cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Numerical and experimental investigation of a supersonic flow field around solid fuel on an inclined flat plate

This research adopts a shock tube 16 meters long and with a 9 cmbore to create a supersonic, high-temperature, and high-pressure flowfield to observe the gasification and ignition of HTPB solid fuel under different environments. Also, full-scale 3D numerical simulation is executed to enhance the comprehension of this complex phenomenon. The CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code is based on the control volume method and the pre-conditioning method for solving the Navier-Stokes equations to simulate the compressible and incompressible coupling problem. In the tests, a HTPB slab is placed in the windowed-test section. Various test conditions generate different supersonic Mach numbers and environmental temperatures. In addition, the incident angles of the HTPB slab were changed relative to the incoming shock wave. Results show that as the Mach number around the slab section exceeded 1.25, the flowfield temperature achieved 1100 K, which is higher than the HTPB gasification temperature (930 K ∼ 1090 K). Then, gasification occurred and a short-period ignition could be observed. In particular, when the slab angle was 7°, the phenomenon became more visible. This is due to the flow field temperature increase when the slab angle was at 7°.
DNA synthesis in partially synchronized L cells.

Abstract The synchronizing effects of lack of feeding and of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine on L cells in suspension culture were evaluated by serial estimations of the rate of incorporation of thymidine-2- 14 C into DNA. After 5 days without feeding, most of the cells remained viable and were partially synchronized. Temporary blockage of DNA synthesis with 5-fluorodeoxyuridine produced synchrony that was marked initially and then comparable to that following lack of feeding. In L cells under these conditions DNA synthesis occurred as a single wave ending just before division, in contrast to HeLa cells.
The validity of form F of the Matching Familiar Figures Test with kindergarten children.

Abstract Egeland and Weinberg's contention that form F of the Matching Familiar Figures Test is inappropriate for kindergarten children was examined. White, middle-class, suburban kindergarten children were given form F of the Matching Familiar Figures Test, as well as a series of tests varying in degree of response uncertainty. It was hypothesized that tasks identified as high in response uncertainty would be the best predictors of norm-referenced composite reflection-impulsivity scores. Stepwise multiple regression analysis supported this hypothesis. The results were interpreted as supporting the construct validity of the Matching Familiar Figures Test as an index of reflection-impulsivity among kindergarten children.
Effects of Ion Implantation Conditions on the Tribology of Ferrous Surfaces

The effects of implnted nitrogen ion dose and target surface temperature during implantation on the wear characteristics of iron (ferrite) and 304 stainless steel (austenite) have been studied systematically
National rates of birth defects among hospitalized newborns.

BACKGROUND: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) family of hospital discharge databases offer an unprecedented opportunity to generate national estimates of newborn infants with birth defects. This report estimates national hospital admissions for newborn infants diagnosed with birth defects computed from HCUP and compares them to pooled prevalence figures computed from state birth defect surveillance systems. METHODS: HCUP-derived rates of 36 birth defects from 1997 through 2001 were compared to rates derived from pooled data reported by 26 state-based surveillance systems stratified by inclusion of elective terminations in case definitions. Rate ratios (RRs) were calculated for each birth defect by dividing the rate derived from HCUP by the rate derived from the relevant surveillance systems. RESULTS: HCUP newborn hospitalization rates for birth defects closely approximate pooled birth defect rates for surveillance systems that do not include elective terminations. HCUP rates were not significantly different for 35 of 36 defects. Overall, 20 HCUP rates were within 10% of state rates, 11 more were within 20% of state rates, and only 1 differed by more than 50%. HCUP rates compared most closely to state rates for cardiovascular (VSD RR = 0.98, ASD = 0.96, pulmonary valve atresia and stenosis = 0.92), orofacial (cleft palate RR = 1.10, cleft lip = 1.06), and genitourinary defects (obstructive genitourinary RR = 1.01, bladder exstrophy = 0.97). HCUP rates compared less favorably to rates derived from surveillance systems that included elective terminations. CONCLUSIONS: HCUP data approximate state-based surveillance system data for defects that are easily recognized in the newborn period and infrequently a cause for elective termination. HCUP data can be used to examine the impact of public health efforts on the number of infants born with birth defects as well as the cost and consequences of variations in the hospital management of birth defects. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2006. © 2006 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
Proteolytic Cleavage of Type I Collagen Generates an Autoantigen in Autoimmune Uveitis

This study was initiated to induce experimental autoimmune anterior uveitis (EAAU) in Lewis rats by melanin-associated antigen (MAA; 22-kDa fragment of type I collagen α2 chain) derived from rat iris and ciliary body (CB), to localize MAA within the eye, and to investigate the possible mechanism of MAA generation in vivo. The EAAU model replicates idiopathic human anterior uveitis. Lewis rats sensitized to rat MAA developed anterior uveitis, and EAAU induced by rat MAA can be adoptively transferred to naive syngenic rats by MAA-primed T cells. Animals immunized with rat MAA developed cellular immunity to the antigen. MAA was detected only in the iris and CB of the eye. Iris and CB were the major source of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in the naive eye, and ocular expression of MMP-1 was up-regulated, whereas expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 decreased before the onset of EAAU. These results demonstrated that EAAU can be induced by autologous MAA. Uveitogenic antigen is present only in the iris and CB of the eye, and the imbalance between MMP-1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 may play a role in the generation of MAA in vivo. Collectively, the evidence presented here suggests that MAA is an autoantigen in EAAU. These observations may extend to idiopathic human anterior uveitis and facilitate the development of antigen-specific therapy.
Cigarette smoking and theophylline metabolism: Effects of phenytoin

The induction of theophylline clearance by phenytoin was investigated in 12 young male subjects (six nonsmokers and six cigarette smokers). Each subject received intravenous theophylline to determine baseline pharmacokinetics. This was followed by an intravenous loading dose of phenytoin sodium and oral maintenance dosing for 2 weeks, after which the intravenous theophylline study was repeated. Phenytoin concentrations were similar in nonsmokers (10.8 +/- 2.0 micrograms/ml) and smokers (11.5 +/- 0.9 micrograms/ml). Control theophylline elimination half-life was 35% less and clearance 88% greater in smokers than in nonsmokers. The proportionate changes in half-life (26.8% +/- 5.6% in smokers and 25.8% +/- 3.5% in nonsmokers) and clearance (48.0% +/- 10.1% in smokers and 39.7% +/- 7.2% in nonsmokers) as the result of phenytoin induction were similar in both groups. These results demonstrate that the induction of theophylline clearance by phenytoin is additive to that caused by cigarette smoking and provide support for the suggestion that theophylline metabolism is influenced by multiple polymorphisms.
A1 adenosine receptor knockout mice exhibit increased renal injury following ischemia and reperfusion.

Controversy exists regarding the effect of A1 adenosine receptor (AR) activation in the kidney during ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury. We sought to further characterize the role of A1 ARs in ...
CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF FLUORINE TOXICOSIS IN CATTLE.

The toxicity of fluorine in cattle has been investigated during long-range field and necropsy studies. The first objective of the experiments was to determine how much fluorine could be tolerated when fed with a normal grain mixture to dairy animals from three to four months to age seven and a half years. The second objective was to determine how ingesting various levels of fluorine throughout the life span could influence a cow's body processes. The third objective was to compare the toxicities of various types of fluorides. The fourth objective was to study and evaluate the use of alleviators in preventing fluorosis. The effects of fluorine on cattle teeth, bones, milk production, as well as many general effects are discussed.
Faculty: The Neglected Resource in Distance Education

(1992). Faculty: The neglected resource in distance education. American Journal of Distance Education: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 5-21.
Impact of prednisone on TGF‐β1 and collagen in diaphragm muscle from mdx mice

The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of prednisone treatment for 8 weeks on the level of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta1), hydroxyproline (HYP) concentrations, and level of the mature, nonreducible collagen cross-link hydroxylysylpyridinoline (HP) in diaphragm muscle from 12-week-old mdx mice. Diaphragm muscle from untreated mdx mice had a significantly higher level of TGF-beta1, HYP, and HP cross-link compared with normal C57BL/10J (control) mice. Prednisone treatment significantly reduced the level of TGF-beta1 and HYP in diaphragm from mdx mice to values similar to control mice, but resulted in a higher level of the HP cross-link compared with untreated mdx mice. These findings indicate that short-term treatment of mdx mice with prednisone can attenuate the fibrotic response in diaphragm muscle, possibly by mediating the level of TGF-beta. Although prednisone was beneficial in preventing collagen accumulation, it resulted in a higher level of the HP cross-link, presumably by decreasing collagen turnover
Gangliosides inhibit glucosylceramide synthase: a possible role in ganglioside therapy.

: Gangliosides stimulate the hydrolysis of glucosylceramide (GlcCer), their precursor, and therefore may lower the level of cellular GlcCer and exert a feedback control effect to slow the formation of gangliosides. Tests were made to see if a similar effect on GlcCer levels can be exerted by the action of gangliosides on GlcCer synthesis. Using a new assay procedure, we showed that gangliosides do inhibit the synthase in brain membranes quite effectively, the most active being those lipids with more sugar and sialic acid moieties. Mice injected with a mixture of brain gangliosides for 5 days were found to have a lower level of ceramide:UDP-Glc glucosyl-transferase activity in brain, liver, and kidney. The inhibition seems to be exerted by competition for the active site and binding to effector site(s) on the enzyme. It is possible that the reported therapeutic actions of gangliosides on the nervous system are, in part, the result of lowered levels of GlcCer. Malignant tumors shed gangliosides into the extracellular fluid, which are believed to block the generation of antibodies by the host's immunodefense system; this effect also may be due, in part, to reduction in the GlcCer level of immunogenic cells. A new finding is that a ceramide containing phytosphingosine is a markedly better substrate for GlcCer synthase than one containing the more common base.
Solar System Constraints and Signatures for Dark Matter Candidates

We show that if our galactic halo were to consist of scalar or Dirac neutrinos with mass greater than \ensuremath{\sim}12 GeV, capture by the Earth and subsequent annihilation would yield a large flux of neutrinos at the surface which could be seen in proton-decay detectors. The luminosity of Uranus provides comparable constraints. Capture in the Sun can yield supplementary information, with detectable signals possible for masses as low as 6 GeV for both Dirac and Majorana neutrinos, scalar neutrinos, and photinos. We discuss in detail the question of evaporation, on which our results and others depend sensitively. We suggest one method of approximating evaporation rates from the Earth and Sun and discuss potential problems with earlier estimates. Finally, we describe how particles which avoid these constraints may still be detectable by bolometric neutrino detectors and isolate a new method to remove backgrounds to this signal in such detectors.
The Largely Untold Story of Welfare Reform and the Human Services

Welfare reform has placed the lives of clients, the jobs of social workers, and the mission of agencies in jeopardy. Based on interviews with senior staff at 107 nonprofit human services agencies, this article documents the largely untold story of how nonprofit agencies' workers responded to the impact of welfare reform on their clients, their jobs, and the delivery of services. Workers reported less time for social services because of welfare-related regulations, penalties, work mandates, crises, and paper work. They also reported more service dilemmas including less control of the job, more ethical conflicts, less efficacy, and increased burn-out. Even so, workers felt that they were making a difference, and agencies indicated increased advocacy. Relying heavily on the voice of social workers, the article illuminates the experiences and feelings of agency staff as they try to do their best for clients in difficult times.
Gateway designation for timely communications in instant mesh networks

In this paper, we explore how to effectively create and use “instant mesh networks”, i.e., wireless mesh networks that are dynamically deployed in temporary circumstances (e.g., emergency responses) - in addition to enabling coverage for internal on-site communications, such a network will support information flow into and out of the deployment site through its gateway (i.e., the mesh router that connects to the external backhaul). We study optimizing the performance of communications (specifically in terms of latency) in an instant mesh network by intelligently selecting the gateway. We demonstrate that designating the proper gateway significantly enhances the timeliness of communications with the external backhaul. We mathematically model the “gateway designation problem” using the notion of centrality from graph theory. We propose a distributed algorithm, FACE (Fast Approximate Center Exploration), for locating the optimal gateway. FACE is an approximate algorithm that works in an efficient manner without compromising the optimality of solutions. A thorough performance evaluation shows that the gateways designated by FACE reduce latencies by up to 92% for various types of communications, and that FACE saves transmission cost and execution time by up to 71% in finding the gateways.
Aquaporin 4 IgG serostatus and outcome in recurrent longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis.

Importance Studies focused on recurrent longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (rLETM) are lacking. Objectives To determine the aquaporin 4 (AQP4) IgG detection rate using recombinant human APQ4-based assays in sequential serum specimens collected from patients with rLETM categorized as negative by first-generation tissue-based indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) assay and to define the clinical characteristics and motor disability outcomes in AQP4-IgG–positive rLETM. Design, Setting, and Participants A search of the Mayo Clinic computerized central diagnostic index (October 1, 2005, through November 30, 2011), cross-linked with the Neuroimmunology Laboratory database, identified 48 patients with rLETM, of whom 36 (75%) were positive and 12 (25%) negative for neuromyelitis optica (NMO) IgG (per IIF of serial serum specimens). Stored serum specimens from “seronegative” patients were retested with recombinant human AQP4-based assays, including enzyme-linked immunosorbent, transfected cell-based, and fluorescence-activated cell-sorting assays. Control patients included 140 AQP4-IgG–positive patients with NMO, of whom a subgroup of 20 initially presented with 2 attacks of transverse myelitis (rLETM-onset NMO). Main Outcomes and Measures AQP4-IgG serostatus, clinical characteristics, and Expanded Disability Status Scale score. Results Six patients with negative IIF results were reclassified as AQP4-IgG positive, yielding an overall AQP4-IgG seropositivity rate of 89%. Fluorescence-activated cell-sorting, cell-based, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays improved the detection rate to 89%, 85%, and 81%, respectively. The female to male ratio was 2:3 for AQP4-IgG–negative rLETM and 5:1 for AQP4-IgG–positive patients. The AQP4-IgG–positive patients with rLETM or rLETM-onset NMO were similar in age at onset, sex ratio, attack severity, relapse rate, and motor disability. From Kaplan-Meier analyses, 36% of AQP4-IgG–positive patients with rLETM are anticipated to need a cane to walk within 5 years after onset. For patients with rLETM-onset NMO, the median time from onset to first optic neuritis attack (54 months) was similar to the median disease duration for AQP4-IgG–positive patients with rLETM (59 months). The median number of attacks was 3 for AQP4-IgG–positive patients with rLETM (range, 2-22), and the first optic neuritis attack for those with rLETM-onset NMO followed a median of 3 myelitis attacks (range, 2-19). Immunosuppressant therapy reduced the relapse rate in both AQP4-IgG–positive and AQP4-IgG–negative patients with rLETM. Conclusions and Relevance Recombinant antigen–based assays significantly increase AQP4-IgG detection in patients with rLETM, and AQP4-IgG–negative adults with rLETM are rare. Evolution to NMO can be anticipated in AQP4-IgG–positive patients. Early initiation of immunotherapy may result in a more favorable motor outcome.
Composition, structure, and distribution of woody vegetation on the Cache River Floodplain, Arkansas

This study characterizes the species composition, structure, and distribution of woody plants on the floodplain of the Cache River in northeastern Arkansas. Trees, saplings, and shrubs were sampled in 249 plots along with 28 environmental variables. Classification of the plots resulted in four forest dominance types being identified. The basal area, density, species richness, and diversity of these four types were within the range of values established for similar floodplain forests throughout the Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed the distribution of species to be significantly correlated with flood depth and flood duration as well as geomorphic position and soil texture.
Childhood Vitiligo Successfully Treated with Bath PUVA

A significant proportion of vitiligo patients are children. Systemic PUVA therapy, the most consistently effective and practical therapy for this disease, has not been recommended in pediatric patients because of concerns regarding potential long-term side effects. We report a 9-year-old Caucasian girl with progressive vitiligo who was successfully treated with bath PUVA. This form of PUVA therapy may provide a wider margin of safety, in that less exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation is required and systemic absorption of psoralen is minimal.
Integrating Special Children in Scotland: a P.L. 94-142 Is Needed

In Scotland educational legislation has traditionally been so lacking in detail and force that authorities in the Regions have been able to interpret the law in widely differing ways — from a Region which pursues a policy of integrating handicapped children into the educational mainstream to another which continues to build separate special schools for the handicapped. The paper describes the developments in the Regions and draws comparisons with the United States practice. A call is made for more positive governmental guidance in Scotland than is currently the case.
A Forecast Procedure for Dry Thunderstorms

Dry thunderstorms (traditionally <2.5 mm or 0.1 in of rainfall) have long challenged the weather forecasting community in the western United States (Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains). Dry thunderstorms are responsible for starting thousands of wildland fires every year, including hundreds of fires in 24 h during larger events. The National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Reno, Nevada, developed a conceptual model for dry lightning called the dry lightning procedure (DLP); this includes the pressure of the dynamic tropopause (DT) on the 1.5 isentropic potential vorticity (IPVU) surface, various vertical motion structures based on straight and curved jet configurations, 850–700-hPa layer-average equivalent potential temperature (θe), high-level total totals (HLTT), and upper-tropospheric lapse rates (UTLR). The research described herein substitutes cross sections of θe, mixing ratio, and relative humidity for the 850–700-hPa layer-average θe in a modified version of the DLP. It also adds 250-hPa divergence plots to better ascertain vertical motions associated with straight and curved jets. These two additions, along with the rest of the DLP (DT on 1.5 IPVU surface, HLTT, UTLR) form the dry thunderstorm procedure (DTP). This paper examines the DTP for three case studies, including an overforecast event. The DTP adequately exhibited the ability to depict the potential for dry thunderstorms based on these case studies. The Reno WFO, and two interagency Geographical Area Coordination Center’s Predictive Services offices, have implemented the DTP operationally to ascertain the potential for dry thunderstorms.
Remembering Rodney King Myth, Racial Reconciliation, and Civil Rights History

On June 17, 2012, journalists reported the death of Rodney King, the black motorist whose 1991 beating by several white Los Angeles police officers was captured on video by citizen journalist Georg...
Ezrin is concentrated in the apical microvilli of a wide variety of epithelial cells whereas moesin is found primarily in endothelial cells

Ezrin and moesin are two cytoskeletal proteins originally purified from human placenta that are 74% identical in overall protein sequence. They are believed to be membrane-cytoskeletal linking proteins because they share sequence homology with erythrocyte band 4.1 and colocalize with actin specifically in microvilli and membrane ruffles in cultured cells. To determine if ezrin and moesin share similar distributions in vivo, we studied their localizations with respect to F-actin in tissue sections. Surprisingly, ezrin and moesin exhibited very different cellular distributions. Ezrin was highly concentrated and colocalized with actin on the apical surface of many epithelial cell types. During enterocyte differentiation, the pattern of expression and redistribution of ezrin was consistent with it performing a role in microvillus assembly. Immunoelectron microscopy in differentiated cells revealed that ezrin was restricted mainly to the plasma membrane of microvilli and other actin-rich surface projections. Moesin was found in endothelial cells and was also enriched in the apical microvilli of a restricted set of epithelial cells. All polarized cell types with abundant microvilli contained one or both proteins, suggesting that ezrin and moesin perform related functions. However, the differential expression of ezrin and moesin indicates that they have distinct properties, which are uniquely adapted to specific cell types.
Coping with Uncertainty in Map Learning

In many applications in mobile robotics, it is important for a robot to explore its environment in order to construct a representation of space useful for guiding movement. We refer to such a representation as a map, and the process of constructing a map from a set of measurements as map learning. In this paper, we develop a framework for describing map-learning problems in which the measurements taken by the robot are subject to known errors. We investigate two approaches to learning maps under such conditions: one based on Valiant's probably approximately correct learning model, and a second based on Rivest Sz Sloan's reliable and probably nearly almost always useful learning model. Both methods deal with the problem of accumulated error in combining local measurements to make global inferences. In the first approach, the effects of accumulated error are eliminated by the use of reliable and probably useful methods for discerning the local properties of space. In the second, the effects of accumulated error are reduced to acceptable levels by repeated exploration of the area to be learned. Finally, we suggest some insights into why certain existing techniques for map learning perform as well as they do.
Modeling and adaptive output feedback control for a flexible structure

This paper presents the adaptive control scheme for vibration control problem. The dynamic model of the flexible cantilever beam using finite element modeling is derived. The adaptive control using output feedback for output tracking is developed to improve the tracking performance. The proposed adaptive control is numerically verified on a flexible beam model, showing that it has satisfactory performance and robustness in vibration suppression with respect to the system disturbance and parameter variation. Satisfactory simulation results verify that the effectiveness of proposed adaptive control scheme.
Identification of Methylation Sites and Effects of Phototaxis Stimuli on Transducer Methylation in Halobacterium salinarum

The two transducers in the phototaxis system of the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum, HtrI and HtrII, are methyl-accepting proteins homologous to the chemotaxis transducers in eubacteria. Consensus sequences predict three glutamate pairs containing potential methylation sites in HtrI and one in HtrII. Mutagenic substitution of an alanine pair for one of these, Glu265-Glu266, in HtrI and for the homologous Glu513-Glu514 in HtrII eliminated methylation of these two transducers, as demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis autofluorography. Photostimulation of the repellent receptor sensory rhodopsin II (SRII) induced reversible demethylation of HtrII, while no detectable change in the extent of methylation of HtrI was observed in response to stimulation of its cognate sensory rhodopsin, the attractant receptor SRI. Cells containing HtrI or HtrII with all consensus sites replaced by alanine still exhibited phototaxis responses and behavioral adaptation, and methanol release assays showed that methyl group turnover was still induced in response to photostimulation of SRI or SRII. By pulse-chase experiments with in vivo L-[methyl-(3)H]methionine-labeled cells, we found that repetitive photostimulation of SRI complexed with wild-type (or nonmethylatable) HtrI induced methyl group turnover in transducers other than HtrI to the same extent as in wild-type HtrI. Both attractant and repellent stimuli cause a transient increase in the turnover rate of methyl groups in wild-type H. salinarum cells. This result is unlike that obtained with Escherichia coli, in which attractant stimuli decrease and repellent stimuli increase turnover rate, and is similar to that obtained with Bacillus subtilis, which also shows turnover rate increases regardless of the nature of the stimulus. We found that a CheY deletion mutant of H. salinarum exhibited the E. coli-like asymmetric pattern, as has recently also been observed in B. subtilis. Further, we demonstrate that the CheY-dependent feedback effect does not require the stimulated transducer to be methylatable and operates globally on other transducers present in the cell.
Management of breast cancer brain metastases

Fellow in Hematology Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 2010 E 90th St, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA Director of Breast Oncology Program, Department of Hematology/Oncology, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA Professor of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA *Author for correspondence: Tel.: +1 216 445 0150; Fax: +1 216 444 9464; abrahaj5@ccf.org In 2014, an estimated 232,760 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) in the USA, and approximately 40,000 will die from the disease [1]. The incidence of brain metastases (BM) from BC is approximately 5% [2,3], and the number increases to 10–16% among women with stage IV BC [4,5]. However, these figures still underestimated the disease burden, with up to 30% of BC patients found to have BM at autopsy [6,7]. Among breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM) patients, parenchymal BM are more common than leptomeningeal involvement with the latter being reported about 5 to 16% of patients at autopsy [8]. Management of BCBM remains a clinically unmet need with few therapeutic options or clinical trials. Improvements in systemic treatment increased survival of BC patients, and unmasked a subpopulation with BM that may significantly impair patient’s life quality and survival. Unique challenges in managing BCBM patients lie in overcoming blood–brain barrier (BBB) and resistance to multiple lines of prior treatment since patients in this setting are typically pretreated [9]. Recently, better characterization of BCBM patients, development of new systemic therapy along with improvements in trial design and imaging modalities regenerated an interest in developing novel agents for BCBM patients.
Toxins, Travels and Tropisms: H . pylori and Host Cells

In this chapter we will discuss the ways in which H. pylori interacts with and manipulates host cells. Studies with H. pylori reveal a number of effects on host cells including attachment-induced membrane and cytoskeletal changes, disruption of endocytic traffic and vacuolation, alteration of transepithelial conductance, induction of proinflamatory cytokines, alteration of antigen processing, induction of cell migration, loss of mucus granules, arrest of cell cycle progression and induction of apoptosis. Molecular identification of bacterial factors responsible for a few of these effects has been achieved, but most remain H. pylori-associated phenotypes.
Practical guide for 7S resonant frequency mixing in mercury: generation of light in the 230–185-and 140–120-nm ranges

We present recent measurements of refractive indices, nonlinear susceptibilities, and isotope shifts important for sum- and difference-frequency mixing through the 71,3S two-photon resonances of Hg. These data are presented in a form that makes it possible to make quick and accurate calculations of index-matching and mixing efficiencies in the low-intensity limit.
An anaerobically inducible early (aie) gene family from rice

One of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and development is anoxia or hypoxia. Plants respond to anoxia by regulation of gene expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Genes involved in such regulation are expected to be expressed soon after onset of anoxia. To date, however, anaerobically regulated genes that have been characterized predominantly encode enzymes for sugar phosphate metabolism, and are induced after several hours of anaerobic conditions. Early induced genes, those responding after 1-2 h of anoxia, have not been studied extensively. To study the early anaerobic response we investigated the most flooding-tolerant variety of rice, FR13A (flood-resistant). We used differential display techniques to identify cDNA fragments representing mRNAs that are induced within 90 min of anoxia. We isolated two cDNA fragments and one full-length cDNA that were induced to high levels. These cDNAs were found to be members of a family of 2-3 genes, which were called the aie (anaerobically inducible early) gene family. Northern blot analyses showed that the mRNA levels of aie genes peaked after 1.5 to 3 h of anoxia and were still at high levels after 72 h of anoxia. RNase protection assays showed 4-5 different protected bands indicating multiple transcripts from the aie gene family. Sequence analyses of the full-length cDNA showed an open reading frame that putatively encodes a 14 kDa protein of 127 amino acid residues. Neither the nucleotide nor the deduced amino acid sequences of this gene showed any significant homology to any known genes or proteins present in the GenBank or SwissProt databases. This novel gene, that is induced so early under anoxia in plants, may play an important role in plant metabolism under anaerobic conditions.
OSPREY: Implementation of Memory Consistency Models for Cache Coherence Protocols involving Invalidation-Free Data Access

Data access in modern processors contributes significantly to the overall performance and energy consumption. Traditionally, data is distributed among the cores through an on-chip cache hierarchy, and each producer/consumer accesses data through its private level-1 cache relying on the cache coherence protocol for consistency. Recently, remote access, a mechanism that reduces energy and latency through word-level access to data anywhere on chip has been proposed. Remote access does not replicate data in the private caches, and thereby removes the need for expensive cache line invalidations or updates. Researchers have implemented remote access as an auxiliary mechanism in cache coherence to improve efficiency. Unfortunately, stronger memory models, such as Intel's TSO, require strict ordering among the loads and stores. This introduces serialization penalties for data classified to be accessed remotely, which hampers each core's ability to optimally exploit memory level parallelism. In this paper we propose a novel timestamp-based scheme to detect memory consistency violations. The proposed scheme enables remote accesses to be issued and completed in parallel while continuously detecting whether any ordering violations have occurred, and rolling back the pipeline state (if needed). We implement our scheme for the locality-aware cache coherence protocol that uses remote access as an auxiliary mechanism for efficient data access. Our evaluation using a 64-core multicore processor with out-of-order speculative cores shows that the proposed technique improves completion time by 26% and energy by 20% over a state-of-the-art cache management scheme.
Microscopy of Clinker and Hydraulic Cements

Microscopy has played an essential part in developing our knowledge of Portland cement clinker phase composition, and is routinely used to monitor kiln operating conditions to insure cement quality. Our developing understanding of the phase composition of clinker coincides with the early days of the polarized light microscope where the then-new instrument was used to resolve conflicting theories on the phase constituents of cement clinker, essentially a man-made rock formed through sintering a ground, blended mixture of limestone, clay, and iron oxides. The phase abundance, distribution and texture of cement clinker reflect the combination of proportioning, grinding, and homogenization of the raw materials, and the firing and cooling history of the clinkering process. The ability to visualize, record and quantify phase compositional and textural attributes of the clinker allowed cement chemists a view into this process, to develop a better understanding on clinker production, and to be able to identify problems in the preparation and firing of the raw materials for improved production of the clinker. Today, most microscopy uses polished sections of clinker and reflected light, and quantitative methods include the point-count analysis, as well as image processing and analysis. The development of certified clinker reference materials have facilitated the development of the first standard test methods for clinker microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The application of the scanning electron microscope (SEM) allows analysis of the fine-grained, multi-phase particles of hydraulic cements and pozzolans, expanded our view into their mineralogical and textural characterization. Modeling the hydration process has developed to the point where selected properties of cement performance may be predicted from a well-characterized cement through microscopy. Cement phase mineralogy and textural characteristics, captured through SEM imaging, and particle shape characteristics quantified through X-ray tomography has allowed the generation of 3D virtual cement particles that retain the phase and textural attributes, providing realistic inputs to cement hydration models.
A Research Agenda for Food System Transformation Through Autonomous Community-based Food Projects

The focus of much of the research that examines the food system coming from the planning and policy fields is empirical and reductionist, following a rational technocratic planning epistemology. One critical failing in this approach is a general reliance on the state and its close ties to capital through a global neoliberal economic philosophy that is entirely enmeshed with the food system. This research thus examines methodological approaches to identifying and measuring food deserts, "obesegenic" environments, and the like, and proposes solutions that tinker with the current system, such as the inclusion of grocery stores in food deserts. Such a research approach will not lead to a radical transformation of the food system. Those who seek a fundamentally different food system based on democratic and ecological principles need to look elsewhere for solutions. Fortunately, examples to study are everywhere once one knows what to look for. Following the theoretical work of Deleuze and Guattari, Virno, Graeber, and Holland, a five-year research design would begin to identify, understand, and determine how to assist and connect examples of community-based programs that collectively represent an exodus from the current food system. Such a program would need to recognize reformist ideas and research agendas while clearly delineating an alternative long-term strategy based in a distinctly oppositional, nonstate, radically democratic approach to building a new food system.
Electronic and optical properties of AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs quaternary alloys with and without relaxation lattice matched to InP for laser applications: First-principles study

Abstract In this paper, the (FP-LAPW) calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) have been performed. To study the structural, electronic and optical properties of the AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs/InP with a number of compositions (0.03125 ≤ x ≤ 0.40625 and 1 − x − y = 0.53125). The (GGA-WC) of Wu and Cohen has been used to calculate the structural properties while the (GGA-BPEsol) and (GGA-EV) of Engel and Vodka as well as the recently (TB-mBJ) are employed to calculate the electronic properties of AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs with and without relaxation. It is found that the lattice constant of the AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs/InP alloy are almost identical. It is also observed that the lattice constant of the AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs alloys can be controlled by In concentration while the band gap can be adjusted by Al concentration. The calculated band structures show that the quaternary AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs/InP are direct-gap semiconductors for all Al concentrations x (0.03125 ≤ x ≤ 0.40625). Moreover, this band gap exhibits small bowing parameters. The results for optical properties are also discussed in detail. We have compared the results obtained to the existing theoretical and experimental data. The calculation endorses that the AlxGayIn1 − x − yAs/InP compound is a promising candidate for optoelectronics.
Chaos quantum immune algorithm based on phase encoding

The binary encoding is commonly used based on qubit measures in the current quantum swarm intelligent optimization algorithms.Due to the frequent decoding operations,the efficiency of optimization is greatly reduced when the binary quantum algorithm is applied to continuous optimizations.To deal with this problem,a chaos quantum immune algorithm is proposed,in which individual antibodies are directly encoded by the phase of qubits.The excellent individuals are cloned by quantum rotation gates;and the local search is achieved by employing the chaos variables in the rotation angles of quantum rotation gates.The global search is achieved by the mutations of the inferior individuals based on the quantum Pauli-Z gates.Because the optimization process is performed in [0,2π]n which has nothing to do with the specific issues,the proposed method has good adaptability for a variety of optimization problems.The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm effectively improves the search capabilities and optimizes the efficiency of the general immune optimization algorithm.
Similarity Join over Array Data

Scientific applications are generating an ever-increasing volume of multi-dimensional data that are largely processed inside distributed array databases and frameworks. Similarity join is a fundamental operation across scientific workloads that requires complex processing over an unbounded number of pairs of multi-dimensional points. In this paper, we introduce a novel distributed similarity join operator for multi-dimensional arrays. Unlike immediate extensions to array join and relational similarity join, the proposed operator minimizes the overall data transfer and network congestion while providing load-balancing, without completely repartitioning and replicating the input arrays. We define formally array similarity join and present the design, optimization strategies, and evaluation of the first array similarity join operator.
The First Group of SED Reformers Takes Charge

In late October 1989 a group of SED reformers forced the hardliners to give up their leadership positions. By this move the SED reformers hoped to stop the erosion of Communist power. To accomplish their goal they turned to Kaderpolitik: change personnel, not policies. In successive waves of resignations, all of the old leaders were replaced by new faces.
Toward a Theory of the Political Construction of Empty Spaces in Public Education

For some time, the intellectual center of gravity in sociology of education has been the study of determinants of students’ academic achievement and attainment. In their rush to study these important consequences of schooling, however, sociologists have paid insufficient attention to a logically prior and equally important question: Why do we have the kinds of schools we have, teaching what they do, providing the kinds of educational opportunities they do (or do not)? In other words, how is the structure of empty spaces constructed into which students are sorted? This chapter argues that a political theory of empty spaces in which the politics of education are embedded within American politics more generally is necessary and identifies the essential elements of such a theory. Such a theory requires us to: consider the interrelated effects of a series of what often appear on the surface to be different and independent school reform efforts, examine political struggles that take place both within and outside of formal institutions of politics, consider the (often unanticipated) long-term legacies of policies of the past, and be as attentive to the potential influence of ideas about educational problems and “good” solutions to them as to structural legacies of prior policies. The usefulness of this approach is then demonstrated through a brief analysis of the path-dependent policy process that accounts for the durable racial divide in public educational opportunities in the USA.
Performance Improvement in Health Care Organizations

Performance improvement is an important organizational capability that is essential for health care organizations to achieve excellence on the three components of the Triple Aim: patient experience, health, and cost. In this monograph, we present a framework for performance improvement in health care organizations: the Model of Transformational Performance Improvement. This model takes a system-level approach to performance improvement and comprises six key components: (1) determining and communicating a system-level goal; (2) developing and using system-level performance measures; (3) understanding and managing interdependencies; (4) selecting a portfolio of projects aligned with system-level goals; (5) creating an organizational engine for improvement; and (6) implementing, spreading, and sustaining improvements. In addition to presenting this model, we review the operations management literature on performance improvement with a special focus on operations management tools and principles that may help with successful implementation of these six components. Though work has already been done in these areas, much remains unknown and many opportunities for future research exist. This monograph seeks to inform the research of operations management scholars and to equip clinicians and health care leaders with techniques that may be leveraged to improve performance in health care organizations.
The Neurocentric View on Consumers of Cotton: An Application of Consumer Neuroscience

The purpose of this project was to provide students opportunities to recognize and identify the new knowledge of consumer neuroscience, which offers a different perspective that could contribute to a deeper understanding of consumers of cotton. Consumer neuroscience refers to the study of the neural conditions and processes underlying consumption, their psychological meaning, and their behavioral consequences. The online certificate workshop was developed on the topic of the "Neurocentric View on Consumers of Cotton: An Application of Consumer Neuroscience." The thirteen interactive learning modules included various aspects of consumer neuroscience related to cotton consumption, such as neuroaesthetics (neural aspects of perception of beauty), neuroeconomics (neural aspects of consumer decision making), and neuromarketing (neural aspects of consumer responses to marketing stimuli). Due to the inherent complexity of neuroscience knowledge, the focus of content development was on explaining the various aspects of consumer neuroscience in layman's terms and applying those terms to a cotton-consumption context in anecdotal form. Each learning module also included a multiple-choice quiz to assess student comprehension of the content.
An institution-wide approach to submission, review, and funding of simulation-based curricula

This article describes the development, implementation, and modification of an institutional process to evaluate and fund graduate medical education simulation curricula. The goals of this activity were to (a) establish a standardized mechanism for proposal submission and evaluation, (b) identify simulation-based medical education (SBME) curricula that would benefit from mentored improvement before implementation, and (c) ensure that funding decisions were fair and defensible. Our intent was to develop a process that was grounded in sound educational principles, allowed for efficient administrative oversight, ensured approved courses were high quality, encouraged simulation education research and scholarship, and provided opportunities for medical specialties that had not previously used SBME to receive mentoring and faculty development.
The Inverted-V Chevron Umbilicoplasty for Abdominoplasty

Any deformities or absence of the umbilicus is immediately recognizable. Many techniques have been described for achieving aesthetic repositioning. The authors describe the inverted-V chevron umbilicoplasty procedure and its outcome. The discontinuous incision design prevents circumferential scar contraction. The inverted-V chevron inset achieves an arrowhead-shaped design of the original umbilicus that encourages natural retrusion, inferior slope, and a cranial fold. It creates the appearance of a small umbilicus with an appropriate opening that other incisions fail to recreate. To avoid tethering sensation seen when the umbilicus is sutured to the abdominal fascia, we suture to Scarpa’s fascia to allow mobility of the umbilical stalk while still achieving a natural contour. Removal of fat from the surrounding abdominal area creates depth by accommodating the horizontal dimension of the umbilicus, hiding the scar toward the base.