.ConclusionsThe elevated photosensitivity of rhodopsin bleaching in vivo is explained by waveguide condensing of light in propagation from rod inner segment (RIS) to rod outer segment (ROS). The similar photosensitivity of rhodopsin in the two strains reveals that little light backscattered from the sclera can enter the ROS. The bleaching-induced increases in reflectance at the IS/OS junctions and OS tips resemble results previously reported in human cones, but are ascribed to rods due to their 30/1 predominance over cones in mice and to the relatively minor amount of cone M-opsin in the regions scanned.
A proteomics approach to find a new breast cancer-specific antigenic marker.

With the progress of the human genome project, a large-scale analysis of proteins within a single experiment, called proteomics, has gained much attention. Mass spectrometry and related techniques have rapidly developed with genome database availability. Using mass spectrometry techniques, one can
Nanoparticle transport in heterogeneous porous media with particle tracking numerical methods

In this article, transport and retention of nanoparticles that flow in suspension through packed beds with unconsolidated spheres and through consolidated Berea sandstone are numerically explored. The surfaces exhibit electrical charge heterogeneity where particles can deposit blocking the surrounding surface deposition sites. The lattice Boltzmann method with Lagrangian particle tracking are the techniques employed. Four ideal patterns of surface charge heterogeneity are adopted for the packed sphere beds, while a real distribution of charge heterogeneity is determined for the Berea core through micro-CT image segmentation. It is found that particle breakthrough curves do not reach a plateau, unless the pore surfaces are completely saturated. Surface saturation also enhances particle propagation because of the surface blocking mechanism, reducing the effective particle deposition rate. In addition, surface saturation mitigates the effect of the pattern of heterogeneity on particle retention, which might be pronounced when blocking is not taken into account. It is also observed from the case of Berea core that the heterogeneity of the mineralogical surfaces disturbs particle transport depending on the physicochemical properties of the surfaces. Likewise, similarity of the mineralogical surface properties is a prerequisite for the commonly used patch-wise model with Langmuirian blocking to reproduce nanoparticle breakthrough in such porous media.
The Communicative Construction of Involuntary Membership

This study expands conceptions of organizational membership by examining individuals whose relationships with their organizations are traditionally characterized as involuntary in nature. Data from inmates and prison employees in four U.S. and Norwegian correctional institutions was examined using structuration theory as an emergent interpretive lens, and five primary ways in which involuntary membership is constructed in communication are identified: physical environment, mobility, relationships, engagement, and body. These facets are presented as the foundation of a continuum-based theoretical perspective on (in)voluntary membership and are discussed for their applicability to future research and theorizing across organizational communication studies.
Correction of hysteretic respiratory motion in SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging: Simulation and patient studies.

Purpose Amplitude based respiratory gating is known to capture the extent of respiratory motion (RM) accurately but results in residual motion in the presence of respiratory hysteresis. In our previous study, we proposed and developed a novel approach to account for respiratory hysteresis by applying the Bouc-Wen (BW) model of hysteresis to external surrogate signals of anterior / posterior motion of the abdomen and chest with respiration. In this work using simulated and clinical SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) studies, we investigate the effects of respiratory hysteresis and evaluate the benefit of correcting it using the proposed BW model in comparison with the abdomen signal typically employed clinically. Methods The MRI navigator data acquired in free breathing human volunteers were used in the specially modified 4-D NCAT phantoms to allow simulating three types of respiratory patterns: monotonic, mild-hysteresis, and strong-hysteresis with normal myocardial uptake, and perfusion defects in the anterior, lateral, inferior, and septal locations of the mid-ventricular wall. Clinical scans were performed using a 99mTc-Sestamibi MPI protocol while recording respiratory signals from thoracic and abdomen regions using a Visual Tracking System (VTS). The performance of the correction using the respiratory signals was assessed through polar map analysis in phantom and ten clinical studies selected on the basis of having substantial RM. Results In phantom studies, simulations illustrating normal myocardial uptake showed significant differences (p<0.001) in the uniformity of the polar maps between the RM uncorrected and corrected. No significant differences were seen in the polar map uniformity across the RM corrections. Studies simulating perfusion defects showed significantly decreased errors (p<0.001) in defect severity and extent for the RM corrected compared to the uncorrected. Only for the strong-hysteretic pattern was there a significant difference (p<0.001) among the RM corrections. The errors in defect severity and extent for the RM correction using abdomen signal were significantly higher compared to that of the BW (severity=-4.0%, p<0.001; extent=-65.4%, p<0.01) and chest (severity=-4.1%, p<0.001; extent=-52.5%, p<0.01) signals. In clinical studies, the quantitative analysis of the polar maps demonstrated qualitative and quantitative but not statistically significant differences (p=0.73) between the correction methods that used the BW signal and the abdominal signal. Conclusions This study shows that hysteresis in respiration affects the extent of residual motion left in the RM binned data, which can impact wall uniformity and the visualization of defects. Thus there appears to be the potential for improved accuracy in reconstruction in the presence of hysteretic RM with the BW model method providing a possible step in the direction of improvement. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.