cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antifouling digital microfluidics using lubricant infused porous film.

Electrowetting-driven digital (droplet-based) microfluidics has a tremendous impact on lab-on-a-chip applications. However, the biofouling problem impedes the real applications of such digital microfluidics. Here we report antifouling digital microfluidics by introducing lubricant infused porous film to electrowetting (more exactly, electrowetting on dielectric or EWOD). Such film minimizes direct contact between droplets and the solid surface but provides liquid–liquid contact between droplets and the lubricant liquid, which thus prevents unspecific adsorption of biomolecules to the solid surface. We demonstrate the compatibility of the lubricant infused film with EWOD to transport bio droplets. This configuration shows robust and high performance even for long cyclic operations without fouling in a wide range of concentrations of protein solutions. In addition, a variety of conductive droplets, including deionized (DI) water, saline, protein solution, DNA solution, sheep blood, milk, ionic liquid and honey, are examined, similarly showing high performance in cyclic transportations. In addition, using the same electrode patterns used in EWOD, transportations of dielectric (non-conductive) droplets including light crude oil, propylene carbonate and alcohol are also achieved. Such capability of droplet handling without fouling will certainly benefit the practical applications of digital microfluidics in droplet handling, sampling, reaction, diagnosis in clinic medicine, biotechnology and chemistry fields.
A link criticality index embedded in the convex combinations solution of user equilibrium traffic assignment

Abstract Identification of critical components in transportation networks is an essential part of designing robust and resilient systems. Topological criticality measures are based on graph theory and are applicable in multiple domains including communication and social networks. However, the non-linearity of link performance functions in transportation systems does not allow a perfect domain transfer of topological measures. Hence, transportation researchers take traffic flow characteristics into account while developing criticality measures. In such approaches, typically, a network performance measure is selected, then links are removed one-by-one, and traffic demand is reassigned to the updated network to calculate the impacts of each link failure. This consecutive link removal procedure requires multiple assignments which create a computational burden, especially for large networks. Overall objectives of this paper are (1) to compare and contrast selected criticality measures, and (2) to develop a new measure to identify critical components of transportation network, considering both traffic characteristics and network topology. For this purpose, the user equilibrium traffic assignment formulation is utilized, and the convex combinations solution algorithm is exploited for identification of link criticality ranking within a single traffic assignment. The developed measure is named Link Criticality Index (LCI). The LCI is compared with the existing measures in the literature through three numerical examples. Pros and cons of the LCI and selected measures are discussed in detail. The results indicate the proposed link criticality measure provides a balanced ranking with respect to connectivity/redundancy as well as the traffic conditions in the network.
Evaporation‐Induced Vertical Alignment Enabling Directional Ion Transport in a 2D‐Nanosheet‐Based Battery Electrode

2D nanosheets have been widely explored as electrode materials owing to their extraordinarily high electrochemical activity and fast solid-state diffusion. However, the scalable electrode fabrication based on this type of material usually suffers from severe performance losses due to restricted ion-transport kinetics in a large thickness. Here, a novel strategy based on evaporation-induced assembly to enable directional ion transport via forming vertically aligned nanosheets is reported. The orientational ordering is achieved by a rapid evaporation of mixed solvents during the electrode fabrication process. Compared with conventional drop-cast electrodes, which exhibit a random arrangement of the nanosheets and obvious decrease of rate performance with increasing thickness, the electrode based on the vertically aligned nanosheets is able to retain the original high rate capability even at high mass loadings and electrode thickness. Combined electrochemical and structural characterization reveals the electrode composed of orientation-controlled nanosheets to possess lower charge-transfer resistances, leading to more complete phase transformation in the active material.
In Vivo Testing of a Prototype Intradural Spinal Cord Stimulator in a Porcine Model.

Background Chronic midline low back pain is the number one reason for disability in the United States despite the prolific use of medical and surgical interventions. Notwithstanding the widespread use of epidural spinal cord stimulators (SCSs), there remains a large portion of the population with inadequate pain control thought to be because of the limited volume of stimulated neural tissue. Intradural SCSs represent an underexplored alternative strategy with the potential to improve selectivity, power efficiency, and efficacy. We studied and carried out development of an intradural form of an SCS. Herein we present the findings of in vivo testing of a prototype intradural SCS in a porcine model. Methods Six female juvenile pigs underwent surgical investigation. One control animal underwent a laminectomy only, whereas the 5 other animals had implantation of an intradural SCS prototype. One of the prototypes was fully wired to enable acute stimulation and concurrent electromyographic recordings. All animals underwent terminal surgery 3 months postimplantation, with harvesting of the spinal column. Imaging (microcomputed tomography scan) and histopathologic examinations were subsequently performed. Results All animals survived implantation without evidence of neurologic deficits or infection. Postmortem imaging and histopathologic examination of the spinal column revealed no evidence of spinal cord damage, cerebrospinal fluid fistula formation, abnormal bony overgrowth, or dural defect. Viable dura was present between the intra- and extradural plates of the device. Electromyographic recordings revealed evoked motor units from the stimulator. Conclusions Chronically implanted intradural device in the porcine model demonstrated safety and feasibility for translation into humans.
Molecular profiling and comparative genomic hybridization analysis in human melanoma cell lines and identification of BRAF amplification in a PLX4032 acquired resistance cell line.

8592 Background: Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Its management is evolving rapidly due to an improved understanding of the molecular heterogeneity and the development of effec...
STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT AND POLICY: SIX WAYS FORTUNE 500 CEOS CAN BOOST THEIR ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN THE 21ST CENTURY (A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW)

This paper aimed to discuss ways Fortune 500 CEOs can boost their strategic organizational performance in the 21st century. Six ways to achieve effective organizational performance are leading to emotional intelligence, shaping the strategic organizational path, successfully handling organizational resources, nourishing a corporate ethos, accentuating organizational ethical practices, and instituting organizational pedals. To bring clarity to this fragment area of research, the author performed a systematic literature review of papers and articles concerned with CEOs or strategic leadership, published in leading management journals over the past 25 years. A research question guided this review: How can CEOs of Fortune 500 companies make a difference in their strategic organizational performance? Next, the review outlines how CEOs of Fortune 500 companies can make a difference in their strategic organizational performance. Finally, the review addresses how future research can build on these proposed ways and framework to advance the theoretical depth and empirical investigation of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. Keyword: Emotional Intelligence, Leading, Leveraging, Organizational, Performance , Strategic CITATION: Chukwuba, K. (2020). Strategic management and policy: Six ways fortune 500 CEOs can boost their organizational performance in the 21st century (A systematic review). The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management , 7(4), 20 – 30.
The future of genetic alteration in food animal production

For centuries, animal breeders have intentionally selected the parents of the next generation based on their contended 'ideal' animal. The dramatic variation evidenced by the appearance and productivity of different breeds demonstrates the power of selective breeding. There are 4 variables that can be altered in breeding programs: 1) the accuracy of selection, 2] selection intensity, 3} the amount of genetic variation that is available among the selection candidates, and 4) the average age of the parents when their offspring are born. Any approach or technology that can improve 1 of these 4 components of the so-called "breeder's equation” can accelerate the rate of genetic gain. Animal breeders have routinely used both assisted reproductive technologies (e.g. artificial insemination) and advanced breeding methods (e.g. genomic selection) concurrently to accelerate genetic gains. Molecular methods to introduce useful genetic variation such as genetic engineering (GE) have met with regulatory obstacles and delay, and activist opposition. In 2017 the FDA issued a draft guidance proposing the regulation of all "intentional” genomic alterations as new animal drugs. There is a real possibility that this will preclude the development of beneficial GE and gene edited applications to the detriment of global food security and agricultural sustainability.
Unhealthy foods may attenuate the beneficial relation of a Mediterranean diet to cognitive decline

Introduction It is unclear whether eating Western diet food components offsets the Mediterranean diet's (MedDiet) potential benefits on cognitive decline. Methods The study includes 5001 Chicago Health and Aging Project participants (63% African American, 36% males, 74 ± 6.0 years old), with food frequency questionnaires and ≥ two cognitive assessments over 6.3 ± 2.8 years of follow-up. Mixed-effects models were adjusted for age, sex, education, race, cognitive activities, physical activity, and total calories. Results Stratified analysis showed a significant effect of higher MedDiet on cognitive decline only with a low Western diet score (highest vs lowest MedDiet tertile: β = 0.020, P = .002; p trend = 0.002) and not with a high Western diet score (highest vs lowest MedDiet tertile: β = 0.010, P = .11; p trend = 0.09). Conclusion This prospective study found that high consumption of Western diet components attenuates benefits of the MedDiet on cognition.
Dynamic Marketing Policies: Constructing Markov States for Reinforcement Learning

Many firms want to target their customers with a sequence of marketing actions, rather than just a single action. We interpret sequential targeting problems as a Markov Decision Process (MDP), which can be solved using a range of Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithms. MDPs require the construction of Markov state spaces. These state spaces summarize the current information about each customer in each time period, so that movements over time between Markov states describe customers’ dynamic paths. The Markov property requires that the states are “memoryless,” so that future outcomes depend only upon the current state, not upon earlier states. We propose a method for constructing Markov states from historical transaction data by adapting a method that has been proposed in the computer science literature. Rather than designing states in transaction space, we construct predictions over how customers will respond to a firm’s marketing actions. We then design states using these predictions, grouping customers together if their predicted behavior is similar. To make this approach computationally tractable, we adapt the method to exploit a common feature of transaction data (sparsity). As a result, a problem that faces computational challenges in many settings, becomes more feasible in a marketing setting. The method is straightforward to implement, and the resulting states can be used in standard RL algorithms. We evaluate the method using a novel validation approach. The findings confirm that the constructed states satisfy the Markov property, and are robust to the introduction of non-Markov distortions in the data.
PBWD bases and shuffle algebra realizations for U_{\varvec{v}}(L\mathfrak {sl}_n), U_{{\varvec{v}}_1,{\varvec{v}}_2}(L\mathfrak {sl}_n), U_{\varvec{v}}(L\mathfrak {sl}(m|n)) and their integral forms

We construct a family of PBWD (Poincare–Birkhoff–Witt–Drinfeld) bases for the quantum loop algebras $$U_{\varvec{v}}(L\mathfrak {sl}_n),U_{{\varvec{v}}_1,{\varvec{v}}_2}(L\mathfrak {sl}_n),U_{\varvec{v}}(L\mathfrak {sl}(m|n))$$ in the new Drinfeld realizations. In the 2-parameter case, this proves (Hu et al. in Commun Math Phys 278(2):453–486, 2008, Theorem 3.11) (stated in loc. cit. without a proof), while in the super case it proves a conjecture of Zhang (Math. Z. 278(3–4):663–703, 2014). The main ingredient in our proofs is the interplay between those quantum loop algebras and the corresponding shuffle algebras, which are trigonometric counterparts of the elliptic shuffle algebras of Feigin and Odesskii (Anal. i Prilozhen 23(3):45–54, 1989; Anal i Prilozhen 31(3):57–70, 1997; Integrable Structures of Exactly Solvable Two-Dimensional Models of Quantum Field Theory (Kiev, 2000). NATO Sci Ser II Math Phys Chem, vol 35, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 123–137, 2001). Our approach is similar to that of Enriquez (J Lie Theory 13(1):21–64, 2003) in the formal setting, but the key novelty is an explicit shuffle algebra realization of the corresponding algebras, which is of independent interest. This also allows us to strengthen the above results by constructing a family of PBWD bases for the RTT forms of those quantum loop algebras as well as for the Lusztig form of $$U_{\varvec{v}}(L\mathfrak {sl}_n)$$ . The rational counterparts provide shuffle algebra realizations of type A (super) Yangians and their Drinfeld–Gavarini dual subalgebras.
Modeling Flexible Electronics Under Biaxial Strain

Flexible electronic systems are likely to see a combination of uniaxial and biaxial stresses and strains when deployed in real-world applications. The manufacturing community must develop standardized methodologies for evaluating the performance and reliability of emerging flexible electronic materials under these biaxial conditions to supplement established uniaxial testing approaches. Previous work has shown that stretchable conductive inks will fail much sooner under biaxial loading conditions, and that an inflation test system can be used to evaluate the electromechanical behavior of the ink under biaxial strain. The research presented herein seeks to demonstrate the development of a visco-hyperelastic material model and a finite-element model to better understand the electrical and mechanical behavior of stretchable conductors examined through biaxial inflation stretch testing. Numerical predictions for the mechanical response of the substrate-ink system and associated increases in the resistance of the ink conductor show agreement with experimental results. Recommendations are made for application of this modeling approach as a tool to improve the design of more reliable flexible electronic materials.
Open Source 5G Security Testbed for Edge Computing

Multi-access Edge Computing (MEC) is a key 5G enabler for the 5th Generation of mobile wireless networks. It allows compute and storage resources to be located closer to the end user and source of data generation compared to traditional architectures. MEC offers 5G users optimized network performance to support use cases and applications that require low latency and massive control. It also helps offload backhaul traffic by way of local breakout. Although MEC provides service and application benefits, there are increased security risks. These include risks associated with storing security contexts in the edge servers, visited authentication at the edge servers, and frequent communication involving key exchange between edge servers and the central cloud. This paper highlights an open source 5G security testbed that was developed for the purpose of edge computing security research. It describes experimental details from the open source testbed to validate basic functionality through a proof-of-concept video streaming application. It provides comparative simulation results from the testbed highlighting the ability to control latency, latency distribution, packet loss, packet corruption and quality of service for an edge or central cloud server interface. Background research and current work on the security issues associated with edge computing and relevant mitigation techniques are discussed. The use case for this security research effort focuses on a multiagency active school shooter scenario and how 5G MEC must be secure to be a viable ultra-low latency solution for public safety and first responders.
Medical management of cervical spondylosis.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an artificial bladder reflex arc in dogs via an abdominal reflex pathway above the level of spinal cord injury to reinnervate the neurogenic bladder and restore controllable micturition. METHODS:Ten beagles were used in the experiment. We anastomosed the proximal end of the rightT1 2 ventral root and distal end of the right S2 ventral root by performing autogenous nerve grafting to build an abdomen-to-bladder reflex, whereas the rightT1 2 dorsal root was kept intact. The early function of the reflex arc was evaluated by performing electrophysiological studies as well as by the measurement of intravesicular pressure and histological examination. RESULTS: Single focal stimulation of the rightT12 intercostal nerves elicited evoked action potentials at the right vesicular plexus before and after horizontal spinal cord transaction between the L4 and S3 levels. Bladder contraction was successfully initiated by trains of stimuli targeting the rightT12 intercostal nerves. The bladder pressures and amplitude of the complex action potentials at the bladder smooth muscles were unchanged after paraplegia was induced; they were comparable to those of the control. Prominent axonal sprouting was observed in the distal part of the nerve graft. CONCLUSION: Our data showed the effectiveness of bladder innervation above the level of spinal cord injury in inducing micturition by abdomen-to-bladder reflex contractions and, therefore, might provide a new clinical approach for restoring bladder function in individuals with paraplegia.
Cervical myelopathy presenting as a genu recurvatum gait disorder.

Abstract A 49-year-old man presenting with a genu recurvatum gait disorder was found to have a cervical myelopathy, probably on the basis of cervical spondylosis and a cervical disc herniation compromising a congenitally narrow cervical spinal canal. Satisfactory resolution of abnormal hyperextension of the knee was achieved through the use of an ankle-foot orthosis. A genu recurvatum gait disorder as the presenting sign of cervical myelopathy does not appear to have been reported previously.
85.8 - The HYPOINVERSE2000 Earthquake Location Program

This chapter focuses on the HYPOINVERSE2000 Earthquake Location Program. The general features of HYPOINVERSE include command environment, file formats, crustal models, magnitudes, station gain history, station weighting, inversion, and output results. HYPOINVERSE2000 is command driven. Commands can be entered from the keyboard at the prompt or from a file. Models are in a flat Earth. Stations are at the surface but can have delays. Earthquake depths are thus below the local surface, but they are only an approximation if there is steep terrain like a conical volcano. Crustal models may either have homogeneous layers (with a model specified only by a table of velocities and depths), or have linear gradients within layers. Two different amplitude magnitudes based on a local magnitude formula from a variety of analog and digital, displacement or velocity stations may be computed for each event. Files with time-varying station gains and magnitude corrections are supported. Phases and stations may be individually weighted. Residual and distance weighting can suppress high-residual or distant stations. The program uses singular-value decomposition for the least-squares inversion that permits a variety of controls such as eigenvalue cutoff and damping. HYPOINVERSE2000 is written in Fortran 77 with (minor) extensions that compiles on UNIX (Sunos or Solaris), VMS (VAX or ALPHA), and PC OS2. The UNIX executable does not require that Fortran libraries be on the computer because it is compiled with the -Bstatic option. The UNIX executable is about 2 megabytes in size, which includes a station table of 4000 stations, earthquakes of 1000 phases, and 36 crustal models.
Aesthetic labia minora reduction with inferior wedge resection and superior pedicle flap reconstruction

Background: Aesthetic surgery of female genitalia is an uncommon procedure, and of the techniques available, labia minora reduction can achieve excellent results. Recently, more conservative labia minora reduction techniques have been developed, because the simple isolated strategy of straight amputation does not ensure a favorable outcome. This study was designed to review a series of labia minora reductions using inferior wedge resection and superior pedicle flap reconstruction. Methods: Twenty-one patients underwent inferior wedge resection and superior pedicle flap reconstruction. The mean follow-up was 46 months. Aesthetic results and postoperative outcomes were collected retrospectively and evaluated. Results: Twenty patients (95.2 percent) underwent bilateral procedures, and 90.4 percent of patients had a congenital labia minora hypertrophy. Five complications occurred in 21 patients (23.8 percent). Wound-healing problems were observed more frequently. The cosmetic result was considered to be good or very good in 85.7 percent of patients, and 95.2 percent were very satisfied with the procedure. All complications except one were observed immediately after the procedure. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that inferior wedge resection and superior pedicle flap reconstruction is a simple and consistent technique and deserves a place among the main procedures available. The complications observed were not unexpected and did not extend hospital stay or interfere with the normal postoperative period. The success of the procedure depends on patient selection, careful preoperative planning, and adequate intraoperative management.
Course 12 Superconducting qubits

Most proposals for implementing a quantum computer have been based on qubits constructed from microscopic degrees of freedom: electron or nuclear spin, atomic transition dipoles, etc. This chapter discusses discuss a different experimental approach based on “quantum integrated circuits,” where qubits are constructed from collective electrodynamic modes of macroscopic electrical elements, rather than microscopic degrees of freedom. An advantage of this approach is that these qubits have an intrinsically large electromagnetic cross-section, which implies they may be easily coupled in complex topologies via simple linear electrical elements like capacitors, inductors, and transmission lines. The chapter treats the example of circuits, the superconducting linear LC oscillator. Although it cannot lead to a useful qubit, this circuit allows the presentation of the circuit variables and parameters with minimal mathematical complications. It then introduces the Josephson junction as the crucial non-linear, non-dissipative element. The problem of dealing with the fluctuations in the offset charge of the junction leads to the three basic types of superconducting qubits— the Cooper pair box, the RF-SQUID, and current-biased junction.
High resistivity Si as a microwave substrate

Silicon has many advantages as a system substrate material including low cost and a mature technology. However, Si has not been demonstrated as a good microwave substrate compared to semi-insulating GaAs or quartz. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the potential of using high-resistivity silicon as a low-cost low-loss microwave substrate through an experimental comparative study. Coplanar waveguides fabricated on Si, GaAs and quartz substrates are tested and their characteristics are compared. Microwave spiral inductors and meander lines are also fabricated on various substrates, and their performance is also analyzed. The results demonstrate that the losses of a coplanar transmission line (CPW) realized on high-resistivity (3 k to 7 k /spl Omega/-cm) silicon substrates are comparable to the losses of a CPW realized on a GaAs substrate covered with insulator. Furthermore, measured unloaded Q's of microwave inductive structures on high-resistivity silicon substrates are comparable to the measured unloaded Q's of the same structures on GaAs and on quartz. The measured results are explained using both microwave and semiconductor physics theory. This paper demonstrates that high-resistivity Si can be used as a microwave substrate.
Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Therapies

In Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic Therapies, Jeremy D. Safran discusses this uniquely influential theory and set of approaches. Initially founded on the principles and practice of Sigmund Freud, these therapies and psychoanalytic theory have been developed and elaborated over the past century by a variety of theorists, clinicians, and researchers There are many different approaches to psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy, but they all tend to share features in common, such as a focus on the exploration and expression of feelings and efforts to avoid painful feelings and experiences; exploration of clients' ambivalence about changing; identification of self-defeating patterns of feeling, thinking, and relating; exploration of wishes and dreams; and exploration of the therapeutic relationship. Safran presents and explores this influential, practical, and thoughtful approach, its theory, history, therapy process, primary change mechanisms, and the empirical basis for its effectiveness. He also examines developments that have refined the theory and expanded how it may be practiced. This essential primer, amply illustrated with case examples featuring diverse clients, is perfect for graduate students studying theories of therapy and counselling, as well as for seasoned practitioners interested in understanding how this approach has evolved and how it might be used in their practice.
Physician Use of Sacral Neuromodulation Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Overactive Bladder and Urinary Retention.

Objective To identify physician-level factors associated with high rates of sacral neuromodulation testing. Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study using a 20% sample of national Medicare claims to identify physicians who performed sacral neuromodulation procedures between 2005 and 2010. Physician-level rates of device testing were determined based on the number of patients seen for overactive bladder and urinary retention diagnoses in the office in each calendar year. These rates were then used to fit a Poisson model to examine factors associated with high rates of device testing. Results The number of physicians performing test procedures increased 4-fold from 2005 to 2010. Average rates of test procedures increased from 4.0 to 6.4 procedures per physician per year ( P P = .23). Physicians who had higher rates of device testing were associated with lower rates of device implantation (estimate, −1.76, P P values Conclusion Over time, physicians are testing more patients but are not implanting more devices. Additionally, there is an inverse relationship between rates of device testing and implantation, suggesting opportunities to improve efficiency and resource utilization.
Moving From National to International Environmental Policy

Environmental problems will increasingly spill over national boundaries. An effective and efficient response to these problems will require international solutions; relying purely on national regulatory mechanisms to address global issues will not suffice. To meet this need, better international environmental programs must be developed that maximize collective gain, enforce property rights, address the range of environmental values present in different countries, and fairly determine who should pay for global-scale pollution control.
Automated gain control for medical diagnostic ultrasound imaging

A B-mode ultrasound imaging system operates by transmitting a high-frequency sound pulse and measuring the strength and time of flight of the reflected signal. The ultrasound signal may be attenuated by as much as 60 dB in its round-trip to a target and must be normalized so that contrast is not lost in the far field. Manual controls for adjusting receiver gain versus depth are impractical in most surgical applications. This paper describes the design of a circuit to automate the time-gain function on a digital imaging system. Using a digital signal processor, the image is divided into range segments and the time-gain function is adaptively modified to normalize the statistics of each region. >
Physiological Study of Cooperative Infection by Restricted Bacteriophage T1

Abstract The ability of certain phages to successfully infect a restricting host at a high multiplicity of infection is known as cooperative infection or cooperation. We have examined the ability of unmodified T1 (T1·0) to participate in cooperative infection in cells possessing the P1 restriction system. We have found that cooperation is dependent upon protein synthesis during the first few minutes after phage infection. However, we have been unable to attribute the necessary protein to a known T1 cistron. Degradation of the restricted T1 genome is approximately equally extensive whether cooperative infection occurs or whether it is blocked by chloramphenicol. It is postulated that an inducible host repair mechanism may be responsible for the phenomenon of cooperative infection.
Evaluation of neutrophil/leukocyte ratio and organ failure score as predictors of reversibility and survival following an acute-on-chronic liver failure event.

AIM Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is defined as an acute deterioration of liver disease with high mortality in patients with cirrhosis. The early mortality in ACLF is associated with organ failure and high leukocyte count. The time needed to reverse this condition and the factors affecting mortality after the early 30-day-period were evaluated. METHODS One hundred and ninety-seven consecutive patients with cirrhosis were included. Patients were prospectively followed up for 180 days. RESULTS ACLF was diagnosed in 54.8% of the patients. Infection was the most common precipitating event in patients with ACLF. On multivariate analysis, only the neutrophil/leukocyte ratio and Chronic Liver Failure Consortium Organ Failure (CLIF-C OF) score were associated with mortality. Hazard ratios for mortality of patients with ACLF compared with those without at different time end-points post-enrollment revealed that the relative risk of death in the ACLF group was 8.54 during the first 30-day period and declined to 1.94 during the second period of observation. The time varying effect of neutrophil/leukocyte ratio and CLIF-C score was negative (1% and 18% decline in the hazard ratio per month) while that of Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) was positive (3% increase in the hazard ratio per month). CONCLUSION The condition of ACLF was reversible in patients who survived. During the 30-180-day period following the acute event, the probability of death in ACLF became gradually similar to the non-ACLF group. The impact of inflammatory response and organ failure on survival is powerful during the first 30-day period and weakens thereafter while that of MELD increases.
Fibre dimorphism: cell type diversification as an evolutionary strategy in angiosperm woods

Dimorphic fibres in angiosperm woods are designated when zones of two different kinds of fibres can be distinguished in transverse sections. The usage of most authors contrasts wider, thinner-walled, shorter (sometimes storied) fibres with narrower, thicker-walled fibres that have narrower lumina. The wider fibres can be distinguished in longitudinal sections from axial parenchyma, which usually consists of strands of two or more cells each surrounded by secondary walls (and thus different from septate fibres). This phenomenon occurs in some Araliaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Myrtales (notably Lythraceae), Sapindales (especially Sapindaceae), Urticales and even some Gnetales. Additional instances can doubtless be found, especially if instances of wide latewood fibres together with narrow earlywood fibres are included. There is little physiological evidence on differential functions of dimorphic fibres, except in Acer, in which hydrolysis of starch in the wide fibres is known to result in transfer of sugar into vessels early in the growing season. Starch storage in axial parenchyma may, in a complementary way, serve for embolism reversal and prevention and thus for maintenance of the water columns. Crystalliferous fibres (Myrtales, Sapindales) can be considered a form of fibre dimorphism that deters predation. Gelatinous fibres, often equated with tension wood, can also be considered as a form of fibre dimorphism. The evolutionary significance of fibre dimorphism is that a few small changes in fibre structure can result in the accomplishment of diversified functions. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2014, 174, 44–67.
EARLY PERCEPTION OF A HIGH PLAIN IN MICHIGAN

ABSTRACT The “high plain''shown on many early maps of Michigan was not a fanciful creation, but reality as perceived by early travelers. Their perception of a high plain was as much the result of a change in vegetation as of an actual change in landforms.
The nature of irrational and rational beliefs: Progress in rational emotive behavior theory

This paper discusses some limitations of Ellis's Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy. It is suggested that the present definition of irrational and rational beliefs is inadequate. The present theory is unclear whether irrational beliefs are exaggerated negative evaluations or empirical distortions of reality. It is proposed that irrational beliefs are core schemes, and that the concept of schema replace the present definition of beliefs. Ellis's position that demandingness is at the center of irrational thinking and emotional disturbance is examined. Research has failed to support this theory. It is proposed that demandingness and self-downing may be separate types of core irrational schemes. Research strategies are suggested that could test Ellis's position on the centrality of demandingness and on the nature of irrational beliefs in general.
Genetic and familial aspects of narcolepsy

Narcolepsy-cataplexy is a disabling sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal REM sleep. The development of human narcolepsy involves environmental factors acting on a specific genetic background. The importance of environmental factors is evidenced by the reported 25 to 31% of monozygotic twins who are concordant for narcolepsy. One of the predisposing genetic factors is located in the MHC DQ region. More than 85% of all narcoleptic patients with definite cataplexy share a specific HLA allele, HLA DQB1*0602 (most often in combination with HLA DR2), compared with 12 to 38% of the general population, as evaluated in various ethnic groups. Genetic factors other than HLA are also likely to be involved. Even if genuine multiplex families are rare, 1 to 2% of the first-degree relatives of narcolepsy patients manifest the disorder, compared with 0.02 to 0.18% in the general population. Studies using a canine model of narcolepsy illustrate the importance of non-MHC genes in disease predisposition. In this model, narcolepsy is transmitted as a single autosomal recessive trait, canarc-1. In spite of an association with immune-related polymorphisms, narcolepsy does not appear to be a classic autoimmune disease. Other pathophysiologic models involving the microglia and the release of specific cytokines in the CNS may be involved and are being explored. This approach, together with positional cloning studies in humans and canines, should reveal the cause of narcolepsy and open new therapeutic avenues.
Single-molecule orientations in dyed salt crystals.

We present single-molecule confocal microscopy studies of orientational distributions for luminophores isolated in potassium hydrogen phthalate (KAP) crystals. The incorporation of dye molecules that bear no size or shape similarity to the host ions is observed, demonstrating that single-molecule studies on mixed crystals need not be restricted to isomorphous host/guest pairs. Violamine R is oriented and overgrown by the fast vicinal slopes of growth hillocks within the symmetry-related {010} growth sectors and DCM deposits in the {111} growth sectors of KAP. Both mixed crystals exhibit modest absorption dichroism relative to basic pyranine-doped K2SO4. The latter was studied to ensure that a range of orientations was sampled in our experiments. Average orientations determined at the single-molecule level were in close agreement to ensemble-averaged measurements for all three systems, and the chromophore orientational distributions were broader than anticipated, indicating that the crystals incorporate g...
Structure of the polysaccharide formed incubating glycogen with d-[14C]glucose in the presence of the glycogen debranching enzyme [amylo-(1 → 6)-glucosidase-4-α-glucanotransferase]

Abstract [14C]Glycogen has been synthesized in vitro by incubating d -[14C]glucose with rabbit-liver glycogen in the presence of a pure preparation of the glycogen-debranching enzyme [amylo-(1 → 6)-glucosidase-4-α-glucanotransferase]. The course of the reaction has been monitored and 14C-products isolated after 30 min and 5 h. The distribution of d -[14C]glucose groups in the polysaccharides has been determined by debranching the molecules with a crystalline isoamylase from Pseudomonas. The quantities of unlabeled and 14C-linear unit chains containing d -[14C]glucose at their reducing ends have been determined by paper chromatography followed by enzymic degradation and analysis. In the 30-min product, between 65 and 85% of the d -[14C]glucose groups were covered by unlabeled groups because of transferase action. In the 5-h product, the extent of covering approached 100%. Extensive redistribution of unlabeled groups also was found to have occurred, even in the early stages of the reaction. It is concluded that the d -[14C]glucose incorporation assay for amylo-(1 → 6)-glucosidase, as ordinarily carried out, is probably not specific just for the hydrolytic action of this enzyme, but that it depends indirectly on its transferase activity as well.
Abstract 5505: A genome-wide siRNA screen for novel regulators of HIF-1α activity in normoxia and hypoxia

The ability to survive hypoxic stress is an essential component of tumor development. Many rapidly proliferating solid tumors outgrow their vasculature while the abnormal tumor vasculature leads to small, transient pockets of hypoxic cells. In addition to being deprived of oxygen, these cells are also deprived of nutrients and unable to export harmful byproducts of cellular metabolism out of their immediate environment. One mechanism cancer cells employ to survive hypoxic stress is the stabilization and activation of the transcription factor hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), which translocates to the nucleus and induces pro-survival genes such as VEGF, Glut-1, and glycolytic enzymes. MiaPaCa-2 pancreatic carcinoma cells stably transfected with a 5X hypoxia response element (HRE) promoter regulating the firefly luciferase gene were generated, and shown to express luciferase only when HIF-1α was stabilized in hypoxia(1% O 2 ). Using these cells, a genome wide siRNA screen was performed using the Dharmacon 22,000 gene siRNA library under the conditions of normoxia, 16hr and 72 hr hypoxia, to discover novel effectors of the HIF-1α pathway. Luciferase expression was corrected for cell number using a WST-1 cell proliferation assay prior to luciferase detection. Several hits were identified including genes which, when silenced, both increased and decreased HIF-1α transcriptional activity. Genes whose inhibition increased HIF-1α transcriptional activity in normoxia, in some cases up to 19 fold, include members of the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex which bind to and degrade HIF-1α under normal oxygen tensions, and also a number of other genes with uncharacterized function. There were also genes whose inhibition decreased hypoxia induced HIF-1α activity. Many were not well characterized, but there were a number of genes belonging to the MAP kinase pathway; the DNA repair pathway; the NF-κB pathway; and glycolysis genes, that were identified as necessary for HIF-1α transcriptional activity. Hits in these pathways were validated by secondary siRNAs and Western blots. It was discovered that silencing key genes involved in glycolysis inhibited HIF-1α transcriptional activity due to a decrease in HIF-1α protein levels. They include hexokinase-1, pyruvate dependent kinases-1,2 and 3, and 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase(M). These results suggest that increased glycolysis found in many tumors under aerobic conditions (the Warburg effect), which has been suggested to be caused by increased Myc expression, mutant Ras, mutant p53 and PI-3-kinase signaling, has an important role in increasing HIF-1α expression and activity. This stabilization and increase in activity then further induces the expression of target glycolytic genes and glycolytic activity in a feed-forward loop. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5505.
Loving Them to Death: Blame-Displacing Strategies of Animal Shelter Workers and Surrenderers

This article examines how shelter workers and individuals who surrender their companion animals to shelters manage guilt about killing previously valued animals. Researchers used an ethnographic approach that entailed open-ended interviews and directobservations of workers and surrenderers in a major, metropolitan shelter. Both workers and surrenderers used blame displacement as a mechanism for dealing with their guilt over euthanasia or its possibility. Understanding this coping strategy provides insights into how society continues to relinquish animal companions-despite the animals' chances of death-as well as how shelter workers cope with killing the animals they aim to protect.
An In-Vivo Measurement and Analysis of Viscoelastic Properties of the Spinal Cord of Cats

An in-vivo experimental technique was employed to determine the linear and nonlinear characteristics of viscoelastic properties of the spinal cord of anesthetized cats. The stress relaxation and recovery curves were reproducible in a group of cat experiments. The data of linear viscoelastic properties were used to develop a power law model with Boltzmann's convolution integral. The model was capable of predicting a prolonged stress relaxation and recovery curve. For larger deformation, the results were quantified using a nonlinear analysis of viscoelastic response of the spinal cord under the uniaxial experiment.
Multi-mJ, kHz, 2.1 μm optical parametric chirped-pulse amplifier and high-flux soft x-ray high-harmonic generation

We report on a multi-mJ 2.1 μm optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) system operating at 1 kHz repetition rate, pumped by a picosecond cryogenic Yb:YAG laser, and the demonstration of soft x-ray high-harmonic generation (HHG) with a flux of ∼2×108 photon/s/1% bandwidth at 160 eV in Ar. The 1 kHz cryogenic Yb:YAG pump laser amplifies pulses up to 56 mJ and delivers compressed 42 mJ, 17 ps pulses to the 2.1 μm OPCPA system. In the three-stage OPCPA chain, we have obtained up to 2.6 mJ of output energies at 2.1 μm and pulses compressed to 40 fs with good beam quality. Finally, we show cut-off extension of HHG driven by this 2.1 μm source in Ar and N2 gas cells to 190 eV with high photon flux. Our 3D propagation simulation confirms the generation of soft x-ray attosecond pulses from the experiment with Ar.
Probability-Based Design of Wood Transmission Line Structures Electric Power Research Institute Project RP-1352-1: A Status Report

New analysis and probability-based procedures are developed for single pole transmission line structures. Results of research on strength and stiffness of wood poles are presented. A summary of preexisting data for wood pole properties is given. The probability-based procedure is illustrated by example designs. Needs for additional and improved load and material property data are discussed.
On Newton's method

In this note we discuss Newton's method in a setting somewhat more restrictive than customary. In this setting, however, we claim to have proved superlinear convergence of the Newton process without assuming twice differentiability or Lipschitz continuity of the first derivative of the operator. A further feature is that the iteration to be discussed is not initially but is eventually the Newton process. With this feature global rather than local convergence is achieved.
Charge dependence of K x-ray production in nearly symmetric collisions of highly ionized S and Cl ions in gases

Using gas targets, $K$ x-ray cross sections have been measured as a function of projectile charge state in nearly symmetric collisions for highly ionized S and Cl ions at a velocity comparable to that of the $K$-shell electrons. For bare nuclei, the projectile cross sections are accurately described by the cross section for capture to excited states calculated in a Brinkman-Kramers approximation and normalized by a single scaling factor. With lower-charge-state incident ions, the total $K$-vacancy cross section is in good agreement with the $2p\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}2p\ensuremath{\sigma}$ cross section for rotational coupling.
New Design of Helix Bundle Peptide–Polymer Conjugates

We present a new design of peptide-polymer conjugates where a polymer chain is covalently linked to the side chain of a helix bundle-forming peptide. The effect of conjugated polymer chains on the peptide structure was examined using a de novo designed three-helix bundle and a photoactive four-helix bundle. Upon attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) to the exterior of the coiled-coil helix bundle, the peptide secondary structure was stabilized and the tertiary structure, that is, the coiled-coil helix bundle, was retained. When a heme-binding peptide as an example is used, the new peptide-polymer conjugate architecture also preserves the built-in functionalities within the interior of the helix bundle. It is expected that the conjugated polymer chains act to mediate the interactions between the helix bundle and its external environment. Thus, this new peptide-polymer conjugate design strategy may open new avenues to macroscopically assemble the helix bundles and may enable them to function in nonbiological environments.