cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Individual thinking and family interaction—II. A study of pattern recognition and hypothesis testing in families of normals, character disorders and schizophrenics ☆

Abstract The present study investigated the relationship between family interaction and individual pattern recognition in five families of normals, five families of character disorders and five families of schizophrenics. Following a period of family interaction, members of normal families showed improvement in pattern recognition; members of families of schizophrenics showed deterioration or no change and members of character disorder families were in between. During the period of family interaction, members of normal families were independent and adventuresome in testing their pattern concepts whereas members of families of schizophrenics were cautios, copied each other's performance but showed little pooling of ideas. These findings support the hypothesis that family interaction can influence perceptual process in its individual members in a short time and points to some particular relationships between family interaction and individual perception.
Self-Defense, Imminence, and the Battered Woman

A traditional element of self-defense doctrine is the imminence rule, restricting the use of force in self-defense to cases where the threatened harm is imminent, about to happen. In recent years, this rule has been subject to increasing criticism, especially in the context of cases involving battered women, and some commentators have even called for its elimination. This essay presents the case for the imminence rule as reflecting the requirement that in a civil society, the use of force be reserved to the state, with only one exception. This exception applies to cases where an individual is faced with an imminent threat. In such circumstances, the state would not be able to intervene in time to protect the person, and hence the individual is permitted to use force in her own defense.
Introduction to the Special Issue: Anxiety Disorders in Cross‐Cultural Perspective

This special issue explores the cross-cultural variation in the presentation and generation of anxiety disorders. As a background review, in this Introduction, we illustrate how the cognitive theory of the generation of anxiety disorders explains how such cross-cultural variation occurs. We first show how the “catastrophic cognitions” theory applies to panic disorder and then suggest how the “catastrophic cognitions” theory applies to all anxiety disorders—and so explains the existence of profound cultural influence on the presentation and generation of the anxiety disorders.
Coding Options for the Degraded Optical PPM Channel

Considerable work has been done in developing efficient error-control coding schemes for the ideal optical PPM channel under self-noise limited conditions in the absence of either dark current or background thermal noise effects. In this work we consider corresponding coding options for the degraded PPM channel operating in the presence of dark current but no thermal noise. Coding options studied include use of non-binary Reed-Solomon (RS) codes operating in an errors-erasures mode as well as non-binary convolutional codes utilizing Viterbi maximum likelihood (ML) decoding. We also describe the performance and complexity of a novel concatenated coding scheme employing non-binary convolutional inner codes and RS outer codes. The results provide a first step in providing an assessment of coding options for the more general optical PPM channel which includes background thermal noise as well as dark current.
Electronic interactions between π-stacked DNA base pairs and diphenylacetyiene-4,4'-dicarboxamide in hairpin DNA [13]

The {pi}-stacked base pairs of B-form DNA provide a unique medium for the investigation of electron transfer. Most recent investigations of the dynamics of photoinduced electron transfer in DNA have employed probe chromophores that are {pi}-stacked with an adjacent base pair. The approach has been to use organic chromophores as linkers in hairpin-forming bis(oligo-nucleotide) conjugates. A hairpin structure in which the organic chromophore is approximately coplanar with the adjacent base pair is supported by spectroscopic studies, molecular modeling, and crystallography.
Dialyzed venom skin tests for identifying yellow jacket-allergic patients not detected using standard venom.

Background The chance of a nonspecific intradermal skin test response at venom concentrations greater than 1.0 μg/mL limits the diagnostic range and can interfere with the diagnosis of some affected patients. Objective To compare the diagnostic ranges and clinical detection rates of skin tests using dialyzed yellow jacket venom (DYJV) and undialyzed YJV (UYJV), particularly in patients who have had negative venom skin test results. Methods Both DYJV and UYJV from the same original lot were diluted from 100 μg/mL to skin test concentrations of 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 3.0, and 10 μg/mL. Participants included 10 nonallergic controls, 20 patients with a positive history and positive skin test results using UYJV, and 24 patients with a positive history but negative skin test results using UYJV (17 of whom had a positive IgE anti-YJV serology). Results Dialyzed venom skin test results were positive at 10 μg/mL or less in 79% of patients with a positive history but negative skin test reactions using UYJV. The dialyzed venom skin test results showed a half-log shift to the left from the undialyzed venom results in linear regression analysis, indicating a greater detection rate with skin tests using DYJV. Results of skin tests with dialyzed venom were positive in 3 of 4 patients who had negative undialyzed venom skin test results and who experienced a systemic reaction to challenge stings. Conclusions The DYJV improves the ability of skin tests to detect yellow jacket allergy and should be subject to further study.
Soil Science and the Carbon Civilization

1425 Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 71:1425–1437 doi:10.2136/sssaj2007.0001 Received 22 June 2007. *Corresponding author (Lal.1@osu.edu). © Soil Science Society of America 677 S. Segoe Rd. Madison WI 53711 USA All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Permission for printing and for reprinting the material contained herein has been obtained by the publisher. The strong link between soil and civilization (Howard, 1940, 1947; Hyams, 1952, Diamond, 2005) is likely to become stronger in the future through an increase in anthropogenic demands on world soils. Agriculture began with the recession of glaciers about 10, 000 BP when the world population was merely 3 million (McEvedy and Jones, 1979; Smil, 2000, 2001). It was 30 million about 2000 BP, 300 million at the onset of the Christian era, and 600 million by about 1600 CE. The world population doubled to 1.25 billion in 1850, 2.5 billion at the end of World War II in 1945, and 5 billion in 1987. It is 6.5 billion in 2007, and projected to stabilize at about 10 billion by 2100 (United Nations, 1998; Fischer and Heilig, 1997; Evans, 1998; Cohen, 2003). Ensuring food security has been a concern of humanity since the dawn of evolution, but especially so since Malthus expressed his apprehensions about the ability of humans to feed themselves (Malthus 1798, 1803). Thus far, those holding Malthusian views (Paddock and Paddock, 1967a, 1967b; Ehrlich and Ehrlich, 1987, 1991, 1992; Ehrlich et al., 1993) have been proven wrong (Boserup, 1965; McRae, 1994) primarily by the soil fertility management technology based on the “mineral nutrition theory” advanced by Justus Von Liebig (Waksman, 1942; Brock, 1997; Hopkins, 1914), and its application to inputresponsive varieties of wheat, rice, corn, soybean etc. (Khush, 2001; Swaminathan, 2000). In this regard, the contributions of HaberBosch synthesis of ammonia to world’s food production cannot be overemphasized. It is because of the use of nitrogenous fertilizers on well-watered fertile soils that global average yield of cereals increased from 1 Mg ha−1 in 1900 to 3 Mg ha−1 in 2000. Wheat yields in United Kingdom and Holland increased from 2 Mg ha−1 in 1900 to >8 Mg ha−1 in 2000 (Smil, 2000). However, soil science is facing new and more daunting challenges during the 21st century: of doubling the production by 2050 while improving the environment and mitigating the global warming (Cassman and Harwood, PR ESID EN ’S M ESSA G E Soil Science and the Carbon Civilization
Mitochondrial fusion is regulated by Reaper to modulate Drosophila programmed cell death

In most multicellular organisms, the decision to undergo programmed cell death in response to cellular damage or developmental cues is typically transmitted through mitochondria. It has been suggested that an exception is the apoptotic pathway of Drosophila melanogaster, in which the role of mitochondria remains unclear. Although IAP antagonists in Drosophila such as Reaper, Hid and Grim may induce cell death without mitochondrial membrane permeabilization, it is surprising that all three localize to mitochondria. Moreover, induction of Reaper and Hid appears to result in mitochondrial fragmentation during Drosophila cell death. Most importantly, disruption of mitochondrial fission can inhibit Reaper and Hid-induced cell death, suggesting that alterations in mitochondrial dynamics can modulate cell death in fly cells. We report here that Drosophila Reaper can induce mitochondrial fragmentation by binding to and inhibiting the pro-fusion protein MFN2 and its Drosophila counterpart dMFN/Marf. Our in vitro and in vivo analyses reveal that dMFN overexpression can inhibit cell death induced by Reaper or γ-irradiation. In addition, knockdown of dMFN causes a striking loss of adult wing tissue and significant apoptosis in the developing wing discs. Our findings are consistent with a growing body of work describing a role for mitochondrial fission and fusion machinery in the decision of cells to die.
Cell biology: Death drags down the neighbourhood.

An analysis of dying cells reveals that they play an active part in modifying tissue shape by pulling on neighbouring cells. This induces neighbouring cells to contract at their apices, which results in tissue folding. See Letter p.245
Performance guarantees for B-trees with different-sized atomic keys

Most B-tree papers assume that all N keys have the same size K, that F = B/K keys fit in a disk block, and therefore that the search cost is O(logf+1 N) block transfers. When keys have variable size, however, B-tree operations have no nontrivial performance guarantees.This paper provides B-tree-like performance guarantees on dictionaries that contain keys of different sizes in a model in which keys must be stored and compared as opaque objects. The resulting atomic-key dictionaries exhibit performance bounds in terms of the average key size and match the bounds when all keys are the same size. Atomic key dictionaries can be built with minimal modification to the B-tree structure, simply by choosing the pivot keys properly.This paper describes both static and dynamic atomic-key dictionaries. In the static case, if there are N keys with average size K, the search cost is O(⌈K/B⌉ log1+⌈K/B⌉N) expected transfers. The paper proves that it is not possible to transform these expected bounds into worst-case bounds. The cost to build the tree is O(NK) operations and O(NK/B) transfers if all keys are presented in sorted order. If not, the cost is the sorting cost.For the dynamic dictionaries, the amortized cost to insert a key κ of arbitrary length at an arbitrary rank is dominated by the cost to search for κ. Specifically the amortized cost to insert a key κ of arbitrary length and random rank is O(⌈K/B⌉ log1+⌈K/B⌉N + |κ| /B) transfers. A dynamic-programming algorithm is shown for constructing a search tree with minimal expected cost.
Temporal profile of amyloid-β (Aβ) oligomerization in an in vivo model of Alzheimer disease: A link between Aβ and tau pathology

Accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) is one of the earliest molecular events in Alzheimer disease (AD), whereas tau pathology is thought to be a later downstream event. It is now well established that Aβ exists as monomers, oligomers, and fibrils. To study the temporal profile of Aβ oligomer formation in vivo and to determine their interaction with tau pathology, we used the 3xTg-AD mice, which develop a progressive accumulation of plaques and tangles and cognitive impairments. We show that SDS-resistant Aβ oligomers accumulate in an age-dependent fashion, and we present evidence to show that oligomerization of Aβ appears to first occur intraneuronally. Finally, we show that a single intrahippocampal injection of a specific oligomeric antibody is sufficient to clear Aβ pathology, and more importantly, tau pathology. Therefore, Aβ oligomers may play a role in the induction of tau pathology, making the interference of Aβ oligomerization a valid therapeutic target.
Phase I trial of Adozelesin using the treatment schedule of daily × 5 every 3 weeks

CC-1065 is a unique alkylating agent that preferentially binds in the minor groove of double-stranded DNA at adenine-thymine-rich sites. Although it has broad antitumor activity in preclinical models its development was discontinued because of deaths observed during preclinical toxicology studies. Adozelesin is a potent synthetic analog that was chosen for clinical development because it had a similar preclinical antitumor spectrum, but did not produce deaths similar to CC-1065 at therapeutic doses. Phase I evaluations using a variety of Adozelesin treatment schedules have been conducted. This report describes our experience using a multiple dose treatment schedule. Endpoints including antitumor response, maximum tolerated dose, dose limiting toxicity as well as other toxicities and the recommended Phase II starting dose were determined. Adozelesin was given as a 10 minute IV infusion for 5 consecutive days every 21 days or upon recovery from toxicity. The dose range evaluated was 6–30 mcg/m2/day. All patients had refractory solid tumors and had received prior cytotoxic treatment. Thirty-three patients (22 men: 11 women) were entered onto the study and 87 courses were initiated. Dose limiting toxicity was cumulative myelosuppression (leucopenia, thrombocytopenia). The maximum tolerated dose was 30 mcg/m2/day. The only other significant toxicity was an anaphylactoid syndrome that occurred in 2 patients. A partial response was observed in a patient with refractory soft tissue sarcoma. The recommended Phase II starting dose of Adozelesin using a 10 minute IV infusion for 5 consecutive days is 25 mcg/m2/day to be repeated every 4–6 weeks to allow recovery from myelotoxicity, based on our experience. Additional Phase I and II studies with Adozelesin are recommended.
Theoretical Analysis of the Stress Induced B-Z Transition in Superhelical DNA

We present a method to calculate the propensities of regions within a DNA molecule to transition from B-form to Z-form under negative superhelical stresses. We use statistical mechanics to analyze the competition that occurs among all susceptible Z-forming regions at thermodynamic equilibrium in a superhelically stressed DNA of specified sequence. This method, which we call SIBZ, is similar to the SIDD algorithm that was previously developed to analyze superhelical duplex destabilization. A state of the system is determined by assigning to each base pair either the B- or the Z-conformation, accounting for the dinucleotide repeat unit of Z-DNA. The free energy of a state is comprised of the nucleation energy, the sequence-dependent B-Z transition energy, and the energy associated with the residual superhelicity remaining after the change of twist due to transition. Using this information, SIBZ calculates the equilibrium B-Z transition probability of each base pair in the sequence. This can be done at any physiologically reasonable level of negative superhelicity. We use SIBZ to analyze a variety of representative genomic DNA sequences. We show that the dominant Z-DNA forming regions in a sequence can compete in highly complex ways as the superhelicity level changes. Despite having no tunable parameters, the predictions of SIBZ agree precisely with experimental results, both for the onset of transition in plasmids containing introduced Z-forming sequences and for the locations of Z-forming regions in genomic sequences. We calculate the transition profiles of 5 kb regions taken from each of 12,841 mouse genes and centered on the transcription start site (TSS). We find a substantial increase in the frequency of Z-forming regions immediately upstream from the TSS. The approach developed here has the potential to illuminate the occurrence of Z-form regions in vivo, and the possible roles this transition may play in biological processes.
The treatment of early stage cervical cancer: An assessment of pre-operative factors

Abstract Objective. To assess the pre-operative clinical factors of a group of early stage cervical cancer patients and correlate them to the risk for adjuvant radiotherapy using GOG 92 and 109 criteria. Method. A retrospective chart review of cervical cancer patients treated at the Saint Louis University Division of Gynecologic Oncology between the years 1989 and 2004 was performed. The results were compared with chi-squared testing and multivariable regression analysis. A p -value of 0.05 was considered significant. Results. One hundred and thirty-one cervical cancer patients underwent exploration for radical hysterectomy during the study time period. Five patients had stage IA1 disease, 6 patients had stage IA2 disease, 98 patients had stage IB1 disease, 20 patients had stage IB2 disease and one patient had stage IIA disease. No patient with stage IA1 or IA2 disease met criteria for adjuvant radiotherapy. The patients with stage IB1 tumors who were 45 years of age or younger and had tumors up to 2 cm in diameter had a low (14%) likelihood for treatment with adjuvant radiotherapy. The patients with stage IB1 tumors who were older than 45 years of age with tumors larger than 2 cm in diameter and the patients with stage IB2 tumors both had a high likelihood for adjuvant radiotherapy (77% and 90% respectively). Conclusion. In our study group, the stage of cervical cancer and a combination of tumor diameter and patient age was found to stratify early stage cervical cancer patients by likelihood for adjuvant radiotherapy.
Elements of the rat tropoelastin gene associated with alternative splicing

Multiple isoforms of tropoelastin, the soluble precursor of elastin, are the products of translation of splice-variant mRNAs derived from the single-copy tropoelastin gene. Previous data had demonstrated DNA sequence heterogeneity in three domains of rat tropoelastin mRNA, indicating alternative splicing of several exons of the rat tropoelastin gene. Rat tropoelastin genomic clones encompassing the sites of alternative splicing were isolated and sequenced. Two sites of alternative splicing identified in rat tropoelastin mRNA sequences corresponded to exons 13-15 and exon 33 of the rat tropoelastin gene. Furthermore, the variable inclusion of an alanine codon in exon 16 resulted from two functional acceptor sites separated by three nucleotides. DNA sequences flanking exons subject to alternative splicing were analyzed. These exons contained splicing signals that differed from consensus sequences and from splicing signals of constitutively spliced exons. Introns immediately 5' of exons 14 and 33, for example, lacked typical polypyrimidine tracts and had weak, overlapping branch point sequences. Further, a region of secondary structure encompassing the acceptor site of exon 13 may influence alternative splicing of this exon. These results demonstrate that multiple cis-acting sequence elements may contribute to alternative splicing of rat tropoelastin pre-mRNA.
EFFECTS OF REFUGES AND RECRUITMENT ON GONODACTYLID STOMATOPODS, A GUILD OF MOBILE PREY'

Postlarval recruitment and features of the habitat, especially the availability of spatial refuges, were examined for their effect on the abundance of gonodactylid sto- matopods along the Caribbean coast of Panama. Gonodactylus bredini, Gonodactylus oer- stedii, and Gonodactylus austrinus occupied and aggressively defended cavities in coral rubble as refuges from predators throughout an intertidal bed of turtlegrass, Thalassia testudinum. Although water height, Thalassia density, and rubble density all varied sig- nificantly within the habitat, variation in the local density of gonodactylids was related only to the density of coral rubble. Manipulation of rubble showed that any change in the abundance of rubble, either positive or negative, altered local densities of gonodactylids in the same manner. Cavities within the rubble, however, provided the true, potentially limiting microen- vironment. Comparisons between gonodactylid densities and cavity densities showed that the number of cavities limited the local densities of individuals. However, noncontinuous and variable postlarval recruitment created temporal variation in the abundances of smaller gonodactylids and sometimes limited their densities below the capacity of their cavities. The impact of cavities, therefore, depended on the size of the individual and the recent history of postlarval recruitment. Nonuniform resource utilization and nonuniform re- source abundance allowed both the shortage of a necessary resource and the restricted time when the population's rate of increase was positive to limit the number of individuals simultaneously. Although the spatial distribution of cavities affected the availability of cavities and lowered the effective supply of refuges, its effect on gonodactylid densities was unclear. The inaccessibility of cavities most likely affects gonodactylids qualitatively by contributing to the maintenance of aggression in these populations.
Regulation of in vitro generation of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. II. Characterization of thymosin-induced suppressor T cells.

Abstract Thymosin fraction 5 can induce the appearance of suppressor T cells capable of regulating the in vitro generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in a 5-day allogeneic or syngeneic mixed lymphocyte-tumor culture (MLTC). Characterization of the suppressor cell population demonstrated it to be a nonadherent, cyclophosphamide-sensitive T cell. In addition, adult thymectomy (Tx) eliminated suppressor cell precursors in spleen, pointing to a direct thymic dependence of the population. Kinetics studies showed that the thymosin influence aas necessary for at least the first 12 hr of culture ior optimal suppression to occur. The in vitro-generated suppressor T cells were antigen specific and could be generated with spleen, thymus, or lymph node cell preparations, suggesting the wildsped existence of a gluotory T-cell population under direct Humoral thymic control.
Metabolic Consequences of Uremia: Extending the Concept of Adaptive Responses to Protein Metabolism

An early response to metabolic acidosis is an increase in the degradation of muscle protein to provide the nitrogen needed to increase glutamine production so the kidney can excrete acid. In patients with renal insufficiency, this process may represent an example of a trade-off adaptation to uremia. It requires a hormone (glucocorticoids) and the metabolic response is maladaptive because the inability of the damaged kidney to maintain acid-base balance results in loss of muscle protein. Studies of cultured cells and rats and humans with normal kidneys demonstrate that acidosis stimulates the degradation of both amino acids and protein, which would block the normal adaptive responses to a low-protein diet (ie, to reduce the degradation of essential amino acids and protein). Evidence from studies in rats and humans with chronic uremia show that acidosis is a major stimulus for catabolism. The mechanism includes stimulation of specific pathways for the degradation of protein and amino acids. Since other catabolic conditions (eg, starvation) appear to stimulate the same pathways, understanding the mechanism in acidosis could be applicable to other conditions. Thus, the loss of lean body mass in uremia appears to be a consequence of a normal metabolic response that persists until acidosis is corrected.
Work in progress - enhancement of problem solving techniques with tablet PC-based learning technologies

EC2000 criteria raised the bar for educating engineers in the traditional 4-year degree program, requiring more student learning outcomes and teaching in more innovative ways. A challenge of teaching more in the undergraduate program is that itpsilas hard to do so in the time available. After recognizing a deficiency in problem-solving skills, an initiative was developed which will use classroom technologies to improve the skills yet have minimal time requirements. The initiative will enhance small, currently-existing workshops for the first-semester engineering course, which are taught by GTAs. DyKnow's interactive software used on tablet PCs will enhance problem-solving techniques as suggested in literature. Integration of these technologies and techniques will be implemented in spring of 2008 when there are fewer students, assessed via quantitative and qualitative methods, and finally revised before the next large student cohort arrives in fall of 2008. This paper will highlight the problem-solving techniques being enhanced, the technologies used and their implementation, assessment of the initiative, application of relevant literature, and future work.
Effects of neonatal cocaine treatment and gender on opioid agonist-stimulated [35S]GTPγS binding in the striatum and nucleus accumbens

Prenatal cocaine exposure increases mu-opioid receptor binding in dopaminergic terminal areas and enhances behavioral responsiveness to mu-opioid agonists. We investigated the influence of early postnatal cocaine treatment on in vitro mu- and delta-opioid receptor activation in male and female weanling rats. Pups received subcutaneous injections of either 20 mg/kg cocaine HCl or saline once daily on postnatal days 1 through 5. On postnatal day 25, animals were decapitated and their brains were removed and frozen for later sectioning. Opioid receptor activation was assessed in the striatum and the shell of the nucleus accumbens by autoradiographic analysis of agonist-stimulated [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding. Brain sections were incubated in the presence of [(35)S]GTP gamma S, GDP, and either the mu-opioid agonist [D-Ala(2)-N-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) or the delta-opioid agonist D-Pen(2)-D-Pen(5)-enkephalin (DPDPE). Baseline binding was assessed in the absence of agonist, and nonspecific binding was determined by the addition of unlabeled GTP gamma S. Film images were quantified using brain mash-calibrated [(14)C] standards. Neonatal cocaine treatment had no effect on either baseline or agonist-stimulated [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding. However, males exhibited significantly greater activation than females of delta-opioid receptors in both striatum and accumbens shell, regardless of neonatal treatment. These findings indicate a gender difference in delta-opioid receptor function that could mediate behavioral differences in response to opioid agonists.
Development of a high-speed, multiplexed sample-delivery instrument for LC-MS/MS bioanalysis.

Background: The number of new chemical entities and types of in vitro and in vivo samples that require bioanalysis in drug discovery is large and diverse. In addition, method development time is limited as data turnaround is the highest priority. These circumstances require that a well-defined set of bioanalysis options be available in short timeframes to triage samples for analysis. Method: The Apricot Designs Dual Arm (ADDA) instrument is an LC–MS/MS sample delivery system that features a flexible hardware design coupled with software automation to enhance throughput in LC–MS/MS bioanalysis drug discovery. The instrument can perform high-throughput LC–MS/MS (8–10 s/sample) for screening and in vitro bioanalysis, as well as multiplexed LC for traditional gradient or isocratic LC approaches. The instrument control software is designed to integrate with DiscoveryQuant™ software (AB Sciex) and a global database of MS/MS conditions. Conclusion: Development of the sample delivery platform and its application ...
An analysis of the second moment of fluctuating electromagnetic fields part II: An application to measurement

The theory of the dyadic field spectrum (DFS) of a fluctuating electromagnetic field developed in Part I is applied to the analysis of a particular experiment. The experiment is simply the measurement of the DFS by means of a two-element interferometer. The analysis includes the effect of the polarization and receiving pattern of the interferometer on the measurement and applies to the DFS of a partially polarized, partially coherent radiation field of arbitrary spectral width radiated by an incoherent source. The approach used in this calculation is that described in Section III-C of Part I. It is based on the application of the dyadic Green's function of the electric type for the interferometer. The power at the receiving terminals of the interferometer is expressed in terms of the DFS of the source and the antenna pattern of the interferometer. A method for measuring the distribution of polarization over the source is described.
Abstract IA22: Molecular Imaging of androgen receptor signalling in CRPC

Abstract Androgen receptor (AR) plays a key role in development of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the lethal form of the disease. For this reason we have developed Molecular Imaging (MI) methods to study AR, both in laboratory and clinic. For this work we have used a radiotracer that is highly specific for AR, a flourine-18 analog of dihydrotestoterone, (FDHT) the most abundant androgen at the tissue level in human cancers. In the laboratory for example, we have used FDHT to document AR binding of novel drugs and to determine their relative affinity and the number of AR receptor sites in human prostate cancer cell lines and xenografts. In the clinic we have imaged patients with CRPC to determine the impact of therapies on AR expression. During the course of this work we have developed quantitative kinetic models based on PET imaging and have shown the FDHT binding and uptake into cancers is AR dependent, and that the metabolites of FDHT do not bind appreciably to AR. We have compared FDHT and FDG in CRPC patients and have determined that there are an average of 17 tumors per patient (n=107), and the 90% of metabolically active tumors for FDG or FDHT express AR, but that there is a group of lesions that do not but are detected by metabolism of FDG. We have shown that drugs which target AR displace FDHT completely when used in full pharmacologic doses. So far the data is consistent with the view that this type of displacement is a necessary condition for tumor response, but clearly some patients whose AR binding is completely blocked have lesions which continue to progress through unknown mechanisms. We believe that molecular imaging using antibodies labeled with PET emitters will add greatly to our knowledge about CRPC, and studies in man with 89Zr-DFO J591, and antibody targeting PSMA are just beginning. The impact of AR signaling on PSMA expression has been shown in the laboratory to be down regulation, and we intend to explore the use of antibodies to provide a pharmacodynamic biomarker of AR signaling in man during therapy with AR blockers in the clinic. Citation Format: Steven M. Larson, Joe Fox, Michael Morris, Michael Evans, Jason Lewis, John Humm, Charles L. Sawyers, Howard I. Scher. Molecular Imaging of androgen receptor signaling in CRPC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Prostate Cancer Research; 2012 Feb 6-9; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(4 Suppl):Abstract nr IA22.
Conscious cognition and blackboard architectures

van der Velde & de Kamps make a case for neural blackboard architectures to address four questions raised by human language. Unfortunately, they neglect a sizable literature relating blackboard architectures to other fundamental cognitive questions, specifically consciousness and voluntary control. Called “global workspace theory,” this literature integrates a large body of brain and behavioral evidence to come to converging conclusions.
Genes expressed during imaginal disc morphogenesis: IMP-E1, a gene associated with epithelial cell rearrangement

A unique set of genes that encodes hormone-inducible transcripts found on membrane-bound polysomes is expressed during ecdysone-dependent morphogenesis of Drosophila imaginal discs cultured in vitro. The pattern of expression of one of these genes, IMP-E1, was analyzed in tissues from late third instar larvae and white prepupae by hybridization of asymmetric RNA probes to tissue sections. The IMP-E1 transcript was detected in all anterior and posterior imaginal discs except the ommatidial region of the imaginal eye disc. Within the imaginal leg disc, the IMP-E1 transcript is expressed more abundantly in the proximal than in the distal portions of the epithelium. The distribution of transcripts is consistent with the hypothesis that the IMP-E1 gene product is involved in the cell rearrangements associated with morphogenesis of the disc epithelium. The IMP-E1 transcript is also expressed at pupariation in glial cell layers that ensheath the brain. This glial cell transcript is the same size (7.5 kb) and polarity as the imaginal disc transcript, and is also transcribed in response to 20-hydroxyecdysone. Similarities between the morphogenetic changes in imaginal disc and glial cell layers during metamorphosis are discussed.
Solute travel times to wells in single or multiple layered aquifers

Abstract Approximate travel times are given for a solute to reach a well from an injection point, for a well of finite radius screened throughout an aquifer resting on an impervious sole where: (1) there is a constant head at the outer boundary of the flow region; and (2) there is no flow across the outer boundary (both models were discussed earlier). In both cases, the time of travel for a solute entering the top of the aquifer at a point rk satisfies approximately a logarithmic relationship as follows: In rk = A ln t + B where t is the time of travel from the point rk to the well, and A and B are constants depending on the problem considered. This linear relationship holds only up to a certain distance of injection from the well. This distance varies with the problem considered.
The differential energy spectra of solar-flare H-1, He-3, and He-4.

Solar-flare-accelerated H-1, H-2, He-3, and He-4 isotopes are considered, and the importance of nuclear interactions during solar-flare particle acceleration is discussed. The relative abundances ratios of He-3/He-4 are determined and found to be so large as to impose limits on the production of He-3 by nuclear interactions during acceleration processes.
Left ventricular pressure/volume relationship in coronary artery disease

Abstract This study examined the changes during exercise in LV EF and P V relationship (systolic blood pressure/end-systolic volume index ratio) in 287 patients. Normal range (mean ± standard deviation) for exercise EF, exercise P V , and the changes from rest to exercise (Δ) in EF and P V were established in 51 subjects with ΔP V were observed in 76% of the patients with one-vessel disease and in 91% of patients with multivessel disease. Abnormalities in either ΔEF or percent ΔP V were more common than ΔEF alone in the total CAD group and in subgroups stratified according to the resting EF, extent of CAD, and adequacy of exercise end points. Similar results were obtained when absolute exercise EF or exercise P V were used. Abnormalities in the percent ΔP V or ΔEF were also seen in 26 of the 53 patients with normal coronary angiograms. Thus, abnormalities in the P V relationship or EF during exercise are more common than abnormalities in the EF alone. Relative and absolute measurements provide similar results.
Optically preamplified receiver at 10 Gbit/s using vertical-cavity SOA

Optical preamplification at 10 Gbit/s using a vertical-cavity semiconductor optical amplifier (VCSOA) is demonstrated. The VCSOA has a narrow gain bandwidth of 37 GHz and consequently functions as an amplifying filter. At a fibre-to-fibre gain of I I dB, the receiver sensitivity was increased by 7 dB resulting in a sensitivity of -26.2 dBm.
Physicochemical characterization of the microhabitat of the epibionts associated with Alvinella pompejana, a hydrothermal vent annelid

Abstract Alvinella pompejana is a polychaetous annelid that inhabits narrow tubes along the walls of high-temperature hydrothermal vent chimneys. The worm hosts a rich community of epibiotic bacteria that coats its dorsal surface. Although the worm tube microhabitat is a challenging environment to sample, characterizing the thermal and geochemical regime is important for understanding the ecology of the worm and its bacteria, as the worm spends most of its time inside the tube. We characterized the physicochemical conditions of diffuse hydrothermal flow inside inhabited worm tubes using in situ analysis and wet chemical analysis of discrete water samples. Thermistor probes deployed inside worm tubes measured temperatures ranging from 28.6°C to 84.0°C, while temperatures at tube orifices ranged from 7.5°C to 40.0°C. In situ electrochemical analysis of tube fluids revealed undetectable oxygen (
An investigation of instability and charge motion in metal-silicon oxide-silicon structures

The results of a detailed study of the charge motion and instability in thermally grown, undoped silicon dioxide films at high electric fields and elevated temperatures are presented. The transient behavior of the charge motion in the oxide is analyzed and a model proposed to explain the observations. It is shown that the instability consists of the motion of positively charged ions and that interface trapping effects play a significant role in determining the transient behavior. Detailed consideration is given to the nature of these trapping effects, and it is concluded that caution must be exercised in ascribing the activation energy measured for the instability to that for the true mobility of these ions in a "bulk" oxide. The effects of various ambient treatments on the instability are discussed, and conclusions are drawn concerning the physical and chemical nature of the observed instability.
Facts about FCE (Fludarabine, Cytarabine, Etoposide) in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

transplant. The authors describe a high rate of morphological complete remissions (75%) and very low rates of treatment-related morbidity and mortality. Also, half of the patients achieving a complete remission successfully received an allogeneic transplant and pretransplant use of FCE did not increase transplant-related early mortality. Despite these encouraging early outcomes, several concerns remain. The relapse rate after salvage FCE remained high and most patients failed therapy within the first year. This, in turn, translated into a 2-year overall survival rate of <30% with wide confidence intervals, suggesting that the FCE regimen, similar to several other combination strategies, is unable to overcome leukemic chemoresistance in these high-risk patients and, therefore, incapable of positively impacting long-term outcomes. There are several limitations to this report that need to be highlighted. First, only 20 patients were included in this analysis and there was tremendous heterogeneity on the cohort included in their report. In fact, when patients are allocated to cohorts according to important prognostic factors for relapsed AML (age, duration of first remission, history of allogeneic transplant and karyotype at diagnosis) [4] , fewer than 10 patients were included in each cohort. Next, the patients included in this report were treated over a 24-month period and it is not clear from the manuscript how many other patients with relapsed/ refractory AML received treatment in their institutions Contemporary combination chemotherapy regimens induce morphological complete remissions in greater than 80% of younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) [1] . Approximately half of these patients in first complete remission will eventually suffer disease relapse. Second complete remissions are obtained in more than 50% of relapsing patients but less than 1 in 5 of these patients will be long-term survivors. The outcome of the 10% of AML patients who fail to achieve a complete remission following initial combination chemotherapy is similarly dismal, especially for those patients refractory to high doses of cytarabine [2] . In addition to diminished efficacy, salvage chemotherapy is associated with substantial treatment-related morbidity and early mortality rates ranging between 15 and 20%. Thus, considering the poor clinical outcomes of patients with relapse/refractory AML, improved therapies need to be developed. In light of these issues, how much enthusiasm should the findings of Aldoss et al. [3] generate? In the manuscript accompanying this editorial, the authors report the clinical outcomes of younger patients with relapsed/refractory AML following treatment with FCE (fludarabine, cytarabine, and etoposide) as salvage therapy. This combination regimen was developed at their institution based on the synergistic preclinical activity between the chemotherapeutic agents and in attempt to spare patients from further anthracycline exposure prior to allogeneic Received: August 2, 2013 Accepted after revision: August 8, 2013 Published online: November 27, 2013
Barter system for researchers: A proposal†

This proposal arose from the author's difficulty in finding colleagues with similar research interests. The proposal took shape from the collective thoughts of many who have expressed dissatisfaction with the traditional means of information exchange among researchers. At its most concrete level, the barter system for researchers consists of two parts: a list linking various research areas with researchers willing to entertain collegial inquiries thereto, and a clerk to note the number of hours that participants give and receive in the informational exchange. The essence of the system is hardly more than these parts; thus, much of the discussion focuses on applications and refinements. In particular, adaptation to the varying needs of researchers receives much attention. For example, participation of researchers can range from informal, unrecorded exchanges to formal, monetary transactions—depending always on the mutual agreement of prospective inquirers and responders. As a proposal, the paper's methods were limited to ad hoc argumentation and related commentaries. Therefore, results and conclusions were substantively nonempirical and speculative.
Secure and efficient key management in mobile ad hoc networks

In mobile ad hoc networks, due to unreliable wireless media, host mobility and lack of infrastructure, providing secure communications is a big challenge. Usually, cryptographic techniques are used for secure communications in wired and wireless networks. Symmetric and asymmetric cryptography have their advantages and disadvantages. In fact, any cryptographic means is ineffective if its key management is weak. Key management is also a central aspect for security in mobile ad hoc networks. In mobile ad hoc networks, the computational load and complexity for key management are strongly subject to restriction by the node's available resources and the dynamic nature of network topology. We propose a secure and efficient key management (SEKM) framework for mobile ad hoc networks. SEKM builds a public key infrastructure (PKI) by applying a secret sharing scheme and using an underlying multi-cast server groups. We give detailed information on the formation and maintenance of the server groups. In SEKM, each server group creates a view of the certificate authority (CA) and provides certificate update service for all nodes, including the servers themselves. A ticket scheme is introduced for efficient certificate service. In addition, an efficient server group updating scheme is proposed. The performance of SEKM is evaluated through simulation.
Ordinary People can Reason: A Rhetorical Case for Including Vernacular Voices in Ethical Public Relations Practice.

Modern public relations practices have been dominated by appeals to impulses, desires, and images that affect publics defined predominantly in demographic terms. This paper argues that abandoning basic rhetorical assumptions about the ability of ordinary people to engage in practical reason has serious ethical implications for the marketplace as well as for society in general. The study applies recent rhetorical scholarship on issues of public discourse and rhetorical culture to public relations practices, considering how rhetoric can contribute to more effective and ethical public discourse in our dominant modes of marketplace communication.
Kinetic Modeling of Hydroxycarbonylation of Styrene Using a Homogeneous Palladium Complex Catalyst

Kinetics of hydroxycarbonylation of styrene using Pd(pyca)(PPh3)(OTs)/PPh3/TsOH/LiCl catalyst was investigated in a stirred batch reactor. The effects of catalyst, styrene, and water concentrations and the partial pressure of CO on the rate of hydroxycarbonylation as well as the concentration–time profiles have been investigated over a temperature range of 368–388 K. A unique observation was the induction period which was CO pressure dependent leading to lower rates of carbonylation at the start of the reaction. A molecular level description of the reaction mechanism (catalytic cycle) has been proposed to explain the observed trends. The results were found to be consistent with a mechanism based on a Pd-hydride complex as an active intermediate species. The proposed mechanism also captured the experimentally observed trends of induction period. The approach of microkinetic modeling used here does not require the assumption of a rate determining step and provides a good description of the complex trends ob...
Improvement in papilledema and visual loss after endovascular stent placement in dural sinus thrombosis.

Objective : To report two cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with papilledema and visual loss that improved after endovascular stent placement. Materials and methods : Retrospective case series from a tertiary ophthalmic center. Results : Two cases of venous sinus occlusion treated with angioplasty and stenting are described. Both cases experienced improvement in optic disc edema and visual function following the procedures. Conclusion : Endovascular stent placement may relieve increased intracranial pressure and papilledema caused by cerebral sinus thrombosis and may prevent further visual loss.
Neuropeptide regulation of immediate and delayed hypersensitivity.

Peptide mediators of sensory nerves that are released in tissues by noxious stimuli or inflammatory reactions rapidly elicit local and systemic responses similar to those of immediate hypersensitivity. These sensory neuropeptides affect functions of smooth muscles, blood vessels, leukocytes, and epithelial glands both directly and indirectly, through the actions of mediators released from mast cells stimulated by the peptides. Stereospecific receptors transduce the effects of neuropeptides of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) on diverse functions of human, murine and guinea pig mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, mast cells, and basophils in vitro and in vivo. Stimulatory and inhibitory effects of neuropeptides on leukocytes are attained in vitro at concentrations which are similar to those in the circulation and in tissues. The dissociation constant (KD) for the binding of a neuropeptide to its leukocyte receptor is within the range of concentrations that evok...