cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pre-aligned downwind rotor for a 13.2 MW wind turbine

Abstract While there is continued demand for larger wind turbines with cheaper cost of energy, conventional upwind blade design may be reaching a size limit stemming from blade failure at extreme wind conditions. For turbines rated above 10 MW, decreasing the structural loads to more manageable levels may be achieved by better aligning the forces along the rotor blade to reduce ultimate bending moments and fatigue loadings. To achieve such moment reduction, a downwind configuration with a coning angle prescribed to allow load alignment for critical conditions could be used. Such a configuration also increases the rated clearance distance between the rotor and the tower since wind loads push the blades further from the tower. This concept is explored herein for a 13.2 MW rated downwind design compared to a conventional upwind three-bladed rotor design that uses the Sandia SNL100-02 blades. The simulation results show in Class IIB winds that the two-bladed downwind pre-aligned rotor with 15° coning, decreases the blade damage equivalent loads by 19.0%, and decreases rotor blade mass by 27.4%, compared with the unmodified conventional upwind three-bladed rotor. However, further design optimization is needed to ensure annual energy production is preserved with this concept.
A spectacular new genus of Staphylinini rove beetle from the tropical Andes and its phylogenetic assessment (Coleoptera : Staphylinidae)

Devilleferus brunkei Jenkins Shaw & Solodovnikov, gen. et sp. nov., a distinctive new genus and species of Staphylinini rove beetle with an unusual set of morphological characters is described from the tropical Andes (Ecuador and possibly Colombia and Bolivia) in South America. To resolve systematic placement of the new genus within Staphylinini we assembled a dataset of 68 morphological characters scored for 34 taxa representing a broad sample of the respective rove beetle tribe, and performed Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony phylogenetic analyses. Both analytical methods unambiguously placed Devilleferus as sister to the subtribe Amblyopinina, and overall they corroborated recently established subtribal systematics for Staphylinini inferred mainly from molecular markers. Based on the shared synapomorphies, Devilleferus is assigned to the subtribe Amblyopinina. The internal relationships within Amblyopinina remain to be clarified in a broader study of that very poorly explored austral lineage.
Genome-Editing Technologies in Adoptive T Cell Immunotherapy for Cancer

In this review, we discuss the most recent developments in gene-editing technology and discuss their application to adoptive T cell immunotherapy. Engineered T cell therapies targeting cancer antigens have demonstrated significant efficacy in specific patient populations. Most impressively, CD19-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART19) have led to impressive responses in patients with B-cell leukemia and lymphoma. CTL019, or KYMRIAH™ (tisagenlecleucel), a CD19 CAR T cell product developed by Novartis and the University of Pennsylvania, was recently approved for clinical use by the Food and Drug Administration, representing a landmark in the application of adoptive T cell therapies. As CART19 enters routine clinical use, improving the efficacy of this exciting platform is the next step in broader application. Novel gene-editing technologies like CRISPR-Cas9 allow facile editing of specific genes within the genome, generating a powerful platform to further optimize the activity of engineered T cells.
The Robust Manifold Defense: Adversarial Training using Generative Models

We propose a new type of attack for finding adversarial examples for image classifiers. Our method exploits spanners, i.e. deep neural networks whose input space is low-dimensional and whose output range approximates the set of images of interest. Spanners may be generators of GANs or decoders of VAEs. The key idea in our attack is to search over latent code pairs to find ones that generate nearby images with different classifier outputs. We argue that our attack is stronger than searching over perturbations of real images. Moreover, we show that our stronger attack can be used to reduce the accuracy of Defense-GAN to 3\%, resolving an open problem from the well-known paper by Athalye et al. We combine our attack with normal adversarial training to obtain the most robust known MNIST classifier, significantly improving the state of the art against PGD attacks. Our formulation involves solving a min-max problem, where the min player sets the parameters of the classifier and the max player is running our attack, and is thus searching for adversarial examples in the {\em low-dimensional} input space of the spanner. All code and models are available at \url{this https URL}
A Knock on the Door

ABSTRACTIn this paper, the author, who is a single mother of a young man with mental illness, describes her son’s first psychotic break. By melding poetry, prose, dream journal entries, and medical...
Can Intelligent Hyperparameter Selection Improve Resistance to Adversarial Examples

Convolutional Neural Networks and Deep Learning classification systems in general have been shown to be vulnerable to attack by specially crafted data samples that appear to belong to one class but are instead classified as another, commonly known as adversarial examples. A variety of attack strategies have been proposed to craft these samples; however, there is no standard model that is used to compare the success of each type of attack. Furthermore, there is no literature currently available that evaluates how common hyperparameters and optimization strategies may impact a model's ability to resist these samples. This research bridges that lack of awareness and provides a means for the selection of training and model parameters in future research on evasion attacks against convolutional neural networks. The findings of this work indicate that the selection of model hyperparameters does impact the ability of a model to resist attack, although they alone cannot prevent the existence of adversarial examples.
The role of teacher capacity and instructional practice in the integration of educational technology for emergent bilingual students

Abstract This mixed methods study examines the extent to which the use, and intensity of use, of educational technology is associated with improved academic outcomes for English language learners (ELLs) in both English/Spanish bilingual and traditional English-only classrooms. We also explore the role of teacher capacity and practice in integrating educational technology by student population and instructional setting across six schools serving a student population of predominately low-income ELLs. Building on limited prior work on technology integration with elementary school ELLs, the analysis draws on district administrative data, teacher surveys, classroom observations, and teacher interviews. In econometric analyses of academic outcomes associated with exposure to varying intensities of technology use, we identified positive associations of technology use in reading, starting at around 40 min of weekly use in bilingual classrooms versus 1 h of weekly use in traditional classrooms. While the average reading effect size topped out at 0.20 for students with 2 h of weekly technology use in reading in traditional classrooms, the reading effect size continued to rise in bilingual classrooms to over 0.50 for students in classrooms using technology for 3 h a week in reading. We also found that technology use in reading—where teachers were observed more frequently using blended instructional strategies—was more effective for students in bilingual classes than technology use in math. Our findings suggest that alignment of technology with constructivist teaching strategies, which connect student learning to culturally relevant experiences and provide opportunities for interactivity and collaboration, is key to transforming the learning process and outcomes of emergent bilingual students.
Single cell RNA-seq data clustering using TF-IDF based methods

Single cell transcriptomics is critical for understanding cellular heterogeneity and identification of novel cell types. Leveraging the recent advances in single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq) technology requires novel unsupervised clustering algorithms that are robust to high levels of technical and biological noise and scale to datasets of millions of cells. We present novel computational approaches for clustering scRNA-seq data based on the Term Frequency - Inverse Document Frequency (TF-IDF) transformation that has been successfully used in the field of text analysis. Empirical experimental results show that TF-IDF methods consistently outperform commonly used scRNA-Seq clustering approaches.
The use of GTN paste in impending necrosis following soft-tissue augmentation

One of the actions of Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN), otherwise known as nitroglycerin, is initiating the relaxation of smooth muscle cells in blood vessels to promote blood flow to various parts of the...
Improvements in Histologic Features and Diagnosis Associated With Improvement in Fibrosis in Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis: Results From the Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Clinical Research Network Treatment Trials.

Hepatocellular injury and inflammation are believed to be the primary drivers of fibrogenesis that ultimately lead to cirrhosis in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). This study sought associations between observed improvements in fibrosis with improvement in specific histologic features, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease activity score (NAS) ≥2, diagnostic category, and primary histologically based outcomes of two adult NASH treatment trials. The primary outcome for the study was fibrosis improvement from baseline to end of treatment, defined as a 1-point or more improvement in fibrosis stage. This is a retrospective analysis of biopsy data collected from the NASH Clinical Research Network Pathology Committee of Pioglitazone versus Vitamin E versus Placebo for the Treatment of Nondiabetic Patients with NASH Trial (PIVENS) and Farnesoid X Receptor Ligand Obeticholic Acid in NASH Treatment Trial (FLINT) baseline and final biopsies. Treatment group-adjusted univariable and multivariable logistic regression models related improvement in fibrosis to improvements in other histologic variables, resolution of steatohepatitis, and improvement in the NAS ≥2. In PIVENS 221 subjects had baseline and 96-week biopsies, and in FLINT 200 subjects had baseline and 72-week biopsies. Improvement in fibrosis was found in 38% of PIVENS and 29% of FLINT biopsies; fibrosis improvement was more likely in treated than placebo subjects in both studies. Controlling for treatment group, fibrosis improvement was associated most strongly with resolution of NASH (PIVENS, odds ratio [OR], 3.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.0-7.6; P < 0.001; FLINT, OR, 8.0; 95% CI 3.1-20.9; P < 0.001), and improved NAS by ≥2 (PIVENS, OR, 2.4; 95% CI 1.3-4.3; P = 0.003; FLINT, OR, 4.2; 95% CI 2.1-8.3; P < 0.001). Improvement in histologic features associated with improved fibrosis for both studies included steatosis, ballooning, Mallory-Denk bodies, and portal, but not lobular, inflammation. Conclusion: These findings support a strong link between histologic resolution of steatohepatitis with improvement in fibrosis in NASH.
Self-determination at a Career and Technical School: Observations of IEP Meetings

The purpose of this study was to conduct observations of Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings at a Career and Technical Education (CTE) high school to determine who spoke during the IEP meetings, how IEP team members rate their IEP meeting behaviors and perceptions, and if there any differences in how behaviors and perceptions of the IEP meetings are rated. A 10-s momentary time sampling procedure was used to determine which IEP team members spoke the most and least during 10 IEP meetings. A post-IEP meeting survey was used to determine how IEP team members rated their IEP meeting behaviors and perceptions. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were computed. IEP team members who spoke the most were the special education coordinator, special education teacher, and student. Students rated their meeting behaviors the highest. Students, parents, and educators had positive perceptions of the IEP meetings. A statistically significant difference (F(3, 86) = 3.43, p = 0.012; Wilks’ lambda = 0.74; partial eta squared = 0.13) was found indicating educators had a lower mean rating on composite meeting behavior. Educators seem to be seeking input from students and parents during IEP meetings, yet there remains a need for increased student leadership during IEP meetings. Educators, parents, and students seem to lack knowledge about the availability of post-high school adult services, resulting in an increased need to provide information about agencies to students, teachers, and parents.
Defense industrialization in Latin America

This article analyzes contrasting approaches to defense modernization in the Latin American region focusing on Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina. Three variables of autonomy, spending, and int...
Obstructive lesions of the equine upper respiratory tract Part 2: Surgical options and expected outcomes: Part 1

equine upper respiratory tract, part one dealt with some simple physics, mechanics and diagnostic tools used to evaluate the equine upper airway. In the next two parts, a description of the common obstructive lesions and their surgical options will be presented. The current state of knowledge of surgical outcomes is also evaluated, so that the appropriate selection of surgical candidates may be made.
Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves 24-Hour Glucose Levels and Affects Markers of the Circadian Clock, Aging, and Autophagy in Humans

Time-restricted feeding (TRF) is a form of intermittent fasting that involves having a longer daily fasting period. Preliminary studies report that TRF improves cardiometabolic health in rodents and humans. Here, we performed the first study to determine how TRF affects gene expression, circulating hormones, and diurnal patterns in cardiometabolic risk factors in humans. Eleven overweight adults participated in a 4-day randomized crossover study where they ate between 8 am and 2 pm (early TRF (eTRF)) and between 8 am and 8 pm (control schedule). Participants underwent continuous glucose monitoring, and blood was drawn to assess cardiometabolic risk factors, hormones, and gene expression in whole blood cells. Relative to the control schedule, eTRF decreased mean 24-hour glucose levels by 4 ± 1 mg/dl (p = 0.0003) and glycemic excursions by 12 ± 3 mg/dl (p = 0.001). In the morning before breakfast, eTRF increased ketones, cholesterol, and the expression of the stress response and aging gene SIRT1 and the autophagy gene LC3A (all p < 0.04), while in the evening, it tended to increase brain-derived neurotropic factor (BNDF; p = 0.10) and also increased the expression of MTOR (p = 0.007), a major nutrient-sensing protein that regulates cell growth. eTRF also altered the diurnal patterns in cortisol and the expression of several circadian clock genes (p < 0.05). eTRF improves 24-hour glucose levels, alters lipid metabolism and circadian clock gene expression, and may also increase autophagy and have anti-aging effects in humans.
Chapter Fifteen Heresy and Iconography: Notes on Carolingian Aesthetics and Its Western Successors

The concept of heretical art may seem peculiar, if not altogether misguided. For isn’t all genuine art creative and original, revolutionary, unconventional, unorthodox? And isn’t the heretical defined precisely in contrast with what is orthodox, i.e. as something contesting it? The orthodox, for its part, is thought to be what is conventional, what is merely assumed and taken for granted. The task of art would thus be precisely to call into question the status quo, to overthrow comfortable conventions and orthodoxies—to be, in fact, essentially heretical.
Solving the Mystery of the "Cyanide Bomb"

A man who's career began as a biochemist and ended as a botanist. A man who under the instruction of a Professor Butt realized what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. This was the story of Professor Jonathan Poulton, Emeritus Faculty at the University of Iowa. He comes from an English family with a religious background and ended up in the sciences when he decided to pursue biochemistry over a dinner with a family friend. He earned his PhD at Oxford University and traveled abroad to conduct research. Poulton eventually landed himself at the University of Iowa on a frigid day but this wasn't enough to deter him! Poulton became a professor of botany and conducted research on how plants stored and released cyanide from their leaves. Later in his career, his research focused on uncovering some of the genes in the Arabidopsis thaliana genome (a small flowering plant). His career was also comprised of several teaching experiences such as but not limited to Principles of Biology and Botany. If you would like to learn more about his outstanding career and unlikely story, read Professor Jonathan Poulton's profile story!
Amyloid assembly is dominated by misregistered kinetic traps on an unbiased energy landscape

Atomistic description of protein fibril formation has been elusive due to the complexity and long time scales of the conformational search. Here, we develop a multiscale approach combining numerous atomistic simulations in explicit solvent to construct Markov State Models (MSMs) of fibril growth. The search for the in-register fully bound fibril state is modeled as a random walk on a rugged two-dimensional energy landscape defined by β-sheet alignment and hydrogen-bonding states, whereas transitions involving states without hydrogen bonds are derived from kinetic clustering. The reversible association/dissociation of an incoming peptide and overall growth kinetics are then computed from MSM simulations. This approach is applied to derive a parameter-free, comprehensive description of fibril elongation of Aβ16–22 and how it is modulated by phenylalanine-to-cyclohexylalanine (CHA) mutations. The trajectories show an aggregation mechanism in which the peptide spends most of its time trapped in misregistered β-sheet states connected by weakly bound states twith short lifetimes. Our results recapitulate the experimental observation that mutants CHA19 and CHA1920 accelerate fibril elongation but have a relatively minor effect on the critical concentration for fibril growth. Importantly, the kinetic consequences of mutations arise from cumulative effects of perturbing the network of productive and nonproductive pathways of fibril growth. This is consistent with the expectation that nonfunctional states will not have evolved efficient folding pathways and, therefore, will require a random search of configuration space. This study highlights the importance of describing the complete energy landscape when studying the elongation mechanism and kinetics of protein fibrils.
Actions to Control Hypertension Among Adults in Oklahoma

Introduction Hypertension is a chronic condition that can be managed with self-monitoring, lifestyle changes, and medication. The purpose of this study was to describe receipt of physician's treatment advice and use of treatments to manage hypertension among Oklahoma's adult population. Methods A random-digit-dialed telephone survey was administered to noninstitutionalized adult residents of Oklahoma (n = 7,463) in 2007. Respondents who indicated that they had ever had hypertension (n = 2,937) were asked whether a doctor had advised them on each of 5 general management techniques and whether they used these techniques to manage their condition. Data were weighted and a descriptive analysis of the age-adjusted rates was performed. Results Of all hypertensive adults, 91% had received advice from a physician regarding treatment options, and medication was the most commonly recommended therapy (80%). Almost all hypertensive adults were managing their hypertension through use of medication or lifestyle modification, and reducing salt intake was the most common treatment used (74%). Physician advice and individual treatment choices varied by demographic characteristics, although respondents more commonly used a treatment method that was advised by a physician. Conclusion Doctors should advise hypertensive patients of treatment options because patients may be more likely to use 1 or more physician-advised options to manage their condition. Efforts should be made to enhance physicians' ability to educate patients about the effects of hypertension and ways in which hypertension can be treated, in addition to enhancing the patients' knowledge of prevention and treatment strategies.
Abstract 1580: Distinct pathways of lytic and blastic bone metastases in prostate cancer patients

The most common metastatic lesions of prostate cancer are in the bone and can be classified into three distinct pathologic subtypes: lytic, blastic, and an indeterminate mixture of both. There is no immunotherapy guidance for treating patients based on lytic or blastic tumor induced bone disease. To identify distinct tumor and stroma in lytic and blastic prostate cancer bone metastases, we investigated a cohort of decalcified formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) patient bone biopsy specimens that contained metastatic prostate cancer with lytic or blastic features. Tissue sections were utilized for immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining, isolation of RNA for gene expression, and Digital Spatial Profiling (DSP) of changes in both the tumor and microenvironment. A diverse set of unique immune cell populations and signaling pathways to both lytic and blastic types of prostate cancer metastases were present. High proportions of macrophages were present in lytic tumor induced bone disease, and T cells were present in lytic and blastic samples. In blastic lesions, immune cells were enriched for pSTAT3 and components of the JAK-STAT pathway. In lytic lesions, immune cells exhibited enhanced pAKT activity and components of the PI3K-AKT pathway. Expression of key immune checkpoint targets were identified in blastic prostate cancer, providing new therapeutic targets for patients with bone metastases. To further investigate which individual cells comprising the stroma and tumor have active JAK-STAT signaling, we performed fluorescent multiplex-IHC (mIHC). A tumor and myeloid panel of antibodies was used to identify on a single cell resolution which specific cell types are enriched for pSTAT3 in the tumor microenvironment. The identification of pAKT or pSTAT3 as promising therapeutic targets could be rationally employed to individual patients. The presence of macrophages and T cells in samples suggest that conventionally “cold” prostate cancer bone metastases warrant reappraisal as capable immunotherapy responders. Biopsies could guide selection of patients into appropriate therapeutic interventions based on protein levels and RNA expression of desired targets in metastatic disease. Citation Format: Claire L. Ihle, Meredith D. Provera, Desiree M. Straign, E. Erin Smith, Susan M. Edgerton, Adrie Van Bokhoven, M. Scott Lucia, Philip Owens. Distinct pathways of lytic and blastic bone metastases in prostate cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 1580.
When Should we be Open to Persuasion

Being open to persuasion can help show respect for an interlocutor. At the same time, open-mindedness about morally objectionable claims can carry moral as well as epistemic risks. Our aim in this paper is to specify when there might be duty to be open to persuasion. We distinguish two possible interpretations of openness. First, openness might refer to a kind of mental state, wherein one is willing to revise or abandon present beliefs. Second, it might refer to a deliberative practice, according to which one is willing to engage with opposing reasons. We suggest these two interpretations are conceptually and empirically distinct. Once disambiguated, we suggest that different contexts may make different forms of openness appropriate as expressions of respect.
Effect of Al Additions on Scale Structure and Oxidation Kinetics of 430-Ferritic Stainless Steel Reheated in a Combustion Atmosphere

Al is sometimes added to ferritic 430 type stainless steel to improve the surface appearance of cold rolled bright annealed products. High-surface quality is required for such applications. However, during continuous casting, slab reheating, and hot rolling, complex oxides can penetrate deep into the matrix and form highly adherent subsurface scale layers that resist removal using high pressure water descaling. Therefore, an understanding of the oxidation phenomena during reheating in the combustion atmosphere of the slab reheating process is critically important for control and elimination of potential scale related surface defects on the product. In this article, the kinetic aspects of oxidation and scale formation on a standard and an Al alloyed 430 ferritic stainless steel were investigated using several experimental and modeling methods. Experiments were performed in a TGA apparatus that replicates the combustion gas atmosphere and temperature in an industrial slab reheat furnace. Oxidized samples were characterized using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy to document the specific changes in the scale morphology and microstructure in the base and Al alloyed 430 ferritic stainless steels. Focused ion beam (FIB) sectioning of the scale layer, followed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), revealed details of the phase, composition and structure of the oxides formed in the subsurface region of the ferritic matrix. Thermodynamic simulations were used to predict phases in the multilayer scale structure. Differences in oxidation kinetics, phase, composition, topology, and microstructure of the multi-layered scale formed during re-heating of the investigated alloys are discussed.
Media exposure and intentions to wear face masks in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak: the mediating role of negative emotions and risk perception

Guided by the Appraisal Tendency Framework (ATF) and the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), this study investigated the relationships between exposure to COVID-19 information conveyed through mainstream media and social media, negative emotions, risk perception, and intentions to wear face masks. An online survey was conducted with 590 Americans during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (April 2020). Results indicated that while mainstream media were associated with fear, anxiety, and anger, social media were not. In turn, fear and anxiety were positively associated with risk perception, which increased intentions to wear face masks. Anger was negatively associated with risk perception, which reduced intentions to wear face masks. Mediation analyses revealed that these negative emotions and risk perception mediated the association between mainstream media exposure and intentions to wear face masks. Results provided support for the utility of integrating of the ATF and PMT to predict mask wearing behavior in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Atlantic Journal of Communication is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Call to Action: Addressing Social Determinants of Health in Pharmacy Practice:

Social determinants of health (SDOH) are conditions in which individuals are born, live, work, learn, play, and age that affect health, risks, functioning, and outcomes. SDOH are recognized barriers to care, risk factors for certain diseases, and associated with poorer health outcomes. Screening for SDOH in physician practices and hospitals is reportedly low. The accessibility of pharmacists and established relationships with patients make pharmacy settings ideal for identifying and mitigating social needs. An evaluation of the impact of SDOH on health outcomes and opportunities for pharmacists to embed screening into practice is warranted.
Generating Point Cloud from Single Image in The Few Shot Scenario

Reconstructing point clouds from images would extremely benefit many practical CV applications, such as robotics, automated vehicles, and Augmented Reality. Fueled by the advances of deep neural network, many deep learning frameworks are proposed to address this problem recently. However, these frameworks generally rely on a large amount of labeled training data (e.g., image and point cloud pairs). Although we usually have numerous 2D images, corresponding 3D shapes are insufficient in practice. In addition, most available 3D data covers only a limited amount of classes, which further restricts the models' generalization ability to novel classes. To mitigate these issues, we propose a novel few-shot single-view point cloud generation framework by considering both class-specific and class-agnostic 3D shape priors. Specifically, we abstract each class by a prototype vector that embeds class-specific shape priors. Class-agnostic shape priors are modeled by a set of learnable shape primitives that encode universal 3D shape information shared across classes. Later, we combine the input image with class-specific prototypes and class-agnostic shape primitives to guide the point cloud generation process. Experiments on the popular ModelNet and ShapeNet datasets demonstrate that our method outperforms state-of-the-art methods in the few-shot setting.
3 Stereochemistry and Heterogeneous Catalysis

Publisher Summary This chapter presents those aspects of the stereochemistry of heterogeneous catalysis that may help in the understanding of the mechanisms of heterogeneous catalytic reactions. Hydrogenations at room temperatures of acetylenes to olefins, of olefins to alkanes, and of benzenes to cycloalkanes primarily involve cis addition. The isotopic exchange reaction between deuterium and (+)3-methylhexane on nickel and palladium catalysts at temperatures above 100° leads to the racemization of an optically active hydrocarbon. Similar intermediates are involved in the net trans addition in hydrogenation, in racemization during exchange, and in the transfer of the isotopic exchange process from one side of a cyclopentane ring to the other. The predominant cis -addition and cis -exchange reactions can be accommodated by conventional mechanisms. Some additional and symmetric intermediate is required for the trans addition, racemization, and complete exchange of cyclic alkanes.
Stress and Strain

An object subjected to an external force will move in the direction of the applied force. The object will deform if its motion is constrained in the direction of the applied force. Deformation implies relative displacement of any two points within the object. The extent of deformation will be dependent upon many factors including the magnitude, direction, and duration of the applied force, the material properties of the object, the geometry of the object, and environmental factors such as heat and humidity.
Automatic Verification of Parameterized Synchronous Systems (Extended Abstract)

Systems with an arbitrary number of homogeneous processes occur in many applications. The Parameterized Model Checking Problem (PMCP) is to determine whether a temporal property is true of every size instance of the system. We consider systems formed by a synchronous parallel composition of a single control process with an arbitrary number of homogeneous user processes, and show that the PMCP is decidable for properties expressed in an indexed propositional temporal logic. While the problem is in general PSPACE-complete, our initial experimental results indicate that the method is usable in practice.
Developmental Changes in Slow Cortical Potentials of Young Children with Elevated Body Lead Burden

The effects of age and blood lead level (PbB) on slow cortical potentials elicited during classical conditioning were studied in children aged 13 to 75 months. At normal PbB levels (less than 30 micrograms/dl), SW voltage tended to be positive in children under five years old and negative in children over five years. A reverse age-related polarity shift was observed in children with elevated PbB levels (Otto et al., 1981). Evidence indicative of excitatory (or disinhibitory) effects of Pb exposure in immature animals (associated with hyperactivity in animals and children) was reviewed. Reversals in locomotor activity (hypoactivity) and electroconvulsive activity have also been noted in adult animals exposed to Pb as pups. Neurophysiological evidence suggests that slow surface-positive potentials in very young children may reflect axodendritic inhibitory processes. As the cortex matures, the locus of inhibitory activity shifts deeper to axosomatic connections. Negative slow potentials observed in older children, therefore, are presumed to reflect the surface negative (dendritic depolarization), depth positive (somatic hyperpolarization) dipole hypothesized by McSherry (1973) as the neurophysiological substrate of the CNV. Although the developmental model of the CNV proposed here is based on preliminary data and is clearly speculative, the implications of the model and data merit consideration. Positive shifts observed in very young children during the CS-UCS interval suggest why previous investigators have had great difficulty in eliciting contingent negative variation in subjects younger than five years. The data also suggest that body Pb burden at any level produces an observable effect on CNS function. Further study is needed to replicate and clarify these findings.
Financial inclusion for financial stability : access to bank deposits and the growth of deposits in the Global Financial Crisis

In crisis times, depositors get anxious, can run on banks, and withdraw their deposits. Correlated withdrawals of bank deposits could be mitigated if bank deposits are more diversified, that is, held by more individuals. This paper examines the link between the broader access to bank deposits prior to the 2008 crisis and the dynamics of bank deposit growth during the crisis, while controlling for relevant covariates. Employing proxies for access to deposits and the use of bank deposits, the authors find that greater access to bank deposits can make the deposit funding base of banks more resilient in times of financial stress. Policy efforts to enhance financial stability should thus not only focus on macroprudential regulation, but also recognize the positive effect of broader access to bank deposits on financial stability.
Caudal vena cava kinking in dogs with ascites

A 9-year-old dog with spontaneous ascites was found to have hepatic vein distension and a tortuous vena cava on abdominal ultrasound. In right lateral recumbency, the caudal vena cava crossed the diaphragm and became kinked before entering into the right atrium. Following this observation, we performed an experimental study in a normal dog to determine whether kinking of the caudal vena cava could be the result and not the cause of ascites. Ascites was induced using warm saline injected through a needle inserted into the abdominal cavity. Venograms were collected from different body positions, under four conditions: before and after a total of one, two and 3 liters of saline had been injected. Caudal vena cava kinking was observed in the experimental dog after 2 liters of fluid had been injected. Vena cava obstruction may cause ascites, but we found that sometimes caudal vena cava kinking can be the result and not the cause of the peritoneal effusion.
PERIOD DOUBLING IN THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL ANTIFERROMAGNET: GAUGE FIELDS AND THEIR ANOMALIES

We construct an effective gauge-field theory model describing a two-dimensional quantum antiferromagnet in the flux-phase ground state. Due to period doubling the number of gauge fields is four rather than just one. These additional gauge fields correspond to lattice flux configurations in which the flux is staggered, which should be taken into account to enforce single occupancy within the magnetic unit cell. We calculate the corresponding quantum anomaly, present in such a model. In particular this leads to a generalized local flux hypothesis, which is tested numerically.
Performance of multicarrier CDMA with successive interference cancellation with estimation error in a multipath fading channel

A high-capacity, low-complexity, and robust system design for a successive. interference cancellation (SIC) system is analyzed. Multicarrier CDMA (MC-CDMA) is used to suppress multipath and to overcome the multipath channel estimation problem in SIC systems. An optimal power control algorithm for MC-CDMA with SIC is derived, allowing analytical BER expressions to be found. It is shown that with coding, the capacity of the proposed system approaches the AWGN capacity for SIC even in a fading multipath channel with channel estimation error.
The Circuitry Mediating Cocaine-Induced Reinstatement of Drug-Seeking Behavior

The role of limbic-striato-pallidal circuitry in cocaine-induced reinstatement was evaluated. The transient inhibition of brain nuclei associated with motor systems [including the ventral tegmental area (VTA), dorsal prefrontal cortex (dPFC), core of the nucleus accumbens (NAcore), and ventral pallidum (VP)] prevented cocaine-induced reinstatement. However, only the VP proved to be necessary for food reinstatement, suggesting that the identified circuit is specific to drug-related reinstatement. Supporting the possibility that the VTA–dPFC–NAcore–VP is a series circuit mediating reinstatement, simultaneous unilateral microinjection of GABA agonists into the dPFC in one hemisphere and into the VP in the contralateral hemisphere abolished cocaine reinstatement. Although dopamine projections from the VTA innervate all three forebrain nuclei, the blockade of dopamine receptors only in the dPFC antagonized cocaine-induced reinstatement. Furthermore, DA administration into the dPFC was sufficient to elicit a reinstatement in drug-related responding. These data demonstrate that dopamine release in the dPFC initiates a dPFC–NAcore–VP series circuit that mediates cocaine-induced drug-seeking behavior.
His-tags lighten up and lose their inhibitions

The ability to control molecular behavior in the four dimensions of time and space is almost uniquely afforded by light. Consequently, there has been a long history of the use of light to trigger molecular interactions in the study of biological phenomena or the creation of active biomolecules (1). One application of this principle has been in the fabrication of protein microarrays, a subset of the field of protein biochips (2), broadly defined as proteins immobilized on flat surfaces. The report by Grunwald et al. (3) provides a significant advance in the spatially defined immobilization of proteins on surfaces. It accomplishes this task using a novel paradigm for photochemical activation: Binding sites on the surface recognize a ligand on the proteins to be immobilized but also carry that ligand themselves. It competes with and inhibits protein binding, so the protein can only be bound once the competing ligand has been released via irradiation (Fig. 1). This autoinhibition strategy offers advantages over past methods for iterative, spatially directed protein immobilization, both in the size of the protein features that can be created and the specificity (that is, signal/background) with which this can be done. Fig. 1. Cartoon of the light-directed immobilization of a His-tagged protein on a microarray using the autoinhibition method. An undecapeptide construct (green) is created with a nickel-tris-(nitrilotriacetic acid) multivalent head group (nickel-tris-NTA) at the N terminus and a His-tag at the C terminus. Included within the peptide sequence is the photocleavable amino acid 3-amino-3-(2-nitrophenyl)-propionic acid and a single Cys for attachment of the construct to a microarray (or other molecules, in further … 1E-mail: michael.pirrung{at}ucr.edu.
Fickian diffusion of radionuclides for engineered containment barriers: Diffusion coefficients, porosities, and complicating issues

Abstract A review of the literature was undertaken primarily with the goal of discerning the types of diffusion coefficients that have been reported with respect to diffusion of radionuclides through engineered containment barriers. Although the nomenclature and form for diffusion coefficients in porous media vary widely, the review identified four definitions of diffusion coefficients, viz., D⁎, De, Dp, and Da, which differ on the basis of the forms of Fick's first and second laws for governing macroscopic diffusion through porous media. All forms of Fick's first law for diffusive mass flux include an effective porosity, eeff, whether this term is shown explicitly in Fick's first law or is buried within the definition of the diffusion coefficient. The relative magnitudes of the different diffusion coefficients are shown to vary depending on whether the diffusing radionuclide is nonadsorbing (tracer) or adsorbing, and for adsorbing radionuclides, vary as a function of the relative magnitude between the total porosity, e, and the inverse of the retardation factor, Rd− 1. In addition to eeff and e, a diffusion accessible porosity, ediff, that takes into account the possibility of diffusion into dead-end pores also has been identified. The three porosity terms vary as eeff ≤ ediff ≤ e, although there can be more than one value of ediff depending on the species of radionuclide. The value of ediff for a non-charged tracer, such as tritium (HTO), generally is found to be the same as e, whereas the values of ediff for anionic radionuclides (e.g., 36Cl−) generally are lower than e due to anionic repulsion and/or steric hindrance. The common assumption that ediff for a given chemical species is the same as eeff is shown conceptually to not necessarily always be valid. Finally, three potentially significant complicating issues were identified, viz., the geochemistry of the barrier system, the influence of surface and/or interlayer diffusion, and the existence of semipermeable membrane behavior as a result of anion exclusion. Each of these issues is described in detail. Overall, the review provides a basis for identifying the factors that need to be addressed in terms of studies that focus on the diffusion of radionuclides through engineered barriers used for radioactive waste containment.
Chemical transfection of dye‐conjugated microRNA precursors for microRNA functional analysis of M2 macrophages

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding ribonucleic acids known to affect gene expression at the translational level and there is mounting evidence that miRNAs play a role in the function of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). To aid the functional analyses of miRNAs in an in-vitro model of TAMs known as M2 macrophages, a transfection method to introduce artificial miRNA constructs or miRNA molecules into primary human monocytes is needed. Unlike differentiated macrophages or dendritic cells, undifferentiated primary human monocytes have been known to show resistance to lentiviral transduction. To circumvent this challenge, other techniques such as electroporation and chemical transfection have been used in other applications to deliver small gene constructs into human monocytes. To date, no studies have compared these two methods objectively to evaluate their suitability in the miRNA functional analysis of M2 macrophages. Of the methods tested, the electroporation of miRNA-construct containing plasmids and the chemical transfection of miRNA precursor molecules are the most efficient approaches. The use of a silencer siRNA labeling kit (Ambion) to conjugate Cy 3 fluorescence dyes to the precursor molecules allowed the isolation of successfully transfected cells with fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The chemical transfection of these dye-conjugated miRNA precursors yield an efficiency of 37.5 ± 0.6% and a cell viability of 74 ± 1%. RNA purified from the isolated cells demonstrated good quality, and was fit for subsequent mRNA expression qPCR analysis. While electroporation of plasmids containing miRNA constructs yield transfection efficiencies comparable to chemical transfection of miRNA precursors, these electroporated primary monocytes seemed to have lost their potential for differentiation. Among the most common methods of transfection, the chemical transfection of dye-conjugated miRNA precursors was determined to be the best-suited approach for the functional analysis of M2 macrophages.
Effect of dose and plasma concentration on liver uptake and pharmacologic activity of a 2'-methoxyethyl modified chimeric antisense oligonucleotide targeting PTEN.

Abstract The role of dose and plasma concentration on liver tissue uptake and resulting antisense pharmacology using a chemically modified antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) targeting PTEN was assessed in mice. A single bolus s.c. dose of 60 mg/kg in mice showed a time-dependent reduction in liver PTEN mRNA that was maximal at 48–72 h and returned to near control levels by 20 days after administration. These pharmacodynamics are in good agreement with liver concentrations of ASO and are consistent with slow elimination (t1/2 = 8 days) of the PTEN ASO from Balb/C mouse liver. As expected, highest ASO concentrations in liver resulted from the s.c. slow infusion at all doses tested. Unexpectedly, the liver EC50 for the 24-h s.c. slow infusion was approximately twofold higher than the two bolus routes of administration. Based on plasma concentration analysis it appears that 1–2 μg/mL ASO plasma concentration is a threshold that, if exceeded, results in robust antisense effects and below which there is reduced or complete loss of antisense pharmacology in liver even though bulk uptake in the organ is improved. Co-administration of a nonsense ASO competed for liver uptake, but unexpectedly increased pharmacodynamic response for the active oligonucleotide (ISIS 116847) supporting inhibition of a nonproductive bulk uptake pathway while simultaneously improving productive uptake (pharmacodynamics). This competition effect was similar whether the nonsense oligonucleotide was co-administered with ASO or administered up to 24 h prior to active ASO injection.
Metastatic lung adenocarcinoma in a 20-year-old patient.

Lung cancer is rare disease in patients under 25 years of age. It typically occurs in older patients with a history of tobacco use. This case concerns a 20-year-old man with no history of tobacco use who complained of several months of cough and lower back pain and an 11.3-kg weight loss. He was treated for pneumonia after a chest radiograph showed total opacification of the right lung. Computed tomography imaging subsequently revealed a superior right hilar mass and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Further imaging studies showed diffuse metastatic disease. Mediastinal biopsy showed poorly differentiated epithelioid tumour with desmoplastic stromal reaction, neutrophil infiltration, and squamous differentiation. Tissue immunostaining confirmed a non-small-cell lung cancer. Unfortunately, despite aggressive therapy, the patient’s disease progressed, and he died within 9 months. In this paper, we hope to illustrate the unique challenges in diagnosing and treating young patients with metastatic lung cancer.