cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil on de novo thymidylate synthesis in human colon carcinoma cell line, Caco-2

Abstract Although colon cancers respond poorly to chemotherapeutic agents, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is considered the most effective single agent in the treatment of advanced colon cancer, whereas methotrexate has been reported as an ineffective agent. But both 5-FU and methotrexate inhibit de novo thymidylate synthesis. In the present study we assessed the sensitivity of folate-dependent thymidylate synthesis to methotrexate and 5-FU in Caco-2, a human colon carcinoma cell line. Sensitivity was assessed indirectly, by the deoxyuridine suppression test and directly, by the degree of inhibition of [ 3 H]deoxyuridine incorporation into deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Methotrexate or 5-fluorodeoxyuridine resulted in a significant decrease in suppression of [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation by exogenous deoxyuridine. [ 3 H]deoxyuridine incorporation was also inhibited by the two agents. Inhibition was dose dependent and 50% inhibition occurred at about 2.5 μmol/L methotrexate and 25 μmol/L 5-FU. In a second study, the effect of methotrexate and 5-FU on [ 3 H]deoxyuridine incorporation into DNA was assessed under conditions in which a Caco-2 cell monolayer was exposed to the agents either at the apical or at the basolateral membrane side. Under these conditions, inhibition was also dose dependent and cells were more sensitive to basolateral exposure to both methotrexate and 5-FU ( P
Individual and parallel behavior of high current density, high-voltage 4h-silicon carbide P-I-N diodes

The preferred method of switching the very high currents and voltages present in electromagnetic launch systems is to use arrays of solid-state devices. The effort to reduce the overall switch mass and volume has generated interest in advanced high-power, high-temperature semiconductor materials such as silicon carbide (SiC). Devices produced from SiC are expected to provide significant performance improvements in very high-power switching devices over current devices based on silicon (Si) materials. The performance improvement expectations are based on SiC's superior material properties, most notably for power devices are a bandgap of 3.26 eV (three times that of Si), a breakdown field of 2-4 MV/spl middot/cm/sup -1/ (order of magnitude better than Si), a thermal conductivity of 4.5 W/spl middot/cm/sup -1/K/sup -1/ (three times that of Si), and a saturated drift velocity of 2/spl times/10/sup 7/ cm/spl middot/s/sup -1/ (two times that of Si). This paper describes the results of recent experiments at the Institute for Advanced Technology at The University of Texas at Austin in which SiC p-i-n diodes arranged in parallel pairs are subjected to high current density pulses. The failure modes of paralleled devices are compared to the failure modes seen in individual devices subjected to high current density pulses (maximum of 2.34/spl times/10/sup 4/ A/spl middot/cm/sup -2/). The results show current equalization between paralleled high-voltage diodes when subjected to high current densities, which suggests that high-voltage SiC active devices will also function well in parallel arrangements.
Gene Amplification and Microsatellite Instability Induced in Tumorigenic Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells by Alpha Particles and Heavy Ions

Gene amplification and microsatellite alteration are useful markers of genomic instability in tumor and transformed cell lines. It has been suggested that genomic instability contributes to the progression of tumorigenesis by accumulating genetic changes. In this study, amplification of the carbamyl-P-synthetase, aspartate transcarbamylase, dihydro-orotase (CAD) gene in transformed and tumorigenic human bronchial epithelial (BEP2D) cells induced by either alpha particles or (56)Fe ions was assessed by measuring resistance to N-(phosphonacetyl)-l-aspartate (PALA). In addition, alterations of microsatellite loci located on chromosomes 3p and 18q were analyzed in a series of primary and secondary tumor cell lines generated in nude mice. The frequency of PALA-resistant colonies was 1-3 x 10(-3) in tumor cell lines, 5-8 x 10(-5) in transformed cells prior to inoculation into nude mice, and less than 10(-7) in control BEP2D cells. Microsatellite alterations were detected in all 11 tumor cell lines examined at the following loci: D18S34, D18S363, D18S877, D3S1038 and D3S1607. No significant difference in either PALA resistance or microsatellite instability was found in tumor cell lines that were induced by alpha particles compared to those induced by (56)Fe ions.
Kinetics and Thermal Stability of Ni/Zr Multilayer Thin-Film Diffusion Couple during a Solid State Amorphization Reaction

Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction have been utilized to monitor the solid state amorphization reaction in crystalline Ni/Zr multilayers. Enthalpy of mixing of amorphous NiZr alloys has been measured. Kinetics of amorphous phase formation and thermal stability have been discussed in some detail.
Evaluation and staging of the neck in patients with malignant disease

This article presents an overview of the evaluation and staging of the neck in the context of malignant disease. The current tumor-nodes-metastasis (TNM) nodal classification is reviewed followed by a brief discussion of the common malignant processes encountered in the head and neck and their associated risk factors for cervical metastasis. Common imaging modalities, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, Computed tomography, and positron emission tomography, for the investigation of the neck are also summarized.
RBF1 promotes chromatin condensation through a conserved interaction with the Condensin II protein dCAP-D3

The Drosophila retinoblastoma family of proteins (RBF1 and RBF2) and their mammalian homologs (pRB, p130, and p107) are best known for their regulation of the G1/S transition via the repression of E2F-dependent transcription. However, RB family members also possess additional functions. Here, we report that rbf1 mutant larvae have extensive defects in chromatin condensation during mitosis. We describe a novel interaction between RBF1 and dCAP-D3, a non-SMC component of the Condensin II complex that links RBF1 to the regulation of chromosome structure. RBF1 physically interacts with dCAP-D3, RBF1 and dCAP-D3 partially colocalize on polytene chromosomes, and RBF1 is required for efficient association of dCAP-D3 with chromatin. dCap-D3 mutants also exhibit chromatin condensation defects, and mutant alleles of dCap-D3 suppress cellular and developmental phenotypes induced by the overexpression of RBF1. Interestingly, this interaction is conserved between flies and humans. The re-expression of pRB into a pRB-deficient human tumor cell line promotes chromatin association of hCAP-D3 in a manner that depends on the LXCXE-binding cleft of pRB. These results uncover an unexpected link between pRB/RBF1 and chromatin condensation, providing a mechanism by which the functional inactivation of RB family members in human tumor cells may contribute to genome instability.
Proton radiography of magnetic field in laser produced plasma

Electromagnetic fields generated by the interaction with plasmas of long-pulse laser beams relevant to inertial confinement fusion have been measure. A proton beam generated by the interaction of an ultraintense laser with a thin metallic foil is used to probe the B-fields. The proton beam then generated is temporally short (of the order of a ps), highly laminar and hence equivalent to a virtual point which makes it an ideal source for radiography. We have investigated, using face-on radiography, B fields at intensity around 10 14 W/cm 2 due to the non colinearity of temperature and density gradients.
On a Bayesian Approach to Coherent Radar Imaging

In coherent radar imaging the object of interest is complex but only its amplitude is to be estimated. The object phase yields nuisance variables and in a proper Bayesian approach it is necessary to obtain a phaseless likelihood function. We investigate a two-dimensional case in which the target object is modelled as a collection of point scatterers having independent random phases. The phaseless likelihood function is determined exactly for a configuration of data samples in a uniformly spaced square array in spatial frequency when the target scatterers are confined to lattice positions of a “matched” spatial array. It is determined approximately when the target scatterers are arbitrarily positioned, at most one per conventional resolution cell. The relation between maximum likelihood and conventional Fourier transform imaging is explored and the feasibility of a CLEAN algorithmic technique in coherent imaging is considered.
Monitoring phenology as indicator for timing of nutrient inputs in northern gulf watersheds

Nutrient over-enrichment-defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the anthropogenic addition of nutrients, in addition to any natural processes, causing adverse effects or impairments to the beneficial uses of a water body-has been identified as one of the most significant environmental problems facing sensitive estuaries and coastal waters. Understanding the timing of nutrient inputs into those waters through remote sensing observables helps define monitoring and mitigation strategies. Remotely sensed data products can trace both forcings and effects of the nutrient system from landscape to estuary. This project is focused on extracting nutrient information from the landscape. The timing of nutrients entering coastal waters from the land boundary is greatly influenced by hydrologic processes, but can also be affected by the timing of nutrient additions across the landscape through natural or anthropogenic means. Non-point source nutrient additions to watersheds are often associated with specific seasonal cycles, such as decomposition of organic materials in fall and winter or addition of fertilizers to crop lands in the spring. These seasonal cycles or phenology may in turn be observed through the use of satellite sensors. Characterization of the phenology of various land cover types may be of particular interest in Gulf of Mexico estuarine systems with relatively short pathways between intensively managed systems and the land/estuarine boundary. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the capability of monitoring phenology of specific classes of land, such as agriculture and managed timberlands, at a refined watershed level. The extraction of phenological information from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data record is accomplished using analytical tools developed for NASA at Stennis Space Center: the Time Series Product Tool and the Phenological Parameters Estimation Tool. MODIS reflectance data (product MOD09) were used to compute the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, which is sensitive to changes in vegetation canopies. The project team is working directly with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality to understand end-user requirements for this type of information product. Initial focus areas are identification of time frames for “pre-plant” fertilizer applications (prior to start of season), “side-dress” fertilizer applications (during rapid green-up), and periods of plant decomposition (during and after senescence). Prototypical maps of phenological stages related to these time frames have been generated for watersheds in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Where feasible, these maps have been compared to existing in situ nutrient monitoring data, but the in situ data is temporally sparse (monthly frequency or less), which makes interpretation challenging. Future work will include integrating effects of rainfall and seeking couplings with estuarine remote sensing.
Correcting temporal frequency distributions for taphonomic bias

In this paper, we expand upon a prior study [Surovell, T.A., Brantingham, P.J., 2007. A note on the use of temporal frequency distributions in studies of prehistoric demography. Journal of Archaeological Science 34, 1868–1877.] that explored the problem of taphonomic bias. Taphonomic bias refers to the tendency for younger things to be over-represented relative to older things in the archaeological record due to the operation of destructive processes like erosion and weathering. Using a database of radiocarbon dated volcanic deposits from Bryson, R.U., Bryson, R.A., Ruter, A. [2006. A calibrated radiocarbon database of late Quaternary volcanic eruptions. Earth Discussions 1, 123–124.], we develop an empirical model of taphonomic bias. In contrast to our prior study in which we modeled taphonomic bias as an exponential function wherein the likelihood of site loss remains constant through time, we argue that the probability of site destruction actually decreases with site age. We further demonstrate how this model can be used to correct temporal frequency distributions and extract demographic histories. We illustrate this approach using databases of radiocarbon dates from rockshelter and open-air sites in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA, and mammoths and humans in Siberia, Russia.
Slavery and Anti-Republicanism in Sir Ralph Freeman’s Imperiale, a tragedy (1639)

In Sir Ralph Freeman’s Imperiale, a tragedy (1639), two African slaves in the Republic of Genoa engage in a brutal, violent revolt against cruel, self-interested, and rival masters. The play critiques rhetoric of political slavery under the alleged tyranny of Charles I, but its depiction of an African slave revolt also resonates with discourse surrounding the 1638 Providence Island rebellion, described by Karen Kupperman as the first African slave revolt in a British New World colony. Thus, Freeman’s play synthesizes domestic and foreign language of slavery, interrogates the ethical superiority of a slave-holding republic, and might even call into question the practice of slavery as an institution.
Rubblization of concrete pavements

The Florida Department of Transportation is in the process of evaluating rubblizing concrete pavements as an effective rehabilitation technique for eliminating reflected cracks in asphalt overlays on top of concrete pavements. As part of that evaluation, a nationwide survey was performed to gather information about the practices of other departments of transportation with regard to rubblization and to determine the overall performance of rubblized sections in various states. The survey indicated that most states have a relatively small number of rubblized sections, with the exception of three states that have more than 10 sections each. The construction techniques, overlay thicknesses, and field performance varied from state to state. However, it was clear that most states are highly satisfied with rubblization as a good means for eliminating reflected cracks. Only a few states indicated problems with rubblization, mainly due to weak subgrade.
Economic dispatch with environmental considerations: tradeoff curves and emission reduction rates

Abstract With the increase in the environmental awareness and the passage of environmental regulations, the environmental constraints are having a significant impact on the operation of power systems. Traditional economic dispatch to minimize the fuel cost is inadequate when environmental emissions are also to be included in the operation of power plants. This paper presents a method to include the fuel cost and the environmental impacts of emission in the optimization process. Since minimizing the fuel cost and emissions are conflicting in nature, a multiobjective optimization method is being used to develop tradeoff curves for different types of emissions. The incremental cost of a unit emission reduction (emission reduction rate) is defined. Emission reduction rates are calculated for all non-inferior points on a tradeoff curve. These rates provide important information to the system dispatcher to run the system according to his/her preferences. Furthermore, emission reduction rates for a particular pollutant can be used for emissions allowance trading.
Why Learn Russian

Author's Summary— The Russian language ought to be studied because of imperative factors. We live in ONE world with the Russians who are conspicuous and important politically, economically, and culturally. Much of the great creative literature of the 19th century is translated inaccurately or not at all; much of what is revealed in the scientific literature of our day is inaccessible because of the sorry lack of knowledge of the Russian language which after all is not so difficult to learn since it is one of the European language family with characteristic similarities with our own national tongue, the English.
Sampling of Intestinal Microbiota and Targeted Amplification of Bacterial 16S rRNA Genes for Microbial Ecologic Analysis

Dysbiosis of host-associated commensal microbiota is emerging as an important factor in risk and phenotype of immunologic, metabolic, and behavioral diseases. Accurate analysis of microbial composition and functional state in humans or mice requires appropriate collection and pre-processing of biospecimens. Methods to sample luminal and mucosal microbiota from human or mouse intestines and to profile microbial phylogenetic composition using 16S rRNA sequencing are presented here. Data generated using the methods in this unit can be used for downstream quantitative analysis of microbial ecology.
Amplification of repeated DNA sequences in wheat x rye hybrids regenerated from tissue culture

Previous C-banding analysis of wheat (Triticum aestivum)X rye (Secale cereale) hybrids regenerated from tissue culture revealed enlarged C-bands in some rye chromosomes, but the molecular nature of the change was not determined. In situ hybridization using two DNA probes containing repeated sequences from rye telomeric heterochromatin was conducted on these wheatX rye hybrids and their progeny to investigate the occurrence of amplification in repeated sequences. Clones pSC 74 and pSC 119, which contain sequences from the 480-bp and 120-bp repeated DNA families of rye, respectively, were used as probes. Amplification of 480-bp repeated sequences in the short arm telomere of chromosome 7R was detected in three wheatxrye hybrids and their progeny. The amplified 480-bp sequences were detected by an enlarged hybridization site for pSC 74 at the 7RS telomere, and by the appearance at this same telomeric site of an unlabeled, blue chromosome segment in an otherwise completely brown chromosome hybridizing entirely to the biotin-labeled pSC 119 probe. This variant form of chromosome 7R was not observed in several ‘Chaupon’ plants, or in the other hybrids derived from the same embryos, indicating the origin of the change in tissue culture. The amplified sequences were inherited up to at least three generations. Deletions and translocations were also observed.
Is extrafloral nectar production induced by herbivores or ants in a tropical facultative ant–plant mutualism?

Many plants use induced defenses to reduce the costs of antiherbivore defense. These plants invest energy in growth when herbivores are absent but shunt energy to defense when herbivores are present. In contrast, constitutive defenses are expressed continuously regardless of herbivore presence. Induction has been widely documented in temperate plants but has not been reported from tropical plants. Most tropical plants have higher, more constant herbivore pressure than temperate plants. In this situation, it is hypothesized that constitutive defenses rather than induced defense would be favored. Using natural herbivores of four species of Inga saplings on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, herbivore presence was crossed with ant presence to determine their effects on extrafloral nectar production. Analysis of nectar samples revealed that Inga species do not induce nectar production in response to herbivores. This result is not due to an inability of the plants to respond, as the plants in this study increased nectar production in response to light and ant presence. Contrary to most induction experiments with temperate ecosystem plants, these results demonstrate that tropical plants do not induce one type of defense, and they suggest that the most adaptive defense strategies are different for the two ecosystems.
Ethylene as a possible cue for seed germination of Schoenoplectus hallii (Cyperaceae), a rare summer annual of occasionally flooded sites

The purpose of our research was to determine why seeds of Schoenoplectus hallii germinate only in some wet years. Seeds mature in autumn, at which time they are dormant. Seeds come out of dormancy during winter, if buried in nonflooded, moist soil, but they remain dormant if buried in flooded soil. Nondormant seeds require flooding, light, and exposure to ethylene to germinate. One piece of apple in water (1/12 of an apple in 125 mL of water in a glass jar for a depth of 5 cm) or a 1-μmol/L solution of ethephon elicited very similar (high) germination percentages and vigor of seedlings. Apple, which was shown to produce ethylene in the air space of the jar, was used in a series of experiments to better understand germination. Seeds germinated to 72% if apple was removed from the water after 1 d of incubation, and they germinated to 97% if seeds were washed and placed in fresh water after 3 d of exposure to apple. No seeds germinated in control with no apple. Seeds incubated in apple leachate for 5 d and then transferred to filter paper moistened with distilled water germinated to 90%. Minimum depth of flooding in apple leachate (no soil in jars) for optimum germination was ≥3 cm. Buried seeds of S. hallii exhibited an annual conditional dormancy/nondormancy cycle. Regardless of the month in which seeds were exhumed, they germinated to 59-100% in light in water with apple at daily alternating temperature regimes of 25°/15°, 30°/15°, and 35°/20°C, but germination at 20°/10°C (and to some extent at 15°/6°C) tended to peak in autumn to spring. Thus, seeds can germinate throughout the summer if flooded (ethylene production) and exposed to light. An ethylene cue for germination serves as a "flood-detecting" mechanism and may serve as an indirect signal that water is available for completion of the life cycle and competing species are absent.
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Humans and Mice

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a disorder of blood coagulation that presents classically with the pentad of fever, thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, renal dysfunction and mental status changes. However, the clinical presentation can be quite variable making the diagnosis difficult in many cases. "Hyaline" microthrombi composed primarily of platelets and Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) are found in the small vessels of affected organs and represent the pathological hallmark of the disease. The accompanying tissue ischemia is thought to explain the clinical TTP signs and symptoms. Pathogenesis of TTP has been linked to dysfunction of ADAMTS13, a metalloprotease whose only known substrate is VWF. Interestingly, further investigation into the natural history of TTP has demonstrated that ADAMTS13 deficiency likely is necessary, but not sufficient for the development of this disease, suggesting that additional genetic and/or environmental factors are required for TTP pathogenesis. Recently, a mouse model of TTP was established that recapitulates many of the key clinical features of this disease, including the requirement for further genetic and environmental factors in addition to ADAMTS13 deficiency. Therefore, in addition to being useful for the direct study of disease pathophysiology in vivo, this mouse model may also play a key role in elucidating some of the important environmental and genetic contributors to disease pathogenesis. Here we will review TTP in humans, and then discuss recent information gained from the analysis of ADAMTS13-deficient mice.
Retinoblastoma protein enhances the fidelity of chromosome segregation mediated by hsHec1p.

Retinoblastoma protein (Rb) plays important roles in cell cycle progression and cellular differentiation. It may also participate in M phase events, although heretofore only circumstantial evidence has suggested such involvement. Here we show that Rb interacts, through an IxCxE motif and specifically during G2/M phase, with hsHec1p, a protein essential for proper chromosome segregation. The interaction between Rb and hsHec1p was reconstituted in a yeast strain in which human hsHEC1 rescues the null mutation of scHEC1. Expression of Rb reduced chromosome segregation errors fivefold in yeast cells sustained by a temperature-sensitive (ts) hshec1-113 allele and enhanced the ability of wild-type hsHec1p to suppress lethality caused by a ts smc1 mutation. The interaction between Hec1p and Smc1p was important for the specific DNA-binding activity of Smc1p. Expression of Rb restored part of the inactivated function of hshec1-113p and thereby increased the DNA-binding activity of Smc1p. Rb thus increased the fidelity of chromosome segregation mediated by hsHec1p in a heterologous yeast system.
The mindful personality: Associations between dispositional mindfulness and the Five Factor Model of personality

Abstract While curiosity about the correlates of mindfulness continues to grow, how mindfulness is related to personality factors remains unclear. Indeed, the relationships between dispositional mindfulness (DM) and one of the most common conceptualizations of personality, the Five Factor Model (FFM) have yielded mixed results. It may be that these mixed findings have resulted from a lack of analytic specificity. This study explored the relationship between DM and the FFM of personality, paying particular attention to the analysis of the mindfulness facets with respect to the FFM using canonical correlation analysis. The total DM score was found to be significantly correlated with each personality factor, with the strongest relationships observed between DM and neuroticism (negatively associated) as well as DM and conscientiousness (positively associated). The canonical correlation analysis provided further evidence of the relationship between DM and the FFM at a finer level of specificity. Three clusters of association emerged between the DM facets and the personality factors: 1) a self-regulation cluster, negatively associated with neuroticism and positively associated with conscientiousness, 2) a self-awareness cluster positively associated with openness, and 3) the conscientious confusion cluster, demonstrated a mixed relationship between conscientiousness and the mindful self-regulation cluster.
Two Decades of ICU Utilization and Hospital Outcomes in a Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Objective:To investigate ICU utilization and hospital outcomes of oncological patients admitted to a comprehensive cancer center.Design:Observational cohort study.Setting:The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.Patients:Consecutive adults with cancer discharged over a 20-year period.Interv
On the geometry of combinatorial games: a renormalization approach

We describe the application of a physics-inspired renormalization technique to combinatorial games. Although this approach is not rigorous, it allows one to calculate detailed, probabilistic properties of the geometry of the P-positions in a game. The resulting geometric insights provide explanations for a number of numerical and theoretical observations about various games that have appeared in the literature. This methodology also provides a natural framework for several new avenues of research in combinatorial games, including notions of “universality,” “sensitivity-to-initial-conditions,” and “crystal-like growth,” and suggests surprising connections between combinatorial games, nonlinear dynamics, and physics. We demonstrate the utility of this approach for a variety of games— three-row Chomp, 3-D Wythoff’s game, Sprague–Grundy values for 2-DWythoff’s game, and Nim and its generalizations—and show how it explains existing results, addresses longstanding questions, and generates new predictions and insights.
Acting Right or Acting White: Exploring Racial Identity at an HBU

Minority underachievement in certain settings (i.e., educational) may stem from stereotypical-based assumptions related to racial identity among members of minority groups. Previous studies have identified a phenomenon among minority groups referred to as the “acting White” accusation. The present study investigated the prevalence and perceptions of the phrase among college students at a historically Black university (HBU). The majority of students were familiar with the phrase and heard the phrase often within the past 6 months. Most students disagreed with the validity of the phrase, but believed it is attributed to speaking standard English rather than academic performance or preference in dress and music. Class standing was associated with responses to the phrase, suggesting the efficacy of educational matriculation as opposed to age. Policy implication and areas of further investigation are offered.
MARINE ROUGHENED CYLINDER WAVE FORCE COEFFICIENTS

Steel cylinders were submerged on a platform in the South Pass region of the Gulf of Mexico for one year to accumulate biofouling for later laboratory testing to determine wave force transfer coefficients. They were positioned at -55, -140, and -190 feet below the still water surface. Laboratory tests comprised steady tow up to Reynolds number cd 7x10^, and periodic waves up to Reynolds number of 1.6x10 and Keulegan-Carpenter number up to 25. The force transfer coefficients for the -55 cylinder were about equal to those for a sand roughened cylinder with relative cylinder roughness, e/D, of .03, where e is the height of the equivalent sand roughness size and D is the smooth cylinder diameter. The drag coefficient for very high Keulegan-Carpenter number, or steady tow, is about 1.0 if the effective cylinder diameter is taken into account, for the rougher cylinders.
Detection of Coproantibody and its Formation after Parenteral and Oral Immunization of Human Volunteers.

Antibodies in intestinal fluids or in feces were termed coproantibodies by Burrows and coworkers (1947). These antibodies have been demonstrated by many investigators (Davies, 1922; Torikata and Imaizumi, 1938; Predpechensky and Moroz, 1940; Skochko, 1942; Yampolski et al, 1944; Burrows et al, 1947; Burrows and Havens, 1948; Harrison and Banvard, 1947; Goodlow and Rittenberg, 1949; Gordon et al, 1950; Koshland and Burrows, 1950; Misonon, 1950; Barksdale and Ghoda, 1951a, b; Ghoda, 1952; Koshland, 1953; Mitchison, 1953; Kasai, 1954, 1957; Cooper, 1959; Steigman and Lipton, 1959; Basu Mallik and Roy, 1960). Early workers were concerned with fecal antibodies solely as diagnostic tools. In studies dating back to the first decade of this century, Besredka developed a concept of local immunity which stimulated a large amount of work on oral vaccination to enteric in-
Performance Characterization for Photovoltaic-Vanadium Redox Battery Microgrid Systems

The integration of photovoltatics (PV) and vanadium redox batteries (VRB) in microgrid systems has proven to be a valuable, environmentally friendly solution for reducing the dependency on conventional fossil fuel and decreasing emissions. The integrated microgrid system must be characterized to develop appropriate charging strategies specifically for VRBs, sizing microgrid systems to meet a given load, or comparing the VRB to other energy storage technologies in different applications. This paper provides a performance characterization analysis in a PV-VRB microgrid system for military installations under different conditions of load and weather. This microgrid system is currently deployed at the Fort Leonard Wood army base in Missouri, USA.
Effect of bile acids and diet composition on lipid absorption in chickens with cannulated bile ducts.

The effect of bile acids on lipid research was examined in meat-type chicks, 8 weeks of age, with cannulated cystic and hepatic ducts. The procedure allowed for biliary collection in free-roving birds. Shams retained 90 to 92% dietary fat and those with cannulated ducts retained 43 to 72%. Addition of .04, .08, or .16% cholic acid or .08% freeze-dried chicken bile did not improve lipid retention significantly. The percentage retained for tallow and corn oil was 57 and 64%, respectively, far less then the 75 and 90% values, respectively, obtained in normal chickens. Neither practical-type nor purified-type diets, saturated (tallow) nor unsaturated (corn oil) fats at 8% of the diet significantly influenced lipid retention in chickens with cannulated ducts. In these chickens, percent dry matter retained of the purified diet was 81%, a significantly higher value than the 62% retained of the practical-type diet.
Spinal and Intracranial Epidural Abscess

Presentation, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of spinal epidural abscess (SEA) and intracranial epidural abscess (ICEA) are reviewed by researchers at The John's Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, and Universidad de Santander, Columbia.
Monitoring Patients with Posttraumatic Pulmonary Insufficiency

An insidious and progressive pulmonary insufficiency, a syndrome which probably has many etiologic mechanisms, is now recognized as a potential hazard to all patients who have had major trauma or surgery. Because of the complexity of the disease process, therapy cannot be directed at a specific cause, but must depend on many clinical factors. The efficacy of treatment as well as the status of the progression of the pulmonary failure can readily be ascertained at the bedside by the monitoring system.
Management of primary nonrenal parenchymal malignancies with vena caval thrombus.

AbstractWe report our experience with the management of 7 primary nonrenal parenchymal malignancies with vena caval tumor thrombus. Included are 3 cases of adrenal cortical carcinoma and 1 each of transitional cell carcinoma, embryonal cell testicular carcinoma, pheochromocytoma and primary small cell carcinoma of the lung with metastases to the kidney. Surgical treatment and followup are presented, as well as a review of the literature. An aggressive surgical approach is warranted because prolonged survivals free of disease are possible.
Revascularization Strategies in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Acute Coronary Syndrome

Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have more severe CAD and higher mortality in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) than patients without DM. The optimal mode of revascularization-coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)-remains controversial in this setting. For patients with DM and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, prompt revascularization of the culprit artery via PCI is generally preferable. In non-ST-elevation ACS, the decision on mode of revascularization is more challenging. Trials comparing CABG with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty, bare metal stents, and first-generation drug-eluting stents in DM patients with multivessel have demonstrated decreased mortality in those receiving CABG. On the other hand, trials and retrospective analyses comparing CABG to PCI with second-generation drug-eluting stents have not shown a statistically significant mortality benefit favoring CABG. This potentially narrowed that gap between CABG and PCI requires further investigation.
Excited State Trends in Bidirectionally Expanded Closed-Shell PAH and PANH Anions

Some anions are known to exhibit excited states independent of external forces such as dipole moments and induced polarizabilities. Such states exist simply as a result of the stabilization of valence accepting orbitals whereby the binding energy of the extra electron is greater than the valence excitation energy. Closed-shell anions are interesting candidates for such transitions since their ground-state, spin-paired nature makes the anions more stable from the beginning. Consequently, this work shows the point beyond which deprotonated, closed-shell polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and those PAHs containing nitrogen heteroatoms (PANHs) will exhibit valence excited states. This behavior has already been demonstrated in some PANHs and for anistropically extended PAHs. This work establishes a general trend for PAHs/PANHs of arbitrary size and directional extension, whether in one dimension or two. Once seven six-membered rings make up a PAH/PANH, valence excited states are present. For most classes ...
Stochastic models of vaccine trials using group randomization

To capture and assess all vaccine effects on transmission of infectious disease, the unit of study and analysis in vaccine trials should be groups where transmission occurs. Small groups (e.g., daycare centers) can be used as the unit of study for vaccine trials. Such group randomized trials (GRTs) can detect both direct and indirect vaccine effects, while individual randomized trials can only detect the direct effect of reduced susceptibility. In order to properly formulate the design of vaccine GRTs, there must be sufficient statistical power, i.e., to minimize the probability of failing to detect a vaccine effect. To examine transmission within small groups, two modeling approaches were applied with important contributions from each. A discrete stochastic compartmental (SC) model was used to describe each state of the group (in terms of the number of infected, susceptible or immune individuals). Exact numerical solution of this model resulted in the probability distribution for each state of the group at equilibrium; comparison of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated group probability distributions were used to calculate statistical power. Statistical power was greater when most transmission was internal. When natural immunity could be used to identify infected and susceptible subclasses, statistical power was often significantly improved by analysis that separated subclasses, rather than aggregating them. The second method, agent-based (AB) simulation, corroborated the SC analysis at equilibrium, but also allowed investigation of the dynamics in the number infected within the group. The AB simulations showed inherent oscillations in the number of infected within small groups, particularly when prevalence was low and most infections arose from inside the unit. If the number of infected was determined by interval sampling data from the group trials, then fluctuations around the mean value could result in estimates of endemic prevalence and statistical power that were both biased and had greater variance. The combined use of two modeling approaches that facilitated analyses at equilibrium and simulation of dynamics was productive. Corroboration of results at equilibrium validated the methods and evaluation of oscillations in the number of infected individuals around the mean value added another dimension to the analysis of statistical power.
Indications and Results of Cordectomy for Early Glottic Carcinoma

Select early glottic carcinomas in patients with normal vocal cord mobility can be successfully treated with cordectomy, performed either endoscopicaliy or by means of an open operation (laryngofissure-cordectomy). From 1976 to 1986, 95 patients underwent cordectomy at our institution. There were 88 men and 7 women, with an age range at the time of surgery of 27 to 84 years. A laryngofissure was used to perform a cordectomy in 61 patients and an endoscopic approach was used in 34. The median number of days in the hospital for the endoscopic group was 2, and for the laryngofissure group it was 6. The Kaplan-Meier product-limit method showed the probability of no recurrence in the first 3 years after an endoscopic cordectomy was 0.9099, and in the laryngofissure-cordectomy group it was 0.9502. To date, there have been four recurrences (11.8%) in the endoscopic group and three (4.9%) in the laryngofissure group. Only one patient with recurrent tumor is known to have died of the cancer. Laryngectomy was neces...
Resilience as a moderator of the indirect effects of conflict and workload on job outcomes among nurses

Aim To examine the relative effects of interpersonal conflict and workload on job outcomes (turnover intentions, burnout, injuries) and examine if resilience moderates the indirect effects of conflict and workload on job outcomes via job-related negative affect. Background There is interest in understanding resilience in the nursing profession. Placing resilience in the context of the Emotion-Centered Model of Occupational Stress (Spector, 1998) is a novel approach to understanding how resilience ameliorates the negative effects of workplace stressors. Design This study used a two-wave survey design to collect data from 97 nurses across medical units. Methods Nurses working in the United States were recruited in June 2014 using Qualtrics Panels, an online survey platform service that secures participants for research. Nurses were contacted via email at two time points, two weeks apart and provided a link to an online survey. SPSS v. 23 and PROCESS v2.15 were used to analyze regressions and moderated mediation. Results/Findings Interpersonal conflict predicted turnover intentions and burnout; workload predicted injuries. Job-related negative affect mediated the relationships between stressors and job outcomes except for the direct effect of workload on injuries. Low resilience increased the magnitude of the indirect effects of conflict on job outcomes. Conclusion Job characteristics like workload predicted unique variability in self-reported physical injuries. Conflict at work, a social stressor, predicted well-being and job attitudes. Highly resilient nurses bounced back after experiencing conflict in the workplace. Resilience should be explored for its potential as a method to reduce the negative effects of social stressors. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Cooperative Jahn–Teller Effect: Fundamentals, Applications, Prospects

Keeping in mind the pedagogical goal of the presentation the first third of the reviewis devoted to the basic definitions and to the description of the cooperative Jahn-Teller effect. Among different approaches to the intersite electron correlation in crystals the preference is with the most fundamental and systematic Hamiltonian shift transformation method. Order parameter equations and their connection to the crystal elastic properties and to the orbital ordering are considered. An especial attention is paid to the dynamics of Jahn-Teller crystals based on the coupled electronic, vibrational, and magnetic excitations which are of big interest nowadays in orbital physics.
Our Textbooks are Wrong: How an Increase in the Currency-Deposit Ratio Can Increase the Money Multiplier

I show that when deposits are less than bank reserves the money multiplier is increasing in the currency-deposit ratio. This result contradicts textbooks in intermediate macroeconomic theory and money & banking, which claim that the money multiplier is always decreasing in the currency-deposit ratio. I also propose an alternative framework in which the money multiplier and circulating currency always have a negative relationship. This approach explicitly assumes that the monetary base is constant, which is consistent with an analysis focused exclusively on the behavior of private banks and the public.
Metastasis of Circulating Tumor Cells: Speed Matters

The mechanisms involved in tumor cell extravasation during metastasis remain incompletely understood. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Follain and colleagues (2018) demonstrate that blood flow velocity is an important regulator of circulating tumor cell exit from the bloodstream.
Teaching Family Therapy to Social Work Students

An approach is described in which the cognitive and the experiential process are interwoven, with emphasis on the use of the live interview observed by students
Overview of the Cardiovascular System and the Blood

This chapter provides an overview of the cardiovascular system as a transport system that carries nutrients, waste products, thermal energy, and chemical signals from one part of the body to another. The closed system with vessels and a pump, the heart, is necessary because the distances are too large for diffusion to exchange materials. The overall anatomic arrangement of the circulatory system is described. The main principles of the system are covered: pressure produces flow; vessels are characterized by compliance. The main constituents of blood are also described. The plasma can be separated from the formed elements, the cells, by centrifugation. The process of blood clotting is also described.
Does Oxidative Stress Limit Mouse Life Span

The free radical theory of aging, in its strongest form, holds that oxidative stress is the determinant of animal life span. However, evolutionary studies suggest that it is highly unlikely that life span is determined by a single biochemical process. Rather, one can restate the free radical radical theory in a more modest form, i.e., that oxidative stress is one of several biochemical processes that limit life span. An obvious prediction of this hypothesis is that knocking out antioxidant genes should result in shortened life span (assuming that knocking-out these genes in fact result in increased oxidative stress). In the best-case scenario, one would expect a segmental progeroid syndrome. In this chapter, I summarize recent studies examining the life span, pathology, and oxidative stress status of antioxidant and oxidative damage repair knockout mice (Sod1, Sod2, Sod3, Gpx1, Prdx1, Prdx2, and MsrA). Data from these studies indicate that whether or not oxidative stress is limiting to life span depends on what markers of oxidative stress are assayed. Specifically, the DNA damage product, 8-oxodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG), is elevated in several antioxidant knockout mice that show no life span reduction. Whether elevations in 8-oxo-dG genuinely represent increased in situ oxidative DNA damage or arise during sample preparation is debatable. Other markers that suffer from minimal isolation artifacts, such as F2-isoprostanes, are only elevated in antioxidant knockout mice that actually have a shortened life span (the Sod1 −/− to be precise). I suggest that measuring the expression of genes responsive to oxidative damage circumvents the issue of isolation artifacts that one way or another affects all biochemical assays of oxidative damage. By these criteria, Sod1 −/− but not Gpx1 −/−, Sod2 +/−, or Gpx4 +/−, mice show an elevation in oxidative stress. If one takes as reference the standard set by DNA repair deficient mice, a strong case can be made that Sod1 −/−, exhibit “accelerated aging.” Thus, I conclude that the present data do not disprove the hypothesis that oxidative stress is limiting to life span in mice.