cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Bayesian regression model for multivariate functional data

In this paper we present a model for the analysis of multivariate functional data with unequally spaced observation times that may differ among subjects. Our method is formulated as a Bayesian mixed-effects model in which the fixed part corresponds to the mean functions, and the random part corresponds to individual deviations from these mean functions. Covariates can be incorporated into both the fixed and the random effects. The random error term of the model is assumed to follow a multivariate Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. For each of the response variables, both the mean and the subject-specific deviations are estimated via low-rank cubic splines using radial basis functions. Inference is performed via Markov chain Monte Carlo methods.
Multiparameter Analysis, including EMT Markers, on Negatively Enriched Blood Samples from Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been hypothesized as a mechanism by which cells change phenotype during carcinogenesis, as well as tumor metastasis. Whether EMT is involved in cancer metastasis has a specific, practical impact on the field of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Since the generally accepted definition of a CTC includes the expression of epithelial surface markers, such as EpCAM, if a cancer cell loses its epithelial surface markers (which is suggested in EMT), it will not be separated and/or identified as a CTC. We have developed, and previously reported on the use of, a purely negative enrichment technology enriching for CTCs in the blood of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). This methodology does not depend on the expression of surface epithelial markers. Using this technology, our initial data on SCCHN patient blood indicates that the presence of CTCs correlates with worse disease-free survival. Since our enrichment is not dependent on epithelial markers, we have initiated investigation of the presence of mesenchymal markers in these CTC cells to include analysis of: vimentin, epidermal growth factor receptor, N-cadherin, and CD44. With the aid of confocal microscopy, we have demonstrated not only presumed CTCs that express and/or contain: a nucleus, cytokeratins, vimentin, and either EGFR, CD44, or N-cadherin, but also cells that contain all of the aforementioned proteins except cytokeratins, suggesting that the cells have undergone the EMT process. We suggest that our negative depletion enrichment methodology provides a more objective approach in identifying and evaluating CTCs, as opposed to positive selection approaches, as it is not subjective to a selection bias and can be tailored to accommodate a variety of cytoplasmic and surface markers which can be evaluated to identify a multitude of phenotypic patterns within CTCs from individual patients, including so-called EMT as presented here.
Studies on the mechanism of hrmonal stimulation of zinc uptake in human cell cultures: hormone-cell interactions and characteristics of zinc accumulation.

Adrenal steroid hormones with glucocorticoid activity increase the uptake of Zn++ in HeLa cell cultures. On the basis of the level of Zn++ accumulation induced, steroid hormones can be classified into four groups: (a) optimal inducers (e.g., hydrocortisone and prednisolone); (b) suboptimal inducers (e.g., aldosterone and corticosterone); (c) anti-inducers (e.g., progesterone and 17 α-methyl testosterone) which competitively inhibit induction by optimal inducers; and (d) non-inducers (e.g., cortisone and pregnenolone) which neither induce nor inhibit the steroid-mediated increase in Zn++ uptake. The ability of an anti-inducer to block the effects of optimal inducers is not the result of inhibition of steroid uptake or an effect on general protein synthesis. Optimal inducers do not increase adenyl cyclase activity of HeLa cells nor can the hormone effects on Zn++ uptake be reproduced by 3'-5' cyclic AMP. The prednisolone-induced enhancement of Zn++ uptake is gradually lost over two or three days following removal of the hormone. Uptake of Zn++ by HeLa cells is not altered by a decrease of sodium concentration in the medium nor by changes in medium osmolarity. The uptake mechanism is not affected by subjecting intact cells to proteolytic enzymes; however, if cells are disrupted the hormone-mediated increase in Zn++ accumulation is lost. The Zn++ taken up by HeLa cells in the presence or absence of hormone is primarily cytoplasmic in localization and appears to be distributed in a multicompartmental system.
SHOULD THE AGE SPECIFIC PROSTATE SPECIFIC ANTIGEN CUTOFF FOR PROSTATE BIOPSY BE HIGHER FOR BLACK THAN FOR WHITE MEN OLDER THAN 50 YEARS

Purpose: Investigators who have examined age specific reference ranges recommend a higher prostate specific antigen (PSA) cutoff for biopsy for black than for white men older than 50 years. We controlled for PSA to determine whether age specific reference range cutoffs for diagnosis defined by the Walter Reed Army Medical Center group (Walter Reed group) would improve the disproportionate prostate cancer prognosis between black and white men. Materials and Methods: We studied 651 consecutive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy at Wayne State University between 1991 and 1995 with a mean followup of 34 months (range 1.5 to 75). Log rank tests were used to determine the homogeneity of survival functions between black and white men with similar PSA ranges, and between groups defined by age specific PSA reference ranges for each race. Results: Disease stage and grade were similar or worse in black men for any PSA range, and biochemical disease-free survival was similar or worse within each range. Black men had a higher percentage of high grade prostate cancer than white men 60 to 69 years old who would not have undergone biopsy using the Walter Reed group proposed PSA cutoff. Conclusions: Black men have similar or worse prostate cancer severity and outcome than white men with similar PSA ranges. Using age specific reference ranges for the PSA test defined by the Walter Reed group, black men have worse outcome than white men after radical prostatectomy. Therefore, we recommend that the PSA cutoff for biopsy should not be higher for black men at any age range.
In-plane spectroscopy with optical fibers and liquid-filled APEX™ glass microcuvettes

Chemical etching and laser drilling of microstructural glass results in opaque or translucent sidewalls, limiting the optical analysis of glass microfluidic devices to top down or non-planar topologies. These non-planar observation topologies prevent each layer of a multilayered device from being independently optically addressed. However, novel photosensitive glass processing techniques in APEX™ have resulted in microfabricated glass structures with transparent sidewalls. Toward the goal of a transparent multilayered glass microfluidic device, this study demonstrates the ability to perform spectroscopy with optical fibers and microcuvettes fabricated in photosensitive APEX™ glass.
Synthesis and bioactivity of photolabile sirolimus (rapamycin) analogs

Several photolabile sirolimus analogs have been synthesized. All ot the compounds showed an antiproliferative effect in a mitogen-induced thymocyte proliferation assay. Compounds 3 and 4 were shown to be equipotent to sirolimus in a murine skin allograft model; they should thus be useful for investigating the in vivo details of the signal transduction pathway(s) modulated by sirolimus. The immunosuppressive effect of analogs 3–5 is corroborated by their ability, as part of an FKBP12 complex, to bind a sirolimus effector protein (SEP).
Shakespeare, Montaigne, and the Idea of Savagery

The European response to new geographical and ethnographic information in Renaissance travel literature is explored. Using Shakespeare's The Tempest and Montaigne's essays, the paper also examines depictions of the savage as an individual and savagery as a social form in order to compare artistic to more avowedly empirical representations. The views of the dramatist and the essayist are related to the modern anthropological perspective
Inductive graphs and functional graph algorithms

We propose a new style of writing graph algorithms in functional languages which is based on an alternative view of graphs as inductively defined data types. We show how this graph model can be implemented efficiently, and then we demonstrate how graph algorithms can be succinctly given by recursive function definitions based on the inductive graph view. We also regard this as a contribution to the teaching of algorithms and data structures in functional languages since we can use the functional-style graph algorithms instead of the imperative algorithms that are dominant today.
Effect of Tracking Errors on Performance of Telescope Arrays Receiver for Deep Space Optical Communication

On Earth, a large aperture telescope is required to achieve the substantial data rates needed for a deep space optical communication link. However, not only are large telescopes very costly but, it is also very difficult to attain near diffraction limited performance with large apertures. An array of relatively smaller sized telescopes combined to form a larger synthesized aperture is a viable and efficient alternative to a large monolithic telescope. However, the performance of telescope arrays needs to be investigated under certain limiting factors such as turbulence, tracking errors etc. In this paper, we analyze the impact of tracking errors on the performance of telescope arrays. A deep space optical communication link between Mars and a telescope array receiver on earth is simulated. A closed loop tracking system is employed at the receiver end to cater for the random tracking errors. Monte Carlo Simulation results show that, under tracking errors the performance of telescope arrays can reach very close to that of a large monolithic telescope with the same total photon collecting area. Hence, telescope arrays are a cost-effective alternative for deep space optical communication.
Holding China’s West: Explaining CCP Strategies of Rule in Tibet and Xinjiang

Over the course of Communist Party rule in China, what explains the continuities and changes in the policies used to exert control and to combat secessionist threats in Tibet and Xinjiang? We begin with a standard conflict bargaining framework, which emphasizes three proximate decision-theoretic variables: status quo political, economic and cultural conditions in the minority regions; relative military power; and leadership preferences. Among these proximate factors, the most potent source of variation over time has been the preferences of Chinese leaders—particularly of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. We also discuss how China’s broader structural and institutional conditions have an effect through their influence on leadership preferences and decisions. Over time, these broader structural and institutional conditions have pushed toward greater uniformity of state policies in the minority regions—overriding the tendency of leadership and regional differences to produce variation in such policies.
Efficiency of time-lapse intervals and simple baits for camera surveys of wild pigs

Growing concerns surrounding established and expanding populations of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have created the need for rapid and accurate surveys of these populations. We conducted surveys of a portion of the wild pig population on Fort Benning, Georgia, to determine if a longer time-lapse interval than had been previously used in surveys of wild pigs would generate similar detection results. We concurrently examined whether use of soured corn at camera sites affected the time necessary for pigs to locate a new camera site or the time pigs remained at a site. Our results suggest that a 9-min time-lapse interval generated dependable detection results for pigs and that soured corn neither attracted pigs to a site any quicker than plain, dry, whole-kernel corn, nor held them at a site longer. Maximization of time-lapse interval should decrease data and processing loads, and use of a simple, available bait should decrease cost and effort associated with more complicated baits; combination of these concepts should increase efficiency of wild pig surveys. 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Ionospheric variability due to planetary waves and tides for solar minimum conditions

[1] Large ionospheric variability is found at low to middle latitudes when a quasi-stationary planetary wave is specified in the winter stratosphere in the National Center for Atmospheric Research thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere electrodynamics general circulation model for solar minimum conditions. The variability includes change of electric field/ion drift, F2 peak density and height, and the total electron content. The electric field/ion drift change is the largest near dawn in the numerical experiments. Analysis of model results suggests that, although the quasi-stationary planetary wave does not propagate deep into the ionosphere or to low latitudes due to the presence of critical layers and strong molecular dissipation, the planetary wave and tidal interaction leads to large changes in tides, which can strongly impact the ionosphere at low and middle latitudes through the E region wind dynamo. Large zonal gradients of zonal and meridional winds from the tidal components and the zonal gradient of electric conductivities at dawn can produce large convergence/divergence of Hall and Pedersen currents, which in turn produces a polarization electric field. The ionospheric changes are dependent on both the longitude and local time, and are determined by the amplitudes and phases of the superposing wave components. The model results are consistent with observed ionospheric changes at low and middle latitudes during stratospheric sudden warming events, when quasi-stationary planetary waves become large.
Effect of chemical modification of sulfhydryl groups of human erythrocyte enzymes

Erythrocyte lysate proteins prepared by five methods were chemically modified by methanethiolation with methyl methanethiolsulfonate (MMTS). This relatively newly studied agent delivers the small uncharged, non-hydrogen-bonding CH3S-group to accessible -SH groups under mild conditions. Glycolytic and nonglycolytic red cell enzymes studied could be grouped into four categories based on degree of catalytic inhibition by MMTS, which ranged from 100% to nil. NADH (0.06 mM) protected against lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) inhibition nearly completely, and partial protection was evident at 1 μM concentrations. NAD was virtually ineffective at comparable molarities, and pyruvate failed to protect significantly. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) (but not 6-PGD) was protected by NADP (but minimally if at all by NADPH) at low molarities. Substrate G-6-P failed to protect. Mg++ alone protected enolase to a major degree against MMTS inhibition. Residual activities of several enzymes were rendered highly unstable to thermal stress, and in the case of selected enzymes, alteration of pH activity curves and catalytic activity at diminished substrate concentration was demonstrable. The highly specific modification of sulfhydryl groups of cysteinyl residues under mild conditions preserving other aspects of enzyme structure provides insights into the role of these most reactive of all amino side-chains in the enzyme proteins derived from human red cell lysates.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid: a Preventive in Secondary Coronary Events?

In a 5-year study1 of survivors of a first myocardial infarction, the effect of an α-linolenic acid-enriched diet (experimental) was compared with the prudent diet of the American Heart Association (control) in prevention of secondary coronary events. After a mean follow-up of 27 months, there were 5 nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 3 cardiac deaths in the experimental group versus 17 nonfatal myocardial infarctions and 16 cardiac deaths in the control group. Overall mortality was 20 in the control and 8 in the experimental group. An α-linolenic acid-enriched diet appears to be effective in secondary prevention of coronary events, but a follow-up trial with a larger sample size is suggested.
Reovirus Cell Entry Requires Functional Microtubules

ABSTRACT Mammalian reovirus binds to cell-surface glycans and junctional adhesion molecule A and enters cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis in a process dependent on β1 integrin. Within the endocytic compartment, reovirus undergoes stepwise disassembly, allowing release of the transcriptionally active viral core into the cytoplasm. To identify cellular mediators of reovirus infectivity, we screened a library of small-molecule inhibitors for the capacity to block virus-induced cytotoxicity. In this screen, reovirus-induced cell killing was dampened by several compounds known to impair microtubule dynamics. Microtubule inhibitors were assessed for blockade of various stages of the reovirus life cycle. While these drugs did not alter reovirus cell attachment or internalization, microtubule inhibitors diminished viral disassembly kinetics with a concomitant decrease in infectivity. Reovirus virions colocalize with microtubules and microtubule motor dynein 1 during cell entry, and depolymerization of microtubules results in intracellular aggregation of viral particles. These data indicate that functional microtubules are required for proper sorting of reovirus virions following internalization and point to a new drug target for pathogens that use the endocytic pathway to invade host cells. IMPORTANCE Screening libraries of well-characterized drugs for antiviral activity enables the rapid characterization of host processes required for viral infectivity and provides new therapeutic applications for established pharmaceuticals. Our finding that microtubule-inhibiting drugs impair reovirus infection identifies a new cell-based antiviral target.
Psychological Assessment and Care of Organ Transplant Patients

Organ transplant has been developed in animal models over the past 100 years. The major limiting factor in transplant medicine is the shortage of donor organs. This shortage creates pressure for fair and efficient allocation of organs, with expectations that those involved in transplantation will strive to achieve optimal outcomes and ensure just access. This article reviews the major types of transplants and the illnesses and behavioral comorbidities that lead to these procedures, the psychological assessment of transplant candidates, the adaptive tasks required of the transplant recipient at various stages of the transplant process, and relevant psychological interventions. Liaison with others on the transplant team and ethical issues of concern to psychologists who work with transplant patients, including living organ donors, are also discussed. Finally, new developments in transplant and suggestions for future psychological research in organ transplant are presented.
High rates of "unselected" aneuploidy and chromosome rearrangements in tel1 mec1 haploid yeast strains

The yeast TEL1 and MEC1 genes (homologous to the mammalian ATM and ATR genes, respectively) serve partially redundant roles in the detection of DNA damage and in the regulation of telomere length. Haploid yeast tel1 mec1 strains were subcultured nonselectively for ∼200 cell divisions. The subcultured strains had very high rates of chromosome aberrations: duplications, deletions, and translocations. The breakpoints of the rearranged chromosomes were within retrotransposons (Ty or δ-repeats), and these chromosome aberrations nonrandomly involved chromosome III. In addition, we showed that strains with the hypomorphic mec1-21 allele often became disomic for chromosome VIII. This property of the mec1-21 strains is suppressed by a plasmid containing the DNA2 gene (located on chromosome VIII) that encodes an essential nuclease/helicase involved in DNA replication and DNA repair.
A multiplayer real-time game protocol architecture for reducing network latency

Multiplayer, real-time games have become a huge commercial service. Because of this success, the need exists for a more efficient and reliable game server solution. Such games are a kind of soft real-time systems because a game server has to respond to requests from many clients, compute the action of a non-player character (NPC), and filter the data from each client within specified time constraints. Some client and server tasks are periodic and some are not. To meet these timing constraints, we propose a task scheduling policy. Our solution includes two approaches: (1) the STU segment queue approach to convert sporadic events from game clients into serialized periodic event groups; and (2) the spatial domain approach to reduce queuing delay caused by the network outgoing event queue. To implement our solution on the JAVA framework with the non-real-time JAVA virtual machine, we propose a new client/server architecture for a scalable game server that in addition, will reduce the frequency of garbage collection by reusing server resources.
Anxiogenic effects of generated ambient cations--a preliminary study

The existence of the putative serotonin irritation syndrome (SIS) was tested in a human population. Volunteers were exposed to a highly cationized environment for two hours. Symptoms of anxiety and excitement significantly increased. During the time of exposure serum serotonin levels also increased significantly. These results support the existence of SIS as a clinical entity.
Structure-activity relationships of lysophosphatidic acid analogs

The physiologic effects of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) remain poorly understood. Our ignorance is due in part to lack of medicinal chemistry focussed on this pleiotropic lipid mediator. Beginning with commercially available phospholipids tested on whole cells or tissues and continuing with synthetic analogs tested at recombinant LPA receptors, the features of the LPA pharmacophore have become visible. An active LPA mimetic has a long aliphatic chain terminating in a phosphate monoester; bulky substitutions at the second carbon (relative to the phosphate) are tolerated poorly and a dissociable proton near the phosphate group seems required for optimal activity. These requirements are met by substituting ethanolamine for the glyceryl group in LPA. Substitutions at the second carbon of the N-acyl ethanolamide phosphoric acid (NAEPA) result in highly active agonists, including some receptor type selective compounds, if the substituent is small (e.g. methyl, methylene amino, methylene hydroxy). However, bulky hydrophobic substituents lead to compounds with decreased agonist, or even antagonist, activities. Examination of naturally occurring plant lipids led to the discovery of another LPA receptor antagonist, di-octyl glyceryl pyrophosphate. An unexplained result obtained in testing the LPA mimetics is the strong stereoselectivity exhibited by some responses (e.g. calcium mobilization) and the lack of stereoselectivity of other responses (e.g. platelet aggregation).
Radicalization of U.S. prisoners

Research Summary Concern has been expressed that prisoner radicalization poses a high probability threat to the safety of the United States. Although the threat of terrorist acts planned in prison is known to be above zero because of a nearly executed terrorist plot hatched in a state prison, the central finding of this research is that the actual probability is modest. The reasons for a modest probability are fourfold: Order and stability in U.S. prisons were achieved during the buildup period, prison officials successfully implemented efforts to counter the “importation” of radicalism, correctional leadership infused antiradicalization into their agencies, and inmates' low levels of education decreased the appeals of terrorism. Policy Implications The prison environment permits a great deal of information to be collected on the activities and, more difficult to detect, planned activities of inmates after they are released. This environment requires the attentive observation of staff, collection of information from inmates, and efforts at different levels of a correctional agency to assemble, collate, and assess information; much of it is likely to be false and some will be vital.
Interaction Between System Design and Operations of Variable Speed Limit Systems in Work Zones

Variable speed limits (VSLs) have been shown to improve safety and operations on European freeways, but work zone applications of VSLs have been limited. In July 2008, a VSL system was installed on a congested portion of the Washington, D.C., Beltway (I-95-I-495) in a major work zone. A limited field evaluation of that system revealed some deficiencies related to the system's configuration, resulting in inconclusive operational effects. Those results raised questions about the relative importance of different VSL system parameters on the ultimate effectiveness of work zone VSLs. This paper describes an evaluation that used a calibrated simulation model to evaluate the influence of several parameters. The results showed that VSLs can delay the onset of congestion and help produce more rapid recovery from congestion, provided that demand volumes are not too far above the work zone capacity. When demand volumes are extremely high, VSLs offer no appreciable benefit over static speed limits. The simulation als...
Server operational cost optimization for cloud computing service providers over a time horizon

Service providers are migrating to on-demand cloud computing services to unburden the task of managing infrastructure, while cloud computing providers expand the number of servers in their data centers because of the increase in load. With this growing need, their energy consumption increases significantly. Conserving energy and reducing the operational cost while satisfying the service level agreement (SLA) becomes important in order to reduce both carbon emissions and the budget for cloud computing providers. On the other hand, the aggregated demands for different services are dynamic over a time horizon. We present a multi-time period optimization model for saving the operational cost by combining two factors: 1)Dynamic Voltage/Frequency Scaling (DVFS), 2)turning servers on/off over a time horizon. We show the impact of the granularity of the duration of the time slots and frequency options on optimal solutions. A parametric study on varying cost of turning servers on/off and power consumption is also presented.
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT OF SINGLE LEVITATED MICROPARTICLES USING STOKES/ANTI-STOKES RAMAN INTENSITY RATIOS

A method has been developed to determine the temperature of single microparticles levitated in an electrodynamic balance. Particle temperatures were ascertained from the measured intensities of the Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman spectra. Temperatures near ambient were obtained for titanium dioxide and calcium nitrate microparticles with the use of a Raman-based calibration of the optical system to correct for wave-length-dependent effects. Higher temperatures were also measured with the use of a carbon dioxide infrared laser to electromagnetically heat the particle. In an effort to minimize particle instabilities caused by the heating beam, the Gaussian intensity profile of the beam was modified with an axicon beam expander to produce a doughnut-like intensity distribution. The temperature measurement technique and quantitative Raman composition analysis were applied to study dehydration of a calcium nitrate tetrahydrate particle.
Why are Services Cheaper in the Poor Countries

In their important work on international comparisons of national incomes and of comparative price structure, Kravis, Heston and Summers (i982, p. 8) have noted that 'services are much cheaper in the relative price structure of a typical poor country than in that of a rich country'. This phenonomen has been documented now fairly systematically by the data, gathered under their guiding hand, of the United Nations International Comparison (ICP) which covers 34 countries. Table I reproduced from their work (I982), and Fig. I based on rows 3 and II-13, indeed show this tendencyfor the relationship between relative service prices and real per capita GDP in this Kravis-Heston-Summers 34-country 6-group sample. The tendency is strongly evident except for the intermediate groups III and IV.
LQT2 nonsense mutations generate trafficking defective NH2-terminally truncated channels by the reinitiation of translation

The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) encodes a voltage-activated K+ channel that contributes to the repolarization of the cardiac action potential. Long QT syndrome type 2 (LQT2) is an autos...
UV-B inhibition of hypocotyl growth in etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings is a consequence of cell cycle arrest initiated by photodimer accumulation

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is an important constituent of sunlight that determines plant morphology and growth. It induces photomorphogenic responses but also causes damage to DNA. Arabidopsis mutants of the endonucleases that function in nucleotide excision repair, xpf-3 and uvr1-1, showed hypersensitivity to UV-B (280-320nm) in terms of inhibition of hypocotyl growth. SOG1 is a transcription factor that functions in the DNA damage signalling response after γ-irradiation. xpf mutants that carry the sog1-1 mutation showed hypocotyl growth inhibition after UV-B irradiation similar to the wild type. A DNA replication inhibitor, hydroxyurea (HU), also inhibited hypocotyl growth in etiolated seedlings, but xpf-3 was not hypersensitive to HU. UV-B irradiation induced accumulation of the G2/M-specific cell cycle reporter construct CYCB1;1-GUS in wild-type Arabidopsis seedlings that was consistent with the expected accumulation of photodimers and coincided with the time course of hypocotyl growth inhibition after UV-B treatment. Etiolated mutants of UVR8, a recently described UV-B photoreceptor gene, irradiated with UV-B showed inhibition of hypocotyl growth that was not different from that of the wild type, but they lacked UV-B-specific expression of chalcone synthase (CHS), as expected from previous reports. CHS expression after UV-B irradiation was not different in xpf-3 compared with the wild type, nor was it altered after HU treatment. These results suggest that hypocotyl growth inhibition by UV-B light in etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings, a photomorphogenic response, is dictated by signals originating from UV-B absorption by DNA that lead to cell cycle arrest. This process occurs distinct from UVR8 and its signalling pathway responsible for CHS induction.
Ultrastable Atomic Force Microscopy: Atomic-Scale Stability and Registration in Ambient Conditions

Instrumental drift in atomic force microscopy (AFM) remains a critical, largely unaddressed issue that limits tip-sample stability, registration, and the signal-to-noise ratio during imaging. By scattering a laser off the apex of a commercial AFM tip, we locally measured and thereby actively controlled its three-dimensional position above a sample surface to <40 pm (∆f ) 0.01-10 Hz) in air at room temperature. With this enhanced stability, we overcame the traditional need to scan rapidly while imaging and achieved a 5-fold increase in the image signal-to-noise ratio. Finally, we demonstrated atomic-scale (∼100 pm) tip-sample stability and registration over tens of minutes with a series of AFM images on transparent substrates. The stabilization technique requires low laser power (<1 mW), imparts a minimal perturbation upon the cantilever, and is independent of the tip-sample interaction. This work extends atomic-scale tip-sample control, previously restricted to cryogenic temperatures and ultrahigh vacuum, to a wide range of perturbative operating environments.
Effect of a history of major depressive disorder on smoking-induced dopamine release.

Background Dopamine (DA) system dysfunction is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). We sought to determine if cigarette smokers with a history of MDD and current mild depressive symptoms have abnormal smoking-induced DA release (measured indirectly as change in 11 C-raclopride binding potential [BP ND ]). Methods Fifty-six cigarette smokers either with ( n = 10) or without ( n = 46) a history of MDD (MDD+ and MDD−, respectively) underwent bolus-plus-continuous-infusion 11 C-raclopride positron emission tomography, during which they smoked a regular cigarette. Presmoking to postsmoking changes in 11 C-raclopride BP ND were compared between groups. Also, correlations were determined between change in BP ND and depression, anxiety, and withdrawal rating scale scores for the MDD+ group. Results The MDD+ group had a significantly greater reduction in 11 C-raclopride BP ND (−16.3%) than the MDD− group (−8.4%) (analysis of covariance [ANCOVA], p = .03). Significant negative correlations were found between depression/anxiety and change in 11 C-raclopride BP ND ( r = −.77, p r = −.74, p = .01, respectively). Conclusions MDD+ smokers have greater smoking-induced DA release than MDD− smokers, and higher depression/anxiety levels are associated with greater smoking-induced DA release. These findings support the theory that MDD+ smokers have DA system dysfunction, including heightened smoking-induced DA release.
Thermal convection in a magnetic fluid

A theoretical study of the character and stability of thermomagnetic flow in a microgravity environment is performed. Convection is driven owing to imposed radial magnetic and temperature gradients in a cylindrical shell containing a ferrofluid. Linear, nonlinear, and computational methods are employed. It is shown that convection sets in as a stable supercritical bifurcation. Results obtained for a specific shell configuration are in good agreement with experiments.
Fungal biomass in decayed wood

Fungal biomass in decayed wood was mea- sured using glucosamine as an indicator. Apparent mass loss and glucosamine content of wood blocks decayed by Trametes versicolor, Oligoporus placentus, Bjerkandera adusta, Gloeophyllum trabeum, and Phialo- cephala dimorphospora were measured at selected in- tervals. After 12 weeks of decay by T. versicolor, birch blocks contained 31.3% fungal biomass, more than any other fungus-wood combination. Fungal biomass in birch decayed by B. adusta and G. trabeum exceeded 9.0%. Measurements of apparent mass loss underes- timate actual loss of wood mass, determined by cor- recting for fungal biomass, by as much as 42%. Such errors are greatest at lower mass losses.
Antisense Expression of an Arabidopsis Ran Binding Protein Renders Transgenic Roots Hypersensitive to Auxin and Alters Auxin-Induced Root Growth and Development by Arresting Mitotic Progress

We cloned a cDNA encoding an Arabidopsis Ran binding protein, AtRanBP1c, and generated transgenic Arabidopsis expressing the antisense strand of the AtRanBP1c gene to understand the in vivo functions of the Ran/RanBP signal pathway. The transgenic plants showed enhanced primary root growth but suppressed growth of lateral roots. Auxin significantly increased lateral root initiation and inhibited primary root growth in the transformants at 10 pM, several orders of magnitude lower than required to induce these responses in wild-type roots. This induction was followed by a blockage of mitosis in both newly emerged lateral roots and in the primary root, ultimately resulting in the selective death of cells in the tips of both lateral and primary roots. Given the established role of Ran binding proteins in the transport of proteins into the nucleus, these findings are consistent with a model in which AtRanBP1c plays a key role in the nuclear delivery of proteins that suppress auxin action and that regulate mitotic progress in root tips.
Comparison of Highly Resolved Model-Based Exposure Metrics for Traffic-Related Air Pollutants to Support Environmental Health Studies

Human exposure to air pollution in many studies is represented by ambient concentrations from space-time kriging of observed values. Space-time kriging techniques based on a limited number of ambient monitors may fail to capture the concentration from local sources. Further, because people spend more time indoors, using ambient concentration to represent exposure may cause error. To quantify the associated exposure error, we computed a series of six different hourly-based exposure metrics at 16,095 Census blocks of three Counties in North Carolina for CO, NOx, PM2.5, and elemental carbon (EC) during 2012. These metrics include ambient background concentration from space-time ordinary kriging (STOK), ambient on-road concentration from the Research LINE source dispersion model (R-LINE), a hybrid concentration combining STOK and R-LINE, and their associated indoor concentrations from an indoor infiltration mass balance model. Using a hybrid-based indoor concentration as the standard, the comparison showed that outdoor STOK metrics yielded large error at both population (67% to 93%) and individual level (average bias between −10% to 95%). For pollutants with significant contribution from on-road emission (EC and NOx), the on-road based indoor metric performs the best at the population level (error less than 52%). At the individual level, however, the STOK-based indoor concentration performs the best (average bias below 30%). For PM2.5, due to the relatively low contribution from on-road emission (7%), STOK-based indoor metric performs the best at both population (error below 40%) and individual level (error below 25%). The results of the study will help future epidemiology studies to select appropriate exposure metric and reduce potential bias in exposure characterization.
Special Track on Robotics and Human-Robot Interaction

This FLAIRS special track focuses on all aspects of robotics, including related areas and applications, including robotics edu- cation.
Risk factors for preoperative respiratory complications in children with tracheobronchial foreign bodies

ObjectiveTo identify risk factors for preoperative respiratory complications associated with tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration (TFBA) by retrospectively analysing paediatric cases presenting with or without complications.MethodsPaediatric patients who presented with TFBA and were admitted to hospital were enrolled in the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on occurrence of preoperative respiratory complications as confirmed by computed tomography. Age, sex, TFBA symptoms, type of foreign body, retention timeand location of the foreign body were documented and compared between the groups.ResultsIn total, 223 children were included: group A (n = 161) included those with respiratory complications; group B (n = 62) included those without respiratory complications. Univariate and multivariate analyses found that type of foreign body, and symptoms differed significantly between the two groups.ConclusionRespiratory complications of TFBA in children were correlated with the type of foreign b...
A note about Gaussian statistics on a sphere

Author Posting. © The Author, 2015. This article is posted here by permission of The Royal Astronomical Society for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Journal International 203 (2015): 893-895, doi:10.1093/gji/ggv324.
What Else Are We Missing? Additional Issues Associated With Sample Misrepresentation

Two recent focal articles in this journal have addressed issues related to sample selection and generalizability of results (Bergman & Jean, 2016; Landers & Behrend, 2015). If Bergman and Jean are correct, gone are the days of the Hawthorne studies in which research focused on the majority of the human workforce: the working class. Instead, researchers are allegedly two to three times as likely to exclusively sample managers as they are to exclusively sample workers. Assuming this is true, Bergman and Jean are correct to address why this occurs and how it may impact the field. However, there are two critical issues that must be considered alongside these questions: ongoing changes in how work is conducted and temporal trends in work. A consideration of these issues should yield additional insights that may supplement the recommendations made by Bergman and Jean.
Bone disease in liver transplant recipients

SUMMARY AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS The clinical significance, natural history, and methods for diagnosis of osteopenic bone disease in liver transplant recipients are well established. On the other hand, pathogenetic mechanisms are unknown, and no specific effective therapy exists. Bone metabolism is complex and poorly understood, with many local and systemic factors, including hormones and cytokines, interacting to regulate bone remodeling. Investigation of the osteopenia of chronic liver disease and the changes occurring after liver transplant may give important clues to the pathogenic mechanisms of osteoporosis in general, the relation of chronic cholestasis to osteopenia, and the influence of different immunosuppressive agents with their differing immunologic actions on osteopenia. In addition, it is hoped that new and more specific biochemical markers of bone resorption and formation will provide insight into ongoing cellular events of bone metabolism in these patients. Calcitonin, effective therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis, 40 , 49 , 56 is being evaluated at present for prevention of post-transplantation bone loss in liver transplant recipients. Bisphosphonates and estrogen therapy 19 , 54 are effective agents in postmenopausal osteoporosis but are untested in this population. It is hoped that further elucidation of pathogenic mechanisms will allow identification of effective therapeutic agents and the selection of immunosuppressive agents beneficial to bone metabolism. The development of bone-sparing corticosteroids with equal immunosuppressive activity is under way but has not been tested in this population. It will be interesting to see whether the use of FK506, with its reduced dosage requirement for prednisone, will lead to a decrease or elimination of osteonecrosis post transplantation.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease and Tubo-Ovarian Abscesses

Pelvic inflammatory disease, defined as inflammation of the upper genital tract, can cause pain and lead to long-term reproductive sequelae. Tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA, abscess of the adnexa) occurs less commonly but can progress to severe sepsis. This chapter reviews risk factors for these conditions and diagnostic and management approaches, including antibiotic regimens and interventions for TOAs.
The Novel Aurora Kinase Inhibitor ENMD-2076 Has Potent Single Agent Activity against Multiple Myeloma (MM) in Vitro and in Vivo, and Shows Synergistic Activity in Combination with Lenalidomide

ENMD-2076 is a novel, orally-active molecule that has been shown to have significant activity against Aurora A kinase as well as multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK). We investigated the single agent activity of ENMD-2076 against MM cells in vitro and in vivo , and in combination with lenalidomide. ENMD-2076 free base showed significant cytotoxicity against MM cells with a mean LC50 of 3.84±0.86 μM at 48 hours in vitro . Cytotoxicity was associated with cleavage of caspase 3, 8, 9 and PARP, and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential as early as 6 hours. ENMD-2076 free base inhibited c-kit, FGFR-1, 3 and VEGFR1 and subsequently inhibition of downstream targets phosphorylated (p)-BAD, p-Foxo1a and p-GSK-3β was observed at 6 hours. NOD/SCID mice implanted with H929 human plasmacytoma xenografts and treated for 30 days with 50, 100, 200mg/kg/d ENMD-2076 showed a dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth (Figure 1), with minimal toxicity as assessed by the stable weight of treated animals. Immunohistochemical staining of tumors from sacrificed animals showed significant reduction in Ki67 at all dose levels of treatment compared to control tumors. An increase in cleaved caspase-3 was observed on Western blot from the lysates of H929 tumors obtained from treated animals. ENMD-2076 free base also showed synergistic cytotoxic activity when combined with lenalidomide against H929, MM1.R and MM1.S cells as assessed by MTT assay and Annexin-V/PI staining. Using the Chou-Talalay method, the combination indices (CI) were < 1 for all three cell lines across a range of concentrations of ENMD-2076 free base (0.25–1.0 μM) plus lenalidomide (2.5–10 μM) indicating synergistic activity (CI=0.362 H929; CI=0.315 MM1.R; CI=0.415 MM1.S). Our results provide rationale for the investigation of ENMD-2076 alone and in combination with lenalidomide in patients with multiple myeloma. ![Figure][1] Figure [1]: pending:yes
Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by Rebecca Gracia, volume 3, pp 148–150, © 2005, Elsevier Inc.
A First Step to a Conceptual Framework of Parent Empowerment: Exploring Relationships Between Parent Empowerment and Academic Performance in a National Sample

This study tested a parent empowerment framework using a national sample of 9,982 parents from the Parent and Family Involvement Survey (National Center for Education Statistics, 2007) to investigate relationships between parent empowerment and children's academic performance. A multinomial logistic regression demonstrated significant relationships between parents' competence, self-determination, community belonging, community participation, and academic performance, which differentiate among parents based on racial/ethnic, language, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Findings highlight the importance of parent empowerment interventions that consider structural barriers in schools.
The Decline of Supreme Court Deference to the President

According to entrenched conventional wisdom, the president enjoys considerable advantages over other litigants in the Supreme Court. Because of the central role of the presidency in the U.S. government, and the expertise and experience of the Solicitor General’s office, the president usually wins. However, a new analysis of the data reveals that the conventional wisdom is out of date. The historical dominance of the president in the Supreme Court reached its apex in the Reagan administration, which won nearly 80% of the cases, and has declined steadily since then. In the Obama administration, the presidency suffered its worst win rate, barely 50%. After documenting this trend, we discuss possible explanations. We find evidence that the trend may be due to growing self-assertion of the Court and the development of a specialized private Supreme Court bar. We find no evidence for two other possible explanations — that the trend is due to greater executive overreaching than in the past, or ideological disagreements between the Court and the presidency.
Why are Some Negotiators Better than Others? Opening the Black Box of Bargaining Behaviors

The authors address the longstanding mystery of individual differences in negotiation performance. Using Kenny’s (1994) Social Relations Model to examine the role of individual consistency in this dyadic process, analyses showed 52% of the variance in performance resulted from individual differences. Beyond demonstrating consistency, coding systems were used to examine transcripts, linguistic style, and nonverbal behavior in order to ‘open the black box’ and understand what makes some negotiators better than others. With hypotheses grounded in Behavioral Negotiation Theory and Interpersonal Theory, results showed that consistently great negotiators differed substantially from consistently poor negotiators in their behavioral profiles. Limitations and future directions for reinvigorating research in this area are discussed.