cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CSIG-03INTEGRATING COMPUTATIONAL AND EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES TO UNDERSTAND THE SMG1 KINASE NETWORK IN GLIOBLASTOMA STEM CELLS

The SMG1 kinase was identified and validated from an RNAi screen as a gene that can preferentially inhibit the growth of selected glioblastoma stem cell lines under hypoxia (1% oxygen). In addition, we have found that SMG1 knockdown can substantially enhance the inhibitory effects of the DNA damaging drug, temozolomide (TMZ), both in vitro and in mouse xenografts. In order to evaluate the relative contributions of nonsense mediated decay, the DNA damage response (DDR), and autophagy in the cellular response to SMG1 inhibition, we have used the Cell Collective software platform (BMC Systems Biology, 6, 96) to model the SMG1 signaling network. To do this, we integrating our data with results in the literature in order to simulate the cell growth and survival of GBM stem cells under hypoxia and TMZ induced DNA damage. Our model initially predicted that the preferential growth inhibition of SMG1 inhibition in GS7-2 cells under hypoxia specifically was likely due to the role of NMD pathway in regulating autophagy. We tested the model-generated hypothesis and found induction of the autophagy marker, LC3-II, when SMG1 is knocked down under hypoxia. However, either inhibition of autophagy-related protein, ATG7, or inhibition of NMD pathway does not fully account for the preferential growth inhibition by loss of SMG1 under hypoxia. We have refined the model based on these results and are currently testing the prediction that a defect in the DDR pathway accounts for growth inhibition when SMG1 is knocked down under hypoxia. Our preliminary results indicate greater DNA damage, possibly leading to cell cycle block, when SMG1 is knocked down under hypoxia. The long-term goal of this study will be to develop therapeutic predictions for targeting SMG1 and other kinase targets in a given tumor and in order to develop personalized therapies for GBM.
Instantaneous Center of Rotation and Centrodes: Background and New Examples

We review the concept of instantaneous center of rotation and its loci, the moving centrode and the fixed centrode, for the plane motion of an arbitrarily shaped rigid body. Then we recall a simple...
Improving Energy Efficiency in Building through Automated Computer Design Process

Passive solar heating and light control have been traditionally accomplished through simple rules that matured to shape vernacular architecture. Although many more issues were addressed, the comfort level in terms of thermal energy as well as light control, were key issues in traditional buildings. New materials and techniques altered the balances, setting the use of new types of energy as essential parts of modern design. The power of modern technology, though applied toward the use of materials to generate viable enclosures, it has not been used to its full potential toward the efficient use of solar energy and against the dependency of commercially available energy. The use of computers aiding us toward design has been limited in practice to electronic drafting or modeling [Aish, 2000]. Other than the recently developed packages like Ecotect that integrates to commercially available Computer Aided Design (CAD) software, relatively minimal was the work done toward aiding a designer to energy consumption in a visually responsive interface. In order to facilitate the designer in an efficient manner, an algorithm that seamlessly works within commercially available CAD/BIM packages has been developed. The developed program has the advantage of generating an initial input by itself into the CAD interface instead of retroactively evaluating a pre-existing form that the designer has already generated. It determines the optimum openings and shading devices for a given space at any specific latitude and interactively generates virtual models for the user. The main issues addressed are thermal comfort and light control. Although it is not anticipated that passive solar control will provide thermal comfort under all possible scenarios, the algorithm offers optimum use of solar energy.
Thermoacoustic Modeling of a Graphene-Based Actuator

A model for two-dimensional graphene-based thermoacoutic membranes is investigated analytically and validated numerically in this study. In one-dimension, the temperature and the pressure variables are analytically determined by decoupling the two variables in the governing equations due to the large disparity between length scales. We further extend the one-dimensional findings to three dimensions. The three-dimensional pressure fluctuation produced by the surface temperature variation is determined with the aid of the acoustic piston model. Through the one and three-dimensional model analysis, the dependence of acoustic pressure as a function of frequency is studied and the acoustic response with respect to the frequency shows different characteristics when assuming Dirichlet (temperature) or Neumann (heat flux) boundary conditions. The general thermoacoustic model is then applied to a graphene-on-paper sound device. Probabilistic Bayesian method coupled with Monte Carlo Markov Chain (MCMC) algorithms is used to optimize model parameters and to analyze model parameter uncertainty. Excellent correlations of thermoacoustic behavior is predicted by the model which provides insight into heat transport mechanisms associated with generating sound from thermally cycling graphene at high frequencies.© 2014 ASME
Smoking Among Pregnant Women in Outpatient Treatment for Opioid Dependence: A Qualitative Inquiry.

INTRODUCTION Smoking during pregnancy is a major public health issue, contributing to adverse health outcomes. The vast majority of women with substance use disorders smoke during the perinatal period. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the standard of care for women using opioids during pregnancy. The majority of women engaged in MAT (88%-95%) report smoking. The purposes of this study were to describe: (1) facilitators and barriers to engaging in tobacco treatment among pregnant, opioid dependent women receiving MAT; and (2) strategies to tailor tobacco treatment interventions with this population. METHODS Two semi-structured focus groups lasting approximately 45 minutes each were conducted with 22 women engaged in MAT. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed and analyzed in MAXQDA using content analysis. RESULTS Participants reported: (1) desire to quit smoking for themselves and their children; (2) aversion to smoking; (3) a turning point in their lives from being pregnant and entering MAT; (4) nicotine dependence; (5) smoking as a way to cope with stress; (6) coping with dual dependencies; (7) past experiences with stopping smoking due to smoking restrictions; (8) perceived lack of success with nicotine replacement therapy or other tobacco treatment medications; and (9) the need for intensive environmental support for quit attempts. CONCLUSIONS Participants were motivated to quit smoking, but faced multiple complex barriers. Integrating tobacco treatment into the psychosocial services offered in conjunction with MAT would allow a healthcare provider to offer tailored tobacco treatment in a supportive environment. IMPLICATIONS Results of this qualitative study include facilitators and barriers to engaging in tobacco treatment among pregnant, opioid dependent women receiving MAT, as well as strategies to tailor tobacco treatment interventions for this population. In-depth knowledge of the complex barriers facing this patient population can be used to inform tailored tobacco treatment services that can be integrated into clinics providing MAT.
Fusion RNAs in crystallographic studies of double-stranded RNA from trypanosome RNA editing.

Head-to-head fusions of two identical double-stranded fragments of RNA can be designed to self-assemble from a single RNA species and form a double-stranded helix with a twofold rotation axis relating the two strands. These symmetrical RNA molecules are more likely to crystallize without end-on-end statistical packing disorder because the two halves of the molecule are identical. This approach can be used to study many fragments of double-stranded RNA or many isolated helical domains from large single-stranded RNAs that may not yet be amenable to high-resolution studies by crystallography or NMR. We used fusion RNAs to study one (the U-helix) of three functional domains formed when guide RNA binds to its cognate pre-edited mRNA from the trypanosome RNA editing system. The U-helix forms when the 3' oligo(U) tail of the guide RNA (gRNA) binds to the purine-rich, pre-edited mRNA upstream from the current RNA editing site. Fusion RNAs 16-and 32-base pairs in length formed crystals that gave diffraction to 1.37 and 1.05 A respectively. We provide the composition of a fusion RNA crystallization screen and describe the X-ray data collection, structure determination, and refinement of the crystal structures of fusion RNAs.
Effects of a Warming Climate on Daily Snowfall Events in the Northern Hemisphere

AbstractUsing simulations performed with 24 coupled atmosphere–ocean global climate models from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), projections of Northern Hemisphere daily snowfall events under the RCP8.5 emissions scenario are analyzed for the periods of 2021–50 and 2071–2100 and compared to the historical period of 1971–2000. The overall frequency of daily snowfall events is simulated to decrease across much of the Northern Hemisphere, except at the highest latitudes such as northern Canada, northern Siberia, and Greenland. Seasonal redistributions of daily snowfall event frequency and average daily snowfall are also projected to occur in some regions. For example, large portions of the Northern Hemisphere, including much of Canada, Tibet, northern Scandinavia, northern Siberia, and Greenland, are projected to experience increases in average daily snowfall and event frequency in midwinter. But in warmer months, the regions with increased snowfall become fewer in number and are...
A novel phenomenological multi-physics model of Li-ion battery cells

Abstract A novel phenomenological multi-physics model of Lithium-ion battery cells is developed for control and state estimation purposes. The model can capture electrical, thermal, and mechanical behaviors of battery cells under constrained conditions, e.g., battery pack conditions. Specifically, the proposed model predicts the core and surface temperatures and reaction force induced from the volume change of battery cells because of electrochemically- and thermally-induced swelling. Moreover, the model incorporates the influences of changes in preload and ambient temperature on the force considering severe environmental conditions electrified vehicles face. Intensive experimental validation demonstrates that the proposed multi-physics model accurately predicts the surface temperature and reaction force for a wide operational range of preload and ambient temperature. This high fidelity model can be useful for more accurate and robust state of charge estimation considering the complex dynamic behaviors of the battery cell. Furthermore, the inherent simplicity of the mechanical measurements offers distinct advantages to improve the existing power and thermal management strategies for battery management.
Disappearing the asylum: Modernizing psychiatry and generating manpower in India

In recent years, the Movement for Global Mental Health (MGMH) and the World Health Organization have worked closely with governments across the global South to redress major treatment gaps to improve access to mental health services. In India, recent reforms include transforming public psychiatric institutions from sites of treatment to research and training institutes, known as "Centres of Excellence," to combat acute manpower shortages and modernize psychiatry. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork at a public psychiatric hospital in Srinagar, Kashmir, one of the institutions selected to be a future "Centre of Excellence," this article focuses on how these reforms have affected psychiatric institutions themselves. Efforts at modernizing and increasing access to mental health care-that is, emphasizing shortened stays, increasing outpatient treatment, and providing care in the "community"-depend on quarantining stigmatized, chronically ill, long-term patients who reside in custodial conditions with fewer resources and limited attention from providers. Psychiatrists have a radically different vision for redressing manpower shortages than the MGMH and Indian state, revealing contradictions in the reform process. This paper demonstrates how modernizing mental health care splits mental institutions spatially, ontologically, temporally, and epistemologically, so that the process of modernizing the institution is neither seamless nor complete.
On the Linear Equations of Soliton Theory

During the past few years there has been an increasing interest in solitons. The soliton and its remarkable properties are well known to those already familiar with the history of coherent optics since one of the earliest examples of a soliton was the 2π pulse of self-induced transparency [1]. In that instance a satisfactory mathematical setting for the soliton was completely provided by the coupled Maxwell and Schroedinger-Bloch equations. The situation is not as satisfactory in regard to the equations that have more recently been shown to exhibit soliton behavior, however. To solve these equations, certain linear equations analogous to the equations for the two-level atom have been introduced [2] in a somewhat ad hoc fashion.
Oppressive Heat Events in Illinois Related to Antecedent Wet Soils

AbstractExtreme heat events have been connected with antecedent soil moisture in many global regions, such that dry soils increase sensible heat content of the near-surface atmosphere and impede precipitation through boundary layer growth. However, negative soil moisture–temperature feedbacks (dry soils = higher temperatures) are founded on investigations of maximum temperature that neglect the potentially important latent heating component provided by soil moisture. In this study, the association of spring soil moisture and subsequent summer oppressive heat events is quantified, defined by equivalent temperature. The advantage of equivalent temperature over maximum temperature is that it accounts for both the temperature and moisture components of atmospheric heat content. Quantile regression and composite analysis are used to determine the association between spring soil moisture and summer oppressive heat events using a 25-yr station observation record in Illinois. A consistent response of summer oppre...
Acquisition and Use of Digital Images for Pathology Education and Practice

Digital imaging systems are rapidly becoming a valued asset in the field of pathology education and practice as more emphasis is being placed upon digital technology and improved efficiency in medicine. Pathology is an image-intensive discipline which relies upon the diagnostic clarity and accuracy of pathological specimens, and technological advances in image acquisition and delivery have spurred the emergence of pathology as an increasingly “digital” discipline. Well-implemented digital imaging systems can maximize efficiency, reduce costs, and allow for the rapid repurposing of resources in addition to facilitating collaborations among educators and practitioners. Pathology collections that previously were underutilized or lie dormant in storage may now be resurrected from the notorious “image graveyard” through digitization efforts. However, acquisition of digital images can easily lead to the development of “digital image graveyards” if appropriate measure are not taken to ensure that these images are easily retrievable and accessible for use in teaching or in practice. As such, an understanding of image acquisition in addition to editing, processing, storage, management, and delivery of digital images is crucial in revitalizing pathology collections and reaping the benefits that digital imagery provides in terms of efficiency, collaboration, and repurposing.
Interlayer thermal conductance within a phosphorene and graphene bilayer

Monolayer graphene possesses unusual thermal properties, and is often considered as a prototype system for the study of thermal physics of low-dimensional electronic/thermal materials, despite the absence of a direct bandgap. Another two-dimensional (2D) atomic layered material, phosphorene, is a natural p-type semiconductor and it has attracted growing interest in recent years. When a graphene monolayer is overlaid on phosphorene, the hybrid van der Waals (vdW) bilayer becomes a potential candidate for high-performance thermal/electronic applications, owing to the combination of the direct-bandgap properties of phosphorene with the exceptional thermal properties of graphene. In this work, the interlayer thermal conductance at the phosphorene/graphene interface is systematically investigated using classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The transient pump–probe heating method is employed to compute the interfacial thermal resistance (R) of the bilayer. The predicted R value at the phosphorene/graphene interface is 8.41 × 10−8 K m2 W−1 at room temperature. Different external and internal conditions, i.e., temperature, contact pressure, vacancy defect, and chemical functionalization, can all effectively reduce R at the interface. Numerical results of R reduction as a function of temperature, interfacial coupling strength, defect ratio, or hydrogen coverage are reported with the most R reduction amounting to 56.5%, 70.4%, 34.8% and 84.5%, respectively.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of oxidation mediated reaction in l-cysteine and its methyl and ethyl esters in dimethyl sulfoxide-d6 by NMR spectroscopy

Abstract l -Cysteine (L-Cys), l -Cysteine methyl ester (L-CysME) or l -Cysteine ethyl ester (L-CysEE), when dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide, undergoes an oxidation process. This process is slow enough and leads to nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectral changes that could be monitored in real time. The oxidation mediated transition is modeled as a pseudo-first order kinetics and the thermodynamic parameters are estimated using the Eyring's formulation. l -Cysteine and their esters are often used as biological models due to the remarkable thiol group that can be found in different oxidation states. This oxidation mediated transition is due to the combination of thiol oxidation to a disulfide followed by solvent-induced effects may be relevant in designing cysteine-based molecular models.
Preliminary Results of a Phase II Study of CC-5013 (Lenalidomide, Revlimid®) in Patients with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma.

Abstract Background: Mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sezary syndrome (SS) represent the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) comprising 50% of cutaneous lymphomas. No treatment cures patients with CTCL and patients ultimately develop advanced or relapsed disease that is refractory to standard treatment options. The direct antitumor effects associated with potent anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory and T-cell co-stimulatory activity and favorable toxicity profile of lenalidomide provided the rationale to use this agent in patients with MF/SS. Preliminary results of this ongoing phase II trial indicate encouraging early signs, responses and manageable toxicity. Methods: The study is designed to accrue 29 evaluable patients. Nine patients have been enrolled between April and August 2005. Eight patients are evaluable for response and toxicity. Lenalidomide was administered orally on an outpatient basis. Patients received 25 mg daily for 21 days with 7 days rest of a 28-day cycle. Patients with stable disease and partial response will continue treatment with a maximum of 2 years if tolerated or unless unforeseen toxicities occur. Response was assessed after every cycle using Composite Assessment (CA) of Index Lesion Disease Severity for skin lesions, absolute Sezary cell count for quantification of circulating malignant lymphocytes and/or CT scans for evidence of adenopathy or visceral disease. Results: The median patient age was 60 years (range, 47–69) and patients had received a median of 6 prior treatment regimens (range, 2–9). Preliminary results indicate that a total of 3 patients (38%) have already experienced an objective response (defined as a CA ratio less than or equal to 0.5 with no new clinically abnormal lymph nodes, no progression of existing clinically abnormal lymph nodes, and no new cutaneous tumors) after 1 to 3 cycles of therapy. Four patients have achieved a minor response such as regression of cutaneous tumor lesions and cervical lymphadenopathy in one patient each, and skin improvement from initial generalized erythroderma to less severe erythema with less scaling and remain on therapy. The most common side effects were fatigue (4 patients-grade I) and lower leg edema (3 patients-grade II). GI symptoms (grade I) and anemia (grade II) was noted in one patient each. One patient discontinued treatment after one cycle because of neurological symptoms (slurred speech) possibly related to the study drug and one patient for progressive disease after 3 cycles following a minor response. Conclusions: In our study lenalidomide has shown encouraging activity in heavily pretreated patients with advanced MF/SS and a mild toxicity profile. Accrual is ongoing. Revlimid® is a registered trademark of Celgene Corporation.
Trends in quantitative methods used for atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia analyses

Abstract Background Improved quantitative and computational research efforts would be useful for better and more accurate analysis of heart arrhythmias, and to target catheter ablation sites. To pinpoint useful and leading-edge quantitative methods, research trends of articles published in peer-reviewed journals were identified. Methods The MEDLINE search tool and an in-house developed software program were used to detect quantitative trends in arrhythmia research. The main keywords used were ‘atrial fibrillation’ and ‘ventricular tachycardia’, which were searched in combination with commonly associated quantitative keywords for signal and imaging data. The search period used was 1960–2013. The linear regression trend over the search period was calculated, and the slope and regression coefficient was tabulated along with the onset year of the trend. Results In 1960, ‘atrial fibrillation’ and ‘ventricular tachycardia’ appeared in the title or abstract of less than 20 peer-reviewed articles each. A sharp increase in ventricular tachycardia publications occurred from 1975 to 1992 to a peak of over 600 publications; since 1992 the number of ventricular tachycardia studies has leveled. However, the number of atrial fibrillation papers has increased sharply since 1978, surpassing ventricular tachycardia studies in 1993, to over 3500 studies in 2013. From 1960 to 2013, the fraction of ventricular tachycardia papers associated with any particular quantitative keyword, versus the total number of ventricular tachycardia publications, was often greater than the fraction of atrial fibrillation papers associated with the same quantitative keyword, versus the total number of atrial fibrillation publications. Studies published in the bioengineering and bioinformatics literature comprise approximately 10% of all quantitative biomedical studies published on atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Conclusions The MEDLINE search tool identified publication trends in quantitative arrhythmia research. Although ventricular tachycardia is a common ailment, as a quantitative research topic it appears only 20% as often as atrial fibrillation. Much of the quantitative ventricular tachycardia literature peaked in the 1990's, while there is a continued sharp increase in atrial fibrillation research studies. This may have resulted from the publishing of seminal studies spurring interest in quantitative analysis of atrial fibrillation, versus the publishing of curative methods for treatment ventricular tachycardia, particularly during the period of approximately 1995–2000.
A Novel Percutaneous Technique Using Lasso Catheters for Retrieval of an Embolized Amplatzer Atrial Septal Occluder Device

A 56-year-old woman with large ostium secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) and severe right ventricular dysfunction was referred for percutaneous ASD closure. The ASD measured 25 mm on fluoroscopy ([Figure 1A][1]). A 26-mm Amplatzer septal occluder (AGA Medical, Golden Valley, Minnesota) was
Efficient Scalable Parallel Higher Order Direct MoM-SIE Method With Hierarchically Semiseparable Structures for 3-D Scattering

A novel fast scalable parallel algorithm is proposed for the solution of large 3-D scattering problems based on: 1) the double (geometrical and current-approximation) higher order (DHO) method of moments (MoM) in the surface integral equation (SIE) formulation and 2) a direct solver for dense linear systems utilizing hierarchically semiseparable (HSS) structures. Namely, an HSS matrix representation is used for compression, factorization, and solution of the system matrix. In addition, a rank-revealing QR decomposition for memory compression is used, with a stopping criterion in terms of the relative rank tolerance value. A method for geometrical preprocessing of the scatterers based on the cobblestone distance sorting technique is employed in order to enhance the HSS algorithm accuracy and parallelization. Numerical examples show how the accuracy of the DHO HSS-MoM-SIE method is easily controllable by using the relative tolerance for the matrix compression. Moreover, the examples demonstrate low memory consumption, as well as much faster simulation time, when compared to the direct LU decomposition. The method enables dramatically faster monostatic scattering computations than iterative solvers and reduced number of unknowns when compared to low-order discretizations. Finally, great scalability of the algorithm is demonstrated on more than one thousand processes.
Middle cerebral artery flow velocity increases more in patients with delayed intraparenchymal hemorrhage after Pipeline

Objective Pipeline Embolization Devices (PED) are commonly used for endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms but can be associated with delayed ipsilateral intraparenchymal hemorrhage (DIPH). The role that altered intracranial hemodynamics may play in the pathophysiology of DIPH is poorly understood. We assess middle cerebral artery (MCA) flow velocity changes after PED deployment. Materials and methods Patients with aneurysms located proximal to the internal carotid artery terminus treated with PED at our institution between 2015 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were included if MCA flow velocities were measured using transcranial Doppler. Bilateral MCA flow velocities, ratio of ipsilateral to contralateral MCA flow velocity, and bilateral MCA pulsatility index before and after PED deployment were assessed. Results 10 patients of mean age 52 years were included. Two patients had DIPH within 48 hours after PED deployment. We observed that these two patients had a higher increase in ipsilateral MCA mean flow velocity after treatment compared with patients without DIPH (39.5% vs 5.5%). Additionally, before PED deployment, patients with DIPH had a higher ipsilateral MCA pulsatility index (1.55 vs 0.98) and a higher ratio of ipsilateral to contralateral MCA mean flow velocity (1.35 vs 1.04). Conclusions After PED, ipsilateral MCA mean flow velocity increases more in patients with DIPH. These flow velocity changes suggest the possible role of altered distal intracranial hemodynamics in DIPH after PED treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Further data are required to confirm this observation.
An algorithm for aerial data collection from wireless sensors networks by groups of UAVs

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) are increasingly used as data collectors for Wireless Sensors Networks (WSN) on the ground. Most of current research proposes optimizations for itinerary creation for a single UAV. Contrary to this, our work proposes a distributed algorithm for collecting WSN data using a dynamic set of UAVs, that takes into account that UAVs leave or join the group due to recharging or malfunctions. In our work, we consider that the UAVs only have medium-range communication capability (a few meters) to deliver collected data, similar to the assumptions in related work. Compared to the costly and non-real-time Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP)-approach our algorithm delivers approximately 3% more efficient sensor visiting on certain scenarios without using the optimized tour.
A Milestone for CAR T Cells.

More than 7 years have passed since the regression of advanced lymphoma was first reported in a patient who had undergone the infusion of T cells engineered to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting the CD19 antigen expressed on the surface of both normal and malignant B cells.1 Subsequent trials of CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy showed a complete response in some patients with relapsed or chemotherapy-refractory hematologic cancers for which there were no effective therapies.2-5 This personalized therapeutic approach entails the removal of peripheral-blood T cells from a patient, followed by in vitro activation, genetic modification, and expansion of . . .
Cardiac pathology after valve replacement with a tilting disc prosthesis (Björk-Shiley type): A study of 46 necropsy patients and 49 Björk-Shiley prostheses

Abstract Clinical and necropsy observations are described in 46 patients who had one or more cardiac valves replaced with a tilting disc prosthesis of the Bjork-Shiley type, and these observations are compared with earlier observations in patients with caged ball, caged disc and trileaflet prostheses. In contrast with its frequent occurrence in patients studied earlier with peripheral flow prostheses, either caged ball or caged disc, prosthetic dysfunction from prosthetic disproportion (too small a ventricular cavity or aortic root to freely accommodate the prosthesis) was observed in only 2 of the 46 patients with the semicentral flow Bjork-Shiley prosthesis. Significant trauma to erythrocytes, as determined by the presence of renal hemosiderosis, occurred in only 1 of 11 patients who died late after Bjork-Shiley valve replacement; it occurred more frequently and with far greater severity in patients who died late after valve replacement with a caged ball or caged disc prosthesis. Prosthetic thrombi may be less frequent after valve replacement with a tilting disc than after replacement with a caged ball or caged disc. They occurred in 7 of 13 patients who died late after Bjork-Shiley valve replacement, but 3 of the 7 patients had infective prosthetic endocarditis, and of the remaining 4, only one had been receiving warfarin sodium. In contrast, prosthetic thrombi were observed in 81 and 88 percent, respectively, of 112 patients who died late after valve replacement with a caged ball or caged disc prosthesis, and most of the 112 patients had received anticoagulant therapy. Although the implantation periods were relatively short (3 to 30 months, average 11), prosthetic wear or variance of the tilting disc prosthesis did not occur in any of the 13 patients who died late. Although the tilting disc (Bjork-Shiley) prosthesis is prone to clot (and therefore patients with it require long-term anticoagulation), the device is not intrinsically stenotic or significantly incompetent, it is only minimally traumatic to erythrocytes and, at this time, there is no evidence of prosthetic degeneration or variance.
Mechanism of Interaction of Phospholipase A2 with Phospholipid Substrates and Activators

Phospholipase A2 is one of the smallest and simplest enzymes of lipid metabolism (1). Over the last several years, our laboratory has been focusing on the mechanism by which it interacts with phospholipid in the lipid-water interface and achieves an extraordinary increase in activity over manomerically dispersed substrate. This increase is observed on both micelles of synthetic short chain phospholipid substrates and on mixed micelles with detergents such as Triton X-100. This requirement for an interface for maximal activity has puzzled enzymologists for years.
Post-translational Modifications in the Human Proteome

The Chromosome-Centric Human Proteome Project (C-HPP) is a global project aimed to identify at least one protein isoform encoded by the approximately 20, 300 human genes. In addition, protein post-translational modifications will be characterized, with the initial goal of detecting phosphorylation, acetylation, and glycosylation sites in each protein. In this chapter, we provide an overview of known post-translational modifications, their known biological functions, and present strategies to detect them on both a single protein and proteomic scales. In future proteomic studies, global characterization of post-translation modifications, splice variants, and variants caused by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) will be necessary to fully understand the role of proteins in human biology and disease.
Vascularized Lymph Node Transplantation Models

Maintenance of the blood supply to the transferred lymph node is important for both the survival and preservation of function. There are different small and large animal models for lymph node transplantation tested in different models. However, in most of these studies lymph nodes were used as free grafts. In this chapter we are presenting experimental small animal models of vascularized lymph node transplantation including vascularized cervical lymph node model, vascularized inguinal lymph node model and vascularized mesenteric lymph node model.
Molecular Mechanism of Self-Organization in Biological Systems

Self-organization is the autonomous formation of complex structures from units of less complexity by local internal interactions. As a precise model of self-organization in nature, embryonic organogenesis is a process where different tissues and organs form in a growing embryo by the autonomous assembling of cells together.
Launch vehicle systems engineering life‐cycle evolution and comparison

Historically, through extensive government involvement, most orbital rocket companies have adopted the government's systems engineering approach. However, over the past decade, the Federal government has been less involved in the development of new launch vehicles. The diminishing involvement by the Federal government has given way to the rise of nontraditional systems engineering life‐cycle approaches for launch vehicle development. This paper explores the advantages and disadvantages of the different system engineering life‐cycle approaches in the launch vehicle industry.
A doctor-poet

Ozge Tuncalp catches up with Michael Berman, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at Yale School of Medicine, where he also serves as the president of Yale New Haven Physician Hospital Organization. His special interest in pregnancy loss, strong commitment in making humanism a priority in healthcare services, and his gift in expressing himself through poetry led to the foundation of Hygeia (www.hygeia.org), a comprehensive platform for families and healthcare professionals, including medical students, to share and learn from one another. What started as a website in 1995 has now exploded into a full blown foundation with programmes like the Ephemeris Project
Impact of Long-Distance Travel on Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Presentation and Outcome in Rural North Dakota:

Purpose:Long-distance travel in underserved, rural areas could delay treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). The purpose of this study was to determine whether patients living remotel...
EIF4G1 and carboxypeptidase e axis dysregulation in O-GlcNAc transferase-deficient pancreatic β-cells contributes to hyperproinsulinemia in mice

An early hallmark of type 2 diabetes is a failure of proinsulin-to-insulin processing in pancreatic β-cells, resulting in hyperproinsulinemia. Proinsulin processing is quite sensitive to nutrient flux, and β-cell–specific deletion of the nutrient-sensing protein modifier OGlcNAc transferase (βOGTKO) causes β-cell failure and diabetes, including early development of hyperproinsulinemia. The mechanisms underlying this latter defect are unknown. Here, using several approaches, including site-directed mutagenesis, Click O-GlcNAc labeling, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence and EM imaging, we provide the first evidence for a relationship between the O-GlcNAcylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4γ1 (eIF4G1) and carboxypeptidase E (CPE)-dependent proinsulin processing in βOGTKO mice. We first established that βOGTKO hyperproinsulinemia is independent of age, sex, glucose levels, and endoplasmic reticulum–CCAAT enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP)–mediated stress status. Of note, OGT loss was associated with a reduction in β-cell–resident CPE, and genetic reconstitution of CPE in βOGTKO islets rescued the dysfunctional proinsulin-to-insulin ratio. We show that although CPE is not directly OGlcNAc modified in islets, overexpression of the suspected OGT target eIF4G1, previously shown to regulate CPE translation in β-cells, increases islet CPE levels, and fully reverses βOGTKO islet-induced hyperproinsulinemia. Furthermore, our results reveal that OGT O-GlcNAc-modifies eIF4G1 at Ser-61 and that this modification is critical for eIF4G1 protein stability. Together, these results indicate a direct link between nutrient-sensitive OGT and insulin processing, underscoring the importance of post-translational O-GlcNAc modification in general cell physiology.
Use of the Neurological Pupil Index to Predict Postoperative Visual Function After Resection of a Tuberculum Sellae Meningioma: A Case Report.

The Neurological Pupil index (NPi) is a standardized method for evaluating pupil reactivity that removes inter-examiner variability. Changes in the NPi can predict clinical deterioration in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI); however, its use to predict visual impairment after the resection of parasellar meningiomas has not been described. A 71-year-old female underwent a modified expanded bifrontal craniotomy for resection of a 3.1 cm tuberculum sella meningioma that caused compression of the optic chiasm and resulted in left temporal and right superior temporal visual field deficits. Postoperatively, she lost vision in the right eye. Pupillometer measurements demonstrated an asymmetrically low NPi at that time, which improved to normal prior to partial vision recovery. The average NPi in the right pupil was 1.67 during the time of vision loss compared to 3.47 in the left pupil (p=1.7x10-10). Statistical analysis was performed with the Student's t-test and the significance level was set at p-value < 0.01. Resection of parasellar meningiomas is challenging because of the proximity of the optic apparatus. We report a case of unilateral vision loss after resection of a tuberculum sella meningioma in which the impaired eye's NPi value correlated closely with visual function. NPi values that decrease below 3 predict spikes in intracranial pressure in TBI patients; similarly, increases in the NPi value above 2.5-3 predict improvement in vision in the case reported here. By monitoring the proximal portion of the oculomotor reflex, the NPi can be a marker of visual impairment after surgery.
Wilton Ripples in Weakly Nonlinear Dispersive Models of Water Waves: Existence and Analyticity of Solution Branches

Traveling waves on the surface of the ocean play an important role in many oceanographic processes which necessitates a detailed quantitative understanding of their properties. The water wave equations, which govern the free-surface evolution of an ideal fluid, are the most successful model for this phenomena, but are exceedingly difficult to analyze due to their strongly nonlinear character and the fact that they are posed on a domain with moving boundary. For this reason, weakly nonlinear dispersive models are an essential tool for practitioners, and in this contribution, we study traveling wave solutions of a broad class of such models. The simplest family of traveling wave solutions are the Stokes waves which can be characterized as simple bifurcation (one-dimensional null space of the linearized operator) from the trivial (flat-water) branch of solutions. We focus our analysis on the much less studied non-simple case of Wilton ripples which have linear behavior characterized by two co-propagating harmonics (a two-dimensional null space of the linearized operator). More specifically, we show that such branches of solutions exist for a class of nonlinear dispersive model equations, and that they are analytic with respect to a natural wave height/slope parameter.
Reynolds number and slant angle effects on the flow over a slanted cylinder afterbody

The cylinder with a slanted base is a simplified, canonical bluff body geometry that shares similarities to aircraft fuselages, which are known to produce a strong vortex pair due to their upswept afterbody. This work will examine in detail the surface flow and near-field characteristics of the flow over the slanted cylinder for slant angles of , where the formation of either a separated wake flow state or a vortex-dominated flow state is dependent upon initial conditions, i.e. the presence of overshoot of the free-stream velocity during wind tunnel start-up.
4 – Sunflower Diseases

Publisher Summary Sunflower is a known host for over 30 pathogens, but the relative importance of specific diseases varies with geographic region. Differences in climate, pathogen distribution, and cropping practices affect the prevalence of individual diseases in each region. This chapter discusses two tables of selected diseases, which list diseases considered to be of widespread importance, and selected diseases of regional importance or those that may occur sporadically. It also discusses individual diseases like Downy mildew, Phomopsis stem canker, rust, Rhizopus head rot, Sclerotinia head rot, Sclerotinia stalk rot and wilt, and Verticillium wilt, and their effects on sunflower production. Sunflower producers face several challenges when managing sunflower diseases, most notably pathogens that can cause significant yield loss under a variety of environmental conditions, variable pathogens, and limited management tools to the most devastating diseases. However, pathologists and breeders are continually working to develop and deploy new management tools that can mitigate yield losses to diseases.
TM1385 from Thermotoga maritima functions as a phosphoglucose isomerase via cis-enediol-based mechanism with active site redundancy.

Abstract Phosphoglucose isomerases (PGIs) belong to a class of enzymes that catalyze the reversible isomerization of glucose-6-phosphate to fructose-6-phosphate. PGIs are crucial in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways and proposed as serving additional extracellular functions in eukaryotic organisms. The phosphoglucose isomerase function of TM1385, a previously uncharacterized protein from Thermotoga maritima, was hypothesized based on structural similarity to established PGI crystal structures and computational docking. Kinetic and colorimetric assays combined with 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy experimentally confirm that TM1385 is a phosphoglucose isomerase (TmPGI). Evidence of solvent exchange in 1H NMR spectra supports that TmPGI isomerization proceeds through a cis-enediol-based mechanism. To determine which amino acid residues are critical for TmPGI catalysis, putative active site residues were mutated with alanine and screened for activity. Results support that E281 is most important for TmPGI formation of the cis-enediol intermediate, and the presence of either H310 or K422 may be required for catalysis, similar to previous observations from homologous PGIs. However, only TmPGI E281A/Q415A and H310A/K422A double mutations abolished activity, suggesting that there are redundant catalytic residues, and Q415 may participate in sugar phosphate isomerization upon E281 mutation. Combined, we propose that TmPGI E281 participates directly in the cis-enediol intermediate step, and either H310 or K422 may facilitate sugar ring opening and closure.
Understanding the effect of thickness on the thermoelectric properties of Ca3Co4O9 thin films.

We are reporting the effect of thickness on the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity and power factor of Ca3Co4O9 thin films grown on single-crystal Sapphire (0001) substrate. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique was employed to deposit Ca3Co4O9 films with precisely controlled thickness values ranging from 15 to 75 nm. Structural characterization performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) showed that the growth of Ca3Co4O9 on Sapphire (0001) follows the island growth-mode. It was observed that in-plane grain sizes decrease from 126 to 31 nm as the thickness of the films decreases from 75 to 15 nm. The thermoelectric power measurements showed an overall increase in the value of the Seebeck coefficient as the films’ thickness decreased. The above increase in the Seebeck coefficient was accompanied with a simultaneous decrease in the electrical conductivity of the thinner films due to enhanced scattering of the charge carriers at the grain boundaries. Because of the competing mechanisms of the thickness dependence of Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity, the power factor of the films showed a non-monotonous functional dependence on thickness. The films with the intermediate thickness (60 nm) showed the highest power factor (~ 0.27 mW/m-K2 at 720 K).
Domesticating Trauma: Cult of Affliction as Counter-Institution in Mozambique

Prophetic healing in central Mozambique is both a product of and response to histories of violence, the traumas of warfare as well as the structural violence of poverty. For prophets, their suffering led them into a community of fellows, a cult of affliction  that frames pain and loss and provides a context for responding to the forces that visit affliction upon its members. Relationships among prophets are in some ways familial and in others collegial, and include nurturing and self-sacrifice as well as entrepreneurial individualism and incorporation into hierarchies. Forces of cohesion and fission act in an ongoing push-and-pull fellowship and enmity, jealousy and succor, despair and aspiration pulse through prophetic life in rhythm with the socio-politics of the rest of life. Based on ethnographic field research conducted in Tete Province, Mozambique, I argue that the cult of affliction  of the prophets is a counter-institution, modeled on and bearing the trappings of family, church, and state even as it critiques these institutions. Instead prophets model an alternative collectivity, that of an expressive forum driven by a particular brand of entrepreneurialism that locates power in the exegesis of suffering and strives to domesticate the alienating effects of illness, trauma, and marginalization.