cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A projection based multiscale optimization method for eigenvalue problems

We present a projection based multiscale optimization method for eigenvalue problems. In multiscale optimization, optimization steps using approximations at a coarse scale alternate with corrections by occasional calculations at a finer scale. We study an example in the context of electronic structure optimization. Theoretical analysis and numerical experiments provide estimates of the expected efficiency and guidelines for parameter selection.
Filtered density function simulation of a realistic swirled combustor

Abstract The scalar filtered mass density function (SFMDF) methodology is employed for large eddy simulation (LES) of the PRECCINSTA burner from DLR. This burner involves a swirling flow configuration and provides a good model of the combustor in gas turbines. In SFMDF, the effects of unresolved scalar fluctuations are taken into account by considering the probability density function of subgrid scale scalar quantities. The modeled SFMDF transport equation is solved numerically via a Lagrangian Monte Carlo scheme coupled with a finite volume flow solver on unstructured grids. The simulated results are assessed via comparison with experimental data and show reasonable agreements. This demonstrates the capability of SFMDF for LES of complex flows, and warrants future applications of the methodology for LES of practical combustor configurations. This work represents one of the first attempts in implementing FDF for LES of a practical gas turbine combustor.
Randomized trial of hematocrit 25% versus 35% during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in infant heart surgery

Objectives We previously reported that postoperative hemodynamics and developmental outcomes were better among infants randomized to a higher hematocrit value during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. However, worse outcomes were concentrated in patients with hematocrit values of 20% or below, and the benefits of hematocrit values higher than 25% were uncertain. Methods We compared perioperative hemodynamics and, at 1 year, developmental outcome and brain magnetic resonance imaging in a single-center, randomized trial of hemodilution to a hematocrit value of 25% versus 35% during hypothermic radiopulmonary bypass for reparative heart surgery in infants undergoing 2-ventricle repairs without aortic arch obstruction. Results Among 124 subjects, 56 were assigned to the lower-hematocrit strategy (24.8% ± 3.1%, mean ± SD) and 68 to the higher-hematocrit strategy (32.6% ± 3.5%). Infants randomized to the 25% strategy, compared with the 35% strategy, had a more positive intraoperative fluid balance (P = .007) and lower regional cerebral oxygen saturation at 10 minutes after cooling (P = .04) and onset of low flow (P = .03). Infants with dextro-transposition of the great arteries in the 25% group had significantly longer hospital stay. Other postoperative outcomes, blood product usage, and adverse events were similar in the treatment groups. At age 1 year (n = 106), the treatment groups had similar scores on the Psychomotor and Mental Development Indexes of the Bayley Scales; both groups scored significantly worse than population norms. Conclusions Hemodilution to hematocrit levels of 35% compared with those of 25% had no major benefits or risks overall among infants undergoing 2-ventricle repair. Developmental outcomes at age 1 year in both randomized groups were below those in the normative population.
Abstract 4779: DNMT3B (a de novo DNA methyltransferase) epigenetically regulates gene expression, independent of its DNA methyltransferase activity

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA DNA methylation is one of several epigenetic mechanisms used by cells to control gene expression. The de novo methyltransferases, DNMT3a and DNMT3b, establish new methylation patterns during early development. DNMT1, the maintenance methyltransferase, ensures propagation of hemi-methylated DNA. Human cancers are characterized by aberrant DNA methylation patterns, including global hypomethylation and hypermethylation of promoters at tumor suppressor genes. This latter change leads to transcriptional silencing. Experimentally, DNMT1 is capable of transcriptional repression without its methyltransferase activity, partially through interactions with histone-modifying enzymes. We hypothesized DNMT3B may also be capable of modulating gene expression independently of its methyltransferase activity, by recruiting repressive epigenetic proteins to the promoters of endogenous DNMT3B targets. Using an isogenic colorectal cancer cell culture model, we investigated the functional consequences of the removal and re-introduction of DNMT3B on target gene expression, methylation, and chromatin status. A stable genetic knock out cell line, transient shRNA knock down, and pharmacologic inhibition resulted in upregulation of a subset of candidate DNMT3B targets identified by gene expression arrays and validated by quantitative RT-PCR. Interestingly, reintroduction of both wild-type and catalytically dead mutant DNMT3B in the knockout cells transcriptionally repressed the same loci. Infinium 450K arrays were performed to assess DNA methylation status. As expected, the loss of DNMT3B did not result in significant changes in global methylation at TSS, CpG islands, shores, shelves, and UTRs. However, in selected of the above targets, locus-specific demethylation was identified. Overexpression of both wild-type and catalytically dead mutant DNMT3B failed to restore local methylation, in concert with transcriptional repression of these loci, further suggesting an alternative regulatory mechanism to explain transcriptional changes. Interactions of DNMT3B with other repressive proteins could account for the above transcriptional repression. ChIP studies revealed LSD1, a histone demethylase that represses transcription, is lost in the 3B knockout cells but is recruited back to the promoters of repressed DNMT3B target genes with DNMT3B insertion. These data strongly suggest DNMT3B possesses a non-canonical function as a scaffold protein for transcriptional repressors. Citation Format: Khadijah A. Mitchell, Hariharan Easwaran, Stephen B. Baylin. DNMT3B (a de novo DNA methyltransferase) epigenetically regulates gene expression, independent of its DNA methyltransferase activity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4779. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4779
Human RNaseP RNA and nucleolar 7-2 RNA share conserved 'To' antigen-binding domains

RNase P in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes is a ribonucleoprotein that cleaves tRNA precursors to generate the 5′ termini of the mature tRNAs. Many patients with autoimmune diseases produce antibodies against a 40 kDa protein (designatedTo orTh antigen) which is an integral component of eukaryotic RNaseP as well as nucleolar 7-2 RNP which is identical to the mitochondrial RNA processing (MRP) RNP. Interestingly, theTo antigen found in human cells and the C5 protein, the only protein component ofE. coli RNaseP, are antigenically related. In this study, we show that a 56 nucleotide-long sequence, corresponding to nucleotides 20–75 near the 5′ end of human RNaseP RNA, is sufficient to bind theTo antigen. We previously showed that the humanTo antigen binds to a short distinct structural domain near the 5′ end of human 7-2/MRP RNA. There is no obvious primary sequence homology between theTo antigen binding sites in RNaseP RNA and 7-2/MRP RNA; however, these sequences are capable of assuming a similar secondary structure which corresponds to the recently proposed ‘cage’ structure for RNaseP RNAs and 7-2/MRP RNA (Forster and Altman (1989) Cell 62: 407–409). These data are supportive of the idea that these two RNAs may have evolved from a common progenitor molecule.
Detecting pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and tics.

Abstract Background A subgroup of children with obsessive-compulsive and tic disorders are proposed to have an infectious trigger. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between group A streptococcal titers and symptom fluctuations in children with a clinical course resembling that described for pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus. Methods Twenty-five children with obsessive-compulsive disorder and/or tic disorder were evaluated for neuropsychiatric severity and group A streptococcal antibody titers (streptolysin O, deoxyribonuclease B, and carbohydrate A) at 6-week intervals for ≥ six consecutive evaluations (total visits=277). Results Children with large symptom fluctuations ( n = 15) were compared with children without dramatic fluctuations ( n = 10). Co-movements of obsessive-compulsive/tic severity and group A streptococcal antibodies were assessed. In subjects with large symptom changes, positive correlations were found between streptococcal titers and obsessive-compulsive severity rating changes ( p = .0130). These subjects were also more likely to have elevated group A streptococcal titers during the majority of observations ( p = .001). Tic symptom exacerbations occurred more often in the fall/winter months than spring/summer months ( p = .03). Conclusions Patients with marked obsessive-compulsive/tic symptom changes may be characterized by streptococcal titer elevations and exhibit evidence of seasonal tic exacerbations.
Skeletal muscle fatigue in old age: whose advantage?

The results of recent studies indicate that in healthy men and women aged beyond approximately 65 years, the energy-producing pathways in skeletal muscle may combine with changes in motor unit behavior and muscle contractile properties to provide a unique environment for resisting muscle fatigue und
Large amplitude flexural vibration of rectangular plates

Abstract By using an approximate formulation due to Berger it is shown that the vibration of rectangular plates with large amplitudes may be treated in a simple and unified manner. Numerical results are given for various boundary conditions.
Triparanol-induced desmosterol accumulation in clofibrate-effected hypocholesterolemia

Abstract Clofibrate-induced hypocholesterolemic rats accumulate triparanol-effected desmosterol (24-dehydrocholesterol) no differently than do triparanol-treated normocholesterolemic rats. Accordingly, these findings indicate that hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis proceeds essentially normally in clofibrate-induced hypocholesterolemic rats. Thus, clofibrate-induced hypocholesterolemia is not primarily due to a shutdown of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis. This conclusion does not exclude the possibility that inhibition of hepatic cholesterol biosynthesis by clofibrate may contribute to some degree to the clofibrate-induced hypocholesterolemia.
TRPV1 unlike TRPV2 is restricted to a subset of mechanically insensitive cutaneous nociceptors responding to heat.

Abstract In the present study, a murine ex vivo somatosensory system preparation was used to determine the response characteristics of cutaneous sensory neurons staining positively for TRPV1 or TRPV2. TRPV1 immunostaining was found exclusively (11/11) in a specific set of mechanically insensitive unmyelinated (C) nociceptors that responded to heating of their receptive fields. No cutaneous C-fibers that responded to both mechanical and heat stimuli stained positively for TRPV1 (0/62). The relationship between TRPV2 and heat transduction characteristics was not as clear, as few unmyelinated or myelinated fibers that responded to heat contained TRPV2. TRPV2 was found most frequently in mechanically sensitive myelinated fibers, including both low threshold and high threshold mechanoreceptors (nociceptors). Although TRPV2 was found in only 1 of 6 myelinated polymodal nociceptors, it was found in a majority (10/16) of myelinated mechanical nociceptors. Thus, whereas the in vivo role of TRPV1 as a heat-sensitive channel in cutaneous sensory neurons is clearly defined, the role of TRPV2 in cutaneous neurons remains unknown. These results also suggest that TRPV1 may be essential for heat transduction in a specific subset of mechanically insensitive cutaneous nociceptors and that this subset may constitute a discrete heat input pathway for inflammation-induced thermal pain. Perspective The distinct subset of murine cutaneous nociceptors containing TRPV1 has many attributes in common with mechanically insensitive C-fibers in humans that are believed to play a role in pathological pain states. Therefore, these murine fibers provide a clinically relevant animal model for further study of this group of cutaneous nociceptors.
Ethical discourse by science-in-fiction

It can be difficult to discuss ethical dilemmas in the academic environment. One way of doing it is through ‘science-in-fiction’. The following ‘science renga’ shows how this is done with virtually total anonymity.
Stress determination of micromembranes using laser vibrometry

A laser vibrometry based dynamic technique for biaxial residual stress determination in micromembranes is reported. Layered, low pressure chemical vapor deposition grown, rectangular shaped micromembranes are ultrasonically excited. The resulting micromembrane displacement, as a function of frequency and position, is recorded to yield resonance frequencies and associated vibrational mode numbers. The stress is determined from this information. Vibrations forced from ultrasonic pressure (-25 Pa) resulted in peak displacements of tens of nanometers at resonance. For the sample set studied, the (3,1) mode resonance peak displayed the least damping in atmospheric testing and was used to establish stress levels approximately 10(exp 8)N/m2 . A trend for this stress showing an overall decrease by approximately 40% as a result of thermomechanical cycling was identified.
XII—Chrysippus and the Epistemic Theory of Vagueness

Recently a bold and admirable interpretation of Chrysippus's pos- ition on the Sorites has been presented, suggesting that Chrysippus offered a solu- tion to the Sorites by (i) takinfg an epistemicist position' which (ii) made allowances for higher-order vagueness. In this paper I argue (i) that Chrysippus did not take an epistemicist position, but-if any -a non-epistemic one which denies truth-values to some cases in a Sorites-series, and (ii) that it is uncertain whether and how he made allowances for higher-order vagueness, but if he did, this was not grounded on an epistemicist position.
Single Crystal Zirconia Thin Films from Liquid Precursors

Epitaxial, single-crystal films of ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3 ) were formed on (100) oriented single crystal substrates of ZrO 2 (9.5 mol% Y 2 O 3 ) using water-based solutions of zirconium acetate and yttrium nitrate as a precursor. Film compostions of ZrO 2 (0 - 40 mol% Y 2 O 3 ) were examined; since the lattice parameter of ZrO 2 (Y 2 O 3 ) increases with yttria content, the lattice mismatch was systematically varied to a maximum of 1.5%. Precursor films were deposited by spin coating, pyrolyzed, and held for 1 hour at 900°C, 1000°C, and 1100°C. X-ray diffraction showed that a strongly oriented film had developed after pyrolysis of the precursor. In addition, all samples, except those treated at 1100°C containing 6 – 15 mol% Y 2 O 3 , gave (111) peaks, indicating film polycrystallinity. Electron back-scattering patterns showed that epitaxial single crystals were formed at 1100°C for films containing 3 – 20 mol% Y 2 O 3 . Scanning electron microscopy showed that the epitaxial films had a porous structure. These results indicate that the epitaxy is a two-stage process: oriented nucleation upon pyrolysis, followed, for low mismatches, by subsequent consolidation into a single-crystal film above 1000°C.
Implications of the discrepancy between proton form-factor measurements

Recent polarization transfer measurements of the proton electromagnetic form factors yield very different results from previous Rosenbluth extractions. This inconsistency implies uncertainties in our knowledge of the form factors and raises questions about how to best combine data from these two techniques. If the discrepancy is due to missing corrections to the cross section data, as has been suggested, then the true form factors, related to the proton structure, differ from the form factors that parametrize the deviation from point scattering, and different applications will require the use of different form factors. We present two extractions of the form factors: a global fit to the world’s cross section data, and a combined extraction from polarization transfer and cross section data. The former provides a parametrization of the elastic electron-proton cross section. The latter provides a consistent extraction of the underlying form factors, under the assumption that missing terms in the radiative correction explain the difference between the cross section and polarization transfer results.
Dabigatran for mechanical valves.

Effective long-term oral anticoagulant therapy is required in patients who have received mechanical heart valves to reduce the risk of thromboembolism. Patients with mechanical heart valves are at high risk for cardioembolic stroke due to thrombus formation on the valve’s surface. Numerous factors impact the overall risk for thrombosis, including the valve position, valve design, and additional patient risk factors such as AF or prior history of thromboembolism. Based on the findings of the only prospective study to date, dabigatran should not be used for mechanical valve prophylaxis due to a risk of higher thromboembolic events and excess bleeding. Nonetheless, it is important to keep in mind that this study does not definitively prove a total lack of efficacy of dabigatran for valve prophylaxis but rather demonstrates that the dosing strategy used was ineffective. It is also possible that other TSOACs such as the factor Xa inhibitors rivaroxaban and apixaban might prove beneficial, but unfortunately no studies have been completed. Thus, for the forseeable future, warfarin remains the only viable oral anticoagulant for prophylaxis in patients with mechanical heart valves. In view of the large number of patients with valvular disease, the complexity of taking warfarin, and the potential advantages of the newer agents, additional studies are clearly justified to further determine the effectiveness of alternative agents. Due to the high potential for serious and often fatal outcomes in these patients when prophylaxis is inadequate, it is imperative that pharmacists keep abreast of emerging information and monitor patients closely for appropriate therapy.
Probing the S1/S1' substrate binding pocket geometry of HIV-1 protease with modified aspartic acid analogues

Aspartates 25 and 125, the active site residues of HIV-1 protease, participate functionally in proteolysis by what is believed to be a general acid-general base mechanism. However, the structural role that these residues may play in the formation and maintenance of the neighboring S1/S1' substrate binding pockets remains largely unstudied. Because the active site aspartic acids are essential for catalysis, alteration of these residues to any other naturally occurring amino acid by conventional site-directed mutagenesis renders the protease inactive, and hence impossible to characterize functionally. To investigate whether Asp-25 and Asp-125 may also play a structural role that influences substrate processing, a series of active site protease mutants has been produced in a cell-free protein synthesizing system via readthrough of mRNA nonsense (UAG) codons by chemically misacylated suppressor tRNAs. The suppressor tRNAs were activated with the unnatural aspartic acid analogues erythro-beta-methylaspartic acid, threo-beta-methylaspartic acid, or beta,beta-dimethylaspartic acid. On the basis of the specific activity measurements of the mutants that were produced, the introduction of the beta-methyl moiety was found to alter protease function to varying extents depending upon its orientation. While a beta-methyl group in the erythro orientation was the least deleterious to the specific activity of the protease, a beta-methyl group in the threo orientation, present in the modified proteins containing threo-beta-methylaspartate and beta,beta-dimethylaspartate, resulted in specific activities between 0 and 45% of that of the wild type depending upon the substrate and the substituted active site position. Titration studies of pH versus specific activity and inactivation studies, using an aspartyl protease specific suicide inhibitor, demonstrated that the mutant proteases maintained bell-shaped pH profiles, as well as suicide-inhibitor susceptibilities that are characteristic of aspartyl proteases. A molecular dynamics simulation of the beta-substituted aspartates in position 25 of HIV-1 protease indicated that the threo-beta-methyl moiety may partially obstruct the adjacent S1' binding pocket, and also cause reorganization within the pocket, especially with regard to residues Val-82 and Ile-84. This finding, in conjunction with the biochemical studies, suggests that the active site aspartate residues are in proximity to the S1/S1' binding pocket and may be spatially influenced by the residues presented in these pockets upon substrate binding. It thus seems possible that the catalytic residues cooperatively interact with the residues that constitute the S1/S1' binding pockets and can be repositioned during substrate binding to orient the active site carboxylates with respect to the scissile amide bond, a process that likely affects the facility of proteolysis.
Data for mitochondrial proteomic alterations in the developing rat brain.

Mitochondria are a critical organelle involved in many cellular processes, and due to the nature of the brain, neuronal cells are almost completely reliant on these organelles for energy generation. Due to the fact that biomedical research tends to investigate disease state pathogenesis, one area of mitochondrial research commonly overlooked is homeostatic responses to energy demands. Therefore, to elucidate mitochondrial alterations occurring during the developmentally important phase of E18 to P7 in the brain, we quantified the proteins in the mitochondrial proteome as well as proteins interacting with the mitochondria. We identified a large number of significantly altered proteins involved in a variety of pathways including glycolysis, mitochondrial trafficking, mitophagy, and the unfolded protein response. These results are important because we identified alterations thought to be homeostatic in nature occurring within mitochondria, and these results may be used to identify any abnormal deviations in the mitochondrial proteome occurring during this period of brain development. A more comprehensive analysis of this data may be obtained from the article “Proteomic analysis of mitochondria from embryonic and postnatal rat brains reveals response to developmental changes in energy demands” in the Journal of Proteomics.
Correcting for On-Site Sampling in Random Utility Models

This study demonstrates how the joint distribution of a set of conditional trip counts to a system of recreation-sites can be adjusted for on-site sampling. An econometric approach is proposed that addresses both the size-biased distribution of the sampled visits and the weighted distribution of reported visits to ancillary destinations in a multivariate random utility framework. Estimation results indicate that uncorrected models produce biased estimates of trip counts and welfare measures. The empirical application examines jet skiing in the Lake Tahoe region.
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Increased numbers of diagnostic ERCPs will be performed in ambulatory surgery units because the patient's needs can be accommodated safely and efficiently in outpatient care centers, and insurance carriers and Medicare providers currently have guidelines for reimbursement purposes only if the patient has the procedure as an outpatient.
The parameterization of surface albedo for sea ice and its snow cover

The factors determining the albedo of sea ice and its snow cover, including spectral characteristics, are reviewed. The thickness, properties and fractional cover of snow are of general importance. During freeze-up, ice thickness is a major determinant and, in summer, the extent and depth of melt ponds. The effects of sky conditions and surface impurities are also examined. In situ and remote-sensing data to validate theoretical and model results are discussed. The current parameterizations adopted in atmospheric GCMs are compared and new directions described.
Selecting discriminating terms for bug assignment: a formal analysis

Background. The bug assignment problem is the problem of triaging new bug reports to the most qualified developer. The qualified developer is the one who has enough knowledge in a specific area that is relevant to the reported bug. In recent years, bug triaging has received a considerable amount of attention from researchers. In previous work, bugs were represented as vectors of terms extracted from the bug reports' description. Once the bugs are represented as vectors in the terms space, traditional machine learning techniques are employed for the bug assignment. Most of the previous algorithms are marred by low accuracy values. Aims. This paper formulates the bug assignment problem as a classification task, and then examines the impact of several term selection approaches on the classification effectiveness. Method. Three variants selection methods that are based on the Log Odds Ratio (LOR) score are compared against methods that are based on the Information Gain (IG) score and Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA). The main difference in the methods that are based on the LOR score is in the process of selecting the terms. Results. Term selection techniques that are based on the Log Odds Ratio achieved up to 30% improvement in the precision and up to 5% higher in recall compared to other term selection methods such as Latent Semantic Analysis and Information Gain. Conclusions. Experimental results showed that the effectiveness of bug assignment methods is directly affected by the selected terms that are used in the classification methods.
Studies on the protein in soybean hypocotyl

Abstract Two methods for separation of soybean hypocotyl are described. Solubility data are presented for the nitrogen constituents of hypocotyl extracts. Experiments indicate that removal of phytic acid is responsible for the shift in the pH of minimum solubility of hypocotyl proteins to higher values. Electrophoretic studies indicate that the interaction of phytic acid with components of the acid-precipitated protein greatly modifies its electrophoretic behavior; the major component, when phytate-free, contains two electrophoretically distinct proteins. Ultracentrifugal studies at pH 7.6 show the presence of three resolvable fractions having s 20 values of 2 S , 5 S , and 10 S , and at pH 3.0 two resolvable fractions having s 20 values of 2 S and 6 S . A comparison of the solubility and of the electrophoretic and ultracentrifugal properties of acid-precipitated proteins of the hypocotyl and cotyledon has disclosed similar as well as different properties.
The Influences of Faculty on Undergraduate Student Participation in Research and Creative Activities.

Using data collected from surveys of college juniors and seniors and faculty members in related academic departments, this study examined whether faculty teaching and research orientations, as well as faculty external funding, had any impact on undergraduate student participation in research and creative activities. The results of the study indicated that faculty research orientation and external funding were indeed positively related to student participation in research activities. However, faculty members’ teaching orientation was not significant. Further analyses indicated that faculty teaching and research orientations had different impacts on a range of research and creative activities by undergraduate students. The findings from this study provide insight on ways of improving college teaching and learning as well as informing the development of institutional academic policies related to faculty and undergraduate education.
PHOTOSENSITIVITY OF ARTIFICIAL BILAYER MEMBRANES: LIPID-CHLOROPHYLL INTERACTION

— The interaction between lipid and chlorophyll in the photosensitive model bilayer membranes was studied by investigating the effects of the hydrocarbon chain length (6–20 carbons), degree of saturation (0–3 double bonds), and head group character of a series of synthetic and natural lipids on the membrane photoresponse. The results suggest, as a general phenomenon, that any stable membrane formed in the lipid-chlorophyll a-β-carotene system is photosensitive regardless of the type of lipid in the membrane. The magnitude of the photoresponse (ΔV) varies for different lipids, and membranes containing natural phospholipids have a higher ΔV. The presence of chlorophyll a in a lipid solution enhances the lipid membrane stability.
Positivity-preserving high order discontinuous Galerkin schemes for compressible Euler equations with source terms

In 16,17], we constructed uniformly high order accurate discontinuous Galerkin (DG) schemes which preserve positivity of density and pressure for the Euler equations of compressible gas dynamics with the ideal gas equation of state. The technique also applies to high order accurate finite volume schemes. For the Euler equations with various source terms (e.g., gravity and chemical reactions), it is more difficult to design high order schemes which do not produce negative density or pressure. In this paper, we first show that our framework to construct positivity-preserving high order schemes in 16,17] can also be applied to Euler equations with a general equation of state. Then we discuss an extension to Euler equations with source terms. Numerical tests of the third order Runge-Kutta DG (RKDG) method for Euler equations with different types of source terms are reported.
The Role of Self-Efficacy in Assisting Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease to Manage Breathing Difficulty:

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in self-efficacy after attending a pulmonary rehabilitation program. Twenty-nine subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were enrolled in the program, which was designed to increase patients' confidence in their own ability to manage or avoid breathing difficulty in certain situations. Results showed a significant improvement (p < .05) in scores on the COPD Self-Efficacy Scale between preprogram and postprogram attendance. These findings were still evident at 6 months following program attendance. Incorporation of self-efficacy theory should be considered in the rehabilitation of individuals with COPD.
Transcatheter occlusion of the left atrial appendage—Experimental testing of a new amplatzer device†

Objectives This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of implanting a new nitinol device in the left atrial appendage (LAA) in a canine model. Background Left atrial thrombus occurs in the LAA in 90% of humans with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods The Amplatzer Left Atrial Appendage Occluder Device now known as the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (Amplatzer Medical LLC, Plymouth MN) is a new transcatheter Nitinol device containing polyester fabric designed to seal the LAA. The device was implanted in 10 canines with immediate, approximately 30 and approximately 90-day follow-up by echocardiography, angiography, and final pathological examination. Results The device was successfully implanted in all animals and found to be retrievable and repositionable. There was complete occlusion of the LAA in all cases without embolization. There was no thrombus formation on the device and no pericardial effusion or impingement on the circumflex coronary artery, mitral valve, or left pulmonary vein. A single instance of tiny left atrial mural thrombus at device end screw contact was attributed to the small canine left atrium. Conclusions The success of this animal study confirms safety and feasibility of the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug. Human trials are warranted.
A parallel algorithm for partially separable non-convex global minimization: Linear constraints

The global minimization of large-scale partially separable non-convex problems over a bounded polyhedral set using a parallel branch and bound approach is considered. The objective function consists of a separable concave part, an unseparated convex part, and a strictly linear part, which are all coupled by the linear constraints. These large-scale problems are characterized by having the number of linear variables much greater than the number of nonlinear variables. An important special class of problems which can be reduced to this form are the synomial global minimization problems. Such problems often arise in engineering design, and previous computational methods for such problems have been limited to the convex posynomial case. In the current work, a convex underestimating function to the objective function is easily constructed and minimized over the feasible domain to get both upper and lower bounds on the global minimum function value. At each minor iteration of the algorithm, the feasible domain is divided into subregions and convex underestimating problems over each subregion are solved in parallel. Branch and bound techniques can then be used to eliminate parts of the feasible domain from consideration and improve the upper and lower bounds. It is shown that the algorithm guarantees that a solution is obtained to within any specified tolerance in a finite number of steps. Computational results obtained on the four processor Cray 2, both sequentially and in parallel on all four processors, are also presented.
General relativistic core collapse with a soft nuclear equation of state

Abstract Even with a relatively compressible nuclear equation of state and general relativity dynamics, the collapse of a 1.35 M ⊙ iron core leads to a stalled shock. With a synthetic core of very low mass and entropy, a mild explosion is obtained, but, even then, only by neglect of neutrino-electron scattering. When neutrino transport is treated realistically, neutrino trapping is not reached until density 10 12 g cm −3 .
The MECP2 Duplication Syndrome

In this review, we detail the history, molecular diagnosis, epidemiology, and clinical features of the MECP2 duplication syndrome, including considerations for the care of patients with this X-linked neurodevelopmental disorder. MECP2 duplication syndrome is 100% penetrant in affected males and is associated with infantile hypotonia, severe to profound mental retardation, autism or autistic features, poor speech development, recurrent infections, epilepsy, progressive spasticity, and, in some cases, developmental regression. Most of the reported cases are inherited, however, de novo cases have been documented. While carrier females have been reported to be unaffected, more recent research demonstrates that despite normal intelligence, female carriers display a range of neuropsychiatric phenotypes that pre-date the birth of an affected son. Given what we know of the syndrome to date, we propose that genetic testing is warranted in cases of males with infantile hypotonia and in cases of boys with mental retardation and autistic features with or without recurrent infections, progressive spasticity, epilepsy, or developmental regression. We discuss recommendations for clinical management and surveillance as well as the need for further clinical, genotype-phenotype, and molecular studies to assist the patients and their families who are affected by this syndrome.
Determinants of Peritoneal Dialysis Technique Failure in Incident US Patients

ObjectivesSwitching from peritoneal dialysis (PD) to hemodialysis (HD) is undesirable, because of complications from temporary vascular access, disruption of daily routine, and higher costs. Little...
The Impact of Employment and Earnings Shocks on Contribution Behavior in Defined Contribution Plans: 2005–2009

This article investigates the relationship between job changes and earnings changes and workers’ participation and contributions to defined contribution (DC) plans. We use longitudinal information from Social Security W-2 taxrecords matched to a nationally representative sample of respondents from the Survey of Income and Program Participation. Our findings reveal that both job changes and earnings losses lead to an increase in the probability of stopping contributions and to a decrease in contribution amounts and contribution rates. This pattern was true not only during the Great Recession of 2007-2009 but also during the nonrecessionary period prior to it, suggesting that contributions to DC plans are not necessarily driven by inertia but instead are quite dynamic and vary over time. Our simulations indicate that observed changes in contributions during the Great Recession are likely to have a nontrivial impact on retirement preparedness of future retirees, particularly for those who experienced job changes.
Some Observations on the Fine Structure of the Midgut of the Mite Anystis sp.

Cells of the midgut wall, originally squamous, enlarge to a tall, pyramidal shape, subsequently detach from the wall, enlarge further, become rounded, and undergo cytoplasmic and nuclear degeneration. Guanine spheroids, moderately dense inclusions, “star-shaped” bodies, and vacuolated dense bodies occur in epithelial stages. During successive stages in degeneration, the dense inclusions become transformed into homogeneous dense bodies, and irregular, membrane-bound masses of dense, granular deposits develop. Guanine sphroids and mitochondria persist, apparently unaltered, during the degeneration of the cells. Ultimately, the lumen of the midgut appears nearly occluded by the degenerating cells containing dense granular deposits, dense bodies, mitochondria, and guanine spheroids; other cellular constituents are obliterated. Supplemental observations on the midgut contents of the larger trombidiform mite Dinothrombium magnificum (LeConte) suggest that the dense bodies in the midgut contents of Anystis sp. may be chromolipid in nature. Speculations are advanced toward accounting for the transformation of midgut cells and the development of granular deposits.
“Pando” Lives: Molecular Genetic Evidence of a Giant Aspen Clone in Central Utah

While clones of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides, Michx.) in the Intermountain West of North America are expected to be large, one putative genet in central Utah, identified from morphological evidence, has gar- nered particular attention for its size, even gaining the nickname "Pando" (Latin for "I spread"). In order to determine if a single genetic individual coincides with the morphological boundary of "Pando," we sampled 209 stems on a 50-m grid throughout the putative clone for analysis at 7 microsatellite loci. We have identified a single genetic entity concurrent with that described from morphological characteristics. Spatial analyses indicate that the clone covers approximately 43.6 ha. Surprisingly, an additional 40 genotypes were identified adjacent to the putative clone, indicating that genet diversity may be high in the stand as a whole. In confirming the existence of the "Pando" clone, we suggest that this organism will provide valuable opportunities to study important biological processes such as clonal growth, somatic mutation, and senescence.
Fabrication and Characterization of Micro-Orifices for Diesel Fuel Injectors

Stringent emission standards are driving the development of diesel-fuel injection concepts to mitigate in-cylinder formation of particulates. While research has demonstrated significant reduction in particulate formation using micro-orifice technology, implementation requires development of industrial processes to fabricate micro-orifices with diameters as low as 50 gmm and with large length-to-diameter ratios. This paper reviews the different processes being pursued to fabricate micro-orifices and the advanced techniques applied to characterize the performance of micro-orifices. The latter include the use of phase-contrast x-ray imaging of electroless nickel-plated, micro-orifices and laser imaging of fuel sprays at elevated pressures. The experimental results demonstrate an industrially viable process to create small uniform orifices that improve spray formation for fuel injection.
Investigating Notetaking and Review: A Depth of Processing Alternative

Much of the research on notetaking has distinguished and compared its process and product functions. Conclusions are that the act of notetaking is beneficial independent of review (the process function), and that the review of notes is additionally beneficial (the product function). Although such research informs us that these activities are effective, it fails to explain how learners should take notes and how notes should be reviewed. A depth of processing framework that can lead to more functional implications is proposed for reassessing and for redirecting the investigation of notetaking and review. Essentially, the framework specifies that levels of notetaking and/or review should be manipulated and examined with regard to levels of learning outcomes. Presently, few studies conform to these guidelines, but those that do provide more specific instructional implications. This article concludes with an account of these implications and with guidelines for investigating depth of processing during notetaki...
A hybrid microwave / acoustic communication scheme — Thermoacoustic communication

A hybrid wireless communication approach, thermoacoustic communication (TAC), is introduced. Based on thermoacoustic effect, TAC is able to directly convert electromagnetic energy into acoustic energy without involving any intermediate device. Detailed description of TAC working principles is provided. A proof-of-concept experiment is performed to demonstrate the TAC concept.
Erratum and Addendum to “A note on Burgers' equation with time delay: Instability via finite-time blow-up” [Phys. Lett. A 372 (2008) 6363]

Abstract I point out and examine an error in my derivation of the instability result presented in [P.M. Jordan, Phys. Lett. A 372 (2008) 6363]. Based on this analysis, I then show that the Cole–Hopf transformation can, in fact, be used to obtain an exact, time-harmonic plane wave-type solution to a form of Burgers' equation with time delay, provided the frequency assumes a particular value.
The association between blood pressure and years of schooling versus educational credentials: test of the sheepskin effect.

Purpose Attaining a degree may offer greater opportunities for health than years of schooling alone. This study examines whether there is a degree, or “sheepskin,” effect on the association between education and blood pressure. Methods Multivariable-adjusted ordinal and linear regression models assessed associations of years of schooling and degree attainment with systolic and diastolic blood pressure in a sample of 552 adults ages 38 to 47 years. Results Years of schooling was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure adjusting for age, gender and race (β = −0.4, 95% confidence limit: −0.7, −0.1 mmHg systolic blood pressure/year of schooling). Additional adjustment for mother’s education, childhood verbal intelligence quotient, childhood health, and childhood socioeconomic status had minimal impact on effect size (β = −0.3, 95% confidence limit = −0.7, 0.0). However, years of schooling was no longer associated with blood pressure in the fully adjusted model which included additional adjustment for degree attained (β = 0.0, 95% confidence limit: −0.5, 0.4). In the fully adjusted model (including adjustment for years of schooling), individuals with a graduate degree still had significantly lower systolic blood pressure than HS degree-holders (e.g., β = −9.2, 95% confidence limit: −15.2, −3.2 for graduate vs high school degree). Findings were similar for diastolic blood pressure. Conclusions The association of years of schooling with blood pressure may be largely due to degree attainment rather than simply the knowledge and skills accumulated due to years of schooling alone.
Shared Decision Making for Treatment of Cancer: Challenges and Opportunities

Treatment recommendations are based on complicated clinical information that is revealed variably over time after initial diagnosis. Integrating this information into a treatment plan is challenging, as different specialists direct the various treatments.
Use of Surface Plasmon-Coupled Emission to Measure DNA Hybridization

The authors describe a new approach to measuring DNA hybridization based on surface plasmon-coupled emission (SPCE). SPCE is the resonance coupling of excited fluorophores with electron motions in thin metal films, resulting in efficient transfer of energy through the film and radiation into the glass substrate. The authors evaluated the use of SPCE for detection of DNA hybridization. An unlabeled capture biotinylated oligonucleotide was attached near the surface of a thin (50 nm) silver film using streptavidin. The authors then measured the emission intensity of single-stranded Cy5-labeled DNA upon binding to a complementary oligomer attached to a silver film. Hybridization could be detected by an increase in SPCE, which appeared as light radiated into the substrate at a sharply defined angle near 73 degrees from the normal. The largest signals were observed when the excitation angle of incidence equaled the surface plasmon wavelength, but directional emission was also observed without excitation by the surface plasmon evanescent field. The increased intensity is due to proximity to the metal surface, so that hybridization can be detected without a change in the quantum yield of the fluorophore. These results indicate that SPCE can provide highly sensitive real-time measurement of DNA hybridization.
Pre-TCRα and TCRα Are Not Interchangeable Partners of TCRβ during T Lymphocyte Development

In contrast with the αβ T cell receptor (TCR), the pre-TCR spontaneously segregates to membrane rafts from where it signals in a cell-autonomous fashion. The disparate behaviors of these two receptors may stem either from differences inherent to the distinct developmental stages during which they are expressed, or from features intrinsic and unique to the receptor components themselves. Here, we express TCRα precisely at the pre-TCR checkpoint, at levels resembling those of endogenous pre-TCRα (pTα), and in the absence of endogenous pTα. Both in isolation and more dramatically when in competition with pTα, TCRα induced defective proliferation, survival, and differentiation of αβ T lymphocyte precursors, as well as impaired commitment to the αβ T lymphocyte lineage. Substitution of TCRα transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains with those of pTα generated a hybrid molecule possessing enhanced competitive abilities. We conclude that features intrinsic to the pre-TCR, which are absent in TCRα, are essential for its unique function.
Using satellite radar data to map and monitor variations in Great Lakes ice cover

Satellite-borne radars, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and scatterometer data, are used to classify and map Great Lakes ice cover and to derive freeze-up date, breakup date, and ice cover duration. These are important indicators of regional climatic conditions.