cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PULMONARY CT IMAGE ANALYSIS AND COMPUTER AIDED DETECTION

This short article summarizes the use of current CT image data for a comprehensive assessment of pulmonary structure and function. It identifies the need for the development of highly automated methods and techniques allowing quantitative analysis of lungs, lung lobes, airway trees, and pulmonary parenchyma. Such analyses serve as the stepping stones for more sophisticated computer-aided detection approaches capable of parenchymal tissue characterization and identification of pulmonary nodules, some of which are discussed
Healing after the unpleasant outburst: Recovering from incidents with angry library users

Summary Library personnel encounter angry library users regularly at various service points. Unpleasant incidents are detrimental to library staff attitudes and morale, and may have a lasting effect on the library staff member. This article describes techniques to lessen the impact of an emotional outburst of a library user and decrease the library staff member's recovery time from the incident.
Highly directive package-integrated dipole arrays for low-cost 60-GHz front end modules

Package-integrated highly directive dipole antenna and dipole array with an original feeding technique are presented. The proposed design features excitation of low-cost organic-based substrate elevated directive dipoles with vias. A miniature substrate embedded feed network is provided for direct via interconnection between the antenna and a chip embedded in the same stack-up. The simulated single dipole (10 × 10 × 0.635 mm3) exhibits more than 11 GHz bandwidth (56 to 67+ GHz), 7.83 dBi peak directivity, and 91.7% efficiency. A prototype of an 8-element dipole array (22 × 11 × 0.635 mm3]) is measured and exhibits 8 GHz bandwidth (56.6 to 64.6 GHz), 15.1 dBi peak gain at 61 GHz, and 75 to 83% estimated efficiency.
A note on optimal support recovery in compressed sensing

Recovery of the support set (or sparsity pattern) of a sparse vector from a small number of noisy linear projections (or samples) is a “compressed sensing” problem that arises in signal processing and statistics. Although many computationally efficient recovery algorithms have been studied, the optimality (or gap from optimality) of these algorithms is, in general, not well understood. In this note, approximate support recovery under a Gaussian prior is considered, and it is shown that optimal estimation depends on the recovery metric in general. By contrast, it is shown that in the SNR limits, there exist uniformly near-optimal estimators, namely, the ML estimate in the high SNR case, and a computationally trivial thresholding algorithm in the low SNR case.
Have We Found the Surgical Solution for Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation

The article by deVarennes et al in the current issue of Circulation details the outcomes in 44 patients with severe (4+) Carpentier type IIIb ischemic mitral regurgitation undergoing mitral valve repair consisting of posterior leaflet extension with bovine pericardium, coupled with remodeling annuloplasty, with or without coronary revascularization.1 Dissatisfied with the long-term results of annuloplasty alone, this group added posterior leaflet extension in an attempt to improve long-term mitral valve competency in this complex group of patients. Chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR), also referred to as functional mitral regurgitation (MR) is present in 10% to 20% of patients with coronary artery disease.2 It is associated with a markedly worse prognosis and is a common cause of congestive heart failure in this patient grouping. Critical in the discussion of this topic is a definition of the entity at hand. Borger et al put forth a concise definition of chronic IMR as follows: “Chronic IMR should be defined as mitral regurgitation occurring more than one week after MI with (1) one or more left ventricular segmental wall motion abnormalities; (2) significant coronary artery disease in the territory supplying the wall motion abnormality; and (3) structurally normal mitral valve leaflets and chordae tendineae.”3 Article see p 2837 Myocardial infarction sets in motion a cascade of events that can lead to mitral insufficiency. Among these are distortion and remodeling of the left ventricle, which displace the papillary muscles away from the mitral annulus. This phenomenon places excessive tension on the chordae, with the result being apical mitral leaflet tethering. The resultant restriction in leaflet motion …
Broadband code division multiple access - An NDI technology: One phone on post and in battle

It is shown that B-CDMA (broadband code division multiple access) does not suffer from fading. As a result, the same technology can be used on post, for a secure WPBX, secure wireless access or secure cellular communication. Thus, secure, wireless, reliable voice and data (i.e., multimedia) communication can be achieved on post without wiring the post. The same system can be moved onto the battlefield to provide secure, wireless, cellular service to a moving base station. Mobility, in this case, also means flexibility since if a base station is destroyed, the mobile users can, within 1 bit, handoff to an alternate moving base station. The authors show that a commercially developed technology, B-CDMA, used for cellular telephony, wireless PBX and wireless access can, simply, by changing the PN code (TRANSEC) and adding encryption (COMSEC), be changed into a highly secure military system for use on-post and in the moving battlefield of the future. Thus, B-CDMA is the perfect NDI system for use by the DoD. >
Extended Abstract: Forward-Secure Sequential Aggregate Authentication

Wireless sensors are employed in a wide range of applications. One common feature of many sensor settings is the need to communicate sensed data to some collection point or sink. This communication can be direct (to a mobile collector) or indirect-via other sensors towards a remote sink. In either case, a sensor might not be able to communicate to a sink at will. Instead it might collect data and wait (for a potentially long time) for a signal to upload accumulated data directly. In a hostile setting, a sensor may be compromised and its post-compromise data can be manipulated. One important issue is forward security - how to ensure that pre- compromise data cannot be manipulated? Since a typical sensor is limited in storage and communication facilities, another issue is how to minimize resource consumption by accumulated data. It turns out that current techniques are insufficient to address both challenges. To this end, we explore the notion of forward-secure sequential aggregate (FssAgg) authentication schemes. We consider FssAgg authentication schemes in the contexts of both conventional and public key cryptography and construct a FssAgg MAC scheme and a FssAgg signature scheme, each suitable under different assumptions. This work represents the initial investigation of forward-secure aggregation and, although the proposed schemes are not optimal, we believe it opens a new direction for follow-on research.
The behaviour of some significance tests under experimental randomization

For the past 40 years, there has been confusion on the differences between tests of significance and tests of hypotheses to the point where data interpretation is presented as an accept-reject process. This paper discusses the case of inference for a simple experiment, the paired design. It gives a rationale of the significance tester, and proceeds to a comparison of three tests of significance which can be viewed as competitors in the case of this design. These are the sign test, S, the Wilcoxon test, W, and the Fisher randomization test, R. The conclusion is that there is indeed an ordering of the tests, which is R preferred to W preferred to S. The S test should never be used if the others are possible. An Appendix gives a proof of monotonicity of the R test with respect to a shift alternative.
A New Intelligent Controller for the Precision Tracking of Permanent Magnet Stepper Motor

A novel intelligent control scheme for the precise tracking of permanent magnet step motor (PMSM) under wide range of motor system parameters is proposed. The scheme consists of an online growing radial basis neural network (RBFNN) controller in parallel with an implicit model adaptive controller for the precise tracking of motor position and speed. The proposed intelligent controller operates in parallel with a fixed parameter PID control law to compensate for the drastic system functional changes. The main advantage of this algorithm is that it is precise, feasible and more effective than other nonlinear adaptive controllers reported to-date. Simulation results are presented in order to show that, positional tracking errors are reduced when the motor parameters are changed drastically while using the proposed control scheme.
Review: Ann Lewins & Christina Silver (2007). Using Software in Qualitative Research: A Step-by-Step Guide

Fur qualitative Forschung steht eine Fulle an Softwarepaketen zur Analyse von Texten und von visuellen Daten zur Verfugung. Das hier besprochene Buch bietet interessierten Nutzer/innen einen Uberblick uber Starken und Schwachen der drei gebrauchlichsten und vier weiterer Analyseprogramme und unterstutzt so die Auswahl des fur die je konkrete Person, Forschungsfrage und Studie geeigneten Programmpakets. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0901235
Toxicity and antimicrobial activity of imidazolium and pyridinium ionic liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are novel organic salts with a wide liquid range that have enormous potential for industrial use as “green” chemicals. Varying the cationic and anionic components can alter IL properties and toxicities. Before the likely industrial release of ILs into the environment, it is necessary to determine their toxic and antimicrobial properties. As a measure of microbial toxicity of imidazolium and pyridinium ILs with varying alkyl chain lengths, we investigated Vibrio fischeri using the Microtox method. An increase in alkyl group chain length as well as an increase in the number of alkyl groups substituted on the cation ring corresponded with an increase in toxicity. Varying the anion identity did not significantly alter toxicity. We then examined the antimicrobial effects of 1000 ppm of butyl-, hexyl- and octyl- imidazolium and pyridinium bromide ILs on the growth of a group of microorganisms representing a variety of physiological and respiratory capabilities. In general, hexyl- and octyl- imidazolium and pyridinium bromides had significant antimicrobial activity to pure cultures of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Butyl-imidazolium and pyridinium bromides were less antimicrobial than ILs with longer alkyl chain lengths to all microorganisms examined. However, the most significant antimicrobial activity was observed in tests with B. subtilis. This research provides toxicity and antimicrobial information about ILs, prior to their widespread use and release. This type of proactive approach can aid in the prevention of pollution, and avoid costs of future clean-up, and provide information about the “green” nature of practical industrial solvents.
Ultrahigh Coercivity Magnetic Force Microscopy Probes to Analyze High-Moment Magnetic Structures and Devices

This letter addresses the fabrication and exploitation of ultrahigh coercivity magnetic force microscopy (MFM) probes to characterize high-magnetic moment nanostructures and devices. The L10 phase of FePt alloys together with CrRu and MgO seed layers are investigated as a method of increasing the coercivity of MFM probes to prevent their behavior as soft magnetic probes when used to image energized magnetic devices. The newly developed MFM probes, with coercivity higher than 11 kOe, are utilized to successfully analyze a modern perpendicular magnetic recording write head under various excitation conditions in order to perform writer saturation and remanence tests. The results include MFM micrographs of a fully energized magnetic writer, obtained with a probe-sample separation of only 10 nm.
Short-Term Inhibitory Effects of Nitric Oxide on Cytochrome P450-Mediated drug Metabolism: Time Dependency and Reversibility Profiles in Isolated Perfused Rat Livers

Nitric oxide (NO) is implicated as a mediator in the decreased catalytic activities of cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes during inflammation or infection. Here, we examined the time course and the reversibility of the NO effect on P450s using isolated perfused rat livers. Livers were perfused at a constant rate with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) for 0.5 or 1 h, followed by washout periods of 0 to 2.5 h. At the end of perfusion, microsomes were prepared and analyzed for P450 activities and other metabolic markers. Whereas 0.5 h of NO exposure caused an irreversible decline (approximately 30%) in total P450 content, a greater decline after 1 h of NO (approximately 55%) was mostly (approximately 30%) reversible, a pattern identical to that observed for the microsomal heme content. NO exposure also caused an enzyme-selective and time-dependent decline in P450 activities. Whereas the pattern of decline and reversibility of activities were qualitatively similar for CYP3A2, 2C11, 2E1, and 1A1/2, they differed for 2B1/2 and 2D1 in that the decline in the activity was delayed (1 h) for 2B1/2 and not observed for 2D1. This may be attributed to the accessibility of heme or cysteine thiolate and/or the presence/reactivity of critical cysteinyl amino acid residues in various P450 enzymes. Additionally, for most enzymes, the activity showed a biphasic decline, one within 1 h of SNP perfusion and another after 2 h of washout. This was associated with an identical biphasic decline in the microsomal free thiols, presumably due to the rapid and slow reaction of NO and peroxynitrite, respectively, with critical P450 thiols. The short-term effects of NO on P450 are time-dependent and enzyme-selective, with both reversible and irreversible mechanisms.
Establishing wiki design principles to advance wiki-based learning: an eye tracking study

A review of research studies on the integration of wiki into curriculum indicates the necessity of establishing wiki design principles in order to capitalise on the learning opportunity wiki technology offers. Utilising eye tracking technology, this study explores wiki design principles by examining students’ reading patterns when they study a learning topic presented in wiki format. Over 21 hours of eye movement data were collected, analysed and compared. Post-experiment interviews were conducted to obtain demographic and background information. Based on the data analysis, three wiki design principles were developed. This study concludes by calling for more attention on the development of scientific-research-based wiki design principles to help students capitalise on wiki-based learning opportunity.
PHARMACOLOGY OF SKELETAL MUSCLE GABA-GATED CHLORIDE CHANNELS IN THE COCKROACH PERIPLANETA AMERICANA

The pharmacology of -aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated chloride channels of the coxal levator (182c,d) muscle of the cockroach Periplaneta americana has been investigated and the data compared with similar findings for the cell body of the cockroach fast coxal depressor motor neurone (Df). Muscle GABA receptors resembled those of the motor neurone cell body in their sensitivity to picrotoxinin and insensitivity to bicuculline. However, muscle GABA receptors were insensitive to the neuronal GABA receptor agonists isoguvacine (10(-4) mol l-1) and 3-aminopropane sulphonic acid (10(-3 )mol l-1). The benzodiazepine flunitrazepam, which at 10(-6 )mol l-1 greatly enhances the amplitude of the motor neurone GABA-induced responses, failed to affect muscle responses to GABA when tested at the same and at a higher (10(-4 )mol l-1) concentration. The convulsant t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate was a weak antagonist of cockroach muscle GABA receptors, whereas several cyclodienes were much more effective antagonists. Thus, studies using a benzodiazepine and several convulsant antagonists reveal differences in the pharmacology of muscle and neuronal GABA receptors of the cockroach Periplaneta americana.
Uncertainties in Estimating Chemical Degradation and Accumulation in the Environment

Dwindling landfill capacities, rising landfill costs, and the public health hazards posed by landfill operations have caused many communities to consider incineration of their municipal solid wastes (MSW). Recently, however, concerns regarding the potential human health risks posed by MSW incinerators have fueled widespread opposition to the operation of these facilities. These concerns often focus on the human health risks associated with exposure to contaminants that are emitted from the stacks of MSW incinerators and that may ultimately accumulate in the food chain.
Assisted inspirals of stellar mass black holes embedded in AGN discs: solving the ‘final au problem’

We explore the evolution of stellar mass black hole binaries (BHBs) which are formed in the self-gravitating disks of active galactic nuclei (AGN). Hardening due to three-body scattering and gaseous drag are effective mechanisms that reduce the semi-major axis of a BHB to radii where gravitational waves take over, on timescales shorter than the typical lifetime of the AGN disk. Taking observationally-motivated assumptions for the rate of star formation in AGN disks, we find a rate of disk-induced BHB mergers ($\mathcal{R} \sim 3~{\rm yr}^{-1}~{\rm Gpc}^{-3}$, but with large uncertainties) that is comparable with existing estimates of the field rate of BHB mergers, and the approximate BHB merger rate implied by the recent Advanced LIGO detection of GW150914. BHBs formed thorough this channel will frequently be associated with luminous AGN, which are relatively rare within the sky error regions of future gravitational wave detector arrays. This channel could also possess a (potentially transient) electromagnetic counterpart due to super-Eddington accretion onto the stellar mass black hole following the merger.
Synchronizing Resources

A new proposal for synchronization and communication in parallel programs is presented. The proposal, called synchronization resources, combines and extends aspects of procedures, coroutines, monitors, communicating sequential processes, and distributed processes. It provides a single notation for parallel programming with or without shared variables and is suited for either shared or distributed memory architectures. The essential new concepts are operations, input statements, multiple processes and resources. The proposal is illustrated by solving a variety of parallel programming problems. Key Words and Phrases: parallel programming, processes, synchronization, process communication, monitors, distributed processing, programming languages, operating systems, data bases. CR Categories: 4.20, 4.22, 4.32, 4.35
The Dog Has Barked for a Long Time: Dividend Growth Is Predictable

The Campbell-Shiller present value identity implies that (i) the dividend-price ratio should forecast returns or dividend growth, and (ii) any other predictor of returns should also forecast dividend growth, and vice versa. Prior literature investigates (i) and finds that dividend growth appears unpredictable based on forecasting regressions with the dividend-price ratio. We investigate (ii) and combine out-of-sample dividend-growth forecasts from 14 individual predictive regressions based on common return predictors. Encompassing and structural break tests show these individual return predictors contribute disparate and unstable univariate forecasts of dividend growth. Combination forecast methods of 14 common return predictors overcome these econometric problems and generate robust out-of sample predictability of dividend growth over the entire post-war period as well as over most sub-periods. The dividend-growth forecasts coupled with the dividend-price ratio also significantly forecast excess returns out-of-sample.
Evaporites of the Green River Formation, Bridger and Piceance Creek Basins: Deposition, Diagenesis, Paleobrine Chemistry, and Eocene Atmospheric CO2

Sedimentary structures and petrographic textures of evaporites and associated sediments of the Green River Formation, together with evaporite phase equilibria, provide information on depositional and diagenetic conditions. Volumetrically important trona (NaHCO3 ∙ Na2CO3 ∙ 2H2O) and shortite (Na2CO3 ∙ 2CaCO3) occur in the Wilkins Peak Member, Bridger Basin, WY, whereas nahcolite (NaHCO3) occurs in the saline facies of the time equivalent Parachute Creek Member, Piceance Creek Basin, CO. The saline facies of the Parachute Creek Member was deposited in a relatively deep perennial hypersaline lake. In contrast, deposition of the Wilkins Peak Member, Bridger Basin, occurred in shallower perennial saline lakes that periodically desiccated. Trona from the Bridger Basin and nahcolite from the Piceance Creek Basin are stratigraphically associated with oil shale, suggesting evaporite deposition in perennial, density stratified saline lakes. Primary textures in bedded trona and nahcolite indicate that they formed at the air-water interface as microcrystalline cumulate needles. Halite formed concurrently with trona and nahcolite as cumulate layers, and as basin floor crusts. Shortite formed diagenetically during burial of the Wilkins Peak Member in the Bridger Basin as displacive crystals, pseudomorphous replacements of precursor Na-Ca-carbonate minerals, and fracture filling cements.
Commentary on Watkins (1990): There are other solutions to the problem of proliferating memory theories.

To summarize, I agree with Watkins (1990) that there has been a problem of too many theories and too few constraints in contemporary research in memory and cognition, but I disagree as to the source of the problem or its likely solution. Any discipline should evolve, and in the process establish linkages with related disciplines. Those other disciplines can then be a valuable source of constraints on theories, and can also provide powerful new sets of methodological or analytical tools. It remains to be seen whether those constraints and tools will be effectively employed in the field of memory research, but the fact that they exist and are starting to be recognized suggests that Watkins’ (1990) prognosis may be too pessimistic.
Area of a Circle via the Second Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

We provide an easy argument, using the second fundamental theorem of calculus, for computing the area of the unit circle.
Pilot Stick Input Estimates from Attitude Commands as Indicator of Systemic Changes

Control-theoretic modeling of the human operator dynamic behavior in manual control tasks has a long and rich history. In the last two decades, there has been a renewed interest in modeling the human operator. There has also been significant work on techniques used to identify the pilot model of a given structure. The purpose of this research is to attempt to go beyond identification of a pilot model based on collected experimental data and to develop a predictor of pilot behavior. Two sets of experimental data were analyzed: 1) the effects of an adaptive controller on pilot compensation during control surface failures in cruise and 2) heads-up-display concepts during takeoff and landing. A general linear in-parameter model structure is used to represent a pilot. Three different estimation methods are explored—a gradient descent estimator, a least squares estimator with exponential forgetting, and a least squares estimator with bounded gain forgetting. This paper discusses the accuracy of each of the thre...
Identification of the Antibacterial Activity from Lo Han Kuo Fruit

Objective This research intended to study and identify the antibacterial activity of Lo Han Kuo fruit. Methods The fruit extract was prepared from dry Lo Han Kuo fruit and then screened for antibacterial activity using a colorimetric detection method.To further isolate the bioactive fractions,the fruit extract was separated into smaller fractions via high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) and the fractions were tested again for antibacterial activity.The positive fractions showing antibacterial activity were further tested by blood agar plating method.Results Lo Han Kuo fruit extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity against the oral bacteria,S.mutans.After seperated by HPLC,two major HPLC fractions of Lo Han Kuo fruit extract,fraction 18~19 and 34~35,demonstrated significant inhibition for oral bacteria S.mutans,while other fractions exhibited some,but not complete inhibition.Furthermore,the antibacterial activity seems to be not related with mogrosides because the pure mogroside V exhibited no antibacterial activity.Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating that Lo Han Kuo fruit extract exhibited strong antibacterial activity but not due to the presence of mogrosides.
Research on the detection rate of infecting avian influenza virus specific nuclease in different places

Objective To provide the direction and clue for infecting avian influenza virus origin investigation. Methods In total of675 all kinds of samples were collected from five different places in Shiyan by season from 2009 to 2012. The samples were detected by real-time PCR, and the data were analyzed by SPSS 17.0 software. Results The detection rate in the wild migratory bird habitats,the urban and rural live avian markets, the poultry slaughtering and processing factories, the large poultry farms were 1.41%,66.36%, 51.72%, 5.26%, respectively, and the positive sample was not detected from the free-range poultry farmers concentrated areas. There was significant difference in the detection rate in the five places(χ2104.581, P0.05);the detection rate of avian internal organs, washing internal organs water and polluted water, faeces, chicken house(cage), dead birds and eggshell were47.79%, 32.86%, 13.28%, 19.84%, 1.28%. The specificity nucleic acid sequence of AIV was not detected in avian feed water.There was significant difference in detection rate of the different type sample(χ257.304, P0.05). Conclusion The order of the infection risk from high to low in the five places is as follows, the urban and rural live avian markets, the poultry slaughtering and processing factories, the large poultry farms, the wild migratory bird habitats, the free-range poultry farmers concentrated areas. The order of the detection rate from high to low of the different type sample is as follows, avian internal organs, washing internal organs water and polluted water, faeces, chicken house(cage), dead birds, eggshell, avian feed water, etc.
The binding and processing of monoclonal human IgG1 by cells of a human macrophage-like cell line (U937)

The goal of these experiments was to assess the relationship between the binding and processing of IgG by Fc-receptor-bearing cells. Cells of the U937 human macrophage-like cell line were incubated with 125I- labeled monomers, dimers, oligomers (composed of 2–4 IgG1 subunits), and HP (heavy polymers composed of 5 or more subunits per polymer) of monoclonal human IgG1 in vitro. Binding was assessed by spinning cells through a layer of phthalate oils. Internalization of IgG1 was assessed by quantitating residual binding to cells after surface-bound IgG was removed by a brief treatment with a solution containing 0.25 M acetic acid and 0.5 M sodium chloride. Catabolism was assessed by measuring the release of radioactive fragments of IgG1, which were not precipitated by 10% trichloroacetic acid. Unstimulated U937 bound about 10,000 molecules per cell of IgG1 monomer, with an equilibrium binding constant (Ka) of 5 X 10(8) M-1. After stimulation with a conditioned medium in vitro, binding per cell was increased 3–7--fold, and the Ka was decreased 2–4--fold. Both unstimulated and stimulated cells internalized and catabolized labeled IgG1 HP, but stimulated cells internalized and digested much more IgG1 HP per cell than unstimulated cells. Both monomers and dimers of IgG1 were internalized and degraded very slowly by stimulated cells, even though both preparations readily bound to cells. In contrast, oligomers and (to an even greater extent) IgG1 HP were internalized and degraded much more rapidly. Internalization of IgG1 HP was markedly inhibited by incubation at 4 degrees C, but not by incubation with a variety of metabolic inhibitors. Catabolism was inhibited by chloroquine and monensin (inhibitors of lysosomal acidification) and by cytochalasin (an inhibitor of microfilament polymerization). Binding to the surface of cells was not markedly inhibited by any agent tested. The capacity of cells to bind labeled IgG1 was markedly reduced by prior incubation in the presence of unlabeled IgG1. This reduction was in part due to the steric blockade of receptors caused by the avid, but reversible, binding of IgG1. In addition, IgG1 oligomers or HP (but not IgG1 monomers or dimers) also caused an irreversible reduction in the number of Fc receptors by a process analogous to receptor down-regulation, as observed in other receptor--ligand systems.
Reductive Analytics on Big MS Data leads to tremendous reduction in time for peptide deduction

In this paper we present a feasibility of using a data-reductive strategy for analyzing big MS data. The proposed method utilizes our reduction algorithm MS-REDUCE and peptide deduction is accomplished using Tide with hiXcorr. Using this approach we were able to process 1 million spectra in under 3 hours. Our results showed that running peptide deduction with smaller amount of selected peaks made the computations much faster and scalable with increasing resolution of MS data. Quality assessment experiments performed on experimentally generated datasets showed good quality peptide matches can be made using the reduced datasets. We anticipate that the proteomics and systems biology community will widely adopt our reductive strategy due to its efficacy and reduced time for analysis.
Polyphosphate: A Conserved Modifier of Amyloidogenic Processes

Summary Polyphosphate (polyP), a several billion-year-old biopolymer, is produced in every cell, tissue, and organism studied. Structurally extremely simple, polyP consists of long chains of covalently linked inorganic phosphate groups. We report here the surprising discovery that polyP shows a remarkable efficacy in accelerating amyloid fibril formation. We found that polyP serves as an effective nucleation source for various different amyloid proteins, ranging from bacterial CsgA to human α-synuclein, Aβ 1–40/42 , and Tau. polyP-associated α-synuclein fibrils show distinct differences in seeding behavior, morphology, and fibril stability compared with fibrils formed in the absence of polyP. In vivo, the amyloid-stimulating and fibril-stabilizing effects of polyP have wide-reaching consequences, increasing the rate of biofilm formation in pathogenic bacteria and mitigating amyloid toxicity in differentiated neuroblastoma cells and C. elegans strains that serve as models for human folding diseases. These results suggest that we have discovered a conserved cytoprotective modifier of amyloidogenic processes.
Observation of water–gas shift equilibrium in diffusion flames

Abstract The kinetic behavior of the water–gas shift (WGS) sub-system has been studied computationally for hydrocarbon diffusion flames in the counterflow geometry. Of specific interest was the spatial domain in which the reactions in the WGS-complex exhibit characteristics that lead to species concentrations approaching those expected from equilibrium. Two scenarios were observed for WGS equilibrium: (1) full equilibrium in which every step of the WGS-mechanism is nearly in equilibrium; (2) “apparent” equilibrium, which is achieved via opposing but coherent shifts away from equilibrium for the two key elementary reactions that constitute the WGS reaction. This interesting phenomenon is caused by the supply of the H radical, which participates in the forward reaction of one step and the reverse reaction of the other. This new form of apparent equilibrium differs from well-known “quasi” equilibrium, which is typically caused by the combination of a fast reversible step and slow irreversible step. Parametric domains were found in which these two scenarios are observed. For a given fuel type it was shown that the two scenarios can be separated by the location of stoichiometry. On the oxidizer side, the full equilibrium of the overall WGS reaction is achieved, while on the fuel side, apparent equilibrium can occur.
Superheating and melting within aluminum core–oxide shell nanoparticles for a broad range of heating rates: multiphysics phase field modeling

The external surface of metallic particles is usually covered by a thin and strong oxide shell, which significantly affects superheating and melting of particles. The effects of geometric parameters and heating rate on characteristic melting and superheating temperatures and melting behavior of aluminum nanoparticles covered by an oxide shell were studied numerically. For this purpose, the multiphysics model that includes the phase field model for surface melting, a dynamic equation of motion, a mechanical model for stress and strain simulations, interface and surface stresses, and the thermal conduction model including thermoelastic and thermo-phase transformation coupling as well as transformation dissipation rate was formulated. Several nontrivial phenomena were revealed. In comparison with a bare particle, the pressure generated in a core due to different thermal expansions of the core and shell and transformation volumetric expansion during melting, increases melting temperatures with the Clausius–Clapeyron factor of 60 K GPa−1. For the heating rates Q ≤ 109 K s−1, melting temperatures (surface and bulk start and finish melting temperatures, and maximum superheating temperature) are independent of Q. For Q ≥ 1012 K s−1, increasing Q generally increases melting temperatures and temperature for the shell fracture. Unconventional effects start for Q ≥ 1012 K s−1 due to kinetic superheating combined with heterogeneous melting and geometry. The obtained results are applied to shed light on the initial stage of the melt-dispersion-mechanism of the reaction of Al nanoparticles. Various physical phenomena that promote or suppress melting and affect melting temperatures and temperature of the shell fracture for different heating-rate ranges are summarized in the corresponding schemes.
Modeling objects and environments

McIntosh, in ACADIA Newsletter Vol. 9 No. 3 pp 20-23, June 1990. This book introduces the concept of modeling objects in the computer's memory so it can be used to aide the process of their design. Modeling is defined as an hierarchical abstraction of data and operators to manipulate it, subject to semantic integrity constraints that guarantee the realizability of the designed artifact in the real world. Starting with general concepts of modeling, the book moves on to discuss the modeling of shapes (form) in two and in three dimensions. The discussion covers both topology and geometry. Next the book introduces the concept of shape transformations (translation, scaling, rotation, etc.), both in absolute and in relative terms. The book then introduces the concept of assembly modeling, and adds non-graphical attributes to the representation. It concludes with a discussion on user interface and parametrization. The book includes many examples written in Pascal that complement the theory, and can be used as a basis for building a geometric modeling engine. It also includes exercises, so it can be used as a text book for a two-semester advance course in geometric modeling
A Comparison of Pharmaceutical Product Performance of Albuterol Inhalers Available in the United States and Those Obtained in a Mexican Border Town.

Background: American residents travel to Mexico to purchase medications for a fraction of US cost and frequently without prescription requirements. A previous bioequivalence study found differences in lung function measures between 2 brands of Mexican-manufactured albuterol inhalers (both 100 µg/puff). An investigation of the pharmaceutical performance of different inhalers available may illuminate why different clinical results may be observed and offer insight to consumer and provider expectations of such products. Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide some reasonable expectations for a medical tourist who shops in Mexico for albuterol metered dose inhalers (MDIs) or for their health care providers by comparing pharmaceutical product performance of the consumer-available brands. Methods: Five different albuterol MDI products were purchased in Nogales, Mexico. The albuterol content was quantified through high-performance liquid chromatography. The inhalers were analyzed to determine the amou...
Threshold event: Exploring a commercial sponsorship of LGBT rights during the Sochi games

This mixed methods study examines the 2014 Sochi Olympics as an exceptional time period in which the commercial culture shifted potentially forming a convergence of mainstream support behind LGBT r...
Imaging metastatic prostate cancer with 18F-DCFBC PET/CT (DCFBC) and 18F-NaF PET/CT (NaF).

231Background: Conventional imaging of advanced prostate cancer (computerized tomography and nuclear bone scintigraphy) is limited and indicates a need for a more specific molecular imaging probe. DCFBC is a radiolabeled PET agent that binds with high affinity to prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which is overexpressed in almost all prostate cancers and through whole-body non-invasive functional imaging, may provide new information on the expression of PSMA. We compare the uptake of DCFBC in bone with respect to NaF PET/CT in metastatic prostate cancer patients. DCFBC has added capability to detect soft tissue metastasis whereas NaF is confined to secondary effects of bone disease. Methods: Subjects with known or suspected prostate cancer metastasis underwent DCFBC PET/CT imaging performed at 1 hour and 2 hours after IV bolus injection of 8 mCi of DCFBC. Patients also underwent a whole body NaF PET/CT scan within 3 weeks of DCFBC PET/CT to assess for bone metastases. Patients received 3 mCi of Na...
Utility of Intraoperative Monitoring in the Resection of Spinal Cord Tumors: An Analysis by Tumor Location and Anatomical Region.

Study design Retrospective review of institutional data. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the utility of somatosensory-evoked potentials (SSEP) and transcranial electric motor-evoked potentials (MEP) in the resection of spine tumors and evaluate the ability of both single and multi-modal monitoring to predict postoperative neurological deficits. Summary of background data Although the utility of intraoperative monitoring (IOM) is well established in scoliosis and degenerative surgery, studies in spine tumor patients have been limited. Methods A series of consecutive patients who underwent resection with the use of IOM at a single institution between August 2009 and March 2013 was identified. Demographic, clinical, and neuromonitoring data were collected preoperatively, during surgery, at the moment of discharge, and at a 6-month follow-up visit. Three cohorts were established based on the anatomical location of the tumor: intramedullary, intradural extramedullary, and extradural. Additional groupings were formed based on spinal region. Patients with significant changes in SSEPs or MEPs during surgery were identified and the rate of neurological deficits was assessed. Results A total of 52 patients were analyzed. A change in SSEPs or MEPs was detected in 11 (21.2%) cases whereas 14 patients (26.9%) developed permanent postoperative deficits. SSEPs predicted deficits in the resection of intramedullary tumors (P = 0.015) (area under cover, AUC = 0.83), and intradural extramedullary tumors (P = 0.048; AUC = 0.70). MEP monitoring did not predict postoperative deficits in the resection of intramedullary (P = 0.21; AUC = 0.69) or intradural extramedullary tumors (P = 0.31; AUC = 0.63). Neither SSEPs nor MEPs predicted deficits for extradural tumors. Conclusion The efficacy of IOM in spine tumor resection is dependent on tumor location relative to the spinal cord and dura. The accuracy of SSEPs and their ability to predict postoperative deficits was greatest for intramedullary lesions. For this series, MEP and multi-modal monitoring did not confer a benefit in predicting permanent neurological deficits. Level of evidence 4.
Optimal Deployment of Charging Stations for Electric Vehicles: A Formal Approach

Electric Vehicle (EV) is a great innovation of the modern automobile industry. Due to its attractive cost-efficient features and a growing worldwide environmental awareness, the number of EV purchases is growing at an increasing rate day by day. As the price of EVs is expected to drop in the near future, a large number of new EVs will hit the road consequently. However, our current infrastructure is not capable of supporting this growing number of EVs. We need a sufficient number of charging stations, placed optimally across an area, to recharge the EVs in a reasonable amount of time. In this paper, we present a formal framework to optimally deploy charging stations for EVs in a given area. The framework designs this verification as a constraint satisfaction problem where the goal is to optimally place the charging stations, with a sufficient number of charging outlets at each station, to serve all EVs in a given area while satisfying the limited budget and other system constraints. We evaluate the proposed framework for its analysis capability as well as its scalability by performing simulation on different synthetic test cases.
Traveling Irishness and the Transnational James Connolly

James Connolly, one of the great unorthodox Marxist theorists of his time, spent several years as a union organizer and socialist activist in the United States before returning to Ireland to lead the doomed Easter Rising of 1916. This essay examines his transatlantic encounters with syndicalism and other radical movements that deeply influenced his political practice. Penning some of his most important work in America, he wrote from the position not only of a colonized subject, but also of a transnational one. While much has been written about Connolly’s impact upon Irish politics, his life and work in American leftism calls for reevaluation. Defined not by motifs of reterritorialization, but by deterritorialization, Connolly affords us a radical and postnational perspective on “traveling Irishness.”
Anti-PD-1 therapy in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis: A single-center case series.

e14553Background: Anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibodies (PD1) have clinical activity in several solid tumors. However, experience treating dialysis pts with PD1 is limited. Dosage adjustments are not rec...
Buccal and Percutaneous Absorptions

Buccal absorption of 31 aromatic and aliphatic acids and 10 basic drugs in human subjects has been found to be parabolically dependent on the log P, where P is the l-octanol-water partition coefficient. The ideal lipophilic character (log Po) for maximum buccal absorption is found to range from 4.2 to 5.5. The log of the permeability constant of a series of alcohols and steroids has been found to be linearly dependent upon the log of the partition coefficient measured in three different solvent systems.
Legal Writing as Art and Science

This short essay introduces a special legal-writing-themed issue of the Washburn Law Journal. It briefly describes the interplay between formal reasoning and narrative reasoning, and argues that both are equally important to successful legal analysis and communication.
Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) remember agency information from past events and integrate this knowledge with spatial and temporal features in working memory.

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether rhesus monkeys remember information about their own agency-along with spatial, temporal and contextual properties-from a previously experienced event. In Experiment 1, rhesus monkeys (n = 4) used symbols to reliably indicate whether they had performed or observed an event on a computer screen. In Experiment 2, naive and experienced monkeys (n = 8) reported agency information when stringent controls for perceptual and proprioceptive cues were included. In Experiment 3, five of the monkeys completed a task in which they reported agency information along with spatial and temporal features of events. Two monkeys performed this agency discrimination when they could not anticipate which memory test they would receive. There was also evidence that these features were integrated in memory. Implications of this research are discussed in relation to working memory, episodic memory and self-awareness in nonhuman animals.
Recall erythema phenomenon following Er:YAG laser treatment: two case studies and literature review

Recall erythema is a phenomenon occurring when an area of epidermis treated with laser is later exposed to a trigger, most often sunlight or hot water, causing erythema in the zone of laser treatment after post-treatment erythema has already resolved. Radiation recall dermatitis is a more specific subtype of recall erythema in which an area treated with radiation is subjected to another exposure causing erythema in the area of previous radiation. Cases of recall dermatitis after laser treatment are extremely rare and have only been reported with diode neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet lasers. We report two cases of recall dermatitis following erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet resurfacing laser triggered by exposure to either hot water or direct sunlight, and in one case, radioablation of the thyroid gland. We will also provide a brief literature review of recall dermatitis in the setting of laser surgery.
Skin inflammation and carcinogenesis enhanced in Tpl2 knockout mouse model

4672 Tpl2 is a serine/threonine protein kinase implicated in the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, and immune response involving chemokine-cytokine production. Tpl2 knockout mice do not display an overt phenotype and have histologically normal bone marrow, thymus, spleen, and lymph nodes. In the mouse skin carcinogenesis model, short-term (one time) application of phorbol esters (TPA) to mouse skin results in an acute inflammatory response and epidermal hyperplasia. Repeated long-term application of TPA (after initiation with DMBA) leads to tumor formation in susceptible mice. We hypothesized that loss of Tpl2 will lead to a dampened inflammatory response and loss of tumorigenic response to TPA. Tpl2 knockout mouse skins were treated with TPA over 4 to 48 hours to assess the short-term role of Tpl2 in skin inflammatory response and hyperplasia. Long-term treatment with TPA for 30 weeks, after initiation with DMBA, was performed to assess the tumorigenic potential versus wildtype controls. Unexpectedly, the inflammatory response of the knockout mice to TPA application was stronger, appeared earlier, and lasted longer than the wild type mice. This was characterized by infiltrating neutrophils, macrophages, mast cells, and occasional lymphocytes. The enhanced inflammatory response was due to differential expression of cytokines including IL-2, IL-1beta, KC, MIP-1alpha, IL-5 and G-CSF. Long-term carcinogenesis experiments reveled unexpected skin tumor development in the knockout mice after only 9 weeks of TPA application. By 30 weeks, 87% of the knockout animals had a mean of 4 tumors/animal as compared to only 17% of wild type mice with a mean of 1.25 tumors/animal. These results indicate that loss of Tpl2 has led to potentiation of a compensatory pathway. This study validates in-vitro data and indicates that potentiation of the Ras/Erk pathway may be responsible for this unchecked early inflammatory response and enhanced skin carcinogenesis in response to TPA treatment.