cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genomic rearrangements near genes leading to upregulation across a diverse subset of human cancers

Using a dataset of somatic Structural Variants (SVs) in cancers from 2658 patients--1220 with corresponding gene expression data--we identified hundreds of genes for which the nearby presence (within 100kb) of an SV breakpoint was associated with altered expression. For the vast majority of these genes, expression was increased rather than decreased with corresponding SV event. Well-known up-regulated cancer-associated genes impacted by this phenomenon included TERT, MDM2, CDK4, ERBB2, and IGF2. For specific gene categories, associated SVs were found to potentially impact on the order of 2-4% of cases across various types. SVs upstream of TERT involved ~3% of cancer cases and were most frequent in liver-biliary, melanoma, sarcoma, stomach, and kidney cancers. For many genes, SVs were significantly associated with either an increase or decrease in the numbers of enhancer regulatory elements near the promoter. DNA methylation near the gene promoter was often increased with nearby SV breakpoint.
Enhancing Laser-driven MeV Electron and Proton Spectra with Pseudo-Shaped Short Pulses

1. Introduction One of the most studied short-pulse laser-driven particle acceleration schemes is proton generation via the target-normal sheath-acceleration[1] mechanism, where hundreds of experiments[2] have been performed at facilities worldwide. This acceleration mechanism relies on the production of MeV energy electrons from the laser interaction with the target in order to produce 10’s of MeV proton energies. To date, most short-pulse experiments have been performed with single Gaussian-like pulses that are often not well characterized in terms of pulse-length and time-dependent intensity. This is in contrast to nanosecond-scale laser pulses that utilize pulse shaping technique to deliver precise pulse shapes for manipulating time-dependent physics. Such pulse shaping has allowed access to novel physics such as in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) [3] and Equation of State (EOS) [4] experiments. It has similarly allowed for increased efficiency of laser-driven x-ray [5] and particle (proton or neutron) sources [6]. Multiple methods for generating custom pulse shapes at the sub-picosecond level already exist but are rarely employed for high-intensity laser-driven experiments. These methods include combining separate short-pulse beams, splitting and recombining single pulses, interferometric methods [7], or spectral shaping [8]. A limited number of experiments with some form of pulse shaping for high-intensity lasers have shown significant spectral enhancements to secondary sources such as MeV proton beams[9], implying that controlled manipulation of time-dependent particle acceleration physics is possible at the fs to ps level.
Styles of Psychotherapy Supervision

Videotapes of psychotherapy supervision of psychiatric residents were analyzed along eight dimensions. Analysis reveals four distinct supervisory styles: 1. The facilitative supervisor assumes a consultative role; 2. The confrontative and directive supervisor is interpretive about the psychotherapeutic process; 3. The expert supervisor exerts considerable control over direction of the session; and 4. The task-oriented supervisor takes a “business-like” stance and tends to deal only with what is presented by the resident. In general, the supervisors consistently utilize one of these four styles. An increased awareness of style can enhance supervisory effectiveness.
Computed tomography imaging of macrophage phagocytic activity in abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Inflammation plays a major role in the pathogenesis of several vascular pathologies, including abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Evaluating the role of inflammation in AAA pathobiology and potentially outcome in vivo requires non-invasive tools for high-resolution imaging. We investigated the feasibility of X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging of phagocytic activity using nanoparticle contrast agents to predict AAA outcome. Methods: Uptake of several nanoparticle CT contrast agents was evaluated in a macrophage cell line. The most promising agent, Exitron nano 12000, was further characterized in vitro and used for subsequent in vivo testing. AAA was induced in Apoe -/- mice through angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion for up to 4 weeks. Nanoparticle biodistribution and uptake in AAA were evaluated by CT imaging in Ang II-infused Apoe -/- mice. After imaging, the aortic tissue was harvested and used from morphometry, transmission electron microscopy and gene expression analysis. A group of Ang II-infused Apoe -/- mice underwent nanoparticle-enhanced CT imaging within the first week of Ang II infusion, and their survival and aortic external diameter were evaluated at 4 weeks to address the value of vessel wall CT enhancement in predicting AAA outcome. Results: Exitron nano 12000 showed specific uptake in macrophages in vitro. Nanoparticle accumulation was observed by CT imaging in tissues rich in mononuclear phagocytes. Aortic wall enhancement was detectable on delayed CT images following nanoparticle administration and correlated with vessel wall CD68 expression. Transmission electron microscopy ascertained the presence of nanoparticles in AAA adventitial macrophages. Nanoparticle-induced CT enhancement on images obtained within one week of AAA induction was predictive of AAA outcome at 4 weeks. Conclusions: By establishing the feasibility of CT-based molecular imaging of phagocytic activity in AAA, this study links the inflammatory signal on early time point images to AAA evolution. This readily available technology overcomes an important barrier to cross-sectional, longitudinal and outcome studies, not only in AAA, but also in other cardiovascular pathologies and facilitates the evaluation of modulatory interventions, and ultimately upon clinical translation, patient management.
Retention intention: Modeling the relationships between structures of preparation and support and novice teacher decisions to stay

Abstract To understand how preservice teacher preparation and in-service support structures impact the retention of novice teachers, a structural equation model utilizing a large-scale, nationally representative sample was proposed and tested. The model revealed a chain of significant directional relationships between preservice structures and feelings of preparedness and between in-service support structures and feelings of being supported. These feelings were shown to significantly lower teacher feelings of being burned out which then significantly impacted teacher retention. Knowledge about how aspects of teacher preparation and support structures impact retention decisions can help stakeholders make better informed choices regarding what they offer their teachers.
Forbearance Across Culture

FORBEARANCE ACROSS CULTURE By Yin Lin, M.S., M.A. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015. Major Director: Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Ph.D. Professor Department of Psychology Forbearance is defined for the purpose of the present dissertation as, “the attempt to suppress the visible signs of negative emotion (i.e., emotional expression) and visible behaviors (i.e., the expression of negative vengeful or avoidant motives) in response to a hurt or offense, often (but not always) for the sake of group harmony.” I reviewed the literature on forbearance and cross-cultural studies in suppression of emotion or emotional expression under the framework of New Big Five personality processes and cultural models of self and relating. Then I offered three propositions about forbearance. Furthermore, I collected three samples and described four studies to develop and test the construct validity of Forbearance Scale as well as the Group-Harmony Forbearance Index. Last but not least, I discussed implications for future research and practice related to forbearance.
Transbronchial cryobiopsy in diffuse parenchymal lung disease

The evaluation of patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease is best achieved by a multidisciplinary team approach combining clinical, radiological, and pathological information. Although a lung biopsy may be necessary to firmly establish a diagnosis, safely obtaining adequate tissue specimens in such patients remains challenging. Traditional bronchoscopic forceps biopsies are not recommended for most idiopathic interstitial pneumonias due to their low diagnostic yields, whereas a surgical lung biopsy increases the risk for serious complications, including a small but real risk of an exacerbation of the underlying interstitial lung disease and death. Bronchoscopic cryosurgical techniques (i.e., cryobiopsy) is being increasingly used as an attractive compromise between the two, due to its ability to be performed under conscious sedation and its ability to obtain larger tissue fragments without crush artifacts. Although promising and increasingly employed at some academic centers, it remains untested in rigorous systematic studies. This article will review the existing literature on the diagnostic role and safety of transbronchial cryobiopsy in patients with diffuse parenchymal lung diseases.
College and university dining services administrators' intention to adopt sustainable practices: An application of the theory of planned behavior

The purpose of this study was to identify sustainable practices existing in college and university dining services (CUDS) and to explore the influence of attitude, subjective norm (social pressures), perceived behavior control and personal norm on college and university dining services administrators’ (CUDSAs) intention to implement sustainable practices in their operations using the theory of planned behavior model. Data were collected with a webbased questionnaire sent to 535 CUDSAs in the United States listed in the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) directory. Thirteen e-mails were returned as undeliverable. A total of 138 CUDSAs responded, resulting in a 26.4% response rate. Sustainable practices perceived to occur most frequently in CUDS were recycling fat, oil and grease; recycling cardboard; using recycled paper products and recycling aluminum. The least common practices were serving locally grown food and composting. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. Findings revealed that subjective norm had the most positive influence on CUDSAs’ intention to adopt sustainable practices, followed by attitude toward sustainable practices and personal norm. There was no significant relationship between perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention, suggesting that implementing sustainable practices was largely under volitional control. Including the personal norm construct in the TPB model reduced unexplained variance in the model by 33.48%, suggesting that personal norm had an effect on CUDSAs’ behavioral intention.
Witsenhausen's counterexample and its links with multimedia security problems

Witsenhausen's counterexample was proposed more than four decades ago in order to show that affine control strategies are not optimal for systems with non-classical information patterns. Finding the optimal solution to Witsenhausen's problem however remains an open problem. Recently, the stochastic control community has re-discovered Costa's Dirty Paper result as a potential solution to Witsenhausen's problem. In this paper the similarities and differences between Witsenhausen's scenario and multimedia security problems are reviewed, and the historical evolution of the solutions to Witsenhausen's problem compared with those proposed for watermarking detection.
Sexual healthcare needs of women aged 65 and older.

Objectives: To compare prevalence and type of sexual concerns and interest in and experience with discussing these concerns with physicians for women younger than 65 and 65 and older. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Departments of Family Practice and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington. Participants: Of 1,480 women seeking routine gynecological care, 964 (65%) responded; 163 (17%) were aged 65 and older. Measurements: Self-reported sexual concerns and interest in and experience with discussing these concerns with their physicians. Results: Older women had a similar number of sexual concerns as younger women and were more likely to be concerned about their partner's sexual difficulties. Older women were less likely to have ever had the topic of sexual health raised during healthcare visits. Even though these women were more likely to report youthful-appearing physicians as hindering the topic of sexual health, the majority indicated that they would have discussed their concerns had the physician raised the topic and were interested in a follow-up appointment to do so. Conclusion: Although the types of sexual concerns vary in frequency, women aged 65 and older have a similar number of sexual concerns as younger women. Older women want physicians to inquire about their sexual health. This discussion should include inquiries about their partner's sexual functioning. To overcome age as a barrier to this discussion, younger physicians should be particularly attentive to initiating the topic of sexual health.
External morphology of the erect glans penis of the dog

The external morphology of the erect glans penis was studied and compared to that of the nonerect organ. Morphological changes that occur with tumescence and detumescence were also reported. Some distinct parts of the erect pars longa glandis which are not distinguished in classical nomenclature are described and labeled. These structures are the urethral process, corona glandis and collum glandis. These distinct morphological areas coincide with areas which seem to be functionally distinct in both the erect and nonerect glans penis. The implications that these observations may have for considerations of comparative anatomy of the external male genitalia are discussed.
A Comparison of Recent Results on the Unicity Conjecture of the Markoff Equation

In this thesis we discuss the positive integer solutions to the equation known as the Markoff equation
The Landscape of the Liberal Arts.

This chapter provides a rationale for the value of a liberal arts education, addressing briefly the recent history of the liberal arts, explaining the value of the liberal arts in diverse educational settings as opposed to simply residential liberal arts colleges, and exploring a contemporary rationale for the liberal arts.
Glomalin production by an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus: a mechanism of habitat modification?

Abstract We report on a novel mechanism by which arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi may be able to modify a sub-optimal growth environment to their advantage by secreting the glycoprotein glomalin, which is highly correlated with soil aggregate water stability. Here we used glass beads of different sizes to simulate different hyphal growing space conditions. With small beads (
The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier as a mediator of the Warburg Effect and its impact on cancer growth and metabolism

Background The step between pyruvate production by glycolysis in the cytosol and movement into the mitochondrial matrix has largely been unstudied due to the lack of identity of the genes that mediate this process. The discovery of the Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier (MPC) opens this overlooked aspect of metabolism to interrogation. The dispensation of pyruvate represents an important and highly regulated decision within the cell. This is especially true in rapidly proliferating cells including those found in tumors. Given the reliance of cancer cells on glycolysis and the concomitant suppression of mitochondrial metabolism we hypothesize that modulation of the MPC may serve to promote and reinforce the Warburg Effect. Materials and methods Publicly available datasets were queried for differential expression of MPC1 and MPC2 (TGCA and GEO). An array of cell lines representing various cancers were stably infected with MPC1 and MPC2 or empty vector and assayed for growth differences in 2D as well as 3D (soft agar and spheroid formation). Results MPC1 and MPC2 transcript levels are significantly reduced in multiple cancers compared to the adjacent normal tissue including forms of gastric, colon, breast, ovarian, and renal cancers. These expression changes have been confirmed using qPCR and immunoblotting. In addition to altered expression, low MPC correlates with decreased survival across multiple cancer types. We reasoned that cancer cells would reduce MPC expression to promote the Warburg Effect to fuel rapid growth and relied on in vitro cell culture to manipulate MPC expression. The re-expression of MPC1 and MPC2 results in no change in cell viability or apoptosis but causes reduced attachment in culture plates as well as reduced growth in soft agar and spheroids. In addition to the in vitro studies, xenograft models have recapitulated these growth differences. We have confirmed MPC expression produces alterations in metabolism including increased oxygen consumption with pyruvate as a substrate, a reduction in lactate production, and an increase in mitochondrial membrane potential. Conclusions MPC expression is reduced in many types of cancer and its re-expression results in changes in metabolism and growth as measured by multiple assays. As expected, MPC expression facilitates pyruvate movement into the mitochondria and reduces the Warburg Effect. We are now investigating the effect of MPC expression on different cell subpopulations as well as the root cause of the expression changes observed in cancer.
Introduction - All the World is not Los Angeles, Nor Chicago: Paradigms, Schools, Archetypes, and the Urban Process

The return of the Association of American Geographers’ Annual Meeting to Chicago in 2006 after a decade visiting elsewhere did not in itself signify concern for the city’s historic role in shaping American geographers’ perceptions of urban structure and organization in contemporary life. There is a lot more to the discipline than curiosity about mere urban life. But when the Association does return to the place renowned for a longlived and widely recognized “model” of urban process, urban geographers cannot help but think of that connection. It was felt locally that the event could not pass without acknowledging Chicago’s singular role in that respect and confronting the serious challenge to its continuing relevance posed by the significant literature pointing to Los Angeles as a more appropriate model for understanding contemporary trends, at least among those who think it essential to acknowledge that we live in postmodern times. History takes a while to catch up with the claims of the avant garde. With respect to the frequency with which cities in the forefront of American cultural evolution have been visited by the AAG, Chicago has played host seven times (eight, if the 29th meeting in Evanston is allowed), beginning in 1907. There might have been a ninth occasion had the profession’s sentiment concerning events surrounding the 1968 Democratic National Convention not diverted the 1969 meeting to the major “metropolis” of Ann Arbor, Michigan. By contrast, New York, first chosen in 1905, has played host just six times. Los Angeles was not admitted into this select league until 1981, and has been host only one other time since (in 2002). There is much ground still to be made up on that score. However, no matter how incidental these statistics are, they do reflect, however tangentially, the salience of Chicago in American life during the 20th century, even had Robert Park and Ernest Burgess not chosen to designate it an academic archetype. Meanwhile, a prodigious literature has been accumulating on the varied geographies of Los Angeles, and for the most part this literature has highlighted the departures that L.A. represents from the classical urban concepts associated with the Chicago model.
Monoclonal Antibodies That Recognize Minimal Differences in the Three-Dimensional Structures of Metal−Chelate Complexes

Immunization of BALB/c mice with a cadmium-chelate-protein conjugate resulted in the isolation of two hybridoma cell lines (A4 and E5) that synthesized antibodies with different variable regions, but similar metal-chelate affinity. The ability of these two monoclonal antibodies to interact with 12 different metal-chelate complexes was studied using the KinExA 3000 immunoassay instrument. The two antibodies showed the highest affinity for cadmium and mercury complexes of ethylenediamine N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The E5 antibody bound to EDTA complexes of cadmium and mercury with equilibrium dissociation constants (K(d)) of 1.62 x 10(-)(9) M and 3.64 x 10(-)(9) M, respectively. The corresponding values for the A4 antibody were 14.7 x 10(-)(9) M and 3.56 x 10(-)(9) M. Addition of a cyclohexyl ring to the EDTA backbone increased the affinity of E5 for the metal-chelate haptens, while decreasing the binding of A4 to the same haptens. Based on available crystal structures, molecular models were constructed for five different divalent metal-chelate complexes. The models were compared to determine structural features of the haptens that may influence antibody recognition. Difference distance matrixes were used to identify areas of the metal-chelate haptens that differed in three-dimensional space. Antibody affinity correlated well with the extent of total structural difference for these metal-EDTA complexes.
Lysophospholipid Flipping across the Escherichia coli Inner Membrane Catalyzed by a Transporter (LplT) Belonging to the Major Facilitator Superfamily

Abstract The transfer of phospholipids across membrane bilayers is protein-mediated, and most of the established transporters catalyze the energy-dependent efflux of phospholipids from cells. This work identifies and characterizes a lysophospholipid transporter gene (lplT, formally ygeD) in Escherichia coli that is an integral component in the 2-acylglycerophosphoethanolamine (2-acyl-GPE) metabolic cycle for membrane protein acylation. The lplT gene is adjacent to and in the same operon as the aas gene, which encodes the bifunctional enzyme 2-acyl-GPE acyltransferase/acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase. In some bacteria, acyltransferase/acyl-ACP synthetase (Aas) and LplT homologues are fused in a single polypeptide chain. 2-Acyl-GPE transport to the inside of the cell was assessed by measuring the Aas-dependent formation of phosphatidylethanolamine. The Aas-dependent incorporation of [3H]palmitate into phosphatidylethanolamine was significantly diminished in ΔlplT mutants, and the LplT-Aas transport/acylation activity was independent of the proton motive force. The ΔlplT mutants accumulated acyl-GPE in vivo and had a diminished capacity to transport exogenous 2-acylglycerophosphocholine into the cell. Spheroplasts prepared from wild-type E. coli transported and acylated fluorescent 2-acyl-GPE with an apparent Kd of 7.5 μm, whereas this high-affinity process was absent in ΔlplT mutants. Thus, LplT catalyzes the transbilayer movement of lysophospholipids and is the first example of a phospholipid flippase that belongs to the major facilitator superfamily.
How to avoid specific complications of total ankle replacement.

Abstract The design of the Agility total ankle replacement (DePuy, Warsaw, IN) has improved in an effort to address the biomechanic challenges of the ankle joint. Certainly further laboratory investigation and clinical trials with ankle replacement are needed to improve its position as the major alternative to ankle arthrodesis. As the science behind the ankle implants has evolved during the last 15 years, so has our experience and understanding of some crucial factors predisposing to an unsuccessful outcome. Complications such as postoperative stiffness, prosthesis subsidence, and residual deformity along with infection and wound healing problems jeopardize a successful outcome. Adequate knowledge of anatomy and biomechanics, careful preoperative evaluation and planning, and strict attention to operative details help minimize the incidence of these complications.
Phytic acid removal from soybeans by a lipid protein concentrate process

Over 90% of phytic acid has been removed from full-fat soy flour by a lipid-protein concentrate process previously reported in 1974 by the Northern Regional Research Center. In the current study, parameters for optimizing phytic acid removal were evaluated. By changing both the molar concentration of the calcium chloride solution used and the pH of the initial acid slurry, various amounts of phytic acid and mineral elements were recovered in the acid-precipitated curd. A mathematical treatment of the data using multiple regression analusis showed phytic acid removal possible from 10 to 90%, zinc recovery from 10 to 90%, and calcium concentrations equalling twice that of the original starting flour. All variable conditions introduced into the process had no effect on protein (90–93%), fat (98–100%), and iron (94–96%) recoveries. The results presented in this report can be applied to a large number of processes now being used for making edible soy proteins, and thereby low phytin-containing products can be acheived.
Kinetics of CN reactions with N2O and CO2

The rate constants for the reaction of CN with N2O and CO2 have been measured by the laser dissociation/laser-induced fluorescence (two-laser pump-probe) technique at temperatures between 300 and 740 K. The rate of CN + N2O was measurable above 500 K, with a least-squares averaged rate constant, k = 10−11.8±0.4 exp(−3560 ± 181/T) cm3/s. The rate of CN + CO2, however, was not measurable even at the highest temperature reached in the present work, 743 K, with [CO2] ⩽ 1.9 × 1018 molecules/cm3. In order to rationalize the observed kinetics, quantum mechanical calculations based on the BAC-MP4 method were performed. The results of these calculations reveal that the CN + N2O reaction takes place via a stable adduct NCNNO with a small barrier of 1.1 kcal/mol. The adduct, which is more stable than the reactants by 13 kcal/mol, decomposes into the NCN + NO products with an activation energy of 20.0 kcal/mol. This latter process is thus the rate-controlling step in the CN + N2O reaction. The CN + CO2 reaction, on the other hand, occurs with a large barrier of 27.4 kcal/mol, producing an unstable adduct NCOCO which fragments into NCO + CO with a small barrier of 4.5 kcal/mol. The large overall activation energy for this process explains the negligibly low reactivity of the CN radical toward CO2 below 1000 K. Least-squares analyses of the computed rate constants for these two CN reactions, which fit well with experimental data, give rise to for the temperature range 300–3000 K.
The barium enema in constipation: comparison with rectal manometry and biopsy to exclude Hirschsprung's disease after the neonatal period.

Background. The diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease is usually made in neonates but often considered in older infants and children with constipation: these children may be referred for barium enema. Since it is widely accepted that a normal barium enema does not exclude Hirschsprung's disease, some children, after a normal enema, undergo more invasive procedures such as rectal manometry or biopsy. Our study asked how frequently a diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease was made by biopsy or manometry in children who had normal barium enema.¶Materials and methods. We reviewed the medical records and barium enemas of 54 patients older than 28 days with constipation or difficulty passing stool who had a barium enema followed by manometry and/or biopsy.¶Results. Forty-eight patients had normal enemas: 24 of those patients had biopsies, 16 had manometry, and 8 both manometry and biopsy. Only 1 had manometry suggestive of Hirschsprung's disease, confirmed by biopsy. Six patients had abnormal enemas. Five had biopsy and manometry compatible with Hirschsprung's disease; one had a normal biopsy and manometry study.¶Conclusion. The barium enema is a good initial screening test for Hirschsprung's disease in severely constipated children since it correlates well with manometry and biopsy. The enema is particularly useful in centers without easy access to pediatric gastroenterology services, and a normal enema in this setting allows the continuation of medical therapy with further evaluation only if there is a lack of response. An abnormal enema, however, requires referral to a facility equipped to perform confirmatory manometry or biopsy.
Feminism and its ‘other’: representing the ‘new woman’ of Bangladesh

This essay examines women's oppression and organizing against gender violence in contemporary Bangladesh through the lens of television. I argue that the telefilm Ayna (The Mirror, 2006), written and directed by popular film actor and women's rights activist Kabari Sarwar, offers a window into the changing social and economic landscape of contemporary Bangladesh and the complex negotiations of power and inequality across gender, class and community. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to unpack the social messages underlying development and modernization initiatives, the new kinds of alliances as well as dependencies engendered by them, and their multiple and uneven consequences. An investigation of the representations of competing and contradictory notions of women's subjectivity and agency in this telefilm allows us to understand how these intersect with shifting notions of local/global patriarchies, feminist solidarity and women's empowerment in Bangladesh today. Further, this essay illuminates the d...
Experimental Study of Nitric Oxide Decomposition by Reaction with Hydrogen

Abstract Abstract-The high-temperature decomposition kinetics of nitric oxide have been investigated in shock-heated mixtures of NO, H2, and either argon or krypton. Initial NO:H2 ratios ranged from 1:2 to 2:1, with the inert diluent making up 90 percent of the test gas in all cases. Two high-speed infrared detectors were used to monitor the infrared emission from nitric oxide and water vapor. Calculations using a seventeen-reaction kinetic model indicate that the rate-limiting reaction for NO decomposition is the reaction of NO with atomic hydrogen,Math The chemical rate constant for this reaction, k1, could be determined accurately by optimizing agreement between calculated and measured emission records for NO and H2O. The Arrhenius-type expression which best tits the data from 21 shock tube experiments in the temperature range from 2400 K to 4200 K is Math.
DC photoemission electron guns as ERL sources

Abstract Very-high-voltage DC electron guns, delivering moderate duration bunches from photoemission cathodes, and followed by conventional drift bunching and acceleration, offer a practical solution for an ERL injector. In a variant of this scheme, a DC gun is placed in close proximity to a superconducting RF accelerator cavity, with few or no active elements between the gun and cavity. The principal technical challenge with such electron guns arises from field emission from the cathode electrode and its support structure. Field emission may result in voltage breakdown across the cathode–anode gap, or a punch-through failure of the insulator holding off the cathode potential, as well as lesser though still serious problems. Various means to mitigate these problems are described. The operational lifetime of high quantum efficiency photocathodes in these guns is determined by the vacuum conditions, through phenomena such as chemical poisoning and ion back-bombardment. Minimization of the field strength on electrode structures pushes high-voltage DC guns toward large dimensions and, correspondingly, large outgassing loads, but it is also true that these guns offer many opportunities for achieving excellent vacuum conditions. Good solutions to vacuum problems that had previously limited cathode lifetime have been demonstrated in recent years. Designs for DC guns presently in use and planned for the near future will be described. The parameters necessary for a 100 mA average current, very-high-voltage DC gun with a photocathode operational lifetime greater than 100 h appear to be within reach, but have yet to be demonstrated. A 1 A average current source with good cathode operational lifetime will require developments beyond the present state-of-the-art.
Development of an Adaptive Human-Machine-Interface to Minimize Driver Distraction and Workload

The original use of the vehicle dashboard was to provide enough sensory information to inform the driver of the current engine and vehicle status and performance. Over time, it has evolved into an entertainment system that includes person-to-person communication, global positioning information, and the Internet, just to name a few. Each of these new features adds to the amount of information that drivers must absorb, leading to potential distraction and possible increases in the number and types of accidents. In order to provide an overview of these issues, this paper summarizes previous work on driver distraction and workload, demonstrating the importance of addressing those issues that compete for driver attention and action. In addition, a test platform vehicle is introduced which has the capability of assessing modified dashboards and consoles, as well as the ability to acquire relevant driving performance data. Future efforts with this test platform will be directed toward helping to resolve the critical tug-of-war between providing more information and entertainment while keeping drivers and their passengers safe. The long-term goal of this research is to evaluate the various technological innovations available for inclusion in the driving environment and determining how to optimize driver information delivery without excessive distraction and workload. The information presented herein is the first step in that effort of developing an adaptive distraction/workload management system that monitors performance metrics and provides selected feedback to drivers.The test platform (1973 VW Beetle converted to a plug-in series hybrid) can provide speed, location (GPS), 3-D acceleration, and rear proximity detection. The test drive route was a 2 km × 3 km city street circuit which took approximately 25 minutes to complete. Data is provided herein to demonstrate these capabilities. In addition, the platform has driver selectable layouts for the instrument cluster and console (LCD screens). The test platform is planned for use to determine driver preferences (e.g., dashboard/console configurations) and attention performance in addition to identifying optimal real-time feedback for drivers with different demographics.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Do racial or socioeconomic disparities exist in lung cancer treatment

BACKGROUND: Determine the effects of race, socioeconomic status, and treatment on outcomes for patients diagnosed with lung cancer. METHODS: The Florida cancer registry and inpatient and ambulatory data were queried for patients diagnosed from 1998-2002. RESULTS: A total 76,086 of lung cancer patients were identified. Overall, 55.6% were male and 44.4% were female. The demographic distribution of patients was 92.7% Caucasian, 6.7% African American, and 5.7% Hispanic. The mean age of diagnosis was 70 years old. African American patients presented at a younger age, with more advanced disease, and were less likely to undergo surgical therapy than their Caucasian counterparts. Median survival time (MST) for the entire cohort was 8.7 months, while MST for African American patients was 7.5 months. Patients who received surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy demonstrated significantly improved outcomes. Stepwise multivariate analysis revealed that African American race was no longer a statistically significant predictor of worse outcomes once corrections were made for demographics and comorbid conditions, suggesting that the originally reported disparities in lung cancer outcomes and race may be in part because of poor pretreatment performance status. In contrast, patients of the lowest socioeconomic status continue to have a slightly worse overall prognosis than their affluent counterparts (hazard ratio = 1.05, P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Lung cancer continues to carry a poor prognosis for all patients. Once comorbidities are corrected for, African American patients carry equivalently poor outcomes. Nonetheless, emphasis must be placed on improving pretreatment performance status among African American patients and efforts for earlier diagnosis among the impoverished patients must be made. Cancer 2010. © 2010 American Cancer Society.
Studying the Non-Specific Surface Adhesion of Cancer Cells: A Novel Way to Characterize and Understand Cancer Metastasis

Cancer deaths are mostly caused by the metastasis of the malignant cells, not by the parent tumor itself. During metastasis, cancer cells detach from the parent tumor, spread to different tissues via blood circulation or lymph system, and reattach to invade new tissues and organs. Adhesivity plays a crucial role throughout the metastasis process.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
On distributed detection with correlated sensors: two examples

The authors study the effect of correlated noise on the performance of a distributed detection system. They consider a suboptimal scheme by assuming that the local sensors have the same operating point, and that the distribution of the sensor observation is symmetric. This implies that the joint distribution of the sensor decisions, and therefore the fusion rule, are symmetric functions of the sensor decisions. The detection of a known signal in additive Gaussian noise and in Laplacian noise are considered. In both cases, system performance deteriorates when the correlation between the sensor noises is positive and increasing, whereas the performance improves considerably when the correlation is negative and increasing in magnitude. >
Concise total synthesis of phidianidine A and B

The shortest total synthesis of cytotoxic indole alkaloids phidianidine A and B is described. Rapid assembly of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole core from a novel N-hydroxyguanidine and the corresponding indole-3-acetic acid chloride led to formal syntheses of phidianidine A and B in only three steps from known compounds. Deprotection under standard conditions provided the trifluoroacetate salts of phidianidine A and B in quantitative yield.
Finding Conflicting Instances of Quantified Formulas in SMT

In the past decade, Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT) solvers have been used successfully in a variety of applications including verification, automated theorem proving, and synthesis. While such solvers are highly adept at handling ground constraints in several decidable background theories, they primarily rely on heuristic quantifier instantiation methods such as E-matching to process quantified formulas. The success of these methods is often hindered by an overproduction of instantiations which makes ground level reasoning difficult. We introduce a new technique that alleviates this shortcoming by first discovering instantiations that are in conflict with the current state of the solver. The solver only resorts to traditional heuristic methods when such instantiations cannot be found, thus decreasing its dependence upon E-matching. Our experimental results show that our technique significantly reduces the number of instantiations required by an SMT solver to answer "unsatisfiable" for several benchmark libraries, and consequently leads to improvements over state-of-the-art implementations.
Use of the Doubly Tapered Graft for the Creation of a Systemic-Pulmonary Arterial Shunt

Abstract It is now possible to construct vascular grafts of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene having complex configurations. In this series of experiments a double tapered graft was used to create a bypass shunt between the aorta and the pulmonary artery in rhesus monkeys and between the aorta and the iliac artery in dogs. When the synthetic material was placed under a slight degree of tension, a high degree of patency was achieved in animals killed three to six months following implantation. The use of this approach in neonates with cyanotic congenital heart disease necessitating the creation of systemic-pulmonary artery shunts is suggested as a new method to achieve a controlled lumen size and an increased patency rate, while simultaneously decreasing the incidence of congestive heart failure or of late stricture of the pulmonary artery.
Extensions of Steffensen's Inequality☆

We offer a new proof of the well-known Steffensen Inequality, whose context is sufficiently general that it engenders a number of extensions.
Management of Pulmonary Vein Rupture After Percutaneous Intervention: Utility of a Hybrid Approach

Percutaneous intervention of subtotally occluded pulmonary veins can be difficult owing to the cicatrized nature of the stenotic vein tissue. A 55-year-old man with complete left superior and left inferior pulmonary vein occlusions 4 years after repeated atrial fibrillation radiofrequency ablations for symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation underwent sequential angioplasty, during which an uncovered stent was placed and expanded 2 mm from the pulmonary vein ostium. Hemodynamics rapidly deteriorated, and intracardiac echocardiogram confirmed pericardial tamponade. Median sternotomy was rapidly performed, and a tear encompassing approximately one-third of the circumference of the fibrotic and scarred left upper pulmonary vein was identified. The patient was supported on cardiopulmonary bypass, the heart was arrested, the left atrium was opened, and a covered 10-mm × 10-cm Viabahn covered stent was inserted. Additional external repair of pulmonary vein/epicardial tissue was performed to completely seal the perforation.
Rac and PI3 kinase mediate endothelial cell-reactive oxygen species generation during normoxic lung ischemia.

Abrupt reduction of flow (ischemia) leads to endothelial cell membrane depolarization, NADPH oxidase activation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in isolated rat and mouse lungs and in flow-adapted endothelial cells in vitro. Here we evaluated the role of PI-3-kinase and rac in activation of endothelial NADPH oxidase. Endothelium of isolated perfused mouse lungs labeled with 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein (H2DCF) or hydroethidine (HE) showed increased ROS generation with ischemia; these results were supported by TBARS measurement in whole-lung homogenate and by in vitro studies using flow-adapted mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. Ischemia-induced ROS generation in intact lung or isolated cells was blocked by pretreatment with Clostridium difficile toxin B, a rac inhibitor, and by wortmannin or LY294002, PI3 kinase inhibitors. In cells, immunofluorescence and immunoblot after subcellular fractionation showed ischemia-induced translocation of rac, p47phox, and p67phox to the pla...
EVALUATION OF FIVE TRAP DESIGNS FOR SAMPLING INSECTS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERED PINES

Five trap designs were evaluated for sampling the insect complex attracted to severed shortleaf ( Pinus echinata Mill.), Virginia ( P. virginiana Mill.), and loblolly ( P. taeda L.) pines. The baffled flight trap was superior for capturing Coleoptera. Plexiglas ® , saran screen, and 4-directional Plexiglas traps were most efficient in trapping Diptera and Hymenoptera. The results indicate that the choice of any particular trap depends on the group of insects to be sampled.
Metabolic Imaging of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma With Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography

Background: The diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma is a challenging medical problem. CT often cannot differentiate between benign diffuse pleural thickening and malignant mesothelioma, while thoracentesis and CT-guided biopsies are insensitive. We have assessed the value of positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) in the evaluation of malignant mesothelioma. Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients referred for the evaluation of suspected malignant mesothelioma were evaluated by FDG-PET imaging. Measured attenuation correction was performed in 26 of 28 cases for quantitation with the standardized uptake value (SUV) method. The results of PET imaging were compared with those of video-assisted thoracoscopy or surgical biopsies. Results: Surgical biopsy specimens confirmed the presence of malignant disease in 24 patients and demonstrated benign processes in the remaining four. The uptake of FDG was significantly higher in malignant than in benign lesions (SUV=4.9±2.9 and SUV=1.4±0.6, respectively; p Conclusion: In this highly selected population, FDG-PET imaging was a sensitive method to identify malignant mesothelioma and determine the extent of the disease process. (CHEST 1998; 114:713–722) Abbreviations: FDG=fluorodeoxyglucose; PET=positron emission tomography; SUV=standardized uptake value
The effect of diazepam on neonatal seizure: in vivo 31P and 1H NMR study.

ABSTRACT: It is assumed that when anticonvulsants arrest seizure, there is rapid return of brain high energy phosphates and brain lactate to control values. To test this hypothesis, diazepam was administered to neonatal dogs during flurothyl-induced seizure. In vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy disclosed that diazepam quickly arrested electrographic seizure and restored brain phosphocreatine and inorganic phosphate to baseline values. In contrast, in vivo 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic measurements showed that arrest of seizure with diazepam did not return brain lactate to control values. The sustained increase in cerebral blood flow and prolonged elevation of brain lactate, acetate, valine, and succinate in the postictal period indicate that metabolic recovery of the brain occurs over an extended period of time after the normalization of EEG, phosphocreatine, and brain pH
Sources of Fear of Crime at School: What Is the Relative Contribution of Disorder, Individual Characteristics, and School Security?

Abstract While policymakers have granted a substantial commitment of resources in order to reduce fear of crime among U.S. school students, the research literature on fear of crime at school is in its infancy. This study investigates whether school security techniques reduce or exacerbate fear of crime among students, net of community and school disorder and student characteristics. Ferraro's (1995) theory of incivilities suggests that students might perceive highly visible security as an incivility, which might increase their fear of crime. Using a nationally representative sample of American school children from the 1993 National Household Education Survey: School Safety and Discipline Component (NHES-SSD), we found that while school security efforts do not predict student fear as well as school disorder and individual student traits, many types of security correspond with a significantly greater likelihood that a student will be worried about crime while none reduce feelings of worry.
Genetic dissection of axon regeneration

Axon regeneration has long been studied in vertebrate model organisms and neuronal cultures. Recent development of axon regeneration paradigms in genetic model organisms, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila and zebrafish, has opened an exciting field for in vivo functional dissection of regeneration pathways. Studies in these organisms have discovered essential genes and pathways for axon regrowth. The conservation of these genes crossing animal phyla suggests mechanistic relevance to higher organisms. The power of genetic approaches in these organisms makes large-scale genetic and pharmacological screens feasible and can greatly accelerate the mechanistic understanding of axon regeneration.