cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Public Concerns about Low-Level Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on Interpretation of EMF/Radiofrequency (RFR) Database

A review of the history of setting standards for safe exposure to electromagnetic energy shows a strong reliance on science and the associated finding of thresholds for effects and hazards. The reliance on science has been attacked by a number of journalists, historians and social scientists over the last 15 years resulting in calls for “prudent avoidance” and the abandonment of reliance on established science. Accompanying this trend has been much misinformation and miseducation by the media leading to electrophobia. There are strong indications, however, that society is beginning to realize that emergent technologies and economic well-being are dependent on rational science-based standards. Thus, in the development of new standards, the need for two tiers of exposure limits in response to public concerns is justified only in an uncontrolled environment and only in those areas of the spectrum where a significant uncertainty exists about the scientific database. This resolves down to environmental exposures only, the frequency range around the resonance of the human body, and for long-term exposures only. Whether this two-tier philosophy should be extended to the extremely low frequency (ELF) range is debatable.
Spectral/Fourier Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a powerful diagnostic imaging tool with which multiple quantitative and qualitative studies on diseases of the eye have been performed. 1–7 Optical coherence tomography imaging is analogous to ultrasonic imaging, except that it measures echo time delays of light instead of sound. 1 ,8 Because light travels extremely quickly, echo time delays cannot be directly measured, and correlation techniques are required. Using a technique called low-coherence interferometry, a beam of light from a low-coherence light source, such as a superluminescent diode (SLD), is directed through a beam splitter and is divided into a sample and a reference beam. Light from the sample beam is reflected back from retinal structures with different echo time delays, depending on internal properties of ocular structures. Light from the reference beam is reflected from a reference mirror whose distance is known. The echoes from the two arms are combined by an interferometer and detected. Standard OCT systems use time-domain detection, where the position of the reference mirror is mechanically scanned, or adjusted, to produce different time delays for the reference beam echoes. In this way, axial scans (measurements of sample beam light echoes versus depth) may be acquired (Fig. 26.1 ). By scanning the beam of light in the transverse direction, a cross-sectional OCT image, or OCT B-scan, may be obtained. With standard time-domain detection, OCT systems typically acquire 400 axial scans per second. In OCT, image resolution can be considered both axially (along the incident light beam) and transversally (perpendicular to the incident light beam). The axial resolution of the OCT system is governed by the coherence length of the light source, which is inversely proportional to the bandwidth. Commercial OCT systems use low-coherence SLD light sources at near-infrared wavelengths of ~820 nm. The Stratus OCT (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA) uses a bandwidth of ~25 nm and achieves 8to 10-μm axial resolution in tissue. Research prototype ultrahigh resolution OCT systems using broadband light sources can achieve axial resolution of 2 to 3 μm. 9–11 Recent commercially available OCT systems using spectral/Fourier domain detection can achieve 5to 8-μm axial resolution. Transverse resolution is determined by the size of the focused light beam incident on the retina and is independent of bandwidth. Because there is a trade-off between depth of focus and spot size, most commercial OCT systems use a 20μm transverse resolution in order to have adequate depth of focus. Aberrations in the human eye have limited transverse resolution to 10 to 15 μm; recently, however, adaptive optics that compensate for ocular aberrations can achieve transverse resolutions of ~4 μm. At this resolution, individual rods and cones may be visualized. 12–14
Abstract 4735: Role of myeloid derived suppressor cells in promoting ovarian cancer

Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs) are a heterogeneous population of immature myeloid cells that are increased in tumors and create an immunosuppressive environment by inhibiting the T-cell function. In addition, MDSCs promote angiogenesis, tumor invasion, and metastasis. Increased MDSC accumulation in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has been associated with poor prognosis. Our study investigated whether depletion of MDSCs will influence EOC progression and enhance the therapeutic response of programmed death-1 (PD1) immunotherapy. The intraperitoneal ID8-luciferase syngeneic mouse epithelial ovarian cancer cell model in B6 mice was used for the study ID8 bearing mice exhibited significantly higher levels of MDSCs (CD11bGr1+) (p Citation Format: Ramandeep Rattan, Sharif Sakr, Raymond Quiles, Robert Morris, Thomas Buekers, Adnan Munkarah, Shailendra Giri. Role of myeloid derived suppressor cells in promoting ovarian cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4735.
Parent and peer social norms and youth's post-secondary attitudes: A latent class analysis

Abstract The present study explores whether college-going norms of parents and peers are intertwined or distinct in their contributions to college-going attitudes. Latent class analysis identified latent groups based on youth's social norms from parents and friends. Data was used from the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:09), a nationally representative and longitudinal study of ninth grade American students (N = 10,663). Four classes were identified: universal college norms (53.57%, N = 5712), which included youth with high support from both parents and friends; parent college norms (12.71%, N = 1355), wherein youth's parents demonstrated high support while friends displayed low school engagement; friend college norms (27.53%, N = 2935), in which youth had highly engaged peers but limited parental support; and limited college norms (6.20%, N = 661), comprised of youth whose parents and friends displayed limited academic engagement. Findings indicate that parents and friends play separate roles in the development of college-going attitudes.
Evaluation of the electromechanical behavior of polyvinylidene fluoride used as a component of risers in the offshore oil industry

A sample of polyvinylidene fluoride removed from a riser component was tested in laboratory to evaluate its electromechanical behavior. For this, an experimental setup was developed, after Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) results have shown through the absorption bands, that this sample had a spectrum of the piezoelectric phase β . In order to identify if such sample would be able to respond electrically to the application of external mechanical excitation applied by a shaker, measurements were made of the induced voltages by piezoelectric effect, with varying accelerations and frequencies. The results indicated that the material, although it has not been processed for this purpose, responds electrically to the applied mechanical stimulus, demonstrating a good correlation between the measured signals and the accelerations.
Understanding Embodiment in Place-Health Research: Approaches, Limitations, and Opportunities

Research on how place affects health continues to grow. Within the place-health research field, there is increasing focus on how place becomes embodied-i.e., how place-based social and environmental experiences and exposures "get under our skin" to affect physiological functioning and health. While much has been learned, currently favored place-embodiment research approaches present limitations that inhibit continued gains in understanding. This article presents a brief summary of place-health literature related to place-embodiment, highlighting common approaches. Core limitations are then discussed with an eye towards improving research going forward, highlighting mixed-method, spatially dynamic, and participatory intergenerational approaches as promising considerations.
Exploration of shared genetic susceptibility loci between type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in the Pakistani population.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are autoimmune diseases. It is known that certain genetic loci and factors that increase the overall autoimmunity risk can be shared among different autoimmune diseases. We sought to replicate seven T1D-related SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) that have been previously reported to be associated with RA susceptibility in a small set of mixed family-based and case–control Pakistani sample in a relatively large and independent RA case–control sample from the same population. Seven T1D-associated SNPs (GLIS3/rs7020673, BACH2/rs11755527, SKAP2/rs7804356, GDSMB/rs2290400, C6orf173/rs9388489, LOC399716/rs947474 and DLK1-MEG2/rs941576) were genotyped in a large Pakistani RA case–control sample (n = 1959) using TaqMan® SNP genotyping assays. None of the tested SNPs showed statistically significant association with RA susceptibility; however, one SNP (GLIS3/rs7020673) showed a trend for association (OR = 0.88, p = 7.99E−02). Our study has failed to replicate the previously reported association of seven T1D-associated SNPs with RA risk in a large sample from the same population. Thus, our results do not support a major role of these T1D SNPs in affecting RA susceptibility in the Pakistani population.
Hacd: Hierarchical Agglomerative Community Detection In Social Networks

Communities (also referred to as clusters) are essential building blocks of all networks. Hierarchical clustering methods are common graph-based approaches for graph clustering. Traditional hierarchical clustering algorithms proceed in a bottom-up or top-down fashion to encode global information in the graph and cluster according to the global modularity of the graph. In this paper, we propose an efficient Hierarchical Agglomerative Community Detection (HACD) algorithm, that combines the local information in a graph with membership propagation to solve the problem, achieving 10-25% quality improvement over all baselines. The first contribution of this paper is to present fundamental limitations of the general modularity optimization-based approach. We show that based only on modularity information, the method does not provide high-quality clusters. Furthermore, even with modularity optimization, we experimentally show that the final level partitioning of such methods cannot successfully cluster data that contain highly mixed structures at different levels and densities. Based on these findings, the second contribution of this paper is a novel method to propagate knowledge throughout the graph, to split or merge the communities in order to evaluate the consistency of individual clusters. Our approach is bottom-up graph-based clustering, is scale-free, and can determine clusters at all scales. We extensively evaluate HACD’s performance in comparison to state-of-the-art approaches across six real world and seven synthetic benchmark datasets, and demonstrate that HACD, through combining graph’s local information and membership propagation, outperforms the baselines in terms of finding well-integrated communities.
Exploring the lived experience of adults with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD): a phenomenological study

Date Presented 04/05/19 Sensory processing disorder (SPD) poses unique occupational challenges. However, most of the understanding is through a pediatric lens. To obtain information about the adult lived experience, a phenomenological study was conducted using Colaizzi's seven-step method and interpretive phenomenological analyses and the PEO model. The resulting conclusion is that adults with SPD experience an extreme paradoxical relationship with occupations. Primary Author and Speaker: Nicole Quint Additional Authors and Speakers: Chelsea McKenna, Amanda Messingschlager, Alexia Bien, Emma Smith
Somatic symptoms in treatment‐naïve Hispanic and non‐Hispanic patients with major depression

Background Somatic complaints are a major driver of health care costs among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Some epidemiologic and clinical data suggest that Hispanic and non-Hispanic Black patients with MDD endorse higher levels of somatic symptoms than non-Hispanic White patients. Methods Somatic symptoms in 102 Hispanic, 61 non-Hispanic Black, and 156 non-Hispanic White patients with treatment-naive MDD were evaluated using the somatic symptom subscale of the Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM-A). The other seven items of the HAM-A comprise the psychic anxiety subscale, which was also evaluated across ethnicities. Results Hispanic patients reported significantly greater levels of somatic symptoms than non-Hispanic patients, but levels of psychic anxiety symptoms did not differ by ethnicity. Levels of somatic symptoms did not significantly differ between Black and White non-Hispanic patients. Within the Hispanic sample, somatic symptom levels were higher only among those who were evaluated in Spanish; Hispanics who spoke English showed no significant differences versus non-Hispanics. Conclusions In this medically healthy sample of patients with MDD, monolingual Spanish-speaking Hispanic patients endorsed high levels of somatic symptoms. Clinicians should be mindful that the depressive experience may manifest somatically and be judicious in determining when additional medical work-up is warranted for somatic complaints.
A learning curve in using orphan liver allografts for transplantation.

Given the critical shortage of donor livers, marginal liver allografts have potential to increase donor supply. We investigate trends and long-term outcomes of liver transplant using national share allografts transplanted after rejection at the local and regional levels. We studied a cohort of 75 050 candidates listed in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network for liver transplantation between 2002 and 2016. We compared patients receiving national share and regional/local share allografts from 2002-2006, 2007-2011, and 2012-2016, performing multivariate Cox regression for graft survival. Recipient and center-level covariates that were not significant (P 12 hours: hazard ratio 1.25). Despite a trend toward sicker recipients and poorer quality allografts, graft survival outcomes using national share allografts have improved to benchmark levels. Reduction in cold ischemia time is a possible explanation.
A new bat species of the genus Myotis with comments on the phylogenetic placement of M. keaysi and M. pilosatibialis

Molecular studies of Neotropical Myotis (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) in the last decade have uncovered substantial cryptic diversity. One example is M. keaysi pilosatibialis , which is characterized by a complex taxonomy derived from low morphological variation. Herein, we studied cryptic diversity of a high elevation clade from premontane and montane forest of Chiriqui Province (Panama), Cordillera Oriental (Ecuador), and Valle del Silencio (Costa Rica). Additionally, we disentangle relationships of M. k. keaysi and M. k. pilosatibialis by determining their phylogenetic placement within the Neotropical Myotis radiation. In the process, we identified a new lineage of species level hierarchy that is described herein. We used an integrative taxonomy approach, using a combination of linear morphometrics, qualitative morphology, molecular phylogenetics, and climatic analysis. The newly identified lineage is a sister species to M. pilosatibialis str., but differs from M. sp. (Quintana Roo, Mexico), M. keaysi str. , and M . oxyotus gardneri in size and other quantitative morphological characters in addition to both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence divergence. Based on our phylogenetic analysis of partial cytochrome b sequence, the polyphyly of M . keaysi str. and M. pilosatibialis str. is resolved, with M . keaysi str. paraphyletic to M . ruber and M . simus . Myotis pilosatibialis is part of a monophyletic clade that is sister to the newly identified species. This report refines our understanding of taxonomy and systematics of the Myotis pilosatibialis complex of bats, identifies and describes a new species of Myotis, and more broadly it contributes to efforts to characterize species in this genus in Neotropical environments. Based on its distribution, we classified this newly described species as paramontane due to its restriction to premontane and montane forest of Chiriqui Province (Panama), Valle del Silencio (Costa Rica), and Cordillera Oriental (Ecuador). These habitats are susceptible to the effects of climate change, in addition to ongoing habitat destruction.
Frida Kahlo, à Revolução: O uso da fotoetnografia como narrativa emotiva na peça teatral

Voce ja parou para pensar como uma fotografia pode ser paradoxal? Que sentimentos podem surgir quando se esta diante de uma imagem, o olhar por ser congelado, voce pode fixar-se-a ela por segundos... minutos… horas… Para Samain 2003), a fotografia pode ser comparada a uma mumia, ela pode estar imovel ha anos, enclausurada em sua urna, silenciosa, ou seja muda, ela nao mais ira falar, porem no entanto nossa imaginacao, mil palavras podem surgir. Neste momento o autor menciona o que podemos classificar de “discursos do silencio” de uma determinada imagem - “Discurso por ela provocados, que surgem dos fundos da nossa interioridade, da caverna obscura de nosso pensamento. Pois, se e verdade que olhamos para ela, tambem ela olha para nos, nos aponta, nos questiona, nos perscruta, nos desvenda, nos desnuda.” (Samain, p. XVIII, in. ACHUTTI, 1997).Para esse estudo a peca de teatro “Frida Kahlo, a revolucao” sera o foco. O espetaculo vem sendo apresentado nos palcos, desde 2009, quando foi criado conjuntamente a Companhia de teatro, intitulada de Cia Dramatica. Quem fica a frente da companhia e quem protagoniza a personagem Frida, a atriz Jucara Gaspar. Seu parceiro e colega de cena, e o musico e ator Luciano Alvez.
Complications in Robotic Surgery: How to Prevent and Treat?

Operative complications are an inherent risk in all surgical approaches. With the advancement of technology comes a departure from technical comfort zones, and frequently a steep learning curve as new practices are adopted. To successfully execute safe surgeries, the importance of a team approach cannot be overemphasized. All team members must be trained and comfortable with robotic surgery and able to navigate technical dilemmas as they arise in the operating room. In this chapter, we present common complications across the field of robotic surgery, and review recommendations for their prevention and treatment.
Structural disconnectivity from paramagnetic rim lesions is related to disability in multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND In people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), lesions with a hyperintense rim (rim+) on Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) have been shown to have greater myelin damage compared to rim- lesions, but their association with disability has not yet been investigated. Furthermore, how QSM rim+ and rim- lesions differentially impact disability through their disruptions to structural connectivity has not been explored. We test the hypothesis that structural disconnectivity due to rim+ lesions is more predictive of disability compared to structural disconnectivity due to rim- lesions. METHODS Ninety-six pwMS were included in our study. Individuals with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) <2 were considered to have lower disability (n = 59). For each gray matter region, a Change in Connectivity (ChaCo) score, that is, the percent of connecting streamlines also passing through a rim- or rim+ lesion, was computed. Adaptive Boosting was used to classify the pwMS into lower versus greater disability groups based on ChaCo scores from rim+ and rim- lesions. Classification performance was assessed using the area under ROC curve (AUC). RESULTS The model based on ChaCo from rim+ lesions outperformed the model based on ChaCo from rim- lesions (AUC = 0.67 vs 0.63, p-value < .05). The left thalamus and left cerebellum were the most important regions in classifying pwMS into disability categories. CONCLUSION rim+ lesions may be more influential on disability through their disruptions to the structural connectome than rim- lesions. This study provides a deeper understanding of how rim+ lesion location/size and resulting disruption to the structural connectome can contribute to MS-related disability.
The computer - aided analysis of images to assess condition of gas turbine blades

In order to guarantee reliable and safe operation of avionic turbo engine their components and subassemblies are subjected to regular inspections and maintenance. The most frequent reasons for failures of the engines include overheating of materials, thermal fatigue of blades and vanes in the jet subassembly as well as the gas turbine rotor. Failures of that type lead to faulty operation of the engine and sometimes to accidents with disastrous consequences. The decision to have the engine repaired is taken by maintenance personnel that chiefly employ the method of visual inspection with use of a videoscope. However, such examination of turbine components is burdened by a subjective approach. To improve reliability and trustworthiness of the examinations results it is necessary to enable objective and unbiased evaluation of examination results. This paper outlines a non-destructive method that is suitable for evaluation of condition demonstrated by gas turbine blades and is based on digital processing of images acquired from the blade surface in visible light. To enable high clearness of these images the particular attention is paid to the problem of how to provide optimum conditions for investigations and mitigate geometrical distortions of images acquired from maintenance operations. The paper demonstrates that there are relationships between operation lifetime of blades and discoloration of their surfaces due to overheating of the blade material. These relationships are revealed by digital analysis of images acquired for the blade surfaces and expressed as statistical parameter of the first and second order. To improve unambiguity of the analysis results a low-pass filter was applied. It was demonstrated that these relationships are suitable for evaluation how much the status of the blade material microstructure is altered. Results from this study enable formulation of the conclusion that diagnostics of gas turbine blades through computer-aided analysis of images acquired from the blade surfaces may even be possible under field conditions with no downtime of the equipment under tests.
Chapter 6 – Vision

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the unique anatomy and physiology of the visual receptor organ and the central visual nervous system. The conductive apparatus of the eye consists of the cornea, lens, and pupil, which is located in front of the lens. The lens projects an inverted picture on the retina. The focal length of the lens can change to focus near objects on the retina, but this ability is gradually lost with age. The pupil can regulate the amount of light that reaches the retina. The retina is located on the posterior wall of the eye globe. It contains the sensory cells of vision, the photoreceptors consisting of rods and cones. The rods and cones are unevenly distributed over the retina, with cones concentrated in the foveal region and rods located in the periphery of the retina. The fovea is the area of the retina where the central portion of the image is focused. The cones and rods have characteristic morphological and functional differences. The outer segments of cones and rods consist of modified cilia that contain disc membranes, which contain the photopigment. The cortical route through which visual information reaches limbic structures may be similar to what is described as the high route for the auditory system. The pulvinar and the lateral posterior nucleus of the thalamus may correspond to the medial and dorsal thalamic nuclei, which in the auditory system provides a subcortical route to the amygdala, known as the low route. This route carries information to limbic structures that is less processed than that carried in the cortical route (high route). In addition, these pathways participate in visual reflexes and provide thalamic input to secondary visual cortices and association cortices.
Morphoregulatory Molecules and Selectional Dynamics During Development

This chapter provides an overview of the structure, genetics, and binding properties of various cell adhesion molecules, and it shows some examples of the place-dependent expression of these various proteins, particularly in relation to borders in the developing embryo and its nervous system. It also shows how the perturbation of these various kinds of molecules can lead to changes in morphology and discusses the kinds of regulatory genes that affect the expression of adhesion molecules. There is a well-established correlation between the function of morphoregulatory proteins and the emergence of tissue morphology. The dynamic expression of morphoregulatory proteins of gene expression relates to pattern-forming genes, such as Hox and pax , and to other genes, such as those related to differentiation and those that are sensitive to neural activity. Any variation in the environment—such as a change in neural activity or growth factor expression—can lead to a change in morphology. The constant adjustments involving gene expression and cellular interactions serve to connect a variety of signaling events to neural structure.
Computations with Algebraic Curves

We present a variety of computational techniques dealing with algebraic curves both in the plane and in space. Our main results are polynomial time algorithms (1) to compute the genus of plane algebraic curves, (2) to compute the rational parametric equations for implicitly defined rational plane algebraic curves of arbitrary degree, (3) to compute birational mappings between points on irreducible space curves and points on projected plane curves and thereby to compute the genus and rational parametric equations for implicitly defined rational space curves of arbitrary degree, (4) to check for the faithfulness (one to one) of parameterizations.
Interleukin-2-secreting Mouse Fibroblasts Transfected with Genomic DNA from Murine Melanoma Cells Prolong the Survival of Mice with Melanoma

A retrovirus was used to introduce a provirus (pZipNeoSVIL-2) containing the gene for interleukin-2 (IL-2) along with a neo r gene (confers resistance to G418) into LM cells, a mouse cell line expressing defined major histocompatibility complex class I antigens (H-2k). After initial selection in growth medium containing G418, IL-2 secretion was confirmed, and the cells were then cotransfected with genomic DNA from B16F1 or B16F10 melanoma cells, along with DNA from a plasmid (pHyg) that confers resistance to hygromycin. After a second round of selection in growth medium containing sufficient quantities of hygromycin to kill 100% of nontransfected cells but without further modification, the unfractionated populations of transfected cells were tested for their immunotherapeutic properties in C57BL/6 mice (H-2b) with established B16 melanomas (H-2b). Animals with melanomas treated with either of the transfected cell populations survived significantly ( P < 0.01) longer than untreated mice or mice treated with irradiated (5000 rads) B16F1 melanoma cells. The animals also survived longer ( P < 0.05) than mice with melanoma treated with IL-2-secreting LM cells transfected with genomic DNA from MOPC-315 cells, a nonimmunologically cross-reactive murine tumor. As determined by the capacity of monoclonal antibodies to T-cell subsets to inhibit the antimelanoma resonse in a 51Cr release assay, the antimelanoma immunity in mice immunized with cells transfected with genomic DNA from either B16F1 or B16F10 cells was mediated primarily by Lyt-2.2+ T-cells. These data raise the possibility that a generic, live cell tumor vaccine can be developed that can be modified to provide specificity for the neoplasms of individual patients.
Hyperthyroid myopathy. Intracellular electrophysiological measurements in biopsied human intercostal muscle.

Abstract Morphological and electrophysiological studies were performed on intercostal muscle biopsies from 2 thyrotoxic patients. The diseased fibers had numberous areas of subsarcolemmal glycogen accumulations and abnormal membranous projections. Both Type I and II muscle fibers were atrophied. Diseased fibers were substantially depolarized and when artificially hyperpolarized showed earlier inactivation of the sodium conductance as a function of membrane potential, and a critical depolarization potential more depolarized than in normal fibers. When stimulated at 20 pulses/sec, or faster, the diseased fibers could not generate normal action potentials due to membrane depolarization and the appearance of a marked after-hyperpolarization. Muscle weakness associated with hyperthyroidism is attributed to the reduced membrane excitability.
miR-148a dependent apoptosis of bladder cancer cells is mediated in part by the epigenetic modifier DNMT1

Urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder (UCCB) is the most common form of bladder cancer and it is estimated that ~15,000 people in the United States succumbed to this disease in 2013. Bladder cancer treatment options are limited and research to understand the molecular mechanisms of this disease is needed to design novel therapeutic strategies. Recent studies have shown that microRNAs play pivotal roles in the progression of cancer. miR-148a has been shown to serve as a tumor suppressor in cancers of the prostate, colon, and liver, but its role in bladder cancer has never been elucidated. Here we show that miR-148a is down-regulated in UCCB cell lines. We demonstrate that overexpression of miR-148a leads to reduced cell viability through an increase in apoptosis rather than an inhibition of proliferation. We additionally show that miR-148a exerts this effect partially by attenuating expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). Finally, our studies demonstrate that treating cells with both miR-148a and either cisplatin or doxorubicin is either additive or synergistic in causing apoptosis. These data taken together suggest that miR-148a is a tumor suppressor in UCCB and could potentially serve as a novel therapeutic for this malignancy.
Advances in optoelectronic spatial light modulators

Summary form only given. Optoelectronic spatial light modulators are 2-D arrays of detectors, electronic processors, and modulators or emitters that combine the processing strengths of electronics with the communication strengths of optics in a single device. Devices employing combinations of GaAs, silicon and liquid crystals will be discussed.
Products Liability and Product Safety: Japan and the U.S.

Consumers in wealthy countries like the U.S. and Japan usually know roughly what they want, and how to obtain it. In such markets, the sellers who thrive should tend to be those who offer consumers the approximate level of safety they want -- no matter what the law might be. For the most part, U.S. data confirm this essentially Coasian logic: a shift in the product liability rule from negligence to strict liability seems not to have raised product safety. Unfortunately for the empiricist, however, the U.S. complicates the empirical task by combining state-based liability standards with a national product market. Although Japan presents its own empirical difficulties, it does couple national law with a national market. In 1995, the Diet adopted strict products liability. Before, courts had adjudicated product disputes in negligence or contract; after 1995, they applied strict liability. As in the U.S., however, the level of product safety seems not to have risen. To explore this issue, I canvass a wide variety of accident data. Each source presents its own (sometimes major) limitations, but each suggests the same conclusion: the 1995 statute did not increase product safety levels, Yet the1995 statute did not cause any of the perverse effects sometimes attributed to strict products liability in the U.S. either. This fact suggests that the apparent perverse results in the U.S. may not have derived from the liability rule itself. Instead, they probably resulted from the interaction between the rule and several procedural devices peculiar to the U.S.
Effects of a biomimetic superoxide dismutase on complete and multistage carcinogenesis in mouse skin.

Abstract The effects of a selective detoxifier of the proximate oxygen radical, superoxide anion, on the induction of tumors in the skin of CD-1 mice by either the initiation-promotion regimen or the complete carcinogenesis process were investigated. The principle agent of interest, copper (II) (3,5-diisopropylsalicylate)2 (CuDIPS), is a low molecular weight, lipophilic copper coordination complex that catalytically disproportionates superoxide anion at a rate comparable to native Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD). The protocols used to elicit tumors were: (i) a single application of 0.2 mumol of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) followed by twice-weekly applications of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in an initiation-promotion study, and (ii) either a single application of 3.6 mumol DMBA followed by no further treatment or weekly applications of 0.2 mumol DMBA in complete carcinogenesis protocols. Application of 2 mumol CuDIPS 15 min prior to the initiating dose of DMBA was without significant effect on tumor yield or incidence, whereas application prior to each dose of TPA substantially reduced tumor incidence and yield. This anti-promoting property of CuDIPS can be attributed to its SOD-mimetic activity in as much as the corresponding zinc coordination complex lacking in SOD activity, zinc (II) (3,5-diisopropylsalicylate)2, was non-inhibitory. Significant reductions in tumor yield were also observed when CuDIPS was applied prior to DMBA in either of the complete carcinogenesis protocols. Additionally, covalent binding of [3H]DMBA to epidermal DNA was markedly reduced by CuDIPS pre-treatment, suggesting that the anti-carcinogenic properties may reflect a perturbation in superoxide anion-dependent metabolic activation of DMBA. The induction by DMBA of ornithine decarboxylase activity, a biochemical marker of tumor promoter activity, was not affected by CuDIPS; however, induction of ornithine decarboxylase by TPA was potently blocked. Collectively, these effects of a biomimetic SOD further implicate reactive oxygen species at multiple stages in chemical carcinogenesis.
On the structure of defect centers in γ-irradiated alkali silicate glasses

An EPR study after room temperature γ-irradiation on potassium silicate glasses of two chemical compositions and different 17O and 29Si isotopic enrichments has been carried out. Isochronal anneal experiments on 17O-enriched samples have confirmed the model for the trapped-hole center HC1 as comprising a trapped hole on a pure 2pπ orbital of a single nonbridging oxygen. Besides the well known HC1 and HC2 EPR spectra, new resonances have been isolated and identified as due to three types of oxygen-related defects (interstitial O2− ions; O2− bonded to the glass network; and interstitial ozonide ions O3−). Using 29Si-enriched samp simulations a 370 G doublet has been demonstrated to arise from an E'-like defect for which a tentative model is given. The formation of all these defects by irradiation depends on chemical composition of the glass.
The Randomness Complexity of Parallel Repetition

Consider a $m$-round interactive protocol with soundness error $1/2$. How much extra randomness is required to decrease the soundness error to $\delta$ through parallel repetition? Previous work, initiated by Bell are, Goldreich and Gold wasser, shows that for \emph{public-coin} interactive protocols with \emph{statistical soundness}, $m \cdot O(\log (1/\delta))$ bits of extra randomness suffices. In this work, we initiate a more general study of the above question. \begin{itemize}\item We establish the first derandomized parallel repetition theorem for public-coin interactive protocols with \emph{computational soundness} (a.k.a. arguments). The parameters of our result essentially matches the earlier works in the information-theoretic setting. \item We show that obtaining even a sub-linear dependency on the number of rounds $m$ (i.e., $o(m) \cdot \log(1/\delta)$) is impossible in the information-theoretic, and requires the existence of one-way functions in the computational setting. \item We show that non-trivial derandomized parallel repetition for private-coin protocols is impossible in the information-theoretic setting and requires the existence of one-way functions in the computational setting. \end{itemize} These results are tight in the sense that parallel repetition theorems in the computational setting can trivially be derandomized using pseudorandom generators, which are implied by the existence of one-way functions.
Patient-Triggered Ventilation Increases Synchrony and Improves Ventilation In Neonates With Respiratory Distress Syndrome. † 1561

Patient-Triggered Ventilation Increases Synchrony and Improves Ventilation In Neonates With Respiratory Distress Syndrome. † 1561
Fractal Forms in Physiology

The natural variability in physiological structure is herein related to the geometric concept of a fractal. The average dimensions of the branches in the tracheobronchial tree, long thought to be exponential, are shown to be an inverse power law of the generation number modulated by a harmonic variation. A similar functional form is found for the power spectrum of the QRS-complex of the healthy human heart. These results follow from the assumption that the bronchial tree and the cardiac conduction system are fractal forms. The fractal concept provides a mechanism for the morphogenesis of complex structures which are more stable than those generated by classical scaling (i.e., they are more error tolerant).
A proposal for a South Asian intermediate nuclear forces treaty

This article proposes that the 1987 Intermediate Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty be applied as a model for a missile‐ban treaty between India and Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan are developing and deploying missiles whose use could be devastating on the densely populated subcontinent. Moreover, missile limits are more amenable to verification than are agreements to reduce or eliminate warheads of mass destruction. Key problems for a South Asian INF treaty include the status of China, the mechanics of verification, and the potential for using space‐launch vehicles as offensive weapons. Above all, both India and Pakistan must perceive such a missile agreement as enhancing their national security.
Imatinib mesylate is a potent inhibitor of the ABCG2 (BCRP) transporter and reverses resistance to topotecan and SN-38 in vitro.

Imatinib mesylate (Gleevec, STI571) is a kinase inhibitor selective for Bcr-Abl, activated c-Kit kinases, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase. Imatinib mesylate, similar to many other tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as members of the 4-anilinoquinazoline class, competes for ATP binding. Previously, 4-anilinoquinazoline TKIs have been shown to inhibit the function of the breast cancer resistance-associated drug transporter (ABCG2), reversing resistance to camptothecin derivatives topotecan and SN-38. However, the potential to inhibit ABCG2 for the 2-phenylamino-pyrimidine class of TKIs, exemplified by imatinib mesylate, has not been examined. Here, we show that imatinib mesylate potently reverses ABCG2-mediated resistance to topotecan and SN-38 and significantly increases accumulation of topotecan only in cells expressing functional ABCG2. However, overexpression of ABCG2 does not confer resistance to imatinib mesylate. Furthermore, accumulation and efflux of [ 14 C]imatinib mesylate are unaltered between ABCG2-expressing and non-ABCG2-expressing cells or by ATP depletion. These results suggest that imatinib mesylate inhibits the function of ABCG2 but is not a substrate for this transporter.
Relationship of staphylococcal tolerance, teichoic acid antibody, and serum bactericidal activity to therapeutic outcome in Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia

A randomized cooperative study of therapy for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia was conducted in which nafcillin was given for four or six weeks to patients with clinical endocarditis and for two or four weeks to those without evidence of endocarditis. Eighty-four patients were enrolled, and 32 completed treatment, all of whom had bacteriologic cures. Three patients, treated for two weeks, had complications that were undetectable by assay of serum teichoic acid antibody. Data were insufficient to allow conclusions regarding the optimal duration of therapy for patients with or without endocarditis. However, the results suggest that neither clinical nor immunologic methods can reliably detect complications in patients treated for two weeks only. In addition, patients infected with tolerant organisms remained febrile longer than those infected with nontolerant strains but did not require additional antibiotics for cure. Peak serum bactericidal activity at a dilution of 1:8 or greater was present in all patients. Serum bactericidal activity of 1:8 prior to an antibiotic dose was not necessary for cure.
An inverse acoustic scattering problem for an obstacle with an impedance boundary condition

Abstract The scattering of a plane, time-harmonic acoustic wave (in two-dimensional Euclidean space) by a bounded obstacle D with an impedance boundary condition imposed on its surface is considered. A constructive method is given for determining approximations to both the shape of D and the surface impedance, from low-frequency measurements of the asymptotic behavior of the scattered waves corresponding to three different incident waves. This is done using integral equation methods and conformal mapping techniques to arrive at a generalized moment problem for the determination of the unknown shape. A Fredholm integral equation of the first kind for the determination of the surface impedance is examined. By restricting the surface impedance a priori to lie in a certain compact set and by considering a related constrained optimization problem, it is shown that the problem of determining the surface impedance is well-posed.
Influence of long-term land application of Class B biosolids on soil bacterial diversity.

Aim: To evaluate the effect of long-term annual land applications of Class B biosolids on soil bacterial diversity at University of Arizona Marana Agricultural Field Center, Tucson, Arizona. Methods and Results: Following the final of 20 consecutive years of application of Class B biosolids in March 2005, followed by cotton growth from April to November 2005 surface soil samples (0–30 cm) were collected from control (unamended) and biosolid-amended plots. Total bacterial community DNA was extracted, amplified using 16S rRNA primers, cloned, and sequenced. All 16S rRNA sequences were identified by 16S rRNA sequence analysis and comparison to known sequences in GenBank (NCBI BlastN and Ribosomal Database Project II, RDP). Results showed that the number of known genera (identifiable > 96%) increased in the high rate biosolid plots compared to control plots. Biosolids-amended soils had a broad phylogenetic diversity comprising more than four major phyla: Proteobacteria (32%), Acidobacteria (21%), Actinobacteria (16%), Firmicutes (7%), and Bacteroidetes (6%) which were typical to bacterial diversity found in the unamended arid southwestern soils. Conclusion: Bacterial diversity was either enhanced or was not negatively impacted following 20 years of land application of Class B biosolids. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study illustrates that long-term land application of biosolids to arid southwestern desert soils has no deleterious effect on soil microbial diversity.
Detecting Disease-Causing Mutations in the Human Genome by Haplotype Matching

Comparisons between haplotypes from affected patients and the human reference genome are frequently used to identify candidates for disease-causing mutations, even though these alignments are expected to reveal a high level of background neutral polymorphism. This limits the scope of genetic studies to relatively small genomic intervals, because current methods for distinguishing potential causal mutations from neutral variation are inefficient. Here we describe a new strategy for detecting mutations that is based on comparing affected haplotypes with closely matched control sequences from healthy individuals, rather than with the human reference genome. We use theory, simulation, and a real data set to show that this approach is expected to reduce the number of sequence variants that must be subjected to follow-up analysis by at least a factor of 20 when closely matched control sequences are selected from a reference panel with as few as 100 control genomes. We also define a reference data resource that would allow efficient application of this strategy to large critical intervals across the genome.
PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF 5‐BROMOURIDINE AND 5‐BROMO‐2‘‐DEOXYURIDINE IN ICE AND IN “PUDDLES”*

. 5,5‘-Diuridinyl and 5,5’-dideoxyuridinyl have been isolated from UV irradiation (254nm) in a frozen state of 5-bromouridine and 5-bromodeoxyuridine, respectively. These compounds were characterized by UV, IR, NMR, and mass spectra. They are formed in relatively high quantum yields which are comparable to thymidine dimerization and were found to be unaffected upon further irradiation. This photostability suggests that these 5,5‘-coupled products, if formed, may accumulate in biological systems. Experiments carried out in “puddles” indicate, by negative inference, that the main reaction pathway is probably the recombination of two radicals to yield the coupled products in a frozen state. Therefore, the coupled products formation should be explored as a possible mechanism for the increased radiation and photosensitivity of biological systems when thymine in DNA is replaced with 5-halouracil. In addition, these compounds may be synthesized chemically, though, in very low yields, ˜7%.
Panics, prolapse, and PVCs

Abstract There is a group of patients who presents with intense anxiety and physical complaints suggestive of cardiac or gastrointestinal disease. These patients are more commonly women and complain of palpitations, lightheadedness, chest pains, and dyspnea. A work-up may reveal positive findings such as extrasystoles and mitral valve prolaspe that appear to confirm the organic etiology of the symptoms. Evidence is presented that the positive findings serve to confuse the picture and are an impediment, rather than an aid, to the physician in making the correct diagnosis. Effective treatment using tricyclic antidepressants or monoamine oxidase inhibitors is suggested.