cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preadmission Diet and Zip Code Influences the Pediatric Critical Care Clinical Course for Infants with Severe Respiratory Illness ( N = 187).

We examined preadmission diet and zip code in infants with severe respiratory illness in the pediatric critical care unit. Patients aged 0 to 5 months admitted to the Helen DeVos Children's Hospital from January 2011 to May 2017 (N = 187), as exclusively formula, exclusively breastfed or mixed diet were included. Formula-fed infants (n = 88; 47%) clustered to zip codes with lower median incomes (
Surgical weight loss

Abstract Surgical weight loss is the most effective treatment of morbid obesity. Bariatric surgery has a multitude of effects, including improving or resolving obstructive sleep apnea, improving glucose metabolism, decreasing the risk of heart disease, and improving the quality of life. Careful patient selection and preparation combined with the attention to the appropriate procedure selection is essential in the success of bariatric surgery. The risk profile of each patient has to be weighed with the risks and benefits of each type of bariatric surgery. In summary, bariatric surgery should be highly considered for patients to improve comorbidities and quality of life.
Examination of the relationship between iron status and cognitive function among healthy young women with and without a recent history of blood donation.

Background With growing awareness of the prevalence of nonanemic iron deficiency among blood donors, there is a need to explore the extent of potential negative consequences. This study examined the relationship between various measures of iron status, blood donation history, and neuropsychological and psychosocial functioning in healthy young women. Study design and methods Using a cross-sectional design, 160 female undergraduates completed neuropsychology tests and measures of sleep, fatigue, quality of life, and depression before providing a blood sample. Correlational analyses examined the relationship between iron status (ferritin, iron, hemoglobin, and zinc protoporphyrin) and cognitive and psychosocial functioning. Performance on these measures was also examined as a function of recent blood donation history (zero, one, more than one donation in the past year). Results Iron status (low ferritin, iron, or hemoglobin or high zinc protoporphyrin) was not associated with poorer performance on the cognitive tasks. Further, participants who reported donating once in the previous year performed better, rather than worse, than those with no recent donation history on several measures of executive function, even when controlling for ferritin levels. Although there was some evidence of greater fatigue among those who had donated more than once in the past year, this effect was not accounted for by ferritin levels. Conclusion The present findings are consistent with prior evidence that nonanemic iron deficiency is not associated with cognitive impairment or psychosocial dysfunction in healthy young females. Because these results are based on cross-sectional evidence, further study using longitudinal research is needed to confirm these findings.
Lessons for delivering big science projects

As the construction of the Electron–Ion Collider (EIC) is starting, the EIC Project Director Jim Yeck shares his experience on the main ingredients for success of big science projects.
A portable polyanatomic optico-impedance system for early warning of systemic disease—evaluation in occult hemorrhage

Accurate and reliable non-invasive monitoring of early systemic disease—such as ongoing hemorrhage, sepsis, and acute respiratory disease like COVID-19—is one of the largest unmet needs in biomedicine. An early alert to progression with high sensitivity and an acceptable false-positive rate would allow medical staff to risk-stratify patients, saving resources, lives, and in the context of pandemic disease, minimize staff exposure. Noninvasive technologies have thus far failed to produce a reliable early detection system, reflecting the limitation of uniplex approaches to describe complex pathophysiology. Our team, in collaboration with an STTR start-up, have developed an optico-impedance system combining near-infrared spectroscopy and electrical impedance tomography measured at three locations (thorax, abdomen, limb) together with machine learning methods to provide exceptional diagnostic performance in systemic disease. The optical portion consists of 6 pairs of time-multiplexed red and IR LEDs embedded in custom 3D-printed probes, which are each connected to the leg of a trifurcated fiber bundle, allowing measurement of three-location, two-distance broadband 550-950 nm spectra using a single commercial spectrometer. Data is demultiplexed and analyzed using derivative spectroscopy to quantify oxy/deoxyhemoglobin. Additional diagnostic signal was obtained from: impedance tomography and spectroscopy, ECG and plethysmography. In one of the largest porcine hemorrhage studies to date (n = 60), we demonstrate an 85% accuracy to detect a 2-3% blood volume loss. Preliminary results from 11 healthy human subjects undergoing lower body negative pressure (LBNP) challenge show a 95% accuracy in detecting 15-mmHg changes in pressure—an excellent surrogate for occult hemorrhage. Our system fills a critical need, including in the current pandemic, where clinicians struggle to predict which patients will deteriorate. © 2021 SPIE
Costs and Technical Change: Effects from Bank Deregulation

Banks were substantially deregulated during the 1980s. Interest costs rose faster than operating expenses (capital, labor) were reduced. As a result, measured technical change in banking was negative: it averaged -0.8% to -1.4% a year over 1977-88. Technical change was measured three different ways and for both equilibrium and disequilibrium factor input specifications. All three approaches -- a standard time trend, an index approach, and shifts in cross-section cost functions -- gave consistent results. These results were robust whether measured at the banking firm or office level, or at the cost frontier.
Facility type and size-stratified analysis of management patterns and outcomes of patients with localized non-functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Abstract Background Non-functional neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas (NF-pNETs) are uncommon. Consensus guidelines have conflicting recommendations. We performed a nationwide analysis of patterns in management and outcomes based on facility type and tumor size. Methods The National Cancer Database (2004–2016) was queried for patients with localized NF-pNETs ( 2 cm) stratified by facility type. Management decisions, operative outcomes, and survival were compared. Results A total of 7170 patients were included in the analysis ( 2 cm = 4074). Most patients were treated at academic facilities (62.8%). Over 67% of patients with tumors 2 cm compared to other facility types. Resection was associated with improved survival among patients with tumors 1–2 cm (HR = 0.43,p 2 cm (HR = 0.32,p Conclusion There is heterogeneity in management of NF-pNETs across facility types. Treatment at academic facilities appears to be associated with higher resection rates for tumors >2 cm. There appears to be an independent association between operative management and improved survival for tumors ≥1 cm in size.
A Project-Based Approach to Teaching IoT

Internet of Things (IoT) is a rapidly growing field of great interest to students and educators. However, designing and teaching a project-based IoT course can be challenging. While some textbooks and courses are already available in IoT, limited information is available on how to successfully pair the IoT curriculum with hardware and hands-on projects. More work and open discussion are needed to develop courses which successfully and effectively combine hardware and software. In the present work, we summarize how we designed and taught a graduate level IoT course at California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) by effectively pairing lectures with hands-on labs and projects. The course provided a broad introduction to IoT topics, software, and hardware through the use of hands-on projects and low-cost hardware kits (≈$544 each). By strategically combining lectures with hands-on practice, we successfully introduced computer science students to key IoT and hardware skills such as assembling devices, debugging issues, reviewing specs and data, and optimizing performance. We also share the equipment and software packages used, topics covered, labs and projects given, and lessons learned. This course was favorably reviewed by students, led to several successful capstone projects, and even helped one student to secure an internship in IoT. We anticipate that these project-based approaches to teaching and learning IoT will be beneficial to many students and educators who are interested in the IoT field.
Balancing Mission and Comprehensibility in Multi-Robot Systems for Disaster Response

Real-world disaster response or search and rescue operations require the seamless interaction of multiple teams and agencies. As multi-robot systems become more frequently used for disaster response due to the inherent dangerous environments, these systems must be controlled in way that balances the accomplishment of their mission with interaction with neighboring teams. In this paper, we address this problem by examining the balance of mission and comprehensibility. By mission, we refer to the overall task of the multi-robot system, which in a disaster response scenario is often searching an area and communicating results back to rescuers. By comprehensibility, we refer to a multi-robot system arranging itself in a way that a neighboring observer can understand what roles its members play, and react accordingly. When mission and comprehensibility are properly balanced, multi-robot teams will be more effective at working alongside one another. We propose a system of control laws for two robot roles, hubs and sensors, which provide communication and sensing, respectively. We propose additional control laws to maintain an understandable formation. Through extensive simulation of a variety of multi-robot system sizes and formations, we examine the effect of balancing mission and comprehensibility on concrete metrics for sensor coverage and role understanding.
What future is there for intelligent machines

MANY THOUSANDS of years ago, when humans had very little in the way of mechanical aids, it would have been frightening and surprising to anticipate the steam shovel, the bulldozer, the airplane, the submarine, nuclear weapons, and space ships. Only the last two items in this list make any essential use of intelligent machines, but it is impossible for me to conceive of even relatively primitive space travel of the present without the high performance digital computers only recently available. As I view the situation, we have learned to convert energy to our purposes, thus minimizing the importance of human brawn, but we are only now beginning to learn how to convert entropy to our purposes, eventually minimizing the importance of human brain. Such developments will surely not degrade or threaten human beings, contrary to opinions expressed so frequently and so confidently by many current authors, any more than we feel degraded when bulldozers and draglines do our excavations for us. I am not speaking essentially about present-day electronic digital computers, though they certainly represent primitive components for the kind of intelligent systems that I envisage for the future. Perhaps John von Neumann, the late great mathematician and scientist, deserves credit more than any other person for the conception and development of the stored-program computer, and I shall refer to these as von Neumann machines
On applying machine learning to develop air combat simulation agents

Several approaches for utilizing machine learning technologies towards improving the capabilities of autonomous, simulation-based agents are described. For an autonomous agent to be robust, it must be able to plan its activities, react quickly to unforseen events, and execute planned or modified behaviors to achieve goals. Autonomous agents that exhibit appropriate behavior for simulated air combat, providing intelligent, realistic adversaries and cooperative allies, are under development. Building such agents is not trivial, and the techniques of machine learning hold great promise for extending the capabilites of hand-coded systems. The application of some of these techniques, past successes, and current research directions are described. >
Shadows of the Past

. Sociologists have studied various forms of prejudice, but seldom their own. G. Wright Mills emphasis on the relationship of history, Social structure and biography encourages us to reflect on our own case. In the present instance, the attitudes and beliefs of a Welsh-American are examined in social context. Three implicit themes are revealed: (1) the sociological perspective is essential in understanding self; (2) for self-knowledge no biography is more important than one's own; (3) the examination of the origin of personal prejudices may aid in understanding, more than condemning, those of others.
India and China in the Colonial World – Edited by Madhavi Thampi

This edited volume focuses on Indian‐Chinese relations between 1830 and 1949, when these relations were “greatly transformed as both came under colonial and imperialist domination” (1). Most studie...
Secondary and Tertiary Responses of the Induced Bactericidin from the West Indian Spiny Lobster, Panulirus argus

West Indian spiny lobsters, Panulirus argus, synthesized a hemolymph bactericidin after being injected with killed suspensions of gram-negative bacillus EMB-1 isolated from the normal gut of this lobster. To study differences between the primary response and secondary response, animals were given a primary antigen injection of EMB-1 followed by a second injection of the same antigen 22 to 51 days later. As a rule, secondary bactericidal responses were enhanced over the primary in a manner reminiscent of specific anamnesis in mammalian immunoglobulin synthesis. Immunological memory was also suggested when tertiary responses were compared to secondary and by the persistence of residual titers for many days or weeks without additional antigenic stimulation.
Nonlinear Finite Element Formulation And Analysis of high-power air/dielectric breakdown in time domain

A high power microwave (HPM) device can be damaged in a high-power environment due to an air or dielectric breakdown inside the HPM device or on the output window. Such a breakdown process can be modeled using either a simple nonlinear conductivity model or a plasma fluid model. In this paper, we propose a nonlinear time-domain finite element formulation in combination with a Newton method to solve the breakdown problems. Both the nonlinear conductivity and the plasma fluid models are incorporated, and the nonlinear breakdown phenomena are simulated and analyzed.
A functional equation approach to the theory of production, technical change, and invariance

The goal of this paper was to reconsider the properties of production and technical change functions using functional equations. More specifically, the properties of associativity and composition, and the existence of inverse and identity transformations were imposed on the technical change functions and it was learned that all of these properties could be satisfied without imposing differentiability. This is a meaningful result; there is no reason to believe that technical change occurs in a smooth, differentiable, manner.
Capture Technology Cost Buydown in CO2 EOR Market Applications Under an Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard

Abstract Although CO2 capture and storage (CCS) as a major carbon-mitigation option is key to the affordability of a low- carbon energy future and substantial progress that has been made in advancing CCS, what has been accomplished falls far short of what is needed to enable a low-carbon energy future. Here a strategy is outlined aimed at helping get the faltering global CCS enterprise back on track. It involves: (a) exploiting the US CO2 enhanced oil recovery (CO2 EOR) opportunity to help buy-down costs of promising CO2 capture technologies via experience (learning by doing) and (b) enacting an Alternative Energy Portfolio Standard (AEPS) as a policy instrument to promote this CO2 EOR activity in coal-dependent states or regions. Alternative power-only options based on coal and natural gas as well as options coproducing liquid transportation fuels and electricity based on coal and coal/biomass are considered as candidates for technology cost buydown (TCB) under the AEPS, and impacts of the TCB on electricity prices are estimated for the most promising technologies.
Oscillatory angle control scheme for PWM static synchronous compensators under unbalanced conditions and system faults

Grid connected Voltage Source Converters (VSCs) are the heart of many applications with power quality concerns due to their reactive power controllability. Among the widely used grid-connected applications of the VSCs, the Static Synchronous Compensators (STATCOMs) are commonly used for compensating the voltage quality problems that come from voltage sag and swell. In spite of superior feature of fast voltage regulation and reactive power support functionality, VSC-based STATCOMs have the major drawback of being sensitive to the grid disturbances, especially the unbalanced condition and faults. Moreover, when the STATCOMs are used in the Distributed Generation (DG) applications or reactive power support of the sensitive industrial load, the unbalanced condition becomes even more intolerable. Protection system usually trips due to over current or highly distorted current caused by negative sequence current flow under unbalanced conditions and system faults. This paper propose an alternative control structure to keep the VSC-based STATCOM online during the unbalanced condition and system faults by limiting the negative sequence current. This eliminates the need to redesign/overdesign of the STACOM power components and over rating of the semiconductor switches to operate under fault current. Converter MVA rating reduction will decrease the cost significantly. Proposed controller performance has been verified by simulation and Hardware-In-the-Loop test.
Statistical analysis of thematic mapper simulator data for the geobotanical discrimination of rock types in southwest oregon

An evaluation of Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) data for the geobotanical discrimination of rock types based on vegetative cover characteristics is addressed in this research. A methodology for accomplishing this evaluation utilizing univariate and multivariate techniques is presented. TMS data acquired with a Daedalus DEI-1260 multispectral scanner were integrated with vegetation and geologic information for subsequent statistical analyses, which included a chi-square test, an analysis of variance, stepwise discriminant analysis, and Duncan's multiple range test. Results indicate that ultramafic rock types are spectrally separable from nonultramafics based on vegetative cover through the use of statistical analyses.
A classification of indecomposable S-sets

Abstract For a monoid S, the collection of all indecomposable left S -sets can be divided into equivalence classes, and these classes correspond to components of the left S -set b formed by letting S act on its set of left congruences by translation.
Reaction pathways in the Fe-S system below 100°C

Abstract The formation pathways of pyrite are controversial. Time resolved experiments show that in reduced sulphur solutions at low temperature, the iron monosulphide mackinawite is stable for up to 4 months. Below 100°C, the rate of pyrite formation from a precursor mackinawite is insignificant in solutions equilibrated solely with H2S(aq). Mackinawite serves as a precursor to pyrite formation only in more oxidised solutions. Controlled, intentional oxidation experiments below 100°C and over a wide range of pH (3.3–12) confirm that the mackinawite to pyrite transformation occurs in slightly oxidising environments. The conversion to pyrite is a multi-step reaction process involving changes in aqueous sulphur species causing solid state transformation of mackinawite to pyrite via the intermediate monosulphide greigite. Oxidised surfaces of precursors or of pyrite seeds speed up the transformation reaction. Solution compositions from the ageing experiments were used to derive stability constants for mackinawite from 25°C to 95°C for the reaction: FeS(s) +2 H + ⇔ Fe 2+ + H 2 S The values of the equilibrium constant, logKFeS, varied from 3.1 at 25°C to 1.2 at 95°C and fit a linear, temperature-dependent equation: logKFeS=2848.779/T−6.347, with T in Kelvin. From these constants, the thermodynamic functions were derived. These are the first high temperature data for the solubility of mackinawite, where Fe2+ is the dominant aqueous ferrous species in reduced, weakly acidic to acidic solutions.
Predictive factors of malignancy in pediatric thyroid nodules.

Background Studies suggest that while most pediatric thyroid nodules are benign, there is a higher rate of malignancy than in adults. We investigate clinical factors that may predict malignancy in pediatric thyroid nodules. Methods A retrospective review of 207 pediatric thyroidectomies was conducted over 15 years at 2 tertiary hospitals. Analyses examined predictive values of 16 clinicopathologic factors associated with cancer. Positive predictive values (PPVs) of fine-needle aspiration biopsy specimens (FNABs) were analyzed independently. Results Malignancy occurred in 41% of patients. After excluding missing data, malignancy was more likely with family history of thyroid cancer (34.2% vs 17.7%; P = .111), palpable lymphadenopathy (34.2% vs 2.9%; P = .001), and hypoechoic nodules (52.2% vs 19.2%; P = .016). Palpable lymphadenopathy indicated greater than 2-fold increased risk for malignancy (relative risk, 2.18; 95% confidence interval, 1.56–3.05). PPVs of FNAB results were 0.94 for malignancy, 0.63 for suspicious for malignancy, and 0.55 for indeterminate lesions. PPV for benign FNAB to be benign on final pathology was 0.71. Conclusion While malignancy is associated with family history of thyroid cancer and hypoechoic lesions, palpable lymphadenopathy had the greatest risk. When compared to adults, a benign FNAB in children is not as accurate and the likelihood that an indeterminate nodule is cancer is greater.
Thyroid-Specific Transcription Factors and Their Roles in Thyroid Cancer

Homeodomain, forkhead domain, and paired domain-containing transcription factors play a major role in development, tissue-specific gene expression, and tissue homeostasis in organs where they are expressed. Recently, their roles in stem cell and cancer biology are emerging. In the thyroid, NKX2-1, FOXE1, and PAX8 transcription factors are responsible for thyroid organogenesis and expression of thyroid-specific genes critical for thyroid hormone synthesis. In contrast to their known roles in gene regulation, thyroid development and homeostasis, their involvement in stem cell, and/or cancer biology are still elusive. In order to further understand the nature of thyroid cancer, it is critical to determine their roles in thyroid cancer.
Keeping the OSHA permissible exposure limits current

The January 19, 1989 Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Air Contaminants rulemaking clearly indicated a need to keep the OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) in the Z-1-A Table current. Possible approaches to an updating procedure have been identified based on input from three primary sources: a review of formal comments submitted to the docket during the public hearing for the Air Contaminants rulemaking, past rulemaking in two states, and discussions with various individuals and organizations that participated in the OSHA rulemaking. The suggested approaches ranged from making relatively minor updates to developing full comprehensive standards for many substances. The assumptions used as the basis for determining which alternative is most appropriate; various alternatives and their deficiencies; and the recommended approach, including an estimate of the magnitude of the undertaking, are all analyzed and discussed. The recommended approach for updating the PELs would involve maximum ...
Emotional and behavioral functioning in children with bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex: a developmental perspective.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the emotional and behavioral functioning of children with bladder exstrophy–epispadias complex (BEEC), taking into account developmental and gender considerations. This study also sought to overcome methodological limitations of previous studies evaluating psychological well-being of children with BEEC. Methods Eighty-six children were consecutively evaluated using the parent report version of the Behavior Assessment System for Children during visits to a multidisciplinary urology clinic. Results Results indicated normative emotional and behavioral functioning across the sample. However, there was a significant effect of age, such that older children consistently had worse internalizing symptoms and adaptive functioning. Males tended to have more externalizing problems as they aged, and also tended to have lower levels of adaptive functioning but this was independent of age. The level of psychological impairment was unrelated to the specific type of BEEC, and was also unrelated to whether or not the patient had undergone continence surgery. Conclusion Children with BEEC have a greater likelihood of experiencing a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems as they reach adolescence. These findings point to the need to prevent potential psychological distress by intervening with these children before they become clinically impaired.
Understanding geophysical responses of shale-gas plays

Unconventional resources such as shale gas are becoming increasingly important exploration and production targets. To understand the geophysical responses of shale-gas plays, we use a rock physics relationship, which is constrained with geology and formation-evaluation analysis, to calculate effective properties such as impedance and VP / VS . Numerical studies suggest that in-situ rock para-meters such as mineral composition (e.g., clay, quartz, and calcite) and TOC, as well as the interaction among them, can significantly influence the geophysical responses of the organic-rich rocks, thus providing the basis for the geophysical characterization of shale-gas plays.
True lumen re-entry devices facilitate subintimal angioplasty and stenting of total chronic occlusions: Initial report.

Objective The acute technical failure of endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions (CTOs) is most often due to the inability to re-enter the true lumen after occlusion is crossed in a subintimal plane. This study reports our initial experience with true lumen re-entry devices in the treatment of CTOs. Methods Patients with treatment of CTOs were identified from our vascular registry. All patients in whom the Pioneer catheter or the Outback catheter were used were also identified from a prospectively maintained separate database of cases in which true lumen re-entry devices were used. We used procedural data from the prospective database and reviewed the medical records. Lesion character and location, access type, location of true lumen re-entry, stent usage, procedural times, and complications, were tabulated. Results From August 2003 to December 2004, endovascular techniques were used to treat 87 CTOs in 58 iliac and 29 superficial femoral arteries. In 24 (26%), the true lumen could not be re-entered by using standard catheter and wire techniques. The true lumen was not initially re-entered in 20 (34%) of 58 of treated iliac CTOs and four (13%) of 29 of treated superficial femoral artery CTOs (73% TASC C and D lesions). Intravascular ultrasound-guided true lumen re-entry using the Pioneer catheter (21 CTOs), or fluoroscopic-guided true lumen re-entry using the Outback catheter (3 CTOs) was successful in achieving true lumen re-entry in all cases at the location desired. Total time of re-entry catheter manipulation required to achieve re-entry was Conclusions Endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions is often limited by the inability to re-enter the true lumen after subintimal crossing of the occluded segment. This occurs more commonly with treatment of iliac occlusions than in superficial femoral artery occlusions. True lumen re-entry catheters are very effective at gaining wire passage back to the true lumen and facilitating successful endovascular treatment of chronic total occlusions that would otherwise require open bypass.
Unintended Consequence of the Faith-Based Initiative: Organizational Practices and Religious Identity Within Faith-Based Human Service Organizations

The faith-based initiative announced in 2001 was accompanied by media coverage, new funding mechanisms, and state-level policies requiring the inclusion of faith-based organizations (FBOs) in Requests for Proposals. This study examined 33 organizations’ expression of religious identity through (a) proportion of board and (b) staff who were coreligionist; (c) change in proportion of revenues from public sources; (d) strategies for seeking resources; and (e) religious elements in service provision, staff training, and board meeting procedures. Interview transcripts from the Faith and Organizations Project, annual reports, and financial information were examined. Analysis suggested four patterns (no change, increased government funding related to the faith-based initiative, strategies for seeking resources, and active preservation of religious identity). Four African American organizations received funding connected to the faith-based initiative and 14 utilized or preserved religious identity. Faith-based po...
The Design and Impact of Strategic Management Information Systems

Information systems for management planning and control are not new. Their development was closely aligned with the rise of complex business organizations in the nineteenth century (Chandler). These modern corporations had and continue to have great need for the systematic assembly and analysis of information for management planning and control purposes. Strategic management information systems (SMIS) generally differ from functionally oriented, tactical systems. Perhaps the most direct way to illustrate the difference is to begin with a definition of business strategy.
The Low-Energy Conformations of Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone in Aqueous Solution

Using the chain-build-up method based on Empirical Conformational Energies of Peptides Program including solvation, we have computed, the low energy conformations of gonadotrpin-releasing hormone, GnRH, whose sequence is Pyro-Glu(PG)-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH2. We have found 5,077 solvated conformations with conformational energies that were within 5 kcal/mole of that of the global minimum. These minima were found to occur in 802 distinct conformational classes of which 25 represented 70 % of the Boltzmann energy-weighted structures. Virtually all of these structures adopted bend conformations from Tyr 5-Leu 8, and 3,861 structures adopted bend conformations at residues 4–7. However, these structures differed significantly from one another, indicating that GnRH does not adopt a well-defined structure in aqueous solution consistent with the absence of a well-defined NMR structure of GnRH in water. A total of 300 of these structures were found to be superimposable on possible NMR structures for GnRH in DMSO with a combined statistical weight of 1.6 %. We found that Gly 6 adopts low energy “starred” states, e.g., C* and D*, that are energetically forbidden to l-amino acids but are low energy for d-amino acids, with a statistical weight of 43 %. This can explain why substitutions of l-amino acids for Gly 6 are known to inactivate GnRH while d-amino acid substitutions enhance its activity. Using these findings, in the accompanying manuscript, we compute the low energy conformations for the substituted GnRHs that enable inference of possible receptor-bound conformations.
The Post‐Magsat hiatus in satellite geomagnetism

One showpiece of the space program has been the explosive growth in the subject of “planetary magnetism” [Russell, 1979, 1980]. Beginning with the December 1962 flyby of Venus by Mariner 2 and continuing through the January 1986 flyby of Uranus by Voyager 2, there have been over 15 spacecraft encounters of Mercury, Venus, the moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, not to mention the planetary satellites. Venus, Mars, and the moon have each been orbited several times. In a sense, and somewhat ironically, the earth has received less magnetic scrutiny than our nearest neighbors in space.
Some measurements with instrumented neutral floats

Abstract The motions of instrumented neutral floats were measured during short tests at various locations in the North Atlantic Ocean. The vertical paths as a function of time were obtained for floats from the time they were placed in the water until well after they reached their equilibrium levels. Motions attributed to internal waves were observed on sensitively instrumented near-surface floats. Pairs of floats were found to separate rapidly with a speed which was not constant. A pressure-gradient measuring device showed no fluctuations over a length of approximately 100 cm at depths from 200 to 700 m. The static sensitivity of the equipment was approximately 3 dyne cm −2 mm −1 . Response of the device in shallower water was probably caused by gravity waves.
Endothelial-like properties of claudin-low breast cancer cells promote tumor vascular permeability and metastasis

The vasculature serves as the main conduit for breast tumor metastases and is a target of therapeutics in many tumor types. In this study, we aimed to determine if tumor-associated vascular properties could help to explain the differences observed in metastagenicity across the intrinsic subtypes of human breast tumors. Analysis of gene expression signatures from more than 3,000 human breast tumors found that genomic programs that measured vascular quantity, vascular proliferation, and a VEGF/Hypoxia-signature were the most highly expressed in claudin-low and basal-like tumors. The majority of the vascular gene signatures added metastasis-predictive information to immunohistochemistry-defined microvessel density scores and genomically defined-intrinsic subtype classification. Interestingly, pure claudin-low cell lines, and subsets of claudin-low-like cells within established basal-like cancer cell lines, exhibited endothelial/tube-like morphology when cultured on Matrigel. In vivo xenografts found that claudin-low tumors, but not luminal tumors, extensively perfused injected contrast agent through paracellular spaces and non-vascular tumor-lined channels. Taken together, the endothelial-like characteristics of the cancer cells, combined with both the amount and the physiologic state of the vasculature contribute to breast cancer metastatic progression. We hypothesize that the genetic signatures we have identified highlight patients that should respond most favorably to anti-vascular agents.
Current measurement by differential acoustic travel-time reviewed

Since 1977 papers have been published and talks presented about measurement of fluid flow by differential acoustic travel-time. The technique is older than these publications but a compilation of these will serve as a research source for understanding the development of the technique through 2014. The earliest papers describe the differential acoustic travel-time technique as applied to a free-fall shear meter and then to a boundary layer array. Next are the benthic boundary layer studies that gave rise to the BASS tripods and their application to the deep-sea sediment transport problem. Deep-sea applications transitioned to shelf depths and the combination of waves and current in estimates of bottom stress. Studies of the upper boundary layer used bottom tripods suspended from surface floats or mounted on tower legs to study air-sea interaction and mixing under waves in the surface boundary layer. Free drifting velocity sensing arrays were deployed to study internal diapycnal mixing. There are a series of papers about Richardson number measurements from RiNo floats. Finally the development of a compact single-point sensor based upon the differential acoustic travel-time technique is described in papers that progress through analyses of performance and enhancements as well as applications of the Modular Acoustic Velocity Sensor, MAVS.
Rapamycin protects against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury through JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway.

Rapamycin (Sirolimus®) is used to prevent rejection of transplanted organs and coronary restenosis. We reported that rapamycin induced cardioprotection against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury through opening of mitochondrial K(ATP) channels. However, signaling mechanisms in rapamycin-induced cardioprotection are currently unknown. Considering that STAT3 is protective in the heart, we investigated the potential role of this transcription factor in rapamycin-induced protection against (I/R) injury. Adult male ICR mice were treated with rapamycin (0.25mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (DMSO) with/without inhibitor of JAK2 (AG-490) or STAT3 (stattic). One hour later, the hearts were subjected to I/R either in Langendorff mode or in situ ligation of left coronary artery. Additionally, primary murine cardiomyocytes were subjected to simulated ischemia-reoxygenation (SI/RO) injury in vitro. For in situ targeted knockdown of STAT3, lentiviral vector containing short hairpin RNA was injected into the left ventricle 3 weeks prior to initiating I/R injury. Infarct size, cardiac function, and cardiomyocyte necrosis and apoptosis were assessed. Rapamycin reduced infarct size, improved cardiac function following I/R, and limited cardiomyocyte necrosis as well as apoptosis following SI/RO which were blocked by AG-490 and stattic. In situ knock-down of STAT3 attenuated rapamycin-induced protection against I/R injury. Rapamycin triggered unique cardioprotective signaling including phosphorylation of ERK, STAT3, eNOS and glycogen synthase kinase-3s in concert with increased prosurvival Bcl-2 to Bax ratio. Our data suggest that JAK2-STAT3 signaling plays an essential role in rapamycin-induced cardioprotection. We propose that rapamycin is a novel and clinically relevant pharmacological strategy to target STAT3 activation for treatment of myocardial infarction.
Thin, Continuous, and Conformal Copper Films by Reduction of Atomic Layer Deposited Copper Nitride†

Thin and continuous copper films serve as seed layers for electrodeposition of interconnects in microelectronic devices. Gaps in the continuity of these Cu films must be avoided, because they can generate voids that later lead to failure of the devices. It is difficult to sputter completely continuous copper-seed layers into the increasingly narrow trenches and holes in modern interconnects. Here we report a method for producing thin, completely continuous, and highly conductive copper films conformally inside very narrow holes with aspect ratios of over 40:1. The first step in our process is atomic layer deposition (ALD) of copper(I) nitride, Cu3N, by the alternating reactions of copper(I) N,N′-di-sec-butylacetamidinate vapor and ammonia on surfaces heated to approximately 160 °C. At this temperature, Cu3N is thermally stable, but is readily reduced to copper metal by exposure to molecular hydrogen gas (H2). Copper layers as thin as 0.8 nm (about 3 monolayers) are electrically continuous and show the electrical resistivity predicted by a grain-boundary-scattering model for continuous films of that thickness. 3 nm thick copper films on 2 nm of ruthenium have a sheet resistance of less than 50 Ω/□, a value low enough to serve as seed layers for advanced electroplating techniques.
Frozen State Storage Instability of a Monoclonal Antibody: Aggregation as a Consequence of Trehalose Crystallization and Protein Unfolding

Purpose To investigate the cause of unexpected and erratic increase in aggregation during long-term storage of an IgG2 monoclonal antibody in a trehalose formulation at −20°C.
Uncertainty in probabilistic safety assessment

Abstract The basic philosophical framework for the analysis and presentation of uncertainties in probabilistic safety assessments is presented. State-of-knowledge and stochastic uncertainties are discussed, as well as the analysis of new evidence. Model uncertainties are investigated and alternative methods for their analysis are reviewed. Finally, the potential role of non-probabilistic theories of uncertainty in safety assessments and risk management is examined in a preliminary way.
Hours invested in professional development during late career as a function of career motivation and satisfaction

Purpose – The study was undertaken to determine and understand the career investment behavior of workers in late career (ages 50‐70).Design/methodology/approach – The common wisdom, supported by economic theory, is that human capital investments in late career workers are of negligible value. Yet, recent evidence suggests that older workers do invest in their own careers, despite barriers. Questionnaires, collected from 450 college‐educated men from age 23 to 70, measured hours invested in professional development and in maintaining work‐relevant social networks, age, job satisfaction, and career motivation.Findings – The study found that age was not a factor in the hours spent on professional development and business networking. Career motivation was associated with the hours invested. The association was as strong for people in late career as for younger workers.Research limitations/implications – As the factors influencing investment during late career appear to be similar to those operating at other a...
Renormalization of critical exponents in3He-4H mixtures☆

Abstract A simple proof of Fisher's renormalization of critical exponents for 3 He- 4 He mixtures is given.
ESR study of the incommensurate phase in doped ( N H 4 ) 2 ZnCl 4

The ESR line shapes of ${(\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}}_{4}{)}_{2}{\mathrm{ZnCl}}_{4}$ crystals doped with ${\mathrm{Mn}}^{2+}$ were studied in a range of temperatures from 160 to 80 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. It was found that the crystal undergoes an incommensurate phase transition at 135 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C and an incommensurate-commensurate transition at 92 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The form and temperature dependence of the ESR spectra throughout these changes are in good agreement with the predictions of the phase-soliton theory. The parameters ${h}_{1}$ and ${h}_{2}$ determining the variation of the resonant magnetic field show a power-law behavior as a function of temperature. The critical exponent \ensuremath{\beta} of this crystal was determined two independent ways to be $0.36\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03.$ The soliton density does not change significantly during the whole incommensurate phase and drops abruptly to zero at the incommensurate-commensurate transition, a behavior that is quite different from those of other incommensurate systems.
Perception of complex aggregates

Aggregates of individual objects, such as forests, crowds, and piles of fruit, are a common source of complexity in computer graphics scenes. When viewing an aggregate, observers attend less to individual objects and focus more on overall properties such as numerosity, variety, and arrangement. Paradoxically, rendering and modeling costs increase with aggregate complexity, exactly when observers are attending less to individual objects.In this paper we take some first steps to characterize the limits of visual coding of aggregates to efficiently represent their appearance in scenes. We describe psychophysical experiments that explore the roles played by the geometric and material properties of individual objects in observers' abilities to discriminate different aggregate collections. Based on these experiments we derive metrics to predict when two aggregates have the same appearance, even when composed of different objects. In a follow-up experiment we confirm that these metrics can be used to predict the appearance of a range of realistic aggregates. Finally, as a proof-of-concept we show how these new aggregate perception metrics can be applied to simplify scenes by allowing substitution of geometrically simpler aggregates for more complex ones without changing appearance.
The Mechanical Properties of Dendritic Actin Network Assembly under Different Forces

Branched actin networks generate protrusive forces required for cell motility and movement of sub-cellular structures. Despite the advances in our biochemical knowledge of dendritic actin network assembly, very little is known about how networks formed from purified components respond to physical stimuli dynamically and mechanically. By combining surface micropatterning with AFM and TIRF microscopy, we are able to simultaneously measure protein densities at the force-generating surface and mechanical properties of in vitro reconstituted branched networks in a biochemically and mechanically defined environment. Our measurements show that the growth velocity of Arp2/3-generated actin networks decreases exponentially with applied force, while the elasticity of the network increases strongly with elevated loads. Elasticity is found to increase by up to 2 orders of magnitude while actin density increases only by a factor of 5. In addition, the networks growing under large forces show reversible stress stiffening and softening, while networks growing under small forces do not. These results indicate that the structure of actin networks is permanently altered by different external forces, giving rise to very different mechanical properties. Our AFM-TIRF measurements provide new insight into the role of force in the assembly and mechanical properties of dendritic actin networks.
Restraint stress activates nesfatin-1-immunoreactive brain nuclei in rats

Nesfatin-1 is a newly discovered peptide that was reported to reduce food intake when injected centrally. We recently described its wide distribution in rat brain autonomic nuclei which implies potential recruitment of nesfatin-1 by stress. We investigated whether restraint, a mixed psychological and physical stressor, activates nesfatin-1-immunoreactive (ir) neurons in the rat brain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were either subjected to 30 min restraint or left undisturbed and 90 min later brains were processed for double immunohistochemical labeling of Fos and nesfatin-1. Restraint induced significant Fos expression in neurons of the supraoptic nucleus (SON), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), locus coeruleus (LC), rostral raphe pallidus (rRPa), nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS), and ventrolateral medulla (VLM). Double Fos/nesfatin-1 labeling revealed that Fos-ir neurons comprised 95% of nesfatin-1-ir cells in the SON, 90% in the VLM, 80% in the LC, 48% in the caudal NTS, 57% in the rRPa, 48% in the anterior parvicellular PVN, 27% in the medial magnocellular PVN, 18% in the lateral magnocellular PVN and 10% in the medial parvicellular PVN. These data demonstrate that nesfatin-1 neurons are part of the hypothalamic and hindbrain neuronal cell groups activated by restraint suggesting a possible role of nesfatin-1 in the response to stress.
Time-resolved infrared spectral photography: a new technique

A new technique for photographic or multichannel photoelectric recording of broad band infrared absorption spectra with approximately 5-ns time resolution is described. The technique is based on resonant four-wave mixing in alkali metal vapors.