cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Upside of Intellectual Property's Downside

Intellectual property law exists because exclusive private rights provide an incentive to innovate. This is the upside of intellectual property: the production of valuable goods that society would otherwise never see. In turn, too much intellectual property protection is typically viewed as counterproductive, as too much control in the hands of private rightsholders can create more artificial scarcity than the incentive effect warrants. Such overprotection not only denies the public access to the innovation without a corresponding gain in incentive, but it also retards future innovation by making it more difficult for follow-on innovators to make use of existing products. This is the downside of intellectual property: reduced production and impeded innovation. This article turns the traditional discussion on its head and shows that intellectual property's putative costs can actually be benefits. It does so by questioning one of the discussion's underlying assumptions: that innovation is always good. This assumption is usually valid, but not always; there are certain industries that society may prefer to suppress. If intellectual property reduces production and impedes innovation in those industries, then its protection would be a net gain for society. We examine a handful of such industries (tax planning, pornography, and others), demonstrate that keeping (or bringing) them under the intellectual property umbrella may be the best way to stifle them - an approach that runs contrary to the scholarly consensus - and thereby describe the circumstances under which intellectual property's downside can become society's upside.
Earning responsibility increases risk taking among representative decision makers

Abstract Previous experiments on representative decision making find that social responsibility alters risk-taking behavior relative to individuals making decisions for only themselves. However, these experiments confer the position of social responsibility through random assignment. In the field, people who are responsible for making decisions on behalf of others typically do not assume the position by pure chance, but instead ‘earn’ social responsibility on a basis of merit. Experiments on earned roles in other areas of economics suggest this may induce more self-regarding behavior. We conduct laboratory experiments to investigate how self-determining one's role as a representative decision maker influences subsequent risk-taking behavior. Using a one-shot binary lottery choice and a between-subjects design, we compare the risk-taking behavior of representatives under randomly assigned social responsibility with that of representatives under earned responsibility and with that of participants making decisions only for themselves. We find that when participants earn social responsibility through performance in a pre-game task, they report considering their dependents less and exhibit significantly more risk taking than those who receive responsibility through random assignment. Those who earn social responsibility behave like individuals without dependents, while those who receive social responsibility through random assignment—consistent with previous studies—display less risk taking (over moderate probability gains prospects) than individuals operating by themselves.
Teledyne Imaging: Next Generation Large Area CMOS

Teledyne Imaging, part of Teledyne Technologies, has released a new and innovative CMOS sensor technology, LACera™. LACera, large area CMOS, is a significant step forward in CMOS capabilities for advanced imaging which will enable the next generation of scientific discovery. Exclusively developed by Teledyne Imaging, LACera advanced imaging technology draws on Teledyne's decades of expertise in CMOS sensor and camera development. Applications as diverse as next generation genomics, astronomical photometry, ultra-high-resolution x-ray and electron imaging require CMOS sensors and cameras with low light sensitivity and speed. LACera CMOS technology delivers greater than 90% quantum efficiency and proprietary low noise architecture with up to 18-bit readout – a combination of performance not previously available in wafer scale sensors. The first implementation of LACera in a commercial product is found in the COSMOS™ family of scientific cameras. COSMOS delivers deep-cooled, low-noise performance on a multi-megapixel scale, with global shutter, 18-bit readout, and glow reduction technology. COSMOS addresses many of the challenges of today's CMOS technology by maintaining performance when scaling to larger formats and combining speed and low noise. COSMOS is available from 3k x 3k to 8k x 8k sensor sizes, with large 10 micron pixels for maximum field of view. COSMOS large array cameras provide >90% peak quantum efficiency for high sensitivity and over 50 fps for capturing dynamic events. Other benefits include 0.7 e- read noise for detection of faint objects, and deep cooling to ensure low dark current. An advanced pixel structure allows for true global shutter alongside back-illuminated CMOS. This product introduction session will provide detailed information about LACera and COSMOS. Please join us to hear about this exciting and innovative technology and visit www.largeareaCMOS.com for more information.
The impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic on gastrointestinal operative volume in the United States.

In March 2020, the Surgeon General recommended limiting elective procedures to prepare for the COVID-19 surge. We hypothesize a consequence of COVID-19 is reduced operative volume across the country. We aim to examine changes in volume of common gastrointestinal operations during COVID-19, including elective, urgent/emergent, and cancer operations. We also evaluate if hospitals with more COVID-19 admissions were most impacted. The Vizient database was used to determine monthly operative volume from November 2019 to June 2020 for elective operations (hiatal hernia repairs, bariatric surgery), urgent operations (cholecystectomies, appendectomies, inguinal hernia repairs), and cancer operations (colectomies, gastrectomies, esophagectomies). COVID-19 admissions per hospital were also determined. November 2019–January 2020 was defined as “pre-COVID.” The monthly reduction in volume from pre-COVID was calculated for each operation. The top quartile (25%) of hospitals with the most COVID admissions were also evaluated separately from hospitals with fewer COVID cases. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. Data from 559 hospitals were analyzed. The volumes of all operations evaluated were significantly reduced during the pandemic except gastrectomies and esophagectomies for cancer. The greatest reduction in all operations was in April. In April, the volume of bariatric surgery reduced by 98% (P < 0.001), hiatal hernia repairs by 96% (P < 0.001), urgent cholecystectomies by 42% (P < 0.001), urgent inguinal hernia repairs by 40% (P < 0.001), urgent appendectomies by 24% (P < 0.001), and colectomies for cancer by 39% (P < 0.001). Hospitals with the most COVID-19 admissions had greater reductions in all operations than hospitals with fewer COVID cases. The coronavirus pandemic led to a significant reduction in volume of all gastrointestinal operations evaluated except gastrectomies and esophagectomies. While elective, non-cancer operations were most affected, urgent and some cancer operations also declined significantly. As COVID-19 continues to surge, Americans may suffer continued limited access to surgical care and a significant operative backlog may be forthcoming.
Lessons Learned Addressing Dataset Bias in Model-Based Candidate Generation at Twitter.

Traditionally, heuristic methods are used to generate candidates for large scale recommender systems. Model-based candidate generation promises multiple potential advantages, primarily that we can explicitly optimize the same objective as the downstream ranking model. However, large scale model-based candidate generation approaches suffer from dataset bias problems caused by the infeasibility of obtaining representative data on very irrelevant candidates. Popular techniques to correct dataset bias, such as inverse propensity scoring, do not work well in the context of candidate generation. We first explore the dynamics of the dataset bias problem and then demonstrate how to use random sampling techniques to mitigate it. Finally, in a novel application of fine-tuning, we show performance gains when applying our candidate generation system to Twitter's home timeline.
Operationalizing sustainable development in a technology choice context: moving from theory to practice

The phrase "sustainable development" was coined to broadly address economic, social, technical and environmental interactions under a framework of intra- and inter-generational equity. Although very rich, the phrase "sustainable development" does not provide a robust and practical (i.e., operational) "knowledge tool" to help us understand and apply the concept. This paper presents such a "knowledge tool" via a multi-attribute decision model that can be used to analyze technology choice decisions within a sustainable development context. The paper illustrates the usefulness of such an approach through an example in energy policy. The results of this analysis indicate that while operationalizing sustainability concepts for technology choice decisions is difficult, valuable lessons are learned that can be applied to a number of other decision problems in the areas of government policy and business operations. Using such a "knowledge tool" can both improve our understanding of sustainability and the elements needed for its realization.
Abstract P6-01-15: Expression of high affinity folate receptor in breast cancer brain metastasis

Background: Folic acid is required by proliferating cells for the synthesis of nucleotide bases among other tasks. The high affinity folate receptor (HFR) is a membrane protein that is upregulated in several cancers of epithelial origin and rarely present in most normal cells. High expression of HFR has been documented in ovarian, breast, kidney, uterine and lung cancers. In breast cancer patients, HFR is overexpressed in 33% of primary tumors (PT) and this is associated with poor prognosis. The HFR expression in breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) is unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of HFR expression in BCBM and its role in the prognosis of this high-risk patient subgroup. Methods: We analyzed a database of 42 patients who underwent craniotomy with resection of breast cancer brain metastasis (BCBM). Of those, we collected 19 brain metastasis (BM) and 13 PT. HFR status was assessed by immunohistochemistry. Log-Rank test analyzed differences in overall survival (OS) between groups. Results: Median age was 51 years (range 24-74). Median follow-up was 4.2 years (range 0.6-18.5). HFR was positive in 4/19 BM (21.1%) and in 1/13 PT (7.7%). Positive samples had low H-scores (range 1-50). Staining with HE in this cohort of high-risk patients, HFR was positive in only 21.1% of BM with low levels of positivity. Around half of our patients had apocrine differentiation. Neither the status of HFR nor the presence of apocrine features had impact in OS in our cohort. Citation Format: Jose P Leone, Rohit Bhargava, Adrian Lee, Adam Brufsky. Expression of high affinity folate receptor in breast cancer brain metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-01-15.
Abstract T P41: Determination of Collateral Supply Patterns Using MR or CT Perfusion Imaging

Introduction: In this study, we sought to develop a collateral flow mapping method based on MR or CT perfusion imaging and compare this method with the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) method. Methods: Ischemic tissue supplied by collateral flow is likely to have delayed tracer arrival but relatively normal flow. In this study, abnormal Tmax (> 6 sec), MTT (4 sec or greater than unaffected hemisphere) and CBF ( Results: Good correlation was found between the MR perfusion iCMaps and DSA (DSA=0.70*MR iCMaps+0.54, R=0.75). Moderate correlation was obtained between the CT perfusion iCMaps and DSA (DSA=0.51*CT iCMaps+1.9, R=0.56). Conclusions: Based on the different characteristics of Tmax, MTT and CBF maps, the proposed MR or CT perfusion based iCMaps method can provide DSA comparable collateral flow information.
Towards an Understanding of Litigation as Expression: Lessons from Guantánamo

Civil rights litigation has been recognized for over fifty years as core First Amendment activity, but governments often censor indirectly that which they cannot censor outright. In the War on Terrorism, the U.S. government has imposed indirect burdens on First Amendment freedoms and access to courts. This Article explores prior Supreme Court jurisprudence interpreting litigation as political expression and asks to what extent this doctrine can survive today. The Article focuses on the chilling effects of the Terrorist Surveillance Program (“TSP”), a warrantless wiretapping program imposed shortly after 9/11. Prior literature on the TSP has focused largely on individual rights protected by the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments, but this Article highlights the First Amendment values at stake and, in particular, examines the First Amendment implications of wiretapping lawyers. Rather than utilize existing First Amendment theory to interpret the effects of the TSP, however, this Article turns the inquiry around. Drawing on a case study of twenty-three Guantanamo lawyers who believe they were targeted for surveillance, the Article explores the First Amendment theory of litigation as expression. The Article concludes that attorneys’ communications in support of litigation reflect fundamental First Amendment values tied to political expression, but implementing protection for lawyers’ communications presents significant doctrinal challenges, particularly with respect to defining the scope of litigation to be recognized as political and the type of communications to be included within the constitutional protection. The Article proposes a five-factor test to assist courts with identifying litigation that qualifies as political expression and proposes future research on the implications of recognizing First Amendment values in lawyers’ work.
Physical behaviour of oil shale at various temperatures and compressive loads: 2. Thermal expansion under various loads

Abstract The thermal expansion of oil shale for various applied compressive loads, grades and orientations of the bedding plane to the applied load have been measured. It was determined that increasing the compressive load decreases the maximum expansion. Under loads
Pressure-Induced Insulator to Metal Transition and Superconductivity of the Inert Gases

We present a comprehensive computational study of the transition from insulator to metal for the inert gases. The linearized augmented plane wave (LAPW) method, with the local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA), was applied to study these transitions. Our calculations of the inert gases determined that the total energy of the fcc structure to be lower than the total energy in the bcc structure. This is in agreement with the experimentally verified results of the inert gases. We have confirmed that under high enough pressure, the inert gases, Ar, Kr, Xe, and Rn, transition from an insulator to a metal. Furthermore, using the Gaspari-Gyorffy-McMillan theory of superconductivity, we find significant signs of superconductivity for these materials under high pressure.
Grip Strength as a Function of Forearm Rotation and Elbow Posture

An investigation was performed to assess the effect of forearm rotation (pronation and supination) and elbow orientation upon maximum grip strength of 10 male and 10 female subjects. Seven position...
Scared to Death

To the Editor: The case report by Brandspiegel et al1 and the subsequent letter to the editor by Watkins and Blumenthal2 both demonstrated conclusively a relationship between a stressful event and a transient compromise of coronary perfusion. That a person could be “worried to death”2 has a parallel example in people being “scared to death.” The Los Angeles, Calif, earthquake on January 17, 1994, at 4:31 am provided an unusual opportunity to study features of the relation between emotional stress and the triggering of sudden cardiac death (SCD), as was …
Process migration: effects on scientific computation

This report describes the notion of process migration. and points out certain vulnerabilities to architectural assumptions.Computationally intensive processes, typified by scientific computations, ...
Risk factors for central venous catheter-related vascular erosions.

Risk factors for superior vena cava perforations following central venous catheterization for total parenteral nutrition were identified in a retrospective study of 1058 catheters in 853 patients; 540 of these catheters were size 16-gauge (51%) and 518 size 14-gauge (49%). Of the size 14-gauge catheters, 274 (53%) were right-sided and 244 (47%) were left-sided subclavian catheters. Four patients (0.4%) had superior vena cava perforation. All had left-sided large bore 14-gauge catheters. All patients experienced acute symptoms and all had pleural effusions. There was no mortality directly related to vascular erosions. Two risk factors were identified for this complication: (1) catheters originating from the left side (p < 0.05), or (2) large catheters (size 14-gauge or larger) (p < 0.01). We conclude that large bore or left-sided central venous catheter placement represents an increased risk of superior vena cava perforation. (Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition15:513-516, 1991)
Column chromatography on polyethylenimine-silica: Rapid resolution of nucleotides and proteins with short columns and low pressures

Abstract Silica gel (100–200 mesh) can be coated with a stable layer of crosslinked polyethylenimine (PEI). The resulting material is useful in column chromatography for quantitative separation of adenine nucleotides. For example, 3′:5′-cyclic AMP can be separated from a mixture containing AMP, ADP, and ATP. A mixture of adenosine, AMP, ADP, and ATP can be resolved with quantitative recovery of components. Convenient separation of cytochrome c from albumin illustrates the applicability of this system to protein purification. PEI-Xama silica gel and PEI-glutaraldehyde silica gel have ion-exchange capacities of 0.27 and 0.21 meq/g, respectively. The materials are dimensionally rigid and chemically stable except in alkaline solutions (>pH 10) for prolonged periods.
A fast semi-analytical simulation of nanowire arrays based on transmission lines theory

In this work, a semi-analytical technique based on transmission line theory is introduced to reduce the computational resources required to characterize optical properties of vertically aligned nanowire (NW) arrays. To this end, the NW array is divided into several partitions with a similar height. Next, the scattering parameters matrix (S-matrix) of each section is computed using the computational electromagnetics software Ansys ® HFSS. Afterwards, the complete array is represented by cascading the equivalent network of each sub-section. The S-matrix of the cascaded networks describes the NW array properties. This technique shows that significant reduction in the computational resources required for simulating NW arrays can be achieved-~50%of the computation RAM and ~70% of the simulation time.
Functional expression of adrenergic and opioid receptors in Xenopus oocytes: interaction between α2- and β2-adrenergic receptors

We functionally expressed α2-adrenergic, β2-adrenergic, and δ-opioid receptors in Xenopus laevis oocytes. We detected receptor function as changes in currents carried by adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated chloride channels provided by the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and recorded by two-electrode voltage clamp. Co-application of forskolin and isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) or IBMX alone produced currents with a reversal potential indicative of chloride ions only in oocytes previously injected with mRNA encoding CFTR. Isoproterenol produced concentration-dependent responses in oocytes injected with mRNA encoding β2-adrenergic receptors and CFTR, and co-administration of propranolol antagonized these responses. Similarly, the α2-adrenergic agonist UK14304 increased IBMX-induced currents only in oocytes injected with mRNA encoding α2-adrenergic receptors and CFTR, and idazoxan antagonized these enhancements. The δ-opioid agonist DADLE produced concentration-related, naloxonc-reversible increases in IBMX- and forskolin-induced currents only in oocytes injected with mRNA encoding δ-opioid receptors and CFTR. In oocytes co-injected with α2, β2, and CFTR mRNAs, isobolographic analysis revealed an additive interaction between α2 - and β2-adrenergic receptors. These studies establish the oocyte as a cell system for studying the interactions among cAMP-modulating G protein-coupled receptors and provide another example of alternative coupling of α2-adrenergic and δ-opioid receptors to G proteins, possibly Gs proteins, other than Gi proteins.
Somatosensory system evoked potentials during waking behavior and sleep in the cat

Abstract During suppression of phasic motor activity in cats, a 12–16 c/sec EEG pattern has been described and termed the sensorimotor rhythm (SMR). This EEG activity has been found primarily in the somatosensory system. Other related studies have demonstrated that during SMR conditioning and associated motor suppression, changes occurred in several physiological functions to resemble more closely those seen in slow wave or quiet sleep. The purpose of this study was to examine evoked potential changes in the somatosensory system during suppression of motor activity in both waking and sleep states. All data were collected from chronic freely moving cats. Evoked potentials were tabled according to stimulus and recording sites, wave components, and behavioral states. Nine behavioral states were defined using a simple technique employing EEG patterns from sensorimotor and visual cortices along with EOG activity. The evoked potential data provided a quantitative measurement for comparing behavioral states. During absence of phasic motor activity in awake and active sleep states, evoked response amplitudes at all three levels in the somatosensory system tended to change in the direction of quiet sleep. This observation supports the hypothesis that neural mechanisms associated with the suppression of CNS functions during quiet sleep are also operative in awake and active sleep states. The marked evoked potential changes observed in waking and active sleep suggest that a similar functional modulation of somatosensory afferent activity is present during these states and that the somatosensory system is actively participating in sensory information processing. The marked decrease in the thalamic evoked response observed during the SMR supports the hypothesis that this rhythmic EEG activity is generated, at least in part, by recurrent inhibitory processes located at the thalamic level. In contrast to this, no evoked potential changes occurred at any level within the somatosensory system during spindle activity in quiet sleep. This is in concurrence with the absence of sleep spindle activity previously noted in this system during quiet sleep.
Network calisthenics: Control of E2F dynamics in cell cycle entry

Stimulation of quiescent mammalian cells with mitogens induces an abrupt increase in E2F1–3 expression just prior to the onset of DNA synthesis, followed by a rapid decline as replication ceases. This temporal adaptation in E2F facilitates a transient pattern of gene expression that reflects the ordered nature of DNA replication. The challenge to understand how E2F dynamics coordinate molecular events required for high-fidelity DNA replication has great biological implications. Indeed, precocious, prolonged, elevated or reduced accumulation of E2F can generate replication stress that culminates in either arrest or death. Accordingly, temporal characteristics of E2F are regulated by several network modules that include feedforward and autoregulatory loops. In this review, we discuss how these network modules contribute to “shaping” E2F dynamics in the context of mammalian cell cycle entry.
Biosynthesis of ribose-5-phosphate and erythrose-4-phosphate in archaea: a phylogenetic analysis of archaeal genomes

A phylogenetic analysis of the genes encoding enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) pathway, and the chorismate pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, employing data from 13 complete archaeal genomes, provides a potential explanation for the enigmatic phylogenetic patterns of the PPP genes in archaea. Genomic and biochemical evidence suggests that three archaeal species (Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, Thermoplasma acidophilum and Thermoplasma volcanium) produce ribose-5-phosphate via the nonoxidative PPP (NOPPP), whereas nine species apparently lack an NOPPP but may employ a reverse RuMP pathway for pentose synthesis. One species (Halobacterium sp. NRC-1) lacks both the NOPPP and the RuMP pathway but may possess a modified oxidative PPP (OPPP), the details of which are not yet known. The presence of transketolase in several archaeal species that are missing the other two NOPPP genes can be explained by the existence of differing requirements for erythrose-4-phosphate (E4P) among archaea: six species use transketolase to make E4P as a precursor to aromatic amino acids, six species apparently have an alternate biosynthetic pathway and may not require the ability to make E4P, and one species (Pyrococcus horikoshii) probably does not synthesize aromatic amino acids at all.
Human Lewis α1→3/4fucosyltransferase: specificity of fucose transfer to GlcNAcβ1→3Galβ1→4Glcβ1→1Cer (LcOse3Cer)

Biosynthesis of the Lex series of carbohydrate antigens proceeds by fucose transfer in alpha 1-->3-linkage to the pen-ultimate GlcNAc residue of a neolacto-series oligosaccharide acceptor, a reaction catalysed by multiple enzymes expressed in human tissues. Particularly broad acceptor specificity, including the ability to catalyse fucose transfer to both lacto- and neolacto-series acceptors as well as the precursor Lc3 structure (where Lc3, lactotriaosylceramide, is GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->1Cer), exists for one human fucosyltransferase form, the Lewis alpha 1-->3/4fucosyltransferase (FucT-III). To determine if fucose transfer to Lc3 may represent an alternate early step in Le(x) or Le(a) antigen biosynthesis with this enzyme, the chemical structure of the fucosylated Lc3 reaction product formed by the Lewis alpha 1-->3/4fucosyltransferase from Colo 205 cells has been defined. Transfer of [14C]fucose to Lc3 yielded a labelled product migrating as a tetrasaccharide on thin layer chromatography plates. This product remained an acceptor for both beta 1-->3- and beta 1-->4-galactosyl transfer on the terminal GlcNAc residue. The product was degraded to a fucosylated trisaccharide derivative by bovine kidney beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase. Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry and methylation analysis confirmed that the product was composed exclusively of the following structure containing a fucose linked to the 3-position of the internal Glc residue: [formula; see text] Such a structure does not represent an intermediate in Le(x) or Le(a) antigen biosynthesis. Thus, the evidence suggests that Le(x) or Le(a) antigen synthesis results exclusively from fucosylation of complete core chains.
The effect of GSH depletion on thermal radiosensitization

Abstract Depletion of intracellular glutathione (GSH) increased aerobic thermal radiosensitization in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells γ irradiated and heated at 42°C. The GSH concentration was decreased to various stable levels by exposure to increasing concentrations of diethylmaleate (DEM). Analysis of dose-response curves indicated that GSH depletion affected thermal sensitization and thermal radiosensitization at 42° when greater than 95% of the GSH had been depleted. GSH depletion also increased the fixation of radiation damage. For example, survival after 10 Gy y decreased from 0.012 to 0.006 if CHO cells were incubated in 100 μM DEM at 37° for 2 hrs after irradiation. The results show that GSH might be an important agent for the protection of cells against thermal enhancement of radiation damage.
The susceptibilities of spin glasses

Abstract A symmetry argument is given which suggests that the relation between the zero-field magnetic susceptibility χH and the order parameter given by Edwards and Anderson for their spin-glass model with infinite-range forces also is valid for a class of spin glasses with short-range forces. For this class similar arguments suggest that in vanishing magnetic field H, б 2 χ H /бH 2 and the spin-glass susceptibility with respect to a random magnetic field are simply related.
Effects of arc voltage on recovery voltage

THE CHARACTERISTICS of the interrupting device may have an appreciable effect on the recovery voltage obtained on interrupting an a-c circuit. This effect may appear as (a) an abrupt cutting off of the current, (b) the introduction of an arc voltage, or (c) the gradual introduction of a resistance. The recovery voltage may be either increased or decreased, depending upon how rapidly the resistance (or arc voltage) increases, and upon when it is introduced.
Chronic pressure-overload hypertrophy attenuates vortex formation time in patients with severe aortic stenosis and preserved left ventricular systolic function undergoing aortic valve replacement.

Objective Transmitral blood flow produces a vortex ring that enhances the hydraulic efficiency of early left ventricular (LV) filling. The effect of pressure-overload hypertrophy on the duration of LV vortex ring formation (vortex formation time [VFT]) is unknown. The current investigation tested the hypothesis that chronic LV pressure-overload hypertrophy produced by severe aortic stenosis (AS) reduces VFT in patients with preserved LV systolic function undergoing aortic valve replacement. Design Observational study. Setting Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Participants After the Institutional Review Board's approval, 8 patients (7 men and 1 woman; age, 62±5 y; and ejection fraction, 59%±5%) with AS (peak pressure gradient, 81±22 mmHg; aortic valve area, 0.78±0.25 cm 2 ) scheduled for aortic valve replacement were compared with 8 patients (all men; age, 63±3 y; and ejection fraction, 60%±7%) without AS undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Under general anesthesia, peak early LV filling (E) and atrial systole (A) blood flow velocities and their corresponding velocity-time integrals were obtained using pulse-wave Doppler echocardiography to determine E/A and atrial filling fraction (β). Mitral valve diameter (D) was calculated as the average of minor and major axis lengths obtained in the midesophageal bicommissural and long-axis transesophageal echocardiography imaging planes, respectively. Posterior wall thickness (PWT) was measured at end-diastole using M-mode echocardiography. VFT was calculated as 4×(1−β)×SV/πD 3 , where SV = stroke volume measured using thermodilution. Systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics, LV diastolic function, PWT, and VFT were determined during steady-state conditions 30 minutes before cardiopulmonary bypass. Early LV filling was attenuated in patients with AS (eg, E/A, 0.77±0.11 compared with 1.23±0.13; β, 0.43±0.09 compared with 0.35±0.02; p v 4.3±0.5; p 2 = 0.345; p = 0.017). Conclusion The results indicated that pressure-overload hypertrophy produced by AS reduced VFT in patients with normal LV systolic function undergoing aortic valve replacement.
Estimation in the Pareto Distribution.

The unique minimum variance unbiased (UMVU) estimate of the probability distribution function of the Pareto distribution is derived. It is shown that the distribution function and ther th moment associated with the UMVU estimate are also UMVU estimators. The p.d.f. and its estimator are compared graphically. An estimate of the 100p th percentile is given. It is seen that a function of this estimator has a chi-square distribution.
Heparin in blood.

SummaryThe presence of heparin in normal blood is demonstrated by the “carrier” technic, using radioactive sulfate as precursor. It appears to be found in blood in a combined form so that preliminary decomposition of the complex is required before it can be isolated.
HIF1α is required for survival maintenance of chronic myeloid leukemia stem cells

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α), a master transcriptional regulator of the cellular and systemic hypoxia response, is essential for the maintenance of self-renewal capacity of normal HSCs. It is still unknown whether HIF1α has a role in survival regulation of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Using a mouse model of CML, here we report that HIF1α plays a crucial role in survival maintenance of LSCs. Deletion of HIF1α impairs the propagation of CML through impairing cell-cycle progression and inducing apoptosis of LSCs. Deletion of HIF1α results in elevated expression of p16Ink4a and p19Arf in LSCs, and knockdown of p16Ink4a and p19Arf rescues the defective colony-forming ability of HIF1α−/− LSCs. Compared with normal HSCs, LSCs appear to be more dependent on the HIF1α pathway. Together, these results demonstrate that HIF1α represents a critical pathway in LSCs and inhibition of the HIF1α pathway provides a therapeutic strategy for eradicating LSCs in CML.
High-field electron-drift velocity and temperature in gallium phosphide

The drift velocity and electron temperature in gallium phosphide as a function of electric field are studied and modeled with a constant mean‐free path. Comparisons between theory and recently reported experimental results are made. An interpretation of the high‐field transport parameters in terms of those of ohmic transport is given.
One machine sequencing to minimize mean flow time with minimum number tardy

The problem of sequencing n jobs on one machine is considered, under the multiple objective of minimizing mean flow time with the minimum number of tardy jobs. A simple procedure is first proposed to schedule for minimum flow time with a specified subset of jobs on time. This is used in conjunction with Moore's Algorithm in a simple heuristic producing good and often optimal schedules. A branch-bound algorithm is presented to produce the optimal schedule efficiently with the help of several theorems which eliminate much branching.
Steroidogenesis of Chicken Granulosa and Theca Cells: in vitro Incubation System

An in vitro incubation system has been developed to study the steroidogenic capability of the theca or granulosa cells in the postovulatory and 3 largest preovulatory follicles of chickens. Follicles were collected at different times during the hen’s 26 h laying cycle taking into consideration the endogenous plasma LU peak(s). Three major sex steroids, progesterone (P), estrogen (E) and testosterone (T), produced by these follicular cells were measured by radioimmunoassay. Granulosa cells isolated from pre- or postovulatory follicles spontaneously synthesized large amounts of P and little T. In contrast, theca cells collected from the same follicles did not produce any sex steroids. The influence of endogenous gonadotropins on steroidogenesis of these follicular cells incubated in vitro was seen only in the P synthesis I)y granulosa cells of the largest preovulatory follicles: P synthesizing ability was significantly greater in follicles collected at the time of preovulatory LH surge than those collected at any other times studied. Interestingly, granulosa cells of smaller (more immature) follicles, in general, showed greater ability to synthesize P and T than did the first largest which is destined to ovulate next. These findings provide direct evidence that granulosa cells of both pre- and postovulatory follicles are steroidogenically active and spontaneously synthesize P and T. In contrast, the role of theca cells in follicular steroidogenesis remained unclear. Data of this study also strongly suggest that the postovulatory follicle of hens, which does not morphologically develop into a corpus luteum, should be considered as an active endocrine tissue.
Evaluation of patients with peripheral vascular disease

Approximately 10% of people age >55 years have asymptomatic peripheral atherosclerotic disease (PAD), 5% have intermittent claudication (IC, the cardinal symptom), and 1% critical leg ischemia (rest pain or gangrene). In patients with IC, worsening occurs in approximately 16%, bypass surgery is required in approximately 7%, and amputation in approximately 4%. Disease progresses more frequently in diabetics and in tobacco smokers. Patients with PAD suffer increased cardiovascular morbidity related mainly to coronary artery disease with a mortality rate of approximately 30% after 5 years. Compared to patients without PAD, the relative risk of coronary death is approximately 6.6, overall cardiovascular mortality 5.9, and all-cause mortality 3.1. Pain at rest or ischemic gangrene indicates severe, often multilevel arterial occlusive disease and calls for aggressive management, which usually includes angiography and revascularization by percutaneous angioplasty or surgery. Critical limb ischemia results in some 150,000 amputations annually in the U.S., with perioperative mortality rates of 5-10% for below-knee and up to 50% for above-knee amputation because of comorbidities. Physical findings include trophic signs of ischemia, vascular bruits and peripheral pulse deficits. Ischemic ulcers usually involve the tips of the toes or the heel of the foot, and are typically painful on elevation and most bothersome at night. Ancillary diagnostic modalities begin with the ankle/arm systolic pressure index (ABI); a value <0.90 indicates PAD with significant prognostic implications. More precise assessment in the noninvasive vascular laboratory may involve a combination of segmental limb pressure measurements and pulse volume waveform recording, which is over 90% accurate for predicting the level and extent of PAD. Exercise testing enhances the value of these observations. Magnetic resonance imaging methods are emerging to characterize the arterial wall and atherosclerotic lesions. The diagnosis of PAD does not generally require invasive techniques, and most patients with IC do not need contrast angiography. Angiography is indicated for mapping of the extent and location of arterial pathology prior to revascularization.
The effect of naturally occurring organic substances on the growth of a red tide organism

Abstract The effect of soil extracts on the growth of the Florida red tide organism. Gymnodiniam brere . was investigated to determine the potential effect of organic matter in rivers on red tide outbreaks. Soil from a peat bog was extracted with water, filtered through a membrane filter (0.22 μm), then fractionated into four molecular-weight fractions (0–500; 500–1000; 1000–10,000; and 10,000) by means of Amicon Diaflo ultramembranes. Fractions were analyzed for organic carbon, iron and manganese. The effect of different amounts of the last three fractions on the rate of growth and maximum cell population of G. breve cultures was determined. No substantial change in the growth constant ( K e ) with change of concentration of added fraction was noted, nor was there a marked variation from one fraction to another. The maximum cell population increased with an increase in the amount of added organic extract; and using the second and third fractions, the increase was related to the amount of iron present (linear correlation coefficient, r = 0.994, P = 0.001); the last molecular-weight fraction showed a similar relationship, though the effectiveness in increasing N max was less (on the basis of amount or iron added). The results were compared with the effect of adding gibberellic acid, which is a naturally occurring hormone that reportedly reduces the time for maximum cell populations to be attained.
A novel technique for autonomous snow quantity measurement

The purpose of NASA's Snow and Cold Land Processes (SCLP) mission is to quantify the snow cover around the world from space using radiometer and radar technology [1]. Both techniques are based on scattering: snow cover scatters radiation of different frequencies in different ways, depending on quantities such as how wet the snow is, the snow grain size and shape, its depth, etc. However, it is not robustly understood how these quantities affect snow's scattering properties [2]. A major impediment is that it is difficult to measure snow ground truth. We present a novel technique for autonomous collection of snow ground truth data with both high temporal and spatial resolution over areas as large as 1km 2 . The goal of this project is to provide convenient ground-truth data that can be used for SCLP calibration and validation.
Role of lung reduction in lung transplant candidates with pulmonary emphysema

Background. The average waiting time for candidates for lung transplantation (LTx) with end-stage emphysema is 21 months with a 15% mortality. We hypothesized that lung reduction might offer an alternative to LTx. Methods. Of 95 patients with end-stage emphysema evaluated by our LTx program, 45 were accepted for both lung reduction and LTx and 35 underwent lung reduction. Results. All 35 patients survived lung reduction. Thirty patients had a follow-up of 3 months. There was a significant improvement ( p p p Conclusions. Lung reduction is safe and effective in selected LTx candidates with end-stage emphysema and has the potential to provide an alternative to LTx. Longterm follow-up is warranted to confirm these results.
Prior Restraint: A Bayesian Perspective on the Optimization of Technology Utilization for Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease

In conclusion, at least 1/3 of patients with suspected coronary artery disease are inappropriately referred for scintigraphic diagnostic testing from a Bayesian such as those described in this report, may be a powerful mechanism for encouraging more appropriate technology utilization while simultaneously controlling costs, and are thereby deserving of a formal prospective demonstration trial. However, since only half the patients currently being tested are referred for diagnostic purposes, analogous strategies must be developed with respect to prognostic and therapeutic evaluation.
Role of Sucrose in Pectin Gelation: Static and Dynamic Light Scattering Experiments

We report data on static and dynamic light scattering of semidilute solutions of high methoxyl pectin in the presence of different amounts of sucrose, ranging from few % (w/w) up to a value just below the threshold required for gel formation. The apparent gyration radius of the pectin is found to slightly increase with sucrose concentration while the mean relaxation time displays a diverging behavior, strongly correlated with the increase of the solvent bulk viscosity. The dynamic behavior on approaching the condition required for gelation exhibits features typical of a glass transition, providing new insight into the role of sucrose in promoting the gelation of pectin.
Unintended consequences: high phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activity related to reduced fitness in barley

Selectable markers used in plant transformation, such as the bar gene, have been chosen for selection efficacy and for the absence of pleiotropic effects. Recent research has suggested that expression of bar in Arabidopsis affects the transcriptome, and in at least one barley cultivar, high bar expression has been associated with severe fitness reductions. However, the observed sensitivity in barley was thought to be an isolated case associated with a specific genetic stock. In this study, fitness reductions were observed in some near-isogenic lines in the background of the cultivar Garnet when the bar locus was homozygous. The fitness of the near-isogenic lines was correlated with the levels of bar mRNA in the donor parents. Previous studies had shown heritability of bar expression in F1 barley hybrids, so these results suggested that Garnet barley is intolerant of high phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activity. Phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activities were determined for eight near-isogenic lines that showed a range of phenotypes (apparently normal to abnormal and nonviable) when homozygous for bar. Fitness was clearly and negatively correlated with phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activity. These results suggest genetic variability for sensitivity to bar expression in barley, and the possibility of negative but non-obvious effects in apparently tolerant cultivars cannot be ruled out. Similar problems may be associated, but not yet detected, with other selectable markers. The potential for pleiotropic effects of selectable markers can be avoided by transformation strategies that enable the elimination of selectable markers.
CHF determination for high-heat flux phase change cooling system incorporating both micro-channel flow and jet impingement

Abstract This paper explores the subcooled nucleate boiling and critical heat flux (CHF) characteristics of a hybrid cooling module that combines the cooling attributes of micro-channel flow and jet impingement. A test module was constructed and tested using HFE-7100 as working fluid. Increasing the coolant’s flow rate and/or subcooling shifted both the onset of boiling (ONB) and CHF to higher heat fluxes and higher wall temperatures. The hybrid module yielded heat fluxes as high as 1127 W/cm 2 , which is the highest value ever achieved for a dielectric coolant at near atmospheric pressure. It is shown the hybrid cooling configuration involves complex interactions between circular jets and micro-channel flow, and unusual spatial variations of void fraction and liquid velocity. These variations are ascertained using the Developing Homogeneous Layer Model (DHLM) in which the micro-channel flow is described as consisting of a homogeneous two-phase layer along the heated wall and a bulk liquid layer. CHF is determined by a superpositioning technique that consists of dividing the heated wall into two portions, one dominated by jet impingement and the other micro-channel flow. This technique is shown to be highly effective at predicting the CHF data for the hybrid cooling configuration.
The diagenesis of phosphorus in a nearshore marine sediment

Abstract Chemical analyses have been made for total inorganic phosphorus, total organic phosphorus, and organic carbon in plankton and in anoxic sediments from Long Island Sound, U.S.A. When combined with laboratory experiments, the measurements of other studies on the same sediments, and mathematical modelling, the results indicate that: 1. (1) A large proportion of dissolved phosphate in the upper ~10 cm of sediment (zone of bioturbation) is provided by the release of adsorbed phosphate during the reduction of ferric oxyhydroxides; 2. (2) Below the zone of bioturbation phosphate is liberated to solution solely via organic matter decomposition and the release is stoichiometrically coupled to bacterial sulfate reduction and ammonia formation, 3. (3) A steady state diagenetic model can be used to predict the profile of organic phosphorus from that of dissolved phosphate at depths below the zone of bioturbation; 4. (4) The flux of dissolved phosphate out of the sediment must arise largely from phosphate liberation occurring very close ( 5. (5) There is a large preferential loss of phosphorus relative to carbon from organic matter at the time of or prior to burial, whereas after burial phosphorus is not lost preferentially at this location.