cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vulnerability of Interdependent Infrastructures Under Random Attacks

Most of today's critical infrastructure are in the form of interdependent networks with new vulnerabilities attributed to their interdependencies. Security and reliability attacks, which can trigger failures within and across these networks, will have different forms and impacts on interdependent networks. In this paper, we focus on random attacks in a twolayer interdependent network and quantify its vulnerability under two different types of such attacks: 1) single layer attack, 2) concurrent two-layer attack. We compare the vulnerability of the network given the two attack scenarios, to answer the question of whether one single attack in one layer of an interdependent network can be as severe as concurrent multi-layer attack? We define two quantitative metrics to evaluate the vulnerability of the interdependent network under a given attack, namely, long-term effect and critical times. The long-term effect represents the total number of affected nodes during a finite time window, while critical times capture the evolution of failure propagation over time. The impact of different types of network topologies, including Erdos-Renyi, Scale-Free, and Small-World, and different coupling scenarios between the layers, namely high and low intensity and random and designed coupling on the vulnerability of the network is studied. Our results show that two-layer attacks are more severe in most cases while a single attack in one layer can be more severe for certain scenarios of coupling and network topologies. This suggests that in interdependent networks severe attacks can be triggered using access to only one layer of the network if the network structure is vulnerable.
HaptWrap: Augmenting Non-Visual Travel via Visual-to-Tactile Mapping of Objects in Motion

Access to real-time situational information at a distance, including the relative position and motion of surrounding objects, is essential for an individual to travel safely and independently. For blind and low vision travelers, access to critical environmental information is unattainable if it is positioned beyond the reach of their preferred mobility aid or outside their path of travel. Due to its cost and versatility, and the dynamic information which can be aggregated through its use, the long white cane remains the most widely used mobility aid for non-visual travelers. Physical characteristics such as texture, slope, and position can be identified with the long white cane, but only when the traveler is within close proximity to an object. In this work, we introduce a wearable technology to augment non-visual travel methods by communicating spatial information at a distance. We propose a vibrotactile device, the HaptWrap, equipped with vibration motors capable of communicating an object's position relative to the user's orientation, as well as its relative variations in position as the object moves about the user. An experiment supports the use of haptics to represent objects in motion around an individual as a substitute modality for vision.
Providing Incentives to Youth Participants in Research: A Literature Review:

The provision of financial incentives to youth involved in research remains an understudied and contentious issue. Although the practice is common and often accepted, a comprehensive understanding of the current status of the literature regarding the potential benefits and limitations is lacking. The primary question this article seeks to answer is as follows: "What are the concerns and best practices identified in the literature for the appropriate and ethical provision of incentives to children and adolescents?" Following a thorough review and screening process, 25 articles were selected and central themes were identified within them. Themes include the following: the wage-payment model, effectiveness for recruitment, effectiveness for retention, financial versus alternative incentives, coerciveness, influence on validity of results, and other ethical dilemmas. Gaps in the literature are discussed. Overall, the literature suggests financial incentives can be provided appropriately to children as long as necessary precautions are taken.
Projection Space Implementation of Deep Learning–Guided Low-Dose Brain PET Imaging Improves Performance over Implementation in Image Space

Our purpose was to assess the performance of full-dose (FD) PET image synthesis in both image and sinogram space from low-dose (LD) PET images and sinograms without sacrificing diagnostic quality using deep learning techniques. Methods: Clinical brain PET/CT studies of 140 patients were retrospectively used for LD-to-FD PET conversion. Five percent of the events were randomly selected from the FD list-mode PET data to simulate a realistic LD acquisition. A modified 3-dimensional U-Net model was implemented to predict FD sinograms in the projection space (PSS) and FD images in image space (PIS) from their corresponding LD sinograms and images, respectively. The quality of the predicted PET images was assessed by 2 nuclear medicine specialists using a 5-point grading scheme. Quantitative analysis using established metrics including the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index metric (SSIM), regionwise SUV bias, and first-, second- and high-order texture radiomic features in 83 brain regions for the test and evaluation datasets was also performed. Results: All PSS images were scored 4 or higher (good to excellent) by the nuclear medicine specialists. PSNR and SSIM values of 0.96 ± 0.03 and 0.97 ± 0.02, respectively, were obtained for PIS, and values of 31.70 ± 0.75 and 37.30 ± 0.71, respectively, were obtained for PSS. The average SUV bias calculated over all brain regions was 0.24% ± 0.96% and 1.05% ± 1.44% for PSS and PIS, respectively. The Bland-Altman plots reported the lowest SUV bias (0.02) and variance (95% confidence interval, -0.92 to +0.84) for PSS, compared with the reference FD images. The relative error of the homogeneity radiomic feature belonging to the gray-level cooccurrence matrix category was -1.07 ± 1.77 and 0.28 ± 1.4 for PIS and PSS, respectively. Conclusion: The qualitative assessment and quantitative analysis demonstrated that the FD PET PSS led to superior performance, resulting in higher image quality and lower SUV bias and variance than for FD PET PIS.
Chapter 1 – ORIENTATION

Publisher Summary Classical mathematical analysis is based directly on the real number system, and abstract analysis consists largely of structures inspired by either specializations or generalizations of real numbers. This chapter discusses the elements of set theory. A crutch for visualizing set operations is the Venn diagram scheme. The chapter discusses the theorem that there is no rational number whose square is 2. The completion principle states that any set of real numbers that is nonempty and bounded has a supremum. The chapter reviews dedekind cuts and develops one of the standard methods of proceeding from the rationals to a definition of real numbers. The set of real numbers is a complete ordered field. The set of real numbers contains the set of rational numbers which, in turn, contains the set of integers. Any real number that is not a rational number is said to be an irrational number.
Minimizing solvent waste in catalytic reactions in highly recyclable hydrocarbon solvents

This paper describes chemistry using organocatalysts in hydrocarbon solvents that minimizes solvent waste by using inexpensive, non-volatile, relatively inflammable, and easily recyclable poly(α-olefin)s (PAOs) as hydrocarbon solvents. These studies show that when substrates have limited solubility in PAO solvents, this issue can be addressed by adding a small amount of a cosolvent. Kinetic studies were also carried out and show that reactions carried out in PAOs are kinetically comparable to reactions in conventional non-recyclable hydrocarbon solvents. A range of strategies that separate and isolate products from reactions in PAOs using a polyisobutylene (PIB)-supported DMAP catalyst have been studied using four different catalytic reactions. In the most general procedure, the PAO phase containing a PIB-bound catalyst is separated from products by low energy liquid/liquid gravity separation. This can be accomplished using a minimal amount of a polar solvent. In another example, the product's low solubility leads to it precipitating during the reaction. In this case, a simple filtration recycles the PAO and a PIB-bound DMAP catalyst. We have demonstrated that the PAO phase containing a PIB bound DMAP catalyst can be recycled for at least 10 cycles without loss of activity. Our studies further showed that leaching of the PAO phase into polar solvents was orders of magnitude less than conventional hydrocarbon solvents such as heptane. The result is that the overall solvent waste generation is lower than for the same reaction carried out in conventional solvents.
Mining Approximate Acyclic Schemes from Relations

Acyclic schemes have numerous applications in databases and in machine learning, such as improved design, more efficient storage, and increased performance for queries and machine learning algorithms. Multivalued dependencies (MVDs) are the building blocks of acyclic schemes. The discovery from data of both MVDs and acyclic schemes is more challenging than other forms of data dependencies, such as Functional Dependencies, because these dependencies do not hold on subsets of data, and because they are very sensitive to noise in the data; for example a single wrong or missing tuple may invalidate the schema. In this paper we present Maimon, a system for discovering approximate acyclic schemes and MVDs from data. We give a principled definition of approximation, by using notions from information theory, then describe the two components of Maimon: mining for approximate MVDs, then reconstructing acyclic schemes from approximate MVDs. We conduct an experimental evaluation of Maimon on 20 real-world datasets, and show that it can scale up to 1M rows, and up to 30 columns.
Mass spectrometry-based protein–protein interaction networks for the study of human diseases

A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying disease is key for expediting the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Disease mechanisms are often mediated by interactions between proteins. Insights into the physical rewiring of protein-protein interactions in response to mutations, pathological conditions, or pathogen infection can advance our understanding of disease etiology, progression, and pathogenesis and can lead to the identification of potential druggable targets. Advances in quantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based approaches have allowed unbiased mapping of these disease-mediated changes in protein-protein interactions on a global scale. Here, we review MS techniques that have been instrumental for the identification of protein-protein interactions at a system-level, and we discuss the challenges associated with these methodologies as well as novel MS advancements that aim to address these challenges. An overview of examples from diverse disease contexts illustrates the potential of MS-based protein-protein interaction mapping approaches for revealing disease mechanisms, pinpointing new therapeutic targets, and eventually moving toward personalized applications.
Increased lysosomal burden correlates with the metastatic potential of human breast cancer xenografts

3446 β1,6-N-acetylgulcosaminyltransferase V (GnT-V) expression, assessed via β1,6-branched oligosaccharide formation, is common in human cancer and is correlated with metastasis and poor survival. GnT-V has multiple glycoprotein substrates and thereby exerts global effects on cancer progression, characteristic of a master regulator of metastasis. Yet little is known of GnT-V expression within tumors at the tissue and cellular levels. Here we report histochemical analyses comparing GnT-V and β1,6-branched oligosaccharides in malignant melanoma (n = 24 cases). We were surprised to find distinct patterns of GnT-V expression that differed between cases. Methods. GnT-V and β1,6-branched oligosaccharides were compared in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens. Tumor sections were stained with anti-GnT-V, with the lectin LPHA (β1,6-branched oligosaccharides), and in some cases with antibodies to the Golgi complex. Stains were analyzed by light microscopy. Results. All tumors stained with GnT-V. On the cellular level GnT-V stained large perinuclear structures consistent with the Golgi complex and also showed cytoplasmic staining. Thus although GnT-V is known to be enzymatically active in the Golgi complex, the protein was not localized solely to this structure. On the tissue level three staining patterns were seen. 1) The most common was uniform GnT-V staining throughout the tumor with a correspondence between GnT-V protein and β1,6-branched oligosaccharides. Thus in this pattern most if not all tumor cells were induced for GnT-V synthesis and enzymatic activity. 2) In a second pattern GnT-V protein was restricted to certain nests or areas of the tumor where again there was a correspondence with β1,6-branched oligosaccharides. This pattern indicated different tumor cell phenotypes for GnT-V synthesis or degradation. 3) In a third pattern, GnT-V stained throughout the tumor but in this case β1,6-branched oligosaccharides were restricted to certain nests or areas. This indicted selective activation or inhibition of GnT-V enzymatic activity. Conclusions. These findings reveal for the first time that GnT-V synthesis and enzymatic activity are subject to multiple levels of regulation. This information should help pave the way to a fuller understanding of GnT-V expression —a key factor in tumor invasion and metastasis.
Localism and the Ancient Greek City-State: Beck, Hans Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press 304 pp., $40.00, ISBN 9780226711485 Publication Date: July 2020

Hans Beck, professor and chair of Greek history at the University of Munster and adjunct professor in the faculty of arts at McGill University in Montreal, has published extensively on ancient Gree...
Inhibition of estrogen signaling in myeloid cells increases tumor immunity in melanoma

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have significantly prolonged patient survival across multiple tumor types, particularly in melanoma. Interestingly, sex-specific differences in response to ICB have been observed, with males receiving a greater benefit from ICB than females, although the mechanism or mechanisms underlying this difference are unknown. Mining published transcriptomic data sets, we determined that the response to ICBs is influenced by the functionality of intratumoral macrophages. This puts into context our observation that estrogens (E2) working through the estrogen receptor α (ERα) stimulated melanoma growth in murine models by skewing macrophage polarization toward an immune-suppressive state that promoted CD8+ T cell dysfunction and exhaustion and ICB resistance. This activity was not evident in mice harboring macrophage-specific depletion of ERα, confirming a direct role for estrogen signaling within myeloid cells in establishing an immunosuppressed state. Inhibition of ERα using fulvestrant, a selective estrogen receptor downregulator (SERD), decreased tumor growth, stimulated adaptive immunity, and increased the antitumor efficacy of ICBs. Further, a gene signature that determines ER activity in macrophages predicted survival in patients with melanoma treated with ICB. These results highlight the importance of E2/ER signaling as a regulator of intratumoral macrophage polarization, an activity that can be therapeutically targeted to reverse immune suppression and increase ICB efficacy.
Capsule Commentary on Bishu et al., Quantifying the Incremental and Aggregate Cost of Missed Workdays in Adults with Diabetes.

The study by Bishu et al.1 estimated the cost of missed workdays associated with diabetes among individuals aged 18 years or above using nationally representative 2011 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. The authors found that having diabetes was associated with 0.84 more of the number of missed work days, as well as with higher costs of missed work days, compared to those without diabetes; individuals with diabetes had $120 higher cost of missed workdays annually. Generalized linear model (GLM) methods have been proposed as better for heavily skewed cost data; in another study using GLM methods from MEPS data (2004–2006), Fu, Radican and Wells2 found that diabetic patients with macrovascular comorbid conditions cost more than diabetic patients without macrovascular comorbidity. Interestingly, there was considerable difference in the estimate of days lost between the two studies. Bishu et al. found that diabetic patients averaged 1.9 work days lost (2011 MEPS data), compared to 6.7 days estimated from 2004 and 2006 MEPS data. Both groups of investigators used the same estimating approach and both took into account the sampling weights, so it is hard to understand why the results would be so discrepant.
Elbow Flexion and Extension Force During Testing in Different Positions

Donna Capuano-Pucci, MS, PT* • Jeff A. Clifford, SPTt Matthew D. Gillan, SPTt OJ David J. Pleva, SPTt Jason S. Seiler, SPTt University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School . -----------------The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of different body positions on the force generated by elbow flexor and extensor muscles. The Nicholas Manual Muscle Tester, a hand-held dynamometer, was used to measure the force generated by the muscles. A random sample of 28 healthy subjects was tested by a single examiner. Each muscle group was tested with gravity eliminated and with the subjects sitting and supine. The dynamometer was positioned on the extremity and a break test was performed. The data were analyzed using the two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures. A significant difference in the force generated by the muscles was noted between positions (p < 0.05) for both elbow flexors and extensors. Alterations in body position appear to influence the amount of force generated by the elbow flexor and extensor muscles.
Viral capsids as self-assembling templates for new materials.

The self-assembling protein shells of viruses have provided convenient scaffolds for the construction of many new materials with well-defined nanoscale architectures. In some cases, the native amino acid functional groups have served as nucleation sites for the deposition of metals and semiconductors, leading to organic–inorganic composites with interesting electronic, magnetic, optical, and catalytic properties. Other approaches have involved the covalent modification of the protein monomers, typically with the goal of generating targeting delivery vehicles for drug and imaging cargo. Covalently modified capsid proteins have also been used to generate periodic arrays of chromophores for use in light harvesting and photocatalytic applications. All of these research areas have taken advantage of the low polydispersity, high chemical stability, and intrinsically multivalent properties that are uniquely offered by these biological building blocks.
The Rhino Without It's Sugar (P2.324)

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is an acute opportunistic mycosis with broad, non-septate hyphae and right angle branching classically seen in uncontrolled diabetics. We present a case of a non-diabetic patient with stroke like symptoms that was determined to be due to mucormycosis invading the sphenoid sinus. A 64 year old female was admitted for slurred speech and right-sided weakness. She was brought to the ER after being found unresponsive. Family members stated she had been experiencing difficulty speaking, and mild right facial weakness. She has been complaining of headaches for the past seven months and 15 pound weight loss. On admission, temperature was 98.4°F, BP 122/77, PR 78, and RR 18. Exam was significant for right-sided facial asymmetry/droop, expressive aphasia, and slurred speech. Labs were significant for an ESR of 72mm/hr. Head CT showed low attenuation mass in the left basal ganglia, suspicious for developing infarct and a partial opacification of the left sphenoid sinus. The patient was started on aspirin and levetiracetam. Brain MRI demonstrated a subacute stroke in the left basal ganglia and opacification of adjacent left sphenoid sinus with abnormal mucoperiosteal enhancment. Lumbar puncture was performed and CSF was cloudy, tested nonreactive for VDRL, WBC 245/c/mm, and protein 82mg/dl. Culture was negative for cryptococcal antigen. A repeat MRI showed inflammation of the middle cerebral artery consistent with vasculitis and a left sphenoid sinus opacification was extending to the brain along the left middle cerebral artery. She underwent sphenoid sinus biopsy which showed mucormycosis. Subsequently, she developed extensive subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhage. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is a rare, life-threatening infection predominately associated with diabetes. The atypical presentation in this case brings awareness to the possibility of Rhincocerebral mucormycosis affecting a non-diabetic patient. The mortality rate for rhinocerebral mucormycosis is 50-70%. Survival requires rapid diagnosis and treatment with Amphotericin-B, Posaconazole, or surgery. We recommend the association between diabetes and rhinocerebral mucormycosis be kept in the differential but not be an exclusive factor. Disclosure: Dr. Kahlon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gahley has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sonpal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Graham has nothing to disclose.
Relation Between Permutation-Test P Values and Classifier Error Estimates

Gene-expression-based classifiers suffer from the small number of microarrays usually available for classifier design. Hence, one is confronted with the dual problem of designing a classifier and estimating its error with only a small sample. Permutation testing has been recommended to assess the dependency of a designed classifier on the specific data set. This involves randomly permuting the labels of the data points, estimating the error of the designed classifiers for each permutation, and then finding the p value of the error for the actual labeling relative to the population of errors for the random labelings. This paper addresses the issue of whether or not this p value is informative. It provides both analytic and simulation results to show that the permutation p value is, up to very small deviation, a function of the error estimate. Moreover, even though the p value is a monotonically increasing function of the error estimate, in the range of the error where the majority of the p values lie, the function is very slowly increasing, so that inversion is problematic. Hence, the conclusion is that the p value is less informative than the error estimate. This result demonstrates that random labeling does not provide any further insight into the accuracy of the classifier or the precision of the error estimate. We have no knowledge beyond the error estimate itself and the various distribution-free, classifier-specific bounds developed for this estimate.
Unexpected thrombus migration obstructing the right coronary ostium after thoracic aorta graft replacement

Unexpected and reversible causes of ventricular dysfunction requiring a prompt second surgical procedure to restore the cardiac function should always be sought before the initiation of positive inotropic support. We report a case of obstruction of the right coronary ostium by an organized thrombus that had migrated retrogradely from the false lumen of a dissected aortic aneurysm. The resultant ventricular dysfunction hindered separation from cardiopulmonary bypass. Prompt recognition was done by transesophageal echocardiography and a second surgical procedure was immediately performed to remove the thrombus before irreversible ventricular dysfunction occurred. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 42:318–320, 2014
Pro-Poor Policies in Sudan and South Sudan: Distributional Impact of Public Spending and Taxation

Using the 2009 National Baseline Household Survey, we examine the incidence of actual and proposed public expenditures in Sudan and South Sudan. Key results for Sudan are that public spending to support agriculture, if broad-based, is likely to be pro-poor, while petrol subsidies are not. For South Sudan, transfer payments, including in-kind food aid, are very poorly targeted. In both countries, subsidies for basic education services are pro-poor.
The Legal Answer to Cyber-Gambling

In 2009, federal legislation went into place that essentially prohibited online gambling by prohibiting American financial institutions from facilitating cash transfers to and from Internet gambling sites. Unfortunately, due to jurisdictional limitations and the creativity of gaming operators, this new law is unlikely to meet the needs of American lawmakers. In fact, most of the attempts to prohibit or regulate Internet gambling have failed, and - by the very nature of the industry - are doomed to fail. This paper proposes a market-based solution that provides gamblers with a fair game, reduces social costs of online gambling, and provides gaming operators, both from within and outside of this nation, the ability to run a well-regulated online business. Legal, unregulated web pages will still be available, but regulated sites will provide competition that may run most crooked operations out of business.
The relation between cerebral metabolic rate and ischemic depolarization. A comparison of the effects of hypothermia, pentobarbital, and isoflurane.

BACKGROUND Reductions in cerebral metabolic rate may increase the brain's tolerance of ischemia. However, outcome studies suggest that reductions in cerebral metabolic rate produced by anesthetics and by hypothermia may not be equally efficacious. To examine this question, we measured the effects of hypothermia, pentobarbital, and isoflurane on the cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRG) and on the time to the loss of normal membrane ion gradients (terminal ischemic depolarization) of the cortex during complete global ischemia. METHODS As pericranial temperature was varied between 39 and 25 degrees C in normocapnic halothane-anesthetized rats, CMRG (using 14C-deoxyglucose) or the time to depolarization (using a glass microelectrode in the cortex) after a K(+)-induced cardiac arrest was measured. In other studies, CMRG and depolarization times were measured in normothermic animals (37.7 +/- 0.2 degrees C) anesthetized with high-dose pentobarbital or isoflurane (both producing burst suppression on the electroencephalogram) or in halothane-anesthetized animals whose temperatures were reduced to 27.4 +/- 0.3 degrees C. These three states were designed to produce equivalent CMRG values. RESULTS As temperature was reduced from 39 to 25 degrees C, CMRG decreased from 66 to 21 microM.100 g-1.min-1 (Q10 = 2.30), and depolarization times increased from 76 to 326 s. In similarly anesthetized animals at approximately 27 degrees C, CMRG was 32 +/- 4 microM.100 g-1.min-1 (mean +/- SD), whereas in normothermic pentobarbital- and isoflurane-anesthetized rats, CMRG values were 33 +/- 3 and 37 +/- 4 microM.100 g-1.min-1, respectively (P = 0.072 by one-way analysis of variance). Despite these similar metabolic rates, the times to depolarization were markedly different: for hypothermia it was 253 +/- 29 s, for pentobarbital 109 +/- 24 s, and for isoflurane 130 +/- 28 s (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The time to terminal depolarization is believed to be a measure of the rate at which energy stores are depleted. In this study there was a strong correlation between hypothermic reductions in CMRG and increases in the time to depolarization. This finding supports the belief that metabolic suppression may offer some cerebral protection. However, equivalent reductions in CMRG produced by hypothermia and by anesthesia were not equivalent in their effects on membrane failure. Whether hypothermia slows energy depletion by some unique mechanism or directly retards depolarization is unknown.
A new time-of-flight gating method for analyzing kinetic energy release in Coulomb exploded clusters: application to water clusters

Abstract A new method is presented for the analysis of high energy multicharged cations produced by Coulomb explosion in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The technique employs energy gating through a manipulation of electric potentials in the Wiley-McLaren lens assembly, and the use of a reflecting electric field. Water clusters of sizes up to about 20 molecules were irradiated with femtosecond laser pulses to generate protons and multicharged oxygen atoms. Protons with energies in excess of 3 kV are reported as well as O4+ ions with energies in excess of 13 kV.
Nutritional and rheological characterization of spray dried sweetpotato powder

Spray drying feasibility of sweetpotato puree is enhanced using alpha-amylase treatment to reduce puree viscosity and maltodextrin (MD) addition to facilitate drying. To better determine potential applications of powders produced with various levels of amylase and MD, nutrient composition and rheological properties of the hydrated spray dried sweetpotato powders were examined and compared with sweetpotato puree. Proximate composition, beta-carotene, vitamin C, and mineral analyses were performed. Steady shear rheology of reconstituted powder solutions was also evaluated at different temperatures and shear rates. Spray drying significantly reduced the β-carotene and ascorbic acid contents. Additionally, the all-trans form of beta-carotene was further transformed to the cis-isomers during dehydration. The viscosity of the reconstituted solutions was much lower than that of the puree at the same solid concentration. Rheologically, the reconstituted sweetpotato slurries behaved similarly to pregelatinized starch solutions. Thus, spray dried sweetpotato powders have a potential to enhance food systems as a thickener despite the need for increased nutrient retention.
The incidence of second malignancies in subsets of Kaposi's sarcoma

There is strong evidence linking Kaposi's sarcoma with an increased risk of developing a second primary malignancy. This risk of a second malignancy appears to depend in part on the clinical setting in which Kaposi's sarcoma develops. This paper examines these risks by relating them to specific subsets of Kaposi's sarcoma and to specific types of second malignancies.
Chronic granulomatous disease of childhood: clinical, pathological, biochemical, molecular, and genetic aspects of the disease.

The pathobiology of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) of childhood, a heterogeneous phenotypic disorder characterized by chronic and recurrent infection, has become more completely understood over the past three decades. Blood neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils lack a respiratory burst required for effective killing of catalase positive bacteria by reduced by-products of oxygen. The disease is transmitted in at least two genetic forms: X-linked and autosomal recessive. In the X-linked form, a gene coding for a beta subunit protein required for cytochrome b presence on the plasma membrane of phagocytic cells is not expressed. The protein appears to be a constituent of the cytochrome b complex that requires an additional alpha subunit for complete expression. Cytochrome b is likely a component of leukocyte oxidase, which catalyzes the respiratory burst. The autosomal recessive form of the disorder appears to be controlled by a set of genes coding for soluble cofactors essential for oxidase expression...
Coupling onto Wires Enclosed in Cavities with Apertures

This paper presents a hybrid numerical method for the electromagnetic field coupling into apertures residing on the surface of rectangular cavities. The cavity may enclose wires and cables that are typically modeled via transmission line approaches. Coupling into the cavity is analyzed via the moment method along with the cavity Green's function to find the aperture fields whereas Pocklington's integral equation is adapted for the wire/cable currents. The combined wire and aperture integral equation system can be solved directly or by decomposing it into the aperture and wire subsystems. The latter decomposition leads to a two-step or a multistep iterative approach for the solution of the aperture and wire currents. Of importance in this analysis is the use of acceleration algorithm for improving the convergence of the modal Green's function series after the application of the moment method. Issues associated with the large condition of the matrix systems near cavity resonances are also addressed.
Mode-Coupling Smoluchowski Dynamics of Polymers in the Limit of Rigid Structures

The time correlation functions of molecular configurational variables are calculated using a mode-coupling expansion of the Smoluchowski generalized diffusion equation with hydrodynamic interactions. For fluctuating three-dimensional structures the computation of the dynamics of the rigid limit represents a fundamental first step in the mode-coupling approach. For large rigid systems, using the three first-order vector modes of a noninfinite rate, higher order basis sets of the proper tensor rank are built to give the required mode-coupling dynamics. The results are found to be in very good agreement with the exact results obtained by an analytical solution of the rotational diffusion equation of rigid bodies. These rigid limits give simple accurate basis sets in the maximum correlation approximation (MCA) to the mode-coupling diffusion dynamics of fluctuating stiff synthetic polymers and biopolymers such as proteins and DNA double helices.
Solving the "why NOW?" Puzzle

A variety of observations indicate that the universe is dominated by dark energy with negative pressure, one possibility for which is a cosmological constant. If the dark energy is a cosmological constant, a fundamental question is: Why has it become relevant at so late an epoch, making today the only time in the history of the universe at which the cosmological constant is of order the ambient density. Ideas from Causal Set theory and Unimodular Gravity provide an answer, leading to a time dependent cosmological "constant" term of the right magnitude. I will briefly review the motivation behind the model, the ansatz that yields this fluctuating cosmological term, which is always of order the ambient density and summarize the results of the computer simulations based on the model.
Ultraviolet fluorescence of sulfosalicylic acid for the detection and differentiation of ketoses and aldoses.

Abstract A sensitive procedure is described for the selective detection of ketoses in which the developed and dried chromatograms are dipped in a solution of 1% sulfosalicylic acid in acetone and dried at room temperature. When viewed under ultraviolet light, many organic compounds including ketoses, aldoses, sugar alcohols, O-methyl sugars, etc. can be detected against the fluorescent background of the papers and the spots can be marked. When the marked papers are then heated, only ketoses develop a tan color visible in daylight which can be further amplified by again viewing the papers under ultraviolet light. As little as 2 μg ketose per spot is detected by this procedure.
Unsplinted, unstinted, pyeloplasty.

Abstract The dismembered pyeloplasty, free of tubes and with a watertight closure, has been used in 32 children. Early clearing of infection and the results shown on improved urographic studies have led us to apply this technique to almost all patients with obstruction who require ureteropelvic repair.
Turbulence in American Secondary Schools: What Reforms Last?*

The education system of the United States includes 16,000 local education agencies, each with considerable power to determine its own curriculum. But this pluralistic, decentralized system also exhibits remarkable uniformity and consistency. This uniformity is due, in part, to the irresistible national tides of trends and movements for reform. After reviewing the cyclical history and current reform trends in the turbulent history of secondary curriculum in American schools, we have concluded that some reforms carried on these national waves anchor securely in the nation's high schools, but many others disappear like ships lost in a Bermuda Triangle of education. Our theory explains why some reforms last while others disappear and why still others vanish, but then reappear ephemerally in subsequent periods. Despite the recent intense criticism of the American secondary school and new efforts to reform it, we believe only marginal change rather than fundamental transformations will take place in the mid 1980s. While the research for this paper is primarily based in American experience, we have pointed out parallels between the findings of American research and the thrust of selected analyses of educational change in some European and other countries. Curriculum policy in American secondary education displays a striking mixture of stability and change. On the one hand, Cuban (1984) discovered that certain patterns of classroom instruction have endured for over fifty years. Among the lasting features are whole group instruction, the predominance of teacher talk, classroom dialogue in the questionand-answer textbook format, and the restriction of student movement * This article continues the series on Secondary Education under the special editorship of Mark Holmes.
Irradiation induces regionally specific alterations in pro-inflammatory environments in rat brain.

Purpose: Pro-inflammatory environments in the brain have been implicated in the onset and progression of neurological disorders. In the present study, we investigate the hypothesis that brain irradiation induces regionally specific alterations in cytokine gene and protein expression.Materials and methods: Four month old F344 × BN rats received either whole brain irradiation with a single dose of 10 Gy γ-rays or sham-irradiation, and were maintained for 4, 8, and 24 h following irradiation. The mRNA and protein expression levels of pro-inflammatory mediators were analysed by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence staining. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of irradiation-induced brain inflammation, effects of irradiation on the DNA-binding activity of pro-inflammatory transcription factors were also examined.Results: A significant and marked up-regulation of mRNA and protein expression of pro-inflammatory med...
Validation of QF-PCR for prenatal aneuploidy screening in the United States

Objective QF-PCR is an inexpensive and reliable method for aneuploidy screening; however, despite its obvious advantages, it is not in routine use in the United States. Our objective in the present study was to validate QF-PCR as a means for prenatal aneuploidy screening in our institution. Methods A QF-PCR assay using 15 primer pairs located on chromosomes 13, 18, 21 X and Y was established for aneuploidy screening. Amniotic fluid (AF) and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) samples consisting only of the cells recovered from the plasticware discarded by our institutional cytogenetics laboratory were collected and DNA was prepared by a simple and inexpensive microwave procedure. QF-PCR was then performed and interpreted using established criteria. Results 687 consecutive prenatal samples were screened in a blinded prospective manner, and results were compared to those obtained by conventional cytogenetics. 100% of autosomal trisomies were detected, and there were zero false positives. A single case each of XXY and 45X were missed. Conclusions QF-PCR for prenatal aneuploidy screening was validated in our laboratory and has now been approved by the New York State Clinical Laboratory Evaluation Program. We propose a simple protocol for integrating QF-PCR into the normal cytogenetics laboratory workflow. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the Microanatomy of the Supraoesophageal Ganglion of Some Amphinomids (Polychaeta Errantia), with Further Discussion of the Innervation and Homologues of the Polychaete Palps

Earlier papers dealing with the anatomy of the amphinomid brain were studied. Discrepancies in the studied works prompted a re-investigation of the central nervous system of these animals. In this paper the brain commissures, the clusters of ganglion cells and the innervation of the antennae, the palps and the nuchal organs of Eurythoe complanata, Amphinome rostrata, Pherecardia striata, and Notopygos variabilis are described in some detail. The brain of Hermodice carunculata is studied more cursorily. The results, summarized in schematic diagrams, are compared with corresponding observations of the brains of ‘spiomorphic’ and ‘serpulimorphic’ polychaetes and to information given by earlier authors about structures in the Nereidiformia and Aphroditiformia. Using the major Remanian criteria for identifying homologies, equivalents in the amphinomid brain and the central nervous systems of some ‘sedentary’ and ‘errant’ families are proposed. As a consequence, some earlier opinions about the morphological value of the cephalic appendages of the amphinomids are strengthened while others are rejected. The necessity of further investigations of the polycheaete nervous system is emphasized.
Wave propagation through a slender curved tube

The transmission of an acoustic wave through a slender three‐dimensional tubular region is investigated. The ratio of the reference length a of a cross section of the tube to the reference curvature of the center line of the tube is assumed to be small. The analysis is carried out for wavelengths ranging from the order of the reference curvature of the center line of the tube to wavelengths much smaller than the reference length of the cross‐sectional area. It is shown that the leading solution inside the tube is governed by the same equation as for an equivalent straight tube except for the case where the wavelength is much smaller than the reference length a. For the latter the leading solution is governed by a partial differential equation in the cross section of the tube. The radius of curvature of the center line enters only into the amplitude of the leading order solution of the short waves.
801 DIAGNOSIS AND CARRIER DETECTION OF TAY-SACHS DISEASE USING SULFATED FLUOROGENIC SUBSTRATES: DIRECT DETERMINATION OF HEXOSAMINIDASE A IN SERUM DURING PREGNANCY AND IN THE PRESENCE OF HEREDITARY HEATLABILE HEXOSAMINIDASE B

4-Methylumbelliferyl derivatives of β-N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulfate and β-N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate were prepared by direct sulfation of the commonly used unsulfated derivatives. Both sulfated substrates were highly specific for hexosaminidase (Hex) A and in fractionated samples more than 97% of these activities was found in the Hex A fraction. The thermolability of Hex B and intermediate forms as found in subjects with hereditary heatlabile Hex B, and the increase in an intermediate Hex form as found in serum during pregnancy (Hex P), had no effect on direct determination of Hex A with the sulfated fluorogenic substrates. Serum and leukocytes from patients with infantile Tay-Sachs disease (TSD), including a TSD patient with heatlabile Hex B, had less than 2% of the respective mean activity of non-carriers. The latter patient was estimated to have 24% Hex A based on the heat inactivation method. Carrier values in serum during pregnancy and in samples with heatlabile Hex B were within the range of other carrier values and clearly separated from the respective non-carrier values. Mean carrier activities were 51-56% of the respective non-carrier means. The values of % Hex A as derived from the ratio between activities toward sulfated and unsulfated substrates were comparable to those obtained by heat inactivation excluding those with heatlabile Hex B. This helps detecting TSD genotypes and discriminates them from Sandhoff disease genotypes.
Induction Linac-Driven Free-Electron Lasers: Status And Future Prospects

The free-electron laser (FEL) directly converts the energy of an electron beam to electromagnetic radiation. The properties of the radiation are intimately related to the characteristics of the accelerator that produces the electron beam. A radio-frequency (rf) accelerator produces a high-frequency (1-100 MHz) burst of short electron pulses (10-30 ps) at relatively low peak current. The burst typically lasts tens of microseconds. The low peak current (0.1-1 kA) implies that an FEL driven by an rf accelerator must operate with low single-pass optical gain and produce radiation pulses of relatively low peak power. By contrast, an induction linac (IL) accelerator produces an electron beam consisting of longer (50 ns), higher current (1-10 kA) pulses. These pulses can be produced in a variety of pulse formats, including a series of high repetition rate bursts or a cw pulse train. For equal average powers, the induction linac operates at a lower duty factor than the RF accelerator.
Heterologous down-modulation of luteinizing hormone receptors by prolactin: a flow cytometry study.

Although the binding, internalization, and regulation of LH, PRL, and their respective receptors have been extensively studied, it is not known whether the receptors are coordinately regulated. Using double labeling experiments, we have previously shown that receptor-bound LH and PRL can be colocalized in identical endosomes of granulosa cells. We hypothesize that high levels of PRL may induce a heterologous down-modulation of LH receptors, consequently reducing ovarian responsiveness to further gonadotropin stimulation. In this study we used a novel procedure to enrich endosomes containing internalized PRL and to determine whether unoccupied LH receptors were cointernalized in granulosa cells. Porcine granulosa cells were obtained from medium-sized (3–5 mm) follicles and cultured for 4 days in the presence of FSH. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled PRL (FITC-PRL) was used as a ligand to induce internalization of PRL receptors and as a marker to label endosomes. Granulosa cells were incubated with FITC-PR...
Inhomogeneous deformations of Light Activated Shape Memory Polymers

Abstract Shape memory polymers (SMP’s) belong to a large family of shape memory materials, which are defined by their capacity to store a deformed (temporary) shape and recover an original (parent) shape. SMP’s have the ability to change size and shape when activated through a suitable trigger. This trigger, which can be heating the polymer or exposing it to light of a specific frequency, is responsible for the new temporary shape. Return to the original shape can be achieved by a suitable reverse trigger. Light Activated Shape Memory Polymers (LASMP) are recently developed smart materials which are synthesized with special photosensitive molecules. These molecules when exposed to Ultraviolet (UV) light at specific wavelengths, form covalent crosslinks that are responsible for providing LASMP with their temporary shape. Light activation removes temperature constraints faced by thermoresponsive SMP for medical applications and also brings the added advantage of remote activation. Thus LASMP find use in a variety of applications ranging from MEMS devices to widespread usage for biomedical devices such as intravenous needles and stents. Furthermore, the aerospace industry has found use for these materials for applications ranging from easily deployable space structures to morphing wing aircraft. The authors have introduced a constitutive model to model the mechanics of these LASMP (Sodhi & Rao, 2010). The modeling is done using a framework based on the theory of multiple natural configurations. A few homogenous and inhomogeneous examples were solved in Sodhi and Rao (2010), but with tacit understanding that the intensity of light and hence the extent of reaction is homogenous throughout the polymer sample. In this paper we use the developed model to solve a series of inhomogeneous deformation boundary value problems of interest with inhomogeneous exposure to light.