cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Iles clastic wedge development and sediment partitioning within a 300-km fluvial to marine Campanian transect (3 m.y.), Western Interior seaway, southwestern Wyoming and northern Colorado

A 300-km (186-mi) transect was reconstructed across the 500-m (1640-ft)-thick, 3-m.y. duration Iles clastic wedge in southern Wyoming and northern Colorado using well logs and stratigraphic columns. This wedge developed into the middlelate Campanian-aged Western Interior seaway by progradation from the active Sevier fold and thrust belt and adjacent uplifted areas. The wedge thickens basinward because late-stage, widespread uplift of the fold belt caused multiple unconformities across the proximal (former foredeep) reaches of the foreland basin. Transect analysis allows the wedge and its component sequences to be better understood and permits a two-dimensional characterization of the sand and mud distribution. The Iles wedge exhibits 11 low-gradient, regressive-transgressive, high-frequency sequences that were correlated across several hundred kilometers. Sediment partitioning analysis along the transect shows the following. (1) Within the regressive limb of the Iles wedge, the component higher order regressive compartments tend to thicken into the medial reaches of the wedge, whereas transgressive compartments thicken landward. This geometry is driven by preferential erosion in proximal areas during regression, bypassing much sediment to the marine shorelines, and transgressive backfilling into proximal areas previously eroded more deeply. (2) The greatest concentration of sands tends to be located in the proximal fluvial and estuarine facies of the transgressive compartments and within the medial (shoreline) deltaic facies of the regressive compartments. (3) As the high-frequency sequences develop, the effectiveness of basinward sand partitioning reaches a maximum value near the peak regression level of the wedge, apparently reflecting stronger erosion and sediment bypass during these times.
The Arginine Catabolic Mobile Element and Staphylococcal Chromosomal Cassette mec Linkage: Convergence of Virulence and Resistance in the USA300 Clone of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The epidemic character of community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, especially the geographically widespread clone USA300, is poorly understood. USA300 isolates carry a type IV staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) element conferring beta-lactam antibiotic class resistance and a putative pathogenicity island, arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME). Physical linkage between SCCmec and ACME suggests that selection for antibiotic resistance and for pathogenicity may be interconnected. We constructed isogenic mutants containing deletions of SCCmec and ACME in a USA300 clinical isolate to determine the role played by these elements in a rabbit model of bacteremia. We found that deletion of type IV SCCmec did not affect competitive fitness, whereas deletion of ACME significantly attenuated the pathogenicity or fitness of USA300. These data are consistent with a model in which ACME enhances growth and survival of USA300, allowing for genetic "hitchhiking" of SCCmec. SCCmec in turn protects against exposure to beta-lactams.
The first 15 years of the American Academy of Dermatology skin cancer screening programs: 1985-1999.

Background The incidence of melanoma is rising faster than that of any other preventable cancer in the United States. The American Academy of Dermatology has sponsored free skin cancer education and screenings conducted by volunteer dermatologists in the United States since 1985. Objective We aimed to assess the American Academy of Dermatology's national skin cancer screening program from 1986 to 2014 by analyzing the risk factor profile, access to dermatologic services, and examination results. Methods We conducted several detailed statistical analyses of the screening population. Results From 1986 to 2014, records were available for 2,046,531 screenings, 1,963,141 (96%) of which were subjected to detailed analysis. Men comprised 38% of all participants. The number of annual screenings reached approximately 100,000 in 1990 and remained relatively stable thereafter. From 1991 to 2014 (data for 1995, 1996 and 2000 were unavailable), clinical diagnoses were rendered for 20,628 melanomas, 156,087 dysplastic nevi, 32,893 squamous cell carcinomas, and 129,848 basal cell carcinomas. Only 21% of screenees had a regular dermatologist. Those with a clinical diagnosis of skin cancer were more likely than the general screening population to be uninsured. Limitations Inability to verify clinical diagnoses histopathologically. Conclusion Our findings suggest that the SPOTme program has detected thousands of skin cancers that may have gone undetected or experienced a delay in detection.
Intraocular penetration of systemically administered antifungal agents.

Amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine (5-FC), and ketoconazole levels were estimated in vitreous and aqueous samples taken from four patients undergoing therapeutic vitrectomy for fungal endophthalmitis. The levels of amphotericin B in the vitreous of three patients were low (.04 - .17 microgram/ml). However, 5-FC was present in a concentration of 22.2 micrograms/ml in one patient. In another case the aqueous level of ketoconazole was 0.35 microgram/ml. The vitreous in the same patient contained 0.71 microgram/ml of the drug.
Glandectomy with preservation of corpora cavernosa in the treatment of penile carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this work is to describe a conservative surgical technique as an alternative to classic penile amputations, aiming the local control of the disease, in addition to trying to preserve the patient's sexual function. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: After a circular incision of the skin around the penis, the subfascial plane is developed until the base of the organ. The dorsal neurovascular bundle and the urethra are isolated in their distal extremities. The neurovascular bundle is sectioned distally. A retrocoronal dissection plane is developed between the glans and the corpora cavernosa. When this stage is complete, the glans is fixed only to the urethra, which is distally sectioned as well. The neurovascular bundle is fixed to the dorsal albuginea. Following the spatulation of the urethra, a neomeatus is created using the overlay skin of the penis. Between January 2001 and July 2002, we employed this technique in 6 patients who had epidermoid carcinoma of the penis, which were limited to the glans, superficial, well or moderately differentiated and measuring up to 3 cm. COMMENTS: Several conservative surgical methods for treatment of carcinoma of the penis aim the organ's preservation, in an attempt of improving the quality of life of patients, however the indexes of local recurrence and failure in disease control are significant. The described technique showed to be safe and effective for disease control, in addition to preserving sexual function in all patients who were treated, representing, thus, a quite appealing conservative surgical alternative in selected cases.
Novel phosphotyrosyl mimetics for the preparation of potent small molecule Grb2 SH2 domain inhibitors

Blocking interactions between activated erbB-2 tyrosine kinases and Grb2 SH2 domains has the potential to shut down signaling through mitogenically important ras signal transduction pathways. For this reason, Grb2 SH2 domain inhibitors could potentially constitute attractive signal transduction-based therapeutics for the treatment of breast cancer, where erbB-2 receptors have been shown to play important roles. Because the phosphotyrosyl (pTyr, 1) pharmacophore plays a dominant role in SH2 domain-ligand interactions, the development of pTyr mimetics is an important component of SH2 domain inhibitor development. Using a mimicking tripeptide motif [1], we have recently reported non phosphate-containing analogs which are able to inhibit Grb2 SH2 domain binding with values in the nanomolar range in Biacore assays [2]. When administered to cellular media in cell culture, effective inhibition of intracellular Grb2 binding to cognate p185erbB-2 protein and oblation of MAP kinase signaling was also observed. These agents lack cytotoxicity and are cytostatic when administered to erbB-2 overexpressing cells. Until recently, the most potent of these analogs relied on phosphonate based pTyr mimetics such as phosphonomethyl phenylalanine (Pmp, 2), with dicarboxybased pTyr mimetics, such as 3 [3] and 4 [2] exhibiting much less affinity. Herein we report new, carboxy-based pTyr mimetics, which exhibit binding potencies approaching the best phosphorus-containing analogs.
What do they like? Communication preferences and patterns of older adults in the United States: The role of technology

ABSTRACTWith the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs), there are increasingly more Internet-based communication methods available for older adults besides traditional methods (e.g., in-person or landline phone). However, older adults’ preferred communication methods remain under-investigated. The purpose of this study is to explore the communication preferences and patterns of older adults in the United States, with emphasis on technologically-mediated environments. In this study, 17 semistructured interviews were conducted with participants from a midwestern state in the United States. The goal was to examine older adults’ communication patterns and preferences with family members and friends, as well as their views about the impacts of modern technology on communication. Three themes (communication preferences and reasons, communication barriers, and the impacts of technology) were generated from the interviews. The findings showed that although face-to-face communication is ...
Speculative Life: Art, Synthetic Biology and Blueprints for the Unknown

Answering a call for a 2013 exhibition at Ars Electronica bridging art and synthetic biology, a group of artists and designers offer ‘Blueprints for the Unknown’. Their fictional scenarios offer possible futures already embedded in and ready to become our present. By imagining potential events and soon-to-be organisms and bodies, these blueprints perform the untenable relationship between predictable bioengineered living forms and the unpredictable contexts within which such life subsists over time. While synthetic biology focuses on the particularities of each micro-manipulation within a specific timeframe, art practices can speculate on the wider reverberations of modified life, making visible the vulnerable encounters and uneven exchanges across variable living forms and scales, from molecule to human, synthetic to organic. This paper explores the indeterminacies that arise as living forms become synthetically modified, reorganized and redirected at will.
Probing the origin of excitonic states in monolayer WSe2

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have spurred excitement for potential applications in optoelectronic and valleytronic devices; however, the origin of the dynamics of excitons, trions, and other localized states in these low dimensional materials is not well-understood. Here, we experimentally probed the dynamics of excitonic states in monolayer WSe2 by investigating the temperature and polarization dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Four pronounced PL peaks were identified below a temperature of 60 K at near-resonant excitation and assigned to exciton, trion and localized states from excitation power dependence measurements. We find that the localized states vanish above 65 K, while exciton and trion emission peaks remain up to room temperature. This can be explained by a multi-level model developed for conventional semiconductors and applied to monolayer TMDCs for the first time here. From this model, we estimated a lower bound of the exciton binding energy of 198 meV for monolayer WSe2 and explained the vanishing of the localized states. Additionally, we observed a rapid decrease in the degree of circular polarization of the PL at increasing temperatures indicating a relatively strong electron-phonon coupling and impurity-related scattering. Our results reveal further insight into the excitonic states in monolayer WSe2 which is critical for future practical applications.
Anisotropic electrical properties of sculptured thin films

The anisotropy in DC electrical resistivity of a chromium (Cr) sculptured thin film (STF) prepared on a glass substrate is measured and explained using a simple linear dielectric model for electrical conduction in metallic STFs. The experimental anisotropy as a function of growth angle of Cr columns on a glass substrate is in good agreement with the model.
Determination of Total Blood Volume in the Cockroach, P. Fuliginosa, with Special Reference to Method

In many types of experimental work, especially those involving toxic or anesthetic effects of injected or absorbed materials upon animals it is desirable to have some knowledge of the extent to which the materials become diluted by the circulating blood. This necessitates a knowledge of total blood volume. The present paper is a report of the determination of total blood volume in the cockroach, Periplaneta fuliginosa Serville, by two different methods, one of which is a modification of a dilution method already employed in connection with problems relating to man and the mammals generally; the other is a modification of a direct method already in use for the determination of blood volume in insect larvae. An attempt is made to evaluate at least approximately the magnitude of the experimental errors of the dilution method.
Deep Impurities in AlGaAs Grown by MOCVD Using Different Hydrogen and Nitrogen as Carrier Gases

A study was carried out to characterize the deep impurities in AlxGa1-x As grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using different carrier gases. Since AlxGai1-x As is very sensitive to any impurities, especially moisture and oxygen, in the growth process, the concentration of impurities in AlxGai1-xAs can serve as a measure of the purity of carrier gases. The undoped AlGaAs layers grown by using H2 have n-type background concentrations from 3×1015 to 10×1015/cc. The concentrations of oxygen-related traps (Ec−0.53 and 0.7 eV) are 0.2−9×1013 and 3.4−5×1014/cc for Pd- and Li-purified H2, respectively. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements show better PL efficiency in samples grown by using Pd- purified H2. AlxGa1-xAs grown by using N2 is p-type (p∼6×1016/cc) with an oxygen-related trap and two hole traps. The concentration of oxygen-related trap is more than one order of magnitude higher than that of AlGaAs using Pd-purified H2. The memory effect due to impurities from carrier gas left in source materials is also studied.
Agricultural Drip Irrigation

Subsurface drip irrigation saves water, improves crop yields and quality, and facilitates fertilizer application; however, system performance is dependent upon skilled management. Potential disadvantages include salt accumulation near plants, restricted root development, high system costs, and restricted crop rotation. The three primary hydraulic classifications of drip emitters are laminar, turbulent, and pressure compensating. Analysis of Reynolds equation shows the advantage of turbulent flow emitters over laminar flow emitters. Pressure compensating emitters have the best hydraulic performance and generally rely on diaphragms that reduce flow at high pressure. As with sprinkler irrigation laterals, drip irrigation laterals are multi-outlet systems. The hydraulics can be calculated with analytic equations if slope is uniform, or with spreadsheets for any field. Most drip laterals in agriculture are classified as in-line, with emitters manufactured into the tubing. Proper filtration is a key to successful drip irrigation system performance. Sand filters are a necessary pretreatment step when the water source is a pond or stream. The design of lateral length and diameter is evaluated by the emission uniformity, which is a function of number of emitters per plant, minimum and average pressure in the lateral, the emitter exponent, and the manufacturer’s coefficient of variation. The most popular drip system is subsurface drip irrigation with dual feed laterals.
Climacus's Thought-Project

On the title page of Philosophical Fragments, or A Fragment of Philosophy we find three questions: “Can a historical point of departure be given for an eternal consciousness; how can such a point of departure be of more than historical interest; can an eternal happiness be built on historical knowledge?” Climacus explores these questions within the framework of a hypothetical understanding of the difference between philosophy and religious faith. This framework is provided by two diametrically opposed assumptions about our access to the truth: (1) We can learn the truth by means of reason alone (the Socratic or philosophical hypothesis), and (2) We can learn the truth only with divine aid (the hypothesis of religious faith). Fragments initially appears to be a philosophical deduction, or logical development, of the implications of these assumptions – a deduction that ultimately presents the reader with a choice between Socratic philosophizing and Christianity. In Fragments , however, first appearances often deceive. Climacus's “deduction” unfolds in the space between philosophy and religion, a space that we are at pains to characterize given the direct and fundamental opposition between these two that emerges in the course of the inquiry. On the one hand, Climacus seems to arrive at Christianity through philosophical reasoning about the conditions under which learning can take place, if one assumes that the truth is not accessible by means of the unaided intellect.
Abstract 39: Clinical Outcomes Of Octogenerians Requiring Urgent Cardiac Catheterization: Percutaneous Intervention versus Medical Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Octogenarians comprise an increasing proportion of patients undergoing coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventional (PCI). Most interventional studies have focused on patients aged 50-65 years and as such there is paucity of scientific evidence regarding interventions in octogenarians. While there have been some improvements in intervention techniques with more octogenarians undergoing PCI safely, many physicians are still reluctant to recommend invasive treatment for this group. We sought to compare the clinical outcomes in the treatment options (PCI vs medical therapy) among octogenarians requiring urgent cardiac catheterization (CC). METHODS: This was a single center retrospective study of 1184 consecutive patients requiring urgent CC. Urgent CC was defined as catheterization within 24 hours of the admission symptom onset. Patients were categorized according to either PCI group (PCIG) versus medical treatment group (MTG) after coronary angiography. Patients were then followed for cardiovascular and all cause mortality as well as cardiovascular and all cause readmissions at 30 days and 1 year from the index event. RESULTS: There were 1184 patients that met inclusion criteria. Thirty five percent (416) underwent PCI and 65% (768) had medical treatment. Mean age was 84+/-3 for PCIG versus 83 +/- 3 for the medical group. (p=NS), 53% (220) of PCIG were male versus 51% (391) MTG (p =NS), 86% (358) of PCIG had HTN versus 87% (668) MTG. Hyperlipidemia was present in 79% (328) of PCIG vs 77% (591) of MTG. Ninety seven percent(403) of the PCIG presented with chest pain versus 94%(722) in the MTG (p=NS) Length of stay for both groups was 3+/-2 days (p=NS). Thirty-day mortality for PCIG was 3% (12) vs. 2 % (23) in the MTG (p=NS). One year mortality in the PCIG was 5 % (21) vs. 3% (23) in the MTG (p=NS) Thirty day all cause readmission for the PCIG was 8% (33) vs. 9% (69) in the MTG (p=NS) .One year all cause readmission for the PCIG was 18% (75) vs. 16% (122) for the MTG (p=NS). Thirty day cardiovascular readmission for the PCIG was 8% (33) vs. 10%(77) (p=NS) in the MTG. One year cardiovascular readmission for PCIG was 18% (75) vs. 21% (161) in the MTG (p=NS). Readmissions at one year for revascularization for both (PCI and coronary artery bypass graft surgery) was 13% (54) in the PCIG vs. 12%(92) in the MTG (p=NS). CONCLUSION: Percutanous intervention in octogenarians presenting for urgent cardiac catherterization had similar short and intermediate term outcomes when compared to those undergoing medical management.
Varicella Zoster Virus

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a ubiquitous neurotropic herpesvirus, infects virtually all humans. Primary infection usually causes chickenpox (varicella), after which the virus becomes latent in ganglia along the entire neuraxis. Decades later, a declining VZV-specific cell-mediated immunity allows virus to reactivate, resulting in shingles (zoster), as well as multiple other serious neurological disorders. Herein, are summarized VZV virology, molecular aspects of VZV latency, clinical and pathological features of the neurological disease produced by VZV reactivation, prevention of zoster, and development of an animal model provided by simian varicella virus infection of monkeys.
Exercise-induced plasma cytokines between older and younger adults : original research article

Introduction : Reduced VO2 peak, muscle mass, increased fat mass and immunosenescence have been associated with aging. This study examined the effects of exercise on selected cytokines in younger and older individuals, and after 12 weeks of aerobic exercise training in older individuals. Methods : Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 β) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) were measured before and after maximal and sustained submaximal (70% VO2 peak) tests in sedentary young (22 ± 3 years, BMI = 24.9 ± 3.7 kg/m2) and older subjects (75 ± 7 years, BMI = 25.1 ± 3.5 kg/m2) prior to and after training. Results : There were no significant differences in baseline levels of IL-1 β, IL-6 or IL-10 between younger and older subjects. In younger subjects, IL-6 (33%) and IL-1 β (25%) were increased after the maximal exercise test, whereas IL-6 was increased (112%) after the submaximal test (P < 0.05). In older subjects pre-training, levels of IL-6, IL-1 β and IL-10 were not affected by acute exercise. In older subjects after training, IL-6 increased in response to acute maximal and submaximal exercise, 17% and 44%, respectively. Conclusion : Older subjects did not demonstrate a significant inflammatory response (IL-1 β) to acute exercise; however their anti-inflammatory (IL-6) response was blunted, and was only partially restored by 12 weeks of exercise training. Further studies are needed to examine the effects of longer-term chronic exercise on immune parameters.
Host range of the European leaf sheath mining midge, Lasioptera donacis Coutin (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), a biological control of giant reed, Arundo donax L.

ABSTRACTThe fundamental host range of the arundo leafminer, Lasioptera donacis a candidate agent for the invasive weed, Arundo donax was evaluated. L. donacis collects and inserts spores of a saprophytic fungus, Arthrinium arundinis, during oviposition. Larvae feed and develop in the decomposing leaf sheath channel tissue. Thirty-six closely related and economic grass species along with several key habitat associates were evaluated in no-choice tests. L. donacis and its associated saprophyte completed development only on A. donax, in concurrence with published reports from its native range in Mediterranean Europe. The arundo leafminer feeding leads to premature defoliation, constituting a different mode of attack on the host plant as compared to two previously released insects, the arundo wasp and arundo scale, which feed on shoot tips and rhizomes, respectively. Defoliation of A. donax is expected to increase light penetration into stands of A. donax which increases visibility for law enforcement, reduce...
Prospective validation of a prognostic gene-ratio test for patients undergoing multimodality therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM)

B23 Rationale: MPM is a highly aggressive asbestos associated pleural malignancy recalcitrant to most therapies. Some MPM patients benefit from aggressive surgical resection followed by chemoradiation; yet, many others succumb within a few months of therapy. To better assign therapy, we developed a prognostic test based on the ratios of 4 gene expression levels to translate complex gene expression profiling data into simple tests for the prognosis of MPM (J Natl Cancer Inst, 95:598-605, 2003). We examined the efficacy of this test in a prospective clinical trial. Methods: Tumors were collected from prospectively consented MPM patients (n=160) at the time of surgery (extrapleural pneumonectomy n=120, pleurectomy n=40) and linked to clinical data. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure relative expression levels of 4 genes (KIAA0977, GDIA1, L6, CTHBP) and calculate the geometric mean (GM) of 3 gene pair ratios (KIAA0977/GDIA1, L6/CTHBP, L6/GDIA1) to assign patients to a good (GM >1) or poor (GM
Scanning electron microscopy of Salmonella biofilms on various food-contact surfaces in catfish mucus

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine the growth and survival of Salmonella enterica in the presence of high and low concentrations (375 μg/ml and 15 μg/ml) of catfish mucus extract at 10 °C and 22 °C for 63 days. The second objective of this study was to investigate the biofilm formation of Salmonella enterica serovar Blockley (7175) in catfish mucus extract for 48 h at 22 °C on four food-contact surfaces and to observe the biofilm populations using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The surface properties, surface roughness and surface energies were determined using contact angle measurement and atomic force microscopy. In 375 μg/ml of catfish mucus extract that was inoculated with 3 log CFU/ml, the growth of Salmonella counts were increased to a maximum of 6–7 log CFU/ml at 10 °C and 7–8 log CFU/ml at 22 °C in 7–14 d and decreased by 1–2 log CFU/ml from these peak levels at both 10 °C and 22 °C from 21 to 63 d. In 15 μg/ml of catfish mucus extract, Salmonella counts were in the range of 4–5 log CFU/ml at 10 °C and 5–6 log CFU/ml at 22 °C over 7–63 d of storage. By contrast, Salmonella counts were non-detectable in the absence of catfish mucus by 21–28 d of storage at 10 °C or 22 °C. The biofilm counts of S. Blockley (7175) on a stainless steel surface were 4 log CFU/cm2 and 5.5 log CFU/cm2 in 15 μg/ml and 375 μg/ml of catfish mucus extract respectively after 48 h incubation at 22 °C. SEM revelead that biofilm formation by S. Blockley (7175) was less in 15 μg/ml than 375 μg/ml of catfish mucus extract on stainless steel. In addition, SEM indicated that the visible biofilms were least on buna-N rubber as compared to stainless steel, polyethylene and polyurethane surfaces. Contact angle and atomic force microscopy confirmed that buna-N rubber was highly hydrophobic with low surface energy and low roughness when compared to other three surfaces. These findings indicate that Salmonella can utilize catfish mucus as a nutrient source to survive for longer periods and promote biofilm formation for its persistence on different food-contact surfaces.
The crustal structure of the Enderby Basin, East Antarctica

The passive margin and ocean crust of the Enderby Basin, East Antarctica preserves a record of the breakup of East Gondwana. Using a suite of public domain geophysical data, we have examined and described the crustal morphology of the basin. Based on our geophysical observations, we divide the Enderby Basin into three distinct morphologic domains. The Eastern Domain demonstrates the most volcanic morphology of the basin, with abundant seaward dipping reflector packages and anomalously thick oceanic crust. These features suggest an early influence by the Kerguelen Hotspot on continental breakup within the domain. The Central Domain is characterized by two regions of oceanic crust of varying morphology segregated by a high amplitude magnetic anomaly. Geophysical observations suggest that the basement directly inboard of this magnetic anomaly is composed of thin, rugged, and poorly structured, proto-oceanic crust, similar in morphology to oceanic crust formed at ultraslow/slow mid-ocean ridged. Outboard of this anomaly, oceanic crust appears to be well-structured and of normal thickness. We offer three, non-exclusive, explanations for the observed change in ocean crustal structure: (1) melt production was initially low at the time of continental breakup, and the progressive decompression of the mantle led to a gradual increase in melt production and ocean crust thickness, (2) melt production was initially low to due lower extension rates and that melt production increased following a change in spreading rate, (3) a change in spreading ridge geometry led to more effective seafloor spreading rate and concurrent increase in melt production. The Western Domain of the Enderby Basin is characterized by abundant fracture zones and anomalously thin oceanic crust. We believe these features arose as a geometric consequence of the originally oblique orientation of continental rifting relative to the extension direction within the domain. Together these observations suggest that the breakup of East Gondwana was highly variable, with notable along-strike differences in crustal deformation and seafloor spreading processes.
Nickel-Based Superalloys

The reason that vast numbers of people fly these days is because flying is relatively inexpensive. Once the aircraft has been paid for, the big operating cost for airlines is the cost of the fuel, and fuel efficiency has increased by over 45% since the 1940s. Aircraft have become increasingly fuel efficient by changing from turbojet engines, where all the air from the compressor blades (the large blades that you can see at the front of the engine) passes through the engine, to turbofans, where most of the air traveling through the compressor blades passes around the engine, with increasingly higher bypass ratios (the amount of air that goes around the engine compared to the amount of air that passes through the engine). An essential step is to run the engine hotter, which improves efficiency. The key to doing this was the introduction and development of nickel-based superalloys used for the turbine blades in the hottest part of the engine.
Creep Damage Mechanisms in Si3N4

Cavitation was characterized on commercial grades of silicon nitride by transmission electron microscopy, small angle X-ray scattering and precision density measurements. The type of cavitation depends on both the microstructure and the test temperature. Three types of cavities are observed: isolated lenticular cavities at two-grain boundaries; crack like cavities also at two-grain boundaries; and interstitial cavities at multi-grain junctions. These cavities form in all grades of silicon nitride studied. As a result of cavitation, silicon nitride creeps up to 100 times faster in tension than in compression for the same applied stress. As much as 85% of the deformation in tension can be accounted for by cavity formation.
Practical PERCIST 1.0

1305 Learning Objectives 1. To understand the scanning, measurement and interpretation methods described in PERCIST 1.0. 2. To be able to use PERCIST for structured quantitative research and clinical reporting. PET response criteria in solid tumors (PERCIST) 1.0 is an approach to structured quantitative image analysis and clinical reporting for assessing tumor metabolic response with 18F-FDG PET. We provide a visual guide through major aspects of PERCIST. Relevant clinical examples and common challenges are demonstrated. The required PET parameters for a baseline FDG PET study include the background activity and the target lesion. The peak standard uptake value corrected for lean body mass (SULpeak) as defined by PERCIST is the highest mean value in a 1 cm3 sphere, and the SULpeak can be computed with automated software, or manually. For the follow-up study, measurement of the background activity and target lesion (which may be a different tumor from baseline) is necessary. Requirements for a scanning condition to be considered “assessable” and for a lesion FDG uptake to be “measurable” by PERCIST are explained. The 4 response categories - complete metabolic response, partial metabolic response, stable metabolic disease, and progressive metabolic disease - are dependent on the change in SULpeak and development of new lesions. Case scenarios for each response group are explored. Finally, suggested exploratory measurements are explained.
Abstract A26: Pimozide, an antipsychotic derivative, targets the STAT signaling pathway in osteosarcoma

Objective: Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common pediatric bone cancer worldwide with an annual US incidence of 800. Chemotherapy and surgery have resulted in a marginal increase in survival of localized OS. However, that same treatment regimen has not been as successful for improving metastatic OS, as it yields an abysmal 5-year overall survival of less than 30% in patients afflicted with the disease. There have not been new successful standardized treatment agents in the last 2 decades for OS. Current standard practice still implements the same chemotherapeutic agents: cisplatin, doxorubicin, and methotrexate. These nonspecific agents have failed to yield optimal survival in metastatic OS patients. Hence, there is a need to utilize different agents that can specifically target signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of OS. One such pathway that has been found to be instrumental in the pathogenesis of OS is the JAK/STAT pathway, and the antipsychotic medication pimozide appears to be able to halt OS growth through inhibiting this pathway. Herein, we investigated the effects of pimozide on OS cancer growth and elucidated its mechanistic action through STAT signaling pathway. Methods: Human OS cell lines KHOS, MG63, and SJSA cell lines and normal osteoblast cells were used in the study. The effects of pimozide on cell proliferation were assessed by hexosaminidase and clonogenicity assays. Effects of pimozide on stem cells were evaluated by colonosphere formation. Furthermore, the effect of pimozide on OS cells was evaluated by live cell fluorescent staining. Western blot was utilized to evaluate the effect on STAT protein expression. Results: Pimozide treatment resulted in a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of proliferation and colony formation in all three osteosarcoma cell lines but not in osteoblast cells. It induces caspase 3 and 7 activity. Pimozide also showed reduced live cell fluorescent staining. Pimozide significantly reduced the number and size of spheroid formation. In addition, pimozide inhibits OS stem cell marker protein CD44 expression. Moreover, pimozide treatment decreased the expression of STAT5 signaling proteins on Western blot, which suggests that pimozide inhibits OS growth through STAT signaling pathway. Conclusion: Together, these data suggest that pimozide inhibits OS cancer growth by inhibiting the STAT signaling pathway. Pimozide could serve as a potential therapeutic agent for OS. Citation Format: Pablo Angulo, Katherine Chastain, Dharmalingam Subramaniam, Shrikant Anant. Pimozide, an antipsychotic derivative, targets the STAT signaling pathway in osteosarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference on Advances in Sarcomas: From Basic Science to Clinical Translation; May 16-19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(2_Suppl):Abstract nr A26.
Attending to behaviorally relevant moments enhances incidental relational memory

Memory for the items one has recently encountered is sometimes enhanced in divided attention tasks: Attending to behaviorally relevant items, such as a target in a detection task, boosts memory for unrelated background items (e.g., scenes or words). However, a central feature of episodic memory is memory for the spatiotemporal relationship between items and other elements of an event (relational memory), not just the item itself. Three experiments examined whether attending to a behaviorally relevant target-item boosts memory for the relationship between that item, its features, and a background scene. Participants memorized briefly presented scenes. At the same time, they pressed a button if a second unrelated item (a figure or face) was a particular target color (Experiments 1 and 2) or target gender (Experiment 3) rather than a distractor color or gender. Target and distractor items also varied in task-irrelevant features (shape, location, or facial identity). If attending to behaviorally relevant events influences relational memory, then participants should be better able to report both target-defining and irrelevant features of items that appeared with target-paired scenes rather than distractor-paired scenes. This was the case in all experiments: memory was enhanced for the target-paired scenes as well as the association between a scene and features of the paired target-item. Attending to behaviorally relevant moments therefore has broader effects on memory encoding than previously thought. In addition to boosting memory for unrelated background items, attending to targets facilitates relational memory in these tasks.
Renal Imaging: Core Curriculum 2019

Renal imaging has become a fundamental part of clinical care for patients with kidney disease. Imaging strategies for the kidney have been evolving during the past hundred years and have been even more rapidly changing during the past couple of decades due to the development of modern computed tomographic techniques, magnetic resonance imaging, and more sophisticated ultrasonographic techniques, such as contrast-enhanced ultrasonography. Applying the correct radiologic study for the clinical situation maximizes the diagnostic accuracy of the imaging, and a judicious choice between techniques helps limit radiation dose and potential adverse events. This Core Curriculum outlines the imaging modalities currently in use in radiology departments and is divided into 3 sections: (1) a review of the development of renal imaging and an outline of modalities available to the nephrologist, (2) imaging strategies for select clinical situations, and (3) a discussion of some potential adverse events from imaging, including effects of iodinated contrast on kidney function, risks of gadolinium-based contrast agents in kidney failure, and potential risks of imaging techniques that use ionizing radiation.
Nonprofessionals' perceptions of the causes of behavioral and substance addictions.

We assessed nonprofessionals' perceptions of etiological explanations of behavioral and substance addictions in a nationwide sample. A total of 612 adults (51% male) residing in the United States w...
Full-field Ultrahigh-speed Quantification of Dynamic Shear Ruptures Using Digital Image Correlation

Producing dynamic ruptures in the laboratory allows us to study fundamental characteristics of interface dynamics. Our laboratory earthquake experimental setup has been successfully used to reproduce a number of dynamic rupture phenomena, including supershear transition, bimaterial effect, and pulse-like rupture propagation. However, previous diagnostics, based on photoelasticity and laser velocimeters, were not able to quantify the full-field behavior of dynamic ruptures and, as a consequence, many key rupture features remained obscure. Here we report on our dynamic full-field measurements of displacement, velocities, strains and strain rates associated with the spontaneous propagation of shear ruptures in the laboratory earthquake setup. These measurements are obtained by combining ultrahigh-speed photography with the digital image correlation (DIC) method, enhanced to capture displacement discontinuities. Images of dynamic shear ruptures are taken at 1-2 million frames/s over several sizes of the field of view and analyzed with DIC to produce a sequence of evolving full-field maps. The imaging area size is selected to either capture the rupture features in the far field or to focus on near-field structures, at an enhanced spatial resolution. Simultaneous velocimeter measurements on selected experiments verify the accuracy of the DIC measurements. Owing to the increased ability of our measurements to resolve the characteristic field structures of shear ruptures, we have recently been able to observe rupture dynamics at an unprecedented level of detail, including the formation of pressure and shear shock fronts in viscoelastic materials and the evolution of dynamic friction.
The spectrum of the abelian sandpile model

In their previous work, the authors studied the abelian sandpile model on graphs constructed from a growing piece of a plane or space tiling, given periodic or open boundary conditions, and identified spectral factors which govern the asymptotic spectral gap and asymptotic mixing time. This article gives a general method of determining the spectral factor either computationally or asymptotically and performs the determination in specific examples.
A Topological Analysis Method for 3D Geo-Entities Structured as Hexahedron Tessellations

Topological spatial relationships are at the core of geographical information system, especially 3D GIS. The design of suitable models and methods for querying and analyzing topological relationships among spatial objects remains an unsolved problem and is the subject of substantial research. Unfortunately, most modern models and methods support only topological analysis for geographical objects that can be represented using simple 2D regions and lines. These approaches are not sufficient to address the complexity of real 3D geo-entities. This paper introduces a new method for 3D topological analysis. Our approach is an improvement over the nine-intersection model. We propose redefining the original interior, boundary and exterior on the basis of sixfold connectivity as represented by a hexahedron. We use SQL to compute the resulting model matrix. The approach to mapping from a quantitative computed result matrix to a qualitative topological relation is discussed in detail. Our research offers contributions in the areas of topological analysis models and methods for representing 3D geo-entities for spatial querying and analysis.
1001 - PRIMITIVE SENSING AND COMMUNICATION MECHANISMS REGULATING BONE MARROW

Studying bone marrow hematopoiesis has provided insights into how heterologous cells interrelate to dynamically regulate production of mature effector cells. The interactions that have been defined have largely been at the level of receptor proteins and signaling pathways that are common among mammalian tissues but are likely to be late in evolutionary time. We hypothesized that organized complex tissues like bone marrow also retain primitive means of communicating from early metazoan ancestors. Multicellular life must have developed simple sensing and communication methods to coordinate responses to alterations in their microenvironment. These are likely to be rapid and non-redundant with subsequent, more complex processes. We considered it likely that these primitive mechanisms remain and may participant in stress and disease states. Evaluating bone marrow hematopoiesis with attention to possible evolutionarily primitive processes, we defined two scenarios. First, a small non-coding RNA based method of rapidly altering adjacent cell protein translation and proliferation that is based on vesicular exchange of cytoplasmic contents. This occurs between select stromal and hematopoietic cells and appears to be responsive to stress. Second, we found that proton partitioning across the cell membrane affects anabolic metabolism to enhance cell proliferation. This is accomplished in normal hematopoietic cells largely secondary to lactate production and mass action in settings of nutrient abundance. However, epigenetic alterations at specific sites affects intracellular shifts of pH in malignant myeloid cells that enforces a metabolic alteration sufficient to provide cells a competitive growth advantage. The bone marrow therefore includes a broad repertoire of strategies to modulate hematopoiesis that extend well beyond defined cytokine and chemokine pathways. These may be responsive to stress conditions or be coopted in settings of disease and may offer new targets for therapeutics.
Socio-economic barriers to children’s education in Afghanistan: A case study of Kabul city

Having been a war zone for the last four decades, Afghanistan is one of the developing countries where affordable access to quality education is still a dream for many of its people. According to the 2017 UNICEF Annual Report, over 40% (3.7 million) of school-age children were out of school in Afghanistan. In order to better design projects and programs that are working towards reducing this number, it is necessary first to understand the root causes of the issue. The objective of this research is to assess and analyze some of the various social and economic barriers that keep children out of school in Kabul City and hence, offer additional key information and recommendations for limiting this critical issue. Primary data of 300 children were collected through a survey conducted randomly in Kabul City. The target population of this survey were working children (between the ages of 5 and 18) and parents from households of different ethnic, linguistic, and regional backgrounds. Poverty and cultural limitations were found to be the most common factors preventing Afghan children from going to school. Other factors like access, physical disability, guardian’s type and education level, lack of infrastructure, child labor, and gender discrimination may also contribute to this issue. Results of the analysis suggest that government agencies can play a significant role in facilitating affordable access to quality education for all children by extending coverage of public schools, offering reasonable financial grants for poor families in order to avoid the need for ...
Hiding Traces of Status Seeking: Contradictory Tagging Strategies on Instagram:

The prevailing presence of social media in the twenty-first century has changed processes of self-presentation. This study questions how Instagram users employ the platform’s tagging features to cl...
Effect of Opioid Use on Immune Activation and HIV Persistence on ART

While there is an emerging consensus that engagement of the Mu opioid receptor by opioids may modulate various stages the HIV life cycle (e.g.: increasing cell susceptibility to infection, promoting viral transcription, and depressing immune responses to virally-infected cells), the overall effect on latency and viral reservoirs remains unclear. Importantly, the hypothesis that the increase in immune activation observed in chronic opioid users by direct or indirect mechanisms (i.e., microbial translocation) would lead to a larger HIV reservoir after ART-suppression has not been supported to date. The potential for a subsequent decrease in reservoirs after ART-suppression has been postulated and is supported by early reports of opioid users having lower latent HIV burden. Here, we review experimental data supporting the link between opioid use and HIV modulation, as well as the scientific premise for expecting differential changes in immune activation and HIV reservoir between different medications for opioid use disorder. A better understanding of potential changes in HIV reservoirs relative to the engagement of the Mu opioid receptor and ART-mediated immune reconstitution will help guide future cure-directed studies in persons living with HIV and opioid use disorder. Graphical Abstract Review. HIV replication, immune activation and dysbiosis: opioids may affect immune reconstitution outcomes despite viral suppression.