cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid isolation of circulating cancer associated fibroblasts by acoustic microstreaming for assessing metastatic propensity of breast cancer patients.

We demonstrate a label free and high-throughput microbubble-based acoustic microstreaming technique to isolate rare circulating cells such as circulating cancer associated fibroblasts (cCAFs) in addition to circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and immune cells (i.e. leukocytes) from clinically diagnosed patients with a capture efficiency of 94% while preserving cell functional integrity within 8 minutes. The microfluidic device is self-pumping and was optimized to increase flow rate and achieve near perfect capturing of rare cells enabled by having a trapping capacity above the acoustic vortex saturation concentration threshold. Our approach enables rapid isolation of CTCs, cCAFs and their associated clusters from blood samples of cancer patients at different stages. By examining the combined role of cCAFs and CTCs in early cancer onset and metastasis progression, the device accurately diagnoses both cancer and the metastatic propensity of breast cancer patients. This was confirmed by flow cytometry where we observed that metastatic breast cancer blood samples had significantly higher percentage of exhausted CD8+ T cells expressing programmed cell death protein 1 (PD1), higher number of CD4+ T regulatory cells and T helper cells. We show for the first time that our lateral cavity acoustic transducers (LCATs)-based approach can thus be developed into a metastatic propensity assay for clinical usage by elucidating cancer immunological responses and the complex relationships between CTCs and its companion tumor microenvironment.
A Reflection on Engaged Scholarship

While the policy distractions outlined in this collection manifest in myriad ways—and our authors examine them through a wide range of lenses and analytic tools—we were struck as an editorial team ...
Consistency of the CRM when the dose‐toxicity curve is not monotone and its application to the POCRM

The continual reassessment method (CRM) is a well-known design for dose-finding trials with the goal of estimating the maximum tolerated dose (MTD), the dose with a given probability of toxicity. The standard assumption is that the probability of toxicity monotonically increases with dose. We show that the CRM can still be consistent and correctly identify the MTD even when the dose-toxicity curve is not monotone as long as there is monotonicity of the true toxicity probabilities right below and right above the true MTD. In the case of multiple therapies, where it is unclear how to order combinations of dose levels of multiple therapies, our findings provide insight into the performance of the partial order CRM (POCRM). To select the correct dose combination at the end of a trial, the POCRM does not have to select a monotone ordering of drug combinations. We illustrate the connection between our results for the CRM with a nonmonotone dose-toxicity curve and the POCRM via simulations.
Legal Challenges for 'Leaving It in the Ground:' Touchstone Developments and Holdings

Renewable technologies are proven as an alternative mechanism for power production and their costs are rapidly decreasing. This allows the U.S. deliberately to leave climate-changing fossil fuels in the ground. Utilities in several states are now attempting to extend the life of certain fossil-fuel generating assets and pull more fossil resources from the ground, often using federal ISO wholesale markets to try to cross-subsidize these older plants. However, law is not yet structured to accommodate a system where fossil fuel power generation remains in the ground as the nation switches to solar and wind power. While able to store fossil fuel energy that otherwise is used for electric power, there is an inability to store as electric energy the intermittent electricity produced by solar or wind power. Wind and solar power technologies both are intermittent and provide relatively unreliable electric power output for an electric grid that must have reliable supply to not collapse within a few seconds. This article showcases regulatory techniques to mitigate taking more fossil resources from the ground, comparing the economic trade-offs of this strategy. This article highlights legal aspects of how: o New resources owned by independent power developers cannot legally be regulated by any state PUCs because they engage exclusively in wholesale, rather than retail, sales. o The outline of “safe harbor” regulatory actions still within the state arsenal to promote new power generation technologies and leave more traditional fossil resources in the ground.
Enhanced lead sulfide quantum dots infrared photodetector performance through ligand exchange

Narrow bandgap lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots (QDs) are solution-processed materials used for optoelectronic applications in the short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) range (1400 - 3000 nm). The PbS QDs based photodetector has achieved comparable detectivity with current commercial SWIR sensors. However, there are still obstacles towards commercialization in commonly used layer by layer (LbL) deposition, such as high material consumption and low reproducibility. Here, we developed a new ligand exchange strategy to prepare ligand exchanged QD inks for single-step PbS film deposition. Compared with LbL deposition, the EQE of PbS QD photodetector made by single-step deposition has improved from 31% to 53%. The EQE and responsivity can be further improved to 95% with IR transparent electrode.
Safety of repetitive nerve stimulation in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices.

Introduction: Pacemakers and implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are vulnerable to inappropriate sensing of electromagnetic interference (EMI), such as from nerve conduction studies. We conducted a prospective study to assess the safety of repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS). Methods: Fourteen patients undergoing insertion of 10 ICDs and 4 pacemakers under general anesthesia received RNS of the median, axillary, and spinal accessory nerves at 2 HZ and 50 HZ. We recorded detection of EMI and whether or not this resulted in an arrhythmia diagnosis or change in pacing output. Results: EMI was visible in 2 ICDs, without spurious tachyarrhythmia detection. EMI was observed in 3 of the 4 pacemakers, which led to pacing inhibition and a pause in 2, both of which were programmed to a unipolar sensing configuration. Conclusions: RNS is safe in patients with ICDs. In pacemaker patients, RNS appears safe during bipolar sensing, but caution is recommended in pacemaker patients with unipolar sensing. Muscle Nerve 47: 840–844, 2013
GeNGA: A Generalization of Natural Gradient Ascent with Positive and Negative Convergence Results

Natural gradient ascent (NGA) is a popular optimization method that uses a positive definite metric tensor. In many applications the metric tensor is only guaranteed to be positive semidefinite (e.g., when using the Fisher information matrix as the metric tensor), in which case NGA is not applicable. In our first contribution, we derive generalized natural gradient ascent (GeNGA), a generalization of NGA which allows for positive semidefinite non-smooth metric tensors. In our second contribution we show that, in standard settings, GeNGA and NGA can both be divergent. We then establish sufficient conditions to ensure that both achieve various forms of convergence. In our third contribution we show how several reinforcement learning methods that use NGA without positive definite metric tensors can be adapted to properly use GeNGA.
Multiscale Diffusion of Single Molecules in Biomimetic Crowding

Molecular crowding in living cells is believed to influence diffusion processes, intermolecular interactions, protein folding, and intracellular transport. Here, we have investigated crowding effects on the rotational and translation diffusion of Rhodamine green (RhG) and enhanced green fluorescent proteins (EGFP); as compared with homogeneous solvents (buffer and glycerol). Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (picoseconds - nanoseconds) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (microseconds - seconds) were used to elucidate the effect of non-specific binding on of RhG and EGFP diffusion in synthetic (Ficoll-70, Ficoll-400) and proteins (bovine serum albumin, BSA, and ovalbumin) biomimetic crowding. Using Stocks-Einstein model, the measured rotational-to-translational diffusion coefficient ratios of RhG and EGFP indicate that the non-specific binding and deviation from Brownian diffusion depend on the type of crowding agents. These results provide new insights into crowding effects on diffusion and nonspecific binding of fluorophores on multiple scales of time and concentration.
Influence of the Uterus Upon Cyclic Ovarian Activity in the Guinea Pig

Mature guinea pigs subjected to partial hysterectomy were characterized by prolonged diestrous intervals which eventually returned to normal by the fifth or sixth postoperative cycle. The vaginal cycles returned to normal duration more rapidly with increasing amounts of uterine tissue left intact. It was also observed that normal cyclic ovarian activity could be attained in females subjected to the removal of both uterine horns at 3 weeks of age. The data suggested, however, that some uterine tissue must be present for normal luteolytic activity, for a complete hysterectomy resulted in a prolonged maintenance of luteal activity up to 7 months posthysterectomy. It would appear that specific portions of the uterus are not involved in such utero-ovarian interrelationships. (Endocrinology 77: 412, 1965)
Evaluación del diámetro de la aorta torácica descendente proximal con la edad: implicaciones para la implantación de una endoprótesis de aorta torácica

Fundamento Se desconocen los cambios anatomicos a largo plazo en los pacientes con traumatismo cerrado de aorta toracica tratados con endoprotesis vasculares. El objetivo de este estudio fue examinar la historia natural del diametro aortico toracico con la progresion de la edad. Metodos Se examinaron 1.000 tomografias computarizadas toracicas, efectuadas en busca de patologia no aortica toracica en pacientes de 15-99 anos de edad (media 59,4), y se determino el diametro aortico toracico inmediatamente adyacente a la arteria subclavia izquierda. Se evaluaron los factores con una posible influencia en el diametro, incluida la edad por decada de vida, raza, sexo, antecedentes de hipertension arterial (HTA), diabetes mellitus (DM), enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva cronica (EPOC) y tabaquismo. Los factores se compararon usando la prueba t de Student. Resultados Las diferencias en los diametros medios de la aorta toracica por sexo (hombres = 27,1 frente a mujeres = 26,0, p = 0,87), raza (blancos = 26,6 frente a otras razas = 26,3, p = 0,10), presencia de HTA (si = 25,8, no = 24,9, p = 0,36), EPOC (si = 26,3 frente a no = 25,4, p = 0,21), DM (si = 26,1, frente a no = 25,3, p = 0,12) y tabaquismo (si = 26,3 frente a no = 25,0, p = 0,18) no fueron significativas. Sin embargo, las diferencias en el diametro medio aumentaron significativamente a lo largo del tiempo con la edad. En pacientes 40 anos. El diametro medio del istmo aortico mostro un aumento de alrededor de 1 cm cuando se comparo a los octogenarios con los adolescentes. Conclusion El diametro del istmo aortico aumenta sustancialmente con la edad. Estos hallazgos sugieren que, para pacientes victimas de un traumatismo portadores de endoprotesis aorticas, esta justificada una vigilancia a largo plazo para monitorizar la historia natural y evaluar las posibles complicaciones tardias.
Collaborative memory in a serial combination procedure

This article describes a new approach for studying collaborative memory that examines people's editing processes for naturally occurring memory errors. In this approach, memories of individuals are combined via a chaining method in which each participant indirectly receives information from the previous participant. Participants were asked to individually study word lists and recall as many words as possible in an online setting. Once a participant completed the recall task, his/her answers were provided for the next participant as suggested answers for their own recall. However, that participant was allowed to add or subtract words from the provided list of suggested answers. The final answer of the group was an aggregate of recalled words based on the answer given by the last participant in the chain. Results showed that participants displayed a very high accuracy of recall throughout the chain, although they were not able to replicate the entire study list or eliminate all errors by the end of the chai...
Measuring end-of-life care outcomes retrospectively

Fundamental to measuring both the processes and outcomes of end-of-life care is that one understand the context and distinct differences of that care. Measurement plays an important role in clinical assessment, research, quality improvement, and public accountability. Some of the unique challenges that confront investigators using prospective research designs to assess quality of end-of-life care can be addressed with retrospective approaches or follow-back designs. Retrospective research avoids reliance on the difficult task of prospectively identifying the terminally ill, avoids burdening very sick participants, minimizes missing data because of poor functional status, creates a clear time frame for the purpose of comparing settings of care, and is a cost-effective way to collect population-based data about individuals who have died. This paper reviews research using a retrospective design and analyzes the reliability and validity issues associated with a follow-back design. Although methodological challenges beset both prospective and retrospective data collection, use of both methods in combination or in sequence provides a clearer understanding of the complex, multidimensional issues involved in providing care to dying individuals.
Illuminating the Neural Circuitry of Compulsive Behaviors

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unwanted intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and ritualized repetitive behaviors (compulsions) that are often unpleasant and time-consuming; those afflicted feel tormented and can be functionally disabled. Classic examples include obsessions about contamination, which are associated with anxiety and lead to washing compulsions. Compulsive behaviors are not unique to OCD but are a feature of numerous neuropsychiatric disorders, including autism, substance use disorders, and Tourette's disorder ( 1 ). The complexity of OCD is emblematic of the challenges inherent in developing animal models of psychiatric disorders, in that repetitive behavior is readily measured, whereas intrusive thoughts are exceedingly difficult to quantify. On pages 1234 and 1243 of this issue, Ahmari et al. ( 2 ) and Burguiere et al. ( 3 ) describe, respectively, the use of optogenetics ( 4 ) to produce and relieve compulsive-like behaviors in animal models. Their pioneering work highlights how models that link genetics, neuroanatomy, physiology, and behavior in ways that cut across disorders ( 5 ) can provide promising opportunities for developing diagnostics and treatments in the field.
Selection of a mutation conferring high NaCl tolerance to gametophytes of Ceratopteris

Spores from a weakly salt tolerant strain of Ceratopteris richardii containing the mutation stl1 were irradiated and sown on nutrient medium supplemented with 200 mM NaCl. A single highly salt tolerant gametophyte was recovered and selfed to generate a homozygous sporophyte. Spores from this strain, 10α23, were used to document the sexual transmission of the trait and to monitor the inheritance of tolerance in crosses to both the wild type and to the parental salt tolerant strain. Genetic analysis showed the 10α23 strain to possess both the original stl1 mutation and an additional semi-dominant nuclear mutation, stl2, that individually conferred a high level of tolerance to gametophytes. In combination, both mutations had additive effects. Tolerance was also evident in sporophytes, but at a lower level than in gametophytes.
EFFECTS OF VARIATIONS IN LIGHT INTENSITY ON THE EFFICIENCY OF GROWTH OF SKELETONEMA COSTATUM (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) IN A CYCLOSTAT1

The relative importance of respiration and organic carbon release to the efficiency of carbon specific growth of Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Clave was evaluated over a light range from 1500–15 μE · m−2· s−1. Net growth efficiency ranged from 0.45–0.69 with a maximum at 130 μE · m−2· s−1. Respiration was 93% or more of the variations in growth efficiency. Organic carbon release ranged from 0–7% of gross production and increased with light intensity. Carbon specific particulate production was a hyperbolic function of incident light intensity and was related exponentially to particulate carbon production per unit chlorophyll a. Full sunlight conditions, 1500 μE · m−2· s−1, did not induce photoinhibition of gross production. Variations in the efficiency of growth of S. costatum were minimized over a wide range of light intensities mainly because of variations in cellular pigments which permitted the efficient utilization of available light energy, and a reduction in the losses of carbon which increases the growth rate, possibly as a consequence of the recycling of respired carbon within the cell.
Striatal trophic factor activity in aging monkeys with unilateral MPTP-induced parkinsonism

Striatal trophic activity was assessed in female rhesus monkeys of advancing age rendered hemiparkinsonian by unilateral intracarotid administration of MPTP. Three age groups were analyzed: young adults (8-9.5 years) n=4, middle-aged adults (15-17 years) n=4, and aged adults (21-31 years) n=7. Fresh frozen tissue punches of caudate nucleus and putamen were collected 3 months after MPTP treatment and assayed for combined soluble striatal trophic activity, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF). This time point was chosen in an effort to assess a relatively stable phase of the dopamine (DA)-depleted state that may model the condition of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients at the time of therapeutic intervention. Analyses were conducted on striatal tissue both contralateral (aging effects) and ipsilateral to the DA-depleting lesion (lesion x aging effects). We found that combined striatal trophic activity in the contralateral hemisphere increased significantly with aging. Activity from both middle-aged and aged animals was significantly elevated as compared to young adults. Following DA depletion, young animals significantly increased combined striatal trophic activity, but middle-aged and aged animals did not exhibit further increases in activity over their elevated baselines. BDNF levels in the contralateral hemisphere were significantly reduced in aged animals as compared to young and middle-aged subjects. With DA depletion, BDNF levels declined in young and middle-aged animals but did not change from the decreased baseline level in old animals. GDNF levels were unchanged with aging and at 3 months after DA depletion. The results are consistent with several conclusions. First, by middle age combined striatal trophic activity is elevated, potentially reflecting a compensatory reaction to ongoing degenerative changes in substantia nigra DA neurons. Second, in response to DA depletion, young animals were capable of generating a significant increase in trophic activity that was sustained for at least 3 months. This capacity was either saturated or was not sustained in middle-aged and aged animals. Third, the aging-related chronic increase in combined striatal trophic activity was not attributable to BDNF or GDNF as these molecules either decreased or did not change with aging.
Three-level TAIPEI rectifier

A new low-cost, three-phase, four-switch, three-level, zero-voltage-switching (ZVS), discontinuous-current-mode (DCM), power-factor-correction (PFC) boost rectifier, for short named the three-level TAIPEI rectifier, that achieves a low input-current total-harmonic-distortion (THD) and features ZVS of all the switches is introduced. In the proposed rectifier, the voltage stress of the four switches is equal to one-half of the output voltage. Consequently, the rectifier can utilize switches with a lower voltage rating, which, generally, have lower conduction losses. The performance was evaluated on a three-phase 6-kW prototype for the line-to-line voltage range from 340 V to 520 V. The proposed rectifier exhibits efficiency in the 96-98% range, achieves less than 5% input-current THD over the entire input and above 10% load range.
Race Genesis in Ditylenchus Dipsaci 1)

A garlic isolate of Ditylenchus dipsaci has been found to be polyphagous. Under aseptic conditions this isolate has reproduced on a wide range of plant host tissues many of which are the key hosts reported for the biological races of the stem and bulb nematode. In addition the garlic isolate reproduced on two of nineteen fungus cultures tested. It is clear from the literature reports of many workers that different populations of D. dipsaci can vary in host ranges from very narrow to very broad. It is suggested, as a working hypothesis, that the nominal species, Ditylenchus dipsaci, gene pool be considered as "wild type" polyphagous with race deviations as part of the gene continuum in the fashion illustrated by the schematic representation.
The persistently absent bowel loop: a sign of mass effect on the bowel detected by cholescintigraphy.

A 28-year-old man was brought to the emergency department with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Immediate exploratory laparotomy showed perforation of the jejunum and an adjacent, nonexpanding mesenteric hematoma. The jejunum was partly resected, but the hematoma was not evacuated. After operation, serum levels of alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin were elevated, and the patient vomited bilious fluid. Cholescintigraphy performed to exclude biliary obstruction or leakage showed persistent nonvisualization of the third and fourth portions of the duodenum. Combined with retrograde shunting of radiotracer into a relatively dilated stomach, partial obstruction of the duodenum can be diagnosed based on the current examination. Correlation with a computed tomographic scan indicated a mesenteric hematoma as the anatomic cause of this finding.
Non-ribosomal nucleolar proteins in HeLa cells.

Abstract The study of nucleolar macromolecular components has previously emphasized ribosomal precursor and mature RNA, or ribosomal structural proteins. In this work, we have stressed the purification of nucleoli, and have studied their protein composition. The results indicate that there exists in highly purified nucleoli of HeLa cells, a class of high molecular weight polypeptides which have been identified by means of size, kinetics of turnover, and metabolic behavior to be non-ribosomal nucleolar-specific proteins. The possibility that these proteins play a part in the assembly of mature ribosomes is discussed.
Choice and foraging.

In Experiment 1, six naive pigeons were trained on a foraging schedule characterized by different states beginning with a search state in which completion of a fixed-interval on a white key led to a choice state. In the choice state the subject could, by appropriate responding on a fixed ratio of three, either accept or reject the schedule of reinforcement that was offered (either a variable-interval five-second or a variable-interval 20-second). If the subject accepted the schedule, it entered a “handling state” in which the appropriate variable-interval schedule was presented. Completion of the variable-interval schedule produced food. The independent variable was the fixed-interval value in the search state, and the dependent variable was the rate of acceptance of the long variable-interval in the choice state. Experiment 2 was identical except that the search state required completion of a variable-interval, instead of a fixed-interval, schedule. The rate of acceptance of the long variable-interval schedule in both experiments was a direct function of the length of the search state, in accordance with both optimality theory and the delay-reduction hypothesis.
Drift collection of alpha generated carriers and design implications

A report on the effects of alpha particles which can induce an electric field and enhance the collection of carriers will be presented. The collection has been found to be fast, efficient, directional and sensitive to bias and substrate resistivity. The impact of this mechanism on VLSI scaling, design concepts, cell structures and technology will be discussed.
Fault injection emulator for Field Programmable Gate Arrays

SUMMARY The fault injector emulation method for FPGAs described in this paper has proven very successful in evaluating on-line and off-line BIST and BIST-based diagnostic approaches for FPGAs. While our implementation of the fault injection emulator thus far has targeted the ORCA 2C series FPGAs, the technique can easily be generalized to cover any test system on any SRAM-based FPGA. The emulator requires no on-chip logic or routing resources, as other implementations have, since only manipulation of bits in the configuration memory is needed for fault emulation. It alsoallows modeling of faults in every feature on an FPGA, whether LUT or flip-flops in the PLBs or interconnect resources.With control of fault placement entirely in the users hands, multiple faults can be randomly spread spatially or temporallyin the FPGA, or clustered to represent manufacturing defects or alpha-particle bursts. Since the emulator is a stand alone,external software module, the off-line or on-line testing software can call the emulator to add or remove faults while testingcontinues, allowing for simulation of increased faults or transient faults over the lifetime of the FPGA.
An efficient and almost budget balanced cost sharing method

For a convex technology C we characterize cost sharing games where the Nash equilibrium demands maximize total surplus. Budget balance is possible if and only if C is polynomial of degree n−1 or less. For general C, the residual* cost shares are balanced if at least one demand is null, a characteristic property. If the cost function is totally monotone, a null demand receives cash and total payments may exceed actual cost. The ratio of excess payment to efficient surplus is at most min{2logn,1}. For power cost functions, C(a)=ap, p>1, the ratio of budget imbalance to efficient surplus vanishes as 1np−1. For analytic cost functions, the ratio converges to zero exponentially along a given sequence of users. All asymptotic properties are lost if the cost function is not smooth.
Sensor bus cost of ownership investigation

The performance, cost and reliability of semiconductor processing equipment is greatly affected by the number and type of sensors and actuators used within the equipment. Current semiconductor processing equipment can include over one thousand sensors and actuators of varying accuracy, cost and performance. The integration of theses sensors and actuators is further complicated by varying, non-standard electrical interfaces to them. The role of a sensor bus is to provide an organized approach for interconnecting sensors, actuators and controllers within a piece of equipment. The goal is to provide a more robust and reliable system with minimal development cost by the equipment supplier and with reduced effective cost to the equipment purchaser. The use of a sensor bus can only be justified if it provides a cost benefit to the integrated circuit manufacturer. Otherwise, the manufacturer will purchase less expensive equipment without a sensor bus which provides equal manufacturing performance. The cost of developing and implementing a sensor bus for semiconductor equipment will affect the tools cost, and any added equipment cost must be justified by an effective reduction in cost of ownership by the manufacturer. This paper focuses on the cost-related trade-off associated with a sensor-buss implementation.
CONTEMPO '87 Crushes Disturbs, Saddens, Amazes, and Disappoints

To the Editor. —The Oct 23/30 issue of JAMA 1 features an in-depth discussion of advances during the past year in a number of specialties. We were disturbed that the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation was not included in the issue. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is a dynamic and rapidly growing specialty. For example, the Graduate Medical Education National Advisory Committee recently predicted a need for 4060 physiatrists by 1990. To meet this demand there will need to be a doubling in the number of practicing physiatrists during the next four years ( Am Med News , July 17,1987). There has been a wealth of recent advances in physical medicine and rehabilitation, including, for example, using electrical muscle stimulation for the treatment of hemiplegia, a promising therapy for a condition previously thought to be untreatable. 2 Physical medicine and rehabilitation is a specialty that works closely with internists and other primary
African Drilling Project may offer climate

Africa's Lake Malawi, the site of an upcoming scientific drilling project, could provide data on climate variability and the evolution of the region's aquatic organisms, according to researchers from four U.S. universities who have received a $2-million grant through the National Science Foundation's Earth System History program. “We believe that Lake Malawi will provide a unique, continuous, and high-resolution (annual-to-decadal) record of past climates in the continental tropics over the last 800,000 years,” said Christopher Scholz, an Earth scientist at Syracuse University in New York, and principal investigator on the project. Researchers from the University of Arizona, the University of Minnesota at Duluth, and the University of Rhode Island also have received NSF support for the drilling project, which is scheduled to begin in January 2003.
Unexpected stereoselectivity in the Weiss-Cook condensation of dimethyl 1,3-acetonedicarboxylate with pentane-2,3-dione

The Weiss–Cook condensation of dimethyl 1,3-acetonedicarboxylate† with the unsymmetrical pentane-2,3-dione gives only two (1a and 1c) of the four possible epimers of tetramethyl 1-ethyl-3,7-dihydroxy-5-methyl-cis -bicyclo[3.3.0]octa-2,6-diene-2,4,6,8-tetracarboxylate in 86% isolated yield. The structures of 1a and 1c have been established by means of single crystal X-ray crystallography.
p53 expression in dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma.

Background. p53 acts as a tumor suppressor gene because of to its negative control of the cell cycle and its central role in programmed cell death. It frequently is mutated, as observed in a variety of human neoplasms. The mutations inhibit tumor-suppressor activities of p53, which may gain a new function of tumor promotion. In this study, p53 was investigated in various components of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma and correlated with their proliferative activities. Methods. Immunohistochemical assays for p53, Ki-67, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were used in a series of eight dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas of bone. The cartilaginous component was low grade (Grade I-II) in five cases. It was predominantly low grade with foci of a high grade (Grade III) chondrosarcoma in the remaining three cases. The noncartilaginous (de-differentiated) high grade component consisted of malignant fibrous histiocytoma in five cases and osteosarcoma in three. Results. Regardless of the histological type, diffuse strong nuclear staining for p53 occurred in the high grade noncartilaginous component of all eight of the tumors. The low grade cartilaginous component of six cases was negative for p53, with focal weak staining in the two remaining cases. The high grade cartilaginous component showed strong positive staining for this protein in all three cases. Ki-67 and PCNA expression were similar to that of p53. Conclusions. The percentage of p53 positive staining roughly was parallel to the proliferating fraction of cells in various components of dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. Moreover, p53 overexpression was consistently present in the high grade noncartilaginous (dedifferentiated) component of the tumor and was accompanied by increased proliferative activity. Cancer 1995; 76:223-7.
Singer's Philosophy of Experimentalism

The central issue of philosophy is the theory of evidence. What basically differentiates philosophies is the differences in this theory. The philosophers who have a similar conception of evidence have, usually, similar world views, whereas those who differ in their conception of evidence have, usually, different world views. The major modern schools of philosophy—the rationalistic, the empirical, and the critical—are based on the theory of evidence that is peculiar to each of them. The late Edgar A. Singer, J.r, one of the most significant of recent American philosophers, deals with this theory in his major book Experience and Reflection, which has been published posthumously and edited competently by C. West Churchman, one of Singer’s former students.
Satellite radiances and clear air turbulence probabilities

Radiance gradients recorded by Nimbus III and IV, over the United States and the Atlantic Ocean, respectively, are well-related to probability of clear air turbulence. Making use of satellite data only, it is possible to avoid CAT almost entirely. In general, radiosonde-measured temperature gradients are not as well correlated with CAT as satellite radiance gradients; but if the satellite track is parallel to the isotherms, radiance gradients along the satellite track are negligible; and temperature gradients at constant pressure are better indicators of CAT unless the satellite instrument scans at right angles to the track.
Numerical approximation of PDE system fixed-point map via Newton's method

Abstract Since the fundamental paper of Moser (1966), it has been understood analytically that regularization is necessary as a postconditioning step in the application of approximate Newton methods, based upon the system differential map. A development of these ideas in terms of current numerical methods and complexity estimates was given by the author (1985). It was proposed by the author (1989) to use the fixed-point map as a basis for the linearization, and thereby avoid the numerical loss of derivatives' phenomenon identified by Moser. Independently, a coherent theory for the approximation of fixed points by numerical fixed points was devised by Krasnosel'skii and his coworkers (1972). In this paper, the Krasnosel'skii calculus is merged with Newton's method, for the computation of the approximate fixed points, in such a way that the approximation order is preserved with mesh independent constants. Since the application is to a system of partial differential equations, the issue of the implicit nature of the linearized approximation must be addressed as well.
INDUCED RESPONSES TO HERBIVORY IN WILD RADISH: EFFECTS ON SEVERAL HERBIVORES AND PLANT FITNESS

Induced responses to herbivory are changes in plant quality following initial damage by herbivores. These changes can negatively affect subsequent herbivores. I studied induced responses in annual wild radish plants, Raphanus raphanistrum and R. sativus (Brassicaceae), which included increased density and total number of setose trichomes on newly formed leaves of previously damaged plants compared to undamaged controls. I also characterized the effects of induced responses on the preference and performance of several herbivores and the net consequences for plant performance in the field. Wild radish plants damaged by caterpillars or sprayed with a natural plant response elicitor, jasmonic acid, supported reduced growth of generalist noctuid larvae compared to unmanipulated control plants. Induced responses did not affect the growth of specialist Pieris rapae larvae. In choice and no-choice experiments, induction reduced the feeding by noctuid larvae but did not reduce gross growth efficiency, an indicator...
Effectiveness of global features for automatic medical image classification and retrieval - The experiences of OHSU at ImageCLEFmed

In 2006 and 2007, Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) participated in the automatic image annotation task for medical images at ImageCLEF, an annual international benchmarking event that is part of the cross language evaluation forum (CLEF). The goal of the automatic annotation task was to classify 1000 test images based on the image retrieval in medical applications (IRMA) code, given a set of 10,000 training images. There were 116 distinct classes in 2006 and 2007. We evaluated the efficacy of a variety of primarily global features for this classification task. These included features based on histograms, gray level correlation matrices and the gist technique. A multitude of classifiers including k-nearest neighbors, two-level neural networks, support vector machines, and maximum likelihood classifiers were evaluated. Our official error rates for the 1000 test images were 26% in 2006 using the flat classification structure. The error count in 2007 was 67.8 using the hierarchical classification error computation based on the IRMA code in 2007. Confusion matrices as well as clustering experiments were used to identify visually similar classes. The use of the IRMA code did not help us in the classification task as the semantic hierarchy of the IRMA classes did not correspond well with the hierarchy based on clustering of image features that we used. Our most frequent misclassification errors were along the view axis. Subsequent experiments based on a two-stage classification system decreased our error rate to 19.8% for the 2006 dataset and our error count to 55.4 for the 2007 data.
Tree-ring evidence for a two-year interval between recent prehistoric explosive eruptions of Mount St. Helens

Distinctive annual-ring patterns in trees in a forest stand 10 km east of Mount St. Helens indicate that the volcano9s voluminous layer We tephra was erupted after the A.D. 1481 growth season, late in 1481, or early during 1482. Combined with earlier research that established A.D. 1480 as the date of eruption of the underlying, similar layer Wn tephra, the new tree-ring data provide evidence that these two major explosive tephra eruptions about 500 yr ago were separated by about 2 yr. During that eruptive sequence, a voluminous explosive eruption was therefore followed by more than 1 yr of minor explosive activity before another voluminous eruption occurred. This record suggests that Mount St. Helens might produce a second large explosive eruption during its current period of activity. Examinations of the tephra deposits that correlate with narrowring patterns in trees at Mount St. Helens also demonstrate that distinctive ring patterns can form in trees across a large range of tephra-layer thicknesses. The examinations also suggest that tephra coarseness interacts with tephra-layer thickness in determining the effects that tephra fallout will have upon forest trees.
Experimental and 3D Finite Element Studies of CW Laser Forming of Thin Stainless Steel Sheets

Laser forming as a springback-free and noncontact forming technique has been under active investigation over the last decade. Previous investigations are mainly focused on forming of large and thick workpieces using high power lasers, with less work on precision, micro-scale bending of small and thin sheets. In this work a 4 W continuous wave argon ion laser is used as the energy source, and the laser beam is focused to a beam diameter of tens of micrometers to induce bending of thin stainless steel sheets. When the laser scanning velocity is above 8 mm/s, bending can be explained by the temperature gradient mechanism, while decreasing the scanning velocity leads to the buckling mechanism of bending. The bending angle is measured at various processing conditions. A fully 3D finite element analysis is performed to simulate the thermo-elasto-plastic deformation process during laser forming. Experimental measurements and computational results agree in trend, and reasons for the deviation are discussed.
Performance-Based Approach for the Design of a Deflection Hardened Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

A numerical model that uses a nonlinear cracked hinge was developed to characterize the flexural behavior of a beam element composed of hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (HyFRC). Deflection hardening performance criteria were established based on an average tensile strain capacity of 0.002 and a deterministic sensitivity analysis of the model. A HyFRC mix design is proposed that exceeds these performance criteria. The HyFRC flexural behavior and its flexural stiffness are compared against conventional reinforced concrete. Implications of the material flexural performance on performance-based structural design methods are discussed.
Hierarchical Adaptive Regression Kernels for Regression With Functional Predictors

We propose a new method for regression using a parsimonious and scientifically interpretable representation of functional predictors. Our approach is designed for data that exhibit features such as spikes, dips, and plateaus whose frequency, location, size, and shape varies stochastically across subjects. We propose Bayesian inference of the joint functional and exposure models, and give a method for efficient computation. We contrast our approach with existing state-of-the-art methods for regression with functional predictors, and show that our method is more effective and efficient for data that include features occurring at varying locations. We apply our methodology to a large and complex dataset from the Sleep Heart Health Study, to quantify the association between sleep characteristics and health outcomes. Software and technical appendices are provided in the online supplementary materials.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibition by Tyrphostin 51 Induces Apoptosis in Luteinized Granulosa Cells

Growth factors may be involved in the control of ovarian cell fate and could contribute to regulation of ovarian cell apoptosis. Our objective is to test the hypothesis that, in human luteinized granulosa cells, epidermal growth factor (EGF) works through the MAPK signaling pathway and inhibition of EGF receptor by a specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor, tyrphostin 51, will inhibit the activation of MAPK and induce apoptosis. Luteinized granulosa cells from human in vitro fertilization aspirates were treated as follows: 1) vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide:ethanol), 2) EGF, 3) tyrphostin 51, and 4) tyrphostin 51 plus EGF. Blockage of EGF receptor by tyrphostin 51 reduced the MAPK activity and inhibited phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of activated MAPK. Blockage of EGF receptor also induced apoptosis as demonstrated by the activation of caspase-3, an executioner protease of the apoptotic pathway, and by an increased percentage of subdiploid apoptotic nuclei. These results support the hypothesis that in human luteinized granulosa cells, EGF works through the MAPK signaling pathway and that its inhibition by tyrphostin 51 inhibits MAPK phosphorylation and induces apoptotic nuclear changes. Our data thus provide additional information regarding regulation of apoptosis in luteinized granulosa cells.
Surgical management of aneurysms in the cavernous sinus.

A series of 32 patients with aneuryms in the cavernous sinus region is presented. All of them have been operated upon through an intradural pterional approach and the aneurysms directly attacked. Only in 6 patients was the complete dissection of the internal carotid artery and of the aneurysm impossible because of the size of the aneurysms. In these cases the aneurysm has been traped by ligation of the internal carotid artery in the neck and its supraclinoid course and at the same time and extracranial intracranial anastomosis performed. One patient died from massive cerebral infarction after a trapping procedure and another died from a transoperative haemorrhage; another two developed a moderate hemiparesis which resolved within the first six postoperative weeks, and in two patients a preoperative severe visual impairment progressed postoperatively to complete visual loss. All others had a complete resolution of their preoperative symptoms and remained well. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches to intracavernous carotid artery aneurysms are discussed and the related literature reviewed.
Russia as a network state: what works in Russia when state institutions do not?, edited by Vadim Kononenko and Arkady Moshes

This book is about the role of informal networks in the functioning of the Russian state machine. The general overarching question that the authors establish is formulated in the following way: ‘Wh...
Stromatoporoidea, 1926–2000

The history of research on the “true” stromatoporoids, a presumably monophyletic group of sponges that occurred from the Ordovician through the Devonian, is examined in detail. Stromatoporoid published research is summarized in five categories: quantity of publication; biological affinities; systematics; skeletal microstructure; and paleoecology. Quantity of publication is measured from each of the 75 years. Moderate levels of publication in the late 1920s and 1930s declined in the early 1940s, and were reduced to zero for four years due to the impact of World War II. Levels similar to that of the 1930s returned in the 1950s, after which there was an overall increase until the mid-1980s, when levels began a decrease that persists today. The proportion of research on paleoecology has increased as research on systematics decreased through time. Post-Devonian forms assigned to the stromatoporoids are a polyphyletic grouping of several apparently unrelated taxa, possibly representing both Porifera and Cnidaria. Publications on the post-Devonian “stromatoporoids” amount to less than one-third that on the true stromatoporoids during the same 75 years.
Density modulo 1 of Dilations of Sublacunary Sequences

Abstract Let { r i } be a sequence of positive reals such that r i +1 / r i → 1 and lim sup r i = ∞. Then the set E = {α ∈ R | {α r i } is not dense mod 1} is of Hausdorff dimension 0. This result complements the following result of de Mathan and Pollington: If { r i } is lacunary, then the Hausdorff dimension of the set E is 1.
Correlation between Ulcerative Colitis and Rh Blood Groups

Winstone, Henderson and Brooke1 did not find ulcerative colitis to be correlated with the ABO blood groups, secretor status, or the rhesus factor. Their Rh classification was, however, restricted to rhesus-positive and rhesus-negative, presumably based on the use of an anti-D serum only. When we recently examined 185 patients in whom ulcerative colitis had led to colectomy, we also did not find any particular relation to D status, but did find, considerably to our surprise, a definite correlation with the homozygous CC rhesus type. Using as controls Wiener's series of 1,071 New York Whites2, we obtained the results shown in Table 1.
Impinging Jet Cooled Plate Fin Heat Sinks With Turbulators Enhancement

Extended surfaces (fins) and impinging jets have been used to enhance heat transfer in many applications. In electronic thermal management, heat sinks can be designed to take advantage of the combined effect of fins and jet impingement such as jets impinging on an array of pin fins or plate fins. Significant studies have been focused on the thermal resistance, pressure drop, and the parametric effect of Reynolds number, fin thickness, density, and height. To further improve the heat sink performance, ribs/turbulators, which are widely employed in internal cooling of gas turbine blades, can be integrated into the plate fins, especially close to the surface area with low heat transfer coefficient. Numerical study is performed in this paper to examine the flow and heat transfer behavior of plate fin heat sinks cooled by an impinging jet and enhanced by the ribs. The height and shape of the turbulators are investigated to achieve the best performance. Parametric studies also include the flow Reynolds number and the spacing between the ribs. Heat transfer mechanism is explored for the confined turbulence jet with and without turbulators. It is expected that the rib enhancement can lead to a more cost-effective heat sink for cooling of electronic components. Further enhancement and optimization are discussed in this paper.Copyright © 2009 by ASME