cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tubulation of Class II MHC Compartments Is Microtubule Dependent and Involves Multiple Endolysosomal Membrane Proteins in Primary Dendritic Cells

Immature dendritic cells (DCs) capture exogenous Ags in the periphery for eventual processing in endolysosomes. Upon maturation by TLR agonists, DCs deliver peptide-loaded class II MHC molecules from these compartments to the cell surface via long tubular structures (endolysosomal tubules). The nature and rules that govern the movement of these DC compartments are unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that the tubules contain multiple proteins including the class II MHC molecules and LAMP1, a lysosomal resident protein, as well as CD63 and CD82, members of the tetraspanin family. Endolysosomal tubules can be stained with acidotropic dyes, indicating that they are extensions of lysosomes. However, the proper trafficking of class II MHC molecules themselves is not necessary for endolysosomal tubule formation. DCs lacking MyD88 can also form endolysosomal tubules, demonstrating that MyD88-dependent TLR activation is not necessary for the formation of this compartment. Endolysosomal tubules in DCs exhibit dynamic and saltatory movement, including bidirectional travel. Measured velocities are consistent with motor-based movement along microtubules. Indeed, nocodazole causes the collapse of endolysosomal tubules. In addition to its association with microtubules, endolysosomal tubules follow the plus ends of microtubules as visualized in primary DCs expressing end binding protein 1 (EB1)-enhanced GFP.
Interface Property Tailoring for Pseudo Strain-Hardening Cementitious Composites

It is well known that interfaces in composites play an important role in determining composite properties. In this paper, the role of interface properties on pseudo strain-hardening properties of brittle cement matrix composites is briefly summarized. An example of interface tailoring by plasma treatment on polyethylene fibers and its effect on composite behavior is described.
Posterior Moments of the Cauchy Distribution

The posterior moments of parameters specifying distributions are minimum mean square Bayesian estimators for the corresponding moments of those parameters, and as such are ubiquitous in the Bayesian approach to statistical inference of distributions. The Cauchy distribution is most notable for its wide tails, decided absence of high-order moments, and non-existence of less-than-data dimension sufficient statistics. Thus it vastly differs qualitatively from the Gaussian distribution, where tails are small, moments of all orders exist, and dimension-two sufficient statistics always exist. In this paper the posterior moments of the position parameter of the Cauchy distribution are found in closed form. (Estimating the other parameter, the width or distance parameter of the Cauchy is done using the same mathematics.) The interplay between the amount of data acquired for the estimation of the position parameter and the existence of higher order moments of the inferred posterior distribution for the postition parameter is made explicit.
Factorization and shape-function effects in inclusive B-meson decays

Abstract Using methods of effective field theory, factorized expressions for arbitrary B ¯ → X u l − ν ¯ decay distributions in the shape-function region of large hadronic energy and moderate hadronic invariant mass are derived. Large logarithms are resummed at next-to-leading order in renormalization-group improved perturbation theory. The operator product expansion is employed to relate moments of the renormalized shape function with HQET parameters such as m b , Λ ¯ and λ 1 defined in a new physical subtraction scheme. An analytic expression for the asymptotic behavior of the shape function is obtained, which reveals that it is not positive definite. Explicit expressions are presented for the charged-lepton energy spectrum, the hadronic invariant mass distribution, and the spectrum in the hadronic light-cone momentum P + = E H − | P → H | . A new method for a precision measurement of | V u b | is proposed, which combines good theoretical control with high efficiency and a powerful discrimination against charm background.
Faculty prediction of in-training examination scores of emergency medicine residents.

Abstract Background The Emergency Medicine In-Training Examination (EMITE) is one of the only valid tools for medical knowledge assessment in current use by emergency medicine (EM) residencies. However, EMITE results return late in the academic year, providing little time to institute potential remediation. Objective The goal of this study was to determine the ability of EM faculty to accurately predict resident EMITE scores prior to results return. Methods We asked EM faculty at the study site to predict the 2012 EMITE scores of the 50 EM residents 2 weeks prior to results being available. The primary outcome was prediction accuracy, defined as the proportion of predictions within 6% of the actual score. The secondary outcome was prediction precision, defined as the mean deviation of predictions from the actual scores. We assessed several faculty background variables, including years of experience, educational leadership status, and clinical hours worked, for correlation with the two outcomes. Results Thirty-two of the 38 faculty (84.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 69.6–92.6) participated in the study, rendering a total of 1600 predictions for 50 residents. Mean resident EMITE score was 81.1% (95% CI 79.5–82.8%). Mean prediction accuracy for all faculty participants was 69% (95% CI 65.9–72.1%). Mean prediction precision was 5.2% (95% CI 4.9–5.5%). Education leadership status was the only background variable correlated with the primary and secondary outcomes (Spearman's ρ = 0.51 and −0.53, respectively). Conclusion Faculty possess only moderate accuracy at predicting resident EMITE scores. We recommend a multicenter study to evaluate the generalizability of the present results.
Role of Biochemical Mediators in Clinical Nutrition and Surgical Metabolism

Over the past several decades, research on the role of mediators in inflammation, immunity, repair processes, cell growth, and substrate metabolism have centered around the use of purified products of stimulated macrophages. With the current availability of recombinant mediators, the participation of individual monokines in cellular metabolism has been more clearly defined. Interactions among various mediators have been demonstrated, but their exact role in metabolism is currently under intense study. With the use of recombinant monokines, formal evidence for their participation in the acute phase response has been developed. Their use has also assisted in the reinterpretation of data gathered in older studies using purified preparations, which were almost certainly contaminated with several monokines. In this review we will try to give the reader insight into recent advances in the understanding of the role of cellular mediators in relation to nutrition and intermediary metabolism. With a clearer knowled...
Observation of very slow potential oscillations in human scalp recordings.

Abstract Very slow oscillations (5–8 c/min) were observed in the scalp potential of ten normal awake humans, ages 21–40, who were sitting quietly with eyes open. The oscillations were sometimes nearly in phase with slow, spontaneous breathing but continued during breath holding. The wave form was nearly sinusoidal but waxed and waned in amplitude, having a 50–75 μV peak-to-peak amplitude for continuous wave trains. They were observed in left-to-right occiput, left occiput-to-neck, and vertex-to-right mastoid potentials. The occurrence of the very slow oscillations was unpredictable. Sometimes a subject who did not show any slow waves during one recording session would exhibit them almost continuously in another recording. On the average the wave trains were present about 15% of the time. No stimuli or mental activity were found to affect the onset or termination of these waves. Possible sources of the very slow oscillations are discussed.
SU-C-137-07: A Comprehensive Investigation of Dosimetric Uncertainties in Junction Region of Breast Superclavicular and Tangential Fields

Purpose: The dosimetric uncertainties in junction regions are one of the major concerns in treatments involving field-junctions, especially tangential breast and supraclavicular fossa radiotherapy fields. The uncertainties are linked to dose calculation algorithms, set-up, jaw/couch position uncertainties, and choice of mono-versus multiple-isocentric techniques. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively investigate the effects of these common variants to understand dose non-uniformity in junction regions. Methods: To understand the effects from dose algorithms and setup uncertainties, a typical tangential/superclav field combination was planned to an anthropomorphic Rando phantom using the Pinnacle-9.0 treatment-planning system and delivered 6 times on different days. 3 films (EBT2) were placed in coronal plane across the field-junction. Pinnacle CCC-9.0, Eclipse AAA-10.0 and AcurosXB-11.0 were used for calculation. To understand the effects from the linac's mechanical uncertainties, junctions were generated with two open fields using both mono-isocentric and two-isocentric techniques. Junction-fields were delivered on 6 different linacs to EBT2 in a solid water phantom. Impacts of couch position accuracy/reproducibility, and jaw-position accuracy/reproducibility were analyzed. Results: In general, the major contributor to the dose uncertainties in junction region is the jaw position accuracy. Among the 6 linacs investigated in this study, the uncertainty of jaw position can be up to ±3mm, subsequently leading to about 25% hot/cold of dose distributions in junction region. The impact of mono versus two-isocentric technique is relatively small (within 5%), because the patient-couch positioning was found to have good accuracy and reproducibility. All dose algorithms are found to be in close mutual agreement (within 5%) for most regions of the junction. Jaw positioning has good short-term reproducibility, but might change over months. Conclusion: Dose inhomogeneities at field-junctions are more strongly dependent on jaw-positioning accuracy compared to setup, dose-calculation, and other source of errors.Impact:Guidance to improve dose uniformity in field-junction. This work was funded by National Institutes of Health grants 2R44CA105806-02, CA010953
The Relationship Between Warranty and Product Reliability

Consumers tend to use warranty information when making judgments about the reliability of brands. This study examines the nature of the relationship between warranty terms and reliability for a sample of household appliances and electronic products. Overall, results show that warranty terms are poor predictors of brand reliability for the sample under study. However, results indicate that the relationship between warranty terms and brand reliability tends to improve with product age, market penetration, and the amount of variation in the reliability of brands.
Prevalence and co-occurrence of addictive behaviors among former alternative high school youth.

Abstract Background and Aims Recent work has studied multiple addictions using a matrix measure, which taps multiple addictions through single responses for each type. Methods The present study investigated use of a matrix measure approach among former alternative high school youth (average age = 19.8 years) at risk for addictions. Lifetime and last 30-day prevalence of one or more of 11 addictions reviewed in other work (Sussman, Lisha & Griffiths, 2011) was the primary focus (i.e., cigarettes, alcohol, other/hard drugs, eating, gambling, Internet, shopping, love, sex, exercise, and work). Also, the co-occurrence of two or more of these 11 addictive behaviors was investigated. Finally, the latent class structure of these addictions, and their associations with other measures, was examined. Results We found that ever and last 30-day prevalence of one or more of these addictions was 79.2% and 61.5%, respectively. Ever and last 30-day co-occurrence of two or more of these addictions was 61.5% and 37.7%, res...
Saxitoxin binding to central and peripheral nervous tissue of the myelin deficiency (md) mutant rat.

Abstract Tritium-labeled saxitoxin binding was assayed in the CNS and PNS of normal and of ‘myelin deficiency’ (md) mutant rat pups. This mutant in the Wistar rat is characterized by a virtually complete amyelination of the CNS, the PNS being normal. No significant difference was found in the saxitoxin binding capacity of md and normal brain, spinal cord, or sciatic nerves. This suggests that the presence or absence of myelin does not influence the number of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in the rat.
The evolution of small rotational perturbations to a uniform rotation of a viscoelastic fluid contained between parallel plates

Abstract The transfer mechanism of momentum from the boundaries into the interior of a viscoelastic fluid is examined in the case when the boundary consists of two parallel plates. Special emphasis is given to the case of a Maxwellian fluid. It is seen that an increase in the azimuthal angular velocity at the boundaries progresses into the interior of the liquid in the form of a velocity discontinuity wave. Simultaneously, an axial circulatory flow pumps liquid from the low rotation region near the middle plane into the high rotation region near the boundaries. Detailed calculations are given for the intial stage of evolution.
Lie algebras with self-centralizing ad-nilpotent elements

Let L be a finite dimensional Lie algebra over an arbitrary field F. For x EL, the centraZizer C(x) is the subalgebra {y EL ( [yx] = 0). We say that x is selfcentralizing if dim C(x) = 1, ( i.e. C(x) = Fx). If L contains an ad-nilpotent self-centralizing element, then the structure of L is severely constrained. In Section 2 we shall see that if char(F) = 0, then dim L 0, then examples exist with dimension exceeding 3. It turns out for p > 2 that these algebras are necessarily simple and have p-power dimension. (The situation when p = 2 is more complicated and we do not discuss it.) Let char(F) = p > 2. We say that a polynomial f E F[Xj is a p-polynomial if the only powers of X having nonzero coefficients in f are of the form XP” for i > 0. Given a positive integer n and a p-polynomial f, we construct in Section 4 a specific Lie algebra La(f) of dimension p %. These algebras contain self-centralizing ad-nilpotent elements and for perfect fields L, we show in Section 7 that the L,(f) are the only algebras of dimension >3 which do. The definition of L,(f) is motivated by the special case f = 0 where the algebra can be identified with the Zassenhaus algebra of dimension pn (see Ree [S]). In Section 3, we study the structure of Zassenhaus algebras from the point of view of self-centralizing ad-nilpotent elements. A consequence of this investigation is an easy proof that when F is algebraically closed, the Zassenhaus algebras and o((2, F) are the only finite dimensional simple algebras which have subalgebras of codimension 1. (This was asserted by Amayo [2] without any assumption on F. \Ve give a counterexample in Section 6 which shows that the result is not true over arbitrary fields.) Another generalization of the Zassenhaus algebras was given by Albert and Frank [l]. In Section 5 we show that these “Alberttzassenhaus” algebras over perfect fields also contain self-centralizing ad-nilpotent elements and hence are
Fertility effects of isolated spouse separations in relation to their timing.

Abstract Three dimensions of isolated spousal separation largely determine its fertility impact: (1) length, (2) “completeness” (degree to which it is eliminating fecundability during fecundable months), and (3) its timing as defined by the reproductive state of the wife at its start. While it is obvious that by starting when the wife is in the fecundable state its net delaying of next conception is maximized, it is much less clear with which reproductive state its start should coincide in order to minimize its fertility impact. By means of a simple model, it is shown that for minimum impact a separation should start later in a pregnancy the longer is post‐partum anovulation, the higher is the level of intrauterine mortality, and the shorter is the period of separation. Conditions of natural fertility are assumed.
Age-related primary cochlear neuronal degeneration in human temporal bones.

In cases of acquired sensorineural hearing loss, death of cochlear neurons is thought to arise largely as a result of sensory-cell loss. However, recent studies of acoustic overexposure report massive degeneration of the cochlear nerve despite complete hair cell survival (Kujawa and Liberman, J Neurosci 29:14077–14085, 2009). To assess the primary loss of spiral ganglion cells (SGCs) in human ears, neuronal counts were performed in 100 temporal bones from 100 individuals, aged newborn to 100 years, selected to include only cases with a normal population of inner and outer hair cells. Ganglion cell counts declined at a mean rate of 100 cells per year of life. There were no significant gender or inter-aural differences, and a slight increase in degeneration in the basal turn re upper turns was not statistically significant. The age-related decline in SGCs was significantly less than that in prior studies that included ears with hair cell loss (Otte et al., Laryngoscope 88:1231–1246, 1978), but significantly more than for analogous data on vestibular ganglion cells in cases without vestibular hair cell loss (Velazquez-Villasenor et al., Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl 181:14–19, 2000). The age-related decline in SGC counts may contribute to the well-known decline in hearing-in-noise performance, and the data will help in interpretation of histopathological findings from temporal bones with known otologic disease.
Relative importance of nitric oxide formation mechanisms in laminar opposed-flow diffusion flames

Abstract The relative importance of the Zeldovich, N2O, and Fenimore mechanisms for nitric oxide formation in stretched laminar opposed-flow diffusion flames with CH 4 N 2 fuel is determined using model calculations that include detailed chemical kinetics (213 reactions and 45 molecular species) and realistic multi-component transport effects. For all values of stretch, the NO formation is dominated by the Fenimore mechanism, which contributes more than two thirds of the total NO formed. The remaining NO is formed approximately equally by the Zeldovich and N2O mechanisms. The model calculations are compared with previous measurements in laminar opposed-flow CH 4 N 2 diffusion flames at three values of stretch (α = 42, 70, and 140 s−1). The model-experiment agreement (within 50 K for peak temperature and within a factor of 2 for peak NOx formed) supports the validity of the detailed chemical kinetic mechanism used. The Fenimore mechanism is expected to dominate NO formation in many laminar and turbulent hydrocarbon diffusion flames.
Effect of hyperphenylalaninemia on amino acid metabolism and compartmentation in neonatal rat brain.

Abstract Hyperphenylalaninemia was induced in neonatal rats byp-chlorophenylalanine and phenylalanine treatment up to 21 days of age. Brain and body weights of the hyperphenylalaninemic rats were significantly reduced when compared to controls. Amino acid compartmentation, demonstrated by the ratio of specific radioactivity of glutamine to glutamate after the administration of l- [U-14C]leucine, developed more slowly in the hyperphenylalaninemic group. This result is similar to that seen with thyroidectomized neonatal rats and suggests an inhibition to neuronal process growth. Though the brain levels of amino acids derived through the TCA cycle increased during development, glutamate and glutamine concentrations were significantly less in the hyperphenylalaninemic group than the controls. Body weight and amino acid compartmentation returned to normal 3 weeks after termination of drug of drug treatment whereas brain weight and glutamate and glutamine concentrations did not return to normal.
Late presenting nasal deformities after nasal continuous positive airway pressure injury: 33-year experience

Summary Purpose This study was designed to characterize the resultant nasal deformities seen in adolescent and adult patients who sustained nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) injuries during their NICU admission. Patients and methods Data from patients who sustained nCPAP injury in the NICU and seen for plastic surgery evaluation at one institution over the past 33 years was collected. Exclusion criteria were patients with additional nasal trauma after nCPAP injury. A retrospective review was performed, including demographics, time of initial injury, surgical timing, associated medical history, nasal function and photographs. Deformities were characterized according to aesthetic nasal subunit location and secondary nasal deformities. Outcome measures included the need and type of surgical correction, presence of airway obstruction, and surgical complications. Results 11 patients were included; the average age was 13.9 ± 4.6 years. The average gestational age was 26.5 ± 1.6 weeks. All of the nasal deformities included the inferior third of nose. The nasal soft triangle and columella were the most common subunits affected. Three patients had combined deformities with involvement of at least two nasal subunits. All injuries resulted in secondary nasal deformities, including nostril asymmetry, columellar asymmetry, nasal tip deviation, lack of projection and nasal airway obstruction. All patients required at least two operative interventions for treatment. Mean age of initial reconstruction was 7.2 years. Despite surgical intervention, secondary deformities and nasal airway obstruction was still present. Conclusion Late presenting nCPAP injury deformities most commonly affect the lower third of the nose and can result in a myriad of secondary nasal deformities. The nasal soft triangle and columella were the most commonly involved subunits. Secondary deformities involved the nasal aesthetic subunits adjacent to the primarily affected areas, resulting in asymmetry as well as nasal airway obstruction. Most patients required staged open nasal reconstruction with composite grafts.
Numerical Solution for Condensation of Atmospheric Vapor on Soluble and Insoluble Nuclei

Abstract The growth of cloud droplets by condensation of vapor upon soluble and insoluble nuclei was computed for different nuclei distributions. The set of equations used takes into account the interdependence of vapor condensation and changes of temperature and pressure in the vertically moving air. The results show that the spectrum of cloud droplets is broader if the nuclei distribution includes hygroscopic and insoluble nuclei together, rather than different sizes of salt nuclei only. If different numbers of nuclei are assumed in neighboring air parcels, then the size spectrum in the cloud is even broader. The width of the spectrum obtained in this study seems to be broad enough to initiate the process of raindrop growth by coalescence. Results for different updraft velocities and a non-constant vertical velocity of the air parcel show that the final sizes of the drops are almost the same when measured at a certain altitude z, no matter what the vertical velocity was.
The Need for Systemic-Pulmonary Artery Shunts in the Surgical Management of Tetralogy of Fallot

When managing infants and small children with severe enough symptoms to require operative intervention, there can be no doubt that the establishment of a shunt is highly efficacious. Total repair can be contemplated some years later. If technically feasible, a shunt of the Blalock-Taussig type is the desired form of procedure. When dealing with very small infants, a Potts anastomosis has a higher probability of remaining patent and is therefore more desirable, even though it might be more difficult to obliterate at the second operation. In older or larger children with the pink tetralogy, total correction in one stage can be advised with an acceptably low mortality rate. However, in older subjects with severe cyanosis, it is now our policy in nearly all cases to employ a two-stage attack in the form of a preliminary systemic-pulmonary arterial shunt, proceeding with complete correction some years later.
Sequential response organization in humans or "how do people get their act together"

Sequential response organization is assessed experimentally based on the degree of association between behavioral elements in a simple binary choice task. The thermodynamic formalism for dynamical systems provides a quantitative framework to determine fluctuations of response organization. The order parameter approach proposed by Haken is used to extract organizational principles that determine the association of consecutive behavioral elements. The results indicate that (1) the fluctuations of local dynamical entropies are significantly larger in humans compared to the randomized data sets; (2) the switching and duration order parameter determine critically the sequential organization of response elements in the binary choice task paradigm. Thus. sequential response organization is characterized by the predictable repetition of similar behavioral actions that are initiated frequently or predictable repetitive switching between different behavioral actions. In contrast, unpredictable sequences of behavioral actions emerge from infrequently initiated and moderate switching between response elements.
Production of alkyl esters from tallow and grease using lipase immobilized in a phyllosilicate sol-gel

The lipase-catalyzed synthesis of alkyl esters from tallow and grease using Pseudomonas cepacia lipase (PS-30) immobilized within a phyllosilicate sol-gel matrix was investigated. The effects of the presence of alcohol and of the amount of enzyme used were studied. The matrix-immobilized PS-30 lipase effectively converted grease and tallow to ethyl esters in greater than 95% yield when using ethanol. The final conversion of grease or tallow to alkyl esters was aided by the addition of molecular sieves (0.4 wt% of substrates) to the reaction mixture. The matrix-immobilized PS-30 enzyme was easily recovered and could be reused at least five times without losing its activity. Accordingly, the phyllosilicate sol-gel immobilized PS-30 lipase is potentially useful for the economic production of biodiesel fuel.
Conditioning regimens for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Conditioning regimens for transplantation are important in determining transplant outcome. This review focuses on transplantation in aplastic anemia and leukemia using marrow from HLA-identical siblings. Results of conditioning with newer regimens such as busulfan plus cyclophosphamide and etoposide plus total body irradiation are reviewed and compared to results achieved with cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation. The potential for improved results using recent innovations such as dose adjustment of busulfan, agents which may decrease transplant-related toxicity, and directed radiation are discussed.
In vitro and in vivo metal ion release

A series of experiments was conducted to study in vitro and in vivo metal ion release and the urine excretion of metal ions. Metal salts were injected and urine analyzed. Anodic potentials were applied to stainless steel and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CCM) specimens to cause an acceleration of corrosion rates. Corrosion experiments were done in saline, 10% serum and in a subcutaneous space in hamsters. Corrosion rates were determined by measurements of weight loss and calculations of net charge transfer. Metal ion concentrations were determined with graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, and were calculated from total charge using Faraday's law. The results with stainless steel showed that the weight loss and metal ion release from stainless steel in vitro and in vivo can be calculated using Faraday's Law, assuming release in proportion to alloy composition. The results with CCM indicated that release rates in vitro can be used to determine the proportionality of release in vivo. All the nickel and most of the cobalt was rapidly excreted, while less than 50% of the chromium was excreted. The excretion of metals following salt injection or in vivo corrosion were very similar.
Neurotoxicity of tetraphenylporphinesulfonate TPPS4 and its relation to photodynamic therapy.

Tetraphenylporphinesulfonate (TPPS4) is a synthetic porphyrin that localizes in certain tumors to a higher absolute concentration and with more favorable tumor to other tissue ratios than any other porphyrin yet studied. Its utilization for photodynamic therapy and other applications has been inhibited by reported neurotoxicity. We injected TPPS4 over a broad dose range of 5-150 mg kg−1 and observed the effects on peripheral nerve in groups of animals sacrificed 35, 70 and 140 days later. No immediate deaths or phototoxic manifestations were seen. Light and electron microscopy, however, revealed cytoskeletal abnormalities and nerve fiber degeneration affecting both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in all the time and dose groups. These findings have similarities to those of other experimental toxic neuropathies, and may also be related to the preponderance of autonomic manifestations in patients with porphyric neuropathy. The morphological changes consisted of tangles of fibrillar material in the myelinated fibers and loss of neurotubules in the unmyelinated fibers. Our studies indicate a direct interaction of TPPS4 with tubulin. This biological mechanism may be involved in the selective distribution of certain parenterally administered porphyrins.
Restoring Sensory Feedback Enables Real-Time Control of Prosthetic Hand [From the Field]

The experimentation also highlighted the importance of reactivating tactile feedback to enable the patient to use the robotic prosthesis with dexterity. On 5 February 2013, the results of the second major experimental step of the LifeHand project were unveiled in conjunction with the publication of a related research article in the international journal Science Translational Medicine [1]. The work is coauthored by a group of Italian and other European research centers: 1) Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, 2) Catholic University of Rome, 3) Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, 4) IRCSS San Raffaele La Pisana, 5) EPFL-Switzerland, 6) University of Freiburg-Germany, and 7) Aalborg University-Denmark. LifeHand2 is the natural evolution of the research that led to the 2008 success of LifeHand1. The patient was an Italian-Brazilian national, Pierpaolo Petruzziello, who had undergone the exact same amputation (left arm immediately below the elbow) as Dennis Aabo Sorensen, the subject of this second experimentation. Starting from the demonstration of the possibility of restoring fine motor control capabilities in amputees by exploiting learning processes based on sensory feedback, it is expected that LifeHand2 can trigger many new research developments in the field of robotic prostheses and robot-based rehabilitation and assistive solutions.
Oxygen fluorescence quenching studies with single tryptophan-containing proteins.

The work of Lakowicz and Weber [Biochemistry 12, 4161 (1973)] demonstrated that molecular oxygen is a powerful quencher of tryptophan fluorescence in proteins. Here we report studies of the oxygen quenching of several proteins that have a single, internal tryptophan residue. Among these are apoazurin (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), asparaginase (Escherichia coli), ribonuclease T1 (Aspergillus oryzae), and cod parvalbumin. Both fluorescence intensity and phase lifetime quenching data are reported. By comparison of these data we find that there is a significant degree of apparent static quenching in these proteins. The dynamic quenching rate constants,kq, that we find are low compared to those for tryptophan residues in other proteins. For example, for apoazurin we find an apparentkq of 0.59×109M−1 s−1 at 25°C. This value is the lowest that has been reported for the oxygen quenching of tryptophan fluorescence.
Effect of Respiratory Protective Devices on Development of Antibody and Occupational Asthma to an Acid Anhydride

Study objectives To determine whether the use of respiratory protective equipment would reduce the incidence of occupational asthma due to exposure to hexahydrophthalic anhydride (HHPA). Design Prospective cohort study. Setting A facility that makes an epoxy resin product requiring HHPA for its manufacture. Participants Sixty-six individuals newly hired at a facility that makes an epoxy resin product requiring HHPA for its manufacture. Intervention Employees who wished to use respiratory protective equipment could choose from three types of masks: dust mask, half-face organic vapor respirator, or full-face organic vapor respirator. Measurements Workers were evaluated annually for development of positive antibody to HHPA and occupational, immunologic respiratory disease, including occupational asthma. Results With use of respiratory protective equipment, the rate of developing an occupational immunologic respiratory disease was reduced from approximately 10 to 2% per year. Occupational asthma developed in only three individuals, and they were all in the higher exposure category. Statistically, one respirator was not superior to the others. Conclusion Respiratory protective equipment can reduce the incidence of occupational immunologic respiratory disease, including occupational asthma, in employees exposed to HHPA.
Anomalous origin of the sinus nodal artery from left main artery.

This is the first case report of an anomalous origin of sinus nodal artery from the left main coronary artery.
Rituximab in lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease: A case series

Rituximab in combination with chlorambucil or radiation therapy may be an effective and less-toxic therapeutic alternative for patients with lymphocyte predominance Hodgkin's disease (LPHD). We treated 6 patients with LPHD with weekly rituximab at 375 mg/m2 for 4 weeks, followed by either radiation therapy or chlorambucil. Four patients had previously untreated disease and 2 had relapsed LPHD. All patients had no evidence of disease progression at a median follow-up time of 12.5 months after receiving rituximab therapy (range, 6-39 months) and a median follow-up time of 6.5 months after completion of chlorambucil or radiation therapy (range, 3-25 months). Further follow-up is warranted to evaluate response duration and late toxicity of this novel treatment strategy
Modeling of Electrodynamic Interactions between Metal Nanoparticles Aggregated by Electrostatic Interactions into Closely-Packed Clusters

This paper is a theoretical and experimental study of the optical properties of binary aqueous suspensions containing metal nanoparticles (NPs) coated with charged organics. If all nanoparticles bear charges of the same polarity, the NPs do not aggregate, and the solutions are stable. Under these circumstances, optical response of the mixture is a linear combination of the optical responses of the individual components. In contrast, when the NPs are oppositely charged, they aggregate into clusters, whose optical properties cannot be understood without taking into account electrodynamic coupling between the constituent NPs. To model such aggregates, we present two theoretical approaches: (i) an exact analytical model accounting for the granularity of the NPs and (ii) an approximation, in which the aggregates are represented as spherosymmetric core-and-shells. Both models reproduce optical spectra recorded experimentally and give physically reasonable estimates of the aggregates' internal structure and com...
Understanding housing: The intellectual legacy of John Quigley

Abstract John Quigley was an important and beloved figure in housing and urban economics who died in 2012, but many non-specialists are only dimly aware of his contributions. This essay surveys his intellectual legacy, beginning with his early work with John Kain. Their research pioneered the application of hedonic price models to housing micro-data, and kicked off a literature that asked whether housing market discrimination led African-Americans to pay more for equivalent units. Over four decades, Quigley continued to develop housing price models, championing a hybrid approach that used both repeat sales and other transactions. Together with Robert Van Order, Quigley developed empirical tests of rational mortgage default and prepayments. Their work found that frictionless models are often rejected by the data. Quigley's work on green buildings documented their high economic returns; his work on homelessness pointed to high housing prices and overly restrictive supply regulations. Together with Karl Case and Robert Shiller, Quigley demonstrated the strong effects of housing wealth on consumption.
Mexican-American youth: The impact of generation and gender on outcomes in young adulthood

Immigrant children have been shown to have poorer outcomes in adulthood as compared to nonimmigrant children. However, there is little information on how 1.5 generation youth (those youth immigrating before age 12) fare compared to second generation children. Using data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study, we examine the impact of generation and gender on the social and economic outcomes of Mexican American young adults. Both logistic regression and least squares regression are used. Results indicate that 1.5 generation females have worse outcomes compared to their peers.
Overview of Warmwater Fish Diseases

ABSTRACT Infectious diseases are among the most serious constraints to warmwater aquaculture. During the past 30 years, reported fish diseases in the southeastern United States have increased greatly; much of which was due to expansion and intensification of aquaculture, especially in the channel catfish industry. Viruses, bacteria, water molds, protozoa, helminths, and crustacea induce disease in warmwater fishes. While some of these are obligate pathogens, most are opportunistic facultative organisms that produce disease when fish health is compromised by injury or environmental stressors. The preferred method of controlling infectious diseases in warmwater aquaculture is by using “best management practices” that include improving and controlling the environment, handling and transporting fish properly, stocking at reasonable densities, using proper quantities of high quality feeds, using legal drugs judiciously, and vaccinating when effective products are available.
A hypo-osmotic medium to disaggregate tumor cell clumps into viable and clonogenic single cells for the human tumor stem cell clonogenic assay

A hypo-osmolar medium and tissue processing technique is described which is useful for disaggregation of residual human tumor cell clumps persisting after mechanical or enzymatic treatment of solid tumors and malignant effusions. The addition of the hypo-osmolar procedure to the standard methods for disaggregation increased the viable single cell yield in solid tumors by 47% and in malignant effusions by 67%. In 5 of the 26 solid tumor specimens tested in the human tumor stem cell assay, clonogenic single cells were obtained with the hypo-osmolar procedure, whereas no growth was observed using standard methods. Overall, the success rate for clonogenicity increased from 46% to 65% for the 26 solid tumors, with the major improvement occurring in ovarian cancer. Clonogenicity was obtained in 80% of malignant effusions both by standard methods and the hypo-osmolar techniques. The increased total yield of clonogenic cells obtained with this procedure enhances the opportunity for experimental versatility and in vitro drug testing.
Rab9 GTPase Is Required for Replication of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, Filoviruses, and Measles Virus

Rab proteins and their effectors facilitate vesicular transport by tethering donor vesicles to their respective target membranes. By using gene trap insertional mutagenesis, we identified Rab9, which mediates late-endosome-to-trans-Golgi-network trafficking, among several candidate host genes whose disruption allowed the survival of Marburg virus-infected cells, suggesting that Rab9 is utilized in Marburg replication. Although Rab9 has not been implicated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication, previous reports suggested that the late endosome is an initiation site for HIV assembly and that TIP47-dependent trafficking out of the late endosome to the trans-Golgi network facilitates the sorting of HIV Env into virions budding at the plasma membrane. We examined the role of Rab9 in the life cycles of HIV and several unrelated viruses, using small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence Rab9 expression before viral infection. Silencing Rab9 expression dramatically inhibited HIV replication, as did silencing the host genes encoding TIP47, p40, and PIKfyve, which also facilitate late-endosome-to-trans-Golgi vesicular transport. In addition, silencing studies revealed that HIV replication was dependent on the expression of Rab11A, which mediates trans-Golgi-to-plasma-membrane transport, and that increased HIV Gag was sequestered in a CD63+ endocytic compartment in a cell line stably expressing Rab9 siRNA. Replication of the enveloped Ebola, Marburg, and measles viruses was inhibited with Rab9 siRNA, although the nonenveloped reovirus was insensitive to Rab9 silencing. These results suggest that Rab9 is an important cellular target for inhibiting diverse viruses and help to define a late-endosome-to-plasma-membrane vesicular transport pathway important in viral assembly.
Graphical and PC-software analysis of volcano eruption precursors according to the Materials Failure Forecast Method (FFM)

Abstract The Materials Failure Forecasting Method for volcanic eruptions (FFM) analyses the rate of precursory phenomena. Time of eruption onset is derived from the time of “failure” implied by accelerating rate of deformation. The approach attempts to fit data, Ω, to the differential relationship Ω ¨ = A Ω ˙ , where the dot superscript represents the time derivative, and the data Ω may be any of several parameters describing the accelerating deformation or energy release of the volcanic system. Rate coefficients,A and α, may be derived from appropriate data sets to provide an estimate of time to “failure”. As the method is still an experimental technique, it should be used with appropriate judgment during times of volcanic crisis. Limitations of the approach are identified and discussed. Several kinds of eruption precursory phenomena, all simulating accelerating creep during the mechanical deformation of the system, can be used with FFM. Among these are tilt data, slope-distance measurements, crater fault movements and seismicity. The use of seismic coda, seismic amplitude-derived energy release and time-integrated amplitudes or coda lengths are examined. Usage of cumulative coda length directly has some practical advantages to more rigorously derived parameters, and RSAM and SSAM technologies appear to be well suited to real-time applications. One graphical and four numerical techniques of applying FFM are discussed. The graphical technique is based on an inverse representation of rate versus time. For α = 2, the inverse rate plot is linear; it is concave upward for α 2. The eruption time is found by simple extrapolation of the data set toward the time axis. Three numerical techniques are based on linear least-squares fits to linearized data sets. The “linearized least-squares technique” is most robust and is expected to be the most practical numerical technique. This technique is based on an iterative linearization of the given rate-time series. The hindsight technique is disadvantaged by a bias favouring a too early eruption time in foresight applications. The “log rate versus log acceleration technique”, utilizing a logarithmic representation of the fundamental differential equation, is disadvantaged by large data scatter after interpolation of accelerations. One further numerical technique, a nonlinear least-squares fit to rate data, requires special and more complex software. PC-oriented computer codes were developed for data manipulation, application of the three linearizing numerical methods, and curve fitting. Separate software is required for graphing purposes. All three linearizing techniques facilitate an eruption window based on a data envelope according to the linear least-squares fit, at a specific level of confidence, and an estimated rate at time of failure.
On the optical absorption spectrum of Na2Cl

Abstract One-color resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) and photodepletion measurements of Na 2 Cl generated in continuous molecular beams by coexpansion of sodium and sodium chloride equilibrium vapors are presented. The spectra extend from 1.9 to 3.0 eV as well as encompassing several wavelengths in the 1.4–1.7 eV range. We observe two electronic band systems centered respectively at 2.24 and 2.64 eV, which are tentatively assigned as X( 1 A 1 )→B( 1 A 1 ) and →C( 1 B 1 ) transitions from the Na 2 Cl C 2v ground state via comparison with theoretical predictions.
Equilibrium in a discrete exchange economy with money

We consider a market in which there aren traders each of whom owns an object and some amount of money. It is shown that under rather mild conditions on demand the market will have a price equilibrium. The proof makes use of a generalization of a well known result of combinatorial topology.
Weld pool impedance for pool geometry measurement: stationary and nonstationary pools

The most elusive quantity in describing weld pool geometry is the depth, since it cannot be directly observed; yet it is the most important quantity to be regulated during welding. This paper addresses the problem of depth feedback measurement for full penetration welds, where the objective is to completely melt the cross section
Molekulare Faktoren der katalytischen Selektivität

Selektivitat – die Bildung eines bestimmten Produkts aus einer Auswahl von thermodynamisch moglichen molekularen Produkten – ist der Schlussel zur Entwicklung sauberer Prozesse, bei denen keinerlei Nebenprodukte entstehen (“grune Chemie”). Kleine Unterschiede in den Aktivierungsbarrieren fur einzelne Schritte bestimmen, uber welchen Reaktionsweg das gewunschte molekulare Produkt gebildet wird (Selektivitat), wohingegen die Aktivierungsbarriere der Gesamtreaktion die Umsatzgeschwindigkeiten vorgibt (Aktivitat). Kurzlich wurde gezeigt, wie Parameter auf atomarer oder molekularer Ebene abgestimmt werden konnen – beispielsweise hangen Umsatzgeschwindigkeiten und Selektivitaten von der Grose und Form von Nanopartikeln ab, weil sich die aktiven Zentren auf ihren Oberflachen unterscheiden. Hier rucken wir sieben molekulare Faktoren in den Blickpunkt, die die Selektivitat heterogenkatalytischer Reaktionen an Metalleinkristall-Modelloberflachen und an Kolloidnanopartikeln beeinflussen: die Oberflachenstruktur, Strukturveranderungen durch Adsorbatbindung, die Beweglichkeit des Adsorbats, Reaktionszwischenstufen, die Oberflachenzusammensetzung, der Ladungstransport sowie der Oxidationszustand. Wir stellen die Bedeutung der einzelnen Faktoren anhand von Beispielen heraus und beschreiben, welche Methoden uns zur In-situ-Untersuchung ihrer Rolle bei Oberflachenreaktionen zu Gebote stehen.
Anomalous xenon isotopes in the Antarctic carbonaceous chondrite Belgica

Anomalies observed by Nagao et al. (1984) in the xenon fractions released from the carbonaceous chondrite Belgica can be explained as due to the alterations of the isotopic composition caused by a combined effect of (a) mass-fractionation, (b) high-energy proton spallation and (c) secondary neutron-capture processes, which occurred within the solar system when the Sun was in its T-Tauri phase. The isotopic composition of the xenon fraction released from this meteorite at 1, 800°C seems to represent that of the xenon which is more primordial than the atmospheric xenon.