cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compounds without borders: A mechanism for quantifying complex odors and responses to scent-pollution in bumblebees.

Bumblebees are critical pollinators whose populations have been experiencing troubling declines over the past several decades. Successful foraging improves colony fitness, thus understanding how anthropogenic influences modulate foraging behavior may aid conservation efforts. Odor pollution can have negative impacts on bumble- and honey-bees foraging behavior. However, given the vast array of potential scent contaminants, individually testing pollutants is an ineffective approach. The ability to quantitatively measure how much scent-pollution of a floral-odor bumblebees can tolerate would represent a paradigm shift in odor-pollution studies. Current statistical methods for analyzing complex odors have poor predictive power because statistically-derived odor-spaces are rewritten when new odors are added. This study presents an alternative method of analyzing complex odor blends based on the encoding properties of insect olfactory systems. This “Compounds Without Borders” (CWB) method vectorizes odors in a multidimensional space representing relevant functional group and carbon characteristics of their component odorants. A single vector can be built for any scent, which allows the angular distance between any two odors to be calculated–including a learned odor and its polluted counterpart. Data presented here indicate that CWB-angles are capable of both describing and predicting bumblebee odor-discrimination behavior: odor pairs with angular distances in the 20–29° range appear to be generalized, while odor pairs over 30 degrees are differentiated. The neurophysiological properties underlying CWB-vectorization of odors are not unique to bumblebees; CWB-angle analysis of a small sample of published odor-data supports the idea that this method may have broader applications. Author summary Recent work has indicated that anthropogenic pollution of floral-scent may have negative impacts on bumblebee foraging behavior. We need quantitative tools to both measure how much pollution of a learned floral-odor bumblebees can tolerate and identify which scent-pollutants are problematic. This study used encoding characteristics of insect olfactory systems to develop a new paradigm for quantifying complex odors. This ‘Compounds Without Borders’ method builds multidimensional vectors of scents based on physiologically relevant physical characteristics of component odorant-compounds. The angular distance between CWB-vectors then provides a single quantitative variable describing how similar (or dissimilar) two complex odors are. This angular representation of odor similarity is predictive of bumblebees’ behavior in an associative odor learning task.
Two-step write-verify scheme and impact of the read noise in multilevel RRAM-based inference engine

The accuracte cell conductance tuning is critical to realizing multilevel resistive random access memory (RRAM) based compute-in-memory inference engine. To tighten the distribution of the cells of each state, we developed a two-step write-verify scheme within the limited number of iteration, which was tested on a test vehicle based on HfO2 RRAM array to realize 2-bit per cell. The conductance of the cells are gathered in the targeted range within 10 loops of set and reset process for each step. Moreover, the read noise of the RRAM cells is statistically measured and its impact on the upper-bound of analog-to-digital converter (ADC) resolution is predicted. The result shows that the intemediate state cells under relatively high read voltage (e.g. 0.2V) are vulnerable to the read noise. Fortunately, the aggregated read noise along the column will not disturb the output of a 5-bit ADC that is required for 128×128 array with 2-bit per cell.
Signatures of a liquid-liquid transition in an ab initio deep neural network model for water.

The possible existence of a metastable liquid–liquid transition (LLT) and a corresponding liquid–liquid critical point (LLCP) in supercooled liquid water remains a topic of much debate. An LLT has been rigorously proved in three empirically parametrized molecular models of water, and evidence consistent with an LLT has been reported for several other such models. In contrast, experimental proof of this phenomenon has been elusive due to rapid ice nucleation under deeply supercooled conditions. In this work, we combined density functional theory (DFT), machine learning, and molecular simulations to shed additional light on the possible existence of an LLT in water. We trained a deep neural network (DNN) model to represent the ab initio potential energy surface of water from DFT calculations using the Strongly Constrained and Appropriately Normed (SCAN) functional. We then used advanced sampling simulations in the multithermal–multibaric ensemble to efficiently explore the thermophysical properties of the DNN model. The simulation results are consistent with the existence of an LLCP, although they do not constitute a rigorous proof thereof. We fit the simulation data to a two-state equation of state to provide an estimate of the LLCP’s location. These combined results—obtained from a purely first-principles approach with no empirical parameters—are strongly suggestive of the existence of an LLT, bolstering the hypothesis that water can separate into two distinct liquid forms.
Nurse/Resident Reciprocal Shadowing to Improve Interprofessional Communication

OBJECTIVES: Poor communication is a major contributor to sentinel events in hospitals. Suboptimal communication between physicians and nurses may be due to poor understanding of team members’ roles. We sought to evaluate the impact of a shadowing experience on nurse–resident interprofessional collaboration, bidirectional communication, and role perceptions. METHODS: This mixed-methods study took place at 2 large academic children’s hospitals with pediatric residency programs during the 2018–2019 academic year. First-year residents and nurses participated in a reciprocal, structured 4-hour shadowing experience. Participants were surveyed before, immediately after, and 6 months after their shadowing experience by using an anonymous web-based platform containing the 20-item Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey, as well as open-ended qualitative questions. Quantitative data were analyzed via linear mixed models. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Participants included 33 nurses and 53 residents from the 2 study sites. The immediate postshadowing survey results revealed statistically significant improvements in 12 Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Survey question responses for nurses and 19 for residents (P ≤ .01). Subsequently, 6 questions for nurses and 17 for residents revealed sustained improvements 6 months after the intervention. Qualitative analysis identified 5 major themes related to optimal nurse–resident engagement: effective communication, collaboration, role understanding, team process, and patient-centered. CONCLUSIONS: The reciprocal shadowing experience was associated with an increase in participant understanding of contributions from all interprofessional team members. This improved awareness may improve patient care. Future work may be conducted to assess the impact of spread to different clinical areas and elucidate patient outcomes that may be associated with this intervention.
The Impact of Role Coordination on Virtual Team Performance and Player Retention in Esports

Multiplayer online battle arena games provide a valid laboratory for studying virtual-teams behavior. Despite the surging attention on virtual team collaboration, little attempts have been made to identify which factor facilitates role coordination or how role coordination affects team outcomes, although when people are collaborating virtually, coordination based on their roles can be of great help for effective teamwork. Therefore, in this first preliminary study, in our larger program of study on Role Coordination and Team Games, we examine the relationship between role coordination and team performance, player retention in highly virtual teams. Using detailed 3.59 million match data from Defense of the Ancients 2 (Dota 2), where a match-making system is engineered to encourage players to collaborate, we devise a novel measure of role coordination based on rank aggregation by the Bradley-Terry model. We report evidence that role coordination is positively associated with team performance and player retention. We further indicate that familiarity among team members facilitates role coordination. These findings have implications for the literature on virtual teams and games as well as game companies, developers, and players about how to facilitate role coordination.
Narrating agricultural resilience after Hurricane María: how smallholder farmers in Puerto Rico leverage self-sufficiency and collaborative agency in a climate-vulnerable food system

Climate change is a threat to food system stability, with small islands particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events. In Puerto Rico, a diminished agricultural sector and resulting food import dependence have been implicated in reduced diet quality, rural impoverishment, and periodic food insecurity during natural disasters. In contrast, smallholder farmers in Puerto Rico serve as cultural emblems of self-sufficient food production, providing fresh foods to local communities in an informal economy and leveraging traditional knowledge systems to manage varying ecological and climatic constraints. The current mixed methods study sought to document this expertise and employed a questionnaire and narrative interviewing in a purposeful sample of 30 smallholder farmers after Hurricane Maria to (1) identify experiences in post-disaster food access and agricultural recovery and (2) reveal underlying socioecological knowledge that may contribute to a more climate resilient food system in Puerto Rico. Although the hurricane resulted in significant damages, farmers contributed to post-disaster food access by sharing a variety of surviving fruits, vegetables, and root crops among community members. Practices such as crop diversification, seed banking, and soil conservation were identified as climate resilient farm management strategies, and smallholder farmer networks were discussed as a promising solution to amass resources and bolster agricultural productivity. These recommendations were shared in a narrative highlighting socioecological identity, self-sufficiency, community and cultural heritage, and collaborative agency as integral to agricultural resilience. Efforts to promote climate resilience in Puerto Rico must leverage smallholder farmers’ socioecological expertise to reclaim a more equitable, sustainable, and community-owned food system.
When Should Neuroendovascular Care for Patients With Acute Stroke Be Palliative

Noncurative surgeries intended to relieve suffering during serious illness or near end of life have been analyzed across palliative settings. Yet sparse guidance is available to inform clinical management decisions about whether, when, and which interventions should be offered when ischemic stroke and other neurological complications occur in patients whose survival is extended by other novel disease-modifying interventions. This case commentary examines key ethical and clinical considerations in palliative neuroendovascular care of patients with acute stroke.
A Pair of ACEs

The emergence of the COVID-19 viral pandemic has generated a renewed interest in pharmacologic agents that target the renin angiotensin system (RAS). Angiotensin-converting enzyme 1 (ACE1) inhibitors decrease the synthesis of angiotensin II (Ang II) from its precursor angiotensin I and inhibit the breakdown of bradykinin, while Ang II receptor blockers antagonize the action of Ang II at the receptor level downstream. The actions of both classes of drugs lead to vasodilation, a blunting of sympathetic drive and a reduction in aldosterone release, all beneficial effects in hypertension and congestive heart failure. ACE2 cleaves the vasoconstrictor Ang II to produce the anti-inflammatory cytoprotective angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7) peptide, which functions through the G protein-coupled receptor MAS to counteract the pathophysiologic effects induced by Ang II via its receptors, including vasoconstriction, inflammation, hypercoagulation, and fibrosis. SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells by binding ACE2 on the cell surface, decreases ACE2 activity, competes for ACE2 receptor-binding sites, and shifts the RAS toward an overexpression of Ang II, accounting for many of the deleterious effects of the virus. Thus, there is great interest in developing recombinant ACE2 as a therapeutic for prevention or treatment of COVID-19. Notably, ACE2 is highly expressed in the oral cavity, and saliva and dorsum of the tongue are major reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2. Cost-effective methods to debulk the virus in the oral cavity may aid in the prevention of viral spread. Here we review the pharmacology of targeted small molecule inhibitors of the RAS and discuss novel approaches to employing ACE2 as a therapeutic for COVID-19.
Interviewing, Counseling, and In-Court Examination of Children: Practical Approaches for Attorneys

There are many different ways in which a child may become involved in a legal proceeding and there are many issues that arise when this occurs. This article addresses the issues that exist when a child is a part of the legal process and how an attorney should handle these issues. At the forefront, the authors of this article show how attorneys should know and understand the general cognitive and moral stages of child development before interacting with the child. The next step is to overcome the barriers of communication between an adult attorney and child by making the child feel comfortable, asking questions that the child will understand, and making sure that the child understands the attorney’s role and the legal process as best as he or she can. The article then moves on to a discussion of problems of factual accuracy with children, when children are allowed to testify in court and how to examine them in court. The final part of the article considers other special problems, such as issues of confidentiality, dealing with parents, working with a child who has been severely injured or who has witnessed a death or serious injury, and counseling the child on how to make decisions. Overall, the article gives suggestions to help attorneys adequately face the challenges that arise when working with children.
Local 5-methyltetrahydrofolate administration augments NO-dependent vasodilation in aged human skin (1106.11)

Even in the absence of overt cardiovascular disease, older men and women have reduced vascular endothelial function, evidenced by attenuated nitric oxide (NO)-dependent cutaneous vasodilation (VD) during local heating. Folic acid and its metabolite 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) improve conduit vessel function, possibly through NO-dependent mechanisms. We hypothesized that local 5-MTHF administration would augment NO-dependent VD in aged skin. Two intradermal microdialysis fibers were placed in the forearm skin of 7 young (Y, 23±1 years) and 7 older (O, 77±3 years) subjects for local delivery of Ringer’s solution (control) or 5mM 5-MTHF. Red cell flux was measured over each site by laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) during standardized local heating to 42°C. After cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC = LDF/MAP) plateaued, 20mM L-NAME was perfused at each site to quantify NO-dependent VD. Data were normalized as %CVCmax (28mM SNP and local heat, 43°C). Local heating plateau (O: 82±3 vs. Y: 96±1%CVCmax; p=0.00...
Antibacterial Agents, Sulfonamides

Sulfonamides derived from sulfanilamide (p-aminobenzenesulfonamide) are commonly referred to as sulfa drugs. The sulfa drugs are still important as antimicrobials, although they have been replaced in many systemic infections by the natural and semisynthetic antibiotics. They are of great value in Third-World countries where problems of storage and lack of medical personnel make appropriate use of antibiotics difficult. They are especially useful in urinary tract infections, particularly the combination of sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim, and the combination of sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim is of value in treatment of a number of specific microbial infections. The introduction of this combination (cotrimoxazole) in the late 1960s (1973 in the United States) resulted in increased use of sulfonamides. The sulfas also remain clinically useful in the treatment of chancroid, lymphogranuloma venereum, trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis, and the fungus-related nocardiosis. The sulfone, dapsone, remains an accepted treatment for all forms of leprosy. Currently used sulfas vary widely in their absorption, distribution, and excretion patterns. Some of those in clinical practice, past or present, are sulfanilamide, sulfacetamide, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfaguanidine, sulfisomidine, sulfisoxazole, sulfamethazine, sulfamethizole, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfamoxole, sulfaphenazole, sulfapyridine, sulfapyrazine, and sulfathiazole. The action of the sulfa drugs and related sulfones is bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal. Numerous studies have been made to find a correlation between the physicochemical properties of the sulfonamides and their bacteriostatic activity. Degree of ionization, lipid–water solubility, electron distribution values, and protein binding have all been observed. One of the principal disadvantages of sulfonamide therapy is the emergence of drug-resistant strains of bacteria. The most common method for the preparation of sulfonamides is by the action of N-acetylsulfanilyl chloride with the appropriate amine. A small percentage of patients treated with sulfa drugs have shown toxic effects, such as drug fever, rashes, mild peripheral neuritis, and mental disturbance. In 1966 the FDA required that two long-acting sulfas, sulfamethoxypyridazine and sulfadimethoxine carry a label warning of the possibility of death due to Stevens-Johnson syndrome, an extremely severe dermatologic reaction. Blood dyscrasias are quite uncommon, but if they occur may be serious enough to cause discontinuance of the therapy. Administration of sulfas can cause hypersensitivity reactions, but in general, use of sulfonamide therapy is considered relatively safe.
Secure fingerprint matching with external registration

Biometrics-based authentication systems offer enhanced security and user convenience compared to traditional token-based (e.g., ID card) and knowledge-based (e.g., password) systems. However, the increased deployment of biometric systems in several commercial and government applications has raised questions about the security of the biometric system itself. Since the biometric traits of a user cannot be replaced if compromised, it is imperative that these systems are suitably secure in order to protect the privacy of the user as well as the integrity of the overall system. In this paper, we first investigate several methods that have been proposed in the literature to increase the security of the templates residing in a biometric system. We next propose a novel fingerprint matching architecture for resource-constrained devices (e.g., smart cards) that ensures the security of the minutiae templates present in the device. Experimental results describing the impact of several system parameters on the matching performance as well as the computational and storage costs are provided. The proposed architecture is shown to enhance the security of the minutiae templates while maintaining the overall matching performance of the system.
Mineral Processing Techniques for Recycling Investment-Casting Shell

The Albany Research Center of the U.S. Department of Energy used materials characterization and minerals beneficiation methods to separate and beneficially modify spent investment-mold components to identify recycling opportunities and minimize environmentally sensitive wastes. The physical and chemical characteristics of the shell materials were determined and used to guide bench-scale research to separate reusable components by mineral-beneficiation techniques. Successfully concentrated shell materials were evaluated for possible use in new markets.
Meridional circulation in optically thick accretion disks

Thermal imbalances in stars due to rotation are known to drive mass motions in the meridional plane. A preliminary analytic investigation has been made of a similar effect in optically thick accretion disks using conventional thin-disk approximations. It is found that estimated circulation times can be as short as thermal timescales, resulting in rapid transport of heat and angular momentum. This indicates that the simple approximations commonly used are incomplete with regard to detailed, two-dimensional disk structure.
Economic Agents for Automated Trading

Communications systems have always been central to commercial transactions. Introduction of the postal service, telegraph, telephone and fax have each changed the nature of business in their time. Now, with the advent of the World Wide Web, another dramatic change is underway. It has become possible to trade with organizations and individuals across the world at the click of a mouse. This trade doesn’t just take place between consumers and businesses — the bulk of it is between businesses. General Electric alone engages in Internet transactions with its suppliers worth over $1Bn a year — almost twice the total amount of consumer sales on the web (The Economist, May 10, 1997). By the year 2000, it aims to buy all its industrial supplies electronically (The Economist, Jan 17, 1998). Industry analysts expect more and more trade to take place in this way, as businesses wake up to the speed, flexibility and ease of global access the net offers.
Progressive Onset of Extracardiac and Myocardial Symptoms: Right Heart Failure and Cor Pulmonale in a Young Man With Debilitating Polyneuropathy and Monoclonal Gammopathy.

Information about a real patient is presented in stages (boldface type) to expert clinicians (Drs Yee and Dudzinski), who respond to the information, sharing reasoning with the reader (regular type). A discussion by the authors follows. A 34-year-old man with a 2-year history of unexplained steroid-refractory polyneuropathy, lower-extremity edema, and monoclonal gammopathy presented to our tertiary care center with 3 days of rapidly progressive dyspnea. The patient’s vital signs were notable for a temperature of 37.0°C, heart rate of 122 bpm, blood pressure of 80/60 mm Hg, respiratory rate of 22 breaths per minute, and oxygen saturation of 94% on 2 L supplemental oxygen. Physical examination revealed a cachectic young man in mild respiratory distress with a jugular venous pressure of 12 cm H 2 O and a positive Kussmaul sign, pulsus paradoxus of 6 mm Hg, regular tachycardic rhythm without murmur or gallop, but a prominent P2 sound with heave at the left sternal border, bilateral fine crackles, and decreased bibasilar breath sounds. Abdominal examination revealed mild hepatomegaly. Peripheral examination was notable for warm and well-perfused lower extremities with 2+ pitting edema extending to the sacrum but without evidence of venous stasis dermopathy, leg tenderness, erythema, warmth, or palpable cord. There was also mild, diffuse skin hyperpigmentation. Dr Dudzinski: On this acute presentation with new dyspnea and hypotension, the onus is on the cardiologist to rapidly evaluate and exclude possible diagnoses such as pulmonary embolism (PE), myocardial infarction, pericardial tamponade, and decompensated heart failure. Jugular venous distention can be consistent with all of these diagnoses, but it importantly excludes other shock phenotypes such as distributive (eg, septic) or hemorrhagic shock. Pitting pedal and sacral edema may also be consistent with elevated central venous pressures; the lack of stasis dermopathy …
The Interplay of Syntax and Semantics in Complement Control

The main goals of this paper are to argue that a syntactic command constraint on complement control is neither necessary nor desirable and to show that apparent evidence for such a constraint is better handled otherwise
Compound H Increases Anti-aging Protein Klotho Expression and Attenuates Arterial Stiffening and Hypertension

Background & Objective - The prevalence of arterial stiffness and hypertension increases with age while the klotho level decreases with age. Compound H stimulates klotho mRNA and protein expression...
: Re-forming Composition with XML

This article describes the first two years of a project based in the English department at the University of Georgia, and titled , an Electronic Markup and Management Application. The article discusses the ways in which this project enables the development, management, and evaluation of archived portfolios of student writing. An overview of the development and technical architecture of the project describes the importance of markup for the production and reception of the texts, as well as for the development of composition theory and pedagogy. The article concludes with some critical evaluation of the use of , and identifies some areas of potential application for the future.
Dynamic equivalent load model for power systems

Abstract In this paper, a method based on the parameters identification technique is proposed to develop a reduced-order dynamic equivalent load model (DELM). The model can be developed without the need for data gathering from the load side of the distribution network. Two test systems are used in this study, and the validity for the DELM is demonstrated. The DELM can be easily included in existing stability and other dynamic programs.
A Six‐Year Longitudinal Study of Undergraduate Women in Engineering and Science*

In 1991, the Women in Engineering (WIE) Initiative at the University of Washington was funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to conduct a longitudinal study of undergraduate women pursuing degrees in science or engineering. Cohorts of approximately 100 students have been added to the study each year, for a current total of 672 participants. The objectives are: (a) to determine an accurate measure of retention by tracking individual students through their science and engineering academic careers; (b) to examine factors affecting retention of women in science and engineering; and (c) to evaluate the effectiveness of WIE’s programs targeted at increasing enrollment and retention of women in science and engineering. These programs include interventions primarily during the freshman and sophomore years, which are critical attrition points. The results of this study are reported annually to the Dean of Engineering and related departments for consideration in policy formulation. Annual results of the study have shown consistent patterns of persistence factors and barriers for these high-achieving women; most notably a significant drop in academic self-confidence during their freshman year in college. In addition, individual tracking of these women has shown a retention that is much higher than the estimated national average for engineering and science students.
The ultraviolet and infrared spectroscopy of (benzene)2-(CH3OH)3 isomeric clusters

Abstract A combination of resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI), resonant ion-dip infrared (RIDIR) and infrared-ultraviolet (IR-UV) hole-burning spectroscopies has been used to distinguish, assign, and spectroscopically characterize an otherwise complicated, overlapping set of transitions which all appear in the benzene-(CH3OH)3+ mass channel (m/e = 174) in a one-color resonant two-photon ionization spectrum. Several of the previously unassigned transitions are here assigned to two conformational isomers of (benzene)2-(CH3OH)3 clusters.
Editorial: Team formation and performance

WORLD class athletes, like world class managers, have an innate understanding of team dynamics and the impact that it has on both individual and team performance. In this issue of EMR we aspire to understand the intricacies of team formation and performance. Today's globalized companies use distributed teams across great geographic distances and fuse this gap vis-a-vis modern technology. Global companies often construct teams of teams. How do we assemble the best team to meet our goals? What technology is most suitable to enable teams to perform at their maximum capability?
Identification of moisture-susceptible asphalt concrete mixes using modified environmental conditioning system

Moisture damage is a common problem faced by highway agencies. Researchers have developed laboratory test methods over the years to identify moisture-susceptible asphalt concrete mixtures, but none of them has been consistently successful. A new laboratory test method, the Environmental Conditioning System, was developed under the Strategic Highway Research Program. This new test method has a distinct advantage over the existing methods because it can simulate field conditions. However, a comprehensive evaluation of the method showed that although it is a promising concept, it needs further modification and evaluation. In this paper, several modifications to the original Environmental Conditioning System are proposed. The results from a preliminary evaluation of the system are also included. The new system has been able to identify poor and marginally performing mixtures.
Molecular basis of cellular response to cisplatin chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (Review)

Cisplatin is one of the most potent anticancer agents, displaying significant clinical activity against a variety of solid tumors. For more than two decades, the most effective systemic chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality among men and women in the western world, was cisplatin-based combination treatment. Unfortunately, the outcome of cisplatin therapy on NSCLC seems to have reached a plateau. Therefore, the biological mechanisms of cisplatin action need to be understood in order to overcome the treatment plateau on NSCLC. Moreover, the development of resistance is a hurdle in the use of this drug. The molecular mechanisms that underlie this chemoresistance are largely unknown. Possible mechanisms of acquired resistance to cisplatin include reduced intracellular accumulation of cisplatin, enhanced drug inactivation by metallothionine and glutathione, increased repair activity of DNA damage, and altered expression of oncogenes and regulatory proteins. In addition, it is generally accepted that cytotoxicity of cisplatin is mediated through induction of apoptosis and arrest of cell cycle resulting from its interaction with DNA, such as the formation of cisplatin-DNA adducts, which activates multiple signaling pathways, including those involving p53, Bcl-2 family, caspases, cyclins, CDKs, pRb, PKC, MAPK and PI3K/Akt. Increased expression of anti-apoptotic genes and mutations in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway may contribute to the inability of cells to detect DNA damage or to induce apoptosis. Towards an understanding of the molecular basis of the cellular response to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in NSCLC, in this review we provide some insights into the pathways involved in cisplatin damage from entering the cells to execution of apoptosis or survival of NSCLC cells. We believe that as more and more molecular mechanisms of response to cisplatin-based therapy are unraveled, this knowledge should provide a basis for further studies to improve our understanding of molecular events associated with lung NSCLC as well as to devise novel and effective therapeutic approaches to overcome the treatment plateau or reverse drug resistance in this disease.
Drosophila Ik2, a member of the IκB kinase family, is required for mRNA localization during oogenesis

In both Drosophila and mammals, IκB kinases (IKKs) regulate the activity of Rel/NF-κB transcription factors by targeting their inhibitory partner proteins, IκBs, for degradation. We identified mutations in ik2 , the gene that encodes one of two Drosophila IKKs, and found that the gene is essential for viability. During oogenesis, ik2 is required in an NF-κB-independent process that is essential for the localization of oskar and gurken mRNAs; as a result, females that lack ik2 in the germline produce embryos that are both bicaudal and ventralized. The abnormal RNA localization in ik2 mutant oocytes can be attributed to defects in the organization of microtubule minus-ends. In addition, both mutant oocytes and mutant escaper adults have abnormalities in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton. These data suggest that this IκB kinase has an NF-κB-independent role in mRNA localization and helps to link microtubule minus-ends to the oocyte cortex, a novel function of the IKK family.
High resolution laser range detection using extremely chirped pulses from a mode-locked semiconductor laser

Spectral interfere merry is used in conjunction with pairs of time reversed, extremely chirped femtosecond pulses to demonstrate high energies with simultaneous high resolution range measurements using a femtosecond mode-locked semiconductor laser.
Hyperbolic systems of conservation laws in gravity-driven, particle-laden thin-film flows

Our study focuses on gravity-driven, particle-laden flows that are pertinent to a wide range of industrial and geophysical settings in which transport of suspensions occurs. In the present study we employ a previously derived model by Murisic et al. (Physica D, 240, 2011) that uses the lubrication approximation to describe particle-laden films on an incline. The model consists of a coupled system of hyperbolic conservation laws for the interface position and the particle concentration. While it has been shown that the model compares well quantitatively with experiments, it lacks analysis. The objectives of this paper focus on the study of the Riemann problem for this system of conservation laws and how the results relate to experiments. We investigate the governing system analytically and numerically; the equations exhibit rich mathematical structures, including double-shock wave solutions, rarefaction waves, and singular shocks.
Aeolian sediment transport and landforms in managed coastal systems: A review

Abstract Humans modify beaches and dunes and aeolian transport potential by building structures, walking or driving, extracting resources, accommodating recreation, increasing levels of protection, removing storm deposits, or restoring landforms and habitats. The effects of human adjustments are reviewed here in terms of cross-shore zones because humans tend to compartmentalize landforms and habitats through their actions and regulations. Common human modifications in the beach zone include nourishing beaches, constructing shore protection structures and raking to remove litter. Modifications affecting the dune zone include altering the location, size and stability of dunes using sand-trapping fences, vegetation plantings and bulldozers or replacing dunes with shore-parallel structures. Modifications affecting the landward zone include buildings, roads, and parking lots. Landform and habitat resilience requires levels of dynamism and geomorphic complexity not often found in managed systems. Preserving or enhancing dynamism and complexity requires emphasis on innovative designs rooted in geomorphological and aeolian research. Future studies are suggested for: (1) quantifying the effect of small and large scale beach nourishment designs and sediment characteristics on dune initiation, development, and evolution; (2) quantifying the extent to which size and spacing of human structures and landform alterations inhibit sediment transfers alongshore or onshore; (3) identifying the advantages or disadvantages of “niche” dunes formed by structures; (4) providing quantitative data on the effects of raking or driving on the beach; (5) identifying the role of aeolian landforms on private properties; and (6) identifying alternative ways of employing sand fences and vegetation plantings to increase topographic and habitat diversity.
Antigen-specific proliferative responses to vesicular stomatitis virus following immunization of cattle with inactive virus.

Abstract Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM) from four normal cows with no known exposure to vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) were cultured with a New Jersey (NJ) serotype (Ogden) VSV that had been UV-irradiated and inactivated. PBM from these animals produced no detectable proliferative response when incubated with varying concentrations of VSV-NJ (Ogden) ranging from 10 ng to 10 μg protein/ml. Two of these cows were immunized with an experimental VSV-NJ vaccine and their PBM were tested at various intervals after immunization. PBM tested 14 days after the initial immunization produced readily detectable antigen-specific proliferative responses when cultured with UV-irradiated strains of VSV-NJ. Following a second immunization, lower concentrations of antigen were sufficient to stimulate the proliferative response and the magnitude of the proliferative response was increased. The responsiveness persisted for at least 6 months after these two immunizations. The specificity of the proliferative response was examined by comparing the responses stimulated by one VSV-Ind and four VSV-NJ serotype strains. The PBM from the immunized cows produced proliferative responses that were essentially specific for the VSV-NJ serotype antigens. In dose titrations, the VSV-NJ antigens were 300–1000-fold more effective than was the VSV-Ind antigen. Thus, persistent antigen-specific proliferative responsiveness that is serotype specific can be stimulated by immunizing cattle with an inactivated VSV vaccine.
Somatic Cell Hybrid Panel and NotI Linking Clones for Physical Mapping of Human Chromosome 3

To identify by positional cloning the putative tumor-suppressor genes on the short arm of human chromosome 3 that are involved in the initiation or progression of several human malignancies, we have developed human mouse somatic cell hybrids and NotI linking libraries. The somatic cell hybrids contain either the intact human chromosome 3 or its derivatives as the only human genetic material in rodent background. The somatic cell hybrid panel defines five chromosomal regions on the short arm and two chromosomal regions on the long arm of chromosome 3. Two hundred sixty-one NotI linking probes from three independently constructed linking libraries were assigned to the seven chromosomal regions. The somatic cell hybrid panel and the regionally localized NotI linking probes should facilitate the construction of genetic linkage and physical maps to identify various tumor-suppressor and disease-related genes not only on the chromosome 3p, but on the entire chromosome.
Radiocarbon Dating of Architectural Mortar: A Case Study in the Maya Region, Quintana Roo, Mexico

Abstract The use of radiocarbon dating to analyze mortar and charcoal inclusions within mortar or plaster is a useful way to date the construction of architecture, particularly when options for other chronometric methods are limited. In the Yalahau region of northern Quintana Roo, Mexico, members of the Yalahau Regional Human Ecology Project have faced challenges in dating buildings made of large blocks of stone in the Megalithic architectural style. The Megalithic style poses serious problems for any analysis, as excavating into structures with stones weighing several tons can be dangerous, expensive, and time consuming. Additionally, there are no associated sculptures, texts with dates, or other traditionally accessible chronological markers. These factors have resulted in a reliance on a ceramic chronology despite the uncertainty of the dating of many ceramic types in this region, as well as the questionable contextual associations between recovered ceramics and architectural construction phases. Megal...
The Not-So-Silent Partner: Patterns of Legislative–Executive Interaction in the War on Terror, 2001–2009

The conventional narrative surrounding the post-9/11 “War on Terror” tends to characterize the US Congress as a mostly inactive and compliant bystander, bowing to an aggressive assertion of unilateral presidential authority and power by the Bush administration. However, clarifying the conceptual framework used to examine legislative–executive interactions and congressional foreign policy behavior to account for varying patterns of interaction and varying avenues of influence yields an alternative explanation. While there is some truth to the conventional wisdom about a Congress rallying to support the president in time of war, applying the refined conceptual framework brings a more complex story into sharper focus. Viewed through this alternative lens, we see that members of Congress, and the institution as a whole, played a more discriminating and substantial—yet still predictable—role consistent with the context of the situation and the broad historical forces and patterns that combine to shape congressional foreign policy behavior and influence. Once the context and forces shaping congressional behavior and legislative–executive interactions are understood, congressional engagement (or lack thereof) in the War on Terror from 2001 to 2009 emerges as a relatively predictable sequence of initial compliance, (rallying) giving way first to competition and then to confrontation.
Stabilizing multimodel sliding mode control for homogeneous TS-bilinear systems

Abstract The sliding mode control of uncertain homogeneous bilinear systems is the main interest of this paper. Modelling is based on TS-bilinear approach. A sliding mode multimodel control is suggested and a stability study is conducted leading to sufficient conditions of global stabilization. Simulations on numerical examples are presented to prove the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Occult Cushing's disease presenting with acute psychosis

A 37-year-old woman presented with acute psychosis and cognitive impairment. Skull x-ray showed an enlarged sella turcica with erosion of the floor. Endocrinologic workup suggested the diagnosis of Cushing's disease and hyperprolactinemia. She had no cushingoid feature, and the only physical sign was mild generalized obesity. She showed a paradoxic response to dexamethasone suppression, and underwent trans-sphenoidal resection of a pituitary macroadenoma. Electron microscopy showed the tumor to be a Crooke's cell adenoma. Results of immunohistochemical staining were positive only for ACTH and beta-endorphin. The neuropsychiatric manifestations resolved after surgery.
Non-Local Means Denoising of Dynamic PET Images

Objective Dynamic positron emission tomography (PET), which reveals information about both the spatial distribution and temporal kinetics of a radiotracer, enables quantitative interpretation of PET data. Model-based interpretation of dynamic PET images by means of parametric fitting, however, is often a challenging task due to high levels of noise, thus necessitating a denoising step. The objective of this paper is to develop and characterize a denoising framework for dynamic PET based on non-local means (NLM). Theory NLM denoising computes weighted averages of voxel intensities assigning larger weights to voxels that are similar to a given voxel in terms of their local neighborhoods or patches. We introduce three key modifications to tailor the original NLM framework to dynamic PET. Firstly, we derive similarities from less noisy later time points in a typical PET acquisition to denoise the entire time series. Secondly, we use spatiotemporal patches for robust similarity computation. Finally, we use a spatially varying smoothing parameter based on a local variance approximation over each spatiotemporal patch. Methods To assess the performance of our denoising technique, we performed a realistic simulation on a dynamic digital phantom based on the Digimouse atlas. For experimental validation, we denoised PET images from a mouse study and a hepatocellular carcinoma patient study. We compared the performance of NLM denoising with four other denoising approaches – Gaussian filtering, PCA, HYPR, and conventional NLM based on spatial patches. Results The simulation study revealed significant improvement in bias-variance performance achieved using our NLM technique relative to all the other methods. The experimental data analysis revealed that our technique leads to clear improvement in contrast-to-noise ratio in Patlak parametric images generated from denoised preclinical and clinical dynamic images, indicating its ability to preserve image contrast and high intensity details while lowering the background noise variance.
Morphological studies of 84 untreated patients subjected to laparotomy for the staging of non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas

The pathologic findings in 84 untreated patients subjected to laparotomy and open iliac crest bone marrow biopsy for the staging of malignant lymphomas other than Hodgkin's disease at Stanford University Medical Center are presented. Fifty-one (61%) of these 84 patients had lymphomatous involvement of one or more sites below the diaphragm. The applicability of the histopathologic classification of Rappaport, Winter, and Hicks was confirmed by virtue of the constancy of the histologic features in multiple lesions in 43 patients (84%) (including 1 patient with a composite lymphoma). Six patients, however, showed two different histologic patterns in two or more sites, and in two additional patients with a composite lymphoma, the initial composite pattern was not reproduced in other sites. Three patients had the remarkable association of a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with Hodgkin's disease either within the same lymph node (composite lymphoma) or in a separate site. In the remaining 75 patients (excluding the 9 patients with multiple histologies), 43 had nodular lymphomas and 32 diffuse lymphomas. The nodular lymphomas showed a tendency for widespread dissemination by virtue of their involvement of the abdomen in 31 patients (72%) and bone marrow in 12 patients (28%). In contrast, diffuse lymphomas involved the abdomen in only 11 patients (28%). Diffuse histiocytic lymphomas showed a low incidence of early dissemination, involving the spleen and abdominal lymph nodes in only 5 (28%) and the bone marrow in 2 (11%) of 18 patients. This clearly indicates that evaluation of stage of the disease alone does not suffice in assessing response to therapy and long-term survival, in view of the poor prognosis of diffuse histiocytic lymphomas despite their initial localized involvement. It also emphasizes the importance of differentiating lymphomas according to cytologic type and architectural pattern. Occult abdominal disease was located in mesenteric lymph nodes (56%), splenic hilar lymph nodes (54%), para-aortic lymph nodes (40%), and spleen (34%). Thirteen of 25 spleens involved by lymphoma weighed less than 200 grams. Granulomas similar to those previously described by us in patients with Hodgkin's disease were observed in 5 patients.
Thermally Enhanced Radiosensitivity of Cultured Chinese Hamster Cells

X-IRRADIATION of mammalian cells in culture yields a survival curve of the threshold type (for review see ref. 1). It isjnter-esting to ask how one can enhance the radiation response by small changes of the physical environment of the cells, as can be done chemically, for example, by incorporation of 5-bromo-deoxyuridine into DNA1,2. Elevation of the temperature is a likely prospect for enhancement of radiosensitivity for the following reasons. It is known that proteins are heat labile and that temperature sensitive mutants of bacteria and phage can be obtained for many different enzymes3 which are operative at 37° C but not at 42° or 43°C. For example4, DNA polymerase is reversibly temperature sensitive; it is rendered inoperative above 42°C, but will be functional again when the temperature is lowered. It is not unreasonable to expect that temperature sensitive mutations for many enzymes occur frequently and that the use of temperatures somewhat higher than the normal range at which the cells grow might disclose sensitivities for specific enzymes in normal cells of higher organisms.