cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a novel liquid bead array human papillomavirus genotyping assay (PGMY-LX) and comparison with Linear Array for continuity in longitudinal cohort studies

Studies of the natural history of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection require reproducible, type-specific testing of the viral types that infect cervical tissue; Linear Array (LA) is one method that has been widely used. We sought to develop a cost-effective, high-throughput alternative using the same PGMY09/11 primer/probe system and offering sensitivity and specificity comparable to those with LA to ensure continuity in longitudinal studies. We report here on a Luminex-based approach, PGMY-LX, that offers type-specific detection of 33 oncogenic and nononcogenic types. Detection of HPV type-specific plasmid DNA was highly specific, with high signal-to-noise ratios for all types except nononcogenic type 40 and no cross-reactivity between types. Cohen's unweighted κ values for 378 clinical samples tested by both LA and PGMY-LX were ≥0.8 (range, 0.80 to 1.0) for 25 types, including oncogenic HPV types 16, 31, 33, 39, 45, 58, and 59 and possibly oncogenic types 53, 66, 73, and 82) and >0.7 (range, 0.74 to 0.79) for oncogenic types 18, 35, 51, and 56 and probable oncogenic type 68b, indicating substantial or better type-specific agreement between the two methods. The reproducibility by PGMY-LX of the types detected by LA varied from 94% when a single HPV type was present to 66% when multiple types were present. The interrun reproducibility for PGMY-LX varied from 98% for single-type infections to 85% for multiple-type infections. The high reproducibility of PGMY-LX and the type-specific agreement with LA allows PGMY-LX to be incorporated into longitudinal, cohort studies that have historically relied on LA.
Piecewise Homogeneous random walk with a moving boundary

We study a random walk with nearest neighbor transitions on a one-dimensional lattice. The walk starts at the origin, as does a dividing line which moves with constant speed $\gamma $, but the outward transition probabilities $p_A $ and $p_B $ differ on the right- and left-hand sides of the dividing line. This problem is solved formally by taking advantage of the analytical properties in the complex plane of an added variable generating function, and it is found that $p_A $, $p_B $ space decomposes into four regions of distinct qualitative properties. The asymptotic probability of the walk being to the right of the moving boundary is obtained explicitly in three of the four regions. However, analysis in the fourth region is a sensitive function of the denominator of the rational fraction $\gamma $, and so we conclude with a number of special cases which can be solved in closed form.
Double-blinded cross-over study on the efficacy of pentoxifylline for canine atopy.

The pathogenesis of canine atopy has not been established completely. Recent studies have shown that tumour necrosis factor alpha and Interleukin-6 play a role in allergic reactions in humans and mice. Pentoxifylline (PTX) suppresses synthesis of these cytokines and may be a useful therapy for modulating the symptoms of canine atopy. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of PTX (10mg kg−1 twice daily for 4 weeks) on clinical signs (erythema and pruritus) and intradermal skin test reactivity in atopic dogs (n = 10). The study was a double-blinded, placebo controlled, crossover clinical trial with a washout period of 2 weeks between treatments. Clinical signs were evaluated and scored by the investigator and owners. During PTX treatment, scores of pruritus and erythema decreased significantly. PTX did not affect intradermal skin test reactivity to house dust mite at 15 min (allergen of reference for this study).
Soft charge form factor of the pion.

We identify the source of a discrepancy between ${F}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{soft}}|\mathrm{long}$ and ${F}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\mathrm{soft}}|\mathrm{trans}$ found by Isgur and Llewellyn Smith. We find that the discrepancy disappears when virtual $q\overline{q}$ pair production for longitudinal-momentum transfers is included. Our result rectifies the discussion by Isgur and Llewellyn Smith of soft nonperturbative effects at presently available values of ${Q}^{2}$.
Diamonds and Genocide: American, British, and French Press Coverage of the Second Congo War

The Second Congo War in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (The Congo) has been the largest humanitarian crisis in the last decade. Over five million people have died, and millions more have been displaced. During the conflict, the ostensibly neutral United States subtly sided with Rwanda and Uganda at the expense of the Congolese President Laurent Kabila. I test whether the media indexed their coverage to Washington policy. However, I expand my analysis to compare coverage leading in British and French newspapers as well. After careful examination, I discover that there is no significant difference in reporting. However, the real question of bias and framing includes issues of neutrality, the prominence of linking the Second Congo War with the 1994 Rwandan genocide, and the persistent underreporting of economic exploitation that underpinned the violence.
Personalized neuromusculoskeletal modeling to improve treatment of mobility impairments: A perspective from European research sites

Mobility impairments due to injury or disease have a significant impact on quality of life. Consequently, development of effective treatments to restore or replace lost function is an important societal challenge. In current clinical practice, a treatment plan is often selected from a standard menu of options rather than customized to the unique characteristics of the patient. Furthermore, the treatment selection process is normally based on subjective clinical experience rather than objective prediction of post-treatment function. The net result is treatment methods that are less effective than desired at restoring lost function. This paper discusses the possible use of personalized neuromusculoskeletal computer models to improve customization, objectivity, and ultimately effectiveness of treatments for mobility impairments. The discussion is based on information gathered from academic and industrial research sites throughout Europe, and both clinical and technical aspects of personalized neuromusculoskeletal modeling are explored. On the clinical front, we discuss the purpose and process of personalized neuromusculoskeletal modeling, the application of personalized models to clinical problems, and gaps in clinical application. On the technical front, we discuss current capabilities of personalized neuromusculoskeletal models along with technical gaps that limit future clinical application. We conclude by summarizing recommendations for future research efforts that would allow personalized neuromusculoskeletal models to make the greatest impact possible on treatment design for mobility impairments.
Teaching digital noise and noise margin issues in engineering education

This work presents digital noise in signal integrity and clarifies noise margin issues in digital electronics education. For the static noise margin, the traditional definition violates the basic principle of noise. The embedded rectangle method to define the static noise margin is a more reliable criterion. For the dynamic noise margin (DNM), several approaches have been evaluated. The best way to teach the student DNM is suggested.
What We Face: Framing Problems in the Black Community

While many sociological studies analyze the causes, conditions, and mechanisms perpetuating American racial inequality, the literature on how African Americans understand and explain these inequalities is less developed. Drawing on 150 interviews with middle-class and working-class African American men and women, this paper analyzes inductively how respondents define and conceptualize the most pressing obstacles facing their group when probed on this question. We find that middle- and working-class respondents alike identify the problem of racism as the most salient obstacle facing African Americans. Class differences appear with respect to what other obstacles are singled out as salient: while middle-class respondents focus on lack of racial solidarity among Blacks and economic problems (in this order), working-class respondents are more concerned with the fragility of the Black family followed by the lack of racial solidarity. This analysis discusses the relevance of considering how groups make sense of obstacles, and of racism and discrimination in particular, for the study of destigmatization and antiracist strategies of stigmatized minorities.
What Conversations Do Bereaved Parents Remember

Objective: Memories of conversations with health professionals are among the outcomes in the end-of-life care of children. Little is known about their nature or content. We conducted interviews with bereaved parents to determine whether there were conversations with healthcare professionals that they continue to revisit, positive or negative, five years following their child’s death, and consider their themes. Methods: Parents of children who had died aged 1 month to 11 years were interviewed, using a focused ethnographic approach. Thematic analysis was performed on interview transcripts. Results: Families recalled specific negative (10/16) and positive encounters (11/16). Positive memories exhibited empathic protectiveness, personal disclosure by health care providers, and authenticity. Negative memories revealed medicalized insensitivity to the family’s experience and emotional distance. Conclusions: Bereaved parents had memories of specific conversations with healthcare professionals years following their child’s death. They did not recall family meetings or technically-oriented moments, but moments marked by relational aspects. Insensitivity or lack of empathy were negative themes. Empathic protectiveness, personal disclosure, and authenticity at moments in care created enduring positive memories. The findings support the importance of humanistic involvement with patients, demonstrating the enduring impact of healthcare professionals in critical life events.
Genetic Analysis of Invasive Plant Populations at Different Spatial Scales

Measuring genetic diversity requires selection of a spatial scale of analysis. Different levels of genetic structuring are revealed at different spatial scales, however, and the relative importance of factors driving genetic structuring varies along the spatial scale continuum. Unequal gene flow is a major factor determining genetic structure in plant populations at the local level, while the effect of selection imposed by environmental heterogeneity increases with the spatial scale of analysis. At a continental and global scale genetic structure of invasive plant populations is significantly affected by founder effect and propagule transport via human vectors. Although genetic analysis at one spatial scale provides only partial information about the invasion process, little published research reports such data for the same species at multiple scales. A multi-faceted approach to investigating the genetic structure of invasive plant species that incorporates sampling at different spatial and temporal scales would provide a more complete picture of the role of genetic forces in invasion.
Production and characterization of pure Clostridium spore suspensions.

Aims: A general protocol was derived for optimizing the production of pure, high concentration Clostridium endospore suspensions. Methods and Results: Two sporulation methods were developed that yielded high concentrations of notably pure Clostridium sporogenes, C. hungatei and C. GSA-1 (Greenland ice core isolate) spore suspensions (10 ml of 109 spores ml−1 with >99% purity each). Each method was derived by evaluating combinations of three sporulation conditions, including freeze drying of inocula, heat shock treatment of cultures, and subsequent incubation at suboptimal temperatures that yielded the highest percentage of sporulation. Pure spore suspensions were characterized in terms of dipicolinic acid content, culturability, decimal reduction time (D) value for heat inactivation (100°C) and hydrophobicity. Conclusions: While some Clostridium species produce a high percentage of spores with heat shock treatment and suboptimal temperature incubation, other species require the additional step of freeze drying the inocula to achieve a high percentage of sporulation. Significance and Impact of the Study: Pure Clostridium spore suspensions are required for investigating species of medical and environmental importance. Defining the conditions for optimal spore production also provides insight into the underlying mechanisms of Clostridium sporulation.
Dominant Inhibition of Akt/Protein Kinase B Signaling by the Matrix Protein of a Negative-Strand RNA Virus

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a rhabdovirus that alters host nuclear and cytoplasmic function upon infection. We have investigated the effect of VSV infection on cellular signaling through the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3k)/Akt signaling pathway. Akt phosphorylation at both threonine 308 (Thr308) and serine 473 (Ser473) was inhibited in cells infected with VSV. This inhibition was rapid (beginning within the first 2 to 3 h postinfection) and correlated with the dephosphorylation of downstream effectors of Akt, such as glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). The dephosphorylation of Akt occurred in the presence of growth factor stimulation and was not overcome through constitutive membrane targeting of Akt or high levels of phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-triphosphate (PIP3) accumulation in the membrane. Akt dephosphorylation was not a result of alterations in PDK1 phosphorylation or activity, changes in phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) levels, or the downregulation of PI3k signaling. Inactivation of Akt was caused by the expression of the viral M protein in the absence of other viral components, and an M protein mutant that does not inhibit RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription and nuclear/cytoplasmic transport was also defective in inhibiting Akt phosphorylation. These data illustrate that VSV utilizes a novel mechanism to alter this central player in cell signaling and oncogenesis. It also suggests an inside-out model of signal transduction where VSV interruption of nuclear events has a rapid and significant effect on membrane signaling events.
Pre- and postlaser skin care.

Skin resurfacing procedures, whether by laser, Indications for skin resurfacing chemical peels, or dermabrasion, require the surgeon to have a clear understanding of how the skin is wounded and the manner in which it repairs itself. Optimizing the results of these procedures requires appropriate presurgical evaluation and preparation of the skin, followed by meticulous postoperative care and the re-initiation of an appropriate skin care regimen. Through the understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the skin, the surgeon should be able to understand how the various topical agents work on the skin to enhance wound healing and to combat intrinsic and extrinsic aging [1]. This knowledge allows the formulation of a preand postoperative regimen that best suits the individual patient.
DNA analysis in the study of the epidemiology of nosocomial candidiasis.

Pathogenic Candida species are ubiquitous organisms usually confined to human and animal reservoirs, but they can be recovered from soil, food, and the hospital environment. They are normal inhabitants of the female genital tract and the gastrointestinal tract, including the oropharynx, rectum, and perineum. Candida species are increasingly important nosocomial pathogens in immunocompromised patients, as well as in intensive care and postoperative patients.1-7 The changing patterns and the increasing incidence of disseminated Candida infection has been demonstrated in large autopsy series1 and is related to the modern aggressive treatment of malignancy and intensive supportive care of hospitalized patients. Current therapeutic regimens have resulted in greater numbers of cancer patients achieving and maintaining remission despite more prolonged periods of neutropenia. Greater success in the treatment of bacterial and viral infections has resulted in longer patient survival and hence an increased susceptibility of developing severe Candida infections. Candida species are now the fourth most commonly recovered organism from blood cultures of hospitalized patients with a crude mortality for Candida albicans fungemia of approximately 80% to 85%.1-9 Recent advances in the use of molecular DNA analysis has facilitated the development of typing systems at a subspecies level. These techniques have been used to study diverse groups of organisms including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.10-30 Molecular typing of Candida species ("DNA fingerprinting") can differentiate closely related strains with phenotypic similarities and thus possess high discriminatory power. These typing systems have been used to investigate aspects of the epidemiology of Candida colonization and infection and to clarify further the patient and hospital reservoirs of infection and modes of Candida transmission between high-risk patients.
Clinical predictors of transvenous defibrillation energy requirements.

Abstract Nonthoracotomy and, more recently, transvenous lead systems have become routine for initial implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement. Previous studies of clinical predictors of nonthoracotomy defibrillation energy requirements evaluated multiple complex lead systems that included subcutaneous patches. However, the predictors of an adequate transvenous defibrillation threshold (DFT) have not been assessed previously. Accordingly, the present study is a prospective evaluation of DFT using a uniform testing protocol in 119 consecutive patients undergoing ICD implantation with a single transvenous lead. For each patient, 38 parameters were assessed including standard clinical, echocardiographic, and radiographic measures. An adequate monophasic DFT (≤20 J) was achieved in 76% of patients. Multivariable analysis revealed 3 independent factors predictive of a high threshold: preoperative amiodarone use (odds ratio = 5.8, p ≤0.002), echocardiographic measures of left ventricular dilation (odds ratio = 0.47, p ≤0.005) and body size (odds ratio = 0.51, p ≤0.006). Patients receiving amiodarone who also had left ventricular dilation constitute a group at considerable (69%) risk for having a high DFT. In contrast, patients with neither of these risk factors have only an 11% chance of having a high threshold. We conclude that an adequate transvenous DFT can be predicted from simple clinical parameters.
Incomplete replication generates somatic DNA alterations within Drosophila polytene salivary gland cells

DNA replication remains unfinished in many Drosophila polyploid cells, which harbor disproportionately fewer copies of late-replicating chromosomal regions. By analyzing paired-end high-throughput sequence data from polytene larval salivary gland cells, we define 112 underreplicated (UR) euchromatic regions 60-480 kb in size. To determine the effects of underreplication on genome integrity, we analyzed anomalous read pairs and breakpoint reads throughout the euchromatic genome. Each UR euchromatic region contains many different deletions 10-500 kb in size, while very few deletions are present in fully replicated chromosome regions or UR zones from embryo DNA. Thus, during endocycles, stalled forks within UR regions break and undergo local repair instead of remaining stable and generating nested forks. As a result, each salivary gland cell contains hundreds of unique deletions that account for their copy number reductions. Similar UR regions and deletions were observed in ovarian DNA, suggesting that incomplete replication, fork breakage, and repair occur widely in polytene cells. UR regions are enriched in genes encoding immunoglobulin superfamily proteins and contain many neurally expressed and homeotic genes. We suggest that the extensive somatic DNA instability described here underlies position effect variegation, molds the structure of polytene chromosomes, and should be investigated for possible functions.
An efficient, power-enhanced ignition system

Spark ignition engines typically have ignition systems that develop 20-30 kV for breakdown of the spark plug gap and deliver current pulses in the range of 30-100 mA. These systems are characterized by very low energy transfer efficiency, 1% or less. Most of the energy is dissipated by the resistances in the transformer, spark plug wires, and spark plugs. This operating mode is adequate (but not necessarily optimum) for most engines, but will not meet the needs of future lean burn and some alternate fuel engines that require higher energy discharges to effectively ignite air/fuel mixtures. Requirements for increased ignition power and energy will have to be met with higher efficiency ignition systems. Improved efficiency can be achieved by utilizing peaking capacitors in the secondary circuit, preferably with a low-loss spark coil. With these modifications, the transfer efficiency can be increased to the 50-75% range. This paper summarizes the results of high-power ignition experiments and related electrical system analyzes for so-called "breakdown ignition" conditions. It includes descriptions of conventional ignition systems, a method for upgrading, and a new higher energy system that features multiple drivers and an energy recovery circuit. The effects of power-enhanced ignition on mileage and emissions for a variety of vehicles tested in laboratory and on the road are summarized sufficiently to show a range of typical results. The paper does not include comprehensive test data for a wide range of vehicles and operating conditions.
Coherent sea level variability on the North Atlantic western boundary

Interannual to decadal sea level variability on the North Atlantic western boundary is surprisingly coherent over substantial distances stretching from the Caribbean to Nova Scotia. The physical mechanisms responsible for this basin-scale, low-frequency coherence are explored in a diagnosis of simulated ocean fields from GECCO, which reproduces the observations to good approximation. Coastal sea level variability on the western boundary is known to be influenced by meridional divergence in the boundary current resulting in a geostrophic tilting of the sea surface. This mechanism is found to be of leading order along some stretches of the boundary, but it does not account for the coherence spanning the western North Atlantic. Instead, the coherence along the entire boundary is accounted for by vertical divergence resulting in the uniform rise and fall of the sea surface west of the 295°E meridian. The vertical divergence is found to be due to net vertically integrated zonal transport across this meridian resulting from meridional variation in the Sverdrup transport over the basin interior.
Exercise and Functional Capacity After Myocardial Infarction

This paper summarizes the literature on the effects of both inpatient and outpatient exercise programs on functional capacity in patients categorized as having mild, moderate, severe and very severe left ventricular damage after myocardial infarction (MI). Current evidence suggests that inpatient activities of daily living programs do not improve functional capacity as measured by a predischarge exercise stress test. In contrast, outpatient exercise training programs can improve functional capacity through augmentation of skeletal muscle arteriovenous oxygen difference (oxygen extraction) in nearly all patients with mild left ventricular damage, in most patients with moderate damage and in a few patients with severe damage. The recently developed conceptual model of functional capacity in post-MI patients presented in this paper underscores the need for assessment of the level of structural and functional impairment of the left ventricle before the nurse prescribes any type of exercise program. It also enables the nurse to begin to explain why post-MI patients differ in their response to exercise. Further research is needed, however, before the model can be used for predicting exercise outcomes in the clinical setting.
Future directions of stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation: the potential impact of novel anticoagulants and stroke risk stratification.

Summary. Stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation is of paramount importance given its associated morbidity and mortality. The many challenges of warfarin limit its effective use in real-world clinical practice. We are entering an exciting therapeutic era as new classes of anticoagulants, including direct thrombin inhibitors, factor Xa inhibitors and novel vitamin K antagonists, are being evaluated for possible use in this patient population. If proven to be as efficacious as warfarin and safer, expanded use of these novel agents to lower risk subgroups may be justified. It is imperative that providers be aware of the many advantages and potential challenges posed by use of these novel agents in routine clinical care. An understanding of individual pharmacokinetic profiles and potential drug-drug and drug-disease interactions will translate into improved effectiveness in real-world practice.
Sexism, Hostility toward Women, and Endorsement of Beauty Ideals and Practices: Are Beauty Ideals Associated with Oppressive Beliefs?

Relationships between the endorsement of Western beauty ideals and practices and measures of hostility toward women and sexism were studied in 159 college men and 194 college women. The participants were predominately 18 or 19 years of age and of European American ethnicity. Correlations were computed between five factor analytically derived measures of beauty ideals and practices, two measures of the thin body ideal, and the following measures: Hostility toward Women Scale (HTWS; Lonsway & Fitzgerald, 1995), Attitudes toward Women Scale (AWS; Spence & Helmreich, 1978), and the two subscales of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI; Glick & Fiske, 1996): hostile sexism (ASI-H) and benevolent sexism (ASI-B). It was found that endorsement of Western beauty ideals and practices was associated with hostility toward women, traditional sexism, hostile sexism, and, to a lesser extent, benevolent sexism. Results support feminist critiques of beauty practices as oppressive.
Bathymetric and oceanic controls on Abbot Ice Shelf thickness and stability

Ice shelves play key roles in stabilizing Antarc- tica's ice sheets, maintaining its high albedo and returning freshwater to the Southern Ocean. Improved data sets of ice shelf draft and underlying bathymetry are important for as- sessing ocean-ice interactions and modeling ice response to climate change. The long, narrow Abbot Ice Shelf south of Thurston Island produces a large volume of meltwater, but is close to being in overall mass balance. Here we invert NASA Operation IceBridge (OIB) airborne gravity data over the Ab- bot region to obtain sub-ice bathymetry, and combine OIB el- evation and ice thickness measurements to estimate ice draft. A series of asymmetric fault-bounded basins formed during rifting of Zealandia from Antarctica underlie the Abbot Ice Shelf west of 94 W and the Cosgrove Ice Shelf to the south. Sub-ice water column depths along OIB flight lines are suffi- ciently deep to allow warm deep and thermocline waters ob- served near the western Abbot ice front to circulate through much of the ice shelf cavity. An average ice shelf draft of 200 m, 15 % less than the Bedmap2 compilation, coin- cides with the summer transition between the ocean surface mixed layer and upper thermocline. Thick ice streams feed- ing the Abbot cross relatively stable grounding lines and are rapidly thinned by the warmest inflow. While the ice shelf is presently in equilibrium, the overall correspondence between draft distribution and thermocline depth indicates sensitivity to changes in characteristics of the ocean surface and deep waters.
The use of mathematical morphology for accurate detection and identification of microwave images in the K-space domain

The use of holography in imaging is generally confined to the optical regime. Recent advances in microwave techniques have allowed the use of multi-frequency and multi-geometry to collect phase information that can be used to construct two and three dimensional information sets. The use of longer wavelengths allows flexible configurations and applications that can penetrate propagation media and in some cases the target of interest. Microwave radiation has not been used extensively in imaging three dimensional structure using holographic approaches. The use of tomographic processing requires that data be collected at sufficient resolution to allow unambiguous slices to be constructed. This differs from interferometric techniques where there is some ambiguity (phase) that must be handled to properly reconstruct the final three dimensional image.
Radiologic Imaging in Meckel Diverticulum Complications

In 1809, Johann Friedrich Meckel the Younger described the most common congenital small bowel anomaly, which was named after him; however, the radiologic manifestations and interventional guidelines related to this entity are still limited to a few large-scale case series as well as proposed therapeutic protocols for the general population. Despite the fact that this entity is more commonly found within the first decade of life, imaging and management protocols remain controversial in the pediatric population, particularly within the asymptomatic group. We present an article depicting the radiologic and histologic findings in a series of Meckel's diverticulum within the pediatric population seen within our institution. We present this series to underscore the importance of high clinical suspicion in the early diagnosis and management of Meckel's diverticulum and to examine further the radiologic and therapeutic protocols within the pediatric population based on our local experience.
Interaction of Binary Tropical Cyclones of the Western North Pacific Ocean

Abstract Fifteen years of typhoon data (1953–67) were evaluated to determine the general character of the “Fuji-whara effect” with respect to the separation distance between two interacting tropical cyclones. The results show that the rotation of the binary system is sharply dependent upon separation distance for distances <750 n mi. There appears also to be a slight attraction between the two vortex systems, which becomes well defined at separation distances <400 n mi. The results are compared with theoretical rotation rates for vortex systems with varying velocity profiles.
Atomistic simulations of grain boundaries in CdTe

An improvement in efficiencies of polycrystalline CdTe can possibly be achieved by understanding the role of grain boundaries. Therefore, we systematically studied the atomic and electronic structures of various high angle grain boundaries including asymmetric tilt and twist grain boundaries using empirical potentials and density functional theory (DFT). The density of states analysis revealed that most grain boundaries lead to the formation of midgap states, which can drastically reduce the photovoltaic efficiency. The planar-averaged electrostatic potential analysis indicated attraction for holes around the grain boundary region.
Potential targets of VIVIPAROUS1/ABI3-LIKE1 (VAL1) repression in developing Arabidopsis thaliana embryos.

Summary Developing Arabidopsis seeds accumulate oils and seed storage proteins synthesized by the pathways of primary metabolism. Seed development and metabolism are positively regulated by transcription factors belonging to the LAFL (LEC1, AB13, FUSCA3 and LEC2) regulatory network. The VAL gene family encodes repressors of the seed maturation program in germinating seeds, although they are also expressed during seed maturation. The possible regulatory role of VAL1 in seed development has not been studied to date. Reverse genetics revealed that val1 mutant seeds accumulated elevated levels of proteins compared with the wild type, suggesting that VAL1 functions as a repressor of seed metabolism; however, in the absence of VAL1, the levels of metabolites, ABA, auxin and jasmonate derivatives did not change significantly in developing embryos. Two VAL1 splice variants were identified through RNA sequencing analysis: a full-length form and a truncated form lacking the plant homeodomain-like domain associated with epigenetic repression. None of the transcripts encoding the core LAFL network transcription factors were affected in val1 embryos. Instead, activation of VAL1 by FUSCA3 appears to result in the repression of a subset of seed maturation genes downstream of core LAFL regulators, as 39% of transcripts in the FUSCA3 regulon were derepressed in the val1 mutant. The LEC1 and LEC2 regulons also responded, but to a lesser extent. Additional 832 transcripts that were not LAFL targets were derepressed in val1 mutant embryos. These transcripts are candidate targets of VAL1, acting through epigenetic and/or transcriptional repression.
Use of Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Assay

Although there remain situations when conventional bilateral parathyroid exploration is the operation of choice for primary hyperparathyroidism, focused, single-gland exploration (minimally invasive parathyroidectomy [MIP]) has become the standard operation for most patients. Successful surgery requires accurate preoperative imaging and measurement of PTH intraoperatively (IOPTH).
Scaling to Nanotechnology Limits with the PIMS Computer Architecture and a new Scaling Rule

We describe a new approach to computing that moves towards the limits of nanotechnology using a newly formulated sc aling rule. This is in contrast to the current computer industry scali ng away from von Neumann's original computer at the rate of Moore's Law. We extend Moore's Law to 3D, which l eads generally to architectures that integrate logic and memory. To keep pow er dissipation cons tant through a 2D surface of the 3D structure requires using adiabatic principles. We call our newly proposed architecture Processor In Memory and Storage (PIMS). We propose a new computational model that integrates processing and memory into "tiles" that comprise logic, memory/storage, and communications functions. Since the programming model will be relatively stable as a system scales, programs repr esented by tiles could be executed in a PIMS system built with today's technology or could become the "schematic diagram" for implementation in an ultimate 3D nanotechnology of the future. We build a systems software approach that offers advantages over and above the technological and arch itectural advantages. Firs t, the algorithms may be more efficient in the conventional sens e of having fewer steps. Second, the algorithms may run with higher power efficiencymore » per operation by being a better match for the adiabatic scaling ru le. The performance analysis based on demonstrated ideas in physical science suggests 80,000 x improvement in cost per operation for the (arguably) gene ral purpose function of emulating neurons in Deep Learning.« less
Abstract 916: Functional significance of sulfotransferase 1A1 polymorphisms in the 3’ untranslated region in determination of enzymatic activity

SULT1A1 is the most highly expressed hepatic sulfotransferase and is involved in the biotransformation of a wide variety of endo-and xenobiotics. The inter-individual variation of SULT1A1 enzyme activity can markedly influence drug toxicity and/or treatment efficacy in the clinical setting. We and others have examined a common SNP in the coding region of SULT1A1 (Arg213His, SULT1A1*1/2), as well as several SNPs in the proximal promoter that were associated with altered enzymatic activity. However, the SNPs account for only a small proportion of variation of SULT1A1 activity in human populations. In order to identify SNPs that markedly affect SULT1A1 activity, we resequenced the 3’UTR of SULT1A1 in 97 liver samples. Direct sequencing revealed 2 SNPs (902A>G, 973C>T) in the 3’UTR and 1 SNP (1307G>A) in the 3’ flanking region. Interestingly, we found these SNPs are in absolute linkage disequilibrium and are closely associated with SULT1A1 expression and enzymatic activity. To further elucidate the important role of SNPs in 3’UTR, we performed haplotype analysis to predict the collective effects of functional genetic variants in the 3’ UTR regions, the SULT1A1*1/2 polymorphism and copy number variation on SULT1A1 enzymatic activity. Notably, two major haplotypes (ACGG and GTAA) were significantly correlated with SULT1A1 activity, Copy number did not influence on SULT1A1 activity in liver samples. 3’UTR SNPs are in linkage disequilibrium with SULT1A1*1/2 polymorphism, so to examine the effect of the SULT1A1*1/2 polymorphism, we performed haplotype-activity assay in 499 Caucasian and 129 African American subjects. Haplotype and regression analysis both strongly suggest that the 3’UTR SNPs are the pivotal predictor of SULT1A1 activity. MicroInspector predicts 3116C>T influences the binding of miR-631 to SULT1A1 3’UTR. Furthermore, in vitro luciferase reporter assays and overexpression of miRNA mimics and inhibitors indicated that SULT1A1 is a direct target of miR-631 and miR-631 differentially regulates the C and T alleles of rs1042157. The results suggest, for the first time, that allele-specific regulation of SULT1A1 by miR-631 contributes to the activity variation of SULT1A1 in population. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 916.
Analysis of Marine Diesel Fuel with the Advanced Distillation Curve Method

Ocean-going ships burn heavy fuel oil. The combustion of heavy fuel oil in marine diesel engines emits nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulates into the air. Growing public concern over air quality has led to increased scrutiny of heavy fuel oil as a source of air pollutants, with calls for greater regulation of its composition to safeguard public health and the environment. Heavy fuel oil is a complex mixture, prepared by blending residual oil from petroleum distillation with more volatile fractions to meet industry standards. The fuel composition has a significant effect on the type and amount of combustion products produced, but the complexity of heavy fuel oil blends has hindered past efforts at analysis. The advanced distillation curve (ADC) method was developed as a complex fluid analysis protocol, combining thermophysical and chemical properties measurement. We applied the ADC method, under reduced pressure, to a sample of IFO 380 intermediate fuel oil to characterize its volatility and com...
Differentiation of ADEM and MS at Presentation

The clinical features of published case series of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are reviewed at the Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London.
Simplifying Enzymatic Biofuel Cells: Immobilized Naphthoquinone as a Biocathodic Orientational Moiety and Bioanodic Electron Mediator

An elegant method to perform bioelectocatalysis with different oxidoreductases at the cathode and at the anode of an enzymatic biofuel cell is presented. Noncovalent functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was accomplished via π–π interactions of pyrene derivatives. 1-[Bis(2-naphthoquinonyl)aminomethyl]pyrene was synthesized and successfully immobilized on MWCNTs. The incorporation of the quinone-modified MWCNTs within enzymatic bioelectrocatalytic applications was evaluated. The hydrophobic nature of the naphthoquinone aided orientation of laccase and bilirubin oxidase toward the electrode, which enhanced their ability to undergo the direct bioelectrocatalysis of oxygen. In contrast, the electrochemical properties of the quinone were used at the bioanode to mediate electrons from the bioelectrocatalytic oxidation of glucose by pyrroloquinoline quinone-dependent glucose dehydrogenase. This method demonstrates how the smart modification of MWCNTs can develop materials, which can be used ...
A 1–16 Gb/s All-Digital Clock and Data Recovery With a Wideband High-Linearity Phase Interpolator

An all-digital phase interpolator (PI)-based clock and data recovery (CDR) is proposed in this paper to accommodate any data rate continuously from 1 to 16 Gb/s with quadrature sampling clocks from 4 to 8 GHz. A new low-power two-step PI (TSPI) with high linearity over 4–8 GHz range is presented. The all-digital CDR control loop adopts a multimode phase detection scheme enabling continuous data rate support. The digital architecture not only eliminates the large filtering capacitor but also makes the design more tolerant to process, voltage, and temperature variations. The CDR core occupies 0.088 mm2 in a commercial 65-nm CMOS technology and consumes 73.1 mA at 16 Gb/s from a 1.2 V power supply. The differential nonlinearity of the PI is measured to be within 0.48 LSB. The measurement results show that this CDR can function at the proposed phase detection modes and is able to exceed the synchronous optical networking (SONET) OC-192 jitter tolerance mask at least by 0.2 unit interval at high frequencies (4–100 MHz) with a $2^{31}-1$ pseudorandom binary sequence data pattern at 10 Gb/s and a target bit error rate of $10^{-12}$ .
The Blueberry Maggot from an Ecological Viewpoint.

It often happens that fundamental principles of ecology underlie problems of insect control, and in attacking an economic project the entomologist frequently finds himself working more or less in the field of applied ecology. Few instances in economic entomology emphasize broad ecological relationships more distinctly than does the blueberry maggot[*][1] problem. [1]: #fn-1
Travel-time monitoring with vibroseis

Abstract The general failure of searches for precursory seismic travel-time variations associated with strike-slip earthquakes in California has led to this investigation into the feasibility of using a controlled-source seismic method to improve significantly the precision of travel-time measurements, and to investigate the nature of any detected travel-time changes. Travel times have been measured over a period of several years at sites south of Hollister, California, along the seismically active creeping zone of the San Andreas fault, using a single-channel VIBROSEIS system with real-time on-site data processing. At a site near Bear Valley, 7 km from the fault, no variations in the travel time of a deep crustal reflection were observed that could be associated with local earthquakes. However, significant variations (0.5 to 2.5 msec) of first arrival travel times observed near the Cienega Winery may have been associated with a series of nearby earthquakes and with a creep event. Major sources of measurement error have been identified in source variations and in rainfall-induced variations in near-surface properties. The former limits the precision of the deep reflection measurements to about 0.05 per cent of the travel time and the first arrival measurements to about 0.1 per cent of the travel time. The second effect is apparent as seasonal oscillations in travel time of as much as 15 to 20 msec, and also in wavelet amplitude and waveform, giving an implied travel-time accuracy of about 0.2 per cent for the deep reflection measurements and about 1 per cent for first arrivals. While these noise levels are disappointing, they can be reduced significantly by improved field procedures. Ongoing experiments are testing such procedures.
Imaging neutrophil migration dynamics using micro-optical coherence tomography (Conference Presentation)

Neutrophils are immune cells that undergo chemotaxis, detecting and migrating towards a chemical signal gradient. Neutrophils actively migrate across epithelial boundaries, interacting with the epithelium to selectively permit passage without compromising the epithelial barrier. In many inflammatory disorders, excessive neutrophil migration can cause damage to the epithelium itself. The signaling pathways and mechanisms that facilitate trans-epithelial migration are not fully characterized. Our laboratory has developed micro-optical coherence tomography (μOCT), which has 2 μm lateral resolution and 1 μm axial resolution. As a high-resolution native contrast modality, μOCT can directly visualize individual neutrophils as they interact with a cell layer cultured on a transwell filter. A chemoattractant can be applied to the apical side of inverted monolayer, and human neutrophils placed in the basolateral compartment, while μOCT captures 3D images of the chemotaxis. μOCT images can also generate quantitative metrics of migration volume to study the dependence of chemotaxis on monolayer cell type, chemoattractant type, and disease state of the neutrophils. For example, a disease known as leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) can be simulated by treating neutrophils with antibodies that interfere with the CD18 receptor, a facilitator of trans-epithelial migration. We conducted a migration study of anti-CD18 treated and control neutrophils using T84 intestinal epithelium as a barrier. After one hour, μOCT time-lapse imaging indicated a strong difference in the fraction of neutrophils that remain attached to the epithelium after migration (0.67 ± 0.12 attached anti-CD18 neutrophils, 0.23 ± 0.08 attached control neutrophils, n = 6, p < 0.05), as well as a modest but non-significant decrease in total migration volume for treated neutrophils. We can now integrate μOCT-derived migration metrics with simultaneously acquired measurements of transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), a measure of membrane integrity that decreases when neutrophils create openings in the epithelium to permit migration. Preliminary results (n = 2) using real-time TEER measurements indicate that TEER change in anti-CD18 migration (26% at 1 hour) is not lower compared to control (14% at 1 hour), suggesting that the neutrophil-epithelial interaction is not impaired. Combined µOCT+TEER will allow the relationship of neutrophil migration and epithelial interactions to be studied to help uncover the mechanisms of altered neutrophil behavior in patients with inflammatory and immune diseases.
Bedside hemodynamic monitoring. Its value in the diagnosis of tamponade complicating cardiac surgery.

Cardiac tamponade may be a difficult clinical diagnosis in the early postoperative period in patients undergoing open-heart surgery, particularly when the anterior or lateral pericardium is left open. Bedside monitoring of intracardiac pressures and determination of a “pressure plateau” between right atrial, right ventricular diastolic, pulmonary arterial diastolic, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressures are useful in the early diagnosis of cardiac tamponade. The value of such hemodynamic monitoring in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac tamponade in three patients with aorta-coronary artery bypass surgery in the early postoperative period is reported. Appropriate therapy, carried out on the basis of these studies, minimized the occurrence of further morbidity or possible death.