cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Finding the Optimal Partner to Pair with Bispecific Antibody Therapy for Multiple Myeloma

BCMA/CD3e-targeted bispecific antibody (BsAb) therapy represents a promising T cell-redirecting immunotherapy to treat relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. However, rational combination strategies will most likely be key to achieve a long-lasting immune response. In this issue, Meermeier and colleagues investigate BsAb therapy in a syngeneic multiple myeloma model and elucidate that partnering with cyclophosphamide is associated with tempered activation, mitigated exhaustion of T cells, and is superior to pomalidomide or bortezomib in enhancing durable anti-multiple myeloma efficacy.See related article by Meermeier et al., p. 354.
Climate warming threatens the persistence of a community of disturbance-adapted native annual plants.

With ongoing climate change, populations are expected to exhibit shifts in demographic performance that will alter where a species can persist. This presents unique challenges for managing plant populations and may require ongoing interventions, including in situ management or introduction into new locations. However, few studies have examined how climate change may affect plant demographic performance for a suite of species, or how effective management actions could be in mitigating climate change effects. Over the course of two experiments spanning 6 yr and four sites across a latitudinal gradient in the Pacific Northwest, United States, we manipulated temperature, precipitation, and disturbance intensity, and quantified effects on the demography of eight native annual prairie species. Each year we planted seeds and monitored germination, survival, and reproduction. We found that disturbance strongly influenced demographic performance and that seven of the eight species had increasingly poor performance with warmer conditions. Across species and sites, we observed 11% recruitment (the proportion of seeds planted that survived to reproduction) following high disturbance, but just 3.9% and 2.3% under intermediate and low disturbance, respectively. Moreover, mean seed production following high disturbance was often more than tenfold greater than under intermediate and low disturbance. Importantly, most species exhibited precipitous declines in their population growth rates (λ) under warmer-than-ambient experimental conditions and may require more frequent disturbance intervention to sustain populations. Aristida oligantha, a C4 grass, was the only species to have λ increase with warmer conditions. These results suggest that rising temperatures may cause many native annual plant species to decline, highlighting the urgency for adaptive management practices that facilitate their restoration or introduction to newly suitable locations. Frequent and intense disturbances are critical to reduce competitors and promote native annuals' persistence, but even such efforts may prove futile under future climate regimes.
Skin in the Game: A Policy Implementation Study of How School-Level Bureaucrats Set and Rationalize Advanced Placement Exam Fees for Low-Income Students.

As part of their strategies to increase college readiness and reduce educational inequalities, at least 29 states subsidize Advanced Placement (AP) exam fees for low-income students. However, while Michigan’s state-level policy subsidized low-income student exams to $5 per exam, we found wide-ranging fee structures at high schools—from $0 to $50. Through a lens of policy implementation theory and using an embedded case study approach, this study examined this disjuncture between the state and school policies using interview data from 33 school personnel—counselors, AP Coordinators, administrators—in 31 high schools and state personnel in Michigan; state policy artifacts; and publicly available school data. We identified three major challenges—many schools hedged and set higher fees because they were unsure how much the legislature would approve each year; the state subsidy did not account for additional exam costs (e.g., exam proctors) that were passed down to the student; and the policy as written lacked enforceability and accountability. Policymakers were largely unaware of the amount schools ultimately charged low-income students. In the presence of an ambiguous policy and constrained resources, school personnel relied on their personal perspectives on fees and behavior (e.g., the need to reduce moral hazard and increase “skin in the game”) to rationalize low-income students fees. Together, these findings help explain how low-income students pay vastly different AP exam fees depending on the high school they attend in Michigan—with some schools severely impeding low-income students’ college preparatory opportunities.
Investigation into Formation of Lipid Hydroperoxides from Membrane Lipids in Escherichia coli O157:H7 following Exposure to Hot Water.

Although studies have shown antimicrobial treatments consisting of hot water sprays alone or paired with lactic acid rinses are effective for reducing Escherichia coli O157:H7 loads on beef carcass surfaces, the mechanisms by which these interventions inactivate bacterial pathogens are still poorly understood. It was hypothesized that E. coli O157:H7 exposure to hot water in vitro at rising temperatures for longer time periods would result in increasing deterioration of bacterial outer membrane lipids, sensitizing the pathogen to subsequent lactic acid application. Cocktails of E. coli O157:H7 strains were subjected to hot water at 25 (control) 65, 75, or 85°C incrementally up to 60 s, after which surviving cells were enumerated by plating. Formation of lipid hydroperoxides from bacterial membranes and cytoplasmic accumulation of l-lactic acid was quantified spectrophotometrically. Inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 proceeded in a hot water exposure duration- and temperature-dependent manner, with population...
Distributed Temperature and Humidity Measurement System Utilizing IQMESH Wireless Routing Algorithms

The paper presents distributed temperature and humidity measurement system. The base of the system are IQRF radio transmission modules. It is assumed that system consists of one coordinator and multiple nodes. Data exchange is performed by IQMESH discovery routing algorithm. It divides modules into zones and assigns them Virtual Routing Number. Presented solution has several main advantages: modular construction, low price and easy implementation. The paper presents system and its components, describes provided solution (with main algorithms) and discusses usefulness of the application. In addition, paper points out possibility of system modelling (on the basis of example).
Heavy-Ion Induced Chromatin Damage and Repair: PCC and Chromosome Painting

The experimental technique known as “premature chromosome condensation (PCC)” allows detection of interphase chromosome breakage or “chromatin breaks” at a time when repair processes are still at work. Using the PCC technique it has been shown that x-rays induce breakage linearly with dose and that these breaks rejoin with kinetics similar to repair of potentially lethal damage. Because they lack a clearly defined centromere, it has been difficult to detect aberrations in G1-phase PCC chromosomes; an important exception being the ring chromosomal aberration. Certain misrepair events can also be detected by in situ hybridization of labeled DNA probes and visualization by fluorescent staining. Our goal was to examine chromatin breakage, rejoining, and misrepair in cells exposed to radiations of differing quality.
Difference of Digitalis Binding to Na, K-ATPase and Sarcolemma Membranes

Publisher Summary This chapter compares the kinetics of [3H]ouabain dissociation from highly purified, solubilized Na, K-ATPase and highly enriched sarcolemma against the kinetics of washout of the inotropic action of ouabain in canine heart preparations. The chapter discusses the difference of digitalis binding to Na, K-ATPase and sarcolemma membranes. Highly purified, solubilized Na, K-ATPase prepared from the outer medulla of canine kidneys was used instead of cardiac Na, K-ATPase, because it is not possible at present to isolate highly purified Na, K-ATPase from cardiac cells. Solubilized Na,K-ATPase was incubated with 1.2 x 10–7 M [3H]ouabain under Type I binding conditions All preparations gave only a single exponential component that was not significantly different from solubilized Na,K-ATPase. The same dissociation experiment also was conducted on highly enriched sarcolemma prepared from canine hearts. The chapter describes that the dissociation half-life of [3H]ouabain from highly purified, solubilized Na, K-ATPase is very different from the inotropic half-life of ouabain.
Single- and Multi-channel Whistle Recognition with NAO Robots

We propose two real-time sound recognition approaches that are able to distinguish a predefined whistle sound on a NAO robot in various noisy environments. The approaches use one, two, and four microphone channels of a NAO robot. The first approach is based on a frequency/band-pass filter whereas the second approach is based on logistic regression. We conducted experiments in six different settings varying the noise level of both the surrounding environment and the robot itself. The results show that the robot will be able to identify the whistle reliability even in very noisy environments.
Description and Genesis of Buried Sand-Filled Soil Wedges Near Flagstaff, Arizona

Sand-filled soil wedges developed in buried soils at two sites near Flagstaff, Arizona, are 13- to 30-cm wide at the top, 50- to 80-cm deep, and form nonsorted polygons about 1 to 1.5 m in diameter. These features are smaller than most periglacial (sand and ice) wedges formed in continuous permafrost and larger than most dessication cracks. Size and characteristics of the wedges most resemble those of seasonal frost cracks (primordial soil wedges) formed by intense frost action and/or a combination of frost action and dessication. Such wedges may develop either in the active layer above discontinuous or sporadic permafrost or beyond the permafrost limit in areas where mean annual temperature (MAT) is near 0°C. Thus, occurrence of these features suggest MAT was some 7° to 8°C below that of today during their formation. Distribution of pollen and glacial and periglacial features in the area suggest paleotemperatures were cold enough to produce such wedges during full glacial conditions. Stratigraphic relati...
Vibration powered battery-assisted passive RFID tag

Real-time supply chain management, theft prevention, and environmental monitoring motivate the need for RFID systems. Battery-assisted RFID tags increase read range and reliability; however, batteries offer only a finite lifetime solution. Hence, an experiment in powering a battery-assisted passive RFID tag using ambient vibration energy was conducted. A piezoelectric power generator was designed at a resonant frequency of 52 Hertz, with potential power output of 500 μW. Manipulation of the electric signal from the generator through a power circuit produced 8mW pulses to the tag, resulting in successful communication with the reader. Power needs were compared to an earlier experiment in powering a Mica2Dot “Mote” showing a 88% decrease in necessary power supply and 90% decrease in charge time.
A Primer on Ugaritic: Literary Texts ( KTU 1)

Most of the major literary texts from Ugaritic are in the form of narrative poems. Included here are selections from the three most famous poems: the Baal Cycle (§§6.2 and 6.5), the Keret Epic (§6.3), and the Story of Aqhat (§6.6). In addition, we have provided a selection from El's Marziḥu (§6.1), which can be read with the legal text dealing with the Marziḥu in Chapter 5 (§5.3). The so-called Snake Bite Text (§6.4) has been the subject of numerous studies and has been one of the more difficult texts to understand; it seems to have been used in a ritual. The Birth of the Goodly Gods (§6.7) describes the sexual activity of the god El with much metaphorical language and the birth of two gods with ravenous appetites. Near Eastern literary texts, including Ugaritic texts, rely heavily on parallelism and standard formulas. Parallelism involves the juxtaposition of phrases using similar syntactic and semantic structures. Standard formulas include the marking of time, the introduction of direct speech, the entrance and exit of characters, and the use of divine epithets. Although these can seem redundant, they reflect the oral recitation of these literary texts (see S. Parker, Stories in Scripture and Inscriptions ). A main problem that the student will face in studying these literary texts is their fragmentary nature. Even where they are complete, there are many obscurites in the vocabulary or in understanding the ancient Ugaritic social context.
Spatially resolved methane band photometry of Jupiter: III. Cloud vertical structures for several axisymmetric bands and the Great Red Spot

The paper presents cloud structure models for Jupiter's Great Red Spot, Equatorial and North Tropical Zones, North and South Temperate Zones, and North and South Polar Regions. The models are based on images of Jupiter in three methane bands and nearby continuum; radiative transfer calculations include multiple scattering and absorption from three aerosol layers. The model results include the transition in the upper-cloud altitude to 3 km lower altitude from the tropical zones to temperate zones and polar regions, a N/S asymmetry in cloud thickness in the tropical and temperature zones, and the presence of aerosols up to about 0.3 bar in the Great Red Spot and Equatorial Zone. It is concluded that polarization data are sensitive to aerosols in and above the upper cloud layer but insensitive to deeper cloud structure.
Hardware for speculative run-time parallelization in distributed shared-memory multiprocessors

Run-time parallelization is often the only way to execute the code in parallel when data dependence information is incomplete at compile time. This situation is common in many important applications. Unfortunately, known techniques for run-time parallelization are often computationally expensive or not general enough. To address this problem, we propose new hardware support for efficient run-time parallelization in distributed shared-memory (DSM) multiprocessors. The idea is to execute the code in parallel speculatively and use extensions to the cache coherence protocol hardware to detect any dependence violations. As soon as a dependence is detected, execution stops, the state is restored, and the code is re-executed serially. This scheme, which we apply to loops, allows iterations to execute and complete in potentially any order. This scheme requires hardware extensions to the cache coherence protocol and memory hierarchy of a DSM. It has low overhead. We present the algorithms and a hardware design of the scheme. Overall, the scheme delivers average loop speedups of 7.3 for 16 processors and is 50% faster than a related software-only method.
Randomized computations in domain decomposition methods

An efficient and robust FETI-2λ domain decomposition method (DDM) framework for electromagnetic (EM) modeling is outlined. The proposed framework uses randomized algorithms to approximate the low-rank discrete Dirichlet-to-Neumann (DtN) map interations that arise in FETI-2λ. The resulting approach is also combined with effective and robust local and global DDM preconditioners. A realistic numerical example is given to verify the effectiveness, effieincy and robustness.
Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty

What is beauty? Why are some people considered more beautiful than others? Written by a practising psychologist who has been researching the perception of human faces, this book offers a comprehensive guide to a complex and contentious subject.
Correlations and Predictions of Carboxylic Acid pKa Values Using Intermolecular Structure and Properties of Hydrogen-Bonded Complexes

Density functional theory calculations have been preformed on a series of hydrogen-bonded complexes of substituted aliphatic and aromatic carboxylic acids with ammonia. Molecular properties, particularly those related to hydrogen bonding, have been carefully examined for their interdependence as well as dependence on the acidity of the acid. The bond length and stretching frequency of the hydroxyl group and the hydrogen-bond length and energy of the complex are shown to be highly correlated with each other and are linearly correlated with available literature pKa values of the carboxylic acids. The linear correlations resulting from the fit to the available pKa values can be used to predict the pKa values of similar carboxylic acids. The pKa values so predicted using the different molecular properties are highly consistent and in good agreement with the literature values. This study suggests that calculated molecular properties of hydrogen-bonded complexes allow effective and systematic prediction of pKa values for a large range of organic acids using the established linear correlations. This approach is unique in its capability to determine the acidity of a particular functional group or the local acidity within a large molecular system such as a protein.
Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase Genes in Corn Roots

Two cDNAs encoding Ca(2+)-dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), CRPK1 and CRPK2 (corn root protein kinase 1 and 2), were isolated from the root tip library of corn (Zea mays L., cv. Merit) and their nucleotide sequences were determined. Deduced amino acid sequences of both the clones have features characteristic of plant CDPKs, including all 11 conserved serine/threonine kinase subdomains, a junction domain and a calmodulin-like domain with four Ca(2+)-binding sites. Northern analysis revealed that CRPK1 mRNA is preferentially expressed in roots, especially in the root tip; whereas, the expression of CRPK2 mRNA was very low in all the tissues tested. In situ hybridization experiments revealed that CRPK1 mRNA is highly expressed in the root apex, as compared to other parts of the root. Partially purified CDPK from the root tip phosphorylates syntide-2, a common peptide substrate for plant CDPKs, and the phosphorylation was stimulated 7-fold by the addition of Ca2+. Our results show that two CDPK isoforms are expressed in corn roots and they may be involved in the Ca(2+)-dependent signal transduction process.
The use of polyethylene glycol in tablet coating.

An improved method for the coating of medicinal tablets using polyethylene glycol 6000 has been developed as a result of this investigation. Using conventional tablet coating equipment but none of the conventional materials, this process is offered as a replacement for the usual sugar coatings over which it possesses many distinct advantages. With this new process, tablet coatings have been produced which are stable, durable, readily water-soluble, and evenly colored. The time required for the application of this coating is less than half that currently spent in sugar coating and since no water is used in the coating solutions, the need for protective coatings is eliminated. The polyethylene glycol used is nonhygroscopic, noncaloric, and relatively nontoxic. Its solubility in a variety of common solvents makes the new process very flexible.
The effect of biaxial orientation and crystallinity on the long‐term creep behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) films below glass transition temperature

The use of thin polymeric films in applications such as flexible circuit boards and dish membrane solar collectors has been gaining popularity. In these and many other applications the films are used under constant loading conditions which subjects them to long-term creep. In this paper, we present detailed experimental tensile creep results on unoriented films of varying crystallinities and unequal and equal biaxially oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films. The results indicate that the increasc of crystallinity, stretch ratios, and annealing causes reduction in longterm creep strains. Unequal biaxially stretched films exhibited in-plane anisotropy in their tensile creep behavior. In these films the lowest creep strains are observed in the direction along which the film stretched to the highest stretch ratio.
Glutathione-S-transferase genotypes, smoking, and their association with markers of inflammation, hemostasis, and endothelial function: the atherosclerosis risk in communities (ARIC) study.

Abstract Recent epidemiologic studies suggest that polymorphisms of glutathione- S -transferases M1 and T1 (GSTM1/GSTT1) modify the effects of cigarette smoking on risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Since GSTs are able to detoxify numerous toxic compounds and products of oxidative stress, it is possible that GST genotypes may also modify the capacity of smoking to invoke a chronic inflammatory response. A cross-sectional analysis, using a subset of participants ( n =989) in a large ( n =15, 792) biracial cohort, was used to evaluate levels of nine markers of inflammation, hemostasis, and endothelial function by different combinations of GST genotypes and cigarette smoking status. Participants with the GSTM1 null (GSTM1-0) genotype and ≥20 pack-years of smoking had the highest mean levels of CRP, fibrinogen, von Willebrand factor, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 and lowest mean levels of albumin compared to other combinations of genotype and smoking. However, a formal test for interaction between GSTM1 genotype and smoking was statistically significant only for albumin. By contrast, participants who had the functional GSTT1 genotype (GSTT1-1) and smoked ≥20 pack-years had the highest mean levels of only CRP and fibrinogen. The results of this study provide some limited evidence that GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms modify the effect of smoking on inflammation, hemostasis, and endothelial function.
Nonlinear generation of 104.8-nm radiation within an absorption window in zinc.

Two autoionizing levels which are separated by a few decay widths may exhibit a sharp interference or window in their absorption profile and also make canceling contributions to the refractive index at the absorption minimum. A correct choice of intermediate mixing levels prevents a similar cancellation in the nonlinear susceptibility. Using uv lasers with energies of about a mJ and pulse lengths of 5 ns, we generate 0.23 \ensuremath{\mu}J per pulse at 104.8 nm.
Uni-directional ciliary membrane protein trafficking by a cytoplasmic retrograde IFT motor and ciliary ectosome shedding

The role of the primary cilium in key signaling pathways depends on dynamic regulation of ciliary membrane protein composition, yet we know little about the motors or membrane events that regulate ciliary membrane protein trafficking in existing organelles. Recently, we showed that cilium-generated signaling in Chlamydomonas induced rapid, anterograde IFT-independent, cytoplasmic microtubule-dependent redistribution of the membrane polypeptide, SAG1-C65, from the plasma membrane to the periciliary region and the ciliary membrane. Here, we report that the retrograde IFT motor, cytoplasmic dynein 1b, is required in the cytoplasm for this rapid redistribution. Furthermore, signaling-induced trafficking of SAG1-C65 into cilia is unidirectional and the entire complement of cellular SAG1-C65 is shed during signaling and can be recovered in the form of ciliary ectosomes that retain signal-inducing activity. Thus, during signaling, cells regulate ciliary membrane protein composition through cytoplasmic action of the retrograde IFT motor and shedding of ciliary ectosomes.
Compositional Sorting of Topographically High Tennessee River Gravels: A Glacial Hypothesis: Reply

Compositional sorting of topographically high river terrace gravels along the southwestern portion of the Tennessee River valley may be explained by alternate blanketing and uncovering of the source of metaquartzite by glacial ice in the Blue Ridge province of the southern Appalachians. Glacial meltwater may have caused the Tennessee River to spill over into the Black Belt of Mississippi where metaquartzite cobbles are found associated with a Rancholabrean vertebrate fauna. Heavy minerals associated with the metaquartzite cobbles are similar on both sides of the present Tennessee Valley Divide, adding support for a glacially controlled temporary spillover of the Tennessee River.
Uses of Accelerators in Energy R & D

At many laboratories an increasing emphasis is being placed on energy-related research, often at the expense of more basic programs. The effects of this change can be clearly seen at accelerator laboratories, where tools traditionally reserved for nuclear and particle physicists are being applied in areas such as radiation damage, nuclear waste management, and materials science. The success of accelerator-based work in these fields is reflected by the increasing interest in proposals for new facilities devoted entirely to applied programs. Current proposals include various forms of intense neutron sources for fusion-related work, synchrotron x-ray sources for materials studies, and even the use of accelerators for large-scale nuclear waste disposal.
Visual annotation tool for multimedia content description

In this paper, we describe a multimedia annotation tool that allows the users to interactively create MPEG-7 descriptions. The MPEG-7 standard provides description structures for multimedia content in the form of Description Schemes (DS) and Descriptors with the goal of enabling interoperable searching and filtering. The MPEG-7 Visual Annotation Tool allows the user to manually link together MPEG-7 Dss and Descriptors as needed and enter description data into the fields of the description structures. The tool takes as input an MPEG-7 Schema definition file and an MPEG-7 package description file. The MPEG-7 Schema definition file defines the structure of the MPEG-7 description components using the MPEG-7 Description Definition Language (DDL). The Package description file organized the MPEG-7 description components in order to improve the ease of navigation in the MPEG-7 Visual Annotation Tool. The tool provides utilities for drag-and-drop copying and reusing of description elements and allows the output of the descriptions in XML to files. The initial implementation centers around manual entry of description data, however, in future work we plan to explore the integration of automatic and semi-automatic feature extraction methods with the goal of providing a complete system for MPEG-7 multimedia content annotation and query instruction.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Development of hypothalamic obesity in the male golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) as a function of food preference

When fed a preferred diet, male hamsters with lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus gained reliably more weight than control animals. There were no reliable differences in weight gain between lesioned and control groups when the diet was nonpreferred. In addition, lesioned hamsters differed from control animals in nest-building behavior and open-field activity, independent of weight differences. The groups could not be differentiated on the basis of reactivity to capture and handling. It was suggested that hypothalamic obesity in the male golden hamster is due, at least in part, to dietary preferences. Other behavioral changes resulting from lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus may only be peripherally related to food-motivated behaviors and may be a function of the species-typical behaviors of the particular species studied.
Phytotoxicity and detoxification of metribuzin in dark-grown suspension cultures of soybean

Abstract Differential resistance of soybean to metribuzin (4-amino-6- t -butyl 3-(methylthio)- as -triazin-5(4 H )-one) was demonstrated in cell suspensions from resistant and susceptible cultivars. Whereas the herbicide had been reported to inhibit photosynthesis, the observations on achlorophyllous, dark-grown cultures indicated that phytotoxicity was not restricted to photosynthesis. The sites of light-independent herbicide activity were not identified, but the presence of these sites was demonstrated in both the herbicide-susceptible and herbicide-resistant cells. The mechanism to protect these sites was present in all cultures. The mechanism, enzymatic detoxification of the herbicide, was inoperative in the susceptible cultures due to accumulation of a substance which inhibited the enzyme. Resistant cultures metabolized that substance to an ineffectual form. Metribuzin selectivity was therefore determined according to the accessibility of the inhibitor to the enzyme responsible for resistance.
Aortocoronary bypass graft for preinfarction angina.

Three patients with severe ischemic heart disease in the preinfarction stage have been operated upon. The acute attacks were relieved by the saphenous vein aortocoronary bypass graft and in each case an impending myocardial infarction was probably prevented. In all cases patency of the grafts were demonstrated by follow-up cineangiograms and an improvement in cardiac pump function was documented. All three patients were discharged within four weeks after surgery free of symptoms. The success with these patients in altering the course of an acute myocardial infarction should alert the physicians to a new preventive step towards a deadly disease.
The Bromodomain Protein Brd4 Stimulates G1 Gene Transcription and Promotes Progression to S Phase

Brd4 is a bromodomain protein that binds to acetylated chromatin. It regulates cell growth, although the underlying mechanism has remained elusive. Brd4 has also been shown to control transcription of viral genes, whereas its role in transcription of cellular genes has not been fully elucidated. Here we addressed the role of Brd4 in cell growth and transcription using a small hairpin (sh) RNA approach. The Brd4 shRNA vector stably knocked down Brd4 protein expression by ∼90% in NIH3T3 cells and mouse embryonic fibroblasts. Brd4 knockdown cells were growth impaired and grew more slowly than control cells. When synchronized by serum starvation and released, Brd4 knockdown cells were arrested at G1, whereas control cells progressed to S phase. In microarray analysis, although numerous genes were up-regulated during G1 in control cells, many of these G1 genes were not up-regulated in Brd4 knockdown cells. Reintroduction of Brd4 rescued expression of these G1 genes in Brd4 knockdown cells, allowing cells to progress toward S phase. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed that Brd4 was recruited to the promoters of these G1 genes during G0-G1 progression. Furthermore, Brd4 recruitment coincided with increased binding of Cdk9, a component of P-TEFb and RNA polymerase II to these genes. Brd4 recruitment was low to absent at genes not affected by Brd4 shRNA. The results indicate that Brd4 stimulates G1 gene expression by binding to multiple G1 gene promoters in a cell cycle-dependent manner.
Bronchopleural Fistula Repair Using Combined Breast Parenchymal and Pectoralis Major Musculocutaneous Flap

A technique is reported for repair of a bronchopleural fistula and obliteration of an empyema cavity using a combined breast parenchymal and expanded, musculocutaneous pectoralis major flap. An empyema after right upper lobectomy and radiation for squamous cell carcinoma developed in a 53-year-old woman. After debridement, a bronchopleural fistula was noted. Her latissimus dorsi muscle was divided during the initial thoracotomy. Local and free flaps were considered. Her breast contained the largest volume of tissue available as she weighed 80 pounds. This report illustrates the use of a tissue-expanded, combined breast and musculocutaneous pectoralis flap in the management of a difficult problem.
Energy transport and evaporation of weakly interacting particles in the Sun

The transport of energy and the evaporation rate of conjectured weakly interacting massive particles in the Sun are calculated by simulating their Brownian motion in a model of the Sun. This is an efficient method for the numerical solution of the Boltzmann equation for these particles as a function of their mass and mean free path l. For values of l comparable to or larger than the radius of the Sun we discuss a new approach to the solution of this equation, while for small values of l we apply the Chapman-Enskog expansion to first order to obtain the luminosity function.
The chemical composition of herpes simplex and pseudorabies viruses.

Abstract Herpes simplex and pseudorabies viruses were purified by differential centrifugation and by equilibrium sedimentation in cesium chloride density gradients. Both viruses occupy approximately the same positions in the gradients and both contain DNA. The DNA of these viruses has a similar base composition and contains a relatively high percentage of guanine and cytosine (74%).
A comprehensive CMPS II semester project

The goal of this project was to help students tie together the various concepts learned throughout the Computer Science II class. The students were required to use abstract classes for matrices and singly linked list and provide a graphical solution to a maze solver. The first step of the project had the students construct a solution for a given maze. The solution was kept simple by using the right hand rule for solving mazes: always keep your right hand on a wall and you will find a solution if it exists. After the students had solved the problem of creating a solution the next part of the project required them to create an actual random maze. Using a matrix and a stack, the students kept track of the path of a random solution. After a solution path was generated the program was required to generate a number of dead-ends. This project was very challenging for the students. They enjoyed completing it partially because it was graphical in nature and they could visualize their solution.
Dynamic average consensus with distributed event-triggered communication

This paper analyzes distributed algorithmic solutions to dynamic average consensus implemented in continuous time and relying on communication at discrete instants of time. Our starting point is a distributed coordination strategy that, under continuous-time communication, achieves practical asymptotic tracking of the dynamic average of the time-varying agents' inputs. We propose two different distributed event-triggered communication laws, depending on whether the interaction topology is described by a strongly connected and weight-balanced digraph or an undirected connected graph. In both cases, we establish positive lower bounds on the inter-event times of each agent and characterize their dependence of the algorithm design parameters. We build on this result to rule out the presence of Zeno behavior and characterize the asymptotic correctness of the resulting implementations. Simulations illustrate the results.
Psychophysical measurements of referenced and unreferenced motion processing using high-resolution retinal imaging.

Background: Motion detection thresholds with a stationary frame of reference are signiﬁcantly lower than unreferencedmotion thresholds. To account for this, previous studies have postulated the existence of compensatory mechanisms, drivenby the presence of a surround, that cancel the effects of eye movements. In the present study we used an adaptive opticsscanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) to investigate the effects of retinal jitter due to ﬁxation eye movements onreferenced and unreferenced motion thresholds. Methods: The stimuli were produced by modulation of the AOSLO imagingbeam, so that the absolute retinal position of targets was recorded. In Experiment 1 subjects made up/down motionjudgments of a dark horizontal bar presented against a stationary 1-degree bright background. In Experiment 2unreferenced motion thresholds were measured with isolated bright horizontal bars in otherwise complete darkness. Inboth experiments, AOSLO images for each trial were analyzed ofﬂine to extract retinal jitter and the retinal position oftargets. Results: For referenced motion, the results were consistent with complete compensation for eye movements by thevisual system. In the unreferenced motion case eye movements adversely affected motion judgments, although there wasevidence of partial compensation for such eye movements. Conclusions: Compensatory processes completely cancel theeffect of ﬁxation jitter for referenced motion but such compensation is partial for unreferenced motion.Keywords: referenced motion, unreferenced motion, ﬁxation eye movements, two-frame motion, adaptive optics, adaptiveoptics scanning laser ophthalmoscope, high-resolution retinal imagingCitation: Raghunandan, A., Frasier, J., Poonja, S., Roorda, A., & Stevenson, S. B. (2008). Psychophysical measurementsof referenced and unreferenced motion processing using high-resolution retinal imaging. Journal of Vision, 8(14):14, 1–11,http://journalofvision.org/8/14/14/, doi:10.1167/8.14.14.
An aptasensor for electrochemical detection of tumor necrosis factor in human blood

Electrochemical aptasensors can detect disease markers such as cytokines to provide point-of-care diagnosis that is low-cost, rapid, specific and sensitive. Herein, we describe the development of an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor for detection and analysis of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) – a key inflammatory cytokine – in whole human blood. When testing spiked blood, a TNF-α detection limit of 58 pM (10 ng mL−1) and a linear range of 6 nM (100 ng mL−1) could be achieved. Furthermore, detection of TNF-α in mitogen stimulated whole blood was demonstrated.
Suppression of Plasma Immunoreactive Insulin by Epinephrine in Obese Subjects.

SummaryObesity is characterized by fasting hyperinsulinism and elevated IRI concentrations during and following an epinephrine infusion. Suppression of plasma IRI by epinephrine is normal in obese, nondiabetic subjects. The concept of sluggish alpha receptors cannot be invoked as a cause of the hyperinsulinism of obesity.
Reflectionless Evanescent Wave Amplification by Two Dielectric Slabs

It is shown that evanescent waves can be amplified without any reflection simply by two dielectric slabs. This enables non-scanning near-field imaging without direct contact with the object, suitable for biological imaging applications.
Early Signs of Language in Cross-Fostered Chimpanzees

In cross-fostering the young of one species are reared by adults of another, as in the classical ethological studies of imprinting and song-learning. In our laboratory, infant chimpanzees were reared under human conditions that included two-way communication in American Sign Language (ASL) the gestural language of the deaf in North America. Here we describe the cross-fostering conditions of this laboratory and the contrast with operant conditioning.
Feeding patterns and response to caloric dilution in the Japanese quail

Abstract Ten Japanese quail were maintained on Purina Game Bird Startena for 8 weeks, then exposed to 28-day periods on the same food diluted with 20%, 40%, and 60% by weight of non-nutritive cellulose, with intervening 21-day recovery periods on undiluted food. Food and water intake were measured daily and the temporal distribution of eating and drinking was recorded. Dilutions of 20% and 40% cellulose produced an initial weight loss, followed by maintenance of a reduced weight. Weight loss continued throughout the 60% dilution period. Food and water intake increased slightly on 20% cellulose dilution, greatly on 40%, and somewhat less on 60% than on 40%. The 60% dilution produced great between-subjects variability in intake. The pattern of eating and drinking on normal food showed closely spaced, short eating bouts in morning and late afternoon, and widely spaced, shorter bouts in early afternoon. On dilutions above 20%, this pattern was replaced by nearly continuous eating.
Cloning and expression of the soybean DapA gene encoding dihydrodipicolinate synthase.

The rate-limiting step in the pathway for lysine synthesis in plants is catalyzed by the enzyme dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DS). We have cloned the portion of the soybean (Glycine max cv. Century) DapA cDNA that encodes the mature DS protein. Expression of the cloned soybean cDNA as a lacZ fusion protein was selected in a dapA- Escherichia coli auxotroph. The DS activity of the fusion protein was characterized in E. coli extracts. The DS activity of the fusion protein was inhibited by lysine concentrations that also inhibited native soybean DS, while E. coli DS activity was much less sensitive to inhibition by lysine.
Chemical Communication between Males and Females of a Pupal Parasitoid Diapetimorpha introita (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae)

Data supporting chemically mediated communication between males and females of a pupal parasitoid Diapetimorpha introita (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) were gathered by field trapping, behavioral bioassays, and electroantennography. Responses of male antennae to live females or their extract were greater than responses to live males or their extract. Responses to a control were negligible. Responses of female antennae to live insects or a control were the same. Responses to male or female extracts also were the same, but greater than responses to a control. Logarithmic serial dilutions of the female whole-body extract applied to male antennae revealed a dose-response curve with a quadratic fit. Responses of male and female antennae to extracts of tagmata were consistent with responses to whole-body extracts, but a more specific site associated with electrophysiologically active materials was not apparent. In behavioral bioassays and in the field, more males were caught in traps baited with live females than in traps baited with live males or a control. None of the extracts attracted males in the bioassay, and no females were caught in traps in the field.
Regulating Contested Local Hazards: Is Constructive Dialogue Possible Among Participants in Community Risk Management?

This article uses focus group data to explore the connection between scientific uncertainty about environmental risks and the emergence of distrust among local populations, regulators, and technical experts affected by those risks. With data from a nationwide study of issues associated with the cleanup of U.S. nuclear weapons facilities, the article uses “dialogue theory” and focus group data from three locations to identify the sources of miscommunication and distrust among these actors. The authors conclude that, despite problems with perception and communication among these groups, enough common ground exists to be optimistic about expanding participation for all affected groups in the policymaking process. In fact, expanded participation should diminish the distrust developed from previous regulatory regimes.
Influences of accent and ethnic background on perceptions of eyewitness testimony

The purpose of the present work was to investigate the effect two eyewitness factors, accent and ethnic background, have on the perceived favorability of eyewitness testimony and case disposition in criminal trials. Six variations of testimony were created and videotaped. The videotapes varied by accent and ethnic background of the eyewitness; the testimony text was identical. Four eyewitness favorability variables, a) credibility, b) judgment of accuracy, c) deceptiveness, and d) prestige, as well as their relationship to case disposition, were measured. One hundred seventy-four undergraduate participants viewed one of the six videotapes. Results indicate that there was a significant main effect of accent for the four eyewitness favorability variables. Accent by ethnic background interactions also yielded significant findings for the four variables as well as for the defendant’s degree of guilt. Results were interpreted using the Elaboration Likelihood Model. The potential importance of these results for judicial settings is discussed.
Staging, surveillance, and evaluation of response to therapy in renal cell carcinoma: role of MDCT

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common malignant renal tumor in the adults. Significant advances have been made in the management of localized and advanced renal cell carcinoma. Surgery is the standard of care and accurate pre-operative staging based on imaging is critical in guiding appropriate patient management. Besides staging, imaging plays a key role in the post-operative surveillance and evaluation of response to systemic therapies. Both CT and MR are useful in the staging and follow up of renal cell carcinoma, but CT is more commonly used due to its lower costs and wider availability. In this article, we discuss and illustrate the role of multi-detector CT in pre-operative staging, post-operative surveillance, and evaluation of response to systemic therapy in renal cell carcinoma.
A monte carlo permutation approach to choosing an affection status model for bipolar affective disorder

A permutation test is proposed for assessing affection status models. The test uses marker data from regions with prior evidence of linkage to susceptibility genes, and three different test statistics are examined. We applied the test to the GAW10 data and found no evidence on chromosome 18 to reject the affection status model that groups individuals diagnosed with either bipolar I, bipolar II or unipolar. The chromosome 5 data gave similar results, and further suggested that individuals diagnosed with unipolar-single episode not be included as affected. A preliminary power study suggested that one of the proposed statistics, S, is to be preferred in certain circumstances.
Photochromism of three photosensitive Fe centers in SrTi O 3

Three paramagnetic Fe defect complexes have been observed by electron-spin resonance in chemically reduced crystals of SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. These are identified as (1) an ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{3+}$ ion substituted on a Ti site with a nearby charge-compensating interstitial impurity, and (2) and (3) two charge states of substitutional Fe with a near-neighbor oxygen vacancy. ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{2+}$-${V}_{0}$ and ${\mathrm{Fe}}^{1+}$-${V}_{0}$. These three defects are related in the sense that photoexcitation can reversibly switch electrons between the vacancy-associated and interstitial-associated sites. An analysis of the response to polarized light, and of the kinetics of charge transfer, shows that in both the forward and reverse directions of optical pumping the mobile charge carrier is a valence-band hole. Four distinct charge states of the Fe-${V}_{0}$ system have now been identified, and the relative instability of SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ toward formation of multiple-impurity charge states is briefly discussed.
Is It Homogeneous or Heterogeneous Catalysis? Identification of Bulk Ruthenium Metal as the True Catalyst in Benzene Hydrogenations Starting with the Monometallic Precursor, Ru(II)(η6-C6Me6)(OAc)2, Plus Kinetic Characterization of the Heterogeneous Nucleation, Then Autocatalytic Surface-Growth Mechanism of Metal Film Formation

A reinvestigation of the true catalyst in a benzene hydrogenation system beginning with Ru(II)(η6-C6Me6)(OAc)2 as the precatalyst is reported. The key observations leading to the conclusion that the true catalyst is bulk ruthenium metal particles, and not a homogeneous metal complex or a soluble nanocluster, are as follows: (i) the catalytic benzene hydrogenation reaction follows the nucleation (A → B) and then autocatalytic surface-growth (A + B → 2B) sigmoidal kinetics and mechanism recently elucidated for metal(0) formation from homogeneous precatalysts; (ii) bulk ruthenium metal forms during the hydrogenation; (iii) the bulk ruthenium metal is shown to have sufficient activity to account for all the observed activity; (iv) the filtrate from the product solution is inactive until further bulk metal is formed; (v) the addition of Hg(0), a known heterogeneous catalyst poison, completely inhibits further catalysis; and (vi) transmission electron microscopy fails to detect nanoclusters under conditions wh...