cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Esterification of biomass pyrolysis model acids over sulfonic acid-functionalized mesoporous silicas

Esterification of acetic acid with methanol, which was used as a model reaction in the stabilization of bio-oil, was tested over propylsulfonic acid-functionalized SBA-15 materials. Due to the significant amount of water content in bio-oil, the water tolerance properties of the materials were also investigated in detail. The results showed that the functionalized mesoporous materials demonstrated a comparable site activity to H2SO4 in acetic acid esterification proving its potential for application. The effect of propylsulfonic acid loading showed that the intrinsic per site activity increased with the number of acid sites, which suggested the presence of acidic site cooperativity. Water tolerance experiments showed that SO3H-SBA-15 exhibited less reaction inhibition due to water than did H2SO4, which was at least partially ascribed to the hydrophobic propyl groups bonded to sulfonic acid groups. Further functionalization of SO3H-SBA-15 with hydrophobic propyl groups further increased the water tolerance property of the catalyst in the esterification reaction. The reusability of the catalyst was also investigated and showed multiple cycle stability for acetic acid esterification without significant loss of activity.
Extended States in the Anderson Model on the Bethe Lattice

Abstract We prove that the Anderson HamiltonianHλ=−Δ+λVon the Bethe lattice has “extended states” for small disorder. More precisely, given any closed intervalIcontained in the interior of the spectrum of the Laplacian on the Bethe lattice, we prove that for small disorderHλhas purely absolutely continuous spectrum inIwith probability one (i.e.,σac(Hλ)∩I=Iandσpp(Hλ)∩I=σsc(Hλ)∩I=∅ with probability one), and its integrated density of states is continuously differentiable on the intervalI.
Quantitation and IgG subclass distribution of antichromatin autoantibodies in SLE mice.

Abstract Antibodies to a native chromatin preparation were found in most mice suffering from spontaneous SLE. All MRL Mp - lpr lpr ( MRL lpr ) sera tested (more than 500) contained antibodies to chromatin and antichromatin levels increased with age. Approximately 50% of the IgG antichromatin antibody in the MRL lpr sera was of the IgG2a subclass, 30% IgG2b, 10% IgG1, and 10% IgG3. Interestingly, the relative restriction of antichromatin autoantibodies to the IgG2a subclass was apparent in MRL lpr mice as young as 1 month, well before the onset of lymphadenopathy. Antichromatin autoantibodies were also detectable in sera from MRL Mp -+/+ (MR//+), NZB, (NZB × NZW)F1 (B × W), and BXSB mice, but were not found in sera from normal mice. A similar subclass distribution skewed toward IgG2a was seen for MRL/+, B × W, and NZB mice. These results indicate that the spontaneous autoantibody directed against chromatin is a good marker for murine SLE, and is predominantly of the IgG2a subclass.
The Golden Thirteen: Recollections of the First Black Naval Officers

Profiles eight individuals, who, during World War II, became the United States Navy's first Black officers.
Neurofibromatosis of the head and neck

Neurofibromatosis (von Recklinghausen's disease) is an autosomal dominant disease that affects one in 2,500-3,000 births. Because the head and neck is unique in its anatomical compartmentalization of the central and peripheral nervous systems, the potential for involvement of these areas with neurofibromas is substantial and accounts for a myriad of clinicopathologic presentations. In the present study, the incidence of involvement in the head and neck is 37%. We found 81% of the patients had cafe au lait spots, 63% had positive family histories, and 66% had multiple cutaneous nodules. An incidence of malignant transformation was documented in 3.5% of the cases. Management of benign neurofibromatosis must be individualized for each patient and ranges from incisional biopsy to wide local excision. In every case, the risk of severe neurologic deficit must be weighted against the benefits of surgical resection, which is usually incomplete. Genetic counseling is advised for all patients with this disease, since no cure is available.
Defect structures in cold worked and small grain pure and boron-doped Ni3Al alloys

Positron lifetime spectroscopy was used to study the isochronal annealing of cold worked Ni/sub 3/Al samples. In pure Ni/sub 76/Al/sub 24/, Ni/sub 74/Al/sub 26/, and boron-doped Ni/sub 74/Al/sub 26/ three annealing stages were observed. Boron-doped Ni/sub 76/Al/sub 24/ showed only two annealing stages. Vacancy annealing (stage III) was identified in all cases to start at /similar to/250 /sup 0/C, somewhat higher than previously reported. The discrepancy is suggested to be due to carbon-vacancy interactions, because carbon (impurties) was observed to diffuse out of all samples at or above /similar to/350 /sup 0/C. The high-temperature annealing stage in boron-doped Ni/sub 74/Al/sub 24/ (which is ductile) starts at 700--750 /sup 0/C and is complete at 1000 /sup 0/C. This stage was attributed to migration of dislocations to various sinks. In pure Ni/sub 76/Al/sub 24/, Ni/sub 74/Al/sub 26/, and boron-doped Ni/sub 74/Al/sub 26/ (which are brittle) the intermediate and high-temperature annealing stages occur at /similar to/750--800 and 1000 /sup 0/C, respectively. These stages were attributed to the migration of dislocations (750--800 /sup 0/C) and recrystallization (/similar to/1000 /sup 0/C) with incomplete annealing of dislocations at 1000 /sup 0/C. This being the case, it is clear that dislocations interact with grain boundaries fare moremore » strongly in brittle than in ductile Ni/sub 3/Al alloys. Thus, these data strongly suggest that the ductilization of Ni/sub 76/Al/sub 24/ by boron is largley due to a change in grain boundary structure which inhibits the pinning of dislocations at grain boundaries that occurs in pure Ni/sub 76/Al/sub 24/ (i.e., boron increase the susceptibility of grain boundaries to slip). Similar results for small-grain samples support this interpretation.« less
Comparison of two threshold detection criteria methodologies for determination of probe positivity for intraoperative in situ identification of presumed abnormal 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites during radioguided oncologic surgery

Intraoperative in situ identification of 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites during radioguided oncologic surgery remains a significant challenge for surgeons. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method versus the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method for determination of gamma detection probe positivity for intraoperative in situ identification of presumed abnormal 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites in a manner that was independent of the specific type of gamma detection probe used. From among 52 patients undergoing appropriate in situ evaluation of presumed abnormal 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites during 18F-FDG-directed surgery using 6 available gamma detection probe systems, a total of 401 intraoperative gamma detection probe measurement sets of in situ counts per second measurements were cumulatively taken. For the 401 intraoperative gamma detection probe measurement sets, probe positivity was successfully met by the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method in 150/401 instances (37.4%) and by the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method in 259/401 instances (64.6%) (P < 0.001). Likewise, the three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method detected true positive results at target-to-background ratios much lower than the 1.5-to-1 target-to-background ratio of the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method. The three-sigma statistical threshold criteria method was significantly better than the 1.5-to-1 ratiometric threshold criteria method for determination of gamma detection probe positivity for intraoperative in situ detection of presumed abnormal 18F-FDG-avid tissue sites during radioguided oncologic surgery. This finding may be extremely important for reshaping the ongoing and future research and development of gamma detection probe systems that are necessary for optimizing the in situ detection of radioisotopes of higher-energy gamma photon emissions used during radioguided oncologic surgery.
Renal Agenesis and Associated Anomalies

Bilateral renal agenesis is a lethal anomaly. Unilateral renal agenesis is an embryological entity with few clinical findings or symptoms but may have significant sequelae in adolescence and adulthood. Urological evaluation is important in childhood, and long-term follow-up may be appropriate in many cases to anticipate problems that may develop in the future.
Fourier-transform spectroscopy of NH: the c 1 Π–a 1 Δ transition

The high-resolution Fourier-transform emission spectrum of the c1Π–a1Δ transition of NH was recorded and analyzed. Improved line positions and molecular constants were determined from the 1–0, 0–0, and 0–1 vibrational bands. In addition to the rotational constants, lambda-doubling parameters for both the c1Π and a1Δ states were extracted from the line positions.
Sample size effects on constitutive relations of granular materials: A numerical simulation study with two-dimensional flow of disks

A simple shear flow of granular materials can have a range of behavior from a rate-independent plastic material to a rate-dependent viscous material. From physical experiments and computer simulations, it is known that this constitutive relation is a consequence of the shear rate, the solid concentration, and the micromechanical properties of the particles. Simple shear tests of granular materials show that in the rate-independent case, a shearing granular assembly forms crystallized regions and shearing occurs locally in a narrow band. In the rate-dependent case, these crystallized zones “melt” and the whole granular assembly participates in the shear motion. This study utilizes computer simulation to address yet another effect on the constitutive relation: the sample size. A 2D uniform disk assembly is simulated using periodic boundary conditions. Through investigating details of the kinematics the source of the transition is examined from a rate-independent to a rate-dependent fluid as the sample size ...
Parental role modeling of fruits and vegetables at meals and snacks is associated with children's adequate consumption

Research has shown that parental role modeling of healthful eating behaviors is positively correlated to children's dietary intake and fruit and vegetable (F&V) preferences. The purpose of this study is to (1) examine associations between parent and child report of parental role modeling of F&V consumption at snacks and dinner and (2) determine whether parental role modeling is associated with children meeting daily F&V recommendations. Parent-child dyads (N = 160) participating in the HOME Plus study completed baseline surveys on parental role modeling of F&V at snacks and dinner. Children also completed 24-hour dietary recalls. Spearman correlations and chi-square/Fisher's exact tests were used to examine relationships between parent and child report of parental role modeling of F&V at snacks and dinner and whether children met daily recommendations. On average, children consumed less than three daily servings of F&V with only 23% consuming the recommended servings. Statistically significant correlations were seen between parent and child report of parental role modeling fruit at dinner and green salad at dinner. Children who reported parental role modeling of vegetables at snack and salad at dinner were significantly more likely, than those who did not, to meet daily F&V recommendations. Parents who reported role modeling fruit at snack were significantly more likely to have children who met daily F&V recommendations. Results indicate that children are aware of their parents' eating behaviors and on occasion report this behavior similarly to their parents. Parents should be encouraged to utilize the opportunity to role model healthful dietary intake, especially at snacks, where consumption of F&V appears low.
Radiative corrections to leptonic decays of charged pseudoscalar mesons

We show that weak-interaction gauge-theory renormalization corrections are negligible, and that explicit model dependences are small for the ratio GAMMA (..pi.. ..-->.. e..nu.. or e..nu gamma..)/GAMMA (..pi.. ..-->.. ..mu nu.. or ..mu nu gamma..). We use the postulate that this continues to hold for other pseudoscalar mesons to justify examining these radiative corrections for K/sup -/p ..-->.. K-bar/sup 0/n, K/sup -/p ..-->.. K-bar/sup 0/..delta../sup 0/, and
A germline single nucleotide polymorphism at the intracellular domain of the human thyrotropin receptor does not have a major effect on the development of Graves' disease.

Graves' disease (GD) is caused by an interplay of genetic factors and environmental triggers. The major antigen in GD is the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) on the surface of the thyroid epithelial cel...
Effects of laundry detergents on Dermatophagoides farinae, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, and Euroglyphus maynei.

Background House-dust mites in clothing and bedding are the source of major allergens. Based on studies of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus only, weekly washing in hot water is recommended to kill dust mites and remove allergens from clothing and bedding. However, in the United States, washing is most often done in warm or cold water, and other mite species are involved. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the lethal effects of various temperatures of hot water alone and hot, warm, and cold water containing detergents and chlorine bleach on Dermatophagoides farinae , D. pteronyssinus , and Euroglyphus maynei . Methods Mites were soaked in test solutions at various temperatures and for various lengths of time, allowed time to recover, and then analyzed for survival. Results D. farinae was the most temperature-sensitive and chlorine bleach-sensitive of the three species. In 50° C water alone, 100% mortality for D. farinae was obtained in 10 minutes, whereas most D. pteronyssinus and E. maynei survived. However, 53° C-soaks for 12 and 5 minutes were needed to kill all D. pteronyssinus and E. maynei , respectively. Laundry detergents at their recommended and doubled concentrations and chlorine bleach generally increased mite mortalities over water alone for the three species. Soaking for 4 hours in warm water containing various detergents alone induced mortalities of 19 to 50%, 2 to 35%, and 14 to 46% for D. farinae , D. pteronyssinus , and E. maynei , respectively. Conclusions Washing bed linens weekly in warm water with a 4-hour presoak containing most detergents and bleach will kill most D. farinae and, depending on the detergent brand, moderate numbers of D. pteronyssinus . Four-hour soaks in warm water containing the recommended concentrations of various detergents alone also kills moderate numbers of D. farinae , D. pteronyssinus , and E. maynei. Therefore, the cumulative effect of weekly washing with long presoaks should significantly reduce mite levels over time in bed linens, particularly when mattresses and pillows are encased to prevent reinfestation.
Two‐way Gaussian mixture models for high dimensional classification

Mixture discriminant analysis (MDA) has gained applications in a wide range of engineering and scientific fields. In this article, under the paradigm of MDA, we propose a two-way Gaussian mixture model for classifying high dimensional data. This model regularizes the mixture component means by dividing variables into groups and then constraining the parameters for the variables in the same group to be identical. The grouping of the variables is not pre-determined, but optimized as part of model estimation. A dimension reduction property for a two-way mixture of distributions from a general exponential family is proved. Estimation methods for the two-way Gaussian mixture with or without missing data are derived. Experiments on several real data sets show that the parsimonious two-way mixture often outperforms a mixture model without variable grouping; and as a byproduct, significant dimension reduction is achieved. Copyright © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 3: 259-271, 2010
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES ON ADENINE, VARIOUS NUCLEOSIDES AND THEIR ANALOGS IN HEMATOLOGY*

In red blood cells as well as in platelets there appears to be a decrease in adenine nucleotides during storage under blood bank conditions. This can be decreased by use of anticoagulant preservatives with higher phosphate content than the standard ACD solution, through the addition of adenine and inosine. Maintenance of higher ATP levels appears to be related to longer circulating life span after transfusion into patients in the case of red blood cells but not platelets. Inosine and more alkaline preservative medium also contribute to the maintenance of 2,3-DPG levels in red blood cells, and with it to the maintenance of normal hemoglobin dissociation curves and thus oxygen-carrying capacity. Certain nucleoside analogs may contribute to the preservation of platelets and of whole blood by their platelet-aggregation inhibitory activity. Platelet-aggregation inhibitors may also be useful in preventing thromboembolic episodes with potentially greater safety than anticoagulants.
Towards a Model of Interactivity in Alternative Media: A Multilevel Analysis of Audiences and Producers in a New Social Movement Network

This research utilized multilevel analysis to explore interactive alternative media production in a new social movement network. Interviews with audiences, local producers, and global producers provide evidence of interactivity between local audiences and local producers and between local producers and global producers. The local audiences provided encouragement to local producers through face-to-face interactions that aided in the establishment of organizational support for the local producers but acted as a discursive closure that blinded local producers to potential problems with their alternative media. The global producers revealed that they received content-oriented interactions from audiences via e-mail, which corresponded with data collected from the local producers who claimed to interact with global producers via e-mail. The findings establish a preliminary model of interactivity in alternative media production that links research concerning new social movement networks and alternative media and...
Value of scoliosis care: Nonsurgical treatment versus surgery

Adult scoliosis is a complex issue, providing unique challenges to both the spine surgeon and the patient. Recently, there has been an interest in examining the quality of life of patients undergoing treatment for adult spinal deformity to compare the value of nonoperative versus operative management. This article reviews the current literature on the treatment of adult spinal deformity, in hopes of drawing conclusions for the best approach to these patients. Quality of life outcome measures and cost-effectiveness are reviewed to better understand the benefits, or lack thereof, of management options. It is crucial for spine surgeons to begin to use the same validated measures when studying this cohort of patients in order to compare treatments and draw appropriate conclusions. There is currently no literature reporting the quality-adjusted life years (QALY) or cost–utility of surgical treatment of adult scoliosis. Only one study analyzing the cost of nonoperative treatment for adult scoliosis was identified. Future prospective studies focusing on the cost-effectiveness of adult scoliosis treatment with an emphasis on improving the quality of life of these patients are needed to confirm the current retrospective literature's assertion that surgery provides better quality of life than nonoperative treatment.
Loss of Neurofilaments Alters Axonal Growth Dynamics

The highly regulated expression of neurofilament (NF) proteins during axon outgrowth suggests that NFs are important for axon development, but their contribution to axon growth is unclear. Previous experiments in Xenopus laevis embryos demonstrated that antibody-induced disruption of NFs stunts axonal growth but left unresolved how the loss of NFs affects the dynamics of axon growth. In the current study, dissociated cultures were made from the spinal cords of embryos injected at the two-cell stage with an antibody to the middle molecular mass NF protein (NF-M), and time-lapse videomicroscopy was used to study early neurite outgrowth in descendants of both the injected and uninjected blastomeres. The injected antibody altered the growth dynamics primarily in long neurites (>85 microm). These neurites were initiated just as early and terminated growth no sooner than did normal ones. Rather, they spent relatively smaller fractions of time actively extending than normal. When growth occurred, it did so at the same velocity. In very young neurites, which have NFs made exclusively of peripherin, NFs were unaffected, but in the shaft of older neurites, which have NFs that contain NF-M, NFs were disrupted. Thus growth was affected only after NFs were disrupted. In contrast, the distributions of alpha-tubulin and mitochondria were unaffected; thus organelles were still transported into neurites. However, mitochondrial staining was brighter in descendants of injected blastomeres, suggesting a greater demand for energy. Together, these results suggest a model in which intra-axonal NFs facilitate elongation of long axons by making it more efficient.
Phase algorithm for blocking artifact reduction in reconstructions from analysis-only AM-FM models

Virtually all techniques for computing AM-FM models involve jointly localized filterbanks and nonlinear approximations that preclude the possibility of perfect reconstruction. Although perfect reconstruction models have begun to emerge, they are currently of limited practical interest because of their large complexity. Thus, it is of interest to obtain approximate reconstructions from the analysis-only models because these provide insight into the accuracy of the AM and FM functions. However, the only existing 2-D reconstruction algorithm suffers from severe blocking artifacts that limit its usefulness in this regard. In this paper we present a new reconstruction algorithm that makes full use of all available phase reconstruction boundary conditions in a multipath interpolative scheme to eliminate the blocking artifacts, thereby dramatically improving the utility of the approximate reconstructions
MODELING GUN BORE HEAT TRANSFER & DEGRADATION

Vented combustor experiments are often successful at providing relative erosion results but these results are typically inconclusive when compared to other vented combustor experiments. As a result of this deficiency, a new method for successfully modeling erosion of vented combustor cannon bores materials has been developed. This modeling method, in conjunction with limited scale firings, provides a cost effective means of comprehensively studying erosion of coated cannon bore materials. The method is derived from our very successful similar method for modeling coated cannon bore erosion of medium and large caliber gun systems. These system models are based on years of eroded cannon characterizations and erosion theory development. We have fired and modeled gun steel, chromium, tantalum, molybdenum, rhenium, and niobium cannon bore protection materials. Each of these material types has a different set of erosive degradation thresholds that are governed by the presence of a less reducing (more metal oxidizing), more reducing (more metal carburizing), or intermediate reducing solid propellant combustion environment. Erosion modeling predictions are computed for these six materials at the various reducing combustion environment degrees. Our modeling results show that all of these materials, with the exception of chromium, have significant differences in their erosive thresholds/performance for our typical solid propellant combustion environment spectrum. The degree of these differences explains why these materials erode differently at the more metal carburizing and oxidizing solid propellants combustion environment extremes.
Evolving cooperative control on sparsely distributed tasks for UAV teams without global communication

For some tasks, the use of more than one robot may improve the speed, reliability, or flexibility of completion, but many other tasks can be completed only by multiple robots. This paper investigates controller design using multi-objective genetic programming for a multi-robot system to solve a highly constrained problem, where multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) must monitor targets spread sparsely throughout a large area. UAVs have a small communication range, sensor information is limited and noisy, monitoring a target takes an indefinite amount of time, and evolved controllers must continue to perform well even as the number of UAVs and targets changes. An evolved task selection controller dynamically chooses a target for the UAV based on sensor information and communication. Controllers evolved using several communication schemes were compared in simulation on problem scenarios of varying size, and the results suggest that this approach can evolve effective controllers if communication is limited to the nearest other UAV.
Modern maritime piracy in supply chain risk management

Today’s business environments are fraught with unforeseen risks that seem to evolve as quickly as business processes they disrupt. One of those insidious risks that were often overlooked in the past, but received more attention lately is maritime piracy. To increase the awareness and preparedness for maritime piracy, this paper uncovers the major sources of maritime piracy, assesses its impact on global supply chain operations, and then proposes potential remedies that can mitigate supply chain risks associated with maritime piracy. In so doing, this paper chronicles the past incidents and then maps out the affected areas while developing practical guidelines that can make the multinational firm’s global supply chain more resilient in the presence of maritime piracy risks.
Thunderclap Headache With Normal CT and Lumbar Puncture Further Investigations Are Unnecessary: For

Stephen M. Davis MD, FRACP Geoffrey A. Donnan MD, FRACP Section Editors: Thunderclap headache (sudden and severe headache, maximum in intensity at onset) should raise concern for several life-threatening conditions, including subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The traditional work-up for SAH is a noncontrast head CT followed by a lumbar puncture (LP) if the CT shows no apparent diagnosis. Patients with thunderclap headache and a normal examination, CT and cerebrospinal fluid analysis do not require angiography or other studies to exclude SAH. Several cases1–3 suggest otherwise and have reported patients with thunderclap headache and normal CT and LP results who are subsequently found to have aneurysms on digital subtraction angiography. These reports raise the point that some aneurysms cause headache by expansion, dissection or thrombosis and that angiography is important even after a negative standard work-up out of concern for incipient aneurysmal rupture. However, headache is a very common symptom and aneurysms detected on angiography do not necessarily imply that …
Operations Research and Communications Systems Planning

A discussion is presented outlining the general concept of operations research for those who are not familiar with it. A necessarily brief description is given of efforts to apply these concepts to specifying effective communications for complex organizations or weapons systems.
A Markov random field model for network-based analysis of genomic data

Motivation: A central problem in genomic research is the identification of genes and pathways involved in diseases and other biological processes. The genes identified or the univariate test statistics are often linked to known biological pathways through gene set enrichment analysis in order to identify the pathways involved. However, most of the procedures for identifying differentially expressed (DE) genes do not utilize the known pathway information in the phase of identifying such genes. In this article, we develop a Markov random field (MRF)-based method for identifying genes and subnetworks that are related to diseases. Such a procedure models the dependency of the DE patterns of genes on the networks using a local discrete MRF model. Results: Simulation studies indicated that the method is quite effective in identifying genes and subnetworks that are related to disease and has higher sensitivity and lower false discovery rates than the commonly used procedures that do not use the pathway structure information. Applications to two breast cancer microarray gene expression datasets identified several subnetworks on several of the KEGG transcriptional pathways that are related to breast cancer recurrence or survival due to breast cancer. Conclusions: The proposed MRF-based model efficiently utilizes the known pathway structures in identifying the DE genes and the subnetworks that might be related to phenotype. As more biological networks are identified and documented in databases, the proposed method should find more applications in identifying the subnetworks that are related to diseases and other biological processes. Contact:hongzhe@mail.med.upenn.edu or hli@cceb.upenn.edu
Results of Toric Intraocular Lenses for Post-Penetrating Keratoplasty Astigmatism

Purpose Evaluate the usefulness of toric intraocular lens (IOL) implantation during cataract surgery in patients after penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Design Retrospective case review. Participants A total of 21 eyes of 16 patients with prior PKP and moderate to high regular astigmatism after full suture removal underwent phacoemulsification and implantation of a single-piece acrylic toric IOL (SN6AT series; Alcon, Fort Worth, TX). Methods Patients underwent comprehensive examinations at standard intervals, including visual acuity, manifest refraction, and corneal topography. Main Outcome Measures Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) expressed as the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) and manifest refraction astigmatism. Results From preoperatively to the last visit (mean, 14.7 ± standard deviation 12.8 months), the 21 eyes had significant improvement in UDVA (logMAR, 0.90±0.48 to 0.23±0.25; P = 0.0001) and CDVA (logMAR, 0.31±0.14 to 0.08±0.13; P = 0.0001). A total of 14 of 21 eyes (67%) and 17 of 21 eyes (81%) had UDVA and CDVA of ≥20/30, respectively. Preoperative topographic astigmatism was 4.57±2.05 diopters (D). Postoperative manifest refraction astigmatism was 1.58±1.25 D overall, but lower (0.75±0.54 D) in the T7–T9 subgroup (excluding 1 outlier whose corneal astigmatism doubled after surgery) than in the T4–T6 subgroup (1.88±1.28 D; P = 0.013). A total of 16 of all 21 eyes (76.2%) and 8 of 9 eyes (89%) in the T7–T9 subgroup were within 1 D of postoperative manifest astigmatism as predicted or better. Conclusions Toric IOLs placed during cataract surgery after PKP and full suture removal can reduce manifest refraction cylinder to predictably low levels with corresponding improvement in UDVA and CDVA in patients with moderate to high regular preoperative topographic astigmatism.
A Meta-Analysis of Ring Annuloplasty Versus Combined Ring Annuloplasty and Subvalvular Repair for Moderate-to-Severe Functional Mitral Regurgitation.

Background A ring annuloplasty (Ring) for moderate-to-severe functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with suboptimal outcomes, and adjunctive subvalvular repair techniques (Ring + Subvalvular) have been advocated to improve repair durability. However, the outcomes of this strategy are not clearly defined. Methods A systematic review was performed to identify studies that compared a Ring versus Ring + Subvalvular repair for the treatment of moderate-to-severe functional MR. A meta-analysis was conducted on clinical outcomes and echocardiographic measures of follow-up MR and left ventricular reverse remodeling. Risk ratio (RR) and mean difference (MD) were calculated by the Mantel–Haenszel and Inverse Variance methods under a fixed or random effects model, as appropriate. Results Seven non-randomized studies were identified, with a total of 531 patients (Ring = 301, Ring + Subvalvular = 230). At follow-up (range 30–47 months), a Ring + Subvalvular repair was associated with a lower mortality (RR = 0.59, 95%confidence interval [CI] 0.37–0.94, p = 0.03), greater freedom from moderate or greater MR (RR = 0.44, 95%CI 0.27–0.72, p = 0.001), and improved left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (MD = −3.49 mm, 95%CI −5.45 to −1.53, p = 0.0005) and New York Heart Association functional class (MD = −0.25, 95%CI −0.42 to −0.08, p = 0.004). A trend toward a reduced risk of reoperation for recurrent MR was noted with a combined Ring + Subvalvular repair (RR = 0.28, 95%CI 0.06–1.22, p = 0.09). Finally, a Ring + Subvalvular repair did not impact operative mortality or follow-up left ventricular ejection fraction. Conclusion A combined Ring + Subvalvular repair for moderate-to-severe functional MR can be safely performed, and may improve mid-term outcomes, as compared with Ring alone.
Modeling of Degradation Mechanisms

The physical principles of the hot-carrier related degradation mechanisms in nMOS transistors were examined in Chapter 2. In this chapter, the simulation models developed for estimating the hot-carrier induced oxide degradation will be presented. The physical degradation models include all of the significant mechanisms, i.e., electron and hole trapping, interface trap generation by electron injection and interface trap generation by hole injection. The separate treatment of charge trapping and interface trap generation mechanisms is a novel approach in degradation modeling which is increasingly supported by recent experimental evidence [1],[2]. A new electron injection current model is also presented in this chapter. A dynamic interface trap generation model is derived, and the fundamental differences between static and dynamic stress characteristics are highlighted.
One hundred years of the Nobel Science Prizes.

Just a year before Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896, Emile Durkheim introduced the concept of the “social fact” in his Rules of the Sociological Method. The French sociologist wrote that a social fact is “to be recognized by the power of external coercion which it exercises . . . over individuals” and argued that an explanation of a social fact demands that one show its “functions in the establishment of social order.”1 Reading the various books under review in this essay reminded me of Durkheim’s conception. Whether one praises or criticizes it—and some observers do both—the institution of the Nobel Prize, over the
Culdoscopic tubal sterilization.

22 cases of culdoscopic tubal ligation using the fiberoptic culdoscope (in-patient) or the Clyman Panculdoscope which has a wide field of vision and oblique forward angle (out-patient). There is no abdominal incision local anesthesia is used ease of positioning and simplified instrumentation (compared to laparoscopy) make it a suitable method for outpatient tubal sterilization. Compared to laparoscopy in culdoscopy there is less chance of bowel or blood vessel injury requiring laparotomy.
VCSELs for interferometric readout of MEMS sensors

We report on the development of single-frequency VCSELs (vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers) for sensing the position of a moving MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system) object with resolution much less than 1nm. Position measurement is the basis of many different types of MEMS sensors, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, and pressure sensors. Typically, by switching from a traditional capacitive electronic readout to an interferometric optical readout, the resolution can be improved by an order of magnitude with a corresponding improvement in MEMS sensor performance. Because the VCSEL wavelength determines the scale of the position measurement, laser wavelength (frequency) stability is desirable. This paper discusses the impact of VCSEL amplitude and frequency noise on the position measurement.
Inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis in the rat by 3 beta-(2-diethylaminoethoxy) androst5-en-17-one hydrochloride.

Summary1. U-18666A, a new inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis, caused marked reduction in serum and liver sterols and appearance of desmosterol in livers of rats. 2. Reduction of serum sterols by U-18666A was obtained in animals in which hypercholesterolemia was induced with Triton WR-1339. 3. U-18666A increased incorporation of acetate-1-C14 into liver digitonin precipitable sterols fourfold and into liver fatty acids twofold. 4. Of several other compounds tested for cholesterol inhibitory activity, only hexestrol bis-β-diethylaminoethyl ether was found to cause appearance of desmosterol.
Immunoembolization (IE) using 1500 mcg of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (gm-csf) and 2 million iu of interleukin-2 (IL-2) for the treatment of uveal melanoma (UM) hepatic metastases

Immunoembolization (IE) using 1500 mcg of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and 2 million iu of interleukin-2 (IL-2) for the treatment of uveal melanoma (UM) hepatic metastases C.J. Gutjahr, C.F. Gonsalves, D.J. Eschelman, A. Frangos, J.S. Meshekow, T. Sato; Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA; Department of Radiology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ; Department of Medical Oncology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
Dispersion and density of asiatic oak weevil (Coleoptera : Curculionidae) relative to oak density

Natural oak regeneration is poor in Missouri's oak-hickory forests. The potential of the Asiatic oak weevil, Cyrtepistomus castaneus (Roelofs), to affect Missouri's oak resource was addressed. The spatial dispersion and density of the adult Asiatic oak weevil was investigated in a Missouri oak-hickory forest in relationship to the density of oaks, the preferential food source of this insect. The spatial dispersion pattern of emerging adult weevils was contagious and was defined by the negative binomial distribution in five of nine trapping areas. Oak stem densities within the trapping area of each plot were positively correlated with Asiatic oak weevil emergence density estimates in 1985. In 1986, Asiatic oak weevil catches in individual traps were not correlated with oak stem density associated with each trap when traps were placed 3 m apart. However, Asiatic oak weevil catches were significantly correlated with oak stem density associated with individual traps when traps were placed 30 m apart. Cluster analysis of the vegetation associated with individual traps in 1986 revealed the vegetation to be homogeneous in the area where the traps were placed 3 m apart and the vegetation to be more heterogeneous when traps were placed 30 m apart.
The staging value of sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer: translating pathologic findings to clinical practice

Axillary nodal status is an important prognostic factor in guiding locoregional and systemic treatment for breast cancer. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) has revolutionized axillary staging by replacing axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in node-negative women. Even in select patients whose sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) contain metastases, SNB alone has become an accepted method of managing the axilla. Identification of micrometastases through immunohistochemical analysis of SLNs that are tumorfree on hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) does not confer additional clinical benefit. The use of SNB after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) remains controversial. In addition to axillary nodal status, tumor biology plays an increasingly important role in guiding therapeutic decisions.
Effect of shRNA-mediated NGF-β down-regulation on proliferation and apoptosis of human cholangiocarcinoma cells

Objective:To investigate the effect of shRNA-mediated nerve growth factor β(NGF-β) down-regulation on proliferation and apoptosis of the human cholangiocarcinoma cell line QBC939 in vitro.Methods: The stable QBC939 cells transfected with the NGF-β shRNA were constructed.Then,the QBC939 cells were divided into interference group(transfected with NGF-β shRNA) and control group(transfected with empty plasmid).The effect of transfection was determined by Western blot method.The proliferative and colony formation ability of the QBC939 cells was assessed by CCK-8 assay and sphere formation assay,respectively.The cell cycle and apoptosis of the QBC939 cells were detected by flow cytometry.Results: Compared with the control group,the QBC939 cells of interference group presented markedly deceased ability of cell proliferation and colony formation,and significantly reduced ratio of S-phase cells(P0.05) and increased apoptotic rate(P0.05).Conclusion: NGF-β inhibition can decrease the proliferative and colony formation ability of QBC939 cells,which is related to the action of S-phase block and apoptosis enhancement.
Loss of H3K27 trimethylation distinguishes malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors from histologic mimics

The diagnosis of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor is challenging, particularly in the sporadic setting. Inactivation of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), resulting from inactivating mutations of its constituents SUZ12 or EED1, has recently been identified in 70-90% of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. Homozygous PRC2 inactivation results in loss of histone H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3). PRC2 inactivation promotes tumor progression and may render patients sensitive to epigenetic-based targeted therapies. H3K27me3 loss has not yet been validated as a diagnostic marker. We evaluated immunohistochemistry for H3K27me3 in 100 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (70 sporadic, 10 neurofibromatosis type 1-associated, 10 radiation-associated, 10 epithelioid) and 200 other spindle cell neoplasms representing potential mimics (20 each monophasic synovial sarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, dedifferentiated liposarcoma, malignant solitary fibrous tumor, low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma, cellular schwannoma, spindle cell melanoma, unclassified postradiation sarcoma; 10 each atypical neurofibroma, spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, fibrosarcomatous dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans). In total, 51 (51%) malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, including 34 (49%) sporadic, 7 (70%) neurofibromatosis type 1-associated, and 10 (100%) radiation-associated, but no epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, were negative for H3K27me3. An additional 6 (6%) tumors showed heterogeneous H3K27me3 expression. Among the 90 sporadic, neurofibromatosis type 1-associated, and radiation-associated malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors, complete H3K27me3 loss was observed in 29% of low-grade, 59% of intermediate-grade, and 83% of high-grade tumors (low vs intermediate/high grade, P=0.0003). Among other tumor types, 4 (20%) unclassified postradiation sarcomas were negative for H3K27me3, whereas all other neoplasms were positive. Loss of H3K27me3 is highly specific for malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (although only modestly more sensitive than S-100 protein and SOX10) and may be a useful diagnostic marker. Our findings suggest that PRC2 inactivation in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor may occur during progression to higher grades.
Moving Beyond Boron: The Emergence of New Linkage Chemistries in Covalent Organic Frameworks

Since their discovery in 2005, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted interest as potential materials for gas storage, catalysis, energy storage, and other applications because of their ability to periodically and reliably organize designed functionality into high surface area materials. Most of the first examples relied on boron-containing linkages, which suffer from hydrolytic and oxidative instability that limit their utility. In this Perspective, we describe the trend toward more robust linkages by highlighting the design, synthesis, and properties of several recent examples. The continued development of new COF chemistries, along with improved understanding of their formation and control of their final form, will provide a means to harness their molecularly precise solid-state structures for useful purposes.
Rolling with the Times: Production and Applications of Trichoderma reesei CELLULASE

A review on Trichoderma reese as the best available source of extracellular cellulase. (Refs. 56).
ZAP-70 Expression Assessed by Immunohistochemistry Correlates with Time to First Treatment in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia.

Abstract 4686 Background ZAP-70 expression is a prognostic indicator in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Initial studies measured intracellular ZAP-70 expression by flow cytometry and defined a cut-off of 20% as predictive of time from diagnosis to initial therapy and overall survival. However, due to technical challenges, standardization of methods for evaluation of ZAP-70 expression has been difficult. This has resulted in a limitation of applicability for a potentially useful clinical test. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) is easy to perform and interpret, and therefore may be a more reliable and accurate means for assessing ZAP-70 expression. We investigated the potential prognostic implications of ZAP-70 expression assessed by IHC. Methods We searched our CLL database for all patients seen at Weill Cornell Medical College between 2007 and 2009 with an identifiable date of diagnosis, date of first therapy, IgVH mutation status, and ZAP-70 status. All patients gave informed consent to participate in the research database. Paraffin-embedded cell blocks were prepared from formalin-fixed peripheral blood mononuclear cells and evaluated by IHC for PAX5, CD3, and ZAP-70. The entire cell clot was reviewed. If more than 20% of cells faintly expressed ZAP-70, the ZAP-70 status was considered to be positive. Patients had IgVH mutations status determined by a commercial laboratory with Results One-hundred thirty-seven patients with date of diagnosis and date of first treatment were identified in the database. Sixty-six patients have been treated to date. ZAP-70 status was available for 106 patients, 62 were positive, 44 were negative. In a subset of 20 patients, two blinded pathologists reviewed IHC and found perfect agreement on ZAP-70 status. IgVH mutation status was available for 86 patients, 34 were unmutated, and 52 were mutated. Eighty-two patients had both ZAP-70 status and IgVH mutation status available. There was good correlation between ZAP-70 and IgVH status (r=0.36, p=0.0008). Seventy-five percent of those with unmutated IgVH were ZAP-70 positive. Sixty-one percent of patients with mutated IgVH were ZAP-70 negative. However, only 57% of ZAP-70 positive patients were IgVH unmutated. The predicted median TT was 54 months for the whole cohort (range 0-376+ months, 95% CI 45-96 months). The median TT was 27 months (range 0-112 months) for ZAP-70-positive patients compared to 96 months (range 0-376+ months) for ZAP-70-negative patients (p=0.002). The median TT was 32 months (range 0-112 months) for IgVH unmutated patients compared to 88 months (range 0-376+ months) for IgVH mutated patients (p=0.01). Conclusions ZAP-70 as measured by IHC was feasible in a large cohort of patients and ZAP-70 status correlated with time to first treatment. These data suggest that ZAP-70 assessment by IHC may be a reliable prognostic tool in CLL and should be evaluated in larger, multicenter clinical studies. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Bioarchaeology in Oaxaca: A view from Afar

Abstract Compared with the Aztec and Maya regions, the bioarchaeology of Oaxaca has been neglected until recently. The 20th century contributors to physical anthropology and paleopathology in Oaxaca were seldom involved in field archaeology, and their work was concentrated on the largest sites. New work presented in this volume of JAS:Reports applies a wider range of methods and attends to a wider range of communities, integrating the study of human remains with the broader issues of understanding the past.