cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Kinetic Model for the Reactions of Co and H2 to CH4 and C2H2 in a Flow Microwave Discharge Reactor

A kinetic model was developed to describe the reactions of CO and H2 to CH4 and C2H2in a microwave plasma. The experimental system consisted of a 24 mm I.D. tubular quartz reactor which passed through a microwave cavity. A variable-incident power waveguide system could supply up to 800 watts of incident microwave power to the cavity. The reactant gas mixture of H2 and CO flowed through the reactor, where a plasma was maintained under pressures of 20 - 100 mm Hg. The reactor effluent was analyzed by IR spectroscopy for CH4 and C2H2. Conversions of up to 5.3% CO to C2H2 and 7.2% CO to CH4 were observed. A 26-reaction kinetic model was developed and fitted to the experimental data. The plasma reactor was modeled in two zones: a discharge zone where electron-impact dissociations produce H, C, and O, and a downstream recombination zone where the atomic species from the discharge recombine. The discharge zone was modeled as a well-mixed reactor, and the recombination zone was modeled as a plug-flow reactor. The model was able to explain the asymptotic shape of the observed conversion versus residence time data; the effect is due to a kinetic limitation. This also explains why the conversions obtained in the plasma cannot be predicted by thermodynamic equilibrium.
Reconfiguration technique for reducing test time and test data volume in Illinois Scan Architecture based designs

As the complexity of VLSI circuits is increasing due to the exponential rise in transistor count per chip, testing cost is becoming an important factor in the overall integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing cost. This paper addresses the issue of decreasing test cost by lowering the test data bits and the number of clock cycles required to test a chip. We propose a technique based on the reconfiguration of scan chains to reduce test time and test data volume for Illinois Scan Architecture (ILS) based designs. This technique is presented with details of hardware implementation as well as the test generation and test application procedures. The reduction in test time and test data volume achieved using this technique is quite significant in most circuits.
The Psychometrics of Everyday Life

We examined people’s ability to assess everyday life correlations such as the degree of agreement that exists for various kinds of evaluations and the degree of consistency that characterizes social behavior from occasion to occasion. We found substantial accuracy for correlation estimates if two conditions were met: (1) subjects were highly familiar with the data in question and (2) the data were highly “codable,” that is, capable of being unitized and interpreted clearly. We generally found extreme inaccuracy if either of these conditions was not met. Subjects were particularly inaccurate about correlations involving social behavior: They severely overestimated the stability of behavior across occasions. In addition, even subjects who were statistically sophisticated showed limited appreciation of the
Dynamic inversion of boundary control systems with applications to a flexible beam

In this paper we consider a general class of boundary control systems (BCS) capable of describing the dynamics of many infinite dimensional systems of practical interest including flexible structures. We formulate a procedure for the exact inversion of the BCS without having to discretize its distributed model. The resulting inverse model is used to compute the feedforward control input for tracking a desired output trajectory without requiring the system to be minimum phase. The key results of the paper are illustrated on a flexible beam using a numerical simulation study.
Combined differential and common-mode analysis of power splitters and combiners

Power splitter/combiner phase and magnitude imbalance is analyzed in terms of simultaneous orthogonal modes of propagation. These simultaneous modes are defined as differential and common-mode. A new measure of splitter imbalance is suggested in the common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). Measured response of a 180/spl deg/ hybrid splitter is represented in terms of the differential and common-mode responses, and the CMRR is calculated. Combiner imbalance is also analyzed in terms of differential and common-mode responses, and response metrics are suggested. Analytical expressions for CMRR of several common splitters is given as functions of phase and magnitude imbalance. >
Generation of high resolution topographic maps of the Galapagos Islands using TOPSAR data

Data collected over the Galapagos Islands using the JPL/NASA TOPSAR airborne interferometric radar covered an area in excess of 5000 km/sup 2/. This paper presents the algorithms used to mosaic the data into a high resolution (10/spl times/10 m ground spacing) topographic map of the islands. Also described are the correlation and height error maps which are generated as ancillary products to the topographic map. >
The separation of isoaccepting transfer RNA's and the possible role of tRNA in regulation.

After the experimental verification of Crick's adaptor hypothesis for the role of tRNA, it became apparent that one of the most important of the protein-nucleic acid interactions occurs at the first step in protein synthesis, namely the amino acid activation reaction. It is here that a specific aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase must select, with high fidelity, a specific tRNA out of a large collection of molecules of similar size, shape, and overall composition. A mistake at this point, either by esterification of the wrong amino acid to the correct tRNA or by selection of the wrong tRNA, will inevitabley result in the insertion of an amino acid at an incorrect position in a growing polypeptide. Although there are known rules that dictate how one nucleic acid can recognize and interact with another nucleic acid, nothing is known regarding the mechanism by which a specific protein can recognize and interact with a specific nucleic acid. In order to gain some insight into the specific recognition between an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and its cognate tRNA, it became necessary to study the specific interaction with highly purified materials, preferably in gram quantities. An effort to do this for both the synthetases and the tRNA's was launched at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory about 6 years ago. Four high-resolution column chromatographic procedures have been developed in the ORNL Macromolecular Separations Program for the separation and production of highly purified species of tRNA's. An unexpected “spin-off” from this program is the analytical use of some of these systems to detect qualitative changes in the tRNA profile of cells as a consequence of virus infection, methionine starvation, and other metabolic alterations. Some examples of the heterologous interaction between aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases of one species with the tRNA's of another species, and some of the inherent dangers in the interpretation of such interactions, are considered. Finally, some speculations are made regarding the possible role of tRNA in regulation.
Severe Hypernatremia and Hyperosmolality Exacerbated by an Herbal Preparation in a Patient With Diabetic Ketoacidosis

This article reports a case of severe reversible hypernatremia exacerbated by an herbal agent "goldenseal" (Hydrastis canadensis) in an 11-year-old girl with new onset type I diabetes mellitus presented with diabetic ketoacidosis. A literature review is presented and possible mechanism of hypernatremia caused by this herbal preparation is discussed.
Genes affect the timing of early mouse embryo development.

The rate of preimplantation mouse embryo development was found to be influenced by genes both within and outside the H-2 complex. An H-2 associated gene, called Ped, was shown to govern either fast or slow development. Analysis of congenic strains on a C57BL/lOSn background showed that fast development is associated with the b, d, q,s, and u haplotypes, whereas slow development
Errors in Implied Volatility Estimation

Estimating implied volatility by inverting the Black-Scholes formula is subject to considerable error when option characteristics are observed with plausible errors. Especially for options away from the money, large changes in volatility produce small changes in option prices. Conversely, small errors in option prices and other option characteristics produce large errors in implied volatilities. In the presence of small measurement errors, unobserved truncation of option prices that violate lower bounds for absence of arbitrage can also lead to systematic volatility smiles. The paper proposes feasible GLS estimators that reduce the noise and bias in implied volatility estimates.
Important parameters for smoke plume rise simulation with Daysmoke

Daysmoke is a local smoke transport model and has been used to provide smoke plume rise information. It includes a large number of parameters describing the dynamic and stochastic processes of particle upward movement, fallout, fluctuation, and burn emissions. This study identifies the important parameters for Daysmoke simulations of plume rise and seeks to understand their impacts on regional air quality simulations with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. The Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) was first applied to Daysmoke simulations of prescribed burning in the southeastern U.S. It is shown that, for the specified value ranges of 15 parameters, entrainment coefficient and number of updraft cores are the most important for determining smoke plume rise. Initial plume temperature anomaly, diameter of flaming area, and thermal stability also contribute to a certain extent. CMAQ simulations were then conducted for a couple of different updraft core numbers. The simulated ground PM2.5 concentration is much closer to the measurements with multiple updraft cores than single core. The results from this study therefore suggest that simulations of Daysmoke and CMAQ could be improved by a better understanding of plume structure to aid in specifying the number of smoke updraft cores.
Model studies of effects of near-source velocity discontinuities on first-motion patterns

Abstract Directions and amplitudes of first compressional and shear motions were measured in two-dimensional plastic models from a simulated explosion, a unidirectional-force, a single-couple and a double-couple source. Patterns for a uniform circular model are compared with those for the source located on a boundary, near a boundary, in a low-velocity zone, and near a high-velocity region. In general, the patterns for the uniform models are consistent with theory except that weak S waves were noted from the simulated explosion. Reversals of the first motions of P due to the presence of velocity discontinuities were observed within 30° of the boundary running through the double-couple source. Amplitude reduction in the high-velocity medium of the non-uniform models leads to the possibility of missing the first motions. Under these conditions, “first-motion” patterns may be undependable as a means of determining the source mechanism. Thus, a single couple, double couple, and radial force may produce a single-force distribution and the single force may give a single-couple pattern.
“Secondary” Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Hyperandrogenism and menstrual irregularities are the most common endocrine symptoms in premenopausal women. The vast majority of these women suffer from the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is defined as a state of “gonadotropin-dependent functional hyperandrogenism and oligo-anovulation” in which no distinct autonomous source of androgen secretion is identified. PCOS is a chronic disorder characterized by specific clinical, endocrine, and ultrasonographic features, and is commonly associated with insulin resistance. However, a number of women with PCOS have other underlying diagnoses, such as adrenal and ovarian androgen-secreting tumors, adrenal and/or ovarian steroidogenic deficiencies, other medical or endocrine disorders, and/or receive certain medications. These disorders may exhibit similar clinical, endocrine, and/or ultrasonographic features to PCOS, and their early identification may be based on the presence of distinct features and a high index of suspicion. In contrast to PCOS, some of these conditions can be life-threatening and require prompt diagnosis and treatment. In this chapter, we consider disorders that can present as PCOS, discuss their pathogenesis and diagnosis and define the features that may help distinguish them from PCOS.
Tumor islands and spread through air spaces: Distinct patterns of invasion in lung adenocarcinoma

Lung adenocarcinoma is a highly heterogeneous disease and the heterogeneity is associated with various patient outcomes even in early-stage tumors. In order to improve prognostic and predictive values, the IASLC/ATS/ERS international multidisciplinary lung adenocarcinoma classification was put forth in 2011 and it has been adopted in the recently published World Health Organization (WHO) classification of Tumours of the Lung, Pleura, Thymus and Heart 4th edition 2015, and lung adenocarcinomas are classified based on the predominant pattern. The performance of the classification in stratifying patient outcomes after resection of Stage I tumors and predicting molecular alterations has been confirmed by several studies. It also includes the category of minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) that predicts 100% 5-year recurrence free survival after curative resection similar to adenocarcinoma in situ. The diagnosis of MIA is based on not only size of the invasive component but also the absence of aggressive morphologic features such as pleural and/or lymphovascular invasion. Importantly, the WHO 2015 classification has introduced the concept of air space invasion and includes it as the exclusion criteria for MIA. The air space invasion consists of tumor islands and spread through air spaces (STAS). In this review, we will discuss the two entities and their clinical implications.
Reductionism, Levels of Organization, and the Mind-Body Problem

Dr. Sperry’s position is complex and variegated, and I will be unable to discuss some of the issues raised by him in this volume and in other closely related papers. He has chosen to characterize his position generally as “emergent interactionism” and to spend a great deal of time distinguishing it from other views, ranging over the spectrum from dualism to materialism. His more general conception justifies and merits a more general response, which I shall present here.
Effective field theory during inflation. II. Stochastic dynamics and power spectrum suppression

We obtain the nonequilibrium effective action of an inflatonlike scalar field---the system---by tracing over sub-Hubble degrees of freedom of ``environmental'' light scalar fields. The effective action is stochastic leading to effective Langevin equations of motion for the fluctuations of the inflatonlike field, with self-energy corrections and stochastic noise correlators that obey a de Sitter space-time analog of a fluctuation dissipation relation. We solve the Langevin equation implementing a dynamical renormalization group resummation of the leading secular terms and obtain the corrections to the power spectrum of super-Hubble fluctuations of the inflaton field, $\mathcal{P}(k;\ensuremath{\eta})={\mathcal{P}}_{0}(k){e}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\gamma}(k;\ensuremath{\eta})}$ where ${\mathcal{P}}_{0}(k)$ is the nearly scale invariant power spectrum in absence of coupling. $\ensuremath{\gamma}(k;\ensuremath{\eta})g0$ describes the suppression of the power spectrum; it features Sudakov-type double logarithms and entails violations of scale invariance. We also obtain the effective action for the case of a heavy scalar field of mass $M\ensuremath{\gg}H$; this case yields a local ``Fermi'' limit with a very weak self-interaction of the inflatonlike field and dissipative terms that are suppressed by powers of $H/M$. We conjecture on the possibility that the large scale anomalies in the cosmic microwave background may originate in dissipative processes from inflaton coupling to sub-Hubble degrees of freedom.
First-principles study of the terahertz third-order nonlinear response of metallic armchair graphene nanoribbons

We compute the terahertz third-order nonlinear conductance of metallic armchair graphene nanoribbons using time-dependent perturbation theory. Significant enhancement of the intrinsic third-order conductance over the result for instrinsic 2D single-layer graphene is observed over a wide range of temperatures. We also investigate the nonlinear response of extrinsic metallic acGNR with $|{E}_{F}|\ensuremath{\ll}200\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\mathrm{meV}$. We find that the third-order conductance exhibits a strong Fermi level dependence at low temperatures. A third-order critical field strength of between $\ensuremath{\sim}1$ and $5\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\mathrm{kV}/\mathrm{m}$ is computed for the Kerr conductance as a function of temperature. For the third-harmonic conductance, the minimum critical field is computed to be $\ensuremath{\sim}5\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\mathrm{kV}/\mathrm{m}$.
Relationships between tamoxifen use, liver fat and body fat distribution in women with breast cancer

Tamoxifen is a nonsteroidal anti-estrogenic drug used for adjuvant treatment of breast cancer and recently as a chemopreventative agent for breast cancer and, on an investigational basis, for other cancers. To date there are case reports of hypertriglyceridemia and fatty liver disease in tamoxifen users. Fatty liver is associated with visceral obesity and other components of the metabolic syndrome. Here we evaluated steatosis and adipose tissue distribution by CT scan in a cross-sectional study of 32 women on tamoxifen and 39 control women. Tamoxifen users had more visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and more liver fat than controls. This is the first study to demonstrate that fatty liver and intra-abdominal fat accumulation are common in breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen. Prospective studies of tamoxifen should monitor metabolic changes in obese women with or without breast cancer.
Damping of filament wound composite cylinders

Graphite epoxy filament wound composite tubes were fabricated both with and without an imbedded layer of rubber, dynamically tested, and analyzed to investigate their damping characteristics. The filament winding process used IM-6 graphite fibers with an anhydride resin system, wet winding over an aluminum mandrel, and an oven cure in a rotisserie. Four different configurations were manufactured: a control configuration, one with an added layer of rubber, one using a modified resin system, and one with both an added layer of rubber and a modified resin system. Two independent modal tests were conducted. The data indicated that the mode shapes as well as the frequencies changed with the addition of a layer of rubber. The constrained layer damping with rubber dramatically increased the modal damping coefficients. Mode shapes from an FEM analysis of the undamped tube were correlated with the measured mode shapes. About half of the first thirteen computed mode shapes correlated with measured mode shapes. (Author)
Hemoglobin F and Risk Factors for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

We measured levels of hemoglobin F in 83 newborns and compared them with risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Results were consistent with previous studies that found higher levels of hemoglobin F in newborns with shorter gestations and lower birth weights. Male newborns had higher levels of hemoglobin F than did female newborns, but the difference was not statistically significant. All ethnic groups except Asians had higher levels of hemoglobin F at birth than did Caucasians. Age of the mother during pregnancy was not related to the level of hemoglobin F in the newborn. We noted statistically significant differences in the percentage of hemoglobin F among newborns from smoking vs nonsmoking mothers. Overall, we found that factors associated with high risk for SIDS are similar to factors leading to higher levels of hemoglobin F at birth.
Structure Development in Polyimide Films

The influence of processing conditions on the structure and properties in spin coated polyimide films prepared from flexible, semi-rigid and rigid chemistries was investigated. While the relationship between processing, structure and properties is different for each chemistry, some general trends were observed. Curing above the glass transition in the flexible polyimide BTDA//ODA/MPD, that is incapable of crystallizing and has very little in-plane orientation, has virtually no effect on the structure or properties compared to curing below the glass transition. Curing at temperatures above the glass transition in cry stall izable stiff polyimides such as BPDA//PPD and PMDA//ODA results in an increase in birefringence, in-plane CTE and biaxial stress. In BPDA//PPD, the increase in birefringence is attributed to an increase in polarizability and possibly, an increase in the overall in-plane alignment of the imide ring as evidenced by IR analysis. The increase in in-plane CTE is attributed to a loss in chain axis orientation caused by relaxation effects. The increase in stress is attributed to the increase in the in-plane CTE and also from shrinkage forces arising from crystallization. Rapid heating during cure in the flexible amorphous BTDA//ODA/MPD has essentially no effect on structure or properties compared to slow heating. In the semi-crystalline polyimides, rapid heating during cure leads to higher levels of crystallinity and significantly higher stresses. The increase in stresses is attributed to a loss in chain axis orientation in the plane of the film and shrinkage forces arising from additional crystallization. The directional dependence of the coefficient of thermal expansion, an important functional property, is extremely sensitive to molecular anisotropy. BTDA//ODA/MPD, which is almost isotropic, has an out-of-plane CTE that is approximately 20 percent higher than the in-plane CTE. In contrast, the out-of-plane CTE for the most anisotropic polyimide in this study, BPDA//PPD, is 25 times larger than the in-plane CTE. This sensitivity of the CTE to molecular orientation must be taken into account when modeling stress in, or designing, electronic devices.
Strategies of persuasion in offers to participate in cancer clinical trials I: Topic placement and topic framing.

Clinical trials are the gold standard in medical research evaluating new treatments in cancer care; however, in the United States, too few patients enroll in clinical trials, particularly patients from minority groups. Offering patients the option of a clinical trial is an ethically-charged communicative event for oncologists. One particularly vexed ethical issue is the use of persuasion in offers to participate in clinical trials. Based on a corpus of 22 oncology encounters with Caucasian-American (n=11) and African-American (n=11) patients, this discourse analysis describes oncologists’ use of two persuasive strategies related to the linguistic structure of the encounter—topic placement and topic framing. Findings are presented in total and by patient race, and discussed in terms of whether these strategies may constitute ethical or unethical persuasion, particularly with respect to the ethical issue of undue influence and the social issue of underrepresentation of minorities in cancer clinical trials.
Antibody-Microarrays on Hybrid Polymeric Thin Film-Coated Slides for Multiple-Protein Immunoassays

The development and characterization of protein microarrays fabricated on nanoengineered three-dimensional polyelectrolyte thin films (PET) deposited on glass slide by consecutive adsorption of polyelectrolytes in solutions through self-assembly process were described. Protein antibodies or antigens were immobilized in the PET-coated glass slides by electrostatic adsorption and entrapment of the porous structure of the three-dimensional polymer film and thus, establishing a platform for parallel analysis. A method for fabrication of cytokines antibody-based protein microarray for simultaneous detection of multiple cytokines on the PET-coated slides was described. Cytokines play an important role in a wide range of physiological process, such as innate immunity, apoptosis, angiogenesis, cell growth, and differentiation. Therefore, simultaneous measurement of multiple cytokine expression levels is vital to reveal the complex cytokine network and to understand the development of certain human diseases. The protein microarray was printed by robotically spotting nine human cytokine and growth factor capture antibodies onto planar glass substrates. The fluoroimmunoassay of printed cytokine antibody microarrays were performed by incubating with cytokine samples, then binding by biotin-conjuated detection antibodies, and detecting by fluorophore conjugated streptavidin. This sandwich immunoassay-based protein microarrays protocol was developed for detection of multiple expression levels simultaneously with commercial available biotin-labeled detection antibody, so that no labeling of sera samples in required. This method was also optimized specifically for the special requirements of the cytokine detection, with special attention paid to selecting the surface chemistry of array substrate, array printing buffer and blocking buffer, and the fluorescent detection settings that yielded the highest sensitivity and selectivity against the lowest background. The dynamic ranges of the parallel assay for cytokines were around two to three orders of magnitude with limit of detection <10 pg/mL. This cytokine detection protein microarray system can be extended to a larger menu of cytokines and growth factors for applications such as profiling of cytokine expression.
Superficial Head and Neck Anatomy for Dermatologic Surgery: Critical Concepts.

Background Thorough understanding of head and neck anatomy is useful and necessary for dermatologic surgery. Objective To highlight pertinent head and neck anatomic structures that are encountered during dermatologic surgery and correlate these with common surgical problems. Methods Important anatomic structures and regional cutaneous anatomy are discussed and illustrated. Results Several important anatomic structures exist within the head and neck that can influence surgical outcomes. Conclusion Anatomic knowledge is helpful to the dermatologic surgeon to optimize reconstructive outcomes.
Ecological Analysis of Parking Prices and Active Commuting in US Cities, 2009.

We conducted an ecological study to determine whether parking prices are associated with active commuting across US cities. We obtained parking prices for 107 US cities from the Drexel University Central Business District Public Parking Survey, obtained city prevalence of walking and bicycling to work from the American Community Survey, and used weighted least squares linear regression to explore associations between parking prices and active commuting. After adjusting for several covariates, walking to work was 3.1% higher for every additional dollar charged for off-street daily parking, but only among more densely populated cities, and no such association was detected for bicycling to work. These preliminary results hint at the potential for parking policies to influence commuting mode choice, a link that city planners and public health officials could consider when evaluating parking policies and active transportation behaviors. Language: en
Places of Transmotion: Indigenous Knowledge, Stories, and the Arts

The connotations of transmotion are creation stories, totemic visions, reincarnation, and sovenance; transmotion, that sense of native motion and an active presence.… Native transmotion is survivan...
Magneto-Photonic Bragg Waveguides, Waveguide Arrays and Non-reciprocal Bloch Oscillations

This chapter discusses optical transmission and waveguide mode propagation in one-dimensional periodic structures fabricated in magneto-optic ridge waveguides and waveguide arrays. The scattering process in multimode waveguide Bragg reflectors is analyzed. Elliptical birefringence plays an important role in stop band formation. Large band gap detuning in mixed-mode-order scattering is found, with important applications to magnetically controlled optical switching. The chapter also presents an analysis of non-reciprocal and unidirectional Bloch oscillations in asymmetric magneto-optic waveguide arrays.
Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays from nonrelativistic quasar outflows

It has been suggested that nonrelativistic outflows from quasars can naturally account for the missing component of the extragalactic $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray background and explain the cumulative neutrino background through pion decay in collisions between protons accelerated by the outflow shock and interstellar protons. Here, we show that the same quasar outflows are capable of accelerating protons to energies of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{20}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ during the early phase of their propagation. The overall quasar population is expected to produce a cumulative ultrahigh energy cosmic-ray flux of $\ensuremath{\sim}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\text{ }{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\text{ }{\mathrm{sr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at ${E}_{\mathrm{CR}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{18}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$. The spectral shape and amplitude are consistent with recent observations for outflow parameters constrained to fit secondary $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays and neutrinos without any additional parameter tuning. This indicates that quasar outflows simultaneously account for all three messengers at their observed levels.
Surgical outcomes in patients with Cushing’s disease: the Cleveland clinic experience

Transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) to resect a pituitary adenoma is considered first-line treatment for patients with Cushing’s disease (CD). Early, post-operative remission rates >80% are expected for patients with a microadenoma (≤ 10 mm) visible on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. To report surgical outcomes and predictors of remission in a specialist center for patients with CD. Clinical data was obtained from a prospective CD database in addition to review of all electronic medical, laboratory and surgical patient records. Patients who underwent their first TSS by one neurosurgeon between 2004 and 2013, and had a minimum 1 year follow up, were evaluated. One hundred and one consecutive patients with CD (73F, 28M) underwent TSS. Median (range) age and follow-up were 47 (15–87) and 4.33 (1–9.8) years, respectively. At surgery, 74 (73.2%) patients had a microadenoma, 27 a macroadenoma; six of the latter patients had a planned, subtotal resection to control neurological signs due to mass effect. Initial remission rates were: microadenoma, 89% (66/74); macroadenoma, 63% (17/27); and 81% (17/21) in those macroadenomas where complete surgical removal was anticipated. Initial non-remission occurred in 18 patients, ten macro- and eight microadenoma; six of 18 had residual disease on most recent follow up. Six (2 macro, 4 micro) of the 83 patients with initial remission have had late (>12 months) recurrence of hypercortisolism that required either repeat TSS or adjunctive therapy, three of whom have persistent hypercortisolism. Macroadenoma (p = 0.003) and tumor invasion beyond the pituitary and sella (p < 0.001) were associated with failure to obtain remission with the initial TSS and greater likelihood of late recurrence. Patients in whom no lesion was seen on neuroimaging had rates of initial remission (21/25 or 84%) and a similar late recurrence rate of 4% (1/25) in comparison with those with MR-visible microadenomas (3/49, or 6%). A team-based approach, in a specialized pituitary center, can lead to initial and durable, long-term remission in patients with CD. The presence of a macroadenoma and tumor extension beyond the pituitary and sella were predictive of initial non-remission as well as risk of late recurrence.
Geometric reasoning for shape design

This paper describes a methodology for the design of shapes. Starting from an initial shape, a geometric reasoning kernel is used to generate and control a sequence of numerical optimization subproblems that converges to a final design-- a topology and associated geometry -- that can be significantly different from the starting shape. A subproblem in the sequence is systematically formulated from a geometric abstraction of current shape, and its objective function, constraints and bounds are dynamically derived. The geometric representation of the shape is adaptive and changes throughout the problem solving process to accommodate the shape change trends that occur. Shape evolution takes place within each subproblem and between subproblems. Intrasubproblem evolution is responsible for geometric modifications while inter-subproblem evolution handles topology modifications. The combination of geometric reasoning and numerical optimization techniques provides a robust and systematic methodology for shape synthesis that can generate new design shapes without relying on heuristic or domain spedfic knowledge.
Dengue Virus NS2B/NS3 Protease Inhibitors Exploiting the Prime Side.

The mosquito-transmitted dengue virus (DENV) infects millions of people in tropical and subtropical regions. Maturation of DENV particles requires proper cleavage of the viral polyprotein, including processing of 8 of the 13 substrate cleavage sites by dengue virus NS2B/NS3 protease. With no available direct-acting antiviral targeting DENV, NS2/NS3 protease is a promising target for inhibitor design. Current design efforts focus on the nonprime side of the DENV protease active site, resulting in highly hydrophilic and nonspecific scaffolds. However, the prime side also significantly modulates DENV protease binding affinity, as revealed by engineering the binding loop of aprotinin, a small protein with high affinity for DENV protease. In this study, we designed a series of cyclic peptides interacting with both sides of the active site as inhibitors of dengue virus protease. The design was based on two aprotinin loops and aimed to leverage both key specific interactions of substrate sequences and the entropic advantage driving aprotinin's high affinity. By optimizing the cyclization linker, length, and amino acid sequence, the tightest cyclic peptide achieved a Ki value of 2.9 μM against DENV3 wild-type (WT) protease. These inhibitors provide proof of concept that both sides of DENV protease active site can be exploited to potentially achieve specificity and lower hydrophilicity in the design of inhibitors targeting DENV.IMPORTANCE Viruses of the flaviviral family, including DENV and Zika virus transmitted by Aedes aegypti, continue to be a threat to global health by causing major outbreaks in tropical and subtropical regions, with no available direct-acting antivirals for treatment. A better understanding of the molecular requirements for the design of potent and specific inhibitors against flaviviral proteins will contribute to the development of targeted therapies for infections by these viruses. The cyclic peptides reported here as DENV protease inhibitors provide novel scaffolds that enable exploiting the prime side of the protease active site, with the aim of achieving better specificity and lower hydrophilicity than those of current scaffolds in the design of antiflaviviral inhibitors.
Motion onset really does capture attention

Several properties of visual stimuli have been shown to capture attention, one of which is the onset of motion. However, whether motion onset truly captures attention has been debated. It has been argued that motion onset only captured attention in previous studies because properties of the animated motion used in those experiments caused it to be "jerky" (i.e., there were gaps between successive images during animated motion). The present study sought to determine whether natural motion onset captures attention. Additionally, the present study further examined the circumstances under which animated motion onset, the only type of motion onset that can be produced on a computer display, does and does not capture attention. In Experiment 1, participants identified target letters in search arrays containing distinct animated motion types, either accompanied or unaccompanied by a new object. Animated motion onset captured attention, but not when the motion onset was accompanied by a new object, indicating that prior failures to replicate capture by animated motion onset were limited because a new object had always been included in the display. Experiment 2 employed natural motion rather than animated motion and found that participants were fastest at identifying motion-onset targets compared to other target types. These results provide further support for the claim that motion onset captures attention.
Genetic and Epigenetic Heterogeneity in Normal Liver Homeostasis and Its Implications for Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Cancer

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary tumor of the liver, and is steadily becoming one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. Liver resection, which is the recommended procedure for early localized HCC, results in frequent recurrence (50–70%), while the standard of care for late-stage HCC, multikinase inhibitors, only improves survival by a few months. The lack of success for these treatment modalities is attributable, at least in part, to marked phenotypic heterogeneity within the tumor. Intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) has emerged as a defining characteristic of human tumors, with individual cancer cells displaying distinct differences in properties including growth rate, metastatic capacity, and response to treatment. This heterogeneity, which is unlikely to be captured from a biopsy, impacts outcome because a single treatment targeting one cancer-specific pathway would spare tumor cells having distinct characteristics. Development of effective biomarkers remains a major challenge for similar reasons. Understanding, interpreting, and circumventing the impact of ITH is therefore paramount for developing reliable biomarkers and designing effective individualized treatment strategies for HCC.
Effects of heat stress during porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infection on metabolic responses in growing pigs

Heat stress (HS) and immune challenges negatively impact nutrient allocation and metabolism in swine, especially due to elevated heat load. In order to assess the effects of HS during Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) infection on metabolism, 9-wk old crossbred barrows were individually housed, fed ad libitum, divided into four treatments: thermo-neutral (TN), thermo-neutral PRRSV infected (TP), HS, and HS PRRSV infected (HP), and subjected to two experimental phases. Phase 1 occurred in TN conditions (22 °C) where half the animals were infected with PRRS virus (n = 12), while the other half (n = 11) remained uninfected. Phase 2 began, after 10 d with half of the uninfected (n = 6) and infected groups (n = 6) transported to heated rooms (35 °C) for 3 d of continuous heat, while the rest remained in TN conditions. Blood samples were collected prior to each phase and at trial completion before sacrifice. PPRS viral load indicated only infected animals were infected. Individual rectal temperature (Tr), respiration rates (RR), and feed intakes (FI) were determined daily. Pigs exposed to either challenge had an increased Tr, (P < 0.0001) whereas RR increased (P < 0.0001) with HS, compared to TN. ADG and BW decreased with challenges compared to TN, with the greatest loss to HP pigs. Markers of muscle degradation such as creatine kinase, creatinine, and urea nitrogen were elevated during challenges. Blood glucose levels tended to decrease in HS pigs. HS tended to decrease white blood cell (WBC) and lymphocytes and increase monocytes and eosinophils during HS. However, neutrophils were significantly increased (P < 0.01) during HP. Metabolic flexibility tended to decrease in PRRS infected pigs as well as HS pigs. Fatty acid oxidation measured by CO2 production decreased in HP pigs. Taken together, these data demonstrate the additive effects of the HP challenge compared to either PRRSV or HS alone.
Prevalence and patterns of drug resistance among pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Hangzhou, China

To evaluate prevalence and patterns of drug resistance among pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients in Hangzhou City, China. Sputum samples of smear positive TB patients enrolled in 2011 and 2015 were collected and tested for drug susceptibility, and demographic and medical record data were extracted from the electronic database of China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. Chi-square test was used to compare drug resistance prevalence between new and treated patients and between male and female patients, and Chi-square test for trend was used to compare the prevalence over calendar years 2011 and 2015. Of 1326 patients enrolled in 2015, 22.3% had resistance to any first-line anti-TB drugs and 8.0% had multi-drug resistance (MDR); drug resistance rates among previously treated cases were significantly higher than among new cases. Significant declines of resistance to isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol and streptomycin, and MDR from 2011 to 2015 were observed among previously treated patients, while a significant decline of resistance to rifampin was observed among new cases. While the prevalence of acquired drug resistance decreased due to due to implementation of DOTS-Plus program, the prevalence of primary drug resistance due to transmission remained high. Greater efforts should be made to screen drug resistance for case finding and to reduce transmission through improving the treatment and management of drug-resistant patients.
Combining 3D data and traditional soil erosion assessment techniques to study the effect of a vegetation cover gradient on hillslope runoff and soil erosion in a semi-arid catchment

Abstract In this paper, we examine the effect of vegetation on soil erosion, runoff generation and sediment transport on saline rangeland hillslopes. Rainfall simulations were conducted at a fixed 114 mm/h intensity on 6 m × 2 m erosion plots with varying degrees of vegetation. Plots were grouped into three categories (L, M and H) based on their canopy cover (L: 19%) and selected to limit variations in slope across canopy cover groups. Runoff and sediment samples were combined with three dimensional (3D) reconstruction data used to monitor soil surface microtopographic changes. Runoff initiation was significantly delayed on the L plots but cumulative runoff after 20 min of rainfall simulation indicated a positive effect of vegetation on infiltration processes. Cumulative sediment after 20 min of rainfall was similar across vegetation cover categories. The 3D data suggest that vegetation reduced net sediment delivery from the plots by primarily increasing opportunities for deposition while marginally affecting gross soil erosion. Plots with H vegetation cover experienced lower 3D-estimated erosion volumes but average erosion depth on L plots was lower than that on plots with M and H vegetation covers. Lower runoff volumes on M and H plots may have been compensated by greater runoff erosivity on these plots as runoff was concentrated in a narrower inter-patch space compared to L plots. This study highlights the need for an increased integration between traditional runoff measurement techniques and 3D reconstruction methods.
Anti-Tumor Virus Activity of Copper-Binding Drugs

Several, structurally different, copper-binding ligands can inhibit the RNA-dependent DNA polymerase of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) and can inactivate the ability of the virus to malignantly transform chick embryo cells. These ligands include the anti-microbial agents, thiosemicarbazones, 8-hydroxyquinolines, isonicotinic acid hydrazide, and others. Many of these compounds bind to DNA and RNA in the presence of copper, which may play a role in their anti-viral activity. However, not all agents active against RSV bind to nucleic acids and not all ligands that bind to nucleic acids are active against RSV. Some copper-binding ligands are neither active against RSV, nor bind nucleic acids. It appears that there is no simple relationship between the anti-viral activity of copper-binding ligands and their nucleic acid-binding ability. The biological importance of thiosemicarbazone-copper complex binding to nucleic acids is supported by the observation that treatment of intact RSV virions with the complex causes the genome 70S RNA to sediment abnormally in velocity sucrose gradient analysis.
DOES PARETO RULE INTERNET GAMBLING? PROBLEMS AMONG THE “VITAL FEW” & “TRIVIAL MANY”

Using records of Internet gambling subscribers (n = 1,384), this study tested the Pareto principle: about 20% of customers, “the vital few,” are responsible for about 80% of the activity, while 80%, “the trivial many,” are responsible for the remaining 20%. Participants completed the Brief Biosocial Gambling Screen (BBGS) and had a history of betting on sports and/or online casino games during the twelve months before completing the screen. Using various measures, the vital few Internet gamblers ranged between 4.6% and 17.8% of the subscribers – smaller than the Pareto principle would suggest. Between 38% and 67% of the vital few and between 24% and 35% of the trivial many screened positive for gambling-related problems. This research suggests that the concepts of the “vital few” and the “trivial many” apply to Internet gambling.
Die Pop-Tart-Lötlampe

Pop-Tarts mit Erdbeergeschmack1 lassen sich zur Herstellung billiger verbrennungstechnischer Gerate wie Lotlampen verwenden. Wenn so ein toastbares Tortchen im Toaster steckenbleibt, entzundet es sich irgendwann und geht in 25 bis 45 Zentimeter hohe Flammen auf.
EFFECTIVE REACTOR CROSS SECTIONS IN MTR FUEL ASSEMBLIES

Analyses of uranium, neptunium, and plutonium isotopes have been carried out on dissolved MTR fuel elements. Effective reactor cross sections computed from these measurements are in good agreement with differential cross-section measurements. In particular, effective cross-section values were found for U/sup 236/ and U/sup 238/ of 34 barns and 23 barns, respectively. (auth)
Some Applications of Combined Asymptotics and Numerics in Fluid Mechanics and Aerodynamics

Diverse examples are discussed illustrating the power of combining asymptotics and numerical solution procedures. Problems in transonic flow are treated as well as an unusual application occurring in paper manufacturing and magnetic recording. A recurrent theme in these applications is the simplification and clarification of the essential issues by the asymptotics as well as the economization of the computational problem. On the other hand, computation handles nonlinearities inaccessible to the analytics.