cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction to Antibody-Drug Conjugates

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are innovative biopharmaceutical products in which a monoclonal antibody is linked to a small molecule drug with a stable linker. Most of the ADCs developed so far are for treating cancer, but there is enormous potential for using ADCs to treat other diseases. Currently, ten ADCs have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and more than 90 ADCs are under worldwide clinical development. Monoclonal antibodies have evolved from research tools to powerful therapeutics in the past 30 years. Tremendous strides have been made in antibody discovery, protein bioengineering, formulation, and delivery devices. This manuscript provides an overview of the biology, chemistry, and biophysical properties of each component of ADC design. This review summarizes the advances and challenges in the field to date, with an emphasis on antibody conjugation, linker-payload chemistry, novel payload classes, drug-antibody ratio (DAR), and product development. The review emphasizes the lessons learned in the development of oncology antibody conjugates and look towards future innovations enabling other therapeutic indications. The review discusses resistance mechanisms to ADCs, and give an opinion on future perspectives.
Examining Epistemic Practices of the Community of Players of Dwarf Fortress: For !!SCIENCE!!

Dwarf Fortress is a digital game with an unusually detailed and complex underlying simulation based on real world systems. Gameplay is unforgiving and condensed knowledge resources that support effective play are scarce. To learn more about the inner workings of the game and make its challenges more tractable, the community of Dwarf Fortress players engages in systematic, evidence-based, experimental inquiry of the game. The community calls this pursuit "dwarf science". In this paper, the author investigates the origins, evolution, and practice of "dwarf science", and frames it as a model of how digital games for science learning might support the epistemic frame of science among learners.
Using an easy-to-use and free tool in teaching and researching networks and security issues

ITGuru is a powerful simulation environment developed by OpNET Corporation. ITGuru is unique because of its ability to model the entire networking domain, including its routers, switches, protocols, servers, and the individual applications they support. ITGuru improves network researchers' and instructors' ability to identify and solve problems throughout the network. The OpNET Corporation provides a FREE academic copy of their simulation environment to universities for both teaching and research.
Augmented vision and Quality of Experience assessment: Towards a unified evaluation framework

New display modalities in forthcoming media consumption scenarios require a realignment of currently employed Quality of Experience evaluation frameworks for these novel settings. We consider commercially available optical see-through devices, typically employed by operators in augmented vision or augmented reality scenarios. Based on current multimedia evaluation frameworks, we extrapolate onto the additional environmental challenges provided by the overlay of media content with real-world backgrounds. We derive an overall framework of configurations and metrics that should be part of subjective quality assessment studies and be incorporated into future databases to provide a high quality ground truth foundation for long-term applicability. We present an exemplary experimental setup of a pilot study with related components currently in use to perform human subject experiments for this domain.
Is A Dream Deferred a Dream Denied?: College Enrollment and Labor Market Search

A public college in Mexico City randomly assigns applicants into a group that can immediately enroll and a group that can only do so after one year. The author shows that the standard model of educational decisions predicts no (or minimal) effect of deferral on educational attainment. He surveyed the applicants to this college for the 2007/2008 academic year. Using data from that survey, he finds that, one and a half years after the first group enrolled, individuals in that group were 19 percentage points more likely to be enrolled than those that had to wait. This implies that offering more slots in a public college increases educational attainment. He finds that one additional slot increases the attainment of at least 0.3 individuals of the applicant pool and that offering them to individuals of poorer backgrounds has an even larger effect. To account for these results, he extends the standard model by placing the education decision in a model of labor market search. This suggests the importance of variability in opportunity costs for explaining who enrolls in college at any given moment. He derives testable implications of the model and show that they are verified empirically. He estimates the parameters of the model and show that the model can explain the observed patterns under reasonable assumptions. He also discusses alternative explanations of the impact of deferral and show they are inconsistent with observed patterns. The conclusion is twofold. First, public supply of college slots can impact the attainment of the target population. Second, within-individual variation in opportunity costs is an important element in determining educational attainment. This latter point can have implications for how systems of higher education systems should be designed.
Seismic Facies Mapping By Competitive Neural Networks

Summary We present an approach based on competitive networks for the classification and identification of reservoir facies from seismic data. This approach can be adapted to perform either classification of the seismic facies based entirely on the characteristics of the seismic response, without requiring the use of any well information, or automatic identification and labeling of the facies where well information is available. The former is of prime use for oil prospecting in new regions, where few or no wells have been drilled, whereas the latter is most useful in development fields, where the information gained at the wells can be conveniently extended to the inter-well regions. Cross-validation tests on synthetic and real seismic data demonstrated that the method can be an effective means of mapping the reservoir heterogeneity.
Healthcare resource utilization in the management of oesophageal adenocarcinoma

Objective: To study the natural history of oesophageal adenocarcinoma in terms of utilization of the healthcare resources and associated medical costs. Methods: All 29 patients treated at the University of New Mexico Health Center between 1 January 1992 and 1 December 1998 for an oesophageal adenocarcinoma were included in the study. For each individual patient, all medical resources utilized, facility costs, and physician fees were retrieved from the computerized databases of the collection departments. Results: During the progress of the disease, the same type of diagnostic or therapeutic procedure became necessary a number of times, and patients underwent, on average, three (range one to eight) upper gastrointestinal endoscopies, five (range one to 11) computerized tomography scans, 35 (five to 143) X-ray examinations, and 28 (three to 46) radiation therapies or 39 (10 to 74) chemotherapies. The large variation in the numbers of resources utilized was also reflected by a corresponding variation in total healthcare costs. The mean cost per patient was $48 127, ranging between $13 454 and $139 721. Facility costs comprised 88% of all costs compared to physician fees which comprised 12%. The largest cost items, in declining order, were physician encounters ($16 916), radiation plus chemotherapy ($9909 plus $4891, respectively), and pharmacy prescriptions ($7565). Conclusions: The prolonged disease process and the many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures result in complications, side-effects, inconclusive tests, or failed therapies that all markedly increase the use of healthcare resources. Because such outcomes are the rule rather than the exception, the management of oesophageal adenocarcinoma is expensive.
Negative Regulation of the RalGAP Complex by 14-3-3

RGC1 and RGC2 comprise a functional RalGAP complex (RGC) that suppresses RalA activity. The PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway activates RalA through phosphorylation-mediated inhibition of the RGC. Here we identify a novel phosphorylation-dependent interaction between 14-3-3 and the RGC. 14-3-3 binds to the complex through an Akt-phosphorylated residue, threonine 715, on RGC2. Interaction with 14-3-3 does not alter in vitro activity of the GTPase-activating protein complex. However, blocking the interaction between 14-3-3 and RGC2 in cells increases suppression of RalA activity by the RGC, suggesting that 14-3-3 inhibits the complex through a non-catalytic mechanism. Together, these data show that 14-3-3 negatively regulates the RGC downstream of the PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway.
Enhanced Layered 3D with a Lens

We augment layered 3D displays using optical elements placed in front of or in between attenuation layers, which improves resolution or field-of-view of the display. We also significantly reduce memory requirements for layer calculations.
Maybe I'll Stop Driving

There he goes again! John Mueller has made a career of debunking conventional wisdom on a variety of topics with arguments that strike most people at first as ridiculous. For example, he has expoun...
Suppressors of cytokine signaling and regulation of clonal erythropoiesis

The recent identification of activating JAK2 (JAK2V617F) and MPL (MPLW515L/K) mutations in BCR-ABL(−) myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs) has reinforced the central role of JAK-STAT signaling in MP...
Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Two Transgenic Mouse Lines Expressing Activated G Protein αq: Lack of Correlation Between Phospholipase C Activation and the Phenotype

Abstract We previously described a transgenic mouse line ( α q *52) in which cardiac-specific expression of activated G α q protein (HA α q *) leads to activation of phospholipase C β (PLC β ), the immediate downstream target of HA α q *, with subsequent development of cardiac hypertrophy and dilation. We now describe a second, independent line in the same genetic background ( α q *44h) with lower expression of HA α q * protein that ultimately results in the same phenotype: dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) with severely impaired left ventricular systolic function (assessed by M-mode and 2D echocardiography), but with a much delayed disease onset. We asked if PLC activation correlates with the development of the phenotype. At 12–14 months, 65% of α q *44h mice still had normal cardiac function and ventricular weight/body weight ratios (VW/BW). However, their basal PLC activity, which began to increase in ventricles at 6 months, was threefold higher than in wild-type by 12 months. This increase was even more pronounced than in 2.5-month-old α q *52 mice, in which a twofold increase was accompanied by a 25% increase in VW/BW. Furthermore, at 12–14 months the increase in PLC activity in α q *44h mice with and without DCM was comparable. Thus, the delayed time course in α q *44h mice unmasked a lack of correlation between PLC activation and development of DCM in response to HA α q * expression, suggesting a role for additional pathways and/or mechanisms. It also revealed a differential temporal regulation of protein kinase C isoform expression. The markedly different ages of disease onset in these two mouse lines provide a model for studying both genetic modifying factors and potential environmental influences in DCM.
Improving the Performance of Floating Solar Pool Covers

Experimental and analytical analyses are presented for the evaluation of heat transfer through floating solar swimming pool covers. Two improved floating solar swimming pool cover designs are proposed and investigated in this paper. The results conclusively show that both new cover designs should have significantly better performance than conventional floating solar swimming pool covers.
Application of a Unified Matrix Polynomial Approach (UMPA) to Perturbed Boundary Condition (PBC) testing

Abstract A Unified Matrix Polynomial Approach (UMPA) is discussed in this paper as a possible method of condensing multiple sets of Perturbed Boundary Condition (PBC) test data into a single modal model of the unmodified system. The PBC testing provides a much larger database that contains more information about the system when compared to a standard modal testing procedure. A 3 dof lumped mass system is used as a theoretical example to illustrate the procedure. Zero mean random noise is used to examine the alogrithm under the influence of noise.
Discretization errors in finite methods: issues and possible solutions

In this paper, we review many of the sources of discretization error when finite methods is applied to high frequency electromagnetic problems. A major source of error is the numerical dispersion error. This error is probably the most serious error for electrically large geometries, and we review past efforts to reduce this error. We also present a new edge-based finite difference method which offers several improvements to current finite difference. This new method has less numerical dispersion error and less errors due to material discontinuities than current finite difference methods. We compare its performance to vector finite elements and show its superior accuracy. Finally, we propose a new subgridding scheme to reduce discretization error which maintains second-order accuracy.
Hinged Teeth in Snakes: An Adaptation for Swallowing Hard-Bodied Prey

Six genera of snakes, representing at least three lineages, possess teeth that fold backward against the jaws rather than being firmly ankylosed. This condition, effected by a connective tissue hinge at the base of each tooth, is associated with suites of cephalic modifications that enable the snakes to grasp and to swallow hard-bodied prey.
Prenatal Care Utilization in Mississippi: Racial Disparities and Implications for Unfavorable Birth Outcomes

The objective of the study is to identify racial disparities in prenatal care (PNC) utilization and to examine the relationship between PNC and preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) and infant mortality in Mississippi. Retrospective cohort from 1996 to 2003 linked Mississippi birth and infant death files was used. Analysis was limited to live-born singleton infants born to non-Hispanic white and black women (n = 292,776). PNC was classified by Kotelchuck's Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index. Factors associated with PTB, LBW and infant death were identified using multiple logistic regression after controlling for maternal age, education, marital status, place of residence, tobacco use and medical risk. About one in five Mississippi women had less than adequate PNC, and racial disparities in PNC utilization were observed. Black women delayed PNC, received too few visits, and were more likely to have either "inadequate PNC" (P < 0.0001) or "no care" (P < 0.0001) compared to white women. Furthermore, among women with medical conditions, black women were twice as likely to receive inadequate PNC compared to white women. Regardless of race, "no care" and "inadequate PNC" were strong risk factors for PTB, LBW and infant death. We provide empirical evidence to support the existence of racial disparities in PNC utilization and infant birth outcomes in Mississippi. Further study is needed to explain racial differences in PNC utilization. However, this study suggests that public health interventions designed to improve PNC utilization among women might reduce unfavorable birth outcomes especially infant mortality.
Physical stigma and the pregnancy role: Receiving help from strangers

Previous research has demonstrated several similarities in the reaction of others to pregnant and to physically stigmatized individuals. This study recorded helping behavior (assistance in picking up scattered keys) directed toward an apparently pregnant, nonpregnant, or facially disfigured woman in an elevator either alone, with a female companion, or with a male companion. A predicted interaction revealed that significantly more assistance was given to the pregnant woman than to either of the other two only when she was alone or with a female companion; she was helped less than the non-pregnant experimenter when she was accompanied by a male. Differences and similarities in the norms that govern behavior toward pregnant women and the physically stigmatized are discussed in light of their relevance to women's development during the childbearing years. The well-documented negative effect of group size on helping was replicated. Unexpected sex differences were found in rate of helping. Women virtually never helped in this situation—even in all-female groups. These findings are discussed in light of previous work on sex differences in helping.
Overlapping features of extrapontine myelinolysis and acquired chronic (non-Wilsonian) hepatocerebral degeneration

Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM, osmotic demyelination syndrome) and acquired chronic hepatocerebral degeneration (ACHD) both occur in patients with liver failure, but are not thought to be caused by similar etiopathogenic mechanisms despite the fact that occasional patients exhibit both disorders. In our autopsy practice we have recently encountered three patients with the pontine lesions of acute or subacute osmotic demyelination syndrome, coupled with superimposed non-Wilsonian ACHD. All three patients had well-documented rapid elevations in serum sodium proximate to their demise, as well as terminal liver failure. A close intermingling and juxtaposition of lesions with severe demyelination and macrophage breakdown [thought to represent extrapontine myelinolysis (EPM)] to those with vacuolization of myelin but no cellular reaction or myelin loss (ACHD) was noted within some of the same anatomic areas. Particular overlap was seen in lesions at the cerebral cortical gray–white junction and in pencil fibers of the striatum. In these areas it was difficult to be certain whether the lesions were due to EPM or ACHD. We concluded that there was a synergism between the two disorders and raise the possibility that there may be factors common to both disorders that lead to similar anatomic sites for involvement.
Localized infections of 6-hydroxydopamine into lamina terminalis-associated structures: effects on experimentally induced drinking and pressor responses

Electrolytic lesions of tissues surrounding the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) or injections of the chemical neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) into the lateral cerebral ventricles result in virtually identical deficits in response to a variety of dipsogenic and pressor challenges. These observations have led to the hypothesis that the integrity of catecholamine (CA) projections into the AV3V region is a prerequisite for elicitation of these thirst and blood pressure responses. This hypothesis was tested in 6-OHDA-injected rats following protocols designed to deplete CA's in discrete structures associated with the lamina terminalis. Post-injection response deficits, coupled with histofluorescent assessments of CA depletions in specific anterior forebrain nuclei, support the stated hypothesis. In addition, the findings indicate that thirst deficits to systemic as well as central dipsogenic challenges are both selective and dissociable and that 6-OHDA lesions of any of the more ventrally situated target nuclei result in significantly attenuated blood pressure responses to centrally injected angiotensin II.
Photon-Efficient High-Dimensional Quantum Key Distribution

We demonstrate two high-dimensional QKD protocols — secure against collective Gaussian attacks — yielding up to 8.6 secure bits per photon and 6.7 Mb/s throughput, with 6.9 bits per photon after transmission through 20 km of fiber.
How Observations and Structure Affect the Geostatistical Solution to the Steady-State Inverse Problem

The solution to the steady-state inverse problem can be expanded into a series of spline functions with weights adjusted to reproduce the observations within the observation error. The splines depend on the model spatial structure, the ground water flow model, and the location of the observations. This representation of the solution, which is a rigorous and exact expansion, provides insight into the form of the best estimate and explicitly shows how observations and the conceptual model may affect the solution.
Double-Proton Transfer in the Formamidine−Formamide Dimer. Post-Hartree−Fock Gas-Phase and Aqueous Solution Study

The mechanism of the double-proton transfer in the formamide−formamidine dimer, which is the simplest model resembling the hydrogen bonding pattern in the adenine−thymine base pair, has been studie...
Inhibition of nerve fiber regeneration in cultured sympathetic neurons by local, high potassium

Distal regeneration of neurites from cultured sympathetic neurons of newborn rats was stunted by exposure to local, high K+ (20 mM), only when more proximal neurite regions and the cell bodies were exposed to a normal K+ concentration (5 mM). Neurites grew luxuriantly and extensively when exposure to high K+ was uniform over the entirety of the neurons. Thus, neurite growth can be strongly influenced by regional variations in K+ which are probably within the naturally occurring range, especially during development and regeneration.
Waist circumference does not predict insulin resistance in African American schizophrenia patients

The objective of the study was to determine whether race plays a role in the relationship between waist circumference and insulin resistance in an African American and white sample of subjects with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional comparison was conducted to determine the relationship between waist circumference and insulin resistance in 55 subjects treated with antipsychotic medication. Each subject underwent an anthropometric assessment of waist and hip circumference, height, weight and body mass index. Laboratory assays were performed to assess insulin resistance by the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Data for fifty-five subjects are reported: white/Caucasian (n=38) and African American (n=17). Mean waist circumference was higher in whites (98 cm±11 cm) compared with African Americans (94 cm±11 cm) but not statistically significant (p=0.181). There was no correlation between waist circumference and insulin resistance calculated by HOMA-IR in the African American subject s...
Protein polymorphism and genetic variation in the catfish Synodontis schall (Bloch‐Schneider, 1801) and S. serratus (Ruppel, 1829) from the White Nile (Sudan)

Protein polymorphism and allelic variation were investigated in the blood of the catfish, Synodontis schall (Bloch-Schneider, 1801) and S. serratus (Ruppel, 1829) from three localities along the White Nile. The first sampling locality at khartoum, the second at Jebel Aulia Dam, 45 km south of khartoum and the third locality was 45 km southward along the White Nile. Seventeen gene loci were identified in separating 13 enzymes and proteins. Nine loci were polymorphic and eight were monomorphic in the two species. Two alleles were observed for each polymorphic locus. Except for serum albumin (ALB*) and erythrocyte glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI-1*), all corresponding allozymes in the two species revealed similar mobilities and separation patterns. Serum albumin (ALB*) was monomorphic with a molecular weight of 67 kd in S. schall and 60-62 kd in S. serratus. Glucose phosphate isomerase (GPI-1*) was polymorphic in S. schall, but monomorphic in S. serratus. A contingency (chi2) test shows significant interspecies heterogeneity in allele frequency at (haemoglobin (HB*)), (6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD*)) and (superoxide dismutase (SOD*)) but none of the other polymorphic loci. Average heterozygosity was (0.26) for both species and the genetic distance between the two species was (0.22).
Aliphatic chain length effects on photopolymerization kinetics and structural evolution of polymerizable lyotropic liquid crystals

Polymerizable lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) have the potential advantage of producing materials with anisotropic morphologies and nanometer size dimensions with potential in applications, such as drug delivery, catalysis, and tissue engineering. With the goal of more clearly understanding the factors involved in LLC phase retention after polymerization, this work describes the effect of aliphatic tail length in the amphiphilic molecule on order, polymerization kinetics, and structural evolution of reactive LLC systems. The polymerization kinetics are influenced by the LLC phase morphology with increases in the polymerization rate as the LLC phase increases in order. Enhanced polymerization rates are a result of an apparent increase in the termination and propagation rate parameters, induced by a local increase in monomer concentration due to segregation effects in the LLC phases. Polymerization in hexagonal phases formed from reactive amphiphiles with longer aliphatic tails exhibit lower polymerization rates when compared to systems with shorter aliphatic tails, suggesting that the order of the hexagonal phase decreases as the aliphatic tail increases. Two peaks are observed in the polymerization rate profiles when polymerizing in the hexagonal and cubic phases, with the second peak becoming more pronounced as the aliphatic tail length increases and the order of the LLC phase decreases. This effect appears to be due to changes in morphology during the polymerization process as the hexagonal phase morphology changes significantly during the polymer formation. Different behavior is observed for polymerizations in the lamellar phase for which the LLC phase is retained after polymerization.
PROPERTIES OF CELLS TRANSFORMED BY DNA TUMOR VIRUSES

Transformation by the papovaviruses, SV40 and polyoma, is reviewed briefly, including factors that affect the frequency of transformation. Virus markers useful in the determination of the etiology of virus-free tumors are described, including viral DNA, viral mRNA, virus-induced antigens, and the rescue of infectious virus. Finally, the evidence that viral genes are involved in the maintenance of transformation is presented.
A Study of the Numerical Stability of the Method of Contour Dynamics

The inviscid interaction of vortex structures has been studied extensively to elucidate many of the important features of high Reynolds number flows and turbulence. Contour dynamics was developed specifically to study the evolution of the boundaries of uniform vortices, and has been used to study a wide variety of flows. The method is a lagrangian one, and typically a discrete dynamical system is obtained by representing the boundary by a finite collection of points. We examine the linear stability features of a typical method by considering perturbations to a circular, uniform vortex. We find a spurious branch to the numerical dispersion relation that indicates points will oscillate along the boundary without any distortion in its shape. Numerical results for the full equations show that the amplitudes of these particular modes grow slowly in time.
Simulated-eye-design camera for high-contrast measurements

Light-measurement instrumentation based upon high-quality charge-coupled-devices is currently in use for measuring the characteristics of electronic displays. When such array detectors are used to measure scenes having high contrast or wide color variations, they can suffer from the effects of veiling glare or lens flare and thereby inaccurately measure the darker luminances because of a mixing of the scene luminances or colors. The simulated-dye-design camera attempts to reduce the effects of unwanted light contamination by copying some of the characteristics of the eye. This first prototype shows an improvement of a factor of 2.7 in its ability to measure high contrasts over a similar camera that is not filled with liquid.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Drugs Are Not Enough: The Metabolic Syndrome—A Call for Intensive Therapeutic Lifestyle Change

Whether intensive pharmacologic cardiovascular risk factor management reduces metabolic syndrome (MetS) prevalence is unknown. The authors compared the number of secondary prevention medications and National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III)-defined MetS prevalence in coronary artery disease patients entering cardiac rehabilitation from 1996 to 2001 (period 1, n=516) with those entering from 2002 to 2006 (period 2, n=609). Age, sex, and ethnicity were similar in both periods. From period 1 to period 2, participants took more secondary prevention medications (2.8+/-1.3 vs 3.5+/-1.0, P<.001). Prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (66% vs 66%), diabetes (37% vs 38%), and hypertension (81% vs 81%) were unchanged. The prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia decreased (48% vs 36%, P<.001), but the proportion meeting criteria for elevated waist circumference increased (51% vs 58%, P<.05), resulting in no change in overall MetS prevalence (60% vs 59%, P=NS). More emphasis on therapeutic lifestyle change in addition to intensive pharmacologic therapy is needed to reduce MetS prevalence in patients with coronary artery disease.
Ablation of Sim1 Neurons Causes Obesity through Hyperphagia and Reduced Energy Expenditure

Single-minded 1 (Sim1) is a transcription factor necessary for development of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVH). This nucleus is a critical regulator of appetite, energy expenditure and body weight. Previously we showed that Sim1+/− mice and conditional postnatal Sim1−/− mice exhibit hyperphagia, obesity, increased linear growth and susceptibility to diet-induced obesity, but no decrease in energy expenditure. Bilateral ablation of the PVH causes obesity due to hyperphagia and reduced energy expenditure. It remains unknown whether Sim1 neurons regulate energy expenditure. In this study, Sim1cre mice were bred to homozygous inducible diphtheria toxin receptor (iDTR) mice to generate mice expressing the simian DTR in Sim1 cells. In these mice, Sim1 neuron ablation was performed by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of diphtheria toxin. Compared to controls, mice with Sim1 neuron ablation became obese (with increased fat mass) on a chow diet due to increased food intake and reduced energy expenditure. In post-injection mice, we observed a strong inverse correlation between the degree of obesity and hypothalamic Sim1 expression. The reduction in baseline energy expenditure observed in these mice was accompanied by a reduction in activity. This reduction in activity did not fully account for the reduced energy expenditure as these mice exhibited decreased resting energy expenditure, decreased body temperature, decreased brown adipose tissue temperature, and decreased UCP1 expression suggesting an impairment of thermogenesis. In injected mice, hypothalamic gene expression of Sim1, oxytocin (OXT) and thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) was reduced by about 50%. These results demonstrate that Sim1 neurons in adult mice regulate both food intake and energy expenditure. Based on the body of work in the field, feeding regulation by Sim1 neurons likely occurs in both the PVH and medial amygdala, in contrast to energy expenditure regulation by Sim1 neurons, which likely is localized to the PVH.
Medical and Surgical Management of Congenital Laryngomalacia A Case-control Study

ObjectiveTo compare the growth of infants with moderate to severe laryngomalacia who underwent supraglottoplasty to the growth of those treated with medical therapy alone.Study DesignCase-control study of patients treated between 2008 and 2013.SettingTertiary care pediatric otolaryngology practice.Subjects and MethodsFifty-one infants newly diagnosed with moderate to severe congenital laryngomalacia. Seventeen infants underwent supraglottoplasty and 34 matched controls had medical management, which included acid suppression therapy, speech and swallowing therapy, and/or high-calorie formula. The primary outcome measure was weight percentile recorded at the second clinic visit and at the last available follow-up. The secondary outcomes were the need for primary or revision supraglottoplasty, tracheostomy or gastrostromy, or the development of or persistence of failure to thrive.ResultsThere was no difference in the mean weight percentile between the surgical and nonsurgical groups at the time of last follo...
Photogenerated exciton-breather state in trans-polyacetylene

We perform a dynamical simulation of photogenerated excitations in trans-polyacetylene by using the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger extended Hubbard model. We find that two possible excited states may be photogenerated depending on the energy gained by the system. If the system energy is higher than a critical value, soliton-antisoliton pairs are photogenerated and are free to separate, leaving behind a central breather mode. If the system energy is lower than the critical value, the soliton-antisoliton pairs will bind and form a different central oscillation: an exciton-breather. The critical energy is slightly above the soliton pair-creation energy. We discuss our results and compare with experiment.
Total hip arthroplasty in the young patient

Total hip arthroplasty was originally indicated for older, sedentary patients. This was due to concern that catastrophic wear and failure would occur in younger and more active patients. Total hip arthroplasty has since become a viable option for these patients with advances in implant design, tribology, and surgical technique. However, further study is needed to delineate the long-term outcome in this patient population.
A skein-like multiplication algorithm for unipotent Hecke algebras

Let G be a finite group of Lie type (e.g. GL n (Fq)) and U a maximal unipotent subgroup of G. If ψ is a linear character of U, then the unipotent Hecke algebra is H ψ = End CG (Ind G U (ψ)). Unipotent Hecke algebras have a natural basis coming from double cosets of U in G. This paper describes relations for reducing products of basis elements, and gives a detailed description of the implications in the case G = GL n (F q ).
Morphological characterization of well defined methacrylic based di- and triblock ionomers

Abstract A detailed morphological investigation of methacrylic based block ionomers was conducted. In the case of the triblock systems, the end blocks were based on t-butyl methacrylate while the elastomeric centre block was either n-hexyl methacrylate or 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate. Upon hydrolysis of the end block the acid form of the block polymer was obtained. Neutralization of this component led to the ionic block polymer. The effect of ionic block length and the consideration of either di- or triblock architecture was studied. Though the diblock materials exhibited poor tensile properties relative to the triblock systems, the morphological features of the diblock materials were very interesting when in ionic form. Multiple scattering peaks were observed in the diblock ionomers using SAXS and this was attributed to the well ordered regions that were also observed utilizing TEM measurements. In general, good correspondence between the TEM and SAXS results was obtained. Surprisingly, long range order was less pronounced in the triblock ionomer with similar ion content when compared with its diblock analogue. Finally, the interdomain distance between the ionic domains was found to be highly dependent on ionic block length.
Microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of nickel-based superalloy 625 made by selective laser melting

The mechanical properties and microstructures of Selective Laser Melted (SLM) alloy 625 procured from different suppliers were compared. The post-SLM process of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) led to a relatively coarse recrystallized gamma matrix phase that was similar in all the suppliers’ materials, resulting in nearly identical tensile properties. These similarities obscure significant differences between them with respect to the population of second phase particles, which consisted of carbides or Laves phase. During solidification, the final liquid phase is concentrated in Nb, Mo, Si and C, and leads to L → γ + carbide/Laves eutectic reactions. Secondary particles are very small prior to HIP and their composition has not been analyzed yet, but are limited to the fine-grained eutectic regions of the material prior to HIP. During HIP the gamma phase recrystallizes to remove the original as-solidified SLM microstructure, but secondary particles nucleate and grow where their elemental constituents first solidified, leading to a non-homogeneous distribution. Quasi-static tensile properties do not appear to be sensitive to these differences, but it is likely that other mechanical properties will be affected, especially fatigue and fracture behavior. Surface roughness, large grain size, and pores and voids left unhealed by the HIP cycle will also influence fatigue and fracture. Surface roughness and porosity in particular are features that could be improved by implementing novel approaches to laser processing in SLM.
Viral suppressors of RNA silencing

The suppression of RNA silencing by plant viruses represents a viral adaptation to a novel host antiviral defense. Three types of viral suppressors have been identified through the use of a variety of silencing suppression assays. The first two types of suppressor are capable of a complete or partial reversal of pre-existing RNA silencing; the third type does not reverse RNA silencing but can instead prevent its systemic signaling.
Adaptive fundus imaging using a micromachined membrane deformable mirror

We have investigated the use of a 19-channel micromachined membrane deformable mirror (MMDM) for correcting aberrations of the eye to improve the resolution of fundus imaging. A Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor (HSWS) and the MMDM are used to measure and correct aberrations existing in the anterior segments of the eye, respectively. Zernike polynomials are used to represent the MMDM surface shape as well as the optical wavefront shape. In order to control the MMDM, which has nonlinear and coupled responses to electrostatic controls, we have developed an adaptive control algorithm to iteratively adjust the control voltages of all channels, thus modulating the shape of the MMDM to reduce the variance of the optical wavefront measured using the HSWS. Experimental results using an artificial eye show that the adaptive system can compensate for low-order and some high- order aberrations, thereby improving the resolution of retinal images. The capability for correcting ocular aberrations is limited by the number of channels and the deflection range of the MMDM. Our new adaptive control algorithm allows effective use of the low-cost, compact MMDM, making adaptive optics a viable and practical technique for clinical high-resolution fundus cameras and other ophthalmic imaging instruments.
Intramedullary Screw Fixation of Jones Fractures Analysis of Failure

Treatment failures after screw fixation of Jones fractures are reported to be infrequent. Between 1993 and 1999, 15 patients (mean age, 21.7 years) underwent cannulated screw fixation of a Jones fracture at our institution. There were six treatment failures: four refractures and two symptomatic nonunions. The mean time to full activity was 6.8 weeks for the patients with failure compared with 9 weeks for patients who did not have complications. Although all patients were asymptomatic and radiographically progressing to union before return to full activity, only one of six patients with failures had complete radiographic union, compared with six of seven patients with no complications. There was a higher proportion of elite athletes (division I or professional level) among the failure group (83%) compared with those without complications (11%). There were no significant differences in age, sex, screw diameter, use of bone graft, or age of fracture between patients with failures and those without complications. Return to full activity, especially among elite athletes, before complete radiographic union was predictive of failure. Even though intramedullary screw fixation offers advantages over nonoperative treatment, a significant risk of postoperative complications exists.
Diverse functions of reactive cysteines facilitate unique biosynthetic processes of aggregate-prone interleukin-31

Abstract Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is a member of the four helical-bundle gp130/IL-6 cytokine family. Despite its implicated roles in inflammatory diseases, the biosynthetic processes of IL-31 have been poorly investigated. A detailed understanding of IL-31 biosynthesis and the nature of ligand–receptor interactions can provide insights into effective strategies for the design of therapeutic approaches. By using various heterologous protein expression systems, we demonstrated that murine IL-31 was secreted as inter-molecularly disulfide-bonded covalent aggregates. Covalently aggregated IL-31 appeared while trafficking in the secretory pathway, but was not actively retained in the ER. The aggregate formation was not caused by a dysfunctional ER quality control mechanism or an intrinsic limitation in protein folding capacity. Furthermore, secreted IL-31 aggregates were part of a large complex composed of various pleiotropic secretory factors and immune-stimulators. The extent and the heterogeneous nature of aggregates may imply that IL-31 was erroneously folded, but it was capable of signaling through cognate receptors. Mutagenesis revealed the promiscuity of all five cysteines in inter-molecular disulfide formation with components of the hetero-aggregates, but no cysteine was required for IL-31 secretion itself. Our present study not only illustrated various functions that cysteines perform during IL-31 biosynthesis and secretion, but also highlighted their potential roles in cytokine effector functions.
Multicast support for mobile-IP with the hierarchical local registration approach

The Mobile-IP (M-IP) protocol allows IP hosts to move between different networks without the need to tear down established sessions. The Mobile-IP systems supporting local registration were introduced to reduce the frequency by which home registration with the remotely located home agent is needed. Providing an efficient system that support IP multicast, in an environment where the multicast group members frequently change their locations, is a challenge for systems providing mobility support. The local registration introduces its own additional challenges that prevent the direct application of the approaches proposed in the IETF standard to support multicast on Mobile-IP. In this work we will propose an architecture that supports IP multicast in this environment. Three flavours of the architecture are described while presenting the corresponding features. The proposed schemes take advantage of the inherent characteristics of the local registration to enhance the efficiency of the multicast support. Performance aspects such as multicast datagram delay, delivery cost and robustness are analyzed, then simulation results are used to describe the performance of the different approaches under various conditions.
Survey of packaging professionals in the USA

A survey on packaging professionals in the USA was conducted by the School of Packaging at Michigan State University. Subjects of the survey were the School's alumni and Food Packaging Division members of the Institute of Food Technologists. The eight-page questionnaire addressed issues pertaining to their education, training, attitude and opinion about packaging disciplines, employment characteristics, and other aspects of their professional experiences. Out of 4000 people contacted, over 20% responded. The paper examines the general characteristics of packaging professionals in the USA in 1986.
Neonatal hemochromatosis : A congenital alloimmune hepatitis

Neonatal hemochromatosis (NH) is a rare and enigmatic disease that has been clinically defined as severe neonatal liver disease in association with extrahepatic siderosis. It recurs at an alarming rate in the offspring of certain women; the rate and pattern of recurrence led us to hypothesize that maternal alloimmunity is the likely cause at least of recurrent cases. This hypothesis led to a trial of gestational treatment to prevent the recurrence of severe NH, which has been highly successful adding strength to the alloimmune hypothesis. Laboratory proof of an alloimmune mechanism has been gained by reproducing the disease in a mouse model. NH should be suspected in any very sick newborn with evidence of liver disease and in cases of late intrauterine fetal demise. Given the pathology of the liver and the mechanism of liver injury, NH could best be classified as congenital alloimmune hepatitis.
2D FDTD modelling of objects with curved boundaries, using embedded boundary orthogonal grids

An FDTD algorithm was developed using an embedded boundary orthogonal grid system. The algorithm is based on the complex Laplace equation to implement conformal mapping that minimises the magnitudes of the mesh gradients and therefore leads to the smoothest coordinate line distribution over the solution domain. In conjunction with the global rectangular meshes, the local non-orthogonal grids provide versatility of geometry. There is no need to perform interpolation on the boundaries between the local and global grids. As a result, computational time and memory requirements are substantially reduced. The field solution to the unbounded Laplace equation in non-orthogonal coordinates is obtained, and is used as the exciting source to expedite the convergence of the FDTD computations. Numerical examples show good agreement with the results presented in previous publications, both guided wave and scattering problems.
Environmental determinants of butterflyfish social systems

Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) display a variety of social systems, including monogamous pair-bonds, harems, and schooling with group spawning. The range of reproductive options available to butterflyfishes is shaped by their general life history characteristics, such as broadcast spawning with widely dispersed pelagic larvae, large body size and low adult mortality. The distribution and quality of food resources are major determinants of group size and mobility, thereby influencing the relative costs and benefits of available options, and determining specific social systems. Planktivorous and corallivorous butterflyfishes exemplify the relationship between food resources and social systems. Pelagic plankton is a patchy, but temporally and spatially unpredictable food resource which is efficiently exploited by fish in mobile schools. Neither sex is able to monopolize food resources necessary for the other sex, and plantivorous butterflyfishes appear constrained to spawn in groups. In contrast, corals are stable and predictable in space and time, favoring residence in one area and territorial defense of that space by coral-feeding butterflyfishes. Females defend food resources from other females, and males defend territories containing a female from other males. Males attempt to defend areas containing more than one female, but are unsuccessful. A monogamous social system results. This system favors the evolution of cooperative behavior between mates to increase female fecundity, as long as the male has an opportunity of sharing in that reproduction. Mate removal experiments conducted on two monogamous coral-feeding species, Chaetodon multicinctus and Chaetodon quadrimaculatus reveal a division of labor between male and female pair-mates. Paired males assume most of the territorial defense activities, allowing their mates to feed more.