cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leveraging Public Health Research to Inform State Legislative Policy that Promotes Health for Children and Families.

Purpose Engagement in policy is an essential public health service, with state legislatures serving as important arenas for activity on issues affecting children and families. However, a gap in communication often exists between policymakers and public health researchers who have the research knowledge to inform policy issues. We describe one tool for researchers to better leverage public health research to inform state legislative policymaking on issues of relevance to children and families. Description The Oregon Family Impact Seminar (OFIS), adapted from the Policy Institute for Family Impact Seminars, applies a systematic process to bring a synthesis of research findings on public health issues to state legislators using a six-step process: (1) identify candidate topics, (2) recruit legislative champions, (3) select the topic, (4) identify and prepare speakers, (5) host the presentations, and (6) develop and disseminate a research brief as a follow-up contact. Assessment Use of this model in Oregon has produced policy impact; for example, the 2015 presentation, “Two-Generation Approaches to Reduce Poverty,” prompted ongoing dialogue culminating in a new statute to increase Earned Income Tax Credit for parents with young children. This approach also has strengthened relationships among researchers and legislators, which serves to streamline the OFIS process. Conclusion This model is an effective vehicle for leveraging public health research findings to inform state-level policy. This model also serves to connect researchers with opportunities to engage with policymakers to address significant public health problems, particularly those addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health for children and families.
A fiber optic ultrasonic sensing system for 2D temperature field monitoring using optically generated acoustic waves

In this paper, we present a novel fiber optic ultrasonic sensing system to conduct a 2D temperature field monitoring. The fiber optic ultrasonic sensing system was used as an ultrasonic pyrometer to measure the temperature field. The ultrasonic pyrometer was based on the thermal dependence of the speed of sound in air. The speed of a sound wave traveling in a medium was proportional to the medium’s temperature. A fiber optic ultrasonic generator and a microphone were used as the ultrasonic signal generator and receiver, respectively. A carbon blackPolydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) material was utilized as the photoacoustic material for the fiber optic ultrasonic generator. A test was performed outside of a lab furnace, the testing area temperature range was from 26°C to 70°C. A 2D temperature field was mapped. The 2D temperature field map matched with the reference thermocouple results. This system could lead to the development of a new generation temperature sensor for temperature field monitoring in coalfired boilers or exhaust gas temperature monitoring for turbine engines.
Combined anti-CD20 and mTOR inhibition with factor VIII for immune tolerance induction in hemophilia A patients with refractory inhibitors.

Background Hemophilia A (HA) inhibitor patients that fail traditional immune tolerance induction (ITI) have increased morbidity and mortality. Preclinical studies support factor VIII (FVIII) tolerance induction with a combined approach of anti-CD20 mediated transient B cell depletion and rapamycin mediated regulatory T cell (Treg) induction. Methods Two refractory HA inhibitor patients were treated with rituximab, rapamycin, and FVIII ITI. Their clinical course, anti-FVIII immunoglobulins, cytokines, and select lymphocytes were followed. Results One patient achieved complete and the other partial FVIII tolerance; both had marked annualized bleeding rate improvement. FVIII-specific immunoglobulins, but not total Treg counts, correlated with tolerance induction. IL-6 and IL-21 correlation with complete tolerance induction may support that down-regulation of T effectors and IgG4 production, respectively, contribute to the pathogenesis of tolerance induction. Conclusions This regimen may be considered to induce FVIII tolerance in HA patients with refractory inhibitors. Further characterization of the FVIII-specific immune response is necessary to clarify the mechanism of immune tolerance.
Prereductions of ideals in local rings

This paper contributes several results to the analytic theory of ideals. The main new concept is that of a prereduction (together with the closely related type-prereduction): if R is a ring and A ⊂...
Grid Integration of Renewable Energy Sources: Utilization of Line Thermal Behavior

Conventionally-used transmission line static thermal ratings are often conservative and may therefore serve as an impediment to high penetration levels of renewable energy sources into the electric power grid. Utilizing actual weather conditions to dynamically determine the line thermal ratings can provide a better estimate of the power transfer capability of the existing transmission lines. In this work, the non-static thermal conditions of the overhead lines are considered during a change in weather conditions for maximum utilization of the transfer capacity of transmission lines. Changes in weather conditions result in a non-static thermal condition for the overhead conductors until the conductor reaches a new steady-state conductor temperature. Due to the thermal inertia of the line conductors, this change in conductor temperature does not happen instantaneously, rather it happens gradually over a certain period of time. This thermal property of the line conductors is coupled with the line electrical parameters in this work to maximize integration of renewable sources of energy, such as wind, into existing transmission lines.
Material Discovery and High Throughput Exploration of Ru Based Catalysts for Low Temperature Ammonia Decomposition

High throughput experimentation has the capability to generate massive, multidimensional datasets, allowing for the discovery of novel catalytic materials. Here, we show the synthesis and catalytic screening of over 100 unique Ru-Metal-K based bimetallic catalysts for low temperature ammonia decomposition, with a Ru loading between 1-3 wt% Ru and a fixed K loading of 12 wt% K, supported on γ-Al2O3. Bimetallic catalysts containing Sc, Sr, Hf, Y, Mg, Zr, Ta, or Ca in addition to Ru were found to have excellent ammonia decomposition activity when compared to state-of-the-art catalysts in literature. Furthermore, the Ru content could be reduced to 1 wt% Ru, a factor of four decrease, with the addition of Sr, Y, Zr, or Hf, where these secondary metals have not been previously explored for ammonia decomposition. The bimetallic interactions between Ru and the secondary metal, specifically RuSrK and RuFeK, were investigated in detail to elucidate the reaction kinetics and surface properties of both high and low performing catalysts. The RuSrK catalyst had a turnover frequency of 1.78 s-1, while RuFeK had a turnover frequency of only 0.28 s-1 under identical operating conditions. Based on their apparent activation energies and number of surface sites, the RuSrK had a factor of two lower activation energy than the RuFeK, while also possessing an equivalent number of surface sites, which suggests that the Sr promotes ammonia decomposition in the presence of Ru by modifying the active sites of Ru.
Shadow enhancers suppress input transcription factor noise through distinct regulatory logic

Abstract Shadow enhancers, groups of seemingly redundant enhancers, are found in a wide range of organisms and are critical for robust developmental patterning. However, their mechanism of action is unknown. We hypothesized that shadow enhancers drive consistent expression levels by buffering upstream noise through a separation of transcription factor (TF) inputs at the individual enhancers. By measuring transcriptional dynamics of several Kruppel shadow enhancer configurations in live Drosophila embryos, we showed individual member enhancers act largely independently. We found that TF fluctuations are an appreciable source of noise that the shadow enhancer pair can better buffer than duplicated enhancers. The shadow enhancer pair is uniquely able to maintain low levels of expression noise across a wide range of temperatures. A stochastic model demonstrated the separation of TF inputs is sufficient to explain these findings. Our results suggest the widespread use of shadow enhancers is partially due to their noise suppressing ability.
Restructuring the Principle of Medical Futility

In the United States, as well as throughout the world, current demands for organ transplants far exceed the actual supply. Nonconsensual human donations, taken from minors, incompetents and prisoners are regulated carefully by the courts. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act and the National Organ Transplant Act serve also as statutory frameworks for organ retrievals and allocations and place various restrictions upon each. Altruistically motivated donations at death continue to be an inadequate mechanism for meeting the growing demands of the market. Included among the various approaches to resolving the critical shortage of human organs for transplantation are post mortem harvesting, escheatage, prospective contingent sales and standard death benefit payments – with the latter being perhaps the most attractive in the United States. While ethical and moral principles can help develop a construct for resolving harvesting and transplantation conflicts, they must be tempered – in the final analysis – by a standard of practical need that recognizes unnecessary suffering and premature death from diseased and replaceable organs as undesirable.
Identification of SARS-CoV-2 viral entry inhibitors using machine learning and cell-based pseudotyped particle assay.

In response to the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, we constructed a hybrid support vector machine (SVM) classification model using a set of publicly posted SARS-CoV-2 pseudotyped particle (PP) entry assay repurposing screen data to identify novel potent compounds as a starting point for drug development to treat COVID-19 patients. Two different molecular descriptor systems, atom typing descriptors and 3D fingerprints (FPs), were employed to construct the SVM classification models. Both models achieved reasonable performance, with the area under the curve of receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) of 0.84 and 0.82, respectively. The consensus prediction outperformed the two individual models with significantly improved AUC-ROC of 0.91, where the compounds with inconsistent classifications were excluded. The consensus model was then used to screen the 173,898 compounds in the NCATS annotated and diverse chemical libraries. Of the 255 compounds selected for experimental confirmation, 116 compounds exhibited inhibitory activities in the SARS-CoV-2 PP entry assay with IC50 values ranged between 0.17 µM and 62.2 µM, representing an enrichment factor of 3.2. These 116 active compounds with diverse and novel structures could potentially serve as starting points for chemistry optimization for COVID-19 drug discovery.
Comparative assessment of in vitro BBB tight junction integrity following exposure to cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor: a quantitative evaluation of the protective effects of metformin using small-molecular-weight paracellular markers.

Background The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a critical role in protecting the central nervous system (CNS) from blood-borne agents and potentially harmful xenobiotics. Our group's previous data has shown that tobacco smoke (TS) and electronic cigarettes (EC) affect the BBB integrity, increase stroke incidence, and are considered a risk factor for multiple CNS disorders. Metformin was also found to abrogate the adverse effects of TS and EC. Methods We used sucrose and mannitol as paracellular markers to quantitatively assess TS and EC's impact on the BBB in-vitro. Specifically, we used a quantitative platform to determine the harmful effects of smoking on the BBB and study the protective effect of metformin. Using a transwell system and iPSCs-derived BMECs, we assessed TS and EC's effect on sucrose and mannitol permeability with and without metformin pre-treatment at different time points. Concurrently, using immunofluorescence (IF) and Western blot (WB) techniques, we evaluated the expression and distribution of tight junction proteins, including ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-5. Results Our data showed that TS and EC negatively affect sucrose and mannitol permeability starting after 6 h and up to 24 h. The loss of barrier integrity was associated with a reduction of TEER values. While the overall expression level of ZO-1 and occludin was not significantly downregulated, the distribution of ZO-1 was altered, and discontinuation patterns were evident through IF imaging. In contrast to occludin, claudin-5 expression was significantly decreased by TS and EC, as demonstrated by WB and IF data. Conclusion In agreement with previous studies, our data showed the metformin could counteract the negative impact of TS and EC on BBB integrity, thus suggesting the possibility of repurposing this drug to afford cerebrovascular protection.
Unsilencing the Migratory Grief of International Students: A Conversation Starter to Support Asian International Students Through Family Loss

This reflective essay explores the experience of international students’ migratory grief. Through a personal narrative, it describes the tendency among Asian international students to withhold help-seeking and transnational challenges that further complicate the grieving process among international students. Anticipating its relevance with the campus reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the article highlights the need for higher education institutions to foster an evidence-based and culturally-informed grief support.
Automatic Identification of Idling Reasons in Excavation Operations Based on Excavator–Truck Relationships

AbstractExcavators and trucks are important equipment for earthwork operations, which make major contributions to construction productivity. To control the work efficiency and productivity of earth...
Monitoring Forest Transitions Using Scanned Ground Photographs as a Primary Data Source

Previous studies that have used repeat ground-based photography to document land-cover or land-use change have generally not assessed canopy transitions in forest settings. Furthermore, such activities have typically evaluated change only in a qualitative sense. Our research has investigated procedures necessary to utilize scanned and digitally processed ground-based photographs to quantitatively measure the multitemporal spectral response of a forest canopy in southern Utah. A multi-year photographic inventory was acquired from surveyed ground positions to document spectral response in a targeted forest condition. Issues related to normalization, image sampling, and digital analysis were investigated. The research concluded that highly reproducible and consistent spectral data can be generated to quantitatively monitor local canopy conditions, and to document the impact of natural or human-induced disturbance.
Abstract 5523: Study of the response of melanoma lines to BRAF/MEK inhibitors and combination drug treatments

The serine-threonine protein kinase, BRAF, is a frequently mutated oncogene, found in cancers of the skin, thyroid and large intestine. It is especially prevalent in malignant melanoma, where it occurs in 40-60% of the cases. The most common BRAF mutation is the valine to glutamate substitution at position 600 of the kinase (V600E). This substitution, seen in ninety percent of the BRAF cases, leads to constitutive activation of the kinase, and the downstream MEK-ERK pathway. Appropriately, several drugs have been designed to inhibit BRAF, with a broad range of outcomes in clinical trials. Unfortunately, all patients, including those showing complete responses, develop resistance to single agent therapy. Our goal is to come up with effective drug combinations that would delay, or even prevent, the cancer from becoming resistant to treatment. We used a panel of 43 melanoma lines, comprising of 28 BRAF mutants, 12 NRAS mutants and 3 lines that were wild type for these two genes. Besides BRAF and NRAS, we have the mutational status of 65 other commonly mutated cancer genes for all the lines. We assembled a set of 25 drugs targeting a wide range of proteins, including PI3K/mTOR inhibitors, the apoptosis machinery, as well as some epigenetic modulators. The melanoma lines were treated with these drugs, either (i) alone or (ii) in combination with the B-RAF inhibitor vemurafenib or (iii) in combination with the MEK inhibitor Selumetinib, for 72 hrs over a nine point, 256-fold concentration range. Viability and apoptosis were measured using cell titer glo (Promega). The results from this pilot study are discussed here. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Anahita Dastur, Cyril Benes. Study of the response of melanoma lines to BRAF/MEK inhibitors and combination drug treatments. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5523. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5523
Creation and implementation of a community service honor society (534.2)

An honor society acknowledging students who demonstrate excellence in community service/ outreach/volunteerism has been established at Samuel Merritt University. This honor society was developed from the observance that although most institutions recognize outstanding academic performance, students who have the ability to volunteer their time and maintain good academic standing should be recognized as well. Students are required to self-enroll onto the online community service webpage. The webpage is an online course management system called Canvas that has been designed to serve 2 major purposes: 1. To announce upcoming community service opportunities, and 2. Create a method to track and record community service hours. Upon enrollment, students view and sign up for the upcoming outreach activities. After completion of the service activity, students submit a self-reflection online to receive credit. Prior to graduation, students apply to be accepted into the honor society and several criteria are used to ...
A branched metabolic pathway in animal cells converts 2-monoacylglycerol into sn-1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl phosphatidylinositol and other phosphoglycerides

Abstract Swiss 3T3 cells in culture have recently been shown to incorporate exogenous,[3H]-glycerol-labeled 2-monoacylglycerol into phosphoglycerides. The pathways that form these phosphoglycerides have yet to be characterized in detail, but a monoacylglycerol kinase and a stearoyl-specific transacylase seem to act successively to initiate one of the major pathways that are involved. This pathway is of special interest because its products appear to include sn-1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl phosphatidylinositol and sn-1-stearoyl-2-acyl species of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine. These phosphoglyceride species are key components of animal cell membranes that seem not to be formed by the classical pathways that synthesize phosphoglycerides de novo. Their precise function remains to be determined, but phosphoinositides, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylserine are known to be present in the cytoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane where they contribute to mechanisms of stimulus transduction and serve as binding sites for many intracellular proteins. Therefore, the sn-1-stearoyl-2-acyl phosphoglycerides that the 2-monoacylglycerol incorporation pathway forms may have an important influence on intracellular events.
Newton’s Rejection of the Mechanical Aether: Empirical Difficulties and Guiding Assumptions

The case to be examined is Isaac Newton’s rejection of a mechanical aether for gravitation in late 1684 or early 1684/85. I have chosen this episode as particularly appropriate for testing theories of scientific change primarily because of its historical importance, the rejection of a mechanical aether being a prerequisite for the establishment of Newtonian gravitational theory.
Low-Temperature Ductility in Relation to Pavement Performance

The data on changing asphalt properties, especially the low-temperature ductility measured at 39.2 and 60°F (4 and 15.6°C). have been analyzed and related to the performance of ten experimental pavements in Pennsylvania. It has been observed that aging of the pavement results in progressively lower penetration and higher viscosity. However, the accompanying decrease in low-temperature ductility is an important factor. After the penetration of asphalt drops below 30 due to hardening, the pavements containing asphalt with low ductilities are likely to show poorer service than pavements containing asphalts of the same penetration but with high ductilities. The data also indicate the probable ranges of low-temperature ductility values at which the progressive deterioration of the pavement (such as loss of fines, raveling, cracking, etc.) takes place under Pennsylvania climatic conditions. At lower temperatures, the ductility values are lower, reproducible, and better defined than the values at higher temperatures determined on long, thin threads of asphalt. Therefore, a specification requirement at a 60°F or lower temperature should provide better criteria.
Customer–Provider Strategic Alignment: A Maturity Model

This chapter presents a new model for assessing the maturity of a ­customer–provider relationship from a collaborative service delivery perspective: the Customer–Provider Strategic Alignment Maturity (CPSAM) Model. This model builds on recent research for effectively managing the customer–provider relationship in IT service outsourcing contexts and a validated model for assessing alignment across internal IT service units and their business customers within the same organization. After reviewing relevant literature by service science and information systems researchers, the six overarching components of the maturity model are presented: value measurements, governance, partnership, communications, human resources and skills, and scope and architecture. A key assumption of the model is that all of the components need be addressed to assess and improve customer–provider alignment. Examples of specific metrics for measuring the maturity level of each component over the five levels of maturity are also presented.
Middle latency auditory evoked potentials in epilepsy.

Middle latency auditory evoked potentials (MLAEPs) have been recorded after cortical lesions and seizure surgery. We recorded interictal MLAEPs in 14 patients with well documented complex partial and secondary generalized seizures. N a and P a potentials did not differ in latency between patients and controls, although both were longer among seizure patients. P a and N a were significantly reduced in amplitude in complex partial seizure patients compared to controls. These findings accord with previous suggestions that MLAEPs may be generated subcortically but modulated by temporal lobe structures. MLAEPs may be of value in differentiating temporal and extratemporal epilepsy. They may also help clarify interictal cognitive or behavioral symptoms related to epilepsy or the effects of antiepileptic medication.
The pupa of the elmid beetle, lara avara (coleoptera: Dryopoidea: Elmidae)

Abstract The pupa of the elmid beetle, Lara avara is described. This pupa is similar to other pupae in the Elmidae, differing mainly in its large size, and the presence of lateral projections on the abdominal tergites. A description of the pupal habitat is included. Diagnostic characters of pupae of the subfamily Larinae are discussed.
Preparations for the MicroMAS CubeSat mission

The Micro-sized Microwave Atmospheric Satellite (MicroMAS) is a 3U CubeSat (10×10×34 cm, ~4 kg) hosting a passive microwave spectrometer operating near the 118.75-GHz oxygen absorption line. MicroMAS is a dual-spinning 3U CubeSat that aims to address the need for low-cost, mission-flexible, and rapidly deployable spaceborne sensors. The focus of the current MicroMAS mission is to observe convective thunderstorms, tropical cyclones, and hurricanes from a near-equatorial orbit.
The Armageddon Test: Preventing Nuclear Terrorism:

It might not be easy for a terrorist group to obtain a nuclear weapon, but the opportunities are out there. One way to stop them—form an elite intelligence team tasked solely with preventing a nuclear terrorist attack.
Sex for You, But Not for Me: Discontinuity in Undergraduate Emerging Adults' Definitions of “Having Sex”

The purpose of this study was to determine if undergraduates (N = 839) apply the same standard to themselves when labeling a behavior “having sex” as they apply to their significant others if those persons engage in the same behaviors outside the relationship. Using a between-participants design, one form asked participants if each of 11 behaviors constituted having sex if they engaged in the activity; the other form asked participants if each of the same behaviors constituted having sex if their significant other engaged in the activity outside their relationship. Participants answering for themselves were less likely to indicate a behavior was having sex for all behaviors except penile–anal and penile–vaginal intercourse. Men were also more likely than women to indicate most behaviors were having sex. The authors discuss what they define as a definitional discontinuity in undergraduate emerging adults' definitions of having sex. Fundamental attribution error (FAE) and emerging adulthood literature are u...
Cavity QED analog of spin

Abstract Using the even and odd coherent states, we show that a single mode cavity field, prepared in a coherent state by a classical source and manipulated by both dispersive and resonant interactions with atoms, is analogous to a spin one-half particle interacting with Stern–Gerlach magnets where the parity of the field is the analog of spin. Because the number of photons in the cavity may be large, the system we describe can exhibit quantum effects on at least a mesoscopic scale. We show that entangled two and three cavity systems can be generated. The three cavity case can be used to demonstrate the contradiction between local realistic theories and quantum mechanics in the manner proposed by Greenberger, Horne and Zeilinger in 1989 [13].
FIRM RESERVOIR YIELD—HOW RELIABLE ARE HISTORIC HYDROLOGICAL RECORDS?

ABSTRACT Reservoirs are of necessity always built on the basis of incomplete hydrological information which introduces uncertainty into their design and operation. Since the advent of the electronic digital computer attempts have been made to reduce the uncertainty in hydrological design and reservoir management by the use of synthetic hydrology and simulation. It has been found by simulation that the expected benefits from a proposed reservoir system are often a function of the stochastic process selected for the synthetic hydrology, as well as depending upon the magnitude, and choice of driving parameters (commonly, the mean, variance, lag one serial correlation and Hurst's ‘h’). It is suggested that hydrological records are often two short and most statistical tests too weak for the hydrologist to be able to pick ‘the correct’ synthetic hydrological world with any reasonable degree of certainty. However, it would appear that for many problems and places that there is sufficient hydrological data for th...
A Model Based Enterprise Approach in Electronics Manufacturing

Electromagnetic compatibility and overheating are two key issues in printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing. Due to design and manufacturing limitations, the Department of Defense (DoD) suppliers put tremendous efforts on testing physical prototypes of PCBs. In this work, we developed a model-based interactive and 3D environment, the predictive environment for visualization of electromechanical virtual validation (PREVIEW), to test and analyze the virtual performance of PCBs, which aids designers assessing manufacturability of PCBs virtually prior to developing a physical prototype. Firstly, a thermal simulation module is developed and integrated into PREVIEW to analyze thermal performance of PCBs. Secondly; electromagnetic compatibility is visualized through simulation of 3D electromagnetic field and noise emission.
Acquisition of developmental autonomy in the equatorial region of the Xenopus embryo.

Abstract This paper describes a continuing effort to define the location and mode of action of morphogenetic determinants which direct the development of dorsal body axis structures in embryos of the frog Xenopus laevis. Earlier results demonstrated that presumptive endodermal cells in one vegetal quadrant of the 64-cell embryo can, under certain experimental conditions, induce partial or complete body axis formation by progeny of adjacent equatorial cells. (R. L. Gimlich and J. C. Gerhart, 1984, Dev. Biol. 104, 117–130) . I have now assessed the importance of other blastomeres for embryonic axis formation in a series of transplantation experiments using cells from the equatorial level of the 32-cell embryo. The transplant recipients were embryos which had been irradiated with ultraviolet light before first cleavage. Without transplantation, embryos failed to develop the dorsal structures of the embryonic body axis. However, cells of these recipients were competent to respond to inductive signals from transplanted tissue and to participate in normal embryogenesis. Dorsal equatorial cells, but not their lateral or ventral counterparts, often caused partial or complete body axis development in irradiated recipients, and themselves formed much of the notochord and some prechordal and somitic mesoderm. These are the same structures that they would have formed in the normal donor. Thus, the dorsal equatorial blastomeres were often at least partially autonomous in developing according to their prospective fates. In addition, they induced progeny of neighboring host cells to contribute to the axial mesoderm and to form most of the central nervous system. The frequency with which such transplants caused complete axis formation in irradiated hosts increased when they were made at later and later cleavage stages. In contrast, the inductive activity of vegetal cells remained the same or declined during the cleavage period. These and other results suggest that the egg cytoplasmic region containing “axial determinants” is distributed to both endodermal and mesodermal precursors in the dorsal-most quadrant of the early blastula.
Alveolar soft-part sarcoma of the female genital tract: A report of nine cases and review of the literature

Nine alveolar soft-part sarcomas of the female genital tract (four previously reported) occurred in patients 14-38 (mean 29) years of age. The most common clinical presentation was abnormal uterine bleeding. Two tumors were located in the vagina, three in the cervix or lower uterine segment, three in the uterine corpus, and one in the broad ligament. The tumors were solid and well circumscribed, ranging in maximum dimension from 1 to 9.8 (average 3.6) cm and had the characteristic histologic features of alveolar soft-part sarcoma. Granules that were diastase resistant and positive by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) were present in all the tumors, and PAS-positive, diastase-resistant crystals were present in eight of them. Follow-up information ranging from 9 months to 17 years (average 62 months) was available for all the patients. One patient died of metastatic disease 25 months after diagnosis; eight other patients had uneventful follow-up periods ranging from 9 months to 17 years (average 67 months). The differential diagnosis of these tumors is discussed and the literature reviewed.
Anisotropic infrared response of vanadium dioxide microcrystals

Vanadium dioxide (VO${}_{2}$) undergoes a phase transition at a temperature of 340 K between an insulating monoclinic ${M}_{1}$ phase and a conducting rutile phase. Accurate measurements of possible anisotropy of the electronic properties and phonon features of VO${}_{2}$ in the insulating monoclinic ${M}_{1}$ and metallic rutile phases are a prerequisite for understanding the phase transition in this correlated system. Recently, it has become possible to grow single domain untwinned VO${}_{2}$ microcrystals, which makes it possible to investigate the true anisotropy of VO${}_{2}$. We performed polarized transmission infrared micro-spectroscopy on these untwinned microcrystals in the spectral range between 200 cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and 6000 cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and have obtained the anisotropic phonon parameters and low frequency electronic properties in the insulating monoclinic ${M}_{1}$ and metallic rutile phases. We have also performed ab initio GGA+$U$ total energy calculations of phonon frequencies for both phases. We find our measurements and calculations to be in good agreement.
Nontuberculous mycobacterial endobronchitis in children

chlorambucil alone. Thirteen of the 14 children were older than 2 years of age. The one patient who was less than 2 years of age had no organ dysfunction and had a PR for greater than one year. Two of the 13 patients had organ dysfunction and both failed to respond. Three of the 11 patients remaining failed to respond. Fourteen patients who had received no prior therapy were treated with chlorambucil and prednisone. Only four were over 2 years of age. None had organ dysfunction and all four responded to therapy. Ten patients were less than 2 years of age. Only one had organ dysfunction; this child had a PR. Of the nine remaining patients less than 2 years of age without organ dysfunction, only three responded. Of the eight children who had received prior therapy and were treated with prednisone and chlorambucil, only one patient was less than 2 years of age and had organ dysfunction. That patient has sustained a PR for longer than one year. Of the seven patients over 2 years of age, three had organ dysfunction. One failed to respond; two have continuing remissions.
In vivo administration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its antagonist, soluble neuropilin-1, predicts a role of VEGF in the progression of acute myeloid leukemia in vivo

Recent findings implied that the progression of hematologic malignancies, like that of solid tumors, is dependent on neovascularization. Recent studies on patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) showed increased levels of leukocyte-associated vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and neovascularization of the bone marrow. Murine (32D, M1) and human (HEL, U937, and UKE-1) leukemic cell lines and freshly isolated leukemic cells were analyzed for the expression of VEGF and VEGF receptor mRNA. The expression of VEGF and VEGF receptors KDR and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) was detected in these cells. In a murine chloroma model, delivery of VEGF165using microencapsulation technology resulted in enhanced tumor growth and vascularization, whereas treatment with a VEGF antagonist soluble NRP-1 (sNRP-1) inhibited tumor angiogenesis and growth. In a systemic leukemia model, survival of mice injected with adenovirus (Ad) encoding for Fc-sNRP-1 (sNRP-1 dimer) was significantly prolonged as compared with mice injected with Ad-LacZ. Further analyses showed a reduction in circulating leukemic cells and infiltration of liver and spleen as well as bone marrow neovascularization and cellularity. Taken together, these results demonstrate that angiogenic factors such as VEGF promote AML progression in vivo. The use of VEGF antagonists as an antiangiogenesis approach offers a potential treatment for AML. Finally, our novel in vivo drug delivery model may be useful for testing the activities of other peptide antiangiogenic factors.
Extending the frontiers of resectability in advanced colorectal cancer.

Abstract Aim To review the advances in the past decade that have enabled more patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) to undergo curative hepatic resection. Methods A comprehensive literature review and pertinent data published on advanced CRLM from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center were used for this review. Results Criteria for resectability of CRLM have expanded with the advent of effective chemotherapy, improved surgical technique, and novel strategies such as preoperative volumetry, portal vein embolization, and two-stage hepatectomy. Despite the aggressiveness of these approaches to treating patients with advanced disease, recent series show an improvement in 5-year survival rate for patients with CRLM. Conclusions Advances in multidisciplinary management and careful patient selection have enabled more patients to undergo curative resection for CRLM, with corresponding improvement in survival rates.
Numerical Simulation of Nearshore Hydrodynamics and Sediment Transport Downdrift of a Tidal Inlet

AbstractNearshore hydrodynamics and sediment transport patterns induced by waves and tide adjacent to a structured tidal inlet with complex bathymetry are investigated to determine the potential causes of downdrift beach erosion. A coupled wave and hydrodynamic model is used to simulate the nearshore hydrodynamics and morphodynamics. Near the inlet, the tidal-induced pressure gradient dominates the wave radiation stress gradient only in the first half of the flood duration. The nearshore hydrodynamic pattern for the rest of the tidal cycle is driven mainly by the wave-driven pressure gradient. The wave-driven pressure gradient results from alongshore variation of water surface elevation induced by nearshore wave focal points caused by wave refraction over irregular bathymetry (with ebb tidal shoals and nonparallel shoreline depth contours). The resulting alongshore sediment transport patterns suggest that the direction of the time-averaged alongshore sediment transport rate near the inlet and at the downd...
High-Q optical nanocavities in planar photonic crystals

Planar photonic crystals are constructed by combining two-dimensional periodic structures with high refractive index contrast slabs. By suppressing the loss in these structures due to imperfect confinement in the third dimension, one can fully take advantage of their relatively simple fabrication, and achieve the functionality of three-dimensional photonic crystals. One of the greatest challenges in photonic crystal research is a construction of optical nanocavities with small mode volumes and large quality factors, for efficient localization of light. Beside standard applications of these structures (such as lasers or filters), they can potentially be used for cavity QED experiments, or as building blocks for quantum networks. This paper will address our theoretical and experimental results on optical nanocavities based on planar photonic crystals, with mode volumes as small as one half of cubic wavelength of light in material, and with Q factors even larger than 1x104.
Mechanism of aminopyridine-induced ictal seizure activity in the cat neocortex.

Abstract Intracellular recordings were obtained from neurons in the motor cortex of anesthetized cats in order to examine membrane and synaptic processes involved in aminopyridine (AP)-induced ictal seizure activity. Depolarizing and hyperpolarizing membrane potential sequences which behaved as large, synchronized excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials, were found to accompany the ictal seizure potentials. After several repetitions of the seizure attack, partial responses, bursts and depolarizing plateaus with spike inactivation occurred. In layers IV and V we found non-pyramidal tract neurons showing endogenous bursting ability activated by AP. These neurons seemed to be the initiators of the rhythmic synchronous activity of the epileptic neuron population. Our results suggest, that AP-induced epileptogenesis represents an adequate model of ictal events in the neocortex.
Spectral and temporal dynamics of far infrared generated monochromatic nonequilibrium phonons in LaF3:Pr3+

Abstract The spectral and temporal dynamics of monochromatic, nonequilibrium phonons in LaF 3 :Pr 3+ are investigated at low temperatures (1.8 K). High occupation number, narrow band phonon populations are generated via far infrared (FIR) pumping of defect induced one phonon absorption. Anti-Stokes absorption spectroscopy is utilized in an “optical boxcar” scheme to directly observe both the spectral and temporal evolution of these phonons. The monochromatically generated phonons are seen to decay anharmonically to a broad low frequency distribution. Brckfeeding via phonon confluence of these decay products produces a distinct broad distribution around the generation frequency.
Independent verification of the saturation hydrogen uptake in MOF-177 and establishment of a benchmark for hydrogen adsorption in metal–organic frameworks

Hydrogen isotherms for MOF-177, Zn4O(1,3,5-benzenetribenzoate)2, crystals were independently measured by volumetric and gravimetric methods at 77 K to confirm its hydrogen uptake capacity and to establish the importance of calibrating gas adsorption instrumentation prior to evaluating H2 storage capacities. Reproducibility of hydrogen adsorption experiments is important because non-systematic errors in measurements can easily occur leading to erroneous reports of capacities. The surface excess weight percentage of hydrogen uptake in MOF-177 samples is 7.5 wt% at 70 bar, which corresponds to an absolute adsorbed amount of 11 wt%. These values are in agreement with our previous report and with those found independently by Southwest Research Institute. Considering its well-known structure and its significant H2 uptake properties, we believe MOF-177 is an excellent material to serve as a benchmark adsorber.
Regulation of protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates: The heme-regulated protein kinase (HRI) and double stranded RNA induced protein kinase (dRI) phosphorylate the same site(s) on initiation factor eIF-2

Abstract Double stranded RNA (dsRNA) induced inhibitor (dRI) has been partially purified (80–100 fold). The dRI inhibits protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocyte lysates; the inhibition is overcome by the initiation factor eIF-2. The dRI preparations phosphorylate the 38,000-dalton subunit of eIF-2. Heme-deficiency in rabbit reticulocyte lysates also induces a translational inhibitor (HRI) which inhibits protein chain initiation by specifically phosphorylating the 38,000-dalton subunit of eIF-2. To establish correlation of the mechanism of inhibition of protein synthesis by dRI and HRI, the phosphopeptide patterns of eIF-2 phosphorylated by using HRI or dRI are compared. Treatment with various proteases of eIF-2 phosphorylated by HRI or dRI yield identical phosphopeptide patterns. This finding suggests that HRI and dRI phosphorylate the same site(s) of the 38,000-dalton subunit of eIF-2 and raises the possibility that dRI may also inhibit protein chain initiation by the mechanism similar to that of HRI.
Developing expert systems

Summary This article provides an overview of the general procedure and steps involved in developing expert systems. The first consideration is to select a suitable problem. Actual development of the expert system begins with formulating and representing the knowledge base. Then a programming tool is selected for use in developing the expert system and a working prototype is developed. After a period of evaluation and reformulation the full expert system is completed. Finally, the performance of the expert system is formally evaluated, final modifications are made, and the expert system is put into everyday use. Additional resources are provided for further reference.
"The Bagging Factory and the Breakfast Factory: Industrial Labor and Sentimentality in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin"

Historians have long noted the rapid adoption of mechanization by nineteenth‐century entrepreneurs. Within Harriet Beecher Stowe’s lifetime (1811–1896), the American economy shifted from a largely ...
Surface faulting accompanying the Borah Peak earthquake, central Idaho

The Ms 7.3 Borah Peak earthquake that struck central Idaho on October 28, 1983, was one of the strongest historic earthquakes in the Intermountain Seismic Belt. Much of the 34-km-long, northwest-trending zone of fault scarps and surface ruptures that formed during the earthquake follows Holocene and upper Pleistocene scarps of the Lost River fault. Throw along the new fault scarps averages 0.8 m, exceeds 1.0 m along 43% of their length, and attains a maximum of 2.7 m along the broad and complex zone of deformation in the southern section. The net slip was normal sinistral, averaging 17 cm lateral slip for 100 cm of dip slip. The preferred nodal plane from the focal mechanism strikes N22°W, dips 59°SW, and suggests a much larger component of strike slip than do the geologic data.
Surgery for locally extensive carcinomas of the thyroid gland

Extrathyroidal extension of well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma has a significant impact on survival, reducing 10 year survival in half, and is associated with high rates of local, regional and distant recurrence. Up to 13% of patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer will have extrathyroidal extension, and many of these will be asymptomatic, making thorough preoperative patient evaluation critical. The most commonly involved structures are the strap muscles, and the recurrent laryngeal nerve. The trachea, esophagus and larynx are involved less frequently. Complete surgical excision is the mainstay of treatment, and there are several important principles which should be followed. All gross disease should be removed, with preservation of functioning and vital structures when feasible. Tumors with extrathyroidal extension frequently harbor more aggressive subtypes such as Hurthle cell carcinoma, tall cell variants of papillary carcinoma or even poorly differentiated carcinoma. Because these variants are frequently less radioactive iodine avid, complete surgical resection is paramount. However, adjuvant therapy with radioactive iodine and external beam radiation are invariably needed. This article describes various surgical techniques for resection of thyroid cancer with extra thyroid extension.
A Short Enantioselective Total Synthesis of the Fundamental Pentacyclic Triterpene Lupeol

The first enantioselective synthesis of lupeol has been developed by applying two carefully crafted cation-π cyclization stages to generate the pentacyclic structure with complete stereocontrol. The synthesis (Scheme 1) is noteworthy because of its brevity and also because it solves a longstanding problem in the field of natural product synthesis.