cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organic Lowbush Blueberry Research and Extension in Maine

A six-year organic systems research project was conducted in Maine from 2004 to 2009. The project had several components: (1) a large replicated interdisciplinary multifactor (fertility, weed, inse...
Cyclic Functions in L p ( R ), 1 \le p < \infty

Functions whose translates span L p (R) are called L p-cyclic functions. For a fixed p \memb [1, \infty], we construct Schwartz-class functions which are L r -cyclic for r > p and not L r - cyclic for r \le p. We then construct Schwartz-class functions which are L r -cyclic for r \ge p and not L r -cyclic for r 2.
On the wind stress formulation over shallow waters in atmospheric models

Abstract. The wind stress formulation over shallow waters is investigated using year-long observations of the wind profile within the first 100 m of the atmosphere and mesoscale simulations. The model experiments use a range of planetary boundary layer parameterizations in order to quantify the uncertainty related to the turbulent closure assumptions, and thus isolate the dominant influence of the roughness formulation. Results indicate that a positive wind speed bias exists when the common open ocean formulation for roughness is adopted. An alternative formulation consistent with shallow water observations is necessary to reconcile model results with observations, providing the first modeling evidence supporting the increase of surface drag over shallow waters. Including ocean bathymetry as static input data to atmospheric models constitutes an area where further research should be oriented.
Inactivation of Phaeodactylum tricornutum urease gene using transcription activator-like effector nuclease-based targeted mutagenesis.

Summary Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic algae with promise for green production of fuels and other chemicals. Recent genome-editing techniques have greatly improved the potential of many eukaryotic genetic systems, including diatoms, to enable knowledge-based studies and bioengineering. Using a new technique, transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), the gene encoding the urease enzyme in the model diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, was targeted for interruption. The knockout cassette was identified within the urease gene by PCR and Southern blot analyses of genomic DNA. The lack of urease protein was confirmed by Western blot analyses in mutant cell lines that were unable to grow on urea as the sole nitrogen source. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed a build-up of urea, arginine and ornithine in the urease knockout lines. All three intermediate metabolites are upstream of the urease reaction within the urea cycle, suggesting a disruption of the cycle despite urea production. Numerous high carbon metabolites were enriched in the mutant, implying a breakdown of cellular C and N repartitioning. The presented method improves the molecular toolkit for diatoms and clarifies the role of urease in the urea cycle.
Sexual satisfaction in healthy aging men

Abstract Systematic information on the contributing factors to sexual satisfaction in healthy older men is lacking. The central aim of the study was to explore the predictive significance of psychological, marital, and behavioral variables and their interaction on the satisfaction of healthy married volunteers aged 45 to 74. All subjects had an extensive psy-chosexual and medical evaluation and completed a battery of psychological tests which included the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI), the Locke-Wallace Marital Adjustment Test (L-W) and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (DAS). Step-wise regression analysis demonstrated that the subjects' perception of erectile difficulties, sexual information, affect, and marital adjustment had a differential correlation pattern with three measures of sexual satisfaction explaining a substantial amount of the variance. There is a need to move beyond an exclusive focus on performance to the determinants of sexual enjoyment and satisfaction in the later years.
Lack of effect of butyrate on S phase DNA synthesis despite presence of histone hyperacetylation.

Abstract The effects of sodium butyrate on [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and cell growth characteristics in randomly growing and synchronized HeLa S 3 cells have been examined in an attempt to determine what effects, if any, butyrate has on S phase cells. Whereas 5 mM sodium butyrate rapidly inhibits [ 5 H]thymidine incorporation in a randomly growing cell populations, it has no effect on incorporation during the S phase in cells synchronized by double thymidine block techniques. This lack of effect does not result from an impaired ability of the S phase cells to take up butyrate, since butyrate administration during this period leads to histone hyperacetylation that is identical with that seen with butyrate treatment of randomly growing cells. Furthermore, the ability to induce such hyperacetylation with butyrate during an apparently normal progression through S phase indicates that histone hyperacetylation probably has no effect on the overall process of DNA replication. Temporal patterns of [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation and cell growth following release from a 24-h exposure to butyrate confirm blockage of cell growth in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Thus, the inhibition by butyrate of [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation in randomly growing HeLa S 3 cell populations can be accounted for solely on the basis of a G1 phase block, with no inhibitory effects on cells already engaged in DNA synthesis or cells beyond the G1 phase block at the time of butyrate administration.
Computer Aided Lung Nodule Detection on CT Data

A new computer-aided detection (CAD) scheme for detecting lung nodules is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the lung region is segmented from the CT data using adaptive threshold algorithm etc; Secondly, building active contour model to segment and remove lung vessel accurately in the lung region; Next, suspicious nodules are detected and omitted renal vessel is filtered using a selective shape filter; Finally, nodule features are extracted and rule-based classifier is used to distinguish true or false positive nodules. Experiment results indicate that this scheme can help radiologist improve the diagnosis efficiency.
He says, she says: conflict and coordination in Wikipedia

Wikipedia, a wiki-based encyclopedia, has become one of the most successful experiments in collaborative knowledge building on the Internet. As Wikipedia continues to grow, the potential for conflict and the need for coordination increase as well. This article examines the growth of such non-direct work and describes the development of tools to characterize conflict and coordination costs in Wikipedia. The results may inform the design of new collaborative knowledge systems.
Interaction between Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator and Outwardly Rectified Chloride Channels

We have previously described a protocol for the simultaneous isolation and reconstitution of a protein kinase A (PKA)-sensitive outwardly rectified chloride channel (ORCC) and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) from bovine tracheal epithelium. Immunoprecipitation of CFTR from this preparation prevented PKA activation of the ORCC, suggesting that CFTR regulated the ORCC and that this regulatory relationship was preserved throughout the purification procedure. We now report the purification of CFTR from bovine tracheal epithelia and the purification of a CFTR conduction mutant (G551D CFTR) from retrovirally transduced mouse L cells using a combination of alkali stripping, Triton-X extraction, and immunoaffinity chromatography. Immunopurified CFTR proteins were reconstituted in the absence and presence of ORCC. To test the hypothesis that only functional CFTR can support activation of ORCC by PKA and ATP, we used an inhibitory anti-CFTR505-511 peptide antibody or G551D CFTR. When anti-CFTR505-511 peptide antibodies were present prior to the addition of PKA and ATP, activation of both the ORCC and CFTR was prevented. If the antibody was added after activation of the ORCC and CFTR Cl- channels by PKA and ATP, only the CFTR Cl- channel was inhibited. When ORCC and G551D CFTR were co-incorporated into planar bilayers, only the ORCC was recorded and this channel could not be further activated by the addition of PKA and ATP. Thus, functional CFTR is required for activation of the ORCC by PKA and ATP. We also tested the hypothesis that PKA activation of ORCC was dependent on the extracellular presence of ATP. We added ATP on the presumed extracellular side of the lipid bilayer under conditions where it was not possible to activate the ORCC, i.e. in the presence of inhibitory anti-CFTR505-511 antibody or G551D CFTR. In both cases the ORCC regained PKA sensitivity. Moreover, the addition of hexokinase + glucose to the extracellular side prevented activation of the ORCCs by PKA and ATP in the presence of CFTR. These experiments confirm that both the presence of CFTR as well as the presence of ATP on the extracellular side is required for activation of the ORCC by PKA and ATP.
New allocyclic dimensions in a prograding carbonate bank; evidence for eustatic, tectonic, and paleoceanographic control (late Neogene, Bahamas)

ABSTRACT The deep-sea record, examined recently for the first time in a shallow-depocenter setting, has unveiled remarkable evidence for new sedimentary components and allocyclic complexity in a large, well-studied carbonate bank, the western Great Bahama Bank. The evidence is a composite foraminiferal signature--Paleocene to early Miocene (allogenic or reworked) and late Miocene to late Pliocene (host) planktic taxa, and redeposited middle Miocene shallow benthic faunas. Ages of the oldest and youngest planktic groups range from ~ 66 to ~ 2 Ma. The reworked and redeposited taxa are a proxy for significant sediment components that otherwise have no lithofacies or seiic resolution. The composite signature, reinforced by a distinctive distribution of the reworked and redeposited faunas, documents a much more complex late Neogene depositional system than previously known. The system is more than progradational. The source sequences that supplied the constituent bank-margin grains formed at different water depths and over hundreds of kilometers and tens of millions of years apart. New evidence from the literature and from data obtained during Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 166 in the Santaren Channel (Bahamas) support early interpretations based on the composite fossil record and provide valuable new dimensions to regional allocyclicity. The middle Miocene taxa were confined to the lower part of the section by the latest Miocene-earliest Pliocene(?) lowstand of sea level. An orderly occurrence of the allogenic taxa is unique to the global reworked geologic record and appears to have been controlled by a combination of Paleogene-early Neogene tectonics at the source, eustatic changes, and late Neogene current activity at the source and across the bank. The allogenic taxa expand the spatial and temporal range of information in the northern Bahamas by nearly an order of magnitude. In essence, some of the major processes active in the region during ~ 64 m.y. of the Cenozoic can be viewed from within a narrow (~ 6 m.y.) late Neogene window. In this case, the fossil record also serves to demonstrate the potential and significance in evaluating reworked and redeposited assemblages.
Identification of a novel mitotic phosphorylation motif associated with protein localization to the mitotic apparatus

The chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) is a crucial regulator of chromosome, cytoskeleton and membrane dynamics during mitosis. Here, using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS), we identified phosphopeptides and phosphoprotein complexes recognized by a phosphorylation-specific antibody that labels the CPC. A mitotic phosphorylation motif {PX[G/T/S][L/M]S(P) P or WGLS(P) P} was identified by MS in 11 proteins, including FZR1 (Cdh1) and RIC8A-two proteins with potential links to the CPC. Phosphoprotein complexes contained the known CPC components INCENP, Aurora-B (Aurkb) and TD-60 (Rcc2, RCC1-like), as well as SMAD2, 14-3-3 proteins, PP2A and Cdk1 (Cdc2a), a probable kinase for this motif. Protein sequence analysis identified phosphorylation motifs in additional proteins, including SMAD2, PLK3 and INCENP. Mitotic SMAD2 and PLK3 phosphorylation was confirmed using phosphorylation-specific antibodies, and, in the case of Plk3, phosphorylation correlated with its localization to the mitotic apparatus and the midbody. A mutagenesis approach was used to show that INCENP phosphorylation is required for its localization to the midbody. These results provide evidence for a shared phosphorylation event that regulates localization of crucial proteins during mitosis.
Error-detection codes: algorithms and fast implementation

Binary CRCs are very effective for error detection, but their software implementation is not very efficient. Thus, many binary nonCRC codes (which are not as strong as CRCs, but can be more efficiently implemented in software) are proposed as alternatives to CRCs. The nonCRC codes include WSC, CXOR, one's-complement checksum, Fletcher checksum, and block-parity code. We present a general algorithm for constructing a family of binary error-detection codes. This family is large because it contains all these nonCRC codes, CRCs, perfect codes, as well as other linear and nonlinear codes. In addition to unifying these apparently disparate codes, our algorithm also generates some nonCRC codes that have minimum distance 4 (like CRCs) and efficient software implementation.
Gender, victimization, and psychiatric outcomes

BACKGROUND: Although gender differences in rates of internalizing disorders, particularly depression, are well documented, the causes of these differences are not well understood. One influential hypothesis [Cutler & Nolen-Hoeksema, Sex Roles (1991), 24, 425-438] proposes that higher rates of depression in females compared to males may be partially attributable to gender differences in the effects of childhood sexual abuse. The present study has evaluated this possibility by reviewing evidence for gender moderating the effects of childhood victimization on psychiatric outcomes. METHOD: Literature search using PsycINFO and Medline, applying the following inclusion criteria: publication from 1996 to 2006, community-based sampling, adequate male-to-female sample ratio, use of clearly defined psychiatric outcomes, and a statistical test of gender differences in the effects of childhood victimization on psychiatric outcomes. RESULTS: Thirty studies met inclusion criteria. Overall, the results were mixed. Nearly half of all studies find no gender differences. In studies that do observe gender differences, victimization tends to be associated with higher psychiatric risk in females in studies with adult samples, whereas in samples of youth, victimization tends to be associated with higher psychiatric risk in males. With respect to outcome, when gender differences were observed, outcomes were distributed across both internalizing and externalizing categories for both genders. CONCLUSIONS: The gender differences in prevalence rates of internalizing disorders, such as depression, do not appear to be attributable to differential effects of childhood victimization. Language: en
Towards a Usenet-Like Discussion System for Users of Disconnected MANETs

Applications that rely on the publish-subscribe model (such as those dedicated to news or event distribution) require a communication model whereby information can flow towards any interested receiver rather than towards set destinations. Content-based communication is a style of communication that perfectly fits the needs of such applications. Yet supporting this kind of communication in partially or intermittently connected mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) is still a challenge, for end-to-end content-driven routing structures can hardly be constructed and maintained in such environments. In this paper we provide an overview of a protocol we designed to support opportunistic, delay-tolerant, content- based communication in a disconnected MANET. We also describe our project of using this protocol to implement a peer-to-peer, Usenet-inspired discussion system.
Juvenile crisis intervention teams (CITs): a qualitative description of current programmes

This article describes one of the newest, most specialised law enforcement programmes in the United States: Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs) for youth with mental illness. In response to the fragmentation of behavioural healthcare services in the educational, juvenile justice and mental health systems, Juvenile-CITs (J-CITs) have been implemented in a handful of jurisdictions to serve as an intervention for troubled and troublesome adolescents in need of mental health care. Information about J-CITs is limited; little has been written about such programmes, and no published studies have examined their effectiveness. Hence the present study was undertaken to identify all of the currently operational J-CITs in the United States. We conducted structured telephone interviews in order to gather qualitative data regarding the philosophy, origins, operations and components of each J-CIT. We afford an early look at several J-CIT programmes in diverse geographic areas. We conclude with observations concerning the role of such programmes in a law enforcement as well as the challenges that police departments are likely to face in the implementation and maintenance of such initiatives.
Foveation embedded DCT domain video transcoding

Video transcoding is a key technology to support video communications over heterogeneous networks. Although quite a bit of research effort has been made in video transcoding due to its wide applications, most video transcoding techniques proposed in the literature are optimized based on the simple mean squared error (MSE) metric which does not correlate well with the human visual perception. In this paper, foveation, a property of the HVS, is exploited in video transcoding. The proposed foveation embedded DCT domain video transcoding can reduce the bit rate without compromising visual quality or achieve better subjective quality for a given bit rate by shaping the compression distortion according to the foveated contrast sensitivity function of the HVS. In addition, fast algorithms for video foveation filtering and DCT domain inverse motion compensation are developed, which significantly improve the efficiency of video transcoding.
Sulforaphane: a naturally occurring mammary carcinoma mitotic inhibitor, which disrupts tubulin polymerization

Sulforaphane (SUL), an isothiocyanate found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to induce phase II detoxification enzymes, inhibit chemically induced mammary tumors in rats, and more recently to induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in cancer cells of the colon. Here, we provide evidence that SUL also acts as a breast cancer anti-proliferative agent. The BALB/c mouse mammary carcinoma cell line F3II was treated with SUL at concentrations up to 15 microM and examined for markers of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Treatment of asynchronous F3II cells with 15 microM SUL resulted in G2/M cell cycle arrest, elevated p34cdc2 (cdc2) kinase activity, Bcl-2 down-regulation, evidence of caspase activation, and aggregation of condensed nuclear chromatin. Subsequent exposure of synchronized cells to 15 microM SUL resulted in elevated numbers of prophase/prometaphase mitotic figures, indicating cell cycle progression beyond G2 and arrest early within mitosis. Moreover, cells treated with 15 microM SUL displayed aberrant mitotic spindles, and higher doses of SUL inhibited tubulin polymerization in vitro. In addition, BALB/c mice injected s.c. with F3II cells and subsequently injected daily i.v. with SUL (15 nmol/day for 13 days) developed significantly smaller tumors (approximately 60% less in mass) than vehicle-treated controls. Western blot analysis of tumor proteins demonstrated significantly (P<0.05) reduced PCNA and elevated PARP fragmentation in samples from animals dosed with SUL. Taken together, these results indicate that SUL has mammary cancer suppressive actions both in cell culture and in the whole animal. Inhibition of mammary carcinogenesis appears in part to involve perturbation of mitotic microtubules and early M-phase block associated with cdc2 kinase activation, indicating that cells arrest prior to metaphase exit.
Economic well-being and children's social adjustment: The role of family process in an ethnically diverse low-income sample

Using latent variable structural equation modeling, a family economic stress model that links economic well-being to child well-being in an ethnically diverse, low-income sample of 419 elementary school-age children was evaluated. The sample was 57% African American and 28% Hispanic, and most families were headed by single mothers. The results provided support for the position that family process is a critical mediator of the effects of economic hardship on children's social adjustment. Lower levels of economic well-being, and the corollary elevated perceptions of economic pressure indirectly affected parenting behavior through an adverse impact on parental psychological well-being. Distressed parents reported feeling less effective and capable in disciplinary interactions with their child and were observed to be less affectionate in parent-child interactions. In turn, less than optimal parenting predicted lower teacher ratings of children's positive social behavior and higher ratings of behavior problems. Multiple-group analyses revealed that the pathways by which economic hardship influences children's behavior appear to operate similarly for boys and girls, and for African American and Hispanic families.
UREA CYCLE DISORDERS

Deficiency of any of the five enzymes in the urea cycle results in the accumulation of ammonia and leads to encephalopathy. Episodes of encephalopathy and associated systems are unpredictable and, if untreated, are lethal or produce devastating neurologic sequelae in long-term survivors. Although these disorders do not produce liver disease, the consequences of hyperammonemia resemble those seen in patients with hepatic failure or in a transient interference with the urea cycle, as seen in some forms of organic acidemias. Therefore, investigation for hyperammonemia in any infant or child with altered mental status (in the absence of obvious causes, such as trauma, infection or poisoning) is essential for prompt diagnosis of urea cycle disorders and institution of treatment to avoid brain damage and death. In this article, the function of the urea cycle and the diagnosis and management of the urea cycle disorders are addressed.
The impact of problem statement languages on evaluating and improving software performance

The need to improve the methods by which large software systems are constructed is becoming widely recognized. For example, in a recent study (Office of Management and Budget) to improve the effectiveness of systems analysts and programmers, a project team stated that: "The most important way to improve the effectiveness of the government systems analysts and programmers is by reducing the TIME now spent on systems analysis, design, implementations, and maintenance while maintaining or improving the present level of ADP system quality."
Using Semantic Distance to Automatically Suggest Transfer Course Equivalencies

Semantic distance is the degree of closeness between two pieces of text determined by their meaning. Semantic distance is typically measured by analyzing a set of documents or a list of terms and assigning a metric based on the likeness of their meaning or the concept they represent. Although related research provides some semantic-based algorithms, few applications exist. This work proposes a semantic-based approach for automatically identifying potential course equivalencies given their catalog descriptions. The method developed by Li et al. (2006) is extended in this paper to take a course description from one university as the input and suggest equivalent courses offered at another university. Results are evaluated and future work is discussed.
Integration of epitaxially-grown InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot lasers with hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides on silicon

The monolithic integration of epitaxially-grown InGaAs/GaAs self-organized quantum dot lasers with hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a:Si-H) waveguides on silicon substrates is demonstrated. Hydrogenated amorphous silicon waveguides, formed by plasma-enhanced-chemical-vapor deposition (PECVD), exhibit a propagation loss of ~10 dB/cm at a wavelength of 1.05 µm. The laser-waveguide coupling, with coupling coefficient of 22%, is achieved through a 3.2 µm-width groove etched by focused-ion-beam (FIB) milling which creates high-quality etched GaAs facets.
Characterization of a Group of MITEs with Unusual Features from Two Coral Genomes

Background: Miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements (MITEs), which are common in eukaryotic genomes, are small non-coding elements that transpose by utilizing transposases encoded by autonomous transposons. Recent genome-wide analyses and cross-mobilization assays have greatly improved our knowledge on MITE proliferation, however, specific mechanisms for the origin and evolution of MITEs are still unclear. Principal Findings: A group of coral MITEs called CMITE were identified from two corals, Acropora millepora and Acropora palmata. CMITEs conform to many common characteristics of MITEs, but also present several unusual features. The most unusual feature of CMITEs is conservation of the internal region, which is more conserved between MITE families than the TIRs. The origin of this internal region remains unknown, although we found one CMITE family that seems to be derived from a piggyBac-like transposon in A. millepora. CMITEs can form tandem arrays, suggesting an unconventional way for MITEs to increase copy numbers. We also describe a case in which a novel transposable element was created by a CMITE insertion event. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first report of identification of MITEs from coral genomes. Proliferation of CMITEs seems to be related to the transposition machinery of piggyBac-like autonomous transposons. The highly conserved internal region of CMITEs suggests a potential role for this region in their successful transposition. However, the origin of these unusual features in CMITEs remains unclear, and thus represents an intriguing topic for future investigations.
The “Populist” Films of Frank Capra

What is the nature and distribution of power in American society? This question, as much as any other single issue, has been the source of wideranging debates among American social scientists throughout the last twenty-five years. The question is tantalizingly simple. In fact, the titles of two notable contributions to the debate, Who Rules America? and Who Governs?, put the issue even more succinctly while losing little of the flavor of the original question. The controversy is more than just a basis for scholarly esoterica politely parried back and forth in the professional literature for a limited audience. Indeed, the debate has been carried on with great passion and commitment because how one answers this question will largely determine one's perceptions about American politics.For example, if one were to reply by saying that power is basically noncumulative and that it is widely distributed among many groups and individuals, then certain other conclusions would follow: the Constitution is essentially a democratic document which institutionalizes this broad distribution of power; elections are the means by which power is transferred among competing groups; public policy represents an accurate reflection of the general will through this inter-group competition; and the American political system is essentially democratic because opportunities for participation, and thus power, are open to all.
The Myth of Race

This chapter divides the question "What is race?" into two questions. The first is "How can we understand the variation in physical appearance among human beings?" It is answered by reviewing evidence from evolutionary biology and biological anthropology that shows that the human species has no races in the biological sense. Physical appearance varies gradually around the planet; and more distant populations are more different from one another than closer ones. The second question is, "How can we understand the kinds of racial classifications (folk taxonomies) applied to differences in physical appearance among human beings?" The answer is provided by evidence from cultural anthropology and cross-cultural psychology, including the author's research comparing racial folk taxonomies in eight cultures. The concept of race varies widely from culture to culture, and cognate racial terms in different languages have different meanings.
Pharmacological suppression of corticosterone secretion in response to a physical stressor does not prevent the delayed persistent increase in circulating basal corticosterone concentration.

Elevated basal plasma corticosterone concentrations have been observed for several days after the cessation of severe stress. In the present study, we examined whether or not the acute plasma corticosterone response to stress is necessary to elicit increased basal plasma corticosterone concentrations the following day. Pretreatment with metyrapone (100 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) 1 h before inescapable stress (40 2mA tailshocks delivered over a 1-h period) (IS) blocked the acute plasma corticosterone response to IS. However, elevated basal plasma corticosterone concentrations still emerged the next day. These results suggest that the corticosterone response to stress, and its attendant feedback, are not necessary to produce persistent hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) activation.
Near complete response after single dose of nivolumab in patient with advanced heavily pre-treated KRAS mutant pulmonary adenocarcinoma

The programmed death 1 (PD-1) receptor is expressed by activated T-cells and engaged by ligands PD-L1 and PD-L2 normally expressed by infiltrating immune cells in response to viral infection. The PD-1/PD-L1 axis is a negative inhibitory pathway that down-regulates T-cells but is also used by tumors to evade anti-tumor immunity. Antibodies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 axis are capable of restoring functional anti-tumor immunity and have demonstrated efficacy in a broad range of tumor types including non-small cell lung cancer in both squamous and adenocarcinoma histologies. Ongoing issues affecting clinical development of these agents include assessment of response, optimal duration of therapy in excellent responders, predictive biomarkers and mechanisms of resistance. In this report, we describe a patient with advanced KRAS mutant heavily pretreated pulmonary adenocarcinoma who developed an excellent response after a single-dose of nivolumab. Pre-treatment tumor was found to have moderate CD3 and PD-L1 positivity by immunohistochemical staining. Evaluation of exceptional responders and non-responders are critical to furthering our understanding of the mechanisms of action (and resistance) to these agents.
Mobility of Rare Gases Adsorbed on the (001) Surface of MgO

Recently, there has been considerable interest in studying the adsorption of rare gases or simple molecules on the (001) surface of MgO [1,2]. The principal motivation of many experimental studies is the possibility of observing the effects of substrate geometry on structural and thermodynamic properties of the adlayers. There are at least two important effects to study.
Stretch, a Common Denominator in Muscle Growth

Increased mechanical work leads to hypertrophy of muscle cells and hyperplasia of non-muscle cells in heart and skeletal muscle. Greater work accelerates energy production via anaerobic glycolysis and oxidative metabolism, elevates oxygen consumption, increases muscle blood flow, and raises protein synthetic rate. The mechanical parameter(s) most closely associated with faster protein synthesis in both heart and skeletal muscle is stretch. Our laboratory has studied the relationship between stretch of the ventricular wall induced by increased aortic pressure and elevated intraventricular pressure and rates of protein synthesis and degradation in heart muscle. The purpose of these studies is to understand the molecular mechanism(s) of cardiac hypertrophy induced by greater afterload or preload.
Coded aperture x-ray diffraction imaging with transmission computed tomography side-information

Coded aperture X-ray diffraction (coherent scatter spectral) imaging provides fast and dose-efficient measurements of the molecular structure of an object. The information provided is spatially-dependent and material-specific, and can be utilized in medical applications requiring material discrimination, such as tumor imaging. However, current coded aperture coherent scatter spectral imaging system assume a uniformly or weakly attenuating object, and are plagued by image degradation due to non-uniform self-attenuation. We propose accounting for such non-uniformities in the self-attenuation by utilizing an X-ray computed tomography (CT) image (reconstructed attenuation map). In particular, we present an iterative algorithm for coherent scatter spectral image reconstruction, which incorporates the attenuation map, at different stages, resulting in more accurate coherent scatter spectral images in comparison to their uncorrected counterpart. The algorithm is based on a spectrally grouped edge-preserving regularizer, where the neighborhood edge weights are determined by spatial distances and attenuation values.
Proposed Steady-State Kinetic Mechanism for Corynebacterium ammoniagenes FAD Synthetase Produced by Escherichia coli†

The bifunctional enzyme, FAD synthetase (FS), from Corynebacterium ammoniagenes was overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified, and its steady-state kinetic properties were investigated. Although FMN is an intermediate product in the conversion of riboflavin to FAD, FMN must be released after formation, and then rebind for adenylylation. It was shown that adenylylation of FMN is reversible; FAD and pyrophosphate can be converted to FMN and ATP by the enzyme. In contrast, under the conditions studied, phosphorylation of riboflavin is irreversible. A method is described for analysis of two catalytic cycles, occurring on one enzyme, which have a substrate and/or product in common. The binding order for the phosphorylation cycle of FS was established as riboflavin(in), ATP(in), ADP(out), and FMN(out). The order for the adenylylation cycle was ATP(in), FMN(in), pyrophosphate(out), and FAD(out). A set of steady-state constants was determined, and without additional optimization, these constants were sufficient to describe experimental progress curves for conversion of riboflavin to FAD. In independent studies, it was demonstrated that FMN binds to apo-FS with a dissociation constant of 6-7 microM, which is 2 orders of magnitude higher than the KD value for riboflavin. For the steady-state kinetic analysis, this represents reversible binding of FMN(out) in the phosphorylation cycle (cycle I), which effectively inhibits catalysis in the adenylylation cycle (cycle II).
Atomic-Scale Physics and Modeling of Schottky Barrier Effect in Carbon Nanotube Nanoelectronics

We present an atomistic self-consistent study of the electronic and transport properties of semiconducting carbon nanotubes in contact with metal electrodes at different contact geometries. We analyze the Schottky barrier effect at the metal-nanotube interface by examining the electrostatics, the band line up and the conductance of the metal-nanotube wire-metal junction as a function of the nanotube channel length, which leads to an effective decoupling of interface and bulk effects in electron transport through nanotube junction devices.
Optimization of a mammalian expression system for the measurement of sodium channel gating currents

We describe a new mammalian expression system that optimizes conditions for the measurement of Na channel gating currents (Ig). The small magnitude of Ig limits their study to preparations with high numbers of Na channels to improve signal-to-noise ratios. To increase Na channel Ig signals, single tsA201 cells (approximately 20 microns in diameter) were fused into large, multinucleated cells by treatment with polyethylene glycol. After being placed in cell culture for 48-72 h, fused tsA201 cells develop a spherical geometry with diameters up to 200 microns. Because of the large plasma membrane surface area, fused tsA201 cells are able to express high levels of Na channels after transient transfection with Na channel cDNAs using Lipofectamine. Typically, 5 days after transfection, fused tsA201 cells that are 60-100 microns in diameter are selected for voltage clamp with a large suction pipette (a pore size of 20-30 microns) that allows for both a low series resistance and internal perfusion. Approximately two-thirds of transfected fused tsA201 cells express Na current, with nearly one-third of transfected cells expressing sufficient numbers of Na channels to allow for the ready measurement of Ig. In addition to fused tsA201 cells being a preparation well suited for the study of Ig, they should also be useful for measurement of electrical signals from other voltage-gated channels and transporters that generate small electrical signals.
Bryostatin 1 acts synergistically with interleukin-1 alpha to induce secretion of G-CSF and other cytokines from marrow stromal cells.

Abstract The protein kinase C (PKC) activator bryostatin 1 (bryo) has substantial antileukemic and hematopoietic actions. Bryo promotes the in vitro growth of normal hematopoietic progenitors by inducing the release of growth factors from accessory cells. We have examined the effects of bryo on the expression and release of certain myeloid growth factors from fibroblastlike marrow stromal cells (MSC). Substantial release of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). or interleukin-6 (IL-6) following bryo treatment was seen only in MSC cultures contaminated with macrophages. Bryo alone was ineffective in inducing release of the cytokines from MSC cultures containing only fibroblastlike stromal cells. When MSC were treated with IL-1alpha, substantial quantities of the cytokines (G-CSF, GM-CSF,IL-6) were released. Bryo acted synergistically with IL-1 alpha to significantly increase cytokine release to- to nine-fold compared to IL-1alpha alone (p < 0.016). Neither Il-1alpha nor bryo, alone or in combination, induced release of stem cell factor (scf) from MSC. The synergistic interaction between IL-1alpha and bryo was dose- and schedule-dependent, requiring simultaneous application of IL-1alpha and bryo for optimum effect. Bryo alone induced no G-CSF mRNA accumulation but increased the level seen with IL-1alpha treatment by 50%. The synergistic interaction of bryo and IL-1alpha required PKC, since it was antagonized by agents which depleted or inhibited PKC but not by a protein kinase A antagonist. The increase in G-CSF mRNA was associated with a marked increase in mRNA stability. Bryostatin may promote the release of cytokines from several accessory cell populations, including MSC, to accomplish its in vivo hematopoietic effects.
Resuscitation of the Injured Patient: The Three Phases of Treatment

A simplistic and rational approach to the treatment of hypovolemic shock in the injured patient is presented, based upon sequential pathophysiologic or dynamic homeostatic changes which are an integral part of the body’s defense and recuperative mechanisms.
Racial-ethnic disparities in acute blood pressure after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Objective: To assess race-ethnic differences in acute blood pressure (BP) following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and the contribution to disparities in ICH outcome. Methods: BPs in the field (emergency medical services [EMS]), emergency department (ED), and at 24 hours were compared and adjusted for group differences between non-Hispanic black (black), non-Hispanic white (white), and Hispanic participants in the Ethnic Racial Variations of Intracerebral Hemorrhage case-control study. Outcome was obtained by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months. We analyzed race-ethnic differences in good outcome (mRS ≤ 2) and mortality after adjusting for baseline differences and included BP recordings in this model. Results: Of 2,069 ICH cases enrolled, 30% were white, 37% black, and 33% Hispanic. Black and Hispanic patients had higher EMS and ED systolic and diastolic BPs compared with white patients ( p = 0.0001). Although attenuated, at 24 hours after admission, black patients had higher systolic and diastolic BPs. After adjusting for baseline differences, significant race/ethnic differences persisted for EMS systolic, ED systolic and diastolic, and 24-hours diastolic BP. Only ED systolic and diastolic BP was associated with poor functional outcome, and no BP predicted mortality. We found no race-ethnic differences in 3-month functional outcome or mortality after adjusting for group differences, including acute BPs. Conclusions: Although black and Hispanic patients had higher BPs than white patients at presentation, we did not find race-ethnic disparities in 3-month functional outcome or mortality. ED systolic and diastolic BP was associated with poor functional outcome, but not mortality, in this race-ethnically diverse population.
The Early Life of Alfred Cowles III

Some Great Minds make their mark through shear brilliance. Others make a historically significant contribution not by solving a seemingly intractable problem, but by recognizing, perhaps from a unique vantage point, that a problem exists, or by offering, from their access to unique resources, a pathway to solve the problem. Alfred Cowles III was a great mind because of his unique ability to motivate others. He also brought to the problem an infectious entrepreneurial spirit, and access to financial resources almost never found among modern academics.
Noncontrollability of Linear Time-Invariant Systems Using Multiple One-Dimensional Linear Delay Feedbacks

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the proof of noncontrollability of linear time-invariant systems using multiple one-dimensional linear delay feedbacks. The chapter also presents the necessary conditions in which a delay differential system is called point-wise degenerate. If the system is not point-wise degenerate, then it is called point-wise complete. The largest set of real numbers at which the system is point-wise degenerate is called the degeneracy set. The chapter also focuses on a special class of initial functions for the representation of a solution and presents the necessary conditions of point-wise degeneracy.
Transplantation of Peripheral Blood Stem Cells from Unrelated Donors Is Not Associated with Inferior Survival Compared to Bone Marrow Transplantation in Children with Hematologic Malignancies - A Registry Analysis from the German/Austrian Pediatric Registry for Stem Cell Transplantation (PRST).

Abstract The optimum stem cell source for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains highly controversial. A recent study in older children and adolescents receiving HSCT from HLA-identical sibling donors has revealed higher mortality after peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) compared to bone marrow (BM) transplantation (Eapen et al, JCO, 2004). However, despite the increasing use of PBSC in pediatric HSCT from matched unrelated donors (MUD), comparative studies on the relative risks and benefits of both stem cell sources are lacking. We therefore analysed the outcome of unrelated PBSC (n=118) and BM (n=102) transplants reported to the German/Austrian Pediatric Registry for Stem Cell Transplantation (PRST) between 1998 and 2003. Patients with hematologic malignancies (ALL, AML, CML, or MDS), who had received unmanipulated HSCT from ≥ 5/6 HLA antigen-matched unrelated donors following myeloablative conditioning were included into the analysis. PBSC and BM groups were comparable with regard to sex, age, CMV serostatus, GvHD prophylaxis, disease status at transplant, prophylactic growth factor use and degree of HLA-matching, while differences were detected in disease category (more MDS patients in PBSC group, p=0.02), transplanted cell dose (higher CD34-cell graft content in PBSC group, p=0.001) and median year of transplant (PBSC transplantations were more recent, p=0.01). Engraftment was achieved significantly faster after PBSC compared to BM transplantation: 15 vs. 19 days for neutrophil engraftment (p=0.001) and 21 vs. 25 days for platelet engraftment (p
A Comparison of Force-Reduced Toroidal Geometries and Conventional Superconducting Magnets

The discovery of ‘high-T c ’ superconductors has led to renewed interest in large-scale applications of superconductivity, such as electromagnetic energy storage and magnetohydrodynamic propulsion; however, an upper limit on the magnetic field and size of such devices remains the difficulty in supporting the large Lorentz forces. Here, a new approach to winding toroidal magnets in a force-reduced geometry is proposed. As force-free finite geometries are not possible due to the limits of the Virial theorem, the proposed system is based on a force-free solution to Ampere’s Law for the inner leg mated to conventional dee-shaped outer legs. Preliminary results from finite element calculations indicate that this design may offer substantial improvement over conventional approaches. In addition to force reduction, the need for either wedging or bucking in the inner leg is eliminated. Further analysis is necessary to fully quantify the relative merits of this approach.
Data coupling analysis of farmland wireless sensor network based on association rules

Because the environment of farmland is complex and its area is vast, wireless sensor network is used to monitor its environment. The purpose is to realize the accurate management of farmland and ensure the yield and quality of crops. In this paper, by taking two parameters of the farmland environment and the position of nodes as an example, we put forward a spatial correlation clustering algorithm which based on hierarchical data. The method classifies the data of multiple source sensors according to the association strength of parameters of the farmland environment firstly. Then, it takes a clustering analysis based on spatial density for each class of data. This method ensures the consistency of data and temporal and spatial relevance. The experimental results have a better guidance role in the farmland.
A Case of Acute Autoimmune Hepatitis Superimposed on Chronic Hepatitis B Infection.

Autoimmune hepatitis has been associated with chronic HCV infection, but there are only few cases reported of HBV infection as a possible trigger. We present a case of a young male who was diagnosed with acute autoimmune hepatitis superimposed on existent chronic HBV infection. A 30-year-old Hispanic male with no past medical history presented to the hospital with complaints of few days of generalized weakness. Laboratory findings were significant for elevated liver enzymes: AST, 1164 U/L; ALT, 1461 U/L; total bilirubin, 2 MG/DL; and alkaline phosphatase, 75 IU/L. Extensive workup was done to find the etiology for elevated liver enzymes. Only blood work that came back positive was for chronic HBV infection and elevated immunoglobulin G (IgG) level 1937 mg/dL. HBV viral load was 42,900,000 IU/mL. The patient was started on tenofovir 300 mg daily. Liver biopsy was done which was consistent with autoimmune hepatitis. Prednisone 60 mg daily was started. Six months later, blood work showed completely normal liver enzymes and total IgG. Hepatotropic viruses have been proposed as triggering factors for several autoimmune diseases. There are theories suggesting that similarity in viral epitope and self-proteins expression on liver cells’ surface causes a cross-reactive immunologic response and possible viral-induced autoimmune hepatitis.