cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Validation of Redfish: The Scalable Platform Management Standard

Data centers are at the core of modern software technology and play a crucial role in defining the capabilities and overall success of an organization. The massive growth in size and scale of data and computing leads to an enormous growth in the size and complexity of clusters and data centers. Therefore, traditional management methods and standards like Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) are not sufficient to manage these modern scalable data centers anymore. Redfish is a new standard for managing hardware in modern data centers and is anticipated to meet the expectations of end users to provide simple, effective, and secure management of scalable platform hardware. It is essential to validate Redfish's capability regarding the performance, scalability and security aspects as defined in the Redfish Specification. To validate Redfish services, we have designed a Redfish Conformance Test Tool (RCTT) which tests compliance and re-instates faith on the viability of Redfish at meeting customer expectations.
Detection of Two-Level Inverter Open-Circuit Fault Using a Combined DWT-NN Approach

Three-phase static converters with voltage structure are widely used in many industrial systems. In order to prevent the propagation of the fault to other components of the system and ensure continuity of service in the event of a failure of the converter, efficient and rapid methods of detection and localization must be implemented. This paper work addresses a diagnostic technique based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT) algorithm and the approach of neural network (NN), for the detection of an inverter IGBT open-circuit switch fault. To illustrate the merits of the technique and validate the results, experimental tests are conducted using a built voltage inverter fed induction motor. The inverter is controlled by the SVM control strategy.
Accurate margin calculation for single flux quantum logic cells

This paper presents a novel method for accurate margin calculation of single flux quantum (SFQ) logic cells in a superconducting electronic circuit. The proposed method can be utilized as a figure of merit to estimate the robustness of a logic cell without the need for expensive Monte-Carlo simulations. This is achieved through efficient state-space exploration of all parameters in the cell structure. Using the proposed approach, distinct parameter dispersion (DPD) based yield of SFQ cells increases by 55% on average, compared with state-of-the-art techniques.
Future Directions for Behavior Genetics

The Handbook has been organized into (1) an introduction; (2) quantitative methods and models in behavior genetics; (3) genetics of cognition; (4) genetics of personality; (5) genetics of psychopathology; and (6) conclusion. The Handbook has selected 33 current topics and issues in behavior genetics. Twenty-four studies of human behaviors and nine studies of animal models have been presented. Directions for future research on the selected topics have been highlighted in each chapter. Complex disorders or traits that have been presented here are polygenic and multifactorial, and thus they are influenced by both genes and environment, as well as by interactions between these two factors, and probably epigenetic factors that regulate the expression of implicated genes (a field still in its infancy). The quantitative genetic approaches using twin, adoption, or family studies determine the influences of genetic and environmental factors (a2, d2, c2, and e2) on the behaviors of interest. For most disorders or traits discussed in the Handbook, MZ twins almost always show higher correlations than DZ twins, suggesting that there is some genetic influence on the traits. However, the presence of the discordant MZ co-twins of probands with the disorders indicates that (1) non-shared environment is important; (2) unique environment can differentially influence expression of the same genes that the co-twins share; (3) multiple genes, interaction of the genes, and/or interaction of genes and environment play roles in the development of the traits; and (4) epigenetic factors not yet identified play a role in masking gene expression. This list suggests that (1) future research in behavior genetics will be enhanced by studying non-shared environmental sources of variation; (2) there is a need to identify more genes directly involved in the behavior with the advance in molecular genetics; (3) interactions between genes and environment, as well as gene-environment correlation, are to be further explored;
Identity and Economic Plurality: Rethinking Capitalism and ‘Capitalist Hegemony’:

In the work of Chantal Mouffe, society is seen as structured by a hegemonic articulation, but one that is only temporarily fixed and always under subversion. Following Mouffe, in this paper I pursu...
An Affinity for Learning: Teacher Identity and Powerful Professional Development

Drawing on interviews with a diverse sample of teachers, this study uses the frame of professional identity to interpret the heterogeneity among teachers’ perceptions of professional development. S...
Now you see it, now you don't: a case study of ephemeral snowpacks and soil moisture response in the Great Basin, USA

Abstract. Ephemeral snowpacks, or those that persist for continuous days, are challenging to observe and model because snow accumulation and ablation occur during the same season. This has left ephemeral snow understudied, despite its widespread extent. Using 328 site years from the Great Basin, we show that ephemeral snowmelt causes a 70-days-earlier soil moisture response than seasonal snowmelt. In addition, deep soil moisture response was more variable in areas with seasonal snowmelt. To understand Great Basin snow distribution, we used MODIS and Snow Data Assimilation System (SNODAS) data to map snow extent. Estimates of maximum continuous snow cover duration from SNODAS consistently overestimated MODIS observations by >25 days in the lowest ( m) and highest ( >2500 m) elevations. During this time period snowpack was highly variable. The maximum seasonal snow cover during water years 2005–2014 was 64 % in 2010 and at a minimum of 24 % in 2014. We found that elevation had a strong control on snow ephemerality, and nearly all snowpacks over 2500 m were seasonal except those on south-facing slopes. Additionally, we used SNODAS-derived estimates of solid and liquid precipitation, melt, sublimation, and blowing snow sublimation to define snow ephemerality mechanisms. In warm years, the Great Basin shifts to ephemerally dominant as the rain–snow transition increases in elevation. Given that snow ephemerality is expected to increase as a consequence of climate change, physics-based modeling is needed that can account for the complex energetics of shallow snowpacks in complex terrain. These modeling efforts will need to be supported by field observations of mass and energy and linked to finer remote sensing snow products in order to track ephemeral snow dynamics.
Deconvolutional Time Series Regression: A Technique for Modeling Temporally Diffuse Effects

Researchers in computational psycholinguistics frequently use linear models to study time series data generated by human subjects. However, time series may violate the assumptions of these models through temporal diffusion, where stimulus presentation has a lingering influence on the response as the rest of the experiment unfolds. This paper proposes a new statistical model that borrows from digital signal processing by recasting the predictors and response as convolutionally-related signals, using recent advances in machine learning to fit latent impulse response functions (IRFs) of arbitrary shape. A synthetic experiment shows successful recovery of true latent IRFs, and psycholinguistic experiments reveal plausible, replicable, and fine-grained estimates of latent temporal dynamics, with comparable or improved prediction quality to widely-used alternatives.
Board Level Reliability Study of Next Generation Large Die Wafer Level Chip Scale Package Structures

Wafer Level Chip Scale Package (WLCSP) technologies are being used more often in electronic components due to their smaller size and lower cost, and are being applied to larger die and ball matrix sizes. Originally implemented mainly in mobile devices (i.e., smartphones), WLCSP components are now frequently used in new product categories that have more stringent use conditions than the mobile space. The harsher use conditions raise a concern of solder joint reliability, especially in temperature cycling due to the difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the silicon die and the laminate motherboard. While cycle life can be extended by using underfill, underfilling makes the surface mount assembly process more complex and costly, increases cycle time and inhibits rework. To solve the challenge of extending cyclic life without underfill, new WLCSP structures and materials have been proposed. This paper describes the investigation of some of these innovative solutions through motherboard assembly and board level reliability testing. The package variables consisted of two WLCSP structures utilizing ball support mechanisms and a Bismuth (Bi) bearing solder ball that is expected to increase fatigue life. Packages were produced separately with each variable, along with legs that included both new packages and new alloy. The finished assemblies, along with a control leg of standard structure/solder, were subjected to drop testing and temperature cycling. Solder joint integrity was monitored in-situ to accurately identify duration to failure for Weibull analysis. The results clearly show that this new generation of WLCSP structures can offer dramatically improved fatigue life without a significant sacrifice in drop reliability. This benefit should allow the use of WLCSPs in more challenging environments, as well as providing designers the option of using larger package sizes in existing mobile designs.
The Effect of Body Mass Index on 30-day Complications After Revision Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND We aimed to explore the effect of body mass index (BMI) on 30-day complications after aseptic revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) and aseptic revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA), considering BMI as both a categorical and continuous variable. METHODS A total of 18,866 patients (9093 rTHA and 9773 rTKA) patients were included for analysis using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database. Thirty-day rates of readmissions, reoperations, and major and minor complications were compared between different weight categories (overweight: BMI >25 and ≤30 kg/m2; obese: BMI >30 and ≤40 kg/m2; morbidly obese: BMI >40 kg/m2) and the normal weight category (BMI >18.5 and ≤25 kg/m2) using multivariate regression models. Spline regression models were created to study BMI as a continuous variable. RESULTS Both readmission rates and reoperation rates increased for rTKA as BMI increased (P < .005). There was a linear relationship between BMI and readmission rates for rTKA. Morbid obesity was associated with an increased reoperation rate for rTHA on univariate analysis (P = .022); however, multivariate analysis showed no statistically significant increase in readmission or reoperation rates as BMI increased for rTHA. CONCLUSIONS The relationship between BMI and complications after revision total joint arthroplasty is a J-shaped curve with the lowest rates of complications occurring around a BMI of 30 kg/m2. The relationship between BMI and perioperative complications is stronger for revision TKA as opposed to revision THA.
Ex vivo screen identifies CDK12 as a metastatic vulnerability in osteosarcoma

Despite progress in intensification of therapy, outcomes for patients with metastatic osteosarcoma (OS) have not improved in thirty years. We developed a system that enabled preclinical screening of compounds against metastatic OS cells in the context of the native lung microenvironment. Using this strategy to screen a library of epigenetically targeted compounds, we identified inhibitors of CDK12 to be most effective, reducing OS cell outgrowth in the lung by more than 90% at submicromolar doses. We found that knockout of CDK12 in an in vivo model of lung metastasis significantly decreased the ability of OS to colonize the lung. CDK12 inhibition led to defects in transcription elongation in a gene length- and expression-dependent manner. These effects were accompanied by defects in RNA processing and altered the expression of genes involved in transcription regulation and the DNA damage response. We further identified OS models that differ in their sensitivity to CDK12 inhibition in the lung and provided evidence that upregulated MYC levels may mediate these differences. Our studies provided a framework for rapid preclinical testing of compounds with antimetastatic activity and highlighted CDK12 as a potential therapeutic target in OS.
Audio System Fabricated With Flexible Hybrid Electronics

A printed flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) technology platform is described, which combines a thin-film audio speaker, printed interconnects, and printed passive components in a highly flexible system. Bimorph piezoelectric polymer speaker structures were developed and shown to give increased loudness compared with a single layer speaker, with good fidelity and easily recognizable sound. Speakers were fabricated on flexible thin polyimide substrates, which enables integration with printed electronics and other thin-film devices. Two demonstrator circuits were designed to operate the speakers and were fabricated using printed FHE techniques. One circuit was an amplifier for a portable music player, and the second provides a record and playback function using an audio integrated circuit. The fabrication of these devices included ink-jet printed interconnects and ink-jet printed resistors, which showed a good long-term stability and flexibility.
180 – Differential Quadrature

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates about differential quadrature applicable to nonlinear partial differential equations, a single equation or a system and most often, partial differential equations in two independent variables. A system of ordinary differential equations whose solution approximates the solution of the original partial differential equation(s) is obtained. To illustrate the general technique, it is shown how it works on a class of partial differential equations. All of the derivatives with respect to one or more of the independent variables are replaced by a sum involving the dependent variable. It is not clear that having the ‘x’ values uniformly spaced produces the most accurate results.
Functional Thesauri, Classifying Topoi, Unification, and Flatness.

We describe a part of the theory of classifying topoi and its connections with various topics from computer science, logic, and algebra.
Surveillance for avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in external environment from 2015 to 2017 in Taizhou, Zhejiang

Objective To understand the surveillance results of avian influenza A (H7N9) virus in exter-nal environment in Taizhou city of Zhejiang province form 2015 to 2017, so as to explore prevention and control strategies in Taizhou. Methods The samples were collected from live poultry related environments from 2015 to 2017 for detection of H7 and N9 subtype by RT-PCR, and the results were statistically analyzed. Results A total of 466 poultry related sites were surveyed, and the positive rate of H7N9 strains was 13.95% (65 sites) . A total of 2 848 samples were collected, and the positive rate of H7N9 strains was 4.46% which were consistent with the distribution of the case onset (r=0.93, P<0.05) with the peak periods from January to February and from May to June each year. Among different samples, the washing sewage (31 samples, 9.78%) , areas of Linhai city (47 samples, 12.53%) , Xianju county (22 samples, 6.38%) and Sanmen county (20 samples, 6.29%) had the high positive rates. The positive sites were mainly in urban and rural live poultry markets (20.19%) and poultry packinghouses (25.00%) , while the rest sites were negative. The positive site rates were highest in Linhai city (30.99%) , followed by Wenling city (23.08%) and Xianju county (17.54%) . The differences of sample types, site types and areas (sample and site) in positive rates were significant (χ2=40.931, 34.197, 105.292 and 39.632, P<0.05) . Conclusions The circulation of H7N9 virus is still serious in Taizhou. Winter, spring and May to June are peak periods of circulation, while the live poultry markets and poultry slaughter plants are the main virus transmission sites. Therefore, surveillance and disinfection management should be emphasized. Key words: Influenza in birds; H7N9; Surveillance
Overexpression of p53 accelerates puberty in high-fat diet-fed mice through Lin28/let-7 system.

High fat intake is one of the most important reasons of the surging prevalence of childhood obesity all over the world. Obesity and high fat intake have been revealed to cause premature activation ...
Interprofessional Education and ECMO Simulation

This chapter discusses the role of interprofessional education (IPE) in ECMO simulations. IPE simulation allows a multidisciplinary team to learn, practice, refine, and master the skills necessary to promote readiness to provide acute medical care to patients when needed. The strengths of IPE simulation are supported by several educational theories discussed in this chapter. Acquisition and retention of knowledge can be described through Miller’s pyramid in which a learner advances from the base (acquisition of cognitive knowledge) to the top (integration of knowledge through performance behaviors). Translating Miller’s Pyramid to IPE ECMO simulation provides a framework and practical guide for the development of educational programming in which team members build upon the foundation of discipline-specific knowledge, through team simulation, debriefing, and reflection on performance ultimately leading to improved patient care. While there are many benefits to IPE simulation, there are many challenges as well. Overcoming these challenges involves advanced planning, training of educators in simulation design and debriefing, commitment from the healthcare team, and support from the healthcare institution.
Does FATCA Help or Hinder Effective Global Tax Governance

Globalization and technological advancements have contributed to one of the more serious issues in the United States – offshore tax evasion. While it is difficult to estimate the exact amount of revenue losses from offshore tax schemes, the U.S. loses approximately $100 billion per year from offshore tax evasion. This problem was highlighted in 2009 when Switzerland’s largest bank, UBS AG, admitted to defrauding the United States by impeding the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) tax revenue collection from U.S. taxpayers and paid $780 million in fines, interest, penalties and restitution to the U.S. As of 2016, eighty Swiss banks paid more than $1.3 billion in penalties to the U.S. in settlements involving more than 34,000 accounts that held as much as $48 billion. The U.S. responded to the global problem of offshore tax evasion by enacting the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) into law under section 501(a) of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employments Act (HIRE), even though the U.S. had many successful attempts at reigning in the foreign banks that facilitated offshore tax evasion. The general purpose of the HIRE Act was to provide tax breaks to small businesses that hire unemployed workers. FATCA was designed to authorize the IRS to collect taxes on American income hidden in foreign nations. The substantial costs associated with FATCA compliance has proven to be a burden for many foreign financial institutions. Instead of punishing shifty taxpayers and corporations, the IRS misguidedly has placed practically the entire burden on Americans living abroad and on the foreign financial institutions where Americans invest and keep their money. FATCA affects all U.S. citizens who own a foreign financial account, including banking and investment accounts, regardless of where they reside. This article examines the numerous reasons as to why FATCA should be repealed.
Omniligase-1-mediated ligation for insulin analog synthesis in solu-tion and on phage surface

The B-chain C-terminal region of insulin has been mutated or modified to achieve improved therapeutic efficacies. For ex-ample, all FDA-approved insulin analogs have altered C-terminal segments, which leads to improved pharmacokinetic prop-erties and provide significant clinical benefits on blood sugar regulation. Nonetheless, there is still no efficient method to synthesize insulin analogs with the altered C-terminal region. Herein, we report a facile synthesis using omniligase-1 to li-gate an insulin core with a peptide segment in high conversion. We further apply this ligation to M13 phage surface modifi-cations and demonstrate that the phage displayed insulin molecules can bind to insulin receptor ectodomain in an insulin-dependent manner. These results pave the way for building phage display insulin library for therapeutic selections and demonstrate the feasibility of using omniligase-1 to display other disulfide-rich peptides and proteins on phage.
Lens Influence on Iris Neovascularization and Glaucoma

Iris neovascularization and neovascular glaucoma following pars plana vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy have been major complications during the early postoperative course. A retrospective analysis of diabetic vitrectomy cases, and a prospective randomized study find a direct relationship between postvitrectomy aphakia and the development of iris neovascularization and secondary glaucoma.
Rectal epithelial expression of protein kinase A phosphorylation of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator

Abstract Background/Aims: Human rectal epithelium in cystic fibrosis (CF) shows impaired ion transport in response to theophylline or bethanechol, although it possesses regulatory subunits of adenosine cyclic 3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase A). Protein kinase A-specific phosphorylation of CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in rectal tissues of control and CF volunteers was examined in this study. Methods: CFTR was evaluated using a polyclonal antiserum ( pre-NBF ) raised against a peptide corresponding to residues 415–427 of CFTR. Microsomal membranes from normal and CF rectal mucosa and from T-84 cells were incubated with [γ 32 P]-adenosine triphosphate ± protein kinase A and subjected to immunoblotting with pre-NBF and autoradiography. Results: Pre-NBF recognized a single band of 180 kilodaltons. Protein kinase A altered phosphorylation of this 180-kilodalton band 1.4-, 2.2- and 0.9-fold in T-84, normal, and CF rectal membranes, respectively. Catalytic activities of protein kinase A, Ca 2+ calmodulin protein kinase, or protein kinase C in control and CF tissues were similar. Conclusions: cAMP and Ca 2+ -signaling pathways are normal up to the kinases in CF rectal mucosa. Our results suggest differences in CFTR phosphorylation in normal and CF rectal mucosal membranes.
Transmission electron microscopy observation of an incommensurate-commensurate transformation in tin-modified lead zirconate titanate

Antiferroelectric tin-modified lead zirconate titanate ceramics (PZST), with 42 at% Sn and 4 at% Ti, were studied by hot- and cold-stage transmission electron microscopy and selected area electron diffraction techniques. The previously reported tetragonal antiferroelectric state is shown to be an incommensurate orthorhombic state. Observations revealed the existence of incommensurate 1/x superlattice reflections below the temperature of the dielectric maximum. The modulation wavelength for this incommensurate structure was found to be metastably locked-in near and below room temperature. An incommensurate-commensurate orthorhombic antiferroelectric transformation was then observed at lower temperatures.
CCR10 regulates maintenance and function of resident regulatory and effector T cells in the skin (MUC7P.772)

Skin, the largest organ of human body, is under frequent assaults by various environmental agents. To maintain its integrity and function, immune cells in the skin are tightly regulated to allow tolerance to harmless antigens but mount effective response to dangerous assaults, and their dysregulation might increase incidence of skin diseases. CCR10, with its ligand CCL27 uniquely expressed by keratinocytes, are the most skin-specific chemokine/receptor pair implicated in the skin T cell migration and inflammatory diseases. However, targeting CCR10 or CCL27 had little effects on these processes in animal models and the regulation and function of CCR10 in vivo remain elusive. Using CCR10 knockout/EGFP knockin mice we found that CCR10-/- mice had imbalanced numbers and dysregulated functions of skin-resident effector and regulatory T (Teff and Treg) cells associated with enhanced innate and memory skin immune responses to antigen stimulations. On the other hand, CCR10 -/- mice cleared the skin Leishmania major (L. major) infection more efficiently than wild type (WT) mice did. Adoptive transfer studies found that CCR10 is required for the migration and maintenance of skin-resident CD8+ and CD4+ cells into homeostatic skin but not during the inflammation. These findings reveal that the CCR10/CCL27 axis plays important roles in the migration, maintenance and function of skin-resident regulatory and effector T cells for the local homeostatic regulation.
Knowledge-based nonlinear kernel classifiers

Prior knowledge in the form of multiple polyhedral sets, each belonging to one of two categories, is introduced into a reformulation of a nonlinear kernel support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The resulting formulation leads to a linear program that can be solved efficiently. This extends, in a rather unobvious fashion, previous work [3] that incorporated similar prior knowledge into a linear SVM classifier. Numerical tests on standard-type test problems, such as exclusive-or prior knowledge sets and a checkerboard with 16 points and prior knowledge instead of the usual 1000 points, show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in generating sharp nonlinear classifiers based mostly or totally on prior knowledge.
Ventral onlay buccal mucosa urethroplasty: a 10-year experience.

Objective To report our experience, and to evaluate the long-term outcomes and complication profiles of ventral onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (BMU) after prior urological intervention. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 114 consecutive patients between February 2001 and April 2009 who underwent buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty for recurrent anterior urethral stricture disease. Seven patients were excluded for incomplete data. The remaining 107 patients comprised the study cohort. The mean follow-up time was 39.3 months (range 6.6–127.3 months). All patients had prior urological attempts at operative management. Results The mean stricture length was 3.14 cm (range 1.0–8.0 cm). Indications for buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty included: lichen sclerosis (2.8%), iatrogenic (24.3%), infection (4.7%) and perineal trauma/straddle injury (20.6%). Of these patients, 78 had bulbo-membranous stricture disease, 20 had penile involvement and nine were multifocal strictures. The average number of prior urological procedures was 2.83 (range 1–9). The overall graft failure rate was 6.5%. Importantly, the re-operation rate was 20.6%, primarily for stricture recurrence (18), meatal stenosis (3) and urethral diverticulum. The mean time to complication was 10.8 months. Conclusions Ventral onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty offers satisfactory results in the setting of recurrent and complicated urethral stricture disease. Graft failures and complications generally occur within the first year after surgery. Bulbar strictures enjoy greater graft patency and lower complication rates than other stricture locations. In particular, guarded expectations should be given for stricture length >4 cm and multifocal disease.
Acidic Residues Comprise Part of the Myosin Light Chain-binding Site on Skeletal Muscle Myosin Light Chain Kinase

Myosin light chain kinase is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase which exhibits a very high degree of protein substrate specificity. The regulatory light chain of myosin is the only known physiological substrate of the enzyme. Based upon epitope mapping of monoclonal antibodies which inhibit kinase activity competitively with respect to the light chain substrate, residues 235-319 of the rabbit skeletal muscle kinase have been proposed to contain a light chain-binding site (Herring, B. P., Stull, J. T., and Gallagher, P. J. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 1724-1730). With the expression of a truncated kinase, we have further localized this putative binding site to residues 235-294. Mutation of acidic residues at positions 269 and 270 of the kinase resulted in a 10-fold increase in the Km value for the myosin light chain, with no significant change in the Vmax value. In contrast, altering a cluster of acidic amino acids at positions 261-263 had little effect on the Km value for the myosin light chain. These results suggest that residues 269 and 270 may be involved in protein-substrate binding. Interestingly, these residues, located amino-terminal of the homologous catalytic core (positions 302-539), are in a region which is highly conserved among myosin light chain kinases, but not other protein kinases. It is probable that the homologous catalytic core contains structural elements required for phosphotransferase activity. The catalytic domain of myosin light chain kinase would therefore include these conserved elements together with additional specific substrate-binding residues.
Trypsinized Placental Cell Cultures for the Propagation of Viruses and as “Feeder Layers”

The preparation and properties of cell cultures derived from human placental tissue are described and their usefulness for the propagation of animal viruses and as "feeder layers" is indicated.
Characterization of a repurposed agent as a potent inhibitor of DGKa (1062.1)

Diacylglycerol Kinases (DGKs) catalyze the conversion of diacylglycerol (DAG) to phosphatidic acid (PA). DGK-mediated increases in PA concentrations have been found to affect pro-cancer growth and survival pathways such as the mTORC1 pathway and the HIF -1α pathway. As a consequence, the DGKs are promising therapeutic targets for a large range of cancers. Specifically, the attenuation of DGKα by a small molecule inhibitor, R59022, has shown to dramatically decrease cell survival in glioblastoma models (Dominguez et al, 2013). R59022 has only been used in laboratories and completion of clinical trials could take years before its approval for use in humans. Our database searches have revealed a compound similar in structure to R59022 which we sought to repurpose for the inhibition of DGKα. We purified DGKα from mammalian 293 T cells using affinity chromatography and employed both liposome and micelle assays to measure the effects of this compound (which we term compound R) on DGKα activity. We showed that c...
Pregnancy in renal transplantation: Recipient and donor aspects in the Arab world.

Objective There are many kidney transplant recipients and living donors of reproductive age, and the prevalence of pregnancies in kidney transplant recipients can reach 55% in the Middle Eastern countries. Living kidney donation is predominant in this region. As the risks and outcomes of pregnancy should be a part of counselling for both recipients and donors, we reviewed available reports on maternal and foetal outcomes in these particular populations.
Use of intravenous gamma globulin for the treatment of autoimmune neutropenia of childhood and autoimmune hemolytic anemia

Intravenous gamma globulin (IVIG) was used to treat autoimmune neutropenia of childhood and autoimmune hemolytic anemia, two autoimmune disorders not previously treated with this modality. Six children younger than two years of age, who presented with severe infections and persistent absolute neutrophil counts (300/mm3), were treated with 1 g of gamma globulin per kilo body weight until counts reached more than 1,000/mm3. The average response occurred with a dose of 3.0 g/kg within five to seven days and lasted an average of 14 days before counts decreased to baseline levels. Four patients with autoimmune hemolytic anemia were also treated with IVIG, 1 g/kg for five to seven days (average dose of 5 g/kg), for severe Coombs'-positive hemolytic anemia. Response of the hemolytic anemia to IVIG was excellent in one patient and good in two patients. No response occurred in the fourth patient. Response was slower in these patients than in patients treated for immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). The average total amount of gamma globulin required for a response is markedly different: 1 g/kg for ITP, 3.0 g/kg for autoimmune neutropenia, and 5 g/kg for hemolytic anemia. Possible mechanisms of action include blockade of reticuloendothelial system Fc receptors, suppression of autoantibody production, and/or interference in the binding of autoantibodies to target cells.
Silica gel-assisted reduction of nitrostyrenes to 2-aryl-1-nitroalkanes with sodium borohydride

Abstract Reduction of a variety of nitrostyrenes with sodium borohydride in the presence of silica gel in a mixture of chloroform and 2-propanol furnished the corresponding nitroalkanes free of dimers in near quantitative yields.
Intramedullary cystic teratoid tumor of the cervical spinal cord in association with a teratoma of the ovary

A 15-year-old black female student came to the hospital because of disturbance of her gait. On examination, there was a dermal sinus in the skin overlying the spine of the seventh cervical vertebra, and myelography with computed tomography scan demonstrated a block to the flow of metrizamide contrast material at T-5 with cephalad extension of an intradural cystic lesion to the C-5 level. An x-ray examination of the abdomen at the time demonstrated a tooth-shaped radiodensity in the left hypogastrium. On exploration of the spine via C5-T5 laminectomy an intramedullary cystic teratoid tumor was found which was partially excised. At later exploration of the abdomen, a teratoma of the left ovary was removed. The pathology and natural history of teratomas and teratoid tumors is discussed along with surgical management of these tumors.
A preliminary randomized controlled trial of a distress tolerance treatment for opioid dependent persons initiating buprenorphine

Background Buprenorphine opioid agonist treatment (OAT) has established efficacy for treating opioid dependency but early relapse rates are high and are often associated with withdrawal-related or emotional distress.
Frequency Histogram Legend in the Choropleth Map: A Substitute to Traditional Legends

This article presents the use of the frequency histogram legend (FHL) as a substitute to traditional legends in both classed and unclassed choropleth maps. Great variation in the size of mapping un...
Explaining peak inflation rates prior to disinflationary policy adjustments or what got us into this mess

This study investigates, using annual data from 1974–2004, whether unionization rates, trade openness and central bank independence can help explain cross-national and inter-temporal variations in level of peak inflation prior to a disinflationary policy adjustment. I find that unionization is positively associated with both peak inflation rates whereas more independent central banks and trade openness are correlated with lower inflation levels. These results are robust to controlling for the high inflation decade of the 1970s and to using average (rather than peak) inflation as the explanatory variable.
Cardiac Function in Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia: A Pattern of Reversible Cardiomyopathy

Objective To evaluate cardiac function in infants with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) before and after corticosteroid replacement therapy. Study design This prospective, case-control study included 9 infants with CAH. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography at presentation and after corticosteroid replacement therapy. Six term infants underwent 2 echocardiograms each and served as the control group. Data on fractional shortening (FS), rate-corrected velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (V cf ), wall stress, tissue Doppler indices, myocardial performance index, left ventricular mass, and V cf /wall stress were obtained. Results The infants with CAH exhibited myocardial dysfunction at baseline and lower systolic blood pressure (SBP) compared with the control group. FS, a measure of systolic contractility, differed significantly from before to after corticosteroid treatment (mean, 32.3% ± 4.7% pretreatment, 39.9% ± 5.0% posttreatment). V cf , a preload-independent measure of cardiac contractility, also differed significantly before and after treatment (mean, 1.23 ± 0.16 circumferences/second pretreatment, 1.45 ± 0.22 circumferences/second posttreatment). SBP was also lower (mean, 84 ± 9.3 mmHg) and improved with treatment (mean, 95 ± 4.8 mmHg). The control group demonstrated no statistically significant changes in FS, V cf , or SBP. There was a change in left ventricular mass in the control group between the 2 studies. Conclusion Newborns with CAH have evidence for cardiac dysfunction at baseline that reverses with corticosteroid replacement therapy. These data suggest that corticosteroids play a direct role in modulating cardiac function in the newborn.
Effect of body mass index on hemiparetic gait.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and spatiotemporal, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters in chronic hemiparetic stroke survivors. Design Secondary analysis of data collected in a randomized controlled trial comparing two 12-week ambulation training treatments. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Chronic hemiparetic stroke survivors (N = 108, >3 months poststroke) Methods Linear regression analyses were performed of BMI, and selected pretreatment gait parameters were recorded using quantitative gait analysis. Main Outcome Measures Spatiotemporal, kinematic, and kinetic gait parameters. Results A series of linear regression models that controlled for age, gender, stroke type (ischemic versus hemorrhagic), interval poststroke, level of motor impairment (Fugl-Meyer score), and walking speed found BMI to be positively associated with step width (m) (β = 0.364, P P = .040), negatively associated with ankle dorsiflexion angle at initial contact of the paretic limb (deg) (β = −0.222, P = .023), and negatively associated with peak ankle power at push-off (W/kg) of the paretic limb (W/kg)(β = −0.142, P = .026). Conclusions When walking at a similar speed, chronic hemiparetic stroke subjects with a higher BMI demonstrated greater step width, greater hip hiking of the paretic lower limb, less paretic limb dorsiflexion at initial contact, and less paretic ankle power at push-off as compared to stroke subjects with a lower BMI and similar level of motor impairment. Further studies are necessary to determine the clinical relevance of these findings with respect to rehabilitation strategies for gait dysfunction in hemiparetic patients with higher BMIs.
Prevalence and predictors of mental health distress post-Katrina: findings from the Gulf Coast Child and Family Health Study.

BACKGROUND:: Catastrophic disasters often are associated with massive structural, economic, and population devastation; less understood are the long-term mental health consequences. This study measures the prevalence and predictors of mental health distress and disability of hurricane survivors over an extended period of recovery in a postdisaster setting. METHODS:: A representative sample of 1077 displaced or greatly affected households was drawn in 2006 using a stratified cluster sampling of federally subsidized emergency housing settings in Louisiana and Mississippi, and of Mississippi census tracts designated as having experienced major damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Two rounds of data collection were conducted: a baseline face-to-face interview at 6 to 12 months post-Katrina, and a telephone follow-up at 20 to 23 months after the disaster. Mental health disability was measured using the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 12, version 2 mental component summary score. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted examining socioeconomic, demographic, situational, and attitudinal factors associated with mental health distress and disability. RESULTS:: More than half of the cohort at both baseline and follow-up reported significant mental health distress. Self-reported poor health and safety concerns were persistently associated with poorer mental health. Nearly 2 years after the disaster, the greatest predictors of poor mental health included situational characteristics such as greater numbers of children in a household and attitudinal characteristics such as fatalistic sentiments and poor self-efficacy. Informal social support networks were associated significantly with better mental health status. Housing and economic circumstances were not independently associated with poorer mental health. CONCLUSIONS:: Mental health distress and disability are pervasive issues among the US Gulf Coast adults and children who experienced long-term displacement or other serious effects as a result of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. As time progresses postdisaster, social and psychological factors may play greater roles in accelerating or impeding recovery among affected populations. Efforts to expand disaster recovery and preparedness policies to include long-term social re-engagement efforts postdisaster should be considered as a means of reducing mental health sequelae. Language: en
Characterization and Resolution of Evaporation-Mediated Osmolality Shifts That Constrain Microfluidic Cell Culture in Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Devices

Evaporation is a critical problem when handling submicroliter volumes of fluids. This paper characterizes this problem as it applies to microfluidic cell culture in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) devices and provides a practical solution. Evaporation-mediated osmolality shifts through PDMS membranes with varying thicknesses (10, 1, 0.2, or 0.1 mm) were measured over 96 h. Even in humidified cell culture incubators, evaporation through PDMS and associated shifts in the osmolality of culture media was significant and prevented mouse embryo and human endothelial cell growth and development. A simple diffusion model, where the measured diffusion coefficient for PDMS matches reported values of ∼10-9 m2/s, accounts for these evaporation and osmolality shifts. To overcome this problem, a PDMS−parylene−PDMS hybrid membrane was developed that greatly suppresses evaporation and osmolality shifts, yet possesses thinness and the flexibility necessary to interface with deformation-based microfluidic actuation systems, ...
Predictors of Mortality in Alcoholic Women: A 20-Year Follow-Up Study

Very little is known about the factors that predict mortality in female alcoholics. This study investigates these predictors in 103 female alcoholics who were psychiatrically hospitalized between 1967 and 1968 and followed for over 20 years. The findings showed that age, benders, and/or delirium tremens, comorbidity, and 3-year posttreatment drinking status were associated with time to death. That older alcoholics and those with pathological drinking within 3 years after treatment had a significantly shorter time to death was not surprising. However, the association of benders with mortality indicated that women may be very sensitive to short periods of high concentrations of alcohol. Comorbidity also had an intriguing effect in that women with a history of depression were more likely to survive. The predictors of mortality in these female alcoholics differed from those of the male alcoholics in this sample. These differences will be discussed in future publications.
Antiphospholipid antibodies, prethrombotic states, and stroke.

Epidemiologic studies suggest that prethrombotic states may occur in some patients with stroke who have atherosclerotic risk factors, but the details of these relationships remain poorly understood. Recently, many of the natural inhibitors of thrombosis have been elucidated
MCPH1 deletion in a newborn with severe microcephaly and premature chromosome condensation

A newborn with severe microcephaly and a history of parental consanguinity was referred for cytogenetic analysis and subsequently for genetic evaluation. While a 46,XY karyotype was eventually obtained, premature chromosome condensation was observed. A head MRI confirmed primary microcephaly. This combination of features focused clinical interest on the MCPH1 gene and directed genetic testing by sequence analysis and duplication/deletion studies disclosed a homozygous deletion of exons 1-11 of the MCPH1 gene. This case illustrates a strength of standard cytogenetic evaluation in directing molecular testing to a single target gene in this disorder, allowing much more rapid diagnosis at a substantial cost savings for this family.
Development of 90Nm InGaAs HEMTs and Benchmarking Logic Performance with Si CMOS

We have developed 90nm In0.7Ga0.3As channel HEMTs, directly measured of DC and RF characteristics, and performed microwave modeling for both 90nm Si CMOS and HEMT for benchmarking logic performance for future design layout and process improvement.
Alkali Effect on the Electrical Stability of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Sealing Glass

An alkaline-earth silicate (Sr-Ca-Y-B-Si) sealing glass with varying K 2 O content (2-5 mol % ) was developed and evaluated for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) sealing applications. Two metallic interconnect plates were sealed with the glass and tested for electrical stability in a dual environment at elevated temperatures under a dc loading of 0.7 V. The metallic interconnect material, a ferritic stainless steel, was tested in the as-received state and after surface aluminization. The isothermal aging results showed stable electrical resistivity at 850°C for ~600 to 800 h for all the sealing glasses, with or without K 2 O. The electrical resistivities at 850°C were several orders of magnitude higher than the typical SOFC stack components. However, the glass with high alkali content (5%) showed excessive interfacial reaction, which resulted in debonding from both the as-received and the aluminized steel. Interfacial microstructures were characterized and possible reactions were discussed.
The control of the anteroposterior and dorsoventral axes in embryonic chick limbs constructed of dissociated and reaggregated limb-bud mesoderm

Abstract In the 3- to 4-day embryonic avian limb bud, a unique zone of mesodermal tissue is located posteriorly at the junction of bud and body wall. Appropriately grafted to a host limb bud, it induces the formation of a supernumerary limb outgrowth from preaxial tissue and determines that its posterior side will face the graft. It is called the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA). When limb-bud mesoderm is isolated, dissociated, reaggregated centrifugally, jacketed in the mesoderm-free hull of another limb bud, and grown as a graft on a host embryo, the recombinant frequently forms a limb-like structure terminating in digits that fail to show differentiation with respect to the anteroposterior axis. When, however, a bit of ZPA tissue is implanted in the recombinant subjacent to the anterior or posterior margin of the ectoderm, the resulting outgrowth shows a characteristic anteroposterior order of digits that corresponds to the placement of the implant, regardless of its relationship with the anteroposterior axis of the ectoderm or of the host embryo. Dorsoventral differentials have been recognized only in limbs formed from reaggregated leg-bud mesoderm. The direction of the dorsoventral axis always corresponds to the original axis of the ectodermal jacket regardless of the orientation of the recombinant on the host.