cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Body Condition | Effects on Health, Milk Production, and Reproduction

Dairy cattle may experience several problems around calving that are correlated with the amount of body fat. Therefore, body condition score (BCS) systems have been developed to help monitor and manage body fat reserves so as to minimize disease, and metabolic and reproductive problems. Use of the BCS system has helped to improve production efficiency and to reduce metabolic and reproductive disease incidence and severity. From the study of the ‘fat cow syndrome’ as a way to define problems with overly fat pregnant animals to the modern concern with increasing feed intake to support genetic ability for milk production, decades of research on body fat have revealed many underlying physiological controls. This research has done much to define the role of body fat in postpartum problems in cows and improve productive efficiency. We manage body fat because of its relationship to metabolic diseases or reproductive problems. The rapid loss of body fat can lead to ketosis, depressed feed intake, furthering ketosis, displaced abomasum, and reduced fertility. Modern research focuses on determining the endocrine and physiological mechanisms of the relationship of body fat to efficiency. A continued integration of basic research and practical application promises to improve the overall health and efficiency of dairy cattle.
Gaussian Differential Geometry and Differential Geodesy

This paper presents an appreciation of the work of Marussi and Hotine, and gives a survey of my investigations of Gaussian differential geometry which are required in formulating the generalized Marussi-Hotine approach to differential geodesy. It is not intended to be either a comprehensive survey, or a status report, on the beautiful contributions of other authors in different approaches to differential geodesy.
Paper-based multiplexed vertical flow assay for point-of-care testing

We developed a multiplexed point-of-care immunodiagnostic assay for antibody detection in human sera made through the vertical stacking of functional paper layers. In this multiplexed vertical flow immunodiagnostic assay (xVFA), a colorimetric signal is generated by gold nanoparticles captured on a spatially-multiplexed sensing membrane containing specific antigens. The assay is completed in 20 minutes, following which the sensing membrane is imaged by a cost-effective mobile-phone reader. The images are sent to a server, where the results are rapidly analyzed and relayed back to the user. The performance of the assay was evaluated by measuring Lyme-specific antibodies in human sera as model target antibodies. The presented platform is rapid, simple, inexpensive, and allows for simultaneous and quantitative measurement of multiple antibodies and/or antigens making it a suitable point-of-care platform for disease diagnostics.
Principles of Ion Selection, Alignment, and Focusing in Tandem Ion Mobility Implemented Using Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM)

Tandem ion mobility (IM) enables the characterization of subpopulations of ions from larger ensembles, including differences that cannot be resolved in a single dimension of IM. Tandem IM consists of at least two IM regions that are each separated by an ion selection region. In many implementations of tandem IM, ions eluting from a dimension of separation are filtered and immediately transferred to the subsequent dimension of separation (selection-only experiments). We recently reported a mode of operation in which ions eluting from a dimension are trapped prior to the subsequent dimension (selection-trapping experiments), which was implemented on an instrument constructed using the structures for lossless ion manipulations (SLIM) architecture. Here, we use a combination of experiments and trajectory simulations to characterize aspects of the selection, trapping, and separation processes underlying these modes of operation. For example, the actual temporal profile of filtered ions can be very similar to the width of the waveforms used for selection, but depending on experimental parameters, can differ by up to ± 500 μs. Experiments and simulations indicate that ions in selection-trapping experiments can be spatially focused between dimensions, which removes the broadening that occurred during the preceding dimension. During focusing, individual ions are thermalized, which aligns and establishes common initial conditions for the subsequent dimension. Therefore, selection-trapping experiments appear to offer significant advantages relative to selection-only experiments, which we anticipate will become more pronounced in future experiments that make use of longer IM separations, additional dimensions of analysis, and the outcomes of this study.
Production of Lentiviral Vectors Using Suspension Cells Grown in Serum-free Media.

Lentiviral vectors are increasingly utilized in cell and gene therapy applications because they efficiently transduce target cells such as hematopoietic stem cells and T cells. Large-scale production of current Good Manufacturing Practices-grade lentiviral vectors is limited because of the adherent, serum-dependent nature of HEK293T cells used in the manufacturing process. To optimize large-scale clinical-grade lentiviral vector production, we developed an improved production scheme by adapting HEK293T cells to grow in suspension using commercially available and chemically defined serum-free media. Lentiviral vectors with titers equivalent to those of HEK293T cells were produced from SJ293TS cells using optimized transfection conditions that reduced the required amount of plasmid DNA by 50%. Furthermore, purification of SJ293TS-derived lentiviral vectors at 1 L yielded a recovery of 55% ± 14% (n = 138) of transducing units in the starting material, more than a 2-fold increase over historical yields from adherent HEK293T serum-dependent lentiviral vector preparations. SJ293TS cells were stable to produce lentiviral vectors over 4 months of continuous culture. SJ293TS-derived lentiviral vectors efficiently transduced primary hematopoietic stem cells and T cells from healthy donors. Overall, our SJ293TS cell line enables high-titer vector production in serum-free conditions while reducing the amount of input DNA required, resulting in a highly efficient manufacturing option.
Analysis of the climate change signal in Mexico City given disagreeing data sources and scattered projections

Abstract Study region This study investigates the annual and seasonal trends in precipitation and temperature at meteorological stations in Mexico City, and compares them with gridded datasets and projections from General Circulation Models. Study Focus: The outputs of climatic trend analysis are highly sensitive to the quality and continuity of data, as well as natural variability effects including low frequency persistence. This study evaluates the changes in average annual precipitation and temperature from approximately 1950–2013, and projected changes for 2036–2065. New hydrological insights for the region Results shows statistically significant increasing trends in the winter mean temperature and the summer precipitation by average rates of 0.1 °C/decade and 17.8 mm/decade, respectively. Within the next 30 years, temperature is projected to continue to increase between 1℃ to 3℃ with an unclear signal in precipitation change, but possibly an increase in late-season monsoon rainfall.
On the Consistency of Optimal Bayesian Feature Selection in the Presence of Correlations

Optimal Bayesian feature selection (OBFS) is a multivariate supervised screening method designed from the ground up for biomarker discovery. In this work, we prove that Gaussian OBFS is strongly consistent under mild conditions, and provide rates of convergence for key posteriors in the framework. These results are of enormous importance, since they identify precisely what features are selected by OBFS asymptotically, characterize the relative rates of convergence for posteriors on different types of features, provide conditions that guarantee convergence, justify the use of OBFS when its internal assumptions are invalid, and set the stage for understanding the asymptotic behavior of other algorithms based on the OBFS framework.
Prevalence and risk factors for development of subscapularis and biceps pathology in shoulders with degenerative rotator cuff disease: a prospective cohort evaluation.

Background The prevalence of subscapularis and long head of biceps (LHB) in relation to the presence and severity of posterosuperior (PS) rotator cuff disease is not known. Methods Subjects with asymptomatic rotator cuff tears were enrolled for this prospective longitudinal study (n = 354) and followed annually with shoulder ultrasonography and clinical evaluations to assess for the presence of subscapularis, LHB, and PS rotator cuff pathology and pain development. Results Subscapularis pathology developed in 14% of shoulders over a median follow-up of 5 years, with partial-thickness tearing occurring most commonly (83%). Age, sex, and hand dominance were not associated with subscapularis pathology. A greater proportion of concomitant full-thickness PS cuff tears were observed in shoulders that developed subscapularis tears (76% vs. 50%, P = .002). The PS cuff tear width (10 mm vs. 14 mm, P = .01) at the time of enrollment and both tear width (10 mm vs. 15 mm, P = .003) and length (12 mm vs. 15.5 mm, P = .02) at the time of diagnosis of subscapularis pathology were greater in subscapularis-torn shoulders. LHB pathology was prevalent in 34% of shoulders, with dislocation/subluxation occurring in 63% and higher prevalence in subscapularis-torn shoulders (71% vs. 12%, P Conclusions The development of subscapularis and LHB pathology is significantly related to the size of the PS cuff tear. Subscapularis involvement is associated with greater risk of pain development in degenerative rotator cuff disease.
Comparison of the pharmacological profiles of arginine vasopressin and oxytocin analogs at marmoset, macaque, and human vasopressin 1a receptor

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) are nonapeptides that bind to G-protein coupled receptors and influence social behaviors. Consensus mammalian AVP and OT (Leu8-OT) sequences are highly conserved. In marmosets, an amino acid change in the 8th position of the peptide (Pro8-OT) exhibits unique structural and functional properties. There is ∼85 % structural homology between the OT receptor (OTR) and vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) resulting in significant cross-reactivity between the ligands and receptors. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing marmoset (mV1aR), macaque (qV1aR), or human vasopressin receptor 1a (hV1aR) were used to assess AVP, Leu8-OT and Pro8-OT pharmacological profiles. To assess activation of Gq, functional assays were performed using Fluo-3 to measure ligand-induced Ca2+ mobilization. In all three V1aR-expressing cell lines, AVP was more potent than the OT ligands. To assess ligand-induced hyperpolarization, FLIPR Membrane Potential (FMP) assays were performed. In all three V1aR lines, AVP was more potent than the OT analogs. The distinctive U-shaped concentration-response curve displayed by AVP may reflect enhanced desensitization of the mV1aR and hV1aR, which is not observed with qV1aR. Evaluation of Ca2+-activated potassium (K+) channels using the inhibitors apamin, paxilline, and TRAM-34 demonstrated that both intermediate and large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels contributed to membrane hyperpolarization, with different pharmacological profiles identified for distinct ligand-receptor combinations. Taken together, these data suggest differences in ligand-receptor signaling that may underlie differences in social behavior. Integrative studies of behavior, genetics and ligand-receptor interaction will help elucidate the connection between receptor pharmacology and social behaviors.
Reproduction of Some Common Hawaiian Reef Corals

The study of coral ecology has primarily been one of distribution and zonation and little attention has been paid to the adaptations of particular species, aside from the obvious one of morphology. Now workers are beginning to study such questions as the relative ability of different species to capture zooplankton food (Porter, 1974; Johannes & Tepley, 1974) and how coral species rank in terms of predator-preferences (Goreau, et al, 1972). Such studies can be useful in interpreting coral community structure. In this work I have asked whether different coral species have different modes and temporal patterns of reproduction, and if they do, how these might represent adaptations to the environments of these species.
Nano-Underfills for Fine-Pitch Electronics

Packaging materials undergo dimensional changes under environmental exposure to temperature change. Thermomechanical cyclic loads induce stresses and damage interconnects. Underfills compensate for the mismatch in coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between silicon and the printed circuit board (PCB), and have been used as a supplemental restraint mechanism to enhance the reliability for flip-chip devices and chip-scale packages in a wide variety of applications including portable consumer electronics such as cellular phones, laptops, under-the-hood electronics, microwave applications, system in package (SIP), high-end workstations, and several other high-performance applications. Figure 14.1 shows an underfilled flip-chip assembly, with solder interconnects between the silicon chip and the PCB. It surrounds the solder balls. Underfill technology has evolved to meet the demand of decreasing feature size and increasing input/output (I/O) number in the integrated circuit (IC) chip.
10 – UNSOLVED PROBLEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the unsolved problems related to strategy-proofness, Arrow's theorem and the justice criterion, variable population size, and impossibility results without a Pareto condition. It discusses that there are no known impossibility theorems that work with a notion of strategy-proofness by counter-threats defined for circumstances in which Cu(v) need not be a singleton. Also there is a need further study of possibilities of good social choice procedures under certain assumptions about narrowing Cu(v) to single alternatives. There is a need of a true translation of Arrow's theorem to the grading principles case that builds upon a nondictatorship condition that would be violated for that example by individual, that is, that would rule out having the social choice procedure depend only on information embodied in the preference relation of a single individual.
Untangling the Epigenetic Imbalance in B cell Lymphoma

Structural and functional genomics of B cell lymphoma identified several recurrent lesions in epigenetic machinery that drive disease pathogenesis. However, the functional relationship between these lesions and disease phenotype has not been well studied. This review is crafted with the aim to delineate pathologic derangements in the epigenetic system that underlies the imbalance and to identify opportunities for strategic design of novel therapeutic interventions by restoring the balance in epigenetic signaling of B cell lymphoma. Selective gain or loss of epigenetic machinery components at the genetic or proteomic level through various regulatory cues including genetic lesions and transcriptional or post-translational regulations often bring regulatory system functional imbalance. This also impinges upon our understanding of consequences when epigenetic regulation goes awry leading to loss of cellular identity and unchecked cellular proliferation, a hallmark of cancer. Such deregulations prompted by epigenetic imbalance are prone to spuriously activate proto-oncogene and/or cripple the tumor suppressor function to gain growth-promoting advantages, particularly in B cell lymphomagenesis. Often, the restoration of epigenetic balance through pharmacologic approaches caused synthetic lethality to neoplastic cells. Therefore, a detailed understanding needed to utilize these phenomena as novel therapeutic interventions targeting B cell lymphoma. This review illustrates the previously underrepresented importance of epigenetic imbalance caused by genetic lesions and restoration of functional epigenetic balance as a novel treatment strategy for B cell lymphoma.
Hermeneutics and the Conservatism of Listening

It is well known that philosophical hermeneutics has long been associated in political discussions with a conservative orientation. Many Gadamerians have sought to rebut this suggestion, convincingly emphasizing progressive political dimensions of hermeneutics in general and of Gadamer's thought in particular. One version of the association of hermeneutics with conservatism has been overlooked, however, namely, Hans Blumenberg's provocative claim that the predilection in the hermeneutic tradition for metaphors of hearing and listening indicates that hermeneutics passively heeds and takes in tradition as we would unwillingly receive a loud sound, and is thereby politically conservative. This paper critically responds to Blumenberg's critique of what I call the conservatism of listening, and aims to interrogate the extent to which Gadamer's hermeneutics can be characterized by this form of conservatism. Through a consideration of ocular metaphors in Gadamer's thinking, we will discover in Gadamerian hermeneutics a conception of dynamic, constructive, and embodied engagement with historical traditions that makes room for critique. In this way, Gadamer avoids the charge of adhering to the conservatism of listening.
Metasemantics without semantic intentions

The most common answers to metasemantic questions regarding context-sensitive expressions appeal primarily to speakers' intentions. Having rejected intentionalism in Lewis [(2020. “The Speaker Auth...
Individual Differences in the Stability and Change of Childhood Depression: A Growth Mixture Model With Structured Residuals

Studies of developmental trajectories of depression are important for understanding depression etiology. Existing studies have been limited by short time frames and no studies have explored a key factor: differential patterns of responding to life events. This article introduces a novel analytic technique, growth mixture modeling with structured residuals, to examine the course of youth depression in a large, prospective cohort (N = 11,641, ages 4-16.5, 96% White). Age-specific critical points were identified at ages 8 and 13 where depression symptoms spiked for a minority of children. Most depression risk was due to dynamic responses to environmental events, drawn not from a small pool of persistently depressed children, but a larger pool of children who varied across higher and lower symptom levels.
Reconstructing d-Manifold Subcomplexes of Cubes from Their $$(\lfloor d/2 \rfloor + 1)$$ ( ⌊ d / 2 ⌋ + 1 ) -Skeletons

In 1984, Dancis proved that any d-dimensional simplicial manifold is determined by its $$(\lfloor d/2\rfloor +1)$$ -skeleton. This paper adapts his proof to the setting of cubical complexes that can be embedded into a cube of arbitrary dimension. Under some additional conditions (for example, if the cubical manifold is a sphere), the result can be tightened to the $$\lceil {d}/2\rceil $$ -skeleton when $$d\ge 3$$ .
Supplementing corn-soybean meal diets with microbial phytase maximizes phytate phosphorus utilization by weanling pigs.

Two experiments were conducted with weanling pigs to determine the effectiveness of a dietary supplement of Aspergillus niger phytase in improving the availability of phytate-P in corn-soybean meal diets without supplemental inorganic P. Experiment 1 consisted of two P and Ca balance trials and two feeding trials. Twelve pigs (8.18 +/- .44 kg BW) were housed individually in stainless steel metabolism cages. Six pigs received 750 phytase units (PU)/g of basal diet and the other six pigs received the basal diet without supplemental phytase as control. In Exp. 2, 96 pigs (8.81 +/- .75 kg BW) were allotted to 16 partially slotted floor pens and their basal diets were supplemented with either 0, 250, 500, or 750 PU/g for 4 wk. Individual pig weights and pen feed consumption were measured weekly. Blood samples were taken from all pigs at the end of each trial in Exp. 1 and from three pigs per pen weekly in Exp. 2 to measure serum (plasma) inorganic P (P) and Ca concentrations and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activities. The results of Exp. 1 indicated that dietary phytase increased P retention by 50% (P < .0001) and decreased fecal P excretion by 42% (P < .0001). Pigs that received dietary phytase had serum P and Ca concentrations and serum AP activities that were nearly normal, whereas control pigs had values indicative of a moderate P deficiency. Favorable effects of phytase disappeared when the phytase was removed from the diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effect of Diet and Digestive Processes on Proteolytic Enzymes

The effect of digestive processes on proteolytic enzymes was deter mined by comparing the properties of trypsin and chymotrypsin in pancreatic extracts and in intestinal contents of rats fed protein-free or 15% casein diets. Results of studies involving acidification, dialysis, and chromatography of the enzyme solutions demonstrated that the structural properties of trypsin and chymotrypsin were altered in the small intestine. The presence of dietary protein in upper intestinal contents protected the enzymes; hence, changes in their properties must have been a result of proteolysis of the enzyme molecules concurrent with a retention of activity during the early stages of their digestion. The protective effect of dietary protein also dem onstrated that exogenous protein was the preferred substrate, and thus was digested more rapidly than endogenous protein. Approximately 90% of the protein secreted into the gastrointestinal tract during digestion is broken down and reab sorbed (1). Experimental evidence indi cates that digestive enzymes are inac tivated and hydrolyzed along with other endogenous proteins. BorgstrA¶met al. (2) observed in humans that the concentra tion of pancreatic enzymes decreased slowly in a distal direction despite a pro gressive increase in concentration in the same direction of intestinal contents. Wohlman et al. (3) noted that 30-minute incubation in aqueous solution (pH 7.5) resulted in losses of 21% for chymotrypsin and 31% for trypsin. Pelot and Grossman (4) observed in rats that when pancreatic juice was introduced into the small intes tine by tube, only 66 to 74% of the trypsin, 18 to 44% of the chymotrypsin and 8 to 18% of the lipase could be recovered after 10 minutes. The inactivation phenomenon must result in part from proteolytic break down of the enzymes because the presence of dietary protein in the small intestine re tards inactivation (5). The influence of digestive processes on proteolytic enzymes was determined by comparing the properties of trypsin and chymotrypsin in pancreatic extracts and in intestinal contents of rats fed casein and protein-free diets.
The Earth as Eggshell Victim: A Global Perspective on Domestic Regulation

In 1891, in a small schoolroom in Waukesha, Wisconsin, 12 year-old George Putney scuffled with 14 year-old Andrew Vosburg and kicked him in the shin. The kick would hardly have injured a healthy child; however, Vosburg was not healthy. The kick aggravated Vosburg's tibia infection, causing him serious injury. The Supreme Court of Wisconsin held George Putney liable for all the damages that followed, even though Putney did not know of Vosburg's weakened condition. In the now famous case of Vosburg v. Putney,' the Wisconsin Court enunciated the common law doctrine since known as the "eggshell skull" or "thin skull" rule: you take your victim as you find him. The thin skull rule is a productive starting point for a dialogue on the place of law in any effort to control (or reverse) the cumulative damage to the planet's ecosystem. Any such dialogue requires a global perspective that fuses international and domestic approaches to law.2 Environmental law must assess not only the level of assault against the earth, but also the risk of the planet's hypervulnerability to further injury. As in Vosburg v. Putney, some of the insult to the planet has been the result of unintended consequences, whose significance we are only now beginning to understand. The planet has become
Fifty Years of Nuclear Physics

Fifty years takes us back to 1937. I had just graduated from the City College of New York, where I received the Ward Medal of Physics, and I was engaged to Sylvia Harris. We subsequently married in 1940. I also had a job, which was remarkable. It was still the middle of the depression and very few CCNY 1937 graduates were employed. I was to teach at the City College for one year with a salary of $1,600, sixteen contact hours was the standard load at that time for everyone. With this salary and the money I earned teaching summer school, I was able to go to graduate school in the fall of 1938. I went to M.I.T.
Transverse-momentum limitation in inclusive electroproduction processes

We show that, if the longitudinal phase space is populated in a statistically independent manner (Poisson-like distribution), in an interval between the limits fixed by the rapidity of the leading particles, one being the virtual photon, then the average transverse momentum must be limited in the Bjorken limit, and this limit is scale invariant. As a result we further show that the average density of particles (the rate of increase of average multiplicity with lns) has a universal upper bound independent of dynamical variables.
Prehospital use of plasma in traumatic hemorrhage (The PUPTH Trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Severe traumatic injury and haemorrhagic shock are frequently associated with disruptions of coagulation function (such as trauma-induced coagulopathy TIC) and activation of inflammatory cascades. These pathologies may be exacerbated by current standard of care resuscitation protocols. Observational studies suggest early administration of plasma to severely-injured haemorrhaging patients may correct TIC, minimise inflammation, and improve survival. The proposed randomised clinical trial will evaluate the clinical effectiveness of pre-hospital plasma administration compared with standard- of-care crystalloid resuscitation in severely-injured patients with major traumatic haemorrhage. This is a prospective, randomized, open-label, non-blinded trial to determine the effect of pre-hospital administration of thawed plasma (TP) on mortality, morbidity, transfusion requirements, coagulation, and inflammatory response in severely-injured bleeding trauma patients. Two hundred and ten eligible adult trauma patients will be randomised to receive either two units of plasma, to be administered in-field, vs standard of care normal saline (NS). Main analyses will compare subjects allocated to TP to those allocated to NS, on an intention-to-treat basis. Primary outcome measure is all-cause 30-day mortality. Secondary outcome measures include coagulation and lipidomic/pro-inflammatory marker responses, volume of resuscitation fluids (crystalloid, colloid) and blood products administered, and major hospital outcomes (e.g. incidence of MSOF, length of ICU stay, length of hospital stay). This study is part of a US Department of Defense (DoD)-funded multi-institutional investigation, conducted independently of, but in parallel with, the University of Pittsburgh and University of Denver. Demonstration of significant reductions in mortality and coagulopathic/inflammatory-related morbidities as a result of pre-hospital plasma administration would be of considerable clinical importance for the management of haemorrhagic shock in both civilian and military populations. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02303964 on 28 November 2014
Fine-grain evolution in friction-stir processed 7050 aluminum

Abstract Evolution of the fine-grained structure in friction-stir processed aluminum has been studied using a rotating-tool plunge and extract technique. Initial sizes of newly recrystallized grains are on the order of 25–100 nm. These grains then grow to a size equivalent to that found in friction-stir processed aluminum, 2–5 μm, after heating 1–4 min at 350–450 °C.
Dose-response effects of d-amphetamine on passive avoidance learning in the rat.

Trials and errors to learning a passive avoidance response were assessed in 63 albino rats injected subcutaneously with d-amphetamine, in amounts ranging from 0–7 mg/kg body weight. Both measures indicated dose-response effects on responding; animals under either low or high doses of d-amphetamine made significantly less errors and took significantly fewer trials to learn the response than did middle dosage animals. The scores of the lower and higher dosage animals did not differ from the nondrug control group. Results are discussed in terms of amphetamine stereotypy.
Wall effects on DNA stretch and relaxation.

Hydrodynamic wall effects are treated with an image or reflection method. This method uses a mirror image of the molecule, with the opposite velocity, to satisfy the non-slip boundary condition of zero velocity of the liquid at the wall. Molecules moving inside a slit require an infinite series of images, or reflections from both walls, whose effects converge slower for thinner slits. It is shown that, with the same external field, wall effects increase the electrophoretic stretch of DNA, more so for thinner slits. The theory is in fairly good agreement with stretch experiments on T4 DNA in slits of width 5, 0.3, and 0.09 μm by Bakajin et al. (Phys. Rev. Let. 80 (1998) 2737). For the same slits relaxation data are available for T4 DNA first hooked around an obstacle, stretched in a U-shape in an external electric field, and sliding off until the stretched molecule moves away in free electrophoresis. The theory approximates the relaxation of the molecule, after detachment from the obstacle, as the relaxation of tethered DNA stretched in a temporary electric field. The theory agrees fairly well with the experiments. The significance of electroosmotic flow is discussed for electrophoretic experiments. An Appendix gives numerical data on the free electrophoresis of unstained and stained DNA, and discusses problems of the kinetic diameter of DNA.
Coping with the unexpected at surgery

In lung cancer surgery, it is best to avoid surprises; this requires knowledge of the reliability of preoperative assessment and careful planning. If this has been done, most of the more common situations should be manageable. If there is limited chest wall, mediastinal or N2 node involvement, one should proceed with resection. Unanticipated T4 tumors or bulky pN2 disease should not come as a surprise, and such patients should be sent to a more experienced center. One has to be careful to practice within the scope of one’s knowledge and abilities as well as the sophistication of the institution. It only makes a mistake worse if an intraoperative surprise prompts one to embark on an operation that is beyond the means at hand. Collaborative organization via multidisciplinary tumor boards or inter-institutional interaction allows collective wisdom to promote better outcomes for all.
The transcorneal permeability of sulfonamide carbonic anhydrase inhibitors and their effect on aqueous humor secretion

Abstract Eleven sulfonamide carbonic anhydrase inhibitors of varied chemical and physical types were studied with respect to transcorneal permeability and reduction of intraocular flow and pressure. Using the isolated rabbit cornea, a constant drug concentration on the epithelial side and 6 ml solution in the endothelial chamber, first order rate constants (kin) ranged from 0·1–40 × 10−3/hr, roughly proportional to their lipid solubility. Drugs on the high side of this range were generally water insoluble and had pKa's too high to yield sodium salts at useful pH; therefore, the actual amount of drug delivered was small. We sought compounds which combined low pKa, good lipid solubility, and high activity against the enzyme. Trifluormethazolamide (TFM) has a pKa of 6·6, ether partition coefficient of 6, and a K1 of 2 × 10−8 m . kin is 3 × 10−3/hr. TFM and five other compounds were also studied in vivo for their ability to penetrate the eye into the anterior and posterior chambers. These rate constants were roughly proportional to those measured in vitro; however, significant differences in accession to the two chambers were observed, as a function of varying physico-chemical properties of the drugs. A 3% solution of TFM (100 m m ) applied to the rabbit eye for 25 min generated 0·7 m m in the anterior chamber and 0·07 m m in the posterior. Tissue distribution of TFM (and its metabolite) showed a relatively high concentration in the ciliary body 6 hr after dose. Intraocular pressure was reduced by 4 mmHg. With 10 min exposure this concentration of TFM reduced pressure by about 1·7 mmHg. Although the use of this drug is limited by its chemical instability and the length of exposure needed, the principle of treating glaucoma by the topical use of carbonic anhydrase inhibitors appears feasible.
Energetic materials: variable-temperature crystal structure of β-NTO

The crystal structure of the metastable β form of 5-nitro-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one (β-NTO, monoclinic, P21/c) has been investigated at five temperatures in the range 100–298 K using single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The second-rank thermal expansion tensor has been determined to describe thermal behavior of the crystal. The most significant thermal expansion is in a plane, which is almost perpendicular to the planes of all the NTO molecules. Perpendicular to the plane of maximal thermal expansion, a modest thermal contraction takes place. Both thermal expansion and contraction of the crystal lattice indicate anharmonicity of the atomic thermal motion. The experimental thermal variation of the unit-cell parameters is in qualitative agreement with that previously obtained from molecular dynamics calculations. Rigid-body analysis of the molecular thermal motion was performed using the libration and translation second-rank tensors. Although the translation part of the thermal motion is not strongly anisotropic, the largest displacements of the NTO molecules are oriented in the plane of maximal thermal expansion of the crystal and have significant anharmonic components. The libration motion is more anisotropic, and the largest libration as well as the largest translation principal axes are directed along the C5—N5 bond in each NTO molecule.
Purcell effect with microwave drive: Suppression of qubit relaxation rate

We analyze the Purcell relaxation rate of a superconducting qubit coupled to a resonator, which is coupled to a transmission line and pumped by an external microwave drive. Considering the typical regime of the qubit measurement, we focus on the case when the qubit frequency is significantly detuned from the resonator frequency. Surprisingly, the Purcell rate decreases when the strength of the microwave drive is increased. This suppression becomes significant in the nonlinear regime. In the presence of the microwave drive, the loss of photons to the transmission line also causes excitation of the qubit; however, the excitation rate is typically much smaller than the relaxation rate. Our analysis also applies to a more general case of a two-level quantum system coupled to a cavity. © 2014 American Physical Society.
Abstract 49: Constructing pathway based predictors of cancer clinical outcome

Current efforts to understand the mechanism of cancer involve using various whole-genome -omics measurements over large patient cohorts. Since a patient response to treatments is highly variable, the challenge then is to integrate the data in order to infer patient-specific disease mechanisms. Recent advances in the analysis of cancer (TCGA ovarian serous carcinoma and glioblastoma multiforme) has shown that a pathway interpretation of DNA copy number, DNA methylation, mRNA expression, and mutations offers a powerful framework for interpreting complex data. The hope is that a pathway-level interpretation of -omics data can identify pathway signatures to predict differences in clinical outcome, whereas traditional machine learning algorithms do not take advantage of the pathway structure of biological data. We are developing a pathway prediction method based on PARADIGM to discriminate patient outcome based on pathway signatures. Utilizing conditional random fields (CRFs) allow for formal search for a graphical model that optimizes the prediction of a particular variable of interest (VOI) defined by the given classification task, as opposed to a generative model that optimizes the model to explain the data. The method first merges pathways to build a core network around the VOI. The model then seeks to extend the pathway to include new genes and interactions which improve the model9s predictive ability on the training data. Application of our method to 50 breast cancer cell-lines treated with 80 different compounds revealed general and subtype-specific signatures of response in breast cancer. We compared our CRF-based method against a compendium of standard machine-learning algorithms and found that our CRF outperformed all methods on a majority of drugs tested. We also tested the method on a cancer benchmark consisting of a dozen prediction challenges all involving the prediction of clinical outcomes on large patient cohorts using gene expression and copy number data. Again, the CRF model outperformed a majority of classifiers and performed comparably to the best classifiers on most challenges. We expect our method to generalize to a wide variety of biological systems for which high-throughput genomics and functional genomics are available. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 49. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-49
Binding of pleomorphic adenoma gene-like 2 to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-responsive region of the NCF2 promoter regulates p67(phox) expression and NADPH oxidase activity.

NCF2, the gene encoding the NADPH oxidase cytosolic component p67phox, is up-regulated by TNF-α, and we recently mapped a region in the NCF2 promoter that was required for this TNF-α-dependent response. Because this TNF-α-responsive region (TRR) lacked recognizable transcription factor binding elements, we performed studies to identify factors involved in regulating NCF2 via the TRR. Using the TRR sequence as bait in a yeast one-hybrid screen, we identified the zinc finger transcription factor Pleomorphic Adenoma Gene-Like 2 (PLAGL2) as a candidate regulator of NCF2 expression. PLAGL2-specific antibodies were generated that detected the native and SUMO1-modified forms of endogenous PLAGL2. EMSA and DNA-binding protein affinity purification analyses demonstrated specific binding of in vitro-translated as well as endogenously expressed PLAGL2 to the TRR, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated enhanced binding of endogenous PLAGL2 to the TRR in vivo with TNF-α treatment. Knockdown of PLAGL2 protein inhibited up-regulation of NCF2 transcript, p67phox protein expression, and subsequent superoxide production in response to TNF-α. Furthermore, relative levels of native and SUMO1-modified endogenous PLAGL2 protein were modulated in a time-dependant manner in response to TNF-α treatment. These data clearly identify PLAGL2 as a novel regulator of NCF2 gene expression as well as NADPH oxidase activity and contribute to a greater understanding of the transcriptional regulation of NCF2.
Androgen influence on pituitary-gonad interrelationship.

THE complex problem of pituitary-gonad interrelationship has attracted renewed attention because of the interest in the action of target-organs as modifying factors in this interrelationship. The complexity of the problem and the fact that adequate information for comparisons is not available has been reviewed in an excellent fashion by Creep and Jones (1950). Our own interest in the problem was stimulated by observations which we made on chicks and baby capons (Breneman 1950, 1951a, 1951b); and by some unpublished observations which in part suggested that the gonads as target-organs were important in the interrelationship. Some of the data on the other hand, could be best interpreted by accepting the traditional viewpoint that the androgens directly inhibit the pituitary. We began the experiments reported here before the publication of the work of Greep and Jones. It was very gratifying, however, to note many important similarities in procedures which make comparisons possible.
Observer evaluation of a method for producing simulated mammograms

We have developed a method for producing simulated mammograms from high fidelity breast specimen radiographs. The method has the advantage of having access to all the truth information for the lesions. By modeling different parts of a screen-film system, we simulated the output of the system, and compared it to the real mammography images from the same samples. In this work we show how our simulation program produces realistic mammography images and also the observer study that tests how well the observers can distinguish the real and simulated images. Preliminary results from the ROC study show that the observers could not distinguish the two types of images very well.
Spinning the wheels: a CAPS survey of ethical issues in pediatric surgery.

Abstract To evaluate decision-making factors of pediatric surgeons when faced with ethical dilemmas in a clinical setting, questionnaires were mailed to members of the Canadian Association of Paediatric Surgeons. The surgeons were asked to respond to scenarios regarding ethical dilemmas in the treatment of children. Fifty-one responses (57%) were computer analyzed based on chosen responses to the clinical dilemma and demographic factors such as age, sex, marital status, country of citizenship, religion, and "religiousness," a determination of religious conviction as viewed by the respondent. In addition, ethical convictions were sought regarding abortion, fetal research, AIDS, HIV testing, denial of medical care due to religious beliefs (Jehovah's Witness), and limitations in health care access for indigents. In general, respondents found it difficult to separate ethical guidelines for determining aggressive treatment—absolute value of life; best interests of the child; parental authority; and ability of the child to engage in social, intellectual, or emotional attachments (quality of life)—in the face of actual patient care issues. In fact, results of this survey indicate that the operating surgeon applies his/her medical knowledge and surgical "experience" to each individual case, incorporating his or her own ethical beliefs (in a respondent's words: "In the operating room, the surgeon must satisfy his own conscience in making decisions") while cognizant of legal guidelines for "standard care" ("Decisions would be based on personal experience, and what the local society believes to be right"). However, should a surgical dilemma between aggressive support and futility of care arise, the surgeon is more likely to opt in favor of preservation of life for the child rather than consideration of future suffering or a hopeless long-term condition. As one respondent wearily concluded: "Good questions, but a lot of ‘spinning the wheels.'"
Observations on fjord-waters

In a previous paper one of the authors attempted an explanation of the zones of minimum dissolved oxygen observed in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea [see 1 of “References” at end of paper]. In these waters it was found that the concentration of dissolved oxygen decreased with depth until minimum values were obtained between 800 and 1200 meters. Below these depths the dissolved oxygen increased with depth toward the bottom. It was postulated that the waters of this minimum oxygen-zone represented water that had been in contact with the ocean-bottom in shallower regions for indefinite periods of time and thus subjected to reactions of reduction of both a chemical and biochemical nature, the dissolved oxygen serving as the oxidant. High values for phosphates [2], borates [3], iron [4], etc, were generally found in these minimum oxygen zones, thus indicating more or less previous leaching of material which had reposed on the ocean-floor. This water, depleted of much of its oxygen, very slowly flowed toward deeper water and became superimposed upon water of greater density. In order to substantiate this postulate, it was thought that observations made in long deep inlets and adjacent to shallower sounds or arms and with just a narrow and shallow access to the sea, might give some valuable information, as such inlets may be considered as miniature oceans.
Solid C 36 : Crystal structures, formation, and effects of doping

We employ plane-wave pseudopotential density functional calculations to show that the lowest energy ${D}_{6h} {\mathrm{C}}_{36}$ crystal is a highly bonded network of hexagonal planes of ${\mathrm{C}}_{36}$ units with $\mathrm{AB}$ stacking. This crystal is significantly more dense and lower in energy than previously proposed structures. We demonstrate that Na is the largest alkali atom that can be intercalated into the crystal structure without causing severe structural distortion. Further, we predict the reaction pathway to form a neutral ${\mathrm{C}}_{36}$ dimer to be barrierless, while negatively charged ${\mathrm{C}}_{36}$ molecules are less likely to bond due to a substantial barrier of formation.
The Nature, Determinants, and Consequences of Chávez’s Charisma: Evidence From a Study of Venezuelan Public Opinion

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is frequently labeled “charismatic,” but this aspect of his leadership has mostly escaped direct argument and analysis. The authors offer a measure of charisma and ...
Discriminative and associative aspects of retroactive inhibition.

Original learning of paired drawings of meaningful objects or of modified Chinese characters was followed by interpolated learning in which details of drawings were changed in one of two degrees with or without rearrangement of the original pairings. Subjects were tested for accuracy of identification of the original drawings and for associative matching of the original pairs. Identification errors were attributed jointly to confusion between original and interpolated drawings, and to unlearning of those features of original drawings which were in conflict with comparable features of interpolated drawings. Rearrangement of pairs during interpolated learning produced not only associative interference on the matching test, but also additional discriminatory interference on the identification test. Effects of associative and discriminative interference upon individual drawings were uncorrelated for meaningful material and only slightly correlated for meaningless material.
Dimension Films and the Exploitation Tradition in Contemporary Hollywood

In February 2005 it was confirmed that the acrimonious, twelve year relationship between the Walt Disney Company and Miramax Films founders Harvey and Bob Weinstein was coming to an end. Disney wou...