cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Night blindness in Sorsby's fundus dystrophy reversed by vitamin A

Sorsby's fundus dystrophy (SFD) is an autosomal dominant retinal degeneration caused by mutations in the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases–3 (TIMP3) gene. Mechanisms of the visual loss in SFD, however, remain unknown. In a SFD family with a novel TIMP3 point mutation, we tested a hypothesis that their night blindness is due to a chronic deprivation of vitamin A at the level of the photoreceptors caused by a thickened membrane barrier between the photoreceptor layer and its blood supply. Vitamin A at 50,000 IU/d was administered orally. Within a week, the night blindness disappeared in patients at early stages of disease. Nutritional night blindness is thus part of the pathophysiology of this genetic disease and vitamin A supplementation can lead to dramatic restoration of photoreceptor function.
Large-Scale Exfoliation in Massive Sandstones of the Colorado Plateau

Massive igneous and metamorphic rocks commonly display a near-surface sheet jointing that is unrelated to other structures and textures but is related to topography in that it exists only at shallow depths and tends to parallel the surface of the ground. Most authors believe that this large-scale exfoliation accompanies expansion when erosion releases confining pressure on rocks which were once deeply buried. Confining pressure is released unequally, enabling residual compressive stresses parallel to the surface to cause the splitting. Little has been written about these structures in sedimentary rocks. Massive sandstones on the Colorado Plateau flake off in sheets bounded by joints which are unrelated to other structures and textures, which are found only at shallow depths, and which are oriented parallel to the outcrops. This large-scale exfoliation is similar in all important aspects to that found in crystalline terranes and it has been produced in the same way—by differential residual stresses resulting from erosion, particularly canyon cutting, of rocks that were once buried. Exfoliation has contributed to canyon development and has led to such distinctive topographic features as exfoliation caves and domes. Most existing exfoliation joints are probably of Pleistocene age.
Fissile Material Stocks and Production, 2008:

Civilian and military stockpiles of materials that can be used to make nuclear weapons continue to pose global risks.
Spectroscopic evidence for Fe(II)-Fe(III) electron transfer at clay mineral edge and basal sites.

Despite the importance of Fe redox cycling in clay minerals, the mechanism and location of electron transfer remain unclear. More specifically, there is some controversy whether electron transfer can occur through both basal and edge surfaces. Here we used Mossbauer spectroscopy combined with selective chemical extractions to study electron transfer from Fe(II) sorbed to basal planes and edge OH-groups of clay mineral NAu–1. Fe(II) sorbed predominantly to basal planes at pH values below 6.0 and to edge OH-groups at pH value 7.5. Significant electron transfer occurred from edge OH-group bound Fe(II) at pH 7.5, whereas electron transfer from basal plane-sorbed Fe(II) to structural Fe(III) in clay mineral NAu–1 at pH 4.0 and 6.0 occurred but to a much lower extent than from edge-bound Fe(II). Mossbauer hyperfine parameters for Fe(II)-reacted NAu–1 at pH 7.5 were consistent with structural Fe(II), whereas values found at pH 4.0 and 6.0 were indicative of binding environments similar to basal plane-sorbed Fe(I...
Phase‐locked InGaAsP laser array with diffraction coupling

A phase‐locked array of InGaAsP lasers has been fabricated for the first time. This 50‐μm‐wide array utilized diffraction coupling between adjacent lasers to achieve phase locking. Threshold current as low as 200 mA is obtained for arrays with 250‐μm cavity length. Smooth single‐lobe far‐field patterns with beam divergence as narrow as 3° have been achieved.
Testing carbon sequestration site monitor instruments using a controlled carbon dioxide release facility

Two laser-based instruments for carbon sequestration site monitoring have been developed and tested at a controlled carbon dioxide (CO(2)) release facility. The first instrument uses a temperature tunable distributed feedback (DFB) diode laser capable of accessing the 2.0027-2.0042 microm spectral region that contains three CO(2) absorption lines and is used for aboveground atmospheric CO(2) concentration measurements. The second instrument also uses a temperature tunable DFB diode laser capable of accessing the 2.0032-2.0055 mum spectral region that contains five CO(2) absorption lines for underground CO(2) soil gas concentration measurements. The performance of these instruments for carbon sequestration site monitoring was studied using a newly developed controlled CO(2) release facility. A 0.3 ton CO(2)/day injection experiment was performed from 3-10 August 2007. The aboveground differential absorption instrument measured an average atmospheric CO(2) concentration of 618 parts per million (ppm) over the CO(2) injection site compared with an average background atmospheric CO(2) concentration of 448 ppm demonstrating this instrument's capability for carbon sequestration site monitoring. The underground differential absorption instrument measured a CO(2) soil gas concentration of 100,000 ppm during the CO(2) injection, a factor of 25 greater than the measured background CO(2) soil gas concentration of 4000 ppm demonstrating this instrument's capability for carbon sequestration site monitoring.
Formation of the regular satellites of giant planets in an extended gaseous nebula II: satellite migration and survival

For a satellite to survive in the disk the time scale of satellite migration must be longer than the time scale for gas dissipation. For large satellites (∼1000 km) migration is dominated by the gas tidal torque. We consider the possibility that the redistribution of gas in the disk due to the tidal torque of a satellite with mass larger than the inviscid critical mass causes the satellite to stall and open a gap (W.R. Ward, 1997, Icarus 26, 261–281). We adapt the inviscid critical mass criterion to include gas drag, and m-dependent nonlocal deposition of angular momentum. We find that such a model holds promise of explaining the survival of satellites in the subnebula, the mass versus distance relationship apparent in the saturnian and uranian satellite systems, the concentration of mass in Titan, and the observation that the satellites of Jupiter get rockier closer to the planet whereas those of Saturn become increasingly icy. It is also possible that either weak turbulence (close to the planet) or gap-opening satellite tidal torque removes gas on a similar time scale (104–105 years) as the orbital decay time of midsized (200–700 km) regular satellites forming in the inner disk (inside the centrifugal radius (I. Mosqueira and P.R. Estrada, 2003, Icarus, this issue)). We argue that Saturn’s satellite system bridges the gap between those of Jupiter and Uranus by combining the formation of a Galilean-sized satellite in a gas optically thick subnebula with a strong temperature gradient, and the formation of smaller satellites, closer to the planet, in a disk with gas optical depth ≲1, and a weak temperature gradient. Using an optically thick inner disk (given gaseous opacity), and an extended, quiescent, optically thin outer disk, we show that there are regions of the disk of small net tidal torque (even zero) where satellites (Iapetus-sized or larger) may stall far from the planet. For our model these outer regions of small net tidal torque correspond roughly to the locations of Callisto and Iapetus. Though the precise location depends on the (unknown) size of the transition region between the inner and outer disks, the result that Saturn’s is found much farther out (at ∼3rcS, where rcS is Saturn’s centrifugal radius) than Jupiter’s (at ∼ 2rcJ, where rcJ is Jupiter’s centrifugal radius) is mostly due to Saturn’s less massive outer disk and larger Hill radius. However, despite the large separation between Ganymede and Callisto and Titan and Iapetus, the long formation and migration time scales for Callisto and Iapetus (I. Mosqueira and P.R. Estrada, 2003, Icarus, this issue) makes it possible (depending on the details of the damping of acoustic waves) that the tidal torque of Ganymede and Titan clears the gas disk out to their location, thus stranding Callisto and Iapetus far from the planet. Either way, our model provides an explanation for the presence of regular satellites outside the centrifugal radii of Jupiter and Saturn, and the absence of such a satellite for Uranus.
Institutional portfolio composition: An examination of the prudent investment hypothesis

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between the level of institutional ownership and various firm specific factors. We find support for the hypothesis that institutional investors are concerned with the appearance of their portfolio and invest to avoid extremes. For example, institutions avoid stocks with either a high or low beta, debt ratio, or return on assets. The nonlinear relationships documented in this paper are in contrast with the conclusions reported by other recent papers.
Transforming Activity of the E6 Gene of HPV-11gt in NIH 3T3 and REF 52 Cells: Correlation with the Level of E6 Transcription

Among human papillomavirus (HPV) types, clinical association with benign vs malignant lesions correlates with the ability of the corresponding oncogenes to transform cells in vitro. However, even though HPV-11 is considered a low-risk type, we have reported previously that the E5a oncogene of HPV-11gt is capable of transforming NIH 3T3 cells in culture. In this study, we found that HPV-11gt E5a and E6 oncogenes have the ability to transform NIH 3T3 and the rat embryo fibroblast line REF 52. Cells were transfected independently with expression plasmids containing the HPV-11gt E5a or E6 oncogenes or both plasmids simultaneously to examine potential interactions. Cells containing these plasmids were phenotypically transformed and had an accelerated doubling time, loss of contact inhibition of growth, and loss of anchorage dependence for cell division. Independent cell lines containing the HPV-11gt E6 gene exhibited variable levels of phenotypic transformation that correlated with the HPV-11gt E6 gene content. The degree of phenotypic transformation could be increased by elevating the level of transcription of the E6 gene, indicating that there is a dose response effect for transformation in this system. These results suggest that increased expression of E6 may be an important factor in malignant progression of naturally occurring tumors.
Design of serially concatenated coded CDMA system

A code-division multiple-access (CDMA) system in conjunction with serial concatenation of FEC codes is considered. Iterative decoding strategies are used at the receiver. The component decoders are functionally described by variance transfer (VTR) charts. Pinch-off SNRs, where the iterative decoding starts to function, are precisely predicted by this approach. Designs of the multiuser detection (MUD) method and the component FEC codes have been carried out and system performance to within about 1 dB of the Shannon capacity of the multiple-access channel is demonstrated.
Identification of passive and active joint properties for use in FES

A single-degree of freedom joint-space muscle model describes joint properties for use in the design of controllers for functional electrical stimulation (FES)-aided gait. The joint is modeled as an ideal pin connecting rigid links. Torque generators at the joint describe the dynamic properties of the passive tissue and electrically stimulated muscle. The model is experimentally parameterized for customization to individuals. >
Stress and burnout among surgeons understanding and managing the syndrome and avoiding the adverse consequences

Training for and practicing surgery are stressful endeavors. 1-4 Studies 5-11 involving national samples of surgeons from surgical subspecialty societies and graduates of surgical training programs suggest that burnout rates among surgeons range from 30% to 38%. These statistics indicate that a substantial number of our colleagues are struggling with personal and professional distress at a level that should be of concern to all surgeons.
Managing power, performance and reliability trade-offs

We present recent research on utilizing power, performance and reliability trade-offs in meeting the demands of scientific applications. In particular we summarize results of our recent publications on (i) phase-aware adaptive hardware selection for power-efficient scientific computations, (ii) adapting application execution to reduced CPU availability, and (Hi) a helper thread based EDP reduction scheme for adapting application execution in CMPs.
The metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and subclinical atherosclerosis assessed by coronary calcium.

Abstract Objectives We compared the prevalence and extent of coronary artery calcium (CAC) among persons with the metabolic syndrome (MetS), diabetes, and neither condition. Background The prevalence and extent of CAC has not been compared among those with MetS, diabetes, or neither condition. Methods Of 1,823 persons (36% female) age 20 to 79 years who had screening for CAC by computed tomography, 279 had MetS, 150 had diabetes, and the remainder (n = 1,394) had neither condition. Metabolic syndrome was defined with ≥3 of the following: body mass index ≥30 kg/m2; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol Results Those with neither MetS nor diabetes, MetS, or diabetes had a prevalence of CAC of 53.5%, 58.8%, and 75.3% (p 20% 10-year risk of CHD or CAC ≥75th percentile for age and gender. Risk factor-adjusted odds for the presence of CAC were 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05 to 1.87) among those with MetS and 1.67 (95% CI 1.12 to 2.50) among those with diabetes, versus those with neither condition. Conclusions Those with MetS or diabetes have an increased likelihood of CAC compared with those having neither condition.
Na[Fe(CO)2(C5H5)] Mediated Coupling Reactions of Benzyl and Allyl Halides

Abstract The reaction of Fp anion [Fp - Fe(Co)2(C5H5)] with allylic and benzylic halides produces the corresponding Fp-R complex, reduced substrate R-H and/or the coupled dimer R-R in varying yields. The major product of the reaction is dependant on the halogen and the nature of the substrate. Allyl and benzyl bromides produce higher yields of coupled product than the corresponding chloro compounds. Doubly and triply benzylic substrates (Ph2CHX and Ph3CX) yield the corresponding reduction products, R-H, as well.
Extracting layers and analyzing their specular properties using epipolar-plane-image analysis

Despite progress in stereo reconstruction and structure from motion, 3D scene reconstruction from multiple images still faces many difficulties, especially in dealing with occlusions, partial visibility, textureless regions, and specular reflections. Moreover, the problem of recovering a spatially dense 3D representation from many views has not been adequately treated. This document addresses the problems of achieving a dense reconstruction from a sequence of images and analyzing and removing specular highlights. The first part describes an approach for automatically decomposing the scene into a set of spatio-temporal layers (namely EPI-tubes) by analyzing the epipolar plane image (EPI) volume. The key to our approach is to directly exploit the high degree of regularity found in the EPI volume. In contrast to past work on EPI volumes that focused on a sparse set of feature tracks, we develop a complete and dense segmentation of the EPI volume. Two different algorithms are presented to segment the input EPI volume into its component EPI tubes. The second part describes a mathematical characterization of specular reflections within the EPI framework and proposes a novel technique for decomposing a static scene into its diffuse (Lambertian) and specular components. Furthermore, a taxonomy of specularities based on their photometric properties is presented as a guide for designing further separation techniques. The validity of our approach is demonstrated on a number of sequences of complex scenes with large amounts of occlusions and specularity. In particular, we demonstrate object removal and insertion, depth map estimation, and detection and removal of specular highlights.
Relationship of depression and cognitive impairment to self-injury in borderline personality disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia

Abstract Self-injury was studied in 64 adults with borderline personality disorder, major depression, or chronic paranoid schizophrenia. Subjects were rated according to acute depression, chronic depression, self-injurious behaviors, and neuro-cognitive deficits, as measured by cognitive function examination. Borderline patients showed more self-injurious behaviors and more chronic depressive symptoms than the major depression or schizophrenia groups. Self-injury was not significantly correlated with acute or chronic depression in any group, but self-injury was correlated with neurocognitive deficits in borderline and schizophrenic groups. The results are explained in the context of a neurocognitive model of psychotic thought process in borderline disorder and schizophrenia.
Exact pointer theories for von Neumann projector measurements of pre- and postselected and preselected-only quantum systems: statistical mixtures and weak value persistence

Exact expressions for the mean pointer position, the mean pointer momentum and their variances are obtained for projection operator measurements performed upon ensembles of pre- and postselected (PPS) and preselected-only (PSO) quantum systems. These expressions are valid for any interaction strength which couples a measurement pointer to a quantum system, and consequently should be of general interest to both experimentalists and theoreticians. To account for the ‘collapse’ of PPS states to PSO states that occurs as interaction strength increases and to introduce the concept of ‘weak value persistence’, the exact PPS and PSO pointer theories are combined to provide a pointer theory for statistical mixtures. For the purpose of illustrating ‘weak value persistence’, mixture weights defined in terms of the Bhattacharyya coefficient are used and the statistical mixture theory is applied to mean pointer position data associated with weak value projector measurements obtained from a recent dynamical quantum non-locality detection experiment.
The health impact of health care on families: a matched cohort study of hospice use by decedents and mortality outcomes in surviving, widowed spouses

Alternative ways of caring for seriously ill patients might have implications not only for patients' own outcomes, but also, indirectly, for the health outcomes of their family members. Clinical observation suggests that patients who die "good deaths" may impose less stress on their spouses. Consequently, we sought to assess whether hospice use by a decedent is associated with decreased risk of death in surviving, bereaved spouses. We conducted a matched retrospective cohort study involving a population-based sample of 195,553 elderly couples in the USA. A total of 30,838 couples where the decedent used hospice care were matched using the propensity score method to 30,838 couples where the decedent did not use hospice care. Our principal outcome of interest was the duration of survival of bereaved widow/ers. After adjustment for other measured variables, 5.4% of bereaved wives died by 18 months after the death of their husband when their deceased husband did not use hospice and 4.9% died when their deceased husband did use hospice, yielding an odds ratio (OR) of 0.92 (95% CI: 0.84-0.99) in favor of hospice use. Similarly, whereas 13.7% of bereaved husbands died by 18 months when their deceased wife did not use hospice, 13.2% died when their deceased wife did use hospice, yielding an OR of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.84-1.06) in favor of hospice use. Our findings suggest a possible beneficial impact of hospice--as a particularly supportive type of end-of-life care--on the spouses of patients who succumb to their disease. Hospice care might attenuate the ordinarily increased mortality associated with becoming widowed. This effect is present in both men and women, but it is statistically significant and possibly larger in bereaved wives. The size of this effect is comparable to the reductions in the risk of death seen in a variety of other modifiable risk factors in women. Health care may have positive, group-level health "externalities": it may affect the health not only of patients but also of patients' family members.
Analysis and Scalings of Blowoff Limits of 2D and Axisymmetric Bluff Body Stabilized Flames

This paper considers shear layer flame stabilization with a particular focus on velocity scaling of blowoff limits. Analysis of the expression for hydrodynamic flame stretch, κ, in a shear layer shows that it consists of two contributions, associated with normal and shearing flow strain. These two contributors lead to flame stretch scalings of SL/δ and U/L, respectively, where δ and L denote shear layer thickness and characteristic geometric length scale. These two flame stretch terms have different velocity and length scalings (roughly U1/2 and U1, respectively) and so different blowoff trends can be expected depending upon which term dominates. These scalings are used to interpret a variety of bluff body blowoff data in the literature by analyzing the velocity and length scale dependence of extinction stretch rates calculated at the measured blowoff conditions. We also show that the measured velocity sensitivities to chemical time at blowoff range from U−0.3 to U−1.6. A key point of this study is that blowoff boundaries do not necessarily follow a U−1 scaling suggested by classical Damkohler number scalings and that more work is needed to understand the controlling extinction processes of near-blowoff flames.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Brain Tumor Cells in Circulation Are Enriched for Mesenchymal Gene Expression

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive brain cancer characterized by local invasion and angiogenic recruitment, yet metastatic dissemination is extremely rare. Here, we adapted a microfluidic device to deplete hematopoietic cells from blood specimens of patients with GBM, uncovering evidence of circulating brain tumor cells (CTCs). Staining and scoring criteria for GBM CTCs were first established using orthotopic patient-derived xenografts (PDX), and then applied clinically: CTCs were identified in at least one blood specimen from 13/33 patients (39%; 26/87 samples). Single GBM CTCs isolated from both patients and mouse PDX models demonstrated enrichment for mesenchymal over neural differentiation markers, compared with primary GBMs. Within primary GBMs, RNA-in-situ hybridization identifies a subpopulation of highly migratory mesenchymal tumor cells, and in a rare patient with disseminated GBM, systemic lesions were exclusively mesenchymal. Thus, a mesenchymal subset of GBM cells invades into the vasculature, and may proliferate outside the brain.
Bidirectional anisotropic reflectance of snow and sea ice in AVHRR channel 1 and channel 2 spectral regions. II. Correction applied to imagery of snow on sea ice

For pt.I see ibid., vol.37, no.1, p.543-54 (1999). Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) images acquired over the Arctic Ocean often show strong bidirectional reflectance of snow on sea ice. The observed anisotropic reflectance characteristics of these images are consistent with the theoretical analysis presented in Part I of this study. The anisotropic reflectance at the top of atmosphere (TOA) is simulated by radiative transfer modeling and the results show a good model-observation agreement. Based on these modeling results, a method was developed to correct the effect of anisotropic reflectance on AVHRR images in channels 1 and 2. Results show the method is effective and efficient. Comparisons of TOA snow reflectance before and after anisotropic correction show that the systematic and large variation of snow reflectance across the scan lines of an image due to satellite viewing/illumination geometry can either be eliminated or greatly reduced by applying the correction algorithm.
Reversibility of Inhibition of Chicken Liver Fructose Diphosphatase by Adenosine 5′-Monophosphate

Abstract The inhibition of chicken liver fructose diphosphatase by adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) was found to be reversible. This is based on the observations that (a) incubation of the enzyme with AMP followed by extensive dialysis resulted in almost complete recovery of enzyme activity and (b) addition of Mg+ + during the reaction period would to a certain extent reverse the AMP inhibition.
Cardiopulmonary Responses to Inhaled Sulfur Dioxide in the Chicken

Selected cardiopulmonary variables were measured in anesthetized, male, White Leghorn type chickens before, during, and after 60 min exposure to various inhaled SO/sub 2/ concentrations ranging from 0 to 5000 ppm. In one series of experiments, birds breathed through their nostrils and mouth; in a second series they breathed through a tracheal cannula. Exposure to 5000 ppm SO/sub 2/ rapidly caused death in all birds with cannulated trachea and in 4 of 5 birds with an intact respiratory system; one bird in each series of experiments died when exposed to 1000 ppm. Inhaling 100 ppm SO/sub 2/ did not alter heart rate, blood pressure, tidal volume, respiratory frequency, or arterial blood gases and pH. Airway resistance was decreased by inhaling 500 ppm SO/sub 2/ and was initially decreased but later greatly increased by inhaling 1000 ppm. Respiratory frequency and minute volume were decreased and PaCO/sub 2/ was increased by inhaling 1000 ppm. The cardiopulmonary responses to inhaling 5000 ppm were generally augmentations of those responses which occurred when 1000 ppm was inhaled. The SO/sub 2/ could not be detected in caudal thoracic or abdominal air sac gas at any concentration inhaled but vascular congestion and areas of brown discoloration appearedmore » in the lungs of all birds that inhaled 5000 ppm and some that inhaled 1000 ppm. Mucous secretion in the trachea increased in some birds that inhaled 500 ppm SO/sub 2/ and in most that inhaled higher concentrations. Chickens appear to have more tolerance for inhaled SO/sub 2/ than most mammals but the pollutant gas at high concentrations detrimentally affects the cardiopulmonary system. 18 references, 1 figure, 2 tables.« less
Neural Modeling Fields for Natural Language

Natural language computer interfaces and search engines remain elusive goals. The paper considers mathematical difficulties encountered in the past and describes adaptive learning of language (language acquisition) using neural modeling fields and dynamic logic.
Electron accelerator options for photo-detection of fissile materials

For national security, it is important to detect the presence of special nuclear materials, especially highly-enriched uranium (HEU). Generally used methods for such detection include interrogation by photons and neutrons. For example, photofission in HEU can be initiated with 14-MeV photons. The resulting delayed neutrons and photons from the fission fragments are clear signatures of the presence of HEU. One can generate high- energy photons using electron accelerators via various mechanisms. In this paper, we will describe two of them, namely electron bremsstrahlung and Compton backscattered photons. We focus on these two mechanisms because they cover a wide range of accelerator requirements. Electron bremsstrahlung can be generated using a compact low-energy electron linac while the generation of Compton backscattered photons requires a high-energy electron accelerator of a few hundred MeV. We review these two options, describe their accelerator requirements, and compare their relative merits.
Chronic pain and whiplash associated disorders: rehabilitation and secondary prevention.

One fundamental concept common to the rehabilitation of chronic pain patients is the understanding that patients with complex pain problems are best served by a team of specialists with different health care backgrounds. This approach to the management of chronic pain, especially as the result of a motor vehicle accident and associated whiplash, is addressed. Also described is a anxiety-based model and the potential of this model to prevent chronicity.
Recent advances in the organic solution phase synthesis of metal nanoparticles and their electrocatalysis for energy conversion reactions

Abstract Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) are essential catalyst components in electrochemical energy conversion and storage devices, including fuel cells, Li-air batteries and water-splitting systems. Syntheses of monodisperse MNPs with controlled sizes, shapes and structures is key to fully harvesting their catalytic capabilities. This review first outlines the fundamentals of the synthesis of monodisperse MNPs by organic solution phase reactions. It then summaries common strategies applied to tailor MNP size, shape and structure. The review further highlights recent advances of using MNPs as efficient catalysts to catalyze some representative reactions that related to energy conversions, including oxygen reduction reaction, hydrogen evolution reaction, CO2 reduction reaction, methanol/formic acid oxidation reaction, and oxygen evolution reaction.
Molecular basis of the heterogeneity of expression of glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchored proteins in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

The purpose of these studies was to determine the molecular basis of the phenotypic mosaicism that is a defining feature of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH). Analysis of T cell clones from a female patient revealed four distinct phenotypes based on surface expression of glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins (GPI-AP). When PIG-A (the gene that is mutant in PNH) from these clones was analyzed, four discrete somatic mutations were identified. Analysis of X chromosomal inactivation among the abnormal T cell clones was consistent with polyclonality. Together, these studies demonstrate that the phenotypic mosaicism that is characteristic of PNH is a consequence of genotypic mosaicism and that, at least in this case, PNH is a polyclonal rather than a monoclonal disease. That four distinct somatic mutations were present in a single patient suggests that in conditions that predispose to PNH PIG-A may be hypermutable.
Evaluation of Airflow Systems for the Collection of Boll Weevils from Cotton

To develop a more rapid and efficient mechanical method of detecting low level infestations of Anthonomus grandis Boheman, 4 mechanical collection systems were compared with visual observation of adult boll weevils in Cotton. The McCoy Insect Collector (a dual directional blower and vacuum system) was the most efficient system and had an efficiency of 130% compared with visual detection. Field tests indicate that ca. 10% of the oviposition damaged squares on the plants as well as adult weevils will be collected with the mechanical sampling device. The McCoy Insect Collector is capable of detecting the presence of 2 adult weevils in 10 acres of cotton either by collection of the weevils or by collection of infested squares.
Characterizing Spatial Variability of Cone Penetration Testing through Geostatistical Evaluation

Geostatistical methods are used to quantify the spatial variability in cone penetration test (CPT) tip resistance at a site in southwest Indiana. Spatial variability of soil properties affects all geotechnical projects. Geostatistical tools provide a method to both predict the properties at unsampled locations and to quantify their uncertainty. Universal kriging is a geostatistical method that accounts for a variable mean, such as a varying mean tip resistance in different soil layers, when making predictions. In this paper, universal kriging is applied to a database of CPT results. Because CPT tip resistance shows greater variability with depth than with lateral distance, a method of accounting for greater correlation between measurements in the lateral direction than with depth is presented. Finally, cross-validation, or the removal of measured points from the database and use of the model to predict the known results, is used to validate the geostatistical model.
Cortes' Multicultural Empowerment Model and¯Generative Teaching and Learning in Science

Using Cortes' Multicultural Empowerment Model as a guide, and a moderate rational, realist philosophical framework (somewhat broadened by a postmodern perspective), I adapt the Cortes' model to science teaching and to Wittrock's Model of Generative Learning and Teaching in science. My goal is to develop and demonstrate a balanced “multicultural” approach to teaching children of different ethnic cultures about the nature of science – one that both values and teaches their cultures and beliefs, while moving them towards important mainstream notions of good science. I justify the Cortes model by comparing it to other major multicultural approaches. I then interweave Cortes' notion of multicultural empowerment with Wittrock's generative attributes, using a lesson about plants as an example. The intent is to succeed not only in having all children learn science, but also learn about science.
Safety of Automatic End Dates for Antimicrobial Orders to Facilitate Stewardship

Following implementation of automatic end dates for antimicrobial orders to facilitate antimicrobial stewardship at a large, academic children's hospital, no differences were observed in patient mortality, length of stay, or readmission rates, even among patients with documented bacteremia. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2016;37:974-978.
When the economic engine stalls − A multi-scale comparison of vegetation dynamics in pre- and post-recession Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Abstract Often, we think of cities as designed landscapes, where people manage everything from water to weeds. But we do not fully understand what happens to these extensively managed landscapes when there is an abrupt disruption in economic activity. Considering the ability of cities to support plant biodiversity and their importance as human habitat, we studied pre- and post-recession landscapes across a gradient of human influence by asking: How did vegetation change over time from before the housing bubble to after the nadir of the Great Recession? And how did vegetation vary across sites at regional versus residential scales? This investigation used long-term vegetation data to examine diversity trends and responses to a novel economic disturbance in an urban social-ecological system. Overall, we found that plant species diversity increased through time across scales, while species composition homogenized in urban and agricultural areas. Residential yards, however, initially had high compositional heterogeneity which then increased over time. Changes in residential diversity were driven by substantial increases in the role of annual plants. This research improves our understanding of spatiotemporal vegetation dynamics in a coupled human-natural system, and specifically how urban vegetation dynamics are linked to anthropogenic influence. Ultimately, we recommend that city planners and managers consider economic trends when approaching community projects because of the interconnectedness of ecology and socioeconomics in urban landscapes.
Prophylactic antiepileptic drug administration following brain tumor resection: results of a recent AANS/CNS Section on Tumors survey

OBJECTIVE Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are often administered prophylactically following brain tumor resection. With conflicting evidence and unestablished guidelines, however, the nature of this practice among tumor surgeons is unknown. METHODS On November 24, 2015, a REDCap (Research Electronic Database Capture) survey was sent to members of the AANS/CNS Section on Tumors to query practice patterns. RESULTS Responses were received from 144 individuals, including 18.8% of board-certified neurosurgeons surveyed (across 86 institutions, 16 countries, and 5 continents). The majority reported practicing in an academic setting (85%) as a tumor specialist (71%). Sixty-three percent reported always or almost always prescribing AED prophylaxis postoperatively in patients with a supratentorial brain tumor without a prior seizure history. Meanwhile, 9% prescribed occasionally and 28% rarely prescribed AED prophylaxis. The most common agent was levetiracetam (85%). The duration of seizure prophylaxis varied widely: 25% of surgeons administered prophylaxis for 7 days, 16% for 2 weeks, 21% for 2 to 6 weeks, and 13% for longer than 6 weeks. Most surgeons (61%) believed that tumor pathology influences epileptogenicity, with high-grade glioma (39%), low-grade glioma (31%), and metastases (24%) carrying the greatest seizure risk. While the majority used prophylaxis, 62% did not believe or were unsure if prophylactic AEDs reduced seizures postoperatively. The vast majority (82%) stated that a well-designed randomized trial would help guide their future clinical decision making. CONCLUSIONS Wide knowledge and practice gaps exist regarding the frequency, duration, and setting of AED prophylaxis for seizure-naive patients undergoing brain tumor resection. Acceptance of universal practice guidelines on this topic is unlikely until higher-level evidence supporting or refuting the value of modern seizure prophylaxis is demonstrated.
Underutilization of Routine Ultrasound Surveillance after Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

Background Since 2009, the Society for Vascular Surgery has advocated annual surveillance imaging with ultrasound (US) after the first postoperative year for uncomplicated endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVARs). We sought to describe diffusion of US into long-term routine surveillance and to estimate potential cost savings among Medicare beneficiaries after EVAR. Methods Using Medicare claims data, we identified patients receiving EVAR from 2002 to 2010 and included only those who did not subsequently have reinterventions, late aneurysm-related complications, or death. We collected all relevant postoperative imaging (computed tomography [CT] and US) through 2011. Patients with follow-up less than 1 year were excluded. We estimated cost savings with increased use of US after the first postoperative year. Results The cohort comprised 24,615 patients with a mean follow-up of 3.9 ± 2.3 years. Mean number of images decreased from 2.23 in the first postoperative year to 0.31 in the 10th year. Utilization of US at the first postoperative year remained low but increased from 15.2% in 2003 to 28.8% in 2011 ( P Conclusions CT remains the primary modality of surveillance for up to 10 years after EVAR for patients without reinterventions or aneurysm-related complications. Increasing the use of US and decreasing the use of CT would save cost without compromising outcomes.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Complex Players in Lung Repair and Injury

In the past decade, investigations related to the role of mesenchymal stem cells, both bone marrow derived and local, in lung disease and repair have grown exponentially. Stem cells are emerging as a therapeutic modality in various inflammatory disease states. A number of ongoing randomized phase I/II clinical trials are evaluating the effects of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) infusion in patients with multiple sclerosis, graft-versus-host disease, Crohn’s disease, and severe, chronic myocardial ischemia. MSC are also being considered and tested in clinical trials as a potential therapy in patients with inflammatory lung diseases including pulmonary fibrosis, acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and emphysema. Several studies, including our own, have demonstrated compelling benefits from the administration of bone marrow derived MSC in animal models of lung injury. These studies are leading to growing interest in the therapeutic use of MSCs in lung diseases. In this chapter, we describe how the immunoregulatory effects of MSCs can confer substantial protection in the setting of the most common lung diseases such as fibrosis, acute lung injury, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and lung transplant. In addition we will discuss recent evidence for resident lung MSC and their functions during tissue homeostasis and disease.
The Comet Assay: Automated Imaging Methods for Improved Analysis and Reproducibility

Sources of variability in the comet assay include variations in the protocol used to process the cells, the microscope imaging system and the software used in the computerized analysis of the images. Here we focus on the effect of variations in the microscope imaging system and software analysis using fixed preparations of cells and a single cell processing protocol. To determine the effect of the microscope imaging and analysis on the measured percentage of damaged DNA (% DNA in tail), we used preparations of mammalian cells treated with etoposide or electrochemically induced DNA damage conditions and varied the settings of the automated microscope, camera, and commercial image analysis software. Manual image analysis revealed measurement variations in percent DNA in tail as high as 40% due to microscope focus, camera exposure time and the software image intensity threshold level. Automated image analysis reduced these variations as much as three-fold, but only within a narrow range of focus and exposure settings. The magnitude of variation, observed using both analysis methods, was highly dependent on the overall extent of DNA damage in the particular sample. Mitigating these sources of variability with optimal instrument settings facilitates an accurate evaluation of cell biological variability.
Properties of Small Diameter Aramid Double Braids: Fatigue Lifetime, Strength Retention after Abrasion, and Strength Modeling

Small diameter double braids were fabricated using poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA) as the core material and nylon 66 and polyester (PET) as the braided sheath materials. The degree of deterioration from abrasion was characterized by residual strength measurements, while the number of cycles to failure was used to determine fatigue resistance. Fracture zones from both, along with the failed specimens from static strength tests, were investigated using SEM. Tensile testing of both the sheathed braid and unsheathed core revealed that the sheath improves load-bearing capabilities, but pre-conditioning the braids before testing decreases strength. A modified model was applied to predict the mean failure stress of the unsheathed core, and a good fit was found, with the rope failure strain being more difficult to predict when the model was applied in a similar fashion. Abrasion testing of the sheathed samples did not result in a strength loss within the number of cycles tested, but when the unsheathed ...
A low-power dual-path floating-point fused add-subtract unit

This paper examines a low-power consumption dual-path fused floating-point add-subtract unit and compares it with previous fused add-subtract units such as the single path fused add-subtract unit with/without enhanced aligning and compound adder-round unit and the high-speed dual-path fused add-subtract unit. The high-speed dual-path fused add-subtract unit has less latency than the single-path fused add-subtract units, but with higher power consumption. To reduce the power consumption, a dual-path fused add-subtract unit with a simplified far/close path scheme is proposed; the significand addition, subtraction and round units are not included in the far/close paths while each path of the high-speed version has these units. The significand adder and subtractor are shared by far/close path. The power consumption of the proposed design is 18% lower than the high-speed dual-path fused add-subtract unit at a 16% cost in latency; however, the proposed dual-path fused add-subtract unit is 11–20% faster than the two single-path fused add-subtract units.
Amino Acid-Specific ADP-Ribosylation: Purification and Properties of an Erythrocyte ADP-Ribosylarginine Hydrolase

There is a class of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases that are distinguished by their ability to utilize as ADP-ribose acceptors the free amino acid arginine, other simple guanidino compounds, and proteins. Several transferases of this type were identified in and purified from turkey erythrocytes (1–3). The enzymes displayed different physical, kinetic and regulatory properties and were localized to the soluble, membrane and nuclear compartments (1–3). Similar NAD:arginine ADP-ribosyltransferases have been observed in other tissues and organ systems from a variety of species (1–5). The enzymes are found in viruses, bacteria and animal cells (1–7).
Toward Everyday Gaze Input: Accuracy and Precision of Eye Tracking and Implications for Design

For eye tracking to become a ubiquitous part of our everyday interaction with computers, we first need to understand its limitations outside rigorously controlled labs, and develop robust applications that can be used by a broad range of users and in various environments. Toward this end, we collected eye tracking data from 80 people in a calibration-style task, using two different trackers in two lighting conditions. We found that accuracy and precision can vary between users and targets more than six-fold, and report on differences between lighting, trackers, and screen regions. We show how such data can be used to determine appropriate target sizes and to optimize the parameters of commonly used filters. We conclude with design recommendations and examples how our findings and methodology can inform the design of error-aware adaptive applications.
Seismic studies in central and eastern Tennessee

abstract Some of the seismic characteristics of Tennessee were investigated by means of a short-period surface-wave dispersion study in central Tennessee and a microearthquake survey of the eastern portion of the state. The tripartite method of phase velocity determination was applied to data from a 4-element SPZ array at the Cumberland Plateau Observatory (CPO). Seven short-period (0.5 to 1.4 sec.) surface-wave trains were analyzed. These wave trains exhibited both fundamental and first higher mode dispersion. Theoretical models, consisting of 2 or 3 layers over a half-space were developed that explain the observed dispersion. The layers, which model the surficial sediments of the region, range in total thickness from 1.6 to 2.1 km and have shear velocities from 1.70 to 3.10 km/sec. A 5-station array of portable seismographs was deployed in eastern Tennessee and 2 months of operation yielded 3000 low-noise hours of data. Eleven microearthquakes −1.3 ≦ M ≦ 1.1 were recorded during that time frame indicating that, at least for periods of several weeks, the microseismicity of eastern Tennessee can be very low.
An examination of the e-mail and electronic relationship marketing practices of the USA's top 500 online retailers

The present study analyses the relationship between the relative size of an internet retailer in terms of annual sales and their use of e-mail marketing and electronically mediated relationship marketing strategies. The results reveal that the majority of the USA's top 500 online retailers do in fact rely on e-mail marketing programs and that higher-ranked companies actually send more e-mails per customer per year than their lower-ranked counterparts. Also, higher-ranked online retailers are not as likely to permanently include an 'opt-in' choice on their websites, although they are more likely to send a series of welcome e-mails. Moreover, there is partial support that higher-ranked online retailers are more likely to utilise incentive offers. Finally, higher-ranked online retailers are more likely to include links to social networks on their websites.