cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Anatomical findings in patients having had a chronically indwelling coronary sinus defibrillation lead

The purpose of this report is to review the gross and histological cardiac anatomical findings in patients with chronically indwelling coronary sinus leads at the time of autopsy or cardiac transplantation. Transvenous cardioverter defibrillators offer effective protection against sudden death. The use of a coronary sinus electrode has been shown in some patients to decrease the defibrillation threshold. The anatomical consequences of chronically indwelling coronary sinus cardioversion/defibrillation electrodes in patients having transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillators is unknown. The hearts of seven patients with chronically indwelling coronary sinus electrodes were evaluated following autopsy (n = 2) or cardiac transplantation (n = 5). The coronary sinus electrode in each case was a 6.5 French silicone lead with a 5-cm long defibrillation coil (Medtronic CS lead model 6933) that was positioned as distally as possible within the coronary sinus at the time of implantable cardioverter defibrillator surgery. The seven hearts examined were derived from patients whose age ranged between 49 and 69 (mean 56 +/- 7 years). Six had coronary artery disease and one had idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The time from implant to death or cardiac transplantation was 8 +/- 6 months, range 1-18 months. In all seven patients, there was no evidence of any significant damage from the presence of the coronary sinus lead. The only finding in each case was the scattered presence of a thin white fibrous sheath over the lead that intermittently adhered to the coronary sinus endothelium and, in the two patients transplanted 1-3 months after implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion, a mild inflammation reaction adjacent to the leads in the coronary sinus endothelium. There was no evidence of coronary sinus occlusion, adjacent coronary artery injury, coronary sinus perforation, coronary sinus burn, or myocardial injury adjacent to the lead. Cause of death was due to end-stage congestive heart failure and thrombotic stroke, respectively, in the two patients examined at autopsy. Coronary sinus defibrillation leads can be used safely without harmful anatomical effect.
Modeling Traffic Delays at Northern New York Border Crossings

Border crossings in northern New York are important to international trade and tourism. How traffic operations at these crossings can be made more efficient has been a concern to the New York State Department of Transportation and the agencies that operate bridges, toll plazas, and customs and immigration plazas. Very little, however, is known about the characteristics of vehicle-processing time and delay at these crossings. This lack of understanding makes it difficult to evaluate the potential impact of changes in operating policies and physical plants. To alleviate this problem, this study identifies the processing time characteristics at three northern New York border crossings and proposes a delay model for planning applications.
Compatibility of θ 13 and the Type I seesaw model with A 4 symmetry

We derive formulae for neutrino masses and mixing angles in a type I seesaw framework with an underlying A 4 flavor symmetry. In particular, the Majorana neutrino mass matrix includes contributions from an A 4 triplet, 1, 1′, and 1′′ flavon fields. Using these formulae, we constrain the general A 4 parameter space using the updated global fits on neutrino mixing angles and mass squared differences, including results from the Daya Bay and RENO experiments, and we find predictive relations among the mixing parameters for certain choices of the triplet vacuum expectation value. In the normal hierarchy case, sizable deviation from maximal atmospheric mixing is predicted, and such deviation is strongly correlated with the value of θ13 in the range of ~ (8 − 10)◦. On the other hand, such deviation is negligible and insensitive to θ13 in the inverted mass hierarchy case. We also show expectations for the Dirac CP phase resulting from the parameter scan. Future refined measurements of neutrino mixing angles will test these predicted correlations and potentially show evidence for particular triplet vev patterns.
EBSD Analysis of HAZ Microstructure Characteristics of a High Strength Low Welding Crack Susceptibility Steel

This paper discussed the variation of microstructure at different locations of heat affected zone (HAZ) of a high strength steel welded joint using an optical microscope and an electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) system. The results revealed that the change of microstructure plays an important part in the toughness properties at different locations of the HAZ. the CGHAZ (coarsen grain HAZ) microstructure contains granular bainite with the large effective grain size and a number of rod-like M/A constituents, which provide the nucleation sites and linear propagation path for micro-crack, therefore, this location becomes a local brittle zone. However, in the FGHAZ (fine grain HAZ) due to the microstructure mainly consisting of fine quasi-polygonal ferrite with high density of high angle grain boundaries, which can act as obstacles to cleavage propagation, the FGHAZ (fine grain HAZ) toughness is more excellent than the CGHAZ toughness.
Managerial Discretion: An Expanded Model of Organization Choice

A review of literature on structural determination is accompanied by discussion of recent attempts to incorporate managerial discretion into the existing structural model. Lacunae in current conceptual formulations are highlighted. An expanded choice model is proposed which incorporates prior empirical research and contemporary theoretical developments into a conceptual paradigm of the strategic decision-making process.
A Brief Metacognition Questionnaire for the Elderly: Comparison with Cognitive Performance and Informant Ratings: The Cache County Study

Objective To examine the utility of a brief, metacognition questionnaire by examining its association with objective cognitive testing and informant ratings. We hypothesized that the association between self-ratings of change and both outcomes would be greater among individuals without dementia than among those with dementia. Methods Participants were 535 persons without dementia and 152 with dementia from the Cache County Memory Study who had completed a metacognition questionnaire, two administrations of the Modified Mini-Mental State Exam (3 MS) and who had data on the Informant Questionnaire of Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE). Cronbach's alpha was calculated as a measure of internal consistency of the metacognition questionnaire. Multiple regression was used to examine the relationship between metacognition and 3 MS change. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between metacognition and IQCODE ratings (no change vs. worse). Results Cronbach's alpha was 0.75. Among individuals without dementia, metacognition significantly predicted 3 MS change (p = .027) and IQCODE ratings (OR = 4.0, 95% CI = 1.2–13.8, p = .029), suggesting consistency among measures. For those with dementia, there was a weak, inverse relationship between 3 MS change and metacognition (r = −0.16, p = .056). IQCODE ratings were not significantly associated with metacognition (p = .729). Degree of dementia severity did not modify the relationship between metacognition and either outcome (p > .05). Conclusions We demonstrated adequate internal consistency and evidence for validity of a brief metacognition questionnaire. The questionnaire may provide a useful adjunct to memory and functional assessments for assessing anosognosia in elderly populations. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Harm Reduction: A New Perspective on Substance Abuse Services

This article provides information on harm reduction, a recent development in substance abuse services in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The author outlines abstinence and harm reduction perspectives and the stages of change model and discusses how these perspectives can be integrated in social work practice. He proposes using harm reduction strategies for individuals for whom the abstinence perspective may not be appropriate. Together, the traditional abstinence and harm reduction perspectives provide a basis for a more comprehensive continuum of care for individuals experiencing problems related to their substance use.
HDM for developing national emerging technology strategy and policy supporting sustainable economy: A case study of nanotechnology for Thailand’s agriculture

This paper presents on-going research on developing a systematic process to help national decision makers define the R&D strategy and policy of emerging technologies. To demonstrate the process, nanotechnology for supporting the development of the food and agriculture sector in Thailand will be applied. In the research, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used as the main methodology. Then, a four-level hierarchical decision model (HDM) composed of the countrypsilas mission, objectives, technological goals, and research strategies is built. All elements in each decision level are developed based on the literature search and verified by experts.
Use of Surveillance Biopsies in Pediatric Renal Transplant Recipients

Copyright: © 2013 Winnicki ED, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. The term ‘surveillance biopsy’, also often described as ‘protocol’ biopsy, refers to biopsies that are performed at pre-determined time points after renal transplantation in patients with stable allograft function in order to detect subclinical insults to the allograft, with the intent of early intervention so as to prolong allograft survival. Primarily, surveillance biopsies have been used to detect Sub Clinical Rejection (SCR), defined as histologic evidence of rejection in the absence of any clinical or biochemical signs of graft dysfunction [1]. Other potential benefits include early identification of acute humoral rejection in patients with known high donor specific antibodies, calcineurininhibitor toxicity and other post-transplant complications such as BK virus nephropathy and recurrent disease, all of which may be amenable to intervention. Perhaps due to concerns related to the potential risks associated with the biopsy procedure, especially in the setting of a wellfunctioning allograft, surveillance biopsies have not been universally accepted as a standard of care. Here, we briefly review the literature and attempt to answer the question: should surveillance biopsies be part of routine post-transplant care in pediatric renal transplant recipients?
On parachutist dynamics

Abstract The dynamics of a passive parachtist are discussed. Specifically, results of a computer simulation and a parameter study for a totally passive (e.g. unconscious) parachutist are presented. A number of initial parachutist configurations prior to ‘opening shock’ are considered and the relative effects upon the parachutist's dynamics— particularly the head/neck system dynamics — are studied. Optimal initial (preopening) configurations which minimize the subsequent force and moment pulses experienced by the head/neck system, are identified and discussed. Application in parachute design and in developing jumping strategies are also discussed.
Casein kinase 1 delta functions at the centrosome to mediate Wnt-3a-dependent neurite outgrowth.

Previously we determined that Dishevelled-2/3 (Dvl) mediate Wnt-3a–dependent neurite outgrowth in Ewing sarcoma family tumor cells. Here we report that neurite extension was associated with Dvl phosphorylation and that both were inhibited by the casein kinase 1 (CK1) δ/e inhibitor IC261. Small interfering RNAs targeting either CK1δ or CK1e decreased Dvl phosphorylation, but only knockdown of CK1δ blocked neurite outgrowth. CK1δ but not CK1e was detected at the centrosome, an organelle associated with neurite formation. Deletion analysis mapped the centrosomal localization signal (CLS) of CK1δ to its C-terminal domain. A fusion protein containing the CLS and EGFP displaced full-length CK1δ from the centrosome and inhibited Wnt-3a–dependent neurite outgrowth. In contrast to wild-type CK1e, a chimera comprised of the kinase domain of CK1e and the CLS of CK1δ localized to the centrosome and rescued Wnt-3a–dependent neurite outgrowth suppressed by CK1δ knockdown. These results provide strong evidence that the centrosomal localization of CK1δ is required for Wnt-3a–dependent neuritogenesis.
Science along the Railroad: Expanding Field Work in the US Central West

The building of the transcontinental railroad in the US Central West in the late 1860s greatly improved access to this region and led to the expansion of scientific field work. The relationships between science and the railroad spanned a diverse spectrum, ranging from its practical advantages to more complex interactions such as the transformation of nature along railway corridors and the reciprocal exchange of favours between scientists and railway companies. The dominance of science along the railroad in the second half of the nineteenth century continued into the early twentieth century, with a gradual shift to automobile travel beginning in the 1910s. By stimulating and shaping field research both on and off the railway corridor, the laying of iron tracks across the continent helped guide US science, just as it influenced so many other aspects of US life.
Carbamazepine extended-release capsules vs. oxcarbazepine: computer simulations of the effect of missed doses on drug plasma concentrations

ABSTRACTObjective: Plasma concentrations of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) can vary and are not always an indication of clinical utility. However, adverse event occurrence can be correlated to fluctuations in plasma drug levels that occur with varying dosing regimens of the many AEDs. In this study, we present the results of computer simulations of plasma concentrations of the AEDs carbamazepine (CBZ) extended-release capsules (CBZ‐ERC) (Carbatrol) and oxcarbazepine (OXC). * Carbatrol is a registered trade name of Shire, Wayne, Pa, USAResearch design and methods: A one-compartment open model with first-order absorption and elimination was generated from the results of a previous study measuring plasma concentrations following one 400 mg fasting dose of CBZ‐ERC. This model was used to simulate plasma concentrations of CBZ following multiple 400 mg doses of CBZ‐ERC at 12-hour intervals, and then when a missed dose is taken 3, 6, or 9 hours late; when two doses are taken at one time; and when a single dose is ta...
Novel Mutation in the PKHD1 Gene Diagnosed Prenatally in a Fetus with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease

We report a 29-year-old gravida 2, para 0100, who presented at 19 weeks and 4 days of gestation for ultrasound to assess fetal anatomy. Routine midtrimester fetal anatomy ultrasound revealed enlarged, hyperechoic fetal kidneys and normal amniotic fluid index. Follow-up ultrasound at 23 weeks and 5 days revealed persistently enlarged, hyperechoic fetal kidneys. Progressive oligohydramnios was not evident until 29 weeks of gestation, with anhydramnios noted by 35 weeks of gestation. Amniocentesis was performed for karyotype and to search for mutations in the PKHD1 for the presumptive diagnosis of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). In our patient, a maternally inherited, previously reported pathogenic missense mutation in the PKHD1 gene, c.10444C>T, was identified. A second, previously unreported de novo mutation, c.5909-2delA, was also identified. This mutation affects the canonical splice site and is most likely pathogenic. Our case highlights PKHD1 allelic heterogeneity and the importance of genetic testing in the prenatal setting where many other genetic etiologies can phenocopy ARPKD.
Parallel mixed-technology simulation

Circuit simulation has proven to be one of the most important computer aided design (CAD) methods for the analysis and validation of integrated circuit designs. A popular approach to describing circuits for simulation purposes is to use a hardware description language such as VHDL. Similar efforts have also been carried out in the analog domain that has led to tools such as SPICE. However, with the growing trend of hardware designs that contain both analog and digital components, design environments that seamlessly integrate analog and digital circuitry are needed. Simulation of such circuit is however, exacerbated by the higher resource (CPU and memory) demands that arise when analog and digital models are integrated in a mixed-mode (analog and digital) simulation. One solution to this problem is to use PDES algorithms on a distributed platform. However, a synchronization interface between the analog and digital simulation environment is required to achieve integrated mixed-mode simulation. In this paper, we present the issues involved in the construction of synchronization protocols which support mixed-mode simulation in a distributed simulation environment. The proposed synchronization protocols provide an interface between an optimistic (Time Warp based) discrete-event simulation kernel and any continuous time simulation kernel. Empirical and formal analyses were conducted to ensure correctness and completeness of the protocols and the results of these analyses are also presented.
An entropy-based model for supporting and evaluating route stability in mobile ad hoc wireless networks

We propose an entropy-based modeling framework for supporting route stability in mobile ad hoc wireless networks. The basic motivations of the proposed modeling approach stem from the commonality observed in the location uncertainty in mobile ad hoc wireless networks and the concept of entropy. The corresponding results demonstrate that the proposed approach and parameters provide an accurate and efficient method of estimating and evaluating the route stability in dynamic mobile networks.
The self-energy of a free electron gas

Abstract In this note we consider the issue of an electron's self-Coulomb interaction (or self-energy) in a homogeneous free electron gas. We observe that, provided the gas is charge neutral and infinite in extent, the proper self-energy contribution yields a lowering of the total energy and does not modify the shape of the orbitals from which the particle density is constructed in a self-consistent theory, when the orbital states are Bloch-like.
Managing multi-core soft-error reliability through utility-driven cross domain optimization

As semiconductor processing technology continues to scale down, managing reliability becomes an increasingly difficult challenge in high-performance microprocessor design. Transient faults, also known as soft errors, corrupt program data at the circuit level and cause incorrect program execution and system crashes. Future processors will consist of billions of transistors organized as multicore microarchitectures. Packaging multiple cores (and hence more transistors) onto the same die exposes more devices to soft error strikes. This paper explores utility-function-driven (benefit driven) cross domain optimization for both performance and reliability. We propose the use of utility-based resource management for individual cores while applying utility-based shared cache partitioning across multiple cores. Moreover, we coordinate the optimization of multiple resources based on their cross domain utility information to achieve attractive performance and reliability tradeoffs. Extensive experimental results show that, on average, our utility-driven cross domain optimization reduces the soft error rate of the most vulnerable core in a chip multiprocessor (CMP) by up to 35% and improves the CMPpsilas overall reliability by 22% with less than 3% performance degradation across 15 investigated workloads.
Reversible sleep-related stridor during vagus nerve stimulation

A 23-year-old woman without history of antecedent vocal, respiratory, or sleep disorders received vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy for refractory partial epilepsy and developed sleep-related stridor during the course of parameter titration. Reduction of VNS current during polysomnography completely eliminated stridor. We conclude that VNS may cause sleep-related stridor in rare cases, expanding the spectrum of known sleep-disordered breathing disorders associated with VNS therapy. Parameter adjustment during polysomnography may resolve nocturnal stridor caused by VNS.
Television, Reading and Oral Language Development: The Case of the Hispanic Child

Abstract Most of the research on children’s television viewing and reading ability has been conducted with native English speakers, and most studies have found an inverse relationship between television and reading. The nature of this relationship has varied, however, when controls for IQ and SES have been imposed. But one study found a positive relationship between reading and television viewing up to a threshold of three hours of viewing per day among second language speakers of English. These findings suggest that television may model English language usage for children whose first language is other than English, that these children may use television to develop their oral language skills in English, and that these skills, in turn, contribute to their reading ability. This study explored these possibilities. Questionnaires were administered to 168 Mexican and Puerto Rican children enrolled in grades 2, 4 and 7 who were no longer enrolled in the bilingual education program. Data on television viewing ta...
Reticuloendothelial Function in Experimental Injury and Tolerance to Shock

Although the morphology, ultrastructure and functions of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) are becoming well documented (64, 72), most of the information is immunologically oriented. The role of the RES in host defense mechanisms in injuries and systemic forms of stress is less understood.
Writing the Tape-Recorded Life

(2012). Writing the Tape-Recorded Life. a/b: Auto/Biography Studies: Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 402-426.
Benefit or Burden? On the Intergenerational Inequity of Teacher Pension Plans:

Most public school teachers in the United States are enrolled in defined benefit (DB) pension plans. Using administrative microdata from four states, combined with national pension funding data, we show these plans have accumulated substantial unfunded liabilities—effectively debt—owing to previous plan operations. On average across 49 state plans, an amount that exceeds 10% of current teachers’ earnings is being set aside to pay for previously accrued pension liabilities. To the extent that the costs of the unfunded liabilities drag on teacher compensation, they may exacerbate problems of teacher recruitment and retention. We briefly discuss three policy changes that could end or reduce the accumulation of unfunded liabilities in educator pension plans: (1) transition teachers to defined-contribution retirement plans, (2) transition teachers to cash-balance retirement plans, and (3) tighten the link between funding and benefit formulas within the current defined-benefit structure.
Adaptive Molecular Evolution for 13,000 Phage Generations: A Possible Arms Race

Bacteriophage φX174 was evolved on a continuous supply of sensitive hosts for 180 days (∼13,000 phage generations). The average rate of nucleotide substitution was nearly 0.2% (11 substitutions)/20 days, and, surprisingly, substitutions accumulated in a clock-like manner throughout the study, except for a low rate during the first 20 days. Rates of silent and missense substitutions varied over time and among genes. Approximately 40% of the 71 missense changes and 25% of the 58 silent changes have been observed in previous adaptations; the rate of parallel substitution was highest in the early phase of the evolution, but 7% of the later changes had evolved in previous studies of much shorter duration. Several lines of evidence suggest that most of the changes were adaptive, even many of the silent substitutions. The sustained, high rate of adaptive evolution for 180 days defies a model of adaptation to a constant environment. We instead suggest that continuing molecular evolution reflects a potentially indefinite arms race, stemming from high levels of co-infection and the resulting conflict among genomes competing within the same cell.
Abstract 4687: Novel functions of the AMPK pathway to maintain spindle orientation during mitosis

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) functions as an energy sensor that regulates cell signaling. It is phosphorylated by the tumor suppressor, LKB1 at times of energy stress in both the cell polarity and motility pathways. Here we show that phosphorylated AMPKα (Thr-172) localizes to the spindle poles at gamma tubulin sites during mitosis in an LKB1-independent manner and serves as an essential regulator of mitotic spindle orientation. Phosphorylated AMPK levels peak during mitosis and siRNA-based disruption AMPK-α1& α2 function, results in spindles that are mis-oriented relative to the normal spindle axis. This phenotype is accompanied by an aberrant, double-ring actin cage that encompasses the microtubule spindle, as well as reduced astral microtubules. Similar results were obtained by live cell imaging using compound C (AMPK pharmacological inhibitor) treated cells. Molecular studies show that AMPK regulates spindle orientation through a PI3k-AKT pathway at the spindle poles that signals to myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC). We postulate that AMPK is regulating astral microtubule docking onto actin through this pathway and when compromised spindles become misaligned. Taken together, this study reveals a novel PI3K-AKT-p-AMPK-MRLC mitotic signaling axis that regulates spindle orientation during mitosis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4687. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4687
Post-Anneal Mechanical Properties of Pre-Strained AA5182-O Sheets

The effects of different pre-strain levels, paths and subsequent annealing on the post-annealing mechanical properties of AA5182-O were investigated. Aluminum sheet specimens were pre-strained in uniaxial, plane strain and equibiaxial tension to several equivalent strain levels, annealed at 350°C for short (10 seconds) and long (20 minutes) durations, and then tested for post-annealing mechanical properties, including tensile properties, anisotropy and forming limits. The tensile properties, R-values at 0°, 45° and 90° relative to the sheet rolling direction, and forming limit diagrams (FLDs) exhibited dependencies of pre-strain and annealing history. The importance of the process variables and their effects were identified via designed experiments and analysis of variance. Three-dimensional digital image correlation, which captured the onset of local necking, was employed in the FLD development. Texture in the as-received and deformed sheets was investigated with electron backscattered diffraction and provided a means for linking prestrain and static recovery or recrystallization with microstructure. This guided the understanding of the mechanical property changes observed after preforming and annealing. Ultimately, the expanded forming limit curve demonstrated the advantage of annealing in extending the formability of strained AA5182-O.Copyright © 2011 by ASME and General Motors
Synthesis and characterization of a new fluorescent probe for measuring potassium

A new fluorescent probe, 6,7-(4-methyl)coumaro-[2.2.2] cryptand, has been developed for measuring K+. This compound was made by fusing [2.2.2] cryptand with 4-methylcoumarin through 2 ethoxy bridges at the 6 and 7 positions. The probe has a fluorescent excitation peak at 340 nm and an emission peak at 420 nm. In aqueous solutions, increasing the K+ concentration from 0 to 10 mM causes the fluorescence intensity to increase by 143%. The dissociation constant (Kd) for K+ in aqueous solutions is 1.9 mM. In 100% methanol, the Kd for K+ decreases to 0.012 mM, making it possible to measure K+ concentrations in the micromolar range. Na+, tetramethylammonium, NH4+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ have a minimal affect on the fluorescence of the probe in the absence of K+. The coefficient of variation for the measurement of K+ by use of this new dye is less than 1%. In this report, the synthetic procedure is described and the spectral properties of the probe are characterized. Experiments are described demonstrating the use of thi...
Cryo-EM analysis of the conformational landscape of human P-glycoprotein (ABCB1) during its catalytic cycle

The multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1) is an ATP-dependent pump that mediates the efflux of structurally diverse drugs and xenobiotics across cell membranes, affecting drug pharmacokinetics and contributing to the development of multidrug resistance. Structural information about the conformational changes in human P-gp during the ATP hydrolysis cycle has not been directly demonstrated, although mechanistic information has been inferred from biochemical and biophysical studies conducted with P-gp and its orthologs, or from structures of other ATP-binding cassette transporters. Using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy, we report the surprising discovery that, in the absence of the transport substrate and nucleotides, human P-gp can exist in both open [nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) apart; inward-facing] and closed (NBDs close; outward-facing) conformations. We also probe conformational states of human P-gp during the catalytic cycle, and demonstrate that, following ATP hydrolysis, P-gp transitions through a complete closed conformation to a complete open conformation in the presence of ADP.
Modular Integrals and Their Mellin Transforms

My purpose is to give a succinct and readable account of recent developments in the theory of modular integrals (with associated rational period functions) and the Mellin transforms of these. As I have already given one such exposition [13] which emphasizes the rational period functions on the modular group T(l) at the expense of the modular integrals (and their Mellin transforms), the present article will redress the balance, dealing mainly with the latter and putting aside discussion of rational period functions per se, whenever possible. Unavoidably there is a good bit of overlap between the present note and [13], to which it should be regarded as supplementary. Proofs are - or are to be - given elsewhere [4,10,11,12]. All of the results presented here can be generalized to accommodate (reasonably) general multiplier systems, but for the sake of clarity we restrict attention to multiplier system identically one.
PENTACARBON DIOXIDE (C5O2) FORMATION AND ITS ROLE AS A TRACER OF SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION

Carbon monoxide is the second most abundant molecule on icy grains in the interstellar medium. These grains are under the influence of ionizing radiation, which induces the chemical reaction within the ice. Here we report the first observation of subliming pentacarbon dioxide (C{sub 5}O{sub 2}) after irradiation of pure carbon monoxide ice with energetic electrons. Our results show that pentacarbon dioxide is a stable reaction product in a carbon monoxide matrix that survives the sublimation in star-forming regions at sublimation temperatures of 175 K. Along with carbon suboxide (C{sub 3}O{sub 2}), this molecule can serve as a powerful tracer of the temperature history of formerly carbon monoxide rich ices in molecular clouds and star-forming regions.
Biogen's portfolio and research efforts in multiple sclerosis: an interview with Dr Ralph Kern

Ralph Kern speaks to Laura Dormer, Commissioning Editor: Dr Ralph Kern is Senior Vice President and Head of Worldwide Medical at Biogen in Cambridge, MA, USA. In this role, he oversees Biogen's global therapeutic, regional and country medical teams, global medical operations, as well as medical research and scientific communications functions. Prior to joining Biogen, he was head of the Neuroscience Medical Unit at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation and held various medical and commercial leadership roles at Genzyme Corporation. Prior to joining industry, he was a consultant neurologist at Mount Sinai Hospital and the University Health Network in Toronto, Ontario and was head of the neurology postgraduate academic program at the University of Toronto. Ralph completed neurology postgraduate training at McGill University and completed a masters of health administration from the Institute for Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto. He is a member of the College of Physicians ...
Leveraging Information Technology to Gain Competitive Advantage: A Case Study on General Electric Consumer Products

The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of merging General Electric Lighting (GEL) and General Electric Appliance (GEA) into General Electric Consumer Products (GECP) and how IT strategies are used to gain competitive advantages in its industry. This study will analyze major IT projects being developed and implemented in relation to their impact on major information flows, organizational structure, IT architecture, control systems, and the labor characteristics of the IT function. Alternatives to achieve integration will then be discussed and recommendations will be proposed.
Care of the transgender or gender-nonconforming patient undergoing in vitro fertilization

ABSTRACT Background: Assisted reproductive technologies, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), can be utilized for fertility preservation and family building in the transgender and gender-nonconforming population.Methods: This is a retrospective case series from an academic tertiary care center.Results: We present three couples with a transgender or gender-nonconforming member who pursued IVF to build their families. The first case involves a transgender man who suspends hormone therapy to undergo IVF. The second involves a transgender woman who uses her previously banked sperm to undergo IVF with her wife. The third involves a gender nonbinary patient and their cisgender wife who create and transfer embryos from both partners.Conclusion: IVF can provide unique family-building opportunities to transgender and gender-nonconforming patients, and providers should seek to broaden their clinical experience with this population.
Secretin Receptor Dimerization. Prototypic of Class B GPCR Behavior

The secretin receptor is a class B1 GPCR that has been demonstrated to associate with itself, with structurally-related receptors, and even with select receptors from another class of GPCRs. The predominant complex formed with itself represents a symmetrical homo-dimer, along the lipid face of transmembrane segment four. This exists constitutively, arriving at the plasma membrane in this form after biosynthesis and being unaffected by agonist binding. There is evidence to suggest that this state of the receptor is functionally important, contributing to its high affinity binding of natural agonist and the high potency of responses to secretin. It also explains the negative cooperativity responsible for the reduced affinity binding and biological activity of agonist occupation of the second protomer comprising this complex. These themes appear to be consistent among other family members, and most members of the class B GPCR family can not only form homo-dimers, but also associate with each other to form hetero-complexes. Such complexes can explain agonist-induced cross-internalization of the associated receptors, providing an important mechanism for receptor regulation. It will be important to explore the physiologic implications of these processes, and to examine whether they are important in vivo.
A comparison of the Nzi, Horse Pal® and Bite-Lite® H-traps and selected baits for the collection of adult Tabanidae in Florida and North Carolina

Despite the veterinary and medical importance of horse flies, deer flies, and yellow flies, only a few trap types have been evaluated to monitor adult population dynamics. Currently, three trap types are being utilized (H-trap, Horse Pal® (HP), and Nzi trap), but no head-to-head comparisons have been reported. Thus, we conducted comparative trapping studies in Florida and North Carolina. At two study sites in Florida, the efficacy of all three trap types was compared, but only the H-trap and HP were compared in North Carolina. Although trap type was significant at all sites, the trap type which caught the most specimens was not the same. In Florida at the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Refuge (LSWR) site, the H-trap caught the most specimens (2,006), followed in decreasing order by Nzi (938) and HP (541). At the Cedar Ridge Ranch site, the Nzi caught significantly more specimens (1,439) than the H-trap (215) and HP (161), which were not significantly different from each other. In North Carolina, the H-trap caught approximately twice as many specimens as the HP (1,458 vs 720). These trap comparison studies were followed up by a study on the efficacy of various bait combinations: (No Bait (NB), dry ice only (DI), Trap Tech Lure (TTL) only, and DI + TTL), which was conducted only at the two Florida sites with H-traps. At both sites, bait combinations significantly affected trap collections. One pattern (DI +TTL > DI > TTL > NB) was recorded at the LSWR, while at the Cedar River Ranch the pattern was DI > DI +TTL > TTL > NB. Our data showed that trap type and bait combination significantly influence overall adult tabanid abundance as well as individual species composition.
Anytime coordination using separable bilinear programs

Developing scalable coordination algorithms for multi-agent systems is a hard computational challenge. One useful approach, demonstrated by the Coverage Set Algorithm (CSA), exploits structured interaction to produce significant computational gains. Empirically, CSA exhibits very good anytime performance, but an error bound on the results has not been established. We reformulate the algorithm and derive both online and offline error bounds for approximate solutions. Moreover, we propose an effective way to automatically reduce the complexity of the interaction. Our experiments show that this is a promising approach to solve a broad class of decentralized decision problems. The general formulation used by the algorithm makes it both easy to implement and widely applicable to a variety of other AI problems.
Visualizing Query Structure.

Visualization research seeks to exploit the human user’s ability to interpret graphical representations of data in order to provide insight into properties of the data that may not be identifiable through other, nongraphical means. We seek to answer the following question with this research: “What can we learn from data by looking at the questions that are asked about the data?” In a database context, we view queries as the data of interest, focusing on structural properties of the queries. In this paper we describe a formalism for describing the structural equivalence of queries. We demonstrate an application of our approach by using a graph-based technique to visually represent the structure.
Interaction of DNA Intramolecular Structures with Their Complementary Strands: A Thermodynamic Approach for the Control of Gene Expression

The folding of mRNA sequences into secondary/tertiary structures plays an important role in RNA and DNA function and expression. Disruption of these structures can potentially be used in the control of gene expression. However, a detailed understanding of the physicochemical properties of nucleic acid structures is needed before this targeting approach can be used. In this chapter, we have examined six intramolecular DNA structures and have investigated their reaction thermodynamics with single strands partially complementary to their stems and loops. We measured the heat of each reaction directly using isothermal titration calorimetry. These are compared with the heat measured indirectly using Hess cycles obtained from differential scanning calorimetric unfolding thermodynamic profiles. Each reaction yielded favorable free energy terms that were enthalpy driven, indicating each complementary strand was able to disrupt the intramolecular complex. In short, we have developed a thermodynamic approach that can be used in the control of gene expression that targets the loops of secondary structures formed by mRNA.
A crowdsourcing–geocomputational framework of mobile crowd simulation and estimation

Population estimation typically involves counting a group of individuals at a specific place and time. Estimating people on the move, i.e. a mobile population, is an intellectual challenge both in ...
Housing and culture in Ghana: A model for research and evidence-based design.

ABSTRACT: This research paper investigates the relationship between history, culture and housing and proposes design solutions which begin to address the notion of home for Akan residents of Accra. The research analyzes work done by historians who documented how Akan people in Ghana traditionally used space. The paper uses Amos Rapoport's model of the dismantling of ‘culture' as a framework for this analysis. It juxtaposes this historical notion of space against current urban issues in housing such as resident satisfaction, multi-habitation and density and over-crowding within the city. The analysis of these texts is supplemented by primary investigations conducted in Ghana. The paper concludes by showing how this cultural research can be used as a design strategy to develop new ways of looking at qualities of space, materials and sustainability principles for housing in Accra by describing case studies which have attempted to bridge this gap between research and evidence-based design. The examples presented in the paper show that it is possible to use this material to develop housing that is at once modern but also steeped in traditional and cultural notions of the home. The hope is that this approach can lead to innovative ways of thinking about affordable housing with increased resident satisfaction. The research presented in this paper also provides material for those architects aiming to utilize similar methods to translate cultural and historical research into a design strategy for housing. KEYWORDS: Ghana, Housing, Culture, Evidence-Based Design
Consistent Differences in Field Leaf Water-Use Efficiency among Soybean Cultivars

High intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUEi), the ratio of leaf photosynthesis to stomatal conductance, may be a useful trait in adapting crops to water-limited environments. In soybean, cultivar differences in stomatal response to vapor pressure deficit have not consistently translated into differences in WUEi in the field. In this study, six cultivars of soybeans previously shown to differ in WUEi in indoor experiments were grown in the field in Beltsville, Maryland, and tested for mid-day WUEi on nine clear days during the mid-seasons of two years. Measurement dates were chosen for diverse temperatures, and air temperatures ranged from 21 to 34 °C on the different dates. Air saturation deficits for water vapor ranged from 0.9 to 2.2 kPa. Corrected carbon isotope delta values for 13C (CID) were determined on mature, upper canopy leaves harvested during early pod filling each year. WUEi differed among cultivars in both years and the differences were consistent across measurement dates. Correlations between mean WUEi and CID were not significant in either year. It is concluded that consistent cultivar differences in WUEi exist in these soybean cultivars under field conditions, but that carbon isotope ratios may not be useful in identifying them because of cultivar differences in mesophyll conductance.
Expanding single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy to capture complexity in biology

Fundamental biological processes are driven by diverse molecular machineries. In recent years, single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy has matured as a unique tool in biology to study how structural dynamics of molecular complexes drive various biochemical reactions. In this review, we highlight underlying developments in single-molecule fluorescence methods that enable deep biological investigations. Recent progress in these methods points toward increasing complexity of measurements to capture biological processes in a living cell, where multiple processes often occur simultaneously and are mechanistically coupled.
Architectural Code for Rubber Elasticity: From Supersoft to Superfirm Materials

The current approach to regulating mechanical properties of elastomeric materials is predominately based on the exploratory mixing of different polymers, solvents, and fillers—which is both inflexi...
Mineralized nanofibrous scaffold promotes phenamil‐induced osteoblastic differentiation while mitigating adipogenic differentiation

Large bone defects represent a significant unmet medical challenge. Cost effectiveness and better stability make small molecule organic compounds a more promising alternative compared with biomacromolecules, for example, growth factors/hormones, in regenerative medicine. However, one common challenge for the application of these small compounds is their side-effect issue. Phenamil is emerging as an intriguing small molecule to promote bone repair by strongly activating bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathway. In addition to osteogenesis, phenamil also induces significant adipogenesis based on some in vitro studies, which is a concern that impedes it from potential clinical applications. Besides the soluble chemical signals, cellular differentiation is heavily dependent on the microenvironments provided by the 3D scaffolds. Therefore, we developed a 3D nanofibrous biomimetic scaffold-based strategy to harness the phenamil-induced stem cell lineage differentiation. Based on the gene expression, alkaline phosphatase activity, and mineralization data, we indicated that bone-matrix mimicking mineralized-gelatin nanofibrous scaffold effectively improved phenamil-induced osteoblastic differentiation, while mitigating the adipogenic differentiation in vitro. In addition to normal culture conditions, we also indicated that mineralized matrix can significantly improve phenamil-induced osteoblastic differentiation in simulated inflammatory condition. In viewing of the crucial role of mineralized matrix, we developed an innovative and facile mineral deposition-based strategy to sustain release of phenamil from 3D scaffolds for efficient local bone regeneration. Overall, our study demonstrated that biomaterials played a crucial role in modulating small molecule drug phenamil-induced osteoblastic differentiation by providing a bone-matrix mimicking mineralized gelatin nanofibrous scaffolds.