cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive broadband electromagnetic modeling of on-chip interconnects with a surface discretization-based generalized PEEC model

This paper proposes a comprehensive integral equation electromagnetic field solver for broadband modeling of on-chip interconnects. Instead of the computationally intensive volumetric discretization model, which appears to be currently the most popular method of choice for handling the tall and narrow cross sections of the on-chip wiring and capturing correctly the impact of adjacent wiring coupling and skin effect, the proposed generalized partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) methodology utilizes a computationally more efficient conductor surface discretization. Key to the success of such a surface discretization model is the definition of a position- and frequency-dependent surface impedance used to relate the tangential electric field and current on the wire surface. A novel strategy for the identification of loops in the resulting discrete model leads to a numerically-stable and efficient mesh analysis-based PEEC formulation in support of on-chip interconnect electromagnetic modeling from DC to multi-GHz frequencies.
A Second Receptor Binding Site on Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 Hemagglutinin-Neuraminidase Contributes to Activation of the Fusion Mechanism

The hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein of paramyxoviruses carries out three discrete activities that each affect the ability of HN to promote viral fusion and entry: receptor binding, receptor cleaving (neuraminidase), and triggering of the fusion protein. The interrelationship between the receptor binding and fusion-triggering functions of HN has not been clear. For human parainfluenza type 3 (HPIV3), one bifunctional site on HN can carry out both receptor binding and neuraminidase activities, and this site's receptor binding can be inhibited by the small receptor analog zanamivir. We now report experimental evidence, complemented by computational data, for a second receptor binding site near the HPIV3 HN dimer interface. This second binding site can mediate receptor binding even in the presence of zanamivir, and it differs from the second receptor binding site of the paramyxovirus Newcastle disease virus in its function and its relationship to the primary binding site. This second binding site of HPIV3 HN is involved in triggering F. We suggest that the two receptor binding sites on HPIV3 HN each contribute in distinct ways to virus-cell interaction; one is the multifunctional site that contains both binding and neuraminidase activities, and the other contains binding activity and also is involved in fusion promotion.
“THE GHOST OF SLAVERY” IN OUR MUTUAL FRIEND

On his last trip to America in 1868, Charles Dickens would write a letter to his friend and biographer John Forster, which paints a sobering picture of postbellum Baltimore: “It is remarkable to see how the Ghost of Slavery haunts the town; and how the shambling, untidy, evasive, and postponing Irrepressible proceeds about his free work, going round and round it, instead of at it.” While Dickens's phrase “the Ghost of Slavery” indicts a slave system that persists despite abolition, his representation of the former slave body – “the shambling, untidy, evasive, and postponing Irrepressible” – suggests another kind of ghost, an identity that toggles between the spectral and the grossly embodied. Dickens reinforces this conjunction of the ghostly and the corporeal as he goes on to note that “[t]he melancholy absurdity of giving these people votes, at any rate at present, would glare at one out of every roll of their eyes, chuckle in their mouths, and bump in their heads, if one did not see . . . that their enfranchisement is a mere party trick to get votes” (Letters 27). Resorting to the crudest racial stereotypes, Dickens portrays recently manumitted slaves as dolls devoid of speech and political agency. In depicting the “postponing Irrepressible” as stripped of personhood and civil capacities, Dickens conjures the legal fiction of “civil death” – a medieval English common law that divested a prisoner accused of treason any rights by proclaiming him dead in the eyes of the law. In stark contrast to Dickens's impassioned pleas for the abolition of slavery and prison reform in American Notes (1842), his private remarks in this letter some twenty-five years later convert former slaves into the objects of satire – minstrelsy puppets in a larger political game in which they play no civil part – as it were, dead again. However, even as Dickens attempts to constrain the former slave body through a kind of stereotypical branding, his language – the “postponing Irrepressible” – registers an unease that this corporeal ghost won't die. It is precisely in this form of the living dead that the “ghost of slavery” surfaces in Our Mutual Friend (OMF).
Two Oligosaccharyl Transferase complexes exist in yeast and associate with two different translocons

Oligosaccharyl transferase (OT) scans and selectively glycosylates -Asn-X-Thr/Ser-motifs in nascent polypeptide chains in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Several groups have reported different results for the composition of this enzyme complex. In this study, using a membrane protein two-hybrid approach, the split-ubiquitin system, we show that except for Ost3p and Ost6p, all of the other subunits of OT exist as dimers or oligomers in the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Ost3p and Ost6p behave strikingly similar in a series of genetic and biochemical assays, but clearly do not exist in the same OT complex. This observation, as well as the results in an accompanying study to analyze the composition of OT complex by blue native gel electrophoresis using a series of wild-type and mutant yeast strains strongly suggests that two isoforms of the OT complex exist in the ER, differing only in the presence of Ost3p or Ost6p. Each of these two isoforms of the OT complex specifically interacts with two structurally similar, but functionally different translocon complexes: the Sec61 and the Ssh1 translocon complexes.
The Rand Change Agent Study Revisited: Macro Perspectives and Micro Realities

The Rand Change Agent study, undertaken from 1973–1978, indicated a significant shift in the ways people thought about affecting planned change in education. Rand found that effective projects were characterized by a process of mutual adaptation rather than uniform implementation, and that local factors (rather than federal program guidelines or project methods) dominated project outcomes. Revisiting these findings in light of today's changed practices and understandings reinforces some of Rand's findings and suggests modifications in others. This reconsideration also underscores the essential contribution of teachers' perspectives as informant and as a guide to policy and suggests that the challenge lies in understanding how policy can enable and facilitate effective practice.
Detection and Quantification of Superoxide Formed within the Periplasm of Escherichia coli

Many gram-negative bacteria harbor a copper/zinc-containing superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) in their periplasms. In pathogenic bacteria, one role of this enzyme may be to protect periplasmic biomolecules from superoxide that is released by host phagocytic cells. However, the enzyme is also present in many nonpathogens and/or free-living bacteria, including Escherichia coli. In this study we were able to detect superoxide being released into the medium from growing cultures of E. coli. Exponential-phase cells do not normally synthesize CuZnSOD, which is specifically induced in stationary phase. However, the engineered expression of CuZnSOD in growing cells eliminated superoxide release, confirming that this superoxide was formed within the periplasm. The rate of periplasmic superoxide production was surprisingly high and approximated the estimated rate of cytoplasmic superoxide formation when both were normalized to the volume of the compartment. The rate increased in proportion to oxygen concentration, suggesting that the superoxide is generated by the adventitious oxidation of an electron carrier. Mutations that eliminated menaquinone synthesis eradicated the superoxide formation, while mutations in genes encoding respiratory complexes affected it only insofar as they are likely to affect the redox state of menaquinone. We infer that the adventitious autoxidation of dihydromenaquinone in the cytoplasmic membrane releases a steady flux of superoxide into the periplasm of E. coli. This endogenous superoxide may create oxidative stress in that compartment and be a primary substrate of CuZnSOD.
Query answering using discovered rules

Research has been done in discovering rules from databases and in applying these rules to intensional answers to database queries, semantic query optimization, etc. However, rules discovered by one group of users may not be used by other groups of users in their applications due to certain mismatches. In this paper, we address the problems of using discovered rules for query answering, and then propose algorithms for rewriting, applying and maintaining these rules.
INHIBITION OF PROSTAGLANDIN BIOSYNTHESIS BY EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID

Eicosapentaenoic acid [20 : 5 (n-3)] is not oxidized by the purified cyclooxygenase from sheep vesicular glands in the conditions of low peroxide tone in which arachidonate [20 : 4 (n-6)] is rapidly oxygenated. When the level of peroxide in incubation mixtures is allowed to rise, there is a dramatic change in reactivity of the cyclooxygenase to react with 20 : 5 (n-3) at one-halt the rate and one-third the extent observed with 20 : 4 (n-6). Overall, the low peroxide levels expected in vivo would most probably cause the (n-3) type of fatty acid to be a general inhibitor of prostaglandin formation, through both reversible and irreversible actions at the enzyme site.
Data-Mining Journals and Books: Using the Science of Networks to Uncover the Structure of the Educational Research Community

To investigate the process through which the educational research community can become more vibrant and cohesive, the authors of this article ask: How can the numerous networks that constitute the field of educational research be analyzed in an effort to understand and influence the pattern through which knowledge of educational phenomena are exchanged? The authors contend that understanding these complex networks will illuminate the dynamic processes through which community members identify with one another, researchers collaborate, and ideas connect—three social processes that shape replication and generalization efforts. The authors outline three ways in which examining the field’s members and products can be used to move closer to the ambitious yet attainable goal of establishing an academic community that exchanges information in ways that allow others to confirm, extend, and generalize research findings.
A multiMAC approach to overcome the throughput limits of 802.11 WLANs

In this paper, we explore MAC approaches that could provide increased throughput to 802.11 WLANs. First we analyze the throughput performance of 802.11 WLANs by deriving expressions for the maximum achievable throughput. Based on these results, we identify the main throughput-limiting factors and discuss approaches that may reduce their impact. We also propose a novel approach, called multiMAC, which allows a significant throughput increase without the need for new high-rate transmission modes. An important feature of our approach is its interoperability and compatibility with current 802.11 WLANs. Furthermore it is very simple, requires no hardware support, and can easily be implemented in software.
A theoretical analysis of Smith and analytical predictors

A theoretical analysis has been performed to elucidate the relationship between two popular time delay compensation techniques, the Smith predictor and the analytical predictor. In general, use of these two techniques results in different closed-loop responses. It is only for the special case where the process model is perfect and set point changes occur, that the two techniques are equivalent. A modification of the analytical predictor has been proposed that allows the technique to be used with any feedback controller, instead of the special PI controller employed by Moore et al. (1970).
Chimpanzee predation and the ecology of microbial exchange

Hunting provides one mechanism for the transmission of microbes across host species boundaries. It has generally been assumed that this mechanism leads to unidirectional transmission to humans. We report that wild chimpanzees occasionally prey on human children. This result and other evidence of chimpanzee hunting show the need for consideration of more complex predation-mediated host networks. Keywords: ecology, predation, Pan troglodytes , cross-species transmission, HIV, ebola, monkeypox, hunting, pathogen exchange.
Indoor Air Pollution, Energy Conservation, and the Use of Building Materials

Indoor air pollution is an emerging health problem which has been linked to energy conservation and the use of building materials. Recent investigation has revealed harmful pollutants in greater concentration in energy-conserving houses than in the surrounding outdoor air. Some of the pollutants that have been found include carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, and radioactive radon. In the use of some construction materials, measures intended to reduce the consumption of energy may contribute to the buildup of indoor air pollution. The characteristics of construction material-source pollutants and the major methods of control are reviewed.
Sum capacity of a Gaussian vector broadcast channel

The sum capacity of a non-degraded Gaussian broadcast channel with multiple antennas at the transmitter and receivers is characterized under a certain condition. The sum capacity is achieved using a precoding technique for channels with transmitter side information. The optimal precoder has the structure of a decision-feedback equalizer.
Authoritarian personality and foreign policy1

Attempts to understand the foreign pol? icy of particular nations or the course of international relations generally have traditionally been guided almost entirely by historical-sociological points of view. The chief foci of analysis have been in the realms of power politics, geopolitics, national econom? ic interests, and the like. Recently, we have seen a growing interest in the role of psychological factors in international relations (3, 11, 12). This interest stems in part from the recognition of "irrationality" in foreignpolicy viewpoints. However, it would seem overly narrow to limit our psychological con? cern to the problem of irrationality. The thesis of this paper is that every foreign-policy orientation, whatever its degree of rationality and constructiveness, has, to an appreciable extent, a psychological foundation in the personalities of its adherents. This is not to say that foreign policy is purely an individual matter or merely a reflection of intra-personal dynamics. I would argue, rather, for the development of a sociopsychological approach, one that gives due recognition to individual (and modal) personality while yet taking account of broad? er social forces.
New experimental results for intermediate and high energy polarization asymmetry

We review recent experimental data on polarization asymmetry at intermediate and high energies. We include phenomenological interpretations of the data. In this review we examine the present status of polarization physics at intermediate and high energies. Special attention is directed to controversial experimental results as well as interpretations of the data. Our objective is to contribute toward the planning of future experimental facilities and experiments. For more detailed description and discussion of various experiments and phenomenological interpretations, we provide extensive references. Polarized-beam programs at the SLC (Stanford Linear Collider), HERA (Hadron Electron Ring Accelerator, and EPC (Electron Positron Collider) are not included in this review. Neither do we discuss the technologies of polarized ion sources, polarized targets, polarized beams, or accelerators.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education: A Historical and Comparative Analysis of Public Opinion

This research clarifies the public support of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in terms of acceptance, content, timing, and effectiveness as it may inform practice in the United States. The historical context of public opinion, as well as a summary of the efficacy of abstinence only education (AOE) versus CSE in the scientific literature, provides the foundation for this investigation. Several studies of public opinion, including a new survey, continue this exploration with the intent to further what is known about the public opinion about CSE. Findings of a state-wide survey study of adult views of sexuality education are compared with the results of public opinion research from various states and regions in the US. Support for CSE as well as related variables are explored. There is support for CSE among adults from around the US related to its incorporation into education, effectiveness, appropriate timing, potential content, and access to information and contraception. These findings indicate th...
Amorphous Coatings and Surfaces on Structural Materials

Metallic glasses show a unique combination of high strength, excellent corrosion, and wear resistances because of their amorphous structure having a short-range order. In spite of excellent properties, the application of metallic glasses is restricted because of their inherent limitations in the bulk form, including limited tensile ductility. Using metallic glasses as the coatings for structural applications is an attractive way of taking advantage of their superior properties. Additionally, metallic glass-based composites having crystalline phases embedded in a amorphous matrix have also shown improved properties. Thus, metallic glasses can be synthesized as the coatings or subjected to surface modification to provide functionally superior surfaces. This article is a review of metallic glass-based coatings and surface modification of metallic glasses to achieve functionally superior surfaces for structural applications. Essential theoretical concepts were discussed which influence the processing. Common ...
Inflammation‐associated upregulation of the sulfated steroid transporter Slc10a6 in mouse liver and macrophage cell lines

Aim Slc10a6, an incompletely characterized member of the SLC10A bile acid transporter family, was one of the most highly induced RNA transcripts identified in a screen for inflammation-responsive genes in mouse liver. This study aimed to elucidate a role for Slc10a6 in hepatic inflammation. Methods Mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2 mg/kg) or interleukin (IL)-1β (5 mg/kg) for various time points. Cells were treated with LPS (1 μg/mL) at various time points, with cell signaling inhibitors, nuclear receptor ligands and Slc10a6 substrates. All mRNA levels were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results Slc10a6 mRNA levels were upregulated in mouse liver at 2 h (7-fold), 4 h (100-fold) and 16 h (50-fold) after LPS treatment, and 35-fold by the cytokine IL-1β (4 h). Both absence of the nuclear receptor Fxr and pretreating mice with the synthetic retinoid X receptor-α ligand LG268 attenuated the LPS upregulation of Slc10a6 mRNA by 60–75%. In vitro, Slc10a6 mRNA was induced 30-fold by LPS in mouse RAW264.7 macrophages in a time-dependent manner (maximum at 8 h). The Slc10a6 substrate dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) enhanced LPS induction of CCL5 mRNA, a pro-inflammatory chemokine, by 50% in RAW264.7 cells. This effect was abrogated in the presence of anti-inflammatory nuclear receptor ligands 9-cis-retinoic acid and dexamethasone. Conclusion Dramatic upregulation of Slc10a6 mRNA by LPS combined with enhanced LPS stimulation of CCL5 expression by the Slc10a6 substrate DHEAS in macrophages suggests that Slc10a6 function contributes to the hepatic inflammatory response.
Stem cells and exosomes in cardiac repair

Cardiac diseases currently lead in the number of deaths per year, giving rise an interest in transplanting embryonic and adult stem cells as a means to improve damaged tissue from conditions such as myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease. After testing these cells as a treatment option in both animal and human models, it is believed that these cells improve the damaged tissue primarily through the release of autocrine and paracrine factors. Major concerns such as teratoma formation, immune response, difficulty harvesting cells, and limited cell proliferation and differentiation, hinder the routine use of these cells as a treatment option in the clinic. The advent of stem cell-derived exosomes circumvent those concerns, while still providing the growth factors, miRNA, and additional cell protective factors that aid in repairing and regenerating the damaged tissue. These exosomes have been found to be anti-apoptotic, anti-fibrotic, pro-angiogenic, as well as enhance cardiac differentiation, all of which are key to repairing damaged tissue. As such, stem cell derived exosomes are considered to be a potential new and novel approach in the treatment of various cardiac diseases.
Reflecting on threshold concepts in world regional geography

In October 2015, President Barack Obama called for a cap on standardized testing in school districts across the United States, partially in response to teachers’ unions and partially in response to...
Species-specific alternative splicing of the epidermal growth factor-like domain 1 of cartilage aggrecan

Aggrecan transcripts contain two alternatively spliced exons that code for two epidermal growth factor-like domains (EGF1 and EGF2). Whereas the EGF2 sequence is expressed at a uniform level among different species, the EGF1 sequence has been detected only in human aggrecan transcripts. In this study we have used the nested primer reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) method to compare the expression of the EGF1 exon in human, bovine and dog aggrecan transcripts. Our results indicate that this exon is expressed in a species-specific manner. In addition to its significant expression level in human transcripts, the EGF1 sequence can be detected in a small portion of bovine aggrecan transcripts as shown with nested primer RT-PCR. In contrast, the same module is not detectable in dog aggrecan transcripts, although an EGF1 sequence is present in the dog aggrecan gene. The expression level of the EGF1 exon in the aggrecan transcripts correlates with the strength of the polypyrimidine tract upstream of the exon. The EGF1 sequence also shows much less conservation between the species than the EGF2 sequence. The species-specific expression and high sequence variation of the EGF1 exon imply that this sequence is likely to code for an aggrecan domain having no cartilage-specific function.
DISRUPTION OF TGFΒ SIGNALING IN THE SCLERAXIS CELL LINEAGE LEADS TO TENOCYTE DEDIFFERENTIATION AND TENDON DEGENERATION

Introduction We previously reported that disruption of TGFβ signaling in limb mesenchyme resulted in complete failure of tendon differentiation. Materials and Methods To bypass this early function and study additional roles of TGFβ signaling in tendon development we disrupted TGFβ signaling in tenocytes after they assumed the tendon cell fate by using the tendon deletor ScxCre to target the floxed type2 TGFβ receptor. Results Most mutant (Tgfbr2;ScxCre) pups appeared normal at birth but exhibited movement difficulties and splayed limbs by P3. ScxGFP signal revealed that tendon formation was not affected in CKO embryos. Nonetheless, three distinct tendon phenotypes were manifested later in development: (a) a single flexor tendon consistently snapped at late embryonic stage; whereas at post-natal stage, some tendons that appeared intact at birth were (b) eventually eliminated or (c) retained structural integrity with a substantial loss of the ScxGFP signal. Interestingly, the ScxGFP-negative cells also lost other tendon marker genes. Lineage tracing revealed that these cells were derived from Scx-expressing cells, suggesting a disruption of the tendon cell fate (dedifferentiation) but we found no evidence of transdifferentiation. Varying degrees of tendon degeneration were also seen in CKO pups, as indicated by disrupted collagen fibrils, septation of the tendon and altered epitenon. Another striking feature we identified in the Tgfbr2;ScxCre tendon phenotype was recruitment of new cells into the degenerating tendon. Finally, our data also indicates that the Tgfbr2f;ScxCre tendon phenotype is not due to a direct requirement for TGFβ signaling in tenocytes. Discussion This analysis thus highlights an unexpected possibility for loss of differentiated characteristics in tenocytes as a key factor in a tendon degenerative process. We hypothesize that the tendon phenotypes may represent a disruption of cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions, and investigations are currently underway to test this hypothesis. Moreover, this is the first demonstration of active cell recruitment into a non-injured tendon that may be used to identify the origin and activation mechanisms for tendon stem/progenitor cells. Taken together, our findings reveal an essential and non-cell autonomous role of TGFβ signaling in maintenance of the tendon cell fate.
Microwave and conventional sintering of rapidly solidified Al2O3-ZrO2 powders

The Al2O3-ZrO2 eutectic composition was rapidly solidified, forming amorphous and crystalline structures. The as-quenched material was crushed and pressed into pellets which were sintered conventionally or with microwaves. Conventional and microwave sintering at temperatures up to 1600 °C resulted in a microstructure where 100–200 nm ZrO2 grains were present intergranularly in the α-Al2O3 grains. Larger ZrO2 grains (∼1 μm) were found intergranularly. The as-quenched lamellar structure spheroidized during sintering at high temperatures. Boron contamination of the powders resulted in more homogeneous and dense as-fired samples but promoted the ZrO2 tetragonal-to-monoclinic transformation, which was attributed to increased grain boundary diffusivity. Conventional sintering at low temperatures resulted in the formation of “rods” of an Al2O3-rich phase which grew from a low-melting B2O3-rich liquid.
High-Fidelity Optimization of Flapping Airfoils for Maximum Propulsive Efficiency

A high order spectral difference (SD) scheme based cost-effective multi-level optimization approach is proposed to optimize the kinematics of flapping airfoils and provide further insights into flapping motions with maximum propulsive efficiency. At the first stage, a gradient-based optimization algorithm is coupled with a second-order SD Navier-Stokes solver to search for the optimal kinematics of a certain airfoil undergoing a combined plunge and pitch motion. Then a high-order SD scheme is used to verify the optimization results and reveal the detailed vortex structures associated with the optimal kinematics of the flapping flight. Several NACA 4-digit airfoils are used in the optimization process. The maximum propulsive efficiency of oscillating NACA0006 and NACA0012 airfoils is more than 50% when the oscillating kinematics is optimized. The optimized propulsive efficiency of thin airfoils is larger than that of thick airfoils.
Differential Dopamine Regulation of Ca2+ Signaling and Its Timing Dependence in the Nucleus Accumbens

Dopamine action in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is thought to drive appetitive behavior and Pavlovian reward learning. However, it remains controversial how dopamine achieves these behavioral effects by regulating medium spiny projection neurons (MSNs) of the NAc, especially on a behaviorally relevant timescale. Metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)-induced Ca(2+) signaling dependent on the Ca(2+)- releasing messenger inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3) plays a critical role in controlling neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. Here, we show that transient dopamine application facilitates mGluR/IP3-induced Ca(2+) signals within a time window of ∼2-10 s in a subpopulation of MSNs in the NAc core. Dopamine facilitation of IP3-induced Ca(2+) signaling is mediated by D1 dopamine receptors. In dopamine-insensitive MSNs, activation of A2A adenosine receptors causes enhancement of IP3-evoked Ca(2+) signals, which is reversed by D2 dopamine receptor activation. These results show that dopamine differentially regulates Ca(2+) signaling on the order of seconds in two distinct MSN subpopulations.
The Future Career Autobiography

This chapter discusses the Future Career Autobiography beginning with the theoretical background leading to its development. The instrument is then described and its use as a measure of change in individuals’ career narratives resulting from career interventions. The discussion finishes with a review of how to assess the thematic results, analysis, and related research.
PET imaging of Very Late Antigen-4 (VLA-4) in mouse models of multiple myeloma

1509 Objectives The bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) plays a key role in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM). The integrin VLA-4 (CD49d/CD29) is present on MM cells and mediates adhesion to the BM stroma through the CS-1 region of fibronectin and VCAM-1 ligands. We investigate the MM cell-BMM interaction by targeting the VLA-4/VCAM-1 axis using a VLA-4 targeted, high affinity PET imaging probe, 64Cu-CB-TE1A1P-LLP2A. Methods The peptidomimetic LLP2A, with pM affinity for VLA-4, was conjugated with a methylphosphonate-based cross-bridged chelator (CB-TE1A1P) for labeling with 64Cu at room temperature. Cellular uptake data were obtained using nM amounts of 64Cu-CB-TE1A1P-LLP2A in RPMI 8226-luc-GFP, U266-luc-GFP, B16 (+ control) and MDA-MB-231 (- control) cells. Mouse models of human MM cells, RPMI 8226-luc-GFP and U266-luc-GFP (n=5 each), were used to evaluate the targeting specificity of 64Cu-CB-TE1A1P-LLP2A. Tumor cells were implanted intratibially (IT) in bg-nu-Xid mice, and the tumor cells metastasized to spleen and bone. Additionally, the effect of sub-lethal irradiation on the tumor spread was evaluated in two separate cohorts of mice (n=5 each). All mice were imaged by small animal PET/CT and 64Cu-CB-TE1A1P-LLP2A (35µCi; 23ng/mouse, SA: 1.5mCi/µg) during 3 weeks post-tumor cell injection. Biodistribution data were collected post PET/CT imaging. Results PET/CT imaging showed high tracer uptake in the legs and spleen, the areas of maximum tumor burden. Cumulative SUV data from these tissues demonstrated an increased uptake of 64Cu-CB-TE1A1P-LLP2A compared to control mice (p Conclusions 64Cu-CB-TE1A1P-LLP2A can effectively image VLA-4 on MM cells and may be highly effective in monitoring therapy
Studies on the detection system of dual fluorescence bacteriophage protein microarray

A novel high sensitive protein microarray detection system using dual-fluorescent detection method were developed on phage proteins.Purified T7 phage-expressed GAGE7(a lung cnacer associated protein) proteins were spotted onto six identical microarray chips.Each chip was then detected simultaneously by a series dilution of lung cancer patient serum from 1∶100, 1∶500,1∶2000,1∶5000,1∶10000 and 1∶50000.The chip images were scanned using a microarray scanner and Cy5/Cy3 signals were analyzed for the correlation with the serum dilutions.Meanwhile,a parallel experiment was done using ci-ELISA detection system for the comparison.Our results showed that the protein chips are more sensitive than the ci-ELISA in detection of antibody concentrations, while both systems showed a good liner relationship between the reactive signal and serum dilutions.Therefore,this novel protein chip detection system cna detect the concentration of the micro-proteins in the biological samples accurately.It also has the caracteristics of high-throughput and micromation,which made it the perfect tool for detecting the proteins in biological samples.
Prognostic Significance of Regional Lymph Node Histology in Cancer of the Bladder

Abstract The regional lymph nodes from 47 patients with carcinoma of the bladder who had undergone radical cystectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy were classified into 3 histologic patterns that correlated with immunologic function. Lymph nodes were designated as stimulated if they exhibited prominent germinal centers (B cell proliferation) and expansion of the deep cortex (T cell proliferation), depleted if they appeared markedly hypocellular and fibrotic, and unstimulated if they resembled a normal resting lymph node. Correlation of the histologic pattern with the extent of disease revealed that patients whose nodes appeared stimulated had fewer metastases (p less than 0.05) than those with either unstimulated or unstimulated combined with a depleted pattern. A markedly improved 5-year survival rate was seen in patients with a stimulated pattern (p less than 0.001) compared to those patients who exhibited a depleted and/or unstimulated lymph node pattern. The survival advantage related to the stimulated pattern was observed primarily among patients with advanced disease. It is suggested that stimulated nodes reflect proliferation of T and B lymphocytes engaged in cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to the bladder tumor and that this favorably influenced survival in those patients. Patients whose lymph nodes showed a depleted pattern fared poorly despite the extent of the disease and those with an unstimulated pattern were intermediate in survival. A depleted pattern may represent a state of local immune paralysis, exhaustion of the draining lymph nodes as a result of exposure to excess tumor-derived products such as antigen or toxic substances or simply an atrophic node incapable of response. In the absence of a local immune response such patients might be expected to do poorly. These results suggest that morphologic evaluation of the lymph nodes regional to bladder cancer may provide a clue to their immunologic function and a more accurate guide to prognosis of patients with this neoplasm.
A strategy for Compton scatter correction in brain SPECT by orthogonal image expansions assisted by neural networks.

The simultaneous dual energy acquisition is often required for accurate co-registration of brain images of both energy windows. However* the reconstructed images in the lower energy window are usua...
Principles of transplantation immunology

Publisher Summary This chapter emphasizes on the importance of suppression of alloimmune response for successful organ transplantation. The foreign antigens are presented either by the foreign cells or tissue of the donor or by the leukocytes of the recipient. The immunocompetent cells destroy the foreign cells. An inflammatory response involving monocytes and macrophages participates in this alloimmune response. Two pathways of allorecognition, direct and indirect, contribute to donor antigen (allograft) rejection. To prevent allograft rejection, pharmacological immune prophylaxis, continuous immune and allograft function monitoring, and, if necessary, an augmentation of immunosuppression must be conducted. The chapter discusses rejection management, which includes rejection diagnosis, induction therapy, glucocorticoid withdrawal, and sensitization therapy. Only true “immunologic” tolerance can provide the outcome pursued—namely, prolonged allograft function and otherwise normal immune function, without chronic immunosuppressive therapy and its risks. Until a successful tolerance-inducing protocol is developed, the current and upcoming immunosuppressive agents and techniques must be used.
Modeling the measured effect of a nitroplasticizer (BDNPA/F) on cookoff of a plastic bonded explosive (PBX 9501)

Abstract We have used a modified version of the Sandia Instrumented Thermal Ignition (SITI) experiment to develop a pressure-dependent, five-step ignition model for a plastic bonded explosive (PBX 9501) consisting of 95 wt% octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazoncine (HMX), 2.5 wt% Estane ® 5703 (a polyurethane thermoplastic), and 2.5 wt% of a nitroplasticizer (NP): BDNPA/F, a 50/50 wt% eutectic mixture bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)-acetal (BDNPA) and bis(2,2-dinitropropyl)-formal (BDNPF). The five steps include desorption of water, decomposition of the NP to form NO 2 , reaction of the NO 2 with Estane ® and HMX, and decomposition of HMX. The model was fit using our experiments and successfully validated with experiments from five other laboratories with scales ranging from about 2 g to more than 2.5 kg of PBX. Our experimental variables included density, confinement, free gas volume, and temperature. We measured internal temperatures, confinement pressure, and ignition time. In some of our experiments, we used a borescope to visually observe the decomposing PBX. Our observations included the endothermic β–δ phase change of the HMX, a small exothermic temperature excursion in low-density unconfined experiments, and runaway ignition. We hypothesize that the temperature excursion in these low density experiments was associated with the NP decomposing exothermically within the PBX sample. This reactant-limited temperature excursion was not observed with our thermocouples in the high-density experiments. For these experiments, we believe the binder diffused to the edges of our high density samples and decomposed next to the highly conductive wall as confirmed by our borescope images.
Lamotrigine Open Trial in Refractory Epilepsy

Lamotrigine, 5 and 15 mg/kg/daily, was administered as add-on therapy in 37 outpatient children and adolescents with refractory epilepsy and mental delay treated at the Child Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Second University of Naples, Italy.
Reliability concerns of yesterday — Emerging memory cells of tomorrow?

This talk will highlight how we are eager to embrace phenomena that were considered catastrophic reliability concerns until recently, and “optimize” them to create memory cells for potential replacement of conventional NAND, NOR and DRAM cells. If you cannot fight them, join them! Few examples are (a) defect percolation-path induced dielectric breakdown — conductive bridge filamentary cells in RRAM; (b) device snapback — capacitor-less DRAM thyristor memory cells (TRAM); (c) e-p generation/impact ionization — floating body capacitor-less DRAM (FBE); (d)localizedhigh-current, joule heating — phase change memory; (e) oxygen vacancy migration-metal oxide/CMO RRAM. There are several challenges in working with and optimizing phenomena that are generally considered chaotic and random in nature. This talk will discuss practical issues like noise — RTS, drift in retention, stuck bits, error correction needs etc. in emerging memory technologies.
Subverting Hatred: The Challenge of Nonviolence in Religious Traditions, ed. Daniel L. Smith-Christopher

Subverting Hatred is an edited book that brings together different voices on religion and peace from different religious traditions. The book is a lucid appeal to recover the transformative power of religion in the midst of global violence and terror. It is comparative and seeks to provide a cross-cultural understanding of peacebuilding. Beyond destructive rhetoric, the book seeks to provide a new narrative that can engender peace and understanding in the world. It uses a case study approach to uncover the contributions of religion to both inner and global peace. It wrestles with an understanding that religion can contribute to the discourse on subverting hatred and building the capacity for peace.
An Overview of Starfish: A Table-Centric Tool for Interactive Synthesis

Engineering is an interactive process that requires intelligent interaction at many levels. My thesis [1] advances an engineering discipline for high-level synthesis and architectural decomposition that integrates perspicuous representation, designer interaction, and mathematical rigor. Starfish, the software prototype for the design method, implements a table-centric transformation system for reorganizing control-dominated system expressions into high-level architectures. Based on the digital design derivation (DDD) system a designer-guided synthesis technique that applies correctness preserving transformations to synchronous data flow specifications expressed as co- recursive stream equations Starfish enhances user interaction and extends the reachable design space by incorporating four innovations: behavior tables, serialization tables, data refinement, and operator retiming. Behavior tables express systems of co-recursive stream equations as a table of guarded signal updates. Developers and users of the DDD system used manually constructed behavior tables to help them decide which transformations to apply and how to specify them. These design exercises produced several formally constructed hardware implementations: the FM9001 microprocessor, an SECD machine for evaluating LISP, and the SchemEngine, garbage collected machine for interpreting a byte-code representation of compiled Scheme programs. Bose and Tuna, two of DDD s developers, have subsequently commercialized the design derivation methodology at Derivation Systems, Inc. (DSI). DSI has formally derived and validated PCI bus interfaces and a Java byte-code processor; they further executed a contract to prototype SPIDER-NASA's ultra-reliable communications bus. To date, most derivations from DDD and DRS have targeted hardware due to its synchronous design paradigm. However, Starfish expressions are independent of the synchronization mechanism; there is no commitment to hardware or globally broadcast clocks. Though software back-ends for design derivation are limited to the DDD stream-interpreter, targeting synchronous or real-time software is not substantively different from targeting hardware.
The language of arithmetic across the hemispheres: An event-related potential investigation.

Abstract Arithmetic expressions, like verbal sentences, incrementally lead readers to anticipate potential appropriate completions. Existing work in the language domain has helped us understand how the two hemispheres differently participate in and contribute to the cognitive process of sentence reading, but comparatively little work has been done with mathematical equation processing. In this study, we address this gap by examining the ERP response to provided answers to simple multiplication problems, which varied both in levels of correctness (given an equation context) and in visual field of presentation (joint attention in central presentation, or biased processing to the left or right hemisphere through contralateral visual field presentation). When answers were presented to any of the visual fields (hemispheres), there was an effect of correctness prior to the traditional N400 timewindow, which we interpret as a P300 in response to a detected target item (the correct answer). In addition to this response, equation answers also elicited a late positive complex (LPC) for incorrect answers. Notably, this LPC effect was most prominent in the left visual field (right hemisphere), and it was also sensitive to the confusability of the wrong answer – incorrect answers that were closely related to the correct answer elicited a smaller LPC. This suggests a special, prolonged role for the right hemisphere during answer evaluation.
Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters Accelerate Hydrogen Evolution over MoS 2 Nanosheets: The Dual Interfacial Effect

Hydrogen generation via electrocatalytic water splitting holds great promise for future energy revolution. It is desirable to design abundant and efficient catalysts and achieve mechanistic understanding of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Here, this paper reports a strategy for improving HER performance of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) via introducing gold nanoclusters as a cocatalyst. Compared to plain MoS2 nanosheets, the Au25 (SR)18 /MoS2 nanocomposite exhibits enhanced HER activity with a small onset potential of -0.20 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode) and a higher current density of 59.3 mA cm-2 at the potential of -0.4 V. In addition to the interfacial interaction between nanoclusters and MoS2 , the interface between the Au25 core and the surface ligands (thiolate vs selenolate) is also discovered to distinctly affect the catalytic performance. This work highlights the promise of metal nanoclusters in boosting the HER performance via tailoring the interfacial electronic interactions between gold nanoclusters and MoS2 nanosheets, as well as the interface between metal core and surface ligands.
Utilizing modulating-temperature setpoints to save energy and maintain alliesthesia-based comfort

One area with the greatest potential for energy savings in buildings is heating and cooling. However, it is often argued that any energy-saving techniques should not have a negative impact on comfo...
Soil mixture composition alters Arabidopsis susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae infection

Pseudomonas syringae is a gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes disease on more than 100 different plant species, including the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Dissection of the Arabidopsis thaliana-Pseudomonas syringae pathosystem has identified many factors that contribute to successful infection or immunity, including the genetics of the host, the genetics of the pathogen, and the environment. Environmental factors that contribute to a successful interaction can include temperature, light, and the circadian clock, as well as the soil environment. As silicon-amended Resilience soil is advertised to enhance plant health, we sought to examine the extent to which this soil might affect the behavior of the A. thaliana-P. syringae model pathosystem and to characterize the mechanisms through which these effects may occur. We found that plants grown in Si-amended Resilience soil displayed enhanced resistance to bacteria compared to plants grown in non-Si-amended Sunshine soil, and salicylic acid biosynthesis and signaling were not required for resistance. Although silicon has been shown to contribute to broad-spectrum resistance, our data indicate that silicon is not the direct cause of enhanced resistance and that the Si-amended Resilience soil has additional properties that modulate plant resistance. Our work demonstrates the importance of environmental factors, such as soil in modulating interactions between the plant and foliar pathogens, and highlights the significance of careful annotation of the environmental conditions under which plant-pathogen interactions are studied.
Retinal Prostheses: A Brief History

Retinal prostheses deliver controlled electrical impulses to retina which elicit light perception in patients with damaged/degenerated photoreceptors. It has been shown that retinal prostheses are able to restore simple but useful vision to those who have been otherwise blind for decades. The idea of using electricity to stimulate the visual system is as old as two centuries, but the development of the retinal prostheses only took off in the most recent two decades. During this period, a variety of devices have been developed and investigated, among which two have received regulatory approvals for clinical use, Argus II and Alpha-IMS. Meanwhile new technologies and stimulation strategies are being pursued to improve the visual experience of the blind. Given the momentum of the field, it is anticipated that the next generation prostheses will enable the blind patients to perform more complex visual tasks such as reading. This chapter will overview the historical aspects of the representative retinal prostheses, briefly accounting the background and the current status.
PASE synthesis of pyrrolidine-containing heterocycles through [3+2] cycloaddition-initiated reactions

Pot, atom and step economic (PASE) synthesis is an important green technique. This short article summarizes our recent effort on the development of [3+2] cycloaddition-initiated PASE synthesis for diverse pyrrolidine-containing heterocyclic compounds.