cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Potential Adverse Environmental Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Strategies

The Fourth Assessment Report released by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007 was unequivocal in its message that warming of the global climate system is now occurring, and found, with “very high confidence” that it was “very likely” that the observed warming was due to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). To address the problem, the IPCC developed an outline of approaches to reduce GHG emissions to desired levels. The expected changes in technologies and practices needed to mitigate emissions of GHGs will lead to changes in the impacts to the environment associated with energy production and use. Some of these changes will be beneficial, but others will not. This chapter identifies some of the potential environmental impacts (other than the intended mitigation of climate change) of implementing GHG mitigation strategies, but will not attempt to quantify those impacts or their costs. Included are discussions of the impacts of implementing energy efficiency and conservation measures, fuel switching in the power generation sector, nuclear and renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, use of biofuels and natural gas for transportation fuels, and hydrogen and electricity for transportation energy. Environmental impacts addressed include changes in air emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter; impacts to water quality and quantity; increased mining of coal to meet the power demands of carbon capture systems and of metals to meet demands for vehicle batteries; and impacts to ecosystems associated with biofuel production and siting of other renewable energy systems.
Use of Neuromuscular Blockade Does Not Affect Mechanical Ventilation Duration in ARDS

Background: NMB use in ARDS has been shown to improve oxygenation and reduce mortality.1,2 However, its use has been associated with intensive care unit (ICU) -acquired weakness and increased days of mechanical ventilation (MV). 2 Therefore, we inquired whether NMB use in our ARDS patients impacted duration of mechanical ventilation (DMV). Methods: Our ARDS quality assurance database was queried between March 2010 and December 2017 to identify subjects who received NMB. As this was a preliminary inquiry for an anticipated more in-depth retrospective study, we addressed the problem of controlling for confounding variables by using a case-control approach. Three inclusion criteria were used: 1) ARDS onset had to occur within 1 calendar day of initiating MV, 2) a minimum DMV of 5 days (ie, the 25% quartile of all ARDS survivors with a lung injury score [LIS] > 3), and 3) survival at hospital discharge. Three matching criteria were used: 1) gender, 2) exact LIS match calculated at ARDS onset and, 3) either an acute physiology and chronic health evaluation score (APACHE II) within 5 points, or a simplified acute physiology score (SAPS II) within 10 points; both of which were calculated at ARDS onset. Results: There was no difference between those subjects who received NMB and controls in terms of: 1) total DMV 2) ARDS related DMV, 3) ICU Length of Stay (LOS), or 4) Post-ICU LOS. Matching was successful as indicated by lack of difference in illness severity scores and LIS; however, control patients were significantly older. Conclusions: In a matched group of patients with relatively severe ARDS (median LIS = 3), use of NMB had no impact on DMV, LOS, or Post-ICU LOS. This data is the basis for further in-depth study on the impact of NMB dose and duration on these outcome variables. 1. Papazian L, Forel JM, Gacouin A, et al. Neuromuscular blockers in early acute respiratory distress syndrome. N Engl J Med 2010;363:1107-1116. 2. Hraiech S, Forel JM, Papazian L. The role of neuromuscular blockers in ARDS: benefits and risks. Curr Opin Crit Care 2012;18:495-502.
Unsteady Heat Conduction in Granular Materials

Heat transfer in granular materials impacts a variety of industrial applications, such as calcination, drying kilns, packed bed and multiphase reactors, etc. and may yield insight into the thermal response of some porous materials (in combustion synthesis or sintering, for example). In a dense bed of granular material, conduction occurs almost exclusively through the particle-particle contacts over a wide range of conditions. We have developed a novel Thermal Particle Dynamics (TPD) Simulation technique which incorporates both contact mechanics and contact conductance theories in order to model the dynamics of flow and heat conduction through granular materials. This model is uniquely suited to studying the effects of microstructure and flow on the dynamics of heat conduction in particulate materials. In this paper, we present experimental as well as numerical results of transient heat conduction through a bed of cylinders.
Response to Li and Xu

To the Editor We would like to thank Li and Xu for their letter regarding our recent publication.[1 2][1] These authors inquired, ‘…only the former (pain score) value has been proven to have a clinically important difference. Would the authors provide some evidence about the margin of opioid
A Content Analysis of Coronavirus Tweets in the United States Just Prior to the Pandemic Declaration.

This study examined public comments on Twitter about coronavirus in the weeks after news stories across the globe on the coronavirus outbreak. A total of 600 tweets were assessed (N = 600) for sent...
Single Site Laparoscopic Myomectomy

Study Objective My objective in making this video is to share how we approach laparoscopic myomectomy in a patient with large uterine leiomyoma. Design Video presentation. Setting Hospital, operating room. Patients or Participants Laparoscopic myomectomy case was presented. Interventions Myomectomy. Measurements and Main Results N/A Conclusion I present a case of laparoscopic myomectomy, demonstrating myomectomy and suturing techniques, as well as leiomyoma morcellation through the umbilicus.
The Avian Song System: Relating Sex Differences in Behavior to Dimorphism in the Central Nervous System

Publisher Summary Most bird species show sex differences in the pattern or frequency of vocalizations, and males either use unique vocalizations or use particular vocalizations more frequently than do females. This chapter discusses the canaries and zebra finches, because most of the neurobiological research to date has been done on these species. It also describes the steroid influences on behavior, neurochemistry, and neuroanatomy of these species and focuses on those aspects of the neurobiology of the song system that have been related to sex dimorphisms or hormone action. Any hormone action in a tissue is contingent on that tissue being able to detect the presence of the hormone. The song system appears to be characterized by steroid receptors and by particular neurotransmitters and neuromodulators. The distribution of these receptors and chemicals is very similar between the sexes, but their levels are often dimorphic. Testosterone can cause increased levels of androgen receptors, thus increasing the sensitivity of the system, and also can cause increased acetyl choline (Ach) receptors, so as to magnify the effects of any activity within the system. The actions of gonadal steroids on the avian song system are multifaceted. Hormone induced dimorphisms appear at every nucleus in this system. They appear at every level of analysis used to date, from brain volume involved in song to estimates of hormone receptors per cell. However, research on the neurochemistry of the avian song system is just beginning.
Insights on supporting the aging brain microvascular endothelium

Blood brain barrier hyperpermeability has been associated with age-related affective disorders, including depression, mania, anxiety, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. Our recent efforts suggest that a promising therapeutic approach may arise due to the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) element in the affected tissues. Growth hormone releasing hormone antagonists and heat shock protein 90 inhibitors have been shown to induce UPR. This mechanism (UPR) has been associated with tissue repairing processes.
Anesthesia for Parturient with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PC) is defined as a form of dilated heart failure that develops during the final month of pregnancy through 6 months postpartum. It is a diagnosis of exclusion, demonstrating attenuated left ventricular ejection fraction, fraction shortening, and end-diastolic dimension during this peripartum period in the absence of other etiologies. Timely diagnosis can be challenging, as mild symptoms of heart failure (e.g. dyspnea, fatigue, lower extremity edema) are common in pregnancy. More significant decompensation manifests as chest pain, orthopnea, worsening murmurs, and hepatomegaly. Mechanism for PC pathophysiology is not well defined but largely thought to be due to fetal-maternal immune-mediated myocarditis, though this is not universally present. Mild symptoms are medically managed in the same manner as other forms of dilated cardiomyopathy. Salt and water restriction, modest exercise, and diuretic administration are utilized to reduce fluid retention and decrease preload and afterload. Moderate exacerbation may require pharmacologic afterload reduction and positive inotropy. Cardiovascular collapse may necessitate ventricular assist devices and cardiac transplantation. Anesthetic modality during labor and delivery is focused on early intervention to mitigate pain and anxiety associated increases in cardiac output, preload, and afterload. Invasive monitoring may be warranted to assess anticipated fluid shifts, sympathomimetic activity, and Valsalva maneuvers present during vaginal delivery. Intolerance to these perturbations may warrant surgical delivery. Longterm outcomes vary, with only about half of parturients returning to baseline function. Those with persistent symptoms have a 5-year mortality rate of 85%. There is evidence to suggest that despite returning function, the physiology is irreversible. Recurrence of PC in subsequent pregnancies has been observed and the general recommendation is to avoid future pregnancies.
Evaluating Multiple-Concept Biomedical Hypotheses Based on Deep Sets

Given hypotheses that connect two “irrelevant” concepts of interest via one or multiple concepts, Hypothesis Generation (HG) attempts to judge their meaningfulness and compare or rank them accordingly. HG can accelerate scientific research and is becoming increasingly important. The basic idea of prior studies is to conduct a two or higher-order search between the two input concepts for the one-concept and multiple-concept hypotheses to evaluate them. However, these approaches inevitably encounter exponential-growing searching space when addressing multiple-concept hypotheses, making it impractical to tackle such hypotheses. We propose HG Set Net (HSN) that forms a hypothesis with any number of connecting concepts as a set and learns to evaluate the set to address this problem. HSN can evaluate any hypotheses with the same complexity and avoid higher-order search, making it computationally possible to evaluate hypotheses with numerous concepts. Besides, we present a double-margin loss to train HSN to resolve the lack of labeled hypotheses. Experiments show that HSN can not only address hypotheses with efficiency but also outperform previous approaches. The double-margin loss also reveals to boost HSN’s performance.
Synergistic efficacy of inhibiting MYCN and mTOR signaling against neuroblastoma.

Neuroblastoma (NB) patients with MYCN amplification or overexpression respond poorly to current therapies and exhibit extremely poor clinical outcomes. PI3K-mTOR signaling-driven deregulation of protein synthesis is very common in NB and various other cancers that promote MYCN stabilization. In addition, both the MYCN and mTOR signaling axes can directly regulate a common translation pathway that leads to increased protein synthesis and cell proliferation. However, a strategy of concurrently targeting MYCN and mTOR signaling in NB remains unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of targeting dysregulated protein synthesis pathways by inhibiting the MYCN and mTOR pathways together in NB. Using small molecule/pharmacologic approaches, we evaluated the effects of combined inhibition of MYCN transcription and mTOR signaling on NB cell growth/survival and associated molecular mechanism(s) in NB cell lines. We used two well-established BET (bromodomain extra-terminal) protein inhibitors (JQ1, OTX-015), and a clinically relevant mTOR inhibitor, temsirolimus, to target MYCN transcription and mTOR signaling, respectively. The single agent and combined efficacies of these inhibitors on NB cell growth, apoptosis, cell cycle and neurospheres were assessed using MTT, Annexin-V, propidium-iodide staining and sphere assays, respectively. Effects of inhibitors on global protein synthesis were quantified using a fluorescence-based (FamAzide)-based protein synthesis assay. Further, we investigated the specificities of these inhibitors in targeting the associated pathways/molecules using western blot analyses. Co-treatment of JQ1 or OTX-015 with temsirolimus synergistically suppressed NB cell growth/survival by inducing G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis with greatest efficacy in MYCN-amplified NB cells. Mechanistically, the co-treatment of JQ1 or OTX-015 with temsirolimus significantly downregulated the expression levels of phosphorylated 4EBP1/p70-S6K/eIF4E (mTOR components) and BRD4 (BET protein)/MYCN proteins. Further, this combination significantly inhibited global protein synthesis, compared to single agents. Our findings also demonstrated that both JQ1 and temsirolimus chemosensitized NB cells when tested in combination with cisplatin chemotherapy. Together, our findings demonstrate synergistic efficacy of JQ1 or OTX-015 and temsirolimus against MYCN-driven NB, by dual-inhibition of MYCN (targeting transcription) and mTOR (targeting translation). Additional preclinical evaluation is warranted to determine the clinical utility of targeted therapy for high-risk NB patients.
Investigation of discrepant mismatch repair immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability polymerase chain reaction test results for gynecologic cancers using next-generation sequencing.

Summary Gynecologic cancers are routinely screened for DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene mutations using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and/or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for microsatellite instability (MSI) to enable selection of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy and screen for Lynch syndrome. The limited data that compare IHC and MSI in endometrial tumors have shown discordance rates of 5–10%. We reviewed MMR/MSI results in gynecologic cancers and used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to interrogate discrepancies. Of the 328 cases with both IHC and MSI results, 256 (78.0%) were microsatellite stable (MSS) with preserved MMR (pMMR), 64 (19.5%) cases were MSI-High (MSI-H) with MMR deficient (dMMR), 2 cases showed subclonal loss of MLH1 and PMS2 with MSI-H, and 6 cases were discordant. Overall, there was a 98.2% (322/328) IHC/MSI concordance. Discordant cases were retested and/or subject to NGS. Of the six discrepant cases, five showed dMMR with MSS and one showed pMMR with MSI-H. One dMMR/MSI-L case showed loss of PMS2 with a germline pathogenic mutation. The pMMR/MSI-H case was found to harbor pathogenic variants in MLH1 and MSH6. One of the two cases with subclonal populations demonstrated MSI-H in the dMMR area and MSS in the pMMR area. These results emphasize the importance of selecting the appropriate tumor tissue for both IHC and molecular testing and demonstrate that NGS can help resolve discrepant MMR and MSI results.
Discharging Sediment Downstream: Case Studies in Cost Effective, Environmentally Acceptable Reservoir Sediment Management in the United States

AbstractSediment accumulation in reservoirs across the world diminishes reservoir benefits, increases maintenance costs, and damages the environment. United States regulatory policy requires State ...
A bifurcation phenomenon in a singularly perturbed one-phase free boundary problem of phase transition

In this paper, we prove that a bifurcation phenomenon exists in a one-phase singularly perturbed free boundary problem of phase transition. Namely, the uniqueness of a solution of the one-phase problem breaks down as the boundary data decreases through a threshold value. The minimizer of the functional in consideration separates from the trivial harmonic solution. Moreover, we prove a third solution, a critical point of the functional being minimized, exists in this case by using the Mountain Pass Lemma. We prove convergence of the evolution with initial data near the minimizer or the trivial harmonic solution to the minimizer or to the trivial solution respectively, which means both the minimizer and the trivial harmonic solution are stable, while a saddle point solution of the free boundary problem is unstable in this sense.
An Economic Analysis of Trade Measures to Protect the Global Environment

This paper addresses the role of trade restrictions in support of policies to protect the global environment and proposes a more liberal treatment of these environmental trade measures (ETMs) than that adopted by dispute- settlement panels of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The GATT Secretariat has recommended that countries like the United States rely on "carrots" rather than "sticks" to induce the participation of other countries in multilateral agreements. This paper defends the use of "sticks" on the ground that they encourage more restrained exploitation of the environment pending a multilateral agreement. First, "sticks" would discourage countries from harming the environment. Second, "carrots" create perverse incentives. Countries may seek to convince others that they derive large benefits from exploitation by engaging in a great deal of exploitation, so that other countries will offer large "carrots" to induce their restraint. This paper also addresses how GATT should limit the use of trade restrictions to prevent the protectionist abuse of trade measures.
Hospital Preparation for Disasters

In this issue of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, Clarke et al have given an insightful look into issues surrounding the needs of hospitals responding to chemically contaminated victims of mass-casualty incidents.1 In doing so, they also have provided an opportunity to examine more general concerns related to disasters. It is intuitive that hospitals play a major role in disaster response; this discussion of ways to prepare for that response is timely and appreciated.
Slow-slip evolves into megathrust earthquakes in 2D numerical simulations

[1] Slow slip events (SSE) in many subduction zones incrementally stress the adjacent locked megathrust, suggesting that they could potentially either trigger or evolve into damaging earthquakes. We explore this with 2D quasi-dynamic simulations with rate-state friction, dilatancy, and coupled 1D pore-fluid and heat transport. Steady-state weakening friction allows transient slip to nucleate, but is inhibited by dilatant strengthening and destabilized by thermal pressurization. SSE spontaneously nucleate in Low Effective-Stress Velocity-Weakening (LESVW) regions. If the dimension of the LESVW is relatively small the SSE are trapped at its updip end, imparting a strong stress concentration in the locked zone. After several centuries SSE penetrate into the region of higher effective stress, where thermal pressurization eventually leads to dynamic rupture. For larger LESVW regions SSE tend to increase in length with time; ultimately higher slip speeds enhance thermal weakening, leading to dynamic instability within the SSE zone. In both cases the onset of the ultimate SSE is essentially indistinguishable from preceding events.
Pain Localization and Control

If the source of pelvic pain is unknown, a spinal differential block is recommended. If the source of pain is known and it is of pelvic origin, the treatment is usually a superior hypogastric or inferior hypogastric block depending on the organ innervations. Neurolytic blocks should be considered for pain related to malignancy or intractable pelvic pain.
Adaptive test program generation: planning for the unplanned

Simulation of automatically-generated test programs is the primary means for verifying complex hardware designs and random test program generators therefore play a major role in the verification process of micro-processors. The input for a test program generator is typically an abstract specification-a template-of the tests to be generated. Due to randomness, generators often encounter situations that were not anticipated when the test specification was written. We introduce the concept of adaptive test program generation, which is designed to handle these unforeseen situations. We propose a technique that defines unexpected events together with their alternative program specifications. When an event is detected, its corresponding alternative specification is injected into the test program.
Structural changes in 156Er at high spins.

The level scheme of /sup 156/Er has been determined, by use of an array of nine Compton-suppressed Ge detectors. Two new types of behavior have been observed. The first is a terminating band ending on a 42/sup +/ fully aligned state. The second is a strong cross feeding among four negative-parity bands, due most likely to a severe reduction or collapse of the neutron pairing.
On Dynamic, Deterministic, Stackelberg Games

By using a simple example, this paper illustrates a new process for solving general multi-stage Stackelberg games. This gives a distinct picture of the problem, and many peculiar phenomena reveal themselves. In particular, new perspectives of the principle of optimality are discussed.
Influence of motilin and cholecystokinin on sphincter of Oddi and duodenal mobility.

The sphincter of Oddi and the duodenum exhibit cyclical activity in phase with the migrating myoelectric complex. Both motilin and cholecystokinin have been shown to modulate gastrointestinal and sphincter of Oddi motility. However, previous studies have not monitored the effects of these hormones on simultaneously recorded sphincter of Oddi and duodenum pressures. The present investigation was undertaken, therefore, to determine the influence of both motilin and cholecystokinin on simultaneously recorded sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility. In seven anesthetized prairie dogs, a triple-lumen, side-hole, pressure-monitored perfusion catheter was positioned with the proximal port in the sphincter of Oddi and the distal port in the duodenal lumen. Sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility was recorded before and during 20-min infusions of motilin and cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) at 1, 10, and 100 ng.kg-1.min-1. Both hormones produced dose-related increases in sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility. No response was observed with either hormone at 1 ng.kg-1.min-1. At 10 ng.kg-1.min-1, the duodenum was slightly more sensitive to motilin than to CCK-8, while the sphincter of Oddi was equally affected by both hormones. At 100 ng.kg-1.min-1, both hormones stimulated the sphincter of Oddi and the duodenum equally. These data indicate that in the prairie dog, both motilin and cholecystokinin stimulate sphincter of Oddi and duodenal motility.
Design techniques aimed at 3 volt CMOS delta sigma converters

The growing importance of 3-volt digital CMOS applications is creating a real need for 3-volt mixed signal devices. The importance of oversampled analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters in these mixed signal devices necessitates their integration into 3-volt systems. Some of the issues are outlined, and several approaches are presented that may yield solutions for various applications in a 1.0-/spl mu/ CMOS technology. >
Cyber warfare and electronic warfare integration in the operational environment of the future: cyber electronic warfare

For the states with advanced technology, effective use of electronic warfare and cyber warfare will be the main determining factor of winning a war in the future’s operational environment. The developed states will be able to finalize the struggles they have entered with a minimum of human casualties and minimum cost thanks to high-tech. Considering the increasing number of world economic problems, the development of human rights and humanitarian law it is easy to understand the importance of minimum cost and minimum loss of human. In this paper, cyber warfare and electronic warfare concepts are examined in conjunction with the historical development and the relationship between them is explained. Finally, assessments were carried out about the use of cyber electronic warfare in the coming years.
S163 is critical for FXYD5 modulation of wound healing in airway epithelial cells.

The FXYD family, which contains seven members, are tissue specific regulators of the Na,K-ATPase. Increased expression of FXYD5, a cancer–cell-associated membrane glycoprotein, has been associated with increased cell motility and metastatic potential. To better understand how FXYD5 may modulate cell motility, we analyzed S163, a conserved residue in all FXYD family members located in the C-terminus. Ectopic expression of human FXYD5 S163 mutants in HEK 293 cells showed that negative charge at S163 (S163D) decreased membrane localization, assessed by immunofluorescence. Coimmunoprecipitation studies revealed decreased FXYD5/Na,K-ATPase interaction for S163D compared with wild-type or S163A mutants. Interestingly, FXYD5 overexpression induced expression of vimentin, a marker of epithelial–mesenchymal transition, in murine airway epithelial cells. Because Na,K-ATPase expression is decreased in some forms of cancer and is critical for establishing cell polarity and suppressing cell motility, we analyzed S163 mutants in an epithelial cell scratch-wound model as a measure of cell migration. Wild-type FXYD5 overexpression increased reepithelialization (p<0.0001), which was further increased in S163D mutants (p<0.005). However, S163A mutants inhibited epithelial cell migration compared with wild-type FXYD5 overexpression (p<0.0001). We conclude that negative charge at S163 regulates FXYD5/Na,K-ATPase interaction and that this interaction modulates cell migration across a wound in airway epithelial cells.
Chaotic equilibria in models with backward dynamics

Abstract Some economic models like the cash-in-advance model of money or overlapping generations model have the property that the dynamical system characterizing equilibria in the model are multi-valued going forward in time, but single-valued going backward in time, i.e., the model or dynamical system has backward dynamics. In such instances, what does it mean for a dynamical system (set-valued) to be chaotic? Furthermore, under what conditions are such dynamical systems chaotic? In this paper, we provide a definition of chaos that is in the spirit of Devaney for a dynamical system with backward dynamics. We utilize the theory of inverse limits to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for such a dynamical system to be chaotic.
An intermediate course on computer systems

This is a report describing an undergraduate junior level and introductory graduate course on computer systems and some of our experiences in teaching it. The course has been taught since 1971 at Georgia Institute of Technology to graduates and undergraduates as well as at Appalachian State University to undergraduates only. It provides a link between programming courses and systems implementation courses.
Two related localized mRNAs from Xenopus laevis encode ubiquitin-like fusion proteins.

Abstract The uneven distribution of maternal mRNAs in unfertilized eggs and. the unequal inheritance of these molecules by dividing blastomeres may be one mechanism for determining cell fate during embryogenesis. Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones corresponding to maternal mRNAs localized to specific regions of the Xenopus laevis egg have been previously identified and cloned [Rebagliati et al., Cell 42 (1985) 769–777]. The maternal mRNA, An1, was originally identified as being localized to the animal hemisphere of X. laevis eggs and early embryos. We describe here the two proteins encoded by two An1 mRNA isoforms which we designate An1a and An1b. These mRNAs are both approximately 3.0 kb long and are concentrated in the animal hemisphere of unfertilized eggs. The predicted amino acid (aa) sequences encoded by An1a and An1b correspond to 76.9 and 78.6 kDa, respectively, and are 88% identical. Both proteins contain a single N-terminal ubiquitin (Ub)-like domain (50% identical to X. laevis Ub) and a putative Zn2+-binding region near the C terminus. Unlike Ub polyproteins and most Ub fusion proteins, the N-terminal Ub-like domain found in the Anl proteins does not undergo proteolytic processing. In contrast to earlier studies showing that the An1 mRNA represents a strictly maternal transcript, we report that both related An1 transcripts are found in later embryonic stages and in all adult tissues tested.
Managing delay and jitter in mesh networks through path-aware distributed transmission scheduling

While usable in single-hop applications, current wireless medium access control (MAC) protocols are often sub-optimal and result in significant per-hop and per-packet delay and/or jitter. As a result, multi-hop wireless networks are a harsh environment for realtime, streaming applications such as VoIP and IPTV. We present a new MAC paradigm where nodes first use simple local coordination mechanisms to agree upon a low-delay schedule for their transmissions, and then continuously re-use the schedule (making slight adjustments when needed) to minimize jitter. We focus on the context of wireless mesh networks carrying delay-sensitive streaming data over multi-hop paths, and on the goal of improving the end-to-end delay and jitter experienced by most packets. We compare our approach with IEEE 802.11 DCF via simulation. We show that our approach results in most packets experiencing negligible jitter and comparable or lower end-to-end delay.
Spectroscopy and structure of styrene (water) n and styrene (methanol) n clusters, n=1,2

Abstract Resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) spectra of styrene–water (SW n ) and styrene–methanol (SM n ) binary clusters with n =1,2 are reported. The results indicate that the SW n clusters exhibit different structures as compared to the benzene (water) n clusters. Ab initio calculations of the lowest energy structure of the SW complex confirm that water interacts mostly with the ethylene group. Two distinct isomers are identified for the SM 2 cluster. The favorable interactions of water and methanol with the olefin group of styrene may explain the strong inhibition effects observed by trace concentrations of water or methanol on the cationic polymerization of styrene.
A robust PWM inverter for DC power supply

This paper presents a boost-resonant hybrid power supply topology designed to provide a PWM inverter with a constant but inherently current-limited DC voltage from a low-voltage source at significant power levels. The resonant topology inherently has indefinite short-circuit protection. To verify its functionality, the topology was designed for a DC-DC converter application with a 12Vdc input and 180 Vdc output. Computer simulation of the topology was conducted to verify the design and evaluate the converter's performance. A hardware prototype was then built and assessed to examine actual operating parameters.
Fatal craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis in an immunocompetent patient: a case report and literature review.

Background. Craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis (CCNF) is a rapidly progressive, severe bacterial infection of the superficial fascial planes of the head and neck. Group A beta–hemolytic Streptococcus, staphylococcus aureus, and obligate anaerobic bacteria are common pathogens. The disease usually results from a dental source or facial trauma. Extensive fascial necrosis and severe systemic toxicity are common manifestations of CCNF. Recently the lay press has referred to necrotizing fasciitis in several articles about “flesh eating” bacteria, which have resulted in several deaths. Methods. We report the first case of a fatality in an otherwise immunocompetent patient. The patient was a 66-year-old black man with no identifiable source of infection and no history or evidence of immunocompromising disorders. Results. Despite aggressive surgical debridement and broad-spectrum antibiotic coverage, he died 30 hours after admission from multisystem organ failure secondary to overwhelming sepsis. Conclusion. Treatment consists of early recognition of CCNF combined with aggressive surgical debridement and drainage of the involved necrotic fascia and tissue along with broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotic coverage. Although 11 other fatal cases of CCNF have been previously reported, all had an underlying medical problem which created an immunocompromised state, usually diabetes mellitus or chronic alcoholism. We present a case report and literature review along with a discussion of the related anatomy. © 1995 Jons Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Paragonimus: electrophoretic fractionation of whole body proteins as an aid in specific identification of a species from Sado Island, Japan.

Abstract Morphologic characteristics and electrophoretic patterns of whole body proteins of a species of Paragonimus (Trematoda) found on Sado Island, Japan, were examined to aid in establishing its specific identity. The infection rate of the metacercariae in the crab, Potamon dehaani was 43%. Paragonimus sp. (Sado Island) will mature in both rats and cats, however, the worm recovery rate was higher in the single surviving cat (73%) than in the rats (3–47%). Worm maturation in these animals occurs in about 35 days after exposure. The adult worm of this species has “ ohirai-iloktsuenensis ” type cuticular spines and ovary but the eggs of this species are similar to those of P. ohirai . This species produced a minimum of 23 distinct protein bands of which seven were prominent. No significant differences were observed in electrophoretic patterns except in the mean R F values of three bands between Paragonimus sp. (Sado Island) obtained from rats and cats. This species is distinctly different from both P. westermani and P. miyazakii . However, the electrophoretic characteristics were essentially identical with P. ohirai . The R F value of each band separated from this species seems to be slightly smaller when compared with P. ohirai .
CRHR1 genotype and history of maltreatment predict cortisol reactivity to stress in adolescents

Summary This study examined the contributions of a polymorphism of the corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor type I ( CRHR1 ) gene (rs110402) and a history of child maltreatment—alone and in interaction—to patterns of cortisol reactivity in adolescents. Adolescents between the age of 13 and 17 years with ( n = 61) and without ( n = 97) a history of child maltreatment were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Salivary cortisol was assessed at baseline, and 15 and 30 min after the start of the speech portion of the TSST. Saliva samples for genotyping rs110402 also were collected. Adolescents with one or more G alleles of rs110402, relative to A allele homozygotes, and those exposed to maltreatment, relative to non-exposed adolescents, exhibited blunted cortisol reactivity to the TSST (although these associations approached, but did not reach, the level of statistical significance when accounting for underlying population structure in our racially and ethnically diverse sample). There was also a trend for a stronger child maltreatment association with cortisol hypo-reactivity among G allele carriers, but this association was not statistically significant. Findings suggest that CRHR1 variation may moderate the downstream effects of child maltreatment on HPA axis function, and implications for understanding mechanisms of risk associated with early adversity are discussed.
Maleimide Conjugates of Saxitoxin as Covalent Inhibitors of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels

(+)-Saxitoxin, a naturally occurring guanidinium poison, functions as a potent, selective, and reversible inhibitor of voltage-gated sodium ion channels (NaVs). Modified forms of this toxin bearing cysteine-reactive maleimide groups are available through total synthesis and are found to irreversibly inhibit sodium ion conductance in recombinantly expressed wild-type sodium channels and in hippocampal nerve cells. Our findings support a mechanism for covalent protein modification in which toxin binding to the channel pore precedes maleimide alkylation of a nucleophilic amino acid. Second-generation maleimide-toxin conjugates, which include bioorthogonal reactive groups, are also found to block channel function irreversibly; such compounds have potential as reagents for selective labeling of NaVs for live cell imaging and/or proteomics experiments.
Delta-24-RGD in combination with RAD001 induces enhanced anti-glioma effect via autophagic cell death

Novel therapies are clearly needed for the treatment of gliomas, and strategies that involve combining oncolytic vectors with chemotherapy hold out significant hope for a more effective treatment of this malignancy. Whether chemotherapy acts directly on tumor cells by inducing cell arrest or cell death, or indirectly by blocking tumor angiogenesis, the resulting delay in tumor growth may provide the oncolytic virus with a wider window of opportunity to overcome the challenge imposed by the growth kinetics of the tumor. In this study we sought to determine whether the oncolytic adenovirus Delta-24-RGD, in combination with everolimus (RAD001), would result in an enhanced anti-glioma effect in vivo. Viability assays showed that Delta-24-RGD antitumoral activity is synergistically enhanced by combination with RAD001. Interestingly, combination treatment of Delta-24-RGD with RAD001 induced autophagy in vitro. We showed that Delta-24-RGD improved survival of tumor-bearing animals in a dose-dependent manner. A significant finding was that RAD001 enhanced the anti-glioma effect of Delta-24-RGD and resulted in the long-term survival of 80% of the experimental animals. Immunostaining of the treated tumors showed upregulation of Atg5, thereby indicating the therapeutic induction of autophagy. This is the first report showing that Delta-24-RGD plus RAD001 causes autophagic cell death, and dramatically increases long-term survival rates of glioma-bearing animals.
Decarburization of stainless steel: Part I. A mathematical model for laboratory scale results

A mathematical model is presented for describing the reaction of iron-chromium-carbon melts with pure oxygen, air and oxygen-argon mixtures. The model is based on the generalization of the Asai-Muchi model for oxygen steelmaking to systems containing chromium and where the oxygen blown is diluted by an inert gas. The predictions based on the model were compared to the experimental measurements of Barnhardt obtained with heats of about 1.2 to 1.5 kg, having carbon contents ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 wt pct and chromium contents of 0.0 to 21.0 wt pct. The agreement between measurements and predictions was quite good for a variety of blowing arrangements which included top blowing with pure oxygen or air and bottom blowing with air. The fact that this good agreement was obtained by using a single value of the adjustable parameter in the model for all runs, renders very promising the extension of the model to more complicated systems.
Algae biodiesel has potential despite inconclusive results to date

Abstract A meta-analysis of several published life cycle assessments of algae-to-energy systems was developed to better understand the environmental implications of deploying this technology at large scales. Taken together, results from these six studies seemed largely inconclusive because of differences in modeling assumptions and system boundaries. To overcome this, the models were normalized using a generic pathway for cultivating algae in open ponds, converting it into biodiesel, and processing the nonlipid fraction using anaerobic digestion. Meta-analysis results suggest that algae-based biodiesel would result in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions on par with terrestrial alternatives such as corn ethanol and soy biodiesel. Net energy ratio and normalized greenhouse gas emissions were 1.4 MJ produced/MJ consumed and 0.19 kg CO 2 -equivalent/km traveled, respectively. A scenario analysis underscores the extent to which breakthroughs in key technologies are needed before algae-derived fuels become an attractive alternative to conventional biofuels.
Infrared Spectroscopic Imaging: The Next Generation

Infrared (IR) spectroscopic imaging seemingly matured as a technology in the mid-2000s, with commercially successful instrumentation and reports in numerous applications. Recent developments, however, have transformed our understanding of the recorded data, provided capability for new instrumentation, and greatly enhanced the ability to extract more useful information in less time. These developments are summarized here in three broad areas--data recording, interpretation of recorded data, and information extraction--and their critical review is employed to project emerging trends. Overall, the convergence of selected components from hardware, theory, algorithms, and applications is one trend. Instead of similar, general-purpose instrumentation, another trend is likely to be diverse and application-targeted designs of instrumentation driven by emerging component technologies. The recent renaissance in both fundamental science and instrumentation will likely spur investigations at the confluence of conventional spectroscopic analyses and optical physics for improved data interpretation. While chemometrics has dominated data processing, a trend will likely lie in the development of signal processing algorithms to optimally extract spectral and spatial information prior to conventional chemometric analyses. Finally, the sum of these recent advances is likely to provide unprecedented capability in measurement and scientific insight, which will present new opportunities for the applied spectroscopist.
Fast and independent access to map directions for people who are blind

This article presents an automatic approach, complete with a prototype system, to supporting fast and independent access to online maps for local navigation by people with visual impairment. With user-inputted start and end addresses from a keyboard, the approach first queries MapQuest (www.mapquest.com) for obtaining the walking directions and the corresponding map image. Then, it automatically converts the obtained information in a form that can be reproduced immediately through a tactile printer, and subsequently generates an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) file, which associates textual descriptions of the directions with a recreated tactile map. The tactile hard copy can be placed on a touchpad which is connected to a computer. With the generated SVG file opened in the computer, a user can explore the tactile map by hands, receiving instant audio feedback of the directions by pressing certain regions with special tactile patterns. This approach supports instant queries of walking directions without requiring tedious manual conversion by a sighted professional. The audio-tactile patterns, the adaptive representation scheme and the blind-friendly user interface are specifically designed for the visually-impaired users. Results from experimental evaluation based on a group of users with visual impairment suggest that the proposed approach is effective for providing blind computer users with independent access to geographic directions.
Improving the Controllability of the Infrastructure in AC-Fed Railways With Neutral Zones

This paper presents an enhancement to the electrical infrastructure that applies to those AC railway power supply systems which have neutral zones. The proposed upgrade allows an improved degree of controllability of the infrastructure, making it possible to perform power routing in traction electrical grids. The modified system consists on the addition of controlled power electronic devices connected in parallel to both sides of the neutral zones. The paper discusses the advantages of such a system in a real section of the high-speed Madrid-Barcelona.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Dynamic Braking by Self-Excitation of Squirrel-Cage Motor

This paper describes a method for calculating the speed-torque curve of a squirrel-cage induction motor when static capacitors are used to produce dynamic braking. The method is simple yet sufficiently accurate for the purpose of selecting equipment for any normal application. The advantages and disadvantages of this method of braking control are compared with those of other methods in use for squirrel-cage motors.
Photoelectric field emission from needle cathodes

Abstract Experiments have been carried out at laser intensities of the order of 108 W/m2 using a cw argon laser and tungsten needles with roughly 1-μm tip radius operated at voltages up to 50 kV. The results show a nonlinear dependence of the photocurrent on the laser intensity and a strong dependence of the photocurrent on the electric field. Comparison with theoretical calculations based on the Fowler–Nordheim tunneling theory of field emission indicates that the photoexcited electrons rapidly relax to energy levels just above the Fermi level, from which they tunnel out.
Plasma membrane components of skin fibroblasts from normal individuals and patients with cystic fibrosis.

Plasma membranes have been isolated without proteolytic modification from fibroblast lines derived from patients with CF, from heterozygous parents, and from normal children. The cells had been grown in the presence of 3 H-or 14 C-labeled l -leucine, d -glucosamine, and l -fucose. Membranes were mixed in suitable combinations to allow comparisons to be made between the different cell types. No differences in the plasma membrane composition, as revealed by divergence in 3 H-or 14 C-profiles, could be detected after gel electrophoresis. Identical protein and glycoprotein components were present in approximately similar amounts in all groups of cells.
An evaporation experiment and its irreversible thermodynamics

Abstract This paper considers a particular heat and water vapor transfer problem in a nonisothermal steady state system. The results are applicable to a condition that may develop during the normal drying of porous materials. The rate equations are based on the theory of irreversible thermodynamics and the validity of Onsager's reciprocity relation is demonstrated with a macroscopic analysis of this particular model. The results of an experiment are presented which show the effects of temperature, pressure, and salt concentration on the evaporation and heat transfer from a porous plate. These data combined with the thermodynamic flux equations provide a means of calculating the effective concentration of dissolved salts at the air-water interface and the approximate depth of this increased concentration. The analysis also provides a method for determining the rate-limiting process in the experiment.