cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immediate Reconstruction of the Infraorbital Nerve After Maxillectomy: Is it Feasible?

Purpose Ablative procedures of the midface may require sacrifice of the infraorbital nerve (ION) resulting in permanent paresthesia of its dermatome. Because the ION is not commonly reconstructed, the goal of this study was to determine the feasibility of nerve allograft reconstruction. Patients and Methods A retrospective cohort of patients underwent immediate ION allograft reconstruction, during August 2018 to August 2019 at a single academic medical center by a single surgeon (M.M.). Demographic and clinical variables were collected. The outcome of interest was clinical neurosensory testing using the Medical Research Council Scale and subjective recovery, which was recorded using a visual analog scale at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results This cohort series consisted of 3 consecutive patients who underwent immediate ION allograft reconstruction. At 6 months, all patients achieved functional sensory recovery (S3, S3+, and S4) and acceptable subjective improvement. Conclusions Immediate nerve allograft reconstruction of the ION is a viable option to achieve functional sensory recovery.
Designing a Decision Aid for Patients Considering Bone Marrow Transplant

This study adopted a design-based approach to develop a decision aid for patients considering bone marrow transplant (BMT). Engaging different stakeholder groups through need-finding interviews, clinic observations, and prototype feedback sessions revealed that providers, patients, and caregivers have different needs that may be best served with unique design solutions.
Misalignment Resilient Anchor-Shaped Antennas in Near-Field Wireless Power Transfer Using Electric and Magnetic Coupling Modes

In this article, we propose a new antenna geometry for near-field magnetoelectric wireless power transfer (ME-WPT) application, where the antenna geometry is found to be resilient to misalignment between the receiving and the transmitting antennas. The proposed geometry is simple to fabricate and is planar, and therefore it can be easily integrated with various platforms suitable for wearable applications. The proposed structure is demonstrated to show improved WPT efficiency under different forms of misalignment between the transmitting and receiving antennas by the virtue of miniaturization and the fringing fields. Specifically, a central bar structure is added in the traditional loop antenna to provide dipole-like and miniaturized performance. Concurrently, a discontinuity in the loop is introduced to enable fringing fields beyond the aperture of the antenna. Investigations are conducted to conclude that a superiority in the performance is associated with these fringing fields. Design-optimization, simulation, and measurement investigations are conducted to estimate the WPT performance under various forms of misalignment. Notably, the proposed structure shows an increase as high as 65% in power transfer efficiency within the range of misalignment considered in this work.
THE PROBLEM OF HILL FOR SYSTEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Hill's problem for systems. In the special case of the Mathieu equation, the infinite determinant is the determinant of a continuant matrix, and continued fraction methods allow the systematic computation of the characteristic exponents. The appropriate generalization of the infinite determinant for higher-order scalar systems with periodic coefficients is reported in this system. For general linear periodic Hamiltonian systems, a new method can be developed that not only gives the characteristic exponents but also allows for the numerical determination of the associated constant Hamiltonian system given by the Floquet theory. The results are based on finding stable periodic solutions of an associated matrix Riccati equation with periodic coefficient matrices. The determination of these periodic equilibrium solutions actually allows the determination of the constant coefficient matrices for the Riccati equation, which is associated with the Floquet equivalent system.
CONSTRAINING THE MILKY WAY'S HOT GAS HALO WITH O VII AND O VIII EMISSION LINES

The Milky Way hosts a hot (≈2 × 10{sup 6} K), diffuse, gaseous halo based on detections of z = 0 O VII and O VIII absorption lines in quasar spectra and emission lines in blank-sky spectra. Here we improve constraints on the structure of the hot gas halo by fitting a radial model to a much larger sample of O VII and O VIII emission line measurements from XMM-Newton/EPIC-MOS spectra compared to previous studies (≈650 sightlines). We assume a modified β-model for the halo density distribution and a constant-density Local Bubble from which we calculate emission to compare with the observations. We find an acceptable fit to the O VIII emission line observations with χ{sub red}{sup 2} (dof) = 1.08 (644) for best-fit parameters of n{sub o}r{sub c}{sup 3β}=1.35±0.24 cm{sup –3} kpc{sup 3β} and β = 0.50 ± 0.03 for the hot gas halo and negligible Local Bubble contribution. The O VII observations yield an unacceptable χ{sub red}{sup 2} (dof) = 4.69 (645) for similar best-fit parameters, which is likely due to temperature or density variations in the Local Bubble. The O VIII fitting results imply hot gas masses of M(<50 kpc) = 3.8{sub −0.3}{sup +0.3}×10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙} andmore » M(<250 kpc) = 4.3{sub −0.8}{sup +0.9}×10{sup 10} M{sub ⊙}, accounting for ≲50% of the Milky Way's missing baryons. We also explore our results in the context of optical depth effects in the halo gas, the halo gas cooling properties, temperature and entropy gradients in the halo gas, and the gas metallicity distribution. The combination of absorption and emission line analyses implies a sub-solar gas metallicity that decreases with radius, but that also must be ≥0.3 Z {sub ☉} to be consistent with the pulsar dispersion measure toward the Large Magellanic Cloud.« less
Risk Factors for Mortality and Progression to Severe COVID-19 Disease in the Southeast United States (US): A Report from the SEUS Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: Identify risk factors that could increase progression to severe disease and mortality in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients in the Southeast region of the United States. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Multicenter, retrospective cohort including 502 adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020, and May 8, 2020 within 1 of 15 participating hospitals in 5 health systems across 5 states in the Southeast United States. METHODS: The study objectives were to identify risk factors that could increase progression to hospital mortality and severe disease (defined as a composite of intensive care unit admission or requirement of mechanical ventilation) in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients in the Southeast United States. RESULTS: In total, 502 patients were included, and 476 of 502 (95%) had clinically evaluable outcomes. The hospital mortality rate was 16% (76 of 476); 35% (177 of 502) required ICU admission and 18% (91 of 502) required mechanical ventilation. By both univariate and adjusted multivariate analyses, hospital mortality was independently associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.03 for each decade increase; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56--2.69), male sex (aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.34-4.59), and cardiovascular disease (aOR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.15-4.09). As with mortality, risk of severe disease was independently associated with age (aOR, 1.17 for each decade increase; 95% CI, 1.00-1.37), male sex (aOR, 2.34; 95% CI, 1.54-3.60), and cardiovascular disease (aOR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.09-2.85). CONCLUSIONS: In an adjusted multivariate analysis, advanced age, male sex, and cardiovascular disease increased risk of severe disease and mortality in patients with COVID-19 in the Southeast United States. In-hospital mortality risk doubled with each subsequent decade of life.
A modified dodge algorithm for the parabolized Navier–Stokes equations and compressible duct flows

A revised version of Dodge's split-velocity method for numerical calculation of compressible duct flow was developed. The revision incorporates balancing of mass flow rates on each marching step in order to maintain front-to-back continuity during the calculation. The (checkerboard) zebra algorithm is applied to solution of the three dimensional continuity equation in conservative form. A second-order A-stable linear multistep method is employed in effecting a marching solution of the parabolized momentum equations. A checkerboard iteration is used to solve the resulting implicit nonlinear systems of finite-difference equations which govern stepwise transition. Qualitative agreement with analytical predictions and experimental results was obtained for some flows with well-known solutions. Previously announced in STAR as N82-16363
Access to Care and Diagnostic Delays in Juvenile Dermatomyositis: Results From the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Legacy Registry.

Objective To determine factors associated with diagnostic delays and outcomes in juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) in the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Legacy Registry (CLR). Methods This was a cross-sectional study of subjects aged 0 to 17 years with JDM enrolled to the CLR from 2010 to 2015. Access to care was measured by calculating the distance from the subject zip code of residence to the treating pediatric rheumatology center and determining the state density of pediatric rheumatologists based on the 2015 American College of Rheumatology Workforce Study. Delay was categorized as early ( 12 months). Ordered generalized additive models were used to determine the association between these measures and diagnostic delays. Results The median time to diagnosis was 3.1 months; 37.2% of patients experienced moderate delays, and 14.6% experienced severe delays. In a univariate analysis, younger age of disease onset and male sex were associated with delays. Using a generalized additive model accounting for age, sex, race, and ethnicity, increasing distance from treating pediatric rheumatologist and younger age at disease onset were associated with diagnostic delay. There was no association between the state density of rheumatologists and diagnostic delays in this model. Conclusion In the CLR, we found moderate to severe diagnostic delays in the majority of subjects with JDM. Our data suggest that access to care, measured as the distance traveled to treating rheumatologist, is an important factor associated with delays in care but also highlight age as a contributing factor, suggesting that JDM may be less recognizable in young children.
Prior immunosuppressive therapy is associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients: a retrospective study of 835 patients.

Though it is widely believed that chronic immunosuppressive medications increase the severity of COVID-19 illness, there is little data to support this. We performed a retrospective study of COVID-19 positive patients diagnosed at a single academic medical center between March 10, 2020 and October 13, 2020. A total of 835 patients diagnosed with COVID-19 by polymerase chain reaction were included (median age 64 years; 52% female). Of these, 46 (5.5%) had a prescription for an immunosuppressive therapy prior to diagnosis, most commonly oral steroids (20, 43%), mycophenolate (12, 26%), or tacrolimus (11, 24%). Patients on immunosuppressive therapy with COVID-19 had increased mortality (30% versus 17%, p=0.036; OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.11-4.04), which remained significant (p=0.040) after performing multivariate logistic regression controlling for gender, age, race, and comorbidity status. Laboratory markers of inflammation were uniformly elevated in both patients on or not on immunosuppressive therapies who died, but lymphocytes and neutrophils were decreased in both COVID-19 patients on immunosuppressive therapies who died and who remained alive. These findings demonstrate that COVID-19 disease is more severe in patients taking prior immunosuppressive medications. This finding emphasizes the need for aggressive monitoring and supportive care for immunosuppressed patients who are diagnosed with COVID-19. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Original contributionComparison of the diameter consistency and dilating force of the controlled radial expansion balloon catheter to the conventional balloon dilators

OBJECTIVES: Balloon dilation of a luminal narrowing is classically performed with a single-diameter balloon. A new multidiameter balloon that allows three progressively larger, controlled radial expansion diameters of a single-balloon catheter (controlled radial expansion, CRE) has been developed. The purpose of this study was to test the diameter consistency and dilating force at increasing pressure of the CRE balloon-dilating catheter and to compare these features with the conventional balloon-dilating catheters. METHODS: The CRE balloon catheter was compared with the Achiever, Eliminator, and Max Force using in vitro testing to determine their dilating diameters and dilating forces. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: This in vitro study has shown that the new CRE balloon catheter with increasing diameter delivers consistently reproducible and progressively greater dilating force. This dilating force of the CRE balloon catheter at its third and maximum diameter inflation was similar to that of the Max Force TTS and significantly greater than that of the conventional balloon dilators, Eliminator and Achiever.
Lost in Translation No More: Marketing Evidence-Based Policies for Reducing Juvenile Crime

Even though effective evidence-based juvenile offender rehabilitation programs have been available for twenty years, such programs are underutilized and frequently misperceived as too ineffective, costly, and lenient because they fail to satisfy society’s retributive need to punish offenders. But the public, policy makers, prosecutors, and judges will support and utilize evidence-based programs when apparent conflicts between the demand for evidence-based programs, concerns about program effectiveness and costs, and the felt need for punishment are reconciled. This chapter outlines how this can be accomplished by using evidence-based persuasion strategies to effectively communicate the compatibility of these three goals.
Some results for chaotic times series prediction using Clifford neural networks

In this work, we consider the extensions of the back error propagation (BEP) learning rule for multilayer perceptrons (MLP) to Clifford algebras and report results on the application of such Clifford neural networks to chaotic time series. Although other researchers have considered similar extensions [(P. Arena et al., 1998), (S. Buchholz and G. Sommer, 2001), (G. Georgiou and C Koutsougeras, 1992), (J .K. Pearson, 1994)] their derivations have been incomplete and not systematically applied. We briefly outline the issues in the derivation of proper learning rules for Clifford neural networks and present a systematic study of a number of multidimensional chaotic time series.
Interface between Federal Water Quality Regulation and State Allocation of Water Quantity

In the United States, separate systems regulate water quality protection and water allocation. The Clean Water Act regulates water quality, although the Act gives states certain responsibilities and allows the Federal Government to delegate states others. States have the primary authority to allocate quantities of water to various users, with Western states generally using the system of prior appropriation, and eastern states following the riparian system. Because a river has aspects of both flow and quality, actions taken pursuant to either quality or quantity regulation can affect regulatory actions in the other system. Such overlap creates substantial friction between both the different government decision-makers and between the governments and those using the nation's waters. States' approaches range from Colorado, with a complete separation between the two systems, to California, which practices complete integration. In many states, resistance to applying Clean Water Act requirements to the exercise of water rights has hampered protection of water quality. Meanwhile, a growing number of Clean Water Act programs, including permitting for dredge and fill activities, state certifications of water quality for federal permits, and addressing impaired waters through total maximum daily loads, may limit the exercise of water rights. Keywords: quality; quantity; integration
An Analysis of a Strategic Transformation Plan: The Case of Alaska Airlines

In 2003, amid the turmoil of the U.S. airline industry in the post-9/11 environment, the senior management of the Alaska Air Group announced a “strategic vision” entitled “Alaska 2010.” The pronouncement articulated positions with regard to cost leadership, product differentiation, and growth. This study empirically assesses the efficacy of this decision with regard to the major network carrier of the air group, Alaska Airlines. The analysis focuses on the period beginning with the announcement and ending in 2010.The implementation of such a strategic protocol is dynamic and inter-temporal in nature. Therefore, it is often difficult to assess the effectiveness of changes in strategies, particularly since such effectiveness is often a function of the confounding forces of organizational strategy and market conditions. Thus, this study utilizes the multi-period methodology of the strategic variance analysis of operating income.This methodology decomposes operating income into three components: (1) growth, (2) price recovery, and (3) productivity. This is of particular interest from a strategic planning perspective, as the price component evaluates a company’s product differentiation strategy while the productivity component evaluates whether an airline’s low cost strategy was successful because of efficiency gains.
Microstructure and Interface Phase Formation in ${\rm YBa}_{2}{\rm Cu}_{3}{\rm O}_{7-\delta}$ Prepared by an MOD Process

Understanding the evolution of microstructure in YBCO (YBa2Cu3O7-zeta) is critical to optimizing the process for production of high quality superconducting wire for commercial applications. Therefore, microstructure and interfaces have been investigated in fully reacted YBa2Cu3O7-zeta, prepared by the metalorganic deposition (MOD) process, and deposited on CeO2/YSZ/Y2O3/NiW. YBCO nucleates on CeO2 with a specific orientation relationship where [011] CeO2 || [100] YBCO and (200) CeO2 || (002) YBCO, and with the [001] YBCO axis parallel to the film growth direction. A 25-50 nm thick reaction layer of BaCeO3 was observed at the YBCO : CeO2 interface. Formation of this layer releases a considerable amount of Cu and Y into the YBCO matrix. Details of the interfacial phase formation in the MOD-processed YBCO films are presented in this paper.
Rehabilitating Partnership Marriage as a Theory of Wealth Distribution at Divorce: In Recognition of Shared Life

This article offers a critique, a reinvigoration and a reconstruction of partnership marriage theory, a theory that now, at least rhetorically, dominates modern divorce law. Although current constructions in law have distorted the model, I argue that the core substantive values embodied in the partnership marriage model continue to have considerable appeal as the basis for a system of wealth distribution at divorce. Perhaps the greatest virtue of this approach to marriage is that couples themselves commonly understand sharing and joint contribution as defining characteristics of marriage. Infused with an equality norm, partnership marriage also offers hope of advancing the status of women, both in terms of concrete economic outcomes and normatively. In particular, I argue that partnership marriage calls for equal treatment of home and market work. In addition, the theory more broadly recognizes and encourages sharing and commitment-values considered essential in marriage. I advocate a reconstruction of the model. Contribution in marriage must be broadly understood in the sense that both spouses furnish a range of resources for the benefit of the marital relationship as a whole. Further, the law must recognize that sharing conduct in marriage plays a significant role in causing the respective economic positions the parties find themselves in at the end of the relationship. Collaborative conduct in marriage results in benefits and burdens that, at the brink of divorce, are possessed, but not rightly "owned" by the spouses individually. Partnership marriage calls for a presumption of equal division of traditional property and, in stark contrast to current interpretations, also requires income sharing for a period of time following divorce. Partnership thus provides a unified theoretical basis for all economic entitlements at divorce, bringing together spousal claims to "property" and "alimony" that modern law now artificially separates.
NK cells modify anti-influenza CD8 T cell responses and memory formation (VIR2P.1014)

Natural Killer (NK) cells are part of the first line of defense against viral infection as they quickly mobilize and eliminate infected cells independent of prior activation. However, recent evidence also suggests that NK cell activity can influence subsequent adaptive immune responses via contact dependent and independent interactions with APCs and effector T cells. Despite the importance of NK cells in coordinating these early responses, little is known regarding how this NK cell-mediated tuning regulates long-term anti-viral immunity. Using an antibody depletion method, we studied how loss of NK cells impacts the formation and maintenance of influenza-specific memory CD8 T cells. We find that in the absence of NK cells, there are increased numbers of influenza-specific CD8 T cells at the peak of the response and persisting into memory, with a skewed memory phenotype apparent earlier than observed in non-depleted mice. Loss of NK cells also reduced levels of lung-derived IFNγ and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), known T cell modulators. Moreover, the anti-influenza response after heterologous challenge was also altered in the NK cell depleted cohort. Together these data suggest that NK-derived IFNγ may regulate local immunity by suppressing anti-viral memory CD8 T cell development. Importantly, loss of NK cell-derived signals has long-term consequences suggesting that differential regulation of NK cell activation should be considered in rational vaccine design.
American energy consumption — Extravagant or economical?: A study of gasoline demand

Abstract This paper estimates and compares the demand for gasoline for the U.S., Canada and Europe to determine whether the U.S. would consume the same amount of gasoline per capita if faced with European prices, income, and population density. The results suggest a higher long-run price elasticity in the U.S. than in Europe and that, if faced with European circumstances, U.S. consumers would consume a similar amount of gasoline per capita.
Modified lithium borohydrides for reversible hydrogen storage (2).

In an attempt to develop lithium borohydrides as reversible hydrogen storage materials with high hydrogen storage capacities, the feasibility of reducing the dehydrogenation temperature of the lithium borohydride and moderating rehydrogenation conditions was explored. The lithium borohydride was modified by ball milling with metal oxides and metal chlorides as additives. The modified lithium borohydrides released 9 wt % hydrogen starting from 473 K. The dehydrided modified lithium borohydrides absorbed 7-9 wt % hydrogen at 873 K and 7 MPa. The modification with additives reduced the dehydriding starting temperature from 673 to 473 K and moderated the rehydrogenation conditions from 923 K/15 MPa to 873 K/7 MPa. XRD and SEM analysis revealed the formation of an intermediate compound that might play a key role in changing the reaction path, resulting in the lower dehydriding temperature and reversibility. The reversible hydrogen storage capacity of the oxide-modified lithium borohydrides decreased gradually during hydriding/dehydriding cycling. One of the possible reasons for this effect might be the loss of boron during dehydrogenation, but this can be prevented by changing the dehydriding path using appropriate additives. The additives reduced the dehydriding temperature and improved the reversibility, but they also reduced the hydrogen storage capacity. The best compromise can be reached by selecting appropriate additives, optimizing the additive loading, and using new synthesis processes other than ball milling.
EMI Spy: Harnessing electromagnetic interference for low-cost, rapid prototyping of proxemic interaction

We present a wearable system that uses ambient electromagnetic interference (EMI) as a signature to identify electronic devices and support proxemic interaction. We designed a low cost tool, called EMI Spy, and a software environment for rapid deployment and evaluation of ambient EMI-based interactive infrastructure. EMI Spy captures electromagnetic interference and delivers the signal to a user;s mobile device or PC through either the device;s wired audio input or wirelessly using Bluetooth. The wireless version can be worn on the wrist, communicating with the user;s mobile device in their pocket. Users are able to train the system in less than 1 second to uniquely identify displays in a 2-m radius around them, as well as to detect pointing at a distance and touching gestures on the displays in real-time. The combination of a low cost EMI logger and an open source machine learning tool kit allows developers to quickly prototype proxemic, touch-to-connect, and gestural interaction. We demonstrate the feasibility of mobile, EMI-based device and gesture recognition with preliminary user studies in 3 scenarios, achieving 96% classification accuracy at close range for 6 digital signage displays distributed throughout a building, and 90% accuracy in classifying pointing gestures at neighboring desktop LCD displays. We were able to distinguish 1- and 2-finger touching with perfect accuracy and show indications of a way to determine power consumption of a device via touch. Our system is particularly well-suited to temporary use in a public space, where the sensors could be distributed to support a popup interactive environment anywhere with electronic devices. By designing for low cost, mobile, flexible, and infrastructure-free deployment, we aim to enable a host of new proxemic interfaces to existing appliances and displays
Reason and Passion in the Public Sphere: Habermas and the Cultural Historians

ion is not new to Habermas' work; he has not ventured into historical reconstruction since Structural Transformation. What is new is his analysis of law and law-making.23 In great measure, Between Facts and Norms is a work of the postsocialist era, formulated during the I98os as Habermas came to terms with the collapse of state socialism. Like Harrington searching for the grounds of the true republic with the killing of the king, Habermas was exploring the process of legitimate law-making in the modern West, as communism was falling in the East.24 In placing lawmaking on a level equal to that of civil society, Habermas disarms many of the criticisms directed at contemporary theories about the civil and the public. In response to theorists who claim that public life in civil society-the practice of civility-is a positive end in itself, many critics argue that civil society must be equally balanced by strong and responsive government.25 Habermas provides a suggestive analysis of the necessary relationship between civil society and the state. Habermas' abstraction from history and his attention to law making form a paradox: On the one hand, Habermas avoids the historically specific; on the other, he grounds his analysis on the results of history-what he calls "the development of constitutional democracy along the celebrated 'North Atlantic' path" (2). This same dichotomy is evident in his commitment to rationality and proceduralism. Even if cultural historians will be happy with Habermas' abandonment of the eighteenth-century classical public sphere as a time-bound ideal, they will not be happy with his resolute defense of rationality. Rationality in communication has been the crux of Habermas' lifelong argument about the nature of modernity; his understanding revolves around concepts of an ideal speech community and an ideal speech event, which intimate
Production and electron diffraction studies of silver metal clusters in the gas phase

Abstract Silver is evaporated into an inert gas flowing at pressures between 0.1 and 3 Torr and nucleates to form clusters in a size range of 40 to 110 A. This two-phase mixture flows through a two-stage molecular beam into a modified electron microscope. Electron diffraction patterns are taken in the cluster beam and analyzed assuming the bulk, face centered cubic unit cell and using a thirteen-beam, multislice, multiple scattering program. Deviations from the bulk structure are seen and are larger for smaller cluster size. Several possible interpretations are discussed. The use of inert molecular gasses as carriers is found to greatly increase cluster production.
The impact of spectral emissivity on the measurement of land surface temperature from a satellite

The effect of emissivity on the measurement of land surface (LS) temperature from satellite radiances using the split-window method is investigated. Formulas are derived to relate the LS temperatures to two brightness temperatures measured from space in the AVHRR 4 and AVHRR 5 channels, and their accuracies are discussed. Results indicate that to determine LS temperatures from a satellite, the spectral emissivity must be known to an accuracy on the order of 0.005 for the average and 0.0007 for the difference in order to obtain an error of the order of 0.5 K.
Shared Selective Pressures on Fungal and Human Metabolic Pathways Lead to Divergent yet Analogous Genetic Responses.

Reduced metabolic efficiency, toxic intermediate accumulation, and deficits of molecular building blocks, which all stem from disruptions of flux through metabolic pathways, reduce organismal fitness. Although these represent shared selection pressures across organisms, the genetic signatures of the responses to them may differ. In fungi, a frequently observed signature is the physical linkage of genes from the same metabolic pathway. In contrast, human metabolic genes are rarely tightly linked; rather, they tend to show tissue-specific coexpression. We hypothesized that the physical linkage of fungal metabolic genes and the tissue-specific coexpression of human metabolic genes are divergent yet analogous responses to the range of selective pressures imposed by disruptions offlux. To test this, we examined the degree to which the human homologs of physically linked metabolic genes in fungi (fungal linked homologs or FLOs) are coexpressed across six human tissues. We found that FLOs are significantly more correlated in their expression profiles across human tissues than other metabolic genes. We obtained similar results in analyses of the same six tissues from chimps, gorillas, orangutans, and macaques. We suggest that when selective pressures remain stable across large evolutionary distances, evidence of selection in a given evolutionary lineage can become a highly reliable predictor of the signature of selection in another, even though the specific adaptive response in each lineage is markedly different.
Implications of autophagy for vascular smooth muscle cell function and plasticity

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are fundamental in regulating blood pressure and distributing oxygen and nutrients to peripheral tissues. They also possess remarkable plasticity, with the capacity to switch to synthetic, macrophage-like, or osteochondrogenic phenotypes when cued by external stimuli. In arterial diseases such as atherosclerosis and restenosis, this plasticity seems to be critical and, depending on the disease context, can be deleterious or beneficial. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms regulating VSMC phenotype and survival is essential for developing new therapies for vascular disease as well as understanding how secondary complications due to surgical interventions develop. In this regard, the cellular process of autophagy is increasingly being recognized as a major player in vascular biology and a critical determinant of VSMC phenotype and survival. Although autophagy was identified in lesional VSMCs in the 1960s, our understanding of the implications of autophagy in arterial diseases and the stimuli promoting its activation in VSMCs is only now being elucidated. In this review, we highlight the evidence for autophagy occurring in VSMCs in vivo, elaborate on the stimuli and processes regulating autophagy, and discuss the current understanding of the role of autophagy in vascular disease.
Anti-windup LPV control of pitch actuators in wind turbines

Operation of wind turbines in the full-load region mandates that the produced power is kept at a rated value to minimize structural loads and thereby reduce fatigue damages. This is usually achieved by pitching the rotor blades in order to limit the aerodynamic torque in high wind speeds. The pitch actuators usually present a hard constraint in terms of the amplitude and rate of saturation. In this paper, we propose a method to address pitch actuator amplitude and rate saturation by designing the anti-windup controllers in the linear parameter varying (LPV) framework. The proposed design method guarantees the closed-loop stability and a prescribed level of performance while it decreases the pitch activity for regulating the generated power to the nominal power during sudden wind gusts. The anti-windup controller designed to minimize the H ∞ norm of the closed-loop system is gain-scheduled based on the operating condition of the turbine, as well as the states of amplitude and rate saturation of the pitch actuator. The effectiveness of the proposed control design method is demonstrated using the high-fidelity aeroelastic dynamic simulation tool FAST.
A histochemical method for distinguishing between side-chain and terminal (alpha-acylamido) carboxyl groups of proteins.

The specificity of the Barrnett-Seligman method for the histochemical demonstration of α-acylamido carboxyl groups (C terminal) of proteins is dependent on the conversion of such groups to ketones by the action of acetic anhydride and absolute pyridine. Studies on model compounds show that the side-chain carboxyl groups also react in the method and that most of the final color developed can be attributed to these carboxyls, rather than to the C terminal carboxyl groups. It is postulated that the side-chain carboxyls react by formation of mixed anhydrides in the presence of acetic anhydride and pyridine. This mixed anhydride then could link with a hydrazide to form a dihydrazide, which is capable of coupling with a diazo dye. Acetic anhydride treatment alone, without pyridine, also yields mixed anhydride. The mixed anhydride derived from the side-chain carboxyls can be destroyed by base, whereas the methyl ketone derived from the C terminal carboxyl is unaffected, and this treatment makes the method specific for C terminal carboxyl groups. Tissues treated in such a fashion demonstrate that all the color reaction obtained in the method is due to side-chain carboxyls, and that C terminal groups yield little or no staining as would be expected for "average" molecular weight proteins.
Blood-nerve transfer of albumin and its implications for the endoneurial microenvironment.

Blood-nerve transfer of plasma albumin was studied by measuring the permeability coefficient-surface area (PS) product of the blood-nerve barrier (BNB) to 125I-albumin in rat sciatic nerve using the i.v. bolus injection method. The calculated PS was 6.3 +/- 0.5 (S.E.M.) x 10(-7) ml.g-1.s-1. This value is smaller by more than an order of magnitude of that measured for sucrose and confirms the relative impermeance of the BNB to blood-borne solutes. From a review of the available evidence, it is concluded that normal blood-nerve exchange occurs predominantly across the endoneurial microvasculature, and the PS of the BNB reflects the permeability of capillaries to a greater extent than that of the perineurium. The only capillaries found to be less permeable than these are the cerebral capillaries. Proximo-distal differences (sciatic vs tibial) of the PS could not be detected. Blood-nerve albumin transfer was calculated at 1.2 mg.g-1.day-1, and the daily turnover of endoneurial albumin to be about 30%. It is postulated that small increases in PS of BNB to albumin lead to an elevation of endoneurial albumin concentration and, through the operation of Starling forces, subsequently produce endoneurial oedema. A major question posed by the results of this study is the identity of pathways for clearance of albumin and other macromolecules from the endoneurium.
A feasibility study of on-board cloud detection and compression

On-board image classification has the ability to significantly impact the design of future exploration missions. Classification algorithms on Earth observing satellites could be used to point the satellite at dynamic natural phenomena (such as erupting volcanoes), tag high priority data for expedited analysis on the ground, or trigger increased compression in lower priority scenes. For high data volume Earth-observing missions utilizing a spectrometer in the visible, short-wave and infrared wavelengths, it may be acceptable to lossily compress pixels containing clouds to reduce the data downlink volume. This study will evaluate the feasibility and advantage of using an on-board cloud detection and compression algorithm. The accuracy of an algorithm will be discussed, the resulting data volume savings will be calculated and the performance of a sample algorithm on an FPGA will be characterized. The detection algorithm will be tested on sample data from a similar airborne spectrometer. It is desired that the detection algorithm minimizes the incidence of false positive cloud detection. The suggested compression involves reducing the radiometric and spectral resolution of the cloudy pixels. Providing the capability for autonomous image classification on an Earth-observing mission opens the door for more extensive classification in later mission stages and flexibility to changing mission requirements.
The rapid separation and isolation of mono- and oligo-nucleotides by high speed liquid chromatography: An ion exchange, reversed-phase system

Summary A new chromatographic material has been developed which has a combination of reversed-phase and ion exchange characteristics. In conjunction with high speed liquid chromatography, it provides a convenient method for the analysis and purification of nucleotides and their derivatives.
Surface immunoglobulin positive lymphocytes in human breast cancer tissue and homolateral axillary lymph nodes.

Surface immunoglobulins were determined on human lymph node lymphocytes by the use of immunofluorescence technique in 59 breast cancer patients undergoing radical mastectomy. In 10 of these cases, lymphocyte surface immunoglobulins were also studied on lymphocytes infiltrating the primary cancer mass. The most outstanding finding was a difference between the IgM lymphocyte populations in the lymph nodes of patients with and without lymph node metastases. When cancer tissue was present in one or more lymph nodes, the tumor-free as well as the tumor-positive nodes showed a higher percentage of IgM positive lymphocytes than did lymph nodes from patients without nodal metastases. The greatest difference was found when IgM lymphocytes from tumor-bearing lymph nodes were compared with those from the lymph nodes of patients without nodal metastases (p is less than .005). The lymphocyte populations infiltrating 5 of the 10 primary cancer masses studied showed no surface immunoglobulins; in the remainder, both IgG and IgM positive lymphocytes were found but in variable proportions. While the findings are not definitive, this is the first study dealing with the quantitation of immunoglobulin specific lymphocytes in the lymph nodes and tumor tissue of patients with breast cancer.
Towards a scalable quantum computer/simulator based on trapped ions

We describe the concept and experimental demonstration of the basic building blocks of a scalable quantum computer using trapped-ion qubits. The trap structure is divided into subregions where ion qubits can either be held as memory or subjected to individual rotations and multi-qubit gates in processor zones. Thus, ion qubits can become entangled in one trapping zone, then separated and distributed to separate zones (by switching control-electrode potentials) where subsequent single- and two-ion gates, and/or detection is performed. Recent work using these building blocks includes (1) demonstration of a dense-coding protocol, (2) demonstration of enhanced qubit-detection efficiency using quantum logic, (3) generation of GHZ states and their application to enhanced precision in spectroscopy, and (4) the realization of teleportation with atomic qubits. In the final section an analog quantum computer that could provide a shortcut towards quantum simulations under requirements less demanding than those for a universal quantum computer is also described.
Abstract 2135: Chemoprevention of tobacco carcinogen-induced lung cancer by DFMO and Licofelone administered individually or in combination in female A/J mice

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among both men and women in the US. Inflammatory eicosanoids and leukotrienes derived from cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and 5-lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway positively influences lung tumor growth. Overexpression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) enzyme activity and polyamines has been associated with proliferation and progression of lung cancer. Thus, targeting both tumor inflammatory molecules and polyamines synthesis may provide additive/synergistic antitumor effects. To overcome clinical toxicity of high dose difluoromethyl ornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ODC; and to target both COX-2/5LOX, we tested low dose DFMO combined with Licofelone, a novel dual inhibitor COX-2/5-LOX, in lung cancer model. At 7 weeks of age, mice (25 mice/group) were treated with 10 μmol 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) /mouse to induce the lung tumors. Three weeks after the NNK treatment, mice were fed either control or experimental diets containing 200, 400 ppm licofelone or 1500 and 3000 ppm DFMO or low-dose combinations of both agents. Mice were killed at 20 weeks (10 mice/group) and/or 36 weeks (15 mice/group) after NNK-treatment for lung tumor evaluation. Administration of 200 and 400 ppm licofelone significantly suppressed lung tumor (adenoma + adenocarcinoma) formation by >32 to 35% (p43 to 47% (p25 to 30% (p44% (p53% (p60% (p Citation Format: Jagan Mohan Reddy Patlolla, Levy Kopelovich, Li Qian, Laura Biddick, Yuting Zhang, Michael K. Sadeghi, Dhimant Desai, Shantu Amin, Stan Lightfoot, Vernon E. Steele, Chinthalapally V. Rao. Chemoprevention of tobacco carcinogen-induced lung cancer by DFMO and Licofelone administered individually or in combination in female A/J mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2135. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2135
The Vapochromic Behavior, Desulfoxidation and Structural Characterization of the SO2 Adducts of Ni(BME‐DACH) from Powder Data

Ab‐initio structure determination of Ni(BME‐DACH) · SO2 has been carried out by a combination of real space methods and Rietveld analysis from powder X‐ray diffraction patterns obtained from microgram quantities of the compound mounted on a nylon loop (space group. P21/c, a = 8.871(1), b = 14.480(1), c = 10.576(1) A, β = 95.98(1)°. The structure of Ni(BME‐DACH) · SO2 shows that Ni(BME‐DACH) complex remains intact and is related to the structure of Ni(BME‐DACH) · 2SO2, providing a platform for SO2 binding. We have also followed the desulfoxidation of the 2SO2 adduct by in‐situ micro‐powder X‐ray diffraction and, based on the results, a mechanism is proposed. We acknowledge the financial support of the National Science Foundation (Grants CHE 01‐11629 to MYD for this work and CHE 98‐07975 for the purchase of X‐ray equipment) and contributions from the Robert A. Welch Foundation. Use of the Advanced Photon Source was supported by the U. S. Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences, Office of Science, under ...
Novel Group V Phospholipase A2 Involved in Arachidonic Acid Mobilization in Murine P388D1 Macrophages

Four related genes encode four different secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) enzymes in mammals, namely the well described Group I and IIA enzymes and the more recently described Groups IIC and V. A large body of research has putatively demonstrated that the Group IIA sPLA2 is involved in diverse pathologic processes, such as rheumatoid arthritis, septic shock, intestinal neoplasia, and epidermal hyperplasia, as well as in cellular signaling by regulating the formation of arachidonate-derived lipid messengers. However, we demonstrate herein the involvement of another sPLA2, i.e. the Group V sPLA2, in arachidonic acid release and prostaglandin production in the mouse macrophage-like cell line P388D1. Abundant message for Group V sPLA2 was detected in both resting and activated cells. In contrast, Group IIA sPLA2 message was undetectable as analyzed by Northern blot and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Moreover, blockage of Group V sPLA2 gene expression by antisense RNA oligonucleotides resulted in inhibition of prostaglandin E2 production as well as reduction of the amount of sPLA2 protein at the cellular surface. Collectively, these results uncover Group V sPLA2 as a novel effector involved in arachidonic acid-mediated signal transduction.
Optimal population size and endogenous growth.

Abstract We compare the population and output growth rates implied by the welfare functions of Bentham and Mill. Contrary to previous findings, we show that, under conditions that ensure an optimum, the Benthamite criterion leads to a smaller population size and higher economic growth.
Synthesis of a Novel Sialic Acid Derivative (Sialylphospholipid) as an Antirotaviral Agent

A novel sialylphospholipid (SPL) was synthesized from N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) by a chemical and enzymatic method and evaluated as an inhibitor of rotavirus. PC and 1,8-octanediol were conjugated by transesterification reaction of Streptomyces phospholipase D (PLD) under a water−chloroform biphasic system to afford phosphatidyloctanol, which was condensed with a protected 2-chloro-2-deoxyneuraminic acid derivative by using silver trifluoromethanesulfonate as an activator in chloroform and converted, after deprotection, to SPL. Rhesus monkey kidney cells (MA-104) were incubated with simian (SA-11 strain) and human (MO strain) rotaviruses in the presence of SPL, and the cells infected were detected indirectly with anti-rotavirus antibody. SPL showed dose dependent inhibition against both virus strains. The concentrations required for 50% inhibition (IC50) against SA-11 and MO were 4.35 and 16.1 μM, respectively, corresponding to 103- and 104-fold increases in inhibition a...
Collisional Deactivation of Laser Induced Ethylene Fluorescence Lifetime of Vibrationally Excited Ethylene in Air at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract Laser induced infrared fluorescence1,2 is a potential method for the remote detection of atmospheric pollutants.3,4 In evaluating this technique as a quantitative analytical tool, two important parameters are (a) the lifetimes of the excited species and (b) the quenching efficiencies of various molecules which would be expected to be in the atmosphere and which may collide with the excited species. Such quenching would lead to low fluorescence intensity and low analytical data. We have measured the quenching of the fluorescence of ethylene, which is a common hydrocarbon pollutant, by nitrogen, nitrogen saturated with water vapor, and air.