cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein mediates lamellipodia formation to initiate motility in PC-3 prostate cancer cells

Abstract Prostate cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer mortality among men in the United States. Hormone refractory, metastatic disease has no molecular therapeutics to date and survival is poor. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid exhibiting motility, invasive, growth, proliferative and survival effects in multiple cancer cell lineages. Cells express different combinations of LPA-specific G protein-coupled receptors, LPA1, LPA2 LPA3, and LPA4 as well as other LPA receptors, which bind LPA and thereby regulate lipid signaling. The role of specific LPA receptors in functional outcomes of lysolipid signaling remains to be fully elucidated in prostate cancer. We hypothesized that LPA can initiate cell migration through specific LPA receptors by activating actin-associating proteins involved in motility, including the vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP). In the present study, we demonstrate that LPA-induced lamellipodia formation in cells is dependent on LPA receptor-mediated phosphorylation of VASP, demonstrating a previously unknown regulation by LPA. LPA induces phosphorylation of VASP at Ser(157), through protein kinase A (PKA) since the stimulation was abrogated by PKA inhibition. In addition, we found that the effects of LPA-induced lamellipodia formation and migration were reduced by knockdown of either VASP or LPA receptor expression, suggesting that LPA receptor-induced VASP phosphorylation is a critical mediator of migration initiation. Thus the LPA2 and LPA3 receptors, in addition to the previously implicated LPA1 receptor, play a role in cellular motility potentially contributing to invasion and metastases. Emerging drugs targeting the LPA pathway may be beneficial for the treatment of metastatic progression in prostate cancer.
Base Composition and Hybridization Studies of the Three Double-Stranded RNA Segments of Bacteriophage φ6

The three double-stranded ribonucleic acid (dsRNA) segments of the bacteriophage φ6 were isolated and shown to have similar melting temperatures and base compositions. RNA:RNA hybridization experiments with the isolated segments eliminate the possibility that the two smaller dsRNA segments arise from a cleavage of the large dsRNA segment. The two smaller RNA segments reanneal rapidly even at low temperatures; in contrast, the large dsRNA reannealed only at higher temperatures. Evidence is also presented which suggests that the dsRNAs may contain a short single-stranded RNA tail.
Multi-hit ballistic impact on S-2 glass/SC15 thick-section composites: experiments:

Multi-hit ballistic impact and damage behavior of thick-section composites are of interest to many military and aerospace applications. The effect of support spans on single-hit penetration resista...
Lyapunov Guidance Vector Fields for Unmanned Aircraft Applications

This paper presents results implementing Lyapunov vector fields for the guidance of unmanned aircraft. The vector fields yield globally stable tracking of circular loiter patterns. These loiter patterns are used in several unmanned aircraft applications including hierarchical micro air vehicle control for cooperative plume tracking, extremum seeking for electronic chaining, and cooperative tracking of moving targets. Extensions of the basic LGVF approach are made for each application including: warping the circular pattern to form other closed orbit patterns; driving the center of the LGVF orbit using virtual dynamics; and spacing multiple unmanned aircraft around a circular orbit. Hardware-in-the- loop simulation results and flight data are given to validate performance.
Delineation of the cryptic 1qter deletion phenotype.

The 1qter microdeletion is often reported in the literature as a part of a complex chromosome rearrangement. We describe a patient with a normal initial cytogenetic analysis later found by subtelomeric FISH to have a de novo isolated 1qter microdeletion. Further characterization was completed through microarray comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) and specific bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) to a region of 5.2–5.3 Mbp. Six additional cases were reviewed from a literature search. While no particular feature is specifically unique, the most frequently associated features include short stature, developmental delay and mental retardation, microcephaly, seizures, abnormal corpus callosum, and abnormal ear shape. This further delineates the phenotype and further narrows the chromosomal region responsible for a 1qter microdeletion phenotype. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Melanesian α-thalassemia mutation suggests a novel mechanism for regulating gene expression

A Melanesian variant of the genetic disease α-thalassemia has recently been shown to be due to a single-nucleotide polymorphism located between the adult α-globin genes and their enhancers. The finding that this mutation creates a novel promoter provides support for a mechanism of gene regulation by facilitated chromatin looping.
Diagnostic Approach to Neonatal Hypotonia

The frequency of various disorders causing neonatal hypotonia and the reliability of the first physical examination and standard diagnostic tests were evaluated by a retrospective review of records of 144 patients diagnosed between 1999 and 2005 at Strasbourg University Hospital, France.
Target localization techniques and tools for MIMO radar

MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) radar refers to an architecture that employs multiple, spatially distributed or colocated transmitters and receivers. The widely spaced antenna structure suggests unique features that set MIMO radar apart from other radar systems, making it strongly related to MIMO communications. The widely separated transmit/receive antennas capture different aspects of the target cross section that can be exploited to obtain diversity gain for detection and estimation of the targetpsilas various parameters, such as angle of arrival, and Doppler. The use of coherent processing can provide localization accuracy gains well beyond that supported by the radarpsilas waveform. This paper provides a review of some recent work on computing the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) on the achievable localization accuracy. The geometric dilution of precision (GDOP) is used as a tool for assessing and illustrating the localization accuracy of the best linear unbiased estimator (BLUE).
Some “Secure Programming” Exercises for an Introductory Programming Class

Ideally, computer security should be an integral part of all programming courses. Beginning programming classes pose a particular challenge, because the students are learning basic concepts of programming. Thus, teaching them about buffer overflows as security problems, requiring an explanation of concepts such as “smashing the stack,” will confuse students more than motivate them to check array bounds. Advanced concepts such as race conditions require more background than the students have, or will have, when taking introductory programming classes. An alternate approach is to teach the underlying concepts of robust programming; preventing crashes or errors is central to such a course. This paper presents some exercises that illustrate this approach, and some thoughts on what constitutes “secure programming”.
KIPDA: k-indistinguishable privacy-preserving data aggregation in wireless sensor networks

When wireless sensor networks accumulate sensitive or confidential data, privacy becomes an important concern. Sensors are often resource-limited and power-constrained, and data aggregation is commonly used to address these issues. However, providing privacy without disrupting in-network data aggregation is challenging. Although privacy-preserving data aggregation for additive and multiplicative aggregation functions has been studied, nonlinear aggregation functions such as maximum and minimum have not been well addressed. We present KIPDA, a privacy-preserving aggregation method, which we specialize for maximum and minimum aggregation functions. KIPDA obfuscates sensitive measurements by hiding them among a set of camouflage values, enabling k-indistinguishability for data aggregation. In principle, KIPDA can be used to hide a wide range of aggregation functions, although this paper considers only maximum and minimum. Because the sensitive data are not encrypted, it is easily and efficiently aggregated with minimal in-network processing delay. We quantify the efficiency of KIPDA in terms of power consumption and time delay, studying tradeoffs between the protocol's effectiveness and its resilience against collusion.
Exciton Hamiltonian for the Bacteriochlorophyll System in the LH2 Antenna Complex of Purple Bacteria

An effective Frenkel-exciton Hamiltonian for the LH2 photosynthetic complex from Rhodospirillum molischianum is calculated using the collective electronic oscillator (CEO) approach combined with the crystal structure. The absorption spectra of the various bacteriochlorophyll aggregates forming the complex are computed using the CEO. Each electronic transition is further analyzed in terms of its characteristic electron−hole motions in real space. Using a two-dimensional representation of the underlying transition density matrices, we identify localized and delocalized electronic transitions, test the applicability of the exciton model, and compute interchromophore electronic couplings. Forster energy-transfer hopping time scales within B800 and from the B800 to the B850 system, obtained using the computed coupling constants, are in excellent agreement with experiment.
EMG in rotation–flexion of the torso

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the magnitude and phasic relationship of the torso muscles in rotation–flexion of varying degree of asymmetries of the trunk. Nineteen normal young subjects (7 males and 12 females) were stabilized on a posture stabilizing platform and instructed to assume a flexed and right rotated posture. A combination 20°, 40° and 60° of rotation and 20°, 40° and 60° of flexion resulted in nine postures. These postures were assumed in a random order. The subjects were asked to exert their maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) in the plane of rotation of the posture assumed for a period of 5s. The surface EMG from the external and internal obliques, rectus abdominis, latissimus dorsi and erector spinae at the 10th thoracic and 3rd lumbar vertebral levels was recorded. The abdominal muscles had the least response at 40° of flexion, the dorsal muscles had the highest magnitude. With increasing right rotation, the left external oblique continued to decrease its activity. The ANOVA revealed that rotation and muscles had a significant main effect on normalized peak EMG ( p p p
Reconstitution of Ca2+-Regulated Membrane Fusion by Synaptotagmin and SNAREs

We investigated the effect of synaptotagmin I on membrane fusion mediated by neuronal SNARE proteins, SNAP-25, syntaxin, and synaptobrevin, which were reconstituted into vesicles. In the presence of Ca2+, the cytoplasmic domain of synaptotagmin I (syt) strongly stimulated membrane fusion when synaptobrevin densities were similar to those found in native synaptic vesicles. The Ca2+ dependence of syt-stimulated fusion was modulated by changes in lipid composition of the vesicles and by a truncation that mimics cleavage of SNAP-25 by botulinum neurotoxin A. Stimulation of fusion was abolished by disrupting the Ca2+-binding activity, or by severing the tandem C2 domains, of syt. Thus, syt and SNAREs are likely to represent the minimal protein complement for Ca2+-triggered exocytosis.
Investigating the performance of genetic algorithm-based software test case generation

Highly complex and interconnected systems may suffer from intermittent or transient failures that are particularly difficult to diagnose. This research focuses on the use of genetic algorithms for automatically generating large volumes of software test cases. In particular, the paper explores two fundamental strategies for improving the performance of genetic algorithm test case breeding for high volume testing. The first strategy seeks to avoid evaluating test cases against the real target system by using oracles or models. The second strategy involves improving the more costly components of genetic algorithms, such as fitness function calculations. Together, the various approaches offer opportunities for performance improvements that make these techniques more scalable for realistic applications.
Privacy-preserving attribute-based access control for grid computing

In Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC), access is granted based on the attributes of the requesting user. ABAC is a highly flexible and scalable access control scheme which can deal with diverse security requirements in a grid computing environment. However, in ABAC the user attributes published by the identity providers for authorisation decision may cause some privacy violation. We developed an attribute release control mechanism to publish an optimal set of user attributes that are essential to access a desired resource (or service), while exposing the least amount of sensitive user information. To facilitate the selection of an optimal set of user attributes, we also developed a Web service, named Security Policy Publication Service (SPPS), which retrieves the access condition from the access control policies in eXtensible Access Control Markup Language (XACML) and converts it into a Disjunctive Normal Form (DNF) of user attributes. For the implementation of our privacy-preserving ABAC, we used the Globus Toolkit and modified the Shibboleth Identity Provider and GridShib. Our performance analysis shows that the overhead of the proposed system is very small.
SAFETY IN NUMBERS AND THE SPATIAL SCALING OF DENSITY- DEPENDENT MORTALITY IN A CORAL REEF FISH

In coral reef fishes, density-dependent population regulation is commonly mediated via predation on juveniles that have recently settled from the plankton. All else being equal, strong density-dependent mortality should select against the formation of high-density aggregations, yet the juveniles of many reef fishes aggregate. In light of this apparent contradiction, we hypothesized that the form and intensity of density dependence vary with the spatial scale of measurement. Individual groups might enjoy safety in numbers, but predators could still produce density-dependent mortality at larger spatial scales. We investigated this possibility using recently settled juvenile bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum, a small, aggregating reef fish. An initial caging experiment demonstrated that juvenile bluehead wrasse settlers suffer high predation, and spatial settlement patterns indicated that bluehead wrasse juveniles preferentially settle in groups, although they are also found singly. We then monitored the mortality of recently settled juveniles at two spatial scales: microsites, occupied by individual fish or groups of fish and separated by centimeters, and sites, consisting of ∼2400-m 2 areas of reef and separated by kilometers. At the microsite scale, we measured group size and effective population density independently and found that per capita mortality decreased with group size but was not related to density. At the larger spatial scale, however, per capita mortality increased with settler density. This shift in the form of density dependence with spatial scale could reconcile the existence of small-scale aggregative behavior typical of many reef fishes with the population-scale density dependence that is essential to population stability and persistence.
The effect of droplet length on nusselt numbers in digitized heat transfer

Digitized heat transfer, or DHT, is a new technique for the thermal management of electronic devices where discrete droplets are used in place of continuous flows. This paper investigates the thermal management potential of a DHT system through the numerical solution of the mass, momentum, and energy equations of a simplified droplet travelling between heated parallel plates. The analysis shows much larger Nusselt numbers can be obtained in comparison with continuous Graetz flow, with both constant wall temperature and constant wall flux boundary conditions. These increases are shown to be related to the internal droplet circulation caused by the discrete nature of the fluid flow, which enhances internal droplet mixing and heat removal.
Intentional vs. incidental vocabulary learning

This paper explores the distinction between intentional and incidental vocabulary learning and analyses statistically their effects on Saudi ESL learners’ ability to understand, retain and use new words actively in different situations. Two types of tests such as Standard Confirmation Test and a Contrastive Extempore Test of intentional & incidental types were given to twenty students at graduate level at JCC, Jeddah, KAU. Standard confirmation test determined a close homogeneity of all selected learners. The final test aimed at striking a contrast between the performance levels of both intentional &incidental vocabulary types. The homogenous learners were divided into two equal groups. Fifty new words were the same for both groups but framed in two different styles: intentional and incidental. The statistical data analysed through tables and figures demonstrated that incidental type performed significantly better than intentional type.
Mapping of trans-acting regulatory factors from microarray data

To explore the mapping of factors regulating gene expression, we have carried out linkage studies using expression data from individual transcripts (from Affymetrix microarrays; Genetic Analysis Workshop 15 Problem 1) and composite data on correlated groups of transcripts. Quality measures for the arrays were used to remove outliers, and arrays with sex mismatches were also removed. Data likely to represent noise were removed by setting a minimum threshold of present calls among the non-redundant set of 190 arrays. SOLAR was used for genetic analysis, with MAS5 signal as the measure of expression. Probe sets with larger CVs generated more linkages (LOD > 2.0). While trans linkages predominated, linkages with the largest LOD scores (>4) were mostly cis. Hierarchical clustering was used to generate correlated groups of genes. We tested four composite measures of expression for the clusters. The average signal, average normalized signal, and the first principal component of the data behaved similarly; in 8/19 clusters tested, the composite measures linked to a region to which some individual probe sets within the cluster also linked. The second principal component only produced one linkage with LOD > 2. One cluster based upon chromosomal location, containing histone genes, linked to two trans regions. This work demonstrates that composite measures for genes with correlated expression can be used to identify loci that affect multiple co-expressed genes.
Simultaneous signal detection and classification under a false alarm constraint

An optimal technique for performing simultaneous signal detection and signal classification when the probability of false alarm (P/sub FA/) is constrained to be below a prespecified threshold is presented. A constrained max-min strategy that has the property of ensuring the best minimum level of performance among detection/classification procedures which satisfy the constraint is derived. The procedure compares a set of weighted likelihood ratios to a threshold, and if the threshold is exceeded it chooses the signal class with highest weighted likelihood. The technique is applied to the problem of detection and classification of a change in distribution of an independent sequence. >
Efficient fiber Bragg grating and fiber fabry-Pe/spl acute/rot sensor multiplexing scheme using a broadband pulsed mode-locked laser

A pulsed broadband mode-locked laser (MLL) combined with interferometric interrogation is shown to yield an efficient means of multiplexing a large number of fiber Bragg grating (FBG) or fiber Fabry-Pe/spl acute/rot (FFP) strain sensors with high performance. System configurations utilizing time division multiplexing (TDM) permit high resolution, accuracy, and bandwidth strain measurements along with high sensor densities. Strain resolutions of 23-60 n/spl epsiv//Hz/sup 1/2/ at frequencies up to 800 Hz (expandable to 139 kHz) and a differential strain-measurement accuracy of /spl plusmn/1 /spl mu//spl epsiv/ are demonstrated. Interrogation of a low-finesse FFP sensor is also demonstrated, from which a strain resolution of 2 n/spl epsiv//Hz/sup 1/2/ and strain-measurement accuracy of /spl plusmn/31 n/spl epsiv/ are achieved. The system has the capability of interrogating well in excess of 50 sensors per fiber depending on crosstalk requirements. A discussion on sensor spacing, bandwidth, dynamic range, and measurement accuracy is also given.
Oscillating Audion Circuits

A general method is presented for investigating theoretically the conditions of oscillation in circuits supplied by an audion. This method is based on the relay action of the audion, as represented by its characteristic curve, and has for its fundamental idea the use of the slope of this curve as a physical constant of the audion, called the "mutual conductance." Two modes of applying this method are given: the simple, but approximate, "loss method" and the exact "complex method." Various particular circuits are discussed and formulas given for the natural frequency and the required value of mutual conductance to maintain an oscillation. These circuits include the elements of all the common oscillating audion circuits depending on the relay action; so it is seen that the actions in these various circuits are not distinct and independent, but are here brought under a single set of physical ideas. The circuits chosen for detailed discussion are those which most simply illustrate the method of treatment and which exhibit the various useful properties that may be obtained with different connections of the audion. It would be impossible to include in any paper of reasonable length a discussion of, or even a reference to, all the possible oscillating-current circuits that may have practical application. The behavior of certain circuits toward impressed oscillations (as from an antenna) at various frequencies is considered.
Brome mosaic virus Infection of Rice Results in Decreased Accumulation of RNA1

Brome mosaic virus (BMV) (the Russian strain) infects monocot plants and has been studied extensively in barley and wheat. Here, we report BMV can systemically infect rice (Oryza sativa var. japonica), including cultivars in which the genomes have been determined. The BMV capsid protein can be found throughout the inoculated plants. However, infection in rice exhibits delayed symptom expression or no symptoms when compared with wheat (Triticum aestivum). The sequences of BMV RNAs isolated from rice did not reveal any nucleotide changes in RNA1 or RNA2, while RNA3 had only one synonymous nucleotide change from the inoculum sequence. Preparations of purified BMV virions contained RNA1 at a significantly reduced level relative to the other two RNAs. Analysis of BMV RNA replication in rice revealed that minus-strand RNA1 was replicated at a reduced rate when compared with RNA2. Thus, rice appears to either inhibit RNA1 replication or lacks a sufficient amount of a factor needed to support efficient RNA1 replication.
Short-Term Prediction of Lagrangian Trajectories

Abstract Lagrangian particles in a cluster are divided in two groups: observable and unobservable. The problem is to predict the unobservable particle positions given their initial positions and velocities based on observations of the observable particles. A Markov model for Lagrangian motion is formulated. The model implies that the positions and velocities of any number of particles form a multiple diffusion process. A prediction algorithm is proposed based on this model and Kalman filter ideas. The algorithm performance is examined by the Monte Carlo approach in the case of a single predictand. The prediction error is most sensitive to the ratio of the velocity correlation radius and the initial cluster radius. For six predictors, if this parameter equals 5, then the relative error is less than 0.1 for the 15-day prediction, whereas for the ratio close to 1, the error is about 0.9. The relative error does not change significantly as the number of predictors increases from 4–7 to 20.
Spatial Interdependence in Comparative and International Political Economy

Interdependence is ubiquitous, and often central, across political economy. In comparative political economy, for example, globalization and rising capital mobility imply tax competition that suggests the fiscal policies of one country must depend crucially upon those of other countries with which it competes for capital. In international political economy, to give another example, security concerns and the global structure of military alliances are likely to make trade flows interdependent across country dyads. We explain how any situation that involves externalities from one unit's actions on others' implies interdependence and show how to model such interdependent processes empirically. We discuss how to estimate properly specified interdependence models with spatial lags by maximum likelihood and how to interpret and present the resulting estimated spatio-temporal effects, response paths, and long-run steady-states, with their associated standard errors. We illustrate with replications of two noteworthy earlier studies from comparative and international political economy.
A numerical investigation of the wake of an axisymmetric body with appendages

We report wall-resolved large-eddy simulations of an axisymmetric body of revolution with appendages. The geometry is that of the DARPA SUBOFF body at 0 yaw angle and a Reynolds number equal to (based on the free-stream velocity and the length of the body). The computational grid, composed of approximately 3 billion nodes, is designed to capture all essential flow features, including the turbulent boundary layers on the surface of the body. Our results are in good agreement with measurements available in the literature. It is shown that the wake of the body is affected mainly by the shear layer from the trailing edge of the fins and the turbulent boundary layer growing along the stern, while the influence of the wake of the sail is minimal. In agreement with the reference experiments, a bimodal behaviour for the turbulent stresses is observed in the wake. This is due to the displacement of the maximum of turbulent kinetic energy away from the wall along the surface of the stern, where the boundary layer is subjected to strong adverse pressure gradients. The junction flows, produced by the interaction of the boundary layer with the leading edge of the fins, enhance this bimodal pattern, feeding additional turbulence in the boundary layer and the downstream wake. The evolution of the wake towards self-similarity is also investigated up to nine diameters downstream of the tail. We found the mean flow approaches this condition, while its development is delayed by the wake of the appendages, especially by the flow coming from the tip of the fins. However, the width of the wake and its maximum momentum deficit follow the expected power-law behaviour on the side away from the sail. The second-order statistics, on the other hand, are still far from self-similarity, which is consistent with experimental observations in the literature.
Bile acids in bile of germfree and conventional dogs.

SummaryThe amount and composition of gallbladder bile acids of eight germfree and four conventional pure-bred Beagle dogs were determined. Unlike in other mammalian species, no major differences in bile acid composition were found between germfree and conventional dogs. Germfree dog bile contained on the average 94.9% cholic acid and 4.6% chenodeoxycholic acid. Conventional dog bile contained 83.6% cholic acid, 3.7% chenodeoxycholic acid and in addition, 12.1% deoxycholic acid. Bile from both germfree and conventional dogs contained traces of keto-bile acids. The average amounts of total bile acids in mg/ml bile were 36.8 ± 2.6 (germfree) and 28.5 ± 2.9 (conventional). Except for differences in conjugation, dog and human biliary bile acid patterns are qualitatively comparable, and differ from those in rats and mice in that muricholic and related bile acids are found only in the latter group.
Some aspects of linear irreversible thermodynamics and continuum mechanics in the presence of electromagnetic fields

Irreversible thermodynamics, conservation principles, andMaxwell relations are used to obtain the constitutive equations for a homogeneous fluid and aKelvin-Voigt viscoelastic solid in a electromagnetic field. Heat conduction equations for aVan der Waals gas and the viscoelastic media are obtained in a natural way and the effects of the electromagnetic fields are investigated.
Stylistic variation in evolutionary perspective: inferences from decorative diversity and interassemblage distance in Illinois Woodland ceramic assemblages

Certains aspects de ce que les archeologues appellent traditionnellement variation stylistique peut etre compris comme le resultat de la l'introduction d'une variation selective neutre dans des populations en apprentissage social et l'erreur d'echantillonement dans la transmission culturelle de cette variation (derive). De simples modeles mathematiques permettent la deduction d'attentes de dynamiques de ces mecanismes evolutaires en tant qu'induits dans l'enregistrement archeologique a travers la diversite des assemblages et la distance des assemblages intermediaires. Ces modeles sont appliques pour deduire les causes de changments dans la diversite decorative et dans les assemblages intermediaires des ceramiques du Woodland de l'Illinois
140 Research Networks in Pediatric Primary Care: Transition to Reality

Research networks in pediatric primary care, often called practice-based research networks (PBRN) in the United States, have an increasingly important role in the spectrum of research that spans from basic research to practical and effective application in primary care settings. In addition to assessing efficacy, PBRN’s are particularly critical in assessing effectiveness in the real world of community practice - the final step in translating new discovery into practice. Key elements of effective translation that can be assessed by PBRN’s include rapidity of adoption, adherence, and quality improvement systems to assure consistent application. This presentation will discuss PBRN’s in the context of the National Institute of Health’s “Roadmap for Medical Research” and an emphasis on translational research. Examples of the use of pediatric PBRN’s in this capacity, including ADHD and asthma, with a focus on effectiveness will be discussed.
Theoretical Insights into Electrochemical CO2 Reduction Mechanisms Catalyzed by Surface-Bound Nitrogen Heterocycles

We propose a novel and general reaction mechanism to explain the unique performance of nitrogen-heterocycle-promoted (photo)electrochemical CO2 reduction reactions. This mechanism is based on observations from recent computational and experimental studies of pyridinium-catalyzed CO2 reduction. Herein we report pKas and standard reduction potentials of species adsorbed on GaP photoelectrodes derived from first-principles quantum chemistry computations. We show that on GaP surfaces, proton reduction or pyridinium reduction is energetically unfavorable even at very negative electrode potentials. However, it is thermodynamically favorable to convert a surface-bound pyridine into a 2e– reduced species such as dihydropyridine at less negative applied potentials. Intriguingly, these transient 2e– reduced species share a similar chemical moiety as some biological redox catalysts (e.g., NADH), and their reduction potentials are similar to the thermodynamic redox potentials that would convert CO2 to a variety of pr...
Is Tradition Trumping Evidence in the Treatment of Young, Febrile Infants?

Ask a pediatric trainee which organisms should be targeted in empiric therapy for febrile infants <1 month of age, and we will bet you a carton of raw milk that the answer will include Listeria . Traditional teaching is that the 3 most common pathogens in neonatal sepsis are group B Streptococcus (GBS), Escherichia coli, and Listeria , and current textbooks continue to promote these organisms as the leading pathogens.1,2 However, recent evidence suggests that the modern epidemiology for bacteremia has shifted.3,4 E. coli has now surpassed GBS, and in multiple reports Listeria has gone from rare to exceedingly rare or nonexistent (a decrease that may be explained by enhanced regulation around food safety or a “collateral benefit” of GBS screening and prophylaxis).5 Nonetheless, ampicillin is still included in most current empiric regimens, presumably to cover for Listeria or Enterococcus . Between 2011 and 2013, the regimen for 71% of infants <28 days old hospitalized at 37 children’s hospitals for fever was ampicillin with a third-generation cephalosporin.6 Because bacteremia and bacterial meningitis in young infants are potentially life-threatening infections, high numbers needed to treat (NNTs) generally have been considered acceptable. However, in considering the addition of ampicillin to cefotaxime, just how high an NNT are we talking about? Given that ampicillin does not confer additional benefit to cefotaxime against E. coli or GBS and other concerns about known and unknown risks of …
Clusters and the Galactic Halo

The Galactic Halo has long ceased to be a site of active star formation, but, as the first members of the Milky Way, halo stars have played a crucial role in probing the initial stages of galaxy formation. In particular, this year sees the fiftieth anniversary of one of the seminal works in that field, an analysis of the motions of a relatively small sample of high-velocity, metal-poor stars by Olin Eggen, Donald Lynden-Bell and Allan Sandage (ELS). This chapter aims to put that analysis in context, describing the developing understanding of the nature of the halo and the subsequent impact of the ELS results for modeling galaxy formation. Globular clusters are the most prominent constituent of the halo. Long considered simple systems, the product of a single star-forming event, recent observations have shown that most, perhaps all, are multi-population systems, incorporating chemically distinct stellar components. We discuss the implications for the earliest stages of star formation in the Milky Way and other galaxies.
Pathogens causing ventilator-associated pneumonia in neonates:bacterial culture and resistance analysis

OBJECTIVE To analyze the epidemic distribution of pathogens and tendency of drug resistance in neonatal infants with ventilator-associated pneumonia(VAP) and guide rational use of antibiotics in clinical activities.METHODS Retrospective analysis was performed on the results of tracheal secretions bacterial culture and drug sensitivity test of 80 cases of neonatal infants with VAP from 2008 to 2009 in the NICU of Wuhan Children′s Hospital.RESULTS Of 80 patients with VAP,130 strain bacteria were isolated.Among the total,there were 88 strain Gram-negative bacteria(67.7%),38 strains Gram-positive bacteria(29.3%) and 4 strains eumycete(3.0%).Klebsiella pneumonia and Escherichia coli were most commonly on the gram-negative bacteria and most of them were ESBLs-producing strains.The ESBLs-producing strains were serious resistant to ampicillin,amoxicillin and cefazolins,but sensitive to carbapenems.Most of gram-positive coccus was Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis which was serious resistant to penicillin and ampicillin,but was quite sensitive to vancomycin,quinolone and amikacin.CONCLUSION Most common pathogens in neonatal VAP are Gram-negative bacteria and have multiple drug resistance.It is of significance to the prevention and treatment of neonatal VAP to prevent effectively,make bacterial cultivation duly and choose antibiotics correctly.
Migraine in a Pediatric Ophthalmology Practice

PURPOSE A prospective study of children between the ages of 2 and 15 years was conducted to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of migraine in children seeking ophthalmic care. METHODS A questionnaire, based on established criteria for the diagnosis of migraine, was administered to 1479 consecutive children presenting to a single pediatric ophthalmologist (H.P.K.). Over 25% of all respondents reported headaches that met the criteria for migraine. In general, these individuals were older than non-migraine sufferers (mean age of 8.3 years vs. 6.6 years). There were no significant sex differences. RESULTS Headache was the chief complaint for 8.9% of all patients seeking ophthalmic care in this study population. Eighty percent of this subpopulation described headaches that met the diagnostic criteria for migraine. This study found childhood migraine symptoms to be present in a significant proportion of the patient population of a pediatric ophthalmologist. CONCLUSION Ophthalmologists must be aware of the high prevalence of migraine in children seeking ophthalmic care with a chief complaint of headache. Such knowledge will aid the ophthalmologist in the timely diagnosis, treatment, and appropriate referral of patients with symptoms of migraine.
The Subpart F Regime

This chapter covers the various Subpart F regimes: accumulated earning tax, personal holding company tax, the controlled foreign company (CFC) regime. It goes on to discuss Subpart F income (i.e. insurance income, foreign base companies).The income from countries subject to international boycotts and passive foreign investment companies are also analyzed in detail.
A new conceptually attractive & computationally effective approach to shape from shading

A conceptually new, computationally simple approach to shape from shading is presented. It is assumed that objects of interest in 3-D space can be approximated by chunks of spheres, cylinders and planes, and that the formation of the true image can be modelled as the scattering from a Lambertian surface of light from a distant point source or distributed source. The observed image is modelled as this true image plus a white Gaussian perturbation. To permit parallel processing for computational speed, an image is partitioned into many small square windows (image patches) that can be processed simultaneously. It is assumed that a chunk of only one object type (plane, cylinder, sphere) is seen in a patch. Two kinds of results are presented. The first result is an algorithm for the recognition of the object type seen within a patch. This algorithm uses constrained 2-D quadric polynomial approximations to the picture function to implement true Bayesian recognitition. The second result is an algorithm for the estimation of the 3-space location (and orientation) of the recognized object seen within a patch. The image is thresholded with many pairs of thresholds and lines constrained to be parallel or ellipses constrained to have the same shapes and orientations are fit to the resulting swaths of data. Three-D location and orientation parameters are estimated from these statistics. The two algorithms are derived from a general formal statistical formulation of the shape from shading problem.
Synthetic Strategies Employed for the Construction of Fostriecin and Related Natural Products

Fostriecin and related natural products present a significant challenge for synthetic chemists due to their structural complexity and chemical sensitivity. This review will chronicle the successful efforts of synthetic chemists in the construction of these biologically active molecules. Key carbon–carbon bond forming reactions will be highlighted, as well as the methods used to install the numerous stereocenters present in this class of compounds.
Improving How We Communicate about Infectious Disease Risks: Several strategies are available to engage diverse stakeholders, correcting misperceptions and empowering them to act

Although preventing and controlling infectious diseases have raised life expectancy rates, public awareness about these diseases and how they can be controlled has declined. Inaccurate information, misperceptions, and questionable practices thus threaten to reverse gains made in public health.
Rhinovirus C, Asthma, and Cell Surface Expression of Virus Receptor CDHR3

Human rhinoviruses (RVs) of the A, B, and C species are defined agents of the common cold. But more than that, RV-A and RV-C are the dominant causes of hospitalization category infections in young children, especially those with asthma. The use of cadherin-related family member 3 (CDHR3) by RV-C as its cellular receptor creates a direct phenotypic link between human genetics (G versus A alleles cause Cys529 versus Tyr529 protein variants) and the efficiency with which RV-C can infect cells. With a lower cell surface display density, the human-specific Cys529 variant apparently confers partial protection from the severest virus-induced asthma episodes. Selective pressure favoring the Cys529 codon may have coemerged with the evolution of RV-C and helped shape modern human genomes against the virus-susceptible, albeit ancestral Tyr529.
The seasonality and geographic dependence of ENSO impacts on U.S. surface ozone variability

Author(s): Xu, L; Yu, JY; Schnell, JL; Prather, MJ | Abstract: We examine the impact of El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on surface ozone abundance observed over the continental United States (U.S.) during 1993–2013. The monthly ozone decreases (increases) during El Nino (La Nina) years with amplitude up to 1.8 ppb per standard deviation of Nino 3.4 index. The largest ENSO influences occur over two southern U.S. regions during fall when the ENSO develops and over two western U.S. regions during the winter to spring after the ENSO decays. ENSO affects surface ozone via chemical processes during warm seasons in southern regions, where favorable meteorological conditions occur, but via dynamic transport during cold seasons in western regions, where the ENSO-induced circulation variations are large. The geographic dependence and seasonality of the ENSO impacts imply that regulations regarding air quality and its exceedance need to be adjusted for different seasons and U.S. regions to account for the ENSO-driven patterns in surface ozone.
IRB Process Improvements: A Machine Learning Analysis.

Objective Clinical research involving humans is critically important, but it is a lengthy and expensive process. Most studies require institutional review board (IRB) approval. Our objective is to identify predictors of delays or accelerations in the IRB review process and apply this knowledge to inform process change in an effort to improve IRB efficiency, transparency, consistency and communication. Methods We analyzed timelines of protocol submissions to determine protocol or IRB characteristics associated with different processing times. Our evaluation included single variable analysis to identify significant predictors of IRB processing time and machine learning methods to predict processing times through the IRB review system. Based on initial identified predictors, changes to IRB workflow and staffing procedures were instituted and we repeated our analysis. Results Our analysis identified several predictors of delays in the IRB review process including type of IRB review to be conducted, whether a protocol falls under Veteran's Administration purview and specific staff in charge of a protocol's review. Conclusions We have identified several predictors of delays in IRB protocol review processing times using statistical and machine learning methods. Application of this knowledge to process improvement efforts in two IRBs has led to increased efficiency in protocol review. The workflow and system enhancements that are being made support our four-part goal of improving IRB efficiency, consistency, transparency, and communication.
Hypoglycemia in the preterm neonate: etiopathogenesis, diagnosis, management and long-term outcomes

Glucose, like oxygen, is of fundamental importance for any living being and it is the major energy source for the fetus and the neonate during gestation. The placenta ensures a steady supply of glucose to the fetus, while birth marks a sudden change in substrate delivery and a major change in metabolism. Hypoglycemia is one of the most common pathologies encountered in the neonatal intensive care unit and affects a wide range of neonates. Preterm, small for gestational age (GA) and intra-uterine growth restricted neonates are especially vulnerable due to their lack of metabolic reserves and associated co-morbidities. Nearly 30-60% of these high-risk infants are hypoglycemic and require immediate intervention. Preterm neonates are uniquely predisposed to developing hypoglycemia and its associated complications due to their limited glycogen and fat stores, inability to generate new glucose using gluconeogenesis pathways, have higher metabolic demands due to a relatively larger brain size, and are unable to mount a counter-regulatory response to hypoglycemia. In this review we will discuss the epidemiology; pathophysiology; clinical presentation; management and neurodevelopmental outcomes in affected infants and summarize evidence to develop a rational and scientific approach to this common problem.
On Si Redistribution During Friction Stir Processing of Cast Al-7%Si–0.4%Mg Alloys

The evolution of microstructure, specifically Si eutectic particles, was investigated after friction stir processing of A356 castings with single and multiple passes in this study. Si particles were found to coarsen with each pass. The nearest neighbor distance for Si particles also increased with each FSP pass, indicating that microstructure became more homogeneous after each pass.
Prevalence of and characteristics associated with insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea among veterans with knee and hip osteoarthritis

Few studies have examined patterns of specific sleep problems among individuals with osteoarthritis (OA). The primary objective of this study was to examine prevalence of symptoms of insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among Veterans with OA. Secondary objectives were to assess proportions of individuals with insomnia and OSA symptoms who may have been undiagnosed and to examine Veterans’ characteristics associated with insomnia and OSA symptoms. Veterans (n = 300) enrolled in a clinical trial completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Berlin Questionnaire (BQ) at baseline; proportions of participants with symptoms consistent with insomnia and OSA were calculated, using standard cut-offs for ISI and BQ. For Veterans with insomnia and OSA symptoms, electronic medical records were searched to identify whether there was a diagnosis code for these conditions. Multivariable linear (ISI) and logistic (BQ) regression models examined associations of the following characteristics with symptoms of insomnia and OSA: age, gender, race, self-reported general health, body mass index (BMI), diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), pain severity, depressive symptoms, number of joints with arthritis symptoms and opioid use. Symptoms consistent with insomnia and OSA were found in 53 and 66% of this sample, respectively. Among participants screening positive for insomnia and OSA, diagnosis codes for these disorders were present in the electronic medical record for 22 and 51%, respectively. Characteristics associated with insomnia were lower age (β (SE) = − 0.09 (0.04), 95% confidence interval [CI] = − 0.16, − 0.02), having a PTSD diagnosis (β (SE) = 1.68 (0.73), CI = 0.25, 3.11), greater pain severity (β (SE) = 0.36 (0.09), CI = 0.17, 0.55), and greater depressive symptoms (β (SE) = 0.84 (0.07), CI = 0.70, 0.98). Characteristics associated with OSA were higher BMI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.13, CI = 1.06, 1.21), greater depressive symptoms (OR = 1.12, CI = 1.05, 1.20), and opioid use (OR = 0.51, CI = 0.26, 0.99). Insomnia and OSA symptoms were very common in Veterans with OA, and a substantial proportion of individuals with symptoms may have been undiagnosed. Characteristics associated with insomnia and OSA symptoms were consistent with prior studies. NCT01130740 .