cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of specimen age on its DNA quality for Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded HPV specimens

Formalin fixation and paraffin embedding (FFPE) allows the storage of diagnostic and surplus tissue in archival banks. Therefore, FFPE is now a standard method for long-term preservation of tissue biopsies as FFPE of samples preserves the morphology of tissue. Unfortunately, the FFPE process engenders chemical changes and degradation in tissue macromolecules that can pose threats to reliable subsequent analysis. DNA, while more resistant to FFPE in comparison to RNA and protein, is also subject to such chemical formations and degradation. This study provides robust findings about the relationship between DNA quality and specimen age from 10252 FFPE HPV specimens. This paper suggests that there is a perceptible degrading effect in DNA quality as specimens age. This study suggests that the biospecimen may begin to take on new characteristics after certain storage years, and such changes may result in inaccurate determinations of the molecular characteristics of the biospecimen during analysis. Results from this study demonstrate that older HPV specimens are more inclined to be tested negative or inadequate from commercial HPV genotyping assays. Same findings are conferred when multiple genotyping assays are involved with HPV testing. Also, older HPV samples typify fewer HPV types compared to younger HPV samples. The results from this study will be useful to enhance potential scope for next fixation methods such as ethanol fixation that may be equally useful for both molecular profiling and histology as FFPE.
Incorporation of Cervista Human Papillomavirus 16/18 Assay Into Algorithms for Classifying Human Papillomavirus Status in Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Head and Neck Squamous Carcinoma Specimens

Context.— Human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA in situ hybridization (ISH) assay and p16 immunohistochemistry (IHC) are used to determine high-risk HPV status in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) ...
Abstract TP117: Experimental Stroke Induces Chronic Gut Dysbiosis in Male C57BL/6J Mice

Introduction: Recent literature implicates gut epithelia mucosa and intestinal microbiota as important players in post-stroke morbidity and mortality. As most studies have focused on the acute effe...
Screening for Cervical Cancer.

P.J., a 48-year-old woman, presents to your office for a well-woman examination. She has been married for eight years, has no history of sexually transmitted diseases, and has nothing remarkable in her medical history.
Volatile Sulfur Differences in Nine Florida Strawberry Cultivars

Sulfur volatiles from nine University of Florida strawberry cultivars (Strawberry Festival, Florida Radiance, Earlibrite, Carmine, Elyana, Dover, Florida Belle, Winter Dawn, and Rosa Linda) were examined using SPME-GC-PFPD. Eighteen sulfur volatiles were observed. Thioester contents varied as much as 65-fold among the nine Florida strawberry cultivars. Strawberry Festival and Florida Radiance cultivars contained the highest amounts of total sulfur volatiles and total thioesters. Principal component analysis demonstrated that thioesters and sulfur dioxide patterns differentiated most cultivars. Strawberry Festival and Florida Radiance cultivars grouped tightly due to similar thioester content. Dover was a cultivar distinguished from all other cultivars primarily due to high methional content.
EVERY NOW AND THEN I FALL APART: TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE MITRAL VALVE

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is known to be sensitive to afterload, but otherwise is not thought to be dynamic. The term “eclipsed mitral valve” is used to describe dynamic MR, particularly in post-menopausal women with microvascular dysfunction. A 74 year old female presented with progressive
Cranial irradiation induces axon initial segment dysfunction and neuronal injury in the prefrontal cortex and impairs hippocampal coupling.

Background Radiation therapy for brain tumors commonly induces cognitive dysfunction. The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is crucial for a diverse array of cognitive processes, however, its role in radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction is unknown. We previously found that cranial irradiation impairs neuroplasticity along the hippocampal-PFC pathway. Herein, we hypothesized that brain irradiation directly affects the firing properties of PFC neurons, contributing to deficits in neuronal functions. Methods In vivo recordings were used to monitor the firing activities of PFC neurons and local field potentials in both PFC and hippocampal CA1/subicular regions after cranial irradiation of Sprague Dawley rats. We further assessed the impacts of irradiation on axon initial segments (AISs) with immunofluorescence assays of PFC slices. Results We found that PFC neurons exhibited increased excitation 3 days after radiation and the timing of increased excitation coincided with elongation of the AIS. At 2 weeks, excitation levels returned to nearly normal levels however the population of spontaneously firing neurons decreased. While the number of NeuN-positive neurons in the PFC was not different, persistent neuronal injury, manifested as ATF-3 staining, was present at 2 weeks. Radiation also disrupted communication along the hippocampal-PFC pathway, with elongation of the phase lag between regions. Analysis of paired-pulse ratios suggested that this was secondary to presynaptic dysfunction. Conclusions Cranial irradiation excited and injured surviving PFC neurons and was associated with a partial block of PFC's functional coupling to the hippocampus. These deficits in the PFC may contribute to radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction.
DisCovER: distance- and orientation-based covariational threading for weakly homologous proteins

Motivation: Threading a query protein sequence onto a library of weakly homologous structural templates remains challenging, even when sequence-based predicted contact or distance information is used. Contact- or distance-assisted threading methods utilize only the spatial proximity of the interacting residue pairs for template selection and alignment, ignoring their orientation. Moreover, existing threading methods fail to consider the neighborhood effect induced by the query-template alignment. Results: We present a new distance- and orientation-based covariational threading method called DisCovER by effectively integrating information from inter-residue distance and orientation along with the topological network neighborhood of a query-template alignment. Our method first selects a subset of templates using standard profile-based threading coupled with topological network similarity terms to account for the neighborhood effect and subsequently performs distance- and orientation-based query-template alignment using an iterative double dynamic programming framework. Multiple large-scale benchmarking results on query proteins classified as hard targets from the Continuous Automated Model Evaluation (CAMEO) experiment and from the current literature show that our method outperforms several existing state-of-the-art threading approaches; and that the integration of the neighborhood effect with the inter-residue distance and orientation information synergistically contributes to the improved performance of DisCovER. Availability: https://github.com/Bhattacharya-Lab/DisCovER
Longitudinal relationships between mismatch negativity, cognitive performance, and real-world functioning in early psychosis.

Abstract Background Reduced mismatch negativity (MMN) is observed in early psychosis (EP) and correlated with cognition and functioning, but few studies have examined their longitudinal relationships and diagnostic specificity. We examined MMN, neuro- and social-cognition, and functional measures in EP patients with schizophrenia-spectrum (SZ) or bipolar disorder (BD) over a 1-year follow-up. Methods 54 EP patients (SZ: n = 24; BD: n = 30) and 42 healthy controls completed baseline measures: MMN, neuro- and social-cognition, and functional assessments. 30 EP patients completed 12-month follow-up assessments. Patients and controls were compared on MMN at baseline and follow-up, and diagnostic subgroup analyses were performed. Associations amongst MMN, neuro- and social cognition, and clinical measures were examined and predictive models of follow-up outcomes were conducted. Results EP patients showed significantly reduced MMN compared to controls at baseline (p = 0.023). MMN was impaired in SZ patients at baseline (p = 0.017) and follow-up (p = 0.003); BD patients did not differ from controls at either timepoint. MMN was associated with symptom severity and functioning at baseline, and with social cognition and functioning at follow up, but was not predictive of functional outcomes at follow-up. Conclusions MMN abnormalities were evident in EP SZ-spectrum disorders at both timepoints, but not in BD at either timepoint. MMN was associated with functioning cross-sectionally, but did not predict future functional outcomes. However, deficits in MMN were associated with social cognition, which may have downstream effects on community functioning. Implications for targeted interventions to improve social processing and community outcomes are discussed.
Why do giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca; Carnivora: Ursidae) rub and roll in heterospecific scents?

Free-ranging giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) in China recently were reported to rub and roll in horse manure, a behavior that was observed frequently at low ambient temperatures. Two sesquiterpenes, β-caryophyllene (BCP) and caryophyllene oxide (BCPO), that are abundant in fresh horse manure elicited rolling in captive giant pandas. Mice and rats treated with BCP/BCPO exhibited enhanced cold tolerance in behavioral assays, and BCP/BCPO inhibited cold-activated ion channels of mammals expressed in human kidney cells; these laboratory results were cited in support of the contention that giant pandas tolerate low ambient temperatures by applying horse manure to their integument. The demonstrated biocidal activities of BCP and BCPO against insects and ticks, and the reported elicitation of anointing in giant pandas with materials other than horse manure, including substances or constituents thereof known to act as arthropod biocides, are consistent with an anti-consumer function of anointing by giant pandas. Anointing with the scents of heterospecifics as a defense against nuisance arthropods constitutes a viable hypothesis for the rubbing and rolling behaviors of giant pandas and other ursids.
Effectiveness of early identification and electronic interventions for teens with risk factors for the development of heart disease and diabetes: Phase II findings.

Background and purpose Serum and physical risk factors for the development of heart disease and diabetes are detectable long before adulthood. The purpose of this two-part study was to assess the prevalence and associations of these risk factors in teens and determine the effectiveness of a customizable two-part electronic education program on minimizing identified risks. Methods Data were collected from teens (n = 168) from two high schools (one urban and one rural) in the mid-Atlantic region. After baseline data were collected, the two-part electronic education program was initiated. Serum and physical risk factors were rechecked at 12-week intervals, and results were analyzed. Conclusions Significant serum and physical risk factor associations were identified and remained present among teens over the course of the study. High-density lipoproteins showed significant, steady improvement. Low-density lipoproteins were positively associated with body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, and thyroid-stimulating hormone level. Implications for practice Although serum and physical risk factors are identifiable in teens, routine screening of this age group and younger is not an established standard of care. Health care providers need effective, innovative methods to counteract these risks. Through increased awareness of the presence of risk factors in young patients, advanced nurse practitioners may implement earlier interventions to counteract these risks.
An Attempt of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) for Combustor Modeling

An attempt of large eddy simulation (LES) in a model combustor is performed, and a number of critical issues, such as grid size, incoming flow, wall boundary, physical sub-model and result sampling, are discussed. The computed results are compared with comprehensive experimental measurements, and illustrate that the mean axial velocity and temperature distributions inside the combustion chamber can be fairly well predicted by LES. However, for LES to become an accurate and cost-affordable tool for advanced combustion system development, some basic issues remain to be addressed and more validation studies are required. In addition, considerable computing power is needed in order to catch both low and high frequencies of flow motion in actual turbulent combustion systems.
e-Health for COVID-19 Epidemic: The Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center Experience.

Background: A significant challenge of the COVID-19 epidemic was the dissemination of accurate and timely information to the public, health care providers, and first responders. We describe the expansion of the Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center (APDIC) to fill such a need for residents of Arizona. Methodology: The original mission of the APDIC was recognition and management of chemical exposure, poisoning, envenomation, and drug-related medical problems. In response to COVID-19, APDIC expanded its personnel and facilities to accommodate telephone calls and teleconsults regarding COVID-19. Thirteen different topics dealing with COVID-19 were addressed and tracked and included: testing information, isolation, prevention, personal protective equipment, travel, vaccines, therapies, antibody testing, contact tracing, exposure to the virus and what to do in businesses, at work or at school regarding isolation and quarantine. Results: Responding to the public health needs, APDIC accepted >320,000 telephone calls and completed 48,346 teleconsults from March 3, 2020 to March 3, 2021. This represented a 15-fold increase in calls and twice the number of consults over 2019. Upon release of the vaccine, calls increased sharply with >7,000 calls in 1 day (February 7, 2021). Conclusion: In conclusion, the APDIC, rapidly expanded to address urgent public health information needs surrounding COVID-19 while still accomplishing its founding mission.
Targeting lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis in liver cancer

Increased lymphangiogenesis and lymph node metastasis, the important prognostic indicators of aggressive hepatobiliary malignancies such as hepatocellular cancer and cholangiocarcinoma, are associated with poor patient outcome. The liver produces 25% to 50% of total lymphatic fluid in the body and has a dense network of lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic system plays critical roles in fluid homeostasis and inflammation and immune response. Yet, lymphatic vessel alterations and function are grossly understudied in the context of liver pathology. Expansion of the lymphatic network has been documented in clinical samples of liver cancer; and although largely overlooked in the liver, tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis is an important player, increasing tumor metastasis in several cancers. This review aims to provide a detailed perspective on the current knowledge of alterations in the hepatic lymphatic system during liver malignancies, as well as various molecular signaling mechanisms and growth factors that may provide future targets for therapeutic intervention. In addition, the review also addresses current mechanisms and bottlenecks for effective therapeutic targeting of tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis.
Bottom-up nanoscale patterning and selective deposition on silicon nanowires.

We demonstrate a bottom-up process for programming the deposition of coaxial thin films aligned to the underlying dopant profile of semiconductor nanowires. Our process synergistically combines three distinct methods - vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) nanowire growth, selective coaxial lithography via etching of surfaces (SCALES), and area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) - into a cohesive whole. Here, we study ZrO2on Si nanowires as a model system. Si nanowires are first grown with an axially modulated n-Si/i-Si dopant profile. SCALES then yields coaxial poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) masks on the n-Si regions. Subsequent AS-ALD of ZrO2occurs on the exposed i-Si regions and not on those masked by PMMA. We show the spatial relationship between nanowire dopant profile, PMMA masks, and ZrO2films, confirming the programmability of the process. The nanoscale resolution of our process coupled with the plethora of available AS-ALD chemistries promises a range of future opportunities to generate structurally complex nanoscale materials and electronic devices using entirely bottom-up methods.
Evidence of a higher late-Holocene treeline along the Continental Divide in central Colorado

Using a combination of 23 radiocarbon ages and annual ring counts from 18 Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata) remnants above the local present-day limits, a period of higher treeline has been determined for two sites near the Continental Divide in central Colorado. The highest remnants were found about 30 m above live bristlecone pines of similar size. The majority of the remnants, consisting of standing snags, large logs, and smaller remains, are highly eroded, such that the innermost annual rings of all but one are missing. The radiocarbon ages obtained from the oldest wood recovered from each remnant indicate that the majority were established above the present-day limit of bristlecone pine from prior to 2700 cal. yr BP to no later than about 1200 cal. yr BP. These radiocarbon ages combined with the annual ring count from the corresponding remnant indicate that the majority of the sampled remnants grew above the present-day limit of bristlecone pine from sometime before 2700 cal. yr BP to ...
Reducing Time to Treatment - The Role of Stroke Neurologist as First Responder (S5.006)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of early involvement of an attending stroke-trained neurologist on timeliness of acute stroke treatment BACKGROUND: Stroke patient outcomes are improved by shortened time to thrombolysis. The importance of a stroke-trained neurologist as a first responder on the acute stroke care team has not been clearly defined. DESIGN/METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective study performed at an academic tertiary referral center and certified stroke center. The pre-intervention period was from August 2011 to July 2012 and included 34 treated with IV r-tPA. August 2012 to May 2013 was the intervention period, wherein a stroke-trained attending neurologist led the brain attack team in the response to acute strokes (n=26 treated with IV r-tPA). Outcome data included door to treatment and door to ct times. Data were analyses using descriptive statistics and comparisons performed using the Student’s T- test. RESULTS: Door to treatment time shortened from an average of 63.7 minutes pre-intervention to 40.8 minutes after the intervention (P= 0.0035). During the intervention, 84.6% of patients were treated in < 60 minutes, versus 47.1% prior to intervention. The percent of all stroke patients who were evaluated with CT in less than 25 minutes increased from 16.8% pre-intervention to 45.6% during the intervention. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a stroke-trained attending neurologist as a first responder and stroke team leader resulted in rapid patient evaluation and faster decision regarding thrombolytic therapy, improving time to treatment and time to CT. Disclosure: Dr. Ozark has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sabatino has nothing to disclose. Dr. Holmstedt has nothing to disclose. Dr. Turan has received personal compensation for activities with Gore Laboratories Inc., and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. Dr. Turan has received research support from Stryker Co., the National Institutes of Health, and AstraZeneca.
Further Reflections on Post-Realist Legal Scholarship and Teaching: A Brief Response to Professor Scordato

In this article, the author scrutinizes Professor Marin Roger Scordato’s recommendations regarding legal scholarship and teaching in the post-realist era. The author takes issue with some of Scordato’s recommendations on how to resolve the tension between instrumentalism and formalist legal discourse. Rather than devoting the bulk of their instruction to conventional doctrines and formalist analysis, the author suggests that instrumentalist law professors give greater relative emphasis to instrumentalist critiques.
Optical memory systems for 3-D computing architectures

Summary form only given. Due to their dimensional compatibility 3-D memories and 3-D packaged electronic processing systems may be naturally well suited to each others needs. For example, 3-D electronic processing systems can provide high speed data compression, decompression, error correction, cache memory and various database functions needed for 3-D optical storage systems. On the other hand, 3-D optical storage systems may well provide the compact high bandwidth secondary storage system solutions that 3-D packaged image processing systems may need. This talk will explore these possibilities and will attempt to outline means by which these devices can be interfaced advantageously.
SocialSense: A Collaborative Mobile Platform for Speaker and Mood Identification

We present SocialSense , a collaborative smartphone based speaker and mood identification and reporting system that uses a user’s voice to detect and log his/her speaking and mood episodes. SocialSense collaboratively works with other phones that are running the app present in the vicinity to periodically send/receive speaking and mood vectors to/from other users present in a social interaction setting, thus keeping track of the global speaking episodes of all users with their mood. In addition, it utilizes a novel event-adaptive dynamic classification scheme for speaker identification which updates the speaker classification model every time one or more users enter or leave the scenario, ensuring a most updated classifier based on user presence. Evaluation of using dynamic classifiers shows that SocialSense improves speaker identification accuracy by 30% compared to traditional static speaker identification systems, and a 10% to 43% performance boost under various noisy environments. SocialSense also improves the mood classification accuracy by 4% to 20% compared to the baseline approaches. Energy consumption experiments show that its device daily lifetime is between 10-14 hours.
Theorizing the City: The New Urban Anthropology Reader

Theorizing the City: The New Urban Anthropology Reader. Setha M. Low. ed. Piscataway, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1999.433 pp.
Fitting error in deep turbulence for a flat subaperture segmented deformable mirror

The ASALT lab has been investigating the use of a segmented MEMS DM in adaptive optics systems. Here, we investigate the fitting error for a segmented deformable mirror with flat subaperture segments. This investigation is done in the regime where the hidden phase is significant. Data from both simulation and theory are presented giving initial estimates of the magnitude of the error.
Involvement of Sphingosine Kinase in TNF-α-stimulated Tetrahydrobiopterin Biosynthesis in C6 Glioma Cells

In C6 glioma cells, the sphingolipid second messenger ceramide potentiates expression of inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS) induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) without affecting GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of 6(R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)), a cofactor required for iNOS activity. TNF-alpha also stimulates sphingosine kinase, the enzyme that phosphorylates sphingosine to form sphingosine-1-phosphate (SPP), a further metabolite of ceramide. Several clones of C6 cells, expressing widely varying levels of sphingosine kinase, were used to examine the role of SPP in regulation of GTPCH and BH(4) biosynthesis. Overexpression of sphingosine kinase, with concomitant increased endogenous SPP levels, potentiated the effect of TNF-alpha on GTPCH expression and activity and BH(4) biosynthesis. In contrast, enforced expression of sphingosine kinase had no effect on iNOS expression or NO formation. Furthermore, N,N-dimethylsphingosine, a potent sphingosine kinase inhibitor, completely eliminated the increased GTPCH activity and expression induced by TNF-alpha. Surprisingly, we found that, although C6 cells can secrete SPP, which is enhanced by TNF-alpha, treatment of C6 cells with exogenous SPP or dihydro-SPP had no affect on BH(4) biosynthesis. However, both SPP and dihydro-SPP markedly stimulated ERK 1/2 in C6 cells, which express cell surface SPP receptors. Interestingly, although this ERK activation was blocked by PD98059, which also reduced cellular proliferation induced by enforced expression of sphingosine kinase, PD98059 had no effect on GTPCH activity. Collectively, these results suggest that only intracellularly generated SPP plays a role in regulation of GTPCH and BH(4) levels.
MO‐EE‐A3‐05: Assessment of Volumetric Arc Therapy Plans for Constant and Variable Dose Rates

Introduction: Recently, volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) that combines dynamic gantry motion with beam intensity modulation has become clinically available for planning and delivery of dynamic arc IMRT treatments. During VMAT optimization process, several parameters can be changed, including gantry speed and dose rate. The goal of this work was to assess the differences between the VMAT plans generated with constant and variable dose rates. Methods and Materials: Patients with H&N cancer who were treated with step‐and‐shoot IMRT (DMPO) were selected for this study. Plans were generated using Pinnacle's Smart Arc software which supports generation of both constant and variable dose rate VMAT plans. VMAT plans for 100 – 500 constant dose rates (DR) and variable dose rate were generated. Plans consisted of two 360 ° arcs with 4° arc sampling. Plans were compared using DVH parameters for target(s) and OARs and MUs. VMAT plans were also verified in a cylindrical phantom using film and ion chamber.Results: The MUs for DR=100 were 22% lower as compared to the DMPO MUs and increased with the increasing DR. The MUs for DR=400, however, is 21% higher than the DMPO MUs. The MUs for variable dose rate is the lowest (581MUs) as compared to 100 dose rate plan (832MUs). PTV coverages were almost the same up to DR=300 and degraded significantly for 400, 500 and 600. Phantom verification of all plans showed that the calculated and measured ion chamber doses at isocenter were within 4%. Conclusion: This study showed that the constant dose rate VMAT plans up to 300 produced similar plans to the ones obtained with variable dose rate and DMPO plans, in terms of target coverage and critical structure sparing. However, variable dose rate plans still the choice in terms of MU efficiency and plan quality.
Repbase Update: a database and an electronic journal of repetitive elements

This work was supported in part by the National Library of Medicine, grant 5 P41 LM06252-3.
Selective inhibition of nuclear export function for cancer therapy

Background and Aims: Tumor suppressor proteins (TSPs) are inactivated by many different mechanisms, including nuclear exclusion by the chromosome region maintenance protein (CRM-1). Increased tumor levels of CRM-1 have been correlated with poor prognosis of patients with different cancers, making it a therapeutic target. We have developed selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINEs) that bind to CRM-1 to irreversibly inhibit its ability to export proteins. Here we investigated our new class of SINEs in multiple tumor models. Methods: We studied the effects of SINE analogs in a panel of pancreatic, colon, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), prostate, non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cell lines and non-transformed/normal cells using proliferation, apoptosis, immunoblot, co-immunoprecipitation, small inhibitor (Si)-RNA, and fluorescence microscopy analyses. The effects of the SINEs were also investigated in mice with subcutaneous, orthotopic tumors and in disseminated liquid tumor models. Results: SINEs (KPT-185, KPT-127, KPT-205, and KPT-227) inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of both solid liquid cancer cells, but did not affect normal lymphocytes or immortalized non-transformed cells. The nuclei of cells incubated with KPT-185 accumulated major TSPs such as p53, p73, p27, FOXO, p73, and prostate apoptosis response 4 (PAR-4) and inhibited interactions between CRM-1 and these proteins. Mutations in the region of CRM-1 that binds to SINEs (Cys-528), or siRNA knockdown of TSPs, prevented the ability of KPT-185 to block proliferation and induce apoptosis of cancer cells. Oral administration of the KPT SINEs to mice reduced growth of subcutaneous, orthotopic and disseminated xenograft tumors without major toxicity. Analysis of tumor remnants showed that KPT-SINE disrupted the interaction between CRM-1 and TSP, activated TSP function, and reduced proliferation of tumor cells. Conclusion: We identified SINEs that inhibit CRM-1 and promote nuclear accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in multiple tumor models. Oral administration of the drug to mice reduces growth of xenograft tumors. Based on our solid preliminary studies a phase I clinical trial has been initiated for both solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Our results provide conclusive evidence in support of a global therapy for different cancers that involves targeted inhibition of nuclear export protein function and warrants advanced clinical investigations.
Bronchial endothelial cell phenotypes and the form:function relationship.

cultured systems have proven highly useful for generating insight into normal and abnormal cell function, as illustrated by Brown et al. ([1-3][1]) in identification of mechanism(s) underlying familial hypercholesterolemia. In studies by Brown and coworkers, the isolation and culture of fibroblasts
The Spokane flood controversy and the Martian outflow channels

The controversy over Bretz's hypothesis concerning the cataclysmic Spokane flood is discussed. Attention is directed to similarities between the Channeled Scabland of Washington and some Martian land features considered to be catastrophic flood channels. Characteristics of the enormous plexus of proglacial stream channels eroded into the loess and basalt of the Columbia Plateau in eastern Washington are described. The controversiality of the suggestion that a catastrophic flood is responsible for the Martian features is considered with respect to the Spokane flood controversy.
The impact of history length on personalized search

Personalized search is a promising way to better serve different users' information needs. Search history is one of the major information sources for search personalization. We investigated the impact of history length on the effectiveness of personalized ranking. We carried out task-based user study for Web search, and obtained ranked relevance judgments for all queries. Query contexts derived from previous queries in the same task are used to re-rank results for the current query. Experimental results show that the performance of personalization generally improves as more queries are accumulated, but most of the benefits come from a few immediately preceding queries.
Design of a Passive Leg Orthosis for Human Gait Correction

This paper presents the design of a passive leg orthosis for gait correction of human subjects. During normal walk, the joints of a human leg, namely, the hip, knee, and ankle satisfy certain functional relationships. During post stroke and other neural disorders, the gait deviates substantially from this normal gait. Hence, there is a need to design rehabilitation machines for gait training. Our design targets the sagittal plane motion of the leg, i.e., it considers the hip and knee flexion and extension motions. The paper describes the details of the cam design and results of a demonstration prototype.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Antibiotic and ROS linkage questioned

New work fuels the controversy over the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the activity of bactericidal antibiotics.
Characterization of myelination in the developing zebrafish.

Myelination, the process by which glial cells ensheath and electrically insulate axons, has been investigated intensely. Nevertheless, knowledge of how myelination is regulated or how myelinating cells communicate with neurons is still incomplete. As a prelude to genetic analyses of these processes, we have identified zebrafish orthologues of genes encoding major myelin proteins and have characterized myelination in the larval zebrafish. Expression of genes corresponding to proteolipid protein (PLP/DM20), myelin protein zero (P0), and myelin basic protein (MBP) is detected at 2 days postfertilization (dpf), first in the ventral hindbrain, close to the midline. During the next 8 days, expression spreads rostrally to the midbrain and optic nerve, and caudally to the spinal cord. DM20 is expressed in the CNS only, while MBP transcripts are detected both in the CNS and in Schwann cells of the lateral line, cranial nerves, and spinal motor nerves. Unlike its closest homologue, trout IP1, zebrafish P0 transcripts were restricted to the CNS. Ultrastructurally, the expression of myelin genes correlated well with myelination, although myelination showed a temporal lag. Myelinated axons were first detected at 4 dpf in the ventral hindbrain, where they were loosely wrapped by processes of glia cells. By 7 dpf, bundles of heavily myelinated axons were observed in the same region. Axons in the lateral line and optic nerves were also surrounded by compact myelin. Conservation in gene expression patterns and the early appearance of myelinated axons, support using the zebrafish to dissect the process of myelination by a genetic approach.
Community Context of Crime A Longitudinal Examination of the Effects of Local Institutions on Neighborhood Crime

Although theories posit that some types of local institutions will have a crime-producing influence in neighborhoods while others will have the opposite effect, the empirical evidence is far from conclusive. Previous studies are typically limited to analyzing cross-sectional data and one type of institution. Using longitudinal data of the number of employees of various institutions within census tracts across nine U.S. cities, the present study examines the longitudinal impact of four types of institutions on violent and property crime. Negative binomial regression models suggest that alcohol outlets and banking establishments increase criminal opportunities, whereas “third places” like coffee shops and cafes induce efficacious neighborhood control and social action. Civic and social organizations have no statistical relationship with crime.
Developing Metadiscourse: Building Mathematical Discussions in an Urban Elementary Classroom

Abstract This study aims to understand an effective model of mathematical meaning-making in classrooms with a majority of Latina/o English learners. This analysis is grounded in the cultural–historical ideas that learning is mediated through organized activity and learners show greater awareness of problem-solving strategies through metadiscourse practices. In particular, we focus on the use of discussion builder stems and OK/Pitfall stories to mediate discussions and develop metacognitive awareness for English learners.
The thermal sieve: a diffractive baffle that provides thermal isolation of a cryogenic optical system from an ambient temperature collimator

We present the thermal sieve, which is a diffractive baffle that provides thermal isolation between an ambient collimator and a cryogenic optical system being measured. The baffle uses several parallel plates with holes in them. The holes are lined up to allow the collimated light to pass, but the view factor for thermal radiation is greatly reduced. A particular design is shown here that allows less than 0.25 W/m2 thermal transfer and degrades the test wavefront by only 3 nm rms.
Incorporating Stream Level Variability into Analyses of Site Level Fish Habitat Relationships: Some Cautionary Examples

Abstract Spatial variation in stream fish populations and habitats can be partitioned into many hierarchical levels (e.g., among drainage basins, streams within basins, and sites within streams). Studies of site level habitat relationships in more than one stream are common in fisheries research. Analyses of such data typically involve multiple regression to relate site level habitat features and fish population characteristics (e.g., biomass). Because sites within streams may not be independent, multiple-regression models should also include qualitative stream effects. As we show here with hypothetical and real examples, ignoring stream effects can lead to erroneous conclusions about the significance of site level habitat variables. Site and stream level effects may function independently or interactively in relation to fish populations. Alternatively, site and stream level effects may be confounded. An example with data on trout populations revealed that highly significant site level effects were only m...
BASIC CONCEPTS OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

The influence of molecular biology in the field of allergy and immunology is becoming more pronounced. Both clinical and basic science investigations use molecular biologic techniques to diagnose deficiencies at the molecular level and to elucidate the nature of the immune response. An understanding of the basic biologic processes that underlie this new technology is essential to the appreciation of its impact and usefulness. This article provides an overview of these processes along with pertinent applications.
Autonomous colloidal crystallization in a galvanic microreactor

We report on a technique that utilizes an array of galvanic microreactors to guide the assembly of two-dimensional colloidal crystals with spatial and orientational order. Our system is comprised of an array of copper and gold electrodes in a coplanar arrangement, immersed in a dilute hydrochloric acid solution in which colloidal micro-spheres of polystyrene and silica are suspended. Under optimized conditions, two-dimensional colloidal crystals form at the anodic copper with patterns and crystal orientation governed by the electrode geometry. After the aggregation process, the colloidal particles are cemented to the substrate by co-deposition of reaction products. As we vary the electrode geometry, the dissolution rate of the copper electrodes is altered. This way, we control the colloidal motion as well as the degree of reaction product formation. We show that particle motion is governed by a combination of electrokinetic effects acting directly on the colloidal particles and bulk electrolyte flow generated at the copper-gold interface.
SALTDATA: A Database of Plant Yield Response to Salinity

Crop salt-tolerance data are crucial for the effective management of salt-affected agronomic systems in arid and semiarid regions. Numerous field and laboratory experiments have been conducted over the years to obtain these data, leading to generalized salt-tolerance lists used by growers and researchers. Plant response to salinity is affected by several factors, including crop variety, soil texture, climate and irrigation or other cultural practices. Consideration of these factors in growth-response models would permit a more realistic and site-specific prediction of crop yield as a function of soil salinity. A computerized salt-tolerance database management program, SALTDATA, was developed to store experimental data relating observed crop yields to average rootzone salinity and other parameters affecting plant growth. The information was selectively retrieved from a large collection of published references on salt tolerance. The data were stored in their original reported units, but conversion equations were included to allow comparison of salinity and yield data of different experiments reported in different units. Thus, a comprehensive data set can be built for retrieval, export, and subsequent analysis by various crop salt-tolerance models.
Full length article: A noncooperative power control game in multi-access fading channels with quality of service (QoS) constraints

In this paper, a game-theoretic analysis for the resource allocation policies in fading multiple-access channels (MACs) in the presence of statistical quality of service (QoS) constraints in the form of limitations on the buffer length is performed. We employ effective capacity, which provides the maximum constant arrival rate that a given process can support while satisfying statistical buffer constraints, to measure the throughput for each user. We assume that the channel side information (CSI) is available at both the receiver and the transmitters, and the transmitters are selfish, rational with certain QoS and average power constraints. Without the aid of the receiver, we show that there is always a unique admissible Nash equilibrium of the noncooperative power control game, for which numerical results at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) have been provided. The Nash equilibrium of the power control game is proved to be always inside the rate region where successive decoding techniques are used at the receiver.
Effect of Aeromonas hydrophila enterotoxins on function of mouse phagocytes

Two enterotoxins produced byAeromonas hydrophila isolate SSU have been characterized in this laboratory. One is a cholera toxin cross-reactive cytolytic enterotoxin (CTC toxin) and the other is a non-cholera toxin cross-reactive cytotonic enterotoxin (non-CTC toxin). The two enterotoxins are capable of causing fluid accumulation in animal models; however, only the CTC toxin is lethal to mice and expresses hemolytic as well as cytotoxic activities. In this study, we have investigated the effects of these two toxins on mouse phagocytes. Four hours after intraperitoneal injection of a sublethal dose (460 μg/kg of body weight) of CTC toxin, the chemiluminescence (CL) response of phagocytes in mouse blood was depressed significantly when compared with that observed for controls (intraperitoneal injection of only Hanks' balance salt solution, non-CTC toxin or before treatment with CTC toxin). When fresh whole blood was incubated with various concentrations (2.3, 11.5, 23, 230, 2300 ng/ml) of CTC toxin for 1.5 hr at 37° C, the CL response of blood phagocytes was reduced strikingly in a dose-dependent fashion; however, non-CTC toxin did not inhibit the CL response. The inhibitory effect induced by CTC toxin of the phagocytic function not only was abolished completely, but phagocytosis was enhanced in the presence of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). In addition, IFN-γ alone induced the largest enhancement of the CL response in mouse phagocytes. These results demonstrated that CTC toxin inhibits the phagocytic ability of phagocytes eitherin vivo orin vitro and that IFN-γ pretreatment can overcome this toxic effect. The direct inhibitory effect on phagocytic activity by CTC toxin may be one of the pathological mechanisms associated with someAeromonas-mediated diseases, whereas IFN-γ may play a protective role for the host against these diseases.
Fractional kinetics: from pseudochaotic dynamics to Maxwell’s Demon

Abstract In Hamiltonian dynamics chaotic trajectories can be characterized by a non-zero Lyapunov exponent. In general case of random dynamics the Lyapunov exponent can be close to zero because of the stickiness, or simply zero, as in the case of pseudochaos. Kinetic description of such situations is based on scaling properties of the dynamics in both space and time. It is shown for different models that the ergodic theorem cannot be applied for the observed data, and that weak mixing leads to unusual macroscopic behavior. Such phenomenon as Maxwell’s Demon obtains a natural realization as a persistent fluctuation that does not decay in an exponential way as in the kinetics of the Gaussian type.
Signet ring, high grade, and undifferentiated colorectal adenocarcinomas differ.

Background Studies with limited sample sizes have found colorectal signet ring carcinoma (SRC), to be prognostically similar to high grade adenocarcinoma (HGA); the relationship of these tumors to undifferentiated adenocarcinoma (UND) has not yet been fully elucidated. This study of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program data compared the histotypes. Methods Registered as having been diagnosed between 1988 and 2003 were 2,246 SRC, 32,999 HGA, and 920 UND. Analyses were performed to determine the presence or absence of differences in survival and extent at presentation. Results SRC, compared with HGA, was more likely to (1) be confined to an in situ stage or within a polyp, (2) have invaded visceral peritoneum, (3) have spread to contiguous organs, and (4) have metastasized. No differences between SRC and UND were seen, although this may have been due to small UND sample size. SRC was associated with a worse prognosis than HGA for patients with (1) T3 tumors, (2) contiguous organ spread, and (3) visceral peritoneal invasion. UND was associated with a worse prognosis than SRC among patients with metastases. Conclusions These three histotypes of aggressive colorectal cancer are separate entities that should be regarded as such. Future study with respect to SRC should include further evaluation of T1 and T2 patients with appropriate sample size populations and the potential utility of peritoneal sampling and frozen section evaluation of non-mucosal margins.
Impurity-characterization agreement in type-IIb single-crystal diamond by high-temperature Hall-effect, capacitance-voltage, and secondary-ion mass-spectroscopy measurements.

The acceptor concentration of two type-IIb natural diamonds has been measured by Hall effect (to 1300 K), capacitance-voltage (CV), and secondary-ion mass-spectroscopy measurements. Reduction of contact effects in both Hall and CV measurements resulted in excellent agreement between the three techniques. Hall contact size and placement effects were measured and corrected. The capacitance and resistance of the Ohmic contact for CV measurements were minimized with a large-area ion-implanted contact. The long-standing discrepancy between Hall-effect and CV results in diamond is shown to be primarily due to nonideal CV contacts.
The problem of determining the size of a complete set of reductions

This article is the tenth of a series of articles discussing various open research problems in automated reasoning. Here we focus on finding criteria for accurately predicting the size of a complete set of reductions when such a set exists. We include a suggestion for evaluating a proposed solution to this research problem.
Effect of boundary structure on slip-induced cavitation in polycrystalline nickel

Abstract Polycrystals of nickel were strained in low-cycle fatigue. Tests were interrupted early in life and the development of cavities at grain boundaries was studied as a function of the β value of the boundaries. High β boundaries (about β>75) were found to cavitate first. With further deformation boundaries with lower Σ also developed cavities. Eventually all, except the coherent β3 twin boundaries, developed cavities. In the case of coherent twins, cavities were observed at only those boundaries which were facetted. The cavities were induced by the impingement of crystal slip at the interfaces. In addition to cavitation, boundaries were also found to migrate and to nucleate new grains, as a result of deformation. The results indicate a need for understanding mechanical properties of grain boundaries in terms of reactions between crystal and grain-boundary dislocations.