cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a castrate resistant transplant tumor model of prostate cancer

BACKGROUND Currently, limited mouse models that mimic the clinical course of castrate resistant prostate development currently exist. Such mouse models are urgently required to conduct pre-clinical studies to assist in the understanding of disease progression and the development of rational therapeutic strategies to treat castrate resistant prostate cancer. METHODS Wild type intact FVB male mice were injected by subcutaneous injection with Myc-CaP cells to establish androgen sensitive Myc-CaP tumors. Tumor bearing mice were castrated and resulting tumors serially passaged in pre-castrated FVB male mice to produce a bone fide Myc-CaP castrate resistant tumor. RESULTS Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that initial androgen sensitive Myc-CaP tumors had strong nuclear transcriptional active androgen receptor expression, as indicated by marked c-MYC staining and were highly proliferative. Castration of tumor bearing animals resulted in cytoplasmic relocation of androgen receptor concurrent with loss of transcriptional activity and tumor proliferation. Serial passaging of castrate refractory Myc-CaP in pre-castrated male FVB mice resulted in the development of a bona fide castrate resistant Myc-CaP tumor which pheno-copied the original androgen sensitive parental Myc-CaP tumor. CONCLUSIONS Developing a murine castrate transplant resistant tumor model that mimics the clinical course of human castrate resistant prostate cancer will create better opportunities to understand the development of castrate resistant prostate cancer and also allow for more rapid pre-clinical studies to stratify rational novel therapies for this lethal form of prostate cancer. Prostate 72:587–591, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Diagnostic Value of the Post-Captopril Test in Primary Aldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism is a disorder with hypertension, hypokalemia, increased plasma aldosterone, and suppressed renin activity. A random plasma aldosterone/renin activity (PA/PRA) >65 (conventional units ratio [CUR] >30) has been proposed as a screening test. We have retrospectively determined the value of the post-captopril plasma aldosterone/renin activity (CAPT PA/PRA) test for the diagnosis of patients with primary aldosteronism whose PA/PRA was 26 (CUR >12). We found 6 patients with a random PA/PRA of 21 to 60 (CUR 10 to 28), yet with an abnormal post-captopril test criteria for primary aldosteronism. Five had an abnormal saline suppression test, and all 6 were confirmed by a combination of diagnostic localization with computerized axial tomography, iodocholesterol scan, adrenal venous sampling, and/or surgery. Four had idiopathic adrenal hyperplasia, and 2 had an aldosterone-producing adenoma. One other patient had an abnormal random plasma aldosterone/renin activity ratio of 99 (CUR 46), a negative saline infusion study, and was determined to have essential hypertension. In summary, the CAPT PA/PRA, but not the random PA/PRA, correctly diagnosed 6 patients with primary aldosteronism in our institution. An additional patient with essential hypertension was incorrectly diagnosed as having primary aldosteronism by the PA/PRA test. We conclude that the simple addition of 25 mg of captopril, taken orally 2 hours before sampling, enhances the accuracy for diagnosing patients with primary aldosteronism.
An automated technique for sampling the contents of stoppered gas-collection vials

We have built an autosampler system that delivers the contents of pressurized gas collection vials to the injection port of a gas chromatograph. The three-part system consists of a shuttle base upon which vials move sequentially past a static sampling point, a sampling needle that is driven through vial septa by an air-driven piston, and an air-actuated sample valve that alternately places a sample loop in line with either a sample delivery line from the sample needle or a carrier stream leading to the gas chromatograph. We have used the system to analyze several thousand gas samples taken from soil cores assayed for denitrification activites, and have found the system reliable and capable of producing highly repeatable results.
Acetoacetyl-coenzyme A synthetase activity in rat liver cytosol: A regulated enzyme in lipogenesis☆

Abstract Cytosolic acetyl-CoA could be derived from acetoacetate via the cytosolic enzymes acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase and acetoacetyl-CoA thiolase. Acetoacetate could serve as a precursor for lipogenesis by this pathway. We have measured the acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase activity in rat liver and found it to be much higher than previously reported. The development of this activity parallels the development of lipogenesis. The activity level is at a maximum at 50 days after birth at 20 μmoles of acetoacetyl-CoA being synthesized/hr/gm liver. The capacity of this pathway is high enough to make a substantial contribution to lipogenesis. Acetoacetyl-CoA synthetase activity is regulated, showing a ten for diurnal variation. It is stimulated 68% over the diurnal maximum by cholestyramine feeding for 48 hours and inhibited 76% by a 48 hour fast. The Km for acetoacetate is 54 μM, which is slightly less than the plasma concentration of acetoacetate in the fed adult.
AN ELECTROMAGNETIC VORTICITY AND VELOCITY SENSOR FOR OBSERVING FINESCALE KINETIC FLUCTUATIONS IN THE OCEAN

Abstract An instrument has been developed that measures finescale velocity and vorticity in seawater based on the principles of motional induction. This instrument, the electromagnetic vorticity meter (EMVM), measures components of the gradient and Laplacian of the electrostatic potential field induced by the motion of seawater through an applied magnetic field. The principal innovation described here is the development of a sensor for measuring small-scale vorticity. The sensor head consists of a strong NdFeB magnet, a five-electrode array, low-noise preamplifiers, and 20-Hz digitizers. The main electronics includes attitude sensors, batteries, a microprocessor, and a hard disk. The vorticity sensors are usually carried on a heavy towed vehicle capable of vertically profiling to 200 m and at tow speeds of several knots. The theoretical response functions of the EMVM are evaluated for velocity and vorticity. Extensive measurements were obtained in Pickering Passage, Washington, as the sensor vertically pr...
Electrochemistry of pyrylium compounds—III. Synthesis of 4h-pyranes by cathodic alkylation of the 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium cation

Abstract The two-electronic cathodic reduction of some 2,4,6-triarylpyrylium cations P+ in presence of aliphatic chlorides, bromides or iodides RX leads to the formation of 2,4,6-triaryl-4-alkyl-4H-pyranes. A cyclic voltammetric study indicates that the mechanism of this alkylation is a nucleophilic substitution of the halide by pyranyl anions formed in the second cathodic wave of P+ between −1.5 and −1.6 V (sce). The rate constant of this reaction k2 was determined from the positive shift of the peak potentials or from the decrease of the peak current ratio iap/icp after addition of RX. k2 increases in the series from chlorides to iodides. Six 2,4,6-triphenyl-4-alkyl-4H-pyranes and 1,4-bis-[2,4,6-triphenyl-4H-pyranyl-(4)]-butane were isolated in yields between 11 and 36 per cent after preparative electrolysis. As a byproduct in most cases hexaphenylbipyrane is formed.
A novel dual-path architecture for HDTV video decoding

Summary form only given. We present an architecture for digital HDTV video decoding (MPEG-2 MP@HL), based on dual decoding data paths controlled in a block layer synchronization manner and an efficient write back scheme. Our fixed schedule controller synchronizes the baseline units on a block basis in both data-paths. This scheme reduces embedded buffer sizes within the decoder and eliminates a lot of external memory bus contentions. In our write back scheme, the display DRAM is physically separated from the anchor picture DRAM, and is added to the display engine, not to the bus. The slight increase in overall DRAM size is acceptable due to the low DRAM cost today. This improves the parallelism in accessing anchor and display pictures and saves about 80 clock cycles per macroblock (based on a 81 MHz clock). Compared to the other decoding approaches such as the slice bar decoding method and the crossing-divided method, this scheme reduces memory access contentions and the amount of embedded local memory required. Our simulations show that with a relatively low speed 81 MHz clock, our architecture uses fewer than the 332 cycles (required real-time decoding upper bound), to decode each macroblock, without a high cost in overall chip area.
The Effects of the Economic Downturn on Interdependent Buyer–Supplier Relationships

The management of strategic buyer–supplier relationships is a critical concern for sourcing managers. The selection of key suppliers and how relationships with these suppliers are managed and incentivized can dramatically affect the buying company's performance. While the extant literature focusing on industrial buyer–supplier relationships is significant, the severe economic downturn beginning in 2008 tested buyer–supplier relationships in unprecedented ways, yielding new insights. The research presented in this paper uses dyadic cases to investigate transformations within industrial relationships during the economic downturn. Propositions are formulated that focus on why and how firms responded to the downturn. Three primary types of relationships are identified. The results indicate variation in the ways buying companies managed their key supplier relationships during the downturn: some firms behaved more cooperatively and found ways to jointly confront the effects of the downturn, while others responded by behaving competitively to maximize their individual outcomes. The results further suggest that researchers need to revisit existing models of relationship development and dissolution to understand how these relationships evolve or devolve. The research also raises questions about the value of physical and human asset specificity, and social investments in curtailing opportunistic behavior in times of severe economic stress.
The Education of the Physician.

Although the quality of U.S. medical care is at an all-time high, thanks largely to the education and training of American physicians, the nation is in a health care crisis, especially in rural areas and the inner cities. To meet this challenge, change in the education of physicians is required. An important reason for the present crisis is that the selection and education process has encouraged only science- and high-technology-oriented individuals to enter medicine, even though social and behavioral factors are the basis of a majority of today's medical problems. The author realizes that there is little motivation for frequently overburdened faculties and underfunded medical schools to undertake the needed changes; he describes various problems that challenge the existence of the health care system, including the increasing (and well-meaning) involvement in educational matters by legislators and bureaucrats. The author then explores various options for bringing about reform of physician education, including changes in premedical education, in the criteria used for identifying and admitting promising students, and in various aspects of medical education. Such reform could encourage some of the best, brightest, and more broadly educated students to enter the medical profession and could maintain high standards of physician education while fulfilling a public trust and meeting a public need.
Corpus-Based Identification of Non-Anaphoric Noun Phrases

Coreference resolution involves finding antecedents for anaphoric discourse entities, such as definite noun phrases. But many definite noun phrases are not anaphoric because their meaning can be understood from general world knowledge (e.g., "the White House" or "the news media"). We have developed a corpus-based algorithm for automatically identifying definite noun phrases that are non-anaphoric, which has the potential to improve the efficiency and accuracy of coreference resolution systems. Our algorithm generates lists of non-anaphoric noun phrases and noun phrase patterns from a training corpus and uses them to recognize non-anaphoric noun phrases in new texts. Using 1600 MUC-4 terrorism news articles as the training corpus, our approach achieved 78% recall and 87% precision at identifying such noun phrases in 50 text documents.
Creating polyhedral stellations

A process for creating and displaying stellations of a given polyhedral solid is described. A stellation is one of many star-like polyhedra which can be derived from a single solid by extending its existing faces. A program has been implemented which performs the stellation process on an input object and generates a 3-dimensional image of the stellated object on a computer graphics display screen. Pictures of icosahedron and rhombictriacontahedron stellations generated by the program are included in the paper.
Simple timing channels

We discuss the different ways of defining channel capacity for certain types of illicit communication channels. We also correct some errors from the literature, offer new proofs of some historical results, and give bounds for channel capacity. Special function techniques are employed to express the results in closed form. We are interested in a specific type of covert channel, a timing channel. A timing channel exists if it is possible for High to interfere with the system response time to an input by Low. Therefore, a timing channel is a communication channel where the output alphabet is constructed from different time values. However, the thrust of the paper is the analysis of timing channels that are discrete, memoryless, and noiseless. We call such a timing channel a simple timing channel (STC). >
Sudden Jumps, Hysteresis, and Negative Resistance in an Argon Plasma Discharge I. Discharges with No Magnetic Field

JIIIIIPS and hysteresis in discharge current are produced in a low-pressure ( loA4 Torr), magnetic field free, thermionic argon plasma discharge by varying discharge voltage, neutral pressure. or filament temperature. This behavior can be attributed to a region of negative differential resistance in the voltage versus current characteristic of the discharge. A model is presented in order to understsnd the physical processes leading to this negative resistance.
Robotic origami folding

Origami, the art of paper sculpture, is a fresh challenge for the field of robotic manipulation, and provides a concrete example of the many difficulties and general manipulation problems faced in robotics. This paper describes our initial exploration, and highlights key problems in the manipulation, modeling, and design of foldable structures. Results include the design of the first origami-folding robot, a complete fold-sequence planner for a simple class of origami, and analysis of the kinematics of more complicated folds, including the common paper shopping bag.
Selegiline: Current perspectives on issues related to neuroprotection and mortality

Selegiline (deprenyl, Eldepryl), in doses of 10 mg per day, is a selective inhibitor of monoamine oxidase type B (MAO-B) that avoids the "cheese effect" associated with peripheral MAO-A inhibition. [1,2] The drug was initially developed as an antidepressant agent [3] but was not found to be effective in doses that selectively inhibit MAO-B [4] and is no longer used for this indication. Based on the capacity of selegiline to potentially increase striatal dopamine by blocking the MAO-B metabolism of dopamine, [5] Birkmayer et al. [6] tested selegiline in Parkinson's disease (PD). Both this group and a number of other investigators [7-10] reported modest anti-Parkinson benefits and a reduction in motor fluctuations when selegiline was combined with levodopa. These observations formed the basis for the approved use of deprenyl in the United States. However, interest in selegiline has largely centered on the possibility that it might provide neuroprotective benefits in PD and slow the rate of disease progression. Recently, the possibility has been raised that the addition of selegiline to levodopa therapy increases the risk of early death. [11] This article will review the status of selegiline with respect to these issues and provide a basis for determining its role in the current management of PD. ### Initial hypothesis. In the early 1980s, a group of drug addicts in northern California developed a parkinsonian syndrome following exposure to the toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). [12] MPTP is a byproduct of the synthesis of an illegal meperidine derivative. MPTP crosses the blood-brain barrier where it is oxidized to its active metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine (MPP+) in a reaction catalyzed by MAO-B. [13-15] MPP+ is selectively taken up by dopamine neurons and concentrated within mitochondria, where it selectively damages complex I, induces oxidative stress, and causes a parkinsonian syndrome. Inhibition of MAO-B by drugs such as selegiline …
Molecular communication for nanomachines using intercellular calcium signaling

Molecular communication is engineered biological communication (e.g., cell-to-cell signaling) that allows nanomachines (e.g., engineered organisms, artificial devices) to communicate through chemical signals in an aqueous environment. This paper describes the design of a molecular communication system based on intercellular calcium signaling networks. This paper also describes possible functionalities (e.g., signal switching and aggregation) that may be achieved in such networks.
Factors associated with primary and secondary graft failure following cadaveric kidney transplant

The risk profile for primary renal graft failure is largely unknown because of its inclusion with secondary failures or its exclusion from analysis. This study compares characteristics of the cadaveric transplant recipients who experienced primary failure, secondary failures or survived with a functioning graft for at least 6 months. Medical records of all cadaveric kidney-transplant patients performed in Israel over a 3-yr period 1997-2000 were reviewed. Fisher's exact test and multinomial regression models were used to assess the association of demographic, pre-operative and operative risk factors with the two types of failure outcomes. Of 325 grafts, 54 (16.6%) failed of which half were primary failures. Univariate analysis demonstrated a significant trend of increasing proportion of patients with specific risk factors from the functioning grafts group to the secondary and to the primary graft failure groups. Independent risk factors for primary graft failure included 'surgical complications', 'donor's age > or =60 yr', 'waiting for transplant > or =6 yr', and 'human leukocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) mismatch', based on the multivariate model. These factors may reflect the scarcity of organ donations in Israel, which leads to a prolonged waiting time, higher tolerance for HLA-DR mismatches, and utilization of kidneys from elderly donors.
Sensory and fatty acid analyses of two Atlantic species of Porphyra (Rhodophyta)

Sensory analyses were conducted to determine levels of consumer acceptability of Porphyra yezoensis, P. umbilicalis, and P. amplissima to select appropriate species for aquaculture development in Maine (USA). The subjects included children (n = 67) and adults (n = 84); the children participated in study design by helping to select the 9 point hedonic scale used in the affective sensory tests. Two substrates were used; Porphyra was baked in crackers and also used as a coating for popcorn. No significant differences ( p > 0.5) in acceptability of one species over another were observed in either trial, which suggests that native Atlantic species of Porphyra such as P. amplissima and P. umbilicalis have developmental potential in foods for North American consumers. Fatty acids were analyzed in the taste test material and in freshly collected P. umbilicalis; eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA; 20:5 (n-3)] and palmitic acid were the most common fatty acids. Quantitative analysis of EPA determined that freshly collected (January 2005) P. umbilicalis contained 3.2 mg EPA g dry wt −1 (74 mg EPA 100 g fresh wt −1 ). This concentration is not high enough to make P. umbilicalis a primary source of daily omega-3 fatty acids, but the favorable n-3/n-6 ratio (2-3:1) in these species contributes to their nutritional value.
Processing and Structure Relationships in Electrospinning of Ceramic Fiber Systems

During the last years, several groups across the world have concentrated on the adaptation and further development of electrospinning (e-spinning) to enable ceramic fiber synthesis. Thus far, more than 20 ceramic systems have been synthesized as micro- and nanofibers. These fibers can be amorphous, polycrystalline, dense, porous, or hollow. This article reviews the experimental and theoretical basis of ceramic e-spinning. Furthermore, it introduces an expanded electro hydrodynamic (EHD) theory that allows the prediction of fired fiber diameter for lanthanum cuprate fibers. It is hypothesized that this expanded EHD theory is applicable to most ceramic e-spinning systems. Furthermore, electroceramic nanofibers produced via e-spinning are presented in detail along with an overview of electrospun ceramic fibers.
A PINITIZED TUFF OF CERAMIC IMPORTANCE

One of the chief objects of the study of the pinitized zone at American Canyon has been the identification of the material, with particular attention to the mineral content and nomenclature. The firing behavior has also been investigated and compared with the corresponding behavior of comparable material from other localities, including pyrophyllite, sericite, and muscovite. The methods employed include a brief field inspection, microscopic observation, chemical analysis, and an X-ray diffraction study of natural and fired samples.
An innovative simulation approach for water mediated attraction based on grid computing

In order to investigate the behavior of the solvation, particularly, to quantify the solvent effects on the properties of solutes on a molecular basis, several simulation approaches are proposed, which make enable the modeling and rigorous examination of the thermodynamic properties of cluster-ion system. Typical simulation to calculate these nucleation properties is time-consuming due to the large amount of data and the phase space sampling. Although cluster-based simulation brings in parallel computing and shortens the simulation time, there are still some time wasted. This is mainly due to the waiting time of the new job submitted to the end of the queues after some certain parameters modified. In order to further reduce the execution time, we present a novel simulation approach which combines the DA-TC execution model in this paper. Experiments show that the DA-TC mechanism can further improve the application execution performance and increase the resource utilization in multicluster grid environment.
Autoregulation of tubulin expression is achieved through specific degradation of polysomal tubulin mRNAs

We have utilized protein synthesis inhibitors to investigate the autoregulatory mechanism that uses the concentration of unpolymerized tubulin subunits to specify tubulin mRNA content in animal cells. Puromycin and pactamycin, both of which remove RNAs from polysomes, completely unlink tubulin RNA content from the level of free subunits, whereas pretreatment of cells with cycloheximide, which traps mRNAs onto stalled polyribosomes, enhances the specific degradation of tubulin RNAs in response to increases in the subunit content. Moreover, in the absence of protein synthesis inhibitors, the tubulin RNAs that are lost from cells with elevated free tubulin subunit levels are those that are associated with polyribosomes. Further, beta-tubulin mRNAs encoding a truncated translation product of only 26 amino acids (and that cannot be polyribosomal) are not substrates for autoregulation. We conclude that autoregulation of tubulin synthesis is achieved by specifically altering the stability of tubulin RNAs that are bound to polyribosomes.
Science Vocabulary Load of Selected Secondary Science Textbooks

It has been argued that many students view science as a collection of facts and terms to be memorized. Robert Yager (1983) analyzed secondary level science textbooks to determine vocabulary load and found that the amount of new vocabulary terms presented in such textbooks is higher than that recommended for junior high and high school foreign language courses. Three textbooks analyzed in that study were re-evaluated, taking into account limitations expressed in the earlier study. The new study also included analysis of an earth science textbook; the first study did not. The re-analysis produced a noticeable reduction in vocabulary load estimates with only one book, Modern Chemistry, still measuring above the recommended level for foreign language courses. It is argued that the amount of vocabulary load presented is still too high and may contribute to the problem of science avoidance by secondary students.
Enameloplasty and Esthetic Finishing in Orthodontics—Identification and Treatment of Microesthetic Features in Orthodontics Part 1

Interdisciplinary treatment also has expanded to include not only soft tissue assessment of the periodontal components of the dentition and smile, but of the face as well. The next level of esthetic enhancement certainly will include facial proportionality as a key component in our patient evaluation. This paper expands the diagnostic vision of the dentist to include facial proportions and relationships of hard and soft tissues to improve diagnosis and treatment of dental and facial esthetics.
The delay period in carcinoma of the vagina, with observations on age incidence and survival rate.

Abstract From our data we have concluded that: 1. The incidence of carcinoma of the vagina is related to increasing age. 2. No racial predisposition was noted. 3. The most common presenting symptom was abnormal vaginal bleeding. 4. In approximately 25 per cent of cases there was no delay in diagnosis. The incidence of physician delay was about the same as patient delay. In approximately 30 per cent of cases, the total delay to diagnosis exceeded 8 months. 5. There was usually no delay from diagnosis to treatment. 6. Fourteen per cent of the patients have already survived more than 5 years. 7. No relationship could be observed between length of delay and outcome.
SERUM FREE LIGHT CHAIN DIFFERENCE AND MARKERS OF HEART FAILURE SEVERITY ARE CORRELATED WITH ONE YEAR MORTALITY, VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE IMPLANTATION OR HEART TRANSPLANTATION IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC LIGHT CHAIN AMYLOIDOSIS

Serum free light chain difference (FLC-diff) and cardiac specific factors are validated diagnostic and prognostic tools in evaluating prognosis in patients with amyloidosis. However, their utility in those newly diagnosed with cardiac light chain (AL) amyloidosis has not yet been tested. We
The Water Economy of Land Birds

TERRESTRIAL life is an aqueous phenomenon. Although the physiological and ecological roles of water are of paramount importance in the lives of all organisms, ornithologists have paid little attention to the water requirements of birds, except inferentially with regard to distribution and habitat preferences. It is an interesting commentary on the fads and fashions of science that prior to World War II many hundreds of papers had been published on the food habits of birds, but only a handful of papers had given even semi-quantitative attention to the no less important problems of water economy. The inevitable preoccupation of government biologists with possible economic importances, together with the relatively simple technique of stomach analysis, early led to many studies of food habits. In contrast, water economy, while of basic biological significance, has no obvious economic implications, and its analysis requires the labor of maintaining live birds under controlled or semi-controlled conditions. During the past decade we have, together with various colleagues, undertaken a series of studies surveying the water economy of land birds in order to gain some preliminary insights into the ways different species have resolved the problem of maintaining a water balance. Although our studies have raised more questions than they have answered, they do allow the establishment of appropriate ecological and physiological perspectives. The purpose of this review is to sum up the conclusions from exploratory studies, in the hope that they may serve as a guide to more sophisticated physiological experiments and for more quantitative and precise ecological analyses. Our point of view is primarily ecological, and we shall confine our remarks to wild species of land birds. Readers interested in the domestic fowl should consult Sturkie (1954), and those requiring a broader physiological coverage should see Chew (1961). Historical summary.-Fewer than a dozen publications bearing specifically on the water economy of wild birds appeared prior to 1950. Buxton (1923) broached the problem of the water relations of desert-inhabiting birds and mammals, and suggested that some species might depend upon metabolic water. Allen's (1925) semipopular treatment of avian biology contains a brief section on drinking habits, and Stresemann (1927) in his monumental treatment of birds for the Handbuch der Zoologie noted the general lack of information on avian water economy. Apparently as a
Progress and Perspectives of Plasmon-Enhanced Solar Energy Conversion

Plasmonics allows extraordinary control of light, making it attractive for application in solar energy harvesting. In metal–semiconductor heterojunctions, plasmons can enhance photoconversion in the semiconductor via three mechanisms, including light trapping, hot electron/hole transfer, and plasmon-induced resonance energy transfer (PIRET). To understand the plasmonic enhancement, the metal’s geometry, constituent metal, and interface must be viewed in terms of the effects on the plasmon’s dephasing and decay route. To simplify design of plasmonic metal–semiconductor heterojunctions for high-efficiency solar energy conversion, the parameters controlling the plasmonic enhancement can be distilled to the dephasing time. The plasmonic geometry can then be further refined to optimize hot carrier transfer, PIRET, or light trapping.
In vitro selection technologies to enhance biomaterial functionality.

Cells make decisions and fate choices based in part on cues they receive from their external environment. Factors that affect the interpretation of these cues include the soluble proteins that are present at any given time, the cell surface receptors that are available to bind these proteins, and the relative affinities of the soluble proteins for their cognate receptors. Researchers have identified many of the biological motifs responsible for the high-affinity interactions between proteins and their receptors, and subsequently incorporated these motifs into biomaterials to elicit control over cell behavior. Common modes of control include localized sequestration of proteins to improve bioavailability and direct inhibition or activation of a receptor by an immobilized peptide or protein. However, naturally occurring biological motifs often possess promiscuous affinity for multiple proteins and receptors or lack programmable actuation in response to dynamic stimuli, thereby limiting the amount of control they can exert over cellular decisions. These natural motifs only represent a small fraction of the biological diversity that can be assayed by in vitro selection strategies, and the discovery of "artificial" motifs with varying affinity, specificity, and functionality could greatly expand the repertoire of engineered biomaterial properties. This minireview provides a brief summary of classical and emerging techniques in peptide phage display and nucleic acid aptamer selections and discusses prospective applications in the areas of cell adhesion, angiogenesis, neural regeneration, and immune modulation.
Simple Surface Singularities, their Resolutions, and Construction of K3 Surfaces

This paper describes, in detail, a process for constructing Kummer K3 surfaces, and other “generalized” Kummer K3 surfaces. In particular, we look at how some well-known geometrical objects such as the platonic solids and regular polygons can inspire the creation of singular surfaces, and we investigate the resolution of those surfaces. Furthermore, we will extend this methodology to examine the singularities of some complex two-dimensional quotient spaces and resolve these singularities to construct a Kummer K3 and other generalized Kummer K3 surfaces. Acknowledgements: The author gratefully acknowledges Dr. J. Sawon’s assistance with this project. Page 32 RHIT Undergrad. Math. J., Vol. 15, No. 1
Importance of early arrival of adult Harmonia axyridis for control of Aphis spiraecola on apple

The biological control of aphid populations may only be possible when natural enemies arrive soon after aphid colonization. This study was done to identify how quickly adult Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) need to arrive at newly established spirea aphid [Aphis spiraecola Patch (Homoptera: Aphididae)] colonies on apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) to provide population control. A total of 100 newly established spirea aphid colonies were caged in an experimental apple orchard in West Virginia, USA. A single adult H. axyridis was added to each of ten caged colonies at day 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 days after caging. An additional ten caged colonies were opened for exposure to natural levels of predation at each of the treatment intervals as a control. The single H. axyridis eliminated the aphid colonies significantly more quickly than natural predation for up to ten days after colony establishment. The probability of an aphid colony producing alates was significantly lower in the presence of a single H. axyridis adult than when exposed to natural predation for the first ten days. Adult H. axyridis beetles are capable of completely controlling individual spirea aphid colonies on apple only if they are abundant enough to find colonies within one week of colony establishment.
Peptides of 20 to 188 Units

This chapter focuses on the synthesis of the 32-unit human calcitonin M, which provides an excellent illustration of the fragment condensation approach to complex peptides. In a study described in the chapter, the 1–10-and 11–32-unit segments were condensed using the DCCI–NHS procedure and the OBu'-and N-Boc-protected hormone was purified by careful countercurrent distribution to provide a 65% yield of pure peptide. Acid catalyzed cleavage of the protecting groups, even under optimum conditions, led to side reactions, namely, alkylation of Met and N → 0 acyl migration at the Ser or Thr units. But these minor side products were completely removed by a countercurrent distribution procedure using the system Bu–Ac–Aq (4:1:5) to afford the pure hormone free of diastereoisomers and exhibiting the biological activity of highly purified natural calcitonin M. Syntheses of human insulin B-chain S-sulfonate, the destripeptide B of human insulin, and the destripeptide B of bovine insulin were described by Katsoyannis and collaborators.
Helen Meredith Mustard, The Lyric Cycle in German Literature: “Columbia University Germanic Studies,” New Series, No. 17. New York: King’s Crown Press, 1946. Pp. 276. $3.00.

(1948). Helen Meredith Mustard, The Lyric Cycle in German Literature. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 23, No. 3, pp. 229-231.
HSV Encoded ICP-0 Inhibits TLR Signaling in CLL Cells by Targeting TRAF-6.

Abstract Innate immunity to viral vectors has largely been overlooked in development of gene therapy strategies and may play a key role in shaping immune responses and potentially clinical outcomes. In the setting of cancer immune therapy, the innate response may influence subsequent evolution of an anti-tumor adaptive immune response. We have studied two forms of HSV based amplicon vectors packaged in the presence or absence of HSV helper virus for use in immune therapy of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Our previous work showed that the presence of helper-virus in HSV amplicon stocks impedes the development of tumor-specific adaptive immunity, and inhibits CTL development. We asked whether treatment outcomes could be explained by differences in the innate immune response elicited by the two vectors. We characterized innate immune response in CLL B cells transduced by helper-virus free (HF-HSV) vs. helper-virus containing (H+-HSV) amplicon vectors. Transduction of CLL B cells with HF-HSV induced robust innate cytokine/chemokine response that was not seen when transduction at similar efficiency was performed with H+-HSV vector. We profiled mRNA expression of TLR 1–10 in CLL B cells by quantitative PCR and confirmed the expression of TLR 2 and 9, which play a key role in mediating HSV innate response. Using 293 stably expressing TLR2/6 and TLR9, we show that the discrepancy in innate response of CLL B cells to transduction with HF-HSV and H+-HSV corresponded to differences seen in these viruses' capacity to activate TLR-2 and TLR-9. Pre-incubation with cyclohexamide restored H+-HSV capacity to activate TLR2 and 9 suggesting that H+-HSV encodes an inhibitory protein that interferes with TLR signaling. A screen of the four HSV immediate early (IE) proteins (ICP-0, ICP-22, ICP-27 and ICP-47) encoded by HSV Helper-virus identified ICP-0 as a likely candidate for inhibition of TLR signaling. Ectopic expression of ICP-0 inhibited innate response to HF-HSV in TLR2/6. In addition, ICP-0 inhibited other TLRs (TLR3, 4, 7, and 8) and IL-1 receptor mediated NF-κB activation, suggesting that ICP-0 targets a common signaling protein downstream of these receptors. Over-expression of various TLR signaling components identified TRAF-6 as a target for ICP-0 mediated inhibition of the NF-κB response. Finally, we correlated HSV vector-mediated innate response to capacity to prime an adaptive anti-CLL T cell response. A comparison of immune function of CD40L and B7.1 encoded by either hf-HSV or H+-HSV to prime autologous T cell response in vitro showed a clear advantage for HF-HSV amplicons encoding CD40L and B7.1 compared to H+-HSV amplicons. Our results highlight a novel mechanism through which HSV suppresses host innate immunity through a hitherto un-described ICP-0 inhibition of TLR/IL-1R signaling. The work also establishes a potential link between vector mediated innate immunity and ability to prime an adaptive anti-tumor immune response against CLL cells, which has important implications in relation to development of gene therapy vectors for clinical testing.
Wine’s time: duration, attunement, and diffraction

Time, if addressed through non-linear and speculative perspectives concerned by aesthetics and aesthetic objects, is a promising space to develop a fresh approach to perception. That is, that the emergence of perception is embedded in material relations. Here, we take the scenario of two people sharing a glass of red wine to demonstrate how the concatenation of material events sets the rhythm that creates the sensation of time passing. In doing so, we aim to explore what processes and events within the sharing of wine partake in the perception of time and allow the sensation of time passing be a shared experience. We begin with the notion of “Duration” proposed by Henri Bergson as a philosophical framework to explore the material bases of the process of perception, specifically the concrete perception of time passing. Then, to point out the possibilities of an empirical analysis concerned with multiple scales of reality, we turn to advances in affect studies and new materialism. Specifically, we draw on the notion of “diffraction” as proposed by Karen Barad to explore cross-modal interchanges of properties at the quantum scale, and the idea of “attunement” inspired by the work of developmental psychologist Daniel Stern to address the scale of organic social interaction.
Large and Small

It’s a sunny spring Sunday afternoon in New Jersey in the 1920s. Three people are taking a walk: a couple of boisterous boys, Milton and Edwin Sirotta the former around nine years old, the other slightly younger; and their uncle, Edward Kasner, a happy-go-lucky professor of mathematics at Columbia University. The professor invented a game for the boys to play to see who can spot the extreme examples of things; the largest tree and the smallest one; the littlest insect the biggest one.
Visuospatial function predicts one-week motor skill retention in cognitively intact older adults

Motor learning declines with aging, such that older adults retain less motor skill after practice compared to younger adults. However, it remains unclear if these motor learning declines are related to normal cognitive changes associated with aging. The purpose of this study was to examine which cognitive domains would best predict the amount of retention on a motor task one week after training in cognitively intact older adults. Twenty-one adults ages 65-84 years old were assessed with Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status, which assesses five cognitive domains (immediate and delayed memory, visuospatial/constructional, language, and attention). Participants also completed one training session of a functional upper extremity task, and were re-tested one week later. Stepwise regression indicated that the visuospatial domain was the only significant predictor of how much skill participants retained over one week, with a visual perception subtest explaining the most variance. Results from this study support previous work reporting that older adults' capacity for motor learning can be probed with visuospatial tests. These tests may capture the structural or functional health of neural networks critical for skill learning within the aging brain, and provide valuable clinical insight about an individual's unique rehabilitation potential.
What does non-destructive analysis mean?

The idea of non-destructive elemental composition analysis is reviewed. The term non-destructive has many definitions in many different fields, as well as different definitions within a single fiel...
Inheritance and Intertextuality in a Three-Novel Series by Ṭība ’Aḥmad Ibrāhīm

This chapter is an examination of the function of heritage in three novels by Kuwaiti writer Ṭība ’Aḥmad Ibrāhīm (1938–). She is the only woman writer of Arabic SF in these formative decades; also, she is the only to set multiple works in the same universe. Her first three novels all center on the use of different means of reproduction and life extension; moreover, they address the influence of Western culture and science on the Arab world. The first two novels are told from the perspective of humans who witness and participate in the imposition of technology upon natural human reproduction and aging; the third is told from that of a human belonging to the tiny remnant of humanity that clings to the natural means. Each novel estranges Kuwaiti society in its own way: they critique the presumption of the natural in the cultural; the inflexibility of the legal system in the face of changes in human relationships wrought by technology; and the seductiveness of modernity to intellectuals under (neo)colonial rule. Taken together, the series demonstrates multiple levels of estrangement that strongly critique the overall tendency of Arab societies to look at the past rather than embrace the future.
Evaluating the impact of solar radiation on pediatric heat balance within enclosed, hot vehicles.

Pediatric deaths due to children being left in hot cars remain a significant yet preventable public health concern. The current study aims to demonstrate the influence of vehicle type, time of day,...
Solder-Reflowable, High-Throughput Fiber Assembly Achieved by Partitioning of Adhesive Functions

Cost-efficient packaging of silicon photonic chips is a key challenge to large scale deployment of silicon photonic devices. We have previously demonstrated a parallelized fiber-to-chip assembly process making use of off-the-shelf fiber components and compatible with standard, automated, high-throughput pick -and-place tools. Here, we show solder-reflow compatibility up to 260°C, negligible optical loss penalty at an extended operating temperature of up to 150°C, and fast adhesive tack times for compatibility with high-throughput tooling. This is achieved by partitioning of adhesive functions across the various critical regions of the assembly.
SnapShot: RNA Structure Probing Technologies

Chemical probing coupled to high-throughput sequencing offers a flexible approach to uncover many aspects of RNA structure relevant to its cellular function. With a wide variety of chemical probes available that each report on different features of RNA molecules, a broad toolkit exists for investigating in vivo and in vitro RNA structure and interactions with other molecules.
The Impact of Signals and Rivals' M&As on the Acquisition of High-Technology Ventures

This paper examines acquisitions of technology ventures by investigating whether the presence or absence of different signals on them has an impact on the likelihood they are acquired. We join rece...
PK/PD modeling based on mouse xenograft tumor growth inhibition and the correlation to clinical exposure for VEGF/PDGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG-013736

3003 AG-013736 is a potent and selective VEGF/PDGF RTK inhibitor that is being evaluated in phase II clinical trials as an oral drug for its anti-cancer activity. Preclinically, the compound inhibited vascular endothelial cell proliferation, migration, survival and induced apoptosis. The compound dose-dependently inhibited tumor growth and metastasis in numerous xenograft and syngeneic models in mice. The in vivo activity of the agent was associated with the inhibition of tissue VEGFR2 and PDGFRβ phosphorylation, reduction of microvessel density and vascular permeability. We also observed that the magnitude of the reduction of these pharmacodynamic endpoints generally correlated with the plasma exposure of the agent. Here we report the quantitative assessment of the relationship between plasma concentrations of AG-013736 and human xenograft tumor growth inhibition (TGI) by the PK/PD modeling. Mice bearing human colon carcinoma MV522 tumors were treated with AG-013736 via either the PO dosing (BID) or continuous infusion across a wide range of doses/concentrations. Dose-dependent and saturable tumor growth inhibition was observed under both treatment regimens. Plasma concentrations collected at various time points of treatment were analyzed by LC/MS/MS using the electronic ionization method. An EC50,SS of 12 ng/ml was estimated from the continuous infusion TGI and the corresponding steady state plasma concentrations of AG-013736. A naive-pooled PK analysis was used to estimate the PK parameters of the compound for each oral dose level using the one-compartment model. Indirect response PK/PD modeling for tumor growth inhibition produced by oral dosing was performed using the estimated PK parameters. The EC50,PO derived by this approach was similar to EC50,SS. Based on the clinical PK parameters and the parameters from the mouse PK/PD modeling, human PK/PD simulation was performed to investigate clinical dose projection. The relationship between the simulated human PK/PD results and the actual clinical PK/PD will be discussed. This line of research emphasizes the complexity of PK/PD modeling and the necessity of understanding and conducting the appropriate preclinical PK/PD studies in order to better aid clinical dose projection for the development of anti-cancer agents.