cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous Stone Removal

In this chapter the method of percutaneous stone removal is reviewed in its entirety. The indications for percutaneous stone removal in the age of shockwave lithotripsy and ureteroscopy are carefully reviewed: staghorn stones, obstruction and stones (e.g., ureteropelvic junction obstruction and calyceal diverticula), renal anomalies (e.g., horseshoe kidney), stones with difficult lower pole anatomy, and calculi that are extremely hard (i.e., Hounsfield units ≥1000). In addition, the technique is presented with the method for percutaneous access and details of intrarenal lithotripsy. Accompanying this section is a detailed account of the instrumentation available. Some tips and tricks for successful stone removal are presented, such as the use of the ureteral access sheath to improve renal access and stone clearance, as well as the use of various hemostatic agents in lieu of placing a percutaneous nephrostomy tube at the termination of the procedure. Also, a full discussion of complications is provided: prevention, recognition, and treatment.
Teaching Principles of Biomaterials to Undergraduate Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic with At-Home Inquiry-Based Laboratory Experiments

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities have switched to online learning platforms, which inhibits engineering students from completing formative hands-on experiments. To address this, we developed at-home experiments for an undergraduate biomaterials course. These inquiry-based learning experiments were well received by students and resulted in positive learning gains by pre/post-test assessment. These results motivate the use of similar experiments to remotely teach engineering concepts to wider audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
Marcadores diagnósticos y mecanismos neuroquímicos de la encefalopatía secundaria a la insuficiencia hepática

La encefalopatia hepatica (EH) es un trastorno neuropsiquiatrico complejo secundario a la insuficiencia hepatica aguda o cronica, para el cual no se cuenta con marcadores diagnosticos especificos que contribuyan a dilucidar su mecanismo neuroquimico exacto. Como posibles mecanismos de este trastorno se han propuesto los efectos neurotoxicos de la acumulacion del amonio, la produccion de "neurotransmisores falsos", y el incremento del tono inhibitorio GABAergico en SNC. No obstante, las diversas investigaciones que han explorado estas hipotesis han arrojado hallazgos contradictorios. Diversos informes han propuesto que el incremento de las concentraciones de ligandos endogenos en el receptor de las benzodiacepinas (LRBZD) pudiera contribuir a la patogenesis de la EH. Sin embargo, los datos disponibles tambien sugieren que los sintomas neuropsiquiatricos de la EH dificilmente pueden explicarse unicamente por la acumulacion de estos compuestos.
VITAMIN D REGULATION OF IMMUNE FUNCTION

Although the best known actions of vitamin D involve its regulation of bone mineral homeostasis, vitamin D exerts its influence on many physiologic processes. One of these processes is the immune system. Both the adaptive and innate immune systems are impacted by the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)(2)D. These observations have important implications for understanding the predisposition of individuals with vitamin D deficiency to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis as well as to autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes mellitus and multiple sclerosis. However, depending on the disease process not all actions of vitamin D may be beneficial. In this review, I examine the regulation by 1,25(OH)(2)D of immune function, then assess the evidence implicating vitamin D deficiency in human disease resulting from immune dysfunction.
Educational Faculty Perceptions of the Learning Climate in a Juvenile Justice Residential Facility

The majority of educational faculty from a juvenile justice residential detention facility in rural Northeast Missouri who participated in a learning climate survey of their school seemed to agree that the environment for staff and students was generally physically safe and emotionally supportive; key factors for a positive learning climate. By describing perceptions of their schoolâ€™s learning climate; facility educational faculty can identify strengths and improve upon weaknesses. Enhancing a schoolâ€™s physical and psychosocial surroundings leads to a healthier school environment for all.
Repression of λ-Associated Enzyme Synthesis After λvir Superinfection of Lysogenic Hosts

Lisio, Arnold L. (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md.), and Arthur Weissbach. Repression of λ-associated enzyme synthesis after λ vir superinfection of lysogenic hosts. J. Bacteriol. 90: 661–666. 1965.—Phage λ vir is a multiple mutant of λ which is capable of overcoming the immunity of a host lysogenic for λ, and initiating normal vegetative replication of the superinfecting phage genome. Superinfection of Escherichia coli K-112 (λ 22 ) with λ vir results in a normal phage yield, lysis time, and H 3 -thymine incorporation compared with infection of the sensitive host, K-112 (S). However, the production of the λ phage-specific early protein, λ-exonuclease, after superinfection of E. coli K-112 (λ 22 ) with λ vir is only 25 to 50% of that obtained from corresponding infection of a nonlysogenic host, E. coli K-112 (S). This repression of λ-exonuclease synthesis is dependent on the C 1 cistron of the prophage and is overcome if the lysogenic host cells are induced prior to superinfection. The data are interpreted as evidence for partial repression of λ vir by the host immunity.
No piense globalmente y actúe localmente: la gestión de las fuerzas centrípetas y centrífugas en los puestos internacionales

Resumen es: En este documento, se sostiene que la literatura sobre los puestos o asignaciones internacionales posiblemente esta sesgada a favor de la localizacion, i...
Abstract LB-179: Expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and ki67 in normal breast tissue and subsequent risk of breast cancer

Background: Biological activity, including potential carcinogenic effects, of estrogen and progesterone in breast tissue is primarily mediated by their receptors in the tissue. Ki67 is a marker of cell cycle activation. We examined the associations of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and Ki67 expression in normal breast tissue from benign biopsies with subsequent breast cancer risk. Methods: We conducted an analysis among 385 women (90 cases, 295 controls) with benign breast disease (BBD) in a nested case-control study within the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the NHSII. Tissue microarrays (TMA) were constructed using cores obtained from benign biopsies containing normal terminal duct lobular units (TDLU). Immunohistochemical staining for ER, PR, and Ki67 was performed on sections cut from the TMAs. Staining results were interpreted by computational image analysis which scored the percentage of positively stained cells for each marker. Unconditional logistic regression models, adjusting for matching factors and benign lesion subtype, were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) for developing subsequent breast cancer by tertiles of marker expression. Results: ER and Ki67 expression (highest vs. lowest tertiles) in normal breast TDLUs was not significantly associated with subsequent breast cancer risk (≥14.7 vs. Conclusion: PR expression in normal breast tissue was significantly positively associated with subsequent breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. Although we did not observe significant results with ER and Ki67, we cannot exclude associations given the limited power in this study. These findings may contribute to understanding of breast cancer biology and may suggest new targets for breast cancer risk assessment and prevention. However, further studies are required to confirm these results. Citation Format: Hannah Oh, A Heather Eliassen, Molin Wang, Stephanie A. Smith-Warner, Andrew H. Beck, Stuart J. Schnitt, Laura C. Collins, James L. Connolly, Laleh Montaser-Kouhsari, Rulla M. Tamimi. Expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and ki67 in normal breast tissue and subsequent risk of breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-179. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-179
Documentation Issues for Mechanical Ventilation in Pressure-Control Modes

As hospitals begin to implement electronic medical records, the inadequacies of legacy paper charting systems will become more evident. One area of particular concern for respiratory therapists is the charting of mechanical ventilator settings. Our profession's lack of a standardized and generally accepted taxonomy for mechanical ventilation leaves us with a confusing array of terms related to ventilator settings. Such confusion makes database design impossible for information technology professionals and is a risk-management concern for clinicians. Of particular note is the complexity related to set airway pressures when using modes whose primary control variable is pressure (versus volume). We review the clinically relevant issues surrounding documentation of the patient-ventilator interactions related to airway pressure and provide suggestions for a standardized vocabulary.
Sonic methods to detect delamination in concrete bridge decks

Accurate assessment of the condition of concrete bridge decks leads to a bridge management system that is mechanistic and reliable, qualities of great importance to transportation agencies. In this study, two sonic-seismic methods—impact echo (IE) and ultrasonic surface waves (USW)—were used to characterize material properties and to identify fabricated delaminated areas inside a concrete bridge deck. The reliability of IE and USW is affected not only by the strengths and weaknesses of these methods but also by the ways in which data are collected, interpreted, and presented. The data obtained from the two methods were visualized in both traditional and checkerboard formats. The checkerboard format located the delaminated areas more precisely because the smoothing algorithm was avoided in this contouring method. This observation is more critical as the density of data collection is reduced. The evaluative power of each method and the power in combination, were also compared and discussed in terms of detec...
Quantitative semi-automated analysis of morphogenesis with single-cell resolution in complex embryos

A quantitative understanding of tissue morphogenesis requires description of the movements of individual cells in space and over time. In transparent embryos, such as C. elegans, fluorescently labeled nuclei can be imaged in three-dimensional time-lapse (4D) movies and automatically tracked through early cleavage divisions up to ~350 nuclei. A similar analysis of later stages of C. elegans development has been challenging owing to the increased error rates of automated tracking of large numbers of densely packed nuclei. We present Nucleitracker4D, a freely available software solution for tracking nuclei in complex embryos that integrates automated tracking of nuclei in local searches with manual curation. Using these methods, we have been able to track >99% of all nuclei generated in the C. elegans embryo. Our analysis reveals that ventral enclosure of the epidermis is accompanied by complex coordinated migration of the neuronal substrate. We can efficiently track large numbers of migrating nuclei in 4D movies of zebrafish cardiac morphogenesis, suggesting that this approach is generally useful in situations in which the number, packing or dynamics of nuclei present challenges for automated tracking.
Three-Dimensional Structure of Low-Frequency Pressure Variations in the Tropical Atmosphere

Abstract Results of a recent study show eastward propagation of information in the low-frequency variations of the tropical sea-level pressure (SLP) field. The current work extends that analysis to investigate the vertical structure of this signal. It is found that the propagating signal exists to a height of at least 850 mb. At 500 mb the signal is not so clear, while at 200 mb there is little evidence of propagation of information. Instead, the low-frequency variations in 200 rnb height appear coherent for the tropical belt around the entire globe. The analysis suggests that the anomalies discussed here appear first at the surface and later at higher levels in the atmosphere.
Highly absorbing superabsorbent polymer

Acrylic acid (AA)–acrylamide (AM) based superabsorbent polymers (SAP) were synthesized by inverse suspension polymerization using potassium-persulfate as the initiator, N,N′-methylene bisacrylamide (BIS) as a crosslinker, sorbitan monostearate (Span 60) as the dispersant, cyclohexane as the solvent, and bis(methacryloylamino)-azobenzene as the hydrophobic surface crosslinker. The influence of the polymerization parameters on the properties of the SAPs, water absorption (Q), morphology of the SAPs, swelling kinetics, salt resistance, and the reversibility of water absorption were investigated. The prepared SAPs have excellent water absorption, rapid water uptake, and good resistance to NaCl solutions. Furthermore, they show better reversible water uptake than the previously reported SAPs. The average water absorbency is 2800 g/g and 181 g/g of liquid absorbance in 0.025M NaCl solution. The initial water uptake rate is 1357 g/g/min and the reversibility of water absorption is 200 g/g in the repeated fourth cycle. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1357–1364, 2008
Second-order neutral delay-differential equations with piecewise constant time dependence

Abstract We find conditions for the existence and uniqueness of almost periodic solutions of second-order neutral delay-differential equations with almost periodic time dependence of the form ( x ( t )+ px ( t −1))″= qx ([ t ])+ f ( t ); here [·] is the greatest integer function, p and q are nonzero constants, and f ( t ) is Bohr almost periodic.
DOES PLACE OF PUBLICATION INFLUENCE CITATION BEHAVIOR

Two separate studies have looked at the question of whether or not the sources cited by scientists when they publish in their own national journals differ somewhat from the sources they cite when they publish outside their own country. Data derived from studies of Philippine scientists and Korean mathematicians do suggest that place of publication may exert some influence on citation behavior. In particular, a scientist is more likely to cite national sources when publishing in a national journal than when publishing internationally.
A convenient synthesis of carbon labeled adenine nucleotides: Adenosine‐2‐13C 5′ ‐phosphate

Treatment of adenosine 5′-phosphate 1-oxide with base gave 5-amino-1-β- D-ribofuranosylimidazole-4-carboxamidoxime 5′- phosphate. Catalytic reduction of this amidoxime gave the versatile intermediate, 5-amino-1-β-D-ribofuranosylimidazole- 4-carboxamidine 5′-phosphate. Condensation of this nucleo- tide with formaldehyde-13C in the presence of palladium provided a simple preparation of adenosine-2-13C 5′-phosphate.
Transport of chitosan–DNA nanoparticles in human intestinal M-cell model versus normal intestinal enterocytes

Oral vaccination is one of the most promising applications of polymeric nanoparticles. Using two different in vitro cellular models to partially reproduce the characteristics of intestinal enterocytes and M-cells, this study demonstrates that nanoparticle transport through the M-cell co-culture model is 5-fold that of the intestinal epithelial monolayer, with at least 80% of the chitosan-DNA nanoparticles uptaken in the first 30 min. Among the properties of nanoparticles studied, ligand decoration has the most dramatic effect on the transcytosis rate: transferrin modification enhances transport through both models by 3- to 5-fold. The stability of the nanoparticles also affects transport kinetics. Factors which de-stabilize the nanoparticles, such as low charge (N/P) ratio and addition of serum, result in aggregation and in turn decreases transport efficiency. Of these stability factors, luminal pH is of great interest as an increase in pH from 5.5 to 6.4 and 7.4 leads to a 3- and 10-fold drop in nanoparticle transport, respectively. Since soluble chitosan can act as an enhancer to increase paracellular transport by up to 60%, this decrease is partially attributed to the soluble chitosan precipitating near neutral pH. The implication that chitosan-DNA nanoparticles are more stable in the upper regions of the small intestine suggests that higher uptake rates may occur in the duodenum compared to the ileum and the colon.
Mathematical model for multicomponent aerosol formation and growth in plumes

Abstract Description of the evolution of the size and chemical composition of aerosols in plumes is fundamental to the ability to predict visibility impairment. Previously it has only been possible to predict changes in aerosol size distributions in plumes. In this work the first model for predicting both size and chemical composition evolution of plume aerosols is presented. Coagulation, homogeneous particle formation, heterogeneous condensation and particulate phase chemical equilibria and kinetics are explicitly included. The model is based on a sectional representation of the size-composition spectrum and computation is easy to implement. This model holds promise to be a standard component of all plume visibility calculations that require plume aerosol size and composition information.
A radioisotopic method for measuring the formation of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate in incubated slices of brain.

— A simple and sensitive method for measuring the effect of neurohormones and other chemical agents on the formation of adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic 3′,5′-AMP) in incubated slices of brain was developed. The principle of the method depends on pulse-labelling of adenosine-5′-triphosphate in slices of brain with [8-14C]adenine, followed by incubation in a medium containing the test substance, separation by thin-layer chromatography of the cyclic nucleotide formed in the slices, and radioassay. The purity of the cyclic nucleotide was confirmed by chromatography in a variety of systems and by hydrolysis with a specific, bovine-heart phosphodiesterase. The method was used to study the effect of histamine, norepinephrine, and adenosine on the accumulation of adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate in incubated slices of brain.
Respiration of geranium and petunia in response to low night temperature

Abstract The morphology and rate of development of some bedding plant species is altered by growth at low night temperatures. This cultural practice is of interest because it results in lower greenhouse energy costs and higher productivity at low photosynthetic photon flux. Low night temperatures and changes in the carbohydrate content of the plants may alter energy losses from maintenance respiration. To test this hypothesis, seedlings of geranium (cultivar ‘Red Elite’) and petunia (cultivar ‘Snow Cloud’) were grown at day temperatures of 25°C and night temperatures of either 7°C or 15.5°C. Thereafter, CO2 evolution in the dark at 21°C was measured and starch, soluble sugar and total nitrogen levels were determined. The respiration rates at 21°C of plants grown at 7°C night temperature were consistently higher than those of plants grown at 15.5°C night temperature. Plants grown at the low night temperature had higher starch and soluble sugar levels, even after 112 h in darkness. Effects of night temperature in winter on maintenance respiration and reserve carbohydrate accumulation are discussed.
A blessing and a curse? Political institutions in the growth and decay of generalized trust: a cross-national panel analysis, 1980-2009.

Despite decades of research on social capital, studies that explore the relationship between political institutions and generalized trust–a key element of social capital–across time are sparse. To address this issue, we use various cross-national public-opinion data sets including the World Values Survey and employ pooled time-series OLS regression and fixed- and random-effects estimation techniques on an unbalanced panel of 74 countries and 248 observations spread over a 29-year time period. With these data and methods, we investigate the impact of five political-institutional factors–legal property rights, market regulations, labor market regulations, universality of socioeconomic provisions, and power-sharing capacity–on generalized trust. We find that generalized trust increases monotonically with the quality of property rights institutions, that labor market regulations increase generalized trust, and that power-sharing capacity of the state decreases generalized trust. While generalized trust increases as the government regulation of credit, business, and economic markets decreases and as the universality of socioeconomic provisions increases, both effects appear to be more sensitive to the countries included and the modeling techniques employed than the other political-institutional factors. In short, we find that political institutions simultaneously promote and undermine generalized trust.
The basis of the hydrophobic effect

The property of a molecule that most reliably determines the magnitude of the hydrophobic effect that it will experience is the number of hydrogen-carbon bonds it contains not the accessible surface area of its nonpolar portions. This conclusion follows from an examination of the standard free energies of transfer of alkanes, alkenes, alkadienes, and arenes from water to hexadecane. When the standard free energies of transfer for hydrocarbons in these different classes are plotted as a function of the number of hydrogen-carbon bonds they contain, all of the data fall upon the same line. These standard free energies of transfer are also directly proportional to the number of hydrogen-carbon bonds the hydrocarbons contain. When the same standard free energies of transfer are plotted as a function of the accessible surface areas of the hydrocarbons, the data do not fall upon the same line nor are the standard free energies of transfer directly proportional to the accessible surface areas. An examination of the standard free energies of transfer for the different classes of hydrocarbons from the gas phase to water and from the gas phase to hexadecane reinforces the conclusion that the number of hydrogen-carbon bonds in a molecule rather than its accessible surface area is the basis of the hydrophobic effect. Consequently, estimates of the contribution of different functional groups to the hydrophobic effect providing the free energy of folding of a molecule of protein or providing the free energy of dissociation for the association of two proteins or the association of a ligand with a protein should be made by counting the number of hydrogen-carbon bonds excluded from water rather than computing the accessible surface areas excluded from water.
Synthesis, molecular structure and electrochemical studies of the bis(diphenylphosphino)amine bridge triangular nickel clusters

Abstract The synthesis of the triangular trinuclear nickel complexes ([Ni3(μ-I)2(μ-dppa)3]+n, n=0, +1; dppa=ligand bis(diphenylphosphine)amine), is reported. The crystallographic study of these clusters allows a detailed structural comparison with the bis(diphenylphosphine)methane (dppm) analogs. Differences in electrochemical redox potentials are discussed in the light of stronger metal–phosphorus interaction in the dppa clusters. The dppa clusters [Ni3(μ-I)2(μ-dppa)3]+, show a larger HOMO–LUMO gap, denoting greater thermodynamic stability of the dppa bridged 51e− species, compared to its dppm analog.
Pregnancy Complications and Later Development of Hypertension

Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and diabetes affect approximately 5 to 10 % of all pregnancies and compromise maternal and fetal health during gestation. Complications during pregnancy may also contribute to the development of hypertension and future cardiovascular risk in the mother. Moreover, fetal exposure to hypertension and diabetes during pregnancy can program hypertension and cardiovascular disease in the offspring. Transgenerational transmission of programmed cardiovascular risk highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms that link complications during pregnancy with later hypertension in her offspring and subsequent generations. However, experimental studies are needed to investigate the cause and effect of increased blood pressure in the mother following a complicated pregnancy and provide insight into the development of preventative measures that may improve the long-term cardiovascular health of women and their offspring.
Individual investors and gender similarities in an emerging stock market

Abstract We study the investment behavior of men and women in an emerging stock market. Unlike developed markets, men and women in the People's Republic of China are equally represented. Men have larger average portfolios than women (RMB 155,121 vs. RMB 118,461) and place slightly larger trades (RMB 37,479 vs. RMB 33,861). More importantly, males and females exhibit similar behavior along three key dimensions: (1) The degree of home bias is similar across genders – both men and women over-weight local stocks by 9% relative to the market portfolio. (2) The portfolio performances of males and females are not statistically different. (3) Men appear to trade more intensively than women before controlling for factors such as number of stocks held and number of trading rights. After controlling for these factors, there is no significant difference in trading intensity. We use survival analysis to control for both observable and unobservable characteristics when studying trading intensity. These controls prove crucial when comparing behavior across groups of investors.
Cross section and analyzing power for the isovector “stretched” 6− state in the 28Si(p, n)28P reaction

Abstract We studied the 28 Si(p, n) reaction with both unpolarized and polarized protons at a nominal energy of 135 MeV, extracted the angular distributions of the differential cross section and the analyzing power for the 6 − , T = 1 state at an excitation energy of 4.95 MeV in 28 P, and compared our results with similar data published for the analog ( p , p ′) reaction to the 6 − , T = 1 state at an excitation energy of 14.35 MeV in 28 Si. These comparisons are consistent with charge independence. The measurements are described well by distorted-wave-impulse-approximation calculations with form factors and spectroscopic amplitudes determined from electron scattering.
Terrestrial subsidies in the diets of stream fishes of the USA: comparisons among taxa and morphology

Terrestrial food subsidies are important energy sources to stream fishes worldwide. However, their importance is not fully understood, except perhaps for some salmonid communities. Using the published literature, we investigated patterns of fish taxonomy and jaw morphology in the consumption of terrestrial food subsidies by non-salmonid stream fishes in the USA. We hypothesised that: (1) in general, non-salmonid fishes would consume terrestrial food items to the same extent as salmonids; and (2) subsidy consumption would be associated with jaw morphology. Cyprinids and fundulids consumed terrestrial subsidies approaching levels observed in salmonids (20–44%) whereas other groups (e.g. catostomids and moronids) consumed far less (<2%) terrestrial food. Fishes with terminal jaw positions tended to consume more terrestrial items than those with subterminal or inferior jaw positions. Within a species, there were highly variable propensities for consuming terrestrial subsidies. Our findings justify focusing on trophic linkages between fishes and riparian systems across a wide range of taxa, especially considering the spatio-temporal variability of environmental conditions across a variety of habitats. It is necessary to assess the relative contribution of terrestrial subsidies in fish growth and population dynamics with a focus on nutritional and energetic benefits across different groups.
Reversible, Room-Temperature, Chiral Ionic Liquids. Amidinium Carbamates Derived from Amidines and Amino-Acid Esters with Carbon Dioxide†

The properties of a new class of chiral, room-temperature, ionic liquids (RTILs) are described. They are made from easily synthesized, readily available materials and can be transformed reversibly to their nonionic liquid states. The nonionic liquids consist of neat equimolar mixtures of a N‘-alkyl-N,N-dimethylacetamidine (L) and an alkyl ester of a naturally occurring amino acid (n). When exposed to 1 atm of CO2 gas, the L/n solutions become cationic−anionic pairs, amidinium carbamates. Of the 50 L/n combinations examined, all except those involving the methyl ester of tyrosine (which was immiscible with the amidines) form RTIL states under CO2 atmospheres, and several remain liquids to at least −18 °C. Heating the ionic liquids in air at ca. 50 °C or bubbling N2 gas through them at ambient temperatures for protracted periods displaces the CO2 and re-establishes the nonionic L/n states. As an example of the changes effected by cycling between the two liquid states, a spectroscopic probe, 1-(p-dimethylami...
Indian‐Americans and the U.S.–India Nuclear Agreement: Consolidation of an Ethnic Lobby?

The transformation of U.S.–India relations has been, arguably, one of the most significant developments in American foreign policy in the past decade. Both countries' leaderships regard a recent nuclear cooperation agreement as the most important step yet in their emerging “strategic partnership.” But the deal is also deeply controversial—critics see it as a major departure from decades-standing nonproliferation norms—and its approval by the U.S. Congress in 2006 was far from assured. This paper argues that an increasingly professional and well-funded “India lobby” among Indian-Americans was critical in pressing members of Congress to support the nuclear agreement. Moreover, this episode may portend its emergence as one of the most important ethnic communities seeking influence over U.S. foreign policy in the 21st century—if it can sustain momentum for its ambitious long-term goals, such as securing a permanent seat for India on the UN Security Council, through the uncertain near-term future of the nuclear agreement itself.
Lipid peroxidation in rat tissue slices: effect of dietary vitamin E, corn oil-lard and menhaden oil.

Rats were fed for 5 weeks either 10% (w/w) menhaden oil (MO) or a 10% corn oil-lard (COL) mixture (1∶1) in diets with ≤5 IU or ≤2 IU/kg vitamin E, respectively, or the same diets supplemented with d-α-tocopheryl succinate to a total of 35 and 180 IU vitamin E/kg, respectively. Slices of liver and heart from these rats were used to study lipid peroxidationin vitro. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured in the medium after incubation of the slices at 37°C for 1 hr in the absence (uninduced) and presence of 0.5 mM tert-butyl hydroperoxide (induced). The release of TBARS from slices of heart and liver from rats fed either lipid decreased with increasing levels of dietary vitamin E. At the same level of dietary vitamin E, TBARS release was greater for slices of liver and heart from the MO-fed rats than from the COL-fed rats. Application of the TBARS data to a model simulating the experimental conditions showed a good correlation (r=0.95, p<0.001) between experimental and simulated values. Of the 16∶0–22∶6 fatty acids measured in liver from MO-fed rats, 15.4% was n−6 fatty acids and 29.9% was n−3 fatty acids; in liver from COL-fed rats, the respective values were 37.4% and 3.7%. Liver and kidney vitamin E levels were unaffected by the dietary lipid. This study demonstrated that a dietary fish oil increased the susceptibility of rat liver and heart toin vitro lipid peroxidation, and that vitamin E decreased TBARS in tissues from rats fed COL to lower levels than for tissues from rats fed MO. The results suggest that there might also be an increased requirement for dietary antioxidants by humans using fish oil supplements.
Influence of surface morphology on sputtering yields

We study the variation of sputtering yields with surface morphologies under the assumption of a specially prescribed surface shape. Compared with a flat surface, we show that surface morphology can cause a decrease in the sputtering yield and an increase in the incident angle where sputtering yield is maximum. Based on Sigmund's theory, an analytical formula for the morphology dependent sputtering yield is developed by averaging the curvature dependent sputtering yield. The predicted dependence of sputtering yield on surface morphology is in good agreement with experimental observations.
An integrated mitochondrial ROS production and scavenging model: implications for heart failure.

It has been observed experimentally that cells from failing hearts exhibit elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon increases in energetic workload. One proposed mechanism for this behavior is mitochondrial Ca2+ mismanagement that leads to depletion of ROS scavengers. Here, we present a computational model to test this hypothesis. Previously published models of ROS production and scavenging were combined and reparameterized to describe ROS regulation in the cellular environment. Extramitochondrial Ca2+ pulses were applied to simulate frequency-dependent changes in cytosolic Ca2+. Model results show that decreased mitochondrial Ca2+uptake due to mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter inhibition (simulating Ru360) or elevated cytosolic Na+, as in heart failure, leads to a decreased supply of NADH and NADPH upon increasing cellular workload. Oxidation of NADPH leads to oxidation of glutathione (GSH) and increased mitochondrial ROS levels, validating the Ca2+ mismanagement hypothesis. The model goes on to predict that the ratio of steady-state [H2O2]m during 3Hz pacing to [H2O2]m at rest is highly sensitive to the size of the GSH pool. The largest relative increase in [H2O2]m in response to pacing is shown to occur when the total GSH and GSSG is close to 1 mM, whereas pool sizes below 0.9 mM result in high resting H2O2 levels, a quantitative prediction only possible with a computational model.
Strain Gradient Plasticity Solution for an Internally Pressurized Thick-Walled Spherical Shell of an Elastic Linear-Hardening Material

An elastic-plastic analytical solution is derived for an internally pressurized thick-walled spherical shell of an elastic linear-hardening material using a strain gradient plasticity theory. Closed-form expressions are obtained for the stress, strain and displacement components. The inner radius of the shell enters the solution with its own dimensional identity as well as in non-dimensional forms, unlike that in classical plasticity-based solutions. As a result, the current solution can capture the size effect at the micron scale. The classical plasticity-based solution of the same problem is shown to be a special case of the present solution. To further illustrate the capability of the newly derived solution, formulas and numerical results for the plastic limit pressure are provided. These results reveal that the load-carrying capacity of the shell indeed increases with decreasing inner radius at the micron scale. The current solution can be employed to construct improved expanding cavity models in inde...
The Precision of Unbiased Ratio-Type Estimators

Abstract When each unit in a population of N units consists of an x and a y measurement, where the population mean [Xbar] of the x's is known, then the population mean [Ybar] of the y's is frequently estimated by drawing a random sample of n units and using one of the customary biased ratio-type estimators, [Ybar] (based on the ratio of the y sample mean and the x sample mean), or [Ybar] (based on the sample mean of the ratios of the y and x measurements for each unit). The precision of these estimators is compared with an exact formula derived here (when N>>n) for the variance of an unbiased ratio-type estimator yǐ, a modification of [Ybar] and [Ybar], introduced in [5]. Conditions pertaining to the population moments are obtained under which Var yǐ < Var [Ybar], and it is also shown that Var yǐ < Var [Ybar] (when nŕ ∞) if and only if the slope of the population regression line of y on x is closer to the population mean of the ratios of the y and x measurements for each unit than to [Ybar]/[Xbar]. The es...
Immunohistochemical localization of the neural cannabinoid receptor in rat brain

The cannabinoid receptor family consists of two inhibitory G-protein-coupled receptors, CB1 and CB2. CB1 is distributed primarily in neural tissue, whereas CB2 is distributed predominantly in immune cells. The distribution of cannabinoid receptors in neural tissue has been demonstrated by using ligand binding autoradiography with CP55,940, a high-affinity cannabinoid receptor ligand, and in situ hybridization. However, the localization of CB1 within individual cells in the brain remains to be defined. In the present study, domain-specific polyclonal antibody to amino acids 83-98 of CB1 was used to define the expression of the neural cannabinoid receptor at the histochemical level. The use of CB1-specific antiserum is advantageous in view of recent reports that CB2 also is expressed in the brain and binds CP55,940. Thus, utilization of anti-CB1 antiserum would allow for the specific detection of CB1 protein expression. The regional staining pattern for CB1 in rat brain was consistent with that reported for CB1 using ligand binding autoradiography and in situ hybridization. Intense immunoreactivity was present in the hippocampal formation, the basal ganglia, and the molecular layer of the cerebellum. Moderate immunohistochemical staining was observed in the olfactory bulb, piriform cortex, cerebral cortex, and the granular layer of the cerebellum. In addition, immunoreactive staining was concentrated on afferent projections and dendritic processes of neuronal cells and was present within cell bodies and on cell surfaces. These data indicate that the anti-CB1 antibody is a sensitive probe for the unequivocal histological discrimination of CB1 protein expression.
Interstitial transport and transvascular fluid exchange during infusion into brain and tumor tissue

A model of convection-enhanced delivery in brain and neoplastic tissue is presented that includes transvascular fluid exchange in addition to interstitial fluid transport. Measured values for the relevant material parameters are compiled from published literature. The transient distributions of interstitial fluid pressure and fluid velocity resulting from infusion into brain tissue and into a tissue-isolated tumor are derived, in addition to the steady-state distribution of interstitial fluid pressure and fluid velocity resulting from infusion into a tumor with a necrotic core. The analytic solutions suggest that (1) the distributions of both pressure and fluid velocity are very sensitive to the ratio of vascular conductivity and hydraulic conductivity; (2) in brain tissue, the convective fluid velocity is significant (within three orders of magnitude of the peak value, for example) for a large number of infusion catheter diameters away from the infusion site, whereas in neoplastic tissue the convective velocity is significant for a small number of infusion catheter diameters away from the infusion site; (3) the presence of a necrotic core substantially increases the convective fluid velocity in its vicinity; and (4) infusion proximal to a tumor is greatly impeded by the outward flow at the tumor's periphery. These and related findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to the treatment of tumors.
Integrating solar PV (photovoltaics) in utility system operations: Analytical framework and Arizona case study

Abstract A systematic framework is proposed to estimate the impact on operating costs due to uncertainty and variability in renewable resources. The framework quantifies the integration costs associated with sub-hourly variability and uncertainty as well as day-ahead forecasting errors in solar PV (photovoltaics) power. A case study illustrates how changes in system operations may affect these costs for a utility in the southwestern United States (Arizona Public Service Company). We conduct an extensive sensitivity analysis under different assumptions about balancing reserves, system flexibility, fuel prices, and forecasting errors. We find that high solar PV penetrations may lead to operational challenges, particularly during low-load and high solar periods. Increased system flexibility is essential for minimizing integration costs and maintaining reliability. In a set of sensitivity cases where such flexibility is provided, in part, by flexible operations of nuclear power plants, the estimated integration costs vary between $1.0 and $4.4/MWh-PV for a PV penetration level of 17%. The integration costs are primarily due to higher needs for hour-ahead balancing reserves to address the increased sub-hourly variability and uncertainty in the PV resource.
Abstract 5158: Generation of a fully human Gas6 neutralizing antibody with anti-tumor activityin vivo.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Growth arrest specific 6 (Gas6) is a vitamin-K dependent protein that is involved in the regulation of a wide array of cellular activities, including adhesion, migration, immune evasion, and apoptosis. Gas6 as well as its receptors Axl, Mer, and Tyro3 are highly expressed in multiple malignancies suggesting that signaling through this axis may be tumor promoting in human disease. A strategy was devised to generate fully human neutralizing antibodies against Gas6 using XenoMouse technology. Hybridoma supernatants were first screened for their ability to bind Gas6, then for their ability to inhibit Gas6 binding to the Axl receptor and block Gas6-induced Axl phosphorylation in human cells. Two purified antibodies isolated from the screened hybridomas, 1D9.1 and 1G9.1, maintained potency in all 3 assays and also inhibited Gas6-induced cellular migration and proliferation. In the scratch wound migration assay, the antibodies inhibited both basal and Gas6-induced wound closure to a greater extent than the soluble extracellular domain of the receptor Axl (Axl- Fc). In the proliferation assay, the antibody 1D9.1 completely inhibited Gas6-induced proliferation with a half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 0.15nM. In vivo characterization of one of the antibodies, 1D9.1, was conducted using a pharmacodynamic (PD) assay that measured the ability of the antibody to inhibit Gas6-induced Akt activation in the mouse spleen. Treatment of mice with a single dose (100-1000 μg) of 1D9.1 led to greater than 90% inhibition of Gas6-induced phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) for up to 72 hours. Based on the target coverage observed in the PD assay, we tested the efficacy of 1D9.1 against Panc-1 human pancreatic adenocarcinoma xenografts implanted in athymic nu/nu female mice. At doses of 50 and 150 μg, twice weekly, the Gas6 neutralizing antibody 1D9.1 was able to inhibit 55% and 76% of tumor growth, respectively. (p<0.001 for both treatments vs. control Ig). When combined with gemcitabine, 1D9.1 was able to inhibit tumor growth to a greater extent than either agent alone (p<0.001 vs. either monotherapy). Together, the data suggest that Gas6 neutralization should be further explored as a potential strategy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Gordon E. Moody, Brian Belmontes, Chadwick King, Shuying Liu, Stephanie Masterman, Chris Murawsky, Trace Tsuruda, Wei Wang, Robert Radinsky, Pedro J. Beltran. Generation of a fully human Gas6 neutralizing antibody with anti-tumor activity in vivo . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5158. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5158
Majority voting rules and the union success rate in national labor relations board representation elections

This paper simulates how the union success rate in representation elections would be affected if the NLRB reverted from its current simple-majority voting rule to its original majority-in-unit voting rule. Such a rule change would have altered 21 percent of decertification and 16 percent of certification victories over the period 1977–81, resulting in the loss of 180,400 actual or potential bargaining unit members for the union movement. Abstentions play an important role in election outcomes. Under the present voting rule unions have no clear advantage to “get out the vote” in decertification elections, but a clear disadvantage in certification elections. Under a majority-in-unit rule unions hold an advantage when they “get out the vote” in all representation elections.
Expression of serum response factor (SRF) in normal and regenerating pancreas

Abstract Background: SRF is a transcription factor that controls mesodermal differentiation. To date, there has been no report demonstrating the role of SRF in endodermally derived tissue. Genetic ablation of SRF results in embryonic lethality precluding analysis of SRF in pancreatic development. We sought to determine the expression of SRF in the normal adult rodent pancreas and during pancreatic regeneration (PR). Methods: Pancreata from adult rodents were harvested and fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde. Sections were stained for SRF expression using a polyclonal antibody. 90% pancreatectomies were performed and regenerating pancreatic remnants harvested at 0, 24, 72 hrs and 7 days. Tissues were processed and stained as above. Sham laparotomies served as controls. Results: Nuclear staining for SRF was observed in normal pancreatic ductal, acinar, and islet cells. Staining was stronger in islet cells compared to ductal and acinar cells. Double staining for insulin demonstrated islet SRF staining was predominately within the beta cells. During PR, SRF expression was increased with maximal expression at 36 hours (Fig 1B) . Download : Download high-res image (74KB) Download : Download full-size image Fig 1A . Sham acinar cells (36 hrs) no AC staining. Fig 1B: PR acinar cells (36hrs) SRF AC staining (arrow). SRF expression continued to be increased compared to baseline and sham at 7 days. In contrast to normal pancreata, SRF expression in the regenerating pancreas was found predominately in the acinar cytoplasm (AC). Conclusion: For the first time, SRF expression is observed in all three cellular components of the pancreas. During PR, SRF expression is increased and redistributed to the acinar cytoplasm. The data suggests SRF may be an important regulator of pancreatic growth, replication, and differentiation.
Preparation of isotopic antimony targets

Thin self-supporting 123Sb targets were needed for studies using GAMMASPHERE investigating transverse wobbling in the highly-deformed triaxial nucleus 135Pr. The experiment was carried out using the 123Sb(16O,4n)135Pr reaction with the 80 MeV 16O beam provided by the ATLAS accelerator facility. In particle–particle coincidence measurements 121Sb targets were irradiated with a 332 MeV 28Si beam from ATLAS to measure evaporation residues and fission. The antimony targets were prepared self-supporting by the method of physical vapor deposition onto polished glass substrates or on various backing materials. Target thicknesses on the order of 500–1,000 μg/cm2 were obtained and used for the experiments. Details of the target production and performance in beam will be discussed.