cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A226: Identification of new synergistic compounds for the treatment of NOTCH-driven T-ALL.

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy that accounts for 15% of childhood and 25% of adult ALLs. Constitutive activation of NOTCH signaling as result of activating mutations in the NOTCH1 gene is a hallmark of this disease and small molecule gamma-secretase inhibitors, which effectively block activation of the NOTCH1 receptor, have been proposed as targeted therapy. However, the progress of NOTCH1-blocking agents such as in the clinic has been limited. Here we hypothesized that detailed transcriptional profiling of T-ALL lymphoblasts upon inhibition of NOTCH1 signaling would uncover major effector pathways downstream of NOTCH1. Moreover, we proposed that these signatures would facilitate the identification of new drugs and drug combinations for the treatment of T-ALL. Gene expression profiling of NOTCH1 induced leukemias treated with DBZ, a highly active gamma-secretase inhibitor, identified numerous genes regulated by NOTCH1 in human leukemia. Notably these signatures were enriched in NOTCH1 direct target genes such as Hes1 and revealed a prominent role of NOTCH signaling in the control of cellular metabolic pathways. Following on these results we performed Connectiviy map analysis to identify drugs whose transcriptional effects could antagonize those of oncogenic NOTCH1 in human leukemia. This analysis identified HDAC inhibitors, anti-psychotic agents, anti-malarials and compounds targeting the PI3K and NFKB signaling pathways. Detailed analysis of the effects of these drugs alone and in combination with DBZ demonstrated strong antileukemic activity and strong synergism when combined with inhibition of NOTCH signaling with a gamma-secretase inhibitor. Moreover, biochemical and transcriptional profiling of these drugs identifies agents with unique and related mechanisms of action. Overall these results identify new antileukemic drugs with strongly synergistic activity in combination with NOTCH1 inhibition for the treatment of T-ALL Citation Information: Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):A226. Citation Format: Marta Sanchez Martin, Alberto Ambesi, Daniel Herranz, Adolfo Ferrando. Identification of new synergistic compounds for the treatment of NOTCH-driven T-ALL. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2013 Oct 19-23; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A226.
Properties and characterization of low molecular weight inhibitor of calmodulin-dependent cAMP phosphodiesterase from rat liver.

Abstract We have identified two different species of inhibitors of calmodulin-dependent cAMP phosphodiesterase: 1) a low molecular weight (LMW) and 2) a high molecular weight (HMW) form. These inhibitors are extracted from rat liver. Both LMW and HMW inhibitors are heat-stable, acidic in nature and lose activity with prolonged storage and/or repeated freezing and thawing. The low molecular weight inhibitor has been purified to about 7,000-fold with 300% recovery. LMW inhibits calmodulin-dependent cAMP phosphodiesterase regardless of the source of calmodulin (e.g. fat, brain, heart, erythrocytes). LMW appears to be lipid in nature with a molecular weight of 1,500–5,000. The role of these inhibitors in diabetes and mechanism of action of insulin is presented.
Horse race: John William Dawson, Charles Lyell, and the competition over the Edinburgh natural history chair in 1854–1855

Summary This paper explores the competition over the succession to Robert Jameson's natural history chair at the University of Edinburgh in 1854–55. Usually the particulars of such contests prove elusive to the historian, since rhetoric often obscures the reasons for the victor's success; similarly, the vanquished are unlikely to dwell on these less than glorious episodes in their lives. In this case, a special view of the contest is revealed in an extensive correspondence between Charles Lyell and his protege, the young Canadian naturalist John William Dawson. Probably because Dawson was so far removed from the complicated political and religious dynamics of mid-nineteenth-century Edinburgh, Lyell presented a frank, richly detailed appraisal of the other competitors and their chances. I have used the metaphor of a horse race, as it seems appropriate both to the event and to the cultural milieu.
Characteristics of murine prostatic acid phosphatase: comparison with other tissues and species.

Abstract The acid phosphatase of mouse prostate was compared with that of other tissues, tumors, and cultured cells. Inhibitors of human prostatic acid phosphatase, such as tartrate and molybdate, inhibited the mouse prostatic enzyme only partially. Acid phosphatase from other mouse tissues (kidney, liver, cardiac and skeletal muscle) and tumors (sarcoma-180, adenocarcinoma-755, and the subcutaneous tumors induced by in vitro transformed prostate cells) were partially inhibited by 0.02 M tartrate also. Although there is some correlation between the prostatic origin of cells and the percentage of tartrate-inhibitable acid phosphatase (Ti), it is not possible to conclude that Ti is prostate-specific in the mouse. Histochemical studies with mouse prostate showed that acid phosphatase is localized predominantly in the epithelial cells of the acini. Mouse prostate tissue as well as the transformed prostate cells contained acid phosphatase that was not inhibited by tartrate. Acrylamide gel electrophoresis of mouse prostatic and kidney acid phosphatase was done under various conditions. No differences, with respect to electrophoretic mobilities or tartrate inhibition of the enzyme band after the electrophoresis, were found. It is concluded that acid phosphatase is not a suitable marker enzyme for mouse prostate cells.
Serving Web 2.0 with SOA: Providing the Technology for Innovation and Specialization

Summary form only given. Service-oriented architecture (SOA) using Web services has emerged as a major software architecture. The SOA concept evolves from earlier component-based software frameworks. However, since Web services standards are based on readily and openly available Internet protocols, and thus much cheaper and easier for companies to adopt, major computer and IT companies have quickly embraced SOA. Web 2.0 promotes Web experiences that encourage users to participate in sharing information and enriching services. Users may offer their own contributions as open services to be composed into new components and services. In addition, the combined network effects of pervasive two-way participation are creating a phenomenal communal service architecture on the Web. In order for users and companies to share knowledge and co-produce with peers anywhere, without synchronization, delay, or maintenance, they need to use some powerful underlying set of technologies and paradigms. This is where SOA may provide some help. This talk discuss the service technology challenges and opportunities that are introduced by the dynamism of Web 2.0 services and requirements. The issues may require new concepts, methods, models, and technologies along with flexible and adaptive infrastructures for services composition and management in order to facilitate the two-way integration and formation of services across different sources. The future success of SOA will rely on the development of novel technologies to meet these new demands from the evolving Web 2.0 paradigm
TLR3 activation evokes IL-6 secretion, autocrine regulation of Stat3 signaling and TLR2 expression in human bronchial epithelial cells

Human bronchial epithelial cells exposed to synthetic double-stranded RNA (poly I:C) exhibited increased IL-6 and RANTES secretion and TLR2 expression that was inhibited following TLR3 silencing. Increased NF-κB and Stat3 phosphorylation were detected after poly I:C exposure and pretreatment with neutralizing antibody targeting IL-6 receptor α (IL-6Rα -nAb) or blocking Jak2 and Stat3 activity inhibited Stat3 phosphorylation. TLR2 up-regulation by poly I:C was also reduced by IL-6Rα-nAb and inhibitors of Jak2, Stat3 and NF-κB phosphorylation, whereas RANTES secretion was unaffected, but abolished following NF-κB inhibition. Treatment with exogenous IL-6 failed to increase TLR2. These findings demonstrate that TLR3 activation differentially regulates TLR expression through autocrine signaling involving IL-6 secretion, IL-6Rα activation and subsequent phosphorylation of Stat3. The results also indicate that NF-κB and Stat3 are required for TLR3-dependent up-regulation of TLR2 and that its delayed expression was due to a requirement for IL-6-dependent Stat3 activation.
Interaction of surface waves with turbulence: direct numerical simulations of turbulent open-channel flow

We report direct numerical simulations of incompressible unsteady open-channel flow. Two mechanisms of turbulence production are considered: shear at the bottom and externally imposed stress at the free surface. We concentrate upon the effects of mutual interaction of small-amplitude gravity waves with in-depth turbulence and statistical properties of the near-free-surface region. Extensions of our approach can be used to study turbulent mixing in the upper ocean and wind–sea interaction, and to provide diagnostics of bulk turbulence.
An elementary approach to naturality, predictability, and the fundamental theorem of local martingales

We give non-technical proofs of the predictability of natural processes and the Fundamental Theorem of Local Martingales. Some arguments are shortened through a novel use of an elementary inequality known as “Chebyshev's Other Inequality”.
Decentralized detection and classification using kernel methods

We consider the problem of decentralized detection under constraints on the number of bits that can be transmitted by each sensor. In contrast to most previous work, in which the joint distribution of sensor observations is assumed to be known, we address the problem when only a set of empirical samples is available. We propose a novel algorithm using the framework of empirical risk minimization and marginalized kernels, and analyze its computational and statistical properties both theoretically and empirically. We provide an efficient implementation of the algorithm, and demonstrate its performance on both simulated and real data sets.
Application of fuzzy set theory to the analysis of capacity and level of service of highways

Applicability of fuzzy set theory to the analysis of capacity and level of service of highway facilities is discussed. Many rigid assumptions used in the existing methods suggested by the Highway Capacity Manual, can be relaxed and a subjective case by case judgement of the engineer can be incorporated if fuzzy set theory is used. This paper presents how fuzzy set theory can be incorporated in the present analysis procedure. >
THE PERFORMANCE OF A GEIGER-MUELLER COUNTER IN THE 100-300 A REGION

The paper describes the construction and the performance of a GM counter designed specially for the measurement of low-energy (40 eV–120 eV) photon fluxes. The successful operation is determined by the strength and transmissivity of the counter window as well as the cross section of the counting gas. Various tests with different radiations and counting gases indicate that the counter behaves in a predictable way and that the primary cause of a count is the production of an ion pair arising from the absorption of a soft x-ray photon. Because the discharge of the counter corresponds to the stopping of a single photon the counter may serve as a detector of absolute photon fluxes of soft radiation.
Estimates of Cn2 from Numerical Weather Prediction Model Output and Comparison with Thermosonde Data

Abstract Area-averaged estimates of Cn2 from high-resolution numerical weather prediction (NWP) model output are produced from local estimates of the spatial structure functions of refractive index with corrections for the inherent smoothing and filtering effects of the underlying NWP model. The key assumptions are the existence of a universal statistical description of small-scale turbulence and a locally universal spatial filter for the NWP model variables. Under these assumptions, spatial structure functions of the NWP model variables can be related to the structure functions of the atmospheric variables and extended to the smaller underresolved scales. The shape of the universal spatial filter is determined by comparisons of model structure functions with the climatological spatial structure function determined from an archive of aircraft data collected in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. This method of computing Cn2 has an important advantage over more traditional methods that are based ...
The value of module efficiency in lowering the levelized cost of energy of photovoltaic systems

Abstract One standard that is used to compare different energy generation technologies or systems is the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). The relatively high LCOE of photovoltaics (PV) is an obstacle to adopting it as a major electricity source for terrestrial applications. In a conventional PV system, the cost of the module contributes approximately half of the expense and the other costs are together summarized as balance of system (BOS). A large portion of the BOS is not related to the peak power of the system, but can be either proportional to or independent of the total installation area. Across different PV systems with the same installation area, this part of BOS ($/W) is directly dependent on the module efficiency. Therefore, the LCOE is affected by the module efficiency even if the module price ($/W) remains the same. In this paper, we compare the LCOE across PV systems with equal installation areas but with modules of different efficiencies installed with fixed tilt, 1-axis tracking or 2-axis tracking. We conclude that: (1) at a given module price in $/W, more efficient PV modules lead to lower LCOE systems; (2) when meeting an LCOE goal, the PV module efficiency has a lower limit that cannot be offset by module price; and (3) both 1-axis and 2-axis tracking installations provide lower LCOEs than fixed tilt installations.
Teleoperation with sensor/actuator asymmetry: task performance with partial force feedback

For practical application of force feedback in robot-assisted surgical systems, it may not be possible to match the number of degrees of freedom of position sensing and control with the degrees of freedom of force sensing and feedback. The goal of this experimental study is to determine the effect of such sensor/actuator asymmetry during bilateral telemanipulation. We examined the performance of two tool-based teleoperated tasks: (1) a task to push a cup through a series of poses and (2) a blunt dissection task using phantom tissues. Three different force feedback conditions were applied to a 3D teleoperation system: (1) 3D force feedback, (2) force feedback without the axial forces measured on the slave tool, and (3) no force feedback. The tasks were also performed manually using a hand-held stylus. Results show that the absence of measured axial forces does not create a statistically significant difference in the level of applied forces, in comparison with complete 3D force feedback. In addition, this partial force feedback is a significant improvement over teleoperation with no force feedback.
The Prospects of a Unified Theory of Organizations

Despite the success of numerous sporadic efforts in the study of organizations, there is at present no unified theory of organizations. This would require a clearcut conceptual apparatus and a methodology for prediction. To achieve the former within the foreseeable future it might be wise to tie into the existing terminology of game theory; the latter may require taking a new look at the psychological problems involved and introducing something like an operations research approach to them.
Correcting Coalescent Analyses for Panel-Based SNP Ascertainment

Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data are routinely obtained by sequencing a region of interest in a small panel, constructing a chip with probes specific to sites found to vary in the panel, and using the chip to assay subsequent samples. The size of the chip is often reduced by removing low-frequency alleles from the set of SNPs. Using coalescent estimation of the scaled population size parameter, Θ, as a test case, we demonstrate the loss of information inherent in this procedure and develop corrections for coalescent analysis of SNPs obtained via a panel. We show that more accurate Θ-estimates can be recovered if the panel size is known, but at considerable computational cost as the panel individuals must be explicitly modeled in the analysis. We extend this technique to apply to the case where rare alleles have been omitted from the SNP panel. We find that when appropriate corrections for panel ascertainment and rare-allele omission are used, the biases introduced by ascertainment are largely correctable, but recovered estimates are less accurate than would be obtained with fully sequenced data. This method is then applied to recombinant multiple population data to investigate the effects of recombination and migration on the estimate of Θ.
Moving-Boundary Heat Exchanger Models With Variable Outlet Phase

Vapor compression cycle systems using accumulators and receivers inherently operate at or near a transition point involving changes of phase at the heat exchanger outlets. This work introduces a condenser/receiver model and an evaporator/accumulator model developed in the moving-boundary framework. These models use a novel extension of physical variable definitions to account for variations in refrigerant exit phase. System-level model validation results, which demonstrate the validity of the new models, are presented. The model accuracy is improved by recognizing the sensitivity of the models to refrigerant mass flow rate. The approach developed and the validated models provide a valuable tool for dynamic analysis and control design for vapor compression cycle systems.
Theory of the pressure–strain rate. Part 2. Diagonal elements

A theoretical calculation is made of (the diagonal elements of) pressure-strain-rate calculation ρ0−1〈p[∇u + (∇u)T]〉 for a simple turbulent shear flow. This calculation parallels a previous calculation of the off-diagonal element. The calculation is described as follows. (1) Beginning with the Navier-Stokes equation, an expression for the (diagonal) pressure-strain-rate term is derived analytically in terms of measurable quantities (velocity spectra) - this derivation makes use of a cumulant discard. (2) It is proved that, to lowest order in the spectral anisotropy, the diagonal pressure-strain-rate term is linearly proportional to the diagonal Reynolds-stress elements. (3) A formula is derived for the proportionality constants (Rotta constants) in terms of arbitrary spectra. (4) This formula is used to calculate theoretically the numerical value of Rotta's constant Cii for models of velocity spectra (the variation of Cii with variations of spectral shapes and of Reynolds number are also determined). (5) Deficiencies and limitations of Rotta's model are identified and discussed.It is found that Rotta's expression for 2ρ0−1〈p∂ui/∂i〉 is only valid for special spectra. Surprisingly large deviations of Rotta's expression from theory are found for a more complex spectra thought to be typical of simple shear flow. In addition, it is found that Cxz is intrinsically and quantitatively different from Cii because the latter depends importantly on the large-wavenumber part of the spectrum (the inertial subrange) whereas the former does not. The numerical ratio Czz/Cxz is calculated theoretically and shown to be about 2 for the zero-moment model. It is concluded that a linear term in the stress anisotropy as proposed by Rotta does not always exist. The deviation of Rotta's model from theory is understood by distinguishing between the spectral anisotropy and the stress anisotropy.For the zero-moment spectral model, where the Rotta relation is valid, it is found that Cii varies significantly with large Reynolds number but is rather insensitive to the large-wavelength part of the spectrum.
Intraventricular microdialysis: a new method for determining monoamine metabolite concentrations in the cerebrospinal fluid of freely moving rats

A new method is described to estimate the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of monoamine metabolites (dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA] in the lateral ventricle of freely moving rats by use of in vivo microdialysis. Both the baseline concentrations of these metabolites and the rate of dopamine (DA) turnover (estimated by the accumulation of total DA metabolites after 200 mg/kg probenecid) were within the range reported when other methods were used to sample CSF. A series of preliminary studies were conducted to demonstrate that this method can be used to repeatedly sample CSF, and to show that the method is sensitive to local changes in dopaminergic activity induced by lesions, drugs or grafts. (1) Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the substantia nigra produced a significant decrease in the CSF concentrations of DOPAC and HVA ipsilateral to the lesion, relative to the contralateral side or to concentrations in animals without lesions. (2) When left and right lateral ventricles were sampled simultaneously in animals with a unilateral 6-OHDA lesion, haloperidol induced an increase in DOPAC and HVA concentrations in CSF on both sides of the brain. Interestingly, the haloperidol-induced increase in CSF concentrations of DA metabolites was greater adjacent to the intact striatum of rats with unilateral 6-OHDA lesions than in animals with no lesion. (3) Finally, in animals with adrenal medulla tissue grafted into the lateral ventricle there was an increase in the CSF concentration of DOPAC compared to pregraft values or to those of animals with control grafts.
Clinical decision support for genetically guided personalized medicine: a systematic review

Objective To review the literature on clinical decision support (CDS) for genetically guided personalized medicine (GPM). Materials and Methods MEDLINE and Embase were searched from 1990 to 2011. The manuscripts included were summarized, and notable themes and trends were identified. Results Following a screening of 3416 articles, 38 primary research articles were identified. Focal areas of research included family history-driven CDS, cancer management, and pharmacogenomics. Nine randomized controlled trials of CDS interventions for GPM were identified, seven of which reported positive results. The majority of manuscripts were published on or after 2007, with increased recent focus on genotype-driven CDS and the integration of CDS within primary clinical information systems. Discussion Substantial research has been conducted to date on the use of CDS to enable GPM. In a previous analysis of CDS intervention trials, the automatic provision of CDS as a part of routine clinical workflow had been identified as being critical for CDS effectiveness. There was some indication that CDS for GPM could potentially be effective without the CDS being provided automatically, but we did not find conclusive evidence to support this hypothesis. Conclusion To maximize the clinical benefits arising from ongoing discoveries in genetics and genomics, additional research and development is recommended for identifying how best to leverage CDS to bridge the gap between the promise and realization of GPM.
Now you see it, now you don't: Impact of temporary closures of a coal-fired power plant on air quality in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Abstract. The goal of this study is to identify major point sources that contribute to elevated particulate matter in the Columbia River Gorge, USA and to quantify their contribution. To answer this question we analyzed 14 years of aerosol data spanning 1993–2006 from the IMPROVE site at Wishram, Washington (45.66° N, 121.00° W; 178 m a.s.l.) in the Columbia River Gorge (CRG) National Scenic Area of the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Two types of analyses were conducted. First, we examined the transport for days with the highest fine mass (PM2.5) concentrations using HYSPLIT backtrajectories. We found that the highest PM2.5 concentrations occurred during autumn and were associated with easterly flow, down the CRG. Such flow transports emissions from a large coal power plant in Boardman, Oregon and a large agricultural facility into the CRG. This transport was found on 20 out of the 50 worst PM2.5 days and resulted in an average daily concentration of 20.1 μg/m3, compared with an average of 18.8 μg/m3 for the 50 highest days and 5.9 μg/m3 for all days. These airmasses contain not only high PM2.5 concentrations, but also elevated levels of aerosol NO3−. In the second analysis, we examined PM2.5 concentrations in the CRG during periods when the Boardman power plant was shut down due to repairs and compared these values with concentrations when the facility was operating at near full capacity. We also examined this relationship on the days when backtrajectories suggested the greatest influence from the power plant on air quality in the CRG. From this analysis, we found significantly higher PM2.5 concentrations when the power plant was operating at or near full capacity. We use these data to calculate that the contribution to PM2.5 mass in the CRG from the Boardman power plant was 0.90 μg/m3 averaged over the entire year, 3.94 μg/m3 if only the month of November is considered and 7.40 μg/m3 if only November days when the airflow is "down-gorge" (from east to west). This represents 14, 46 and 56% of the PM2.5 mass in the CRG for the full year, November only and November days with "down-gorge" transport, respectively.
An 0.9 x 1.2", Low Power, Energy-Harvesting System with Custom Multi-Channel Communication Interface

Presented is a self-powered computing system, Sunflower, that uses a novel combination of a PIN photodiode array, switching regulators, and a supercapacitor, to provide a small footprint renewable energy source. The design provides software-controlled power-adaptation facilities, for both the main processor and its peripherals. The system's power consumption is characterized, and its energy-scavenging efficiency is quantified with field measurements under a variety of weather conditions.
Columbia River Entrance Channel Ship Motion Study

This study is a part of the overall program for the Columbia River channel development, directed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The objective of the study was, through direct measurements of vessel motions in the channel, to provide pertinent information for analysis of channel project modification. A portable measuring system with instrumentation to record pitch, roll, heave, heading and vessel position was specifically developed for this purpose. Statistical analyses of the measured data in terms of both short term and long term distributions of the vessel motions are conducted. The results indicate that a deeper but narrower channel is a viable option among the several alternatives being considered in the current development.
Statistical Inference in Regressions with Integrated Processes: Part 1

This paper develops a multivariate regression theory for integrated processes which simplifies and extends much earlier work. Our framework allows for both stochastic and certain deterministic regressors, vector autoregressions, and regressors with drift. The main focus of the paper is statistical inference. The presence of nuisance parameters in the asymptotic distributions of regression F tests is explored and new transformations are introduced to deal with these dependencies. Some specializations of our theory are considered in detail. In models with strictly exogenous regressors, we demonstrate the validity of conventional asymptotic theory for appropriately constructed Wald tests. These tests provide a simple and convenient basis for specification robust inferences in this context. Single equation regression tests are also studied in detail. Here it is shown that the asymptotic distribution of the Wald test is a mixture of the chi square of conventional regression theory and the standard unit-root theory. The new result accommodates both extremes and intermediate cases.
Headache in Intracranial and Cervical Artery Dissections

Dissection refers to a tear in the wall of an artery, with the two main types being intracranial or extracranial. Dissections tend to occur most commonly in the young, sometimes secondary to trauma involving the neck. To confirm a dissection, some type of vessel imaging is necessary, including magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), computed tomography angiography (CTA), or angiography. The most common presentation of a dissection (especially extracranial) is pain, usually head and neck pain along with a Horner's syndrome. Patients may also present with ischemic symptoms, including transient ischemic attack (TIA) or stroke, which may also be a complication of a dissection. Although headache is a common presentation, there is little research into phenotype or long-term outcomes. There are a number of case reports detailing the phenotypes of headaches that may be present in dissection, including a migraine-like or hemicrania-like headache. Dissections are usually treated with some type of anti-platelet or anti-coagulation, although there are only a few randomized controlled trials. In a new acute headache, dissection is an important diagnosis to keep in mind.
The Possibility of an International Discipline of International Affairs

Nathan Glazer (1969), Professor of Education at Harvard, develops the point that the university, for all its immersion in them, is not simply the creature of the state and society to which it belongs. "There is a realm of scholarship," he writes, that exists "beyond political stands and divisions. . . . Scientific and scholarly investigation and teaching have some general value divorced from politics, since totally opposed and distinct social systems accept its importance and give it support and prestige." He cites the similarities in scientific and humanistic endeavor between American universities, on the one hand, and universities of the Soviet Union, Cuba, and China, on the other. At the same time, Glazer refrains-wisely, I am sure we can agree-from extending the point to the realm of social inquiry. He believes that, in the social as distinct from the natural sciences, generally speaking "the cross-political scientific validity of research and teaching can successfully be challenged," inasmuch as "we do find enormous variation between social science under one political outlook and another." And treating history as the worst off, he asks us-rightly, I think-to consider how strikingly different are Russian and American interpretations of a given subject, such as the American past.
Open but Not Free — Publishing in the 21st Century

Online dissemination served as the impetus for the open-access movement and the call for free dissemination of the information contained in journals. There is, however, a cost associated with this openness — a cost that may reduce the funds available for research.
Good Enough to Be Getting on With? The State of Federal Sentencing Reform Legislation, December 2015

This Article addresses the current status of the push for federal sentencing and corrections reform, and describes and analyzes all of the major pieces of sentencing and corrections reform legislation pending in the United States Congress at the close of 2015. In particular, it considers the Justice Safety Valve Act of 2015, the Smarter Sentencing Act of 2015, the SAFE Justice Act of 2015, and the most likely candidate for passage -- the Senate's Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 (SRACA) and its counterpart in the House. The Article discusses the merits and deficiencies of each bill, and estimates the likely effect of each on the population of current and future federal defendants and inmates. The Article notes that the legislative proposals have become less expansive as the session has progressed, with each succeeding bill more cautious than the last. The final section of the Article considers whether the result of Congress's efforts will be worthy of support by those who favor significant federal sentencing and corrections reform. It concludes that, on balance, the front-end sentencing provisions of the legislation most likely to pass (SRACA) are "good enough to be getting on with," but that the back-end corrections measures with the most current legislative backing ought to be reconsidered and improved.
Volume and quality in total joint arthroplasty: A complex relationship

CommentaryTotal joint arthroplasty is an extremely high-quality medical intervention with measured benefit to individual patients and society as a whole. In the current health-care climate, the volume of procedures performed and expected to be performed in the near future has created a fiscal strain
Prescription Monitoring Programs

Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs) are state-sponsored databases that collect information about controlled medications dispensed in that state. Several federal grant programs have helped spread PDMPs to the 49 states that now host one. Authorized requestors may generate reports on individuals that detail every controlled prescription that person filled in a certain timeframe. Because reports include prescriber name, pharmacy, medication name, dose, and quantity, they provide useful clinical information. Several states require prescribers to access PDMP reports in certain circumstances. A PDMP has low yield in general practice, but the reports become valuable in high-risk populations where compliance, poly-pharmacy, and “doctor shopping” are major concerns.
Rheological property of polypropylene with hyperbranched polyester

The hyperbranched polyester was applied to blend with PP for improving the rheological properties.After joining the hyperbranched polyester,the blend systems are pseudoplastic non-Newtonian shear-thinning fluid,and its apparent viscosity was dropped with increasing the shear rate,the processing temperature and the hyperbranched polyster content.Non-Newtonian index was decreased with increasing concentration of hyperbranched polyester and the rheological properties can be improved.The viscous flow activation energy was 45.34 kJ/mol when the content of hyperbranched polyester was 6%.
Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma.

Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a highly vascular, benign, yet locally invasive neoplasm. A review of the literature reveals controversy regarding almost every aspect of this tumor. The authors present a review of related issues from pathogenesis to treatment and include a case study demonstrating their treatment protocol.
The Flow Cytometric Analysis of Undescended Testes in Children

Flow cytometric analysis was performed on the testicular aspirates of 45 consecutive children with unilateral cryptorchidism undergoing elective orchiopexy or orchiectomy. Concomitant histological analysis was performed on the testicular tissue obtained from either biopsy or orchiectomy specimens. In all cases deoxyribonucleic acid histograms appeared to correspond with microscopic appearance. Histograms from prepubescent patients demonstrated 85 to 95% of cells in the diploid (2c) peak and less than 10% of cells in the tetraploid peak (4c), representing prepubertal testes without active spermatogenesis. Three distinct patterns of ploidy were identified in postpubertal children corresponding to the histological appearances of normal spermatogenesis, maturation arrest and the Sertoli-cell-only syndrome, respectively. In addition, we identified an aneuploid cell population in the specimen from 1 patient, suggesting that this testis may be at risk for future malignant degeneration. We conclude that flow cytometry of testicular aspirates is an easy and effective means of testicular evaluation, which may permit predictions regarding the fertility and malignant potential of undescended testes in postpubertal children.
Growth, body composition, and endocrine responses to chronic administration of insulin-like growth factor I and(or) porcine growth hormone in pigs.

The actions of IGF-I, alone and in combination with porcine growth hormone (pGH), on growth and circulating endocrines and metabolites important in growth were investigated in peripubertal-age Meishan barrows. Pigs were assigned to four treatments: control, buffer; IGF-I, 33 μg rhIGF-I/kg BW injected twice daily; pGH, 33 μg rpGH/kg BW injected once daily; and IGF-I+pGH, 33 μg rhIGF-I/kg BW injected twice daily plus 33 μg rpGH/kg BW injected once daily. Treatments were administered for 28 d. Feed intake, BW, and backfat were recorded and blood samples were collected weekly. At slaughter, organ and primal cut weights were recorded. Offal and half the carcass were ground for chemical analysis. Serum concentrations of IGF-I on d 7, 14, 21, and 28 in the IGF-I, pGH, and IGF-I+pGH groups were increased 60, 107, and 131%, respectively, compared with those of the control group. Administration of pGH increased gain 43%, feed efficiency 60%, carcass protein accretion 88%, and trimmed lean cuts 16%, whereas IGF-I administration increased gain 22%, carcass protein accretion 33%, and trimmed lean cuts 5%. There was little difference in responses to administration of IGF-I+pGH and pGH alone except that coadministration of IGF-I with pGH reduced the ability of pGH to suppress backfat gain (P <.02). Even though administration of IGF-I resulted in a 60% increase in chronic nadir serum concentrations of IGF-I, only a few growth and carcass measures were changed when compared with control pigs. These included increased (P <.05) weight of body, leaf fat, kidneys, and belly. The actions of pGH on growth of pigs were not mimicked, and some were counter-manded by administration of IGF-I at a dose that produces significantly increased serum concentrations of IGF-I.
The Allocation of Ministries in Multiparty Governments

How do coalition parties in parliamentary democracies distribute government ministries? The predominant empirical finding from four decades of research is that ministerial portfolios are allocated in such a way that coalition parties receive payoffs that are roughly proportional to their share of legislative seats. I argue, however, that most work to date has limited our understanding of portfolio allocation by focusing solely on numerical payoffs received by parties, neglecting more nuanced policy payoffs associated with holding ministerial posts. I implement a new empirical approach that evaluates the seat proportionality thesis as it pertains to multiple types of payoffs. I demonstrate that: (1) parties distribute both the number and types of ministries in proportion to legislative seat share; (2) concentrating purely on numerical proportionality leads to mistaken inferences about its importance in bargaining; and (3) accounting for policy payoff proportionality vastly improves the predictive power of existing models of portfolio allocation.
Colorimetric Determination Of Catechol Drugs L-Dopa, D-Dopa, And Carbidopa In Aqueous And Solid Samples Utilizing Complexation With A Transition Metal Cation

The compound L-dopa is an important therapeutic tool for the clinical treatment of Parkinsons disease. L-dopa and D-dopa drug structures include a primary amine (-NH2), a carboxylic acid group (-C(O)OH), and an aromatic ring having two adjacent hydroxyl (-OH) substituents, a structure referred to as a catechol. The D- and L- forms of dopa are soluble in water and form an iron(III)-catechol complex seen in solution as a brown to dark-brown mixture. The complex is stable in aqueous solution with a strong absorbance peak at 400 nm which was utilized to identify the presence and quantitate the concentration of dopa. The extinction coefficient of a mixture having 0.167% FeCl3 •6H2O with 6.76E-04 molar catechol drug results in e400 nm =2910.38 Liter/(mole/cm). The methods described here produce a colored endpoint that indicates the presence of these catechol drugs. The colored endpoint is readily seen by eye to an amount of drug < 53.0 μg/ml (53 parts per million) and can be utilized to determine the concentration from 53.0 μg/ml to 533.0 μg/ml. To assay multiple samples a standard curve may be constructed utilizing UV-Visible spectrometers that monitor a strong absorbance peak at 400 nm. As little as 1.50 μg/ml (parts per million) can be detected by utilizing a standard curve. Many inorganic salts such as LiBr and NaCl do not interfere with the colorimetric results. Many medicinal compounds such as aspirin, ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and quinine sulfate do not interfere with the determination. A Jobs Plot was accomplished to determine the ratio of iron(III) to catechol drugs within the complex to be 3:2, respectively.
Neural dynamics of attentionally modulated Pavlovian conditioning: conditioned reinforcement, inhibition, and opponent processing

A real-time neural network model is developed to explain data about the acquisition and extinction of conditioned excitors and inhibitors. Systematic computer simulations are described of a READ circuit, which joins together a mechanism of associative learning with an opponent-processing circuit, called a recurrent gated dipole. READ circuit properties clarify how positive and negative reinforcers are learned and extinguished during primary and secondary conditioning. Habituating chemical transmitters within a gated dipole determine an affective adaptation level, or context, against which later events are evaluated. Neutral conditioned stimuli can become reinforcers by being associated either with direct activations or with antagonistic rebounds within a previously habituated dipole. Neural mechanisms are characterized whereby conditioning can be actively extinguished, and associative saturation prevented, by a process called opponent extinction, even if no passive memory decay occurs. Opponent extinction exploits a functional dissociation between read-in and read-out of associative memory, which may be achieved by locating the associative mechanism at dendritic spines. READ circuit mechanisms are joined to cognitive-emotional mechanisms for associative learning of conditioned reinforcers and of incentive motivation, and to cognitive—in particular, adaptive resonance theory—mechanisms for activating and storing internal representations of sensory cues in a limited-capacity short-term memory (STM); for learning, matching, and mismatching sensory expectancies, leading to the enhancement or updating of STM; and for shifting the focus of attention toward sensory representations whose reinforcement history is consistent with momentary appetitive requirements. This total neural architecture is used to explain conditioning and extinction of a conditioned excitor; conditioning and nonextinction of a conditioned inhibitor; and properties of conditioned inhibition as a “slave” process and as a “comparator” process, including effects of pretest deflation or inflation of the conditioning context, of familiar or novel training or test contexts, of weak or strong shocks, and of preconditioning unconditioned-stimulus-alone exposures. The same mechanisms have elsewhere been used to explain phenomena such as blocking, unblocking, overshadowing, latent inhibition, superconditioning, inverted U in conditioning as a function of interstimulus interval, anticipatory conditioned responses, partial reinforcement acquisition effect, learned helplessness, and vicious-circle behavior. The theory clarifies why alternative models have been unable to explain an equally large data base.
Good Ol’ Boys and Steel Magnolias: How and Why Corporate Boards Appoint Female Directors

Most published business studies on gender diversity are descriptive in nature and/or focus largely on demographic changes, and firm and board performance. At the same time, despite extensive resear...
An Eye for Prices, an Eye for Souls: American Merchants and Missionaries in the Indian Subcontinent, 1784–1838

The American merchants who voyaged to India in the early republic perceived and related to native South Asians very differently from their missionary countrymen. Sea captains were businessmen, and so they emphasized intercultural tact and respect when dealing with Indian merchants and formed long-term (and often friendly) relations with their South Asian partners. Yankee missionaries, in contrast, perceived Hindus as benighted souls whose lives were overshadowed by false religion. The decline of the India trade and the rise of the missionary movement in the early nineteenth century ultimately reshaped Americans’ perception of themselves, their role in the world, and foreign peoples.
The C.A.P. Effect: Racial Profiling in the ICE Criminal Alien Program

The goal of the Criminal Alien Program (CAP) is to improve safety by promoting federal-local partnerships to target serious criminal offenders for deportation. Indeed, the U.S. Congress has made clear that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “should have no greater immigration enforcement priority than to remove deportable aliens with serious criminal histories from the United States…” The Warren Institute’s analysis of arrest data pursuant to an ICE-local partnership in Irving, Texas demonstrates that ICE is not following Congress’ mandate to focus resources on the deportation of immigrants with serious criminal histories. This study also shows that immediately after Irving, Texas law enforcement had 24-hour access (via telephone and video teleconference) to ICE in the local jail, discretionary arrests of Hispanics for petty offenses — particularly minor traffic offenses — rose dramatically. This report probes the marked rise in low-level arrests of Hispanics. Specifically, the report examines whether there was an increase in lawless behavior in the Hispanic community in Irving or whether there was a change in local policing priorities. The Warren Institute’s study of arrest data finds strong evidence to support claims that Irving police engaged in racial profiling of Hispanics in order to filter them through the CAP screening system.
Scholarly contributions to twenty-first century multilingualism

Any national leader, educator, or policy-maker with an interest in the intersectionality of language, politics, and economics and who seeks a refreshing epistemic shift in view of multilingualism w...
Fluorescence in situ hybridization : application in cancer research and clinical diagnostics.

An opportunity to look inside of the individual cell for the direct visualization in situ of "what happened?" is the most wonderful feature offered by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). DNA in situ hybridization is a technique that allows the visualization of defined sequences of nucleic acids within the individual cells. The method is based on the site specific annealing (hybridization) of single-stranded labeled DNA fragments (probes) to denatured, homologous sequences (targets) on cytological preparations, like metaphase chromosomes, interphase nuclei, or naked chromatin fibers. Visualization of hybridization sites becomes possible after detection steps by using a wide spectrum of the fluorescent dyes available.