cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting are associated with similar graft patency, myocardial ischemia, and freedom from reintervention: long-term follow-up of a randomized trial.

Background The Surgical Management of Arterial Revascularization Therapies trial was conceived to rigorously compare completeness of revascularization, clinical outcomes and resource utilization in unselected patients referred for elective, primary coronary artery bypass grafting randomly assigned to undergo off-pump (OPCAB) or conventional on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The goal of this follow-up study was to compare long-term survival, graft patency, myocardial ischemia, and clinical outcomes among survivors who volunteered to return for clinical evaluation and imaging studies. Methods Two hundred unselected patients with multivessel coronary artery disease were randomly assigned to OPCAB or CPB coronary artery bypass grafting between March 2000 and August 2001. All-cause mortality was determined by individual patient contact and referencing the Social Security Death Master File. Of 140 survivors, 87 volunteered to return after a minimum of 6.8 years (maximum, 8.4 years; mean, 7.5 years) for assessment of graft patency (computed tomographic angiography) and myocardial ischemia (cardiac positron emission tomography and 12-lead electrocardiogram). Age at follow-up ranged from 38 to 90 years (mean, 68 years). Results There were 26 deaths from all causes among OPCAB patients and 31 among CPB patients as of March 30, 2009. Graft patency was similar between groups among 622 grafts assessed by angiography before hospital discharge (99% OPCAB versus 97.7% CPB; p = 0.22, Fisher's exact test), among 511 grafts assessed by angiography at 1 year (93.6% OPCAB versus 95.8% CPB; p = 0.33), and among 190 grafts assessed by computed tomographic angiography at late follow-up (76% OPCAB versus 83.5% CPB; p = 0.44). Twelve of 34 OPCAB (35.3%) and 16 of 39 CPB patients (41.0%) had any ischemia on positron emission tomography scanning ( p = 0.62). Four OPCAB patients (11.8%) and 9 CPB patients (23.1%) had an ischemic region in excess of 10% of myocardium ( p = 0.21). At late follow-up, recurrent angina had occurred in 11 of 43 (25.6%) OPCAB patients and 5 of 44 (11.4%) CPB patients ( p = 0.09). Percutaneous reintervention had been performed at the discretion of blinded local cardiologists in 1 of 43 (2.3%) OPCAB patients and 1 of 44 (2.3%) CPB patients ( p = 1.0). No patient in either group has undergone repeat CABG. Conclusions In this randomized trial, off-pump and on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were associated with similar early and late graft patency, incidence of recurrent or residual myocardial ischemia, need for reintervention, and long-term survival.
Spin-polarized transport through a domain wall in magnetized graphene

Atomically thin two-dimensional layer of honeycomb crystalline carbon known as graphene is a promising system for electronics. At charge neutrality it has a pointlike Fermi surface, which is very sensitive to external potentials and can be easily doped with either electrons or holes. Zeeman magnetic field parallel to the graphene layer splits electron bands according to spin polarization and creates geometrically congruent circular Fermi surfaces of particle and hole type for spins down and up, respectively. Hence, a fully spin-polarized transport in both electron and hole channels could be realized, presenting an opportunity for developing graphene-based spintronic devices. In particular, if spin polarization is achieved by virtue of the proximity effect in graphene in contact with magnetic layer, a domain wall (DW) separating regions with opposite spin polarizations could act either as a spin flipper allowing controllable rotation of spin polarization of electric currents or as a spin filter (spin rectifier). Here we consider ballistic passage of spin-polarized charge carriers in magnetized graphene through such a DW and analyze different regimes of spin-dependent refraction and reflection as a function of chemical potential and the thickness of the DW.
Quen's gambit: Decuplet quarks and composite axions

Abstract Exotic quarks transforming as decuplets under SU(3) c (quens) qith zero bare (current) mass plausibly condense at a scale exponentially removed from the ordinary triplet quark chiral symmetry breaking scale. The pseudoscalar pseudo-Goldstone boson remaining after the breaking of the quentic global chiral U(1) A in the presence of QCD instantons is a likely composite invisible axion (CIA) candidate.
FcϵRI as a paradigm for a lipid raft-dependent receptor in hematopoietic cells

Abstract Lipid domains or rafts are currently embraced by immunologists as critical participants in receptor-mediated signaling events occurring at the plasma membrane. This view of membrane heterogeneity and its functional importance is supported by many years of different experimental approaches. We can now refine our investigations, moving beyond the simple models to ask more detailed questions about structural properties and mechanistic interactions. As highlighted for the IgE receptor (Fc ϵ RI), new information about initial engagement with src family kinases, cytoskeletal regulation, and coupling with downstream signaling is beginning to emerge.
Comparison of AIPO4 and SiO2 glass structures using molecular dynamics

Abstract The structure of amorphous AlPO 4 was calculated using the method of molecular dynamics. Calculated radial distribution functions are in good agreement with those measured by Wignall et al. using X-ray diffraction. The structure, although similar to that of SiO 2 in many features, lacks full connectivity and does not appear as random. This may help explain the resistance of AlPO 4 to glass formation.
Phosphate Type Affects the Quality of Injected Catfish Fillets

UNLABELLED Catfish fillets were injected to 115% over green weight prior to tray-packing and storage at 4 degrees C for 1, 4, 8, and 11 d. Fillets were evaluated for yields, surface color, pH, cooking loss, tenderness, purge loss, and shelf-life. All phosphate treatments increased (P < 0.05) fillet tenderness, but the agglomerated blend of sodium phosphates (AGSP) increased (P < 0.05) pH and yields, and decreased (P < 0.05) CIE L* and CIE b* values. Psychrotrophic plate counts (PPC) of fillets treated with the agglomerated blend of polyphosphates (AGPP) were lower (P < 0.05) than the control at each storage time, but PPC of all samples reached 7 log CFU/g by day 8 of storage. All agglomerated phosphates and STP (sodium tripolyphosphate) improved yields and quality when compared to the nonmarinated control. However, AGSP was the most effective phosphate at increasing pick-up and yields and decreasing cooking loss due to the pH effect that causes more water to be trapped within the food system. Major quality differences may not have occurred between STP and agglomerated phosphates (other than AGSP) since injection relies solely on pH and ionic strength for marinade pickup, whereas tumbling also relies on mechanical action, which relies more on the presence of various phosphate chain lengths and solubility to impact yields. All phosphate treatments improved the quality of tray-packed, refrigerated catfish fillets that were enhanced through multineedle injection. However, AGSP also increased fillet pH, optimized yields, and improved color. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Use of an agglomerated phosphate blend with a high pH (AGSP) maximized the yield of catfish fillets that were marinated through multineedle injection. In addition, STP and agglomerated phosphate blends increased the yield and tenderness of catfish fillets when compared to the nonmarinated control.
Discontent and Confusion: Primary Care Providers' Opinions and Understanding of Current Cervical Cancer Screening Recommendations.

Abstract Background: In 2012, new cervical cancer screening guidelines were published by three widely recognized entities which advocate delayed onset of testing, fewer screenings, selective use of human papilloma virus co-testing, and no further screening in women over age 65 years. Early observations report that these recommendations are not being followed and overscreening is common. This study seeks to understand why primary care providers might not adhere to these new ‘best practice’ health policy protocols. Methods: A total of 4,909 randomly selected primary care providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) practicing in California were mailed a study questionnaire. Participants were asked if they consider current published screening guidelines to be authoritative, reliable, and/or clinically appropriate. Clinical vignettes captured individual provider beliefs on timing and method of cervical cancer screening in women within the four key age groups embedded in current screen...
Plasma α-Tocopherol and Coronary Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilator Function

Background —In the presence of atherosclerosis, the coronary endothelial vasomotor response to acetylcholine is frequently abnormal but is variable between patients. We tested the hypothesis that the plasma concentration of α-tocopherol is associated with the preservation of nitric oxide–mediated endothelium-dependent vasomotion. Methods and Results —We studied 15 men and 6 women (mean age 61±10 years) at coronary angiography who were not taking vitamin supplements. Coronary endothelium-dependent and -independent vasomotion was assessed by intracoronary infusions of acetylcholine and nitroglycerin. The vasomotor responses were compared with the plasma concentration of α-tocopherol and the plasma α-tocopherol concentration relative to total lipid (total cholesterol plus triglycerides). The mean plasma α-tocopherol was 25.6±6.1 μmol/L, total cholesterol 193±27 mg/dL, triglycerides 115±66 mg/dL, and α-tocopherol to total lipid 4.2±0.9 μmol · L−1 · (mmol/L)−1. The mean vasomotor response to acetylcholine was −1% (range −33% to 28%) and to nitroglycerin 22% (range 0% to 54%). Plasma α-tocopherol was significantly correlated with the acetylcholine response ( r =0.49, P 0.05). The acetylcholine response remained significant after adjustment for other potential sources of oxidant stress (total cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, smoking, angina class) ( P <0.01). The relative concentration of α-tocopherol to total lipid was not related to endothelial function ( r =0.24, P =0.3, n=20). Conclusions —α-Tocopherol may preserve endothelial vasomotor function in patients with coronary atherosclerosis. This effect may be related primarily to the action of α-tocopherol in the vascular wall. Further studies that assess the impact of α-tocopherol supplementation as therapy of endothelial dysfunction are justified.
Quantitative analysis of the temperature dependency in Raman active vibrational modes of molybdenum disulfide atomic layers.

Raman spectroscopy is utilized to quantify the temperature dependency of the vibrational modes in molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) atomic layers. These analyses are essential for understanding the structural properties and phononic behaviors of this two-dimensional (2D) material. We quantitatively analyze the temperature dependent shifts of the Raman peak positions in the temperature range from 300 to 550 K, and find that both planar and out-of-plane characteristic modes are highly sensitive to temperature variations. This temperature dependency is linear and can be fully explained by the first-order temperature coefficient. Using a semi-quantitative model, we evaluate the contributions of the material's thermal expansion and intrinsic temperature effects to this dependency. We reveal that the dominating source of shift in the peak position of planar mode E2g1 for samples of all thicknesses investigated is the four-phonon process. In addition to the four-phonon process, thermal expansion plays a significant role in the temperature dependency of the out-of-plane mode, A1g. The thickness dependency of the temperature coefficient for MoS2 and a drastic change in behaviors of samples from bi- to single-layered are also demonstrated. We further explore the role of defects in the thermal properties of MoS2 by examining the temperature dependency of Raman modes in CVD-grown samples.
Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum, 2: Assessing Our Success with Students at Eckerd College

The Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum (SSAC) library consists of activities to reinforce or teach quantitative literacy or mathematical concepts and skills in context. Each SSAC “module” consists of a PowerPoint presentation with embedded Excel spreadsheets. Each student works through a presentation, thinks about the in-context problem, figures out how to solve it mathematically, and builds spreadsheets to calculate and examine answers. To assess the effectiveness of SSAC modules, I surveyed Eckerd College undergraduates in two separate studies. Two undergraduate research assistants and I generated preand post-tests for 10 SSAC modules. We hired 21 undergraduates who conducted 62 individual module assessments during their free time in exchange for modest stipends. To complement this initial study, 12 students assessed three modules in the context of an upper-level geology course. In both the individual and in class experiments, students with a wide variety of academic interests and expertise showed improvements in quantitative and Excel skills. Based on my experiences, I recommend that instructors wishing to use SSAC modules carefully match student ability with module difficulty, use more than one module over the course of a semester, ensure that students have realistic expectations before starting, and facilitate student use in a supervised setting.
Object exchange service for an object-oriented database system

An object exchange service (OXS) and an external object representation (EXTOR) are described in the context of a distributed object-oriented database. EXTOR is the common representation that facilitates the sharing of information among a network of machines. The aim is to represent complex structured information in an efficient external form and to provide maximal sharing of information among computing sessions. OXS is a service which, together with the concepts of object boundary, global objects, and object closure, provides the exchange of information using EXTOR. A brief description is provided of the distributed object-oriented system that utilizes this service, the performance results for OXS, and the future directions for the design of generalized object exchange services in heterogeneous computing environments. >
Improving the Performance of On-Board Cache for Flash-Based Solid-State Drives

Flash-based Solid-State Drives (SSDs) are data storage devices that use flash memory to store persistent data. Previously we presented a centralized on-board cache for SSDs to improve the response time and reduce the physical writes to the flash media. An automatic periodic update (APU) feature with fixed period is used to write dirty and stable cache lines to flash media when the SSD is idle. In this work we propose a distributed on-board cache architecture to match the intrinsic parallelism of SSDs. Since there are N individual flash packages in one SSD device, N dirty cache lines are selected by the APU feature, each of which is written to a separate flash package. Simulation results show that this distributed on-board cache can significantly reduce the response time of SSDs by up to 90% compared with the SSDs without such a cache, while reducing the number of physical writes to the flash memory.
A History of Disasters: Spanish Colonialism in the Age of Empire

Historians have long relegated colonialism to the margins of modern Spanish history. Spain lost the majority of its overseas empire in the Spanish American revolutions of the early nineteenth century. It was a late, reluctant, and small-scale participant in the partition of Africa. Recent scholarship, however, is bringing colonialism back to the center of Spain's nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This article examines these findings and considers their consequences for narratives of Spanish marginality and modernity. Special attention is given to two recent works: John Tone's War and Genocide in Cuba and Sebastian Balfour's Deadly Embrace.
Increasing the sensitivity of endocervical curettings by performing ThinPrep® Pap on transport container fluid: is diagnostic material going down the drain?

Objective The sensitivity of endocervical curettage (ECC) can be suboptimal because of limited epithelial tissue. The false-negative rate for ECC in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia involving the endocervical canal has been reported to be 45%. ECC samples are transported to pathology in formalin- or saline-filled containers; this fluid is discarded after the specimen has been submitted. We evaluated the utility of performing liquid-based cytological preparations from ECC transport container fluid as a way to increase the sensitivity of ECC specimens. Methods Consecutive ECC specimens received at one of the two participating institutions were selected prospectively. A surgical pathology mesh bag was placed over a ThinPrep® CytoLyt® solution container, and the specimen was filtered through the bag, collecting the transport fluid in the container. The CytoLyt® was processed to obtain a container fluid ThinPrep® (CF-TP) liquid-based Papanicolaou (Pap) slide. The CF-TP slides were reviewed and the findings were compared with those from the ECC and follow-up specimens. Results The cohort included 53 patients. Discrepancies between CF-TP and ECC were seen in 14 of the 53 patients (26%); a more significant lesion was identified in CF-TP relative to ECC in 13 of these cases. CF-TP diagnosis was confirmed in eight of 11 cases with histological follow-up. A positive CF-TP result was confirmed by histology in six of nine cases with negative ECC. Conclusions Combining the pathological evaluation of ECC specimens with liquid-based cytology performed on the transport container fluid can increase the diagnostic sensitivity of the ECC procedure for the detection of cervical lesions.
REESE: a method of soft error detection in microprocessors

Future reliability of general-purpose processors (GPPs) is threatened by a combination of shrinking transistor size, higher clock rates, reduced supply voltages, and other factors. It is predicted that the occurrence of arbitrary transient faults, or soft errors, will dramatically increase as these trends continue. The authors develop and evaluate a fault-tolerant microprocessor architecture that detects soft errors in its own data pipeline. This architecture accomplishes soft error detection through time redundancy, while requiring little execution time overhead. Our approach, called REESE (REdundant Execution using Spare Elements), first minimizes this overhead and then decreases is even further by strategically adding a small number of functional units to the pipeline. This differs from similar approaches in the past that have not addressed ways of reducing the overhead necessary to implement time redundancy in GPPs.
Depletion of Pituitary Prolactin by Cysteamine Is due to Loss of Immunological Activity

The mechanism by which cysteamine reduces the PRL content of pituitary cells was studied in primary cultures of estradiol-induced pituitary tumors in Fischer 344 rats. The PRL content of these cells was effectively decreased by cysteamine, with an IC50 of 0.2 mM. Cells previously labeled with [3H]leucine were exposed to cysteamine (0.25 mM), and the intracellular content of [3H]PRL was measured by immunological or nonimmunological means, that is by immunoprecipitation and electrophoresis or by electrophoresis alone. The intracellular concentration of immunoreactive [3H]PRL was reduced by 53% by cysteamine, whereas [3H]PRL quantified by electrophoresis alone was not significantly affected. Our data indicate that cysteamine reduces the PRL content of pituitary tumor cells by causing the loss of its immunoreactivity.
Explicit guidance equations for maneuvering re-entry vehicles

The "characteristic curve" approach for deriving explicit re-entry guidance equations for Maneuvering Re-entry Vehicles (MaRVs) is developed, showing how terminal trajectory constraints on path angles and lift acceleration and its derivatives can be obtained. Variable gains for vector guidance equations are established by forcing terminal equation structure to be similar to the characteristic curve equations. Natural variations in the forms to the vector equations are shown. A linearized analysis of terminal steering in the presence of autopilot lag employs the solution of the resulting time-variant third order control equation. Converting the outputs of the guidance equations to autopilot commands for MaRVs with different numbers of control axes is shown. Using the explicit equations to achieve desired trajectory shapes is discussed along with practical considerations in their use.
Socioeconomic and Other Social Stressors and Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Risk in Youth: A Systematic Review of Less Studied Risk Factors

Background Socioeconomic disadvantage and other social stressors in childhood have been linked with cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood; however the mechanisms underlying these observed associations and the timing of their emergence are unclear. The aim of this review was to evaluate research that examined relationships between socioeconomic disadvantage and other social stressors in relation to less-studied cardiometabolic risk factors among youth, including carbohydrate metabolism-related factors, lipids, and central adiposity.
High-Resolution Structural Validation of the Computational Redesign of Human U1A Protein

Achieving atomic-level resolution in the computational design of a protein structure remains a challenging problem despite recent progress. Rigorous experimental tests are needed to improve protein design algorithms, yet studies of the structure and dynamics of computationally designed proteins are very few. The NMR structure and backbone dynamics of a redesigned protein of 96 amino acids are compared here with the design target, human U1A protein. We demonstrate that the redesigned protein reproduces the target structure to within the uncertainty of the NMR coordinates, even as 65 out of 96 amino acids were simultaneously changed by purely computational methods. The dynamics of the backbone of the redesigned protein also mirror those of human U1A, suggesting that the protein design algorithm captures the shape of the potential energy landscape in addition to the local energy minimum.
Convective intensity, vertical precipitation structures, and microphysics of two contrasting convective regimes during the 2008 TiMREX

This study investigates the convective/microphysical properties and precipitation structures of seven rainfall events in southwest Taiwan during the 2008 Terrain-influenced Monsoon Rainfall Experiment (TiMREX). TiMREX heavy rainfall events (>50 mm d−1) are characterized by upstream low-level jets, unstable upstream conditions, and a nearly moist neutral stratification within the heavy rain region. Three heavy rainfall events (2, 5, and 16 June) have only weak to moderate convection and little lightning; e.g., less than 10% of their rainfall is associated with intense convective cells (maximum 40 dBZ height > 8 km). Polarimetric radar measurements indicate that large precipitation-size ice particles well above the freezing level (5 km) are rare in these events. Their vertical profiles of radar reflectivity (VPRR) decrease rapidly above the 0°C level but increase downward below that level. These VPRRs are believed to be associated with weak updrafts and active warm-rain collision and coalescence processes at low levels with raindrops falling through the updraft. In contrast, the 14 June heavy rainfall event is more intense, is ice-based, and exhibits continental characteristics; e.g., 60% of its rainfall is contributed by active thunderstorms (>10 flashes min−1). This and other intense storms (26 May and 13 June) have robust lightning (>500 strikes h−1) and pronounced radar reflectivity in the mixed-phase region, indicating strong updrafts and vigorous ice-based processes. Significant amounts of large graupel/small hail are present in the mixed-phase region of these events. Furthermore, their VPRRs decrease or stay constant downward below the freezing level.
A novel way to spread drug resistance in tumor cells: functional intercellular transfer of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1).

Intercellular transfer of proteins is a mode of communication between cells that is crucial for certain physiological processes. Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice for ∼50% of all cancers. However, multidrug resistance mediated by drug-efflux pumps such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp) minimizes the effectiveness of such therapy in a large number of patients. A new study demonstrates the functional intercellular transfer of Pgp. Non-genetic transfer of the multidrug resistance phenotype raises fascinating questions about the mechanism and regulation of cell-surface membrane-protein-mediated spread of traits.
Optimization of Tunneling Magnetoresistance in Perpendicular Magnetic Tunnel Junctions With Co|Pd Reference Layers

We report on the optimization of Co|Pd-multilayer-based reference layers in magnetic tunnel junctions with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. By inserting a thin Ta-spacer layer between the CoFeB interfacial layer and Co|Pd multilayer, a high tunneling magnetoresistance up to 98.5% can be achieved. Electron energy loss spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies show that the high magnetoresistance is related primarily to the suppression of Pd diffusion and secondarily to improved CoFeB texture during annealing.
Distributed Coordination with Deaf Neighbors: Efficient Medium Access for 60 GHz Mesh Networks

Multi-gigabit outdoor mesh networks operating in the unlicensed 60 GHz ``millimeter (mm) wave'' band, offer the possibility of a quickly deployable broadband extension of the Internet. We consider mesh nodes with electronically steerable antenna arrays, with both the transmitter and receiver synthesizing narrow beams that compensate for the higher path loss at mm-wave frequencies, achieving ranges on the order of 100 meters using the relatively low transmit powers attainable with low-cost silicon implementations. Such highly directional networking differs from WiFi networks at lower carrier frequencies in two ways that have a crucial impact on protocol design: (1) directionality drastically reduces spatial interference, so that pseudowired link abstractions form an excellent basis for protocol design; (2) directionality induces deafness, which makes medium access control (MAC) based on carrier sensing infeasible. Interference analysis in our prior work shows that, in such a setting, coordination between transmitters and receivers, rather than interference management, becomes the key MAC performance bottleneck. However, the question of whether such coordination can be achieved in a distributed fashion while achieving high medium utilization, was left open. In this paper, we answer this question in the affirmative, presenting a distributed MAC protocol that employs memory to achieve approximate time division multiplexed (TDM) schedules without explicit coordination or resource allocation. The efficacy of the protocol is demonstrated via packet level simulations, while a Markov chain fixed-point analysis provides insight into the effect of parameter choices.
Decreased infection rates following total joint arthroplasty in a large county run teaching hospital: A single surgeon's experience and possible solution

Total joint arthroplasty is a common orthopaedic procedure producing valuable improvements in patient's quality of life. A dreaded complication of this procedure is deep seated, periprosthetic infection. This complication can lead to multiple reoperations and upwards of $100,000 of increased cost burden. At one 900 bed county run teaching hospital, with a historically high infection rate in total joints, the total joint service was closed and restarted using a new protocol, dropping infection rates from 12.9% to 1.9% (P = 0.007).
Lower Lid Deformity Secondary to Autogenous Fat Transfer: A Cautionary Tale

Although autogenous fat grafting is performed with increasing frequency, its safety around the periorbital area remains ill defined. This article presents the case of a young woman whose tear troughs were treated using autogenous fat transfer (AFT), with resultant bilateral lower lid deformities. Secondary correction of this aesthetic deformity caused by AFT to the tear trough proved extremely difficult and resulted in a temporary lower lid ectropion. After resolution of her ectropion, the patient was very satisfied with her postoperative appearance. The authors recommend a judicious approach to the correction of this deformity with AFT until objective outcome studies on this technique become more widely available.
Modeling Spatial and Temporal Set-Based Constraints During Conceptual Database Design

From a database perspective, business constraints provide an accurate picture of the real world being modeled and help enforce data integrity. Typically, rules are gathered during requirements analysis and embedded in code during the implementation phase. We propose that the rules be explicitly modeled during conceptual design, and develop a framework for understanding and classifying spatiotemporal set-based (cardinality) constraints and an associated syntax. The constraint semantics are formally specified using first-order logic. Modeling rules in conceptual design ensures they are visible to designers and users and not buried in application code. The rules can then be semiautomatically translated into logical design triggers yielding productivity gains. Following the principles of design science research, we evaluate the framework's expressiveness and utility with a case study.
Stochastic strategies for survival: Bacterial competence in Bacillus Subtilis

Under stressful environments, organisms take actions that help them protect their DNA. An example of such actions is the stochastic switching that Bacillus subtilis undergoes, in which it goes from the vegetative state to a competent state. When in competence, the cell has an increased ability to bind to and internalize exogenous DNA. This increases the chances of survival of a cell. Competence is nonetheless an expensive state for the cell to be in, so the decision to switch undergoes a very delicate regulation. A major player in controlling the switching of the cell is the ComK protein. ComK protein is a key regulator which activates hundreds of genes, including the genes encoding the DNA-uptake and recombination systems. In Bacillus subtilis, stress in the environment activates a sequence of chemical reactions that, driven by cellular noise, stochastically increases the level of ComK in some bacterial cells driving them from their original vegetative state into a competent state. In this work, we use the Finite State Projection (FSP) method to analyze stochastic biochemical events and to study the excitable dynamics responsible for competence in Bacillus Subtilis. We compute the probability with which Bacillus subtilis enters in competence. We also present a method to analyze the sensitivity of these stochastic events to various system parameters such as binding affinities, transcription rates, degradation rates, etc.
Dominance in pursuit-evasion games with uncertainty

This paper studies planar pursuit-evasion games that feature a group of players moving in an environment that may contain obstacles, where some players are pursuers and others are evaders. The goal of the pursuers is to capture the evaders, which requires the distance between one of the pursuers and one of the evaders to become zero. The goal of the evaders is to avoid capture. Specifically, this paper studies games with uncertainty in the parameters of the game, including the positions and speeds of the players as well as the positions of the obstacles. This work focuses on dominance regions, where a point in the environment is said to be dominated by one of the players if that player is able to reach the point before their opponent, regardless of the opponent's actions. In the existing literature, the use of dominance regions has been limited to games with perfect information about all players as well as the environment, and the key achievement of this paper is to extend the concept of dominance regions to practical scenarios where perfect information is unavailable.
Knowledge and Perceived Implementation of Food Safety Risk Analysis Framework in Latin America and the Caribbean Region

Risk analysis is increasingly promoted as a tool to support science-based decisions regarding food safety. An online survey comprising 45 questions was used to gather information on the implementation of food safety risk analysis within the Latin American and Caribbean regions. Professionals working in food safety in academia, government, and private sectors in Latin American and Caribbean countries were contacted by email and surveyed to assess their individual knowledge of risk analysis and perceptions of its implementation in the region. From a total of 279 participants, 97% reported a familiarity with risk analysis concepts; however, fewer than 25% were able to correctly identify its key principles. The reported implementation of risk analysis among the different professional sectors was relatively low (46%). Participants from industries in countries with a long history of trade with the United States and the European Union, such as Mexico, Brazil, and Chile, reported perceptions of a higher degree of risk analysis implementation (56, 50, and 20%, respectively) than those from the rest of the countries, suggesting that commerce may be a driver for achieving higher food safety standards. Disagreement among respondents on the extent of the use of risk analysis in national food safety regulations was common, illustrating a systematic lack of understanding of the current regulatory status of the country. The results of this survey can be used to target further risk analysis training on selected sectors and countries.
Three-coordinate nickel carbene complexes and their one-electron oxidation products.

The synthesis and characterization of two new carbene complexes, (dtbpe)Ni═CH(dmp) (1; dtbpe = 1,2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)ethane; dmp = 2,6-dimesitylphenyl) and (dippn)Ni═CH(dmp) (2; dippn = 1,8-bis(di-iso-propylphosphino)naphthalene), are described. Complexes 1 and 2 were isolated by photolysis of the corresponding side-bound diazoalkane complexes, exemplified by (dtbpe)Ni{η2-N2CH(dmp)} (3). The carbene complexes feature Ni–C distances that are short and Ni–C–C angles at the carbene carbon that are intermediate between 120° and 180° (155.7(3)° and 152.3(3)°, respectively). The difference between the two carbenes became obvious when their reactivity toward 1-electron oxidizing agents was studied: the oxidation of 1 led to an internal rearrangement and the formation of a nickel(I) alkyl [{κ2-P,C-di-tert-butylphosphino-di-tert-butyl-PCH(dmp)ethane}Ni][BArF4] (4), while the oxidation of 2 allowed the isolation of an unrearranged product, formulated as the cationic nickel(III) carbene complex[(dippn)Ni═CH...
Abstract A20: Increasing pap testing with a community-based educational intervention in the Latina population

Introduction: Every year in the U.S., there are approximately 11,000 new cases of cervical cancer, and approximately 4000 deaths due to cervical cancer (Jemal, Siegel, Ward, Hao, Xu, & Thun, 2009). The Latino/a population is disproportionately affected by cervical cancer, in that Latinas have higher incidence rates (12.7 per 100,000) and mortality rates (3.1 per 100,000) due to cervical cancer than non-Latina white women (7.3 per 100,000 and 2.1 per 100,000, respectively) (American Cancer Society (ACS), 2009; Downs et al., 2008; Jemal et al., 2009; Saraiya et al, 2007). “Por la Vida” is a San Diego-based Latino/a program dedicated to increasing cancer education in the Latino/a community, through the involvement of consejeras (community health workers), since 1990. The purpose of this study is to examine the success of a “Women and Cancer” program in increasing pap testing in the Latina population. We examined self-reported changes in pap testing behaviors and beliefs about cervical cancer before and after participating in the “Women and Cancer” program, and compared the changes to women who participated in a “Nutrition and Cancer” program, which had no cervical cancer-specific information. Both programs were conducted by “Por la Vida” from the years 1997 through 2002. Method: Participants were 260 Latinas from the “Women and Cancer” program, and 308 Latinas from the “Nutrition and Cancer” program. Participants completed a pre-test (before the program was initiated) and post-test (6 months after completion of the program) questionnaire that examined their health behaviors and health-related beliefs. McNemar tests were used to compare changes in behaviors and attitudes from pre-test to post-test for participants in each of the two programs. Results: The number of women who reported they ever had a Pap test increased significantly from pre to post test for women in the “Women and Cancer” program. There was no change in pap testing over time for women in the “Nutrition and Cancer” program. Similarly, the number of women who had a Pap in the last year increased significantly for those in the “Women and Cancer” program, and stayed the same for women in the “Nutrition and Cancer” program. With regard to beliefs about cervical cancer, women who participated in the “Women and Cancer” program gained a significantly more positive outlook toward surviving early stage cervical cancer, while those who participated in the “Nutrition and Cancer” program did not. Discussion: These results reinforce the importance of topic specific, and culturally appropriate education programs for increasing cancer screening behaviors. Such programs have the potential to reduce cancer disparities in underserved populations. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2010;19(10 Suppl):A20.
Mutual Optimism as a Cause of Conflict: Secret Alliances and Conflict Onset

A prominent international-relations theory posits that mutual optimism, due to two sides holding divergent estimates of their relative bargaining power, causes interstate conflict. We develop a theory of mutual optimism in which conflicting bargaining power estimates arise from asymmetric information about which, if any, third parties will join either side in a military dispute. We contend that secret alliances can generate mutual optimism, which increases the probability of conflict. By exploiting secret alliances as a measurable source of private information, we provide the first systematic test of mutual optimism that directly assesses a state's secret capabilities. Optimism exists when a state's secret allies are more numerous or powerful than anticipated by opponents. Our empirical tests—as well as robustness checks—strongly support our theoretical expectation. We conclude that mutual optimism is an empirically, as well as theoretically, important cause of interstate conflict.
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (+)-Amphirionin-4.

An enantioselective total synthesis of (+)-amphirionin-4 has been accomplished in a convergent manner. The synthesis features an efficient enzymatic lipase resolution to access the tetrahydrofuranol core in optically active form. The functionalized tetrahydrofuran derivative was synthesized via an oxocarbenium ion-mediated highly diastereoselective syn-allylation reaction. The polyene side chain was synthesized using Stille coupling reactions. Nozaki–Hiyama–Kishi coupling was utilized to construct the C-8 stereocenter and complete the synthesis of (+)-amphirionin-4.
Role of the immune response in BCG for bladder cancer

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been shown in prospective, randomized clinical trials to be the treatment of choice for superficial bladder cancer. In this treatment regimen, viable bacteria are introduced into the bladder, provoking an infection which induces the immunological response that initiates antitumour activity. The role of T-lymphocytes and the T-lymphocyte subsets, helper T cells (Th) and cytotoxic T-cells (Tc) in the antitumour response has been evaluated. Depletion of total T, Th or Tc subsets in mice eliminated BCG-mediated antitumour activity. Delayed type hypersensitivity was abrogated only in Th-depleted mice, but the presence of Th-mediated delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) was not sufficient for expression of BCG-mediated antitumour activity. There was no evidence for the induction of protective immunity to the tumour after BCG therapy. These results show that T-lymphocytes are required for BCG-mediated antitumour activity and suggest that the antitumour activity mediated by BCG is of a nonspecific immunological type. No specific tumour cell immunity was detected.
Uncovering a Mineralocorticoid Receptor–Dependent Adipose–Vascular Axis: Implications for Vascular Dysfunction in Obesity?

Obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are associated with increased levels of aldosterone and activation of cardiovascular mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) contributing to hypertension and associated cardiovascular disease (CVD) (1). Large randomized controlled trials such as the Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study (RALES), the Epleronone Post-Acute Myocardial Infarction Heart Failure Efficacy and Survival Study (EPHESUS), and the Eplerenone in Mild Patients Hospitalization and Survival Study in Heart Failure (EMPHASIS-HF) have demonstrated the CVD-related mortality and morbidity benefits of MR antagonists, further implicating MR signaling as a key mediator of CVD (2). The actions of kidney MR signaling to increase cardiovascular and renal fibrosis and blood pressure is well known; however, recent research suggests that inappropriate activation of extrarenal MR signaling in vascular endothelial cells (ECs), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), immune cells, and adipocytes promotes insulin resistance, T2DM, and associated CVD (1,3,4). For example, in association with obesity and insulin resistance, perivascular and visceral adipose tissue (PVAT and VAT) is dysfunctional, in part, because of adipose MR activation (3). Furthermore, PVAT and VAT secrete aldosterone, the ligand for MRs in endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and this is increased in obesity (3, …
The Impact of the Web of Meta-structures on the Sustainability Relations

Chapter 8 provides conclusions from the analyses in Chap. 6 and 7. I discuss the overall impact of the meta-structures on the sustainability relations, i.e. on our relationship with contemporaries, future generations, and nature. The meta-structures play a crucial role for the understanding and actualization of the sustainability relations. It is not only each individual meta-structure that has a distinguished impact on the sustainability relations, but the complex, interrelated web of meta-structures as a whole. By the mechanisms of the web of meta-structures we are already set in a certain way into the sustainability relations. The individual cannot realize these relations with absolute autonomy or in isolation. Rather, the realization and actualization of the sustainability relations is already determined to a large extent by the meta-structures.
Techno-economic analysis for upgrading the biomass-derived ethanol-to-jet blendstocks

This study summarizes the detailed techno-economic analysis of the ethanol-to-jet (ETJ) process based on two different feedstocks (corn grain and corn stover) at the plant scale of 2000 dry metric tons per day. Ethanol biologically derived from biomass is upgraded catalytically to jet blendstocks via alcohol dehydration, olefin oligomerization, and hydrotreating. In both pathways, corn-grain-derived ethanol to jet (corn mill ETJ) and corn-stover-derived ethanol to jet (corn stover ETJ), there are portions of gasoline and diesel produced as coproducts. Two cost bases are used in this study: the minimum jet fuel selling prices (MJSP) for jet-range blendstocks and the minimum fuel selling prices (MFSP) for all the hydrocarbons (gasoline, jet, and diesel) produced using a gallon gasoline equivalent (GGE) basis. The nth-plant MJSPs for the two pathways are estimated to be $4.20 per gal for corn mill and $6.14 per gal for corn stover, while MFSPs are $3.91 per GGE for corn mill and $5.37 per GGE for corn stover. If all of the hydrocarbon products (gasoline, jet, and diesel ranges) can be considered as fuel blendstocks using a GGE basis, the total hydrocarbon yield for fuel blendstock is 49.6 GGE per dry ton biomass for corn stover and 71.0 GGE per dry ton biomass for corn grain. The outcome of this study shows that the renewable jet fuel could be cost competitive with fossil derived jet fuel if further improvements could be made to increase process yields (particularly yields of sugars, sugar to ethanol, and ethanol to hydrocarbons), research and development of sustainable feedstocks, and more effective catalytic reaction kinetics. Pioneer plant analysis, which considers the increased capital investment and the decreased plant performance over the nth-plant analysis, is also performed, showing a potential 31%–178% increase in cost compared to the nth-plant assumptions for the dry mill pathway, but with a much wider range of 69%–471% cost increase over the nth-plant assumptions for the corn stover pathway. While there are large differences between the estimated first of a kind plant cost and the targeted nth-plant case, reduction of costs is possible through improvement of the overall process efficiency, yields, reduction in overall capital, co-product revenues and strategically improve performance by process learnings.
Reactive jammer piggybacking: Achieving antifragile electronic warfare

Jamming is an ongoing threat that plagues wireless communications in contested areas. Unfortunately, jamming complexity and sophistication will continue to increase over time. The traditional approach to addressing the jamming threat is to harden radios, such that they sacrifice communications performance for more advanced jamming protection. To provide an escape from this trend, we propose a jammer exploitation strategy in which the communications system causes an enemy reactive jammer to act as an unwitting relay. Jammer exploitation against an enemy can be considered a form of antifragile electronic warfare, a recently introduced area of research within wireless security. Antifragility refers to systems that increase in capability, resilience, or robustness as a result of disorder (e.g., chaos, uncertainty, stress). An antifragile system is fundamentally different from one that is resilient (i.e., able to recover from failure) and robust (i.e., able to resist failure). The antifragile strategy proposed in this paper revolves around using a frequency-shift keying (FSK) waveform that is tuned in such a way to exploit the jammer's behavior. We derive the channel capacity and cutoff rate when using the waveform, and provided numerical results via simulation to gain further insight. Results show that an antifragile gain is achievable under a variety of reactive jamming scenarios.
Floer theory and flips

We show that blow-ups or reverse flips (in the sense of the minimal model program) of rational symplectic manifolds with point centers create Floer-non-trivial Lagrangian tori. As applications, we demonstrate the existence of Hamiltonian non-displaceable Lagrangian tori in, for example, small symplectic blow-ups of compact symplectic manifolds and moduli spaces of polygons. These results are part of a conjectural description of generators for the Fukaya category of a compact symplectic manifold with a singularity-free running of the minimal model program.