cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Androgens, Estrogens and Corticoids on Strontium Kinetics in Man

The effects of estrogens, androgens and corticoids on kinetics of stable strontium metabolism were evaluated. The rapidly miscible pool volume, bone deposition rate and urinary excretion rate were determined before and after treatment of 67 subjects with androgens and estrogens, 44 subjects with corticoids and 34 subjects with placebos. Androgens and estrogens decreased urinary excretion rates and estrogens tended to decrease bone deposition. They thus appear to be anticatabolic for bone instead of anabolic, as previously thought. Estrogens may also be anti-anabolic. Corticoids did not decrease bone deposition rates, but did uniformly increase urinary excretion rates. They thus do not appear to be anti-anabolic for bone, as previously thought. Correction of bone deposition rates for fecal excretion rates did not affect the results. These studies did not reveal whether the changes in urinary excretion rates induced by both gonadal and glucocorticoid steroids were attributable to effects on the kidney, on t...
CD154 transcriptional regulation in primary human CD4 T cells.

CD154 (CD40-ligand) has a wide variety of pleiotropic effects throughout the immune system and is critical to both cellular and humoral immunity. Cell surface and soluble CD154 are primarily expressed by activated CD4 T cells. Expression of CD154 is tightly regulated in a time-dependent manner, and, like most T cell-derived cytokines and other members of the tumor necrosis factor (GNF) superfamily, CD154 is largely regulated at the level of gene transcription. Recently, dysregulated expression of CD154 has been noted in a number of autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In addition, abnormal expression of CD154 has been hypothesized to contribute to a wider array of diseases, from atherosclerosis to Alzheimer's disease. Until recently, very little was known about the transcriptional regulation of CD154. We are exploring CD154 regulation in primary human CD4 T cells in hopes of understanding the cis- and trans-regulatory elements that control its expression in the cells that normally express CD154. Ultimately, we hope to be able to correct abnormal expression of CD154 in various disease states and to help design gene therapy vectors for treating CD154-deficient individuals with hyper-IgM syndrome.
A General Strategy to Prepare TiO(2)-core Gold-shell Nanoparticles as SERS-tags.

The synthesis and characterization of TiO2-based core−shell nanoparticles as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tags are reported. A hydrolysis approach is first used to generate colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles, which are subsequently tagged with Raman probe molecules and encapsulated within a gold nanoshell. The resulting core−shell nanoparticles are characterized by using a number of techniques including UV−vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to confirm the successful coating of the Au shells. These core−shell nanoparticles exhibit very strong and reproducible SERS signals of the Raman probe molecules. Three different types of Raman probe molecules are used to prepare different SERS-active nanoparticles (SERS-tags), which demonstrate the versatility of the design. Such TiO2-based metal-coated core−shell nanoparticles will be useful as SERS-tags in biological assay and imaging applications. They may also provide a platform for fundamental studie...
Lattice dynamics representation theory versus isotropy subgroup method with application to M5 mode instability in CsCl structure

Abstract The Landau theory for ferroic phase transitions occurring in materials with CsCl structure (space group O1 h, Pmm) induced by M− 5 mode softening is developed by two different procedures: (i) The physically transparent lattice dynamical approach in conjunction with standard group representation theory, and (ii) the abstract, powerful group theoretical approach employing the concepts of isotropy subgroups and subduction frequencies. These two methods are outlined and their respective merits compared. The Landau free energy is given up to sixth order in the six-component primary order parameter. All 26 symmetry allowed product phases are identified and described in terms of their atomic displacements. Specifically, an improper ferroelastic transition to a tetragonally distorted low symmetry phase (D1 4, 14/mmm) and its atomic displacements observed in x-ray and neutron scattering experiments on LaAg1-x Inx (x ∼ 0.2) are confirmed. For this transition another symmetry allowed secondary order paramet...
FREQUENT FIRE ALTERS NITROGEN TRANSFORMATIONS IN PONDEROSA PINE STANDS OF THE INLAND NORTHWEST

Recurrent, low-severity fire in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)/interior Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) forests is thought to have directly influenced nitrogen (N) cycling and availability. However, no studies to date have investigated the influence of natural fire intervals on soil processes in undisturbed forests, thereby limiting our ability to understand ecological processes and successional dynamics in this important ecosystem of the Rocky Mountain West. Here, we tested the standing hypothesis that recurrent fire in ponderosa pine/Douglas-fir forests of the Inland Northwest decreases total soil N, but increases N turnover and nutrient availability. We compared soils in stands unburned over the past 69-130 years vs. stands exposed to two or more fires over the last 130 years at seven distinct locations in two wilderness areas. Mineral soil samples were collected from each of the seven sites in June and July of 2003 and analyzed for pH, total C and N, potentially mineralizable N (PMN), and extractable NH4 þ ,N O 3 - ,P O 4 � 3 ,C a þ2 ,M g þ2 , and K þ . Nitrogen transformations were assessed at five sites by installing ionic resin capsules in the mineral soil in August of 2003 and by conducting laboratory assays of nitrification potential and net nitrification in aerobic incubations. Total N and PMN decreased in stands subjected to multiple fires. This loss of total N and labile N was not reflected in concentrations of extractable NH4 þ and NO3 - . Rather, multiple fires caused an increase in NO3 - sorbed on ionic resins, nitrification potential, and net nitrification in spite of the burned stands not having been exposed to fire for at least 12-17 years. Charcoal collected from a recent fire site and added to unburned soils increased nitrification potential, suggesting that the decrease of charcoal in the absence of fire may play an important role in N transformations in fire- dependent ecosystems in the long term. Interestingly, we found no consistent effect of fire frequency on extractable P or alkaline metal concentrations. Our results corroborate the largely untested hypothesis that frequent fire in ponderosa pine forests increases inorganic N availability in the long term and emphasize the need to study natural, unmanaged sites in far greater detail.
The minimum description length principle in coding and modeling

We review the principles of minimum description length and stochastic complexity as used in data compression and statistical modeling. Stochastic complexity is formulated as the solution to optimum universal coding problems extending Shannon's basic source coding theorem. The normalized maximized likelihood, mixture, and predictive codings are each shown to achieve the stochastic complexity to within asymptotically vanishing terms. We assess the performance of the minimum description length criterion both from the vantage point of quality of data compression and accuracy of statistical inference. Context tree modeling, density estimation, and model selection in Gaussian linear regression serve as examples.
A longitudinal study of information system threat categories: the enduring problem of human error

Taxonomies of information security threats usually distinguish between accidental and intentional sources of system risk. Security reports have paid a great deal of attention in recent years to the growing problem of hacking and intentional abuse. The prevalence of these reports suggests that hacking has become a more severe problem in relation to other security threats, such as human error. In this paper, we report on research that addresses this question: "How have changes over time in the frequency of hacking and other intentional forms of security threats affected the validity of information systems risk management taxonomies?" We replicate a simple study of the proportions of categories of security threats that was originally completed in 1993. Comparing the results from the replicated study with the results from the original study, we find that the proportions of threat categories have, in contradiction with the popular perception, remained relatively stable over the past decade. These results indicate that human error remains a significant and poorly recognized issue for information systems security. We propose and validate an elaborated taxonomy of information security threats that provides additional insight into human error as a significant source of security risk.
Recovery from Sulfate Attack in Concrete via Electrokinetic Nanoparticle Treatment

Microstructural damage induced by sulfate attack in concrete is a cause of primary concern in building foundations and other structures. Most research focuses on prevention. In contrast, the concept of damage recovery has not received significant attention. Studies were conducted using alumina-coated-silica nanoparticles to facilitate an electrochemical recovery of strength. Treatments were applied to extract sulfates while the nanoparticles were being injected. Initial sodium sulfate exposure on cylindrical concrete specimens was conducted for a period of 30 days. This exposure induced body cracking and microstructural damage. The specimens were subjected to electrokinetic treatment using a constant current density of 1 A/m2 for 7 days. Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis revealed significant sulfate content in the sulfate-exposed specimens that was not detected in the treated cases. Raman spectroscopy also indicated a higher C-S-H among the treated specimens, ...
Teaching students how to fail: Simulations as tools of explanation

Instead of always teaching students how to succeed—as is the norm in higher education—it might also be useful to teach them about failure. Understanding failure (that is, why actors fail to reach common objectives in inter-group settings) gives students deeper insight into how to resolve global problems, and the conditions under which success can be achieved. This enhances student awareness of complexity in world affairs, including the nature of inter-group relations. Simulations are a good way to teach students about the possibility of failure, and how to learn from it, because they allow students to go through the learning process on their own. In this article I discuss how a simulation I ran on Middle Eastern politics can be used as an example of how to instruct students about failure as much as about success.
Inhibition of Growth Hormone Signaling by the Fasting-Induced Hormone FGF21

Starvation blocks the actions of growth hormone (GH) and inhibits growth through mechanisms that are not well understood. In this report, we demonstrate that fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), a hormone induced by fasting, causes GH resistance. In liver, FGF21 reduces concentrations of the active form of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5), a major mediator of GH actions, and causes corresponding decreases in the expression of its target genes, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). FGF21 also induces hepatic expression of IGF-1 binding protein 1 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 2, which blunt GH signaling. Chronic exposure to FGF21 markedly inhibits growth in mice. These data suggest a central role for FGF21 in inhibiting growth as part of its broader role in inducing the adaptive response to starvation.
Defining the Herpes Simplex Virus-Specific CD8+ T Cell Repertoire in C57BL/6 Mice

HSV type 1 (HSV-1) expresses its genes sequentially as immediate early (α), early (β), leaky late (γ1), and true late (γ2), where viral DNA synthesis is an absolute prerequisite only for γ2 gene expression. The γ1 protein glycoprotein B (gB) contains a strongly immunodominant CD8+ T cell epitope (gB498–505) that is recognized by 50% of both the CD8+ effector T cells in acutely infected trigeminal ganglia (TG) and the CD8+ memory T cells in latently infected TG. Of 376 predicted HSV-1 CD8+ T cell epitopes in C57BL/6 mice, 19 (gB498–505 and 18 subdominant epitopes) stimulated CD8+ T cells in the spleens and TG of HSV-1 acutely infected mice. These 19 epitopes identified virtually all CD8+ T cells in the infected TG that represent all or the vast majority of the HSV-specific CD8+ TCR repertoire. Only 11 of ∼84 HSV-1 proteins are recognized by CD8+ T cells, and most (∼80%) are expressed before viral DNA synthesis. Neither the immunodominance of gB498–505 nor the dominance hierarchy of the subdominant epitopes is due solely to MHC or TCR affinity. We conclude that the vast majority of CD8+ T cells in HSV-1 acutely infected TG are HSV specific, that HSV-1 β and γ1 proteins that are expressed before viral DNA synthesis are favored targets of CD8+ T cells, and that dominance within the TCR repertoire is likely due to the frequency or expansion and survival characteristics of CD8+ T cell precursors.
Increased field of view through optical multiplexing

Traditional approaches to wide field of view (FoV) imager design usually lead to overly complex optics with high optical mass and/or pan-tilt mechanisms that incur significant mechanical/weight penalties, which limit their applications, especially on mobile platforms such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). We describe a compact wide FoV imager design based on superposition imaging that employs thin film shutters and multiple beamsplitters to reduce system weight and eliminate mechanical pointing. The performance of the superposition wide FoV imager is quantified using a simulation study and is experimentally demonstrated. Here, a threefold increase in the FoV relative to the narrow FoV imaging optics employed imager design is realized. The performance of a superposition wide FoV imager is analyzed relative to a traditional wide FoV imager and we find that it can offer comparable performance.
International Migration and Human Development in Destination Countries: A Cross-National Analysis of Less-Developed Countries, 1970–2005

Contemporary levels of international migration in less-developed countries are raising new and important questions regarding the consequences of immigration for human welfare and well-being. However, there is little systematic cross-national evidence of how international migration affects human development levels in migrant-receiving countries in the less-developed world. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by assessing the impact of cumulative international migration flows on the human development index, a composite measure of aggregate well-being. A series of panel models are estimated using a sample of less-developed countries for the period, 1970–2005. The results indicate that higher levels of international migration are associated with lower scores on the human development index, net of controls, but that the effect of international migration is relatively small.
"NO-selective" NOx sensing elements for combustion exhausts

Abstract Fabrication and characterization of NOx sensing elements using co-planar oxide and Pt electrodes is described. The sensing elements, based on yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates, could be current-biased to a “NO-selective” sensing condition (for NOx in the concentration range 50–1500 ppmV) if the oxide was an alkaline earth-modified lanthanum chromite. Simple variations in electrode geometry (interdigitation of the electrodes or increase of the oxide electrode surface area relative to the Pt electrode) did not affect the magnitude of the NO response or the recovery from exposure to NO. The main effects of temperature appeared to be a decrease in the response magnitude with increasing T and an increase of the recovery time (from NO exposure) with decreasing T.
Activation of protein kinase C modulates BACE1-mediated β-secretase activity

beta-Site APP cleavage enzyme 1 (BACE1) is the beta-secretase responsible for generating amyloid-beta (A beta) peptides in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies suggest that activation of protein kinase C (PKC) modulates the beta-secretase-mediated cleavage of APP and reduces the production of A beta. The mechanism of PKC-mediated modulation of beta-secretase activity, however, remains elusive. We report here that activation of PKC modulated beta-secretase activity through either suppressing the accumulation or promoting the translocation of BACE1 protein in a cell type-dependent manner. We found that activation of PKC suppressed the accumulation of BACE1 protein in fibroblasts through an enhancement of intracellular protease activities. In neurons, activation of PKC did not alter the expression level of BACE1, but led to more BACE1 translocated to the cell surface, resulting in a decreased cleavage of APP at the beta1 site. Together, Our findings provide novel mechanisms of PKC-mediated modulation of beta-secretase activity, suggesting that alteration of the intracellular trafficking of BACE1 may serve as a useful therapeutic strategy to lower the production of A beta in AD.
A comprehensive genomic binding map of gene and chromatin regulatory proteins in Saccharomyces.

Summary Hundreds of different proteins regulate and implement transcription in Saccharomyces . Yet their interrelationships have not been investigated on a comprehensive scale. Here we determined the genome-wide binding locations of 200 transcription-related proteins, under normal and acute heat-shock conditions. This study distinguishes binding between distal versus proximal promoter regions as well as the 3′ ends of genes for nearly all mRNA and tRNA genes. This study reveals (1) a greater diversity and specialization of regulation associated with the SAGA transcription pathway compared to the TFIID pathway, (2) new regulators enriched at tRNA genes, (3) a global co-occupancy network of >20,000 unique regulator combinations that show a high degree of regulatory interconnections among lowly expressed genes, (4) regulators of the SAGA pathway located largely distal to the core promoter and regulators of the TFIID pathway located proximally, and (5) distinct mobilization of SAGA- versus TFIID-linked regulators during acute heat shock.
Comparison of quasiclassical trajectory and classical S‐matrix treatments of collinear collisions of F and D2

The dynamics of collinear collisions of F with D2(n 1 a=0) have been studied using standard quasiclassical trajectory and classical S‐matrix (semiclassical) techniques for collision energies ranging from 0.65 to 5.50 kcal mole−1 in the center‐of‐mass system. The results are compared to previous quantum mechanical calculations on the same potential energy surface. At most only three transitions (NR 0→0, R 0→3, and R 0→4) are ``classically allowed'' at any energy studied. Of these, the only transition for which the ``uniform semiclassical'' and quasiclassical results are significantly different is R 0→4. The predicted energy dependence of this transition is discussed in terms of recent experimental determinations of the relative rates of R 0→4 and R 0→3. The ``classically forbidden'' R 0→2 transition is predicted (using the complex‐valued trajectory method) to have a probability which exhibits distinct oscillations as a function of collision energy.
Association of MDM2 SNP309, Age of Onset, and Gender in Cutaneous Melanoma

Purpose: In certain cancers, MDM2 SNP309 has been associated with early tumor onset in women. In melanoma, incidence rates are higher in women than in men among individuals less than 40 years of age, but among those older than 50 years of age, melanoma is more frequent in men than in women. To investigate this difference, we examined the association among MDM2 SNP309, age at diagnosis, and gender among melanoma patients. Experimental Design: Prospectively enrolled melanoma patients ( N = 227) were evaluated for MDM2 SNP309 and the related polymorphism, p53 Arg72Pro. DNA was isolated from patient blood samples, and genotypes were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. Associations among MDM2 SNP309, p53 Arg72Pro, age at diagnosis, and clinicopathologic features of melanoma were analyzed. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 13 years earlier among women with a SNP309 GG genotype (46 years) compared with women with TG+TT genotypes (59 years; P = 0.19). Analyses using age dichotomized at each decade indicated that women with a GG genotype had significantly higher risks of being diagnosed with melanoma at ages P = 0.01). Similar observations were not seen among men. Conclusions: Our data suggest that MDM2 may play an important role in the development of melanoma in women. The MDM2 SNP309 genotype may help identify women at risk of developing melanoma at a young age.
Recognition of speech from signals secondary to speech

In two separate studies, a correlation has been observed between the myoelectric signals (MESs) present in neck muscles during speech and the acoustic waveform. In the first study, five experiments were conducted using a 17-word vocabulary. The application of maximum likelihood pattern recognition to the averaged myoelectric signal produced recognition accuracies as high as 98% for a two-word set with accuracy settling at five times a priori. The second study used a five-word subset of the original vocabulary. Graphical results were obtained to display the action of the MES during the acoustic signal. The results of both studies indicate that the MES contains sufficient information to develop a pattern recognition scheme to decode the spoken word (phoneme) from its corresponding MES. >
Adoptive Transfer of CD4+ T Cells Reactive to Modified Low-Density Lipoprotein Aggravates Atherosclerosis

Objective— Atherosclerosis is associated with immune responses to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). The presence of activated macrophages and T cells in lesions suggests that cell-mediated immune reactions are taking place during the disease process. However, the role of specific immune responses has remained unclear. We have previously shown that transfer of CD4+ T cells from apolipoprotein E knockout mice (apoE−/−) into immunodeficient apoE−/− scid/scid mice accelerates disease. Methods and Results— To test whether this effect is dependent on specific disease-associated antigens, purified CD4+ T cells from oxLDL-immunized mice were transferred into apoE−/− scid/scid mice. CD4+ T cells from mice immunized with a nonrelevant antigen, keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), and naive CD4+ T cells were used as controls. After 12 weeks, all mice that received T cells had larger lesions than untouched apoE−/− scid/scid controls. However, mice receiving CD4+ T cells from oxLDL immunized mice had substantiall...
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the maxillary sinus in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is one of the most common malignancies in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); it occurs 25-60 times more frequently in HIV-infected patients than in the general population. This neoplasm in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients is a highly aggressive tumour with a poor prognosis and tends to develop in extranodal sites, such as the central nervous system, digestive tract and bone marrow. NHL involving the paranasal sinuses is rare in HIV-infected patients, and is likely to be confused clinically and radiographically with sinusitis; moreover, its optimal treatment is currently uncertain. We present a case of NHL involving the left maxillary sinus in a patient with AIDS. The patient was treated with systemic chemotherapy (low dose-CHOP), but the malignancy did not respond. Subsequently, he was treated with local maxillary sinus irradiation which resulted in partial regression of the neoplasm and in decrease of local symptoms.
Two-dimensional imaging of the development phase of plasma instabilities in the Earth's ionosphere

The convective ionospheric storm (CIS) is a naturally occurring process in the earth's ionosphere over the magnetic equator that can have deleterious consequences on satellite navigation and communication systems. By making low-elevation optical observations from Haleakala, Hawaii, the two-dimensional structure (2-D) (altitude versus longitude) can be made. We present observations from April 30, 2003 that clearly show the development phase of the CIS and compare them to a nonlinear simulation of the instability process. Through long-term observations of this type, we will collect a database that will be used to help unravel some of the outstanding questions associated with this fascinating phenomenon.
The Immune Barriers of Cell Therapy with Allogenic Stem Cells of Embryonic Origin

Human embryonic stem cells (ESC) provide a great hope for regenerative medicine in different diseases like neodegenerative disease, diabetes, heart, or liver failure. Immune rejection was not thought to be a major issue for cell therapy because of a low immunogenicity of fetal or embryonic cells in preliminary animal studies. However, increasing evidence suggests that this is not true, and controlling the immune response will be crucial for the success of ESC transplantation. The source of ESC is of crucial importance with regard to genetic difference between donors and recipients. Immune reaction against genetically identical origin (autologous or from identical twin) would be fully absent or negligible in contrast to immune response against allogenic transplanted cells. However, in the situation of ESC the origin of the cell would be necessarily allogenic and the immune reactivity against allogenic cells is expected to be similar to what has been learned from decades of research in the field of cell, tissue, or solid organ transplantation. In this chapter, we will first describe the risk of potential immune reactivity against ESC according to the origin of the cells. Second, we will review the immune mechanism of rejection and the current literature on the topic not only in animal models but also in humans. Finally, we will come with therapeutic approaches that can allow crossing genetic barriers of donor cells by preventing immune reaction that could lead to irreversible loss of the graft function.
Synthesis and characterization of divalent metal complexes with bipyridylamide ligands

AbstractReaction of N-(4-pyridyl)picolinamide (4-ppa), N-(4-pyridyl)nicotinamide (4-pna), N-(4-pyridyl)isonicotinamide (4-pina), and N-(2-pyridyl)isonicotinamide (2-pina) with divalent metal salts led to the formation of six new coordination complexes. The X-ray structure of [Zn(4-ppa)2Cl2] (1) shows a mononuclear structure with interesting intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions. [Zn(4-pna)(OAc)2]n (2), Cu(4-pna)(OTf)2(DMF)2]n (3), {[Zn(4-pina)(DMF)4](OTf)2}n (4), {[Fe(4-pina)(DMF)4](OTf)2}n (5), and [Cu(2-pina)(OTf)2(DMF)2]n (6) are one-dimensional coordination polymers with conformational differences caused by the coordination donor disposition, which demonstrates the flexibility of the pyridylamide ligands in polymeric structures. Reflectance UV-visible spectra and thermal properties of the coordination polymers are also reported.
The effect of Reye's syndrome serum on mitochondrial respiration in vitro

Recently we showed that serum from Reye's Syndrome (RS) patients has an effect on the respiratory function and morphology of isolated rat liver mitochondria (mito.) suggesting the existence of a pathogenic serum factor. We now report further investigation into the biochemical mechanism of action of the serum factor. In vitro respiratory rates of isolated rat liver mito. were assessed polarographically as described previously (Science 197:908, 1977). State 4 respiration was markedly increased in the presence of RS serum as compared to control serum. To distinguish among several mechanisms for the increase in state 4 respiration, inhibitors of specific mito. functions were tested as possible antagonists of the RS effect. The inhibitors used were: eligomycin, an inhibitor of mito. ATPase, ruthenium red, which blocks mito. Ca++ transport; and three site-specific e− transport chain inhibitors: rotenone (site I), antimycin A (site II), KCN (site III). In each case RS serum was added to the assay in the presence of inhibitor to see if the usual stimulation of respiratory rate could be blocked. Of the inhibitors thus tested only KCN abolished the effect of RS serum. We concluded that the putative serum factor stimulated respiration by directly or indirectly reducing components of the e− transport chain at a point beyond phosphorylation site II. (Sup. by Chas. H. Hood Foundation)
META-ANALYSIS OF RISK OF STROKE AND THROMBO-EMBOLISM WITH RIVAROXABAN VERSUS VITAMIN K ANTAGONISTS IN ABLATION AND CARDIOVERSION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION

Few trials explore safety and efficacy of rivaroxaban in ablation and cardioversion (DCCV) procedures of atrial fibrillation (AFIB). We aim to explore the hypothesis that rivaroxaban results in equal outcomes compared to Vitamin K Antagonists (VKA) in these procedures. We searched the online
A comparison of two techniques for determining abundance of subterranean termites in an Arizona desert grassland.

Densities of surface foraging subterranean termites were determined by bait and quadrat techniques. Only two species were found in the bait units whereas five were found in the quadrats.Heterotermes aureus (Snyder) andGnathamitermes perplexus (Banks) numbers were reasonably estimated by baiting. However,G. perplexus was severely underestimated by quadrats whileH. aureus, Paraneotermes simplicicornis (Banks),Amitermes wheeleri (Desneux), andA. minimus Light were apparently reasonably estimated. Material examined by any technique should consist of a suitable foraging substrate for the termite species being sampled.
AQUATIC HYPHOMYCETES ON OAK LEAVES: COMPARISON OF GROWTH, DEGRADATION AND PALATABILITY

We followed the dynamics of oak leaf degradation caused by eight species of aquatic Hyphomycetes and determined their palatability to caddisfly (Trichoptera) detritivores. All species of fungi caused weight loss and increased ATP concentrations of oak leaves although the magnitude of these changes varied considerably among fungal species. All species except Heliscus lugdunensis caused softening of oak leaves. Heliscus lugdunensis and Tetracladium marchalianum exhibited less potential for oak leaf degradation a) than other species and b) than they have previously displayed on other types of leaves. Caddisfly larvae expressed distinct preferences for oak leaves colonized by Alatospora acuminata and Flagellospora curvula. Leaves colonized by Clavariopsis aquatica were intermediate in preference rankings, while leaves colonized by the remaining five fungi were relatively unpalatable.
HOW USEFUL IS SPECTRAL INDUCED POLARIZATION

Induced polarization represents the accumulation of charge carriers (electrons and ions) in a porous material and their back-diffusion in their concentration fields. This geophysical method can be carried out either in the time domain or in the frequency domain. In principle frequency domain induced polarization (SIP) may offer a powerful geophysical method to solve a number of hydrogeochemical problems including imaging permeability distribution and a reconnaissance tool for contaminant plumes. In practice, this method is limited by a number of issues including electromagnetic coupling above 100 Hz, the mutiplicity of polarization contributions that make the interpretation delicate, flat spectra that are poorly informative in systems characterized by a broad distribution of relaxation times, the long duration needed to take a snap-shot and so on. Therefore it is legitimate to wonder under what conditions spectral induced polarization is a powerful method, ... or not.
Systems Biology Feedback (of the Collaborative Kind)

Modern, computationally-driven, interdisciplinary research demands close collaboration between individuals from many disciplines. Systems biology is one such interdisciplinary field, drawing on computational and experimental expertise to elucidate complex biological systems and processes. In our efforts to better understand the regulation of cell division in budding yeast, the development of a shared, project-specific style of communication became just as much a goal of the collaboration as the development of our models. Finding this common language for the collaboration helped us overcome cultural barriers, understand the nuances of each other’s work, and enhance the precision and interpretability of our models.
Direct observation of the E − resonant state in GaA s 1 − x B i x

Bismuth-derived resonant states with ${T}_{2}$ symmetry are detected in the valence band of $\mathrm{GaA}{\mathrm{s}}_{1\text{\ensuremath{-}}x}\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{x}$ using electromodulated reflectance. A doublet is located 42 meV below the valence-band edge of GaAs that is split by local strain around isolated Bi impurity atoms. A transition associated with a singlet is also observed just above the GaAs spin-orbit split-off band. These states move deeper into the valence band with increasing Bi concentration but at a much slower rate than the well-known giant upward movement of the valence-band edge in $\mathrm{GaA}{\mathrm{s}}_{1\text{\ensuremath{-}}x}\mathrm{B}{\mathrm{i}}_{x}$. Our results provide key insight for clarifying the mechanisms by which isovalent impurities alter the band structure of the host semiconductor.
258 ACCURACY OF PATIENT-INITIATED VERSUS ROUTINE TRANSMISSIONS OF VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA DATA OVER A HOME DEFIBRILLATOR LINK SYSTEM.: Table

Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the yield of positive versus negative transmissions for arrhythmia detection over the care link remote defibrillator (ICD) interrogation system using both routine scheduled ICD interrogation and patient-initiated transmissions. Methods Remote care link transmissions were evaluated in 70 male patients divided into routine scheduled data transmissions (RST) and event-driven remote transmissions based on the patient9s perception of an arrhythmia (EDT). A maximum of one tracing per group per patient was used. The incidence of positive tracings for life-threatening arrhythmias including ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) is shown below with cycle lengths for 10 transmissions. All patients had spontaneous arrhythmia termination or successful cardioversion or defibrillation by the ICD. Patients age 70 or greater had significantly fewer positive transmissions for VT/VF 2/32 (6.25%) versus positive transmissions for VT/VF in patients less than 70 years old 11/38 28.95%, p = .028, odds ratio 4.63 (1.107-19.38). Conclusions (1) Although relatively few patients used the care link system for event-driven or patient-initiated transmissions, the initial yield for documentation of ventricular arrhythmias was encouraging. (2) The care link system has the potential to allow rapid diagnosis of changes in clinical status through the use of event-driven transmissions. (3) Additional study is required to verify and determine the effect of age on VT/VF in this population and the influence of clinical factors and patient selection.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia. Universal problem among aging men.

PreviewThe complaints among middle-aged and older men are familiar—decreased force of urinary stream, hesitancy, dribbling, sensation of incomplete emptying, and nocturia. These are the obstructive symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a process that is poorly understood but apparently virtually inescapable. The authors summarize the theories about its etiology, explain the anatomy of the prostate and how BPH causes its common symptoms, describe the workup, and provide illustrations of preoperative hyperplasia and endoscopic resection.
Immunological comparison of hepatic and extrahepatic cytochromes P-450.

Antibodies were raised to two apparently homogeneous cytochromes P-450 prepared from liver microsomes of phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats; microsomal fractions were prepared from the livers, lungs, kidneys, testes, spleens, hearts, small intestines, colons, stomachs, and brains of untreated and phenobarbital- and 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats. Cross reactivity was observed in each tissue with at least one of the two antibodies as judged by immunodiffusion analysis. Inhibition of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase or 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity was observed with microsomes prepared from each tissue with the exception of spleen and colon; inhibition curves were dependent upon the substrate and antibody used as well as the pretreatment of the animals from which the microsomes were prepared. As a general rule, microsomes prepared from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats were inhibited most readily by antibody raised to cytochrome P-450 isolated from liver microsomes prepared from 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats, and the same general rule held for phenobarbital induction; however, several exceptions were noted. On the basis of these results, the microsomal P-450s of extrahepatic tissues are, in general, immunologically similar to the major hepatic microsomal P-450s in the rat.
Women and the Universities

In this final chapter, I would like to provide an example of what an Aristotelian feminism might look like in practice, that is, the way in which an Aristotelian feminist might critique and evaluate current structures. The position, as presented thus far, is simply intended as a broad sketch; it claims that an Aristotelian feminism emphasizes the significance of our capacities and the conditions for their development (without specifying what those capacities might be) and focuses on the import of material differences in that development (without saying which material differences are most significant and in what ways). This general account leaves many questions unanswered, questions which are significant for what kind of positions one takes on more specific issues. Nonetheless, even a very general version of the position can be used to illuminate certain inequalities. This last chapter is intended as an example or illustration of how this position might approach certain issues.
Recent Developments in Bottom Topography Mapping Using Inverse Methods

The problem of identification and mapping of underwater topography , in the form of river channel depth, littoral zone depth profiles, and spatially-resolved river, estuary , and ocean bottom topography, has received attention in recent years in tandem with the increasing availability of remotely-sensed data for hydrologic and hydrodynamic modeling. A variety of inverse methods have been successfully applied in order to estimate the bottom topography from diverse data, typically by using variants of the ensemble extended Kalman filter , but variational methods and non-parametric filters have also been used. The types of measurements used include remotely-sensed and in situ water level, surface currents, surface wave celerity, and measurements of surface wave direction and wave breaking. The dynamics employed to relate bottom depth to the measured variables have, to date, been based on the vertically integrated shallow equations, the Saint-Venant equations , with either Chezy or Manning frictional representation; and coastal zone applications have additionally coupled these dynamics with the wave radiation stress and dissipation from models of phase-averaged surface waves. The relevance of three-dimensional dynamics associated with vertical shear and baroclinicity are recognized but not yet incorporated into inverse methods for topographic estimation. A scale analysis of the shallow water equations is proposed as a guide to understanding how the dynamics, spatial correlation scales, and data types are related to length and time scales of the given application.
Legato: end-to-end bounded region serializability using commodity hardware transactional memory

Shared-memory languages and systems provide strong guarantees only for well-synchronized (data-race-free) programs. Prior work introduces support for memory consistency based on region serializability of executing code regions, but all approaches incur serious limitations such as adding high run-time overhead or relying on complex custom hardware. This paper explores the potential for leveraging widely available, commodity hardware transactional memory to provide an end-to-end memory consistency model called dynamically bounded region serializability (DBRS). To amortize high per-transaction costs, yet mitigate the risk of unpredictable, costly aborts, we introduce dynamic runtime support called Legato that executes multiple dynamically bounded regions (DBRs) in a single transaction. Legato varies the number of DBRs per transaction on the fly, based on the recent history of committed and aborted transactions. Legato outperforms existing commodity enforcement of DBRS, and its costs are less sensitive to a program's shared-memory communication patterns. These results demonstrate the potential for providing always-on strong memory consistency using commodity transactional hardware.
PULMONARY VASCULAR RESISTANCE PREDICTS MORTALITY IN END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY HYPERTENSION

Introduction: The multifactorial etiology of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) includes patients with and without elevated pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). We explored the prognostic implication of this distinction. Methods: We evaluated pre-transplant ESRD patients
Mentoring doctoral students online: mentor strategies and challenges

The purpose of our research was to explore faculty members’ experiences with online mentoring during the dissertation stage of an online doctoral program. During semi-structured interviews, four me...
Searching for common ground in a global disease.

There are few malignancies that present clinicians with as many challenges as the patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The common occurrence of chronic liver disease with a cancer arising in the liver creates competing risks for outcomes with all treatments, both procedure and medical based.
Model selection with strong-lensing systems

Chinese Academy of Sciences Visiting Professorships for Senior International Scientists under grant 2012T1J0011, Chinese State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs under grant GDJ20120491013
CASTLE: compression architecture for secure low latency, low energy, high endurance NVMs

CASTLE is a Compression-based main memory Architecture realizing a read-decrypt-free (i.e., write-only) Secure solution for low laTency, Low Energy, high endurance non-volatile memories (NVMs). CASTLE integrates pattern-based data compression and incomplete data mapping (i.e., expansion coding) to improve NVM energy, latency, and lifetime without impacting the security guarantees of the underlying security architecture. System-level simulations of a TLC RRAM architecture show that CASTLE reduces memory energy by 19% and write latency by 38.7%, and improves lifetime by 1.8 × over state-of-the-art solutions for NVM security.
Twists of fate: multiracial representation in the US House of Representatives

Vanessa C Tyson argues that electoral influence and constituent policy influence are components of a fair democracy (10). Said argumentation is the quintessence of this volume that proposes to inve...
When the Past Is in the Present: The Paradox of Educational Opportunity and Social Inclusion in South Africa and Rwanda:

The legacies of a racial and ethnocentric past continue to have implications for the present in South Africa and Rwanda, particularly within the realm of education. Although in both societies, the ...
Barrels, stripes, and fingerprints in the brain: Implications for theories of cortical organization

In the last decade improvements in the histological processing of cortical tissue in conjunction with the investigation of additional mammalian species in comparative brain studies has expanded the information available to guide theories of cortical organization. Here I review some of these recent findings in the somatosensory system with an emphasis on modules related to specializations of the peripheral sensory surface. The diversity of modular representations, or cortical “isomorphs” suggest that information from the sensory sheet guides many of the features of cortical maps and suggest that cortex is not constrained to form circular units in the form of a traditional cortical column.
Cognitive Function and Quality of Life in Vorinostat-Treated Patients after Matched Unrelated Donor Myeloablative Conditioning Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation.

Abstract Myeloablative conditioning allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) puts patients at greater risk for significant cognitive and quality of life decline compared with recipients of reduced-intensity conditioning or autologous HCT. Vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, has been shown to have neuroprotective and neurorestorative effects in preclinical models of neurologic diseases. Thus, within the context of a myeloablative conditioning phase II clinical trial of vorinostat combined with tacrolimus and methotrexate for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, we conducted an ancillary study to evaluate feasibility of assessing associations between vorinostat and neurocognitive function and quality of life (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02409134). Nine patients (mean age, 53 years; range, 36 to 66) underwent computerized neuropsychological testing (Cogstate) and completed surveys of mood (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-7), and quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General). Control cohorts from a separate concurrent longitudinal study (19 autologous and 18 allogeneic HCT patients, who matched the vorinostat patients on relevant medical and demographic variables) completed the same test battery. All allogeneic patients received busulfan-based myeloablative conditioning and were transplanted with HLA-matched unrelated donors. The total neurocognitive performance score of vorinostat patients did not change significantly across the study duration (ie, baseline, day 30, day 100, and day 160). Depression, anxiety, and quality of life also did not differ significantly across time. In univariate analyses (analysis of variance), vorinostat-treated patients showed no difference in neurocognitive function or quality of life compared with autologous and allogeneic control subjects. However, when medical variables were accounted for in a linear mixed effects regression model, the total neurocognitive performance of vorinostat-treated patients was comparable with autologous control subjects. Notably, autologous control subjects performed significantly better than allogeneic control subjects (estimate, .64; standard error, .23; P ≤ .01). Moreover, a smaller percentage of vorinostat-treated patients were classified as mildly, moderately, or severely impaired across neurocognitive domains as well as time points compared with both control cohorts. Thus, vorinostat may have neurorestorative or neuroprotective effects in the HCT setting. Accordingly, we recognize the need for a future, full-scale randomized controlled trial to further examine this hypothesis.