cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-modal imaging of a single postmortem mouse brain over five orders of magnitude of resolution

Mammalian neurons operate at length scales spanning five orders of magnitude; micron-scale-diameter myelinated axons project millimeters across brain regions, ultimately forming nanometer scale synapses on individual post-synaptic neurons. Capturing these anatomical features across that breadth of scale has required imaging samples with multiple independent imaging modalities (e.g. MRI, electron microscopy, etc.). Translating between the different modalities, however, requires imaging the same brain with each. Here, we imaged the same postmortem mouse brain over five orders of spatial resolution using MRI, whole brain micron-scale synchrotron x-ray tomography, and large volume automated serial electron microscopy. Using this pipeline, we can track individual myelinated axons previously relegated to axon bundles in diffusion tensor MRI or arbitrarily trace neurons and their processes brain-wide and identify individual synapses on them. This pipeline provides both an unprecedented look across a single brain9s multi-scaled organization as well as a vehicle for studying the brain9s multi-scale pathologies.
Kinetics of ionic liquid-facilitated cellulose decrystallization by Raman spectral mapping

The decrease in crystallinity of a cotton thread upon exposure to the ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate is investigated via two-dimensional Raman spectral mapping of the thread cross-section. By monitoring an intrinsic cellulose I Raman mode, the transition from highly crystalline cellulose I to amorphous cellulose is monitored as a function of treatment time and temperature. At extended treatment times, a heterogeneous decrystallization occurs where only those fibers at the outer edge of the thread decrystallize and dissolve while fibers in the thread center exhibit a constant crystallinity. As a result, a large amorphous cellulose shell develops which surrounds a central bundle of still-distinct and highly crystalline cotton fibers. Observed trends in the temperature-dependent rate of heterogeneous thread decrystallization are attributed to a transition to diffusion-limited decrystallization associated with the development of a solvent-swollen amorphous polymer layer. Raman spectral mapping provides new opportunities to investigate the effect of treatment conditions on the spatial extent and degree of crystallinity as well as the mechanism of decrystallization in cellulose biopolymer materials.
These Statements Have Not Been Approved by the FDA: Improving the Post-Approval Regulation of Prescription Drugs

The American public’s confidence in the FDA is waning in the midst of increased reporting of inefficiencies in the agency. The missteps by the FDA in the post-approval regulation of prescription drugs are magnified by the pervasive use of prescription drugs in the market. This article identifies these missteps. It also chronicles the response of the state attorneys general to this void in regulation, from the famous class action suit against the tobacco industry to the Oxycontin litigation to the recent Vioxx settlement. This response to the public’s lack of confidence is accomplished through lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies under state consumer protection laws. In protecting their citizens, the state attorneys general have begun to institute new regulations in the prescription drug industry, outside of the FDA's purview, through the use of innovative settlement terms, with the tobacco industry settlements serving as a template. The state attorneys general have also used these settlement agreements to take a more active role in filling the void created by an inefficient FDA in enforcing federal laws. In fact, terms of recent settlements even contractually require certain companies to self-report violations of federal law to the state attorneys general. The states can bring the companies that have violated settlements before a judge in a contempt proceeding and seek injunctive relief and monetary damages. The threat of these actions and the likely public relations disaster arising from such proceedings may very well serve as significant incentives for the pharmaceutical companies to follow the law and the terms of the settlement agreements. But there are many difficulties that arise from a system in which two different enforcers (both state and federal) are monitoring and enforcing a pharmaceutical company’s compliance with federal law. Not the least of these problems is the likely overlap of penalties and inconsistent interpretations of the federal regulations by the two bodies. To overcome these difficulties, the FDA should reorganize itself and push Congress for greater enforcement capabilities. The agency should vest the responsibility for monitoring and regulating prescription drugs after their approval to the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology. To ensure the Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology can restore public trust in post-approval regulation of prescription drugs, Congress should enact legislation that allows this new division to effectively regulate the industry through the use of civil fines and criminal prosecution against companies that refuse to follow its orders.
Military Sexual Trauma and Adverse Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Comorbidity in Women Veterans.

Abstract Introduction Military sexual trauma (MST)—exposure to sexual harassment or assault during military service—is a major health priority for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). We examined the health correlates of MST in the largest sample of U.S. women veterans studied to date. Methods Using national VHA electronic medical record data, we identified 502,199 women veterans who enrolled in the VHA between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2017, had at least one VHA visit, and were screened for MST (exclusive of those who declined to answer the screening). We conducted logistic regression analyses to examine associations of a positive MST screen with various mental and physical health conditions—defined by administrative diagnostic codes—and comorbidity of mental and/or physical health conditions. Models were adjusted for demographic and military service characteristics, along with duration in the VHA. Results Approximately 26% (n = 130,738) of women veterans screened positive for MST. In fully adjusted models, a positive MST screen was associated with greater risk of having all mental and physical health conditions examined, except cancer-related conditions, ranging from 9% greater odds of rheumatic disease to 5.4 times greater odds of post-traumatic stress disorder. MST was also associated with greater comorbidity, including greater odds of having ≥2 mental health conditions (odds ratio [OR], 3.28; 99% confidence interval [CI], 3.20–3.37), having ≥2 physical health conditions (OR, 1.26; 99% CI, 1.22–1.29), and having ≥1 mental health condition and ≥1 physical health condition (OR, 2.05; 99% CI, 2.00–2.11). Conclusions Findings suggest that MST is common in women veterans and may play a role in the clinical complexity arising from comorbid conditions.
Measuring entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial intention of ABM grade XII, Senior High School Students of Divine Word Colleges in Region I, Philippines

The purpose of the study was to determine the level of entrepreneurial attitude and entrepreneurial intentions of ABM Grade XII of Senior High School students of Divine Word Colleges in Region I, Philippines. The study uses quantitative descriptive research design and explanation research to describe and explain the entrepreneurial attitude and intentions of the students. In order to gather the data, questionnaires were used and the respondents were all ABM grade XII of the three schools, a total of 162 students. The findings reveal that as a whole entrepreneurial attitude of students is high and their entrepreneurial intention is also high. In terms of its correlation, the study found that there is a significant relationship between entrepreneurial attitude and intention.
Armstrong and Neely-Kinyon Research Farms Summary

Includes farm staff listing, farm and weather summary, and a list of research farm projets.
Chapter 4 - Computer simulation of fullerenes and fullerites

This chapter is devoted to non-carbon and fullerene-like clusters. It describes the role of the fullerene molecule in cluster research. It addresses one of the most controversial questions concerning the mechanism of formation of the fullerene molecule and reveals the role of the defects of the fullerene molecule and their possible applications. The results of molecular dynamic simulations show the possibility for the production of selected types of defects in the process of atomic implantation. Solid state properties of the fullerene molecule are also discussed. Superconductivity in doped fullerites is one of their most intriguing properties from a theoretical point of view. Herein, lies the greatest prospects concerning the practical application of fullerene compounds. The history of this phenomenon and the ways of enhancing of the superconductive properties of fullerene molecules are discussed in the chapter. The chapter also describes the application of the non-equilibrium Green's function formalism to the investigation of the current-voltage dependence of the fullerene molecule. This method can be also applied to a wide range of nanomolecular devices.
Human–Information Interaction with Complex Information for Decision-Making

Human–information interaction (HII) for simple information and for complex information is different because people’s goals and information needs differ between the two cases. With complex information, comprehension comes from understanding the relationships and interactions within the information and factors outside of a design team’s control. Yet, a design team must consider all these within an HII design in order to maximize the communication potential. This paper considers how simple and complex information requires different design strategies and how those strategies differ.
Trends and Innovations in Public Policy Analysis

This essay identifies three notable advances that have influenced the field of public policy analysis in recent years: the move toward social experimentation, the use of meta-analysis and Monte Carlo simulation in benefit-cost analysis, and the rise of institutional actors that promote the practice and dissemination of high-quality policy analysis. In addition to describing each of these innovations, this essay discusses how each of these advances has affected the practice of public policy analysis.
Link sign prediction and ranking in signed directed social networks

Signed directed social networks, in which the relationships between users can be either positive (indicating relations such as trust) or negative (indicating relations such as distrust), are increasingly common. Thus the interplay between positive and negative relationships in such networks has become an important research topic. Most recent investigations focus upon edge sign inference using structural balance theory or social status theory. Neither of these two theories, however, can explain an observed edge sign well when the two nodes connected by this edge do not share a common neighbor (e.g., common friend). In this paper, we develop a novel approach to handle this situation by applying a new model for node types and use the proposed model to perform link sign prediction and link ranking. Initially, we analyze the local node structure in a fully observed signed directed network, inferring underlying node types. The sign of an edge between two nodes must be consistent with their types; this explains edge signs well even when there are no common neighbors. We show, moreover, that our approach can be extended to incorporate directed triads, when they exist, just as in models based upon structural balance or social status theory. We compute Bayesian node types within empirical studies based upon partially observed Wikipedia, Slashdot, and Epinions networks in which the largest network (Epinions) has 119K nodes and 841K edges. Based upon the proposed features, we present the link sign prediction and link ranking models subsequently. We show that our approaches yield better performance than state-of-the-art approaches for these two tasks based upon three signed directed networks.
The Lent Boy

Winter dusk is particularly conducive to melancholy. At twelve, Aaron was perhaps young to know such things, to feel them as deeply as he did, but temperament and experience had created in him a specific type of preco ciousness. Thus, as he made his way to the Bergstroms' house, the normally pleasant sound of snow crunching beneath his sneakers nearly brought him to tears. In truth, it was not just the crunching or the day's steady retreat but so many things, all piling up inside of him like the mounds of snow that flanked the recently plowed streets, mounds that other children, not he, liked to climb upon as they walked home from school, pummeling one another to preserve their spots on top. There were no street lamps in this part of Morton, but all around him the houses were aglow, predictably, with Christmas lights and kitchen lights and the steady yellow beam from the porch, each anticipating a specific event: a holiday, a warm meal, a father's return. And so the lights discouraged him as well. He could tell, almost to a house, who was having chicken that night and who, roast, the odors wafting from these well-lit kitchens into the street where he walked. His mother was back at the cafe, creating her own good smells as she cooked, but this thought only added to his mood, surrounded as he was by mothers making meals for their families, families whom they solely considered as they cooked, taking into account a child's dislike of onions or preparing to settle a dispute over the much-coveted drumsticks. Aaron could not remember the last time his mother had prepared something just for him, something that was not a leftover from the day's special or a kitchen mistake, an overcooked hamburger that became his supper. He trudged along, dreading his visit to the Bergstroms, whom he had never met, for they rarely visited the cafe. Of course, he knew that Mrs. Bergstrom had taught fifth grade for many years, but he knew nothing of her, of her reputation among students that is, for she had taught all those years not in Morton but in a nearby town. Parents generally liked to keep their teachers close—in town, where they could keep an eye on them—which made her residence in Morton somewhat of an aberration. The Bergstroms had established themselves here, in Morton, because Mr. Bergstrom's liveli hood had demanded it: he owned a tire shop, long closed because they were
Partial lamellar sclerouvectomy for ciliary body and choroidal tumors.

Abstract The authors reviewed the postoperative course, visual results, histopathologic findings, and mortality data on 95 consecutive patients with tumors of the ciliary body and/or choroid who were managed by a partial lamellar sclerouvectomy. This surgical procedure is designed to remove the uveal tumor and leave intact the outer sclera and sensory retina. In this group of 95 patients, vitreous hemorrhage occurred in 79 (83%) cases, intraretinal or subretinal hemorrhage in 33 (35%), retinal detachment in 26 (28%), and cataract in 32 (34%). Most of the vitreous and retinal hemorrhages resolved spontaneously, sometimes leaving subretinal or preretinal fibrosis. A number of the postoperative retinal detachments resolved spontaneously, but retinal detachment surgery was necessary in 16 patients (17%), mostly in the earlier years of the survey. Most of the cataracts were mild and did not require surgery. The eventual postoperative visual acuity was equal to or better than the preoperative visual acuity in 23 cases (24%) over a mean follow-up period of 5 years. Enucleation was eventually necessary in 15 cases (16%), usually because of residual or recurrent tumor. Histopathologic diagnosis was uveal melanoma in 81 cases (85%) and other tumors in 14 cases (15%). There were no orbital recurrences, but distant metastases developed in five patients (5%), all of whom had undergone enucleation for recurrence of the intraocular melanoma. Although the surgical technique is difficult, partial lamellar sclerouvectomy appears to be a reasonable therapeutic option in selected cases of posterior uveal tumors.
Streptozotocin-induced diabetes is associated with altered expression of peptide-encoding mRNAs in rat sensory neurons

Abstract Major complications arising from diabetes mellitus include neuropathic pain and altered peripheral inflammatory responses. Somatostatin (SOM), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P (SP) are neuropeptides that modulate pain responses transmitted by primary sensory afferents, the cell bodies of which are located in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Thus, the goal of the present study was to determine whether the diabetic condition is associated with altered neuropeptide gene expression in lumbar DRG of the rat. We employed an established animal model in which streptozotocin (STZ, 55 mg/kg) is administered to 6-week-old rats. The hallmark symptoms of hyperglycemia (blood glucose > 400 mg/dl), polydipsia, polyuria, and severe weight loss were maximal at 6 weeks postadministration, at which time animals were sacrificed. For determination of peptide-encoding mRNAs distributed in DRG neurons, in situ hybridization histochemistry utilizing 35 S-end-labeled oligonucleotides complimentary to sequences of preprosomatostatin (PPSOM), preprocalcitonin gene related peptide (PPCGRP), preprotachykinin (PPT), or preproneuropeptide Y (PPNPY) mRNA was performed. Silver grains were detected overlying DRG cells by autoradiography on sections of tissue counterstained with thionin. Semiquantitative analysis of differences in silver grain signal were made using an image analysis system, which expressed signals as fCi/μm 2 . In diabetic rats there was a significant decrease in DRG PPSOM (54%, p p
The Norman Empire and the Secular Clergy, 1066-1204

Several recent studies dealing with the English church during the Norman period add immeasurably to our understanding of the era, but nonetheless represent a lost opportunity to recreate the actual ecclesiastical milieu, an English church unsevered from its Norman counterpart. Institutional differences surely existed between the two churches, yet much is lost in treating them separately. Indeed, few historians would attempt to study the great eleventh and twelfth-century cathedrals and abbey churches in England detached from those in Normandy. It is therefore the purpose of this paper to examine the customs, ideas, and especially the individuals which the two churches shared.A concerted effort to reexamine political institutions as they once functioned, rather than as a necessary condition for the states which they later became, has already begun. In 1976 John Le Patourel produced an impressive synthesis, The Norman Empire, and asserted that following the Norman Conquest, England and Normandy formed one dominion. It was united by a ruler who was at the same time King of the English and Duke of the Normans, and by a baronial class which had extensive holdings on both sides of the Channel. This supposedly came to an end in 1144 when Geoffrey of Anjou conquered Normandy. A recent review of the The Norman Empire, which like most reviews speaks of its sterling qualities, nevertheless points out that the sections dealing with the church are, “not given much space … (and) are probably the most derivative in the book.”
Dynamic-mechanical and transient testing of practical plastic specimens using a new servo-hydraulic testing system

A servo-hydraulic testing system which can simultaneously produce high loads and rapid response is described. This system allows the testing of relatively large plastic specimens, which makes it possible to perform dynamic-mechanical and transient experiments on high modulus materials, specimens routinely molded for tensile testing, and specimens removed from actual processed articles. Such large specimens also permit the use of extensometers directly attached on the gage section, providing important data for the accurate calculations of material properties. Dynamic-mechanical data on poly(methyl methacrylate), glass-filled nylon, and talc filled polypropylene specimens removed from an injection-molded dishwasher tub were obtained to demonstrate the capability of the system. Stress relaxation experiments in the nonlinear range were performed on polycarbonate to illustrate the transient testing capability of the system.
Group, assimilation, and increase in visibility association without a difference in features.

There is evidence that one group is associated with assimilation among its parts and an increase in visibility (IV) of at least one of its parts: the 1 group-assimilation-IV position. The present research supports this position using physically identical stimuli, hence eliminating differences in features. This was accomplished by comparing the effects of large and small backgrounds on responding to physically identical stimuli that appeared on these backgrounds. Compared to the small background, the large background produced a stronger two-line group according to a closure measure of grouping, more assimilation between two lines according to a same-different measure of perceived similarity, and a greater IV of one of two lines according to context+target versus context relative to target versus background discriminations. The large background was much larger than the two small lines, suggesting that it functioned as an anchor. Language: en
In vivo optical imaging to visualize photodynamic therapy-induced immune responses

Motivated by recent successes in growing intradermal tumors in the ears of mice and establishing the feasibility of in vivo confocal imaging of anatomic vessels in these tumors using fluorophore-conjugated antibodies to CD31, we are exploring a number of applications of optical fluorescence imaging in superficial murine tumor models in vivo. Immune responses induced by photodynamic therapy (PDT) are dynamic processes that occur in a spatially and temporally specific manner. To visualize these processes noninvasively, we have made progress in developing optical molecular imaging strategies that take advantage of intradermal injection of fluorophore-conjugated-antibodies against surface antigens on immune cells. This enables confocal imaging of the fluorescently labeled host cells to depths of at least 100 microns, and using this technique we have achieved in vivo imaging of granulocyte (GR-1)- and major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II)-positive cell trafficking in tumors in response to PDT. The latter include macrophages and dendritic cells. Data from tumors that were subjected to PDT with the photosensitizer, HPPH, reveals a significantly enhanced level of GR-1+ cell infiltration compared to untreated control tumor. The temporal kinetics of GR-1+ and MHC-II+ cells at different time intervals post-PDT are being examined. The ability to image host responses in vivo without excising or perturbing the tissue has opened up opportunities to explore means of optimizing them to therapeutic advantage.
The DHEA-sulfate depot following P450c17 inhibition supports the case for AKR1C3 inhibition in high risk localized and advanced castration resistant prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Treatment of localized high-risk disease and de novo metastatic disease frequently leads to relapse. These metastatic castration resistant prostate cancers (mCRPC) claim a high mortality rate, despite the extended survival afforded by the growing armamentarium of androgen deprivation, radiation and immunotherapies. Here, we review two studies of neoadjuvant treatment of high-risk localized prostate cancer prior to prostatectomy, the total androgen pathway suppression (TAPS) trial and the neoadjuvant abiraterone acetate (AA) trial. These two trials assessed the efficacy of the non-specific P450c17 inhibitor, ketoconazole and the specific P450c17 inhibitor, AA, to inhibit tissue and serum androgen levels. Furthermore, a novel and validated stable isotope dilution liquid chromatography electrospray ionization selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry assay was used to accurately quantify adrenal and gonadal androgens in circulation during the course of these trials. The adrenal androgens, Δ(4)-androstene-3,17-dione, dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were significantly reduced in the patients receiving ketoconazole or AA compared to those who did not. However, in both trials, a significant amount of DHEA-S (∼20 μg/dL) persists and thus may serve as a depot for intratumoral conversion to the potent androgen receptor ligands, testosterone (T) and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The final step in conversion of Δ(4)-androstene-3,17-dione and 5α-androstanedione to T and DHT, respectively, is catalyzed by AKR1C3. We therefore present the case that in the context of the DHEA-S depot, P450c17 and AKR1C3 inhibition may be an effective combinatorial treatment strategy.
On Strassen-Type Laws of the Iterated Logarithm for Gaussian Elements in Abstract Spaces

Since Strassen's fundamental result on the limit-set form of the law of the iterated logarithm (LIL) for the Brownian Motion process [21], several authors have investigated its extension to more general Gaussian processes ([11, 13, 15, 17]). Starting with an idea developed in [13], an attempt is made here to give a unified approach to this problem by setting some general conditions under which the LIL for Gaussian processes with (almost all) sample paths in a separable Fr6chet space F can be characterized in terms of the unit ball of a certain Hilbert space contained in F.
Guaianolide-type sesquiterpene lactones of Montanoa tomentosa subsp. xanthiifolia and M. tomentosa subsp. rosei and the molecular structures of two pumilin analogs

Abstract Montanoa tomentosa subsp. xanthiifolia and M. tomentosa subsp. rosei produce guaianolides which are very similar to those previously reported from Berlandiera pumila, B. texana and B. lyatra . The molecular structures of 3α-epoxypumilin and 8-acetyl-9-desacylpumilin-9-methacrylate were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.
The Legacy: Kreimer v. Bureau of Police, Twenty Years Later

A homeless man's lawsuit against a public library went to federal court 20 years ago, leaving a legacy of constitutional law that balances the rights of library customers against the responsibilities of library administrators. The case, Kreimer v. Bureau of Police, has come to stand for the proposition that there is a First Amendment right to receive information. A corollary of this principle is that a library can violate the Constitution if it unfairly expels a customer. At the same time, however, the court recognized that appropriate conduct is essential for the operation of a public library. For this reason, the Kreimer case established that library administrators can and should adopt behavior policies that allow all members of the public to use the library.
The aged retinal pigment epithelium/choroid: a potential substratum for the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration.

Background Although the statement that age is the greatest risk factor for Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is widely accepted, the cellular and molecular explanations for that clinical statement are not generally known. A major focus of AMD research is the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE)/choroid. The purpose of this study was to characterize the changes in the RPE/choroid with age that may provide a background for the development of AMD. Methodology/Principal Findings We compared the transcriptional profiles, key protein levels and histology of the RPE/choroid from young and old mice. Using three statistical methods, microarray data demonstrated marked changes in the old mouse. There were 315 genes differentially expressed with age; most of these genes were related to immune responses and inflammatory activity. Canonical pathways having significant numbers of upregulated genes in aged RPE/choroid included leukocyte extravasation, complement cascades, natural killer cell signaling and IL-10 signaling. By contrast, the adjacent neural retina showed completely different age-related changes. The levels of proteins that participate in leukocyte extravasation and complement pathways were consistently increased in the normal, aged RPE/choroid. Furthermore, there was increased gene expression and protein levels of leukocyte attracting signal, chemokine ligand 2 (Ccl2) in aged RPE/choroid. In old animals, there was marked extravasation and accumulation of leukocytes from the choroidal circulation onto Bruch's membrane and into the RPE. Conclusions/Significance These phenotypic changes indicate that the RPE/choroid in the normal, old mouse has become an immunologically active tissue. There are signals from the normal, aged RPE/choroid which recruit leukocytes from the circulation and activate the complement cascade. These age-related changes that occur in the RPE/choroid with age, to the extent that they occur in the human retina, may provide the background for an error in regulation of immunological activity to cause AMD to appear in an elderly individual.
2011 Status of the automatic alignment system for the National Ignition Facility

Abstract Automated alignment for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is accomplished using a large-scale parallel control system that directs 192 laser beams along the 300 m optical path. The beams are then focused down to a 50 μ spot in the middle of the target chamber. The entire process is completed in less than 50 min. The alignment system commands 9000 stepping motors for extremely precise adjustment of mirrors and other optics. 41 control loops per beamline perform parallel processing services running on a LINUX cluster to analyze high-resolution images of the beams and their references. This paper describes the status the NIF automatic alignment system and the challenges encountered as NIF development has transitioned from building the laser, to becoming a research project supporting a 24 h, 7 days/week laser facility. NIF is now a continuously operated system where performance monitoring is increasingly more critical for operation, maintenance, and commissioning tasks. Equipment wear and the effects of high energy neutrons from fusion experiments are issues which affect alignment efficiency and accuracy. New sensors needing automatic alignment assistance are common. System modifications to improve efficiency and accuracy are prevalent. Handling these evolving alignment and maintenance needs while minimizing the impact on NIF experiment schedule is expected to be an on-going challenge for the planned 30 year operational life of NIF.
Production of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in two patients with lung cancer, leukocytosis, and eosinophilia.

Leukocytosis in association with malignancy has been well described, but the cause is not known. One potential explanation is production of a colony-stimulating factor by the tumor, and this has been demonstrated in vitro. The authors report two patients with lung cancer, leukocytosis, and eosinophilia. The pleural fluid of both patients contained malignant cells and biologically active granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), as demonstrated by radioimmunoassay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) assay. To determine whether GM-CSF is normally detectable in pleural fluid, the authors performed assays on an additional 11 patients with pleural effusions of various origins but without peripheral blood leukocytosis and eosinophilia; only 1 patient had a detectable level of GM-CSF (i.e., greater than or equal to 0.1 ng/ml). Because GM-CSF usually is not present in pleural fluid, the authors postulate that the high levels of GM-CSF found in the pleural fluid of these two patients was produced by their tumors, and production of GM-CSF by their lung cancers likely caused the leukocytosis with eosinophilia.
Evidence for involvement of ERK, PI3K, and RSK in induction of Bcl-2 by valproate.

Valproate, an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer, up-regulates Bcl-2, a neurotrophic/neuroprotective protein. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism through which Bcl-2 is up-regulated by valproate using cultured human neuron-like cells. Valproate, within therapeutically relevant ranges, induced time- and concentration-dependent up-regulations of both Bcl-2 messenger RNA and protein implicating an underlying gene transcriptional-mediated mechanism. Bcl-2 up-regulations were associated with ERK1/2 and PI3K pathway activations and elevated levels of activated phospho-RSK and phospho-CREB, convergent targets of the ERK1/2 and PI3K pathways. Valproate increased transcriptional activity of a human bcl-2 promoter–reporter gene construct. This effect was attenuated, but not blocked, by mutation of a CREB DNA binding site, a CRE site in the human bcl-2 promoter sequence. ERK and/or PI3K pathway inhibitors and RSK1 small hairpin RNA knockdown reduced, but did not abolish, baseline and valproate-induced promoter activities and lowered Bcl-2 protein levels. These data collectively suggest that valproate induces Bcl-2 regulation partially through activations of the ERK and PI3K cascades and their convergent kinase, RSK, although other unknown mechanism(s) are likely involved. Given the known roles of Bcl-2 in the central nervous system, the current findings offer a partial yet complex molecular mechanistic explanation for the known neurobiological effects of valproate including neurite growth, neuronal survival, and neurogenesis.
Climate change and plant invasions: restoration opportunities ahead?

Rather than simply enhancing invasion risk, climate change may also reduce invasive plant competitiveness if conditions become climatically unsuitable. Using bioclimatic envelope modeling, we show that climate change could result in both range expansion and contraction for five widespread and dominant invasive plants in the western United States. Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) and tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) are likely to expand with climate change. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) and spotted knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii) are likely to shift in range, leading to both expansion and contraction. Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula) is likely to contract. The retreat of onceintractable invasive species could create restoration opportunities across millions of hectares. Identifying and establishing native or novel species in places where invasive species contract will pose a considerable challenge for ecologists and land managers. This challenge must be addressed before other undesirable species invade and eliminate restoration opportunities.
Nearly diffusion controlled segregation of tellurium in GaSb

Abstract 〈1 1 1〉B and 〈1 0 0〉 oriented tellurium-doped GaSb single crystals have been grown by the vertical Bridgman technique, with and without a baffle in the melt. The axial and radial segregation has been investigated. Nearly diffusion controlled steady-state segregation was reached with a baffle submerged in the melt above the melt–solid interface. The experimental data has been compared with the theoretically calculated curves using a segregation coefficient of 0.37 and distribution coefficient of 3×10 −5 cm 2 /s for Te in GaSb.
Bacterial translocation from the gastrointestinal tracts of thymectomized mice

The incidence of translocation of viable indigenous bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to the mesenteric lymph node, spleen, liver, and kidney was compared in neonatally thymectomized mice and sham-thymectomized specific pathogen-free mice. The immunologic responses of the thymectomized mice to sheep erythrocytes were decreased compared to the responses of sham-thymectomized mice. Strictly anaerobic bacteria were isolated from only 1.8% of the organs from thymectomized mice and from none of the organs of shamthymectomized mice. Aerobic or facultatively anaerobic bacteria were cultured from 27.4% of the organs of thymectomized mice. Of the thymectomized mice, 70.7% contained viable aerobic or facultatively anaerobic bacteria in one or more of their organs tested, compared with only 10% of the sham-thymectomized mice.Escherichia coli was the predominant bacterial species isolated from these organs, althoughStaphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus, andCorynebacterium also were present.Bacteroides were the only strictly anaerobic bacteria cultured. Neonatal thymectomy promotes the translocation of certain indigenous bacteria from the gastrointestinal tract to the mesenteric lymph node, spleen, liver, and kidney.
No Need to Abandon Focused Unilateral Exploration for Primary Hyperparathyroidism with Intraoperative Monitoring of Intact Parathyroid Hormone

Background We investigated the rate of persistent and recurrent hyperparathyroidism after focused unilateral exploration (UE) with intraoperative monitoring of intact parathyroid hormone (IOPTH). Study Design A prospective cohort of 915 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) underwent parathyroid surgery by a single surgeon from January 2003 to September 2013. A total of 556 patients with at least a single positive preoperative localization by ultrasound (US) and/or sestamibi scan (STS) underwent UE with IOPTH. The criterion for completion of surgery was an IOPTH fall of 50% from the highest intraoperative level and into the normal range 5 to 10 minutes after resection of the localized gland. Results Fifteen patients had either persistent or recurrent PHP, yielding a 2.7% (95% CI 1.6% to 4.4%) overall recurrence rate based on the refined Wilson method with continuity correction. Four patients had persistent PHP. Three of these patients were cured with reoperation, and the fourth patient was followed nonoperatively. Eleven patients had recurrent PHP, with 5 corrected by surgery and 6 patients followed nonoperatively. The mean postoperative serum calcium (Ca) level was 9.4 mg/dL over a mean follow-up interval of 44.0 months. Preoperative localization rates by each localization study were: US 74.3% (n = 413), STS 86.9% (n = 483), and US and STS 71.4% (n = 397). There was no difference in the preoperative study that localized the hyperfunctional parathyroid gland in recurrent vs nonrecurrent patients by the Fisher's exact test (US, p =1.00; STS, p =0.65; US and STS, p =1.00). Conclusions The low rate of recurrent PHP after focused unilateral exploration with IOPTH suggests that this procedure should not be abandoned.
Focal brain hyperthermia: evoked responses in sensorimotor cortex.

Abstract Focal cerebral hyperthermic methods were used for the study of induced changes in evoked responses of the sensorimotor cortex. (i) Responses induced by electrical stimulation of the dentate nucleus were enhanced by focal cerebral hyperthermia of the responding region. (ii) Responses induced by electrical stimulation of cerebellar cortex showed suppression of amplitude when focal cerebellar hyperthermia reached 40°C. With return to body temperature, there was an above-baseline increase in amplitude. (iii) Focal cerebral hyperthermia (40 to 41°C) during tactile stimulation induced a prominent elevation of the second positive wave (P2) with little or no change in the first wave (P1). The P3 wave also increased in amplitude, but to a lesser amount, as did the second negative wave (N2). The first and third (N1 and N3) negative waves showed no consistent changes. (iv) Prominent increases in efferent activity occurred in the brachium conjunctivum during focal hyperthermia of the cerebellar cortex.
Structural characterization of the N-terminal mineral modification domains from the molluscan crystal-modulating biomineralization proteins, AP7 and AP24

The AP7 and AP24 proteins represent a class of mineral-interaction polypeptides that are found in the aragonite-containing nacre layer of mollusk shell (H. rufescens). These proteins have been shown to preferentially interfere with calcium carbonate mineral growth in vitro. It is believed that both proteins play an important role in aragonite polymorph selection in the mollusk shell. Previously, we demonstrated the 1–30 amino acid (AA) N-terminal sequences of AP7 and AP24 represent mineral interaction/modification domains in both proteins, as evidenced by their ability to frustrate calcium carbonate crystal growth at step edge regions. In this present report, using free N-terminal, Cα-amide “capped” synthetic polypeptides representing the 1–30 AA regions of AP7 (AP7-1 polypeptide) and AP24 (AP24-1 polypeptide) and NMR spectroscopy, we confirm that both N-terminal sequences possess putative Ca (II) interaction polyanionic sequence regions (2 × —DD— in AP7-1, —DDDED— in AP24-1) that are random coil-like in structure. However, with regard to the remaining sequences regions, each polypeptide features unique structural differences. AP7-1 possesses an extended β-strand or polyproline type II-like structure within the A11–M10, S12–V13, and S28–I27 sequence regions, with the remaining sequence regions adopting a random-coil-like structure, a trait common to other polyelectrolyte mineral-associated polypeptide sequences. Conversely, AP24-1 possesses random coil-like structure within A1–S9 and Q14–N16 sequence regions, and evidence for turn-like, bend, or loop conformation within the G10–N13, Q17–N24, and M29–F30 sequence regions, similar to the structures identified within the putative elastomeric proteins Lustrin A and sea urchin spicule matrix proteins. The similarities and differences in AP7 and AP24 N-terminal domain structure are discussed with regard to joint AP7–AP24 protein modification of calcium carbonate growth. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 2004
Enhanced Aspartate Release from Hippocampal Slices of Epileptic (El) Mice

The release of putative neurotransmitters [aspartate, glutamate, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] was studied in hippocampal slices from adult normal C57BL/6J (B6) and El (epileptic) mice. The El mice, a genetic model of temporal lobe epilepsy, had an average of 86 seizures. Sets of B6 and El hippocampal slices (400 microns thick) were incubated in a series of normal and high potassium (60 mM) buffers in the presence or absence of calcium. The calcium-dependent and calcium-independent potassium-induced release of amino acids was compared in each mouse strain. Release of endogenous amino acids was measured using liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and was expressed as picomoles of amino acid released per milliliter of incubation buffer per minute of incubation per slice +/- SEM. No significant differences were found between the El and B6 mice for the calcium-dependent potassium-evoked release of glutamate (18.20 +/- 2.62 and 15.41 +/- 3.56), or GABA (17.28 +/- 2.90 and 12.73 +/- 1.37), respectively. Aspartate release, however, was significantly higher in the El mice (6.62 +/- 0.69) than in the B6 mice (3.31 +/- 0.72). These findings suggest that enhanced aspartate release may be related to seizure expression in El mice.
Efficient Solution‐Processed Bulk Heterojunction Perovskite Hybrid Solar Cells

Efficient conventional bulk heterojunction (BHJ) perovskite hybrid solar cells (pero-HSCs) solution-processed from a composite of CH3NH3PbI3 mixed with PC61BM ([6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester), where CH3NH3PbI3 acts as the electron donor and PC61BM acts as the electron acceptor, are reported for the first time. The efficiency of 12.78% is twofold enhancement in comparison with the conventional planar heterojunction pero-HSCs (6.90%) fabricated by pristine CH3NH3PbI3. The BHJ pero-HSCs are further optimized by using PC61BM/TiO2 bi-electron-extraction-layer (EEL), which are both solution-processed and then followed with low-temperature thermal annealing. Due to higher electrical conductivity of PC61BM over that of TiO2, an efficiency of 14.98%, the highest reported efficiency for the pero-HSCs without incorporating high-temperature-processed mesoporous TiO2 and Al2O3 as the EEL and insulating scaffold, is observed from PC61BM modified BHJ pero-HSCs. Thus, the findings provide a simple way to approach high efficiency low-cost pero-HSCs.
Composite Multifunctional Lithium Ion Batteries

The goal of this work was to design a battery that serves as the structural material as well as the power source for a vessel. The combination of both mechanical and electrochemical aspects within one material defines the component as a multifunctional material, or in this case, a multifunctional battery. The initial work focused on the fabrication of a novel multifunctional lithium ion battery structure, where reinforcement composite fibers were substituted and utilized as active components within the electrodes and separator, enduring cyclic voltage-capacity testing. The second part of this work investigated an approach to modify a conventional lithium ion pouch battery architecture by creating perforations through the cell architecture in order to reduce delamination or wrinkling of the battery during bending loads. The future aim is to fabricate the battery as part of the composite structure instead of a separate piece of the structure.
A statistical study of the analysis of congested spectra by total spectrum fitting

Abstract Heavily overlapped, or congested spectra often display much structure but few individual “lines.” Methods have been devised for analyzing such spectra through nonlinear least-squares fitting of the intensity as a function of wavelength or wavenumber. Such total spectrum fitting (TSF) methods are examined statistically for a simple diatomic model and compared with the standard “measure-assign-fit” (MAF) approach in use since the dawn of spectroscopy. Monte Carlo computations on typically 1000 synthetic spectra at a time verify that the predictions of the variance–covariance matrix are reliable under many circumstances. However in regions where the P and R branches double up, the predicted standard errors in the key spectroscopic constants rise sharply and greatly exceed estimates from the Monte Carlo ensemble statistics. In the same regions, the MAF method actually gives better precision. However, for imperfectly overlapped R and P branches, the MAF standard errors are typically three times larger than the TSF values; moreover, the MAF statistical errors are dwarfed by bias. The TSF approach, while clearly superior in these tests, has a practical drawback: it, too, can give significant bias if the spectra are analyzed with an incorrect model, as illustrated here through calculations employing the wrong function to describe the spectral lineshape.
American Society for Engineering Education: 2005 Meeting Annual Report

Purpose – Highlights annual conference of the American Society of Engineering Education, specifically the part for Engineering Librarians.Design/methodology/approach – Provides a brief review of the conference.Findings – Engineering Librarians are increasingly interested in information literacy in their subject areas and incorporating that in outreach activities. Scholarly publishing in Engineering in increasingly interdisciplinary with more interest in the Business/management Literature.Research limitations/implications – More subspecialties are emerging in engineering curriculum and research.Practical Implications – Partnerships between academe and industry and the federal government is increasingly important. No library however strong can be considered to have an exclusive engineering collection as interdisciplinary applications magnify.Value – Reinforcing good service reflecting instruction, collection development and subject strength contributes to effective responsibilities as an Engineering Librarian.