cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supply Chain Network Design of a Sustainable Blood Banking System

In this paper, we develop a sustainable network design/redesign model for the complex supply chain of human blood, which is a valuable yet highly perishable product. Specifically, we consider the optimal design (or redesign) of a blood banking system consisting of collection sites, blood centers, testing and processing labs, storage facilities, distribution centers as well as demand points. Our multicriteria system-optimization approach on networks with arc multipliers captures several critical concerns associated with blood banking systems including but not limited to the determination of the optimal capacities and the optimal allocations, the induced supply-side risk, and the induced cost of discarding potentially hazardous blood waste, while the uncertain demand for blood is satisfied as closely as possible.
Asthma and obesity: mechanisms and clinical implications

Obesity is the most common asthma co-morbidity; it has been associated with increased risk for asthma exacerbations, worse respiratory symptoms and poor control. The exact mechanisms remain elusive and are probably multifactorial, stemming from mechanical alterations of the airways and lung parenchyma, to systemic and airway inflammatory and metabolic dysregulation that adversely influences lung function and or response to therapy. However, the fact that not every obese asthmatic is equally affected by weight gain highlights the many challenges and complexities in understanding this association. The factors that determine susceptibility may not depend on being obese alone, but rather the interactions with other phenotypical characteristics, such as age of asthma onset, gender and race to name a few. Inability to account for asthma phenotypes that are differentially affected by increasing body mass index (BMI) may contribute to the lack of consistent results across studies. This review will provide a succinct summary of obesity-related mechanisms and the clinical impact on asthma including highlights on recent progress.
Measurement model development for the correlation of imaging sonar acoustic shadows and bathymetry for ROV terrain-relative localization

This paper details the development of a probabilistic measurement model for the use of sonar imagery as an automated pilot aid for localization of a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) with respect to an a priori bathymetric terrain map. Specifically, acoustic shadows in sonar imagery are correlated with expected visibility images generated from a bathymetry map, where acoustic shadows are significant drops in the sonar image intensity. An expected visibility image is generated for a given ROV position estimate with respect to a stored terrain map by extracting a bathymetry profile along the sonar scan plane and then evaluating a metric termed “differential height” to quantify visibility probability in the pixel space of the sonar image. This paper provides the theoretical foundation behind the approach presented in [1], and further details the tuning of measurement model parameters using ROV sonar image field data collected in collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI). The position estimation results for one dataset from [1] is repeated in this paper in order to demonstrate localization performance using the proposed approach.
Regulatory issues in tumor marker development

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been actively involved in oversight of medical devices, including in vitro diagnostic devices (IVDs) since the passage of the Medical Device Amendments of 1976. A variety of both premarket and postmarket regulatory controls were put into place as a result of this new program. The type of oversight applied to tumor markers available for marketing in the United States depends on both the intended use of the test and the manner in which it is being commercialized-whether offered as a test kit or system or as a laboratory testing service. Tumor markers may be reviewed as 510(k) submissions or as premarket approval application (PMA) submissions or may be exempt from premarket reviews. The FDA works hard to maintain an appropriate balance in its oversight activity and to ensure that its mission is focused on activities designed to promote public health.
Cathepsins D, A and B, and the effect of pH in the pathway of protein hydrolysis

Abstract 1. 1. Digestion of hemoglobin by total rat liver lysosomes at pH 3.5 made the substrate more susceptible to further hydrolysis by enzymes active at pH 5.5. 2. 2. Studies of initial reaction rates and extent of protein hydrolysis indicated that enzymes active at different pH levels were involved. 3. 3. The synergistic and concerted action of cathepsins A, B, and D, and the effect of pH were studied after tissue fractionation and partial purification of the enzymes by chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex. 4. 4. Two cathepsin D enzymes, called cathepsins D1 and D2, were fractionated. Partially purified preparations of these two enzymes initiated protein hydrolysis at pH 3.8 and cathepsins A and B partially purified by chromatography utilized the hydrolysis products at pH 3.8, 5.0 and 6.8.
Radiative corrections to Kaluza-Klein masses

Extra-dimensional theories contain a number of almost degenerate states at each Kaluza-Klein level. If extra dimensional momentum is at least approximately conserved then the phenomenology of such nearly degenerate states depends crucially on the mass splittings between KK modes. We calculate the complete one-loop radiative corrections to KK masses in general 5 and 6 dimensional theories. We apply our formulae to the example of universal extra dimensions and show that the radiative corrections are essential to any meaningful study of the phenomenology. Our calculations demonstrate that Feynman diagrams with loops wrapping the extra dimensions are well-defined and cut-off independent even though higher dimensional theories are not renormalizable.
Charge-transfer chromatography of aromatic hydrocarbons on thin layers and columns☆

Abstract 1. Thin layers of silica gel impregnated with acceptors of the charge-transfer type effectively separate a wide variet of aromatic substances, including many of their closely related partially reduced derivatives. 2. The ratio of the difference between R F values on acceptor-containing and ordinary plates to the R F values on the latter X 100 is termed the binding constants (B) . For a series of aromatic hydrocarbons, values of B appear to be directly relatd to the presence of structural features which contribute to the ability of these compoundds to function as charge-transfer donors. 3. Preparative chromatography using thick layers or columns of impregnatedd silica gel effectively separates aromatic and hydroaromatic substances of closely related structure.
Fiber-optic-based optical trapping and detection for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) applications

A three-fiber optical trapping/detection system has been molded in poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) using anisotropically etched Si V-grooves as the primary or master mold. The process of reverse molding in PDMS maintains the benefits of fiber optic self-alignment previously used in Si V-grooves. Two, pigtailed laser diodes emitting at 830 nm and 980 nm are connected to cleaved, single-mode (SM), counter-propagating fibers, used for trapping polystyrene beads. Orthogonal to the trapping fibers is a multi mode detection fiber coupled to a spectrometer. Chemically treated beads trapped by the 830 and 980 nm diode lasers were excited using a 660 nm diode laser. By utilizing the optical clarity of PDMS, the fourth excitation source fiber is mounted below the PDMS trap and used to excite the trapped beads. Changes in the relative intensity of the trapping light are used to indicate the capture and position of a bead in the trap. Additionally, detection of the excitation source and bead fluorescence is monitored.
Molecular Simulations of Liquid and Supercritical Water: Thermodynamics, Structure, and Hydrogen Bonding

Water is a truly unique substance in many respects. It is the only chemical compound that naturally occurs in all three physical states (solid, liquid and vapor) under the thermodynamic conditions typical to the Earth’s surface. It plays the principal role in virtually any significant geological and biological processes on our planet. Its outstanding properties as a solvent and its general abundance almost everywhere on the Earth’s surface has made it also an integral part of many technological processes since the very beginning of the human civilization. Aqueous fluids are crucial for the transport and enrichment of ore-forming constituents (Barnes 1997; Planetary Fluids 1990). Quantitative analysis of hydrothermal and metamorphic processes requires information on the physical-chemical, thermodynamic and transport properties of the fluid phases involved (Helgeson 1979, 1981; Sverjensky 1987; Eugster and Baumgartner 1987; Seward and Barnes 1997). These processes encompass a broad range of pressure and temperature conditions and, therefore, detailed understanding of the pressure and temperature dependencies of density, heat capacity, viscosity, diffusivities, and other related properties is necessary in order to develop realistic models of fluid behavior or fluid-mineral interactions. Aqueous fluids under high-pressure, high-temperature conditions near and above the critical point of water ( P = 22.1 MPa and T = 647 K) are especially important in a variety of geochemical processes. Due to the large compressibility of supercritical fluid, small changes in pressure can produce very substantial changes in density, which, in turn, affect diffusivity, viscosity, dielectric, and solvation properties, thus dramatically influencing the kinetics and mechanisms of chemical reactions in water. Models of hydrothermal convection suggest that the near-critical conditions provide an optimal convective behavior due to unique combination of thermodynamic and transport properties in this region of the phase diagram of water (Norton 1984; Jupp and Schultz 2000 …
Retinal blur and midbrain cell response.

The responses of certain photically responsive cells of the superior colliculus were found acutely dependent on the focal condition of the retinal image.
Substance P and cholecystokinin regulate neurochemical responses to cocaine and methamphetamine in the striatum.

Abstract The mechanism of action of drugs of abuse like cocaine and amphetamines has been studied extensively in the dopamine terminal field areas of the caudate-putamen (CPu) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the rodent brain. These brain regions contain several neuropeptides that must play important roles in the normal physiological functions of these brain regions. The study of neuropeptide physiology in the context of the neurobiological responses to drugs of abuse may shed some light on the intrinsic mechanism of action of neuropeptides of the CPu and the NAc. The neuropeptides substance P (SP) and cholecystokinin (CCK) are present in the striatum where they could play an important role regulating the effects of psychostimulants like cocaine and amphetamines (methamphetamine [METH] is a long acting derivative of d-amphetamine). These highly addictive agents induce the release of dopamine (DA) (and other catecholamines) from dopaminergic terminals of the striatum. The excessive release of DA in the striatum and the NAc has been implicated in the habit-forming properties of these drugs. In order to study the contribution of SP and CCK in the striatum during psychostimulant treatment, we employed selective non-peptide neurokinin-1 (NK-1) and cholecystokinin-2 (CCK-2) receptor antagonists that readily cross the blood brain barrier. We infused the neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) antagonist, L-733,060, into the striatum of freely moving rats via a microdialysis probe in order to assess the effects of SP on cocaine-induced DA overflow in the striatum. Infusion of the NK-1R antagonist prior to a systemic injection of cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.) significantly attenuated DA overflow in the striatum. Conversely, infusion of a CCK-2 receptor (CCK-2R) antagonist, L-369,293, through the microdialysis probe evoked DA overflow in the striatum in the absence of cocaine and potentiated DA overflow after a single injection of cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.). Exposure to METH (10 mg/kg 4× at two-hour intervals) produced deficits of dopamine transporters (DAT) in mice striatum that are detectable three days after the treatment and are long lasting. Pre-treatment (i.p. injections) with the NK-1R antagonist, WIN-51,708 30 minutes before the 1st and 4th injections of METH prevented the loss of DAT in the striatum. Moreover, pre-treatment with the NK-1R antagonist prevents METH-induced cell death. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the NK-1R and the CCK-2R are important modulators of the actions of the psychostimulants cocaine and METH. Neuropeptide receptors represent an important control point mediating the effects of the neurotransmitter DA in the striatum of the rodent brain.
Stratification of pathologic features in radical prostatectomy specimens that are predictive of elevated initial postoperative serum prostate-specific antigen levels.

Background. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is an important marker for adenocarcinoma of the prostate and is of clinical utility in assessment of residual carcinoma after radical prostatectomy. Although elevated postoperative serum PSA levels have been linked to pathologic stage in radical prostatectomy specimens, limited data are available on the relationship of postoperative PSA levels to margin positivity, intraglandular tumor extent, and histologic grade. Methods. Initial postoperative serum PSA levels were related to pathologic features of 90 radical prostatectomy specimens with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Logistic regression analysis was used to stratify pathologic stage, percentage intraglandular carcinoma, histologic grade, and margin positivity as predictors of elevated initial postoperative PSA levels. Results. Pathologic stage, percentage carcinoma, and margin positivity were nearly equivalent in strength of prediction, whereas Gleason histologic grade was a significant but less reliable predictor of elevated initial postoperative PSA levels. Thirty-one of 51 (60.8%) patients with extension of carcinoma outside the prostate gland had an elevated initial postoperative PSA level, whereas only 5 of 39 (12.8%) patients with organ-confined carcinoma had an elevated postoperative PSA level. Intraglandular tumor extent greater than 10% was associated with a greater likelihood of an elevated postoperative PSA level. Additional predictive capacity was obtained with concurrent use of pathologic stage and percentage carcinoma or margin positivity in multivariate analysis. Conclusions. In radical prostatectomy specimens, pathologic stage, intraglandular carcinoma extent, and margin positivity are particularly important morphologic parameters because they are predictive of residual carcinoma that is detected early, as judged by an elevated initial postoperative serum PSA level.
Zur Chemie der kondensierten Phosphate und Arsenate. VI. Über Di‐ und Tri‐Arsenatophosphate mit den Anionen [(As,P)2O7]4‐ und [(As,P)3O10]5−

Durch Entwassern von Mischkristallen NaH2(P, As)O4; Na2H(P, As)O4 und K2H(P, As)O4 entstehen Diarsenatophosphate Na2H2(P, As)2O7, · Na4(PAs)2O7 bzw. K4(P, As)2O7. Wird in NaH2(P, As)O4-Mischkristallen der molekulare Anteil an Arsen doppelt so gros oder hoher als der an Phosphor, so lassen sich auch Triarsenatophosphate herstellen. Aus der Analyse der Hydrolysenprodukte dieser Verbindungen ergibt sich, das die Bildung und thermische Bestandigkeit der (P–O–As)-Bindung bei Ausschlus von hydrolysierendem Wasser der (P–O–P)-Bindung gegenuber energetisch bevorzugt ist, woraus sich die fruher festgestellte regelmasige Verteilung der As-Atome in der (XO4)-Tetraederkette der Metaarsenatophosphate erklart.
The Use of Balls in Kinetic Awareness

Abstract Balls can provide a direct link to integrative body-mind experience and processes.
Management of Antiretroviral-Related Nutritional Problems: Challenges and Future Directions

Survival has been greatly enhanced with the adequate and effective treatment of HIV infection. Surviving and surviving well are important pieces of the disease management puzzle. Nutritional well-being has been closely associated with both survival and quality of life in HIV and other diseases. The effects and interactions of currently used antiretroviral therapies can compromise nutritional well-being. The challenges posed to researchers, clinicians, and patients in evaluating and treating nutrition-related effects of life-saving antiretroviral medications affect health care goals, recommendations, and decisions. Challenges include identifying emerging problems, prioritizing clinical problems, expediting the implementation of clinical trials, developing research-based interventions that are realistic and usable in practice, decreasing the time lag to incorporate research findings into practice, and developing or adapting evidence-based clinical guidelines. This article will explore these challenges, offer thought-provoking questions in the development of research and clinically viable solutions, and propose future directions for management strategies of antiretroviral-related problems.
Endocrine parameters of cystic fibrosis: Back to basics

Dramatic changes in the life expectancy of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are occurring, creating a cohort of aging individuals experiencing long-term complications of this chronic disease. The two most common of these complications include CF-related diabetes and CF bone disease. The clinical implications of each have become better understood, as have potential therapies. However, data obtained from the basic science studies of both diseases have not been widely recognized. In this review, we focus on the known and hypothesized pathogenesis of these two disorders. Additionally, the molecular underpinnings of CF will be explained along with the potential interactions with endocrine disease phenotypes.
Wavelength Sensitivity of Single Nanowire Excitation Polarization Anisotropies Explained through a Generalized Treatment of Their Linear Absorption.

We investigate the excitation polarization anisotropy of individual semiconductor nanowires (NWs) by monitoring their band edge emission above 680 nm in order to clarify the origin of their strong polarization response. Samples studied include both CdSe and CdSe/CdS core/shell nanowires grown using solution chemistry as well as analogous wires made via chemical-vapor-deposition (CVD). In the limit of optically thick wires, with radii above ∼25 nm, we find NW optical responses consistent with the interaction between strong dielectric contrast influences and the onset of bulk-like behavior. Namely, a sizable wavelength dependence of the excitation polarization anisotropy (ρexc) exists when NW diameters become comparable to the wavelength of light inside the wire. As a consequence, pronounced ρexc rolloffs occur at short wavelengths. By contrast, thinner wires do not exhibit such wavelength dependencies, in agreement with earlier studies. We quantitatively explain observed wavelength sensitivities by modelin...
Studies on the terminal electron transport system. VIII. Conversion of succinic dehydrogenase complex to soluble succinic dehydrogenase.

Abstract A method for the extraction of soluble succinic dehydrogenase from the particulate succinic dehydrogenase complex (SDC) is described. The enzyme, as extracted from SDC, catalyzes the dehydrogenation at 38° of 10 μmoles of succinate per min per mg with ferricyanide as the electron acceptor, or μmoles of succinate per min per mg with phenazine methosulfate as electron acceptor. It contains 3−5·10 −3 μmoles of flavin as well as 5−10·10 −3 μm atoms of non-heme iron per mg of protein.
Phosphate metabolites in single barnacle muscle fibers investigated by phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract 1. 1. A study has been made of phosphate-containing metabolites in single barnacle muscle fibers using phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance. 2. 2. Spectra from single fibers (∼50 mg in wet weight) show major resonances from sugar phosphates, inorganic phosphate, arginine phosphate and the α, β and γ phosphorus atoms of ATP. 3. 3. The approximate “free” concentration of each metabolite was determined by integration of the spectrum, using a sample of 1 M-methylene diphosphonic acid as a reference. A notable feature of the results obtained is that the concentrations of SP&Pi in freshly dissected fibers are low. 4. 4. Time-dependent changes in 31P-NMR spectra indicate that ArP declines fairly slowly, while SP and Pi rises. The half-life of ArP at 26°C turns out to be about 8 hr. ATP remains relatively constant for the first 8 hr but disappears following the disappearance of ArP. As the intensity of the Pi resonance increases with time, it broadens and moves upfield, suggesting internal acidosis. 5. 5. These results demonstrate that 31P-NMR can provide useful information about metabolism and its regulation in single barnacle muscle fibers.
Paternal inheritance of a female moth's mating preference

Females of the arctiid moth Utetheisa ornatrix mate preferentially with larger males, receiving both direct phenotypic and indirect genetic benefits1. Here we demonstrate that the female's mating preference is inherited through the father rather than the mother, indicating that the preference gene or genes lie mostly or exclusively on the Z sex chromosome, which is strictly paternally inherited by daughters. Furthermore, we show that the preferred male trait and the female preference for that trait are correlated, as females with larger fathers have a stronger preference for larger males. These findings are predicted by the protected invasion theory2,3, which asserts that male homogametic sex chromosome systems (ZZ/ZW) found in lepidopterans and birds promote the evolution of exaggerated male traits through sexual selection. Specifically, the theory predicts that, because female preference alleles arising on the Z chromosome are transmitted to all sons that have the father's attractive trait rather than to only a fraction of the sons, such alleles will experience stronger positive selection and be less vulnerable to chance loss than would autosomal alleles.
Theoretical Model of Multipurpose Land Information Systems Development

Historically, multipurpose land information systems have often been designed for use as community-wide enterprises. Before becoming useful to the community, however, many of these systems encounter prohibitive factors delaying or preventing the satisfaction of the ultimate goals for which they were designed. A criticism of current models is that system developers seeking to build publicly accessible systems do not use them. Since most systems are developed without the guidance of a formal model, system developers often do not fully anticipate likely system issues. Many systems, designed on an ad hoc basis, fail to achieve their full potential, because they have not used an appropriate model to determine a final system outcome. This paper presents a theoretical model describing the stages systems experience during development. These stages are: no development, system initiation, database development, recordkeeping, analysis, and democratization. Additionally, the factors promoting or prohibiting movement from one stage to the next, and the indicators or outcomes of each stage are described. Not only are the individual elements described but also their relationships are described as part of the model. The Multipurpose Land Information System (MPLIS) development model is designed both as a guide for system developers and a tool for discussing and comparing systems.
Initial mechanisms of dispersion of core‐shell impact modifiers in a polymer matrix

Core-shell impact modifiers are effective toughening agents for many thermoplastics. In order to achieve optimum performance, agglomerates of these particles must be dispersed and the individual submicron particles well distributed within the polymer matrix. The focus of this paper is a description of the initial mechanisms of dispersion during compounding of core-shell impact modifiers into polymer matrices. Model experiments were conducted with acrylic-based modifiers in a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix by using a batch intensive mixer. Based on the observed morphologies at numerous mixing times, a qualitative description of the mechanism is developed. Significant structural changes occur in all three of the classical processing regimes: solids conveying, melting, and melt flow. Differences in the form of modifier addition, pellet or powder, are explored. The degree of fill of the mixer is found to have a critical effect on the dispersion mechanism.
Peak-Load Pricing in Higher Education

Increasing enrollments and inflated costs have really created a financial struggle for colleges and universities. Since there is no foreseeable change it seems desirable to aim toward greater efficiency in the use of existing resources. It is shown that the educational plant, except for a short peak period, is largely under-utlizied. The enrollment response to a lowering of tuition is analyzed. It is shown that if the hours of operation were extended, and if a set of differential tuition rates were established, with a relatively higher rate for the peak hours as compared to those off-peak, a more intensive use of resources would be achieved. It is also shown that the proposal is financially feasible.
Nonintercepting diagnostics for transverse beam parameters: From rings to ERLs ☆

The characterization of particle-beam parameters in accelerators and transport lines is important to the experiment's success. The development of nonintercepting (NI) diagnostics is of growing interest in the community due to top-up operations for storage rings such as the Advanced Photon Source (APS), as well as the rapidly developing energy recovering linacs (ERLs). In both areas beam position and beam quality are relevant, and the ability to measure these in an NI manner is critical. Beam transverse size and divergence are more of a challenge, and examples of the minimally intercepting or NI measurements based on optical transition radiation (OTR), optical synchrotron radiation (OSR), X-ray synchrotron radiation (XSR), optical diffraction radiation (ODR), and undulator radiation (UR) will be presented as space permits. These are relevant to the various ERL parameter spaces and operating modes.
Forward dynamics simulation using a natural knee with menisci in the multibody framework

Information on knee loading and the relationship between muscle force and tissue response would benefit orthopaedic medicine, the development of engineered tissues, and our understanding of degenerative joint disease. As a step toward developing subject specific musculoskeletal simulations that predict loading on knee structures, this study combines a cadaver-based validated natural multibody knee model with a muscle driven forward dynamics simulation from a subject of similar height and weight for prediction of joint contact mechanics. Geometries for the multibody model were obtained from magnetic resonance images of a cadaver knee. The ligaments were represented with non-linear spring-damper elements with insertions and zero-load lengths derived from experimental measurements. The menisci were represented as discrete elements connected by 6×6 stiffness matrices and to allow prediction of contact pressure, the medial tibia plateau cartilage was divided into discrete elements. The force-displacement relationships of the knee model were validated by placing it in a model of a dynamic knee simulator and comparing predicted kinematics to experimental kinematics of the identically loaded cadaver knee. Motion, ground reaction forces, and surface electromyography were measured during a dual-limb squat on a female subject with similar height and weight as that of the cadaver donor. The gait data were used in a forward dynamics simulation of the dual-limb squat that included the cadaver knee model. The resulting tibio-femoral contact forces and pressures were compared for versions of the model with and without representation of the menisci. Inclusion of the menisci decreased the peak contact pressure on the medial tibia plateau by 20% and the cartilage-to-cartilage contact force on the lateral side was reduced by 40% through the squat cycle.
At Peace with All Their Neighbors: Catholics and Catholicism in the National Capital, 1787-1860

In 1790, two events marked important points in the development of two young American institutions - Congress decided that the new nation's seat of government would be on the banks of the Potomac, and John Carroll of Maryland was consecrated as America's first Catholic bishop. This coincidence of events signalled the unexpectedly important role that Maryland's Catholics, many of them by then fifth- and sixth-generation Americans, were to play in the growth and early government of the national capital. In this book, William W. Warner explores how Maryland's Catholics drew upon their long-standing traditions - advocacy of separation of church and state, a sense of civic duty, and a determination "to live at peace with all their neighbors," in Bishop Carroll's phrase - to take a leading role in the early government, financing, and building of the new capital. Beginning with brief histories of the area's first Catholic churches and the establishment of Georgetown College, "At Peace with All Their Neighbors" explains the many reasons behind the Protestant majority's acceptance of Catholicism in the national capital in an age often marked by religious intolerance. Shortly after the capital moved from Philadelphia in 1800, Catholics held the principal positions in the city government and were also major landowners, property investors, and bankers. In the decade before the 1844 riots over religious education erupted in Philadelphia, the municipal government of Georgetown gave public funds for a Catholic school and Congress granted land in Washington for a Catholic orphanage. This book closes with a remarkable account of how the Washington community, Protestants and Catholics alike, withstood the concentrated efforts of the virulently anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic American nativists and the Know-Nothing Party in the last two decades before the Civil War. This chronicle of Washington's Catholic community and its major contributions to the growth of the nations' capital will be of value for everyone interested in the history of Washington, D.C., Catholic history, and the history of religious toleration in America.
Developing a wetland condition prediction model using landscape structure variability

Recent studies found substantial variability in plant community integrity of wetlands in the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of central North Dakota, USA. We speculated that this variability might be connected to the nature of the surrounding landscapes and that a link might exist between landscape spatial metrics and wetland condition. We explored this potential link, using a case study in the PPR. A combination of remote sensing, geographic information systems (GIS), and landscape spatial metrics was used to: 1) examine the condition-landscape pattern relationship of temporary and seasonal wetlands, and 2) develop a landscape-level decision support tool for rapid assessment of wetland condition. We sampled 73 wetlands in the study area. We used the Index of Plant Community Integrity (IPCI) as our measure of wetland condition. A wetland landscape was defined by a 300 m radius circular area (0.283 km2) around each habitat. Quantitative characterization of landscape pattern was conducted using metrics computed from land cover categorization maps processed from multi-temporal Landsat satellite data. Ordination of wetland samples in a multivariate space of landscape metrics using non-metric multidimensional scaling revealed strong associations between wetland condition and 10 landscape metrics, primarily among seasonal wetlands. The Landscape Wetland Condition Analysis Model (LWCAM) was developed and validated for rapid quantitative assessment of wetland condition. The model was based on three landscape metrics considered most important for use in the PPR: 1) grassland percent core area of landscape, 2) grassland largest patch index, and 3) the number of patches per unit area. We concluded that surrounding natural grasslands and landscape fragmentation were the most important influences on the structure and plant community condition of wetland ecosystems.
EPA-0188 – Baseline phq-9 score and collaborative care predict remission among minority patients with depression

The collaborative care model (CCM) has been shown to effectively manage depression across various ethnic groups and may ameliorate care disparity (1, 2). We instituted the model at our institution in March, 2008. We compared 26 and 52 week treatment outcomes among minority patients enrolled under CCM to usual care (UA) and identified variables that predict remission. Using the registry, de-identified data of minority patients defined as non-Caucasian individuals who meet criteria for CCM enrollment (=/>18 years with PHQ-9 score of =/>10) from March 2008 until December 2012 were reviewed. Initial, 26 and 52 weeks PHQ-9 scores were tracked to evaluate response (defined as 50% reduction in score from baseline) and remission (PHQ-9 score of =/ Of 193 minority patients with depression, 73% were female. Majority enrolled in CCM (n=154). Initial mean PHQ-9 score did not differ between the 2 groups. At 26 weeks, those under CCM had significantly higher response and remission rates compared to usual care (p-value: Conclusion Among minority patients with depression, enrollment in CCM and higher baseline PHQ-9 score independently predict remission. CCM effectively achieved and sustained remission compared to usual care. Adaptation of this model across various population groups should be considered.
Regulation of the p70 S6 Kinase by Phosphorylation in Vivo ANALYSIS USING SITE-SPECIFIC ANTI-PHOSPHOPEPTIDE ANTIBODIES

The p70 S6 kinase is activated by diverse stimuli through a multisite phosphorylation directed at three separate domains as follows: a cluster of (Ser/Thr) Pro sites in an autoinhibitory segment in the noncatalytic carboxyl-terminal tail; Thr-252 in the activation loop of the catalytic domain; and Ser-394 and Thr-412 in a segment immediately carboxyl-terminal to the catalytic domain. Phosphorylation of Thr-252 in vitro by the enzyme phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate-dependent kinase-1 or mutation of Thr-412 → Glu has each been shown previously to engender some activation of the p70 S6 kinase, whereas both modifications together produce 20–30-fold more activity than either alone. We employed phospho-specific anti-peptide antibodies to examine the relative phosphorylation at several of these sites in wild type and various p70 mutants, in serum-deprived cells, and in response to activators and inhibitors of p70 S6 kinase activity. Substantial phosphorylation of p70 Thr-252 and Ser-434 was present in serum-deprived cells, whereas Thr-412 and Thr-444/Ser-447 were essentially devoid of phospho-specific immunoreactivity. Activation of p70 by insulin was accompanied by a coordinate increase in phosphorylation at all sites examined, together with a slowing in mobility on SDS-PAGE of a portion of p70 polypeptides. Upon addition of rapamycin or wortmannin to insulin-treated cells, the decrease in activity of p70 was closely correlated with the disappearance of anti-Thr-412(P) immunoreactivity and the most slowly migrating p70 polypeptides, whereas considerable phosphorylation at Ser-434 and Thr-252 persisted after the disappearance of 40 S kinase activity. The central role of Thr-412 phosphorylation in the regulation of kinase activity was further demonstrated by the close correlation of the effects of various deletions and point mutations on p70 activity and Thr-412 phosphorylation. In conclusion, although p70 activity depends on a disinhibition from the carboxyl-terminal tail and the simultaneous phosphorylation at both Thr-252 and Thr-412, p70 activity in vivo is most closely related to the state of phosphorylation at Thr-412.
Algebraic structure of the plasma quasilinear equations

Abstract The standard quasilinear equations of plasma physics are shown to possess an algebraic structure, although the system is dissipative. The energy functional yields the evolution equations and the conservation laws, in analogy to hamiltonian systems.
Absolute line intensities and broadening coefficients for the ν11 band of allene

Abstract Line strengths for the ν11 band of allene (352.636 cm−1) have been measured using tunable diode laser spectroscopy. The dipole moment and band strengths have been derived, and pressure broadening coefficients for self and N2 broadening were determined at temperatures representative of Titan's atmosphere (160–190 K). The absolute value for the dipole moment is 0.1093 debye giving a band intensity of 26.29 cm−2 atm−1 (300 K). This band strength is about 6% lower than that inferred from the low resolution measurements performed by Koga et al,14 which is the only previous strength measurement for this band.
Laminar tube flow of sieved beef-cattle manure slurries

Abstract The rheological properties of beef-cattle manure slurries were studied using a tube viscometer. The previously proposed rheological model (Che, 1986) is used to describe the relationship between the shear stress and shear rate at the tube wall. The results are compared with those obtained with a rotational viscometer. A modified Reynolds number is defined and used to relate to the friction loss of the laminar flow in the tube. The Reynolds numbers where the laminar flow region terminated are also discussed.
Electron Beam Lithography

Electron beam lithography is a rapidly maturing technology that has opened the realm of submicron design to the semiconductor device and circuit designer. This improved pattern resolution has already yielded devices and circuits exhibiting higher density, higher operating frequency, and lower operating power than has been possible with other lithography methods. This paper discusses electron beam lithography and the devices and circuits that have been fabricated with this technology.
Inter-neonatal intensive care unit variation in discharge timing: influence of apnea and feeding management.

Background Premature infants need to attain both medical stability and maturational milestones (specifically, independent thermoregulation, resolution of apnea of prematurity, and the ability to feed by mouth) before safe discharge to home. Current practice also requires premature infants to be observed in hospital before discharge for several days (margin of safety) after physiologic maturity is recognized. Objective To compare postmenstrual age (PMA) at discharge in a homogeneous population of premature infants cared for in different neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and to assess the impact on hospital stay of the recognition and recording of physiologic maturity and the required margin of safety. Methods We studied premature infants delivered at 30 to 34 6/7 weeks gestational age (GA), free of significant medical or surgical complications. Medical records of 30 eligible infants consecutively discharged from the hospital before July 1997 from each of 15 NICUs in Massachusetts (9 level 2 and 6 level 3) were reviewed. Results A total of 435 infants were included in the study sample. Mean (+/- standard deviation) GA and birth weight of the study population were 33.2 +/- 1.2 weeks and 2024 +/- 389 g, respectively. Infants were discharged at a similar PMA regardless of GA at birth. Considerable variation in the PMA at discharge between hospital sites was observed (range, 35.2 +/- 0.5 weeks to 36.5 +/- 1.2 weeks). Despite the homogeneous study population, hospitals in which infants had the latest PMA at discharge also recorded mature cardiorespiratory and feeding behavior at an older age. Longer duration of pulse oximetry use was associated with later resolution of apnea. Differences in the duration of the margin of safety between sites did not contribute to variation in hospital stay. Conclusion NICUs vary widely in length of hospital stay for healthy premature infants. We speculate that this variation results in part from differences in monitoring for and documentation of apnea of prematurity and feeding behavior.
A note on stable matrices

Abstract A new similarity-canonical form for stable matrices is given in the real and complex cases, and is used to derive new proofs for the (respective) real and complex cases of the Stein-Pfeffer theorem.
Hemophilic joint disease – current perspective and potential future strategies

Recurrent hemarthroses can lead to hemophilic joint disease (HJD), which is one of the most disabling complications of these X-linked recessive disorders characterized by a deficiency of clotting factors VIII/IX. The pathogenesis of HJD is not well understood and there is evidence to suggest that iron may play a central role in the pathogenetic process causing changes at the molecular level and through the release of cytokines and perpetuation of a chronic inflammatory state. Also, there may be a role for angiogenesis in accelerating the joint damage begun by recurrent hemarthroses. Hemophilic joint disease can be diagnosed by MRI which provides information about the pathology of the synovium, articular cartilage and bone. However, it is expensive, and maybe cumbersome in young children who require sedation. Newer, cost-effective imaging tools such as ultrasonography need to be explored to facilitate diagnosis and monitoring of joint disease. Repeated bleeds into the joint could be prevented by reducing the number of bleeds by the prophylactic infusion of factor concentrates on a bi-weekly to alternate day schedule depending on the activity level and bleeding phenotype. However, the dose, schedule and timing of prophylaxis still remain unresolved despite some multi-center clinical studies proving its benefit in preserving joint function. Prohibitive costs and the need for venous access devices in delivering factor concentrates in younger children continue to complicate universal recommendations of prophylaxis. In those patients who fail or refuse prophylaxis, procedures such as isotopic synovectomy can provide relief from repeated joint bleeds, again the timing of which is not well-defined. Newer strategies to identify early joint disease through the use of serological markers are needed. Also, cost-effective imaging modalities are needed so that treatment strategies such as prophylaxis and isotopic synovectomy can be appropriately timed to reap maximum benefits. A combination of serological and imaging evidence of early joint disease might ultimately impact on the optimal management of hemophilic joint disease.
The VP35 protein of Ebola virus inhibits the antiviral effect mediated by double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR.

The VP35 protein of Ebola virus is a viral antagonist of interferon. It acts to block virus or double-stranded RNA-mediated activation of interferon regulatory factor 3, a transcription factor that facilitates the expression of interferon and interferon-stimulated genes. In this report, we show that the VP35 protein is also able to inhibit the antiviral response induced by alpha interferon. This depends on the VP35 function that interferes with the pathway regulated by double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase PKR. When expressed in a heterologous system, the VP35 protein enhanced viral polypeptide synthesis and growth in Vero cells pretreated with alpha/beta interferon, displaying an interferon-resistant phenotype. In correlation, phosphorylation of PKR and eIF-2α was suppressed in cells expressing the VP35 protein. This activity of the VP35 protein was required for efficient viral replication in PKR+/+ but not PKR−/− mouse embryo fibroblasts. Furthermore, VP35 appears to be a RNA binding protein. Notably, a deletion of amino acids 1 to 200, but not R312A substitution in the RNA binding motif, abolished the ability of the VP35 protein to confer viral resistance to interferon. However, the R312A substitution rendered the VP35 protein unable to inhibit the induction of the beta interferon promoter mediated by virus infection. Together, these results show that the VP35 protein targets multiple pathways of the interferon system.
KRAS, Hedgehog, Wnt and the twisted developmental biology of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by near-universal mutations in KRAS and frequent deregulation of crucial embryonic signalling pathways, including the Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt–β-catenin cascades. The creation of mouse models that closely resemble the human disease has provided a platform to better understand when and in which cell types these pathways are misregulated during PDAC development. Here we examine the central part that KRAS plays in the biology of PDAC, and how the timing and location of Hh and Wnt–β-catenin signalling dictate the specification and oncogenic properties of PDAC.
The Transcriptional Regulatory Protein, YB-1, Promotes Single-stranded Regions in the DRA Promoter (∗)

YB-1 is a member of a newly defined family of DNA- and RNA-binding proteins, the Y box factors. These proteins have been shown to affect gene expression at both the transcriptional and translational levels. Recently, we showed that YB-1 represses interferon-gamma-induced transcription of class II human major histocompatibility (MHC) genes (1). Studies in this report characterize the DNA binding properties of purified, recombinant YB-1 on the MHC class II DRA promoter. The generation of YB-1-specific antibodies further permitted an analysis of the DNA binding properties of endogenous YB-1. YB-1 specifically binds single-stranded templates of the DRA promoter with greater affinity than double-stranded templates. The single-stranded DNA binding sites of YB-1 were mapped to the X box, whereas the double-stranded binding sites were mapped to the Y box of the DRA promoter, by methylation interference analysis. Most significantly, YB-1 can induce or stabilize single-stranded regions in the X and Y elements of the DRA promoter, as revealed by mung bean nuclease analysis. In concert with the findings that YB-1 represses DRA transcription, this study of YB-1 binding properties suggests a model of repression in which YB-1 binding results in single-stranded regions within the promoter, thus preventing loading and/or function of other DRA-specific transactivating factors.
Simple-minded unitarity constraint and an application to unparticles

Unitarity, a powerful constraint on new physics, has not always been properly accounted for in the context of hidden sectors. Feng, Rajaraman, and Tu have suggested that large (pb to nb) multiphoton or multilepton signals could be generated at the LHC through the three-point functions of a conformally invariant hidden sector (an 'unparticle' sector). Because of the conformal invariance, the kinematic distributions are calculable. However, the cross sections for many such processes grow rapidly with energy, and at some high scale, to preserve unitarity, conformal invariance must break down. Requiring that conformal invariance not be broken, and that no signals be already observed at the Tevatron, we obtain a strong unitarity bound on multiphoton events at the (10 TeV) LHC. For the model of Feng et al., even with extremely conservative assumptions, cross sections must be below 25 fb, and for operator dimension near 2, well below 1 fb. In more general models, four-photon signals could still reach cross sections of a few pb, though bounds below 200 fb are more typical. Our methods apply to a wide variety of other processes and settings.