cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discovery and characterization of 2D materials and their heterostructures

Abstract We introduce a simple criterion to identify two-dimensional (2D) materials based on the comparison between experimental lattice constants and lattice constants mainly, obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculation to systematically discover 2D materials. Specifically, if the relative difference between the two lattice constants for a specific material is greater than or equal to 5%, we predict them to be good candidates for 2D materials. We have predicted at least 1356 such 2D materials. In addition to the lattice constant criteria, we show the usefulness of data-mining approaches to discover 2D materials. To validate our criterion, we calculated the exfoliation energy of the suggested layered materials, and we found that in 88.9% of the cases the currently accepted criterion for exfoliation was satisfied. For all the systems satisfying our criterion, we manually create single layer systems and calculate their energetics, structural, electronic, vibrational, and elastic properties for both the bulk and the single layer cases. Additionally, we examine the cases where combing the predicted 2D materials are possible for heterostructures based on strain due to lattice mismatch. For all the systems where strains are reasonably less, we predict the properties of the heterostructures.
Pandemics and Epidemics Through History: This Too Shall Pass

COVID-19. Ugh. The world has heard this word ad nauseam in the past several months, and it probably will be many additional months before it can simply fade into a bad memory. The world has experie...
A correlation study between thyroid imaging report and data systems and the Bethesda system for reporting thyroid cytology with surgical follow-up - an ultrasound-trained cytopathologist's experience

Introduction Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data Systems (TI-RADS) including a modified system (M TI-RADS) and American College Radiology (ACR) TI-RADS are introduced. Correlation studies between both TI-RADSs and The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytology (TBSRTC) for Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (US-FNA) cases with surgical follow-up (SFU) are presented. Materials and methods Three hundred and forty six thyroid US-FNA cases performed at the US-FNA clinic of Stony Brook University Hospital by an Ultrasound-trained interventional Cytopathologist between December 1, 2014 to February 28, 2018 were reviewed. All ultrasound images from 346 cases were evaluated and assigned M TI-RADS scores based on ultrasound features present in Table 1. One hundred and fifty four cases from Dcember 1, 2014 to February 28, 2016 were assigned scores using ACR TI-RADS.TBSRTC category along with SFU data was collected and correlated with both TI-RADS scores by using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and overall accuracy for M TI-RADS and TBSRTC were also calculated using SFU diagnosis as a gold standard. McNemar test was applied to evaluate the significance of the difference between M TI-RADS and TBSRTC. Results Based on 346 thyroid nodules studied, the overall r-value between M TI-RADS scores and TBSRTC categories is 0.465. The r-values between Composition, Echogenicity, Shape, Margin, Echogenic foci, the summary points, and the converted TR level of ACR TI-RADS and TBSRTC are 0.145, 0.042, 0.259, 0.310, 0.405, and 0.379, respectively. Fifty (14.5%) cases have SFUs. Considering TI-RADS 5&6 and TBSRTC 5&6 as positives, and TI-RADS 2 and TBSRTC 2 as negatives, the Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy are 96%, 53%, 76%, 89%, 79% for TI-RADS vs 100%, 93%, 96%, 100%, 97% for TBSRTC, respectively (P = .038). The data for indeterminate cases are summarized. Conclusion Both TI-RADSs could be helpful to a moderate degree. M TI-RADS appeared to correlate to TBSRTC slightly better than that of ACR TI-RADS. TBSRTC is significantly more accurate than M TI-RADS for the majority of determined cases.
The Power of Money: Critical Theory, Democracy, and Capitalism

The question of capitalism—of whether capitalist economic structures and their characteristic forms of power are compatible with democratic principles—is unsettled. In the wake of the 2008 financial and then Eurozone crises, in an era of skyrocketing material inequality and incredibly concentrated forms of capitalist power, critical theorists can no longer presume that Keynesian technocratic administration will successfully manage capitalist crises and economic conflicts (Azmanova, 2014; Fraser & Jaeeggi, 2018; Kim, 2014; O'Neill, 2017; Ronzoni, 2018; Streeck, 2014; Thomas, 2016a). In particular, as capitalist societies have moved from an era of industrial, welfare state capitalism to debt-based growth and consumption (Crouch, 2009; Prasad, 2013; Streeck, 2014), conflicts over the politics of debt, whether at the individual, the national, or, in the case of the Eurozone, the super-national level, have become increasingly important. This article draws together the social and political theory of Jurgen Habermas and Karl Polanyi to develop a general framework for critically analyzing this contemporary political situation. Advancing a new interpretation of Polanyi’s theory, I contend it can help correct shortcomings in Habermas’s theory of capitalism. While Habermas’s theory seeks to realize social freedom through law, Polanyi argues for the concrete institutionalization of social freedom through democratic self-organization and collective struggle in the economy. Critical theorists have drawn on Polanyi’s empirical categories like the double movement (Fraser, 2013, 2014), but I here reconstruct the broader theoretical concepts that inform his empirical analyses and illustrate their analytic and normative value.
A Dance After All Hell Broke Loose: Mourning as “Quiet” in Ralph Lemon’s How Can You Stay in the House All Day and Not Go Anywhere?

Examining US artist Ralph Lemon’s How Can You Stay in the House All Day and Not Go Anywhere? (2010) as a meditation on the experience of loss and grief, I argue that this contemporary multimedia dance work provides an articulation of interiority that is not often ascribed to black expressive forms. Framing the work as an act of “quiet,” as described by Kevin Quashie, I suggest that the work creates and uses the possibilities of the theatrical form to enact opportunities for staging personal mourning and countering familiar narratives of black visibility and publicness.
A New Beginning: Early Refugee Integration in the United States

The U.S. refugee population not only has grown dramatically, but the countries from which the refugees are fleeing have also diversified over the last decade. Focusing on five recent refugee groups—Bhutanese, Burmese, Iraqis, Somalis, and Cubans, we examine how premigration characteristics and postmigration integration policies shape early socioeconomic integration in the United States. Our analyses point to three findings. First, early socioeconomic outcomes show only modest differences across refugee groups, despite significant variation in premigration selectivity in human capital. Second, the two possible pathways toward integration are schooling and employment. Third, postmigration integration policies matter. Our findings highlight the role of integration policies, programs, and practices in successful refugee integration, underscoring U.S. refugee policy as a key component of immigration policy.
Preparing pharmacists to increase naloxone dispensing within community pharmacies under the Pennsylvania standing order.

PURPOSE Opioid misuse and overdose deaths remain a public health concern in the United States. Pennsylvania has one of the highest rates of opioid overdose deaths in the country, with Philadelphia County's being 3 times higher than the national average. Despite several multimodal interventions, including use of SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment) methods and naloxone distribution, the rate of overdose deaths remains high. METHODS To gain insights on strategies for improving access to naloxone and naloxone distribution by pharmacists in Philadelphia County, a study was conducted in 11 community pharmacies (chain and independent) in Philadelphia. Twenty-four pharmacists were recruited and completed SBIRT and naloxone trainings. Each pharmacy elected to have at least 1 pharmacy champion who received additional training on and helped develop pharmacy site-specific naloxone dispensing protocols. RESULTS Pre-post survey results showed a reduction in stigmatizing attitudes regarding naloxone dispensing and an increase in pharmacists' understanding of the standing order and appropriate naloxone use. There was an increase in pharmacists' self-reported confidence in their ability to appropriately identify, discuss, and dispense naloxone to patients. All pharmacies increased their average monthly dispensing rate following protocol implementation. CONCLUSION Pharmacists who received both trainings were more likely to change naloxone dispensing practices, leading to an overall increase in naloxone dispensing by community pharmacists. The study addressed overall gaps in pharmacists' knowledge, reduced stigma, and prepared pharmacists to address opioid use and overdose prevention with their patients. The described pharmacist-led patient counseling and intervention service for overdose prevention may be explored as a model for other community pharmacies to adopt to improve naloxone dispensing and similar interventions to reduce overdose deaths.
Resolving the Interactions Between Class 3 Semaphorin Receptors in Live Cells

The plexin/neuropilin/semaphorin family of proteins is involved with tissue patterning in the developing embryo. These proteins play roles in cell migration and adhesion, but are also important in disease, including cancer angiogenesis and metastasis. While some structures of the soluble domains of these proteins have been determined, the conformations of full-length receptor complexes are just beginning to be studied, especially within the context of the cell plasma membrane. Pulsed-interleaved excitation fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy (PIE-FCCS) allows direct insight to the formation of protein-protein interactions in the membrane of live cells. Here we investigated the homodimerization of neuropilin-1, Plexin A2, Plexin A4, and Plexin D1. Consistent with previous studies, we found that neuropilin-1, Plexin A2 and Plexin A4 are dimers in the absence of exogenous ligand. Plexin D1, on the other hand, was monomeric under similar conditions, which had not been previously reported. We also found that Plexin A2 and A4 assemble into a heteromeric complex. Stimulation with Semaphorin 3A or Semaphorin 3C ligand neither disrupts nor enhances the dimerization of the receptors when they are expressed alone, suggesting that activation involves a conformational change rather than a shift in the monomer-dimer equilibrium. However, upon stimulation with Semaphorin 3C, Plexin D1 and neuropilin-1 form a heteromeric complex, while Semaphorin 3A does not induce a stable complex with these receptors. This analysis of interactions by PIE-FCCS provides a complementary approach to the existing structural and biochemical data that will aid in the development of new therapeutic strategies to target these receptors during disease.
A Discrete Event Simulation-Based Model to Optimally Design and Dimension Mobile COVID-19 Saliva-Based Testing Stations.

SUMMARY STATEMENT: The present COVID-19 brief report addresses: (1) the problem of optimal design and resource allocation to mobile testing stations to ensure rapid results to the persons getting tested; (2) the proposed solution through a newly developed discrete event simulation model, experienced in on-campus saliva-based testing stations at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and (3) the lessons learned on how 10,000 samples (from noninvasive polymerase chain reaction COVID-19 tests) can be processed per day on campus, as well as how the model could be reused or adapted to other contexts by site managers and decision makers.
Fermentative production of enantiopure (S)-linalool using a metabolically engineered Pantoea ananatis.

Linalool, an acyclic monoterpene alcohol, is extensively used in the flavor and fragrance industries and exists as two enantiomers, (S)- and (R)-linalool, which have different odors and biological properties. Linalool extraction from natural plant tissues suffers from low product yield. Although linalool can also be chemically synthesized, its enantioselective production is difficult. Microbial production of terpenes has recently emerged as a novel, environmental-friendly alternative. Stereoselective production can also be achieved using this approach via enzymatic reactions. We previously succeeded in producing enantiopure (S)-linalool using a metabolically engineered Pantoea ananatis, a member of the Enterobacteriaceae family of bacteria, via the heterologous mevalonate pathway with the highest linalool titer ever reported from engineered microbes. Here, we genetically modified a previously developed P. ananatis strain expressing the (S)-linalool synthase (AaLINS) from Actinidia arguta to further improve (S)-linalool production. AaLINS was mostly expressed as an insoluble form in P. ananatis; its soluble expression level was increased by N-terminal fusion of a halophilic β-lactamase from Chromohalobacter sp. 560 with hexahistidine. Furthermore, in combination with elevation of the precursor supply via the mevalonate pathway, the (S)-linalool titer was increased approximately 1.4-fold (4.7 ± 0.3 g/L) in comparison with the original strain (3.4 ± 0.2 g/L) in test-tube cultivation with an aqueous-organic biphasic fermentation system using isopropyl myristate as the organic solvent for in situ extraction of cytotoxic and semi-volatile (S)-linalool. The most productive strain, IP04S/pBLAAaLINS-ispA*, produced 10.9 g/L of (S)-linalool in “dual-phase” fed-batch fermentation, which was divided into a growth-phase and a subsequent production-phase. Thus far, this is the highest reported titer in the production of not only linalool but also all monoterpenes using microbes. This study demonstrates the potential of our metabolically engineered P. ananatis strain as a platform for economically feasible (S)-linalool production and provides insights into the stereoselective production of terpenes with high efficiency. This system is an environmentally friendly and economically valuable (S)-linalool production alternative. Mass production of enantiopure (S)-linalool can also lead to accurate assessment of its biological properties by providing an enantiopure substrate for study.
Line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight links for dispersive terahertz wireless networks

Despite the rapidly growing interest in exploiting millimeter and terahertz waves for wireless data transfer, the role of reflected non-line-of-sight (NLOS) paths in wireless networking is one of the least explored questions. In this paper, we investigate the idea of harnessing these specular NLOS paths for communication in directional networks at frequencies above 100 GHz. We explore several illustrative transmitter architectures, namely, a conventional substrate-lens dipole antenna and a leaky-wave antenna. We investigate how these high-gain directional antennas offer both new challenges and new opportunities for exploiting NLOS paths. Our results demonstrate the sensitivity to antenna alignment, power spectrum variations, and the disparity in supported bandwidth of various line-of-sight (LOS) and reflected path configurations. We show that NLOS paths can, under certain circumstances, offer even higher data rates than the conventional LOS path. This result illustrates the unique opportunities that distinguish THz wireless systems from those that operate at lower frequencies.
Energy dissipation due to breakage during confined compaction of granular materials

The dissipation of energy during the compaction of granular materials was studied by performing confined drop tower experiments on Ottawa sand. Energy dissipated due to breakage was quantified by evaluating the creation of new surfaces at varying drop heights. Post-compaction particle size distributions (PSD) were measured and the amount of breakage was quantified by the position of the current PSD relative to the pre-compaction and ultimate PSD. Our observations revealed that the percentage of input energy dissipated due to breakage accounted for less than 0.5% of the total energy budget and was a constant proportion regardless of the total energy applied to the system. We also evaluated the effects of die wall friction by measuring post-compaction PSD in various positions within the sample.
Speciation and Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Coagulase Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Ocular Infections.

Coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) are frequently occurring ocular opportunistic pathogens that are not easily identifiable to the species level. The goal of this study was to speciate CoNS and document antibiotic susceptibilities from cases of endophthalmitis (n = 50), keratitis (n = 50), and conjunctivitis/blepharitis (n = 50) for empiric therapy. All 150 isolates of CoNS were speciated using (1) API Staph (biochemical system), (2) Biolog GEN III Microplates (phenotypic substrate system), and (3) DNA sequencing of the sodA gene. Disk diffusion antibiotic susceptibilities for topical and intravitreal treatment were determined based on serum standards. CoNS identification to the species level by all three methods indicated that S. epidermidis was the predominant species of CoNS isolated from cases of endophthalmitis (84–90%), keratitis (80–86%), and conjunctivitis/blepharitis (62–68%). Identifications indicated different distributions of CoNS species among endophthalmitis (6), keratitis (10), and conjunctivitis/blepharitis (13). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles support empiric treatment of endophthalmitis with vancomycin, and keratitis treatment with cefazolin or vancomycin. There was no clear antibiotic choice for conjunctivitis/blepharitis. S. epidermidis was the most frequently found CoNS ocular pathogen, and infection by other CoNS appears to be less specific and random. Antibiotic resistance does not appear to be a serious problem associated with CoNS.
IEEE Power Engineering Society

Utility and energy enterprises are capital intensive businesses that historically have operated in regulated markets with vertically integrated business models. Deregulation and technology advances are driving industry transformation and a new vision of the digital utility, which is able to gain business advantage. In this paper, the author describes how foundation technologies and supporting infrastructure can take energy enterprises to the next level through better integration with partners, improved connection with customers and tremendous employee empowerment.
Serine Transhydroxymethylase in Methionine Biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Serine transhydroxymethylase appears to be the first enzyme in the synthesis of the methyl group of methionine. Properties of serine transhydroxymethylase activity as assayed by the production of formaldehyde were correlated with properties of cell-free extracts for the methylation of homocysteine deriving the methyl group from the β-carbon of serine. The reaction required pyridoxal phosphate and tetrahydrofolic acid, and was characterized in cell-free extracts with respect to Michaelis constant, pH optimum, incubation time, and optimal enzyme concentration. The activity was sensitive to inhibition by methionine, and to a much greater extent by S-adenosylmethionine. Serine transhydroxymethylase and the methylation of homocysteine reactions were not repressed by methionine and were stimulated by glycine. The activities of cell-free extracts for these reactions were significantly higher in cells in exponential than in stationary growth. When cells were grown in 10 mm glycine, the activities remained high throughout the culture cycle. The data indicated that glycine rather than methionine is involved in the control of the formation of the enzyme.
Shaping Adolescence in the Popular Milieu: Social Policy, Reformers, and French Youth, 1870–1920

This article examines the emergence of a modern concept of adolescence in France during the early Third Republic and its influence on social reform policies designed for youths from the popular classes. The author looks at reforms in the areas of general education, labor, vocational education, and juvenile corrections in order to demonstrate the growing official awareness of adolescence as a distinct and unique stage of life. The author suggests that vigilant adult supervision, institutional representation, as well as expert articulation of a psychology of adolescence characterize the modern notion of adolescence that developed in the decades around 1900.
Management of Waste Fluids in Salaquifers

The disposal of liquid wastes into suitable aquifers that contain saline water (salaquifiers) has proven to be technically feasible. The practice is widespread and the total number of waste-injection wells operating in the United States reached almost 270 by 1972. One of the principal conclusions is that if the waste is heavier than the water in the storage aquifer, the waste will tend to move downdip until it reaches a boundary or the axis of a syncline. Thus chances are very small that the waste will escape through the roof of the salaquifer. In the field, therefore, the dip of the aquifer, the direction and rate of preexisting ground water movement, and the density difference between native and injected fluids (assumed to be miscible) are the most significant parameters for evaluating possible safety (and success) of the project.
The helicoid anemometer: A long neglected but valuable anemometer

Abstract Although the helicoid anemometer has been known since 1887 (W.H. Dines) it was not until the 1940's that a rugged, accurate and reliable instrument was built (The Aerovane, by Bendix Friez). Some of the outstanding features of the helicoid anemometer are as follows: it is a primary sensor – it is not essential to calibrate in a wind tunnel; its rate of turning is linearly proportional to wind speed over a wide speed range; some versions have a very low starting speed; and some helicoids, fixed in position, measure only that component of the wind that is parallel to the axis of the helicoid.
Mixed H 2 /H ∞ - control with an output-feedback compensator using parameter optimization

In this paper we present a different approach to the mixed H2/H∞-control problem. The procedure involves the formulation of a finite-time cost functional that represents an H∞-bound in a H2-optimization setting through a specific parametrization of the worst-case disturbance. One benefit of this formulation is that the ensuing optimization procedure does not require an initial controller guess to be stabilizing. Our approach also represents a non-Riccati based method for the mixed H2/H∞-control problem, it allows the incorporation of linear controllers with arbitrary structure and order; a problem that has not yet been solved in a numerically efficient manner. Here, we define a time-domain cost functional that, as t∫ → ∞, will lead to the solution of an optimal H2-norm control problem with an H∞-norm bound constraint (i.e Tz∞ w∞∞ ≪ γ where γ is a prespecified parameter). Parameterizations of the controller and the worst-case disturbance will lead naturally to the use of numerical parameter optimization techniques. Finally an example will illustrate the tradeoff between the H2- and the H∞-design objective.
Probing sites of histidine phosphorylation with iodination and tandem mass spectrometry

Phosphorylation at histidine residues occurs frequently in biology, but is often overlooked in proteomics experiments due to extreme acid lability. A new method utilizing histidine labeling with iodine to record information about phosphorylation is described. Essentially, phosphorylated histidine residues are not labeled while unmodified histidine undergoes complete iodination. Iodination is stabile both under acidic conditions, and upon collisional activation in the gas phase. This enables site-specific information to be retained with standard liquid chromatography separations and tandem mass spectrometry by collisional activation. Semi-quantitative information about the relative amounts of phosphorylated versus unmodified states can also be easily obtained from the relative ion abundances. This new method should provide a pathway forward for analyzing histidine phosphorylation in complex systems. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Noncircular skyrmion and its anisotropic response in thin films of chiral magnets under a tilted magnetic field

Here we study the equilibrium and dynamical properties of skyrmions in thin films of chiral magnets with oblique magnetic field. The shape of an individual skyrmion is non-circular and the skyrmion density decreases with the tilt angle from the normal of films. As a result, the interaction between two skyrmions depends on the relative angle between them in addition to their separation. The triangular lattice of skyrmions under a perpendicular magnetic field is distorted into a centered rectangular lattice for a tilted magnetic field. For a low skyrmion density, skyrmions form a chain like structure. Lastly, the dynamical response of the non-circular skyrmions depends on the direction of external currents.
Melanoma and the Sun: The Effect of Swimsuits and a “Healthy” Tan on the Risk of Nonfamilial Malignant Melanoma in Women

The authors examined the relation between sun exposure and melanoma risk and tested the previously published site-specific association of bikini use and melanoma of the trunk in a study of 130 cases incident between 1976 and 1984 and 300 controls nested within the Nurses' Health Study. A summary variable derived from four measures of sun sensitivity was more closely associated with melanoma than any component measure. There was no association of bikini use at ages 15-20 years with trunk melanoma risk (relative risk (RR) = 0.8, p = 0.7), and the 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.3-2.6) excludes the previously published estimate. High frequency of swimsuit use outdoors at ages 15-20 years was associated with increased melanoma risk among sun-sensitive women (RR = 6.4, 95% CI 1.7-23.8, p = 0.006), but appeared to be protective among sun-resistant women (RR = 0.3, 95% CI 0.1-1.0, p = 0.06). These findings suggest that the risk of trunk melanoma associated with bikini use is at most modest and that sun-sensitive women may increase their risk of melanoma with frequent sun exposures, but that sun-resistant women do not, presumably because they develop a photoprotective tan.
Dacomitinib in lung cancer: A “lost generation” EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitor from a bygone era?

EGFR tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have now been firmly established as the first-line treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring activating EGFR mutations, based on seven prospective randomized Phase III trials. However, despite significantly improved overall response rate and improved median progression-free survival when compared to platinum-doublet chemotherapy, EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients treated with EGFR TKIs invariably progress due to the emergence of acquired resistances, with the gatekeeper T790M mutation accounting for up to 60% of the resistance mechanisms. Second-generation irreversible EGFR TKIs were developed in part to inhibit the T790M mutation, in addition to the common activating EGFR mutations. Dacomitinib is one such second-generation EGFR TKI designed to inhibit both the wild-type (WT) EGFR and EGFR T790M. Afatinib is another second-generation EGR TKI that has been now been approved for the first-line treatment of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, while dacomitinib continues to undergo clinical evaluation. We will review the clinical development of dacomitinib from Phase I to Phase III trials, including the two recently published negative large-scale randomized Phase III trials (ARCHER 1009, NCIC-BR-26). Results from another large-scale randomized trial (ARCHER 1050) comparing dacomitinib to gefitinib as first-line treatment of advanced treatment-naive EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients will soon be available and will serve as the lynchpin trial for the potential approval of dacomitinib in NSCLC. Meanwhile, third-generation EGFR TKIs (eg, CO-1686 [rociletinib], AZ9291, HM61713, EGF816, and ASP8273) that preferentially and potently inhibit EGFR T790M but not WT EGFR are in full-scale clinical development, and some of these EGFR TKIs have received "breakthrough" designation by the US Food and Drug Administration and will likely be approved in late 2015. Given the rapid development of third-generation EGFR TKIs and the approval of gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib as first-line treatment of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients, the future role of dacomitinib in the treatment of NSCLC seems to be limited.
A Systemic Complete Response of Metastatic Melanoma to Local Radiation and Immunotherapy

BACKGROUND: Melanoma is a relatively immunogenic tumor, in which infiltration of melanoma cells by T lymphocytes is associated with a better clinical prognosis. We hypothesized that radiation-induced cell death may provide additional stimulation of an anti-tumor immune response in the setting of anti-CTLA-4 treatment. METHODS: In a pilot melanoma patient, we prospectively tested this hypothesis. We treated the patient with two cycles of ipilimumab, followed by stereotactic ablative radiotherapy to two of seven hepatic metastases, and two additional cycles of ipilimumab. RESULTS: Subsequent positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan indicated that all metastases, including unirradiated liver lesions and an unirradiated axillary lesion, had completely resolved, consistent with a complete response by RECIST. CONCLUSION: The use of radiotherapy in combination with targeted immunotherapy as a noninvasive in vivo tumor vaccine strategy appears to be a promising method of enhancing the induction of systemic immune responses and anti-tumor effect.
Oviposition preference and larval performance of North American monarch butterflies on four Asclepias species

Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus L. (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), occur world-wide and are specialist herbivores of plants in the milkweed family (Asclepiadaceae). In North America, two monarch populations breed east and west of the continental divide in areas populated by different host plant species. To examine the population variation in monarch responses to different Asclepias species, we measured oviposition preference and larval performance among captive progeny reared from adult butterflies collected in eastern and western North America. Host plant use was evaluated using two milkweed species widely distributed in eastern North America ( A. incarnata and A. syriaca ), and two species common to western North America ( A. fascicularis and A. speciosa ). We predicted that exposure to different host plant species in their respective breeding ranges could select for divergent host use traits, so that monarchs should preferentially lay more eggs on, and larvae should perform better on, milkweed species common to their native habitats. Results showed that across all adult female butterflies, oviposition preferences were highest for A. incarnata and lowest for A. fascicularis , but mean preferences did not differ significantly between eastern and western monarch populations. Larvae from both populations experienced the highest survival and growth rates on A. incarnata and A. fascicularis , and we again found no significant interactions between monarch source population and milkweed species. Moreover, the average rank order of larval performance did not correspond directly to mean female oviposition preferences, suggesting that additional factors beyond larval performance influence monarch oviposition behavior. Finally, significant family level variation was observed for both preference and performance responses within populations, suggesting an underlying genetic variation or maternal effects governing these traits.
A Comparison of Single and Concurrent Evaluations of Sensory and Hedonic Attributes

Allowing judges to make simultaneous evaluations of multiple sensory attributes on individual test stimuli may make the most economical use of resources; however, this method assumes that the express rating of one property does not produce artifactual changes in the concurrent ratings of others. In the present study, subjects evaluated a set of crackers with spread having a wide range of salt levels, and rated saltiness and/or oiliness and/or pleasantness alone and in various combinations. The evaluation conditions produced neglible differences in ratings, suggesting that such concurrent rating procedures may be a valid, as well as efficient, method of collection of this type of sensory data.
Right-Hemispheric Damage and Verbal Problem Solving Behavior'

Abstract Patients with right-hemisphere damage, who ostensibly have no linguistic impairment, are relatively incapable of solving two-term series problems in which comparative adjectives in the premise and question are antonymic. This finding suggests that such verbal reasoning depends, in part, upon nonlinguistic imaginal processes subserved by the right hemisphere. In this manner, the right hemisphere is often required for the full elaboration of linguistic input.
Efficient Tradeoff of Restricted Epidemic Routing in Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

Energy consumption for data transmission in mobile ad hoc networks can be reduced by decreasing the transmission range of each node. However, a transmission range that is too short reduces the node density to the extent that it becomes impossible to maintain a fully connected network. Consequently, each node has to rely on its mobility to first bring itself into the transmission range of another node before propagating the data packets, thereby leading to a longer delay in data delivery. On the other hand, if a network such as the Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) can tolerate this delay to some degree, using a short transmission range will be of great advantage to conserving transmission energy. Epidemic Routing is a protocol proposed for a DTN that consists of nodes with short transmission ranges. In this paper, we ascertain how Epidemic Routing works and address its drawbacks. Then we propose several schemes using different ways of restricting Epidemic Routing and evaluate the performance of each scheme. In order to evaluate the schemes we use a method of deriving the performance of each scheme and comparing the schemes from the standpoint of the tradeoff between energy consumption and time delay, while maintaining a fixed delivery rate. The efficacy of this method is shown through both evaluation and simulation results.
Chronology and topography of sparks at minimum energy for ignition

Abstract Microsecond exposure schlieren observations of ignition kernels and developing flames are reported for a set of minimum energy conditions holding for electrostatic spark ignition of 8·5 percent methane-air mixtures at 0·1 atmosphere initial pressure. Time of appearance of a flame and the extent of influence of the shock wave generated by the electric discharge were determined experimentally. A time of appearance investigation has also been reported by Lintin and Wooding; their mixtures ere at one atmosphere initial pressure. Comparison of the two results then gives an estimate of the effect of pressure upon time of appearance. This investigation indicates that the time of appearance of the flame varies inversely with initial pressure and also indicates that only a small portion of the original stored energy is caused to be dissipated outside the ignition kernel as a consequence of the shrok wave.
Multiple Meson Production by Photons in Hydrogen

The analysis of 235 events of double meson production by photons with energy up to 1.1 Bev (reaction $\ensuremath{\gamma}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) observed in a ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$ diffusion cloud chamber has produced the following results. The cross section rises rapidly at about 500 Mev to a value of approximately 70 \ensuremath{\mu}b. The angular, momentum, and $Q$ distributions of the reaction products cannot be satisfactorily accounted for either by a pure statistical model, or by a pure isobaric state model, or by a model assuming interaction of the incoming photon with the meson cloud of the proton, leading to $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}$ interaction. The observation of 14 cases of the reactions $\ensuremath{\gamma}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}p+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ and $\ensuremath{\gamma}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}n+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ suggests that the combined cross section for these reactions is about 10 \ensuremath{\mu}b between 700 and 1000 Mev.
Ethnic disparities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Ethnic disparities in health care have been historically well documented, but their causes still remain poorly explained. In the US, ethnic minorities have a higher incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus and also experience less favorable outcomes when compared with the Caucasian majority. These discrepancies can be explained, at least in part, by genetic-related ethnic factors; however, nongenetic factors emerging from differences in socioeconomic status and related individual social (poverty, limited access to quality health care) and cultural characteristics (inadequate health belief patterns, distrust in medical institutions) are also likely to contribute to these discrepancies. A comprehensive recognition of current unfavorable, but modifiable, circumstances will provide the framework to develop strategic approaches toward eliminating existent disparities in health, including those occurring in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Protozoan parasites of bivalve molluscs: literature follows culture.

Bivalve molluscs are key components of the estuarine environments as contributors to the trophic chain, and as filter –feeders, for maintaining ecosystem integrity. Further, clams, oysters, and scallops are commercially exploited around the world both as traditional local shellfisheries, and as intensive or semi–intensive farming systems. During the past decades, populations of those species deemed of environmental or commercial interest have been subject to close monitoring given the realization that these can suffer significant decline, sometimes irreversible, due to overharvesting, environmental pollution, or disease. Protozoans of the genera Perkinsus, Haplosporidium, Marteilia, and Bonamia are currently recognized as major threats for natural and farmed bivalve populations. Since their identification, however, the variable publication rates of research studies addressing these parasitic diseases do not always appear to reflect their highly significant environmental and economic impact. Here we analyzed the peer– reviewed literature since the initial description of these parasites with the goal of identifying potential milestone discoveries or achievements that may have driven the intensity of the research in subsequent years, and significantly increased publication rates. Our analysis revealed that after initial description of the parasite as the etiological agent of a given disease, there is a time lag before a maximal number of yearly publications are reached. This has already taken place for most of them and has been followed by a decrease in publication rates over the last decade (20– to 30– year lifetime in the literature). Autocorrelation analyses, however, suggested that advances in parasite purification and culture methodologies positively drive publication rates, most likely because they usually lead to novel molecular tools and resources, promoting mechanistic studies. Understanding these trends should help researchers in prioritizing research efforts for these and other protozoan parasites, together with their development as model systems for further basic and translational research in parasitic diseases.
Context-dependent effects of mycorrhizae on herbivore density and parasitism in a tritrophic coastal study system

1. Stressful abiotic conditions and mycorrhizal fungi have both been shown to influence plant quality significantly, yet the interactive effects of these factors on relationships among plants, herbivores, and natural enemies remain unclear. 2. In this study, the results of a factorial field experiment are reported in which the effects of plant stress and mycorrhizae on density and parasitism of three herbivores of Baccharis halimifolia L. were examined. 3. Plant stress was increased by adding salt to the soil, and association with mycorrhizal fungi was increased by inoculating plant roots. 4. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi resulted in increased density of all three herbivore species, but the effects of mycorrhizae on parasitism varied by species and with soil salinity levels. For the gall maker Neolasioptera lathami Gagne, mycorrhizae decreased parasitism regardless of soil salinity levels. For the leaf miners Amauromyza maculosa Malloch and Liriomyza trifolii Burgess, mycorrhizae effectively negated the decrease in parasitism resulting from increased salinity. 5. The results of this study show that the effects of mycorrhizae on parasitism may be context dependent, and can be positive or negative depending upon species and environmental conditions.
Oxygen-induced nano-faceting of Ir(2 1 0)

The adsorption of oxygen and the nanometer-scale faceting induced by oxygen have been studied on Ir(2 1 0). Oxygen is found to chemisorb dissociatively on Ir(2 1 0) at room temperature. The molecular desorption process is complex, as revealed by a detailed kinetic analysis of desorption spectra. Pyramid-shaped facets with {3 1 1} and (1 1 0) orientations are formed on the oxygen-covered Ir(2 1 0) surface when annealed to T⩾600 K. The surface remains faceted for substrate temperatures T 850 K, the substrate structure reverts to the oxygen-covered (2 1 0) planar state and does so reversibly, provided that oxygen is not lost due to desorption or via chemical reactions upon which the planar (2 1 0) structure remains. A clean faceted surface was prepared through the use of low temperature surface cleaning methods: using CO oxidation, or reaction of H2 to form H2O, oxygen can be removed from the surface while preserving (“freezing”) the faceted structure. The resulting clean faceted surface remains stable for T<600 K. For temperatures above this value, the surface irreversibly relaxes to the planar state.
On the Suicidal Pedestrian Differential Game

We consider the following differential game of pursuit and evasion involving two participating players: an evader, which has limited maneuverability, and an agile pursuer. The agents move on the Euclidean plane with different but constant speeds. Whereas the pursuer can change the orientation of its velocity vector arbitrarily fast, that is, he is a “pedestrian” a la Isaacs, the evader cannot make turns having a radius smaller than a specified minimum turning radius. This problem can be seen as a reversed Homicidal Chauffeur game, hence the name “Suicidal Pedestrian Differential Game.” The aim of this paper is to derive the optimal strategies of the two players and characterize the initial conditions that lead to capture if the pursuer acts optimally, and areas that guarantee evasion regardless of the pursuer’s strategy. Both proximity-capture and point-capture are considered. After applying the optimal strategy for the evader, it is shown that the case of point-capture reduces to a special version of Zermelo’s Navigation Problem (ZNP) for the pursuer. Therefore, the well-known ZNP solution can be used to validate the results obtained through the differential game framework, as well as to characterize the time-optimal trajectories. The results are directly applicable to collision avoidance in maritime and Air Traffic Control applications.
A preliminary longitudinal volumetric MRI study of amygdala and hippocampal volumes in autism.

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest that amygdala volume, when compared with healthy controls, is increased in young children with autism, is unchanged in cohorts of older youth, and is smaller in adults. Hippocampal volume, however, does not appear to have age-related changes, and it is unclear whether individuals with autism have volumetric differences in this structure. The goal of this pilot investigation is to characterize the developmental trajectories of the amygdala and hippocampus in children with autism between the ages of 8 and 14 years and to examine clinical correlates of volume change. Methods Twenty-three children with autism and 23 controls between the ages of 8 and 12 underwent a magnetic resonance imaging procedure of the brain (T1-weighted) at two time points. Nine children with autism and 14 controls had good quality scans from both time points; however, all usable scans from all subjects (15 children with autism and 22 controls) were included in a mixed effect analysis. Regression models were used to estimate group differences in amygdala and hippocampal volumes. Changes in amygdala and hippocampal volumes (Time 2 − Time 1) were correlated with clinical severity measures. Results Amygdala volume changes with time were similar between the two groups. Within the autism group, right amygdala volume change was correlated with the ability to establish appropriate eye contact. Right hippocampal volume was significantly increased in the autism group when compared with controls. Differences in right hippocampal volume change with time between the two groups approached significance. Conclusion This study provides preliminary evidence of normalization of amygdala volumes in late childhood and adolescence. It also suggests that hippocampal volumetric differences may exist in autism in late childhood and adolescence.
Atomic tailoring of rare earth based materials for laser refrigerators

We present the possibilities of atomic tailoring of electronic and vibrational properties of rare earth based materials in order to achieve compact high efficiency laser refrigerators operating at cryogenic temperatures
Cross protection among four viroids

Abstract Cross-protection tests were performed on tomato and/or chrysanthemum plants with a severe strain (PS) of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV), a mild strain of PSTV (PM), citrus exocortis viroid (CEV), chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSV), and chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid (ChCMV). The identities of all viroids used, except ChCMV, were confirmed by fingerprinting the purified 125I-labeled RNAs. On tomato plants, PS and CEV caused identical, severe symptoms; PM caused mild symptoms; CSV replicated without causing symptoms; and replication of ChCMV could not be detected. Each viroid produced distinctive symptoms on chrysanthemum plants. On tomato, PM protected against the expression of symptoms by PS and CEV. On chrysanthemum, CSV, PM, and PS protected against CEV, but ChCMV did not protect against PS, CEV, or CSV; and PS failed to protect against ChCMV. In two cases of cross-protection, bioassays indicated that both the protecting and the challenge viroids had replicated. Thus, despite their different fingerprints (and hence RNA sequences), CEV, CSV, and two strains of PSTV affect a common biological process not affected by ChCMV.
Polymorphism of malate dehydrogenase in Ascaris suum

Starch gel electrophoresis of homogenates prepared from adult Ascaris suum revealed polymorphism for the number, staining intensity, and electrophoretic mobility of the cytoplasmic isozymes of malate dehydrogenase (MDH). Five different variant isozymic patterns were found among the 2160 worms surveyed. The most acceptable formulation for the molecular basis of the variant patterns supports the hypothesis that the synthesis of supernatant MDH in Ascaris suum is under the control of two separate genetic loci, MDH A and MDH B.