cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A cost-effective analysis of adjuvant therapies for the treatment of stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Objectives. Recent surveys have indicated that four alternatives are employed for adjuvant treatment of stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma: observation (OBS), high dose rate vaginal brachytherapy (VB), whole pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), or a combination of pelvic external beam with vaginal brachytherapy (COMB). Our goal was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of these alternatives for management of stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma. Methods. We designed a decision analysis model comparing the four possible treatments in terms of their utility and cost. We reviewed the existing literature and utilized published data to estimate complication and recurrence rates from each treatment option. We obtained cost data from a chart review of patients treated with each approach at a single institution between 1995 and 2005. Results. OBS yielded the lowest expected cost, $437 million per 100,000 women. COMB yielded the highest cost, at $2.93 billion per 100,000 women. VB yielded the highest 5-year quality adjusted survival, 86%. In a population of 100,000 women, VB would result in an additional 8200 quality adjusted survivors compared to OBS, at a cost of $65,900 per survivor. In contrast, EBRT and COMB result in either fewer survivors and/or greater costs when compared to OBS or VB. Conclusion. Routine use of adjuvant EBRT or COMB in the management of surgical stage I endometrial adenocarcinoma is not cost-effective. Compared to OBS, post-operative VB improves survival at a cost of $65,900 per survivor, supporting further investigation of this adjuvant therapy.
CAVASS: A Computer-Assisted Visualization and Analysis Software System

The Medical Image Processing Group at the University of Pennsylvania has been developing (and distributing with source code) medical image analysis and visualization software systems for a long period of time. Our most recent system, 3DVIEWNIX, was first released in 1993. Since that time, a number of significant advancements have taken place with regard to computer platforms and operating systems, networking capability, the rise of parallel processing standards, and the development of open-source toolkits. The development of CAVASS by our group is the next generation of 3DVIEWNIX. CAVASS will be freely available and open source, and it is integrated with toolkits such as Insight Toolkit and Visualization Toolkit. CAVASS runs on Windows, Unix, Linux, and Mac but shares a single code base. Rather than requiring expensive multiprocessor systems, it seamlessly provides for parallel processing via inexpensive clusters of work stations for more time-consuming algorithms. Most importantly, CAVASS is directed at the visualization, processing, and analysis of 3-dimensional and higher-dimensional medical imagery, so support for digital imaging and communication in medicine data and the efficient implementation of algorithms is given paramount importance.
Laptops and Inspired Writing

Can daily access to laptop computers help students become better writers? Are such programs affordable? Evidence from the Inspired Writing program in Littleton Public Schools, Colorado, USA, provides a resounding yes to both questions. The program employs student netbooks, open-source software, cloud computing, and social media to help students in grades 5 through 10 develop their skills and identities as writers, all at a total hardware and software cost of less than $280 per student. Students use these tools to learn about diverse genres and write in them for authentic purposes and audiences.
Oxidized or native low-density lipoprotein cholesterol: which is more important in atherogenesis?

Atherosclerosis and related disorders are the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the Western world. Atherosclerosis-related diseases are also becoming common in the developing world. The Framingham study and other epidemiologic studies have amply shown that certain conditions are associated
The influence of in-stream structures on summer water temperatures via induced hyporheic exchange

Temperature is an important controlling factor for ecological functions. In-stream geomorphic structures affect stream thermal regimes by facilitating hyporheic exchange of water and heat between stream channels and underlying sediments. We varied the height of an experimental weir (representing debris dams, log dams, and boulder weirs) in a small stream during the summer and monitored the hydraulic and thermal response of surface and subsurface water using a three-dimensional sensor array. The presence of the structure altered stream temperature patterns, increasing thermal heterogeneity in surface water and shallow sediments by up to ,1.0uC. We estimated heat conduction and weir-induced hyporheic heat advection across the streambed, and evaluated their response to key parameters. Conduction and advection were of similar magnitude and oscillated over the stream’s diel temperature cycle. Weir-induced hyporheic heat advection caused slight cooling of the surface stream (up to ,0.01uC), and increased with weir height, but was considerably less important to the overall heat budget of the stream than was atmospheric heat exchange. Streambed hydraulic conductivity appears to be the overriding factor determining the magnitude of weir-induced hyporheic influence on surface water temperatures. We conclude that weir-type structures will induce ecologically significant surface and subsurface thermal heterogeneity in many stream settings, but that weir-induced hyporheic heat advection will have ecologically significant thermal effects on surface water only in coarse streambeds. Because these structures are common in natural streams and stream restoration projects, such thermal effects may be important on a landscape level.
Engineering biodegradable polyester elastomers with antioxidant properties to attenuate oxidative stress in tissues.

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the limited biological compatibility of many biomaterials due to inflammation, as well as in various pathologies including atherosclerosis and restenosis as a result of vascular interventions. Engineering antioxidant properties into a material is therefore a potential avenue to improve the biocompatibility of materials, as well as to locally attenuate oxidative stress-related pathologies. Moreover, biodegradable polymers that have antioxidant properties built into their backbone structure have high relative antioxidant content and may provide prolonged, continuous attenuation of oxidative stress while the polymer or its degradation products are present. In this report, we describe the synthesis of poly(1,8-octanediol-co-citrate-co-ascorbate) (POCA), a citric-acid based biodegradable elastomer with native, intrinsic antioxidant properties. The in vitro antioxidant activity of POCA as well as its effects on vascular cells in vitro and in vivo were studied. Antioxidant properties investigated included scavenging of free radicals, iron chelation and the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. POCA reduced reactive oxygen species generation in cells after an oxidative challenge and protected cells from oxidative stress-induced cell death. Importantly, POCA antioxidant properties remained present upon degradation. Vascular cells cultured on POCA showed high viability, and POCA selectively inhibited smooth muscle cell proliferation, while supporting endothelial cell proliferation. Finally, preliminary data on POCA-coated ePTFE grafts showed reduced intimal hyperplasia when compared to standard ePTFE grafts. This biodegradable, intrinsically antioxidant polymer may be useful for tissue engineering application where oxidative stress is a concern.
Growing up Gifted and Talented: Schools, Families and Communities.

This paper discusses the changing aspects of gifted education over the 40 years with relation to definition, identification and provision. The author shows how the field has broadened to embrace a more holistic and dynamic approach in which the complexity of human potential is accepted and the importance of family, community and school influence is recognized as being of equal importance in achieving full development of individuals.
A New Method for Protecting Interrelated Time Series with Bayesian Prior Distributions and Synthetic Data

The authors wish to acknowledge funding received through NSF grants BCS 0941226 (CDI), SES 9978093, ITR 0427889, SES 0922005, and SES 1131848 (NCRN).
Unobstructing magnetic microactuators for implantable catheters

Novel unobstructing magnetic microactuators have been designed, fabricated, and tested for use as devices to prevent flow obstruction in implantable catheters. The initial target application is hydrocephalus, which is a neurological disease (commonly known as the “water on the brain”) that often requires long-term implantation of a shunt system to divert excess cerebrospinal fluid from the brain to the abdomen. Chronically implanted shunt systems have a short lifespan (∼40% failure rate after 1 year) due to progressive biological blockage at the inlet pores of the catheter. Undetected blockage can result in catastrophic failure and inflict serious harm to patients. Our research objective is to embed magnetic microactuators into catheters to combat the pore occlusion.
Association between guideline recommended drugs and death in older adults with multiple chronic conditions: population based cohort study.

Objective To estimate the association between guideline recommended drugs and death in older adults with multiple chronic conditions. Design Population based cohort study. Setting Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey cohort, a nationally representative sample of Americans aged 65 years or more. Participants 8578 older adults with two or more study chronic conditions (atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, chronic kidney disease, depression, diabetes, heart failure, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and thromboembolic disease), followed through 2011. Exposures Drugs included β blockers, calcium channel blockers, clopidogrel, metformin, renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockers; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs); statins; thiazides; and warfarin. Main outcome measure Adjusted hazard ratios for death among participants with a condition and taking a guideline recommended drug relative to participants with the condition not taking the drug and among participants with the most common combinations of four conditions. Results Over 50% of participants with each condition received the recommended drugs regardless of coexisting conditions; 1287/8578 (15%) participants died during the three years of follow-up. Among cardiovascular drugs, β blockers, calcium channel blockers, RAS blockers, and statins were associated with reduced mortality for indicated conditions. For example, the adjusted hazard ratio for β blockers was 0.59 (95% confidence interval 0.48 to 0.72) for people with atrial fibrillation and 0.68 (0.57 to 0.81) for those with heart failure. The adjusted hazard ratios for cardiovascular drugs were similar to those with common combinations of four coexisting conditions, with trends toward variable effects for β blockers. None of clopidogrel, metformin, or SSRIs/SNRIs was associated with reduced mortality. Warfarin was associated with a reduced risk of death among those with atrial fibrillation (adjusted hazard ratio 0.69, 95% confidence interval 0.56 to 0.85) and thromboembolic disease (0.44, 0.30 to 0.62). Attenuation in the association with reduced risk of death was found with warfarin in participants with some combinations of coexisting conditions. Conclusions Average effects on survival, particularly for cardiovascular study drugs, were comparable to those reported in randomized controlled trials but varied for some drugs according to coexisting conditions. Determining treatment effects in combinations of conditions may guide prescribing in people with multiple chronic conditions.
Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatase 2 Regulates the Inflammatory Response in Sepsis

Sepsis results from a dysregulation of the regulatory mechanisms of the pro- and anti-inflammatory response to invading pathogens. The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades are key signal transduction pathways involved in the cellular production of cytokines. The dual-specific phosphatase 1 (DUSP 1), mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1), has been shown to be an important negative regulator of the inflammatory response by regulating the p38 and Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) MAP kinase pathways to influence pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production. MKP-2, also a dual-specific phosphatase (DUSP 4), is a phosphatase highly homologous with MKP-1 and is known to regulate MAP kinase signaling; however, its role in regulating the inflammatory response is not known. We hypothesized a regulatory role for MKP-2 in the setting of sepsis. Mice lacking the MKP-2 gene had a survival advantage over wild-type mice when challenged with intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or a polymicrobial infection via cecal ligation and puncture. The MKP-2−/− mice also exhibited decreased serum levels of both pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α], interleukin-1β [IL-1β], IL-6) and anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10) following endotoxin challenge. Isolated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) from MKP-2−/− mice showed increased phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), decreased phosphorylation of JNK and p38, and increased induction of MKP-1 following LPS stimulation. The capacity for cytokine production increased in MKP-2−/− BMDMs following MKP-1 knockdown. These data support a mechanism by which MKP-2 targets ERK deactivation, thereby decreasing MKP-1 and thus removing the negative inhibition of MKP-1 on cytokine production.
Viscoelasticity of bulk limb tissue

A study is presented of viscoelastic changes in the limb in the presence of the compartment syndrome, which can occur when muscle tissue swells following trauma. In a series of laboratory studies with elevated compartment pressure, the measured viscoelastic properties on the surface of the limb became more purely elastic when compared with baseline. The noninvasively measured viscoelastic departure from purely elastic behavior at mid-pressure-cycle (60 mm Hg) dropped from 156 mm/sup 3/ to 32 mm/sup 3/ as compartment pressure increased from 6 mm Hg to 63 mm Hg. Measurements were also taken in study of ten normal human subjects. The use of matched sites was found to provide compensation for differences in fat content and muscle tone among subjects. >
Biomasses of arthropod taxa differentially increase on nitrogen-fertilized willows and cottonwoods.

I evaluated soil application of nitrogen fertilizer to 1-year-old, flood-irrigated Salix exigua willows and Populus fremontii cottonwoods as a method for increasing arthropod abundances and biomasses (wet masses) available to insectivorous birds. Shrubs and trees, planted near the lower Colorado River in southeast California for wildlife habitat, were fertilized during April 2008. I collected spiders and insects monthly during the following May–August from unfertilized and fertilized plants by fumigating branches with insecticide. Percentages of N in leaves, and to a lesser extent percentages of water in branches, were greater on fertilized plants (averaging 2.5% N of dry mass) compared with unfertilized plants (1.6% N) in both species. Most arthropods collected were predaceous Araneae (44% of abundance, 52% of biomass) followed by phytophagous Homoptera (34%, 11%) and predaceous or phytophagous Heteroptera (10%, 11%). Abundances and biomasses of Araneae, Heteroptera, and all Arthropoda across months did not differ between unfertilized and fertilized plants in either species controlling for masses of sampled branches. In contrast, biomasses of Homoptera, mostly Cicadellidae followed by Aphididae, were 197% greater on fertilized willows and 228% greater on fertilized cottonwoods. Greater biomasses on fertilized plants were consistent across months. Biomasses of homopterans on branches of each species also increased as leaf N-concentrations increased. Applying N-fertilizer to willows and cottonwoods can increase leaf N-contents and abundances and biomasses of Homoptera. Increased homopteran biomass on N-fertilized plants may in turn diversify prey available to insectivorous birds.
Electrohydrodynamic Flow over a Wavy Wall

Abstract : Electrohydrodynamic flow of a simple, isothermal gas without dissipative effects over a wavy wall is investigated by the perturbation method. The unperturbed flow has a uniform velocity and non-uniform distributions of density and electric field which vanish at infinity. For the subsonic flow, the surface pressure the stream lines and the electric-field lines are calculated. For the supersonic flow, the linearized solution diverges at infinity. This seems to be due to the non-uniform density distribution of the undisturbed flow. Numerical solutions of an oscillating-piston problem which is a simplified model for the high supersonic flow, are obtained. Some related problems are also investigated. (Author)
The Slow Manifold—What Is It?

Abstract Two studies that disagree as to whether a slow manifold is present in a particular low-order primitive equation model are compared. It is shown that the discrepancy occurs because of a difference of opinion as to what constitutes a slow manifold.
P121 : HIGH NONSPECIFIC AT1R REACTION IN A NON-SENSITIZED KIDNEY RECIPIENT

Aim To investigate the origin of an extremely high AT1r result in a 0% PRA pediatric kidney recipient and history of nonspecific positive flow crossmatch. Methods Pt was HLA typed by rSSOP and 0% PRA was documented by LABScreen Single Antigen Assay (OL). Patient’s serum (P’s.S) was tested with AT1r ELISA (OL). The identical solid phase plate Maxisorp (Nunc) without the AT1r antigen was incubated with P’s.S and the kit Negative Control (NC). The plate was also treated with casein (Sigma) and BSA (Thermo Fisher), two reagents commonly used to block nonspecific reactions. A human serum (HS) sample with a negative AT1r reaction was used as a different source of protein. The secondary anti-IgG antibody conjugated with HRP and TMB from the AT1r kit was used to complete the reaction. Results Serum from a pediatric Pt with history of nonspecific flow crossmatch was used as part of the AT1r assay validation in our lab. Results with the undiluted serum were outside of the range as defined by the calibrator curve. Serial dilutions obtained an OD = 2034 and a concentration of 58.72 U/ml at titer 1:2048. The Pt was transplanted October 2013 with Thymo induction without any complications and maintains an excellent kidney graft function at the time of this abstract. With a history of no sensitization events and the graft outcome we suspect a nonspecific AT1r reaction. The P’s.S was incubated in an untreated plate to evaluate a positive reactivity against the polystyrene surface. We obtained an OD = 56 below the OD of the NC. When the P’s.S was added to the plate blocked with 0.5% casein in PBS the result was: P’s.S-OD = 3617/NC-OD = 43. The reading in the well blocked with 0.5% BSA in PBS was: P’s.S OD = 3071/NC-OD = 39. The reaction with the plate treated with HS (Neg: AT1r) was: P’s.S OD = 811/NC-OD = 777, both values are elevated but significantly lower than the well treated with the casein or BSA. Conclusions The lack of sensitization events, a favorable graft outcome, and these results lead us to believe that nonspecific reactions are to blame with regards to P’s.S reacting with the AT1r kit. Negative OD values with the untreated surface or treated with a HS versus high OD values with the surface treated with casein and BSA suggest a reaction against a protein of bovine origin present in the kit components. Further work will be needed to demonstrate this observation.
Azimuth estimation capabilities of the ARCESS regional seismic array

Abstract The effect of local geology and noise conditions on the performance of a small regional array is investigated by comparing the regional P n backazimuth estimation capabilities of the ARCESS array in northern Norway to the NORESS array. A broadband frequency-wavenumber estimator was used to calculate backazimuths from the P n arrival for each of 203 regional events recorded at ARCESS while varying element spacing, frequency band, and time window. Most of the errors in backazimuth are less than 20° when appropriate parameter combinations are used, and mean backazimuth errors are close to zero. The best results are obtained using a 13-element configuration that has a 1.4 km aperture and a maximum station spacing of about 600 m. With the 13-element configuration and the data filtered to include frequencies between 3 and 10 Hz, the mean errors for the 203 event data set are less than 0.9°, and S.D. are as small as 16.9°. There are differences seen in the backazimuth estimation capabilities of ARCESS and NORESS with specific parameter combinations. The larger aperture configurations (10- and 17-elements) have smaller means at ARCESS, although the precision is about the same. The estimates using unfiltered data at ARCESS are poor, because of local noise conditions that increase the level of background noise at low frequencies. Overall the precision is better at NORESS, but both regional arrays have the best results using the 13-element configuration and filtering the data in the middle frequency range (3 to 10 Hz). Other factors investigated include SNR and source region. Backazimuth estimation statistics improve if only events with 5 dB of SNR are included in the data set at both ARCESS and NORESS. The mean errors move closer to zero and standard deviations decrease. The differences between the two arrays are not as pronounced. There are some path effects from different source regions around the ARCESS array. However, combinations of small aperture configurations and middle (3 to 10 Hz) frequency bands work well for events over the entire distance range of 30 to 1200 km. ARCESS and NORESS have similar backazimuth estimation capabilities even though there are differences in the local geology and noise conditions. Because a 13-element configuration produces reliable results for both arrays, it would be reasonable to reduce the number of elements in a regional array. This in turn will reduce the costs associated with building and deploying small regional arrays.
CRITERION FOR STABILITY OF SHORELINE PLANFORM

The problem of beach planform stability has been known for a long time: When does a small perturbation on a straight beach tend to grow with time and when does it tend to be flattened out? The interest in this problem arises from evidence of instabilities occurring in nature, but perhaps more importantly it is a problem that must be taken into account when formulating models for beach evolution and erosion. Existing mathematical models describing shoreline changes assume that the beach planform is stable and in equilibrium. It is therefore important to establish the range of wave conditions for which instabilities could occur, thereby invalidating such models. In the present case our interest is specifically directed towards determining conditions for which a model for shoreline evolution is intangible because of development of local instability. Grijm (1960) gave an approximate mathematical analysis indicating that at the point where the longshore sediment transport Q as a function of wave angle is maximum the shoreline must either be straight or form a cusp. Under his assumption that Q is proportional to sin 2a the maximum occurs for a = 45°. Le Mehaute and Soldate (1977) summarizes other studies that essentially arrive at the same results, viz. when the deep water wave angle is greater than 45° the shoreline is unstable. This result did not seem to be substantiated by field or laboratory observations. In this study of shoreline planform we first derive a criterion for instability of straight beaches. Then assuming that longshore sediment transport is proportional to the alongshore wave energy flux component at the point of breaking we determine the range of deep water wave characteristics and beach slopes which would cause unstable situations to occur. We consider only the longshore transport and exclude effects of on-offshore transport.
The Spiritual Illusion

AbstractThis article takes constructive steps toward redescribing an emic folk category that enjoys widespread use in contemporary Western discourse, but has proven problematic for the academic study of religion. On close examination, the term “spirituality” is demonstrated to be vague, essentialist, and narcissistic, though consistent enough in its usage to reveal a cluster of specific associations, assumptions, and normative judgments. Moreover, the purported dichotomy between “spirituality” and “religion” can be rendered more intelligible through an ironic and imaginative juxtaposition with the contrast between male and female reproduction organs, with regard to physical appearance and location, social dynamics, and ethical implications.
Assessment of T1rho relaxation times after reperfused myocardial infarction

Background T1r MRI is an emerging method for high spatial resolution tissue characterization of myocardial infarct (MI), but the evolution of T1r in the first month after reperfused MI is uncertain. We conducted a study of reperfused MI in pigs to serially monitor T1r relaxation times at baseline, 1 and 4 weeks post-MI and correlated these results with T2, native T1, and histological findings.
Resveratrol: Potential Benefits on Aging and Heart Disease

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound found in many products commonly consumed in the American diet. The reported benefits of resveratrol are broad and include antiaging effects, antioxidant effects, anticancer effects, neuroprotective effects, and an array of cardiovascular benefits such as improved cholesterol profiles, reduced atherosclerosis, improved glucose homeostasis, decreased blood pressure, and reduced ischemia– reperfusion injury. The current article discusses the literature relating the dosing, safety, and effectiveness of resveratrol for extended life span and improved cardiovascular health. Additionally, recommendations for use in clinical practice are discussed.
Morphological changes of neutrophils in severe hepatitis

AIM: To study the morphological changes of neutrophils in patients with severe hepatitis and discuss their significance. METHODS: 20 cases of neutrophils specimens prepared with routine methods were observed by electron microscopy. RESULTS: Abnormalities of neutrophils were observated in all patients, which paralleled closely with the stage of hepatic failure in patients. Main ultrastructrual changes included cytoplasm degeneration, want of pinocytotic vesicle and phagosone, decreased organelles and granules, mitochondria swelling, nucleus condensation, etc. Nuclear area measure, mitochondria and cell granules count were consistent with the above observation.CONCLUSION: This results could be regarded as a morphological evidence of the reduced neutrophil functions and the increased susceptibility to bacterial infection in patients with severe liver disease. A mutually causal relation may be existed between the ultrastructural abnormalities of neutrophils and the hepatic failure in severe hepatitis patients.
Data Interpretation Overview

If the companion volume entitled Advanced Topics in Forensic DNA Typing: Methodology begins with an evidentiary biological sample from a crime scene, then this book begins with a computer file. This computer file contains data points corresponding to time and fluorescence intensity at various wavelengths of light that represent the digital signature of a DNA profile. When these data points are plotted with time on the x-axis and fluorescence intensity on the y-axis, an electropherogram is created. This electropherogram, sometimes referred to as an EPG or e-gram, is then evaluated using STR genotyping software to produce a final results table representing the biological sample’s DNA profile.
Assessing Self-Organization in Agile Software Development Teams

ABSTRACTSelf-organization, based on the Socio-Technical Design (STS) work design principles, is considered a hallmark of agile software development (SD) teams and an antecedent of motivation and innovation at work. However, while self-organization is considered a salient success factor in agile SD, past research has shown that there are many hurdles in self-organizing. Yet, the actual level of self-organization practiced in agile teams has not been investigated. In this study we develop a measure to do so using the nine principles of STS work design by Cherns [15]. We found that while the level of self-organization varies across agile projects, on each of the nine dimensions the level of self-organization in agile teams was found to be significantly higher than those using plan-driven methods. Furthermore, self-organization was found to positively affect the motivation and innovativeness of SD teams.
Targeting Thrombomodulin to Endothelial ICAM-1 Rather Than PECAM-1 Allows Partnering with the Endothelial Protein C Receptor and Enhances Protection of Endothelial Barrier Function

Abstract 3351 The thrombomodulin-protein C pathway has important antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory roles in a variety of disease models and human illnesses, including severe sepsis, acute lung injury, and focal ischemia & reperfusion. We recently reported that anchoring recombinant thrombomodulin (TM) to PECAM-1 on the luminal surface of the vascular endothelium is protective in a mouse model of inflammatory lung injury. To this point, it has been unclear whether targeted thrombomodulin is able to partner with the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) in the same way as its endogenous counterpart. Here we demonstrate that anchoring TM to endothelial ICAM-1, rather than PECAM-1, results in approximately 10-fold greater activation of protein C. Furthermore, blocking protein C binding to EPCR results in marked reduction of protein C activation when TM is targeted to ICAM-1, whereas protein C activation is largely independent of EPCR when PECAM-1 is used as the target ligand. Consistent with this in vitro observation, anti-ICAM/TM fusion protein provides greater in vivo protection in a mouse model of inflammatory lung injury than its PECAM-targeted analogue, more potently blocking expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and more effectively stabilizing endothelial barrier function. Since ICAM, endogenous TM, and EPCR are all thought to localize to microdomains on the apical surface of endothelial cells, we hypothesize that ICAM-targeting more effectively mimics the natural configuration and brings TM within sufficient proximity to allow access to its membrane co-factor. These observations could have profound implications for the therapeutic efficacy of a whole series of endothelial-targeted proto-drugs and their potential for translational success. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Berechnung der Bandstruktur von NbN

Die Bandstruktur von NbN wurde mit Hilfe der nichtrelativistischen Augmented-Plane-Wave-(APW-) Methode selbstkonsistent berechnet, wobei fur das Austauschpotential die statistische Naherung der Xα-Methode verwendet wurde. Die ubliche “muffin-tin”-Naherung fur das Potential wurde der Rechnung zugrunde gelegt. Mit Hilfe einerLCAO-Interpolation der Bandstruktur wurde die Zustandsdichte bestimmt. Die entsprechenden partiellenLCAO-Zustandsdichten wurden mit den analogenAPW-Charakterdichten verglichen. DieFermi-oberflache wurde bestimmt.
All‐Dielectric C‐Shaped Nanoantennas for Light Manipulation: Tailoring Both Magnetic and Electric Resonances to the Desire

A systematic study is carried out on the interaction of electromagnetic waves with a nonsymmetric all-dielectric C-shaped nanoantenna to achieve an ultimate control over the independent and relative spectral positions of the excited magnetic and electric dipolar modes. By properly determining the structural parameters (inner and outer radii and the opening angle) and tailoring the interference of geometrical resonances, an ultrathin C-element metasurface is designed, which can highly transmit the linearly polarized incident beam (>80%) with full phase-agility (2π) in the red light of visible regime. The investigation on the physical mechanism behind this nanoantenna reveals the confinement of magnetic and electric fields corresponding to the magnetic and electric dipolar modes mainly inside the hollow and opening angle, i.e., outside the constituent high-index material of C-element. This feature allows making building blocks less dependent on the material loss and dispersion. Three different approaches based on only varying the inner/outer radius or the opening angle are proposed which can facilitate the design complexity, the encoding of the desired phase distribution for specific functionality, and easing the fabrication procedure. The proposed approaches are leveraged to design several highly transparent graded-pattern metasurfaces with the capability of beam steering, focusing, flat-top generation, and holography.
Conventional and technical diving surveys reveal elevated biomass and differing fish community composition from shallow and upper mesophotic zones of a remote United States coral reef

The world's coral reefs appear to be in a global decline, yet most previous research on coral reefs has taken place at depths shallower than 30 m. Mesophotic coral ecosystem (depths deeper than ~30 m) studies have revealed extensive, productive habitats and rich communities. Despite recent advances, mesophotic coral ecosystems remain understudied due to challenges with sampling at deeper depths. The few previous studies of mesophotic coral ecosystems have shown variation across locations in depth-specific species composition and assemblage shifts, potentially a response to differences in habitat or light availability/water clarity. This study utilized scuba to examine fish and benthic communities from shallow and upper mesophotic (to 45 m) zones of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS, 28°0'N; 93°50'W) from 2010-2012. Dominant planktivores were ubiquitous in shallow and upper mesophotic habitats, and comparisons with previous shallow research suggest this community distribution has persisted for over 30 years. Planktivores were abundant in shallow low-relief habitats on the periphery of the coral reef, and some of these sites that contained habitat transitioning from high to low relief supported high biomass of benthic predators. These peripheral sites at FGBNMS may be important for the trophic transfer of oceanic energy to the benthic coral reef. Distinct differences between upper mesophotic and shallow communities were also observed. These included greater overall fish (as well as apex predator) biomass in the upper mesophotic, differences in apex predator community composition between depth zones, and greater percent cover of algae, rubble, sand, and sponges in the upper mesophotic. Greater fish biomass in the upper mesophotic and similar fish community composition between depth zones provide preliminary support that upper mesophotic habitats at FGBNMS have the capacity to serve as refugia for the shallow-water reefs. Diving surveys of the upper mesophotic and shallow-water coral reef have revealed valuable information concerning the reef fish community in the northern Gulf of Mexico, with implications for the conservation of apex predators, oceanic coral reefs, and the future management of FGBNMS.
Intelligent Machine Tools: An Application of Neural Networks to the Control of Cutting Tool Performance

An Open-Architecture Machine Tool, based on a Sun/VMEbus/C/Real-Time Unix operating system has been constructed to provide a “machining research control platform” for the execution, sensing and gauging of precision machining. The real-time control of cutting tool performance is being monitored with dynamometers and thermocouples in order to monitor the stress and temperature acting on the tool’s cutting edge. Initially, a closed-form engineering relationship between stress-temperature and speed-feed can be developed and used to adjust feed and speed so as to keep stress and temperature within safe but productive bounds. However, the control of the system, especially with a deteriorating tool due to wear, benefits from the application of a neural network. This approach “learns and updates” the relationship between speed-feed and stress-temperature over a broad range of operating conditions. Results for the cutting of steel with carbide tools are described.
Ascetic entrepreneurs: an elite prosopography

Asceticism has been advanced as a contributing factor to successful entrepreneurship. This paper reflects the testing of this construct with a prosopographical case study of six elite entrepreneurs. Bridging three centuries of new entry creation of sustained growth, this study verifies that asceticism is an appropriate explanatory mechanism and ethical standard for start-up viability and entrepreneurial success.
College Student Feedback about Librarian-Created Instructional Videos: Why Aren't They Using Them?.

ABSTRACTLibrary instruction videos can enhance student instruction. At a community college, librarian-created videos provided students with academic support. However, the videos were rarely used. In this article, students were sent online surveys to rate videos discussing the American Psychological Association (APA) format. Students were also asked why they did not use the videos. Participants rated several video features, including length, technical aspects, narration, and style. While they overwhelmingly responded that the videos were useful, the students did not know where they were located. The major complaint was related to the videos' technical aspects. Students also reported that they were more inclined to ask for help after watching the video.
Effect of Distributed Patch of Smooth Roughness Elements on Transition in a High-Speed Boundary Layer

Surface roughness is known to have a substantial impact on the aerothermodynamic loading of hypersonic vehicles, particularly via its influence on the laminar-turbulent transition process within the boundary layer. Numerical simulations are performed to investigate the effects of a distributed region of densely packed, smooth-shaped roughness elements on the laminar boundary layer over a 7-degree half-angle, circular cone for flow conditions corresponding to a selected trajectory point from the ascent phase of the HIFiRE-1 flight experiment. For peak-to-valley roughness heights of 50 percent or less in comparison with the thickness of the unperturbed boundary layer, the computations converge to a stationary flow, suggesting that the flow is globally stable. Analysis of convective instabilities in the wake of the roughness patch indicates two dominant families of unstable disturbances, namely, a high frequency mode that corresponds to Mack mode waves modified by the wake and a lower frequency mode that corresponds to shear layer instabilities associated with the streaks in the roughness wake. Even though the peak growth rate of the later mode is more than 35 percent greater than the peak growth rates of the Mack modes, the latter modes achieve higher amplification ratios, and hence, are likely to dominate the onset of transition, which is estimated to occur slightly later than that in the unperturbed, i.e., smooth surface boundary layer. Additional computations are performed to investigate the effects of various roughness patch configurations on a Mach 3.5 flat plate boundary layer, to help guide an upcoming experiment in the Mach 3.5 Supersonic Low Disturbance Tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. In this case, the cumulative reinforcement of basic state distortion over the length of the roughness patch is predicted to yield a significantly earlier transition than that over a smooth plate or a plate with a shorter length roughness patch.
Percutaneous Proximal Femoral Osteotomy with External Fixator for Chronically Dislocated Hips in Patients with Cerebral Palsy

Hip subluxation and dislocation is common in nonambulatory patients with cerebral palsy (CP), especially in more severe forms such as those with Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level V. Pain, discomfort, and deformity causing difficulty with positioning and perineal care are frequent concerns among the patient’s caregivers. In the adolescent patient with CP who has a chronic dislocation and loss of femoral head sphericity, relocating the deformed head into a dysplastic acetabulum is not indicated. In such patients, salvage procedures such as hip arthrodesis, proximal femoral resection, hip arthroplasty, and proximal femoral valgus osteotomy have been reported. Subtrochanteric valgus osteotomy (SVO) has been described primarily with an open technique, but complications are common. Percutaneous SVO using an external fixator for stabilization may provide a sustained correction deformity as well as improve quality of life measures while minimizing morbidity.
Music synchronizes brainwaves across listeners with strong effects of repetition, familiarity and training

Music tends to be highly repetitive, both in terms of musical structure and in terms of listening behavior, yet little is known about how engagement changes with repeated exposure. Here we postulate that engagement with music affects the inter-subject correlation of brain responses during listening. We predict that repeated exposure to music will affect engagement and thus inter-subject correlation. Across repeated exposures to instrumental music, inter-subject correlation decreased for music written in a familiar style. Participants with formal musical training showed more inter-subject correlation, and sustained it across exposures to music in an unfamiliar style. This distinguishes music from other domains, where repetition has consistently been shown to decrease inter-subject correlation. Overall, the study suggests that listener engagement tends to decrease across repeated exposures of familiar music, but that unfamiliar musical styles can sustain an audience’s interest, in particular in individuals with some musical training. Future work needs to validate the link proposed here between music engagement and inter-subject correlation of brain responses during listening.
A novel wake model for yawed wind turbines

Abstract One of the current major challenges in wind energy is to maximize energy production of wind farms. One approach in this effort is through control of wind turbine wake interactions, since undesirable wake interactions can introduce additional mechanical stresses on turbines, leading to early failures and reduce overall energy production of wind farms. To develop control strategies that can minimize wake interactions, it is essential to simulate wake behaviors accurately and quickly. In this work, a fast and accurate turbine wake model capable of modeling turbine wakes under yaw is presented. This model builds upon the work of existing wake models and is capable of producing results comparable to that of conventional full CFD simulations using a fraction of the computational cost. The accuracy and speed of the proposed model allows for the development of real-time turbine control strategies to maximize power output. The results of the proposed model are validated with previous numerical and experimental data.
CEO Compensation in IPOs

Research Question/Issue: Does inside debt compensation affect previous thought on compensation effects in IPOs? What explains variation in compensation when a company goes public? What is the compo...
Low-margin optical networking at cloud scale [Invited]

Every day, customers across the globe connect to cloud service provider servers with requests for diverse types of data, requiring instantaneous response times and seamless availability. The physical infrastructure which underpins those services is based on optics and optical networks, with the focus of this paper being on Microsoft’s approach to the optical network. Maintaining a global optical networking infrastructure which meets these customer needs means Microsoft must utilize solutions which are highly tailored and optimized for the application space which they address, with appropriately streamlined solutions for metropolitan data center interconnect and long-haul portions of the network. This paper presents Microsoft’s approach for tackling these challenges at cloud scale, highlighting the low-margin solutions which are employed. We provide a survey of Microsoft’s regional network design and corresponding optical network architectures, and present volumes of real-time polled metrics from the thousands of lines systems and tens of thousands of transceivers deployed today. We close by describing our approach to a unified software-defined networking toolset which ultimately enables the velocity and scale with which we can grow and operate this critical network infrastructure.
Reduced dislocation density and residual tension in AlN grown on SiC by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Crack-free AlN films with threading dislocation density (TDD) below 109 cm−2 are needed for deep-UV optoelectronics. This is typically achieved using pulsed lateral overgrowth or very thick buffer layers (>10 μm), a costly and time-consuming approach. A method for conventional metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth of AlN/SiC films below 3 μm with greatly improved quality is presented. Focusing on substrate pretreatment before growth, we reduce average film stress from 0.9 GPa (tension) to −1.1 GPa (compression) and eliminate cracking. Next, with optimized growth conditions during initial deposition, AlN films with x-ray rocking curve widths of 123 arc-sec ( 0002) and 304 arc-sec ( 20 2 ¯ 1) are developed, and TDD is confirmed via plan view transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to be 2 × 108 cm−2. Film stress measurements including x-ray 2θ-ω, reciprocal space mapping, and curvature depict compressively stressed growth of AlN on 4H-SiC due to lattice mismatch. The thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between AlN and SiC is measured to be Δ α = α AlN − α SiC = 1.13 × 10 − 6 ° C − 1 and is found to be constant between room temperature and 1400 °C. TEM confirms the existence of dense misfit dislocation (MD) networks consistent with MD formation near SiC step edges and low MD density regions attributed to nearly coherent AlN growth on SiC terraces. These low-TDD, crack-free AlN/SiC buffers provide a platform for deep-UV optoelectronics and ultrawide bandgap electronics.