cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Foaming strategies for bioabsorbable polymers in supercritical fluid mixtures. Part I. Miscibility and foaming of poly(l-lactic acid) in carbon dioxide + acetone binary fluid mixtures

Abstract Miscibility and foaming of poly( l -lactic acid) (PLLA) in carbon dioxide + acetone mixtures have been explored over the temperature and pressure ranges from 60 to 180 °C and 14 to 61 MPa. Liquid–liquid phase boundaries were determined in a variable-volume view-cell for polymer concentrations up to 25 wt% PLLA and fluid mixtures containing 67–93 wt% CO 2 over a temperature range from 60 to 180 °C. Even though not soluble in carbon dioxide at pressures tested, the polymer could be completely solubilized in mixtures of carbon dioxide and acetone at modest pressures. Foaming experiments were carried out in different modes. Free-expansions were carried out by exposure and swelling in pure carbon dioxide in a view-cell followed by depressurization. Foaming experiments were also carried out within the confinement of specially designed molds with porous metal surfaces as boundaries to direct the fluid escape path and to generate foams with controlled overall shape and dimensions. These experiments were conducted in pure carbon dioxide and also in carbon dioxide + acetone fluid mixtures over a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Foaming in carbon dioxide + acetone mixtures was limited to 1 and 4 wt% acetone cases. Microstructures were examined using an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Depending upon the conditions employed, pore diameters ranging from 5 to 400 μm were generated. At a given temperature, smaller pores were promoted when foaming was carried out by depressurization from higher pressures. At a given pressure, smaller pores were generated from expansions at lower temperatures. Foams with larger pores were produced in mixtures of carbon dioxide with acetone.
Unraveling the Mechanism of the Primosome Assembly Process

E. Coli primosome is a multiprotein-DNA complex present at the crossroads of DNA replication and repair where it is used to restart stalled replication fork at the damage sites. The assembly and function of the primosome is controlled by synchronized action of seven proteins, PriA, PriB, DnaT, PriC, DnaB, DnaC, DnaG, and nucleic acid. The presence of two helicases: PriA and DnaB, ensures bidirectional mechanical translocation and/or unwinding while DnaG primase synthesizes oligoribonucleotide primers used by DNA polymerase III holoenzyme.In spite of intensive studies on primosome structure and function over the last two decades, many basic aspects of the primosome assembly process remain ambiguous. Fundamental characteristics, such as the stoichiometry and interactions within the primosome are not well understood. As the result, the molecular mechanism of the assembly process of the primosome is still lacking.Here, using fluorescence intensity, fluorescence anisotropy titration, fluorescence resonance energy transfer and analytical ultracentrifugation methods, we present direct quantitative analysis of the initial steps in primosome assembly, involving PriA, PriB and DnaT proteins and the minimal primosome assembly site (PAS). The obtained results provide a quantitative framework for initiation of primosome formation and elucidation of further steps in the assembly process.
Using space syntax to understand knowledge acquisition and wayfinding in indoor environments

It is critical to understand how characteristics of environment influence human acquisition of spatial knowledge and wayfinding behaviors. The understanding provides insights for designing cognitively ergonomic wayfinding aids. Space syntax has been increasingly used in applications such as formal descriptions of environments and predicating wayfinding behaviors. From the perspective of cognitive geography, we review two popularly used methods of space syntax and relate them to the legibility of the environment. That is, how the elements of the environment aid the acquisition of spatial knowledge. The five elements of built environments in cognitive maps and the legibility of the environment are used as the theoretical frame to review each method. An exploratory behavioral experiment is designed to validate the formal descriptions produced by space syntax. Results indicate that different methods of space syntax have specific strengths on understanding knowledge acquisition and wayfinding behaviors in environment. Further directions of improving space syntax are also discussed.
Phenotypic variability among first-degree relatives with carnitine palmitoyltransferase II deficiency.

Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) II deficiency disorders are clinically very variable. To examine the cause(s) of variable symptoms in first-degree relatives with CPT II deficiency, four sisters with various combinations of mutations and polymorphisms in the CPT2 gene were studied, together with 20 sedentary and 24 trained healthy female subjects. One sister, whose symptoms began at age 7 years, was more severely affected than her older sister, whose symptoms began at age 16 years; both were compound heterozygotes for the common S113L mutation and Q413fs, and for the common CPT2 polymorphisms, V3681 and M647V. A third sister became hypoglycemic with fasting, was heterozygous for the S113L mutation, and homozygous for the polymorphism variants. The fourth sister was asymptomatic, heterozygous for the Q413fs mutation, and homozygous for the normal polymorphisms. Residual CPT II activity in skeletal muscle and cultured skin fibroblasts from the two myopathic sisters, and palmitate oxidation in fibrobasts, were abnormally low; cellular and total body fat oxidation were also diminished. Muscle function and fat oxidation were nomal at rest, but a switch to carbohydrate utilization occurred at lower exercise intensities than in sedentary and trained individuals, respectively. Reliance on carbohydrates during stress and hormonal alterations may explain, in part, the variance in ages of onset and serverity of symptoms in myopathic patients. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Muscle Nerve 26: 492–498, 2002
Self-consistent determination of plasmonic resonances in ternary nanocomposites

We have developed a self-consistent technique to predict the behavior of plasmon resonances in multicomponent systems as a function of wavelength. This approach, based on the tight lower bounds of the Bergman-Milton formulation, is able to predict optical data, including the positions, shifts, and shapes of plasmonic peaks in ternary nanocomposites without using any fitting parameters. We obtained excellent predictions of the experimental data for mixtures of $\mathrm{Ag}:\mathrm{Cu}:{\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ and alloys of $\mathrm{Au}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Cu}:{\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ and $\mathrm{Ag}\text{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{Au}:{\mathrm{H}}_{2}\mathrm{O}$. The essential physics of plasmonic behavior is captured by this approach.
Psychophysical Comparison Of A Video Display System To Film By Using Bone Fracture Images

This study investigated the possibility of using a video display system instead of film for radiological diagnosis. Also investigated were the relationships between characteristics of the system and the observer's accuracy level. Radiologists were used as observers. Thirty-six clinical bone fractures were separated into two matched sets of equal difficulty. The difficulty parameters and ratings were defined by a panel of expert bone radiologists at the Arizona Health Sciences Center, Radiology Department. These two sets of fracture images were then matched with verifiably normal images using parameters such as film type, angle of view, size, portion of anatomy, the film's density range, and the patient's age and sex. The two sets of images were then displayed, using a counterbalanced design, to each of the participating radiologists for diagnosis. Whenever a response was given to a video image, the radiologist used enhancement controls to "window in" on the grey levels of interest. During the TV phase, the radiologist was required to record the settings of the calibrated controls of the image enhancer during interpretation. At no time did any single radiologist see the same film in both modes. The study was designed so that a standard analysis of variance would show the effects of viewing mode (film vs TV), the effects due to stimulus set, and any interactions with observers. A signal detection analysis of observer performance was also performed. Results indicate that the TV display system is almost as good as the view box display; an average of only two more errors were made on the TV display. The difference between the systems has been traced to four observers who had poor accuracy on a small number of films viewed on the TV display. This information is now being correlated with the video system's signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), signal transfer function (STF), and resolution measurements, to obtain information on the basic display and enhancement requirements for a video-based radiologic system. Due to time constraints the results are not included here. The complete results of this study will be reported at the conference.© (1982) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Medicine in the community: The ideology and substance of community medicine in Socialist Cuba

Abstract ‘Medicine in the community’ is the name given in Cuba to the dominant model for health services organization at the area and sector levels in the regionalized structure of Cuban health promotion. The recent historical evolution of the model is here analyzed in terms of ideological and structural factors. From this perspective, the origin of medicine in the community is found to be related to a Cuban critique of community medicine in capitalist societies. But the substantive evolution of the concept is principally explained by reference to a critique of revolutionary Cuban health organization itself. The strength of this Cuban critique and also the strength of the consequently formulated model appear to be related to (1) social constituency formation in prior revolutionary years, (2) administrative separation of community health centers (or area polyclinics) from hospital administration. (3) commitment by the Ministry of Public Health to the area polyclinic as the focal unit of organization and (4) trends in Cuban society toward greater institutionalization, decentralization, and democratization of social forms. These trends coincided with increasing vitality of local government generally. The general elements of the model of medicine in the community are described and some implications are discussed.
Assessing shade differences in acrylic resin denture and natural teeth

Four experiments in this study assess shade differences in acrylic resin denture and natural teeth. The first two examine the perceptual errors made by experienced dentists in their use of a manufacturer-provided shade guide for acrylic resin denture teeth. In the first of four experiments, dentists examine whether the numbering of a selected shade guide corresponds to the arrangement of the tabs from light to dark. In the second experiment, a visual discrimination task determines whether dentists can distinguish shade guide tabs from one another. The results from these two experiments revealed that the numbered progression of the shade tabs does not correspond to a light-to-dark order, that dentists have difficulty discriminating between several shade tabs, and that the shade tabs can be rearranged on an empirical basis. The third experiment demonstrated how the shade of natural teeth varies by age, gender, and complexion. The Biotone shade guide, rearranged in the manner suggested by the second experiment, was used to make these assessments. The fourth experiment examined whether the shades used for complete dentures were similar to shades found in natural teeth. The results from the last two experiments showed that shade selection can be facilitated by use of a rearranged set of shade guide tabs. The results also reveal that natural teeth significantly and clinically darken with age; however, selections made for denture teeth tend to be relatively constant in color, despite the age of the patient. Differences for gender and complexion do not appear to be clinically significant.
Nearest-neighbor methodology for prediction of intra-hour global horizontal and direct normal irradiances

Abstract This work proposes a novel forecast methodology for intra-hour solar irradiance based on optimized pattern recognition from local telemetry and sky imaging. The model, based on the k -nearest-neighbors ( k NN) algorithm, predicts the global (GHI) and direct (DNI) components of irradiance for horizons ranging from 5 min up to 30 min, and the corresponding uncertainty prediction intervals. An optimization algorithm determines the best set of patterns and other free parameters in the model, such as the number of nearest neighbors. Results show that the model achieves significant forecast improvements (between 10% and 25%) over a reference persistence forecast. The results show that large ramps in the irradiance time series are not very well capture by the point forecasts, mostly because those events are underrepresented in the historical dataset. The inclusion of sky images in the pattern recognition results in a small improvement (below 5%) relative to the k NN without images, but it helps in the definition of the uncertainty intervals (specially in the case of DNI). The prediction intervals determined with this method show good performance, with high probability coverage (≈90% for GHI and ≈85% for DNI) and narrow average normalized width (≈8% for GHI and ≈17% for DNI).
A clinical evaluation of the surgical management of combined mitral and aortic stenosis.

Abstract 1. 1. An evaluation of the surgical management of combined mitral and aortic stenosis is described in which the mortality and complications are analyzed and the preoperative clinical and objective findings in seventy-four patients are compared with those found three to twenty-four months after operation. 2. 2. The operative mortality has been correlated with the presence of additional valvular lesions, the age of the patient, the functional status, the size of the heart, and the presence of angina. 3. 3. Comparisons are drawn between the operative mortality for mitral and aortic commissurotomy alone and that of combined commissurotomy. 4. 4. A significant improvement is noted in the symptoms of fatigability, dyspnea, and angina. However, improvement in peripheral edema was limited. 5. 5. The improvement noted in heart size, brachial artery tracings, and electrocardiographic patterns was more limited than the alterations in the symptomatology and could not be correlated with them or with one another. 6. 6. The indications and contraindications for combined commissurotomy are outlined.
The effect of E coli virulence on bacterial translocation and systemic sepsis in the neonatal rabbit model

In the surgical neonate, three factors that promote bacterial translocation and systemic infection are: (1) intestinal bacterial colonization and overgrowth; (2) compromised host defenses; and (3) disruption of the mucosal epithelial barrier. The newborn rabbit provides an excellent model to study these factors. Like the human, there is early closure of the gut mucosa to macromolecules, and nutrition can be maintained by breast or formula feeding. This study examines translocation and systemic sepsis after colonization with virulent K1 and avirulent K100 strains of Escherichia coli. New Zealand white rabbit pups (2 to 5 days old) were studied. The gastrointestinal tracts of 12 were colonized with K1 E coli; 14 were colonized with K100 E coli; 12 control animals were not inoculated. Mesenteric lymph node (MLN), liver, spleen, and colon homogenate were cultured 72 hours postinoculation. No bacteria were isolated from the colons of all but one control animal. Translocation or systemic sepsis did not occur. Translocation to the MLN was significantly increased (P less than .03) in K1 (50%) and K100 (36%) groups compared with controls (0%). Translocation to liver and spleen (systemic sepsis) was significantly increased (P less than .03) in K1 animals (67%) compared with K100 (0%) or controls (0%). Colonization by both strains of E coli led to translocation to the MLN, but only K1 E coli caused systemic sepsis. This suggests that although colonization by E coli in the newborn leads to translocation to the MLN, progression to systemic sepsis is the result of characteristics of the bacteria and/or neonatal host responses.
Sacral neuromodulations for female lower urinary tract, pelvic floor, and bowel disorders

Purpose of review In recent years, sacral neuromodulation (SNM) has been investigated for the treatment of various types of lower urinary tract and bowel dysfunctions. This review discusses recently published data related to the therapeutic applications of SNM in female lower urinary tract, pelvic floor, and bowel disorders. Recent findings SNM has been employed initially in the treatment of refractory idiopathic overactive bladder, urge urinary incontinence, and chronic nonobstructive urinary retention. Since then, several studies, including randomized and controlled trials, have confirmed the therapeutic effects of SNM in these disorders. The applications of SNM are now extended to the treatment of other female pelvic problems, such as fecal incontinence, chronic constipation, interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, sexual dysfunction, and neurogenic disorders, with similar promising results. Summary SNM is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of idiopathic overactive bladder, urge urinary incontinence, and chronic nonobstructive urinary retention. SNM is not yet an approved method for the treatment of other pelvic disorders, but data supporting its benefit are emerging. The major advantage of SNM lies in its potential to treat the bladder, urethral sphincter, anal sphincters, and pelvic floor muscles simultaneously, which might result in better therapeutic effects.
Gastric carcinoids: a temporal increase with proton pump introduction.

Recent reports have indicated a rising incidence of gastric carcinoids. This study aimed to evaluate the incidence pattern of gastric carcinoids in two large population-based cancer registries. The Florida Cancer Data System (FCDS), Florida’s statewide cancer registry, and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program were used. The study population was defined as all cases of gastric carcinoid identified in either database from January 1981 to December 2000. Descriptive statistics and age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated. There were 326 (FCDS) and 594 (SEER) cases of invasive gastric carcinoid during the 20-year study period. The mean age of the patients was 65 years (range, 21–96 years), and the male:female ratio was 1:1. The age-adjusted incidence rate in FCDS increased from 0.04 (per 100,000 age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. standard population) to 0.18 in the year 2000. The estimated annual percentage change in incidence was 8.17 in FCDS and 9.17 in SEER (p < 0.05). A decrease in gastric cancer was noted during this same period (from 8.64 to 11.14 cases per 100,000 in FCDS and from 11.14 to 8.06 cases per 100,000 in SEER). This study documented a statistically significant eight- or ninefold increase in the incidence of gastric carcinoids in two large databases. The temporal increase in incidence correlates with the introduction and widespread use of proton pump inhibitors since the late 1980s. Other explanations include improved detection with wider application of upper endoscopy. Further epidemiologic studies are warranted.
Ethambutol in pregnancy

In this study, 38 tuberculosis patients who had 42 pregnancies are presented. All the patients received ethambutol (EMB) in multidrug regimens. The dose of EMB was 15 mg/kg in 24 of the pregnancies, 25 mg/kg in 7, and in 11 25 mg/kg at first and then 15 mg/kg. Ethambutol was administered throughout gestation in 57 percent of pregnancies and in 66 percent to 69 percent of pregnancies in the first trimester and 76 percent to 88 percent of pregnancies in the last trimester. Fifty percent of the babies were followed up to one year, 14 percent up to two years, 17 percent up to three years and the remainder from four up to nine years. In eight infants abnormalities were noted at birth or during the postnatal period. These included 1) supernumerary nipple, 2) small umbilical hernia, 3) withdrawal syndrome, 4) mild right tibial torsion, 5) congenital dislocation of the hips, 6) left hydrocele, 7) minimal metatarsus adductus and 8) skin tag left little finger and two “strawberry marks.” A few of the abnormalities had no obvious relationship to EMB. The other abnormalities showed no pattern, were not recurrent (with a single example of each condition), were of no major significance and were not more common than in the general population. Ethambutol had no effect on intrauterine fetal growth and was associated with a normal prematurity rate. In this study the indication is that EMB had no teratologic influence.
Rotorcraft impulsive noise prediction using a rotating Kirchhoff formulation

Rotorcraft impulsive [i.e., high-speed impulsive (HSI) and blade-vortex interaction (BVI)] noise for an advancing rotor is studied numerically. The unsteady transonic full-potential rotor code is used for the simulation of the near-field flow. A rotating Kirchhoff's method is used for the extension to the acoustic far field. The formulation is extended for an advancing rotor and an observer fixed relative to the rotor, and thus, moving relative to the freestream, and allows a direct comparison with experiments. Results for both HSI and BVI noise are presented and compared with experimental results. Various noise parameters are identified and investigated. The rotating Kirchhoff noise appears to be a very valuable tool for helicopter impulsive noise prediction.
Synthesis of ABA Triblock Copolymers via a Tandem Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization: Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization Approach

The synthesis of poly(styrene)-b-poly(butadiene)-b-poly(styrene) (SBS) and poly(methyl methacrylate)-b-poly(butadiene)-b-poly(methyl methacrylate) (MBM) triblock copolymers with poly(butadiene) (PBD) segments containing 100% 1,4-microstructure is described. Bis(allyl chloride) and bis(2-bromopropionate) terminated telechelic PBD's were synthesized by the ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of 1,5-cyclooctadiene in the presence of the corresponding difunctional chain transfer agents. These telechelic PBDs were subsequently used as difunctional macroinitiators for the heterogeneous atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene and methyl methacrylate to form SBS and MBM triblock copolymers. Triblock structure was confirmed by selective PBD degradation. In addition, the tandem ROMP−ATRP approach was successfully extended to a “one-pot” synthesis.
Energy-efficient actuation in infinite lattice structures

Abstract Buildup of internal self-stresses in hyperstatic adaptive structures resists actuation. A recent paper by Guest and Hutchinson (2003) shows that periodic infinite truss structures cannot be both statically and kinematically determinate structures; therefore, a rigid infinite lattice bar framework must be hyperstatic. This paper shows that it is possible to design adaptive periodic infinite truss structures that can achieve any state of uniform strain without energy cost by actuating only a subset of the bars in a coordinated fashion. We show that actuation of only 3 bars in two dimensions or 6 bars in three dimensions per unit cell is required. A mathematical apparatus is developed and an example of such a bitriangular lattice structure is given, along with accompanying illustrations. Supporting animations can be found at the authors’ website.
Structural Characterization of Viral Ortholog of Human DNA Glycosylase NEIL1 Bound to Thymine Glycol or 5-Hydroxyuracil-containing DNA

Thymine glycol (Tg) and 5-hydroxyuracil (5-OHU) are common oxidized products of pyrimidines, which are recognized and cleaved by two DNA glycosylases of the base excision repair pathway, endonuclease III (Nth) and endonuclease VIII (Nei). Although there are several structures of Nei enzymes unliganded or bound to an abasic (apurinic or apyrimidinic) site, until now there was no structure of an Nei bound to a DNA lesion. Mimivirus Nei1 (MvNei1) is an ortholog of human NEIL1, which was previously crystallized bound to DNA containing an apurinic site (Imamura, K., Wallace, S. S., and Doublie, S. (2009) J. Biol. Chem. 284, 26174–26183). Here, we present two crystal structures of MvNei1 bound to two oxidized pyrimidines, Tg and 5-OHU. Both lesions are flipped out from the DNA helix. Tg is in the anti conformation, whereas 5-OHU adopts both anti and syn conformations in the glycosylase active site. Only two protein side chains (Glu-6 and Tyr-253) are within hydrogen-bonding contact with either damaged base, and mutating these residues did not markedly affect the glycosylase activity. This finding suggests that lesion recognition by Nei occurs before the damaged base flips into the glycosylase active site.
Effect of water on the thermal properties of silk fibroin

Abstract Silk fibroin films cast from water solution, and containing bound water, are quantitatively studied in this work. First, to obtain the solid and liquid heat capacities of the pure dry silk fibroin, cyclic heat treatment was used to monitor the process of removing the bound water. After water removal, the glass transition of pure non-crystalline silk was observed at 451 K (178 °C). The solid and liquid heat capacities of the pure silk fibroin were then measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC), and quasi-isothermal TMDSC, and found to be: C p ( T ) solid = 0.134 + 3.696 × 10 −3 T J/g K and C p ( T ) liquid = 0.710 + 3.47 × 10 −3 T J/g K over the temperature region from 200 to 450 K. These heat capacities were used to construct the underlying baseline heat capacity for the combined silk–water system. When the combined silk–water system is studied, bound water is lost from the film during heating, and the loss of mass is quantified using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Bound water in the silk film acts as a plasticizer, and a lower glass transition of the silk–water system is observed. Comparison of the measured heat capacity of the silk–water system to the calculated total baselines was made in the vicinity of the water-induced glass transition. Results show that the total solid specific heat capacity is in good agreement with the calculated solid baseline in the low-temperature region below about 240 K. As temperature increases above the lower glass transition, all bound water eventually leaves the silk, and the free volume and the silk mobility are reduced. This allows the upper glass transition of the dried silk to be observed.
Evaluation of surface-bound heparin and platelet inhibition in a centrifugal pump left ventricular assist system.

Following the discovery of thrombi attached to polycarbonate connectors in a patient successfully perfused for 46 hr with a centrifugal pump-left ventricular assist system, the combination of platelet inhibition and surface-bound heparin was tested in vitro. Fresh citrated human blood to which calcium and prostaglandin E1was added was recirculated for 3 hr in a centrifugal pump-left ventricular assist system. Circuits with ionically bound heparin and circuits with cross-linked ionically bound heparin were compared to uncoated circuits to which low-dose (0.15 U/ml) and high-dose (0.5 U/ml heparin) had been added. Fibrinopeptide A concentrations progressively increased during 3 hr of recirculation, but were significantly higher with low-dose heparin control than in either of the surface-bound heparin circuits. Plasma heparin concentrations were significantly less in the heparinized circuits than in the low-dose heparin control group. There were no significant differences between cross-linked and non-cross-linked tridodecylmethyl ammonium chloride (TDMAC) heparinized circuits. The combination of platelet inhibition and ionically bound heparin in centrifugal pump-left ventricular assist circuits reduces the rate of thrombus formation beyond that caused by heparin leached from the surface.
Reaction of Br2 with Adsorbed CO on Pt, Studied by the Surface Interrogation Mode of Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy

Scanning electrochemical microscopy surface interrogation (SI-SECM) in the cyclic voltammetry mode was successfully used to detect and quantify adsorbed CO on a Pt electrode by reaction with electrogenerated Br(2). The two-electrode setup used in this new technique allowed the production of Br(2) on an interrogator tip, which reported a transient positive feedback above a Pt substrate at open circuit as an indication of the reactivity of this halogen with CO((ads)). Br(-) and CO(2) are shown to be the main products of the reaction (in the absence of O(2)), which may involve the formation of bromophosgene as a hydrolyzable intermediate. Under saturation conditions, CO((ads)) was reproducibly quantified at the polycrystalline Pt surface with theta(CO) approximately = 0.5. The reaction is shown to be blocked by the action of pre-adsorbed cyanide, which demonstrates the surface character of the process. The formation of CO(2) as an end product was further tested in a bulk experiment: addition of Pt black to a mixture of Br(2) in 0.5 M H(2)SO(4) through which CO was bubbled gave a precipitate of BaCO(3) in a saturated solution of Ba(OH)(2). The use of SI-SECM allowed access to a reaction that would otherwise be difficult to prove through conventional electrochemistry on a single electrode.
MO-E-T-6E-01: Outcome Prediction Models in Radiotherapy: Methods for Improvement and Future Uses

Historically, the ability to predict a patient's outcome to a course of radiation therapy has been very limited. Knowledge of a patient's likely response to a given therapy was quantified by the maximum slope of the sigmoidally‐shaped patient population dose response curve: steep slopes correspond to precisely known individual dose thresholds, whereas shallow slopes correspond to poorly quantified individual dose thresholds. In the 3‐D treatment planning era, the situation has been fundamentally altered: it is no longer adequate to characterize dose distributions by a single number, as the effect of any distribution, especially on normal tissues which are often non‐uniformly irradiated, may depend in a complex way on the spatial distribution. It has been recognized for more than 60 years that irradiated organ volume can dramatically affect response. Efforts to quantify the ‘volume‐effect’ began in earnest in the late 1980's, but have recently gained much more momentum and effectiveness due to the advent of 3‐D treatment planning. In most investigations to date, the dose‐volume histograms of irradiated organs or tissuestructures are analyzed to determine the dose parameters which most correlate with outcome. Remarkably, most organ responses appear to fall (very roughly) into just two categories: in Group I, complication risks rise according to the volume given a dose above a relatively high‐dose threshold (typically 50–60 Gy). These organs include the spinal cord, brain stem esophagus, rectum, and small bowel. In this group, organ function is related to organ structure. In Group II, complication risk is correlated with the mean dose or something similar; functional ability is partially impaired even at relatively low doses. This response group includes parotid glands, brain, liver, and lung. Simplified dose‐responsemodels were developed by Kutcher, Burman, Brahme, Niemierko and others which reflected this range of response behavior. However, those analyses are far from utilizing the full potential of image‐based 3‐D treatment planning, based as they are only on cumulative dose‐volume‐histogram (DVH) data. Moreover, they ignore other potential clinical risk factors, such as diabetes, age, etc. In this talk we will estimate the trajectory of evolving dose‐volume‐outcomesmodels, including the need to search for potential variations in functional sensitivity vs. anatomical location, the inclusion of patient and disease risk factors, the need for advanced modeling techniques, and the future use of other biomarkers (imaging or gene analysis‐based) in combined models. Methods to deal with the crucial need to accelerate inter‐institutional data collection, modeling, and public archiving will be discussed. Lastly, we will discuss the inevitable move towards treatment planning based on outcomes models (e.g., maximizing the probability of tumor control with acceptable complication risks), and how we can get there from here.
Secure Data Downloading with Privacy Preservation in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

In this paper, we propose a secure data downloading protocol with privacy preservation in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). In the data downloading application, vehicles send requests, such as where is the nearest gas station, at a road side unit (RSU) and receive the corresponding responses from application servers via current or the following RSUs. It would be easy for eavesdroppers to get vehicles' private information if semi-trust RSUs are compromised because both request and response messages are forwarded by them. Therefore, we develop a protocol which enables vehicles to download data securely from RSUs with their privacy under protection even when one or multiple RSUs are compromised. Our protocol guarantees vehicles exclusive access to their requested data while eavesdroppers can not obtain any private information of the vehicles. Possible attacks and the corresponding solutions as well as privacy evaluation are discussed to demonstrate the performance of the proposed protocol.
Techno-Economic Optimal Design of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems for Micro-Combined Heat and Power Applications in the U.S.

A techno-economic optimization study investigating optimal design and operating strategies of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) micro-combined heat and power (CHP) systems for application in U.S. residential dwellings is carried out through modeling and simulation of various anode-supported planar SOFC-based system configurations. Five different SOFC system designs operating from either methane or hydrogen fuels are evaluated in terms of their energetic and economic performances and their overall suitability for meeting residential thermal-to-electric ratios. Life-cycle cost models are developed and employed to generate optimization objective functions, which are utilized to explore the sensitivity of the life-cycle costs to various system designs and economic parameters and to select optimal system configurations and operating parameters for eventual application in single-family, detached residential homes in the U.S. The study compares the results against a baseline SOFC-CHP system that employs primarily external steam reforming of methane. The results of the study indicate that system configurations and operating parameter selections that enable minimum life-cycle cost while achieving maximum CHP-system efficiency are possible. Life-cycle cost reductions of over 30% and CHP efficiency improvements of nearly 20% from the baseline system are detailed.
Deep Penetrating Dermatofibroma

background. Deep penetrating dermatofibroma is an unusual and histologically distinctive form of dermatofibroma that usually occurs on the lower extremities of adults. objective. The dermatologic surgeon and pathologist should be aware of this entity to prevent excessive treatment of a benign condition. methods. We are reporting a case of deep penetrating dermatofibroma with the results of histologic examination and immunohistochemical studies. results. The neoplasm consisted of a fibrohistiocytic tumor penetrating into the subcutis accompanied by scalloped extensions along the septae. Immunohistochemical stains were positive for Factor XIIIa and negative for CD34. conclusion. Recognition of the histologic pattern is important in distinguishing deep penetrating dermatofibroma from dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans.
Treatment of Experimental Herpetic Interstitial Keratitis With Medroxyprogesterone

• A model of herpes simplex interstitial keratitis was developed in rabbits sensitized with live herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 and challenged intrastromally with live virus. This model was used to evaluate the effects of subconjunctival medroxyprogesterone acetate on the course of the disease and on collagenase levels in the treated corneas. Whether treated prophylactically or therapeutically, the medroxyprogesterone-treated groups had substantially less stromal infiltration and neovascularization than the controls. The clinical effects corresponded with a marked reduction in the polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltrate histologically, and the suppression of latent and active collagenase activity in the treated corneas cultured in vitro. However, epithelial disease was exacerbated in prophylactically treated animals. Medroxyprogesterone appears to be useful in the treatment of herpetic interstitial keratitis as an anti-inflammatory agent as well as an inhibitor of collagenase production but, like the corticosteroids, it can exacerbate epithelial disease.
Intermediates in the assembly of φX174

Abstract Escherichia coli HF4704 (HCR − ) irradiated with ultraviolet light was used as the host in order to study early stages of the assembly process of the φX174 phage particle. Two φX174 specific precursor particles, 9 and 6 s were found. The 9 s particle is composed solely of the gene product from cistron E and is probably E protein trimer, whereas the 6 s particle is an aggregate of the cistron F proteins, most likely a pentamer. Formation of 9 and 6 s particles do not require the function of φX gene products other than E and F, respectively. A particle sedimenting at 20 s and composed of E protein and non-phage proteins was also found. This particle can be formed during cell lysis and subsequent sucrose gradient centrifugation from E protein monomer and non-phage proteins existing in the cell. In contrast, the 9 and 6 s particles are not so formed. The significance of these particles in the early stages of φX174 phage assembly is discussed.
The kinetics of the ylid-forming reaction between triplet diphenylcarbene and pyridine

Abstract The kinetics of the reaction of triplet diphenylcarbene with pyridine were obtained. The mechanism of the reaction is discussed.
Crystal Structures of GII.10 and GII.12 Norovirus Protruding Domains in Complex with Histo-Blood Group Antigens Reveal Details for a Potential Site of Vulnerability

Noroviruses are the dominant cause of outbreaks of gastroenteritis worldwide, and interactions with human histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are thought to play a critical role in their entry mechanism. Structures of noroviruses from genogroups GI and GII in complex with HBGAs, however, reveal different modes of interaction. To gain insight into norovirus recognition of HBGAs, we determined crystal structures of norovirus protruding domains from two rarely detected GII genotypes, GII.10 and GII.12, alone and in complex with a panel of HBGAs, and analyzed structure-function implications related to conservation of the HBGA binding pocket. The GII.10- and GII.12-apo structures as well as the previously solved GII.4-apo structure resembled each other more closely than the GI.1-derived structure, and all three GII structures showed similar modes of HBGA recognition. The primary GII norovirus-HBGA interaction involved six hydrogen bonds between a terminal αfucose1-2 of the HBGAs and a dimeric capsid interface, which was composed of elements from two protruding subdomains. Norovirus interactions with other saccharide units of the HBGAs were variable and involved fewer hydrogen bonds. Sequence analysis revealed a site of GII norovirus sequence conservation to reside under the critical αfucose1-2 and to be one of the few patches of conserved residues on the outer virion-capsid surface. The site was smaller than that involved in full HBGA recognition, a consequence of variable recognition of peripheral saccharides. Despite this evasion tactic, the HBGA site of viral vulnerability may provide a viable target for small molecule- and antibody-mediated neutralization of GII norovirus.
Three-Dimensional Computation of Focused Beam Propagation through Multiple Biological Cells

A massively parallel finite difference time domain method was used to compute scattering of a focused optical beam by multiple heterogeneous biological cells. A perfectly matched layer boundary condition and the scattered-field-only method were utilized in the simulation to increase accuracy and computational efficiency. A fifth-order approximation to the focused Gaussian beam was used for the incident field. A parametric study was performed to determine scattering effects of varying cellular fine structure, such as nuclear refractive index, organelle volume density, cellular shape and the cell membrane on the point spread function (PSF) of the beam. It was found that two-photon PSF is largely unaffected by increasing numbers of scatterers within cells, while two-photon excitation signal strength is dependent on both beam focal depth and the density of scatterers in tissue.
Design of pressure sensor array with reduced number of wires

This research aims at building a sensor array system to identify contact pressure distribution between the sensor and its environment. The main characteristic of this sensor array is that very few wires are needed to realize the data acquisition of many sensor units (called sencels) using a frequency modulation method. The repeatability, accuracy and working range of the sensor were experimentally tested. The sensitivity of individual sencels in the sensor array was also studied. This technology could be used as a skin sensor array for colonoscopes to avoid bowel perforation. Such surgical complications can be very severe and even life threatening.
Complete cubic spline estimation of non-parametric regression functions

For regression functions on [0, 1] with bounded fourth derivatives, a complete cubic spline estimate is proposed and shown to have an asymptotically optimal error rate among all estimates. The error is measured by the supremum norm.
Inhibition of herpes simplex virus replication by araT.

Abstract AraT (1-β- d -arabinofuranosylthymine) is a selective inhibitor of herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 in hamster cell cultures in vitro and has no effect on the growth of uninfected control cells. This differential action may be related to the broader substrate range of the herpes simplex virus-specified pyrimidine deoxyribonucleoside kinase.
Characterizing spatial distributions of astrocytes in the mammalian retina.

Motivation: In addition to being involved in retinal vascular growth, astrocytes play an important role in diseases and injuries, such as glaucomatous neuro-degeneration and retinal detachment. Studying astrocytes, their morphological cell characteristics and their spatial relationships to the surrounding vasculature in the retina may elucidate their role in these conditions. Results: Our results show that in normal healthy retinas, the distribution of observed astrocyte cells does not follow a uniform distribution. The cells are significantly more densely packed around the blood vessels than a uniform distribution would predict. We also show that compared with the distribution of all cells, large cells are more dense in the vicinity of veins and toward the optic nerve head whereas smaller cells are often more dense in the vicinity of arteries. We hypothesize that since veinal astrocytes are known to transport toxic metabolic waste away from neurons they may be more critical than arterial astrocytes and therefore require larger cell bodies to process waste more efficiently. Availability and implementation: A 1/8th size down-sampled version of the seven retinal image mosaics described in this article can be found on BISQUE (Kvilekval et al., 2010) at
SCOPE: easy and efficient parallel processing of massive data sets

Companies providing cloud-scale services have an increasing need to store and analyze massive data sets such as search logs and click streams. For cost and performance reasons, processing is typically done on large clusters of shared-nothing commodity machines. It is imperative to develop a programming model that hides the complexity of the underlying system but provides flexibility by allowing users to extend functionality to meet a variety of requirements.In this paper, we present a new declarative and extensible scripting language, SCOPE (Structured Computations Optimized for Parallel Execution), targeted for this type of massive data analysis. The language is designed for ease of use with no explicit parallelism, while being amenable to efficient parallel execution on large clusters. SCOPE borrows several features from SQL. Data is modeled as sets of rows composed of typed columns. The select statement is retained with inner joins, outer joins, and aggregation allowed. Users can easily define their own functions and implement their own versions of operators: extractors (parsing and constructing rows from a file), processors (row-wise processing), reducers (group-wise processing), and combiners (combining rows from two inputs). SCOPE supports nesting of expressions but also allows a computation to be specified as a series of steps, in a manner often preferred by programmers. We also describe how scripts are compiled into efficient, parallel execution plans and executed on large clusters.
Poetry for Music: The Art of the Medieval Prosula

Among the literary arts of the Middle Ages, the creation of texts within strict parameters held a fascination for many poets. Acrostic poems, tricky meters, frequent rhyme, and other limitations often spurred those who sought expression in words.
Pregnancy‐induced hypertension and insulin resistance, evidence for a connection

PIH, the most common complication of pregnancy, remains a major source of maternal-child morbidity and mortality. Yet the etiology of this disorder is still little understood. There is now a growing body of evidence linking PIH and insulin resistance. Both proteinuric and non-proteinuric PIH predict future essential hypertension, and to a lesser extent, diabetes, disorders strongly related to glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. PIH is associated with diabetes, occurring in up to 50% of diabetic pregnancies. PIH is characterized by the same features that define IRS, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, disruption of endothelial and platelet function and related disturbances of prostanoid synthesis, coagulation and fibrinolytic abnormalities, hyperuricemia, atherosclerotic changes, and obesity. During the last decade, controlled studies by at least 11 different research groups in nine countries have established significant positive associations between both proteinuric and nonproteinuric PIH and various measures of insulin resistance. In particular, prospective investigations by at least five groups of investigators have indicated that relative hyperinsulinemia, glucose intolerance, and insulin insensitivity predict the subsequent development of PIH. These and other studies suggest that insulin resistance may play a causal role in the pathogenesis of PIH, and that some aspects of PIH may represent an early manifestation of IRS, precipitated by the profound metabolic and hemostatic challenges of gestation.