cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internalization and retention of nanodiamonds by MCF-7 cells in vitro: a potential drug delivery platform.

CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2008 Abstracts Abstract #2134 Background: Selective uptake and prolonged retention of drugs will facilitate pharmacotherapy to the breast. This may be accomplished by complexing of drugs to carbon-based nanodiamond (ND) particles, 2-8nm size. ND particles are attractive for this purpose because they are inert and non-toxic.We tested the uptake and retention of ND particles by the estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Methods: Polylysine coated ND were labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC-ND), and examined by UV-visible spectra and found to be stable. MCF-7 cells were cultured on Lab-Tek II chamber slides using DMEM with 10% FCS, insulin, sodium pyruvate, L-glutamine, and Pen/Strep. To assess the efficiency of ND internalization, we added 10ug/ml ND-FITC in complete media to the chamber slides and incubated for 30 min, 1 hr, 3 hr, 4 hr, 17 hr, and 24 hr. FITC-ND was withdrawn from the medium after an initial exposure of 17 hr by washing of cells, and retention of fluorescence was measured at intervals, up to 3 days after withdrawal. To assess the ability of MCF-7 cells to take up NDs under low metabolic conditions MCF-7 cells were incubated in serum-free medium. As a control soluble FITC alone was incubated at 10 ug/ml with MCF-7 cells. Cells were imaged on the laser confocal microscope and FITC detection at 488nm was analyzed by three dimensional Z stack imaging. Results: Fluorescence was initially associated with the membrane surface, and later was visualized in the cytoplasm and in the perinuclear zone. Cellular uptake of FITC and ND-FITC occurred at 30 minutes and reached a maximum at 17 hr of incubation. After washing of cells, the retention studies showed little decrease in the intensity of the ND-FITC signal within the cells up to 96 hours. The FITC molecule was readily released from the cells by passive diffusion within 24 hours while NDs appeared to be compartmentalized in cytoplasmic vesicles. ![][1] Conclusions: Internalization of ND particles within the cell cytoplasm occurs within a relatively short time, and the ND particles are retained for at least 96 hours following removal from the culture medium. This prolonged retention is likely to be an advantage when considering novel routes of drug delivery to the breast, such as transdermal or intraductal approaches. Funded by Avon. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 2134. [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
The advanced practice nurse role in instituting Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment program at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Alcohol intoxication remains the number one risk factor for trauma-related injury in this country. In an effort to comply with the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma standards of care to screen trauma patients for at-risk behaviors for substance abuse, the trauma advanced practice nurses at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia instituted a new Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) process. This article summarizes the role of trauma advanced practice nurses in establishing an SBIRT program.
Analysis of the strained-layer critical thickness concept based on a Peierls—Nabarro model of a threading dislocation

Abstract The Peierls–Nabarro theory of crystal dislocations is applied to estimate the critical thickness of a strained layer bonded to a substrate for a given mismatch strain. Strained epitaxial layers are common in microelectronic structures. The electronic properties of a film depend in most cases on the misfit strain (and hence the misfit stress). Unfortunately, an excessive strain may lead to the nucleation and propagation of defects, such as misfit dislocations. One such defect that has received wide attention in recent years is the so-called threading dislocation, which runs from the free surface of the strained layer to the interface, where it continues as an interfacial misfit dislocation. The critical thickness is achieved when the net driving force necessary to extend the misfit dislocation becomes positive. Previous analyses were based on the continuum theory of elastic dislocations, and hence depended on the artificial core cut-off parameter r0. The Peierls–Nabarro theory makes use of an inte...
The composition and distribution of anomalous cosmic rays

The composition of anomalous cosmic rays (ACR), is thought to reflect that of the neutral atoms in the very local interstellar medium, such as helium, nitrogen and neon. Recent observations in the outer heliosphere have provided the first unambiguous evidence for ACR argon, carbon and hydrogen, as well, and a method has been developed to relate the ACR abundances to those of the interstellar medium. The observations also indicate persistent negative latitudinal gradients, opposite to that observed by Pioneer 11 during the previous minimum in solar activity. These and other results are consistent with the presence of gradient and curvature drift during solar minimum periods when the tilt of the interplanetary neutral sheet is small.
Subclinical retinal detachment resulting from asymptomatic retinal breaks: prognosis for progression and regression.

Abstract Purpose To give a more accurate epidemiologic description of subclinical retinal detachments and to learn their prognosis. Design Prospective, natural history cohort study. Participants Seventeen patients, with 19 eyes involved with 22 separate areas of subclinical retinal detachment (SCRD). Ages at initial diagnosis ranged between 14 and 67 years. Methods Periodic retinal examinations over follow-up periods of between 8 months and >33 years, using indirect ophthalmoscopy and scleral indentation, and sometimes slit-lamp vitreous examinations with Goldmann lens. Main outcome measures Documentation with written descriptions and drawings of lesions and estimation of size and dimensions. Results The rate of progression to clinical retinal detachment (CRD), which involved 11% of eyes (2 of 18), was found to be exactly equal to the likelihood of spontaneous regression and disappearance, also found in 11% (2 of 18), without any treatment. The calculated incidence rate of progression to CRD was 0.008 ( P = 0.036. All of these findings are reported for the first time in the ophthalmic literature. Conclusions Compared with symptomatic clinical retinal detachment, SCRD is much less threatening to the vision and the health of the eye. Therefore, SCRD does not require or justify routine treatment but should be reexamined at regular annual intervals or more frequently if changes are observed. If it definitely progresses to CRD, surgical treatment is justified.
Usefulness and Limitations of Normal Mode Analysis in Modeling Dynamics of Biomolecular Complexes

Various types of large-amplitude molecular deformation are ubiquitously involved in the functions of biological macromolecules, especially supramolecular complexes. They can be very effectively analyzed by normal mode analysis with well-established procedures. However, despite its enormous success in numerous applications, certain issues related to the applications of normal mode analysis require further discussion. In this review, the author addresses some common issues so as to raise the awareness of the usefulness and limitations of the method in the general community of structural biology.
Improvement in alertness and behavior in children treated with combination topiramate and vagus nerve stimulation.

Abstract It has been reported that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) improves behavior in children, whereas topiramate has a less clear effect. Three boys, aged 5–12 years, with generalized slow spike–wave discharges and refractory epilepsy, were treated with combination therapy of topiramate and VNS. All three had a significant reduction in seizures, but even more dramatic improvement in aggression, social interaction, and ambulation. The Cyberonics Patient Outcome Registry was subsequently queried and a beneficial effect of this combination therapy on behavior (specifically alertness) beyond that of VNS and other anticonvulsants was noted. This did not appear to be due solely to seizure reduction, which was observed only differentially at 12 months.
Psychosocial Adjustment of College Students with Tattoos and Piercings.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between body modification practices and psychosocial adjustment. Participants were 198 undergraduate college students, 129 of whom had 1 or more piercings (other than in earlobe) or tattoos. Findings showed that individuals with body modifications reported more symptoms of depression and trait anxiety than individuals without body modifications. It is recommended that health care providers in college settings be vigilant for possible associated psychological issues in individuals with body modifications.
A metaphilosophical dilemma for epistemic externalism

: In this article I argue that the prevalence of intersubjective disagreement in epistemology poses a serious problem for Epistemic Externalism. I put the problem in the form of a dilemma: either Epistemic Externalism is not a complete account of epistemic justification or it's implausible to claim that the belief that Epistemic Externalism is true is itself an externalistically justified belief.
Cohabitation, stuff and intermittent existence

i. I will try to establish that there are cases in which an ordinary material object exists intermittently. Afterwards there will be a few words about the consequences of acknowledging such cases, but what is of more interest, perhaps, is the route by which the conclusion is reached. When deciding among competing descriptions of the cases considered, I have tried to reduce to a minimum the role of intuitive judgement, and I have based several arguments on 'metaphysical principles'. These principles are not invoked uncritically. Indeed, I give what I think are all but decisive arguments in support of two such principles, neither of which is wholly uncontroversial: (i) a material object cannot be identified with the stuff of which it is composed, and (2) different material objects cannot be simultaneously embodied within just the same matter. And although it would shorten my argument, I will not rely on the principle (Wiggins' D.ii1) that sameness of sort is a necessary condition of identity over time.
Can central registries improve substantiation rates in child abuse and neglect cases

Abstract Central registries for child abuse and neglect have been criticized because the high proportion of unsubstantiated cases are alleged to represent an unwarranted intrusion into family life. The response to this criticism is usually a spirited defense of the social worker investigation and data distinguishing false (“fictitious”) claims from unsubstantiated cases. This article asks what a reasonable substantiation rate would be in a system that operates flawlessly and examines the impact on substantiation rates of noninvestigatory variables, such as technical, legal, and policy factors. The research concluded that technical factors, such as number of maltreatment categories and number of disposition categories, did not affect substantiation rates. Legal factors, such as standards of proof, provision of notice and right to review records, were somewhat associated with lower substantiation rates, but changes in legal standards are definitely not recommended as a method of increasing substantiation rates. Of the policy factors, use of risk assessment models is an excellent way to improve substantiation rates without compromising due process safeguards.
A New Sublive of Ehrlich Ascites Tumor: Hypertriploid

A hypertriploid subline of Ehrlich ascites tumor, having a modal chromosome number at 65, was discovered in this laboratory. This new subline shows a much higher degree of virulence than the fast-killing hypotetraploid subline which has been known to be the most malignant of all Ehrlich ascites tumors. By the chromosome morphology study, it is further substantiated as a subline of Ehrlich ascites tumor. The biological and biochemical characteristics of this hypertriploid subline have been investigated. Its pattern of respiratory activities is different from other Ehrlich ascites tumor sublines reported.
The effect of inner products for discrete vector fields on the accuracy of mimetic finite difference methods

Abstract The support operators method of discretizing partial differential equations produces discrete analogs of continuum initial boundary value problems that exactly satisfy discrete conservation laws analogous to those satisfied by the continuum system. Thus, the stability of the method is assured, but currently there is no theory that predicts the accuracy of the method on nonuniform grids. In this paper, we numerically investigate how the accuracy, particularly the accuracy of the fluxes, depends on the definition of the inner product for discrete vector fields. We introduce two different discrete inner products, the standard inner product that we have used previously and a new more accurate inner product. The definitions of these inner products are based on interpolation of the fluxes of vector fields. The derivation of the new inner product is closely related to the use of the Piola transform in mixed finite elements. Computing the formulas for the new accurate inner product requires a nontrivial use of computer algebra. From the results of our numerical experiments, we can conclude that using more accurate inner product produces a method with the same order of convergence as the standard inner product, but the constant in error estimate is about three times less. However, the method based on the standard inner product is easier to compute with and less sensitive to grid irregularities, so we recommend its use for rough grids.
Pituitary-adrenal responses to cholinergic stimulation and acute mild stress are differentially elevated in male and female M2 muscarinic receptor knockout mice

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone responses to cholinergic stimulation are greater in male rats and mice than in females. To explore the role of M2 muscarinic receptors in this sex difference, we administered the nonselective muscarinic agonist, oxotremorine, the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine, and saline (a mild stressor) to male and female M2 receptor knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice of the same genetic background. Because M2 receptors function primarily as presynaptic autoreceptors, we hypothesized that their absence in M2 KO mice would increase the sensitivity of hormone responses to cholinergic stimulation in these groups. Both male and female M2 KO mice were significantly more responsive to the stress of saline injection than were their WT counterparts. Oxotremorine and physostigmine increased ACTH and corticosterone in all four groups, but to a significantly greater degree in KO males compared to WT males, KO females, and WT females. The increase in ACTH also was significantly greater in WT males compared to WT females. By contrast, the increase in corticosterone was significantly more in females compared to males, independent of genotype. Following pretreatment with the nonselective muscarinic antagonist, scopolamine, ACTH and corticosterone responses to oxotremorine and to saline in the M2 KO mice were comparable with those of their WT counterparts. These findings suggest that the M2 muscarinic receptor subtype influences male and female pituitary-adrenal responses following stimulation by both mild stress and cholinergic drugs. The M2 receptor appears to regulate ACTH responses to cholinergic stimulation in males but not in females; however, other muscarinic receptors may be involved because corticosterone responses were higher in females compared to males. Because ACTH and corticosterone responses were greater in male and female M2 KO mice, the M2 receptor appears to dampen the stress response.
The metallicity and luminosity of RV Tauri variables from medium-resolution spectra

Results are reported from spectroscopic observations of members of the RV Tauri class of pulsating variable stars at moderate resolution, and from photometric observations of these stars with the B and V filters of the Johnson UBV system and the first four filters of the Wing eight-color narrowband near-IR system. Of the 22 variables observed, TiO absorption was detected in eight, and 10 variables displayed hydrogen-line emission at some phase. Spectral classifications were assigned relative to the MK process. Color excesses were determined for those variables for which spectroscopic and photometric data were obtained within a few days of each other. The spectra obtained at a resolution of 2.5 A were fitted with synthetic spectra to determine the stellar atmospheric parameters. The range in metallicity among the variables was found to be quite extensive, -0.3 to -0.7, and may reflect a mixture of stellar populations or masses.
The social desirability response bias in ethics research

This study examines the impact of a social desirability response bias as a personality characteristic (self-deception and impression management) and as an item characteristic (perceived desirability of the behavior) on self-reported ethical conduct. Findings from a sample of college students revealed that self-reported ethical conduct is associated with both personality and item characteristics, with perceived desirability of behavior having the greatest influence on self-reported conduct. Implications for research in business ethics are drawn, and suggestions are offered for reducing the effects of a socially desirable response bias.
Thermal evaluation of several configurations of insulation and structural materials for some metal stud walls

A series of two- and three-dimensional computer simulations was conducted for several metal stud walls. The Heating 7.2 finite difference computer code, developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, was used to model walls and their components. Maps of the temperature distribution in walls, their components, and the areas where walls intersect with other building structures were developed. These maps were used as an aid to estimate the areas of zones affected by existing thermal bridges and to calculate R-values for these areas. These R-values were used to calculate average R-values for whole walls and estimate the thermal effects of wall details. Using simulated R-values, several configurations of wall insulation were examined.
Intraventricular Carbachol Mimics the Effects of Light on the Circadian Rhythm in the Rat Pineal Gland

Environmental lighting regulates numerous circadian rhythms, including the cycle in pineal serotonin N-acetyltransferase activity. Brief exposure of rats to light can shift the phase of this enzyme's circadian rhythm. Light also rapidly reduces nocturnal enzyme activity. Intraventricular injections of carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, can mimic both of these effects. Light and carbachol presumably act on the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of using a neuropharmacologic approach to the mechanisms underlying mammalian circadian rhythms.
Inhibition of macrophage superoxide generation by dehydroepiandrosterone.

ABSTRACT To understand the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism of the steroid dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), the effect of DHEA on rat peritoneal macrophage superoxide generation was studied. Dehydroepiandrosterone (12.5 to 50 μ M) inhibited digitonin-stimulated superoxide production in a dose-dependent manner, with 100% inhibition achieved at 50 μ M. Dehydroepiandrosterone also inhibited macrophage superoxide production stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate, A23187 (calcium ionophore), sodium fluoride, and arachidonate. Dehydroepiandrosterone did not affect the activity of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, which generates superoxide. Dehydroepiandrosterone inhibited superoxide formation in the presence of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate, potassium cyanide, and 2, 4-dinitrophinal, suggesting that DHEA does not exert its effects by inhibiting glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity or mitochondrial respiration. Of the several steroids tested, epiandrosterone was as effective as DHEA in inhibiting macrophage superoxide production. Estrogen, androstenedione, and dihydroxytestosterone showed 25% inhibition, whereas pregnenolone, progesterone, testosterone, etiocholanolone, androstenediol, and DHEA-sulfate had minimal effect. The steroids Cortisol and corticosterone had slight stimulatory effect. These results suggest that the anti-atherosclerotic effect of DHEA may be the result of inhibition of superoxide generation in macrophages.
Three-dimensional single mode Rayleigh-Taylor experiments on nova.

The effect of perturbation shape on the growth and saturation of the Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) instability has been measured on brominated polystyrene foils driven by x rays. We compare RT growth of 3D square (${k}_{x}={k}_{y}$) and 2D ($k={k}_{x}$) perturbations having the same total wave number and initial amplitude on foils of similar thicknesses accelerated with similar drives. The 3D mode is found to saturate later at a larger amplitude. During the nonlinear phase it evolves into narrow spikes joined by spike sheets surrounding wide bubbles, which continue to broaden. Differences in the evolution of the perturbations due to 3D shape effects are in quantitative agreement with our simulation results.
When documents are very long, BM25 fails!

We reveal that the Okapi BM25 retrieval function tends to overly penalize very long documents. To address this problem, we present a simple yet effective extension of BM25, namely BM25L, which "shifts" the term frequency normalization formula to boost scores of very long documents. Our experiments show that BM25L, with the same computation cost, is more effective and robust than the standard BM25.
Effect of nitroprusside-induced fall in systemic pressure on coronary stenoses.

Abstract A fall in coronary pressure increases resistance across compliant coronary stenoses, probably because of passive collapse of the stenotic segment. The effects of a mechanically induced fall in coronary pressure were compared with the effects of a similar fall in pressure caused by intravenous sodium nitroprusside, a systemic and large coronary artery vasodilator. Seventeen dogs were studied in which a compliant circumflex coronary stenosis was produced by inflating an intracoronary balloon with saline. When coronary pressure was lowered from 105 ± 3 to 78 ± 3 mm Hg ( P P P P P P P
Stark Spectroscopy of Size-Selected Helical H-Aggregates of a Cyanine Dye Templated by Duplex DNA. Effect of Exciton Coupling on Electronic Polarizabilities †

Stark spectroscopy (electroabsorption) is used to study the variation of electronic properties with the size of helical H-aggregates that are formed by the spontaneous noncovalent assembly of co-facial dimers of the cyanine dye (DiSC2(5)) into the minor groove of double-helical DNA. The unique and important property of these aggregates, first synthesized and characterized by Armitage and co-workers (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1999, 121, 2987), is that their size is controlled by the properties of the DNA template. Specifically, the length of the aggregate formed is determined by the length of the DNA template and its width along the ﷿ stacking dimension is restricted to that of the dye dimer due to steric constraints in the minor groove. Results for aggregates consisting of 1, 2, 5, and 35 adjacent dimers bound to DNA are presented here. The absorption maxima of these species exhibit a large blue shift (1750 cm -1 ) from that of the monomer due to the faceto-face interactions within the dimers. Relatively weak (330-650 cm -1 ) secondary splittings are also seen that arise from end-to-end interactions between adjacent dimers on the chain. The average change in polarizability on excitation (〈¢R〉) is found to double when two dyes form a stacked dimer whereas no further increase in 〈¢R〉 is seen as the chain length is increased. Semiempirical (INDO-SCI) calculations yield exciton coupling energies that are consistent with experiment. However, 〈¢R〉 is predicted to increase toward more positive values on dimerization while the reverse trend is seen experimentally. Nonetheless, both experiment and theory find that 〈¢R〉 is unaffected by higher aggregation.
A robust narrowband to wideband extension system featuring enhanced codebook mapping

It is well-known that wideband speech (0-7 kHz) provides better quality and intelligibility than narrowband speech (300-3400 Hz), but typically only narrowband speech information is available in current wireless communication systems. Narrowband to wideband extension technology has been recently investigated to artificially generate wideband speech from narrowband speech for better speech quality and intelligibility. This paper presents a robust split-band narrowband to wideband extension system based on algorithmic enhancements to the codebook mapping technique for high-band parameter estimation. Numerical measurements confirm the performance improvements of the codebook mapping process, and informal listening evaluations show the potential of the system and its robustness to input distortions and non-speech input signals.
Precoded FIR and Redundant V-BLAST Systems for Frequency-Selective MIMO Channels

The vertical Bell labs layered space-time (V-BLAST) system is a multi-input multioutput (MIMO) system designed to achieve good multiplexing gain. In recent literature, a precoder, which exploits channel information, has been added in the V-BLAST transmitter. This precoder forces each symbol stream to have an identical mean square error (MSE). It can be viewed as an alternative to the bit-loading method. In this paper, this precoded V-BLAST system is extended to the case of frequency-selective MIMO channels. Both the FIR and redundant types of transceivers, which use cyclic-prefixing and zero-padding, are considered. A fast algorithm for computing a cyclic-prefixing-based precoded V-BLAST transceiver is developed. Experiments show that the proposed methods with redundancy have better performance than the SVD-based system with optimal powerloading and bit loading for frequency-selective MIMO channels. The gain comes from the fact that the MSE-equalizing precoder has better bit-error rate performance than the optimal bitloading method.
RESPONSES OF COASTAL WETLANDS TO RISING SEA LEVEL

Salt marsh ecosystems are maintained by the dominant macrophytes that regulate the elevation of their habitat within a narrow portion of the intertidal zone by accumulating organic matter and trapping inorganic sediment. The long-term stability of these ecosystems is explained by interactions among sea level, land elevation, primary production, and sediment accretion that regulate the elevation of the sediment surface toward an equilibrium with mean sea level. We show here in a salt marsh that this equilibrium is adjusted upward by increased production of the salt marsh macrophyte Spartina alterniflora and downward by an increasing rate of relative sea-level rise (RSLR). Adjustments in marsh surface elevation are slow in comparison to interannual anomalies and long-period cycles of sea level, and this lag in sediment elevation results in significant variation in annual primary productivity. We describe a theoretical model that predicts that the system will be stable against changes in relative mean sea level when surface elevation is greater than what is optimal for primary production. When surface elevation is less than optimal, the system will be unstable. The model predicts that there is an optimal rate of RSLR at which the equilibrium elevation and depth of tidal flooding will be optimal for plant growth. However, the optimal rate of RSLR also represents an upper limit because at higher rates of RSLR the plant community cannot sustain an elevation that is within its range of tol- erance. For estuaries with high sediment loading, such as those on the southeast coast of the United States, the limiting rate of RSLR was predicted to be at most 1.2 cm/yr, which is 3.5 times greater than the current, long-term rate of RSLR.
Functional Dependencies and Indirect Binding

The functional analysis of wh-expressions (Engdahl (1986), Groenendijk & Stokhof (1984), Chierchia (1991, 1993)) provides a basis for explaining cases of Indirect Binding, where a quantified expression inside a relative clause triggers a bound interpretation of a variable which is outside its s-structure scope. I show that in these cases the variable is not bound by the quantified expression itself, and argue that Indirect Binding in copular vs. non-copular sentences mirrors the distinction between functional vs. pair-list questions.
LEISURE ITEMS AS CONTROLS IN THE ATTENTION CONDITION OF FUNCTIONAL ANALYSES

Leisure items (e.g., games, toys) are commonly made available as controls during attention conditions of functional analyses (Ringdahl, Winborn, Andelman, & Kitsukawa, 2002). However, Ringdahl et al. raised questions about this practice. This paper reviews research that supports and conflicts with the inclusion of leisure items as controls, including a quantitative analysis of relevant articles published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis over a 10-year period. Data reviewed suggest that practitioners may consider omitting leisure items as controls or including such items strategically based on the accumulation of assessment information.
Sound transmission and the recognition of temporally degraded sexual advertisement signals in Cope's gray treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis).

SUMMARY Acoustic communication signals degrade as they propagate between signalers and receivers. While we generally understand the degrading effects of sound propagation on the structure of acoustic signals, we know considerably less about how receivers make behavioral decisions based on the perception of degraded signals in sonically and structurally complex habitats where communication occurs. In this study of acoustic mate recognition in Cope9s gray treefrog, Hyla chrysoscelis (Cope 1880), we investigated how the temporal structure of male advertisement calls was compromised by propagation in a natural habitat and how females responded to stimuli mimicking various levels of temporal degradation. In a sound transmission experiment, we quantified changes in the pulsed structure of signals by broadcasting synthetic calls during active choruses from positions where we typically encountered signalers, and re-recording the signals from positions where we typically encountered potential receivers. Our main finding was that the silent gaps between pulses become increasingly ‘filled in’ by background noise and reverberations as a function of increasing propagation distance. We also conducted female phonotaxis experiments to determine the threshold modulation depth required to elicit recognition of the pulsatile structure of the call. Females were surprisingly tolerant of degraded temporal structure, and there was a tendency for greater permissiveness at lower playback levels. We discuss these results in terms of presumed mechanisms of call recognition in complex environments and the acoustic adaptation hypothesis.
Edge-element time-domain method for solving Maxwell's equations

An edge-element time-domain (ee-td) method for solving Maxwell's equations is developed. Marching equations for the rectangular cells and triangular cylinders are derived. When used in conjunction with the fd-td method, the stair-casing approximation for curved boundaries is eliminated, resulting in less memory needed. >
Administration of the peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor γ agonist pioglitazone during fractionated brain irradiation prevents radiation-induced cognitive impairment

Purpose: We hypothesized that administration of the anti-inflammatory peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist pioglitazone (Pio) to adult male rats would inhibit radiation-induced cognitive impairment. Methods and Materials: Young adult male F344 rats received one of the following: ( 1 ) fractionated whole brain irradiation (WBI); 40 or 45 Gy γ-rays in 4 or 4.5 weeks, respectively, two fractions per week and normal diet; ( 2 ) sham-irradiation and normal diet; ( 3 ) WBI plus Pio (120 ppm) before, during, and for 4 or 54 weeks postirradiation; ( 4 ) sham-irradiation plus Pio; or ( 5 ) WBI plus Pio starting 24h after completion of WBI. Results: Administration of Pio before, during, and for 4 or 54 weeks after WBI prevented the radiation-induced cognitive impairment. Administration of Pio for 54 weeks starting after completion of fractionated WBI substantially but not significantly reduced the radiation-induced cognitive impairment. Conclusions: These findings offer the promise of improving the quality of life and increasing the therapeutic window for brain tumor patients.
Relations between mud volcanoes; thrust deformation, slope sedimentation, and gas hydrate, offshore north Panama

Abstract SeaMARC II swath-mapping and migrated seismic reflection data show a high concentration of mud volcanoes in the primary sediment depocentre along the lower slope of a thrust belt, offshore north Panama. The mud volcanoes are 0.4–2.0 km wide, Sonar reflectivity (backscattering), sediment cores, and seismic stratigraphic relations indicate that the depocentre contains thick sequences of basinal turbidites which are ponded between the anticlinal ridges. The ridges are composed of the deformed turbidites of the Colombian basin and exhibit a strong bottom-simulating reflector (BSR), apparently associated with a gas hydrate layer. Based on the concentration of mud volcanoes along the crests of the anticlinal ridges in the depocentre and the structural position of the BSR, we suggest that folding along the deformation front, sediment ponding leading to differential loading, methane migration and accumulation in the anticlines, and gas hydrate formation are important factors in the development of mud volcanoes in this region.
Quantifying the major mechanisms of recent gene duplications in the human and mouse genomes: a novel strategy to estimate gene duplication rates.

Background: The rate of gene duplication is an important parameter in the study of evolution, but the influence of gene conversion and technical problems have confounded previous attempts to provide a satisfying estimate. We propose a new strategy to estimate the rate that involves separate quantification of the rates of two different mechanisms of gene duplication and subsequent combination of the two rates, based on their respective contributions to the overall gene duplication rate. Results: Previous estimates of gene duplication rates are based on small gene families. Therefore, to assess the applicability of this to families of all sizes, we looked at both two-copy gene families and the entire genome. We studied unequal crossover and retrotransposition, and found that these mechanisms of gene duplication are largely independent and account for a substantial amount of duplicated genes. Unequal crossover contributed more to duplications in the entire genome than retrotransposition did, but this contribution was significantly less in two-copy gene families, and duplicated genes arising from this mechanism are more likely to be retained. Combining rates of duplication using the two mechanisms, we estimated the overall rates to be from approximately 0.515 to 1.49 × 10 -3 per gene per million years in human, and from approximately 1.23 to 4.23 × 10 -3 in mouse. The rates estimated from two-copy gene families are always lower than those from the entire genome, and so it is not appropriate to use small families to estimate the rate for the entire genome. Conclusion: We present a novel strategy for estimating gene duplication rates. Our results show that different mechanisms contribute differently to the evolution of small and large gene families.
Regulated addition of new myocardial and epicardial cells fosters homeostatic cardiac growth and maintenance in adult zebrafish

The heart maintains structural and functional integrity during years of continual contraction, but the extent to which new cell creation participates in cardiac homeostasis is unclear. Here, we assessed cellular and molecular mechanisms of cardiac homeostasis in zebrafish, which display indeterminate growth and possess an unusual capacity to regenerate after acute cardiac injury. Lowering fish density in the aquarium triggered rapid animal growth and robust cardiomyocyte proliferation throughout the adult ventricle, greater than that observed during slow animal growth or size maintenance. Rapid animal growth also induced strong expression of the embryonic epicardial markers raldh2 ( aldh1a2 ) and tbx18 in adult epicardial tissue. Pulse-chase dye labeling experiments revealed that the epicardium recurrently contributes cells to the ventricular wall, indicating an active homeostatic process. Inhibition of signaling by Fibroblast growth factors (Fgfs) decreased this epicardial supplementation of the ventricular wall in growing zebrafish, and led to spontaneous ventricular scarring in animals maintaining cardiac size. Our results demonstrate that the adult zebrafish ventricle grows and is maintained by cardiomyocyte hyperplasia, and that epicardial cells are added to the ventricle in an Fgf-dependent fashion to support homeostasis.
Lossy transmission line simulation based on closed-form triangle impulse responses

Analytical frequency-domain expressions for single and coupled transmission lines with triangular input waveforms are first developed. The inverse Fourier transform is then used to obtain an expression for the time-domain triangle impulse responses for frequency-independent transmission line parameters. The integral associated with the inverse Fourier transform is solved analytically using a differential-equation-based technique. Closed-form expressions for the triangle impulse responses are given in the form of incomplete Lipschitz-Hankel integrals (ILHI) of the first kind. The ILHI can be efficiently calculated using existing algorithms. Combining these closed-form expressions for the triangle impulse responses with a time-domain convolution method using a triangle impulse as a basis function, provides an accurate and efficient simulation method for very lossy transmission lines embedded within linear and nonlinear circuits.
Beyond the Brain: The Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Viroimmune Responses to Antiretroviral Therapy among People Living with HIV with and without Alcohol Use.

OBJECTIVE Given the emerging data suggesting the key role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the immune system, we assessed longitudinally whether BDNF depletions induced by hazardous alcohol use (HAU) would impact a response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS In a prospective single-site cohort, virological and immunological responses to ART in 200 hazardous and 200 nonhazardous users were obtained, along with plasma BDNF levels. RESULTS Hazardous drinkers were more likely to have BDNF levels <4000 pg/mL (odds ratio [OR] = 1.6, P = .01). Participants with BDNF <4000 pg/mL were less likely to have CD4 counts of more than 500 cells/mm(3) (P = .02) and to achieve viral suppression over the follow-up period (OR = 1.5, P = .03). Multivariate analysis confirmed the significant role of HAU and low BDNF in predicting viroimmune responses. CONCLUSION Hazardous alcohol use was associated with BDNF alterations, which in turn were linked to a limited response to ART in terms of viral suppression and CD4 count improvements.
Use of Content Tags in Managing Advertisements for Online Videos

We consider the problem of managing advertisements (or ads for short) for ad-hoc online videos, such as those generated by end users. We propose a novel ad selection approach based on video tags. We first compute intrinsic values of individual video tags to each ad, called ad-specific weights of tags. The computed weight of a tag indicates the relevance of the tag to a given ad. Then based on the tag weights, we select the ad which is the most relevant to the current video which a user is viewing.Using lab experiments, we show that our tag-based approach is able to select relevant ads. For example, experiments show that 58% of the selected ads are among the top 5 most relevant ads in a pool of 64 candidate ads.
67Ga Scintigraphy in the Evaluation of Postsurgical Low Back Pain

A 62-y-old man presented with chronic, diffuse lower back pain 8 mo after undergoing extensive lumbar spine surgery for osteomyelitis that included an L4 and L5 diskectomy with partial corpectomy, followed by anterior spinal fusion of L4 and L5 with a fibular allograft, and L3 to S1 posterior fusion
99mTc-HL91 Effects of Low Flow and Hypoxia on a New Ischemia-Avid Myocardial Imaging Agent

BACKGROUND 99mTc-HL91 is a potential imaging agent that has demonstrated increased uptake in hypoxic tumor cells. The purpose of this study was to determine if 99mTc-HL91 demonstrates increased uptake and retention in ischemic and hypoxic myocardium. METHODS AND RESULTS 99mTc-HL91 (11.1 MBq) was infused over 10 minutes, followed by a 60-minute clearance phase. Activity was monitored by using an NaI detector. Three groups were studied using Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KH): controls (12 mL/min, n = 6), low-flow ischemic (1 mL/min, n = 7), and hypoxic (12 mL/min, n = 8). Two groups were perfused with KH, red blood cells, and albumin: controls (6 mL/min, n = 6) and low-flow ischemic (0.5 mL/min, n = 6). For the KH hearts, the 99mTc-HL91 peak uptake progressively increased from control (6.3 +/- 0.5 microCi, mean +/- SEM) to hypoxic (9.1 +/- 1.0 microCi) to low flow (44.0 +/- 2.6 microCi; P < .01). The peak uptake low-flow/control ratio was 7:1. Final retention increased progressively from control (0.8 +/- 0.1 microCi) to hypoxic (2.9 +/- 0.5 muCi) to low flow (10.9 +/- 1.3 microCi; P < .01). The final low-flow/control activity ratio was 13.6:1. Similar results were observed in the red blood cell-perfused control and low-flow groups. CONCLUSIONS This study introduces a new myocardial "hot spot" imaging agent, 99mTc-HL91. This agent demonstrates increased myocardial uptake and retention in hypoxic and low-flow ischemic models. Further in vivo imaging studies are warranted to determine the clinical potential of this agent.
Brood pheromone effects on colony protein supplement consumption and growth in the honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in a subtropical winter climate.

Fatty acid esters extractable from the surface of honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hyme- noptera: Apidae), larvae, called brood pheromone, signiÞcantly increase rate of colony growth in the spring and summer when sowering plant pollen is available in the foraging environment. Increased colony growth rate occurs as a consequence of increased pollen intake through mechanisms such as increasing number of pollen foragers and pollen load weights returned. Here, we tested the hypothesis that addition of brood pheromone during the winter pollen dearth period of a humid subtropical climate increases rate of colony growth in colonies provisioned with a protein supplement. Experi- ments were conducted in late winter (9 FebruaryÐ9 March 2004) and mid-winter (19 JanuaryÐ 8 February 2005). In both years, increased brood area, number of bees, and amount of protein supplement consumption were signiÞcantly greater in colonies receiving daily treatments of brood pheromone versus control colonies. Amount of extractable protein from hypopharyngeal glands measured in 2005 was signiÞcantly greater in bees from pheromone-treated colonies. These results suggest that brood pheromone may be used as a tool to stimulate colony growth in the southern subtropical areas of the United States where the package bee industry is centered and a large proportion of migratory colonies are overwintered.
The Impact on Student Learning and Satisfaction When a CS2 Course Became Interactive (Abstract Only)

From 2013 to 2014, a fairly standard CS2 course was changed to a dynamic classroom using clicker questions and OpenDSA textbook (embedded animations with animated and multiple choice questions allowing instructor review of results). Through these changes, class time focused on conceptual ideas and discussion rather than the mechanics of data structures. The clicker questions were used to engage students by strategically asking questions that differentiated between correct ideas and common misconceptions. To assess these changes, surveys of central CS2013 topics were given to students in 2013 (before the changes) and in 2014 and 2015 (after the changes) where the course is offered each spring. Additionally, the drop rate and knowledge from assignments and exams were examined. The analysis showed that after the first year students showed greater learning gains and substantial decline in drop rate (57% to 27%) but found the course less valuable (class time, discussions and readings). In the second year there was a drop in learning gains, an even greater reduction in drop rate (12%) but students now found the course time more valuable than the first year. These results are attributed to regularly informing students in the third year to the reasons for the new methodologies and the fact that a greater diversity of students completed the course each year. The author hopes to engage others in a discussion of their experiences about interactive courses, and how clicker questions can be constructed to engage and educate our students.
Directed self-assembly guiding template design for contact hole patterning

Directed self-assembly (DSA) is a promising lithography candidate for contact hole patterning at technology nodes beyond 14 nm. Using small physical guiding templates, we demonstrated flexible control of aperiodic block copolymer DSA patterns with precise position and outstanding overlay accuracy. For the first time we have shown contact hole patterning for memory and random logic circuits using DSA. We also introduce an alphabet approach that uses a minimal set of small physical templates to pattern all contact configurations on integrated circuits. We illustrate, through experiments, a general and scalable template design strategy that links the DSA material properties to the technology node requirements.
Inherited Sterility Among Progeny of Male Cabbage Loopers Treated with Tepa

When partially sterilizing doses of tepa were applied topically to 3-day-old male Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), survival among the progeny decreased with increasing dose, as did the rate of development of the F1 larvae. Fertility of F1 adults decreased generally with increasing dose to the male parent.