cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Synopsis of Challenge Problems

This document defines the three pieces of the challenge hierarchy: a challenge area, a data set, and a challenge problem. The purpose of a challenge problem is to address a technical research and development area of interest while promoting quantitative comparison between approaches. This paper brings together nine challenge problem papers written for SAR exploitation and describes them in terms of the challenge hierarchy.
Structure and dynamics of poly(T) single-strand DNA: implications toward CPD formation.

The formation of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers between adjacent thymines by UV radiation is thought to be the first event in a cascade leading to skin cancer. Recent studies showed that thymine dimers are fully formed within 1 ps of UV irradiation, suggesting that the conformation at the moment of excitation is the determining factor in whether a given base pair dimerizes. MD simulations on the 50 ns time scale are used to study the populations of reactive conformers that exist at any given time in T18 single-strand DNA. Trajectory analysis shows that only a small percentage of the conformations fulfill distance and dihedral requirements for thymine dimerization, in line with the experimentally observed quantum yield of 3%. Plots of the pairwise interactions in the structures predict hot spots of DNA damage where dimerization in the ssT18 is predicted to be most favored. The importance of hairpin formation by intra-strand base pairing for distinguishing reactive and unreactive base pairs is discussed in d...
DIGGING CHARACTERISTICS AND SAMPLING EFFICIENCY OF THE 0.1 m2 VAN VEEN GRAB1

Replicate samples were collected with a 0.1 m3 van Vecn grab during high tide and by hand-digging during low tide on an intertidal sandflat. The volume of sediment in the grab samples was measured; the coefficient of variation from replicate series varied from 7.4 to 20.30/o, with a mean for all stations of 13.4%. Digging characteristics of the grab were studied by SCUBA-divers under water, and by an experiment on a sandy beach. It was concluded that the jaws approached each other horizontally when closing rather than digging a semicircular cut. The shock-wave of the grab appeared to be ncgligiblc for the infauna included in this study. Sample counts for the most abundant species obtained by digging and with the grab were compared. In only 8 out of 37 cases was there a significant diffcrcnce between the two sets of samples. The vertical distribution of the Iaulla in the substrate in terms of numbers and biomass was studied.
Slavery and Emancipation in Comparative Perspective: A Look at Some Recent Debates

This paper examines several recent arguments about the role of slavery in the settling of the New World, the viability of slavery as an economic institution in the nineteenth century, and the causes and consequences of slave emancipation in the Americas. Comparisons are made between the analysis of slavery and that of other labor institutions, such as serfdom and free labor.
An Analogue for Interfacial Phenomena in Drops

SEVERAL communications have considered the motion of pendent drops under the influence of uneven interfacial tension. In general, liquid–liquid systems have been observed with a solute transferring between phases. Lewis and Pratt1 reported pulsations in both free and pendent drops when a solute passed from a solvent drop into water. A necessary condition for drop oscillation appeared to be the local variation of interfacial tension resulting from thermal effects of uneven solute distribution. Garner, Nutt and Mohtadi2 observed a zone of high solute concentration randomly approach the inner surface of a pendent drop and cause distortion. Motion appeared to be in the direction of lower interfacial tension. Haydon3 also observed the tendency of drops to move toward an area of lower interfacial tension as a result of non-uniform solute distribution. In later articles he, together with Davies4,5, investigated more thoroughly the movements of pendent drops.
Superconductivity and Non-Metallicity Induced by Doping the Topological Insulators Bi 2 Se 3 and Bi 2 Te 3

Abstract We show that by Ca doping the Bi 2 Se 3 topological insulator, the Fermi level can be fine tuned to fall inside the band gap and therefore suppresses the bulk conductivity. Non-metallic Bi 2 Se 3 crystals are obtained. On the other hand, the Bi 2 Se 3 topological insulator can also be induced to become a bulk superconductor, with T c ∼3.8 K, by copper intercalation in the van der Waals gaps between the Bi 2 Se 3 layers. Likewise, an as-grown crystal of metallic Bi 2 Te 3 can be turned into a non-metallic crystal by slight variation in the Te content. The Bi 2 Te 3 topological insulator shows small amounts of superconductivity with T c ∼5.5 K when reacted with Pd to form materials of the type Pd z Bi 2 Te 3 .
Effect of somatostatin analogue (octreotide) on blood flow to endocrine tumors metastatic to the liver: angiographic evaluation.

The effect of an octapeptide analogue of somatostatin, octreotide, on tumor blood flow was evaluated with angiography in eight patients with hepatic endocrine tumors; one patient had primary intrahepatic gastrinoma, two patients had hepatic metastases from gastrinomas, two patients had VIPomas (vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-secreting tumor), and three patients had carcinoid tumors. Octreotide caused a marked decrease in tumor blood flow in two patients with gastrinomas and two with VIPomas. One patient could not be evaluated due to the lack of a tumor blush on a control angiogram. In patients with carcinoid tumors, octreotide caused a slight reduction in blood flow through the tumors in two patients, while there was no change in one patient. Octreotide markedly decreased gastrin and gastric acid secretion in two of three patients with gastrinomas, lowered VIP and stopped the diarrhea in patients with VIPomas, and controlled symptoms in two of three patients with carcinoid tumors. The vasoactive effect...
Current algorithm for the surgical treatment of facial pain

Facial pain may be divided into several distinct categories, each requiring a specific treatment approach. In some cases, however, such categorization is difficult and treatment is ineffective. We reviewed our extensive clinical experience and designed an algorithmic approach to the treatment of medically intractable facial pain that can be treated through surgical intervention.
Combined rest and exercise electrocardiographic repolarization findings in relation to structural and functional abnormalities in asymptomatic aortic regurgitation

Abstract The relationship of combined rest and exercise electrocardiographic (ECG) repolarization abnormalities to left ventricular geometry and function was examined in 48 patients with asymptomatic chronic pure aortic regurgitation and no recent use of digitalis. Echocardiographic and radionuclide cineangiographic findings were compared in groups defined by the presence or absence of the “strain” pattern of repolarization abnormality on the resting ECG and also by the presence or absence of standard positive repolarization changes during upright treadmill exercise (>0.1 mV additional horizontal or downsloping ST depression). These hierarchic groups demonstrated trends toward progressively abnormal left ventricular dimensions, mass, wall stress, and change in ejection fraction with exercise. Although the presence of the strain pattern on the resting ECG alone was most strongly correlated with underlying functional and geometric abnormalities, an abnormal exercise test response was independently associated with abnormal left ventricular systolic dimension. The large group of patients with no symptomes and normal resting repolarization had only 0% to 4% prevalences of markedly increased systolic dimension (>55 mm), reduced ejection fraction at rest (
Control of myelin formation by axon caliber (with a model of the control mechanism).

The relation between the growth of axons and the development of their myelin sheaths was determined in rats for normal, myelinating sciatic nerves, and for an experimental model allowing to retard or accelerate axon growth. Axon caliber was measured, and sheath development was determined from measurements of thickness (light microscopy), from counts of the number of turns of myelin lamellae (electron micrographs), and from the rate of the incorporation of acetate-H3 into ether-ethanol extractable lipids. An excellent correlation between changes in sheath thickness and acetate-H3 incorporation was obtained for all experiments. For the myelinating nerves the changes in the rate of acetate-H3 incorporation were related specifically to the rate with which new length of myelin leaflet was added to the existing turns of sheath. The rate of axonal growth was manipulated by applying a snug ligature around the nerve by the fourteenth day, allowing the nerve to compress itself by its own growth. Most axons passed the constriction without interruption, but they were markedly hypoplastic distal to the constriction. After removal of the ligature these axons regrew to their normal caliber ranges. Examination of myelin sheath development in this model showed that retardation of axon growth retarded sheath growth, while acceleration of axon growth accelerated sheath growth. Thus, the rate of axon growth appeared to be the factor controlling the rate of myelin formation by the sheath cells. An appendix describes a model consisting of two interrelated feedback mechanisms by which expansion of the axon may directly control the number of turns of myelin lamellae formed by the sheath cell. The model correspons on all points to established features in the fine structure of fibers.
Polymerization of Ethylene with Cationic Palladium and Nickel Catalysts Containing Bulky Nonenolizable Imine−Phosphine Ligands

A number of bulky, nonenolizable Pd(II) and Ni(II) imine−phosphine complexes have been synthesized and tested in the ethylene polymerization. These catalysts show improved temperature stability with respect to the corresponding diimine complexes. Nickel imine−phosphine precatalysts containing gem-dimethyl substituent α to phosphorus display moderate activity and produce substantially higher molecular weight polyethylene compared to the corresponding enolizable complexes.
Delivery of temozolomide to the tumor bed via biodegradable gel matrices in a novel model of intracranial glioma with resection.

Introduction We have completed in vivo safety and efficacy studies of the use of a novel drug delivery system, a gel matrix-temozolomide formulation that is injected intracranially into the post-resection cavity, as a candidate for glioma therapy. Methods A rat intracranial resection model of C6-GFP intracranial glioma was used for safety and toxicity studies. Biodistribution studies were performed using gel matrix-gallocyanine formulations and were evaluated at various time intervals using real-time analysis of dye distribution. Additionally, the resection model was used to determine the efficacy of gel matrix-temozolomide as compared to blank gel matrix. A subcutaneous human xenograft glioma model was used to further assess the efficacy of gel matrix-temozolomide in reducing the overall tumor load. Results Gel matrix-temozolomide exhibited minimal cytotoxicity toward normal brain tissue while displaying high levels of oncolytic activity toward glioma cells. In the intracranial glioma resection and subcutaneous glioma model, administration of gel matrix-temozolomide directly to the tumor bed was well tolerated and effective at reducing the tumor load. A significant reduction of tumor load was observed (P < 0.0001) in the 30% temozolomide group (~95%) as compared to blank control. There was little morbidity and no mortality associated with gel matrix treatment. Conclusions Gel matrix-temozolomide appears to be safe and effective when used in vivo to treat intracranial glioma and warrants further development as a potential adjuvant therapy.
Security Issues in OCDMA with Multiple-User Aggregation

We experimentally investigate security issues in OCDMA using the multiple-user aggregation scheme and demonstrate vulnerabilities that may permit an eavesdropper to recover data masked by aggregation.
Who is Placed into Special Education

We use nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-99 (ECLS-K) to identify variables measured in the fall of 1998 (when the sample's students were in kindergarten) that predict special education placement by the spring of 2004 (when those not retained were finishing fifth grade). Placement's strongest kindergarten predictor is a student's own level of academic achievement. Also important is the student's frequency of classroom task engagement. There is a "frog-pond" contextual effect -- attending an elementary school with high levels of overall student academic ability and behavior increases a student's likelihood of special education placement. This is the case even after statistically controlling for a wide range of individual-, family-, and school-level characteristics. Social class background displayed a weak or statistically non-significant relation with special education placement. However, girls are placed less frequently than boys. African American, Hispanic, and Asian students are placed less frequently than non-Hispanic whites. The under- or equal-placement rates for racial/ethnic minorities are partially explained by their concentration in high-minority schools.
The kinetics of 1-nitropyrene and 3-nitrofluoranthene metabolism using bovine liver xanthine oxidase.

Abstract The cytosolic molybdoflavoprotein xanthine oxidase has been shown to catalyze the reduction of exocyclic nitro groups to the corresponding nitroso, hydroxylamino and amino derivatives for a wide variety of xenobiotics including the nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 1-nitropyrene and 3-nitrofluoranthene. Using commercially available bovine liver xanthine oxidase, we have studied the kinetics of the metabolism of 1-nitropyrene and 3-nitrofluoranthene. The nitroreduction of these nitro compounds in the presence of xanthine oxidase is dependent on the presence of hypoxanthine or xanthine and the absence of oxygen. This nitroreduction is independent of added flavins (FMN and FAD), unlike the related molybdoflavoprotein aldehyde oxidase. Xanthine oxidase has a K m of 0.7 μM and V max of 0.06 nmol/min per unit enzyme for 1-nitropyrene and a K m of 8.6 μM and V max of 0.7 nmol/min per unit enzyme for 3-nitrofluoranthene. The importance of these kinetic constants in evaluating the cytosolic metabolism of 1-nitropyrene and 3-nitrofluoranthene are discussed.
Promiscuous RNA binding by Polycomb repressive complex 2

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is a histone methyltransferase required for epigenetic silencing during development and cancer, and it can be recruited to chromatin by long noncoding RNAs. In vitro binding studies and comparative analysis of genome-wide in vivo data now suggest a model for the maintenance of the repressed chromatin state by PRC2, directed by PRC2's promiscuous binding to nascent RNA transcripts.
Effects of Ag content on fracture resistance of Sn-Ag-Cu lead-free solders under high-strain rate conditions

Abstract Effects of Ag content on fracture resistance of Sn–Ag–Cu solders under high-strain rate conditions are examined in an attempt to optimize bulk properties of solders for enhanced drop performance. The concept of extrinsic toughening is invoked for alloy design. High bulk compliance and plastic energy dissipation are identified as key factors to enhance fracture resistance under high-strain rate conditions. Systematic changes of Ag content in Sn–Ag–Cu solders are made to modulate bulk compliance and plastic energy dissipation ability of Sn–Ag–Cu solders. Low-Ag alloys are found to have both high bulk compliance and high plastic energy dissipation ability. As a result, low-Ag alloys are found to exhibit significantly higher fracture resistance under high-strain rate conditions on electrolytic NiAu surface finish. No significant difference in interfaces between high-Ag and low-Ag alloys is found in terms of thickness, chemistry, and grain size of (CuNi)6Sn5 and (NiCu)3Sn4 intermetallic compound layers. The observed enhancement of drop performance of low-Ag alloys is therefore attributed to increased bulk compliance and plastic energy dissipation ability through increased primary Sn phase.
A Rabbi, a Priest, and a Psychoanalyst: Religion in the Early Psychoanalytic Case History

In the early twentieth-century psychoanalytic case history, Jewish psychoanalysts faced discursive challenges in the presentation of Jewish patients. Under the supervision and guidance of Freud, the psychoanalyst Wilhelm Stekel (1868–1940), authored case histories of a rabbi and a priest, both of whom he diagnosed with “occupational neuroses.” In this article, the author compares the case history of the rabbi (Shalom Dovber Schneersohn) with the case history of an anonymous priest. The author argues that Stekel wrote and Freud edited the case of the priest in such a way as to create a proxy for the case of the rabbi, not primarily to augment scientific claims, but because of Stekel’s and Freud’s self-conscious presentation of male Jewish hysteria to the Viennese medical establishment in the early years of psychoanalysis.
Regarding critical care of the burn patient: the first 48 hours.

Abstract : Letter to the Editor: We read with much interest the recent review by Dr. Latenser on the care of burn patients in the first 48 hrs (1). Although the review was well-written, concise, and informative, we believe two assertions deserve clarification. First, Dr. Latenser states that the Parkland formula has been renamed the Consensus formula. This is incorrect. It was first used by the authors of the Advanced Burn Life Support course, in which fluid requirements of burn patients during the first 24 hrs after burn were estimated as 2 to 4 mL/kg per percentage total body surface area burn (2). This represents a compromise between physicians who advocated for the Parkland formula (which estimates 4 mL/kg per percentage burn) and those who advocated for the modified Brooke formula (which estimates 2 mL/kg per percentage burn). Although the Parkland formula is most commonly used in US burn centers, there is no consensus regarding which of the two formulas is superior.
PATTERNS OF LEFT VENTRICULAR REMODELING IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS IN THE PARTNER TRIAL

Aortic stenosis (AS) induces adaptive left ventricular (LV) remodeling, the patterns of which impact clinical outcomes. However, data regarding the prevalence of LV remodeling patterns and associated clinical factors in patients with AS are limited. The PARTNER randomized trial and continued access
Performing cadaveric experiments on the thumb to determine the potential contribution of thumb muscles to the endpoint force during grasping

Experimental measurements that broaden our understanding of human haptics will improve our ability to represent digit-object interactions in a virtual environment and to interpret grasp, manipulation and exploration phenomena as the use of haptic devices becomes common place to assess the function of the upper extremity. We performed cadaveric experiments to quantify the potential contributions of thumb muscles to the thumb-tip force produced during a static grasping task. Notably, we found that the flexor pollicis longus (FPL) and the ulnar head of the flexor pollicis brevis (FPBu) produced the largest force components perpendicular to the plane of the thumb nail and toward the object that would be grasped. The other muscles primarily produced forces either in the opposite direction or in the plane of the thumb nail. These findings suggest that FPL and FPBu are more suited to facilitate a stable grasp than the other muscles. These findings would help to explain the difficulty that a person, after neurologic injury to the thumb, would likely have grasping objects in a virtual environment.
Deaf in the time of the cochlea.

The American Deaf community for several decades has been involved in sometimes complicated and often contested ways of defining what it means to be Deaf. It is our thesis that the processes of identity construction and the recent discourse of Deaf identity are not unique phenomena at all but echo the experience of other embedded cultural groups around the world, particularly those that are stressed by the assertion of hegemony over them by others. We turn to 2 particular theorists, Jose Marti and W. E. B. DuBois, to help us understand both the dilemmas that Deaf people face and the possible solutions that they propose. This article argues that identities are constructed not just within Deaf communities but within the social contexts in which Deaf communities are embedded.
Growth of tumor cells within microporous hollow fibers: an in vitro model system for studies of immunoprotein transport.

The present report describes a novel in vitro tumor model, complementary to multicellular spheroids, which involves the growth of tumor cells within the lumen space of biocompatible microporous polypropylene and ploysulfone hollow fibers. Experiments with seven human malignant melanoma cell lines showed that, for all seven lines, the cells grew to fill the lumen of the fibers. Preliminary studies were also performed to indicate the model's usefulness for investigation of macromolecular penetration
Accounting for MeXicana feminisms

In this article, I interrogate the iconic Mexican mother–wife image and practices of feminism of primarily U. S.-born, Mexicanas–Chicanas (MeXicanas). I anchor disempowering discourses about MeXicana motherhood as subordinate and problematic outside the family, but I look closely within the family context to see how the mother–wife image appears, becomes sustained, and is subverted. I argue for more than the fact of resistance to this image: for a range of practices (“differential movidas”) that, in an ethnographic context, are used to dismantle it. I conclude that, through differential movidas, MeXicanas rework stereotypical ideas despite moments that seem to sustain them. [Chicana, Mexican American, feminism, stereotypes, subjectivity, differential movidas]
Morphology of glacial striae: Implications for abrasion of glacier beds and fault surfaces

Glacial striae, recently exposed on carbonate bedrock adjacent to Saskatchewan Glacier, Alberta, provide information about the mechanics of abrasion beneath temperate glaciers and along fault surfaces. The striae consist of plowed grooves that vary smoothly in width and depth but are located where similar variations in normal stress between the bed and subglacial rock fragments were unlikely. Finite-element calculations of stresses in bedrock beneath abrading fragments suggest that under constant normal loading, plowing elements with steep leading edges will plow progressively deeper into the bed with sliding, whereas those with more gently inclined leading edges will climb out of their grooves. Results of simple experiments in which limestone slabs were pushed beneath fixed plowing elements indicate a similar dependence on contact geometry. This dependence, together with rotation of fragments during glacier sliding, provides a plausible origin for the three characteristic shapes of striae in the area. Shapes of striae indicate that abrading fragments commonly rotate, affecting depths of plowing and the shear stress supported by abrading debris. An important refinement in models of glacial abrasion would be the incorporation of fragment rotations into estimates of abrasion rates and debris-influenced glacier sliding velocities. Some striae become progressively deeper and wider down-glacier and then end abruptly, similar to some fault striae that have been linked to stick-slip phenomena. They may form as a result of tensile fracture at depth in front of plowing asperities that is not necessarily dependent on stick-slip motion. Other minor structures along faults that are used as shear-sense indicators may result from the same process.
Diabetes treatments have differential effects on nontraditional cardiovascular risk factors

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to determine the effect of basal insulin, alone or with a sensitizer, or a combination of oral agents on nontraditional risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Research design and methods We randomized 57 patients with T2DM to either (1) continuous subcutaneous basal Lispro insulin at a single rate using an insulin pump (basal insulin) or (2) basal insulin and oral pioglitazone 30 mg daily (basal insulin +Pio) or (3) a sulfonylurea and metformin (SU+M). We measured glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), 8-epi-prostaglandin F2 α (PGF2α), serum lipoprotein (a) [Lp (a)], and lipoprotein profile at baseline and after 20 weeks of treatment. Results HbA1c decreased by ≥2% ( P P =NS) in all groups. Despite improved glycemia, hsCRP did not change in any group, whereas plasma PAI-1 fell with basal insulin +Pio ( P P P P P P Data were pooled from all groups to determine the overall effect of glycemic control—there was a significant ( P P Conclusions We conclude that excellent glycemic control per se does not impact nontraditional risk factors for CVD equally, but various diabetes medications have different effects on these risk factors. These findings may have implications for making appropriate therapeutic choices for patients with Type 2 diabetes, although larger studies with more appropriate treatment comparisons may be necessary.
The Role of Organizational Variables in Predicting Service Effectiveness: An Analysis of a Multilevel Model

This study examines the role of organizational context in predicting service effectiveness. It highlights methods for studying this phenomenon for expanding knowledge of intervention effects in social work and other disciplines in the human services. A total of 3,883 children and 13 networks of organizations comprised the study sample. To determine whether the organizational context explains intervention effects, a multilevel model of a hypothesized relationship between organizational variables, child characteristics, and child outcomes was tested. The results indicate that child outcome (measured as out-of-home placement) varies across networks, and this variance is largely explained by workplace conditions. Specifically, organizations that are characterized by their respective workers as having greater routineness of work, strong leadership qualities, and supervisor and coworker support are related to fewer occurrences of out-of-home placement for children who participated in a family preservation progr...
Oxygen Radicals Released During Ischemic Preconditioning Contribute to Cardioprotection in the Rabbit Myocardium

Previous studies have proposed that oxygen radicals may play a role in the triggering of ischemic preconditioning. However, studies evaluating the effects of radical scavengers have yielded conflicting results, possibly because of differences in the number of preconditioning episodes used. The present study tested whether N-2-mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG) could block protection of both single and multiple episodes of preconditioning inin situandin vitrorabbit hearts. All hearts were subjected to 30 min of regional ischemia followed by reperfusion for 2 (in vitro) or 3 (in situ) h. Infarct size was measured by tetrazolium. Infarction in controlin situhearts was 37.5±3.5% of the risk zone. A single cycle of preconditioning (PC1), with 5 min ischemia/10 min reperfusion, reduced infarct size to 12.3±2.0% (P<0.05). Four cycles of preconditioning (PC4) were equally protective. MPG (1 mg/kg/min i.v.) alone had no effect on infarction but abolished protection afforded by PC1 (35.4±3.9%). However, MPG failed to block protection in the PC4 group. In isolated control hearts, infarct size was 31.1±1.8% and was reduced to 10.2±2.2% (P<0.05) by preconditioning. MPG (300μm) aborted protection. Infusion of hypoxanthine or xanthine oxidase separately in lieu of preconditioning had no effect on infarct size, but induced protection when combined (14.1±2.2%;P<0.05). Polymyxin B, an inhibitor of protein kinase C (PKC), abolished this protection (53.1±4.1%). In conclusion, oxygen radicals contribute to ischemic preconditioning in the rabbit and appear to do so via activation of PKC. The fact that MPG could not block protection by PC4 suggests that oxygen radicals act in concert with other triggers of preconditioning such as adenosine and bradykinin.
Police and domestic sex trafficking of youth: what teens tell us that can aid prevention and interdiction

Juveniles are more likely to come into contact with the criminal or juvenile justice systems in the USA as victims than as offenders. Yet, except in the case of child victims of sexual abuse at the hands of a family member, juveniles as victims still receive little attention in the criminal justice literature. And, for the most part, the actors in the justice system in the USA have not been given the skills, tools, and resources to effectively deal with juveniles, especially teenaged-youth, as victims. Furthermore, policing of domestic sex trafficking of youth has focused on police response at later stages of sex trafficking (when such a crime is clearly identified) and the role of the police in coordinated response teams and building cases against the perpetrators including ‘pimps.’ This article offers evidence from research on commercial sexual exploitation of adolescents to examine police interactions with youth who are at a high risk for or on the pathway into domestic sex trafficking and identifies p...
Hard X-Ray Emissions from Partially Occulted Solar Flares

Observations of solar flares partially occulted by the solar limb provide diagnostics of coronal hard X-ray (HXR) emissions in the absence of generally much brighter emissions from footpoints of flare loops. In this paper, a statistical survey of 55 partially occulted flares observed by the Reuven Ramaty High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) is presented, revealing the existence of two different components of coronal HXR emissions. Below ~15 keV thermal HXR emission with a gradual time profile is generally dominant, while at higher energies an additional component is seen in 50 out of 55 events. This additional component shows faster time variations in the order of tens of seconds and is most prominent during the rise of the thermal emission. A comparison of the centroid positions of these two emissions shows that they are most often cospatial within ~2000 km, although for a few events clear separations are observed as well. The spectra of the high-energy component show a rather steep (soft) power law with indices mostly between ~4 and ~6. Thin target emission in the corona from flare-accelerated electrons is discussed as a possible origin of the fast time variation component.
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis Fibronectin Attachment Protein Facilitates M-Cell Targeting and Invasion through a Fibronectin Bridge with Host Integrins

Efficient attachment and ingestion of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis by cultured epithelial cells requires the expression of a fibronectin (FN) attachment protein homologue (FAP-P) which mediates FN binding by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Invasion of Peyer's patches by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis occurs through M cells, which, unlike other intestinal epithelial cells, express integrins on their luminal faces. We sought to determine if the interaction between FAP-P of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and soluble FN enabled targeting and invasion of M cells by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in vivo via these surface integrins. Wild-type and antisense FAP-P mutant M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis strains were injected alone or coinjected with blocking peptides or antibodies into murine gut loops, and immunofluorescence microscopy was performed to assess targeting and invasion of M cells by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Nonopsonized M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis preferentially invaded M cells in murine gut loops. M-cell invasion was enhanced 2.6-fold when M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was pretreated with FN. Invasion of M cells by the antisense FAP-P mutant of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis was reduced by 77 to 90% relative to that observed for the control strains. Peptides corresponding to the RGD and synergy site integrin recognition regions of FN blocked M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis invasion of M cells by 75 and 45%, respectively, whereas the connecting segment 1 peptide was noninhibitory. Antibodies against the α5, αV, β1, and β3 integrin subunits inhibited M-cell invasion by 52 to 73%. The results indicate that targeting and invasion of M cells by M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis in vivo is mediated primarily by the formation of an FN bridge formed between FAP-P of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis and integrins on M cells.
Iron homeostasis in the lung

Iron is essential for many aspects of cellular function. However, it also can generate oxygen-based free radicals that result in injury to biological molecules. For this reason, iron acquisition and distribution are tightly regulated. Constant exposure to the atmosphere results in significant exposure of the lungs to catalytically active iron. The lungs have a mechanism for detoxification to prevent associated generation of oxidative stress. Those same proteins that participate in iron uptake in the gut are also employed in the lung, to transport iron intracellularly and sequester it in an inactive form within ferritin. The release of metal is expedited (as transferrin and ferritin) from lung tissue to the respiratory lining fluid for clearance by the mucocilliary pathway or to the reticuloendothelial system for long-term storage. This pathway is likely to be the major method for the control of oxidative stress presented to the respiratory tract.
Discrete Choquet Integral as a Distance Metric

The discrete Choquet integral is a nonlinear transformation that integrates a real function with respect to a fuzzy measure. We show that the discrete Choquet integral defines a metric if and only if the corresponding measure satisfies certain monotonicity constraints, thereby completely characterizing the class of measures that induce a metric with the Choquet integral.
Fetal death in eclampsia: II. The effect of non-therapeutic factors.

Summary The ability of 15 variables to predict fetal death is examined among 173 eclamptic women admitted to the only public maternity hospital in Cali, Colombia, between 1st January 1964 and 31st December 1970. In addition to low gestational age and retarded fetal growth, high systolic pressure and the unmarried status carried excess risk. Primiparae appeared to be of lower risk because their eclampsia tended to occur late in gestation and was characterized by less retarded fetal growth. Older women and women with a history of abortion appeared to be of higher risk because they tended to have higher systolic pressures. A discriminant function risk formula is presented which generated groups with a nine-fold difference in fetal death rates. This formula could be used to standardize for relevant non-therapeutic factors which might vary between patient groups who had received different therapeutic regimens.
Instrumental variable applications using nursing home prescribing preferences in comparative effectiveness research

Purpose Nursing home residents are of particular interest for comparative effectiveness research given their susceptibility to adverse treatment effects and systematic exclusion from trials. However, the risk of residual confounding because of unmeasured markers of declining health using conventional analytic methods is high. We evaluated the validity of instrumental variable (IV) methods based on nursing home prescribing preference to mitigate such confounding, using psychotropic medications to manage behavioral problems in dementia as a case study. Methods A cohort using linked data from Medicaid, Medicare, Minimum Data Set, and Online Survey, Certification and Reporting for 2001–2004 was established. Dual-eligible patients ≥65 years who initiated psychotropic medication use after admission were selected. Nursing home prescribing preference was characterized using mixed-effects logistic regression models. The plausibility of IV assumptions was explored, and the association between psychotropic medication class and 180-day mortality was estimated. Results High-prescribing and low-prescribing nursing homes differed by a factor of 2. Each preference-based IV measure described a substantial proportion of variation in psychotropic medication choice (β(IV → treatment): 0.22-0.36). Measured patient characteristics were well balanced across patient groups based on instrument status (52% average reduction in Mahalanobis distance). There was no evidence that instrument status was associated with markers of nursing home quality of care. Conclusion Findings indicate that IV analyses using nursing home prescribing preference may be a useful approach in comparative effectiveness studies, and should extend naturally to analyses including untreated comparison groups, which are of great scientific interest but subject to even stronger confounding. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sensor selectivity and intelligent data fusion

The paper addresses the question of performance improvement as a result of multisensor data fusion and its ramifications on the design of a data fusion system. Sensor selectivity requires that data quality control and error detection capabilities be incorporated in the fusion design. Data quality control and error detection may not be feasible at the signal level requiring additional intelligence to be built in the fusion loop, prior to or after fusing the data. This leads to the notion of intelligent data fusion design which involves pre-fusion data quality control loops for error detection prior to fusion using data models and post-fusion data quality control loops based on meta-fusion level inference. Shortcomings in applying the optimal fusion rules in the presence of partial statistical knowledge and means to overcome them are discussed. The need of data validation and adaptive sensitivity control in the fusion design, when optimality conditions are not satisfied, is demonstrated and suggestions for designing the feedback loop are given. The design of an intelligent data fusion is discussed and a design for adaptive sensor sensitivity control presented. >
Chemostratigraphy of the Silurian Qusaiba Member, Eastern Saudi Arabia

Abstract Given the unavailability of high resolution biostratigraphic data and difficulties in using lithostratigraphy for stratigraphic correlation, it was decided to employ chemostratigraphy to propose a scheme for the Silurian Qusaiba Member encountered in five wells in Eastern Saudi Arabia. Chemostratigraphy may be defined as a reservoir correlation technique involving the utilization of inorganic geochemical data. Although Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) were used to acquire data for 50 elements, the scheme is based on changes in the following ‘key’ element ratios: Zr/Th, Cr/Ti, Th/Nb, Zr/P, Y/Yb, Zr/Yb and Y/P. Variations in these parameters are largely dependent on changes in source/provenance, reflecting increases or decreases in the abundances of particular detrital heavy minerals. The scheme comprises a hierarchical order of four zones, seven subzones and four divisions. The zones are labelled C1, C2, C3 and C4 is ascending stratigraphic order, with two, three and two subzones identified in C2, C3 and C4 respectively. In addition to this, chemostratigraphic divisions are noted in two of the subzones. The chemostratigraphic scheme is considered robust as chemozones (general term used to describe any zone, subzone or division) are clearly defined in each well using geochemical profiles and binary diagrams plotted for key element ratios. Furthermore, high levels of statistical confidence are associated with the chemozones and most are correlative between three or more wells. The nonexistence of chemozones in particular wells is mainly explained by the sampling strategy employed. For example, the absence of subzone C3-2 (occurring towards the center of zone C3) in wells 4 and 5 is most likely to be explained by the uppermost part of the Qusaiba Member not being sampled. In other instances, particular chemozones may be missing as a result of erosion/non-deposition on a local scale. One positive aspect of the study is that it was possible to identify the mid-Qusaiba reservoir sandstones which occur within chemozone C3-3 (at the top of zone C3) in each well. Consequently, chemostratigraphy may be utilized to recognize these sandstones in future wells, particularly in subhorizonal ones where their identification may be more difficult using wireline log signatures alone.
Helicobacter pylori Resists the Antimicrobial Activity of Calprotectin via Lipid A Modification and Associated Biofilm Formation

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori is one of several pathogens that persist within the host despite a robust immune response. H. pylori elicits a proinflammatory response from host epithelia, resulting in the recruitment of immune cells which manifests as gastritis. Relatively little is known about how H. pylori survives antimicrobials, including calprotectin (CP), which is present during the inflammatory response. The data presented here suggest that one way H. pylori survives the nutrient sequestration by CP is through alteration of its outer membrane. CP-treated H. pylori demonstrates increased bacterial fitness in response to further coculture with CP. Moreover, CP-treated H. pylori cultures form biofilms and demonstrate decreased cell surface hydrophobicity. In response to CP, the H. pylori Lpx lipid A biosynthetic enzymes are not fully functional. The lipid A molecules observed in H. pylori cultures treated with CP indicate that the LpxF, LpxL, and LpxR enzyme functions are perturbed. Transcriptional analysis of lpxF , lpxL , and lpxR indicates that metal restriction by CP does not control this pathway through transcriptional regulation. Analyses of H. pylori lpx mutants reveal that loss of LpxF and LpxL results in increased fitness, similar to what is observed in the presence of CP; moreover, these mutants have significantly increased biofilm formation and reduced cell surface hydrophobicity. Taken together, these results demonstrate a novel mechanism of H. pylori resistance to the antimicrobial activity of CP via lipid A modification strategies and resulting biofilm formation. IMPORTANCE Helicobacter pylori evades recognition of the host9s immune system by modifying the lipid A component of lipopolysaccharide. These results demonstrate for the first time that the lipid A modification pathway is influenced by the host9s nutritional immune response. H. pylori9s exposure to the host Mn- and Zn-binding protein calprotectin perturbs the function of 3 enzymes involved in the lipid A modification pathway. Moreover, CP treatment of H. pylori, or mutants with an altered lipid A, exhibit increased bacterial fitness and increased biofilm formation. This suggests that H. pylori modifies its cell surface structure to survive under the stress imposed by the host immune response. These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms that influence the biofilm lifestyle and how endotoxin modification, which renders H. pylori resistant to cationic antimicrobial peptides, can be inactivated in response to sequestration of nutrient metals.
High Strength Bolted Moment Connections

The performance and design of the more common types of high strength bolted moment connections are discussed. Experimental and analytical results are presented on: (1) T-stub web-to-beam flange connections, (2) T-stub flange-to-column connections, (3) assembled T-stub connections, and (4) end plate connections. Among the specific topics covered are: The ultimate resisting moment of a beam with bolt holes in both flanges and the circumstances under which prying forces develop between a tension T-stub or an end plate and its supporting column, and the magnitude of these prying forces. Elastic and plastic design of bolted moment connections are suggested.
Long-term Benefit of Tumor Volume-Directed Involved Field Radiation Therapy in the Management of Recurrent Ovarian Cancer

Objectives This study aimed to report on long-term effectiveness of involved field radiation therapy (IFRT) in the salvage of localized recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC). Methods A retrospective analysis of 27 patients with a diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer who received tumor volume-directed IFRT for localized extraperitoneal recurrences (either as consolidation after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) or as attempted salvage if unresectable) forms the basis of this report. All patients were heavily pretreated with multiple chemotherapy regimens. Involved field radiation therapy was primarily with external beam (median dose, 50.4 Gy). Local recurrence-free survival (LRFS) was defined as freedom from in-field recurrences and was considered as a measure of effectiveness of radiotherapy. Statistical analyses evaluated association between disease-free survival, overall survival, LRFS, and various prognostic factors. Comparison was also made with a similar but unmatched cohort with localized recurrences salvaged by additional chemotherapy instead of local therapies (NIFRT group). Results Of 27 patients, 17 had optimal CRS before RT. The actuarial survival at 5 and 10 years (in parenthesis) from date of radiation were LRFS (70% and 60%), overall survival (30% and 19%), and disease-free survival (33% and 20%). None of the NIFRT patients survived beyond 5 years from initiation of salvage chemotherapy. Conclusions Long-term follow-up in this selected series confirmed the benefit of IFRT (±CRS) in localized ROC. Chemotherapy salvage in a similar NIFRT group was not equivalent, suggesting a role for locoregional therapies in selected patients with ROC.
The adolescent breast.

Plastic surgery continues to evolve as new knowledge, techniques, and technology are incorporated into the care of our patients. The current editors have compiled this issue on the adolescent breast to provide the reader with a comprehensive review of relevant topics and best practices, and to discuss patient safety and controversies surrounding surgery of the breast in teenagers. To achieve this goal, the authors and coauthors with expertise in these areas have been asked to sift, evaluate, appraise, and synthesize the latest literature for plastic surgeons who care for adolescents with breast concerns. For example, our series of three articles on approaches to breast masses in adolescent girls describes the roles and responsibilities of the breast surgeon, the radiologist, and the plastic surgeon to ensure safe and comprehensive management of breast masses. We have also included an article on augmentation mammoplasty in the teenager, as well as a discussion on the psychological, ethical, and legal concerns when facing cosmetic breast surgery in adolescents. An effort has been made to cover a variety of topics that address the majority of issues that may arise when taking care of this patient population. This special issue is the fruit of the combined effort of numerous expert contributors from multiple disciplines, editors, and other volunteers to ensure that the most current information is presented. We have engaged the authors in a spirited dialogue and often have requested more than one revision of their articles to arrive at what we hope will be a great compilation of articles to serve plastic surgeons, trainees, and students.