cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
EBSD study of beam speed effects on Ti-6Al-4V alloy by powder bed electron beam additive manufacturing

Abstract Electron Beam Additive Manufacturing (EBAM) has a lot of advantages and has become an attractive manufacturing method to produce the Ti-6Al-4V alloy. In this study, four Ti-6Al-4V rectangular blocks were manufactured by the EBAM process with four different beam scanning speeds (Speed Function x- SF20, SF36, SF50, and SF65). Based on the experimental results, the beam scanning speed did show notable effects on the preferred orientation of the α phase in the Z-plane which presents a relatively strong 2 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 4 > and 1 0 1 ¯ 0 > texture. However, with the increase of the beam speed, the intensity of the texture in the Z-plane decreases first and then increases. For the Y-plane, the preferred orientation direction of α changes from 2 1 ¯ 1 ¯ 1 > (SF20), 0 0 0 1 > (SF36, SF50) to 1 0 1 ¯ 2 > (SF65) with their maximum intensity decreased from 13.58 to 8.85 times of the random intensity. Generally, the parts did not show outstanding anisotropic characteristics in hardness and elastic modulus. The SF50 sample presents the highest properties (Vickers hardness and elastic modulus) between the four parts, which results from its finest microstructure and the weakest texture.
Optimal markov strategies

For discrete Dubins–Savage gambling problems (Markov decision processes) with payoff equal to the limsup of the utilities of the sequence of successive states, the existence of an optimal strategy at every fortune implies the existence of an optimal Markov strategy at every fortune. If the state space is finite, the same is true when the payoff is the liminf.
Securing Data Center Against Power Attacks

Modern data centers employ complex and specialized power management architectures in the pursuit of energy and thermal efficiency. Interestingly, this rising complexity has exposed a new attack surface in an already vulnerable environment. In this work, we uncover a potent threat stemming from a compromised power management module in the hypervisor to motivate the need to safeguard the data centers from power attacks. HyperAttack—an internal power attack—maliciously increases the data center power consumption by more than 70%, while minimally affecting the service level agreement. We propose a machine learning-based secure architecture, SCALE, to detect anomalous power consumption behavior and prevent against power outages due to HyperAttack escalations. SCALE delivers 99% classification accuracy, with a maximum false positive rate of 3.8%.
The Design and Function of a Regional Anesthesia Block Room

A specialized facility was developed within the operating room complex to expedite the performance and teaching of regional anesthesia. The facility consists of a 16 × 19-foot room divided into areas to perform nerve blocks and hold post-block patients prior to their transfer to surgery and an office partition that serves as a teaching carrel. The unit9s availability altered the normal pattern of performing nerve blocks between cases to a system whereby nerve blocks are performed during the preceding case. Improved operating room logistics has been noted with this approach, along with better patient and surgical acceptance of regional anesthesia. In addition, this has prompted a renewed interest in regional anesthesia by the resident staff, affording them a superior exposure to regional anesthesia in the course of their postgraduate training program.
Race/ethnic variations in school-year versus summer differences in adolescent physical activity.

Abstract Children and adolescents gain more weight in the summer than the school year, and there are race/ethnic differences in this pattern. Youth physical activity is lower in the summer, and the main aim of the present study was to examine race/ethnic and sex differences in adolescent physical activity, sedentary behavior, and related variables, comparing the school-year and summer. Adolescents aged 11–17 years were recruited from lower-income areas of five states in 2017–2018, and n = 207 completed surveys in both the school-year and summer: 56 African Americans, 30 American Indians, 21 Asian/Pacific Islanders, 49 Latinos, and 51 White, non-Hispanics. Of these, n = 150 also had accelerometer data. Objectively-measured physical activity was lower in the summer, especially among American Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Latino subgroups. Reported screen time was substantially higher in the summer (p
IRF-4 and Interferon Resistance in Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma.

Abstract Adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATLL) is a generally fatal CD4 helper T-cell malignancy caused by the human T-cell Leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I). Most ATLL patients fare very poorly with conventional chemotherapy; however interferon-alpha (IFN-α) based antiviral therapy has produced long-term clinical remissions in a subset of patients. Despite this, most patients succumb to their disease regardless of treatment. Little is known about the mechanisms of interferon resistance in ATLL and other tumors. Specific defects in proteins involved or affecting the IFN signaling pathway have been described in other malignancies that are often resistant to interferon, such as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and melanoma. Many of the elegant molecular pathogenesis studies of ATLL have focused on the viral transactivator Tax, in tax expressing cell lines, although this oncoprotein is not detected in primary unmanipulated tumors. We studied primary ATLL tumors and identified molecular features linked to sensitivity and resistance to antiviral (IFN) therapy. Serial ex-vivo analysis of unmanipulated primary leukemic cells obtained from ATLL patients prior to and during induction treatment with parenteral AZT and IFN-α revealed significantly higher induction of IFN regulated genes (Affymetrix gene chip) in patients who had an excellent response to this therapy. Interferon Regulatory Factor 4 (IRF-4) has oncogenic activity in vitro and is expressed in poor prognosis aggressive lymphomas. This transcription factor has also been shown to oppose the antiproliferative effects of interferon perhaps through activity on Toll-like receptor mediated pathways. Analysis of primary unmanipulated ATLL tumors from patients who had received antiviral therapy demonstrated the expression of IRF-4 protein in 7 tumors, 6 of which were from patients who failed this therapy. In contrast, 9 tumors lacked IRF-4 protein, including those from 5 complete and 2 partial responders. Detection of IRF-4 protein by Western blot correlated with high mRNA expression by quantitative RT-PCR studies. Expression of IRF-4 in primary ATLL was independent of the HTLV-I oncoprotein Tax, (which reportedly transactivates this transcription factor). IRF-4 is also a putative target gene of the oncogenic NF-κB subunit c-Rel. We found enhanced nuclear expression of c-Rel in 6 of 7 IRF-4+ ATLL tumors indicating a link between these two anti-apoptotic molecules in ATLL. Finally, PCR based gene rearrangement studies demonstrated the persistence of circulating T-cell clones in our long-term survivors, who have been maintained on AZT and IFN-α for years. In summary, the expression of nuclear c-Rel and IRF-4 occurs in the absence of Tax in primary ATLL and is associated with resistance to IFN-α based therapy. These molecular features may help guide treatment. AZT and IFN-a therapy is a suppressive rather than curative regimen in ATLL, and patients who achieve clinical remission with these drugs should remain on maintenance therapy indefinitely. Studies of the role of IRF-4, c-Rel, and their signaling properties in ATLL are in progress.
Treatment of Sarcoidosis

In general, sarcoidosis treatment should be offered to palliate symptoms and improve quality of life or to prevent end-organ disease. Symptoms include pulmonary as well as extra-pulmonary manifestations of the disease. The assessment of response to disease includes functional studies such as the forced vital capacity. Radiologic imaging such as chest x-ray has also been used to assess response, although standardized measures have rarely been tested. There are sufficient clinical trials to make specific recommendations regarding treatment of symptomatic pulmonary disease. Initial therapy is usually prednisone or a similar glucocorticoid. However, there are several features of this treatment which are unknown. This includes the initial dose, timing of reduction of dose, and when to discontinue treatment. Since many patients are intolerant of prednisone, steroid-sparing alternatives have been studied. Methotrexate is the most widely used anti-metabolite, but azathioprine, leflunomide, and mycophenolate have also been reported as helpful. The biologic agents, especially monoclonal anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) antibodies, have proved effective in patients who have failed other treatments. Infliximab, the most widely studied anti-TNF antibody, has proved effective for a range of refractory sarcoidosis. However, there remain questions regarding dose and duration of therapy. For the clinician, the many treatment options allow for a specific treatment regimen for each patient which minimizes risk while enhancing benefit.
The use of longitudinal hemoglobin A1c values to predict adverse obstetric and neonatal outcomes in pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes

Background Although an elevated early pregnancy hemoglobin A1c has been associated with both spontaneous abortion and congenital anomalies, it is unclear whether A1c assessment is of value beyond the first trimester in pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes. Objective We sought to investigate the prognostic ability of longitudinal A1c assessment to predict obstetric and neonatal adverse outcomes based on degree of glycemic control in early and late pregnancy. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of all pregnancies complicated by pregestational diabetes from January 2012 to December 2016 at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center with both an early A1c ( 26 weeks’ gestation) available for analysis. Patients were categorized by good (early and late A1c 6.5% and late A1c 6.5%) glycemic control. A multivariate regression model was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios for each identified obstetric and neonatal outcome, controlling for maternal age, body mass index, race/ethnicity, type of diabetes, and gestational age at delivery compared to good control as the referent group. Results A total of 341 patients met inclusion criteria during the study period. The median A1c values improved from early to late gestation in the good (5.7% [interquartile range, 5.4−6.1%] versus 5.4%; [interquartile range, 5.2−5.7%]), improved (7.5% [interquartile range, 6.7−8.5] versus 5.9% [interquartile range, 5.6−6.1%]) and poor (8.3% [interquartile range, 7.1−9.6%] versus 7.3% [interquartile range, 6.8−7.9%]) glycemic control groups. There were no statistically significant differences in the rate of adverse outcomes between the good and improved groups except for an increased rate of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions in the improved group (adjusted odds ratio, 3.7; confidence interval, 1.9−7.3). In contrast, the poor control group had an increased rate of shoulder dystocia (adjusted odds ratio, 6.8; confidence interval, 1.4−34.0), preterm delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 3.9; confidence interval, 2.1−7.3), neonatal intensive care unit admission (adjusted odds ratio, 2.8; confidence interval, 1.4−5.3), respiratory distress syndrome (adjusted odds ratio, 3.0; confidence interval, 1.1−8.0), hypoglycemia (adjusted odds ratio, 3.2; confidence interval, 1.5−6.9), large for gestational age weight at birth (adjusted odds ratio, 2.5; confidence interval, 1.4−4.4), neonatal length of stay >4 days (adjusted odds ratio, 4.2; confidence interval, 1.9−9.6) and preeclampsia (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4; confidence interval, 1.2−4.6). There were no differences in rates of cesarean delivery, umbilical artery pH Conclusion Antenatal hemoglobin A1c values are useful for objective risk stratification of patients with pregestational diabetes. Strict glycemic control throughout pregnancy with a late pregnancy A1c target of
Cryo-EM structure of the human MLL1 core complex bound to the nucleosome

Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) family histone methyltransferases are enzymes that deposit histone H3 Lys4 (K4) mono-/di-/tri-methylation and regulate gene expression in mammals. Despite extensive structural and biochemical studies, the molecular mechanisms whereby the MLL complexes recognize histone H3K4 within nucleosome core particles (NCPs) remain unclear. Here we report the single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the NCP-bound human MLL1 core complex. We show that the MLL1 core complex anchors to the NCP via the conserved RbBP5 and ASH2L, which interact extensively with nucleosomal DNA and the surface close to the N-terminal tail of histone H4. Concurrent interactions of RbBP5 and ASH2L with the NCP uniquely align the catalytic MLL1SET domain at the nucleosome dyad, thereby facilitating symmetrical access to both H3K4 substrates within the NCP. Our study sheds light on how the MLL1 complex engages chromatin and how chromatin binding promotes MLL1 tri-methylation activity.
Understanding utilization patterns of biologics and biosimilars in the United States to support postmarketing studies of safety and effectiveness.

PURPOSE To describe utilization of filgrastim and infliximab, the first two products with biosimilars approved in the United States. METHODS We identified use of filgrastim (reference, tbo-filgrastim, and filgrastim-sndz) and infliximab (reference, infliximab-dyyb, and infliximab-abda) in the Sentinel Distributed Database using Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes and National Drug Codes (NDCs) from January 2015 to August 2018. We calculated the proportion of use by code type and assessed uptake over time. We compared baseline patient characteristics and treatment indications. Among patients with >1 exposure episode, we characterized gaps between episodes. RESULTS Use was identified primarily via HCPCS codes (filgrastim: 86.4%-97.7%; infliximab: 87.8%-100%) although some was identified via NDCs (filgrastim: 2.2%-13.5%; infliximab: <0.1%-6.5%). Filgrastim reference product use declined from 89.4% in January 2015 to 30.3% in June 2018, with corresponding increases in filgrastim-sndz (0% to 49.3%) and tbo-filgrastim (10.6% to 20.4%). Infliximab biosimilar uptake was low (9.7% in June 2018). We identified 94 846 filgrastim reference product, 27 143 tbo-filgrastim, and 38 264 filgrastim-sndz users. For infliximab, we identified 125 412 reference product, 1034 infliximab-dyyb, 49 infliximab-abda, and 4855 undetermined biosimilar users. Patients receiving filgrastim products were largely similar, but differences in age, sex, and indication were observed across infliximab product users. The median exposure episode gap ranged from 1 to 3 days for filgrastim and 48 to 50 days for infliximab. CONCLUSION Use of biosimilar filgrastim has increased in the United States, but infliximab biosimilar use remains low. Data on identification of biosimilars in claims data and observed gaps between exposure episodes can be used to support drug safety studies of biosimilars.
A Cross-National Analysis of Premature Non-communicable Diseases (NCD) Mortality Differentials Among 183 Countries

This study firstly used population data from the United Nation (UN) and cause-of-death data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) to decompose the change of premature non-communicable disease (NCD) deaths (occurred at age 50–69) into demographic change (population growth and population aging) and epidemiological change among 183 countries. Secondly, this study used country-level data from various sources (such as the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO), etc.) and fixed-effects models to examine the major determinants of premature NCD mortality differentials across 183 countries. The determinants include income, education, obesity, tobacco use, alcohol use, physical activity and public health expenditures. The findings from decomposition indicated demographic factors including population growth and population aging have driven up premature NCD deaths significantly over last two decades, while epidemiological change showed the constant progress on declining premature NCD deaths. The fixed-effects models including all major determinants could explain part of NCD mortality differentials across countries. All the risk factors included in the model were positively associated with GDP per capita except smoking, which meant that higher income countries generally had higher prevalence of the risk factors. By controlling these risk factors to predict premature NCD death rates and time-invariant and country-invariant variables, the association between premature NCD mortality rate and socioeconomic development (income, education attainment and public health investments) is not clear. Higher-income countries had lower premature NCD death rate and higher rates of decline of premature NCD death rate, while lower-income countries had higher premature NCD mortality rate and lower rates of decline from period 1990–95 to 2010–15. Thus, the equity gap in terms of premature NCD mortality has widened over the last two decades. To achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), faster declining rate of premature NCD mortality death needs to be achieved to counteract the NCD deaths driven by population aging, and global resources need to be reallocated to close the equity gap.
Nationwide cost variation for lower extremity flap reconstruction

With increased attention around a value-based healthcare system, continuous emphasis has been made on the evaluation of hospital volume and its association with cost and outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze nationwide cost variation and outcomes in relation to hospital case volume and geographical location for lower extremity flap reconstruction. A retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample database was performed. Participants were patients who were admitted with the diagnosis of lower extremity trauma and underwent flap reconstruction, inclusive of pedicled and free flaps. The primary variable of interest was hospital cost. Additionally, we evaluated patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and outcomes of postoperative complications and length of stay. A total of 1200 patients were extracted. Median hospital cost for each procedure was $67,845.09. High volume hospitals had significantly lower costs than medium and low volume hospitals (p = 0.011), with median cost being $56,498.77. On regression analysis, hospital volume was not independently associated with increased hospital costs; however, notable factors identified included surgical and systemic complications, as well as longer length of stay. Of note, high volume hospitals were also associated with significantly fewer surgical complications (p = 0.002) and shorter length of stay (p < 0.001). The Western region was also independently associated with increased hospital costs. High hospital case volume appears to be indirectly associated with decreased hospital costs. The results of this study highlight the constant need to improve cost efficiency and reduce excess utilization costs while maintaining optimal patient outcomes. Level of evidence: Level IV, risk/prognostic study.
The Influence of Historical Tax Law Developments on Anglo-American Laws and Politics

This article highlights the influence of historical Anglo-American tax law developments on the formation of new political institutions and laws. In critical periods of English and U.S. history, individuals rebelled against arbitrary royal taxes. In turn, they demanded new tax laws that became embedded in documents from the Magna Carta to the English Bill of Rights to the Declaration of Independence that promoted democratic constraints on the use of state power to assess and collect taxes. Over time, the idea that individuals are entitled to equal treatment under the law, and possess inalienable human rights, emerged in part as a result of these tax law developments. The discussion in this article supports the view that pragmatic concerns over property and taxation drove important English and American political and legal reforms.  Arthur Cockfield is a Professor with Queen’s University Faculty of Law, Canada. The writing and research for this paper took place in part during the Spring 2013 semester when the author was a Fulbright Visiting Chair in Policy Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.   Jonah Mayles is a tax associate lawyer with Torkin Manes LLP in Toronto. An earlier draft of this article was presented as part of a tax history panel at the Annual Meeting for the Law and Society Association held in Baltimore. The authors are grateful for the many helpful comments they received. They also wish to thank Graeme Adams, JD candidate at Queen’s University Faculty of Law, for his helpful research assistance. 2013] THE INFLUENCE OF HISTORICAL TAX DEVELOPMENTS 41 ON ANGLO-AMERICAN LAWS AND POLITICS
Exploratory and Confirmatory Bayesian Networks Identify the Central Role of Non-judging in Symptoms of Depression.

Depression is a highly heterogeneous disorder, and meta-analyses of mindfulness-based interventions show moderate efficacy for reducing depressive symptoms. However, the mechanisms governing their efficacy remain unclear, highlighting the need for hypothesis-generating analyses to guide future research. We used Bayesian network analysis in three cross-sectional samples (N = 1135) of undergraduates and participants from the community to identify links between individual symptoms of depression and specific facets of mindfulness. In two exploratory studies, we assessed depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire (n = 384) or the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (n = 350) and mindfulness using the Five-Facet Mindfulness Scale. Across these samples and measures, exploratory analyses indicated that non-judging was a central bridge between facets of mindfulness and symptoms of depression. We confirmed this finding in a pre-registered replication (n = 401) using a recently developed confirmatory testing framework for network analysis. Non-judging was consistently a central bridge in the networks and specifically linked to the symptoms of depression related to feelings of failure and worthlessness. These findings provide strong evidence that non-judging is an essential feature of mindfulness in the context of depression and provides direction for future research testing mindfulness-oriented treatment prescriptions for depression.
Value, Support, and Advancement: An Organization's Role in Faculty Career Intentions in Academic Medicine.

Purpose Faculty engagement in academic medical centers is essential to advancing efficient healthcare delivery, research productivity, and organizational quality. The authors used turnover theory to empirically examine factors that influence faculty engagement, including both aspirational and attrition-related career intentions. Methods Using a convergent, mixed methods design, the authors surveyed 284 faculty at a large Midwestern public university's school of medicine in Fall 2015, Fall 2016, and Spring 2017. The study's questionnaire included a series of scales which informed three outcome variables (promotion aspirations, leadership aspirations, and intent to leave the organization) and four groups (role strain, work-family conflict, organizational commitment and support, and departmental commitment and support) of predictor variables, all of which have been previously validated with medical faculty populations. The scales were followed by open-ended questions which allowed respondents to further elaborate on their experiences in their organization related to each outcome variable. The authors used a hierarchical multiple regression model to assess the effect of each of the four groups of predictor variables on the outcome variables and then employed an iterative thematic analysis of open-ended responses to further elucidate faculty's reported experiences. Results Organizational commitment and support were significantly associated with faculty's promotion aspirations, leadership aspirations, and intentions to leave the organization. Thematic analysis of participant responses to open-ended questions further revealed the specific career development support faculty desired, mainly, streamlined and transparent promotion and leadership processes; clear guidance to maneuver these processes; holistic professional development opportunities; feeling valued; and supports for clinical and administrative tasks. Conclusion Advancing organizational policy that supports infrastructure for evidence-based interventions and programming for the intentional career development of faculty is an important aspect of a proactive talent development and retention model in academic medical centers.
Adults' Perceptions of Risk in the Big Data Era

The present digital era has seen rapid growth in the availability of big data; we were curious about whether such availability of data changes perceptions and assessments of risk. In this paper, we investigate adults' (35-63 years old) perceptions of risk in the big-data era and how it figures in their everyday life. We developed decision-making scenarios for socio-economic, environmental and health topics that involve modelling with personal value systems alongside Gapminder word map data. Going beyond the idea of risk in statistical theory, we attempt to gain an understanding of the processes by which adults assess risks.
WiP abstract: Intelligent power- and performance-aware tradeoffs for multicore servers in cloud data centers

Cloud service providers are seeking new solutions for reducing the energy consumption in their data centers. Our work in developing middleware that is integrated with a Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) to lower the energy consumption while maximizing the performance of or minimizing the service level agreement (SLA) violations for applications. To that end our solution leverages techniques such as Dynamic voltage/frequency scaling (DVFS) and server consolidation through live migration of virtual machines from an overloaded host machine to a less-loaded one.
Chapter 3 High-Brightness Nitride-Based Visible-Light-Emitting Diodes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses high-brightness nitride-based visible-light-emitting diodes (LEDs). There are numerous immediate applications for the long-awaited short wavelength LEDs. These applications—for example, large-screen full-color video displays, red-amber-green traffic signal lights, and interior and exterior automotive lighting—are hindered by the lack of blue and green devices with light output performance comparable to the yellow to red aluminum gallium indium phosphide (AlGaInP) and aluminum gallium arsenide (AlGaAs) devices that have been available for 10 years. Highly efficient LEDs possess many beneficial characteristics relative to incandescent filament bulbs—namely, low power consumption and long lifetime. In addition, the maintenance costs associated with bulb replacement are greatly reduced, because an LED traffic signal head is expected to last 5 to 10 years.
Network motifs emerge from interconnections that favour stability

Small distinctive patterns or ‘motifs’ are more prevalent in real systems than they are in randomly generated networks. It now seems that these motifs emerge naturally according to a principle that favours interconnections biased towards stability.
A test of the double-strand break repair model for meiotic recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

We tested predictions of the double-strand break repair (DSBR) model for meiotic recombination by examining the segregation patterns of small palindromic insertions, which frequently escape mismatch repair when in heteroduplex DNA. The palindromes flanked a well characterized DSB site at the ARC4 locus. The “canonical” DSBR model, in which only 5′ ends are degraded and resolution of the four-stranded intermediate is by Holliday junction resolvase, predicts that hDNA will frequently occur on both participating chromatids in a single event. Tetrads reflecting this configuration of hDNA were rare. In addition, a class of tetrads not predicted by the canonical DSBR model was identified. This class represented events that produced hDNA in a “ trans ” configuration, on opposite strands of the same duplex on the two sides of the DSB site. Whereas most classes of convertant tetrads had typical frequencies of associated crossovers, tetrads with trans hDNA were parental for flanking markers. Modified versions of the DSBR model, including one that uses a topoisomerase to resolve the canonical DSBR intermediate, are supported by these data.
Mathematical Estimation of the Level of Microbial Contamination on Spacecraft Surfaces by Volumetric Air Sampling

Microbiological sampling methods presently used for enumeration of microorganisms on spacecraft surfaces require contact with easily damaged components. Estimation of viable particles on surfaces using air sampling methods in conjunction with a mathematical model would be desirable. Parameters necessary for the mathematical model are the effect of angled surfaces on viable particle collection and the number of viable cells per viable particle. Deposition of viable particles on angled surfaces closely followed a cosine function, and the number of viable cells per viable particle was consistent with a Poisson distribution. Other parameters considered by the mathematical model included deposition rate and fractional removal per unit time. A close nonlinear correlation between volumetric air sampling and airborne fallout on surfaces was established with all fallout data points falling within the 95% confidence limits as determined by the mathematical model.
Association between increased DNA mutational frequency and thermal inactivation of aerosolized Bacillus spores exposed to dry heat.

Inactivation of viable bioaerosol particles, especially stress-resistant microorganisms, has important implications for biodefense and air quality control. It has earlier been shown that the loss of viability of bacterial endospores due to exposure to dry heat is associated with mutational damage. Previous studies, however, used non-aerosolized spores, long exposure times, and moderately elevated temperatures. This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of inactivation of aerosolized Bacillus endospores exposed to high temperatures for sub-second time periods. Bioaerosol was tested in a continuous air flow chamber under two flow rates, 18 L/min and 36 L/min. The chamber had a cylindrical electric heating element installed along its axis. The estimated characteristic exposure temperature (Texposure ) ranged from 164°C to 277°C (with an uncertainty of 21–26°C). To quantify mutational frequency, spores were cultivated after dry heat exposure on tryptic-soy agar and on antibiotic nalidixic acid media...
QUANTITATIVE ASPECTS OF CO2 FIXATION IN MAMMALIAN BRAIN IN VIVO.

Abstract : The data presented in this paper support the conclusion that CO2 fixation in the mammalian brain is a process which responds to the change in the metabolic environment. The rate of CO2 fixation is increased when the tissue is exposed to a metabolic stress, such as an elevated ammonia concentration, which results in an increased synthesis of glutamine. The data show that CO2 fixation is of considerable significance in brain metabolism and not negligible. It plays an essential role in maintaining the concentration of dicarboxylic acids in the citric acid cycle. The continuous removal of oxoglutarate without replenishment would lead to a breakdown of the citric acid cycle and consequently to a deficiency in the production of ATP. Although the data suggest that CO2 fixation may well replenish the intermediates of the citric acid cycle in case of increased ammonia concentration in brain tissue, these acute experiments give no answer as to the chronic effects of ammonia on the citric acid cycle.
High-linearity modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes

We report novel InGaAs/InP modified uni-traveling carrier photodiodes with record linearity. At low frequencies the third-order output intercept point (OIP3) is 55 dBm and remains as high as 47.5 dBm at 20 GHz.
One-year Outcome after Decompressive Surgery for Massive Nondominant Hemispheric Infarction

OBJECTIVE: Massive cerebral infarction is often accompanied by early death secondary to transtentorial herniation. We have tested the hypothesis that decompressive hemicraniectomy for massive nondominant cerebral infarction is lifesaving in a series of 14 patients presenting with right hemispheric infarction and clinical signs of uncal herniation and impending death. We have further analyzed, in prospective follow-up examinations, the levels of physical, psychiatric, and social disabilities in these patients. METHODS: The methods used included retrospective analysis to determine rates of immediate mortality and morbidity after surgical intervention. Prospective follow-up data were obtained to determine the level of recovery in surviving patients after 1 year. Standardized measures of outcome to assess physical, psychiatric, and social recovery included the Barthel Index, Zung Depression Scale, and Reintegration to Normal Living Index. RESULTS: With decompressive hemicraniectomy, we were able to prevent death secondary to transtentorial herniation in all cases; 11 patients experienced long-term survival after the procedure, and three deaths were related to non-neurological causes. We observed that 8 of the 11 surviving patients were at home, were functioning with minimal to moderate assistance, and had Barthel scores greater than 60. The remaining three patients were severely disabled. Seven of the 11 survivors were able to walk at 1 year after undergoing the procedure. Depression and failure to reintegrate socially were experienced by most patients. CONCLUSION: This series confirms the lifesaving nature of hemicraniectomy in patients deteriorating because of cerebral edema after infarction. In patients younger than 50 years, recovery to a state of near-independence is possible.
F factor-mediated inhibition of bacteriophage T7 growth: increased membrane permeability and decreased ATP levels following T7 infection of male Escherichia coli.

Cultures of uninfected and bacteriophage T7-infected male and female Escherichia coli were assayed for passive uptake of o-nitrophenyl-β-galactopyranoside and for ATP content. Relative to T7-infected female E. coli, infected male cells exhibit an increased permeability to o-nitrophenyl-β-galactopyranoside and a decrease in ATP content. Both phenomena are first observed between eight and 12 minutes after infection at 30°C and require (1) the presence of the F-factor genes which confer inhibition of phage growth and (2) phage-specific protein synthesis. These findings suggest that the abortive infection of male E. coli may represent a T7-induced structural alteration of the host membrane or a phage-induced failure of membrane-associated functions.
Evaluation of positively charged alumina nanofibre cartridge filters for the primary concentration of noroviruses, adenoviruses and male-specific coliphages from seawater.

Aim: To evaluate the electropositive, alumina nanofibre (NanoCeram) cartridge filter as a primary concentration method for recovering adenovirus, norovirus and male-specific coliphages from natural seawater. Methods and Results: Viruses were concentrated from 40 l of natural seawater using a NanoCeram cartridge filter and eluted from the filter either by soaking the filter in eluent or by recirculating the eluent continuously through the filter using a peristaltic pump. The elution solution consisted of 3% beef extract and 0·1 mol l−1 of glycine. The method using a peristaltic pump was more effective in removing the viruses from the filter. High recoveries of norovirus and male-specific coliphages (>96%) but not adenovirus ( 98%). The adsorption and recovery of adenovirus and male-specific coliphages were also determined for fresh finished water and source water. Conclusion: The NanoCeram cartridge filter was an effective primary concentration method for the concentration of norovirus and male-specific coliphages from natural seawater, but not for adenovirus, in spite of the high adsorption of adenovirus to the filter. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study demonstrates that NanoCeram cartridge filter is an effective primary method for concentrating noroviruses and male-specific coliphages from seawater, thereby simplifying collection and processing of water samples for virus recovery.
Isolation of valvular endothelial cells.

Heart valves are solely responsible for maintaining unidirectional blood flow through the cardiovascular system. These thin, fibrous tissues are subjected to significant mechanical stresses as they open and close several billion times over a lifespan. The incredible endurance of these tissues is due to the resident valvular endothelial (VEC) and interstitial cells (VIC) that constantly repair and remodel in response to local mechanical and biological signals. Only recently have we begun to understand the unique behaviors of these cells, for which in vitro experimentation has played a key role. Particularly challenging is the isolation and culture of VEC. Special care must be used from the moment the tissue is removed from the host through final plating. Here we present protocols for direct isolation, side specific isolation, culture, and verification of pure populations of VEC. We use enzymatic digestion followed by a gentle swab scraping technique to dislodge only surface cells. These cells are then collected into a tube and centrifuged into a pellet. The pellet is then resuspended and plated into culture flasks pre-coated with collagen I matrix. VEC phenotype is confirmed by contact inhibited growth and the expression of endothelial specific markers such as PECAM1 (CD31), Von Willebrand Factor (vWF), and negative expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). The functional characteristics of VEC are associated with high levels of acetylated LDL. Unlike vascular endothelial cells, VEC have the unique capacity to transform into mesenchyme, which normally occurs during embryonic valve formation1. This can also occur during significantly prolonged post confluent in vitro culture, so care should be made to passage at or near confluence. After VEC isolation, pure populations of VIC can then be easily acquired.
Activation-induced proteolysis of the cytoplasmic domain of ζ in T cell receptors and Fc receptors

The CD3-T cell receptor (TCR) complex on T cells and the Fc gamma receptor type III (Fc gamma RIII)-zeta-gamma complex on natural killer cells are functionally analogous activation receptors that associate with a family of disulfide-linked dimers composed of the related subunits zeta and gamma. Immunochemical analysis of receptor complexes separated on two-dimensional diagonal gels allowed the identification of a previously uncharacterized zeta-p14 heterodimer. zeta-p14 is a component of both CD3-TCR and Fc gamma RIII-zeta-gamma. Peptide mapping analysis shows that p14 is structurally related to zeta, suggesting that it is either: (i) derived from zeta proteolytically or (ii) the product of an alternatively spliced mRNA. The observation that COS cells transformed with a cDNA encoding zeta express zeta-p14 supports the former possibility. The expression of CD3-TCR complexes including zeta-p14 increases following activation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate or concanavalin A, suggesting that proteolysis of zeta may contribute to receptor modulation or desensitization.
Sex modulates the arrhythmogenic substrate in prepubertal rabbit hearts with Long QT 2.

Sex Differences in Long QT-Induced Arrhythmias in Prepubertal Rabbits. Females have a greater susceptibility to Torsade de Pointes in congenital and drug-induced long QT syndrome (LQTS) that has been attributed to the modulation of ion channel expression by sex hormones. However, little is known regarding sex differences in pre-puberty, that is, before the surge of sexual hormones. In patients with congenital LQTS types 1 and 2, male children tend to have a greater occurrence of adverse events, especially in 10-15 year olds, than their female counterpart. To evaluate whether the rabbit model of drug-acquired LQTS exhibits similar age dependences, hearts of prepubertal rabbits were perfused, mapped optically to record action potentials (APs) and treated with an I K r blocker, E4031 to elicit LQTS2. As expected, AP durations (APD) were significantly longer in female (n = 18) than male hearts (n = 10), at long cycle length. Surprisingly, E4031 (50-250 nM) induced a greater prolongation of APDs in male than in female hearts, and in both genders reversed the direction of repolarization (apex → base to base → apex), enhancing dispersions of repolarization. Furthermore, in male hearts, E4031 (0.5 μM) elicited early afterdepolarizations (EADs) that progressed to polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (PVT) (n = 7/10) and were interrupted by isoproterenol (40 nM) and prevented by propranolol (0.5-2.5 μM). In female hearts, E4031 (0.5 μM) produced marked prolongations of APDs yet few EADs with no progression to PVT (n = 16/18). Thus, sex differences are opposite in prepubertal versus adult rabbits with respect to E4031-induced APD prolongation, EADs and PVT, underscoring the fact that APD prolongation alone is insufficient to predict arrhythmia susceptibility.
Calculated electronic structure of icosahedral Al and Al-Mn alloys.

Electronic structure calculations on Al and Al-Mn clusters of icosahedral (${\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{h}}$) symmetry show important differences compared with such calculations on clusters of cubic (${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{h}}$) symmetry. Anomalously high state densities at ${\mathrm{E}}_{\mathrm{F}}$ and energy dependence proportional to ${\mathrm{E}}^{\mathrm{n}}$, n\ensuremath{\ge}1, characterize the ${\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{h}}$ clusters. Highly symmetric molecular-orbital topologies make icosahedral clusters appear like large quasiatoms. Central Mn atoms destabilize ${\mathrm{I}}_{\mathrm{h}}$ clusters.
Outcomes in cephalic vs noncephalic presentation in the setting of preterm premature rupture of membranes

Objective This study was conducted to determine whether fetal position at the time of preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) diagnosis affects outcomes. Study Design A retrospective study was designed to assess differences in outcomes between cephalic and noncephalic presentation at PPROM diagnosis between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation. Results Five hundred sixty-six cases of PPROM were identified; 108 cases (19.1%) were noncephalic at time of PPROM diagnosis. The 2 groups were similar with regard to demographics. Although membrane rupture and delivery occurred earlier in the noncephalic group, there was no difference in latency between groups (cephalic group, 6.22 days vs noncephalic group, 7.85 days; P = .07). Noncephalic pregnancies were substantially more likely to be complicated by oligohydramnios, abruption, intrauterine fetal death, and infectious morbidity. Conclusion Noncephalic presentation at the time of diagnosis of PPROM independently and significantly increases the risk of maternal complications in such affected pregnancies.
Motor control of jaw movements: An fMRI study of parafunctional clench and grind behavior

Jaw-clenching and tooth-grinding associated with bruxism can contribute to abnormal tooth wear and pain in the masticatory system. Clench and tooth-grinding jaw-movement tasks were evaluated in a block-design fMRI study comparing a dental-control (DC) group with a tooth-grinding (TG) group. Group classification was made prior to imaging based upon self-reported parafunctional clench and grind behavior and clinical evidence of abnormal tooth wear. Group differences in brain activation patterns were found for each task compared to the resting baseline. The DC group showed a more widely distributed pattern; more extensive activity in the supplementary motor area (SMA) proper that extended into the pre-SMA; and, for clench, activity in the left inferior parietal lobule (IPL). The DC group activated more than the TG subjects the left IPL for clench, and pre-SMA for grind. Neither task elicited more activity in the TG than DC subjects. Our group findings suggest that jaw-movement tasks executed by the TG group elicited (1) more efficient brain activation pattern consistent with other studies that found less extensive activity with executing "over-learned" tasks; (2) "underactive" SMA activity that underlies reduced motor planning; (3) decreased inferior parietal activity that is associated with lesser motor-attentional demands. Thus orofacial parafunctional habits may influence brain circuits recruited for jaw movements, providing a possible basis for understanding involuntary jaw movements in bruxism and oral movement disorders in general.
Denervation effects on aspartate carbamyl transferase, thymidine kinase, and uridine kinase activities in newt regenerates.

Abstract Activities of enzymes in the de novo pathway, aspartate carbamyl transferase, and salvage pathway, thymidine and uridine kinases, for nucleotide precursor synthesis were examined under conditions of innervation and denervation in the amputated newt forelimb. It was found that ACTase and uridine kinase were active throughout regeneration (Days 0–26) of innervated limbs, and that thymidine kinase became active only at the nerve independent stage. Denervation slightly reduced the levels of activity but did not alter the pattern of activity for any of these enzymes for up to 26 days after simultaneous amputation and denervation. Reduction in levels of activity in denervated limbs became more prominent as the innervated control limbs entered the nerve independent stage, but at no time throughout the 26-day period did levels of activity in denervates fall to baseline values. Nerves apparently have little effect on the underlying metabolic pathways which produce precursors for DNA synthesis.
Designing for the disabled in the engineering classroom

Service learning in the classroom has been shown to provide great benefit to students and their communities. During the fall of 2009, a national design competition for the disabled was integrated as a service learning term project in Montana State University's Industrial Engineering Department course entitled “Ergonomics and Safety Engineering I.” This project provided students with hands-on experience in applying both their hard and soft skills (based upon the ABET a-k outcomes) in designing for special populations. Students used the concepts learned throughout the course in order to develop an assistive device that would empower people with disabilities to overcome barriers to employment. Each student group was assigned a person with a disability and a vocational aid. The students designed assistive devices that enabled the workers to perform their jobs with greater ease and efficiency and in some cases with complete independence. In order to encourage a more widespread adoption of service learning within engineering, this paper provides one application of a service learning project that can be applied across a variety of engineering domains.