cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-world data on safety and efficacy of venetoclax-based regimens in relapsed/refractory t(11;14) multiple myeloma

The treatment for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) continues to be challenging despite recent therapeutic advancements. Venetoclax, an inhibitor of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2, is a promising agent, especially in patients harbouring t(11;14). Our objective was to review our experience with venetoclax-based regimens at our institution. All ten RRMM patients treated with venetoclax were included and had a median of six prior lines of therapy. The overall response rate was 78% and one patient with cardiac amyloidosis and MM achieved a cardiac organ response. Haematologic toxicities requiring red blood cell and platelet transfusion and non-haematologic toxicities, most commonly gastrointestinal upset, were observed.
Healthy aging interventions reduce non-coding repetitive element transcripts

Transcripts from non-coding repetitive elements (RE) in the genome may be involved in aging. However, they are often ignored in transcriptome studies on healthspan and lifespan, and their role in healthy aging interventions has not been characterized. Here, we analyze RE in RNA-seq datasets from mice subjected to robust healthspan- and lifespan-increasing interventions including calorie restriction, rapamycin, acarbose, 17-α-estradiol, and Protandim. We also examine RE transcripts in long-lived transgenic mice, and in mice subjected to high-fat diet, and we use RNA-seq to investigate the influence of aerobic exercise on RE transcripts with aging in humans. We find that: 1) healthy aging interventions/behaviors globally reduce RE transcripts, whereas aging and age-accelerating treatments increase RE expression; and 2) reduced RE expression with healthy aging interventions is associated with biological/physiological processes mechanistically linked with aging. Thus, RE transcript dysregulation and suppression are likely novel mechanisms underlying aging and healthy aging interventions, respectively.
Abstract IA16: Regulation of SAV1-STRIPAK antagonism by YSK1-dependent phosphorylation

The Hippo pathway is critical for tissue homeostasis and tumor suppression in multicellular organisms. Through cell-surface receptors and cytoskeletal complexes, extracellular signals, including cell-cell contact, activate a core kinase cascade formed by the Hippo kinases MST1/2, the NDR family kinases LATS1/2, and the adaptor proteins SAV1 and MOB1. Activated LATS1/2 phosphorylate and prevent the nuclear accumulation of the transcription factors YAP/TAZ. Activation of MST1/2 initiates Hippo signaling and requires trans-autophosphorylation in the T-loop (MST2 T180). We have recently shown that the PP2A complex STRIPAK blocks MST2 activation through feedback inhibition. SAV1 promotes MST2 activation by suppressing STRIPAKSLMAP-mediated dephosphorylation of MST2 pT180. Our preliminary results show that YSK1 (the kinase component of STRIPAK) phosphorylates SAV1 and blocks its ability to inhibit PP2A. We hypothesize that upstream signals impinge on the SAV1-STRIPAK antagonism through YSK1 to regulate MST1/2 activation. Citation Format: Xuelian “Sue” Luo. Regulation of SAV1-STRIPAK antagonism by YSK1-dependent phosphorylation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on the Hippo Pathway: Signaling, Cancer, and Beyond; 2019 May 8-11; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2020;18(8_Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
FtsZ dynamics in bacterial division: What, how, and why?

Abstract Bacterial cell division is orchestrated by the divisome, a protein complex centered on the tubulin homolog FtsZ. FtsZ polymerizes into a dynamic ring that defines the division site, recruits downstream proteins, and directs peptidoglycan synthesis to drive constriction. Recent studies have documented treadmilling of FtsZ polymer clusters both in cells and in vitro. Emerging evidence suggests that FtsZ dynamics are regulated largely by intrinsic properties of FtsZ itself and by the membrane anchoring protein FtsA. Although FtsZ dynamics are broadly required for Z-ring assembly, their role(s) during constriction may vary among bacterial species. These recent advances set the stage for future studies to investigate how FtsZ dynamics are physically and/or functionally coupled to peptidoglycan metabolic enzymes to direct efficient division.
Improved method for nondestructive measurement of dynamic pollen source strength from transgenic crops using sonic anemometer

Pollen-mediated gene flow from transgenic crops is a concern of the scientific community as well as the general public. Current lack is a nondestructive method to measure dynamic (hourly or shorter time period) source pollen release rate (source strength) from these crops. This paper reports an improved method using Rotorod concentration samplers and sticky slides, together with a fast response sonic anemometer, for measuring source strength from transgenic corn crops. Field measurements were made during the pollination season of 2001 at the Agronomy Research Farm, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut. Data were analyzed and used to estimate the pollen source strength of the corn crops at hourly time steps by considering both atmospheric transport and gravitational deposition processes. Details of the calculation and assumptions of the method are provided. Results from this study demonstrate that this method is sufficiently robust for use in estimating pollen source strength of transgenic crops with heavy pollen grains in assessing gene flow risks associated with field production of transgenic crops.
The liberatory potentials of multimodality: Collaborative Reggaeton music video production in Habana, Cuba:

This study took place in Habana, Cuba over approximately 1 year, wherein the researcher collaborated with Reggaeton artists. While scholarship in multimodality has explored its potentials for liter...
Instructor Social Presence and Connectedness in a Quick Shift from Face-to-Face to Online Instruction

During the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, instructors at a southeastern university had one week to convert their current face-to-face courses to an online format, under a time frame that did not allow for a “well-designed” online course. The current study investigates how some instructors were able to maintain social presence in the transition to the online environment, and the instructional practices they used to support those continued connections. In a cross-sectional survey of undergraduate and graduate students (N = 432 ) conducted during the last week of the Spring 2020 semester, we asked students to focus on a class that was successful in keeping them in touch with their instructor, content, and peers . Analyses of the data revealed four major themes: connectedness, instructor responsiveness and coaching, online learning best practices such as chunking materials, and empathic facilitation.
A Person-Centered Analysis of Craving in Smoking-Cue-Exposure Research:

Smoking-cue-exposure research offers a powerful method to examine craving, test new interventions, and identify at-risk smokers. Meta-analyses consistently show smoking-cue exposure increases cravi...
UNDERSTANDING SINA WEIBO USERS' LIKING BEHAVIOR: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY IN CHINA

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether hedonic motivation (enjoyment and passing time), social motivation (social support), and utilitarian motivation (information seeking and self-presentation) significantly affect users’ motivation to click “like” on Sina Weibo. A research model is developed and empirically tested using Sina Weibo users through an online survey. Using valid data from 215 Sina Weibo users in China, the research model is assessed by regression analysis. The results show that two types of motivation positively affect Sina Weibo users’ liking behavior: hedonic motivation (enjoyment) and utilitarian motivation (information seeking). Enjoyment plays the most salient role in determining liking behavior, followed by information seeking. Passing time, social support, and self-presentation were not found to affect liking behavior. The findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of liking behavior and offer important theoretical and practical implications to researchers and marketers.
Nondestructive Evaluation/Nondestructive Testing/Nondestructive Inspection (NDE/NDT/NDI) Sensors—Eddy Current, Ultrasonic, and Acoustic Emission Sensors

Material state characterization is often performed using nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques with an objective to either understand or evaluate the microstructural state of the material or indirectly determine the damage that may have occurred in the material during manufacturing or service. Understanding material state is crucial, since material properties define the material's ability to perform its designed function. A number of nondestructive evaluation/nondestructive testing/nondestructive inspection (NDE/NDT/NDI) sensors are available to measure properties of a material. Basic laws of physics dictate the function of the sensor. This article attempts to explain the physics behind eddy current, ultrasonic, and acoustic emission sensors routinely used in NDI of aircraft structures. Keywords: eddy current; ultrasonic; acoustic emission; material state; damage
Transcriptional regulation of proto-oncogene expression by epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor beta 1, and triiodothyronine in MDA-468 cells.

Abstract We have examined the epidermal growth factor (EGF) dependence of the transcription of different proto-oncogenes, using cultured human mammary carcinoma MDA-468 cells and a nuclear run-on transcription assay. We found that the stimulation of MDA-468 cells with EGF regulates moderately and to different extents the transcription of the EGF-receptor(R) and c-erbB-2 proto-oncogenes. In contrast, the transcription of other proto-oncogenes, including c-myc, c-H-ras, and c-fps, was unchanged. Furthermore, we provide evidence that transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) selectively and to different degrees modulates the EGF-dependent transcription of EGF-R and c-erbB-2 genes. In this study, we also discovered that T3 (triiodothyronine) exerts synergistic control on the action of EGF alone or in association with TGF-beta 1, on EGF-R and c-erbB-2 gene transcription. Moreover, we established that within 6 h after the addition of EGF, cytoplasmic EGF-R mRNA levels are increased several-fold and that this accumulation is enhanced by the presence of TGF-beta 1 and/or T3. The results described here are consistent with the hypothesis that a complex program of cooperative interactions among EGF-, TGF-beta 1-, and T3-generated signals at the transcriptional level may mediate, at least in part, the combined actions of EGF, TGF-beta 1, and T3 in target cells.
Characteristics of Students Who Express Stable or Undecided Occupational Expectations during Early Adolescence.

A predictive discriminant analysis (PDA) was used to classify students who expressed stable or undecided occupational expectation patterns during early adolescence. High school sophomores (N = 6,935) who completed questionnaires in Grades 8 and 10, as part of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88), comprised the data pool. Significant gender differences were found in the distribution of adolescents across four occupational expectation groups. Female adolescents were more likely to expect high-prestige and low-prestige occupations, whereas more male adolescents expressed moderate-prestige expectations. PDA results indicated that educational aspirations contributed the most to classification accuracy for both male and female adolescents with high-prestige expectations. Undecided female adolescents were characterized by a generalized and negative self-perception, whereas undecided male adolescents were characterized by a focused and negative perception of eventual occupational attainment.
Stress Response in Archaea

Terminology The Three Domains of Life The Beginnings Gene Cloning Discontinuous Distribution of the hsp70(dnaK) Gene within the Domain Archaea Stress Proteins in Archaea The Molecular Chaperone Machine The Chaperonins The Cochaperones Prefoldin Other Stress Proteins and Antistress Mechanisms in Archaea The Proteasome and Proteolysis Multicellular Structures Future Prospects Keywords: archaea, stress response in; chaperone and chaperonins; stress; stress genes; stress proteins
Social validation: Use of normative peer data to evaluate LD interventions

Social validation is an applied behavior analysis evaluation strategy that may help educators determine whether a change in academic performance has practical value for pupils with learning disabilities. This paper describes two methods of social validation: social comparison and subjective evaluation. Applied examples of the social comparison method with LD pupils are offered. Several implications and areas for further study are described relating to the use of the social comparison method in evaluating treatment programs for LD pupils.
Ehrlichia ewingii infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

Two closely related zoonotic ehrlichiae, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and E. ewingii, are transmitted by Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick. Because white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are critical hosts for all mobile stages of A. americanum and are important vertebrate reservoirs of E. chaffeensis, we investigated whether deer may be infected with E. ewingii, a cause of granulocytotropic ehrlichiosis in humans and dogs. To test for E. ewingii infection, we used polymerase chain reaction and inoculation of fawns with whole blood from wild deer. Of 110 deer tested from 20 locations in 8 U.S. states, 6 (5.5%) were positive for E. ewingii. In addition, natural E. ewingii infection was confirmed through infection of captive fawns. These findings expand the geographic distribution of E. ewingii, along with risk for human infection, to include areas of Kentucky, Georgia, and South Carolina. These data suggest that white-tailed deer may be an important reservoir for E. ewingii.
Design and experiments on a free-floating planar robot for optimal chase and capture operations in space

This paper describes an autonomous free-floating robot system that was designed to investigate the behavior of free-floating robots that are involved in the capture of satellites in space. The robot is used as a test bed for algorithms that have been developed for efficient and autonomous capture of objects in space. The robot is a completely autonomous system running under a real-time operating system. It is equipped with two three-degree-of-freedom arms, a three-axis thruster system and a fast communications module. The robot works in conjunction with a host computer. The host computer is used to process the capture algorithms and the robot implements the results in real time. The entire system provides a test bed for algorithms developed for optimal capture of objects in space.
Isometries of systolic spaces

We prove that any isometry of a systolic complex either fixes a simplex (elliptic case) or has an invariant thick geodesic (hyperbolic case). This provides an alternative proof that finitely generated abelian subgroups of systolic groups are undistorted.
Synthesis and antitumor evaluation of benzoylphenylurea analogs.

Abstract Novel series of benzoylphenylurea analogs 7–10 were prepared and evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of eight different human cancer cell lines. A very interesting inhibition profile against BxPC3, Mia-Paca, and Hep2 cells with compound 10 has been observed. Compounds 8 and 9 showed the significant cytotoxicity in Hep2 cells. All cell lines were resistant to compound 7.
Human spermatozoa glycerol permeability and activation energy determined by electron paramagnetic resonance

The permeability of human spermatozoa to glycerol and its activation energy were determined using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques. EPR was used to monitor the aqueous cell volume change vs. time during the glycerol permeation process using the aqueous spin label 15N-tempone and the membrane impermeable broadening agent potassium trioxalatochromiate (chromium oxalate). The permeation process was completed in tens of seconds, requiring the use of a stopped-flow methodology. The glycerol permeability coefficient (Pg) was determined by fitting a simple theoretical model to the experimental data. The permeabilities of human spermatozoa in 1 molar and 2 molar glycerol at 20 degrees C are (10.3 +/- 0.3).10(-4) cm/min (mean +/- S.D.) and (6.0 +/- 1.4).10(-4) cm/min, respectively. The permeabilities of human spermatozoa in 2 molar glycerol at 30, 20, 10, and 0 degrees C are (8.3 +/- 1.3).10(-4) cm/min, (6.0 +/- 1.4).10(-4) cm/min, (2.1 +/- 0.4).10(-4) cm/min, and (1.1 +/- 0.3).10(-4) cm/min, respectively. The activation energy (Ea) for glycerol permeation between 30 degrees C and 0 degrees C was found to be 11.6 kcal/mol.
Functional, sub-100 nm polymer nanoparticles via thiol–ene miniemulsion photopolymerization

In this work, sub-100 nm crosslinked polythioether nanoparticles were synthesized via thiol–ene photopolymerization in miniemulsion using high-energy homogenization. The effects of the miniemulsion formulation and homogenization parameters – including inhibitor concentration, surfactant concentration, organic weight fraction, ultrasonication time and amplitude – on nanoparticle size and size distribution were investigated. Thiol–ene nanoparticles with a mean particle diameter of 46 nm were obtained under optimized conditions for the current system at 2.5 wt% organic fraction and 20 mM surfactant concentration. In an effort to demonstrate potential utility of thiol–ene nanoparticles, we exploit the step-growth radical mechanism of thiol–ene photopolymerization under non-stoichiometric conditions to fabricate functional nanoparticles that express excess thiol or alkene at the particle surface. We show that these excess functional groups can be utilized as reactive handles in thiol-Michael and radical-mediated thiol–ene reactions for immobilization of fluorescent moieties via postpolymerization modification.
Management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Three outpatient therapies--cryotherapy laser vaporization and loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP)--are used in the US for the treatment of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). There has been considerable controversy however about the relative safety efficacy and costs of these methods. A rigorous study (Mitchell et al.) in which patients were stratified by key prognostic variables provided irrefutable evidence of the similarity of efficacy of the three methods. This suggests that only cost and concern over the small risk of missing adenocarcinoma-in-situ or microinvasive cancer need influence decisions about CIN treatment. Women with lesions affecting more than two-thirds of the surface of the cervix are more than 19 times more likely to have persistent disease than women with smaller lesions regardless of therapy type. The amount of tissue removed by laser cryotherapy and LEEP is small so these techniques have no adverse affect on pregnancy. The issue of whether low-grade lesions should be treated even though most are self-limiting continues to be debated.
Crystallographic texture optimisation in polycrystalline ferroelectric films for Random Access Memory applications

The present paper analyses the effect of crystallographic texture on the electromechanical interactions of polycrystalline PZT films. These interactions are responsible for inducing local enhancements of the remnant polarisation. Built-in stresses and electric fields are responsible for asymmetries in the local shape of the hysteretic loop that are as large as 25% in the coercive field and 10% in the out-of-plane remnant polarisation. Simulations show two types of 180° domain walls are favoured: stress-free and mechanically tensile polarisation interfaces. For [001] fibre textured grains a texture of 37 MRDs (r = 0.3) will maximise the performance of individual memory units.
Ikaros DNA-binding proteins direct formation of chromatin remodeling complexes in lymphocytes

The Ikaros gene family encodes zinc finger DNA-binding proteins essential for lineage determination and control of proliferation in the lymphoid system. Here, we report that, in the nucleus of a T cell, a major fraction of Ikaros and Aiolos proteins associate with the DNA-dependent ATPase Mi-2 and histone deacetylases, in a 2 MD complex. This Ikaros-NURD complex is active in chromatin remodeling and histone deacetylation. Upon T cell activation, Ikaros recruits Mi-2/HDAC to regions of heterochromatin. These studies reveal that Ikaros proteins are capable of targeting chromatin remodeling and deacetylation complexes in vivo. We propose that the restructuring of chromatin is a key aspect of Ikaros function in lymphocyte differentiation.
Elevated temperature aging of HIPS

The effects of aging at 85°C on a rubber-modified polystyrene (HIPS) have been studied as a function of aging time in both air and nitrogen. Four different types of physical measurements were carried out on the aged samples. These included mechanical relaxation measurements, tensile stress–strain measurements, creep measurements at several stresses, and measurements of fatigue lifetime under applied tension–compression stress. Aging in nitrogen is largely a physical aging process and results in higher modulus, higher tensile strength, and longer delay times to the onset of accelerating creep deformation. But tensile ductility and fatigue lifetime tend to reduce, and there is no change in location of Tg of the rubber phase. Aging in air involves both chemical and physical aging, and the changes that occur depend on which process dominates. For long-time aging of 150 h or more, the rubber-phase Tg is shifted to higher temperatures and the associated loss peak is broadened due to crosslinking. Also, the tensile strength, tensile ductility, creep delay time, and fatigue life all reduce. These effects are attributed to oxidative attack and embrittlement. SEM micrographs reveal variations in fracture surface morphology due to the mode of testing and to the aging medium.
Optogenetic manipulation of neural circuits and behavior in Drosophila larvae

Optogenetics is a powerful tool that enables the spatiotemporal control of neuronal activity and circuits in behaving animals. Here, we describe our protocol for optical activation of neurons in Drosophila larvae. As an example, we discuss the use of optogenetics to activate larval nociceptors and nociception behaviors in the third-larval instar. We have previously shown that, using spatially defined GAL4 drivers and potent UAS (upstream activation sequence)-channelrhodopsin-2∷YFP transgenic strains developed in our laboratory, it is possible to manipulate neuronal populations in response to illumination by blue light and to test whether the activation of defined neural circuits is sufficient to shape behaviors of interest. Although we have only used the protocol described here in larval stages, the procedure can be adapted to study neurons in adult flies--with the caveat that blue light may not sufficiently penetrate the adult cuticle to stimulate neurons deep in the brain. This procedure takes 1 week to culture optogenetic flies and ~1 h per group for the behavioral assays.
Effect of Accelerators on the Structure, Solar Attenuation Characteristics and Electro-Optic Performance of Polymer-Dispersed Liquid Crystal Films

Abstract We have significantly improved the solar attenuation characteristics of ultraviolet-cured polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) films by adding chemical accelerators to the materials from which the films are formed. The visual transmittance and response times of the new films are comparable to those of the best ultraviolet-cured films prepared without an accelerator; however, the new films may require higher operating voltages to achieve this performance. In addition, PDLC films prepared with accelerators require approximately 50% less liquid crystal than the best films made without accelerators.
Managing the Shop Floor: Subjectivity, Masculinity and Workplace Culture

The article presents a review of the book “Managing the Shop Floor: Subjectivity, Masculinity and Workplace Culture,” by David L. Collinson.
Activation of cytochrome P450IA1 gene expression by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin in wild-type and high-activity variant mouse hepatoma cells.

We analyzed the function of a DNA domain located upstream of the cytochrome P450IA1 gene in wild-type (Hepa 1c1c7) mouse hepatoma cells and in high-activity variant (HAV) cells that overtranscribe the gene in response to the inducer 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Transfection experiments indicated that both wild-type and HAV DNA confer responsiveness to TCDD upon the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. However, the level of CAT activity was four- to fivefold higher when the hybrid genes were expressed in the HAV cells. These findings imply that an alteration in a trans-acting function confers the HAV phenotype. Studies of mRNA accumulation imply that TCDD acts by enhancing the rate of mRNA initiation rather than by removing a block in mRNA elongation. We found that both wild-type and HAV cells used the same transcriptional promoter as that described previously for the cytochrome P450IA1 gene in C57BL/6 mouse liver. Both cell types exhibited superinduction of cytochrome P450IA1 gene expression in response to TCDD plus cycloheximide.
Coordinates of features on the mariner 6 and 7 pictures of Mars

A control net of Mars has been computed from measurements of 115 control points identified on the Mariner 6 and 7 pictures. Most of these points are located with respect to topographic features on the surface of Mars, and their areographic coordinates were computed by photogrammetric techniques. These pictures offered the first opportunity to establish a control net of Mars based on topographic detail.
W. Ross Ashby: a pioneer of systems science

An overview of those W. Ross Ashby's ideas that contributed to the emergence of systems science is presented in this paper from my personal perspective. Ashby's visible influence on three research areas in systems science that I have pursued for many years is discussed in more detail.
Computation of quantum phase transitions by reduced-density-matrix mechanics

Quantum phase transitions are explored with reduced-density-matrix (RDM) mechanics. While in wave mechanics the quantum phase transition is identified by a crossing or avoided crossing between ground- and excited-state energies, in RDM mechanics the transition is characterized by movement of the ground-state two-electron RDM (2-RDM) along the boundary of the convex set of 2-RDMs between regions with dramatically different expectation values (order parameters) of one or more operators. With recent advances the ground-state 2-RDM can be directly computed without the many-particle wave function by variational optimization of the energy with the 2-RDM [D. A. Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 213001 (2004)]. Because the variational calculation of the 2-RDM does not depend on a reference wave function, it can accurately predict the energies and properties of a system both near and far from the quantum phase transition.
Kinetics of the displacement reaction between iron and Cu 2 O

The displacement reaction between iron and Cu2O at 1000°C results in the lamellar modifi-cation of the aggregate product morphology. According to a model presented for the growth kinetics, the reaction rate depends on two parameters: the oxygen activity at the growth front of the product-oxide lamellae and the volume fraction of oxide in the product zone. Two mathematical expressions for the condition of steady-state growth are necessary to solve the kinetic expressions. One condition is that the fluxes of the reactants at the growth front are equal at steady state. As a second condition, it is postulated that the two param-eters adjust such that these fluxes are maximized. Based on these conditions, a numerical solution of the flux equations for the reaction between iron and Cu2O at 1000°C yields an oxygen activity of 10-8.4 atm at the growth front. Thus, the product-oxide lamellae should comprise wustite and magnetite. This prediction is confirmed. Calculated reaction rates and product-layer thicknesses are in reasonable agreement with experimental results.
Insulin resistance and other metabolic risk factors in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

There are many causes of HCC, and NAFLD/NASH is now emerging as a leading risk factor owing to the epidemic of obesity and type 2 DM. The mechanisms leading to HCC in obesity and type 2 DM likely involve interactions between several signaling pathways, including oxidative stress, inflammation, oncogenes, adiponectins, and insulin resistance associated with visceral adiposity and diabetes. Understanding the molecular signaling pathways involved in the pathogenesis of HCC will aid in the development of molecular therapies targeting specific receptors and/or signaling proteins for the prevention and treatment of HCC. In addition, a better understanding of the role of insulin and leptin resistance and adiponectin deficiency in these pathways may provide greater awareness of dietary, lifestyle and pharmacologic interventions.
Amperometric detection of thiopurines in blood plasma with a cobalt-phthalocyanine chemically modified electrode after liquid chromatography

Abstract Cobalt phthalocyanine-containing carbon paste electrodes are used as electrocatalytic amperometric sensors for 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, and several related thiopurines in blood plasma after separation by liquid chromatography. Required sample preparation is minimal, and total quantitation time is 8 min or less. Detection limits are 1.5–8 pmol, approximately an order of magnitude better than that obtained with ultraviolet or fluorescence detection.
Hydrogen induced change from superconducting to magnetically ordered state in Th7Fe3

Abstract The Pauli paramagnet Th 7 Fe 3 becomes a superconductor at temperatures below 1.86 K. 1 This compound readily hydrogenates to Th 7 Fe 3 H 30 , giving one of the densest hydrogen media known. Magnetization measurements on the hydride show that it is magnetically ordered. It has a Curie temperature above 300 K and a saturated moment measured at 4.2 K of 1.4 μ B /Fe. The differing behavior in the host metal and the hydride is ascribed, in the latter, to competition between H and Fe for the electrons provided by Th. In the host metal the Fe d-band is filled by electron transfer and the Fe moment is quenched. In the hydride some of the electrons provided by Th are absorbed by H, leaving vacancies in the Fe d-band. These, in turn, give rise to the magnetic order. The present instance in which a superconductor is converted into a ferromagnet appears to be unique as regards the effects of hydrogenation on the properties of metallic systems.
Ex situ transmission electron microscopy: a fixed-bed reactor approach.

A fixed-bed reactor has been designed and constructed for ex situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies of heterogeneous catalysts. The ex situ facility exposes a fully prepared TEM sample on a grid to actual process conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, gas composition, etc.) by placing the grid at the exit section of a conventional fixed-bed reactor. A unique reactor design allows grid transfer into the electron microscope and back into the reactor again under a controlled (inert) environment, thus allowing time-resolved monitoring of catalyst morphology changes under realistic, well-controlled conditions. This facility stands completely independent of the TEM. Thus, no special TEM modifications are required and long-term ex situ studies do not impact microscope utilization. The utility of the facility is demonstrated via the oxidation of intermediate size (∼20–∼80 nm) supported copper particles.
FASt global convergence of gradient methods for solving regularized M-estimation

We analyze the convergence rates of composite gradient methods for solving problems based on regularized M-estimators, working within a high-dimensional framework that allows the data dimension d to grow with (and possibly exceed) the sample size n. This high-dimensional structure precludes the usual global assumptions—namely, strong convexity and smoothness conditions—that underlie much of classical optimization analysis. We define appropriately restricted versions of these conditions, and show that they are satisfied with high probability for various statistical models. Under these conditions, our theory guarantees that composite gradient descent has a globally geometric rate of convergence up to the statistical precision of the model, meaning the typical distance between the true unknown parameter θ* and an optimal solution θ. This result is substantially sharper than previous results, which yielded sublinear convergence or linear convergence up to the noise level, and builds on our earlier work for constrained estimation problems. Our analysis applies to a wide range of M-estimators and statistical models, including sparse linear regression using Lasso (l 1 -regularized regression); group Lasso for block sparsity; log-linear models with regularization; low-rank matrix recovery using nuclear norm regularization; and matrix decomposition. Overall, our analysis reveals interesting connections between statistical precision and computational efficiency in high-dimensional estimation.
Near-threshold fatigue crack propagation rates of dual-phase steels

Abstract Specimen geometry (center notched CN versus single edge notched SEN) has been shown to affect the near-threshold fatigue crack propagation rate in dual-phase HY80 and type 1018 steels. The stress intensity range threshold ΔKth values of the SEN specimens were higher than those of the CN specimens. Closure stress, scanning electron microscopy fractography and surface roughness measurements were made to characterize the near-threshold crack closure behavior. In all cases, closure stress intensities Kcl at a given stress intensity range ΔK were much higher in the SEN specimens. When ΔKth is corrected for crack closure to compute the effective stress intensity range threshold ΔKeff, th, the specimen geometry effect disappears within experimental error. Surface-roughness-induced crack closure is shown to be the origin of the specimen geometry effect.
Lessons To Be Learned From the Collaborative Glaucoma Study

Abstract The Collaborative Glaucoma Study was designed to test the hypothesis that tests of ocular pressure and its fluid dynamics before and after water drinking can predict those eyes at risk of developing field defects in the future and to describe quantitatively the predictive value of these measures. Ninety-eight of 5886 eyes (1.7%) with elevated pressures developed field damage over 1–13 years of followup. Comparing the eyes that incurred damage with those that did not, five factors were identified as having a standardized coefficient which was statistically significant; these were C-value of tonography, age, applanation pressure, cup/disc ratio and pressure change after water drinking. However, the predictive ability of all five factors — alone or considered cumulatively — was limited. A major contribution of the Collaborative Study may be in highlighting the need to continue the search for factors — perhaps hitherto unsuspected — that influence the development of glaucomatous visual field defects.
Al Qaeda's Sharia Crisis: Sayyid Imam and the Jurisprudence of Lawful Military Jihad

Militant Islamist Sayyid Imam's legal critique of Al Qaeda's anti-U.S. mass casualty terrorism holds great potential utility for counterterrorist messaging strategy. In this article, a jihad–realist Islamist theological–jurisprudential methodology is first defended as the means most productive for delegitimizing Al Qaeda among high value, religiously motivated recruits. Second, Sayyid Imam's specific allegations and detailed Sharia proofs against Al Qaeda are presented. Finally, implications are drawn for U.S. counterterrorist messaging focusing especially on the utility of wielding this theological–juridical approach as compared to other “counternarrative” approaches, and the vital need to accurately characterize Islamism and its relation to terrorism.
The relationship among sex roles, living arrangements, and the division of household responsibilities.

Twenty couples living together, 10 married and 10 unmarried, were given the Bem Sex-Role Inventory and a questionnaire on the performance of household responsibilities. Findings provided partial support for hypotheses relating more traditional sex roles, living arrangements, and division of household responsibilities. Results also indicated a greater variability in household responsibilities for unmarried males and for males and females who were not traditionally sex typed. The latter results support a model which was formulated relating changes in sex-role attitudes with changes in sex-related behavior. In this model, a period of uncertainty intervenes between the change in attitude and the change in related behavior.
Modeling electrokinetic flows by the smoothed profile method

We propose an efficient modeling method for electrokinetic flows based on the smoothed profile method (SPM) [1-4] and spectral element discretizations. The new method allows for arbitrary differences in the electrical conductivities between the charged surfaces and the surrounding electrolyte solution. The electrokinetic forces are included into the flow equations so that the Poisson-Boltzmann and electric charge continuity equations are cast into forms suitable for SPM. The method is validated by benchmark problems of electroosmotic flow in straight channels and electrophoresis of charged cylinders. We also present simulation results of electrophoresis of charged microtubules, and show that the simulated electrophoretic mobility and anisotropy agree with the experimental values.
Flapping tail membrane in bats produces potentially important thrust during horizontal takeoffs and very slow flight.

Historically, studies concerning bat flight have focused primarily on the wings. By analyzing high-speed video taken on 48 individuals of five species of vespertilionid bats, we show that the capacity to flap the tail-membrane (uropatagium) in order to generate thrust and lift during takeoffs and minimal-speed flight (<1 m s−1) was largely underestimated. Indeed, bats flapped the tail-membrane by extensive dorso-ventral fanning motions covering as much as 135 degrees of arc consistent with thrust generation by air displacement. The degree of dorsal extension of the tail-membrane, and thus the potential amount of thrust generated during platform launches, was significantly correlated with body mass (P = 0.02). Adduction of the hind limbs during upstrokes collapsed the tail-membrane thereby reducing its surface area and minimizing negative lift forces. Abduction of the hind limbs during the downstroke fully expanded the tail-membrane as it was swept ventrally. The flapping kinematics of the tail-membrane is thus consistent with expectations for an airfoil. Timing offsets between the wings and tail-membrane during downstrokes was as much as 50%, suggesting that the tail-membrane was providing thrust and perhaps lift when the wings were retracting through the upstoke phase of the wing-beat cycle. The extent to which the tail-membrane was used during takeoffs differed significantly among four vespertilionid species (P = 0.01) and aligned with predictions derived from bat ecomorphology. The extensive fanning motion of the tail membrane by vespertilionid bats has not been reported for other flying vertebrates.
EXPLORATION OF PERICYCLIC REACTION TRANSITION STRUCTURES BY QUANTUM MECHANICAL METHODS : COMPETING CONCERTED AND STEPWISE MECHANISMS

Abstract Density functional theory and multiconfigurational SCF calculations have been applied to a number of pericyclic reactions, including cycloadditions, electrocyclizations and sigmatropic shifts. Emphasis is on the competition between concerted and stepwise mechanisms, comparisons of computed and experimental activation energies and isotope effects, and the performance of MP2, CASSCF and DFT calculations. Various diradical processes, such as the vinylcyclopropane rearrangement and cyclobutane isomerizations, were also studied to test the performance of DFT with diradical processes.
Complementary and non-matching afferent compartments in the cat's superior colliculus: innervation of the acetylcholinesterase-poor domain of the intermediate gray layer

Abstract Three tectal afferent-fiber systems were experimentally labeled in the cat to learn how their distributions within the superior colliculus were related to the prominent compartments of high acetylcholinesterase activity found in the intermediate gray layer. Presumptive somatic sensory afferents were labeled by injections of horseradish peroxidase-wheatgerm agglutinin conjugate placed at the bulbospinal junction and in the ventral anterior ectosylvian cortex corresponding to somatic sensory area SIV. Vision-related afferents were labeled by injections of the same tracer substance into the lateral suprasylvian visual area. In each animal, a single type of injection was made and a detailed study was carried out to compare the patterns of anterograde labeling and acetylcholinesterase staining in serially adjoining sections through the superior colliculus. Fibers labeled by the three types of injection were distributed in clusters that resembled the acetylcholinesterase-positive patches in the intermediate gray layer. In no case, however, were the afferent-fiber clusters in register with the histochemically defined patches. Instead, the innervations derived from the bulbospinal junction, anterior estosylvian sulcus and lateral suprasylvian visual area all formed patchworks within the acetylcholinesterase-poor domain of the intermediate gray layer. In some instances, the afferent-fiber clusters and enzyme-positive patches appeared to have complementary distributions. In other instances, the afferent-fiber clusters seemed to be arranged in the acetylcholinesterase-poor parts of the intermediate layer in a fashion independent of, but not significantly overlapping, the acetylcholinesterase-positive patches. Not all of the space between the acetylcholinesterase-positive patches was taken up by any one of the afferent-fiber systems labeled. The complementary and non-matching distribution of these afferent systems in relation to the acetylcholinesterase-rich patches of the intermediate gray layer stands in contrast to the spatial registration of two other tectal afferent systems with the zones of high acetylcholinesterase activity. Both nigrotectal and frontotectal afferents converge on the acetylcholinesterase-positive patches. We conclude that afferent systems projecting to the intermediate gray layer can be divided into at least two groups: those innervating the acetylcholinesterase-rich compartments and those avoiding them. The observations further point to the existence of a number of periodic compartmental systems in the intermediate gray layer in addition to the acetylcholinesterase-positive zones readily observed there by histochemistry. On the basis of these anatomical findings we suggest that individually distinct functional domains may be established in the intermediate gray layer by the mosaic architecture of its afferent innervations.
Mononuclear cell stimulation of fibroblast collagen synthesis.

Summary Accumulating evidence suggests that there may be a relationship between inflammatory responses and enhanced collagen synthesis in certain skin diseases. In our experiments, unstimulated normal human lymphocytes and phytohaemagluttinin (HA-17) stimulated lymphocytes were cultured for 72 h and then added to normal human foreskin fibroblast monolayer cultures. The various groups tested included medium and sera alone, medium and lymphocytes ± HA-17, and HA-17 alone. Five to 10 μCi of (2, 3-3H)-proline were added to each monolayer containing 2·5-3·5 × 106 fibroblasts along with cultured lymphocytes, HA-17 alone, or HA-17 cultured lymphocytes. After an incubation period (pulse) of 24 h 3H hydroxyproline was separated and assayed using a modification of the method of Switzer & Summer (1971). The conversion of 3H proline to 3H hydroxyproline was used as a measure of collagen synthesis. The results demonstrated that the addition of unstimulated cultured lymphocytes stimulated fibroblast collagen synthesis. HA-17 alone is also capable of stimulating collagen synthesis in vitro. The greatest stimulation (counts/min 3H hydroxyproline) was seen when fibroblasts were incubated with lymphocytes previously activated by HA-17. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that activated mononuclear cells may stimulate collagen synthesis by fibroblasts in vivo in such diseases as scleroderma and chronic graft-versus-host disease.
An infrared study of the hydrogen-bonding specificity of hypoxanthine and other nucleic acid derivatives.

Abstract Previous infrared studies of chloroform-soluble derivatives of the nucleic acid purines and pyrimidines have demonstrated considerable selectivity in hydrogen-bond formation. Hypoxanthine is an important minor base found in transfer RNA, often in the anti-codon position. This has prompted the extension of these studies to include the hydrogen-bonded association of a chloroform-soluble hypoxanthine derivative (2,3-benzylidine-5′-trityl-inosine (I)) with appropriate derivatives of guanine, cytosine, adenine, thymine and uracil. It was found that (I) associates strongly with the cytosine derivative, rather weakly with the adenine derivative, and scarcely at all with the other bases. Estimates have been made of the pair-wise association constants of the various bases in chloroform solution.
Insulin Signaling in Mice Expressing Reduced Levels of Syp

Syp is a protein tyrosine phosphatase implicated in insulin and growth factor signaling. To evaluate the role of syp in insulin's regulation of plasma glucose, we generated knockout mice. Homozygous knockout mice die prior to day 10.5 of embryonic development. Hemizygous mice express half the levels of syp protein compared with their wild type littermates but do not display any gross morphological changes. Total body weight (age 2-10 weeks) and plasma insulin and glucose levels both in fasting and glucose-challenged states were comparable in the wild type and the hemizygous mice. No differences were observed in insulin-induced glucose uptake in soleus muscle and epididymal fat; insulin inhibition of lipolysis was also similar. We injected insulin into the portal vein of the mice to examine upstream events of the insulin signaling cascade. Tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) from hemizygous tissue was similar to that of wild type tissue. Association of the p85 subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase to IRS-1 increased an average of 2-fold in both groups. We did not observe an increase of IRS-1/syp association after insulin administration, but we did note a significant basal association in both wild type and hemizygous tissue. Our results do not support a major role for syp in the acute in vivo metabolic actions of insulin.
Comparative Effects of Substrates and Pterin Cofactor on the Heme Midpoint Potential in Inducible and Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthases

The nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are heme-containing enzymes responsible for catalyzing the five-electron oxidation of a guanidino nitrogen of l-arginine to produce the free radical nitric oxide. T...