cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metabolic Reprogramming in Mutant IDH1 Glioma Cells

Background Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 have been reported in over 70% of low-grade gliomas and secondary glioblastomas. IDH1 is the enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative decarboxylation of isocitrate to α-ketoglutarate while mutant IDH1 catalyzes the conversion of α-ketoglutarate into 2-hydroxyglutarate. These mutations are associated with the accumulation of 2-hydroxyglutarate within the tumor and are believed to be one of the earliest events in the development of low-grade gliomas. The goal of this work was to determine whether the IDH1 mutation leads to additional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)–detectable changes in the cellular metabolome. Methods Two genetically engineered cell models were investigated, a U87-based model and an E6/E7/hTERT immortalized normal human astrocyte (NHA)-based model. For both models, wild-type IDH1 cells were generated by transduction with a lentiviral vector coding for the wild-type IDH1 gene while mutant IDH1 cells were generated by transduction with a lentiviral vector coding for the R132H IDH1 mutant gene. Metabolites were extracted from the cells using the dual-phase extraction method and analyzed by 1H-MRS. Principal Component Analysis was used to analyze the MRS data. Results Principal Component Analysis clearly discriminated between wild-type and mutant IDH1 cells. Analysis of the loading plots revealed significant metabolic changes associated with the IDH1 mutation. Specifically, a significant drop in the concentration of glutamate, lactate and phosphocholine as well as the expected elevation in 2-hydroxyglutarate were observed in mutant IDH1 cells when compared to their wild-type counterparts. Conclusion The IDH1 mutation leads to several, potentially translatable MRS-detectable metabolic changes beyond the production of 2-hydroxyglutarate.
Transpiration cooling effects on nozzle heat transfer and performance

The effects of transpiration cooling on boundary-layer growth, heat transfer, and nozzle performance were investigated. A two-dimensional Mach 2.0 contoured nozzle (Re/m = 5.2 x 10 7), with one contoured wall constructed of sintered stainless steel (2.0-^m pore size) was tested. Blowing ratios up to 0.51% of the freestream mass flow were tested using high-frequency-response heat flux and pressure instrumentation. Measurements included wall heat flux and static pressure, as well as exit pitot pressure profiles. Shadowgraph photography was used for flow visualization. A reduction in heat transfer of up to 14% was measured for the highest blowing ratio. On the other hand, large increases in the nozzle exit boundary-layer thickness were found. However, blowing had a minimal effect on the nozzle thrust coefficient and specific impulse. In general, this study highlighted the potential beneficial and adverse effects of transpiration cooling on rocket nozzle cooling.
Gentler term proposed for “borrowers”

Plagiarism is such an ugly word. Perhaps it is not the word but its connotations that are ugly. In any case, most geoscientists are loath to even say the word. In some institutions there are swift and sure punishments for plagiarism—at least for individuals without power. When I was in school, a fellow graduate student was instantly expelled for plagiarism. Yet, during our working careers, most of us have seen scientists who “use without due credit the ideas, expressions, or productions of another.” We may forget to cite a reference or consider a document to be too informal to bother with references, or in some instances, there may be less charitable motives. In any case, perhaps the reason some people continue such behavior is precisely because so few scientists are willing to openly use the p-word.
A High-Speed Permanent Storage Device

This paper describes a device useful for the permanent storage of digital information which ordinarily is not to be altered once it is stored. The device utilizes a large magnetic-core matrix switch, of a type described by Rajchman, in conjunction with a storage system used with the Bell Computer, Model VI, to obtain permanent storage capacities up to about a million bits. The information is stored by suitably lacing a set of drive leads from the output of the magnetic switch through an array of magnetic cores. This device is characterized by low-access time, large-operating tolerances, and a relatively small number of magnetic cores.
On implicit finite-difference simulations of three-dimensional flow

An implicit finite-difference procedure for unsteady three-dimensional flow capable of handling arbitrary geometry through the use of general coordinate transformations is described. Viscous effects are optionally incorporated with a 'thin layer' approximation of the Navier-Stokes equations. An implicit approximate factorization technique is employed so that the small grid sizes required for spatial accuracy and viscous resolution do not impose stringent stability limitations. Results obtained from the program include transonic inviscid and laminar-turbulent solutions about simple body configurations. Comparisons with existing theories and experiments are made. Numerical accuracy and the effect of three-dimensional coordinate singularities are also discussed.
A Renewable Resource-based Ramsey Model with Costly Resource Extraction

This paper derives the analytical solution of arenewable resource-based Ramsey economy withcostly resource extraction. The goal is toascertain whether costly resource extractioncan induce nonlinear dynamical properties in the system. We find that the solution for a model with constant technology can exhibit multiple steady states,and the comparative statics effects for consumption,utility, and the stock of nature capital areambiguous in a number of different cases. Moreover, thesolution for a model with exogenous technological progress exhibits unusual comparative dynamics andthe possibility of multiple balanced growthpaths. An increase in the rate of technologicalprogress induces a long-run growth rate in per capitaconsumption that depends on parameters of the productionfunction. Overall, technological progress inthe model can be less beneficial than in the standardeconomic growth model in which resourceextraction is costless.
Characterization of black carbon in geosorbents at the nanometer scale by STEM–EDX elemental mapping

Abstract The lack of a universal method for black carbon (BC) quantification and the need to describe the intra-particle/aggregate distribution of BC in natural matrices/geosorbents prompted the search for new methods. This study explored the feasibility of using analytical electron microscopy to characterize black carbon residing in natural matrices. Soot, char, graphite and other carbonaceous samples were examined using energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). TEM–EDX analysis (point analysis) showed that char, soot and graphite all have a characteristic O/C atomic ratio of ⩽ 0.1 when interrogated at the submicrometer scale, implying this BC elemental signature may be useful in identifying BC at this scale. The presence of a universal elemental signature suggested that it may be more proper to describe different condensed carbonaceous materials as having different BC contents, rather than emphasizing that there are different types of BC, each with a different bulk characteristic O/C. Subsequently, the mapping of BC in STEM–EDX (areal analysis) was demonstrated on sediment samples with varying soot content at a resolution of ∼10 nm. Several standard carbonaceous materials were also examined with quantitative STEM–EDX, yielding BC content comparable with other conventional BC quantification methods. The power of STEM–EDX in revealing morphological features and distribution of various chemical components at nanometer scale was also highlighted. The analytical approach presented here will be valuable for the characterization of BC and the study of nanometer scale organic-mineral association in sediments and soils.
Discordance in Mayer-von Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser Syndrome Noted in Monozygotic Twins

Abstract Background We report a case of monochorionic, monoamniotic female twins with discordant congenital reproductive tract anomalies. Case We present the case of a 17-year-old monochorionic-monoamniotic female twin with Mayer-von Rokitansky-Kuster-Hauser Syndrome (MRKH) and her twin sister, who had with normal female reproductive system. Monozygosity is investigated by the complete history, physical, and imaging data, antenatal and birth reports of both the patient and her monozygotic twin sister. Examination of these documents proves monozygosity of the sisters, and imaging studies demonstrate MRKH in one twin and normal female genitalia in the other. Summary and Conclusion This case is presented as proof of MRKH discordance in monozygotic twins.
Prostaglandins as modulators of immunity

Prostaglandins are potent lipid molecules that affect key aspects of immunity. The original view of prostaglandins was that they were simply immunoinhibitory. This review focuses on recent findings concerning prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and the PGD2 metabolite 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-PGJ2, and their divergent roles in immune regulation. We will highlight how these two seminal prostaglandins regulate immunity and inflammation, and play an emerging role in cancer progression. Understanding the diverse activities of these prostaglandins is crucial for the development of new therapies aimed at immune modulation.
Between a rock and a hard place: higher education reform and innovation in China

Purpose – Over the past few decades China's higher education has gone through dramatic growth and multiple rounds of reforms accompanied by a remarkable amount of financial investment, all aiming at developing world‐class universities to grow innovative talents. Yet the outcomes so far have been disappointing. This paper aims to investigate this issue.Design/methodology/approach – By reviewing and analyzing selected educational reforms in higher education in China, this article discusses the reasons of the gap between the massive input for innovation in higher education in China and abysmal results. This paper also reports and analyzes a case that challenges central control and the gaokao system.Findings – Central control and the gaokao, the infamous college entrance exam, are the bedrocks of China's higher education and also the culprit for China's failure to cultivate innovative talents. Unless they are fundamentally changed it is unlikely that China will have the higher education system it dreams of ha...
FOOT-PREFERENCE BEHAVIOR: A DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVE

The developmental course of foot-preference behavior was examined in participants spanning early childhood to young adulthood. Results indicated significant age-group differences, with no effect for gender. Evidence suggests that footedness adheres to some variant developmental features characterized primarily by a significant shift toward greater right-footedness between 8 and 11 years, after which preferences remain relatively stable. Complementing this shift is a substantial decrease in mixed-footedness across the same time line. Of the existing models of hemispheric specialization, Annett's (1978, 1985) right-shift hypothesis, which considers cultural and environmental effects, provides a partial explanation for the findings. Hand-preference data were also collected and are contrasted with foot-preference data.
Catalytic Combustion Effects in Internal Combustion Engines

A review of the brief history of catalytic combustion in internal combustion (IC) engines suggests that catalytic combustion may aid in fuel ignition, but can also cause increased flame-quenching because of surface catalytic oxidation of unburned fuel in the gas boundary layer. The effect of catalytic combustion on heat transfer measurements in engines is also discussed, with the controversial Woschni effect, wherein thermal insulation appears to increase heat rejection from the combustion chamber, being shown to be probably only a manifestation of catalytic combustion.
Beyond the Firm: Restructuring Gender Divisions of Labor in Quito's Garment Industry under Austerity:

In this study I investigate social adjustments emerging under neoliberal austerity policies in Ecuador. In particular, I focus on the processes of informalization and feminization of garment manufacture as Ecuadorian producers attempt to remain viable in a radically opened economy. A central premise of this study is that gendered labor supplies in places are significant to the form that industry restructuring assumes. The analysis draws on extensive fieldwork and builds a political economy of industrial development, debt crisis, and austerity to uncover those forces which have combined in place to restructure gender divisions of labor in paid work and households in the early 1990s. This is coupled with analysis of in-depth interviews with women informal garment workers in order to understand the diverse constructions of informal work, gender divisions of labor, and daily life that are emerging under austerity. This involves an examination of the ways in which gender roles and relations are being reworked ...
Surgical management of hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Background. The treatment of infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome has been challenging and controversial. Methods. To assess the operative management and intermediate-term outcome, we retrospectively analyzed our surgical experience with 50 newborns with hypoplastic left heart syndrome operated on between January 1989 and June 1995. Results. Surgical palliation with a first-stage Norwood operation was offered to 28 patients. The remaining 22 infants were initially listed for heart transplantation, and 15 underwent the operation. Ten of the 15 recipients are alive, and all are in New York Heart Association class I. Seven infants underwent a Norwood procedure after being on the list for transplantation for 12 to 42 days. A total of 34 patients underwent Norwood procedures with one operation aborted because of inoperable anatomy. Two infants who survived the first-stage Norwood operation underwent subsequent heart transplantation and are currently doing well. The 1-year mortality rate for heart transplantation was 18% (3/17) versus 50% (17/34) for the Norwood procedure. Risk factors for early mortality after a Norwood procedure include longer circulatory arrest time (>50 minutes), preoperative acidosis (pH p = 0.005). Of the 17 survivors of a first-stage Norwood operation, 10 have undergone the second stage (bidirectional Glenn procedure), and 7 have completed a Fontan procedure. Heart transplantation results have also improved, with no deaths since 1992. Conclusions. Both the Norwood procedure and heart transplantation have encouraging early to intermediate results in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Hypoplastic left heart syndrome should be managed selectively on the basis of cardiac morphology, donor availability, and family wishes. Development of a flexible program involving the use of both procedures may aid in the successful management of infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
The structure of Q branches in infrared-active fundamental-type bands of spherical-top molecules☆☆☆

In the absence of strong accidental resonance, the detailed energy-level structures of all Q branches of infrared-active fundamental-type bands in spherical-top molecules are prescribed, in the first approximation, by the value of the single parameter, β = vg, where v = ΔBeffQ and g is the tetrahedral or octahedral splitting constant. The Q branches of several heavy and light spherical tops are examined in this context, using energy-level diagrams, level cluster analysis, and computer graphics to simulate the superpositions of hundreds of absorption lines.
Ultrasound tightening of facial and neck skin: a rater-blinded prospective cohort study.

Background Nonablative skin tightening technologies offer the prospect of reduction of wrinkles and skin sagging with minimal downtime, discomfort, and risk of adverse events. The excellent safety profile is mitigated by the limited efficacy of such procedures. Objective We sought to assess the efficacy of ultrasound skin tightening for brow-lift in the context of a procedure treating the full face and neck. Methods This was a rater-blinded, prospective cohort study at a dermatology clinic in an urban academic medical center. Subjects were medicated with topical anesthetic and then treated with an investigational focused intense ultrasound tightening device to the forehead, temples, cheeks, submental region, and side of neck using the following probes: 4 MHz, 4.5-mm focal depth; 7 MHz, 4.5-mm focal depth; and 7 MHz, 3.0-mm focal depth. Standardized photographs of front and side views were obtained at 2, 7, 28, 60, and 90 days; rating scales of pain, adverse events, physical findings, and patient satisfaction were also completed. Primary outcome measure was detection of improvement in paired comparison of pretreatment and posttreatment (day 90) photographs by 3 masked expert physician assessors, cosmetic and laser dermatologists, and plastic surgeons who were not authors. Second primary outcome measure was objective brow elevation as quantitated by a standard procedure using fixed landmarks. Secondary outcomes measure was patient satisfaction as measured by a questionnaire. Results A total of 36 subjects (34 female) were enrolled, one subject dropped out, and 35 subjects were evaluated. Median age was 44 years (range 32-62). On the first primary outcome measure, 30 of 35 subjects (86%) were judged by the 3 masked experienced clinician raters to show clinically significant brow-lift 90 days after treatment ( P = .00001). On the second primary outcome measure, mean value of average change in eyebrow height as assessed by measurement of photographs at 90 days was 1.7 mm. Limitations Limitations of this study include the inability to quantitatively measure lower face tightening because of the lack of fixed anatomic landmarks in this area. Conclusion Ultrasound appears to be a safe and effective modality for facial skin tightening. A single ultrasound treatment of the forehead produced on average brow height elevation of slightly less than 2 mm. Most treated individuals responded, commonly with accompanying transitory mild erythema and edema.
Does temporal asynchrony affect multimodal curvature detection

Multiple sensory modalities gather information about our surroundings to plan appropriate movements based on the properties of the environment and the objects within it. This study was designed to examine the sensitivity of visual and haptic information alone and together for detecting curvature. When both visual and haptic information were present, temporal delays in signal onset were used to determine the effect of asynchronous sensory information on the interference of vision on the haptic estimate of curvature. Even under the largest temporal delays where visual and haptic information were clearly disparate, the presentation of visual information influenced the haptic perception of curvature. The uncertainty associated with the unimodal vision condition was smaller than that in the unimodal haptic condition, regardless of whether the haptic information was procured actively or under robot assistance for curvature detection. When both visual and haptic information were available, the uncertainty was not reduced; it was equal to that of the unimodal haptic condition. The weighting of the visual and haptic information was highly variable across subjects with some subjects making judgments based largely on haptic information, while others tended to rely on visual information equally or to a larger extent than the haptic information.
Using Emotional Labor to Create and Maintain Relationships in Service Interactions

This article investigates the complex relationships between service workers and customers in both luxury and nonluxury retail settings. Though much of the sociological research on sales and service work concentrates on relatively low-status positions, this research explores the importance of the service worker as expert and artisan. Using the concept of emotional labor introduced by Hochschild, this study examines whether emotional labor, in certain service and sales contexts, can be used to create and maintain relationships between employees and customers. This research suggests a more complete theoretical understanding of service work as well as practical policy implications applicable to such concerns as turnover and morale, training and orientation, and communication and supervisory strategies.
Optimal antenna diversity signaling for wide-band systems utilizing channel side information

Optimal multi-antenna wide-band signaling schemes are derived for multipath channels assuming perfect channel state information at the transmitter. The scheme that minimizes the bit-error probability in the single-user case is a rank-one space-time beamformer which focuses the signal transmission in the direction of the most dominant channel mode. Several suboptimal variations are discussed for multiuser applications. The optimal signaling scheme given channel statistics at the transmitter is also derived. The optimal scheme in this case is a full-rank space-time beamformer that transmits on all channel modes. Analysis and simulation results are used to compare the schemes proposed in this paper. Finally, we discuss the optimal signaling scheme when a delayed version of the channel state is available at the transmitter. It is shown that in this case the optimal scheme is a rank-1 beamformer when the channel variations are sufficiently slow and is a full rank beamformer in a sufficiently fast fading channel.
Heart-Rate Response to Water-Immersion Isolation as a Function of Spatial Orientation

The present study investigates the effect of spatial orientation of the body on heart rate during conditions of water-immersion sensory isolation. Two groups of three men and three women each were exposed to one of two isolation conditions. In one condition the subject was suspended in a buoyant but vertical attitude; in a second condition the subject was suspended in a buoyant but horizontal attitude. Heart-rate data were obtained continuously during each session. There was no significant difference in mean heart rate between the two conditions. The data were interpreted as providing support for the position that studies comparing recumbent subjects in air isolation with underwater subjects in a vertical suspension attitude are valid, at least for some measures, and are not an artifact of spatial bodily orientation. The possible importance of neutral buoyancy in accounting for the nonsignificant effect of body attitude on heart rate is discussed.
Response speed as an individual difference: Its role in moderating the agreeableness–anger relationship

Abstract Anger is an emotion that is precipitated by hostile attitudes and high arousal. The trait of agreeableness is a moderately inverse predictor of hostile attitudes and anger. Relations between agreeableness and anger are likely to be stronger to the extent that the person can be characterized as high in dispositional arousal. Arousal-related manipulations speed responses in cognitive tasks. Thus, individual differences in response speed may be informative concerning general tendencies toward aroused states. In three studies (N = 319) individual differences in response speed in basic choice tasks interacted with agreeableness to predict state-related experiences of anger. Specifically, the highest levels of anger were observed among fast/disagreeable individuals. The utility of this probe in future studies is discussed.
Differential Maturation of Climbing Fiber Innervation in Cerebellar Vermis

Folding of the brain surface is a general morphological adaptation to maximize surface area in a limited cranial volume. Surface folding is present not only in the neocortex but also in the cerebellar cortex. This folding creates subdivisions of the cortical surface: the sulci, the gyri, and the straight bank region, which is interposed. Is cortical folding only the solution to a surface-volume problem or does it also confer functional differences on the subdivisions that are created by this geometry? Here we have used the innervation of Purkinje cells by climbing fibers as a model system to explore potential functional differences. Purkinje cells are innervated by multiple climbing fibers at birth but undergo an activity-dependent refinement, such that by postnatal day (P) 21, most are contacted by a single climbing fiber. Using whole-cell recording from slices of cerebellar vermis derived from juvenile (P18-25) or adult (P60-83) mice, we found that significantly more Purkinje cells in the sulcus were innervated by multiple climbing fibers than in the gyrus or bank subdivisions; however, the basic properties of climbing fiber-Purkinje cell EPSCs such as kinetics, amplitude, and paired-pulse ratio were similar across cortical subdivisions. To search for a morphological correlate of differential multiple climbing fiber innervation, we labeled climbing fibers and performed reconstructions of immunofluorescent images. These revealed that, unlike the bank-gyrus subdivisions, most of the climbing fibers in the sulcus do not innervate the superficial molecular layer. These findings suggest that the subdivisions of the cerebellar cortex produced by folding may create functionally distinct entities.
Low-energy digital filter design based on controlled timing error acceptance

In signal processing applications, large energy gains can be obtained by accepting some degradation in the output signal quality. Filters are at the core of many such systems. In this paper, we demonstrate the potential of a new paradigm for achieving favorable quality-energy trade-offs in digital filter design that is based on directly accepting timing errors in the datapath under aggressively scaled VDD. In an unmodified design, such scaling leads to rapid onset of timing errors and, consequently, quality loss. In a modified filter implementation, the onset of large errors is delayed, permitting significant energy reduction while maintaining high quality. Specifically, the innovations in the design include techniques for: 1) run-time adjustment of datapath bitwidth, and 2) design-time reordering of filter taps. We tested the new design strategy on several audio and image processing applications. The designs were synthesized using a 45nm standard cell library. Results of SPICE simulations on the entire designs show that up to 70% energy savings can be achieved while maintaining excellent perceived signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). Compared to a traditional filter design, the area overhead of our architecture is about 2%.
Modeling of fault reactivation and induced seismicity during hydraulic fracturing of shale-gas reservoirs,

Abstract We have conducted numerical simulation studies to assess the potential for injection-induced fault reactivation and notable seismic events associated with shale-gas hydraulic fracturing operations. The modeling is generally tuned toward conditions usually encountered in the Marcellus shale play in the Northeastern US at an approximate depth of 1500 m (~4500 ft). Our modeling simulations indicate that when faults are present, micro-seismic events are possible, the magnitude of which is somewhat larger than the one associated with micro-seismic events originating from regular hydraulic fracturing because of the larger surface area that is available for rupture. The results of our simulations indicated fault rupture lengths of about 10–20 m, which, in rare cases, can extend to over 100 m, depending on the fault permeability, the in situ stress field, and the fault strength properties. In addition to a single event rupture length of 10–20 m, repeated events and aseismic slip amounted to a total rupture length of 50 m, along with a shear offset displacement of less than 0.01 m. This indicates that the possibility of hydraulically induced fractures at great depth (thousands of meters) causing activation of faults and creation of a new flow path that can reach shallow groundwater resources (or even the surface) is remote. The expected low permeability of faults in producible shale is clearly a limiting factor for the possible rupture length and seismic magnitude. In fact, for a fault that is initially nearly-impermeable, the only possibility of a larger fault slip event would be opening by hydraulic fracturing; this would allow pressure to penetrate the matrix along the fault and to reduce the frictional strength over a sufficiently large fault surface patch. However, our simulation results show that if the fault is initially impermeable, hydraulic fracturing along the fault results in numerous small micro-seismic events along with the propagation, effectively preventing larger events from occurring. Nevertheless, care should be taken with continuous monitoring of induced seismicity during the entire injection process to detect any runaway fracturing along faults.
System support to balance the resource supply and demand in high-end computing

Modern and large scale high-end systems built by commercial processors can easily provide unbalanced computing resources with over-supplied CPU cycles and increasingly long latency of data accesses at different levels of the memory hierarchy for high demands of data-intensive applications. The imbalance is mainly caused by two technology changes. First, the speed gap between the CPU and the memory and the I/O storage continues to grow. Second, the latency improvement significantly lags behind the bandwidth improvement in any pair connection of the computer systems. We are working on three research projects to cope with the imbalance problem. (1) We develop models to characterize the increasingly complex and deep memory hierarchy, providing critical insights and guidance for high-end systems design. (2) We develop several memory-centric load-sharing schemes and their implementations for high end-systems management. (3) We develop efficient locality-aware caching algorithms and their system implementations for virtual memory and buffer cache management. This paper briefly report the background, motivation, and working progress of our research funded by the NSF NGS program.
Ductile fracture of rapidly expanding rings

Heterogeneous plastic deformation (necking) of thin ductile rings given an initial outward impulse is described in terms of the ordinary differential equations of thermoplasticity and the partial differential equations of mass and momentum conservation in one spatial dimension (circumference) and time. Flaws in cross sectional area and porosity are introduced and the resulting plastic deformation is calculated numerically for a prescribed initial radial velocity. Plastic deformation is initially homogeneous but soon concentrates in the weakest region, which then thins rapidly and fractures. Effects of flaw wavelength, work-hardening rate, thermal softening, and rate-dependent plastic flow on the flaw growth rate are studied.
Systematic coarse-graining of spectrin-level red blood cell models

We present a rigorous procedure to derive coarse-grained red blood cell (RBC) models, which yield accurate mechanical response. Based on a semi-analytic theory the linear and nonlinear elastic properties of healthy and infected RBCs in malaria can be matched with those obtained in optical tweezers stretching experiments. The present analysis predicts correctly the membrane Young's modulus in contrast to about 50% error in predictions by previous models. In addition, we develop a stress-free model which avoids a number of pitfalls of existing RBC models, such as non-smooth or poorly controlled equilibrium shape and dependence of the mechanical properties on the initial triangulation quality. Here we employ dissipative particle dynamics for the implementation but the proposed model is general and suitable for use in many existing continuum and particle-based numerical methods.
Lexicographic Max-Min Fair Rate Allocation in Random Access Wireless Networks

We consider the lexicographic max-min fair rate control problem at the link layer in a random access wireless network. In the lexicographic max-min fair rate allocation, the minimum link rates in the network are maximized in a lexicographic order. For the Aloha multiple access model, we propose iterative approaches that attain optimal rates under very general assumptions on the network topology and communication pattern; the approaches are also amenable to a distributed implementation. The approach and result in this paper generalize those in the work of X. Wang and K. Kar (2004) on maximizing the minimum link rate in a random access network, and nicely connect to the "bottleneck-based" lexicographic max-min rate optimization algorithm popularly used in wired networks by D. Bertsekas and R. Gallagher (1992)
Effect of Hypervolemic Therapy on Cerebral Blood Flow After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background and Purpose—Cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), and symptomatic vasospasm is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Volume expansion has been reported to increase CBF after SAH, but CBF values in hypervolemic (HV) and normovolemic (NV) subjects have never been directly compared. Methods—On the day after aneurysm clipping, we randomly assigned 82 patients to receive HV or NV fluid management until SAH day 14. In addition to 80 mL/h of isotonic crystalloid, 250 mL of 5% albumin solution was given every 2 hours to maintain normal (NV group, n=41) or elevated (HV group, n=41) cardiac filling pressures. CBF (133xenon clearance) was measured before randomization and approximately every 3 days thereafter (mean, 4.5 studies per patient). Results—HV patients received significantly more fluid and had higher pulmonary artery diastolic and central venous pressures than NV patients, but there was no effect on net fluid balance or on blood volume measured on the third...
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support improves survival of patients with Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome refractory to medical treatment.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in Hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) patients with a predicted mortality of 100%, and the complications associated with this treatment modality and different cannulation techniques. Methods: A total of 51 patients with refractory HCPS were supported with ECMO between April 1994 and June 2010. They were divided into group A consisting of the 26 patients treated between 1994 and 2000 and group B consisting of 25 patients treated between 2003 and 2010. No patients were treated between September 2000 and December 2003. Patients in group A were intubated when they became hypoxic and placed on ECMO when they became hemodynamically unstable, whereas patients in group B had elective insertion of vascular sheaths and were almost concurrently intubated and placed on ECMO when they decompensated. Cannulation of the femoral vessels was performed percutaneously in 18 (35.3%) patients and with an open technique in 33 (64.7%) patients. Results: Complications from percutaneous cannulation occurred in 4/18 (22.27%) patients: retroperitoneal hematoma in 2/18 (11.1%) and lower-extremity ischemia in 2/18 (11.1%) patients. Complications from open femoral cannulation occurred in 12/33 (36.3%) patients: bleeding in 10/33 (30.3%) patients and ischemia in 2/ 33 (6.1%) patients. The overall survival was 66.6% (34 of 51 patients); 56% (14/26) for group A and 80% (20/25) for group B ( p = 0.048). There was no difference in mortality regarding the method of cannulation. A trend toward increased mortality in patients with cannulation complications was recognized, but it was not statistically significant. Mortality was not associated with ECMO duration (average 121.7 h, range: 5—276 h). All survivors recovered and were discharged from the hospital after a mean hospital stay of 19.8 days (range: 10—39 days). Conclusions: Two-thirds of 51 HCPS patients with a predicted mortality of 100%, who were supported with ECMO, survived and recovered completely. Survival was significantly higher in the second half of the study. Complications associated with both types of femoral cannulation were associated with a trend toward decreased survival, which was not significant. # 2011 European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Multi‐locus DNA sequence data reveal a history of deep cryptic vicariance and habitat‐driven convergence in the desert night lizard Xantusia vigilis species complex (Squamata: Xantusiidae)

The lizard genus Xantusia of southwestern North America has received recent attention in relation to delimiting species. Using more than 500 lizards from 156 localities, we further test hypothesized species boundaries and clarify phylogeographical patterns, particularly in regions of potential secondary contact. We sequenced the entire mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for every lizard in the study, plus a second mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) region and two nuclear introns for subsets of the total sample. Phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA recover a well-resolved, novel hypothesis for species in the Xantusia vigilis complex. The nuclear DNA (nDNA) data provide independent support for the recognition of X. arizonae, X. bezyi and X. wigginsi. Differences between the respective mtDNA and nDNA topologies result from either the effects of lineage sorting or ancient introgression. Nuclear data confirm the inference that some populations of X. vigilis in northwestern Arizona converged on rock-crevice-dwelling morphology and are not X. arizonae with an introgressed X. vigilis mtDNA genome. The historical independence of ancient cryptic lineages of Xantusia in southern California is also corroborated, though limited introgression is detected. Our proposed biogeographical scenario indicates that diversification of this group was driven by vicariance beginning in the late Miocene. Additionally, Pleistocene climatical changes influenced Xantusia distribution, and the now inhospitable Colorado Desert previously supported night lizard presence. The current taxonomy of the group likely underestimates species diversity within the group, and our results collectively show that while convergence on the rock-crevice-dwelling morphology is one hallmark of Xantusia evolution, morphological stasis is paradoxically another.
Effect of surface active agents on the electrokinetic and rheological behavior of alumina and titania slips

Abstract The electrophoretic mobility and the slip rheology of 5%(wt) titania and 30%(wt) alumina, alumina and titania (ratio 1:2 and 2:1) slips containing two cationic surface agents (Jeff Amine M-302 and M-320) was investigated as a function of pH in the range 3–10. These results suggest that both additives are adsorbed onto the surface of alumina, titania and alumina/titania mixtures above pH 5·6. In addition, the reagents Jeff Amines M-302 and M-320 also shift the point of zero charge of the powders to a higher pH value. It appears that, whilst the slip containing titania and alumina and titania in the ratio 1:2 has a maximum viscosity at 5·6, the slips of alumina and titania in the ratio 2:1 form very viscous suspensions at pH 5·6 and 9. The addition of the additives to the slips not only shifts the pH corresponding to the maximum viscosity at pH 5·6 but also appears to eliminate the second maximum at pH 9.
Ion implantation and annealing of crystalline oxides

The technique of ion implantation is being investigated as a general method for altering the near-surface properties of insulating materials. The primary motivation behind these investigations is to develop ion implantation as a practical means of controlling and improving the near-surface mechanical, optical, or electronic properties of insulators. Changes in these properties depend on the microstructures and compositions developed in the material during the ion implantation process and subsequent thermal treatments. In many cases, structures and compositions can be produced by implantation and thermal annealing that cannot be achieved by conventional techniques. In this work, the response of a wide range of crystalline oxides to ion implantation and subsequent thermal processing will be reviewed. The materials treated here include Al 2 O 3 , LiNbO 3 , CaTiO 3 , SrTiO 3 , ZnO, and MgO, as well as the non-oxide materials Si 3 N 4 and SiC. The response of these insulators to ion implantation varies widely and depends on the specific material, the implantation species and dose, and the implantation temperature. Ion implantation produces displacement and other damage in the near-surface region, and in many cases, the surfaces of originally crystalline insulators are turned amorphous. Thermal annealing can often be used to restore crystallinity to the damaged near-surface region, and additionally, metastable solid solutions can be produced. For a number of oxide materials, the annealing behavior has been studied in detail using both Rutherford backscattering-ion channeling techniques and transmission electron microscopy. These studies show that, in some materials, the annealing behavior is quite simple and takes place by solid-phase epitaxial crystallization where the amorphous-to-crystalline transformation occurs at an interface that moves toward the free surface during the annealing process. In such materials, the regrowth kinetics have been measured, and the associated activation energies for crystallization have been determined. The formation of metastable solid solutions during crystallization of the amorphous phase will also be discussed.
Assimilation of Stratospheric Chemical Tracer Observations Using a Kalman Filter. Part II: χ2-Validated Results and Analysis of Variance and Correlation Dynamics

Abstract A Kalman filter system designed for the assimilation of limb-sounding observations of stratospheric chemical tracers, which has four tunable covariance parameters, was developed in Part I of this two-part paper. The assimilation results of CH4 observations from the Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Sounder instrument (CLAES) and the Halogen Observation Experiment instrument (HALOE) on board the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite are described in this paper. A robust χ2 criterion, which provides a statistical validation of the forecast and observational error covariances, was used to estimate the tunable variance parameters of the system. In particular, an estimate of the model error variance was obtained. The effect of model error on the forecast error variance became critical after only 3 days of assimilation of CLAES observations, although it took 14 days of forecast to double the initial error variance. Further, it was found that the model error due to numerical discretization, as arising in the st...
Intermediate use of triazolam: a sleep laboratory study.

Tlie present study was undertaken lo evaluate the intermediate effects of triazolam 0 · 5 mg on the sleep of insomniac patients. The residts showed that triazolam is effective in inducing and maintaining sleep without producing any major effects on sleep staging. Triazolam did not lead to significant subjective complaints or any deterioration in the physical condition of the patients. Tite effectiveness of triazolam did not vary over a two-week period.
Does Acartia clausi (Copepoda: Calanoida) use an area-restricted search foraging strategy to find food?

The swimming behavior of Acartia clausi within small aquaria containing phytoplankton was videotaped, along with unfed controls. From these videos, aspects such as swimming speed, distance traveled, and 2D (horizontal, X, and vertical, Z) headings were then measured from over 75000 X Z positional data in order to quantify their swimming functional response. There was generally no significant difference in swimming behavior between different food levels, although there was a large difference between feeding and unfed controls. Because feeding bouts moved the copepods a short distance at a slow speed, net vertical displacement decreased as feeding-bout frequency increased. Non-feeding individuals showed longer periods of sinking, interspersed with longer-distance, high-speed jumps, which displaced them farther distances than filter-feeding copepods over the same time interval. For both fed and unfed control copepods, a 1D unbiased random walk was adequate to describe their displacement over these very short time periods (10 s). This behavior is consistent with an area-restricted search foraging strategy. The net vertical displacements predicted by combining the experimental data with a 1D random walk model suggest that A. clausi would be retained within even small ∼10 cm phytoplankton patches long enough to fill their gut. However, copepods outside of phytoplankton patches must rely on other means to find patches of food greater than ∼50 cm apart. Potentially, knowledge of a copepod's swimming functional response could enable predictions about the typical spatial and temporal patchiness of its food in situ.
Immunotherapy for genitourinary malignancies in the here and now

Immunotherapy for genitourinary malignancies, such as prostate, renal cell, and bladder cancers has experienced a renaissance in the form of 2 novel classes of Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, an autologous cell-product therapy, Sipuleucel-T [1] and the checkpoint inhibitors, ipilimumab (anti-Cytotoxic Lymphocyte Antigen-4, antiCTLA-4) [2], and nivolumab (anti-Programmed Death Protein-1, anti-PD-1) [3–5]. The former was the first immune therapy for patients with asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, which demonstrated a survival benefit. Ipilimumab and nivolumab, respectively, have shown dramatic and durable remissions in melanoma with nivolumab showing unusual antitumor effects in renal cell, melanoma, bladder, and non–small lung cancers. Although the expression of the ligand, PD-1, may have some effect on tumor's response to therapy, nevertheless there are patients with minimal or no PD-1 expression, who still have long-term responses [6]. The relevance of these checkpoint pathways has been shown to be crucial for the maintenance of self-tolerance, i.e., the prevention of autoimmunity or autoimmune dysregulation, preventing the body from reaction to antigens that may not be relevant threats. More recently, the expression of immune checkpoint proteins has been shown to be dysregulated by tumors as a mechanism of immune resistance [7]. Despite the success of these agents, their efficacy does not appear to be equal for all solid tumors. A phase I/II trial of ipilimumab [6] alone and in combination with radiotherapy in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer and the subsequent phase III trial of ipilimumab and