cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A53: Bayesian Network Inference Modeling Reveals Novel Regulators of Cell Cycle Progression and Survival

Molecular networks governing responses to targeted therapies in cancer cells are complex dynamic systems that demonstrate non-intuitive behaviors. We applied a novel computational strategy to decipher causal relationships between signaling network components. Gene networks were constructed from global gene expression profiles to model G1-S cell cycle arrest as a consequence of inhibition of MEK, a key component of the oncogenic RAF-MEK-ERK signal transduction pathway. Simulation of causally driven models generated a ranked list of 12 testable hypotheses, which confirmed role of known cell cycle regulators (CCND1, CCNE2, and CDC25A) and identified novel drivers of G1-S transition (IER2, TRIB1, C14ORF133). Validation confirmed 11 out 12 predictions. Second model which inferred causal relationships between genes lead to discovery of TRIB1 (tribbles homolog of Drosophila) as a regulator of NFkB-dependent gene expression. TRIB1 also mediates cross-talk to the NFκB pathway by enhancing p100 and IκBα-phosphorylation and degradation thus regulating cell survival and expression of cytokines crucial for tumor-stroma interaction. In agreement with this, knock-down of TRIB1 results in induction of apoptosis and sensitizes cells to cell killing induced by the death-receptor agonist TRAIL via upregulation of TRAIL receptor, DR5. Thus TRIB1 is a central regulator of cell cycle and survival and represents a potential therapeutic target. Therefore, applying REFS (Reverse Engineering Forward Simulation) to analyze gene expression profiles maximizes our ability to extract knowledge from experimental data.
The n-dimensional display interface: a more elastic narrow waist for the display pipeline

The framebuffer is a simple yet powerful abstraction for representing display data. It ably serves as a "narrow waist" for the display pipeline, allowing graphics software and display technology to evolve in parallel. Converging trends such as mobile computing, very large displays, and 3DTV are challenging the inherent inefficiency of practically serializing and encoding the framebuffer tens or hundreds of times per second. In this paper, we present a flexible new software abstraction that can deliver tremendous channel efficiency when application level semantics are exploited. The goal is to develop a versatile interface from this elastic narrow waist that scales from very large displays to small, low-power displays connected over wireless links.
A sparsity-inducing formulation for evolutionary co-clustering

Traditional co-clustering methods identify block structures from static data matrices. However, the data matrices in many applications are dynamic; that is, they evolve smoothly over time. Consequently, the hidden block structures embedded into the matrices are also expected to vary smoothly along the temporal dimension. It is therefore desirable to encourage smoothness between the block structures identified from temporally adjacent data matrices. In this paper, we propose an evolutionary co-clustering formulation for identifying co-cluster structures from time-varying data. The proposed formulation encourages smoothness between temporally adjacent blocks by employing the fused Lasso type of regularization. Our formulation is very flexible and allows for imposing smoothness constraints over only one dimension of the data matrices, thereby enabling its applicability to a large variety of settings. The optimization problem for the proposed formulation is non-convex, non-smooth, and non-separable. We develop an iterative procedure to compute the solution. Each step of the iterative procedure involves a convex, but non-smooth and non-separable problem. We propose to solve this problem in its dual form, which is convex and smooth. This leads to a simple gradient descent algorithm for computing the dual optimal solution. We evaluate the proposed formulation using the Allen Developing Mouse Brain Atlas data. Results show that our formulation consistently outperforms methods without the temporal smoothness constraints.
The electron‐impact induced loss of water from meconine and related derivatives

The mass spectrum of meconine (I), a constituent of raw opium, exhibits several anomalous features (e.g. pronounced loss of H2O from the molecular ion) which are not readily explicable in terms of simple fragmentation processes. The study of the low resolution mass spectrum of meconine and its derivatives in conjunction with deuterium labeling experiments has indicated a highly specific fragmentation mechanism in which both hydrogen atoms eliminated as H2O originate from the methoxy function ortho to the lactone carbonyl group in meconine.
Twenty odd years of stretch-sensitive channels.

After formation of the giga-seal, the membrane patch can be stimulated by hydrostatic or osmotic pressure gradients applied across the patch. This feature led to the discovery of stretch-sensitive or mechanosensitive (MS) channels, which are now known to be ubiquitously expressed in cells representative of all the living kingdoms. In addition to mechanosensation, MS channels have been implicated in many basic cell functions, including regulation of cell volume, shape, and motility. The successful cloning, overexpression, and crystallization of bacterial MS channel proteins combined with patch clamp and modeling studies have provided atomic insight into the working of these nanomachines. In particular, studies of MS channels have revealed new understanding of how the lipid bilayer modulates membrane protein function. Three major membrane protein families, transient receptor potential, 2 pore domain K+, and the epithelial Na+ channels, have been shown to form MS channels in animal cells, and their polymodal activation embrace fields far beyond mechanosensitivity. The discovery of new drugs highly selective for MS channels (“mechanopharmaceutics”) and the demonstration of MS channel involvement in several major human diseases (“mechanochannelopathies”) provide added motivation for devising new techniques and approaches for studying MS channels.
The Gradient Flow for Control of Closed Quantum Systems

The gradient flow is commonly used to numerically solve the problem of maximizing quantum observables for finite dimensional closed quantum systems. In this note, we analyze the asymptotic behavior of the gradient flow. We show that, under a regularity assumption on the controls, the flow almost always converges to a solution of the maximization problem.
The effects of temperature and season on the O2 consumption of third‐instar larvae of the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis)

. Third-instar larvae of the goldenrod gall fly (Eurosta solidaginis Fitch) live inside ball galls on goldenrod plants from summer to the following spring.Because galls are highly exposed to the weather, larvae experience substantial variations in body temperature.This study documents the oxygen consumption of gall fly larvae with regard to the effects of ambient temperature, seasonal conditioning, and prior exposure to subzero temperature.The body mass of larvae doubles between the late summer and the autumn; it subsequently undergoes a modest decline by early winter.The O2, consumption of field-acclimatized larvae increases with ambient temperature, especially between 0 and 10°C (Q10= 2.6-3.4).The thermal sensitivity of metabolism declines at higher ambient temperatures, most notably during the autumn/early winter.After exposure to 15°C for 1 week, autumn and early winter larvae maintain much lower rates of O2 consumption than do late summer specimens.Prior exposure to -5°C for 24 h did not influence the O2 consumption of larvae.Low thermal sensitivity of O2 consumption, especially at higher ambient temperatures, is an energy-sparing mechanism during seasonal inactivity.Indeed, the persistence of this metabolic pattern in larvae exposed to 15°C suggests that they have entered a state of diapause.
Growth of large-area YBa2Cu3O7-x films by activated reactive evaporation

Abstract High-Tc superconductor thin films have many important properties for microwave frequency passive device applications. However, for device fabrication it is necessary to deposit uniform defect-free films of YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO) over large wafer-size areas. The activated reactive evaporation process has been used successfully to grow YBCO films at relatively low temperatures over large areas. The unique features of the process will be discussed over other popular processes with emphasis on film composition, structure and thickness uniformity.
Utility of tissue-specific transcription factors thyroid transcription factor 1 and Cdx2 in determining the primary site of metastatic adenocarcinomas to the brain

Abstract Context.—Brain metastases of adenocarcinoma of unknown primary pose a diagnostic dilemma to the surgical pathologist. Although the most common source in these cases is the lung, determining a primary source is difficult on routinely stained slides. Immunohistochemical stain panels including differential cytokeratins, hormone receptors, and breast-specific proteins are commonly used in these cases. Recently, attention has turned to tissue-specific transcription factors, such as thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) and Cdx2, in the appraisal of metastatic adenocarcinomas. Objective.—To characterize the previously unpublished immunohistochemical expression of the relatively new tissue-specific transcription factor Cdx2 in metastatic adenocarcinomas to the brain. Design.—We reviewed the surgical pathology files of the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, Fla, and retrieved 38 consecutive cases of metastatic adenocarcinoma (22 pulmonary, 10 breast, 6 gastrointestinal [2 esopha...
Medicaid expenditures on psychotropic medications for maltreated children: a study of 36 States.

Objective:Children with histories of abuse or neglect are the most expensive child population to insure for their mental health needs. This study aimed to quantify the magnitude of Medicaid expenditures incurred in the purchase of psychotropic drugs for these children.Methods:Children (N=4,445) participating in the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) and from households under investigation for suspected child abuse and neglect were linked to their Medicaid claims from 36 states. Expenditures on psychotropic medications between the NSCAW sample and a propensity score–matched comparison sample of Medicaid-enrolled children were compared in a two-part regression of logistic and generalized linear models.Results:Children in the NSCAW sample had twice the odds of psychotropic drug use and $190 higher mean annual expenditures on psychotropic drugs than children in the comparison sample. Increased expenditures on antidepressants and antimanic drugs were the primary drivers of these increas...
Against Solitary Confinement: Jonah's Redemption and Our Need for Mercy

This is an exercise in biblical interpretation undertaken by someone more professionally accustomed to constitutional interpretation, for the "People of the Book" symposium on Judaism and legal scholarship. In it, I examine the Book of Jonah for insight into the modern practice of solitary confinement. After all, Jonah, imprisoned inside the whale for three nights and three days, is perhaps the most famous solitary prisoner of all time. Could the Book of Jonah have anything to say about the best response to current demands by prisoners and others to reform solitary confinement? At first blush it might seem that Jonah’s (short) stay in solitary inside the whale was pretty good for him. But on careful analysis, even Jonah didn't find redemption in solitary confinement. Rather, Jonah’s redemption occurs later, when God engages Jonah’s humanity to explain to him the ineffable value of mercy, and when Jonah understands that just like a child who doesn't know right from left, good from evil — just like all of us, including our prisoners — he, too, depends on mercy.
Fruits, Vegetables, and Cancer Prevention: Turmoil in the Produce Section

During the 1990s, enthusiasm swelled for increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables with the expectation that this would substantially reduce the risk of many cancers (1). Potential reductions as large as 50% were suggested. The National Cancer Institute’s 5-A-Day program was developed in 1991 (http://dccps.nci.nih.gov/5ad_3 _origins.html) (2) to promote increasing the average consumption of fruits and vegetables to five or more servings per day, and a major line of investigation was launched to identify and isolate the phytochemicals responsible for the apparent benefits. However, the evidence for a large preventive effect of fruits and vegetables came primarily from case–control studies, which can be readily biased by differences in recall of past diet by patients with cancer and healthy control subjects. Even more problematic, participation rates in surveys have fallen sharply over the past 50 years so that those who agree to be interviewed as control subjects are likely to overrepresent health conscious persons who smoke less, exercise more, and eat more fruits and vegetables compared with those who do not participate. Because participation rates of patients with cancer, who are already in a medical system, remain high, the result is an exaggerated apparent benefit of fruits and vegetables, even if both groups report their past diets perfectly.
Mapping Children's Politics: The Promise of Articulation and the Limits of Nonrepresentational Theory

Reflecting wider debates in the discipline, recent scholarship in children's geographies has focused attention on the meanings of the political. While supportive of work that opens up new avenues for conceptualizing politics beyond the liberal rational subject, we provide a critique of research methods which delink politics from historical context and relations of power. Focusing on the use of nonrepresentational theory as a research methodology, the paper points to the limits of this approach for children's political formation as well as for sustained scholarly collaboration. We argue instead for a politics of articulation, in the double sense of communication and connection. An empirical case study is used as an illustrative example.
The Impact of Trade Restrictions on Price Stability in the World Wheat Market

A thirteen-region quadratic programming model of world wheat trade is utilized to simulate the effects of unanticipated quantity changes on prices in the world wheat market under different degrees of trade restriction. Three scenarios characterized by different numbers of regions that permit price signals from international markets to be reflected into their domestic markets are specified. As the number of countries whose wheat trade is price responsive increases in the simulations, the percentage change in world price is smaller in response to a shock such as U.S. export controls or an unanticipated change in Soviet imports.
Rhabdomyosarcoma of the paranasal sinuses in an adult.

A 48-year-old, right-handed woman presented with a 4-month history of tearing in the left eye. This was associated with insidious onset of frontal and left periorbital discomfort. The patient also experienced occasional epistaxis and diplopia. Her medical history was significant only for hypertension. Physical examination identified bilateral anosmia and left proptosis. The latter was associated with restriction of upward and lateral gaze. The remainder of the physical examination and the hematological workup were unremarkable. A computed tomography (CT) examination [Figure 1) demonstrated a bulky, destructive soft-tissue mass within the left sinonasal cavity. The epicenter was
Utilizing SIMULINK and MATLAB in a graduate nonlinear systems analysis course

Control system design packages like MATLAB, MATRIXX, Control C, SIMNON, etc. have become essential ingredients of both undergraduate and graduate courses in the systems and controls area. The use of MATLAB and its companion toolboxes in teaching graduate and undergraduate courses have been reported by many educators in the past. This work describes our experience, at the Pennsylvania State University the University of Arkansas, with the use of SIMULINK and MATLAB in Nonlinear Systems Analysis and Stability course which is offered to advanced undergraduate and graduate students. This paper will emphasize on the use of SIMULINK for simulation of nonlinear systems and study of their behavior. We also present the MATLAB features that are found useful in this course. A discussion of how SIMULINK and MATLAB help in enhancing the students' understanding of the material and reducing the amount of time spent in performing computational homework assignments will follow. Examples illustrating the use of these packages will be included and the actual code will be posted at a site on the World Wide Web. Finally, the general positive student reaction to incorporating these software packages into this course will be reported.
Speedup, communication complexity and blocking-a La Recherche du Temps Perdu

The paper investigates the time lost in a parallel computation due to sequential and duplicated work, communication and control, and blocking. It introduces the concept of relative speedup and proposes characterizations of parallel algorithms based upon the communication complexity and the blocking model. The paper discusses the impact of the processor's architecture upon the measured speedup. It shows that a large speedup may be due to an inefficient sequential computation, e.g. due to the cache management, rather than to an efficient parallel computation. A model of parallel computations which takes into account sequential and duplicated work, communication and control and blocking is presented. The paper shows that the scalability of a parallel computation is determined by the communication complexity. The model is used to predict the asymptotic behavior, the maximum speedup and the optimal number of processors. An incore 3D FFT algorithm for distributed memory MIMD systems and a Chebyshev iterative algorithm for solving a linear system of equations are used to illustrate the concepts. >
Three-dimensional optical coherence tomography of the embryonic murine cardiovascular system

Optical coherence tomography OCT is an emerging high- resolution real-time biomedical imaging technology that has potential as a novel investigational tool in developmental biology and func- tional genomics. In this study, murine embryos and embryonic hearts are visualized with an OCT system capable of 2-m axial and 15-m lateral resolution and with real-time acquisition rates. We present, to our knowledge, the first sets of high-resolution 2- and 3-D OCT images that reveal the internal structures of the mammalian mu- rine embryo E10.5 and embryonic E14.5 and E17.5 cardiovascu- lar system. Strong correlations are observed between OCT images and corresponding hematoxylin- and eosin-stained histological sections. Real-time in vivo embryonic E10.5 heart activity is captured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, processed, and dis- played at a continuous rate of five frames per second. With the ability to obtain not only high-resolution anatomical data but also functional information during cardiovascular development, the OCT technology has the potential to visualize and quantify changes in murine devel- opment and in congenital and induced heart disease, as well as en- able a wide range of basic in vitro and in vivo research studies in
An Evaluation of the Health Belief Model for Predicting Perceived and Actual Dietary Quality1

The health belief model was evaluated for its ability to predict perceived and actual dietary quality. The assessment relied upon data collected from 1,502 respondents by the US. Department of Agriculture in its 1991 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals and the Diet and Health Knowledge Survey. The health belief model provided good prediction of perceived dietary quality, but provided moderate to weak prediction of 7 measures of actual dietary quality that were calculated from food intake records. Implications are suggested for using the health belief model to understand the determinants of dietary quality.
Recent advances in mechanisms and treatments of airway remodeling in asthma: a message from the bench side to the clinic

Airway remodeling in asthma is a result of persistent inflammation and epithelial damage in response to repetitive injury. Recent studies have identified several important mediators associated with airway remodeling in asthma, including transforming growth factor-β, interleukin (IL)-5, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, LIGHT, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, IL-33, and IL-25. In addition, the epithelium mesenchymal transformation (EMT) induced by environmental factors may play an important role in initiating this process. Diagnostic methods using sputum and blood biomarkers as well as radiological interventions have been developed to distinguish between asthma sub-phenotypes. Human clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate biological therapies that target individual inflammatory cells or mediators including anti IgE, anti IL-5, and anti TNF-α. Furthermore, new drugs such as c-kit/platelet-derived growth factor receptor kinase inhibitors, endothelin-1 receptor antagonists, calcium channel inhibitors, and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors have been developed to treat asthma-related symptoms. In addition to targeting specific inflammatory cells or mediators, preventing the initiation of EMT may be important for targeted treatment. Interestingly, bronchial thermoplasty reduces smooth muscle mass in patients with severe asthma and improves asthma-specific quality of life, particularly by reducing severe exacerbation and healthcare use. A wide range of different therapeutic approaches has been developed to address the immunological processes of asthma and to treat this complex chronic illness. An important future direction may be to investigate the role of mediators involved in the development of airway remodeling to enhance asthma therapy.
The science of biomedical computing

1. IntroductionThis is a remarkably exciting time to be involved professionally in the field of medical informatics. The underlying scientific principles are beginning to be identified and defined, educators are increasingly acknowledging the importance of the field for physicians of the present and future, and the technology itself is growing at rates that make the future of the field both unbounded and impossible to predict. One has the sense that what was once a field for pioneers is now reaching the stage of established settlements, with a history, traditions, and a feel of permanence.
Evolution of repetitive proteins: spider silks from Nephila clavipes (Tetragnathidae) and Araneus bicentenarius (Araneidae)

Spider silks are highly repetitive proteins, characterized by regions of polyalanine and glycine-rich repeating units. We have obtained two variants of the Spidroin 1 (NCF-1) silk gene sequence from Nephila clavipes. One sequence (1726 bp) was from a cloned cDNA, and the other (1951 bp) was from PCR of genomic DNA. When these sequences are compared with each other and the previously published Spidroin 1 sequence, there are differences due to sequence rearrangements, as well as single base substitutions. These variations are similar to those that have been reported from other highly repetitive genes, and probably represent the results of unequal cross-overs. We have also obtained 708 bp of sequence from PCR of genomic DNA from Araneus bicentenarius. This sequence shows considerable similarity to a dragline sequence (ADF-3) from A. diadematus, as well as Spidroin 2 (NCF-2) from N. clavipes. Minor but consistent differences in the repeating unit sequence between A. bicentenarius and A. diadematus suggest that concerted evolution or gene conversion processes are acting to maintain similarity among repeat units within a single gene. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Digital based calibration technique for continuous-time bandpass sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters

In this paper, a calibration technique for Noise Transfer Function (NTF) optimization of Continuous-Time Bandpass Sigma Delta (CT BP ΣΔ) modulators is presented. The proposed technique employs a test tone applied at the input of the quantizer to evaluate the noise transfer function of the Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) using the capabilities of the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) platform usually available in mixed-mode systems. Once the ADC output bit stream is captured, necessary information to generate the control signals to tune the ADC parameters for best Signal-to-Quantization Noise Ratio (SQNR) performance is extracted via an LMS software-based algorithm. Simulation results show that notch frequency of the NTF due to process variations and temperature tolerances can be tuned using the proposed methodology. The proposed global calibration approach can be used during the system start-up and the idle system time. The proposed approach uses a single in-band calibration tone, but it can be expanded using out-of band test tones for background calibration schemes.
Molecular weight distribution of emulsion‐polymerized polyethylene

Emulsion polymerizations of ethylene were run using potassium persulfate as the initiator and either an anionic or a cationic surfactant, usually at five times the critical micellar concentration. The molecular weight distributions had at least two major peaks. The broadly distributed lower molecular weight component is formed in the early stages of polymerization. The higher molecular weight component has a narrow distribution characteristic of termination by the combination of chain radicals. The weight-average molecular weight of this component was about 400,000 when the surfactant was sodium laurate and 33,600,000 when the surfactant was dodecyl amine hydrochloride. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Different Hippocampal Place Cell Maps for Different Environments

If a place field of a hippocampal cell is established in a specific environment, then what happens to that cell’s activity when the animal finds itself in a very different environment? There are a number of possible answers to this question: The cell could have a place field in the new environment that is topologically related to the field in the first environment. The cell could have a place field in the new environment that is related in some non-topological but otherwise discernible logical way to its field in the first environment. The cell could have a field that is not discernibly related to its field in the first environment. The cell could have no field, even though it shows some activity in the new environment. The cell could be essentially silent in the new environment. This chapter reviews the research that has addressed this question.
NutriPhysioGenomics applications to identify adaptations of cattle to consumption of ergot alkaloids and inorganic versus organic forms of selenium: altered nutritional, physiological and health states?

NutriPhysioGenomics (NPG) seeks to measure nutrition-responsive genome expression during specific physiological states, thus defining how a given challenge alters the ‘basal’ transcriptome. Application of NGS regimens (transcriptome and bioinformatics analyses) in combination with targeted-gene approaches has revealed cellular mechanisms putatively responsible for complex, whole-animal, metabolic syndromes such as heat stress and subacute ruminal acidosis. Using similar approaches, our laboratory sought to understand how the basal physiology of developing cattle adapted to two prevalent health challenges of forage-based beef cattle production in south-eastern USA: fescue toxicosis and selenium (Se) deficiency. In Model 1, pituitary and hepatic genomic expression profiles of growing beef steers grazing high (E+, n = 9) versus low (E–, n = 10) endophyte-infected tall fescue pastures for 85 days, and consuming sodium selenite (ISe) as a free-choice Se supplement, were compared by a combination of microarray, bioinformatic, and targeted-gene/protein (real-time reverse transcription–PCR, Nanostring, immunoblot) analyses. In Model 2, hepatic genomic expression profiles of growing beef heifers (0.5 kg gain/day) fed a cotton seed hull-based diet and different sources (n = 9) of dietary Se (3 mg/day) supplements (no supplement, Control; inorganic Se, sodium selenite, ISe; organic Se, Sel-Plex; OSe), or a 1.5 mg : 1.5 mg blend of ISe and OSe, MIX) were compared after 168 days of supplementation, as described for Model 1. The results for Model 1 showed, that in the pituitary of E+ steers, expression of genes for prolactin signalling; redox capacity; regulation of lactotroph, gonadotroph, and thyrotroph proliferation; gonadotropin-releasing hormone-mediated signalling; and Se-based metabolism was impaired. Concomitantly, the livers of E+ steers had an increased level of expression of genes encoding proteins responsible for shunting of amino acid carbons into pyruvate and ATP synthesis capacity (oxidative phosphorylation pathway, mitochondrial mass), increased serine and proline biosynthesis, and reduced selenoprotein-mediated metabolism. Result for Model 2 showed that, overall, there were clear differences in the profiles of differentially expressed genes (DEG) among the four Se treatment groups, with the form of Se administered being more reflective of DEG profiles than the total amount of Se assimilated. Moreover, hepatic transcriptomes profiles of MIX heifers revealed an increased potential for selenoprotein synthesis and selenoprotein-mediated metabolism. In addition, several genes involved with increased redox capacity were upregulated in MIX versus ISe heifers. Taken together, our NGS approach characterised adaptation to physiological challenges and, serendipitously, identified suppression of several metabolic pathways by consumption of ergot alkaloid consumption that have the potential to be increased with supplementation of the MIX form of Se.
Encounters and Methods: American and Soviet

During the course of the Russo-German war, the Soviet Union was compelled to give up her recently acquired territories including Bessarabia. While the loss of her riparian status was accepted temporarily as a military necessity, Soviet diplomacy was making every effort to help the Red Army’s march toward the West. So long as Soviet successes on the battlefield depended on the assistance and cooperation of the Western Powers, there was a tendency to camouflage real Soviet objectives.1 As the tide of the war was turning more and more against Germany, Soviet diplomacy, in a more and more discernible fashion and with increasing tenacity, set out both for the consolidation and extension of “red” territorial gains in Danubian Europe.
Factors Associated With High-Grade Lachman, Pivot Shift, and Anterior Drawer at the Time of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Purpose To determine which patient and injury factors are associated with the detection of high-grade laxity on examination under anesthesia before anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Methods We identified 2,318 patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction without associated ligament injuries. Demographic data and information regarding meniscal tears were collected. Patients with high-grade Lachman (difference from contralateral side >10 mm), pivot-shift (International Knee Documentation Committee grade 3+), or anterior drawer (difference from contralateral side >10 mm) tests were identified by physical examination under anesthesia before ACL reconstruction. Logistic regression modeling was used to evaluate whether chronicity of the ACL injury, patient age, sex, body mass index, generalized ligamentous laxity, and presence of meniscal tears were associated with increased odds of high-grade laxity, while we controlled for examining surgeon. Results Patients with chronic tears (>6 months from injury) had greater than twice the odds of having high-grade Lachman, pivot-shift, and anterior drawer tests (all P P P P = .013) meniscus tears were associated with increased odds of a high-grade Lachman test. Age younger than 20 years (OR, 1.34; P = .023), female sex (OR, 1.49; P = .001), generalized ligamentous laxity (OR, 3.46; P P P = .041) meniscus tear were associated with increased odds of a high-grade pivot-shift test. Generalized ligamentous laxity (OR, 2.27; P P = .001) or lateral (OR, 1.50; P = .010) meniscus tear were associated with increased odds of a high-grade anterior drawer test. Conclusions Chronic ACL tears, generalized ligamentous laxity, and meniscus tears are associated with increased odds of high-grade laxity with all 3 tests. Female patients and age younger than 20 years are associated with increased odds of a high-grade pivot-shift test. Level of Evidence Level II, lesser-quality prospective study.
Clinical 3-tesla FLAIR* MRI improves diagnostic accuracy in multiple sclerosis

Objective:To evaluate clinical fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR)* 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is sensitive to perivenular inflammatory demyelinating lesions, in diagnosing ...
Modeling of Axial-Symmetric Flow Structure in Gas–Solids Risers

Pneumatic transport of solids in a riser has a unique nonuniform flow structure, characterized by the core solids acceleration and the wall solids deceleration along the riser, which causes the down-flow of solids and hence back mixing. To predict this nonuniform flow structure, this paper presents a mechanistic model that includes two controlling mechanisms: the interparticle collision damping for axial transport of solids and the effects of collision-induced diffusion and turbulent convection for radial transport of solids. The model predictions are partially validated against available measurements, such as axial and radial distributions of concentration and velocity of solids.
Association of Low Levels of Aflatoxin in Feed with Productivity Losses in Commercial Broiler Operations

Abstract Six growers from each of five broiler companies were classified into equal numbers of good, mediocre, and poor growers based on a productivity index. Feed samples were collected weekly during the growout period of a flock from each grower and from the mill where the feed was produced. Samples of corn from which the feed was made were also collected. Aflatoxin, moisture contents, and bacterial, coliform, and fungal counts of the samples were determined. On the same weekly basis, the temperature and relative humidity of the chicken houses were measured and the age of the feed samples ascertained. Aflatoxin concentration in feed of good growers was 6.1 ppb with an 18.0% frequency of contamination while the values for poor growers were 14.0 ppb and 31.3%. Mean aflatoxin concentration in corn of 1.2 ppb increased to 8.8 ppb in feed from the farms. Optimum conditions for aflatoxin formation were 19 to 27 C, 79 to 89% relative humidity, and 10 to 13% moisture. Increasing age of feed was associated with low moisture and high aflatoxin. High aflatoxin was associated with high relative humidity but not with fungal, bacterial, or coliform counts. These data suggest that aflatoxin is produced during and after feed manufacture in apparently normal operations, that low levels of aflatoxin are associated with productivity losses in apparently healthy broilers, and that the aflatoxin formation is associated with high relative humidity in houses and with long residence time of the feed in the house. Because relative humidity and residence time in houses can be altered, aflatoxin formation might be limited by controlling these two factors.
Spatially Mapping Energy Transfer from Single Plasmonic Particles to Semiconductor Substrates via STEM/EELS

Energy transfer from plasmonic nanoparticles to semiconductors can expand the available spectrum of solar energy-harvesting devices. Here, we spatially and spectrally resolve the interaction between single Ag nanocubes with insulating and semiconducting substrates using electron energy-loss spectroscopy, electrodynamics simulations, and extended plasmon hybridization theory. Our results illustrate a new way to characterize plasmon–semiconductor energy transfer at the nanoscale and bear impact upon the design of next-generation solar energy-harvesting devices.
Political hermeneutics Three moments of interpretation of UN Security Council resolutions

United Nations Security Council resolutions raise distinctive problems of interpretation, particularly in the context of Chapter VII measures. In disputes of interpretation, the stakes are very hig...
Progress in Developing an Operational Snowmelt-Runoff Forecast Model with Remote Sensing Input

In order to apply the snowmelt-runoff model (SRM) or any snowmelt model operationally, a logical progression is required from utilization in the pure simulation mode when all data are known to the pure forecasting mode when no future data are known. Significant progress has been made and results are presented which include pure simulation, simulation when the actual output data are unknown, simulation when estimated or forecasted snow cover input data are employed, simulations or forecasts with updating using observed streamflow, and first attempts at true forecasts. Based on these results, an objective method for forecasting with SRM is being developed.
Structure Calculation of α, α/β, β Proteins From Residual Dipolar Coupling Data Using REDCRAFT

Structure elucidation of protein structures by traditional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (using nuclear Overhauser effects) is time-consuming and expensive. Residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) have become an alternate source of data for structure calculation by NMR spectroscopy. Here we report structure calculation of α, α/β, β proteins from RDC data and explore minimum data requirements and noise tolerance using the software package residual dipolar coupling-based residue assembly and filter tool (REDCRAFT). Our investigations conclude that structure calculation from RDC data alone can be accomplished with as little as {N-H, C α -H α } from two alignment media. However structure calculation from {C-N, N-H, C-H} in one alignment medium and {N-N} in the second alignment medium was problematic. Here we present a discussion of such pathological conditions, in which inherent degeneracies in RDC data make successful protein structure elucidation challenging. When using {C-N, N-H, C-H, C α -H α } from two alignment media, REDCRAFT consistently reconstructed the structures to within 2.084 A of the original structures with up to 5 Hz of added noise.
Dynamic programming for optimization of timber production and grazing in ponderosa pine

Dynamic programming procedures are presented for optimizing thinning and rota- tion of even-aged ponderosa pine by using the four descriptors: age, basal area, number of trees, and time since thinning. Because both timber yield and grazing yield are functions of stand density, the two outputs--forage and timber---can both be optimized. The soil expectation values for single and joint production are derived and compared, and the impact of dynamic changes in relative price of the two products over the rotation is shown. Depending on relative prices and discount rate, the maximum soil expectations will be provided by timber alone, grazing alone, or an optimal schedule of joint production. Impacts of relative costs and values of the two outputs on management are discussed. FOREST SCl. 28:517-526. THE APPLICATION OF DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING (DP) for the simultaneous deter- mination of thinning intensity and rotation has been discussed by Hann and Bro- die (1980). A typical DP formulation (e.g., Brodie and Kao 1979) maximizes the cumulative net present value of timber harvested over discrete levels of each of several state descriptors at each time stage defined in the network. Although DP formulations are becoming increasingly complex in terms of number of state descriptors and treatment options (e.g., Kao 1980), objective functions usually have been based on the value of timber only. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of dynamic programming for the simultaneous determination of thinning in- tensity and rotation for ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Laws.) when two out- puts, timber and forage, are considered in the objective function. Joint production is contrasted with production of each product independently, and the impact of changing relative values is discussed and demonstrated. Burde (1974) conducted a case study of timber and forage production for a hypothetical ponderosa pine forest in Arizona. He concluded that the forest should be managed under the concept of dominant use with commercial rangeland managed for forage production, commercial forest land managed for timber pro- duction, and lands submarginal for either purpose managed for yet other uses. The problem we address is that of determining the thinning regime that jointly maximizes the returns from both grazing and timber harvest on the same unit of
The biology and biochemistry of interferon-gamma and its receptor.

Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) is an important immunomodulatory cytokine produced by activated T cells and NK cells that plays a pivotal role in promoting host defense. IFNγ is distinguished from IFNα and IFNβ by its ability to regulate a number of immune functions. IFNγ induces its biologic effects by interacting with a specific IFNγ receptor expressed at the cell surface. Recently, IFNγ receptors have been purified from human and murine cells and their cDNAs cloned and expressed. This work has revealed that IFNγ receptors are 90 kDa, single chain glycoproteins that bind ligand with high affinity in a species specific manner. There appears to be only a single type of IFNγ receptor that is expressed on nearly all cell types. Whereas this single polypeptide is sufficient to confer ligand binding and processing activity to transfected cells, a second, as yet undefined, component is required to form a functionally active IFNγ receptor. The identity of this second component is currently being investigated. In addition, recent work has revealed novel structure-function relationships that exist within the IFNγ receptor’s intracellular domain. This work has shown that distinct portions of the intracellular domain are differentially responsible for mediating different biologic activities of the receptor.
Design of simulation experiments to predict triboelectric generator output using structural parameters

Abstract Ambient energy harvesting has gained considerable interest as a potential power source for portable electronic devices and wireless sensor networks since the last decade. Triboelectric generators based on contact electrification and electrostatic induction have recently emerged as a promising mechanical energy harvesting technique. However, due to the complex nature of contact electrification, the underlying mechanism of charge transfer between two contacting surfaces when at least one of them is insulating, remains an unresolved problem in physics. Determining and controlling surface charge density is therefore a significant problem, making prediction of the output voltage of a triboelectric generator a challenge. In addition, structural parameters such as area, gap, and dielectric thickness, which affect the output voltage of the generator, have previously been investigated individually but their interaction effects have not been taken into account. Presented here, for the first time, is a method to design finite element simulations of triboelectric generators using experimentally derived surface charge density as a boundary condition in order to investigate the overall effect of the structural parameters on generator's output voltage. Two metamodels have been established as a result of a 23 full factorial design and a central composite design. The models have been experimentally verified, and have shown to predict the output voltage within one order of magnitude.
Estimating Lead Fragmentation from Ammunition for Muzzleloading and Black Powder Cartridge Rifles

Abstract Lead bullet fragments pose a health risk to scavengers and hunters consuming game meat, but lead or lead-core bullets are still commonly employed for big and small game hunting. Bullet fra...
1960: Washington and Paris

As the year 1960 signaled the beginning of a new decade, so also did it open with a glimmer of hope for a positive change in the international situation. Largely due to the initiative of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Harold Macmillan, the Western alliance was poised to enter into meaningful negotiations with the Soviet Union for the first time in the Cold War. The success of these negotiations, of course, depended upon the willingness of Nikita Khrushchev and the Soviet leadership to entertain the prospect of acceptable solutions to the issues which divided East and West. In 1959, in talks with Macmillan in Moscow in February, at the “kitchen debate” in Moscow with Vice President Richard Nixon in July, and finally, with Eisenhower at Camp David in September, Khrushchev appeared willing to open a dialogue with the West.
Cardiomyopathy-related mutation (A30V) in mouse cardiac troponin T divergently alters the magnitude of stretch activation in α- and β-myosin heavy chain fibers.

The differential impact of α- and β-myosin heavy chain (MHC) on contractile dynamics causes a mutant cardiac troponin T (TnTA30V) to differently modulate cardiac contractile function. TnTA30V atten...
Spaceborne SAR antenna size reduction enabled by compressive sampling

In synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems the antenna size needs to meet a minimum requirement in order for range and azimuth ambiguities to be avoided. This paper demonstrates that, by using random or jittered undersampling in the slow-time axis followed by sparse signal recovery techniques, one can reduce the SAR antenna size beyond that minimum requirement without significant loss target estimation performance. In other words, compressive sampling can enable compression of the physical interface in addition to the well cited benefits for data reduction.
Magnesium sulfate infusion for acute asthma in the emergency department

Objectives To describe the role of intravenous magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) as therapy for acute severe asthma in the pediatric emergency department (ED). Source Publications were searched in the PubMed and Cochrane databases using the following keywords: magnesium AND asthma AND children AND clinical trial. A total of 53 publications were retrieved using this criteria. References of relevant articles were also screened. The authors included the summary of relevant publications where intravenous magnesium sulfate was studied in children (age Summary of the data There is a large variability in the ED practices on the intravenous administration of MgSO4 for severe asthma. The pharmacokinetics of MgSO4 is often not taken into account with a consequent impact in its pharmacodynamics properties. The cumulative evidence points to the effectiveness of intravenous MgSO4 in preventing hospitalization, if utilized in a timely manner and at an appropriate dosage (50-75mg/kg). For every five children treated in the ED, one hospital admission could be prevented. Another administration modality is a high-dose continuous magnesium sulfate infusion (HDMI) as 50mg/kg/h/4h (200mg/kg/4h). The early utilization of HDMI for non-infectious mediated asthma may be superior to a MgSO4 bolus in avoiding admissions and expediting discharges from the ED. HDMI appears to be cost-effective if applied early to a selected population. Intravenous MgSO4 has a similar safety profile than other asthma therapies. Conclusions Treatment with intravenous MgSO4 reduces the odds of hospital admissions. The use of intravenous MgSO4 in the emergency room was not associated with significant side effects or harm. The authors emphasize the role of MgSO4 as an adjunctive therapy, while corticosteroids and beta agonist remain the primary acute therapeutic agents.