cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stress response factors drive regrowth of quiescent cells

Quiescent cells exploit an array of transcription factors to activate stress response machinery and maintain survival under nutrient-limited conditions. Our recent findings reveal that these transcription factors also play an important role in the exit of quiescence and regrowth. By studying Saccharomyces cerevisiae under a continuous, nutrient-limited condition, we found that Msn2 and Msn4 function as master regulators of glycolytic genes in the quiescent-like phase. They control the timing of transition from quiescence to growth by regulating the accumulation rate of acetyl-CoA, a key metabolite that is downstream of glycolysis and drives growth. These findings suggest a model that Msn2/4 not only protect the cells from starvation but also facilitate their regrowth from quiescence. Thus, understanding the functions of stress response transcription factors in metabolic regulation will provide deeper insight into how quiescent cells manage the capacity of regrowth.
Global Buckling of Sandwich Columns and Wide Panels

The most important issue regarding buckling of sandwich structures is the effect of transverse shear which can significantly reduce the Euler critical load. Simply put, the effect of transverse shear absolutely cannot be neglected. Therefore, all formulas for sandwich buckling are essentially ways to include this effect into the Euler formulas. Two basic ways for including transverse shear in column buckling are the Engesser (1891) and the Haringx (1948, 1949) approaches. Both of these approaches are also outlined by Timoshenko (1936).
Abstract LB-274: Overcoming colorectal cancer resistance to death receptor agonists: Design and delivery of treatment combinations

Death Receptor 5 (DR5) is a key upregulated marker in colorectal cancer (CRC), overexpressed in over 90% of patients. There is a dire clinical need for drugs that can deliver targeted cell killing via this receptor. Over the past decade, various DR5 agonists have shown poor clinical efficacy, including both engineered antibodies and TRAIL, the natural ligand for this receptor. Comprehensive studies suggest that there are three major obstacles to success of these agents: 1) potency, 2) delivery, and 3) resistance. If these issues are addressed, DR5 will be an excellent therapeutic target for a variety of cancers, and provide a novel means for substantially advancing the clinical treatment of CRC. To improve delivery and overcome drug resistance, we have developed a platform that harnesses the power of genetic screening and protein engineering to design and deliver efficacious protein drug combinations. To pinpoint the genetic drivers of CRC resistance to a multivalent DR5 agonist (DRA), we used a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen. The screen identified genes that confer sensitivity to the DRA in resistant CRC cell lines. Over twenty small molecule drugs targeting pathways and proteins identified from the screens were then tested in combination with the DRA to identify highly synergistic combinations using cytotoxicity assays. Clonogenic, time-to-progression, and cell viability assays showed that pharmacological blockade of XIAP, Bcl-XL, and CDK4/6 strongly enhances antitumor activity of DRA in established human CRC cell lines and patient-derived CRC cells. To address the need for sustained delivery of therapeutic proteins, we developed injectable depots of anti-cancer proteins recombinantly fused to thermally responsive elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) biopolymers. The bioactive DRA-ELP fusions undergo temperature-driven phase transition upon subcutaneous injection in vivo, resulting in the formation of a gel-like depot suitable for sustained drug delivery. A single 30 mg/kg injection of the gel-like DRA-ELP depot induced significant tumor regression in Colo205 mouse xenografts. By addressing both delivery and resistance issues with our protein engineering and genomics platform, we have overcome key obstacles to clinical translation of a pro-apoptotic DRA. Citation Format: Mandana T. Manzari, Xinghai Li, Grace Anderson, Kris Wood, Ashutosh Chilkoti. Overcoming colorectal cancer resistance to death receptor agonists: Design and delivery of treatment combinations [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-274.
VeriCCM: improving the syntax and semantics of requirements models

Many problems in software systems can ultimately be traced to problematic system requirements. To mitigate this problem, some systems builders have adopted a more systematic approach to requirements elicitation and analysis. However, many of these approaches treat requirements as isolated entities having no direct connection to the actual system implementation. We propose Veri-CCM, an approach that addresses potential problems both in the semantics and the syntax of requirements models. We also evaluate our approach with an empirical study.
A New Comprehensive Measure of High-Value Aspects of Primary Care

PURPOSE To develop and evaluate a concise measure of primary care that is grounded in the experience of patients, clinicians, and health care payers. METHODS We asked crowd-sourced samples of 412 patients, 525 primary care clinicians, and 85 health care payers to describe what provides value in primary care, then asked 70 primary care and health services experts in a 2½ day international conference to provide additional insights. A multidisciplinary team conducted a qualitative analysis of the combined data to develop a parsimonious set of patient-reported items. We evaluated items using factor analysis, Rasch modeling, and association analyses among 2 online samples and 4 clinical samples from diverse patient populations. RESULTS The resulting person-centered primary care measure parsimoniously represents the broad scope of primary care, with 11 domains each represented by a single item: accessibility, advocacy, community context, comprehensiveness, continuity, coordination, family context, goal-oriented care, health promotion, integration, and relationship. Principal axes factor analysis identified a single factor. Factor loadings and corrected item-total correlations were >0.6 in online samples (n = 2,229) and >0.5 in clinical samples (n = 323). Factor scores were fairly normally distributed in online patient samples, and skewed toward higher ratings in point-of-care patient samples. Rasch models showed a broad spread of person and item scores, acceptable item-fit statistics, and little item redundancy. Preliminary concurrent validity analyses supported hypothesized associations. CONCLUSIONS The person-centered primary care measure reliably, comprehensively, and parsimoniously assesses the aspects of care thought to represent high-value primary care by patients, clinicians, and payers. The measure is ready for further validation and outcome analyses, and for use in focusing attention on what matters about primary care, while reducing measurement burden.
Analysis of reactive astrogliosis in mouse brain using in situ hybridization combined with immunohistochemistry.

Summary Reactive astrogliosis is characterized by a profound change in astrocyte phenotype in response to all CNS injuries. Here, we present a revised in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocol to label the reactive astrocytes in the mouse brain. Several approaches for quantifying astrocyte reactivity lacked sensitivity to discriminate across the spectrum. We optimized in situ hybridization followed by IHC. We provide a staining protocol for quantitative measures of astrocyte reactivity as an independent confirmation of the magnitude of reactive gliosis. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Muraleedharan et al. (2020) .
Disparities in Health Care: The Pandemic’s Lessons for Health Lawyers

Population-level disparities in health and health care came to the forefront of U.S. public consciousness in 2020. As the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic stratification of COVID-19 infection and death rates emerged with chilling clarity, the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer focused millions of Americans on the complex, structural nature of inequity and its long-lasting effects. Access to quality health care is a “social determinant of health,” meaning that it is one of the “non-medical factors that influence health outcomes . . . the conditions in which people are born, grow, work, live, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.” Although it may seem obvious that differential access to high-quality care results in differential health outcomes, less obvious are the ways that multiple factors—including facially neutral laws and organizational practices—interact over time to produce population-level disparities in care and outcomes. In 2021, all U.S. health lawyers should monitor and consider the following key developments affecting equitable access to health care: • The ongoing pandemic response and the disparate access to U.S. health care systems that it reveals; • The ongoing expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the legality of exceptions to federal requirements granted to state Medicaid programs; • The continuing evolution in publicly-funded health insurance toward payment models that reward positive health outcomes (and punish poor ones); and • The ongoing debate over federal law preventing discrimination in health care eligibility and delivery of care. Differences in health outcomes between populations—defined not only by differences in race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, but also by disability status, age, geographic location, language, immigration status, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation—are not new. Nor are group differences in access to care, insurance coverage, and quality of care that closely align to social, economic, and/or other environmental disadvantage. But, with intensifying and warranted attention to health inequity and its financial and social costs, U.S. health lawyers across the system should be alert to the ways that facially neutral organizational practices and policies reinforce health care disparities and thereby contribute to disparate health outcomes.
Color and Color Stability of Stone

The color of structural and monumental stone has challenged the architect for the most effective and harmonious appearance in architectural design since ancient times. The utilization of different color shades of stone has given new life to many existing structures. Stone colors are influenced by the color of the predominant mineral, but also by the adjacent minerals, grain size, and grain cement.
Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe: Stein, Stanley J., and Barbara H. Stein: Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 351 pp., Publication Date: April 2000

(2000). Silver, Trade, and War: Spain and America in the Making of Early Modern Europe. History: Reviews of New Books: Vol. 28, No. 4, pp. 167-167.
Personalizing the Selection of Digital Library Resources to Support Intentional Learning

This paper describes a personalization approach for using online resources in digital libraries to support intentional learning. Personalized resource recommendations are made based on what learners currently know and what they should know within a targeted domain to support their learning process. We use natural language processing and graph based algorithms to automatically select online resources to address students' specific conceptual learning needs. An evaluation of the graph based algorithm indicates that the majority of recommended resources are highly relevant or relevant for addressing students' individual knowledge gaps and prior conceptions.
Fabrication of vertically aligned silicon nanotubes using nanosphere beads as the mask and Bosch process

In this paper, we report that silicon nanotubes or hollow nanopillars can be fabricated by a series of standard microfabrication processes, specifically by an ambient temperature Bosch process using the nanosphere beads as the mask. The dimensions of the Si nanotubes can be readily tuned, with a diameter from 10s of nanometers to 100s of nanometers with a high aspect ratio. The as-fabricated Si nanotube surfaces assume super hydrophobicity and have an excellent optical absorption capability, suggesting their potential applications in the fields of life science, biomedical engineering, nanomedicine, solar energy harvesting, and energy storage.
How Public Opinion Forms

No aspect of the massive participation in content creation that the web enables is more evident than in the countless number of opinions, news and product reviews that are constantly posted on the Internet. Given their importance we have analyzed their temporal evolution in a number of scenarios. We have found that while ignorance of previous views leads to a uniform sampling of the range of opinions among a community, exposure of previous opinions to potential reviewers induces a trend following process which leads to the expression of increasingly extreme views. Moreover, when the expression of an opinion is costly and previous views are known, a selection bias softens the extreme views, as people exhibit a tendency to speak out differently from previous opinions. These findings are not only robust but also suggest simple procedures to extract given types of opinions from the population at large.
The multicellular tumor spheroid model: I. Characterization of the allograft response in sensitized mice

Abstract Intraperitoneal implants of multicellular spheroids of EMT6 mammary sarcoma cells into specifically sensitized allogeneic mice have been used as a model to study in situ immunity to solid tumor allografts. Morphological examination of the spheroids recovered from sensitized mice revealed massive infiltration by host cells. There was an early but apparently nonspecific infiltration by large numbers of polymorphonuclear leukocytes followed by the infiltration of large numbers of macrophages and smaller numbers of lymphocytes. The later infiltration correlated with tumor cell killing as determined by a cloning assay for surviving EMT6 cells, and with the presence of cells with cytotoxic activity in in vitro assays. The kinetics of tumor cell killing indicated that tumor cell survival decreased within a few hours of spheroid implantation and less than 1% of the tumor cells survived after 48 h. Purification of the infiltrating cells by nylon wool fractionation and by treatment with anti-T-cell serum and complement indicated that the primary cytotoxic cell is a T lymphocyte.
The influence of heregulins on human Schwann cell proliferation

The use of Schwann cell (SC) autotransplantation to influence neural repair in humans is dependent upon identifying mitogens that will effectively expand human Schwann cells (SCs) in culture. The recent purification and molecular cloning of glial growth factor (GGF), a potent mitogen for rat Schwann cells, has led to the recognition that a family of proteins (GGF/HRG/NDF/ARIA) are alternatively spliced products of a single gene. The heregulins (HRGs) have been characterized with respect to their influence on human breast cancer cell lines; here we examined whether the HRGs have mitogenic activity for human SCs. Using DNA synthesis assays and serial passaging of cells in culture, we demonstrate that HRG is an effective mitogen for human SCs and that, in the presence of agents that elevate cAMP, it is possible to expand these cells over multiple passages without overwhelming fibroblast contamination. One putative target for this family of proteins is p185erbB2, and EGF-like receptor tyrosine kinase that is encoded by the erbB2 protooncogene. In this report we also demonstrate that the erbB2/3/4 messages as well as the erbB2/3 receptor proteins are present within cultured human SCs. The addition of HRG to human SCs results in tyrosine phosphorylation of a 185 kDa protein. In the presence of stimulatory concentrations of HRG, a blocking monoclonal antibody (2C4) to p185erbB2 is capable of significantly inhibiting phosphorylation of a 185 kDa protein as well as the subsequent incorporation of 3H-thymidine within the human SC. These latter results implicate an important role for p185erbB2 in mediating the mitogenic response of human SCs to HRGs.
Risk Factors in Childhood That Lead to the Development of Conduct Disorder and Antisocial Personality Disorder

With juvenile crime on the rise, understanding and preventing juvenile delinquency is one of the greatest challenges facing mental health professionals today. Recognizing early signs of conduct disorder (CD) can be difficult, but identifying risk factors is an important step in preventing a child's progression to CD or Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD). This paper focuses on various risk factors for CD and APD, such as intrinsic individual differences, psychosocial/environmental factors, genetic and neurochemical factors. Early recognition and intervention may prevent the progression from aggressive and maladaptive behaviors to CD and later APD.
A direct path from geometrical data to electromagnetic field estimation using isogeometric analysis

Isogeometric Analysis can integrate modeling and analysis into a single process by using CAD model for discretization of analysis domain. In this study, a direct path was introduced to create the analysis domain from the geometrical data obtained from a MRI image of the human brain. The required meshes were created automatically. The electrical field within the brain was estimated using Isogeometric Analysis. The proposed method accurately modeled the internal and external boundaries between different materials. The comparison with the exact solution confirmed the accuracy of this method.
The New Haven Unified School District: A Teaching Quality System for Excellence and Equity

This article describes a holistic, integrated approach to teacher selection, evaluation and retention, collegial teaching and professional support, resource allocation, teacher professional growth, and teacher and student opportunities to learn within a state and district standards-driven context. A descriptive case study of a recently reformed school district in California is used to describe how teacher evaluation is only one important element of a comprehensive approach to achieving school reform and improvement and excellence and equity in education.
Examination of the binding ability of bovine spermatozoa to the zona pellucida as an indicator of fertility

Despite the development of many new techniques, laboratory assays still do not predict male fertility accurately. To identify targets for laboratory assessment, we first need to determine which steps in fertilization are most often defective in subfertile males. We developed a competitive in vitro fertilization assay in which spermatozoa from 2 different males, stained with different lipophilic dyes, are incubated together with oocytes in a droplet. By exposing mixed spermatozoa to the same oocytes, this assay controls for many of the variables of in vitro fertilization and should allow identification of the most common faulty steps in fertilization. The relationship of zona-binding ability to fertility is controversial. Therefore, as a first step, we determined if zona pellucida-binding ability, measured by this competitive assay, was related to bovine spermatozoal fertility. Fertility data were collected from 2 groups of bulls by 2 means of evaluation, nonreturn to estrus rates postinsemination and competitive insemination. In the nonreturn to estrus study, semen samples from 15 bulls were effectively ranked by zona-binding ability, using pairwise competitive in vitro zona-binding assays (R(2) = 0.84). However, this ranking was not significantly correlated with nonreturn rates (r = -0.04). In the competitive insemination study, semen samples from 8 bulls were effectively ranked by pairwise comparison using the competitive zona-binding assay (R(2) = 0.67). Again, this ranking was not significantly correlated to the competitive insemination index calculated for these bulls (r = 0.29). In the third study, we tested 3 bulls to determine if in vivo zona binding, assessed by the number of accessory spermatozoa, was correlated with in vitro zona binding. The number of accessory spermatozoa on oocytes recovered from cows after mating was not correlated with in vitro competitive binding of the spermatozoa. In conclusion, in vitro competitive zona binding was not correlated with bovine fertility or binding of accessory spermatozoa to oocytes in vivo.
Evaluation of Organic Pest Management Treatments for Bean Leaf Beetle--Neely-Kinyon Trial, 2002

Introduction Annual organic soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production in the U.S. has risen to more than 150,000 acres (USDA-ERS, 2005). Critical challenges associated with organic soybean production include weed control and bean leaf beetles (Cerotoma trifurcata Forster) – primarily as vectors for the seed-staining bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) and for providing sites for other seed-staining fungi such as purple stain [Cercospora kikuchii (Mastsumoto & Tomoyasu) M.W. Gardener] and Fusarium spp. Bean leaf beetles generally have two generations a year in Iowa, with overwintering adults from the previous year’s second generation primarily feeding on vegetative soybean stages. First-generation adults, which require an average of 1,212 degree days with a developmental base threshold of 46 °F, usually peak during the early reproductive soybean stage (Lam et al., 2001). Second-generation adults, whose numbers are dependent on the first-generation population size, peak during the pod-filling stage. Feeding by first-generation beetles on soybean leaves seldom results in economic yield losses, but when the second-generation adults emerge from the soil to feed on seed pods, crop damage in late summer can be very significant. The second-generation adults overwinter in the soil and leaf litter where they remain until spring of the following year. The severity of the over-wintering period is a key factor in determining insect survival, with snow cover (Lam and Pedigo, 2000a) and woodland areas (Lam and Pedigo, 2000b) aiding survival. Both generations of bean leaf beetles can transmit the BPMV, although disease incidence is generally greater during pod setting and filling because higher amounts of rainfall often create ideal conditions for spreading the disease. BPMV has been reported to cause yield losses >50% and in 1999, it was estimated that soybean yield losses reached 155,778 metric tons in Iowa due to soybean viruses. The soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) is native to China and Japan, and was a new pest in Iowa in 2000. Soybean aphid can reduce yields by direct feeding, and interfering with photosynthesis and growth. Natural enemies, including beneficial fungi, such as Pandora neoaphidis, can infect aphids and give them a red color. Spraying fungicides can decrease the activity of this beneficial fungus.
Chiral symmetry and nonleptonic-radiative hyperon decay

Nonleptonic-radiative hyperon decay—α → βγ—is studied from the point of view of current algebra and simple chiral Lagrangians. Equivalence between the approaches is shown and attempts to fit current experimental data are discussed. Predicted values in such models are found to be in apparent disagreement with present experiments.
Today's Children, Tomorrow's Leaders: Are We Neglecting the Agents of Change?

There is an abundant body of knowledge suggesting that early expe- rience influences later human behavior. Based on the literature, this arti- cle suggests that human development at the individual level has far-reaching consequences for the social, economic, and political devel- opment of a people. For instance, education, one measure of human development, has been inaccessible to more than 50 percent of school age children in Ethiopia. To effect fundamental change in Ethiopia, attention and resources must be dedicated to children's well-being and potential. The article also discusses the role that current environmental conditions may play in the development of learned helplessness in Ethiopian children. Because of the country's limited resources, nonfor- mal education that taps traditional Ethiopian resources for fostering children's development is proposed.
Macromolecular Attachment as a Metabolic Stabilizer for a Labile Radiosensitizer

4-Nitro-5-sulfonylimidazoles represent a class of hypoxic cell radiation sensitizers whose in vitro activity greatly exceeds that of the current clinical standard, misonidazole. However, in vivo studies with these 4,5-disubstituted imidazoles have shown that a rapid reaction with circulating thiols decomposes the agent and compromises its clinical utility. Drug-macromolecule conjugates prepared in this study from poly-L-glutamate, succinylated poly-L-lysine, dextran, and a succinylated polylysine-antibody, all demonstrated protection of the drug from glutathione displacement. 1-Methyl-4-nitro-5-imidazolyl 4-aminophenyl sulfone conjugated to a succinylated poly-L-lysine-antibody was greater than 7 times less reactive than the unbound drug. Polymer transport may offer a useful tumor-delivery mechanism for these highly reactive radiation sensitizers.
Ethnic identity, consumption of cultural apparel, and self‐perceptions of ethnic consumers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether ethnic consumers' consumption of cultural apparel, and attributional responses related to their consumption, is predicted by their strength of ethnic identification. The study also examined whether the consumption of cultural apparel mediates the influence of strength of ethnic identification on consumers' attributional responses.Design/methodology/approach – Internet survey research was the chosen methodology for this study. A convenience sample of 106 research participants from four ethnic subcultures in the USA were recruited.Findings – Regression analyses revealed that strength of ethnic identification was a significant predictor of cultural apparel consumption and attribution of emotions and meanings to the consumption. Further, consumption of cultural apparel perfectly mediated the influence of strength of ethnic identification on consumers' attributions of emotions, and partially mediated this influence on consumers' attributions of mean...
Oxidation of ultra-high temperature transition metal diboride ceramics

AbstractThe oxidation behaviour of transition metal diboride ceramics is reviewed with emphasis on the performance of zirconium diboride and hafnium diboride. First, the oxidation behaviour of nominally pure diborides is discussed, focusing on the transition to linear mass gain kinetics at temperatures above ∼1100°C. Next, the use of SiC and other additives that produce silica based scales when oxidised is reviewed. These additives improve oxidation protection due to the formation/stability of the outer layer of borosilicate glass that acts as a barrier to diffusion of oxygen to the substrate. However, elevated temperatures (>1650°C) and/or the combination of aerodynamic flow, high heat flux and reactive atmosphere associated with hypersonic flight destabilises the outer oxide and decreases oxidation protection. Other additives that affect the composition and structure of the crystalline oxide scale without forming an outer glassy layer are a promising approach to improving oxidation behaviour of diboride...
Width effect on the magnetoconductivity of 2D electron systems

Abstract Based on a parabolic well model, it is shown that the magnetoconductivity of narrow 2D electron systems is characterized by a modified cyclotron frequency and a crossover parameter which is a ratio of the cyclotron frequency to the curvature of the parabolic potential. Explicit results are derived for systems with finite width under the assumption that quantum oscillations are small.
Effects of age and cochlear damage on the metabolic activity of the avian cochlear nucleus.

Most aging commercially raised broiler chickens display a progressive loss of cochlear hair cells in a pattern similar to the cochlear degeneration found in aging humans: basal (high frequency) hair cells are affected first, followed by apical (low frequency) hair cells [Durham et al., Hear. Res. 166 (2002) 82-95]. Here, cochlear anatomy was assessed from scanning electron micrographs. Then, the metabolic activity of cochlear nucleus (nucleus magnocellularis, NM) neurons in 15-19, 30, 39, 40, and 65-66 week old broiler chickens was examined using cytochrome oxidase histochemistry and compared to the degree of cochlear abnormality. Cochleae of 15-19 week old birds are largely normal; therefore the level of NM metabolic activity is considered the baseline. Cochleae of the 30 week old group display mild damage and hair cell regeneration in the base. Metabolic activity in rostral (high frequency) NM is increased relative to the baseline, while activity remains unchanged in caudal (low frequency) NM. The 39 and 65-66 week old groups display severe and total damage extending into the apex of the cochlea. Metabolic activity is decreased in rostral and caudal NM at these ages. These results suggest that auditory central nervous system metabolism (cytochrome oxidase activity) is affected by changes in the aging chicken cochlea.
Idiopathic ventricular arrhythmias originating from the moderator band: Electrocardiographic characteristics and treatment by catheter ablation

Background The moderator band (MB) can be a source of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT), and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF). Objective The purpose of this study was to define the electrocardiographic (ECG) characteristics and procedural techniques to successfully identify and ablate MB PVCs/VT. Methods In 10 patients with left bundle branch block morphology PVCs/VT, electroanatomic mapping in conjunction with intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) localized the site of origin of the PVCs to the MB. Clinical characteristics of the patients, ECG features, and procedural data were collected and analyzed. Results Seven patients presented with IVF and 3 presented with monomorphic VT. In all patients, the ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) had a left bundle branch block QRS with a late precordial transition (>V4), a rapid downstroke of the QRS in the precordial leads, and a left superior frontal plane axis. Mean QRS duration was 152.7 ± 15.2 ms. Six patients required a repeat procedure. After mean follow-up of 21.5 ± 11.6 months, all patients were free of sustained VAs, with only 1 patient requiring antiarrhythmic drug therapy and 1 patient having isolated PVCs no longer inducing VF. There were no procedural complications. Conclusion VAs originating from the MB have a distinctive morphology and often are associated with PVC-induced ventricular fibrillation. Catheter ablation can be safely performed and is facilitated by ICE imaging.
Application of shear wave imaging and shear wave dispersion ultrasound vibrometry in assessing viscoelastic properties of human thyroid: In vivo pilot study

Thyroid cancer is the fastest growing age and gender adjusted cancer in 2011 according the American Cancer Society. The majority of the clinically diagnosed thyroid nodules are benign while less than 5% represent intrathyroidal cancers. Currently, the clinical gold-standard procedure for assessing the thyroid nodules is needle biopsy, a procedure that is associated with significant financial burden as well as pain and risk for patients. Therefore, a noninvasive, affordable, and potentially widely available method to differentiate between benign and malignant thyroid nodules can play an important role in reducing the number of unnecessary biopsies. In this study, we investigate the feasibility of two acoustic radiation force elastography techniques, shear wave dispersion ultrasound vibrometry (SDUV) and comb-push ultrasound shear wave elastography (CUSE imaging), in identifying thyroid nodules (imaging) and differentiating between benign and malignant pathologies based on their elasticity and viscosity (SDUV measurements). Our preliminary results show that the measured shear elasticity and shear viscosity parameters depend on tissue type; hence, these measurements may be utilized to differentiate between healthy normal thyroid tissue, benign nodules, and malignant nodules. Further studies on a large population of patients is required to better evaluate the role of the combination of elasticity and viscosity properties of tissue in differentiating various thyroid nodules.
8-Oxoguanine enhances bending of DNA that favors binding to glycosylases.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out on the DNA oligonucleotide GGGAACAACTAG:CTAGTTGTTCCC in its native form and with guanine in the central G19:C6 base pair replaced by 8-oxoguanin...
A Review of Studies Relating to the Effects of Propeller-Type Turbine Passage on Fish Early Life Stages

Abstract Although few studies have been conducted to directly quantify ichthyoplankton mortality at hydroelectric installations, there is a considerable body of literature on examinations of the various stresses (i.e., pressure changes, blade contact, shear) that could affect turbine-entrained eggs and larvae. A review of these studies suggests that turbine-passage mortality of early life stages of fish normally would be relatively low at the low-head, propeller-type turbine installations (e.g., bulb or STRAFLO turbines), for which relevant design information is available. The shear forces and pressure changes in low-head bulb turbines are unlikely to cause ichthyoplankton mortality. Probability of contact with turbine blades is related to size of the fish; less than 5% of entrained ichthyoplankton would be affected. Potential additional sources of mortality related to the design and operation of hydroelectric facilities, and thus mitigable, include withdrawal of deep water and cavitation.
Ab Initio Study of Dissociative Attachment of Low-Energy Electrons to F 2

Adiabatic-nuclei resonance theory has been applied to the study of dissociative attachement of low-energy electrons to ${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$. Stieltjes moment theory was used to derive fixed-nuclei electronic resonance parameters from large-scale configuration-interaction calculations on ${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{F}}_{2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. Dissociative attachment cross sections for the four lowest vibrational levels of ${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ are reported and compared with available experimental data.
Relativistic Effects in Hyperfine Interactions

The treatment of the theory of hyperfine interactions beginning initially from a relativistic viewpoint yields a number of results which differ from those of the non- relativistic approach. For both dipole and quadrupole interactions, one finds the necessity for different values for each in the terms of the Hamiltonian. In the magnetic dipole case, an additional term is present which has the appearance of a core polarization contribution to the hyperfine field, although it arises strictly from the open shell electrons. In the electric quadrupole case, two additional interactions appear which have no non-relativistic analogue. The relativistic approach will be briefly summarized and applications to the lanthanide and actinide series reviewed. Of particular interest will be the consideration of experimental values of and of core polarization fields.
Application of a trigonometric finite difference procedure to numerical analysis of compressive and shear buckling of orthotropic panels

A numerical analysis developed for the buckling of rectangular orthotropic layered panels under combined shear and compression is described. This analysis uses a central finite difference procedure based on trigonometric functions instead of using the conventional finite differences which are based on polynomial functions. Inasmuch as the buckle mode shape is usually trigonometric in nature, the analysis using trigonometric finite differences can be made to exhibit a much faster convergence rate than that using conventional differences. Also, the trigonometric finite difference procedure leads to difference equations having the same form as conventional finite differences; thereby allowing available conventional finite difference formulations to be converted readily to trigonometric form. For two-dimensional problems, the procedure introduces two numerical parameters into the analysis. Engineering approaches for the selection of these parameters are presented and the analysis procedure is demonstrated by application to several isotropic and orthotropic panel buckling problems. Among these problems is the shear buckling of stiffened isotropic and filamentary composite panels in which the stiffener is broken. Results indicate that a break may degrade the effect of the stiffener to the extent that the panel will not carry much more load than if the stiffener were absent.
Real-time implementation of a frequency shaping controller on a cantilever beam

In this paper, we present the real time implementation of a control methodology for the attenuation of beam vibrations in a smart structure paradigm caused by a narrow-band exogenous force. By narrow-band exogenous force we mean a periodic force over a narrow frequency band or a particular harmonic. The particular control method is based on the minimization of a frequency dependent quadratic cost functional. This control method has been used successfully in various applications; however, this investigation differs from other works in that it emphasizes the real-time implementation of this model-based control methodology using real-time partial state measurements.
Physical controls on the development and characteristics of Antarctic sea ice biological communities- a review and synthesis

Abstract Ice structures found in Antarctic sea ice and related morphological processes are summarized, including: frazil ice growth; the flooded snow layer; pressure ridge induced flooding; thermally driven brine drainage; and platelet-ice formation. The associated colonization, physiological adaptation, and growth of sea ice biota within these structures, to the levels presently identifiable, are also reviewed. A strong interaction exists between the physical processes that form, evolve and deteriorate sea ice, and the biological communities located within sea ice. Variability of ice structure and associated biological communities over small spatial scales necessitated analysis of the biological component in combination with physical and chemical properties of the sea ice. The ice microstructure provides indications of the growth and evolution of the ice properties and initially defines how ice biota colonize the ice. The light, temperature, space and nutrient fields within which ice biota subsequently adapt and grow, are the other key determinants of the biology. While the ice microstructure shapes the localized biological response, relatively large regions of pack ice have characteristic microstructures. Regional patterns of biomass and biological productivity within the Antarctic sea ice zone may therefore be predictable as a result of these physical-biological associations. Examples from the drifting pack ice and fast ice zones of the Weddell and Ross Seas are given.
The concept of the simulacrum: Deleuze and the overturning of Platonism

This article examines Gilles Deleuze’s concept of the simulacrum, which Deleuze formulated in the context of his reading of Nietzsche’s project of “overturning Platonism.” The essential Platonic distinction, Deleuze argues, is more profound than the speculative distinction between model and copy, original and image. The deeper, practical distinction moves between two kinds of images or eidolon, for which the Platonic Idea is meant to provide a concrete criterion of selection “Copies” or icons (eikones) are well-grounded claimants to the transcendent Idea, authenticated by their internal resemblance to the Idea, whereas “simulacra” (phantasmata) are like false claimants, built on a dissimilarity and implying an essential perversion or deviation from the Idea. If the goal of Platonism is the triumph of icons over simulacra, the inversion of Platonism would entail an affirmation of the simulacrum as such, which must thus be given its own concept. Deleuze consequently defines the simulacrum in terms of an internal dissimilitude or “disparateness,” which in turn implies a new conception of Ideas, no longer as self-identical qualities (the auto kath’hauto), but rather as constituting a pure concept of difference. An inverted Platonism would necessarily be based on a purely immanent and differential conception of Ideas. Starting from this new conception of the Idea, Deleuze proposes to take up the Platonic project anew, rethinking the fundamental figures of Platonism (selection, repetition, ungrounding, the question-problem complex) on a purely differential basis. In this sense, Deleuze’s inverted Platonism can at the same time be seen as a rejuvenated Platonism and even a completed Platonism.
Using temporal binding for hierarchical recruitment of conjunctive concepts over delayed lines

The temporal correlation hypothesis proposes using distributed synchrony for the binding of different stimulus features. However, synchronized spikes must travel over cortical circuits that have varying-length pathways, leading to mismatched arrival times. This raises the question of how initial stimulus-dependent synchrony might be preserved at a destination binding site. Earlier, we proposed constraints on tolerance and segregation parameters for a phase-coding approach, within cortical circuits, to address this question [C. Gunay, A.S. Maida, Temporal binding as an inducer for connectionist recruitment learning over delayed lines, Neural Networks 16 (5-6) (2003) 593-600]. The purpose of the present paper is twofold. First, we conduct simulation studies that explore the effectiveness of the proposed constraints. Second, we place the studies in a broader context of synchrony-driven recruitment learning [L. Shastri, V. Ajjanagadde, From simple associations to systematic reasoning: a connectionist representation of rules, variables, and dynamic bindings using temporal synchrony, Behav. Brain Sci. 16 (3) (1993) 417-451; L.G. Valiant, Circuits of the Mind, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1994] which brings together von der Malsburg's temporal binding [C. von der Malsburg, The correlation theory of brain function, in: E. Domany, J.L. van Hemmen, K. Schulten (Ed.), Models of Neural Networks, vol. 2, Physics of Neural Networks, Chapter 2, Springer, New York, 1994, pp. 95-120, (Originally appeared as a Technical Report at the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Gottingen, 1981)] and Feldman's recruitment learning [J.A. Feldman, Dynamic connections in neural networks, Biol. Cybern. 46 (1982) 27-39]. A network based on Valiant's neuroidal architecture is used to implement synchrony-driven recruitment learning. Complementing similar approaches, we use a continuous-time learning procedure allowing computation with spiking neurons. The viability of the proposed binding scheme is investigated by conducting simulation studies which examine binding errors. In the simulation, binding errors cause the formation of illusory conjunctions among features belonging to separate objects. Our results indicate that when tolerance and segregation parameters obey our proposed constraints, the sets of correct bindings are dominant over sets of spurious bindings in reasonable operating conditions. We also improve the stability of the recruitment method in deep hierarchies for use in limited size structures suitable for computer simulations. e also improve the stability of the recruitment method in deep hierarchies for use in limited size structures suitable for computer simulations.
Lysosomal acid hydrolases of normal adipose tissues of man, monkey and rat

The activities of 3 lysosomal acid hydrolases were examined in the normal adipose tissues of 3 species, man, monkey and rat and very low levels of these hydrolases were found.
Enhanced Integrated Stress Response Promotes Myelinating Oligodendrocyte Survival in Response to Interferon-γ

The T-cell-derived, pleiotropic cytokine interferon (IFN)-γ is believed to play a key regulatory role in immune-mediated demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system, including multiple sclerosis and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Our previous work has demonstrated that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response modulates the response of oligodendrocytes to this cytokine. The ER stress response activates the pancreatic ER kinase, which coordinates an adaptive program known as the integrated stress response by phosphorylating translation initiation factor 2α (eIF2α). In this study, we found that growth arrest and DNA damage 34 (GADD34), a stress-inducible regulatory subunit of a phosphatase complex that dephosphorylates eIF2α, was selectively up-regulated in myelinating oligodendrocytes in mice that ectopically expressed IFN-γ in the central nervous system. We also found that a GADD34 mutant strain of mice displayed increased levels of phosphorylated eIF2α (p-eIF2α) in myelinating oligodendrocytes when exposure to IFN-γ, as well as diminished oligodendrocyte loss and hypomyelination. Furthermore, treatment with salubrinal, a small chemical compound that specifically inhibits protein phosphatase 1(PP1)-GADD34 phosphatase activity, increased the levels of p-eIF2α and ameliorated hypomyelination and oligodendrocyte loss in cultured hippocampal slices exposed to IFN-γ. Thus, our data provide evidence that an enhanced integrated stress response could promote oligodendrocyte survival in immune-mediated demyelination diseases.
Compatibility of aphid resistance in soybean and biological control by the parasitoid Aphidius colemani (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

Abstract Biological control and soybean cultivars bred for increased resistance to the soybean aphid ( Aphis glycines ) are two approaches used to manage this serious pest of soybeans in North America. However, as with many other pest systems, the compatibility of these two pest management approaches has not been studied in detail. The aphidiine wasp Aphidius colemani is one of several candidate species for biological control of the soybean aphid in soybean in North America. Resistance to the soybean aphid in the USDA soybean cultivar Dowling is largely controlled by a single dominant gene Rag1 , which is the focus of plant breeding programs directed against the soybean aphid. In this study, we measured developmental and behavioral differences in the parasitic wasp A. colemani when it attacked soybean aphids feeding on either the aphid-resistant Dowling or aphid-susceptible Glenwood cultivars of soybean. We used a combination of choice and no-choice experiments to examine the effects of host plant cultivar on the number of parasitized aphids formed and the sex ratio and body weights of adult offspring produced. Significantly more aphids were parasitized when they fed on Glenwood compared to Dowling and these offspring were larger when they developed in aphids that fed on Glenwood soybeans. To distinguish between effects on foraging decisions and offspring survivorship, we conducted an additional experiment that followed the oviposition decisions and fate of each parasitized aphid. Foraging female A. colemani spent less time handling individual aphids and encountered and attacked aphids at a higher rate when they fed on aphids feeding on Glenwood soybeans than aphids feeding on Dowling soybeans. Furthermore, wasp survivorship in aphids was greater on Glenwood than Dowling. Taken together, aphid-resistance in soybeans has negative effects on foraging behavior and offspring fitness of A. colemani raising concerns about the compatibility of these two pest management approaches.