cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B52: Inhibition of ovarian cancer spheroid adhesion using graphene oxide nanomaterials

There is an urgent need for development of alternative treatment strategies for advanced-stage ovarian cancer. During metastatic spread, single cells or spheroids detach from the primary tumor and are carried by the peritoneal fluid until attaching to the mesothelial cells lining the abdominal cavity. While attachment of ovarian tumor cells and spheroids to the mesothelial layer is known to be mediated by β-integrins and CD44, efforts to block these receptors with antibodies have been insufficient to inhibit disease progression. As graphene oxide nanosheets have previously been shown bind to β-integrins on the surface of mesenchymal stem cells, we hypothesized that they would be able to attach to ovarian cancer spheroids, forming a physical barrier around the spheroids and thus inhibiting their adhesion to the mesothelium. SKOV-3 human ovarian cancer cells were used in this study, as this cell line was derived from ascites fluid. SKOV-3 cells were placed in poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (polyHEMA)-coated plates for 24 hours to form spheroids, followed by 48-hour treatment with the nanosheets. The graphene oxide nanosheets were functionalized with 4-arm polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance biocompatibility and provide additional steric hindrance to prevent spheroid adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed that the nanosheets were able to bind to the tumor spheroids. Association of the nanosheets with the SKOV-3 spheroids reduced their adhesion to extracellular matrix proteins collagen and fibronectin as well as LP-9 human mesothelial cells over a 7-day time period, with the PEG-functionalized nanosheets showing the greatest reduction in adhesion. The nanomaterials did not exhibit cytotoxicity to LP-9 cells at the range of concentrations used to prevent adhesion. Receptor blocking studies confirmed that the nanosheets were predominantly engaging with the tumor spheroids via β-integrins. Finally, for tumor spheroids that did bind to the mesothelial cells, the presence of nanosheets on the surface of the spheroids decreased the rate of mesothelial layer clearance by the tumor cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that graphene oxide nanomaterials can bind to ovarian tumor spheroids and inhibit their attachment to matrix proteins and mesothelial cells, while also reducing their ability to clear mesothelial cells once bound. Future efforts are focused on testing these materials with human ascites fluid and further modifying the nanosheets to enable ablation of tumor cells bound to the nanosheets to enhance their therapeutic potential. Citation Format: Hak Rae Lee, Melissa A. Geller, Samira M. Azarin. Inhibition of ovarian cancer spheroid adhesion using graphene oxide nanomaterials [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research; 2019 Sep 13-16, 2019; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(13_Suppl):Abstract nr B52.
Teacher talk: Infant vocal cues affect non-lead infant teachers’ responding

Abstract Infants’ prelinguistic vocalizations have measurable influence on parents’ responsiveness, yet the efficacy of babbling for eliciting caregiver responses in childcare settings is unexamined. This study used a microanalytic experimental design to investigate the real-time influences of infant babbling on 32 non-lead infant teachers’ responses. Teachers provided a verbal response to prerecorded stimuli manipulated for acoustic quality and vocal directedness. While teachers could perceptually differentiate vocalizations of varying acoustic quality, the maturity of the vocalization did not impact the rates or content of teachers’ responses. Object-directed vocalizations elicited more contingent and sensitive responses than undirected vocalizations. Hours per week spent with infants did not predict responding. Understanding the effects of infants’ behaviors on non-lead infant teachers can guide professional development programs to improve language learning opportunities in childcare settings.
Assessing ablation margins of FDG-avid liver tumors during PET/CT-guided thermal ablation procedures: a retrospective study

To retrospectively assess liver tumor ablation margins using intraprocedural PET/CT images from FDG PET/CT-guided microwave or cryoablation procedures and to correlate minimum margin measurements with local progression outcomes. Fifty-six patients (ages 36 to 85, median 62; 32 females) with 77 FDG-avid liver tumors underwent 60 FDG PET/CT guided, percutaneous microwave, or cryoablation procedures. Single breath-hold PET/CT images were used for intraprocedural assessment of the tumor ablation margin: liver tumors remained visible on PET immediately following ablation; microwave ablation zones were visible using contrast-enhanced CT; cryoablation zones (ice balls) were visible using unenhanced CT. Two readers retrospectively determined ablation margin assessability and measured the minimum ablation margin on intraprocedural PET/CT (n = 77) and postprocedural MRI (n = 56). Local tumor progression was assessed on all available follow-up imaging (1–49 months, mean 15). Local tumor progression was correlated with PET/CT minimum margin measurements using clustered survival models for 61 tumors. Minimum ablation margins were more often assessable using intraprocedural PET/CT (≥ 73/77 tumors, 95%) than postprocedural MRI (≤ 35/56 tumors, 63%). In 61 tumors with PET/CT-assessable margins (excluding tumors with overlapping ablations after PET/CT), there was a 6-fold increased risk of local tumor progression [hazard ratio (HR) 6.05; P = 0.004] for minimum ablation margins < 5 mm. Breath-hold PET/CT scans, during PET/CT-guided microwave or cryoablation procedures for FDG-avid liver tumors, enable reliable intraprocedural assessment of the entire tumor ablation margin; a minimum PET/CT ablation margin threshold of 5 mm correlates well with local tumor progression outcomes.
The Efficacy of Ability Proxies for Estimating the Returns to Schooling: A Factor Model-Based Evaluation

This paper revisits the issue of estimating the returns to schooling within a framework that allows multiple unobserved skills with potentially time-varying prices where both skills and prices are possibly correlated with schooling. A common approach to addressing the problem of ability bias emanating from the unobservability of skills is to augment the earnings-schooling regression with various measures of cognitive and non-cognitive ability as proxies for these skills. While the adequacy of such measures has long been questioned, a rigorous assessment of their effectiveness in estimating the magnitude of ability bias has received relatively less attention. This paper undertakes a formal evaluation of the proxy approach by adopting a methodology that models the skills and their prices using an unobserved factor structure in which the factor loadings represent the latent skills and the common factors their associated prices. Our factor model approach allows consistent estimation of the returns to schooling without the need to rely on proxies thereby providing a flexible test bed for quantifying the contribution of the proxies to the aggregate least squares bias. The factor model estimators may also be viewed as implicitly estimating the measurement error inherent in the proxies. Our empirical results using panel data from the NLSY79 show that the estimated ability bias lies between 39-51% for our most general specification. A bias decomposition analysis indicates that the commonly used proxies can explain very little of the estimated bias. Direct tests for the viability of the proxies further confirm their inadequacy in capturing the underlying latent skills.
Appropriate use of machine learning in healthcare

Abstract Machine learning methods, a subdomain of artificial intelligence, in healthcare have been experiencing rapid growth and development but these methods have also been criticized. This article explores some of the more frequent criticisms leveled at machine learning approaches and offers suggestions on how to address problems of bias, “black box” systems, appropriate training for users, and monitoring model performance. Some of these problems can potentially be addressed using machine learning methods. We advocate for more involvement of clinicians in the development and evaluation of machine learning systems in healthcare and more regular monitoring of performance to take advantage of the strengths and minimize the weaknesses of these systems.
THE DEFECTS OF A REIGNING THEORY

Contemporary theoretical musicology, and especially its anglophone section, has been heavily influenced by the ideas and analytical methods of Heinrich Schenker (1868-1935) who was an Austrian. Schenkerian-inspired theory, once imported in the United States from Austria, spread widely on American soil, where it was “enriched” conceptually, and was then re-exported to Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and other English speaking countries. The old American school of harmony that stemmed from the best German, French, and Russian traditions, found itself pushed to the wall by the ever growing Schenkerian school of thought which was erecting a cult of his creator. A “new order” in harmony and analysis was gradually established that regarded tonality as a business between tonic and dominant alone, the rest of the chords being of peripheral importance. This mentality shut the door to diversity and freedom in functional thinking, and opened the door to highly biased harmonic and formal analyses which erased harmonic cadences, presented tonality in black and white, breached syntactical units to create a new way of hearing music (the so-called "distance hearing" or "structural hearing”), and inevitably ended up with the same fundamental structure in melody and harmony, named “Ursatz”. This essay discusses major defects of Schenkerian theory and their negative impact on traditional harmony and analysis.
Dynamics of temperature change during experimental respiratory virus challenge: Relationships with symptoms, stress hormones, and inflammation.

Thermoregulation is a complex, dynamic process involving coordination between multiple autonomic, endocrine, and behavioral mechanisms. In the context of infection, this intricate machinery generates fever, a process believed to serve vital functions in the body's defense against pathogens. In addition to increasing core temperature, infection can lead to changes in the dynamic fluctuations in body temperature over time. The patterns of these deviations may convey information about the health of the body and the course of illness. Here, we utilized dynamic structural equation modeling to explore patterns of body temperature change following an experimental respiratory virus challenge in an aggregated, archival dataset of human participants (N = 1,412). We also examined whether temperature dynamics during infection were related to symptom severity, as well as individual differences in biomarkers of inflammation and stress. We found that individuals meeting the criteria for infection exhibited higher but less stable body temperatures over time compared to those not meeting criteria of infection. While temperature parameters did not reliably predict symptom severity, higher levels of nasal proinflammatory cytokines were associated with lower, more consistent temperatures during the study period. Further, levels of salivary cortisol and urinary catecholamines measured at the beginning of the study appeared to have disparate effects on temperature change. In sum, this research highlights the utility of dynamic time series modeling as a framework for studying body temperature change and lends novel insights into how stress may interact with infection to influence patterns of thermoregulation.
Reducing search and learning goal preferences

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a framework for search heuristics in domains that have subgoals represented as terms over variables (relations). Search in such domains can be reduced when a subgoal gets specialized via instantiation of its variables, these instantiations then specialize other subgoals that share those variables. These communicated variable bindings constrain subsequent search during the expansion of these other subgoals. Search heuristic functions might be developed that choose which subgoal of a state to expand next, on the basis of two types of information: (1) the degree of each subgoal's connectivity to other subgoals and (2) the expected search required to specialize each subgoal, where this latter type of information is learned from past search experience with similar subgoals.
Picnics, kittens and wigs: using scenarios for the sentence completion task

This paper describes a program for filling in blank spaces in sentences which are given to elementary school children to test reading comprehension. The paper discusses the knowledge structure needed to represent what is being described In the sentences. As part of the structure, scenarios of classes of events are described. These scenarios contain general information about how the event occurs, who the likely actors are, and when the subparts of the event occur. The description of the scenario includes the use of free variables and the embedding of one scenario within another. Implementation of these characteristics of the scenario is described in some detail.
Structure and function of the mitochondrial bc1 complex. Properties of the complex in temperature-sensitive cor1 mutants.

Abstract The properties of the ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex (bc1 complex) have been studied in respiratory defective mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae bearing lesions in the core 1 subunit. All the cor1 mutants examined have greatly reduced concentrations of mitochondrial cytochrome b and display succinate-cytochrome c reductase activities near the limits of detection. Two mutants (E576 and C7), however, had 5% of wild type activity when the cells were grown at 23 degrees C, but not at 37 degrees C. The temperature-sensitive phenotype was determined to result from substitution of either Arg or Glu for Gly68 of the core 1 subunit. The respiratory competent revertants E576/R8 and C7/R4 derived from E576 and C7 retain the temperature sensitivity of the original mutants. Both revertants are temperature sensitive in vivo, but only mitochondria isolated from E576/R8 are temperature sensitive in vitro. The bc1 complex of mitochondria isolated from this revertant displays a normal value of the ratio Kcat/Km for cytochrome c and four times higher than the wild type for duroquinol. The succinate-cytochrome c reductase activity of E576/R8 is almost completely abolished after incubation at 37 degrees C for 90 min. It is inferred that the quaternary structure of ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase complex is more labile at the nonpermissive temperature in the mutant and undergoes an alteration such that cytochrome b is no longer able to receive electrons through either the "o" or the "i" site pathway. The temperature lability and kinetic properties of the mutant enzyme point to a requirement of the core 1 not only for assembly but also for the catalytic activity of the complex.
Rothko: A three dimensional FPGA architecture, its fabrication, and design tools

We are designing and plan to fabricate a 3-dimensional field programmable gate array. The three dimensional VLSI technology, developed at Northeastern University, is based on transferred circuits with interconnections between layers of active devices. Interconnections are in metal, and can be placed anywhere on the chip. Our FPGA architecture, called Rothko, is based on the sea-of-gates FPGA model first proposed in the Triptych architecture (a 2-D architecture) in which individual cells can be used for routing, logic, or both. We provide 3-D connections to each cell from above and below. This makes our architecture truly 3-D with each cell having connections to cells on other layers. In this paper we present the architecture of Rothko, discuss the 3-D technology we use, and discuss CAD tools for mapping designs onto Rothko.
Ideal based cyber security technical metrics for control systems

Much of the world's critical infrastructure is at risk from attack through electronic networks connected to control systems. Security metrics are important because they provide the basis for management decisions that affect the protection of the infrastructure. A cyber security technical metric is the security relevant output from an explicit mathematical model that makes use of objective measurements of a technical object. A specific set of technical security metrics are proposed for use by the operators of control systems. Our proposed metrics are based on seven security ideals associated with seven corresponding abstract dimensions of security. We have defined at least one metric for each of the seven ideals. Each metric is a measure of how nearly the associated ideal has been achieved. These seven ideals provide a useful structure for further metrics development. A case study shows how the proposed metrics can be applied to an operational control system.
A Specialized Reference and Then Some: Chronology of the Evolution-Creationism Controversy

When the authors set out to compile this chronology, they must have had in mind a reference work for a specialized audience--namely, persons with a more-than-casual interest in the history of the evolution-creationism conflict and the way that conflict is embedded in the historical development of our understanding of life on Earth. The authors have succeeded very well, with a list of events from ca. 2700 BCE (early Egyptian creation myths) to 2009 CE (17 entries including, inter alia, the Darwin bicentennial/sesquicentennial, creationist science teacher John Freshwater's countersuit against his dismissal for preaching, teaching creationism, and branding students with a Tesla coil, and the government seizure of imprisoned tax-evader Kent Hovind's creationist theme park.) Each event is given a paragraph, most of them less than ten lines, but with some longer ones as well.As the authors point out, such a chronology enables the reader to put individual events into a broader context: "Reader... Language: en
A Cluster of Low-Redshift Ly-α Clouds toward PKS 2155−304. I. Limits on Metals and D/H

We report observations from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and the VLA on the galactic environment, metallicity, and D/H in strong low-redshift Lyα absorption systems toward the bright BL Lac object PKS 2155-304. These studies are intended to clarify the origin and chemical evolution of gas at large distances from galaxies. With GHRS/G160M data at ~20 km s-1 resolution, we detect a total of 14 Lyα absorbers, six of them clustered between cz = 16,100 and 18,500 km s-1. Although ORFEUS studies claimed Lyman continuum (Lyc) absorption at z ≈ 0.056 with N(H I) = (2–5) × 1016 cm-2, the Lyα data suggest a range, N(H I) = (3–10) × 1014 cm-2. Even higher columns, needed for consistency with the ORFEUS Lyc results, are possible if the Lyα line core at 17,000 ± 50 km s-1 contains narrow H I components. We identify the Lyα cluster with a group of five H I galaxies offset by 400–800 h kpc from the sight line. The two strongest absorption features cover the same velocity range as the H I emission in the two galaxies closest to the line of sight. If the Lyα is associated with these galaxies, they must have huge halos (400–500 h kpc) of highly turbulent, mostly ionized gas. The Lyα absorption could also arise from an extended sheet of intragroup gas, or from smaller primordial clouds and halos of dwarf galaxies. We see no absorption from Si III λ1206, C IV λ1548, or deuterium Lyα at the expected positions of the strongest Lyα absorbers. Photoionization models yield (4 σ) limits of (Si/H) ≤ 0.003(Si/H)☉, (C/H) ≤ 0.005(C/H)☉, and (D/H) ≤ 2.8 × 10-4 if N(H I) has the ORFEUS value of 2 × 1016 cm-2. The limits increase to 0.023 solar metallicity and D/H ≤ 2.8 × 10-3 if N(H I) is only 2 × 1015 cm-2. These limits can be improved with further studies by HST/STIS and measurements of the Lyc and higher Lyman series absorption by FUSE. However, the current data suggest that the intergalactic gas in this group has not been enriched to the levels suggested by X-ray studies of intracluster gas. Because of their low metallicity and large distance from galaxies, these absorbers could be primordial gas clouds.
Case Study: Incorporating International Themes Into The Business Curriculum At Missouri Southern State University

Higher education is charged with preparing graduates to be successful in an international society. This paper will examine Missouri Southern State University’s approach to internationalizing their campus and curriculum.
Semiclassical parameterization of the l ≥ 3 energy levels in Cs i

A simple semiclassical model is used to describe the l ≥ 3 term energies in Cs i. The passive electrons are treated as a thin hollow shell of charge that can be polarized and penetrated by an active electron in a quantized Kepler orbit. The data are parameterized by weighted nonlinear least-squares adjustment of effective values for the dipole and quadrupole polarizabilities, the core radius, and the penetrated charge. The formulation represents the data well, permits predictive extrapolations, and provides intuitive insights into penetration effects. It is shown that apparent differences in the effective quadrupole polarizabilities inferred from the f and g series are removed when penetration effects are included.
Mutant of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides Unable to Grow Aerobically

We isolated a mutant of Rhodopseudomonas spheroides that grows normally under photosynthetic conditions but is unable to grow exponentially under aerobic conditions. Photosynthetically grown cultures of the mutant increase in mass and cell number for about 10 hr after transfer to aerobic conditions. During this time, no heme pigments are synthesized and the Q(O(2)) declines. In the mutant, synthesis of heme pigments is obligatorily coupled to synthesis of bacteriochlorophyll.
Development of Implicit Methods in CFD NASA Ames Research Center 1970's-1980's

The focus here is on the early development (mid 1970's-1980's) at NASA Ames Research Center of implicit methods in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). A class of implicit finite difference schemes of the Beam and Warming approximate factorization type will be addressed. The emphasis will be on the Euler equations. A review of material pertinent to the solution of the Euler equations within the framework of implicit methods will be presented. The eigensystem of the equations will be used extensively in developing a framework for various methods applied to the Euler equations. The development and analysis of various aspects of this class of schemes will be given along with the motivations behind many of the choices. Various acceleration and efficiency modifications such as matrix reduction, diagonalization and flux split schemes will be presented.
Opiate involvement in postpartum aggression in rats

Abstract Opiates and the endogenous opioids mediate maternal behavior and various forms of aggression. The present study sought to investigate the role of opiates in postpartum aggression (PPA), an intense form of agonistic behavior displayed by lactating females. Primiparous rats were screened for their PPA against adult males on day seven postpartum. They were then randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups [morphine, 5.0 mg/kg; naloxone alone, 0.5 mg/kg; morphine (5.0 mg/kg) plus naloxone (0.5 mg/kg); and saline] and tested for PPA on postpartum days eight and nine following the respective treatments. Morphine significantly lowered PPA, and naloxone antagonized the effect. Whereas the morphine plus naloxone, naloxone alone, and saline groups exhibited higher levels of PPA than that shown by the morphine group, there were no differences in PPA found among the morphine plus naloxone, naloxone alone, or saline groups. These results, in conjunction with evidence describing the state of the endogenous opioid system in the postpartum rat, suggest that some aspect of the endogenous opioid system may be involved in another form of maternal behavior, postpartu, aggression.
Leadership, Authority, and Collective Action: Jewish Resistance in the Ghettos of Warsaw and Vilna

This article examines leadership and its role in the emergence of collective action with a comparison of resistance activities in two Jewish ghettos in Nazi-occupied Europe. In the Warsaw Ghetto, J...
A discussion of the Alternating Field method and new paleointensity measurements of the Miocene geomagnetic field in Oregon

Thirty eight cores from five Miocene lavas and their underlying baked zones from South Eastern Oregon have provided a test for the Alternating Field method of determining geomagnetic paleointensities, by allowing external consistency tests as well as internal consistency tests. All specimens were run regardless of the reliability tests results. The susceptibility change reliability test is useful as some of the specimens which failed it nevertheless gave misleadingly plausible results, but is shown to be unsufficient, as some specimens which were retained on that test failed to yield valid results. Different specimens from the same core behaved differently during the various experiments, proving that two specimens from a same core cannot reliably be assumed to be identical. A relation between the oxidation state and a change of susceptibility upon heating is seen.
Derivatives of Thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole

A series of bis-2,5-substituted thiazolo[5, 4-d]thiazoles has been prepared and examined for biological activity.
Biological Constraints on the Description of Cognitive Functions: A Silver Lining in the Cloud?

Abstract Several years ago I encountered a severely aphasic patient who happened to be the Cribbage champion of the hospital in which I was an intern (his competition being nonaphasic patients from the Medical and Orthopaedic Wards). Cribbage is a card game with a set ofcomplex rules that places a premium on arithmetic ability, strategy and memory. He was capabIe oflittle speech output, showed at least moderate deficits in auditory comprehension and suffered from a dense right hemiparesis that made it nearly impossible for him to hold the playing cards himself. In spite ofthese problems he was able to consistently out-play patients with simiIar educational backgrounds who had no difficulty speaking or understanding speech.
A MARKET BASED ANALYSIS OF INCOME SMOOTHING

Over the last three decades income smoothing has been analyzed in variousways. Several studies have focused on three issues: (a) do firms actually smoothincome; (b) the smoothing ability of various accounting techniques; and (c)conditions under which smoothing is effective (Lev and Kunitzky, 1974, p,268), Smoothing studies have also focused on (a) objectives of smoothing(management motivation), (b) objects of smoothing (operating income, netincome), (c) dimensions of smoothing (real or artificial), and (d) smoothingvariables (i,e,, extraordinary items, tax credits) (Ronen and Sadan, t98t, p, 6),However, little attention has been given to the reaction in the marketplaceto income smoothing. Yet for forty years, many assumptions and conclusionspertaining to relationships between smoothing and the marketplace have beenset forth, Hepworth (1953) advanced the idea that stable earnings give ownersand creditors a more confident feeling toward management, Gordon (t964,p, 262) proposed that stockholder satisfaction increases with the rate of growthin a company's income and the stability of its income, Beidleman (1973, p,655) suggested that as analysts become more enthusiastic about self smoothers,smoothing may indirectly widen the market for a firm's shares and there shouldbe a favorable effect on share value and cost of capital. Lev and Kunitzky (1974,p, 268) stated that their results indicate that income variability is significantlycorrelated with both overall and systematic risk measures, Moses (1987, p,366) stated that smoothing implies a direct, cause-and-effect relationshipbetween earnings fluctuations and market risk.The purpose of this paper is to test for an association between incomesmoothing and performance in the marketplace. In doing so, the paper examines(a) the tendency of major corporations to become income smoothers, (b) thedifference in the mean returns on the common stock of smoothing and non
Glycogen metabolism in human hormone-producing trophoblastic cells in continuous culture--II. Characterization of BeWo glycogen phosphorylase.

Abstract 1. 1. Conditions were established for assaying glycogen phosphorylase in crude sonicates from a human gestational choriocarcinoma cell line in continuous culture (BeWo). 2. 2. In sonicates from fresh cells, the specific activity of phosphorylase in the absence of AMP‡ was 21·07±1·32 units/mg protein. 3. 3. Addition of AMP increased this activity by about 50 per cent. 4. 4. The rate reaction increased with temperature up to 40°C and fell off sharply after 43°C. 5. 5. It was determined that optimal pH in the presence and absence of AMP was approximately 6·8. 6. 6. K m ’ s were determined to be 25·38 and 9·97 mM glucose 1-phosphate for the activities in the absence and presence of AMP, respectively. 7. 7.|It was concluded that BeWo phosphorylase seemed to resemble muscle phosphorylase, rather than liver phosphorylase.
Computing all homogeneous and heterogeneous azeotropes in multicomponent mixtures

A homotopy method for computing azeotropes in homogeneous multicomponent mixtures, developed by Fidkowski et al.,1 has been generalized to include heterogeneous liquids. The method together with an arc length continuation and a rigorous stability analysis and calculation of liquid−liquid equilibrium in multicomponent mixtures, developed by Wasylkiewicz et al.,2 gives an efficient and robust scheme for finding all homogeneous as well as heterogeneous azeotropes predicted by a thermodynamic model. A new, more general homotopy function has been proposed which reduces to the form proposed by Fidkowski et al.1 for homogeneous liquid mixtures. Unlike the homogeneous case, turning points can often be found on solution branches leading to the heterogeneous azeotropes. A few examples for heterogeneous systems are shown and compared with results obtained using the homogeneous models.
Energy saving strategies for parallel applications with point-to-point communication phases

Although high-performance computing traditionally focuses on the efficient execution of large-scale applications, both energy and power have become critical concerns when approaching exascale. Drastic increases in the power consumption of supercomputers affect significantly their operating costs and failure rates. In modern microprocessor architectures, equipped with dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) and CPU clock modulation (throttling), the power consumption may be controlled in software. Additionally, network interconnect, such as Infiniband, may be exploited to maximize energy savings while the application performance loss and frequency switching overheads must be carefully balanced. This paper advocates for a runtime assessment of such overheads by means of characterizing point-to-point communications into phases followed by analyzing the time gaps between the communication calls. Certain communication and architectural parameters are taken into consideration in the three proposed frequency scaling strategies, which differ with respect to their treatment of the time gaps. The experimental results are presented for NAS parallel benchmark problems as well as for the realistic parallel electronic structure calculations performed by the widely used quantum chemistry package GAMESS. For the latter, three different process-to-core mappings were studied as to their energy savings under the proposed frequency scaling strategies and under the existing state-of-the-art techniques. Close to the maximum energy savings were obtained with a low performance loss of 2% on the given platform.
Women exploring the oceans

The new Web site, Remarkable Careers in Oceanography: Women Exploring the Oceans, currently profiles nine women who are making significant contributions to ocean sciences. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Web site is simply and attractively laid out, without much flash and fuss. This makes it easy to navigate through the different categories that present information about the achievements of the individual women who are profiled, their backgrounds, the science they study, and how they do their work.
The role of plants and plant/microbial systems in the reduction of exposure.

The activities of plants and plant/microbial associations may offer a viable means of accomplishing the in situ remediation of contaminated soils. Two uses of plants for phytoremediation are report...
Asymptotic inference for dynamical systems observed with error

In this article, the effects of measuring a dynamical system with error are investigated. In particular, we assume that the measurement errors follow a distribution in the exponential family, and that the value of the underlying dynamical system determines the parameter of the measurement distribution. The key questions are whether two distinct initial conditions can be asymptotically distinguished and whether two distinct parameter values can be asymptotically distinguished. Results of the statistical theory are applied in the context of dynamical systems.
'You must think of Familia': The everyday lives of Mexican migrants in destination communities

The goal of this study was to explore the degree to which Mexican migrant workers engage in economic, social and cultural transnational activities throughout their migration careers, and to investigate how these activities are imbedded in the context of their everyday life in the host communities. Our findings show that migrants are primarily involved in economic transnational activities, such as sending financial remittances, and investing in land, business and properties in the home country. This affects their everyday life in the USA by limiting their financial resources, which has an effect on their living conditions and spending patterns. Migrants also engage in social transnational activities which involve maintaining social contacts with friends and family abroad, socializing with people from the same ethnic group, and home visits. Cultural transnational activities that migrants are involved in are primarily low cost, individual in nature, and home based. Only those more established in the local et...
What Does It Take for Shuttles to Succeed? Comparison of Stated Preferences and Reality of Shuttle Success in New Jersey

In 1998, New Jersey Transit (NJ Transit) conducted an onboard survey of passengers on three of its commuter rail lines on their preferences for new shuttle services. During the first half of the 2000s, community-based shuttle service was introduced in several New Jersey communities—many under the federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. Some of these services continue today, but others were discontinued. This study uses data from the onboard survey to identify the rider characteristics and spatial characteristics of communities that influence stated preferences for shuttle service to rail stations. Correlation analysis, factor analysis, and logistic regression are used to identify these characteristics. With the use of results from the stated preference analysis, the communities where shuttle service has continued were compared with communities where service has been discontinued, to identify the factors that may influence the shuttle's success. The analysis of stated preferences...
Electron-transfer kinetics of tris(2-(methylthioethyl))aminecopper(II/I). A tripodal ligand complex exhibiting virtual C3v symmetry.

The tripodal ligand TMMEA (tris(2-methylthioethyl)amine) forms a trigonal bipyramidal complex with copper(II) in which the bridgehead nitrogen occupies one axial site, a solvent molecule (or anion)...
Understanding genome complexity and protein evolution in ciliates: insights from mitchondria and nuclei

We are exploring the evolutionary implications of genome duality in ciliates. Ciliates possess both a somatic macronucleus (MAC) and a germline micronucleus (MIC). Only the MAC is transcriptionally active, and divides by amitosis rather than mitosis and meiosis. We have previously hypothesized that genome duality is the driving force behind the heterogeneous and unusually elevated rates of amino acid substitutions we find in some protein coding genes. Does the dimorphic nature of the ciliate genome allow them to “cross the valleys in the adaptive landscape” of protein evolution? To test this hypothesis, we are analyzing additional protein genes as well as mitochondrial genes. Mitochondrial genes serve as an excellent comparison to those of the nucleus because phylogenetic information lost by the rapidly evolving nuclear genome may be retained in the mitochondria.
Penaeid Shrimps (Decapoda, Penaeidae) Collected Off East Africa By the Fishing Vessel "Van Gogh", 2. Deep-Water Shrimps of the Genera Penaeopsis and Parapenaeus With Description of Penaeopsis Balssi Sp. Nov

L'article decrit Penaeopsis balssi sp. nov. et expose ses differences par rapport aux autres especes de ce genre. Penaeopsis rectacuta (Bate) et Parapenaeus sextuberculatus Kubo sont signales pour la premiere fois le long des cotes de l'Afrique Est. Parapenaeus murrayi Ramadan represente manifestement un synonyme de P. investigatoris.
Peptidergic and serotonergic facilitation of a neuromuscular synapse inAplysia

(1) A buccal muscle motor neuron which synthesizes the neuromodulatory small cardioactive peptides (SCPs) was identified in the buccal ganglion of Aplysia by using a combination of electrophysiological and single cell biochemical experiments. This neuron was designated B38. (2) Exogenous SCPb enhanced B38-induced contractions when perfused over the target muscle, the rostral portion of the buccal I3 muscle. SCPB potentiation of muscle contraction was associated with an increase in the excitatory junction potential (EJP) amplitude recorded from the muscle fibers, increased muscle cyclic AMP (cAMP) content, hyperpolarization of the muscle fibers, and an increase in the muscle fiber membrane conductance. Exogenous SCPB also depolarized the cell body of B38 and increased electrical coupling between the symmetrically paired B38 neurons. (3) These results suggest that the SCPs may be co-released from B38 along with an unidentified conventional neurotransmitter to homosynaptically facilitate B38 synaptic transmission by modulating presynaptic and postsynaptic components. (4) Stimulation of the identified serotonergic metacerebral neuron or perfusion of exogenous serotonin (5-HT) over the 13 muscle also potentiated B38-induced muscle contractions and EJP amplitude. Thus the B38 neuromuscular synapse represents a peripheral site of serotonergic heterosynaptic facilitation in Aplysia. (5) Presynaptic and postsynaptic serotonergic effects were qualitatively similar to those of SCPB. Serotonergic effects on muscle fiber hyperpolarization and increase in muscle fiber membrane conductance were similar in magnitude to those of SCPB but 5-HT induced a much larger increase in the EJP amplitude which was additive with that of SCPB. (6) The effect of 5-HT on the EJP amplitude was associated with inhibition of a slowly decaying component of synaptic facilitation. Concentrations of SCPB that increased the EJP were much less effective at inhibiting the slow component of facilitation. These observations indicate that 5-HT also exerted a presynaptic effect on B38 transmitter release. (7) Both 5-HT and SCPB increased muscle cAMP levels and application of forskolin mimicked many of their effects. suggesting that at least some of the postsynaptic effects were mediated by increased cAMP levels in the 13 muscle.
Pulmonary outcomes are more severe among HIV-infected children with pneumocystis pneumonia than in children with primary immunodeficiency

333 Pulmonary Outcomes Are More Severe Among HIV-Infected Children With Pneumocystis Pneumonia Than in Children With Primary Immunodeficiency K. S. Brauer1, N. Tangsinmankong1, J. W. Sleasman1, S. Skoda Smith2; 1University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL, 2University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. RATIONALE: Despite a clear distinction in underlying pathogenesis between primary and acquired T cell immunodeficiency, no comparable data is available on the clinical outcomes and prognosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of infants < 2 years with confirmed PCP and either primary immunodeficiency or HIV infection was performed. PCP was confirmed by positive silver methionine staining on bronchoalveolar lavage, open biopsy, or tracheal aspirate. The two groups were assessed for the extent of immune suppression, incidence of respiratory failure, degree of hypoxia, and serum LDH levels. RESULTS: Thirty-seven children were evaluated. Ten children had primary immunodeficiency (PID), mean age 6.9 ± 2.8 mo ± SD, M:F ratio 4:1. Twenty-seven children had HIV infection, mean age 5.8 ± 3.5 mo ± SD, M:F ratio 0.9:1. At PCP diagnosis, CD4:CD8 ratios in the PID group were higher than in the HIV group (mean ± SD 1.47 ± 0.9 vs. 0.8 ± 0.6, respectively, p = .025). Respiratory failure defined as the need for intubation occurred more frequently in the HIV group (22/27) than in the PID group (2/10); p = .003. Immunologic parameters (including immunoglobulins, CD3, CD4, and CD8 counts), LDH, and PaO2/FiO2 ratio at the time of PCP diagnosis were similar between the two groups. Of note, LDH values were elevated in 83% of these children (mean 1404.7 IU/L). CONCLUSIONS: HIV/PCP co-infection leads a greater pulmonary inflammatory response resulting in more severe respiratory manifestations when compared to children with PCP and PID.
Co-Occurring Marijuana Use is Associated with Medication Nonadherence and Nonplanning Impulsivity in Young Adult Heavy Drinkers

Few studies have examined the co-occurrence of alcohol and marijuana use in clinical samples of young adults. The present study investigated whether co-occurring marijuana use is associated with characteristics indicative of a high level of risk in young adult heavy drinkers. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 years (N = 122) participated in an ongoing 8-week randomized clinical trial that tested the efficacy of placebo-controlled naltrexone plus brief individual counseling to reduce heavy drinking. At intake participants completed self-report assessments on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related negative consequences, motivation to reduce drinking, trait impulsivity, expectancies for alcohol-induced disinhibition, use of cigarettes, and history of medication nonadherence. In univariate tests heavy drinkers with and without co-occurring marijuana use did not differ on alcohol consumption, most alcohol-related negative consequences, and motivation to reduce drinking. In multivariate tests controlling for demographic characteristics, co-occurring heavy alcohol and marijuana use was significantly associated with nonplanning impulsivity (β = 2.95) and a history of both unintentional (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.30) and purposeful (aOR = 3.98) nonadherence to medication. Findings suggest that young adult heavy drinkers with co-occurring marijuana use exhibit a high-risk clinical profile and may benefit from interventions that increase adherence to medications.
Allocating health expenditures to treatment and prevention

Rational evaluation of important health sector issues requires more formal analysis of the optimal allocation of resources to treatment and prevention. The suggested approach imbeds a Markov model of the disease process in a simple budget-constrained nonlinear program. Expenditures are allocated to prevention and treatment of a given disease so as to maximize the expected fraction of time spent in the undiseased state by a group of individuals. Random-parameter simulations of a plausible form of the model produce qualitatively different expansion paths for the optimal spending mix, suggesting the need for a flexible policy stance until the parameters of such models can be estimated.
Translational and clinical science--time for a new vision.

Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of Health, discusses translational and clinical research and presents a new plan to provide additional financial support for this important area of investigation.
Continued fractions of operator-valued analytic functions

Abstract The subject of this work is the convergence of infinite continued fractions whose coefficients are analytic functions which take their values in the space of bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space. By appropriately combining a prior result of Fair with Vitali's theorem, we show that convergence under the uniform operator topology occurs on certain angular regions of the complex plane whenever the operator coefficients are commutative, invertible, and satisfy certain conditions on their numerical ranges.
The First Scale-Up Production of Theranostic Nanoemulsions

Theranostic nanomedicines are a promising new technological advancement toward personalized medicine. Although much progress has been made in pre-clinical studies, their clinical utilization is still under development. A key ingredient for successful theranostic clinical translation is pharmaceutical process design for production on a sufficient scale for clinical testing. In this study, we report, for the first time, a successful scale-up of a model theranostic nanoemulsion. Celecoxib-loaded near-infrared-labeled perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion was produced on three levels of scale (small at 54 mL, medium at 270 mL, and large at 1,000 mL) using microfluidization. The average size and polydispersity were not affected by the equipment used or production scale. The overall nanoemulsion stability was maintained for 90 days upon storage and was not impacted by nanoemulsion production scale or composition. Cell-based evaluations show comparable results for all nanoemulsions with no significant impact of nanoemulsion scale on cell toxicity and their pharmacological effects. This report serves as the first example of a successful scale-up of a theranostic nanoemulsion and a model for future studies on theranostic nanomedicine production and development.
An optimal data structure to handle dynamic environments in non-deterministic computations

The single most serious issue in the development of a parallel implementation of non-deterministic programming languages and systems (e.g., logic programming, constraint programming, search-based artificial intelligence systems) is the dynamic management of the binding environments-i.e., the ability to associate with each parallel computation the correct set of bindings/values representing the solution generated by that particular branch of the non-deterministic computation. The problem has been abstracted and formally studied previously (ACM Trans. Program. Lang. Syst. 15(4) (1993) 659; New Generation Comput. 17(3) (1999) 285), but to date only relatively inefficient data structures (ACM Trans. Program. Lang. Syst. (2002); New Generation Comput. 17(3) (1999) 285; J. Funct. Logic Program. Special issue #1 (1999)) have been developed to solve it. We provide a very efficient solution to the problem (O(lgn) per operation). This is a significant improvement over previously best known @W(n3) solution. Our solution is provably optimal for the pointer machine model. We also show how the solution can be extended to handle the abstraction of search problems in object-oriented systems, with the same time complexity.