cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationship between hepatocellular carcinoma circulating tumor cells and tumor volume

Microfluidic platforms have demonstrated the ability to isolate rare circulating tumor cells from a wide variety of cancers. Our group has recently shown the ability to isolate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients using a hematopoietic cell depletion microfluidic platform. However, the relationship of CTC generation and HCC progression is still not well understood. Tumor size is often used as a clinical prognostic factor, but there has been an inconsistent relationship of tumor size and metastatic recurrence. Characterizing the relationship of primary tumor size and CTCs would provide a better understanding of HCC tumor size and metastatic potential. CTCs in a cohort of HCC patients with quantitative tumor volume analysis was performed to determine if there was a relationship of tumor size to CTC generation. A total of 24 tumor volumetric analyses were used in this study, and a cutoff of 25 cc was used to create a low and high tumor volume group (median 5.56 vs 108 cc; p < 0.0001). Using an antigen agnostic microfluidic CTC isolation platform and immunofluorescent staining for cytokeratin and glypican-3, CTCs were detected in 18 of 22 (82%) HCC patients. CTCs/mL of blood did not correlate with either tumor volume or serum AFP. Interestingly, CTCs were found to be significantly higher in small compared to large volume tumors (median 18.5 vs 5 CTCs/mL; p = 0.0454). Altogether, HCC CTCs provide additional data about the tumor independent of standard imaging and blood biomarkers, and there may be biological differences in small volume tumors that facilitate CTC entry into the blood stream. This has implications for HCC CTCs as a biomarker for predicting recurrence and as an early detection platform.
Is the glass half empty or half full and does it even matter? Cognition, emotion, and psychopathology.

This contribution examines the outcomes of recent decades of research on the interaction between cognition and emotion and how it has informed our understanding and treatment of emotional disorders...
Climatological temporal and spatial distributions of nutrients and particulate matter in the Ross Sea

Abstract The distributions of nutrients, chlorophyll (chl), particulate organic carbon (POC), particulate organic nitrogen (PON), and biogenic silica (BSi) were compiled from 42 cruises to the Ross Sea continental shelf to generate a monthly climatology. Nutrients were elevated in spring and removal began in early spring (November) and continued through December, at which time nitrate and phosphate removal largely ceased. Silicic acid concentrations also began to decrease in November, but continued throughout the summer. Chlorophyll concentrations increased simultaneously with nitrate removal and became maximal in December, after which time they decreased. Concentrations of chlorophyll remained relatively low and constant through February, although smaller regions remained elevated and contributed to the expected substantial spatial variability. Particulate organic carbon and nitrogen concentrations paralleled chlorophyll concentrations through the spring maximum, and also decreased in early summer. However, a notable increase in particulate organic carbon occurred later in summer that was largely independent of chlorophyll changes, resulting in a dramatic rise of POC:chl ratios. Biogenic silica concentrations were low through December but continued to increase throughout summer. We suggest that the spring pigment and particulate matter concentrations resulted from phytoplankton blooms dominated by the haptophyte Phaeocystis antarctica, consistent with repeated observations in the region. We further suggest that the late summer POC increase was due to growth of diatoms that exhibited enhanced POC:chl ratios due to iron limitation. POC concentrations in late summer were similar to those in spring, indicating that the summer bloom was substantial. Estimates of productivity from a bio-optical model using variable POC:chl ratios suggest that the summer blooms may be a significant contributor to seasonal productivity, and that estimates of productivity based on satellite pigments underestimate annual production by at least 70%. Satellite productivity estimates have substantial uncertainties in the Ross Sea and need to be constrained using in situ constituent ratios.
Other Miscellaneous Semiconductors and Related Binary, Ternary, and Quaternary Compounds

The ability to tailor the energy gap of semiconductors, as a function of their applications has led to Bandgap Engineering. From a materials perspective, Bandgap Engineering has been made possible, to a large extent, by Semiconductor Alloys. The applications of these alloys include solar cells, solid-state lasers, detectors, Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), and Opto Electronic Integrated Circuits (OEICs). In this chapter, we discuss the electronic, optical, and elastic/mechanical properties of various semiconductor alloys.
Travel Time Estimation in the Age of Big Data

The need to understand complex city traffic patterns has led to an increase in the amount and the diversity of traffic data being collected. For instance, taxi companies in an increasing number of ...
Race and Filipina/o drug use: rethinking ethnicity among Filipina/o Americans through drug consumption, racial profiling, and the social construction of ethnicity

This research uses 23 in-depth interviews of Filipina/o Americans seeking out treatment for drug use to understand the role of ethnicity as they experience drug use, recovery, and attempts to integrate back into society. Past literature has focused on the role of ethnicity as a buffer against drug use in host societies, with highly acculturated groups more prone to at-risk behavior. Such scholarship usually relies on static notions of ethnic culture. By contrast, using a social constructionist approach to ethnicity, I argue that meanings of ethnicity to the users go beyond homeland traditions and, in this case, reflect racialized police profiling of users in their neighborhoods and also their understanding of the methamphetamine epidemic in the Philippines. The interviewees affiliate their ethnic experiences with larger social conditions that point to neocolonialism in the homeland, racialization in the host society, and the war on drugs in both countries. This has implications for treatment programs that use culturally-appropriate services for addiction programs, so that providers complicate acculturation and assimilation models of ethnicity to understand social factors that affect the meaning of ethnic identity for Filipina/os.
Association of Neutrophil, Platelet, and Lymphocyte Ratios with the Prognosis in Unresectable and Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer

We examined the relationship between the daily rate of change of cancer antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) over the first 90 days of treatment (DRC90) and the pretreatment levels of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets with the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with stage IV pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) who received chemotherapy. We retrospectively evaluated 102 locally advanced and metastatic PDA patients treated at the University of Kansas Cancer Center (KUCC) between January 2011 and September 2019. We compared the ratio of the pretreatment absolute neutrophil count to the pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count (NLR) and the ratio between the pretreatment platelet count to the pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count (PLR) with the OS and PFS. We compared the DRC90 to the OS and PFS. The ratios were analyzed using the log-rank trend test using the mean of the NLR, PLR, and DRC90 as the threshold for two groups within each variable. Patients with ≥mean NLR (4.6 K/µL) had a significantly lower OS (p = 0.0444) and PFS (p = 0.0483) compared with patients below the mean. Patients with PLR ≥ mean (3.9 K/µL) did not have a significantly different OS (p = 0.507) or PFS (p = 0.643) compared with patients below the mean. Patients with DRC90 ≥ mean (−1%) did not have a significantly different OS (p = 0.342) or PFS (p = 0.313) compared with patients below the mean. Patients with NLR ≥ mean (4.6 K/µL) had a significantly lower OS and PFS compared with patients with NLR below the mean. This implies the possibility of NLR as a prognostic marker in PDA that could guide treatment approaches but still requires validation in a larger cohort.
A complex genitourinary injury following gunshot in a 12 Year old and systematic review.

Abstract We highlight the case of a 12 year old male who presented after sustaining a gunshot injury to the scrotum resulting in testicular, prostatic, and urethral transection in addition to pelvic fracture, extra peritoneal bladder injury, and transmural injury to recto sigmoid and ileum. The patient underwent a left orchiectomy, primary repair of the bladder and urethra, placement of universal plate on superior pubic rami, and segmental rectosigmoid and ileum resection. These findings illustrate the collaborative efforts of trauma surgery and urology to treat complex lower genitourinary (GU) injuries and how the direct prioritization of surgical efforts provides acceptable outcomes.
Environment-Sensitive Polymeric Micelles Encapsulating SN-38 Potently Suppress Growth of Neuroblastoma Cells Exhibiting Intrinsic and Acquired Drug Resistance.

Conventional treatment approaches fail to provide durable control over aggressive malignancies due to intrinsic or acquired drug resistance characteristic of high-risk disease. SN-38, a potent camptothecin analog specifically targeting DNA topoisomerase I cleavage complexes, has shown promise in preclinical studies against aggressive solid tumors. However, its clinical utility is limited by inadequate solubility in pharmaceutically acceptable vehicles and by poor chemical and metabolic stability. Micelles formulated from amphiphilic invertible polymers (AIPs) can address these issues by concomitantly enabling solubilization of water-insoluble molecular cargoes and by protecting chemically labile agents from inactivation. Furthermore, the inversion of the AIP and disruption of the carrier-drug complexes triggered by contact with cell membranes makes it possible to deliver the therapeutic payload into the cell interior without compromising its biological activity. In the present study, we characterized a novel AIP-based micellar formulation of SN-38 and evaluated its growth inhibitory effect on neuroblastoma (NB) cells derived either at diagnosis or at relapse after intensive chemoradiotherapy. Colloidally stable, drug-loaded micellar assemblies with a uniform <100 nm size were prepared using an AIP consisting of alternating blocks of poly(ethylene glycol) and polytetrahydrofuran (PEG600-PTHF650). The micellar drug applied in a low nanomolar range (10-50 nM) completely suppressed the growth of chemo-naive NB cells even after a brief (10 min) exposure. Furthermore, extending the exposure to 24 h resulted in a profound and lasting inhibitory effect of the micellar formulation on the growth of NB cells exhibiting an acquired loss of p53 function. These results suggest that micelle-mediated delivery of SN-38 can potentially offer a new and effective strategy for treating different phases of high-risk disease, including those showing poor response to conventional therapies.
Device profile of the EXALT Model D single-use duodenoscope for endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: overview of its safety and efficacy.

Introduction : The management of pancreaticobiliary disorders relies heavily on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which is performed with a duodenoscope. Bacterial colonization of reusable duodenoscopes leading to subsequent infectious outbreaks is well recognized and remains an issue despite efforts to optimize best practices in high level disinfection. The EXALT Model D duodenoscope (EXALT) (Boston Scientific Corporation, Marlborough, MA) is a single-use device, designed to achieve technical equivalency with reusable devices while eliminating the potential for device related outbreaks. Areas covered : This review covers the challenges associated with reprocessing duodenoscopes and the development of duodenoscope-related infections, with an emphasis on the use of single-use duodenoscopes as a potential solution to this issue. Expert opinion : Duodenoscope-related infections are an increasingly recognized problem. Infectious outbreaks harm patients, significantly affect providers and medical centers, and can erode patient trust in the healthcare system. Single use duodenoscopes eliminate both the risk of device related infection transmission and the need for burdensome duodenoscope reprocessing. In clinical evaluations, the EXALT device has demonstrated an equivalent technical performance and provider satisfaction compared to reusable duodenoscopes. Increasing use of this device will clarify how it compares to reusable duodenoscopes in a variety of clinical settings among endoscopists of varying skills levels.
A science of collaborative learning health systems.

Introduction Improving the U.S. healthcare system and health outcomes is one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. Previously described Collaborative Learning Health Systems (CLHSs) are a promising approach to outcomes improvement. In order to fully realize this promise, a deeper understanding of this phenomenon is necessary. Methods We drew on our experience over the past decade with CLHSs as well as qualitative literature review to answer three questions: What kind of phenomena are CLHSs? and what is an appropriate scientific approach? How might we frame CLHSs conceptually? What are potential mechanisms of action? Results CLHSs are complex adaptive systems in which all stakeholders are able to collaborate, at scale, to create and share resources to satisfy a variety of needs. This is accomplished by providing infrastructure and services that enable stakeholders to act on their inherent motivations. This framing has implications for both research and practice. Conclusion Articulating this framework and potential mechanisms of action should facilitate research to test and refine hypotheses as well as guide practice to develop and optimize this promising approach to improving healthcare systems.
Amplification of oxidative stress by decarboxylation: a new strategy in anti-tumour drug design.

Experimental resu!ts reported in the literature suggest that tumour cells are under oxidative stress, both as a consequence of their altered biochemistry and of the tumour environment. Unfortunately, tumour cells are able to resist this oxidative stress. The cause for their exceptional resistance may be a low content of unsaturated fatty acids or a high level of antioxidants in the cell membrane or the over-expression of the bcl-2 gene [1,2]. We hypothesise that tumour oxidative stress can be amplified by compounds that upon oxidation are converted via a free radical mechanism to species that are more damaging than the initial oxidant, either because they are more reactive or because they can migrate to react at critical sites in the cell. To test this hypothesis under carefully controlled conditions, we have developed a chemical model in which a peroxidase (from horseradish, donor: H202 oxidoreductase, EC 1.1 1.1.7) is used as the oxidant and phosphatidylcholine liposomes as the target. The liposomes are labelled with cisparinaric acid, a fluorescent lipid which loses its fluorescence on oxidation and can therefore, be used as a probe for lipid peroxidation [3]. Additionally, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were detected by the classical procedure. It was found that peroxidase alone caused little damage to the liposomes. However, the compound indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) strongly accelerated the decay of the fluorescence of cisparinaric acid and the formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (Figure 1).
Silicon heterojunction thin-film transistors for active-matrix flat-panel and flexible displays

The prospect of thin-film heterojunction field-effect transistors comprised of hydrogenated amorphous Si gate contacts on crystalline Si substrates for applications in large-area electronics and particularly flat-panel and flexible displays is discussed. Several advantages of these devices including low-voltage operation, high stability, immunity to floating body effects, low-temperature processing and design flexibility are explained and verified experimentally.
Capillary Tube Assay for Staphylococcal Enterotoxins A, B, and C

Abstract A miniaturized single-gel diffusion procedure for detection of staphylococcal enterotoxin is proposed. The technique effects substantial savings of reagents and is easy to perform.
Random intersection graphs and their applications in security, wireless communication, and social networks.

Random intersection graphs have received much interest and been used in diverse applications. They are naturally induced in modeling secure sensor networks under random key predistribution schemes, as well as in modeling the topologies of social networks including common-interest networks, collaboration networks, and actor networks. Simply put, a random intersection graph is constructed by assigning each node a set of items in some random manner and then putting an edge between any two nodes that share a certain number of items. Broadly speaking, our work is about analyzing random intersection graphs, and models generated by composing it with other random graph models including random geometric graphs and Erdős-Renyi graphs. These compositional models are introduced to capture the characteristics of various complex natural or man-made networks more accurately than the existing models in the literature. For random intersection graphs and their compositions with other random graphs, we study properties such as ($k$-)connectivity, ($k$-)robustness, and containment of perfect matchings and Hamilton cycles. Our results are typically given in the form of asymptotically exact probabilities or zero-one laws specifying critical scalings, and provide key insights into the design and analysis of various real-world networks.
Courts Should Not Enforce Government Contracts

Most scholars believe that courts should enforce government contracts, though they disagree about the extent to which liability or damages rules should trade off relevant considerations - the problem of governments holding up contractors, on the one hand, and the problem of governments using contracts in order to defer costs to future governments, on the other hand. These scholars, however, overestimate the ability of courts to affect policy outcomes. Courts cannot increase the welfare of current or future generations by enforcing government contracts. The reason is that enforcing contracts can benefit future generations only by increasing the credibility of their governments, but if the current government has not already tried to benefit future generations by complying with contracts voluntarily, then it will offset the effect of an adverse judgment by withdrawing value from the future using a policy instrument over which courts have no control.
Utilization of e-Learning Tools, Virtual Machines, & Open Source Software to Enhance Graduate Systems Engineering Programs

This paper is a report on the findings of a study conducted on a graduate systems engineering course at an urban university in a group learning environment. The course, IEGR 50
Medieval and Renaissance anatomists: the printing and unauthorized copying of illustrations, and the dissemination of ideas.

Abstract The vanguard that began to question Galenic anatomical dogma originated in northern Italy in the latter half of the thirteenth century, and not coincidentally this was where human dissection was introduced, which in turn eventually fostered the origins of realistic anatomical illustration in the late fifteenth century. With the advent of the printing press and moveable type at this time, printed books began to supersede hand-copied medieval manuscripts, and labor-intensive techniques were soon developed to integrate text and illustrations on the printed page. The same technology was used to pirate the illustrations of prior authors with varying fidelity. Specific medieval and Renaissance anatomical illustrations can often be traced from their inceptions through different stages of development to the final printed images, and then through subsequent pirated versions in various abridgements or other compendia. The most important milestone in the development of anatomy and anatomical illustration was the publication in 1543 by Andreas Vesalii of De humani corporis fabrica ( On the Fabric of the Human Body ), commonly referred to simply as the Fabrica . With this work, Vesalii succeeded in coordinating a publication production team (author, artists, block cutters, publisher, and typesetters) to achieve an unprecedented integration of scientific discourse, medical illustration, and typography. However, despite Vesalii’s valiant efforts to prevent unauthorized duplication, the illustrations from the Fabrica were extensively plagiarized. Although Vesalii found such piracy frustrating and annoying, the long-term effect was to make Vesalii’s ideas known to a wider readership and to help solidify his own revolutionary contributions to anatomy.
Assessing the Legality of Counterterrorism Measures without Characterizing them as Law Enforcement or Military Action

In this article, I develop three theses. First, I claim that disagreements about the legality of counterterrorism measures commonly stem from disagreements about whether to characterize the measures as law enforcement efforts or as military actions. Observers who see the measures as methods of controlling crime assess their lawfulness differently from those who see them as a form of warfare against terrorists because criminal law enforcement rules differ substantially from the laws of war. With many specific examples, I show that disputes about legality based on disagreements over characterization have arisen in at least eight different subject areas, ranging from targeted killing to the responsibility of the government to provide compensation to persons inadvertently injured by the counterterrorism actions Second, I claim that determining the legality of governmental responses to terrorism by attempting to characterize them as either law enforcement actions or military actions is not a good system. Counterterrorism efforts generally defy simple characterization into one category or another because terrorists resemble enemy combatants in some ways and criminal suspects in others. In addition, the different subject areas in which the issue of characterization arises vary from each other in so many respects that a characterization that makes sense in one area does not necessarily make sense in another. Third, I claim that a better system would judge counterterrorism measures as counterterrorism measures, without trying to characterize them as either law enforcement or military action. In other words, the United States and other nations ought to develop new standards to regulate governmental responses to terrorism, rather than debating whether the laws of war or the rules of law enforcement should apply. Already imperfect examples of this alternative approach are emerging. They include both the Israeli Supreme Court's 2006 decision on targeted killing and the Military Commission Act of 2006.
Potency of Nucleopolyhedrovirus Genotypes for European and Asian Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

Abstract Gypchek is a gypsy nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV) product used for management of European gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar L.) in the United States, primarily in areas where the use of broad-spectrum pesticides is not appropriate. Similar LdMNPV products are used in Russia for control of a flighted-female strain of Asian gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar asiatica Vnukovskij), an insect not yet established in the United States. Gypchek is a mixture of LdMNPV genotypic variants and is being developed further toward a single, high- potency genotype product that is effective against both European and Asian strains. We isolated 5 LdMNPV genotypic variants from Gypchek and, through diet incorporation bioassays, assessed their potencies for both a laboratory strain of European gypsy moth and a wild Asian gypsy moth strain. Bioassays conducted in the United States showed that 2 viral isolates, 122b and 122-HP, were about 3 times as potent as Gypchek against European gypsy moth. Bioassays conducted in Russia...
Not for the love of money: Pursuing a library career

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to describe the reasons people decide to attend library school. Design/methodology/approach – The article focuses on motivations discussed in the relevant literature. Findings – The article finds that service to others is a consistent reason for entering the profession. Originality/value – The article is the author’s farewell.
Effects of acute or repeated paroxetine and fluoxetine treatment on affective behavior in male and female adolescent rats

Rationale The SSRI antidepressant fluoxetine is one of the few drugs that is effective at treating depression in adolescent humans. In contrast, the SSRI paroxetine has limited efficacy and is more at risk for inducing suicidal behavior.
Interplay between the alpharetroviral Gag protein and SR Proteins SF2 and SC35 in the nucleus

Retroviruses are positive-sense, single-stranded RNA viruses that reverse transcribe their RNA genomes into double-stranded DNA for integration into the host cell chromosome. The integrated provirus is used as a template for the transcription of viral RNA. The full-length viral RNA can be used for the translation of the Gag and Gag-Pol structural proteins or as the genomic RNA (gRNA) for encapsidation into new virions by the Gag protein. The mechanism by which Gag selectively incorporates unspliced gRNA into virus particles is poorly understood. Although Gag was previously thought to localize exclusively to the cytoplasm and plasma membrane where particles are released, we found that the Gag protein of Rous sarcoma virus, an alpharetrovirus, undergoes transient nuclear trafficking. When the nuclear export signal of RSV Gag is mutated (Gag.L219A), the protein accumulates in discrete subnuclear foci reminiscent of nuclear bodies such as splicing speckles, paraspeckles, and PML bodies. In this report, we observed that RSV Gag.L219A foci appeared to be tethered in the nucleus, partially co-localizing with the splicing speckle components SC35 and SF2. Overexpression of SC35 increased the number of Gag.L219A nucleoplasmic foci, suggesting that SC35 may facilitate the formation of Gag foci. We previously reported that RSV Gag nuclear trafficking is required for efficient gRNA packaging. Together with the data presented herein, our findings raise the intriguing hypothesis that RSV Gag may co-opt splicing factors to localize near transcription sites. Because splicing occurs co-transcriptionally, we speculate that this mechanism could allow Gag to associate with unspliced viral RNA shortly after its transcription initiation in the nucleus, before the viral RNA can be spliced or exported from the nucleus as an mRNA template.
Caution Should be Taken in Performing Surgical Hip Dislocation for the Treatment of Femoroacetabular Impingement in Patients Over the Age of 40

Background Open and arthroscopic procedures are treatment options for patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Age has been found to be a predictive factor in the outcome of patients undergoing periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) for hip dysplasia. It is unclear if older age contraindicates joint preservation through a surgical hip dislocation (SHD).
A survey of singular curves in sub-Riemannian geometry

Sub-Riemannian geometry is the geometry of a distribution ofk-planes on an-dimensional manifold with a smoothly varying inner product on thek-planes. Singular curves are singularities of the space of paths tangent to the distribution and joining two fixed points. This survey is devoted to the singular curves, which can be length minimizing geodesics, independent of the choice of inner product.
The effect of polyamines on tyrosine hydroxylase and L-Aromatic amino acid decarboxylase

The polyamines stimulated tyrosine hydroxylase in whole homogenates of bovine caudate nuclei approximately 2 fold. TheVmax forl-tyrosine increased by 2.3 fold while theKms forl-tyrosine and for the cofactor (DMPH4) were unchanged.l-Aromatic amino acid decarboxylase from whole rat brain homogenate was stimulated by about 40% in the presence of polyamines. These findings suggest that increased polyamine levels associated with increased cellular synthetic activity can modify the synthesis of neurotransmitters.
Insertion of 2 kb of bacteriophage dna between an immunoglobulin promoter and leader exon stops somatic hypermutation in a κ transgene

Abstract Somatic hypermutation in rearranged immunoglobulin variable genes occurs in a 2 kb region of DNA that is delimited on the 5′ side by the promoter and on the 3′ side by intron DNA. To identify sequence features that activate the mutation mechanism, we increased the distance between the promoter and the leader region to test whether the spacing of these elements was important. The promoter was separated from the leader sequence by inserting a 2 kb fragment of noncoding bacteriophage λ DNA between the TATA box and ATG initiator codon in a κ transgene. Mice from three founder lines were immunized, RNA and DNA were isolated from spleen and Peyer's patch B cells, and transcription of the transgene was confirmed. The frequency of mutation in endogenous heavy chain genes was high, indicating that some B cells underwent hypermutation. However, no hypermutation was found in the transgenic bacteriophage or variable region sequences. Hypermutation did occur in another κ transgene that had a deletion of the VJ coding sequence, showing that the basic construct is functional and that the VJ exon is not necessary for the mutation mechanism. It is likely that the bacteriophage sequence is a potential substrate for mutation because other heterologous sequences have been shown to undergo mutation if placed downstream of the leader exon. The results suggest that the promoter should be contiguous with the leader exon for the mutation mechanism to function.
Field Test of Energy Information Feedback: Driver Responses and Behavioral Theory

The Energy Information Administration estimates that, in 2007, U.S. domestic passenger vehicles burned 113 billion gallons of fuel and thus generated more than 16% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Past field experiments and simulations suggest that energy information feedback to drivers could have spared 10% to 25% of those gallons. However, the theoretical underpinnings of past experiments have primarily been ad hoc, with application of their results limited to specific conditions of the experiment and feedback design. More rigorous behavioral theory would allow researchers to account for more variation in driver response to feedback, create testable hypotheses about the effectiveness of current systems, and provide a basis for designing more-effective systems. This paper presents drivers' responses to energy feedback in a field test involving 98 participants from 43 households in California and compares the results with the concepts that underlie the theory of planned behavior and the extended model of...
Myc and Ras collaborate in inducing accumulation of active cyclin E/Cdk2 and E2F

Nature 387, (422–4251997Due to a production error in the film output process, essential information was lost from the gel images of Fig 3 4 in this Letter. The in this Latter. The figures are reproduced here, with legends, and reprints including the corrected figures are available from the authors.
Inhibition of monoamine oxidase by derivatives of piperine, an alkaloid from the pepper plant Piper nigrum, for possible use in Parkinson's disease

A series of compounds related to piperine and antiepilepsirine was screened in a monoamine oxidase A and B assay. Piperine is an alkaloid from the source plant of both black and white pepper grains, Piper nigrum. Piperine has been shown to have a wide range of activity, including MAO inhibitory activity. The z-factor for the screening assay was found to be greater than 0.8 for both assays. Notably, the compounds tested were selective towards MAO-B, with the most potent compound having an IC(50) of 498 nM. To estimate blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, we used a PAMPA assay, which suggested that the compounds are likely to penetrate the BBB. A fluorescent bovine serum albumin (BSA) high-throughput screening (HTS) binding assay showed an affinity of 8 μM for piperine, with more modest binding for other test compounds. Taken together, the data described here may be useful in gaining insight towards the design of selective MAO-B inhibitory compounds devoid of MAO-A activity.
Solution-Processed Organic Thin Film Transistors

Using TIPS-pentacene and F-TES-ADT we have demonstrated solution-processed organic semiconductor thin films with strong molecular ordering, transistors with mobility >1.5 cm2/V·s, and ring oscillators with propagation delay <5 ?sec/stage.
Protein incorporation by isolated amphibian oocytes. II. A survey of inhibitors

A variety of some of the more commonly used metabolic inhibitors and several substances previously found to influence protein incorporation by other types of cells were tested for their effects on protein incorporation by growing oocytes in vitro. With the exception of the uncouplers and the sulfhydryl reagent iodoacetate, the metabolic inhibitors at concentrations of 10 −3M or less had little influence on sequestering activity. Cycloheximide, at concentrations which essentially abolished all protein synthesis, reduced protein incorporation by only 40–50%. The most pronounced inhibition of protein uptake without apparent cytotoxic side effects was provided by vinblastine and sulfhydryl reagents (especially trivalent arsenicals). The sulfhydryl reagents appeared to exert their effect primarily on the oocyte rather than the proteins of the medium. The results are evaluated both in terms of their relevance to previous studies with other cell systems and their significance towards understanding the mechanisms involved in the incorporation of macromolecules by cells. Finally, a preliminary model of protein incorporation by the oocyte is presented for further testing.
THE ROLE OF CHOLESTEROL MANAGEMENT IN CORONARY DISEASE RISK REDUCTION IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

This article discusses the various factors that must be taken into account and balanced when making decisions about particular therapies for the management of high-serum cholesterol in older persons.
Diagnostic value of electrocardiographic abnormalities observed in subjects accidentally exposed to cold

Abstract Electrocardiograms were recorded in 5 patients accidentally exposed to cold. All 5 patients came from either a poorly heated room or the open air. Usually there was some alteration of mental function or ability to walk, resulting in prolonged exposure to cold. The characteristic electrocardiographic findings in hypothermia are bradycardia, atrial fibrillation, muscle tremor artifact, prolongation of the QRS complex with “J” or “Osborn” waves and prolongation of the Q-T interval. In these patients changes ranged from mild to severe. Follow-up tracings were obtained in 3. The electrocardiogram can be of considerable value in revealing hypothermic states with low “core” temperature. Severe electrocardiographic changes are easily detected and usually are associated with a grave underlying illness and poor prognosis. Milder degrees of hypothermia result in recognizable electrocardiographic changes that can be helpful in evaluating a recorded low rectal temperature.
The Drosophila beaten path Gene Encodes a Novel Secreted Protein That Regulates Defasciculation at Motor Axon Choice Points

In the Drosophila embryo, at specific choice points along the major motor nerves, subsets of motor axons defasciculate and then steer into their muscle target regions. Here we describe the analysis of beaten path (beat), a gene required for the selective defasciculation of motor axons at these choice points. In beat mutant embryos, motor axons fail to defasciculate and bypass their targets. This phenotype is suppressed by mutations in FasII and conn, two genes encoding cell adhesion molecules expressed on motor axons, suggesting that beat provides an antiadhesive function. beat encodes a novel secreted protein that is expressed by motoneurons during outgrowth. Rescue and ectopic expression experiments support the model that Beat protein is secreted by motor axons where it functions to regulate their selective defasciculation at specific choice points.
The effect of tail pinch on the acoustic startle response in rats.

Abstract A series of 3 experiments was carried out to evaluate the effect of tail pinch (TP) on the amplitude of the acoustic startle response (ASR) in rats. There is a consistent group of pharmacological findings which support the view that the amplitude of the ASR is facilitated by transmission in both dopaminergic and noradrenergic neural systems. It has recently been reported that TP increases cortical norepinephrine release and pars compacta unit activity. It might therefore be expected that TP facilitate the amplitude of the ASR. This hypothesis was tested in the first experiment. Surprisingly, it was found that TP significantly depressed startle amplitude. In the second experiment if was found that this TP-induced depression in startle amplitude was reduced by damage to the nucleus accumbens and that the amount of reduction correlated with the extent of damage. In the third experiment the generality of the effect of TP on sensorimotor reactivity was evaluated by testing its effect on footshock threshold and airpuff-elicited startle response. TP also depressed responsiveness in these tests. These results are consistent with other observations that the nucleus accumbens plays a role in the modulation of sensorimotor reactivity.
Adenosine A1 Receptors in Mouse Pontine Reticular Formation Modulate Nociception Only in the Presence of Systemic Leptin

Human obesity is associated with increased leptin levels and pain, but the specific brain regions and neurochemical mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. This study used adult male C57BL/6J (B6, n = 14) mice and leptin-deficient, obese B6.Cg-Lepob/J (obese, n = 10) mice to evaluate the hypothesis that nociception is altered by systemic leptin levels and by adenosine A1 receptors in the pontine reticular formation. Nociception was quantified as paw withdrawal latency (PWL) in s after onset of a thermal stimulus. PWL was converted to percent maximum possible effect (%MPE). After obtaining baseline PWL measures, the pontine reticular formation was microinjected with saline (control), three concentrations of the adenosine A1 receptor agonist N6-p-sulfophenyladenosine (SPA), or super-active mouse leptin receptor antagonist (SMLA) followed by SPA 15 min later, and PWL was again quantified. In obese, leptin-deficient mice, nociception was quantified before and during leptin replacement via subcutaneous osmotic pumps. SPA was administered into the pontine reticular formation of leptin-replaced mice and PWL testing was repeated. During baseline (before vehicle or SPA administration), PWL was significantly (p = 0.0013) lower in leptin-replaced obese mice than in B6 mice. Microinjecting SPA into the pontine reticular formation of B6 mice caused a significant (p = 0.0003) concentration-dependent increase in %MPE. SPA also significantly (p < 0.05) increased %MPE in B6 mice and in leptin-replaced obese mice, but not in leptin-deficient obese mice. Microinjection of the mouse super-active leptin antagonist (SMLA) into the pontine reticular formation before SPA did not alter PWL. The results show for the first time that pontine reticular formation administration of the adenosine A1 receptor agonist SPA produced antinociception only in the presence of systemic leptin. The concentration-response data support the interpretation that adenosine A1 receptors localized to the pontine reticular formation significantly alter nociception.
The use of a multi-measurement approach in the determination of company export priorities

Studies undertaken to determine the priorities and special problem areas of firms involved in exporting have resulted in differing conclusions. This appears to be the case because previous researchers have asked somewhat different questions. Therefore, the usefulness of a multimeasurement approach in the determination of export issues of concern to firms is examined. Findings suggest that such an approach can be effective particularly when considering information flows, documentation, and service issues.
Record Precipitation Totals from the Coastal New England Rainstorm of 20–21 October 1996

This paper analyses the 20–21 October 1996 rainstorm along the coastal zone of New England in terms of its synoptic setting and its temporal and spatial patterns, and assesses its recurrence interval. The event was primarily generated by an intense cutoff low aloft, with an associated frontal boundary at the surface, both of which slowly drifted across New England. Storm rainfall totals ranged as high as 488 mm, which fell just short of the all-time greatest storm event ever recorded in New England, but statewide 1-day precipitation records were set in Maine and New Hampshire. Recurrence interval analysis revealed that this event was in gross excess of a 100-yr rainfall event and may be greater than a 400-yr event in this region.
Leukemia cutis in blastic transformation of chronic myelocytic leukemia: TdT positive blasts and response to vincristine and prednisone.

A patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) in blast transformation with extensive involvement of the skin is reported. The leukemic infiltrates consisted of blasts with lymphoblastoid morphology which were positive for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) by fluorescent assay. The infiltrates rapidly resolved with vincristine and prednisone therapy. Similar recurrences 4 and 8 months later responded as dramatically to the same therapy and to cytosine arabinoside. This unusual case of extensive leukemia cutis supports the evidence that patients in blast crisis with TdT positive cells are responsive to vincristine and prednisone. The implications of this case in terms of the origin of these cells based upon morphology and TdT content, as well as the diagnosis and therapy, are discussed.
On the rate of ribosome translocation. Anisotropy and ribosome saturation in the polysome.

Abstract This study examines the rate of ribosome translocation in the mammalian polysome engaged in protein synthesis by utilizing our knowledge of the hydrodynamic behavior of the rat liver polysomes, sedimenting in a linear sucrose density gradient. The average distance between adjacent ribosomes in the polysome was estimated assuming an extended linear configuration of the polysomes during sedimentation. Based on this estimate, the velocity of ribosome movement along the messenger RNA appears to be non-uniform and inversely related to the ribosome content of the polysome. Such non-uniformity prevails at stages of translation prior to ribosome “saturation” of the polysome. A correlation has been made between the results reported herein and previously published evidence on the rate of polypeptide chain synthesis. The steady-state condition for the polypeptide chain assembly is viewed as representing the state of ribosome “saturation”, characterized by a minimal ribosome velocity and a maximum density of ribosome distribution, both functions being uniform throughout the entire length of the polysome.
Letter by Cen regarding article, "Effect of celecoxib on cardiovascular events and blood pressure in two trials for the prevention of colorectal adenomas".

To the Editor: I read with interest the paper by Solomon et al1 in which the authors have combined the analysis results of 2 independent trials, Adenoma Prevention With Celecoxib (APC)2 and Prevention of Colorectal Sporadic Adenomatous Polyps (PreSAP),3 in an attempt to estimate cardiovascular events (CVs) associated with celecoxib across 3 different dose regimens. I am concerned about the validity of their combined analysis and their conclusion that celecoxib at 200 or 400 mg twice daily (APC) or at 400 mg once daily (PreSAP) showed a nearly 2-fold increase in …
MATERNAL-FETAL MORTALITY IN MICE WITH ISOANTIBODIES TO PATERNAL GAMMA-GLOBULIN ALLOTYPES.

SummaryA high incidence of maternal and fetal deaths has been observed in pregnant mice with isoantibodies to paternal y-globulin allotypes. BALB/c females were immunized to produce isoantibodies to C57BL/6 y-globulin and mated to C57BL/6 males; similarly, C57BL/6 females were immunized to produce isoantibodies to BALB/c y-globulin and mated to BALB/c males. Fifty per cent of the BALB/c pregnant mice succumbed at term; the number of progeny surviving per pregnant mouse was 30% of the control groups. No maternal deaths occurred in the C57BL/6 pregnant mice; no live progeny were delivered. Retention of fetuses in utero as well as grossly misshapen and severely bruised fetuses were observed in both strains.
The Surface Density Distribution in the Solar Nebula

The commonly used minimum mass power law representation of the pre-solar nebula is reanalyzed using a new cumulative-mass-model. This model predicts a smoother surface density approximation compared with methods based on direct computation of surface density. The density is quantified using two independent analytical formulations. First, a best-fit transcendental function is applied directly to the basic planetary data. Next a solution to the time-dependent disk evolution equation is parametrically adapted to the solar nebula data. The latter model is shown to be a good approximation to the finite-size early Solar Nebula, and by extension to other extra solar protoplanetary disks.
Characterization of aminophenol isomer adsorption on silver nanostructures

Abstract Surface-enhanced infrared absorption (SEIRA), temperature-programmed desorption, and density functional theory calculations were used to explore the adsorption of aminophenol isomers on vacuum deposited silver films and silver powder. Salts of the aminophenolate ions were synthesized to aid in vibrational spectral interpretation. No evidence for dissociation of any of the aminophenols into aminophenolate ions in the monolayer or multilayer was found when adsorbed on silver nanostructures (SNS). SEIRA demonstrated additional hydrogen-bonding interactions in a multilayer of 2-aminophenol and 3-aminophenol adsorbed on SNS beyond what is present in the aminophenol powders. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) experiments also showed that a 2-aminophenol monolayer adsorbed on SNS is photolytically oxidized to either 3-aminophenoxazone or 2,2′-dihydroxyazobenzene, while neither 3-aminophenol nor 4-aminophenol showed any SERS activity. This work is expected to have a significant impact in a range of environmental, biochemical, and industrial applications where phenol chemistry is important.