cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Unified nuclear potential for heavy-ion elastic scattering, fusion, fission, and ground-state masses and deformations

We develop a unified nuclear potential for the description of large-scale nuclear collective motion and find that it satisfactorily reproduces experimental data for heavy-ion elastic scattering, fusion, fission, and ground-state masses. Obtained by generalizing the modified liquid-drop model so that two semi-infinite slabs of constant-density nuclear matter have minimum energy at zero separation, this potential is given in terms of a double volume integral of a Yukawa-plus-exponential folding function. For heavy nuclear systems the resulting heavy-ion interaction potential is similar to the proximity potential of Swiatecki and co-workers. However, for light nuclear systems our potential lies slightly below the proximity potential at all nuclear separations. For heavy nuclei fission barriers calculated with our Yukawa-plus-exponential model are similar to those calculated with the liquid-drop model. However, for light nuclei the finite range of the nuclear force and the diffuse nuclear surface lower the fission barriers relative to those calculated with the liquid-drop model. Use of a Wigner term proportional to $\frac{|N\ensuremath{-}Z|}{A}$ in the nuclear mass formula resolves the major part of the anomaly between nuclear radii derived from elastic electron scattering on the one hand and from ground-state masses and fission-barrier heights on the other.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{4}\mathrm{He}$+$^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$+$^{28}\mathrm{Si}$, $^{84}\mathrm{Kr}$+$^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$; calculated heavy-ion interaction potential. $^{16}\mathrm{O}$+$^{28}\mathrm{Si}$, $E=37.7, 81.0, 215.2$ MeV; calculated elastic-scattering angular distribution. $^{32}\mathrm{S}$+$^{27}\mathrm{Al}$, $^{35}\mathrm{Cl}$+$^{62}\mathrm{Ni}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$+$^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$; calculated compound-nucleus cross section. Calculated fission-barrier heights and ground-state masses for nuclei throughout Periodic Table. Nuclear potential energy of deformation, liquid-drop model, droplet model, modified liquid-drop model, Yukawa-plus-exponential model, proximity potential, Woods-Saxon potential, double-folding potential, optical model, ingoing-wave boundary condition, single-particle corrections, Strutinsky's method.
Diazene (HN=NH) is a substrate for nitrogenase: insights into the pathway of N2 reduction.

Nitrogenase catalyzes the sequential addition of six electrons and six protons to a N2 that is bound to the active site metal cluster FeMo-cofactor, yielding two ammonia molecules. The nature of the intermediates bound to FeMo-cofactor along this reduction pathway remains unknown, although it has been suggested that there are intermediates at the level of reduction of diazene (HNNH, also called diimide) and hydrazine (H2N−NH2). Through in situ generation of diazene during nitrogenase turnover, we show that diazene is a substrate for the wild-type nitrogenase and is reduced to NH3. Diazene reduction, like N2 reduction, is inhibited by H2. This contrasts with the absence of H2 inhibition when nitrogenase reduces hydrazine. These results support the existence of an intermediate early in the N2 reduction pathway at the level of reduction of diazene. Freeze-quenching a MoFe protein variant with α-195His substituted by Gln and α-70Val substituted by Ala during steady-state turnover with diazene resulted in conv...
Radial Planar Magnetic Bearing Analysis With Finite Elements Including Rotor Motion and Power Losses

No literature is currently available which has evaluated finite element power loss models for magnetic bearings and compared the results to experimental results. In this paper a finite element model of the magnetic and electric fields in magnetic bearings, including the motion of the magnetic material in the rotor, is developed. It evaluates the two dimensional magnetic vector potential, magnetic flux density, electric field, eddy current, and power losses in an example magnetic bearing configuration. Results were obtained for both a solid rotor and a laminated rotor. For a solid rotor, both the magnetic flux density and eddy current plots at high rotational speeds are concentrated at the outer edge of the rotor. The ratio of calculated solid to laminated losses is found to be in the range of measured results by other authors. An effective axial conductivity was employed to model a laminated rotor and compared to experimental loss measurements. The correlation between measured and calculated results is quite good for a range of rotor speeds, magnetic flux density, and air gap thickness.Copyright © 1997 by ASME
Introduction: Fiscal Aspects of Evolving Federations

There has been a resurgence of interest, in many parts of the world, in problems of multilevel government finance. Recent and ongoing political and economic developments raise questions about the role of the nation, subnational governments, and supranational public authorities in the provision and financing of public-sector programs. This paper presents an overview of these developments that may assist in understanding some of the motivation behind the articles presented in this special issue and in appreciating some of their potential applications. The articles are briefly summarized, and some issues that remain on the agenda for future research are identified.
Stable isotopic records of bleaching and endolithic algae blooms in the skeleton of the boulder forming coral Montastraea faveolata

Within boulder forming corals, fixation of dissolved inorganic carbon is performed by symbiotic dinoflagellates within the coral tissue and, to a lesser extent, endolithic algae within the coral skeleton. Endolithic algae produce distinctive green bands in the coral skeleton, and their origin may be related to periods of coral bleaching due to complete loss of dinoflagellate symbionts or “paling” in which symbiont populations are patchily reduced in coral tissue. Stable carbon isotopes were analyzed in coral skeletons across a known bleaching event and 12 blooms of endolithic algae to determine whether either of these types of changes in photosynthesis had a clear isotopic signature. Stable carbon isotopes tended to be enriched in the coral skeleton during the initiation of endolith blooms, consistent with enhanced photosynthesis by endoliths. In contrast, there were no consistent δ13C patterns directly associated with bleaching, suggesting that there is no unique isotopic signature of bleaching. On the other hand, isotopic values after bleaching were lighter 92% of the time when compared to the bleaching interval. This marked drop in skeletal δ13C may reflect increased kinetic fractionation and slow symbiont recolonization for several years after bleaching.
α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Have a Prolonged Antiviral Effect against Hepatitis B Virus through the Sustained Inhibition of the Large and Middle Envelope Glycoproteins:

Previous work has shown that the secretion of enveloped hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA and the HBV middle envelope protein (MHBs) are sensitive to glucosidase inhibition. Here, it is shown that HBV DNA secretion remains depressed after the removal of the glucosidase inhibitor and long after glucosidase function returns to normal. For example, glyco-processing and the secretion of alpha-1 anti-trypsin returned to normal within 3 h of the removal of the glucosidase inhibitor. In contrast, the secretion of HBV did not return to normal for more than 7 days after the removal of the inhibitor. Consistent with the inhibition of HBV virion secretion, the levels of HBV L and HBV M proteins were also reduced by treatment with the glucosidase inhibitor and remained reduced for 7 days after compound withdrawal. The implications of the prolonged antiviral effect against HBV and the use of glucosidase inhibitors as antiviral agents are discussed.
Silver nitrate-high performance liquid chromatography of fatty methyl esters

Long chain fatty methyl esters have been separated by high performance liquid chromatography on the basis of number, position, and geometric configuration of double bonds with a silver nitrate-silicic acid column and benzene solvent. Saturated esters are eluted first, followed by methyl elaidate and then methyl oleate. Geometric isomers of methyl 9,12-octadecadienoate and of methyl 9,15-octadecadienoate are also well separated. Methyl linolenate is retained strongly on the column and its elution has not been observed, but thetrans, trans, trans andtrans, cis, trans isomers are separated.
Multiple Interactions Involving the Amino-terminal Domain of Yeast mtRNA Polymerase Determine the Efficiency of Mitochondrial Protein Synthesis

The amino-terminal domain (ATD) ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial RNA polymerase has been shown to provide a functional link between transcription and post-transcriptional events during mitochondrial gene expression. This connection is mediated in large part by its interactions with the matrix protein Nam1p and, based on genetic phenotypes, the mitochondrial membrane protein Sls1p. These observations led us to propose previously that mtRNA polymerase, Nam1p, and Sls1p work together to coordinate transcription and translation of mtDNA-encoded gene products. Here we demonstrate by specific labeling of mitochondrial gene products in vivo that Nam1p and Sls1p indeed work together in a pathway that is required globally for efficient mitochondrial translation. Likewise, mutations in the ATD result in similar global reductions in mitochondrial translation efficiency and sensitivity to the mitochondrial translation inhibitor erythromycin. These data, coupled with the observation that the ATD is required to co-purify Sls1p in association with mtDNA nucleoids, suggest that efficient expression of mtDNA-encoded genes in yeast involves a complex series of interactions that localize active transcription complexes to the inner membrane in order to coordinate translation with transcription.
Glossina and the Extinction of Tertiary Mammals

DR. G. D. H. CARPENTER (NATURE, March 20, p. 46) asks why we should suppose that the occurrence of tsetse-flies (Glossina) in the Miocene of Colorado might have had anything to do with the extinction of some of the large Mammalia. He points out that such flies exist in Africa to-day, carrying trypanosomes, and the native Mammalia nevertheless survive and flourish. It is known, however, that in Miocene times there were extensive migrations of animals, from mammals to insects, and the New and Old Worlds each received important contributions from the other. In such periods of migration it is perfectly conceivable that Glossina might appear in a new region, carrying a trypanosome which would be highly pathogenic for certain elements of the resident fauna. Even in Africa we do not know what animals may be absent to-day owing to the former prevalence of disease-producing organisms.
Structural transformation of ultra-high modulus and molecular weight polyethylene fibers by high-temperature wide-angle X-ray diffraction

Wide-angle x-ray diffraction (WAXD) of the ultra-high modulus and molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers at room temperature shows a predominantly orthorhombic structure with trace amount of nonorthorhombic crystals and very low amorphous contents. The calculated unit cell dimensions a and b of the orthorhombic crystals are 7.36 (±0.04) A, and 4.89 (±0.04) A, respectively. The apparent crystallite sizes perpendicular to the orthorhombic 110 and 200 reflection planes are 169.8 and 143.4 A, respectively. The crystallite size perpendicular to the nonorthorhombic 010 reflection is 149.4 A. The crystal density is calculated to be 1.02 g/cc. With increasing temperature, the thermal expansion coefficient in the a direction is much higher than that in the b direction which explains the structural transformation from the orthorhombic crystals to a pseudohexagonal form. Tension along the fiber axis while being heated during the high-temperature x-ray diffraction (HTWAXD) scanning has shown enhanced structural transformation from the orthorhombic form to the monoclinic form. Structural transformation from the orthorhombic form to the pseudohexagonal phase is not observed on the UHMWPE fibers under axial tension or annealing conditions in HTWAXD. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys, 35: 623–630, 1997
Boundary Work: Transcendence and Authoriality in Religious and Secular Law

The semiotic investigation of the divine or transcendent authoriality of religious law involves, in the context of discussions concerning the propriety or impropriety of the influence of religion in “secular” political and legal systems, preliminary boundary work to discern the meanings of “religion”, “secular”, and “belief.” Jeremy Waldron’s account of the propriety of religion in “secular” politics, mirroring but reversing John Rawls’ account of religion’s impropriety in that context, can be contrasted with neo-Calvinist (and other) conceptions of pluralism and the inevitability of fundamental “beliefs” in all political and legal thought. In the latter perspectives, religious believers are neither unique in their appeal to transcendent values, nor relegated to advancing theocracy (because pluralism is conceived as a religious value rather than religion’s opposite). A workable alternative to the conventional discourse of religious influence in politics and law is therefore evident.
Differential modulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors by NADH

The effects of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotides (NADH, NAD+, NADPH) on ryanodine receptor channels (RyRs) from cardiac and skeletal muscle were compared in planar bilayers. NADH decreased cardiac RyR activity, which was counteracted by NAD+. In contrast, NADH and NAD+ both activated skeletal RyRs. NADPH/NADP+ were without effect on cardiac and skeletal RyRs. In the presence of ATP, NADH inhibition of cardiac RyRs remained. Differently, in the presence of ATP both NADH and NAD+ were ineffective as skeletal RyR agonists, suggesting interactions with the ATP binding site(s) of the channels. The results suggest that the direct effect of cytosolic NADH is physiologically important for the modulation of cardiac RyRs.
The Design of a Mechanical Damage Inspection Tool Using Dual Field Magnetic Flux Leakage Technology

This paper describes the design of a new magnetic flux leakage (MFL) inspection tool that performs an inline inspection to detect and characterize both metal loss and mechanical damage defects. An inspection tool that couples mechanical damage assessment as part of a routine corrosion inspection is expected to have considerably better prospects for application in the pipeline industry than a tool that complicates existing procedures. The design is based on study results that show it is feasible to detect and assess mechanical damage by applying a low magnetic field level in addition to the high magnetic field employed by most inspection tools. Nearly all commercially available MFL tools use high magnetic fields to detect and size metal loss such as corrosion. A lower field than is commonly applied for detecting metal loss is appropriate for detecting mechanical damage, such as the metallurgical changes caused by impacts from excavation equipment. The lower field is needed to counter the saturation effect of the high magnetic field, which masks and diminishes important components of the signal associated with mechanical damage. Finite element modeling was used in the design effort and the results have shown that a single magnetizer with three poles is the most effective design. Furthermore, it was found that for the three-pole system the high magnetization pole must be in the center, which was an unexpected result. The three-pole design has mechanical advantages, including a magnetic null in the backing bar, which enables installation of a pivot point for articulation of the tool through bends and restrictions. This design was prototyped and tested at Battelle's Pipeline Simulation Facility (West Jefferson, OH). The signals were nearly identical to results acquired with a single magnetizer reconfigured between tests to attain the appropriate high and low field levels.
Community College Journeys of Hispanic ESL Women

The community college is the primary path that Hispanic students choose to start their college careers. Americans who speak English as their second language will continue to grow and require community colleges to offer more culturally diverse educational programs with specific resources devoted to them. This qualitative study was comprised of 11 nontraditional Hispanic women who were English as a second language (ESL) speakers and first generation college students enrolled in a community college in the Southwest. These women were two years or more post high school graduation. The study explored difficulties of college acculturation of these Hispanic participants. Three 90-minute interviews per participant were structured to mirror the students’ backgrounds and experiences. A focus group was conducted after the individual interviews. The focus group allowed the researcher to contextualize the participants’ voices through dialogue with other women. The data provided six main themes that impacted the success...
Refractive surgery for children: laser, implants, current results and future directions

Two groups of visually impaired children now benefit from refractive surgery and stand to further benefit with future advances. These children have difficulties with spectacle-wear and are unsuitable for contact lens-wear. The majority are neurologically normal and have anisometropic amblyopia. They are treated by advanced surface ablation using the excimer laser (photorefractive keratectomy or laser-assisted subepithelial keratomilieusis). Surface ablation is safe in children; the drawback is the high rate of pediatric refractive regression (more pronounced for myopia > 10.0 D, and hyperopia > 4.5 D). Ametropia beyond this range may be treated using phakic intraocular lens implantation or clear lens extraction, with or without implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (refractive lens exchange). The minority are neurobehaviorally impaired children (e.g., cerebral palsy, autism, Angelman syndrome, Down syndrome and mental retardation) with high bilateral ametropia. Spectacle noncompliance releg...
Dynamics of photoexcited carriers in poly(p-phenylene vinylene) and its soluble derivative

Summary form only given. We report the results of comprehensive measurements of photoconductivity (PC) in films of poly(p phenylenevinylene), PPV and its soluble derivative, poly[2-methoxy, 5-(2'-ethyl-hexyloxy)-p phenylenevinylene], MEH-PPV. The initial fast transient photocurrent decays exponentially in the subnanosecond time regime, followed by a thermally-activated weak slower component. The magnitude of the peak transient photocurrent is proportional to the light intensity and the electric field, and independent of temperature. The transient PC of MEH-PPV is smaller than that of PPV by a factor of 10. Since the interchain coupling in MEH-PPV is weaker than in PPV, (due to the large side groups), interchain transport is inhibited. As a result, the early-time recombination is enhanced. Measurements of the spectral response of both transient and steady-state PC demonstrate that the onset of the PC coincides with that of photo-absorption, consistent with the photogeneration of charge carriers via an interband transition.
Function meets style: insights from emotion theory applied to HRI

As robot designers, we tend to emphasize the cognitive aspect of intelligence when designing robot architectures while viewing the affective aspect with skepticism. However, scientific studies continue to reveal the deeply intertwined and complementary roles that cognition and emotion play in intelligent decision-making, planning, learning, attention, communication, social interaction, memory, and more. Such findings provide valuable insights and lessons for the design of autonomous robots that must operate in complex and uncertain environments and perform in cooperation with people. This paper presents a concrete implementation of how these insights have guided our work, focusing on the design of sociable autonomous robots that interact with people as capable partners.
A Tale of Two Communities Divergent Development and Embedded Brokerage in Postwar Guatemala

Sociologists of development are increasingly interested in better understanding the reasons for intracountry variation of development outcomes, often focusing on community-level studies. I draw on ...
The Role of Social Science in China Scholarship

In 1959, the tenth anniversary of the Communist take-over in China, Howard Boorman reviewed Western scholarship on Chinese politics in an essay subtitled “Some Remarks on Retarded Development.” 1 Although a good deal has taken place in Western rese0arch since that time—and the Chinese Communists have, through their actions, generated considerably more subject matter—I am inclined to give my essay the same subtitle. Many books and articles on China have been published since 1959, but social science analysis has neither “staged a take-off” nor begun “the drive to maturity,” to borrow two of W. W. Rostow's terms. In fact, in my opinion social science has yet to achieve “the preconditions for take-off” from which it can begin to theorize about China.
SHP-1–Dependent Macrophage Differentiation Exacerbates Virus-Induced Myositis

Virus-induced myositis is an emerging global affliction that remains poorly characterized with few treatment options. Moreover, muscle-tropic viruses often spread to the CNS, causing dramatically increased morbidity. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore genetic factors involved in this class of human disease. This report investigates critical innate immune pathways affecting murine virus-induced myositis. Of particular importance, the key immune regulator src homology region 2 domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1), which normally suppresses macrophage-mediated inflammation, is a major factor in promoting clinical disease in muscle. We show that Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) infection of skeletal myofibers induces inflammation and subsequent dystrophic calcification, with loss of ambulation in wild-type (WT) mice. Surprisingly, although similar extensive myofiber infection and inflammation are observed in SHP-1(-/-) mice, these mice neither accumulate dead calcified myofibers nor lose ambulation. Macrophages were the predominant effector cells infiltrating WT and SHP-1(-/-) muscle, and an increased infiltration of immature monocytes/macrophages correlated with an absence of clinical disease in SHP-1(-/-) mice, whereas mature M1-like macrophages corresponded with increased myofiber degeneration in WT mice. Furthermore, blocking SHP-1 activation in WT macrophages blocked virus-induced myofiber degeneration, and pharmacologic ablation of macrophages inhibited muscle calcification in TMEV-infected WT animals. These data suggest that, following TMEV infection of muscle, SHP-1 promotes M1 differentiation of infiltrating macrophages, and these inflammatory macrophages are likely involved in damaging muscle fibers. These findings reveal a pathological role for SHP-1 in promoting inflammatory macrophage differentiation and myofiber damage in virus-infected skeletal muscle, thus identifying SHP-1 and M1 macrophages as essential mediators of virus-induced myopathy.
An auction for scheduling delivery of highly demanded products

We present a simple auction protocol for the sale of over-demanded goods with a delivery schedule. Under some reasonable assumptions, our mechanism is incentive compatible, collects only partial information about bidder's valuations, and empirical evidence suggests it converges to the efficient allocation.
Measuring the effect of intimate partner violence on health-related quality of life: a qualitative focus group study

Background: Health related quality of life (HRQOL) can be measured by a wide range of instruments, many of which have been designed for specific conditions or uses. "Preference-based" measures assess the value individuals place on health, and are included in economic evaluations of treatments and interventions (such as cost effectiveness analysis). As economic evaluation becomes more common, it is important to assess the applicability of preference-based health related quality of life (HRQOL) measures to public health issues. This study investigated the usefulness of such instruments in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV), a public health concern that that can seriously affect quality of life. Methods: The study consisted of focus groups with abused women to determine the aspects of life affected by IPV, and an analysis of existing HRQOL measures. Eight focus groups (n = 40) were conducted in which participants discussed the domains of health affected by IPV. Results were content analyzed and compared with the domains of health included in four commonly-used, preference-based HRQOL measures. Results: The average focus group participant was 43 years old, unemployed, African American, with 3 children. Domains of health reported to be affected by IPV included physical functioning, emotional and psychological functioning, social functioning and children's functioning. Psychological health was the most severely affected domain. The Short Form 36, the Health Utilities Index, the EuroQol 5D, and the Quality of Well-being Scale were found to vary in the degree to which they include domains of health important in IPV. Psychological health is included to a limited extent, and the spill-over effect of a condition on other family members, including children, is not included at all. Conclusion: Emotional and psychological health plays an important role in the overall HRQOL of abused women but is relatively underemphasized in preference-based HRQOL measures. This may lead to an underestimation of the impact of partner violence on HRQOL when using these measures and in economic evaluations that rely thereon. Holistic measurement approaches or expanded measures that capture the far-reaching effects of IPV on HRQOL may be needed to accurately measure the effect of this condition on women's health.
Impact of Coronary Heart Disease on World Leaders

Incidence of and death from coronary heart disease among office-holding world leaders has decreased over the past 30 years, possibly because of increased use of cardiac procedures. A coronary event...
Quantum Dot-Sensitized, Three-Dimensional Nanostructures for Photovoltaic Applications

Quantum dot-sensitized solar cells hold the promise to largely increase solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency owing to tunable optoelectronic properties and multiple exciton generation (MEG) capability of quantum dots (QDs). In this chapter, recent advances in QD-sensitized three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures for photovoltaic applications, including the synthesis and surface modification of colloidal QDs, chemical bath synthesis of QDs, and integration of QDs with 3D semiconductor nanostructures (e.g., nanoparticles, nanowire, and nanotubes) for solar energy conversion are highlighted, followed by discussion of electronic interaction between QDs and large band gap semiconductors and an outlook on the future research efforts in this field.
Convicts, Criminals, Prisoners, and Outlaws: A Course in Popular Storytelling

This essay provides an overview of an experimental course, Law and Popular Story Telling, taught at the University of Connecticut School of Law during spring semesters of 1990 and 1991. The course seemed to tap a deep energy in the students, as if it were filling an important and unmet need in the upper-level law school curriculum. The students’ own insights form the central portion of the essay. Let me first, however, sketch the origins of the course and distinguish it from other course in Law and Literature or Law and Popular Culture.
Do Hedge Funds Prefer Safe Stocks? Revisiting Hedge Fund Preferences for Stock Characteristics

We reexamine hedge fund preferences for stock characteristics using aggregate quarterly hedge fund holdings and a large set of firm characteristics. We find that the expanded set of firm characteristics is important in explaining variation in quarterly hedge fund holdings. Consistent with prior research, we find little evidence that hedge funds prefer stock characteristics that predict higher returns except among characteristics that capture economic and accounting fundamentals. In contrast, we find that hedge fund holdings reveal a strong preference for safe stocks, i.e. stock characteristics that predict low return volatility, that is strongest during bad times (recessions).
Safety of epidural triamcinolone acetonide use during lumbar decompression surgery in pediatric patients: an association with delayed pseudomeningocele formation

OBJECTIVE The complication profile of epidural triamcinolone acetonide use during lumbar decompression surgery is not known. However, isolated reports of increased risk of delayed CSF leakage with the use of triamcinolone acetonide in adult spinal surgery patients have been published. The purpose of this study was to determine the safety of epidural triamcinolone acetonide use in conjunction with lumbar decompression surgery in pediatric patients. METHODS The medical records of all patients who underwent lumbar decompression surgery with or without discectomy between July 1, 2007, and July 31, 2015, were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS During the study period, 58 patients underwent 59 spine procedures at Texas Children's Hospital. There were 33 female and 25 male patients. The mean age at surgery was 16.5 years (range 12-24 years). Patients were followed for an average of 38.2 months (range 4-97 months). Triamcinolone acetonide was used in 28 (of 35 total) cases of discectomy; there were no cases of delayed symptomatic CSF leaks (0%) in the minimally invasive and open discectomies. On the other hand, triamcinolone acetonide was used in 14 (of 24 total) cases of multilevel laminectomy, among which there were 10 delayed CSF leaks (71.4%) requiring treatment. The use of triamcinolone acetonide in patients who underwent multilevel laminectomy was significantly associated with an increased risk of delayed CSF leaks or pseudomeningoceles (Fisher's exact test, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS There was an unacceptable incidence of delayed postoperative CSF leaks when epidural triamcinolone acetonide was used in patients who underwent multilevel laminectomy.
The trait coding of behavior

Trait names are known to convey social desirability information. This study addressed the question of whether they convey denotative behavioral information as well. Encoders assigned trait codings to a variety of possible behavioral responses to well-defined stimulus situations. Decoders then matched the trait codings with the original behaviors. The social desirability of the behaviors was kept relatively constant. It was found that, despite the presence of factors intended to maximize their informativeness, the trait codings transmitted, on the average, only about one-fourth of the input information. The finding that trait codings discriminate poorly among behaviors that do not vary widely in social desirability, in conjunction with the fact that most behavior is socially desirable, raises intriguing questions about the function of trait words in ordinary language.
Iridium−Germanium and −Tin Carbonyl Complexes

The new compound Ir(COD)(CO)2GePh3, 1, was obtained when a solution containing [Ir(COD)Cl]2 and HGePh3 was treated with a solution of BuLi under a purge with CO. The tin homologue Ir(COD)(CO)2SnPh3...
Reliability-Based Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of a Full Vehicle System

This paper focuses on the methodology development and application of reliability-based multidisciplinary design optimization to vehicle crashworthiness under the constraints of full frontal impact, roof crush, side impact, 50% frontal offset impact, and other potential safety performance measurement. Reliability-based multidisciplinary design optimization provides an analytic and systematic tool for considering uncertainty in product development process. It is often infeasible due to the lack of computational resources, simulation capabilities, and efficient optimization methodologies, as reliability analysis itself is a design optimization problem that requires many function evaluations. This paper investigates two optimization methodologies and demonstrates them by applying to a full vehicle design of multiple impact modes with uncertainties taken into consideration.
Human Prostate Cancer Cell Apoptosis Induced by Interferon-γ and Double-Stranded RNA and Studies on the Biological Roles of Transmembrane and Coiled-Coil Domains 1

Project I: Currently, chemotherapy is the only treatment for metastatic prostate cancer. However, due to toxicity and resistance, the currently available chemotherapeutic drugs are not good enough to control this disease. To find a novel and effective method to treat this disease, we studied the effect of interferons (IFNs) and double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) on the apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. Interestingly, pretreatment of PC3 cells, a human prostate adenocarcinoma cell line, with IFNs significantly sensitized these cells to dsRNA induced apoptosis, and cell apoptosis was confirmed by a variety of assays such as Annexin V, TUNEL, DNA fragmentation and the activity of caspase 3. In comparison with IFN-α or  treatment, IFN-γ treatment remarkably augmented dsRNA-induced apoptosis in PC3 cells. By using mutant cell lines, we demonstrated that IFNsignaling is necessary for these effects. Silence of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase R (PKR) and RNAse L by siRNA did not have any significant impact on
The Methods of Strengthening Undergraduate's Education in Ideological and Political Quality in the 21st Century

Associating the theories of ideological and political quality with undergraduate's education experiences of our department and related departments, the paper reviews some kinds of reasonable methods of participating in undergraduate's ideological and political quality education.
Isolation and partial characterization of a high molecular weight red cell membrane protein complex normally removed by the spleen.

Red cell membranes from all splenectomized and some functionally asplenic persons contained a small proportion of a very high molecular weight, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-insoluble protein aggregate not found in normals. This complex averaged 3.6% ± 1.7% (SD) of the total red cell membrane protein (range 1.2%-6.3%). It was identified in the marrow reticulocytes, but not the circulating red cells, of a patient with a normal spleen. In splenectomized individuals it was present equally in young and old circulating erythrocytes. When ghosts were disrupted and banded in a sucrose density gradient, the high molecular weight protein complex remained with the membrane fraction, indicating that it was not a particulate cytoplasmic contaminant. It was accessible to iodination by lactoperoxidase only at the inner membrane surface. The complex was remarkably resistant to dissociation. It was partially disaggregated by reduction in SDS with the release of the membrane protein, spectrin. Judging from its amino acid composition, however, the complex must contain one or more additional proteins which remain to be identified. These studies suggest that reticulocyte membranes contain a high molecular weight aggregate of spectrin and other membrane proteins and that splenic “surface remodeling” includes the removal of this protein complex as well as membrane lipids. The complex may prove to be a useful tool for further study of this poorly understood splenic function and for clinical assessment of splenic hypofunction.
Posttraumatic meningioma: explanation of an epidemiologic dichotomy.

A 23-year-old soldier sustained a penetrating gunshot wound to the right frontoparietal region of the head in 1971 while serving in Vietnam. In 1984, he developed headaches and seizures, and a meningioma was found at the cranioplasty site. Recurrent meningiomas, requiring resection, developed at this site in 1988 and 1990. In 1994, he developed right proptosis. An extensive mass involving the right intraorbital region and the an terior and middle cranial fossa was found. Pathological examination of this tumor demonstrated malignant meningioma. Although antecedent head trauma has been implicated as a risk factor for meningioma, epidemiological studies of this associa tion have yielded divergent conclusions. An explanation for this epidemiologic dichotomy is suggested
Everyday functioning and cognitive correlates in healthy older adults with subjective cognitive concerns

AbstractObjective: Few studies have examined functional abilities and complaints in healthy older adults (HOAs) with subjective cognitive concerns (SCC). The aims of this study were to assess everyday functioning in HOAs reporting high and low amounts of SCC and examine cognitive correlates of functional abilities. Method: Twenty-six HOAs with high SCC and 25 HOAs with low SCC, as well as their knowledgeable informants, completed the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living-Compensation (IADL-C), a questionnaire measure of everyday functioning. Results: After controlling for depression, the high-SCC group self-reported significantly more everyday difficulties on the IADL-C, including all subdomains. Compared to the low-SCC group, informants for the high-SCC group endorsed more difficulties on the IADL-C and specifically the social skills subdomain. For the high-SCC group, poorer self-report of everyday functioning was related to poorer executive functioning and temporal order memory. Conclusions: These fin...
Effect of pregnancy and hypertension on reticuloendothelial activity.

The reticuloendothelial (RE) activity of normotensive and hypertensive animals (pregnant and nonpregnant) was determined by measuring the rate of clearance of colloidal carbon from the bloodstream. Both hypertension and pregnancy resulted in increased RE activity. While there were some differences in liver sizes among the groups, this alone would not explain the increased RE activity.
SU-F-R-19: Novel Radiomics Quantifying Tumor Structural Evolution Using Deformation Vector Field: Application for Tumor Response Assessment

Purpose: to quantify tumor volume/shape evolution due to chemoradiotherapy using structural evolution maps computed from deformation field. To extract radiomics from these maps for tumor response assessment. Methods: In 20 patients with esophageal cancer, BSpline deformable registration was performed to register post-treatment CT image to pre-treatment CT image. The resulting deformation (vector) field represented tissue displacement at every voxel. We computed three structural evolution maps from the deformation field: (1) contraction map, to detect local tumor shrinking/growth, (2) Jacobian map, to characterize the ratio of local volumetric variation, and (3) Hessian map, to track dynamic evolving process. We then extracted intensity and textural radiomics from the evolution maps for both the GTV and the 1-cm ring surrounding the GTV, to characterize tumor structural evolution. ROC analysis and Wilcoxon rank sum test were employed to identify important predictors for tumor response. Results: We visually overlaid structural evolution maps on registered CT image. Local tumor shrinking/growth regions were identified with contraction map and Jacobian map. Hessian map dynamically tracked the evolving process of a tumor. Nine radiomics (four intensity, five texture) characterizing tumor structural evolution were found useful for tumor response assessment. A tumor was more likely to achieve complete pathologic response when skewness of the contraction map in the 1-cm ring was lower (AUC = 0.84, p = 0.03), or when Kurtosis of the Jacobian map was lower in the GTV (AUC = 0.77, p = 0.08), or when short run emphasis of the Hessian map was higher (AUC = 0.87, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Structural evolution maps computed from the deformation field can quantify structural changes in a tumor. The radiomics extracted from these maps were useful predictors of tumor response. This work was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute Grants R01CA172638.
Exploration of Flight State and Control System Parameters for Prediction of Helicopter Loads via Gamma Test and Machine Learning Techniques

Accurate estimation of helicopter component loads is an important goal for life cycle management and life extension efforts. In this research, estimates of helicopter dynamic loads were achieved through a combination of statistical and machine learning (computational intelligence) techniques. Estimates for the main rotor normal bending (MRNBX) loads on the Sikorsky S-70A-9 Black Hawk helicopter during two flight conditions (full speed forward level flight and rolling left pullout at 1.5g) were generated from an input set comprising 30 standard flight state and control system (FSCS) parameters. Data exploration using principal component analysis and multi-objective optimization of Gamma test parameters generated reduced subsets of predictors. These subsets were used to estimate MRNBX using neural network models trained by deterministic and evolutionary computation techniques. Reasonably accurate and correlated models were obtained using the subsets of the multi-objective optimization, also allowing some insight into the relationship between MRNBX and the 30 FSCS parameters.
Threshold levels of extracellular L-arginine that trigger NOS-mediated ROS/RNS production in cardiac ventricular myocytes

l-Arginine (L-Arg) is the substrate for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to produce nitric oxide (NO), a signaling molecule that is key in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. In cardiac myocytes, L-Arg is incorporated from the circulation through the functioning of system-y+ cationic amino acid transporters. Depletion of L-Arg leads to NOS uncoupling, with O2 rather than L-Arg as the terminal electron acceptor, resulting in superoxide formation. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) superoxide (O2˙-), combined with NO, may lead to the production of the reactive nitrogen species (RNS) peroxynitrite (ONOO-), which is recognized as a major contributor to myocardial depression. In this study we aimed to determine the levels of external L-Arg that trigger ROS/RNS production in cardiac myocytes. To this goal, we used a two-step experimental design in which acutely isolated cardiomyocytes were loaded with the dye coelenterazine that greatly increases its fluorescence quantum yield in the presence of ONOO- and O2˙- Cells were then exposed to different concentrations of extracellular L-Arg and changes in fluorescence were followed spectrofluorometrically. It was found that below a threshold value of ~100 µM, decreasing concentrations of L-Arg progressively increased ONOO-/ O2˙--induced fluorescence, an effect that was not mimicked by d-arginine or l-lysine and was fully blocked by the NOS inhibitor l-NAME. These results can be explained by NOS aberrant enzymatic activity and provide an estimate for the levels of circulating L-Arg below which ROS/RNS-mediated harmful effects arise in cardiac muscle.
Optimal timing of delivery for women with breast cancer, according to cancer stage and hormone status: a decision-analytic model.

AbstractObjective: To compare strategies for the timing of delivery in women with breast cancer and known cancer stage or hormone receptor subtype, and to determine the optimal gestational age for induction in regards to maternal-fetal outcomes.Study design: A decision-analytic model was designed comparing eight different strategies for scheduled delivery at 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, and 37 weeks gestation. Optimal breast cancer treatment was assumed to be delayed until after delivery. Baseline estimates of the stage- and subtype-specific mortality and the impact of delayed cancer treatment on 5-year survival rates were obtained from the literature. Outcomes factored into the model included the risk of intrauterine fetal demise, spontaneous delivery, respiratory distress syndrome, cerebral palsy, and neonatal demise at each gestational age. Univariate sensitivity analyses and Monte Carlo simulations were performed to test the robustness of our model.Results: For women with stage I–II breast cancer, deli...
Geochemical Fingerprinting Using LIBS

Geochemical fingerprinting is based upon the idea that the chemical composition of a mineral or rock reflects the geological processes associated with its formation. Information about the elemental composition and isotopic ratios has used been used extensively within the geochemical community to differentiate geological samples derived from distinct source reservoirs or having a different post-formation history.
Abstract 1220: Integrative genomic analysis discovers the causative regulatory mechanisms of a breast cancer-associated genetic variant

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genetic variants that may significantly modulate breast cancer susceptibility. However, the precise molecular mechanisms behind these associations remain largely unknown; often, it is not even clear whether the GWAS variants are functional themselves or just genetically linked to other functional variants. We here provide an integrated method for identifying functional regulatory variants associated with breast cancer and their target genes by combining the analyses of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL), a modified version of allele-specific expression (ASE) systematically utilizing haplotype information, transcription factor (TF) binding preference, and epigenetic information. Application of our method to the breast cancer susceptibility region in 5p12 demonstrates that the GWAS risk allele rs4415084-T is correlated with higher expression levels of the protein-coding gene MRPS30 and lncRNA RP11-53O19.1. We propose that an intergenic SNP, in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with the GWAS SNP rs4415084, is the predicted functional SNP. We provide multiple levels of evidence that the risk allele of the predicted functional SNP, in phase with the GWAS risk allele rs4415084-T, creates a GATA3 binding motif within a regulatory element, resulting in differential GATA3 binding and chromatin accessibility, which thereby promote the transcription of MRPS30 and RP11-53O19.1. MRPS30 encodes a member of the mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, implicating the risk SNP9s role in modulating mitochondrial activities in breast cancer. Our computational framework can be extended to facilitate the rapid functional characterization of other genetic variants modulating cancer susceptibility and provides an effective way of integrating GWAS results with high-throughput genomic and epigenomic data. Citation Format: Yi Zhang, Mohith Manjunath, Shilu Zhang, Deborah Chasman, Sushmita Roy, Jun S. Song. Integrative genomic analysis discovers the causative regulatory mechanisms of a breast cancer-associated genetic variant [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1220.
Mortality and survival in systemic sclerosis: a review of recent literature.

Purpose of review Systemic sclerosis is a debilitating rheumatic disease with high morbidity and mortality. This review attempts to provide the most recent update on mortality and survival and their determinants in systemic sclerosis (SSc). Recent findings SSc remains an uncommon rheumatic disease with high mortality. There have been attempts to devise more comprehensive but simpler scoring systems to prognosticate survival in SSc, which will influence triaging of patients and guide the utilization of aggressive treatment strategies. Summary Updated literature review on mortality and survival in SSc has confirmed its high-case fatality but a slowly improving survival profile over time. It identifies some gaps in knowledge, especially in regards to ethnic differences.