cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Orographic Precipitation, Freshwater Resources, and Climate Vulnerabilities in Mountainous Regions

About half the world’s freshwater resources come from precipitation (rain and snow) in mountainous regions. Understanding how climate and environmental change can impact monsoon rainfall, which is the dominant freshwater source on mountain slopes and adjacent lowlands in the tropics and subtropics, is therefore an important question of global implications. The diurnal cycle of orographic rainfall (e.g., where it rains, how much it rains, how fast it rains, how long it rains, and at what time of day it rains) varies from one mountain region to another, and in the same region it can vary greatly with elevation and landform. Heavy rainfall is associated with landslides and flash flooding that cause short-term landform and vegetation disturbances and often loss of life and property. By contrast, because of its ubiquity and space–time persistence independently of the variability in large-scale forcing, light rainfall ( −1 ) is de facto water lifeline of mountain environments. The vulnerability of headwater catchments and cloud forests to aridification presents a key challenge to the sustainability of mountain environments and freshwater resources. Changes in fog and rainfall intensities affect canopy harvesting and interception of precipitation, infiltration, and runoff processes, and consequently evapotranspiration, surface energy balance, and boundary layer conditions, which ultimately feedback into cloud formation and rainfall processes.
Transtentorial herniation from tumefactive multiple sclerosis mimicking primary brain tumor.

Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating disease characterized by multiple lesions disseminated in time and space. The lesions often have characteristic imaging findings on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and cerebrospinal fluid findings that lead to their diagnosis. At times, these lesions may resemble tumors due to their large size (>2 cm), significant vasogenic edema, and ring-enhancing MR imaging findings. Such lesions are described as tumefactive demyelinating lesions or tumefactive MS, and they are generally seen in aggressive forms of MS associated with rapid progression. Case description We report an uncommon but clinically significant case of transtentorial brain herniation secondary to malignant cerebral edema from tumefactive MS in a 50-year-old woman. After the initial diagnosis of MS, the patient continued to have progression of her white matter lesions suggesting evolution of her MS despite treatment with intravenous (IV) steroids, IV immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis. She was admitted to the hospital with a new, large, ring-enhancing lesion that displayed significant mass effect from vasogenic edema and progressed, necessitating a decompressive hemicraniectomy. Conclusion Tumefactive MS presents a unique pathology that can often mimic primary brain tumors. Although these lesions affect white matter and infrequently cause a significant amount of mass effect, they can act like a tumor, causing edema that generates sufficient intracranial pressure to cause transtentorial herniation.
Political ideology shapes the amplification of the accomplishments of disadvantaged vs. advantaged group members.

Recent years have witnessed an increased public outcry in certain quarters about a perceived lack of attention given to successful members of disadvantaged groups relative to equally meritorious members of advantaged groups, exemplified by social media campaigns centered around hashtags, such as #OscarsSoWhite and #WomenAlsoKnowStuff. Focusing on political ideology, we investigate here whether individuals differentially amplify successful targets depending on whether these targets belong to disadvantaged or advantaged groups, behavior that could help alleviate or entrench group-based disparities. Study 1 examines over 500,000 tweets from over 160,000 Twitter users about 46 unambiguously successful targets varying in race (white, black) and gender (male, female): American gold medalists from the 2016 Olympics. Leveraging advances in computational social science, we identify tweeters’ political ideology, race, and gender. Tweets from political liberals were much more likely than those from conservatives to be about successful black (vs. white) and female (vs. male) gold medalists (and especially black females), controlling for tweeters’ own race and gender, and even when tweeters themselves were white or male (i.e., advantaged group members). Studies 2 and 3 provided experimental evidence that liberals are more likely than conservatives to differentially amplify successful members of disadvantaged (vs. advantaged) groups and suggested that this is driven by liberals’ heightened concern with social equality. Addressing theorizing about ideological asymmetries, we observed that political liberals are more responsible than conservatives for differential amplification. Our results highlight ideology’s polarizing power to shape even whose accomplishments we promote, and extend theorizing about behavioral manifestations of egalitarian motives.
Stumbling Across the Thresholds of Interpretation: The Politics of Postcolonial Paratexts

AbstractThis article analyzes the politics of prefaces and introductions written for colonial and postcolonial novels about India. Using Gerard Genette's concept of the paratext, I compare the pref...
Impact of type of salvage therapy (ST) and response to bridging therapy (BT) on CAR-T therapy outcomes for relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

e15020Background: Durable responses were seen in registration trials for CAR-T in NHL across poor prognostic groups including early relapse post stem cell transplant (ASCT). Multi-center reports of...
Mega Fibula Free Flap for Reconstruction of an Extensive Mandibulofacial Defect.

Objective:Extensive mandibulofacial defects can be challenging to reconstruct. We present the case of a complex mandibulofacial defect reconstructed with a mega, chimeric fibula free flap.Methods:A...
Housemates analogy for membrane potential.

University-level physiology courses are considered challenging. Postsecondary instructors indicate the top three reasons that make physiology courses difficult for student are 1) the need for the l...
Frustrated Freedom: The Effects of Agency and Wealth on Wellbeing in Rural Mozambique

In the capability approach to poverty, wellbeing is threatened by both deficits of wealth and deficits of agency. Sen describes that “unfreedom,” or low levels of agency, will suppress the wellbeing effects of higher levels of wealth. We introduce another condition, “frustrated freedom,” in which higher levels of agency belief can heighten the poverty effects of low levels of wealth. Presenting data from a study of female heads of household in rural Mozambique, we find that agency belief moderates the relationship between wealth and wellbeing, uncovering evidence of frustrated freedom.
Red cell distribution width is a predictor of all-cause mortality in hospitalized dogs

OBJECTIVE To determine whether RBC distribution width (RDW) is associated with an increased odds of mortality in hospitalized dogs and cats. DESIGN Retrospective, single-center study; data collected from 2007 to 2017. SETTING University teaching hospital. ANIMALS Six thousand six hundred and sixty-one animals (5183 dogs and 1478 cats). INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Medical records were identified from animals presented to the emergency service and admitted to the ICU with a CBC and serum biochemistry performed on admission. Patients were stratified into quintiles based upon presenting RDW, and logistic regression modeling was performed to evaluate the relationship between RDW and in-hospital mortality. Canine patients with a presenting RDW in the upper fourth and fifth quintiles had an increased odds of all-cause in-hospital mortality (p < 0.0001). Specifically, dogs in the upper fifth quintile had a 2.1-fold greater odds of death compared to dogs in the first quintile, and dogs in the upper fourth quintile had a 1.9-fold greater odds of death compared to dogs in the first quintile. This relationship remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, key laboratory values excluding HCT, medical versus surgical disease, and diagnosis category. This relationship was no longer significant with the inclusion of HCT. No significant association was identified between presenting RDW and in-hospital mortality in cats. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalized dogs with higher RDW on presentation to the emergency service have greater odds of all-cause in-hospital mortality compared to dogs with a lower RDW. A similar association between RDW and mortality was not found in cats. Further studies are warranted to assess the usefulness of this biomarker for specific diseases in dogs and to better understand the mechanisms driving the association between increased RDW and mortality in canine patients.
Photonic analog of Mollow triplet with on-chip photon-pair generation in dressed modes

Making analogy with atomic physics is a powerful tool for photonic technology, witnessed by the recent development in topological photonics and non-Hermitian photonics based on parity–time symmetry. The Mollow triplet is a prominent atomic effect with both fundamental and technological importance. Here we demonstrate the analog of the Mollow triplet with quantum photonic systems. Photonic entanglement is generated with spontaneous nonlinear processes in dressed photonic modes, which are introduced through coherent multimode coupling. We further demonstrate the possibility of the photonic system to realize different configurations of dressed states, leading to modification of the Mollow triplet. Our work would enable the investigation of complex atomic processes and the realization of unique quantum functionalities based on photonic systems.
Overexpression of Human DNA Topoisomerase IIα by Fusion to Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein

DNA topoisomerase (topo) II alpha is a major target for many anticancer agents. However, progress towards understanding how these agents interact with this enzyme in human cells and how resistance to these agents arises is greatly impeded by difficulties in expressing this gene. Here, we report on achieving a high level of expression of a full-length human topo II alpha gene in human cells. We started with the topo II alpha cDNA driven by a strong cytomegalovirus promoter and transiently transfected HeLa cells. Although topo II alpha mRNA was consistently detected in transfected cells, no exogenous topo II alpha protein was detected. By contrast, when the same cDNA was fused to an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), we detected a high level of expression at both mRNA and protein levels. The exogenous topo II alpha was localized to cell nuclei as expected, indicating that the fusion protein is properly folded. Furthermore, overexpression of the EGFP-topo II alpha fusion protein increased the sensitivity of the transfected cells to teniposide, suggesting that it functions as the endogenous counterpart. Thus, in addition to being used as a gene tag, the GFP fusion approach may be generally applicable for expressing genes, such as topo II alpha, that are difficult to express by conventional methods.
Iodine-131 metaiodobenzylguanidine treatment for metastatic carcinoid. Results in 98 patients.

BACKGROUND Iodine-131 metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I-MIBG) is useful for imaging carcinoid tumors and recently has been applied to the palliative treatment of metastatic carcinoid in small studies. The authors now report their results on the therapeutic utility of high-dose 131I-MIBG treatment in a large group of patients with metastatic carcinoid tumors. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective review of 98 patients with metastatic carcinoid who were treated at their institution with 131I-MIBG over a 15-year period. Endpoints examined included the World Health Organization criteria for treatment response: symptoms, hormone (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid [5-HIAA]) production, and clinical tumor response. RESULTS Patients received a median dose of 401 ± 202 millicuries (mCi) 131I-MIBG. The median survival after treatment was 2.3 years. Patients who experienced a symptomatic response had improved survival (5.76 years vs. 2.09 years; P 400 mCi lived longer than patients who received < 400 mCi (4.69 years vs. 1.86 years; P = 0.05). Radiographic tumor response did not predict survival. Toxicity included pancytopenia, thrombocytopenia, nausea, and emesis. CONCLUSIONS The current data support 131I-MIBG treatment in select patients with metastatic carcinoid who progress despite optimal medical management. Improved survival was predicted best by symptomatic response to 131I-MIBG treatment, but not by hormone or radiographic response. Cancer 2004. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Christianity and Violence

This article explores the tensions between Jesus's command to “turn the other cheek” and the historical reality that many Christians have participated in acts of violence and have sometimes justified their actions as the will of God. Many considerations of the relationship between Christianity and violence have focused on historical instances such as the Crusades of Middle Ages and the violent persecution of heretics during the Inquisition. However, it is evident that Christian-inspired holy wars and persecutions continue in various forms up to the present. This article offers a brief historical survey of the debates over just war theory and pacifism, but it primarily illuminates the cultural sources of violence in the Christian tradition that lead to actual violence in society. Finally, consideration is given to Christian thinkers who articulate a nonviolent theology of Christianity.
PALEOCEANOGRAPHY, BIOLOGICAL PROXIES | Planktic Foraminifera

This article provides a brief history of the development of planktic foraminifer studies and an overview of this fossil group in Quaternary geology. Background information includes the living organism, morphology, classification, and geologic history. The remainder of this article is divided between the geographic distribution of living planktic foraminifers, thanatocoenosis (death assemblage) on the seafloor, and stratigraphic, paleoceanographic, and paleoclimatic applications of planktic foraminifers. Figures include a map showing the geographic distribution of living planktic foraminifer assemblages, planktic foram biochronology for the Quaternary, and a plate of line drawings illustrating common Quaternary species discussed throughout the article.
Race/ethnicity and quality indicators for outpatient treatment for substance use disorders.

Background and Objectives Initiation and engagement, performance measures that focus on the frequency and timely receipt of services in the early stages of substance use disorders (SUD) treatment, are useful tools for assessing treatment quality differences across racial/ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine whether there are racial/ethnic disparities in these quality indicators and to explore whether predictors of treatment initiation and engagement differ by clients' race/ethnicity. Methods This study used administrative data from outpatient treatment facilities licensed by the state of Massachusetts that receive public funding. The sample consisted of 10,666 adult clients (76% White, 13% Latino, 11% Black) who began an outpatient treatment episode in 2006. Client data were linked with facility data from the National Survey on Substance Abuse Treatment Services. Multilevel regressions were used to examine racial/ethnic disparities and to explore whether predictors for initiation and engagement differed by client's race/ethnicity. Results We did not find evidence of racial/ethnic disparities in treatment initiation or engagement. However, we found that predictors of initiation and engagement differed by client's race/ethnicity. Conclusions and Scientific Significance Disparities may be context specific, and thus it is important that they be examined at state or local levels. Our results point to the importance of examining predictors of quality indicators separately by group to better understand and address the needs of diverse client populations. (Am J Addict 2015;24:523–531)
Norepinephrine-induced phasic activity in tail arteries from genetically hypertensive rats

The effects of norepinephrine on contractile force development were studied in tail artery strips from spontaneously hypertensive stroke-prone (SHRSP) and Kyoto-Wistar normotensive rats (WKY). The strips were mounted in physiological salt solution between a fixed base and force transducers; isometric contractions were recorded. Norepinephrine-induced were characterized by fluctuations in contractile activity, whereas contractile responses in arteries from WKY remained constant with time. The magnitude and frequency of phasic responses in SHRSP arteries varied directly with increasing concentrations of norepinephrine (1.8 X 10(-9) to 1.8 X 10(-6) M). The phasic responses induced by norepinephrine in SHRSP arteries were reversed by the following experimental interventions: 1) 10(-4) M ouabain; 2) 20 degrees C; 3) potassium-free solution; 4) 1.0 mM BaCl2; 5) 20 mM KCl; 6) 30 mM tetraethylammonium chloride; 7) chloride-free solution; and 8) 10(-7) M D 600 (calcium channel blocker). It is proposed that the phasic contractile responses to norepinephrine in SHRSP are related to altered movements of calcium and potassium across the cell membrane. This study demonstrates a very distinct functional individuality in the arterial vascular smooth muscle cell membrane of SHRSP.
Enhanced phase regression with Savitzky-Golay filtering for high-resolution BOLD fMRI

Phase regression exploits the temporal evolution of phase in individual voxels to suppress blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal fluctuations caused by larger vessels and draining veins while preserving signal changes from microvascular effects. However, this process does not perform well when phase time series have low signal-to-noise ratios because of high levels of physiological noise. We demonstrate that Savitzky-Golay filters may be used to recover the underlying change in phase and completely restore the efficacy of phase regression. We do not make a priori assumptions regarding phase evolution and perform a data-driven exploration of parameter space to select the Savitzky-Golay filter parameters that minimize temporal variance in each voxel after phase regression. This approach is shown to work well on data acquired with single-shot and multi-shot pulse sequences, and should therefore be useful for both human and animal gradient-echo fMRI at high spatial resolutions at high fields. The ability to improve the spatial specificity of BOLD activation may be especially advantageous for clinical applications of fMRI that rely upon the accuracy of individual subject's activation maps to assist with presurgical planning and clinical decision-making. Enhanced phase regression with Savitzky-Golay filtering may also find other uses in analyses of resting state functional connectivity.
Intestinal hydrolysis and conjugation of a pesticidal carbamate in vitro

The metabolite 1-[1-(14)C]naphthyl glucuronide was isolated from mucosal and serosal fluids of everted sacs of rat small intestine incubated in media containing either the insecticide 1-[1-(14)C]naphthyl N-methylcarbamate (carbaryl) or 1-[1-(14)C]naphthol. The hydrolysis of carbaryl and conjugation of the liberated naphthol indicated some degree of metabolism by the intestine before absorption.
ONE-INSTANTON PREDICTIONS OF A SEIBERG–WITTEN CURVE FROM M THEORY: THE SYMMETRIC REPRESENTATION OF SU(N)

We consider N = 2 supersymmetric Yang–Mills theories in four dimensions with gauge group SU(N) for N larger than 2. Using the cubic curve for a matter hypermultiplet transforming in the symmetric representation, obtained from M theory by Landsteiner and Lopez, we calculate the prepotential up to the one-instanton correction. We treat the curve as being approximately hyperelliptic and perform a perturbation expansion for the Seiberg–Witten differential to get the one-instanton contribution. We find that it reproduces the correct result for one loop, and we obtain the prediction for that curve for the one-instanton correction term.
Associations between breast cancer risk factors and religious practices in Utah.

Abstract Background. Utah has the lowest female malignant breast cancer incidence rates in the United States, due in part to low rates among women who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon). Several established reproductive and non-reproductive breast cancer risk factors may be lower among LDS women because of their religious doctrine related to marriage, family, and health. This paper investigates the association between selected breast cancer risk factors and religious preference and religiosity in Utah. Methods. A 37-item anonymous cross-sectional telephone survey was developed and conducted during March and April 2002. Results are based on 848 non-Hispanic white female respondents. Results. Number of births (parity), prevalence of breastfeeding, and lifetime total duration of breastfeeding were highest among LDS women who attended church weekly. Average months of breastfeeding per child were greatest among weekly church attendees, regardless of religious preference. Oral contraceptive use and total duration of hormone replacement therapy use were greatest for individuals of any religion attending church less than weekly and for individuals with no religious preference. Comparisons of divergent reproductive behaviors between LDS and non-LDS, and between weekly and less than weekly church goers, provide strong support for the relatively low breast cancer incidence rates previously identified among LDS and, therefore, in Utah. Conclusions. High parity and breastfeeding coincide with comparatively low breast cancer incidence rates among LDS and are consistent with recent findings of the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer, showing the primary role parity and breastfeeding play in reducing breast cancer.
Regulation in comparative perspective

Abstract Structural changes in the world economy pose challenging new problems for comparative policy analysis. One such problem is the harmonization of domestic policies and institutions, which the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations has identified as a key principle of international economic relations. Harmonization may mean the creation of a single policy space out of a number of distinct jurisdictions. It can also mean the adoption of common policy goals or general principles that national governments can pursue by different strategies. Comparative analysis can help in choosing the type of harmonization most appropriate in a given context. This article analyzes the development of harmonization strategies in the European Community/European Union. The European experience shows that far‐reaching economic integration can be achieved without suppressing cultural diversity and legitimate differences in national preferences.
Atmospheric aerosol measurements by cavity ringdown turbidimetry

We have investigated monitoring the ambient air extinction coefficient as a sensitive indicator of micrometer sized airborne particles through cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) at 2 wavelengths. Scatter and absorption of light by the airborne particles induced a measureable decrease in the ringdown decay time of our ringdown cell. When a copper vapor laser operating at 8-10 kHz was employed and 1,500 individual ringdowns were averaged on an oscilloscope, minimal detectable extinction coefficients of 10 m 6 m m 1 could be achieved. We have used our ringdown instrument to detect a correlation between the observed ringdown extinction coefficient and particulate mass concentrations ( w g/m 3 of air). The correlation we have observed allows estimation of suspended mass concentrations in a matter of minutes, rather than a sampling time of several hours or days encountered in traditional gravimetric approaches. Additionally, we have constructed a variable cut diameter inertial impactor for use with our ringdow...
Texture gradient as a depth cue

A texture operator for use in computer vision programs is described. The operator classifies texture according to characteristics of the Fourier transform of local image windows. Gradients of the texture are found by comparing and associating quantitative and qualitative values of adjacent windows. The gradients are then interpreted as a depth cue for longitudinal (receding) surfaces. Experimental results with natural, outdoor scenes are reported.
FIN DAMAGE AND MASS OFFSET FOR KINETIC ENERGY PROJECTILE SPIN/PITCH LOCK-IN

A study and a general model for the roll/pitch frequency lock-in phenomenonare made for long antitank kinetic energy projectiles and missiles in general to quantify the necessary projectile damage/defect required to cause the lock-in. Fin damage and body mass offset are modeled as the forcing forces and moments (asymmetries) causing the lock-in. Idealized  n damage is modeled.The corresponding pitch, side-slip, and roll equations are numerically integrated. The nonlinear induced roll moment is essential in coupling the pitching/yawing motions with that of the roll motion. A speci c and complete projectile case study is presented, in which quanti ed  n damage and rod mass offset are found to cause such lock-in. Computed  ight motion history (pitch, side slip, and roll) and the yaw ampli cation factor provide insight into this lock-in behavior. The model is general and can be applied to any  nned projectile or missile.
A realistic model for e+e− annihilation including parton bremsstrahlung effects

Abstract The recently proposed model of Field and Wolfram for e+e− annihilation, which describes hadronization without using fragmentation functions, is examined and enlarged. Extensions of the original scheme include (i) heavy quark mass effects in the QCD parton shower and the explicit formation of final state heavy hadrons, (ii) a modification of the cluster formation algorithm to combine small mas clusters prior to hadronization and (iii) an enhanced rate of soft gluon production at early times in the parton shower. The last two modifications are fundamental and provide a more sensible separation of long and short distance physics. Initial results of the model agree well with PETRA/PEP data. Some predictions are made for LEP energies.
Reduced amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid β-protein precursor by the small-molecule Differentiation Inducing Factor-1

Abstract The detection of cell cycle proteins in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains may represent an early event leading to neurodegeneration. To identify cell cycle modifiers with anti-Aβ properties, we assessed the effect of Differentiation-Inducing Factor-1 (DIF-1), a unique, small-molecule from Dictyostelium discoideum , on the proteolysis of the amyloid β-protein precursor (APP) in a variety of different cell types. We show that DIF-1 slows cell cycle progression through G0/G1 that correlates with a reduction in cyclin D1 protein levels. Western blot analysis of DIF-treated cells and conditioned medium revealed decreases in the levels of secreted APP, mature APP, and C-terminal fragments. Assessment of conditioned media by sandwich ELISA showed reduced levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42, also demonstrating that treatment with DIF-1 effectively decreases the ratio of Aβ42 to Aβ40. In addition, DIF-1 significantly diminished APP phosphorylation at residue T668. Interestingly, site-directed mutagenesis of APP residue Thr668 to alanine or glutamic acid abolished the effect of DIF-1 on APP proteolysis and restored secreted levels of Aβ. Finally, DIF-1 prevented the accumulation of APP C-terminal fragments induced by the proteasome inhibitor lactacystin, and calpain inhibitor N-acetyl-leucyl-leucyl-norleucinal (ALLN). Our findings suggest that DIF-1 affects G0/G1-associated amyloidogenic processing of APP by a γ-secretase-, proteasome- and calpain-insensitive pathway, and that this effect requires the presence of residue Thr668.
Emulating a Shingled Write Disk

Shingled Magnetic Recording technology is expected to play a major role in the next generation of hard disk drives. But it introduces some unique challenges to system software researchers and prototype hardware is not readily available for the broader research community. It is crucial to work on system software in parallel to hardware manufacturing, to ensure successful and effective adoption of this technology. In this work, we present a novel Shingled Write Disk (SWD) emulator that uses a hard disk utilizing traditional Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) and emulates a Shingled Write Disk on top of it. We implemented the emulator as a pseudo block device driver and evaluated the performance overhead incurred by employing the emulator. The emulator has a slight overhead which is only measurable during pure sequential reads and writes. The moment disk head movement comes into picture, due to any random access, the emulator overhead becomes so insignificant as to become immeasurable.
A novel chemical screening strategy in zebrafish identifies common pathways in embryogenesis and rhabdomyosarcoma development

The zebrafish is a powerful genetic model that has only recently been used to dissect developmental pathways involved in oncogenesis. We hypothesized that operative pathways during embryogenesis would also be used for oncogenesis. In an effort to define RAS target genes during embryogenesis, gene expression was evaluated in Tg(hsp70-HRASG12V) zebrafish embryos subjected to heat shock. dusp6 was activated by RAS, and this was used as the basis for a chemical genetic screen to identify small molecules that interfere with RAS signaling during embryogenesis. A KRASG12D-induced zebrafish embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma was then used to assess the therapeutic effects of the small molecules. Two of these inhibitors, PD98059 and TPCK, had anti-tumor activity as single agents in both zebrafish embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma and a human cell line of rhabdomyosarcoma that harbored activated mutations in NRAS. PD98059 inhibited MEK1 whereas TPCK suppressed S6K1 activity; however, the combined treatment completely suppressed eIF4B phosphorylation and decreased translation initiation. Our work demonstrates that the activated pathways in RAS induction during embryogenesis are also important in oncogenesis and that inhibition of these pathways suppresses tumor growth.
Increased regional myocardial blood flows and oxygen deliveries during hypoxemia in lambs

Summary: Newborn humans may develop myocardial dysfunction in conjunction with severe birth asphyxia. Subendocardial or papillary muscle ischemia appears to be the basis for the myocardial dysfunction, yet patent coronary arteries have been demonstrated in the nonsurvivors. The asphyxiated newborns also have experienced hypoxemia, which has been suggested as the cause of myocardial ischemia. This study was designed to determine the relationship between reduced aortic blood oxygen content and blood flow as well as oxygen delivery within different regions of the heart. Three days after surgery, we measured blood flow and oxygen delivery to the free walls and papillary muscles of the right and left ventricles, the ventricular septum, and the atria in 10 lambs, during 20-min periods in 8-10% and 5-6% environmental oxygen concentrations. In each region of myocardium, blood flow increased linearly as the aortic blood oxygen content decreased. The slopes of the regression lines were similar for each region of ventricular myocardium. Atrial myocardial blood flow also increased as a linear function of the reductions in aortic blood oxygen content, but at a slower rate than in the ventricular regions. Hypoxemia was associated with increased oxygen delivery in each region of myocardium, but the two variables were not related in a linear or quadratic fashion. The results demonstrate that isolated hypoxemia is associated with increased blood flow and oxygen delivery in the free walls and papillary muscles of the right and left ventricles, the ventricular septum, and the atria.
Extended multitouch: recovering touch posture and differentiating users using a depth camera

Multitouch surfaces are becoming prevalent, but most existing technologies are only capable of detecting the user's actual points of contact on the surface and not the identity, posture, and handedness of the user. In this paper, we define the concept of extended multitouch interaction as a richer input modality that includes all of this information. We further present a practical solution to achieve this on tabletop displays based on mounting a single commodity depth camera above a horizontal surface. This will enable us to not only detect when the surface is being touched, but also recover the user's exact finger and hand posture, as well as distinguish between different users and their handedness. We validate our approach using two user studies, and deploy the technique in a scratchpad tool and in a pen + touch sketch tool.
Thermal and quantum fluctuations in supersymmetric Chern-Simons theory☆

Abstract We study radiative corrections to the Abelian self-dual Chern-Simons theory at zero and finite temperatures. The analysis is performed with the help of functional methods. We consider the supersymmetric extension of scalar matter fields minimally coupled to a gauge field whose dynamics is governed solely by the Chern-Simons term. The scalar field potential is a self-dual sixth-order polynomial with U (1)-symmetry-breaking and symmetry-preserving minima which are degenerate. We find that the zero-temperature one-loop radiative corrections do not remove this degeneracy and both minima remain supersymmetric. We calculate the leading-order finite-temperature contributions to the effective potential in the high-temperature limit and we find that the U (1)-symmetry is restored. In contrast to four-dimensional field theories that restore the U (1)-symmetry at high temperatures, the restoration of the U (1)-symmetry in the abelian self-dual Chern-Simons theory occurs at the two-loop level. The Chern-Simons system without supersymmetry is discussed, as well as the scalar field model without Chern-Simons gauge fields. The same finite temperature result emerges in these cases.
Subpixel temperature retrieval with multispectral sensors

High-quality, multispectral thermal infrared sensors can, under certain conditions, be used to measure more than one surface temperature in a single pixel. Surface temperature retrieval in general is a difficult task, because even for a single unknown surface, the problem is under-determined. For the example of an N-band sensor, a pixel with two materials at two temperatures will, in principle, have 2(N+1) unknowns (N emissivities and one temperature for each of two materials). In addition, the upwelling path and reflected downwelling radiances must be considered. Split-window (two or more bands) and multi-look (two or more images of the same scene) techniques provide additional information that can be used to reduce the uncertainties in temperature retrieval. Further reduction in the uncertainties is made if the emissivities are known, either a priori (e.g., for water) or by ancillary measurements. Ultimately, if the number of unknowns is reduced sufficiently, the performance of the sensor will determine the achievable temperature sensitivity. This paper will explore the temperature sensitivity for a pixel with two temperatures that can be obtained under various assumptions of sensor performance, atmospheric conditions, number of bands, number of looks, surface emissivity knowledge, and surface composition. Results on synthetic data sets will be presented.
Traffic control - Theory and instrumentation [Book review]

Until recently traffic control has been limited to the use of pavement markings, signs, regulations, and fixed-time-cycle traffic lights. Only in the last decade has there been much research on the theorv of the mechanisms of traffic flow on which the design of control systems could be based. This book is a summary of most of the research that was done in this area prior to 1964. It is based on papers presented at an Interdisciplinary Clinic on Instrumentation Requirements for Traffic Control Systems held in December 1963. The editor has grouped the papers into three categories: introduction, traffic control instrumentation theory and practice, and case studies of large-scale integrated traffic control systems. A detailed review of each constituent paper is presented as part of this review.
Wave-front inversion using a thin phase hologram: a computer simulation.

It has been demonstrated previously that a thin phase hologram, recorded in a weak reference condition, is capable of inverting a complex field. Using a computer simulation of the properties of a thin phase hologram, we find the operating conditions and dynamic range for wave-front inversion. The conclusions of the simulation are used for designing an experiment to invert a circulant matrix and the results of the experiment well support the analysis.
Differences in transmission through the dorsal column nuclei in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats

The medial lemniscal evoked potential in response to a range of footshock intensities was recorded in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). Input-output (I-O) relationships were constructed as the percent of maximum response at each intensity. The SHR had a steeper I-O relationship than did the WKY. This difference was also evident when SHR maintained normotensive from weaning with hydralazine were compared with identically treated WKY. The treatment itself steepened the I-O relationship of the SHR while leaving that of the WKY unchanged. These results indicate an inherent hyperresponsiveness in the SHR dorsal column nuclei and an inhibitory effect of elevated blood pressure on transmission through these nuclei.
Helices in biomolecules

Identical objects, regularly assembled, form a helix, which is the principal motif of nucleic acids, proteins, and viral capsids.
The reverse transcriptase of the R2 non-LTR retrotransposon: Continuous synthesis of cDNA on non-continuous RNA templates

R2 is a non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposon that inserts into the 28 S rRNA genes of arthropods. The element encodes two enzymatic activities: an endonuclease that specifically cleaves the 28 S gene target site, and a reverse transcriptase (RT) that can use the 3' end of the cleaved DNA to prime reverse transcription. R2 RT only utilizes RNA templates that contain the 3' untranslated region of the R2 element as templates in this target primed reverse transcription (TPRT) reaction. Here, detailed biochemical characterization of the R2 RT indicates that the enzyme is capable of making multiple, consecutive jumps between RNA templates. The terminal 3' nucleotide of the "acceptor" RNA and the 5' nucleotide of the "donor" RNA are frequently reverse transcribed in these jumps, indicating that the acceptor RNA does not anneal to the cDNA derived from the donor RNA template. These template jumps occur during TPRT as well as in non-specific extension reactions in which reverse transcription is primed by an oligonucleotide annealed to the RNA template. Analysis of these RT assays done in the absence of the target DNA also revealed that the R2 RT can initiate reverse transcription near the 3' end of any RNA molecule using the 3' end of a second RNA molecule as primer. Again there is no requirement for sequence complementarity between the RNA used as template and the RNA used as primer. These properties of the R2 RT differ substantially from those of retroviral RTs but have similarities to the RT of the Mauriceville retroplasmid of Neurospora crassa. We present a model which relates these unusual properties of the R2 RT to structural differences from retroviral RTs as well as correlates these properties to the likely retrotransposition mechanism of R2 and other non-LTR retrotransposons.
The 1896 Realignment A Reassessment

The election of 1896 is regarded as a critical one in which a significant and enduring shift in party electoral fortunes occurred. This evidence is so important because it supports the more general...
Endurance-training induced changes in skeletal muscle phosphoglycerate kinase of old Wistar rats.

Sufficiently intense, long-term, endurance training has been shown in several studies to induce a variety of adaptations in skeletal muscle, including a substantial restoration of the activities of several muscle enzymes which are known to be modified during biological aging. This activity-restoration may reflect either an increase in the amounts of enzyme proteins or an enhancement of the specific activities of these molecules. The present study examined the effect of long-term endurance training on the status of phosphoglycerate kinase in skeletal muscle of old rats, as compared with the enzyme isolated either from non-trained old or young animals. The kinetics of heat inactivation, which differ markedly between young and old forms of phosphoglycerate kinase, were used as a sensitive probe for the status of the enzyme. The results reveal a remarkable similarity between the heat inactivation patterns of phosphoglycerate kinase from the muscle of old, exercise-trained rats and enzyme purified from young animals, while enzyme samples isolated from sedentary old animals are significantly more heat-stable. Adaptation to endurance-training is thus evident at the molecular level, and maintains phosphoglycerate kinase in its young form. The aging of this enzyme has been previously shown to involve only conformational changes, which develop following a reversible partial oxidation of reactive cysteine residues. Whether the adaptation of the enzyme to endurance-training results from enhancement in its turnover rate (i.e., dwell time in the cell becoming too short for modifications to develop) or is due to increased protection against oxidation (being the first step in the enzyme's aging) remains to be studied.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among 1991 Gulf War veterans: evidence for a time-limited outbreak.

Background: In follow-up to recent reports of an elevated risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) among 1991 Gulf War veterans, we analyzed the distribution of disease onset tim
Implementation of blind zone and range-velocity ambiguity mitigation for solid-state weather radar

This paper addresses the blind-zone problem associated with pulse compression techniques used to overcome the low peak power of solid-state transmitters, as well as interpulse coding techniques that take advantage of high duty cycles to mitigate range-velocity ambiguities. The implementation of these techniques on the CSU Wideband Experimental X-band (WiBEX) radar is presented.
Eastward bound: A case study of post-soviet labour migration from a rural Ukrainian town

Abstract This case study uses ethnographic interviews and survey data to explore temporary work migration from Komsomolsk, a rural town in central Ukraine. At the time of the Soviet collapse, experts expected temporary work migrants to orient toward labour markets in Western Europe but our data show that in 2002 the majority of temporary migrants made trips to Russia and parts of the former Soviet Union from Komsomolsk. Women were less likely than men to engage in temporary work migration, yet those women who did migrate for work were more likely to migrate west. Men, particularly older, ethnically Russian men, sought work in the east. Ethnographic data indicate language skills and knowledge of the Russian labour market influenced migrants' choice of destination. Social contacts, such as recruiters from Russian construction firms, helped to bring Ukrainian workers east. Survey data show that younger ethnic Russians and ethnic Ukrainians from all age groups were more likely to seek work within the country ...
Peachtree City, Georgia: Improvisation and Progressivism in a Post-War Southern New Town

In post–World War II America, planners touted new towns as one answer to the increasingly evident evils of suburban sprawl. These trace their history to Ebenezer Howard’s Garden City, as well as more recent examples such as Radburn. Some of these post-war new towns are well known, such as Columbia and Reston, but one, Peachtree City, Georgia, has largely escaped scholarly notice. Peachtree began at the same time as Columbia but took much longer to develop. This article examines Peachtree’s origins and growth, along with the motivations of those who founded and settled in it. It was strongly progressive and environmentally sensitive in a time and place where these qualities were unusual.
Linguistic Analysis of Written Narratives of Caregivers of Children and Adolescents with Chronic Illness: Cognitive and Emotional Processes and Physical and Psychological Health Outcomes

Used linguistic analysis of written narratives of caregivers of hospitalized youth with chronic illness to identify emotional and cognitive processes related to physical and psychological health outcomes following writing. Measures were administered at baseline and 4 months. Experimental group (n = 29) wrote about traumas whereas the control group (n = 24) wrote about summer activities for 20 min on three different days. Compared groups on negative emotion- and cognition-related word use. Tested change in negative emotion- and cognition-related word use as predictors of outcomes in experimental group. Consistent with hypotheses, experimental group used more negative emotion words [F(1, 53) = 77.55, p < .001] and cognition-related words than control group [F(1, 53) = 19.09, p < .001] and an increase in cognition words predicted Physical Health Summary Score on SF-36 (standardized β = .37, p < .05). A decrease in negative emotion words was related to Physical Health Summary Score on SF-36 only when entered into regression with change in cognition words (standardized β = −.31, p < .05). A decrease in negative emotion together with an increase in cognitive processing facilitated by written emotional disclosure has beneficial effects on physical health-related quality of life.
Recent Advances in Ultra-high Performance Concrete

This paper presents a comprehensive review of recent advances in ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC). Fundamental characteristics of UHPC are elaborated with focus on its material constituents, mixing, and formulation procedures. Use of state-of-the-art materials such as carbon nanotubes or nano-silica is discussed as well, whose inclusion may enhance the performance of UHPC. The review evaluates supplementary treatment methods (e.g., pressuring curing) and identifies applicable standard test methods for determining the properties and behavior of UHPC. Site implementation is provided to link laboratory research with full-scale application. Research needs are suggested to further develop UHPC technologies from technical and socio-economical perspectives.
Cloud droplet activation of polymerized organic aerosol

High-molecular-weight organic compounds represent an important fraction in atmospheric aerosols, but their interactionswith atmospheric water vapour are not well understood. Specifically, the hygroscopicity of polymerized atmosphericaerosols is larger than expected for their high molecular weights and is not a strong function of the degree of polymerization,but their cloud-nucleating activity declines as polymerization progresses.We apply a Flory–Huggins based theoryfor polymer–water interactions to describe water activity in aqueous solutions of atmospherically relevant oligomers andpolymers, and show via experiments on particles composed of commercial polymers that it is consistent with observedparticle hygroscopic growth and cloud formation behaviour. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.2006.00181.x