cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A86: PI3Kγ inhibition activates T cell memory and relieves T cell exhaustion

Introduction: Tumor-associated macrophages promote immunosuppressive microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We previously reported that macrophage PI3-kinase γ (PI3Kγ) controls a critical switch between immune stimulation and suppression during inflammation and cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of PI3Kγ inhibition on T-cell immune response, especially on T-cell memory and exhaustion status using mouse models of HNSCC. Materials and Methods: Wild-type (WT) or Pik3cg-/- 6- to 8-week-old male syngeneic C57Bl/6J mice were implanted with HPV+ MEER tumor cells (mouse HPV+ HNSCC cell line) by subcutaneous injection. Tumors, draining lymph nodes and spleens were isolated, then analyzed using flow cytometry or mass cytometry. Mice that completely cleared tumors were reinjected with tumor cells and tumor growth was monitored. CD90.2+ T cells or CD19+ B cells that were harvested from spleens of WT or Pik3cg-/- tumor-inoculated mice were mixed 1:1 with viable tumor cells and injected into the flanks of naive WT mice. Results: Mice lacking PI3Kγ exhibited suppressed growth of implanted HPV+ MEER tumors. The proportion of T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, significantly increased in tumors from Pik3c-/- mice. T cells from Pik3cg-/- tumors expressed significantly more granzyme B and less T-cell exhaustion markers. The proportion of CD8+ effector memory T cells significantly increased in spleens from Pik3cg-/- mice. Mice that were implanted with both tumor cells and T cells from spleens of tumor-bearing Pik3cg-/- mice exhibited significant suppression of tumor growth. All mice that had previously cleared tumors dramatically suppressed tumor growth when rechallenged with tumor cells and remained cancer-free. Conclusion:Pik3cg-/- mice showed more activated T-cell immune response and T-cell memory than WT, resulting in significant suppression of tumor growth. These results suggest that PI3Kγ-targeted therapy might enhance the activity of checkpoint inhibitors through the activation of T-cell immune response in patients with HNSCC. Citation Format: Hideyuki Takahashi, Paulina Pathria, Ryan Shepard, Ann Shih, Tiani L. Louis, Judith A. Varner. PI3Kγ inhibition activates T cell memory and relieves T cell exhaustion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy; 2018 Nov 27-30; Miami Beach, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2020;8(4 Suppl):Abstract nr A86.
When to lower triglycerides

Purpose of review Substantial risk of ASCVD events persists despite intensive statin therapy and other agents to lower LDL-C. The optimal way to address other elements of dyslipidemia, such as triglyceride-rich particles (TRL) and when to treat has remained unclear. Recent findings Several lines of evidence indicate that TRL are associated with atherogenesis, partly because of associated factors, such as cholesterol-enriched remnant particles, high LDL particle number, high apo-B, high apo-CIII, and others. High triglyceride is increasingly prevalent because of worsening of lifestyle factors, obesity, and diabetes. Trials with fibrates, and niacin to reduce residual dyslipidemia have not provided evidence of benefits after statin therapy, thus far. A recent trial with an omega 3 fatty acid (OM3FA), icosapent-ethyl (IPE), provided evidence for a 25% reduction in ASCVD events in statin-treated high-risk population. These results were unexplained by triglyceride reduction alone, and are likely related to unique biologic effects of IPE on atherosclerosis. Finally, in patients with very high triglycerides, lifestyle measures and several triglyceride-lowering agents are indicated, often in combination, to prevent episodes of pancreatitis. A novel Apo C-III inhibitor may provide additional benefit in such patients. Summary There is evidence for the benefits of IPE in preventing ASCVD events. A novel fibrate is in clinical trials.
Abstract B19: Malnutrition evaluation in head and neck cancer patients: Practice patterns among otolaryngologists and radiation oncologists

Purpose: 1. To understand practice patterns among head and neck surgeons and radiation oncologists in the assessment and management of malnutrition in head and neck cancer patients. 2. To identify barriers that prevent the identification of and intervention upon malnutrition. Background: Among patients who undergo surgery for head and neck cancer, there is a strong association between severe malnutrition and increased postoperative complications, length of stay, and cost of care. We aim to evaluate the association between the type of head and neck cancer provider and their comfort with the diagnosis and management of malnutrition in this patient population. Methods: A 17-question survey was distributed to 1,392 members of the American Head and Neck Society (AHNS) between 04/01/2018 and 04/18/2018. Chi squared testing was used to perform subgroup analysis by hospital type, fellowship training, clinical experience, and specialty. Results: The response rate among AHNS members was 9%, with 124 total respondents, including both otolaryngologists and radiation oncologists. There was strong agreement among respondents that malnutrition is important to identify and negatively impacts the quality of life, cost of care, length of hospital stay, mortality, and postoperative complications. The majority of respondents stated that although they were comfortable with screening for malnutrition, they were not familiar with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines on nutrition screening and intervention. Respondents reported use of various screening tools including serum markers, body mass index (BMI), and weight loss. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that otolaryngologists and academic hospitals were significantly more likely to screen by lab markers compared to radiation oncologists and community hospitals (p Conclusion: There was a strong consensus among respondents that identification and management of malnutrition among head and neck cancer patients is important. However, familiarity with guidelines on screening and treating malnutrition was lacking, occasionally leading to practice patterns that deviated from the best available evidence. Citation Format: Amarbir S. Gill, Michael Kinzinger, Michael G. Moore. Malnutrition evaluation in head and neck cancer patients: Practice patterns among otolaryngologists and radiation oncologists [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2019 Apr 29-30; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_2):Abstract nr B19.
Experimental Studies of Atom Diffraction and The Mechanical Forces of Light on Atoms

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a few experiments on light forces, which were done in a high-resolution apparatus where the momentum transferred by light to a monochromatic beam of atoms prepared in a single hyperfine state could be measured to ∼ 5%. The momentum resolution was less than ħk—the momentum of a single photon—thus revealing the finest details that could be presented. The optical interaction parameters were known well enough to permit quantitative comparisons with various theories of light forces. In the experiments described in the chapter, diffraction of atoms by a standing light wave in the regime was observed where the laser and atomic beams were orthogonal. The interaction time was short and the detuning of the laser frequency from the atomic transition frequency was much larger than the laser intensity, because of which spontaneous emission was negligible. It was further observed that the diffraction of atoms moved through a standing light wave with the same parameters used for the Kapitza-Dirac diffraction. The diffraction of atoms by a standing light wave was observed in the regime where the interaction time was long enough for the atoms to slosh back and forth in the valleys of the standing-wave potential. Restricted, unidirectional momentum transfer was also observed where the scattering pattern was dramatically altered by tilting the atomic beam with respect to the laser beam at very small angles.
Physics of symmetry protected topological phases involving higher symmetries and its applications

We discuss physical constructions and the boundary properties of various symmetry-protected topological phases that involve 1-form symmetries from one spatial dimension to four spatial dimensions ($4d$). For example, the prototype three-dimensional ($3d$) boundary state of $4d$ SPT states involving 1-form symmetries can be either a gapless photon phase (quantum electrodynamics) or gapped topological order enriched by 1-form symmetries; that is, the loop excitations of these topological orders carry nontrivial 1-form symmetry charges. This study also serves the purpose of diagnosing anomalies of $3d$ states of matter. Connection between SPT states with 1-form symmetries and condensed-matter systems such as quantum dimer models at one lower dimension will also be discussed. Whether a quantum dimer model can have a trivial gapped phase depends on the nature of its corresponding bulk state in one higher dimension.
Deep Reinforcement Learning with Mixed Convolutional Network.

Recent research has shown that map raw pixels from a single front-facing camera directly to steering commands are surprisingly powerful. This paper presents a convolutional neural network (CNN) to playing the CarRacing-v0 using imitation learning in OpenAI Gym. The dataset is generated by playing the game manually in Gym and used a data augmentation method to expand the dataset to 4 times larger than before. Also, we read the true speed, four ABS sensors, steering wheel position, and gyroscope for each image and designed a mixed model by combining the sensor input and image input. After training, this model can automatically detect the boundaries of road features and drive the robot like a human. By comparing with AlexNet and VGG16 using the average reward in CarRacing-v0, our model wins the maximum overall system performance.
Long-Lasting Insecticide-Incorporated Netting and Interception Traps at Pilot-Scale Warehouses and Commercial Facilities Prevents Infestation by Stored Product Beetles

At any point along the post-harvest supply chain, commodities are vulnerable to insect infestation. This is due to a variety of factors, but includes landscape-scale movement of stored product insects to and from food facilities and natural refugia. Long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting (LLIN) is an innovative tactic that may be used to intercept immigrating insects. LLIN can be used to cover gaps in architecture (e.g. vents, windows, eaves, or over pallets of goods) at food facilities. Another novel approach would be to use LLIN as a kill mechanism in attract-and-kill inspired interception traps on the perimeter of facilities. Furthermore, employing these two LLIN-based approaches together would create multiple protective barriers to reduce infestation in commodities. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to 1) examine the ability of interception traps to capture stored product insects at commercial wheat and rice food facilities, 2) assess whether LLIN deployment method affected efficacy in preventing infestation by stored product insects in pilot-scale warehouses, and 3) determine the success of using LLIN alone, interception traps alone, or both together to prevent infestations. Over two years, interception traps deployed for 48-h periods on the perimeter of commercial food facilities captured over 3,000 insects, representing 14 stored product insect taxa. Warehouses deploying LLIN exhibited an 89–93% and 98–100% reduction in insects reaching and progeny production in commodities, even after the release of 3,600 insects of three species over 12 weeks. The combined use of LLIN and interception traps did not improve control above LLIN alone, but this may be because insects could fly unencumbered, highlighting the importance of covering gaps with LLIN on food facilities.
Face Image Processing and Analysis

This chapter contains sections titled: Face and Facial Feature Extraction Extraction of Head and Face Boundaries and Facial Features Recognizing Facial Action Units Facial Expression Recognition in JAFFE Database References ]]>
Death caused by fracture of Beall mitral prosthesis. Report of a case.

Abstract Fracture of a strut of a Beall mitral prosthesis, model no. 105, occurred 151 days after its implantation. The fracture allowed escape of the disc occluder into the left ventricular cavity, resulting in the development of acute pulmonary edema, shock and death within 12 hours. Application of lateral force on the strut during handling of the prosthesis before or at implantation results in cracking of the carbon coat with subsequent stress fatigue and fracture of the underlying wire. This is the fourth known fatality due to this late complication of the model no. 105 Beall prosthesis. The possibility of fracture should be considered and looked for in patients with this prosthesis whenever symptoms of prosthetic malfunction develop. Emergency replacement of the fractured valve is mandatory.
Mechanistic Interpretation of Stratospheric Tracer Transport

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the mechanistic interpretation of stratospheric tracer transport. Some 3D model calculations of transport that are designed to take advantage of the insights available from the quasi-Lagrangian isentropic coordinate perspective are presented. Two tracer experiments have been designed to illustrate the physical processes. The first tracer experiment is designed with a very simple initial condition. The tracer mixing ratio is set on model date, 1 January to be equal at every point to the local value of potential temperature. In THETA tracer experiment, many aspects of the interpretation are particularly simple when the tracer is compared against the contours of the potential temperature. The THETA experiment shows a systematic evolution of tracer relative to isentropic surfaces, compatible with a downward mass flow in high latitudes and an upward one in low latitudes. In the first couple of months this flux is larger than that implied by the zonal-mean diabatic circulation alone. An argument is presented on how an eddy diabatic effect can systematically augment the transport by the zonal-mean diabatic circulation.
A Closer Look at Veil Piercing in Federal District Courts

In this project, we utilize six years of original federal district court data to identify the first representative sample of corporate veil piercing litigation. This study will provide a more nuanced understanding of the process of litigation of piercing claims than previous studies, which have been modeled on Robert Thompson's (1991) groundbreaking work on this topic. Our method first identifies veil piercing litigation through Westlaw's trial pleadings database, and proceeds to code each case through detailed examination of PACER records. We identify and model the differing types of success plaintiffs achieve when they seek to pierce the veil, including those related to jurisdiction, the merits, and discovery. As with all trial court cases, the interstitial motions and resolutions during litigation impact all subsequent case events. This can be the case even when the case is terminated through settlement and would go unnoticed in studies that merely examine reported opinions. Studying the stages of litigation with respect to piercing will also likely help illuminate the selection bias inherent in opinions-based empirical work.
Detection of Fungi in the Nasal Mucosa Using Polymerase Chain Reaction

Hypothesis: Fungi have been increasingly recognized as important pathogens in sinusitis. However, detection of fungus with conventional culture techniques is insensitive and unreliable. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is an exquisitely sensitive assay that can detect the DNA of 10 or less fungal elements. The aim of this study was to compare the sensitivity of conventional culture techniques using PCR analysis. Methods: Nasal swabs and DNA samples were collected from the nasal cavities of control subjects and patients with chronic sinusitis. Fungal-specific PCR analysis and standard cultures were performed on every sample. X 2 analysis was used to test for statistical differences between groups. Results: PCR analysis detected fungal DNA in 42% and 40% of control subjects and patients with chronic sinusitis while standard cultures were positive in 7% and 0%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence of fungi in the normal volunteers and patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Conclusion: PCR is significantly more sensitive than nasal swab cultures in detecting the presence of fungi in nasal mucosa. In addition, our study suggests that the presence of fungi alone is insufficient to implicate it as the pathogen in chronic sinusitis.
Sarcoid Lymphocytes: Spontaneous Transformation and Release of Macrophage Migration Inhibition Activity ·-

A group of 26 untreated patients with histologically confirmed sarcoidosis were studied. Multiple immunologic parameters were defined, including enhanced spontaneous morphologic lympho­ blastic transformation, spontaneous production of macrophage inhibitory factor activity, 8-day cell culture lymphocyte count, phytohemagglutinin-induced lymphoblastic transformation, and cutan­ eous reactivity to a battery of recall antigens. The in vitro impairment of phytohemagglutinin­ induced lymphoblastic transformation occurred only in patients with more disseminated disease (Group II). Cutaneous anergy did not correlate either with the degree of !n vitro phytohemag­ glutinin-induced lymphoblastic transformation or with the extent and known duration of disease. The in vitro occurrence of enhanced spontaneous morphologic lymphoblastic transformation and spontaneous release of macrophage inhibitory factor activity were demonstrated, but these did not always occur in the same lymphocyte cultures and appeared to be independent parameters of im­ munologic activity. In conclusion, it is suggested that, contrary to the previously held view of general depression of delayed hypersensitivity in sarcoidosis, the immune apparatus of patients with sarcoidosis may be hyperreactive. Further, it proposed that determination of the macrophage migration index may prove valuable in evaluating the activity of the disease.
La construcción social de los derechos humanos internacionales

Este capitulo, revisado y actualizado a comienzos de 2011, analiza el modo en que los derechos humanos se han construido e integrado en la agenda politica internacional desde mediados del siglo XX. Este analisis busca contextualizar algunos de los debates suscitados en el ambito de los derechos humanos recientemente. Lo hace partiendo de la comprension de la funcion de los derechos humanos como instrumentos para la defensa de la dignidad humana frente a las practicas de los agentes que la amenazan. En este sentido es posible, a dia de hoy y de cara al futuro, argumentar su plena validez basandose en su propia condicion de construccion social, cuya naturaleza es contingente, y esta vinculada a las formas en que se entiende la propia dignidad humana, y el papel del estado como principal garante y fuente de amenazas para los derechos humanos individuales. This chapter, revised and updated in early 2011, examines how human rights have been built and integrated into the international policy agenda since the mid-twentieth century. This analysis seeks to contextualize some of the recent discussions in the area of human rights. It proposes that one may understand the role of human rights as an instrument for defending human dignity against the practices and agents that threaten it. In this sense it is possible, now and in the future, to claim the complete validity of human rights based purely on their status as a social construct, whose nature is contingent, and is linked to the ways in which human dignity is understood, and the state’s role as the main guarantor and source of threat to individual human rights.
Comment on 'costs of managing adverse events in the treatment of first-line metastatic renal cell carcinoma: bevacizumab in combination with interferon-α2a compared with sunitinib'.

Comment on ‘Costs of managing adverse events in the treatment of first-line metastatic renal cell carcinoma: bevacizumab in combination with interferon- α 2a compared with sunitinib’
Evaluation of clinical margins via simulation of patient setup errors in prostate IMRT treatment plans.

This work evaluates: (i) the size of random and systematic setup errors that can be absorbed by 5 mm clinical target volume (CTV) to planning target volume (PTV) margins in prostate intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT); (ii) agreement between simulation results and published margin recipes; and (iii) whether shifting contours with respect to a static dose distribution accurately predicts dose coverage due to setup errors. In 27 IMRT treatment plans created with 5 mm CTV-to-PTV margins, random setup errors with standard deviations (SDs) of 1.5, 3, 5 and 10 mm were simulated by fluence convolution. Systematic errors with identical SDs were simulated using two methods: (a) shifting the isocenter and recomputing dose (isocenter shift), and (b) shifting patient contours with respect to the static dose distribution (contour shift). Maximum tolerated setup errors were evaluated such that 90% of plans had target coverage equal to the planned PTV coverage. For coverage criteria consistent with published margin formulas, plans with 5 mm margins were found to absorb combined random and systematic SDs{approx_equal}3 mm. Published recipes require margins of 8-10 mm for 3 mm SDs. For the prostate IMRT cases presented here a 5 mm margin would suffice, indicating that published recipes maymore » be pessimistic. We found significant errors in individual plan doses given by the contour shift method. However, dose population plots (DPPs) given by the contour shift method agreed with the isocenter shift method for all structures except the nodal CTV and small bowel. For the nodal CTV, contour shift DPP differences were due to the structure moving outside the patient. Small bowel DPP errors were an artifact of large relative differences at low doses. Estimating individual plan doses by shifting contours with respect to a static dose distribution is not recommended. However, approximating DPPs is acceptable, provided care is taken with structures such as the nodal CTV which lie close to the surface.« less
Mössbauer spectroscopy of aged ferric oxide gels

Abstract Mossbauer spectroscopic results indicated that aging the gel in a variety of ways produced poorly crystalline products (in agreement with their chemical reactivity) which had previously been identified as α-Fe 2 0 3 or mixtures of α-Fe 2 0 3 and α-FeOOH. The HFS of aged products as observed by Mossbauer spectroscopy is believed to be a sensitive indication of crystallinity; α-Fe 2 0 3 produced by heating the gel at 430°C for 48hr showed a 7% reduction in HFS compared to well-crystallized hematite. Finally, the thermal conversion of the gel to α-Fe 2 0 3 involved an intermediate structural state that was interpreted to mean considerable variety in the number and arrangement of ligands around the iron atoms, and a large distribution of magnetic fields. The state, observed after heating the gel for 18 hr at 320°C, gave an almost featureless Mossbauer absorption at room temperature.
Blastogenic responsiveness of spleen cells fromLegionella pneumophila-infected mice immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide

Although guinea pigs are highly susceptible to experimental infection withLegionella pneumophila, mice are considered resistant. In the present study it was found that, although untreated mice resisted lethal infection with up to 107L. pneumophila, mice treated with three divided doses of cyclophosphamide became 10–100 times more susceptible. Injection of mice with 150 mg cyclophosphamide/kg body weight 96 and 48h prior to and on the same day as intraperitoneal challenge with graded dose ofL. pneumophila resulted in markedly increased lethality. Approximately half of the mice pretreated with cyclophosphamide succumbed to 106 legionellae within 4–10 days after infection, and all treated animals given 107 bacteria died. Legionellae were readily recovered from spleen, lymph nodes, and liver of surviving mice 4–10 days after infection, but not thereafter. Sensitization of mice with Legionella antigen was evident by the lymphocyte blastogenic test in vitro, by use of spleen cells at various times after infection. Mice given graded doses ofL. pneumophila evinced enhanced responsiveness to either formalin-killed whole cell vaccine, cell-free sonicate, or purified outer membrane antigen when tested in vitro on days 3 and 5. Peak responses generally occurred 20–35 days after infection. Mice given none or one dose of cyclophosphamide and injected with legionellae showed enhanced responses on day 5 of culture in vitro, a time when spleen cells from control nonsensitized animals showed much lower responses. Surviving mice given three doses of cyclophosphamide had lower blastogenic responses, generally as low as that occurring with spleen cells from nonsensitized animals. Thus suppression of immune responses of mice by cyclophosphamide substantially increased susceptibility toL. pneumophila and depressed blastogenic responsiveness.
Primary adrenocortical nodular dysplasia, a distinct subtype of Cushing's syndrome: case report and review of the literature

Abstract Non-iatrogenic Cushing's syndrome has been associated primarily with three entities: (1) pituitary-dependent processes due to pituitary adenomas or microadenomas causing adrenal hyperplasia; (2) pituitary-independent primary adrenal causes, predominantly unilateral adenomas, rarely multiple adenomas or adrenal carcinoma; (3) ectopic sources of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) production. Although non-neoplastic bilateral adrenal disease generally has been ascribed to extra-adrenal stimulation, a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome that involves bilateral adrenal nodule formation independent of pituitary stimulation has been identified. Nodular adrenal diseases represent a confusion of terms in the literature, but one subgroup of Cushing's syndrome has most frequently—and, perhaps, most appropriately—been designated primary adrenocortical nodular dysplasia. A case of this unusual entity is presented, and previous case reports pertaining to this confusing area of adrenal hyperfunction are reviewed. The characteristic manifestations that separate this diagnosis from other types of nodular adrenal disease are also discussed. Recognition of this diagnosis, although rare, is important, as bilateral adrenalectomy is the treatment of choice.
Acute haemodynamic effects of inhaled nitric oxide in premature infants with mild-to-moderate respiratory distress

Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) selectively reduces pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary arterial pressure without affecting systemic arterial pressure.1 Premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) may have elevated pulmonary vascular resistance, which may negatively affect the afterload-sensitive premature right ventricle, diminishing cardiac output. To date, no large study has been performed evaluating the acute haemodynamic effects of iNO in premature infants. This is a prospective observational study on 39 infants in our neonatal intensive care unit investigating the effects of early iNO in premature infants with mild-to-moderate RDS. The demographics of this infant group were the following: gestational age was 26.3±1.9 (SD) weeks, birth weight was 0.914±0.21 kg and hours of life at iNO administration was 53.2±21 h. Fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2 …
A bio-inspired single photon detector with suppressed noise and low jitter

A novel short wave infrared single photon detector was conceived for wavelengths beyond 1 μm. The detector, called the nano-injection photon detector, is conceptually designed with biological inspirations taken from the eye. Based on a detection process similar to the human visual system, the detector couples a nano-scale sensory region with a large absorption volume to provide a low-noise internal amplification mechanism, high signal-to-noise ratio and quantum efficiency. Tens of thousands of devices were fabricated in different configurations with conventional processing methods in more than 20 iterations. For low speed imaging applications, the detectors have shown gain values reaching 10,000 with bias voltages around 1 V. Ultra-low noise levels were measured at gain values exceeding 4,000 at room temperature: Fano factors as low as 0.55 has been achieved, which indicated a statistically stable amplification mechanism and resulting sub-Poissionian shot noise. An alternate version of the detector, which is specialized towards high-speed applications, has also been developed with slight changes in processing steps. The fast detectors with bandwidth beyond 3 Ghz were demonstrated which provide gain values around 20. The measured risetime was less than 200 ps. Femtosecond pulsed illumination measurements exhibited ultra-low jitter around 15 ps. Transient delay experiments revealed that the measured jitter is due to the transit time in the large absorption region. Hence the amplification process has insignificant time-uncertainty in addition to low amplitude-variance (noise), which is consistent with statistically stable nature of amplification.
Free energy change of off-eutectic binary alloys on solidification

A formula for the free energy difference between the undercooled liquid phase and the stable solid phase is derived for off-eutectic binary alloys in which the equilibrium solid/liquid transition takes place over a certain temperature range. The free energy change is then evaluated numerically for a Bi-25 at. pct Cd alloy modeled as a sub-subregular solution.
The Fly's Eye detector: Present and future

Abstract The operation and recent results of the Fly's Eye cosmic ray observatory are described. This detector observes ⩾ 10 17 eV cosmic ray extensive air showers via air fluorescence. Results on the cosmic ray spectrum, composition and the ultrahigh energy neutrino flux, are presented. Plans for a next generation high resolution eye are described.
Designing idea processors for document composition

This article details three difficulties encountered during the prewriting and drafting stages of document preparation and describes computer aids designed for each difficulty. Writers experience problems in planning ideas and translating ideas into text because of attentional overload, inability to generate useful ideas, and affective interference. Idea processors are programs that perform various functions to assist with generating and organizing ideas so they can be communicated successfully in a written document. Among other things, an idea processor can serve as a funnel for attention, an inventor of ideas, or therapist for emotional hindrance. The article reviews existing programs that function as funnels, inventors, and therapists and concludes with a discussion of the potential efficacy of such programs in solving the major problems associated with planning and translating.
Connective tissue fibroblasts and Tcf4 regulate myogenesis

Muscle and its connective tissue are intimately linked in the embryo and in the adult, suggesting that interactions between these tissues are crucial for their development. However, the study of muscle connective tissue has been hindered by the lack of molecular markers and genetic reagents to label connective tissue fibroblasts. Here, we show that the transcription factor Tcf4 (transcription factor 7-like 2; Tcf7l2) is strongly expressed in connective tissue fibroblasts and that Tcf4GFPCre mice allow genetic manipulation of these fibroblasts. Using this new reagent, we find that connective tissue fibroblasts critically regulate two aspects of myogenesis: muscle fiber type development and maturation. Fibroblasts promote (via Tcf4-dependent signals) slow myogenesis by stimulating the expression of slow myosin heavy chain. Also, fibroblasts promote the switch from fetal to adult muscle by repressing (via Tcf4-dependent signals) the expression of developmental embryonic myosin and promoting (via a Tcf4-independent mechanism) the formation of large multinucleate myofibers. In addition, our analysis of Tcf4 function unexpectedly reveals a novel mechanism of intrinsic regulation of muscle fiber type development. Unlike other intrinsic regulators of fiber type, low levels of Tcf4 in myogenic cells promote both slow and fast myogenesis, thereby promoting overall maturation of muscle fiber type. Thus, we have identified novel extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms regulating myogenesis. Most significantly, our data demonstrate for the first time that connective tissue is important not only for adult muscle structure and function, but is a vital component of the niche within which muscle progenitors reside and is a critical regulator of myogenesis.
Dynamic-Droplet-Model Interpretation of Light-Scattering Experiments on Critical Fluids

Near the critical point of a fluid or fluid mixture, we postulate the existence of a size distribution of diffuse droplets or clusters of molecules. This distribution is combined with the Rayleigh-Debye scattering approximation and the theory of Brownian motion to describe the observed behavior of the intensity and the autocorrelation of light scattered by critical fluids.
Female tending and egg clustering: role in water conservation in Proctolaelaps regalis (Gamasina: Ascidae)

Abstract The role of egg clustering and female tending were examined in relation to water conservation in Proctolaelaps regalis De Leon (Gamasina: Ascidae). Clusters of 5, 10, 25 and 50 eggs were tested with and without females present. While waxing of eggs is common in some Acari, it either did not occur in P. regalis or, if present, had no significant effect on the rate of net water loss at any of the egg densities. When egg clusters were exposed to still air, eggs retained water more effectively (P<0.05) as densities increased from 5 to 25 eggs per cluster but a cluster of twice that size did not contribute further to the effectiveness of water conservation. When air currents were generated across the surface of the clusters (43 ml/min), egg clustering was no longer an advantage in the reduction of net water loss, with or without females present.
Rising minimum daily flows in northern Eurasian rivers: A growing influence of groundwater in the high‐latitude hydrologic cycle

[1] A first analysis of new daily discharge data for 111 northern rivers from 1936–1999 and 1958–1989 finds an overall pattern of increasing minimum daily flows (or “low flows”) throughout Russia. These increases are generally more abundant than are increases in mean flow and appear to drive much of the overall rise in mean flow observed here and in previous studies. Minimum flow decreases have also occurred but are less abundant. The minimum flow increases are found in summer as well as winter and in nonpermafrost as well as permafrost terrain. No robust spatial contrasts are found between the European Russia, Ob', Yenisey, and Lena/eastern Siberia sectors. A subset of 12 unusually long discharge records from 1935–2002, concentrated in south central Russia, suggests that recent minimum flow increases since ∼1985 are largely unprecedented in the instrumental record, at least for this small group of stations. If minimum flows are presumed sensitive to groundwater and unsaturated zone inputs to river discharge, then the data suggest a broad-scale mobilization of such water sources in the late 20th century. We speculate that reduced intensity of seasonal ground freezing, together with precipitation increases, might drive much of the well documented but poorly understood increases in river discharge to the Arctic Ocean.
Structural change in the communication of precedent among state supreme courts, 1870–1970☆

Abstract State supreme courts often cite each other as authorities. These citations constitute a network of the interstate communication of precedent. I develop here a simple procedure for decomposing and standardizing variation in the strength of communication network ties, which yields terms for concentration (comparable to density), prestige variation, dependency variation, and variation due to the interaction of prestige and dependence. Applied to the interstate communication of precedent between 1870 and 1970, the procedure reveals several structural changes. The trend in the network over those hundred years was from a hierarchy dominated by a few Eastern courts, through a period of widespread production of precedent and homogeneous communication, to a decentralized regional structure with diffuse centers of authority.
Formation of Icy Planetesimals in a Turbulent Solar Nebula

Abstract We have constructed a numerical simulation of the formation of water-ice planetesimals in the outer solar nebula which incorporates global turbulence, condensation and sublimation of H 2 O, and collisional accumulation. Global turbulence based on the Kolmogorov turbulence spectrum is imposed on a two-dimensional azimuthally symmetric laminar solar nebula model. In a single simulation, an individual particle of a given size and density is placed in the nebula on a Keplerian orbit; its orbit evolves due to gas drag forces while simultaneously its size changes due to both H 2 O condensation and sublimation and the accumulation of background H 2 O-ice particles as it sweeps through the nebula. With the inclusion of the gas–grain exchange and the grains' long-term orbital evolution over large radial and vertical ranges, our approach extends beyond previous investigations. Major results include: (1) Turbulence can concentrate small particles into preferred regions in the nebula and can prevent the rapid loss of such particles into the Sun. (2) The suspension of mm and sub-mm particles and the sedimentation of large particles in the direction normal to the disk plane may modify their reprocessing properties, opacity, and the spectral energy distribution. (3) Particles experience wide ranges of ambient conditions (e.g., temperature and density) as they are buffeted about the nebula by turbulence. They may undergo significant chemical and/or structural changes as a result. (4) For planetesimals to grow from smaller particles, collisional accumulation must be efficient and rapid. A high midplane concentration of icy particles strongly favors planetesimal growth from small grains in the giant planet region of the Solar System.
Crime seriousness and punitive severity: An assessment of social attitudes

American penal policy appears to be shifting away from practices based upon the rehabilitative ideal and toward those consistent with the retributively based justice model. Yet despite the appearance of a variety of reforms based upon desert, several problems associated with the model have yet to be resolved. This paper focuses on the difficulty of identifying a basis for the development of a scale of proportionality between crime and punishment. The use of public sentiment as a basis is considered, and the results of a survey of attitudes regarding appropriate punishment for crime are discussed. The results of this assessment appear to provide little evidence that citizens agree on the appropriate punitive response for criminal activity.
Directed self-assembly of inorganic redox complexes with artificial peptide scaffolds

An ongoing challenge in the construction of supramolecular systems is controlling the relative geometry of functional redox species for molecular electronics devices, including wires, switches, and gates. This review focuses on the use of artificial peptide strands to assemble inorganic complexes that are redox active. These approaches toward macromolecular assembly use varying oligoamide backbones and assembly motifs that grew from earlier reports of single oligolysine or proline chains containing pendant redox species that undergo photoinduced charge separation. Recently, peptide nucleic acid chains that form double-stranded duplexes analogous to DNA by hydrogen bonding of complementary base pairs have been modified to contain metal complexes. In these structures, hydrogen bonding and metal coordination combine to form crosslinks between the PNA strands. Finally, a family of structures is described that is based on an aminoethylglycine scaffold with pendant metal coordination sites, but without intervening nucleic acid base pairs. These structures form multimetallic complexes that are either single- or double-stranded, or that form hairpin loop structures. These motifs for using artificial peptide strands for self-assembly hold electron donors and acceptors in relative positions that provide structural connectivity and permit electron transfers between linked metal complexes. This is a new approach for creating polyfunctional redox architectures that could ultimately enable the construction of potentially large and complex molecular electronics devices.
Earth science and applications from space: A community assessment and strategy for the future

The Space Studies Board, in consultation with other units of the U.S. National Research Council (NRC), has begun a study to generate prioritized recommendations from the Earth and environmental science and applications community regarding a systems approach to the space-based and complimentary observations that encompasses the research programs of NASA and the related operational programs of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The study which will be carried out over a 2-year period and is organized in a manner similar to other NRC “decadal surveys,” will seek to establish individual plans and priorities within the subdisciplines of the Earth sciences, as well as an integrated vision and plan for the Earth sciences as a whole. It will also consider Earth observations requirements for research and for a range of applications with direct links to societal objectives. Richard Anthes and Berrien Moore have been appointed by the NRC as study cochairs.
Comparative review of turbulent heat transfer of nanofluids

Abstract Three essential aspects of the turbulent-flow, convective heat transfer of nanofluids relevant to their applications are comparatively reviewed in detail based on both theoretical analyses and experimental data. These aspects are: (a) selection – the comparison criteria of the thermophysical property-related heat transfer performance of nanofluids and their base fluids, (b) design – the predictions of the heat transfer coefficients of nanofluids based on homogeneous fluid models by using nanofluid effective thermophysical properties, and (c) effectiveness – the enhancements of the heat transfer coefficients of nanofluids over their base fluids. This review, including research from the inception of nanofluids to date, quantifies the accuracy of bases for future nanofluid evaluation.
Advances in high-speed ADCs, DACs, and DSP for optical transceivers

We discussed DAC, ADC, and DSP in the context of coherent transceivers We reviewed DAC and ADC technology. We discussed ENOB as a figure of merit. We discussed DAC/ADC performance implications. We showed how the technology can be extended if needed We discussed DSP functions: Equalization; Pulse shaping to increase spectral efficiency and the impact of jitter; Frequency offset compensation, carrier recovery, polarization recovery We explained cycle slips and some possible remedies We showed examples of commercial DACs/ADCs as well as DAC/ADC + DSP monolithic ASICs We looked at forward error correction and how it can affect reach Finally, we put all the above in the context of flexible transceivers to meet increased networks capacity.
The 1864 Sully Expedition and the Death of Captain John Feilner

This article addresses an area of nineteenth century American history that is often ignored in history textbooks. While a great deal of emphasis is often placed on the Civil War era (1861–65), it is also important to realize that other notable events occurred during the same time on the northern plains of the United States. As a result of the 1862 Minnesota Uprising by the Santee Sioux, the United States military began an aggressive campaign to break the will of the Sioux Indian nation. General Alfred Sully’s first retaliatory campaign in 1863, which resulted in the disgraceful events at Whitestone Hill, and his follow‐up campaign of 1864, in which Captain John Feilner was killed, reflect the attitudes and hostilities that existed during the 1860s. This article addresses the situation on the northern plains as whites continued to move westward.
In Good Faith: John McCain's “New Republican Majority” Address and the Problem of Religion and Politics

This essay explores the process by which John McCain's “New Republican Majority” address negotiated competing demands in U.S. political culture surrounding religion and politics by incorporating personal religious testimony within an address that symbolically preserved the fundamentally nonreligious character of the political process. It argues that McCain constructed an identity for the Republican Party as a secular political movement, and that he dissociated the Christian Right from that secular movement. From that position, he then invited conservative Christians to “join” the movement on the basis of common political rather than religious values. Finally, he offered himself as a model of the Christian in politics, who operated out of deep faith but would not use religion to structure public policy.
Lipid conversion factors for calculating fatty acid contents of foods

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is searching the world literature published since 1960 for data on food lipids and their fatty acid composition. These data are being used to update and expand the national tables of food composition and to establish a computerized nutrient data bank. Customarily, investigators report fatty acid data in terms of weight percent of total methyl esters. For the benefit of users of nutrient tables, relative amounts of com-ponent fatty acid esters should be converted to grams fatty acid (as free acid) per 100 grams food. For this purpose, conversion factors, defined as the weight of fatty acids in 1 gram of fat, were derived for various food products. Derivation of, and basis for, factors and their application are described for selected food products. Variables affecting factors are also dis-cussed. Investigators should include, in reports on fatty acid composition of foods, information on total lipid content and on the fatty acid content of the lipid. The latter values are readily obtained by a saponification procedure, complete acid hydrolysis, or if desired, by lipid class analysis.