cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Telomere Dysfunction Induced Foci (TIF) Analysis

Telomerase maintains telomeric DNA in eukaryotes during early developments, ~90% of cancer cells and some proliferative stem like cells. Telomeric repeats at the end of chromosomes are associated with the shelterin complex. This complex consists of TRF1, TRF2, Rap1, TIN2, TPP1, POT1 which protect DNA from being recognized as DNA double-stranded breaks. Critically short telomeres or impaired shelterin proteins can cause telomere dysfunction, which eventually induces DNA damage responses at the telomeres. DNA damage responses can be identified by antibodies to 53BP1, gammaH2AX, Rad17, ATM, and Mre11. DNA damage foci at uncapped telomeres are referred to as Telomere dysfunction-Induced Foci (TIFs) (de Lange, 2005; Takai et al., 2003). The TIF assay is based on the co-localization detection of DNA damage by an antibody against DNA damage markers, such as gamma-H2AX, and telomeres using an antibody against one of the shelterin proteins such as TRF2 (Takai et al., 2003; de Lange, 2002; Karlseder et al., 1999). The method we describe here can be used in normal human and cancer cells. Other commonly used methods-Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF) Analysis (Mender and Shay, 2015b) and Telomere Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) (Mender and Shay, 2015a)- in telomere biology can be found by clicking on the indicated links.
A Performance-Based Regulatory Program for Phosphorus Control to Prevent the Accelerated Eutrophication of Lake Okeechobee, Florida

Following 15 years of data collection, field studies, and modeling efforts, the State of Florida in 1987 legislatively mandated the South Florida Water Management District, a regional water management agency, to create and implement a plan to reduce average annual inputs of total phosphorus to Lake Okeechobee by 40 percent. One element of the resulting plan was the creation and implementation of a performance-based regulatory program that set phosphorus discharge limitations for all parcels of land equal to or greater than 1/2 acre in size in almost all of the 1,735,000 acres of the lake's 31 tributary drainage basins. Owners of non-complying parcels are required to take measures to bring the parcels into compliance. This regulatory program, coupled with concurrent cost-share incentive programs and ongoing research efforts, has resulted in a decrease in phosphorus concentrations from individual properties and at some tributary discharge locations to the lake. This effort demonstrates that where there is sufficient historical information, scientific application of state-of-the-art modeling techniques, a political will, and appropriate powers vested in the institutions to take and enforce actions, such programs can be implemented and have positive effects on reducing non-point source pollutants.
The Nobility of Soul: Uncharted Echoes of the Peraldean Tradition in Late Medieval German Literature

This study traces the concept of the “nobility of soul” in the late Middle Ages, with special reference to Geoffrey Chaucer, Heinrich von Langenstein and Michel Beheim. The chief ideas were transmitted by the French Dominican Guillelmus Peraldus (Guillaume Peyraut).
Verbal Learning and Memory Enhancement Strategies in Schizophrenia: A Randomized, Controlled Investigation.

Objectives: Verbal episodic memory is a key domain of impairment in people with schizophrenia with close ties to a variety of aspects of functioning and therapeutic treatment response. A randomized, blinded trial of two mnemonic strategies for verbal episodic memory deficits for people with schizophrenia was conducted. Methods: Sixty-one people with schizophrenia were assigned to one of three experimental conditions: training in a mnemonic strategy that included both visualization and narrative structure (Story Method), a condition in which participants were trained to visualize words interacting with one another (Imagery), or a non-trained control condition in which participants received equivalent exposure to training word lists and other verbal memory assessments administered in the other two conditions, but without provision of any compensatory mnemonic strategy. Participants were assessed on improvements in recall of the word list used as part of training, as well as two, standardized verbal memory assessments which included stimuli not used as part of strategy training. Results: The Story Method produced improvements on a trained word list that generalized to a non-trained, prose memory task at a 1-week follow-up. In contrast, provision of a mnemonic strategy of simple visualization of words produced little improvement on word recall of trained words or on measures of generalization relative to the performance of participants in the control condition. Conclusions: These findings support the inclusion of enriched mnemonic strategies consisting of both visualization and narrative structure in sustained and comprehensive programs of CR for enhancement of verbal episodic memory in schizophrenia. (JINS, 2017, 23, 352–357)
Understanding Where You Came From

Your journey into the world of teaching is unique to you. It likely started very early in life. You have been a student in the classroom for over 14 years, and possibly closer to 20. During those years you have been an apprentice, observing and studying at the feet of those professionals our society has deemed worthy.
Combatting Jihadist Terrorism: A Quality-of-Life Perspective

Many scholars and commentators have written on ways to counteract acts of terrorism initiated by Islamist militants associated with Jihadist groups operating predominantly in the Middle East and North Africa Region (hereafter the MENA region). Most of what has been published in the academic literature with respect to slowing, eventually stopping, the rate of Islamist-inspired terrorism has focused on short-term public safety solutions to the problem. In this paper, we build a quality-of-life model to address the drivers of Jihadist terrorism and deduce the underlying factors that contribute to counterterrorism programs directly from our understanding of these drivers. Specifically, we provide suggestive evidence to show increased incidence of Jihadist terrorism is mostly motivated by increased negative sentiment of aggrieved Muslims toward their more affluent Western neighbors. This negative sentiment is influenced by a host of quality-of-life factors: economic ill-being factors (e.g., income disparities, poverty, and unemployment; and disparities in technological innovation), political ill-being factors (e.g., authoritarian tribal and exclusionary regimes), religious ill-being factors (e.g., increased Islamic religiosity, and lack of secularism), globalization and media ill-being factors (e.g., the global media), and cultural ill-being factors (e.g., perceived decadence of Western culture, and Western prejudice and discrimination). More effective counterterrorism strategies are deduced directly from understanding how these quality-of-life factors influence increased incidence of Jihadist terrorism.
Disruption of blood meal-responsive serpins prevents Ixodes scapularis from feeding to repletion.

Abstract Serine p rotease inhibitors (serpins) are thought to mediate the tick’s evasion of the host’s serine protease-mediated defense pathways such as inflammation and blood clotting. This study describes characterization and target validation of 11 blood meal-responsive serpins that are associated with nymph and adult Ixodes scapularis tick feeding as revealed by quantitative (q)RT-PCR and RNAi silencing analyses. Given the high number of targets, we used combinatorial (co) RNAi silencing to disrupt candidate serpins in two groups (G): seven highly identical and four non-identical serpins based on amino acid identities, here after called GI and GII respectively. We show that injection of both GI and GII co-dsRNA into unfed nymph and adult I. scapularis ticks triggered suppression of cognate serpin mRNA. We show that disruption of GII, but not GI serpins significantly reduced feeding efficiency of both nymph and adult I. scapularis ticks. Knockdown of GII serpin transcripts caused significant respective mortalities of ≤40 and 71% of nymphal and adult ticks that occurred within 24–48 h of attachment. This is significant, as the observed lethality preceded the tick feeding period when transmission of tick borne pathogens is predominant. We suspect that some of the GII serpins (S9, S17, S19 and S32) play roles in the tick detachment process in that upon detachment, mouthparts of GII co-dsRNA injected were covered with a whitish gel-like tissue that could be the tick cement cone. Normally, ticks do not retain tissue on their mouthparts upon detachment. Furthermore, disruption of GII serpins reduced tick blood meal sizes and the adult tick’s ability to convert the blood meal to eggs. We discuss our data with reference to tick feeding physiology and conclude that some of the GII serpins are potential targets for anti-tick vaccine development.
Design Criteria for Medical Bragg Imaging

We have built a Bragg imaging system using carefully designed cylindrical and spherical lenses essentially free of spherical aberrations. We are particularly interested in applying the system to medical applications and have therefore restricted ourselves to low frequencies of ultrasound (1–5 MHz). The system has been used to obtain transmitted and reflected images. In addition to images, quantitative data on the light intensity in the image as a function of sound intensity have been obtained, Engineering data on the optical mounting and transducer are also discussed.
What do you want to know? Operative experience predicts the type of questions practicing surgeons ask during a CME laparoscopic hernia repair course.

Abstract Background Given their variegated backgrounds, surgeons taking continuing medical education (CME) courses possess different learning needs. This study examines the relationship between surgeons’ levels of experience and the questions they asked in a simulation-based CME course. Methods We analyzed transcribed audio-video data collected from surgeons participating in a simulated laparoscopic hernia repair CME course and identified four types of questions learners posed to their instructors. Linear regressions compared how often these questions were asked versus self-reported operative experience. Results Both Requesting Guidance and Requesting Confirmation were inversely proportional to experience, whereas Asking About a Specific Case was directly proportional to experience. Requesting Instructor Preference exhibited no significant correlation with experience. Conclusion Practicing surgeons with relatively less experience tend to ask for confirmation and guidance, whereas those with greater experience tend to focus on specific hypothetical scenarios. This data can be used to tailor instruction based on learners’ self-reported experience level.
Sequence-specific preconcentration of a mutation prone KRAS fragment from plasma using ion-tagged oligonucleotides coupled to qPCR compatible magnetic ionic liquid solvents.

Abstract Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a source of mutant DNA found in plasma and holds great promise in guiding cancer diagnostics, prognostics, and treatment. However, ctDNA fragments are challenging to detect in plasma due to their low abundance compared to wild-type DNA. In this study, a series of ion-tagged oligonucleotides (ITO) were synthesized using thiol-ene click chemistry and designed to selectively anneal target DNA. The ITO-DNA duplex was subsequently captured using a hydrophobic magnetic ionic liquid (MIL) as a liquid support. Extracted target DNA was quantified by adding the DNA-enriched MIL to the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) buffer to streamline the extraction procedure. Clinically relevant concentrations of the mutation prone KRAS fragment, which has been linked to colorectal, lung, and bladder cancer, were preconcentrated using the ITO-MIL strategy allowing for enrichment factors as high as 19.49 ± 1.44 from pure water and 4.02 ± 0.50 from 10-fold diluted plasma after a 1 min extraction. Preconcentration could only be achieved when adding the ITO probe to the sample validating the selectivity of the ITO in the capture process. In addition, the amplification efficiency of qPCR was not affected when performing extractions from a diluted-plasma matrix demonstrating that the ITO-MIL approach coupled to direct-qPCR can be used to quantitate DNA from complex matrices. In comparison, commercially available steptavidin-coated magnetic beads were observed to lose selectivity when performing extractions from a 10-fold diluted plasma matrix. The selectivity of the ITO-MIL method, coupled with the ability to rapidly preconcentrate clinically relevant concentrations of target DNA from 10-fold diluted plasma, suggests that this method has the potential to be applied towards the extraction of ctDNA fragments from clinical samples.
In Vitro Quantification of Single Red Blood Cell Oxygen Saturation by Femtosecond Transient Absorption Microscopy.

Hemoglobin, the oxygen carrying protein, ferries nearly all bodily oxygen from the lungs to cells and tissues in need. Blood oxygen saturation (sO2) thus plays an important role in maintaining energy homeostasis throughout the body. Clinical and research tools have been developed to monitor sO2 at a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. However, real-time quantification of sO2 at single red blood cell (RBC) resolution remains challenging. Such capability is critically important to study energy metabolism in heterogeneous tissues including brain and tumor tissue. In this work, we develop a ratiometric transient absorption microscopy technique to image hemoglobin sO2. By exploiting differences in transient lifetime kinetics between oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, we directly quantified the sO2 of single RBCs in real-time without the need for injection of exogenous agents. This simple and high-speed nonlinear optical imaging technique is well suited for in vitro and in vivo quantification of sO2.
Reversible Reactions of Cycloalkane Solvent Holes. 2. Scavenging of cis- and trans-Decalin•+ by Benzene

Solvent holes in liquid cis- and trans-decalin form metastable complexes with benzene, which are probably solvation complexes of monomer radical cations of benzene. At 25 °C, the rate constants of ...
Cardiac Arrest Following Treatment With Diltiazem for Atrial Fibrillation With Rapid Ventricular Response

We present the case of a 43-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation and poor medical compliance who presented to the emergency department with palpitations for three hours. Electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response at 119 beats per minute. Following administration of diltiazem 10 mg IV, the patient became bradycardic with a rate of 30 beats per minute and complete atrioventricular node block. A subsequent ECG revealed asystole, and the patient became unresponsive. Chest compressions were administered, and the rhythm changed to ventricular tachycardia. There was spontaneous return of circulation without any further intervention. The patient eventually converted to sinus rhythm and was started on anticoagulation to prevent a thrombotic event. He was discharged the next day with apixaban and propafenone.
The Effect of Additives on the Performance and Failure Mechanisms of the Rechargeable, Low-Cost, Alkaline Zinc Electrode

Metallic zinc (Zn) is an attractive negative electrode material for rechargeable batteries because it is a non-toxic, non-flammable, earth abundant metal that is compatible with aqueous electrolytes. Zinc metal is also energy dense, exhibiting a high gravimetric discharge capacity of 820 mAh/g, a high volumetric discharge capacity of 5850 mAh/mL, and a low equilibrium potential of -1.35 V vs. mercury-mercuric oxide (Hg|HgO) in concentrated alkaline electrolyte. Rechargeable aqueous Zn alkaline batteries have thus recently been the subject of intense investigations for safe, low-cost, stationary electrochemical energy storage. Our research aims to achieve Zn depth-of-discharge (DOD) of 20% that is sustainable for 500 or more charge-discharge cycles, corresponding to an overall battery energy density of 200 Wh/L at the cell level.However, the cycle life of the porous Zn electrode in concentrated alkaline electrolyte is observed to decrease strongly with increasing Zn DOD. For example, we recently demonstrated that metallic Zn electrodes cycled in the range of 1% to 16% Zn DOD had an exponential decrease in cycle life with Zn DOD, which was attributed mostly to the loss of active Zn material. Here, we study the effect of additives to increase the Zn DOD and cycle life of Zn electrodes. Zinc oxide (ZnO) was used as a starting material from which metallic Zn was formed in zinc-nickel (Zn-Ni) batteries. Additives were incorporated into the ZnO electrodes for the tests done on Zn-Ni batteries and these electrodes were cycled in the range of 15% to 30% Zn DOD. The potential values of the Zn electrodes vs. Hg|HgO reference electrodes were recorded to identify failure due to Zn. At 15% Zn DOD, ZnO electrodes with certain additives or combinations of additives achieved an increased cycle life compared to Zn electrodes without additives. This highlights the need to perform electrochemical and spectroscopic studies to determine the effects of the additives on the mechanisms of the Zn electrode. These additives, with further understanding, could be implemented in low-cost, energy-dense, rechargeable Zn alkaline batteries for grid-scale energy storage.
The hydrogen-containing bronzes H0.23WO3 and H0.10ReO3 synthesized via a polymer route

Abstract We report the synthesis of two hydrogen-containing perovskite-type bronzes H0.23WO3 and H0.10ReO3 utilizing an unconventional solid-state synthetic approach, involving the use of the polymer Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (CH2CF2)n. Powder neutron diffraction at ambient temperature shows that H0.23WO3 crystallizes in a tetragonal symmetry distortion of the simple perovskite structure (space group P4/nmm), with lattice parameters a ​= ​5.2279(2) A, and c ​= ​3.8763(1) A. H0.10ReO3, in contrast, crystallizes in a monoclinic distortion of a simple cubic perovskite (space group P2/m), with lattice parameters a ​= ​5.3125(1) A, b ​= ​5.3155(3) A, c ​= ​3.7045(3) A, and γ ​= ​90.43(1)°. Both H0.23WO3 and H0.10ReO3 exhibit intrinsically diamagnetic behavior, with low temperature paramagnetic upturns and no signs of bulk superconductivity down to 0.35 ​K.
Mapping the Land Development Processes Using Data Transformation and Clustering Methods

Understanding the historical trend of land development provides an invaluable source of information for policy-makers, environmental planners, and regional scientists. This information is useful in the study of the impacts of past decisions and natural conditions on the patterns of the trend. In this study, we built a hybrid algorithm that benefits from various techniques of land change detection to map the land development process in a given region. Data transformation and band differencing were used to construct a new feature class from the temporal satellite data. For data of three consecutive decades, a pairwise comparison of images was conducted. A clustering algorithm was applied to the constructed feature class to identify the location of new land developments. The results indicate a user's and producer's accuracy of 90.3%. The findings of this study are useful in the study of historic trends in land development and its patterns.
Batching and Optimal Multi-stage Bipartite Allocations

In several applications of real-time matching of demand to supply in online marketplaces, the platform allows for some latency to batch the demand and improve the efficiency of the resulting matching. Motivated by these applications, we study the optimal trade-off between batching and inefficiency in the context of designing robust online allocations. In particular, we consider K-stage variants of the classic vertex weighted bipartite b-matching and AdWords problems in the adversarial setting, where online vertices arrive stage-wise and in K batches---in contrast to online arrival. Our main result for both problems is an optimal (1-(1-1/K)^K)-competitive (fractional) matching algorithm, improving the classic (1-1/e) competitive ratio bound known for the online variants of these problems (Mehta et al., 2007; Aggarwal et al., 2011). Our main technique at high-level is developing algorithmic tools to vary the trade-off between "greedy-ness'' and `"hedging" of the matching algorithm across stages. We rely on a particular family of convex-programming based matchings that distribute the demand in a specifically balanced way among supply in different stages, while carefully modifying the balancedness of the resulting matching across stages. More precisely, we identify a sequence of polynomials with decreasing degrees to be used as strictly concave regularizers of the maximum weight matching linear program to form these convex programs. At each stage, our fractional multi-stage algorithm returns the corresponding regularized optimal solution as the matching of this stage (by solving the convex program). By providing structural decomposition of the underlying graph using the optimal solutions of these convex programs and recursively connecting the regularizers together, we develop a new multi-stage primal-dual framework to analyze the competitive ratio of this algorithm. We further show this algorithm is optimal competitive, even in the unweighted case, by providing an upper-bound instance in which no online algorithm obtains a competitive ratio better than (1-(1-1/K)^K). We extend our results to integral allocations in the vertex weighted b-matching problem with large budgets, and in the AdWords problem with small bid over budget ratios.
The impact of preoperative motor weakness on postoperative opioid use after ACDF.

Abstract This study aims to determine if preoperative weakness is an isolated risk factor for prolonged postoperative opioid use after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Patients with preoperative weakness were significantly more likely to have prolonged and inappropriate opioid use and have a single prescription mean morphine equivalent (MME) ≥ 200. Logistic regression isolated preoperative weakness, opioid tolerance, depression, and VAS Neck pain as independent predictors of extended opioid use. High postoperative opioid dose (MME ≥ 90) correlated with opioid tolerance, younger age, male sex, greater CCI, prior cervical surgery, and preoperative VAS Neck pain on regression.
Patients with endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia do not need routine lymph node sampling

Objectives: The use of sentinel lymph node (SLN) protocols in endometrial cancer has emerged as a standard of care for staging invasive endometrial cancers, while in endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN), their role is not well defined. We sought to identify preoperative characteristics that may predict the presence of concurrent endometrial cancer at the time of hysterectomy in order to identify who may benefit from nodal assessment at the time of hysterectomy. Methods: Using billing codes for EIN or complex endometrial hyperplasia, we identified all patients with a pre-operative diagnosis of EIN from 2010 through 2020. Those who subsequently underwent surgical management (i.e. minimally invasive or open hysterectomy±adnexal surgery and±lymph node dissection) were included in this analysis. Patients were excluded if they opted for medical management or if subsequent pathology review indicated an alternative preoperative diagnosis. Data was abstracted from medical records. Data are presented as n (%) and median (interquartile range); we used modified Poisson regression to calculate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Download : Download high-res image (325KB) Download : Download full-size image Results: Of the 492 patients with a diagnosis of EIN, 378 patients underwent hysterectomy. Surgical pathology revealed 275 (73%) had EIN or no residual disease, and 103 (27%) had endometrial cancer. Age (p=0.003), race (p=0.02), and concurrent diagnosis of hypertension (p=0.02) were significantly associated with the presence of endometrial cancer on final pathology. Notably, the median preoperative endometrial thickness was significantly greater in the endometrial cancer group [14mm (10-19)] than in the EIN group [11mm (8-16); p=0.002]. When dichotomizing endometrial thickness, patients with a preoperative endometrial stripe ≥15mm were 1.77 times more likely to have endometrial cancer than those with an endometrial stripe 50% myometrial invasion) disease, 30 (8%) patients had tumors > 2cm, 1 (0.3%) had grade 3 histology, and 3 (0.8%) had lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI). In this cohort, only 10 (3%) of patients underwent lymph node evaluation at time of surgery based on intra-operative factors, including frozen section. Conclusions: In a large cohort of patients with a preoperative diagnosis of EIN, 27% were found to have invasive carcinoma, but very few patients had pathologic features portending increased risk of nodal metastasis. Even fewer met intraoperative criteria for lymph node evaluation. Increasing endometrial thickness may be a useful pre-operative marker to identify who is at higher risk for concurrent endometrial cancer and could be considered a criterion for use of a sentinel lymph node algorithm in patients with EIN. Prospective studies are warranted.
The First Americans: Race, Evolution and the Origin of Native Americans

Prologue: The Kennewick Controversy Part I. Race and Variation: 1. Debating the origins of Native Americans 2. A brief history of race 3. Evolutionary approaches to human variation 4. Recent population variation in the Americas Part II. The Pleistocene Peopling of America: 5. The Pleistocene and Ice-Age environments 6. Ancient cultures and migration to the Americas 7. Kennewick Man and his contemporaries 8. Human variation in the Pleistocene Part III. The First Americans, Race and Evolution: 9. Racial models of Native American origins 10. Evolutionary models of Native American origins 11. The first Americans: Native American origins Bibliography.
Statistical analysis of crossed undulator for polarization control in a self-amplified spontaneous emission free electron laser

There is a growing interest in producing intense, coherent x-ray radiation with an adjustable and arbitrary polarization state. In this paper, we study the crossed undulator scheme (K.-J. Kim, Nucl. Instrum. Methods A 445, 329 (2000)) for rapid polarization control in a self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) free electron laser (FEL). Because a SASE source is a temporally chaotic light, we perform a statistical analysis on the state of polarization using FEL theory and simulations. We show that by adding a small phase shifter and a short (about 1.3 times the FEL power gain length), 90{sup o} rotated planar undulator after the main SASE planar undulator, one can obtain circularly polarized light--with over 80% polarization--near the FEL saturation.
Nietzsche and Buddhism: A Study in Nihilism and Ironic Affinities, by Robert G. Morrison

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Theological Studies at Digital Commons @ Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theological Studies Faculty Works by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Loyola Marymount University and Loyola Law School. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@lmu.edu. Repository Citation Fredericks, James L., "Nietzsche and Buddhism: A Study in Nihilism and Ironic Affinities, by Robert G. Morrison" (1999). Theological Studies Faculty Works. Paper 9. http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/theo_fac/9
Laboratory performance of sweeteners : Implications for recipe and menu development

Abstract The purpose of this research was to study the laboratory performance of alternative sweeteners and their combination in three baked desserts (muffins, pound cakes, and cocoa cupcakes). The sweeteners which were studied and compared to sucrose were saccharin, cyclamate, aspartame, and acesulfame-K. Significant differences were found among the sweeteners for specific volume, surface area, and percent water loss. No significant differences were found for tenderness among any of the treatments. High intensity sweeteners have some useful properties, but their performance and their ability to consistently yield good products varies.
Chemical bath deposited (CBD) ZnS buffer layer for CIGSS solar cells

Cadmium free buffer layers for Cu(In,Ga)S/sub x/Se/sub 2-x/ (CIGSS) thin film solar cells have been fabricated using a chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique. The purpose of this work was to replace the chemically deposited CdS buffer layer with an alternative non-cadmium buffer layer. In this study a major effort was made to improve quality of the ZnS buffer layers on 4cm/sup 2/ (2cm/spl times/2cm) CIGSS substrates. The use of CBD-ZnS layer, which is a higher band gap material than CBD-CdS, improved the quantum efficiency of the fabricated cells at short wavelengths, leading to a acceptable short circuit current (Jsc). The best cell yielded an active area efficiency of 13.3% on 0.42 cm/sup 2/ as measured by NREL.
Secure Multi-party Computational Geometry

The general secure multi-party computation problem is when multiple parties (say, Alice and Bob) each have private data (respectively, a and b) and seek to compute some function f(a, b) without revealing to each other anything unintended (i.e., anything other than what can be inferred from knowing f(a, b)). It is well known that, in theory, the general secure multi-party computation problem is solvable using circuit evaluation protocols. While this approach is appealing in its generality, the communication complexity of the resulting protocols depend on the size of the circuit that expresses the functionality to be computed. As Goldreich has recently pointed out [6], using the solutions derived from these general results to solve specific problems can be impractical; problem-specific solutions should be developed, for efficiency reasons. This paper is a first step in this direction for the area of computational geometry. We give simple solutions to some specific geometric problems, and in doing so we develop some building blocks that we believe will be useful in the solution of other geometric and combinatorial problems as well.
Next Generation Clinical Diagnostics: The Sequence of Events

The development of automated sequencing platforms based upon capillary electrophoresis and fluorescently labeled terminator bases made it possible to generate the first draft sequence of the human genome. However, what started as an effort to develop new technologies to sequence entire human genomes cheaper and faster than capillary electrophoresis-based technologies has engendered a sequencing revolution that has resulted in tremendous increases in sequence output capacity. Since the introduction of these so-called next-generation sequencing technologies in 2006, the sequencing output of various platforms has been increasing greater than fivefold every year. This has led to dramatic increases in sequencing output and correspondingly decreased costs for DNA sequencing. These sequencing platforms will quickly make whole genome sequencing so affordable that it will inevitably become a routine part of clinical practice. In this chapter we will review the sequencing revolution and discuss the potential clinical applications of this transformative technology.
Dominoes and storyboards beyond 'icons on strings'

Practically since graphic displays were first hooked to computers, the idea of representing computer programs by pictures has attracted researchers. Most proposals for visual programming languages have adhered to a set pattern: fixed pictures symbolizing program components, connected by lines or arrows symbolizing relationships between the program components. The author explores one alternative: representing a program through visual examples of the state of its execution. He presents to related techniques: dominoes, which replace the traditional icons as representations of operations; and storyboards, which replace iconic circuitry as the representation of program code. These have been implemented in Mondrian, a graphic editor extensible through programming by example. >
The Ames dwarf gene, df, is required early in pituitary ontogeny for the extinction of Rpx transcription and initiation of lineage-specific cell proliferation.

Two nonallelic dwarfing mutations in mice define genes important for pituitary development and function. Mice homozygous for either the Ames (df) or Snell (Pit 1dw) dwarf mutations exhibit severe proportional dwarfism, hypothyroidism, and infertility due to the cytodifferentiation failure of three anterior pituitary cell types: thyrotropes, somatotropes, and lactotropes. Analysis of double heterozygotes and double mutants has provided evidence that the df and dw genes act sequentially in the same genetic pathway. Double heterozygotes had no reduction in growth rate or final adult size. Double homozygotes had essentially the same phenotype as the single mutants and were recovered at the predicted frequency, indicating that there are no previously unrecognized, redundant functions of the two genes. Several lines of evidence demonstrate that df acts earlier in the differentiation pathway than Pit1. The df mutants fail to extinguish expression of the homeobox gene Rpx on embryonic day 13.5 (e13.5), and the si...
Immune Function and Host Defense in Rodents Exposed to 60-Hz Magnetic Fields

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of subchronic exposure to pure, linearly polarized 60-Hz magnetic fields (MF) on the host immune response in mice. The experimental design was as follows: three groups were exposed continuously (18.5 hr/day) to MF at field strengths of 0.02, 2, or 10 gauss (G), one group was exposed intermittently (1 hr on/1 hr off) to MF at a field strength of 10 G, and one group served as a sham control. Experimental endpoints included spleen and thymus weights and cellularity, antibody-forming cell (AFC) response, delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response, splenic lymphocyte subset analysis, susceptibility to infection with Listeria monocytogenes, and natural killer (NK) cell activity. No differences in body weight, lymphoid organ weight, or lymphoid organ cellularity were observed in any MF-exposed group in comparison to sham controls. Likewise, no statistically significant differences were found in comparisons of AFC responses. Isolated statistically significant differences from control were observed in MF-exposed mice in the DTH assay, although no clear dose-related pattern of altered activity was seen. Splenic lymphocyte subset parameters examined were within normal limits in all groups, and no differences between control and MF-exposed mice were found. Host resistance to bacterial infection was not altered at any MF exposure examined in this study. Finally, although apparently dose-related, statistically significant alterations were observed in an initial study of NK cell function, repeat studies failed to demonstrate a consistent pattern of alteration.
Natural antibody to apoptotic cell membranes inhibits the proinflammatory properties of lupus autoantibody immune complexes

Objective Naturally arising IgM antibodies (NAb) to apoptotic cell (AC) determinants are present from birth and can be further induced by AC challenge. In systemic lupus erythematosus, lower anti-AC NAb levels have been associated with higher disease activity. We have recently shown that a prototypical AC-specific IgM NAb can suppress proinflammatory responses to purified agonists of Toll-like receptors and block the in vivo induction of IgG immune complex (IC)–induced arthritis. Nuclear antigens, which activate dendritic cells (DCs), form complexes with IgG autoantibody, and these have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease. In this study, we sought to investigate potential roles of such NAb for regulating IC-mediated activation of DCs, which is believed to be involved in disease initiation and perpetuation. Methods Bone marrow–derived myeloid DCs were stimulated with ICs composed of IgG autoantibody and chromatin or IgG autoantibody and RNA. Outcome was evaluated according to the production of inflammatory cytokines, as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the expression of costimulatory molecules (markers of DC activation), as determined by flow cytometry. MAPK activation was evaluated by phospho-flow analysis and immunofluorescence microscopy. Results IgM anti-AC NAb dose-dependently suppressed the production of DNA IC– and RNA IC–induced interleukin-6 and DNA IC–induced tumor necrosis factor α, as well as the RNA IC–induced up-regulation of CD86 and CD40 on DCs. IgM NAb–mediated inhibition was associated with suppression of IC-mediated p38 MAPK activation and nuclear localization. Conclusion We demonstrated a direct in vitro inhibitory effect of IgM NAb on inflammatory responses induced by IgG–nucleic acid ICs. These findings contribute to emerging evidence that regulatory NAb to AC determinants may oppose the influence of pathogenic lupus autoantibody ICs and thereby play roles in the maintenance of immune homeostasis.
Bursting excitable cell models by a slow Ca2+ current†

Bursting in excitable cells is a phenomenon that has attracted the interest of many electrophysiologists and non-linear dynamicists. In this paper, we present two models that give rise to bursting in action potentials. The membrane of the first model contains a voltage-activated Ca 2+ channel that inactivates very slowly upon depolarization and a delayed K + channel that is activated by voltage. This model consists of three dynamic variables—the gating variable of K + channel ( n ), inactivation gating variable of the Ca 2+ channel ( f ), and membrane potential ( V ). The membrane of the second model contains a voltage-activated Na + channel that inactivates rather fast upon depolarization. This model contains altogether five dynamic variables—the Na + inactivation gating variable ( h ) and Ca 2+ activation variable ( d ), in addition to the three dynamic variables in the first model. With the first model, we show how various interesting bursting patterns may arise from such a simple three dynamic variable model. We also demonstrate that a slowly inactivating voltage-dependent Ca 2+ channel may play the key role in the genesis of bursting. With the second model, we show how the participation of a quickly inactivating fast inward current may lead to a neuronal type of bursting, multi-peaked oscillations, and chaos, as the rates of the gating variables change.
The Performance of Prostate Specific Antigen, Prostate Specific Antigen Density and Transition Zone Density in the Era of Extended Biopsy Schemes

Purpose: Prostate specific antigen, prostate specific antigen density and transition zone density have been previously identified as prostate cancer detection tools. Recent studies suggest that prostate specific antigen may be increasingly accurate for detecting clinically significant high grade prostate cancer (Gleason grade 7 or greater). We defined the performance of these measures in a referral based population undergoing an extended prostate biopsy scheme.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected data on 1,708 men referred for prostate needle biopsy. All participants were men who had not undergone biopsy in the past. From these data ROC curves were constructed for prostate specific antigen, prostate specific antigen density and transition zone density for the presence of cancer, high grade (Gleason 3 + 4 or greater) and high volume (50% or greater of cores positive) disease.Results: Prostate specific antigen density had a statistically higher AUC than prostate specifi...
Toward a Sustainable Fishery Management Policy: An Artificial Neural Network Model for Predicting Bull Shark (Carcharhinus Leucas) Presence

This article proposes an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model to predict neonatal and juvenile bull shark habitat usage in the Sabine Pass, located within the Gulf of Mexico between Louisiana and Texas. Given continuing discussion regarding overfishing of all shark species, including bull sharks, in the northwestern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, the research objective was to analyze environmental data proven to be conducive to bull shark early life stages and to use these data in an ANN to predict bull shark presence during late spring and throughout summer months at designated sampling sites. The results of this analysis can both aid decision making in a fisheries context and inform the discussion on bull shark habitat usage in general, thereby contributing to the discussion of whether or not the need exists for conservation efforts to ensure sustainability of the species as part of an effective bull shark management plan.
A new method for estimating hindered creaming/settling velocity of particles in Polydisperse Systems

Abstract A new experimental technique for measurement of size-dependent settling velocities of particles in polydisperse suspensions (in which particle sizes are distributed continuously) is developed. The new technique employs a continuously fed column, operating at steady state. The size-dependent average hindered velocities of particles present in the column are obtained using the framework of population balances. The proposed technique requires just two measurements of size-specific number densities, one at the inlet to the column and the other at some point in the middle of the column. The present technique avoids the difficulties with having to observe a multitude of diffused moving fronts in earlier experimental methods, which are also limited to polydisperse suspensions of widely disparate particle sizes. The effects due to multi-body interactions, and surface and inter-particle forces are subsumed by the measurement technique. The technique is also capable of determining velocities of all particles from the dilute limit to the dense over the entire range of polydispersity. Results for many emulsions show good agreement with well-known predictions in the dilute limit. More significantly, substantial deviations in particle speed are measured in dense systems for small particles while the largest particles are accurately represented by the well-known Richardson and Zaki correlation. The technique is capable of measuring the effects of numerous additives, such as glycerin, salts, and gums on creaming dynamics.
Buckling of steel bars with Lüders bands

Abstract Experiments and simulations are presented for the study of interaction between material and structural instabilities that occur in mild steel bars under axial compression. The material instability consists of Luders bands that nucleate and propagate along the specimens. The structural instability involves lateral deflections of the bar leading to collapse. The study includes an investigation of bars of several different lengths. The mechanical response in the experiments were monitored through measurements of axial load, axial and midspan lateral displacements, and full field imaging of a brittle coating showing the Luders deformation. Interesting interactions exist between the localized deformation due to the material-level instabilities and the global collapse of the bars. Finite element simulations, using a constitutive model with a nonmonotonic stress–strain behavior, showed good agreement with the experiments and helped to explain the variety of collapse modes seen in the experiments. The symmetry of imperfections and/or loading misalignments have dramatic effects on the evolution of Luders deformation and the eventual collapse mode. Certain imperfections lead to deformation modes that delay structural collapse.
Microclimate modification by manipulation of net radiation.

Abstract An argument assuming the shade to be flush with the canopy and based on the alteration of albedo, predicts the reduction in net radiation with increasing shade, both above and below the shade, to be a linear function of the horizontal area shaded. Observations of the effect of a louvered shade on net radiation by traversing net radiometers beneath the shade, on evaporation by atmometer sampling, on evapotranspiration by a neutron scattering technique and on leaf temperature extremes by thermocouples, were made over and within a soybean canopy. The reduction in net radiation was observed to be directly proportional to the horizontal area shaded. For the case in which two-thirds of the area was shaded, the reduction in atmometer evaporation was over three times as large as the reduction in evapotranspiration and the moderation of average maximum and minimum leaf temperatures was on the order of 5°F. Graphical representations of the variations of net radiation with time for the geometrically repeated patterns beneath the louvers suggest a modification of stomatal activity which might explain the great difference between the effect of shade on evaporation and evapotranspiration.
Late Pleistocene and Holocene Tectonics of the Portland Basin, Oregon and Washington, from High-Resolution Seismic Profiling

High-resolution seismic reflection profiles were acquired to aid earthquake hazard assessment in the Portland-Vancouver urban area of Oregon and Washington, western North America. The profiles show (1) a strong reflector at the base of unconsolidated deposits; (2) the ancestral Columbia River channel where it has eroded into the unconformity at the base of the unconsolidated deposits; and (3) evidence consistent with late Pleistocene or Holocene faulting. The seismic data consist of marine profiles along 40 km segments of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers and two 1.5-km-long land profiles across the East Bank and Portland Hills fault zones. The marine profiles show a strong reflector as deep as 85 m that correlates with the unconformity at the base of unconsolidated, late Pleistocene and Holocene sediments penetrated in nearby drillholes. A ∼1.5-km-wide, up to 85-m-deep paleochannel filled by unconsolidated sediments marks the course of the ancestral Columbia River. Apparent vertical displacements of late Pleistocene or Holocene reflectors at the East Bank fault are consistent with recent faulting. The Portland Hills fault zone also shows what could be late Pleistocene to Holocene deformation, but other interpretations of these features are possible. No obvious faulting of the late Pleistocene unconformity is observed on our profiles across the inferred location of the Frontal Fault zone. The strong reflection from the unconformity and a large contrast in measured S -wave velocities between the unconsolidated sediments (∼250 m/sec) and the underlying strata (477 to 817 m/sec) indicates the shallow layer could amplify and trap seismic energy during an earthquake. These results indicate the East Bank and Portland Hills faults may represent significant seismic hazards to the Portland-Vancouver urban area and emphasize that further characterization of the shallow strata is crucial to estimating the shaking potential at sites above the Portland basin. Manuscript received 17 June 1999.
A Formal Total Synthesis of (−)-Brevisamide

A formal total synthesis of (−)-brevisamide has been achieved. The synthetic approach highlights a chemoselective asymmetric dihydroxylation and a one-pot Fraser-Reid epoxidation/PMB protection reaction sequence.
Optimal Design Decisions in Product Portfolio Valuation

Product portfolio valuation is a core business milestone in a firm’s product development process: Determine what will be the final value to the firm derived from allocating assets into an appropriate product mix. Optimal engineering design typically deals with determining the best product based on technological (and, occasionally, cost) requirements. Linking technological with business decisions allows the firm to follow a product valuation process that directly considers not only what assets to invest but also what are the appropriate physical properties of these assets. Thus, optimal designs are determined within a business context that maximizes the firm’s value. The article demonstrates how this integration can be accomplished analytically using a simple example in automotive product development.Copyright © 2002 by ASME