cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Triplet state properties of trichlorobenzenes: a laser flash photolysis study

Abstract The T—T absorption spectra for 1,2,3-, 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene have been determined by laser flash photolysis in cyclohexane and methanol. The wavelength of maximum absorption is around 300 nm in both solvents for the three isomers. A second, less intense bank appears at about 420 – 450 nm. The extinction coefficients for the T—T absorption and the intersystem crossing quantum yields were determined by energy transfer to anthracene. The triplet decay was found to be a function of the energy of the laser pulse and of the concentration of the trichlorobenzenes. The triplet lifetimes extrapolated to zero laser intensity and concentration were in the range 2 – 4 μs in all cases. T—T annihilation rate constants were determined and the values corresponded to the diffusional limit. Rate constants for triplet deactivation by ground state molecules were measured for 1,3,5-trichlorobenzene in cyclohexane and methanol and for the 1,2,4- isomer in cyclohexane, with values in the range (4 × 106) − (3 × 107) M−1 s−1. For the other isomers an upper limit of 3 × 106 M−1 s−1 was estimated for this process. The role of the triplet state in the photochemistry was discussed using literature data for the photodecomposition quantum yields.
Depolarizing 'beat' Resonances in the Brookhaven AGS

While accelerating polarized protons in the Brookhaven AGS we found a variant of the standard imperfection and intrinsic depolarizing resonances which has some of the properties of both types. Imperfection resonances occur at G? = k, when the number of spin precessions per revolution, G?, equals a harmonic of the depolarizing field, k. Intrinsic resonances occur at G? = nP±?Z, when the AGS gradient periodicities, nP, modulate free vertical betatron oscillations to create the sum and difference frequencies. The variant resonance is a beat between nP and an imperfection driven betatron oscillation of periodicity k'. These occur at G? = nP±k', and are strongest when the driven betatron oscillation is largest. The effect was most dramatic at the strong G? = 27 resonance. Since ?Z = 8.8 for the AGS, and there is a major nP = 36 AGS periodicity, a strong beat resonance should exist at G? = 36-9 = 27. Applying a 27th harmonic correction directly was unsuccessful, but a 9th harmonic correction removed the depolarization.
Gene regulatory network controlling embryonic specification in the sea urchin.

The current state of the gene regulatory network for endomesoderm specification in sea urchin embryos is reviewed. The network was experimentally defined, and is presented as a predictive map of cis-regulatory inputs and functional regulatory gene interconnections (updated versions of the network and most of the underlying data are at http://sugp.caltech.edu/endomes/). The network illuminates the ‘whys’ of many aspects of zygotic control in early sea urchin development, both spatial and temporal. The network includes almost 50 genes, and these are organized in subcircuits, each of which executes a particular regulatory function.
Investor and price response to patterns in earnings surprises

Abstract As part of their model to explain short-term positive and long-term negative auto-correlation in stock returns, Barberis, Shleifer, and Vishny [1998. A model of investor sentiment. Journal of Finance 49, 307–345] suggest that investors may extrapolate trends in earnings performance. I test this portion of their model by examining investor trading patterns in firms that experience consecutive same-sign earnings surprises. Consistent with their model, after controlling for regularities in trading activity, I find that the net buying of small investors increases with the number of consecutive positive earnings surprises. I further find that purchasing activity of small investors subsequent to consecutive positive surprises is significantly negatively correlated with returns throughout the remainder of the year. These results suggest that such investors are not simply rationally updating after public news announcements. My results are robust to controlling for auto-correlation in earnings surprises.
Tetraploidy/aneuploidy and stem cells in cancer promotion: The role of chromosome passenger proteins

While polyploidy, a state of having fully duplicated sets of chromosomes per cell, has been described in normally developing bone marrow megakaryocytes or as an adaptive response in other cell types, aneuploidy is never detected in normal cells. Tetraploidy or aneuploidy can be induced by several signals and it is highly prevalent in different forms of cancers, suggesting a role for this cell cycle state in promoting cellular transformation. Investigations suggested that loss of heterozygosity of cancer-related genes in stem cells might contribute to genetic instability in progeny cells and to subsequent cancer development. Deregulated expression of chromosome passenger proteins, such as Aurora kinases or Survivin, is a hallmark of various cancers, and experimentally induced changes in these regulators can promote tetraploidy or aneuploidy and loss of heterozygosity. Our studies described an induction of tetraploidy/aneuploidy by a stable form of Aurora-B, leading to acquisition of transformation properties. It is intriguing to speculate that in some cancers, tetraploidy/aneuploidy induced by deregulated expression of a mitotic regulator represents a primary event that leads to unbalanced expression of a cluster of crucial genes and to cellular transformation.
Survey of foreign graduate students

In the 1983 American Institute of Physics (AIP) Graduate Student Survey, the issue of foreign versus national students in U.S. graduate programs was explored. In the past decade, the number of entering graduate students from foreign nations in American universities has risen from about 600 to about 1100, an increase from 23% in 1973 to 40% in 1983 of all entering physics graduate students in the United States. There are more than 10,000 graduate students in physics in the United States The benefits, or lack thereof, of having foreign graduate students raises a number of philosophical points. Like all students, foreign students learn from academic programs; but at high competitive levels, they contribute as well. The essence of growth in any academic program is described by the creativity supplied by ever incoming students. In an academically competitive system the question of foreign students displacing U.S. students in graduate programs has no definition. On the other hand, what about the graduate job market after graduation? Some would point to the return of foreign graduates to their homeland as an example of U.S. education efforts not benefitting U.S. society, at least directly. Others worry about foreign graduates flooding the U.S. job market.
Vestigial structures in the appendicular skeletons of eight African skink species (Squamata, Scincidae)

Limb reduction and loss, with reduction of limb and girdle skeletons to a vestigial state, has occurred several times independently within the skink family (Scincidae). The vestigial appendicular skeletons of most limbless skinks have not been described before now. Here we describe those of eight African skink species, all with a burrowing lifestyle: Acontias percivali, Acontias meleagris, Typhlosaurus cregoi, Typhlosaurus lineatus, Typhlacontias gracilis, Sepsina bayonii, Scelotes anguina and Scelotes arenicola. For all but two (A. meleagris and Sc. arenicola) the appendicular skeletons were previously undescribed. Limbs are absent in all specimens except for vestigial hindlimbs in Se. bayonii and vestigial femurs in one specimen of Sc. arenicola. In our sample, the pectoral girdle is reduced to a pair of tiny slivers in A. percivali, Ty. gracilis, Se. bayonii and Sc. anguina. It is absent in the other specimens. The pelvic girdle is absent in Ty. cregoi. In all the rest but Se. bayonii it is vestigial, retaining only the ilium in A. meleagris, Ty. lineatus and one specimen of Sc. arenicola. This study adds to the number of skink species with vestigial appendicular skeletons that have been described. It also adds to the range of documented intraspecific variation in the vestigial appendicular skeletons of A. meleagris, Sc. arenicola and the Australian skinks Lerista stylis and Lerista carpentariae. We observed asymmetry between the left and right sides in the vestigial appendicular skeletons of four of the African skink species: A. meleagris, Sc. anguina, Sc. arenicola and Se. bayonii.
Item-Writing Practice and Evidence

This chapter presents issues related to item writing that are relevant for test accessibility. A history of testing and the use of multiple-choice and constructed-response items is briefly reviewed, followed by existing item-writing taxonomies and empirical evidence for item writing guidelines. Recent work on modified items for alternate assessments is reviewed with suggestions for future work in these areas. Finally, new developments in innovative item types and alternate scoring methods with the potential to enhance test accessibility are described.
Optimizing sensor networks in the energy-latency-density design space

In wireless sensor networks, energy efficiency is crucial to achieving satisfactory network lifetime. To reduce the energy consumption significantly, a node should turn off its radio most of the time, except when it has to participate in data forwarding. We propose a new technique, called sparse topology and energy management (STEM), which efficiently wakes up nodes from a deep sleep state without the need for an ultra low-power radio. The designer can trade the energy efficiency of this sleep state for the latency associated with waking up the node. In addition, we integrate STEM with approaches that also leverage excess network density. We show that our hybrid wakeup scheme results in energy savings of over two orders of magnitude compared to sensor networks without topology management. Furthermore, the network designer is offered full flexibility in exploiting the energy-latency-density design space by selecting the appropriate parameter settings of our protocol.
Joining the Conversation about IT Ethics

IT Professional is a publication for practitioners, and proudly so. In this department, we often talk about the practical side of ethics issues, including advice on how professionals can recognize, analyze, and make judgments on challenging questions about right, wrong, and computing. But in this issue's installment, the author takes a somewhat broader view, starting with an examination of ethical issues in computing as discussed at a recent conference on computer ethics.
Adaptive insertion policies for high performance caching

The commonly used LRU replacement policy is susceptible to thrashing for memory-intensive workloads that have a working set greater than the available cache size. For such applications, the majority of lines traverse from the MRU position to the LRU position without receiving any cache hits, resulting in inefficient use of cache space. Cache performance can be improved if some fraction of the working set is retained in the cache so that at least that fraction of the working set can contribute to cache hits.We show that simple changes to the insertion policy can significantly reduce cache misses for memory-intensive workloads. We propose the LRU Insertion Policy (LIP) which places the incoming line in the LRU position instead of the MRU position. LIP protects the cache from thrashing and results in close to optimal hitrate for applications that have a cyclic reference pattern. We also propose the Bimodal Insertion Policy (BIP) as an enhancement of LIP that adapts to changes in the working set while maintaining the thrashing protection of LIP. We finally propose a Dynamic Insertion Policy (DIP) to choose between BIP and the traditional LRU policy depending on which policy incurs fewer misses. The proposed insertion policies do not require any change to the existing cache structure, are trivial to implement, and have a storage requirement of less than two bytes. We show that DIP reduces the average MPKI of the baseline 1MB 16-way L2 cache by 21%, bridging two-thirds of the gap between LRU and OPT.
The thermal degradation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymei as studied by TGA/FTIR

Abstract The thermal degradation of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymer has been studied by TGA/FTIR. The degradation of ABS is compared with that of polystyrene, polybutadiene, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and styreneacrylonitrile (SAN) copolymer. A small amount of acrylonitrile monomer is eliminated from PAN, SAN, and ABS. The grafting of butadiene on to SAN stabilizes the butadiene structure, since the evolution of butadiene begins 50 °C higher than in the homopolymer. The evolution of aromatics begins about 20 °C lower in ABS than in SAN, so the presence of the butadiene destabilizes SAN. The evolution of acrylonitrile begins at essentially the same temperature in ABS as in SAN. There are some significant effects on the degradation produced by grafting SAN onto polybutadiene but the degradation may be understood by considering the degradation of its components.
Genetic analysis of flag leaf size and candidate genes determination of a major QTL for flag leaf width in rice

Flag leaf is the most essential organ for photosynthesis in rice and its size plays an important role in rice breeding for ideal plant-type. Flag leaf size affect photosynthesis to a certain extent, thereby influencing rice production. Several genes controlling leaf size and shape have been identified with mutants. Although a number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for leaf size and shape have been detected on 12 chromosomes with different populations of rice, few of them were cloned. The pair-wise correlation analysis was conducted on length, width and length-width ratio of the flag leaf, and yield per plant in the core recombinant inbred lines of Liang-You-Pei-Jiu (LYP9) developed in Hainan and Hangzhou. There were significant correlations among the three flag leaf size and shape traits. Interestingly, a positive correlation was found between flag leaf width and yield per plant. Based on the high-resolution linkage map we constructed before, 43 QTLs were detected for three flag leaf size and shape traits and yield per plant, among which 31 QTLs were unreported so far. Seven QTLs were identified common in two environments. And qFLW7.2, a new major QTL for flag leaf width, was fine mapped within 27.1 kb region on chromosome 7. Both qFLW7.2 and qPY7 were located in the interval of 45.30 ~ 53.34 cM on chromosome 7, which coincided with the relationship between yield per plant (PY) and flag leaf width (FLW). qFLW7.2, which explained 14% of the phenotypic variation, increased flag leaf width with 93–11 allele. Two candidate genes were selected based on sequence variation and expression difference between two parents, which facilitated further QTL cloning and molecular breeding in super rice.
Cells, cytokines and inflammatory bowel disease: a clinical perspective

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are chronic inflammatory disorders of the GI tract. Although the disorders can usually be distinguished on clinical and pathological criteria, there are similarities in natural history and response to therapy. The purpose of this article is to examine the inflammatory infiltrate in both disorders and the cytokine profiles in intestinal mucosa and peripheral blood. For both disorders, the predominant cells in inflamed mucosa are neutrophils and lymphocytes positive for CD4. There are also increases in the number of B cells, macrophages, dendritic cells, plasma cells, eosinophils and perhaps mast cells. Cytokine levels and cytokine expression are also similar for both disorders, with increases in TNF-α and IFN-γ consistent with a Th1 response. As inflammation occurs in a microbial environment, one possibility is that the nature of the inflammatory response is largely independent of initiating factors. One concept that might be useful is that of initiating cells and cyt...
In search of memory : the emergence of a new science of mind

Memory binds our mental life together. We are who we are in large part because of what we learn and remember. But how does the brain create memories? Nobel Prize winner Eric R. Kandel intertwines the intellectual history of the powerful new science of the mind-a combination of cognitive psychology, neuroscience, and molecular biology-with his own personal quest to understand memory. A deft mixture of memoir and history, modern biology and behavior, In Search of Memory brings readers from Kandel's childhood in Nazi-occupied Vienna to the forefront of one of the great scientific endeavors of the twentieth century: the search for the biological basis of memory.
BioGlue surgical adhesive impairs aortic growth and causes anastomotic strictures.

Abstract Background . BioGlue surgical adhesive (CryoLife, Inc, Kennesaw, GA) is currently being used to secure hemostasis at cardiovascular anastomoses in adults. Interference with vessel growth would preclude its use during congenital heart surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine if BioGlue reinforcement of aortic anastomoses impairs vessel growth and causes strictures. Methods . Ten 4-week-old piglets (8.0 ± 1.4 kg) underwent primary aorto-aortic anastomoses. Five piglets were randomly assigned to anastomotic reinforcement with BioGlue. After a 7-week growth period, the aortas were excised for morphometric analysis and histopathology. Results . Weight gains were similar in both groups. In BioGlue animals, however, aortic circumference increased only 1.5 ± 0.8 mm (versus 2.7 ± 0.8 mm in controls; p = 0.054). BioGlue animals developed a 33.9% stenosis of the aortic lumen area (versus 3.7% in controls, p = 0.038). Adventitial changes reflecting tissue injury and fibrosis were present in all BioGlue animals versus none of the control animals ( p = 0.008). Conclusions . BioGlue reinforcement impairs vascular growth and causes stricture when applied circumferentially around an aorto-aortic anastomosis. This adhesive should not be used on cardiovascular anastomoses in pediatric patients.
An affective circumplex model of neural systems subserving valence, arousal, and cognitive overlay during the appraisal of emotional faces

Increasing evidence supports the existence of distinct neural systems that subserve two dimensions of affect – arousal and valence. Ten adult participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during which they were presented a range of standardized faces and then asked, during the scan, to rate the emotional expressions of the faces along the dimensions of arousal and valence. Lower ratings of arousal accompanied greater activity in the amygdala complex, cerebellum, dorsal pons, and right medial prefrontal cortex. More negative ratings of valence accompanied greater activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate and parietal cortices. Extreme ratings of valence (highly positive and highly negative ratings) accompanied greater activity in the temporal cortex and fusiform gyrus. Building on an empirical literature which suggests that the amygdala serves as a salience and ambiguity detector, we interpret our findings as showing that a face rated has having low arousal is more ambiguous and a face rated as having extreme valence is more personally salient. This explains how both low arousal and extreme valence lead to greater activation of an ambiguity/salience system subserved by the amygdala, cerebellum, and dorsal pons. In addition, the right medial prefrontal cortex appears to down-regulate individual ratings of arousal, whereas the fusiform and related temporal cortices seem to up-regulate individual assessments of extreme valence when individual ratings are studied relative to group reference ratings for each stimulus. The simultaneous assessment of the effects of arousal and valence proved essential for the identification of neural systems contributing to the processing of emotional faces.
Non-Wiener Weight Behavior of LMS Transversal Equalizers

The least mean square (LMS) algorithm is widely assumed to operate around the corresponding Wiener filter solution. It has been observed that an exception to this popular perception occurs when the algorithm is used to adapt a transversal equalizer in the presence of additive narrowband interference. In the latter case, the steady-state LMS behavior does not correspond to the Wiener filter: its mean weights are different from the Wiener weights, and its mean squared error performance may be significantly better than the Wiener performance. Starting from the Butterweck expansion of the weight update equation, we derive a recursive approximation for the mean of the LMS weight vector in steady-state. The analytical approximation is good for all step-sizes where the expansion converges, as supported by the simulation results.
Technical aspects of image-guided respiration-gated radiation therapy

In this review article, we discuss various technical aspects of image-guided respiration-gated radiation therapy. We first review some basic concepts related to respiratory gating, including gating window, duty cycle, residual motion, internal/external gating, amplitude/phase gating, etc. We then discuss 2 implementations of image-guided respiration-gated treatment, i.e., the Mitsubishi/Hokkaido technique for internal gating and the MGH technique for external gating. Several existing problems related to respiratory gating, namely external gating mode (phase vs. amplitude), imaging dose for internal gating, gated treatment for lung cancer without implanted fiducial makers, as well as gated intensity-modulated radiation therapy issues, are also discussed along with potential solutions.
A tunable birefringent filter.

A rotating-field phase shifter is described which permits continuous electronic tuning of birefringent filters over extended spectral regions. The use of such phase shifters reduces the conditions for tuning synchronism between all filter stages to a simple relationship between the electrical driving frequencies. Materials which exhibit a dual transverse electrooptical effect and no natural birefringence may be employed, and a number of suitable candidates are discussed. Also proposed is a modification of the classical Lyot filter which utilizes reflection-type elements between crossed polarizers. Such a design considerably reduces the number of optical components required by an adjustable filter of conventional form. The appropriate theory is given for both the simple-element and the split-element cases. It is shown that a filter of this type can be tuned successfully over a wide range of wavelengths if only certain of the phase shifter wave plates are achromatic. Fresnel rhombs are shown to be applicable as simple achromatic λ/4 plates. A mechanically tuned four-stage filter has been constructed with reflection-type elements and Fresnel rhombs. Its performance was found to be in agreement with theory. The feasibility of electronic tuning is demonstrated by the results of frequency modulation experiments with a nitrobenzene Kerr cell and a circularly polarized electric field.
Biosynthesis of the Diterpenoid Lycosantalonol via Nerylneryl Diphosphate in Solanum lycopersicum

We recently reported that three genes involved in the biosynthesis of monoterpenes in trichomes, a cis-prenyltransferase named neryl diphosphate synthase 1 (NDPS1) and two terpene synthases (TPS19 and TPS20), are present in close proximity to each other at the tip of chromosome 8 in the genome of the cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). This terpene gene “cluster” also contains a second cis-prenyltransferase gene (CPT2), three other TPS genes, including TPS21, and the cytochrome P450-oxidoreductase gene CYP71BN1. CPT2 encodes a neryneryl diphosphate synthase. Co-expression in E. coli of CPT2 and TPS21 led to the formation of the diterpene lycosantalene, and co-expression in E. coli of CPT2, TPS21 and CYP71BN1 led to the formation of lycosantalonol, an oxidation product of lycosantalene. Here we show that maximal expression of all three genes occurs in the petiolule part of the leaf, but little expression of these genes occurs in the trichomes present on the petiolules. While lycosantalene or lycosantalonol cannot be detected in the petiolules of wild-type plants (or anywhere else in the plant), lycosantalene and lycosantalonol are detected in petiolules of transgenic tomato plants expressing CPT2 under the control of the 35S CaMV promoter. These results suggest that lycosantalene and lycosantalonol are produced in the petiolules and perhaps in other tissues of wild-type plants, but that low rate of synthesis, controlled by the rate-limiting enzyme CPT2, results in product levels that are too low for detection under our current methodology. It is also possible that these compounds are further modified in the plant. The involvement of CPT2, TPS21 and CYP71BN1 in a diterpenoid biosynthetic pathway outside the trichomes, together with the involvement of other genes in the cluster in the synthesis of monoterpenes in trichomes, indicates that this cluster is further evolving into “sub-clusters” with unique biochemical, and likely physiological, roles.
Costs of medical care after open or minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery: a population-based analysis.

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that minimally invasive radical prostatectomy (MRP) and open radical prostatectomy (ORP) have similar short-term clinical and functional outcomes. MRP with robotic assistance is generally more expensive than ORP, but it is not clear whether subsequent costs of care vary by approach. METHODS: In the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry linked with Medicare claims, men aged 66 years or older who received MRP or ORP in 2003 through 2006 for prostate cancer were identified. Total cost of care was estimated as the sum of Medicare payments from all claims for hospital care, outpatient care, physician services, home health and hospice care, and durable medical equipment in the first year from the date of surgical admission. The impact of surgical approach on costs was estimated, controlling for patient and disease characteristics. RESULTS: Of 5445 surgically treated prostate cancer patients, 4454 (82%) had ORP and 991 (18%) had MRP. Mean total first-year costs were more than $1200 greater for MRP compared with ORP ($16,919 vs $15,692; P = .08). Controlling for patient and disease characteristics, MRP was associated with 2% greater mean total payments, but this difference was not statistically significant. First-year costs were greater for men who were older, black, lived in the Northeast, had lymph node involvement, more advanced tumor stage, or greater comorbidity. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based cohort of older men, MRP and ORP had similar economic outcomes. From a payer's perspective, any benefits associated with MRP may not translate to net savings compared with ORP in the first year after surgery. Cancer 2012;118: 3079–86. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
The Validity of Diagnostic Signs and Their Prognostic Value in Schizophrenia

Mental status evaluations of schizophrenic patients have been traditionally used for diagnosis as well as for prediction of the course of the illness. Needless to say, the use of symptoms for these purposes leads to problems since without proper diagnosis of schizophrenia it is difficult, if not impossible, to make reliable statements regarding the outcome of the disease.
Double Jeopardy Blues: Why in Light of Blueford v. Arkansas States Should Mandate Partial Verdicts in 'Acquit First' Cases

Prior to Blueford v. Arkansas, state courts were split regarding whether the Double Jeopardy clause requires a trial judge to issue a partial verdict when a jury has has become deadlocked regarding a lesser included charge after being given “acquit first” transition instruction. The Court in Blueford recently held that in the same circumstances, a defendant’s double jeopardy rights are not violated when a trial judge refuses to issue a partial verdict. Accordingly, this comment advocates that in light of Blueford, states give effect to the jury’s decision to not convict the defendant of the greater charge by requiring a trial judge grant a defendant’s motion for partial verdict, thereby providing broader double jeopardy protections than now constitutionally required.
Influence of visual feedback on dynamic balance control in chronic stroke survivors

Chronic stroke survivors have an increased incidence of falls during walking, suggesting changes in dynamic balance control post-stroke. Despite this increased incidence of falls during walking, balance control is often studied only in standing. The purpose of this study was to quantify deficits in dynamic balance control during walking, and to evaluate the influence of visual feedback on this control in stroke survivors. Ten individuals with chronic stroke, and ten neurologically intact individuals participated in this study. Walking performance was assessed while participants walked on an instrumented split-belt treadmill with different types of visual feedback. Dynamic balance control was quantified using both the extent of center of mass (COM) movement in the frontal plane over a gait cycle (COM sway), and base of support (step width). Stroke survivors walked with larger COM sway and wider step widths compared to controls. Despite these baseline differences, both groups walked with a similar ratio of step width to COM sway (SW/COM). Providing a stationary target with a laser reference of body movement reduced COM sway only in the stroke group, indicating that visual feedback of sway alters dynamic balance control post-stroke. These results demonstrate that stroke survivors attempt to maintain a similar ratio of step width to COM movement, and visual cues can be used to help control COM movement during walking post-stroke.
Adjuvant Trametinib Delays the Outgrowth of Occult Pancreatic Cancer in a Mouse Model of Patient-Derived Liver Metastasis

Most patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) die within 5 years following resection plus adjuvant gemcitabine (Gem) from outgrowth of occult metastases. We hypothesized that inhibition of the KRAS pathway with the MEK inhibitor trametinib would inhibit the outgrowth of occult liver metastases in a preclinical model. Liver metastases harvested from two patients with PDAC (Tumors 608, 366) were implanted orthotopically in mice. Tumor cell lines were derived and transduced with lentiviruses encoding luciferase and injected into spleens of mice generating microscopic liver metastases. Growth kinetics of liver metastases were measured with bioluminescent imaging and time-to-progression (TTP), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were determined. Trametinib (0.3 mg/kg BID) significantly prolonged OS versus control (Tumor 608: 114 vs. 43 days, p < 0.001; Tumor 366: not reached vs. 167 days, p = 0.0488). In vivo target validation demonstrated trametinib significantly reduced phosphorylated-ERK and expression of the ERK-responsive gene DUSP6. In a randomized, preclinical trial, mice were randomized to: (1) control, (2) adjuvant Gem (100 mg/kg IP, Q3 days) × 7 days followed by surveillance, or (3) adjuvant Gem followed by trametinib. Sequential Gem-trametinib significantly decreased metastatic cell outgrowth and increased TTP and PFS. Treatment of mice bearing micrometastases with trametinib significantly delayed tumor outgrowth by effectively inhibiting KRAS-MEK-ERK signaling. In a randomized, preclinical, murine trial adjuvant sequential Gem followed by trametinib inhibited occult metastatic cell outgrowth in the liver and increased PFS versus adjuvant Gem alone. An adjuvant trial of sequential Gem-trametinib is being planned in patients with resected PDAC.
Born Together—Reared Apart Nancy L. Segal (2012), Harvard University Press. 416 pp. ISBN 9780674055469

Review(s) of: Born together - reared apart, by Nancy L. Segal (2012), Harvard University Press, 416 pp. ISBN 9780674055469.
Problems resulting from the misuse of lindane for chigger control on turkey ranges as related to residue in edible tissues.

Young turkey hens were placed on sod range which had been sprayed with a 0.1-% lindane emulsion at a rate of 0.5 lb of lindane per acre. One group of hens was placed on the range immediately after spraying and other groups 1 week and 2 weeks later. Skin samples were collected from the turkeys prior to being placed on the range and at weekly intervals during the experiment. The study was conducted over a period of 4 weeks from the time of spraying the range. All turkeys were slaughtered and samples of skin, fat, and muscle tissue were collected for residue analysis. Electron capture gas chromatography with florisil sample cleanup was used for analysis of samples. Detectable levels of lindane residues were found in skin, fat, and meat tissue samples of all birds placed on the sprayed range. At the time of slaughter a level of 2.1 ppm of lindane was found in fat tissue of turkeys placed on the range immediately after spraying; 1.0 ppm in the fat of those hens placed on the range after 1 week and 0.7 ppm in the fat of those hens placed on the range 2 weeks after spraying.
The binding of cadmium metallothionein to isolated renal brush border membranes.

Cadmium metallothionein (CdMT) binds to isolated renal proximal tubular brush border membranes (BBM). The characteristics of this in vitro binding reflect those of the process of CdMT reabsorption in vivo in at least three aspects: (i) two parallel processes are involved in the reabsorption of CdMT in vivo, and two classes of binding sites appear to exist for CdMT on BBM in vitro. Both in vitro and in vivo, the processes differ in their affinity for CdMT. (ii) Myoglobin inhibits the renal reabsorption of CdMT in vivo and the binding of CdMT to isolated BBM. (iii) Reabsorption of CdMT is depressed in rabbits chronically treated with cadmium; isolated BBM from such animals have a decreased ability to bind CdMT. We conclude that the reaction of CdMT with BBM in vitro is the same as that which controls rate and specificity of CdMT reabsorption in vivo.
Effects of Thiol Modifiers on the Kinetics of Furfural Hydrogenation over Pd Catalysts

Thiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were used to block specific active sites on Pd/Al2O3 during the hydrogenation of furfural to elucidate site requirements for each process involved in this ...
Continuity and Change in the Family System Across the Transition from Adolescence to Emerging Adulthood

As adolescents move into emerging adulthood, their social networks shift toward a focus on peers and romantic partners, yet parents and siblings remain important sources of support. The present rev...
Simulation Analysis of Heavy-duty Aircraft Arresting System

A mathematics model of heavy-duty aircraft arresting system was established by analyzing the Kinematics, Dynamics and researching on the theoretics of water turbine arrester during the arresting period.The simulation model of the heavy-duty aircraft arresting system was established based on SIMULINK.According to the simulation model, the arresting process was simulated truly.The controlled parameters such as the overloading, the speed and the acceleration of the Aircraft, the pulling force of the arresting tape, the rotational speed of the rotor were analyzed in the simulation.The simulation results show that the arresting system can arrest the Aircraft safely within a set distance.Every performance can meet the requirements of the system by changing the structure parameter and amount of the water turbine arrester.It can also be an effective mathematical tool for the design and analysis of the heavy-duty aircraft arresting system.
Design of H_∞ Guidance Law with Terminal Angle Constraint

According to the problem of terminal guidance for air-to-ground missile in vertical plane with impact angle constraint,a new continuous nonlinear guidance law with robustness is proposed.Target acceleration and system perturbation are regarded as an exogenous disturbance,the mathematic dynamic model is bult acoording to two-dimensional relationship between missile and target.Based on the performance index of minimizing the terminal angular constraint tracking error and the method of zeroing the rate of line-of-sight(LOS) angle,a nonlinear control strategy is contrived to obtain the continuous nonlinear guidance law.The asymptotic stability of guidance system is strictly proven by Lyapunov stability theory instead of solving the Hamilton-Jacobi-Isaacs(HJI) partial differential equation,at the same time avoiding the estimation of the time-to-go.Finally simulation results show that the guidance law is more robust and both the impact angle and guidance precision are met in the case of no any target information.The proposed method is simple,so it is convenient for comprehension and practical implementation.
Impact of the Wenchuan Earthquake on the Clone Population Ecology of Fargesia Robusta

The dominant influences of an earthquake are intuitive and obvious,but its implicit effects are difficult to observe and obtain.We sought to understand the implicit impacts of the Wenchuan earthquake,which occurred on May 12,2008,on the ecological characteristics of Fargesia robusta,the staple food bamboo of the giant panda.The regeneration dynamics,growth characteristics,basal diameter class distribution,and biomass structure of the clonal population were studied using the methods of fixed plot / position surveys and non-destructive weight estimation in Wolong Nature Reserve during 2003- 2011.The results showed that the number of germinated new shoots was not significantly different before and after the earthquake,suggesting that the population recovered well against the earthquake.However,the whole population showed a gradually descending trend,indicating that the population is in the dying stage of its life cycle.In terms of the basal diameter,stem height,diameter class distribution and biomass structure of the population,bamboo shoot growth was mainly affected in the next two years after the earthquake,while,the growth of young and adult bamboos were not significantly affected.These results supported our hypothesis that both giant panda and its staple food bamboos have evolved an ability to self-repair in response to disturbances,thus,the populations are able to survive and quickly return to their natural state after repeated earthquakes.
Regulation of erythroid colony formation by bone marrow macrophages

We present evidence that macrophages stimulate red cell production by human bone marrow cells in vitro and that this effect is mediated by soluble substances. Bone marrow cells from donors were cultured in liquid media; after 7-14 days, cells highly enriched for macrophages and supernatants from these cultures were collected and cocultured in plasma clots with fresh human bone marrow cells (CFU-e) for 7 days or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (BFU-e) for 1 5 days. When added in numbers generally noted in marrow aspirates. bone marrow cells enriched for macrophages enhanced erythroid colony (EC) formation. Thus. at macrophage concentrations of 0% versus 1 %, 2%, 4% and 10%, the numbers of EC/6 x i0� BM cells were: 677 ± 46 (mean ± SEM) versus 846 ± 98, 938 ± 85. 1039 ± 93. and 956 ± 68. respectively. Stimulation was noted until unphysiologicallyhigh ratios of macrophages (>1 5%) were added, when EC formation was progressively inhibited. The same erythroid growth curve was obtained whether macrophages and red cell precursors were from the same or different donors. Nonadherent cells from liquid culture did not modulate in vitro erythroid growth, whereas adherent cells at low concentrations enhanced and at higher concentrations inhibited EC formation. Supernatants from these macrophage cultures contained a substance, not erythropoietin, with similar erythropoietic effects. M ORPHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS by light and electron microscopy suggest that erythropoietic cells are not scattered randomly through the bone marrow matrix, but in fact are organized anatomically into erythroblastic islands.’ These islands consist of one or two central reticular cells or macrophages surrounded by a ring of developing erythroblasts.2 High resolution electron microscopy has shown that ferritin molecules essential to normal erythroblast development adhere to the surface ofthe erythroblast membrane. From this observation has come the hypothesis that the central macrophage, as the cell of origin of these molecules, assumes a “nursing” functionin erythropoiesis.3 The development of simple cloning techniques in semisolid mediumhas allowed further characterization of the physiology of hemopoiesis and has further clarified the function of peripheral blood and bone
Cellular Factors Which Modulate Hormone Responses: Glucocorticoid Action in Perspective

Virtually all glucocorticoid effects are mediated through changes in gene transcription. Steroid binding to the receptor and nuclear binding of the steroid-receptor complex are pivotal events in this process, but may be modified by the ability of a given steroid to traverse the cell membrane or cause receptor activation. The physical nature of the receptor, its precise subcellular location, and the process by which gene activation is accomplished are unknown. Preparation of purified receptor and further characterization of the nuclear binding sites will be crucial to a better understanding of this process.
The Impact of Intimal Tear Location and Partial False Lumen Thrombosis in Acute Type B Aortic Dissection.

Background Partial false lumen (FL) thrombosis is a risk factor for long-term mortality in acute type B aortic dissection (ATBAD). This study investigates FL pressures in models of ATBAD with patent and partially thrombosed FL. Methods Twenty-five porcine aortas were used to create five models of ATBAD that were connected to a pulsatile flow loop. Models A through C had a patent FL with the following morphologies: model A, single proximal tear; model B, single distal tear; and model C, single proximal and single distal tear. Models D and E had a single proximal and a single distal tear, with partial FL thrombosis. Model D had FL occlusion of the proximal tear, and model D had FL occlusion of the distal tear. True lumen (TL) and FL pressures were measured at 90 to 150 mm Hg. Results In model A, FL pressures were 6 mm Hg higher than TL pressures (p Conclusions In a biologic model of ATBAD, the number, location, and FL thrombosis status determine FL pressure. In the setting of partial FL thrombosis, the FL pressure is reduced with proximal tear occlusion and increased with distal tear occlusion. Reduced FL pressure is related to retrograde flow.
Nonlinear Si-waveguides for mid-infrared comb generation and dual comb spectroscopy at 5 µm

Dispersive-waves in Si-waveguides extend mid-IR frequency combs to 3–5 µm with negligible added intensity noise through four-wave-mixing. A Si-chip-based dual-comb-spectroscopy system is demonstrated with 40 GHz spectral resolution at 5 µm.
Ascorbate peroxidase proximity labeling coupled with biochemical fractionation identifies promoters of endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial contacts.

To maintain cellular homeostasis, subcellular organelles communicate with each other and form physical and functional networks through membrane contact sites coupled by protein tethers. In particular, endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–mitochondrial contacts (EMC) regulate diverse cellular activities such as metabolite exchange (Ca2+ and lipids), intracellular signaling, apoptosis, and autophagy. The significance of EMCs has been highlighted by reports indicating that EMC dysregulation is linked to neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, obtaining a better understanding of the physical and functional components of EMCs should provide new insights into the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we applied engineered ascorbate peroxidase (APEX) to map the proteome at EMCs in live HEK293 cells. APEX was targeted to the outer mitochondrial membrane, and proximity-labeled proteins were analyzed by stable isotope labeling with amino acids in culture (SILAC)-LC/MS-MS. We further refined the specificity of the proteins identified by combining biochemical subcellular fractionation to the protein isolation method. We identified 405 proteins with a 2.0-fold cutoff ratio (log base 2) in SILAC quantification from replicate experiments. We performed validation screening with a Split-Rluc8 complementation assay that identified reticulon 1A (RTN1A), an ER-shaping protein localized to EMCs as an EMC promoter. Proximity mapping augmented with biochemical fractionation and additional validation methods reported here could be useful to discover other components of EMCs, identify mitochondrial contacts with other organelles, and further unravel their communication.
Modeling and Optimization of Inductively Coupled Wireless Bio-Pressure Sensor System Using the Design of Experiments Method

This paper presents an approach for modeling and design of inductively coupled wireless bio-pressure sensor system for chronic intracardiac pressure monitoring. Making use of recent advances in microelectromechanical systems and semiconductor technology, bio-pressure sensor is developed as a series LC resonant circuit with a featured pressure-dependent capacitance working at the medical implant communication service band of 402–405 MHz for wireless sensing without power consumption. The microfabricated sensor consists of a planar spiral gold (Au) coil, a series capacitor, an SU-8-based frame structure, and an encapsulated bio-compatible PDMS membrane. Bio-pressure sensor is designed with a small footprint of 3.2 mm $\times $ 3.2 mm for reducing the bleeding and infection risks in surgery. With a limited footprint and desired working frequency, there are many mutually dependent geometry parameters with numerous combined groups of values involved in the full optimization of the system. In order to maximize the performance of system under the design requirements, RF characteristics that affect inductive sensitivity and pressure sensitivity are theoretically analyzed first, and then design of experiments method is applied to model and optimize 3-D electromagnetic models of sensor and sensor system on the derived RF characteristics. The large number of combined groups of values in factorial simulations is thus reduced to a few performance-related design factors. By monitoring the induced peak impedance of the readout coil, the pressure-dependent resonant frequency of the sensor can be detected and measured. The experimental results show that the optimized wireless sensor system has a relatively high average pressure sensitivity of 5.3 KHz/mm Hg at a telemetry distance of 10 mm demonstrating its potential for intracardiac pressure monitoring.
The metalloprotease gene of Serratia marcescens strain SM6.

Utilizing the DNA sequence of the metalloprotease fromSerratia strain E-15, we isolated and sequenced the homologous gene fromSerratia strain SM6. These two genes are similar at both the DNA and protein sequence level. Expression of the protease gene inEscherichia coli was achieved by use of thelac promoter. This resulted in the production and excretion of an immunologically detectable but inactive protein of slightly higher molecular weight than that fromSerratia. We introduced the cloned gene into previously described protease mutants. The observed pattern of protease expression suggested that these mutations fall into three classes.
Remaining Challenges and Clinical Perspectives

Unlike other potential targets of future stem cell approaches, there is already a current cell therapy for the treatment of type I diabetes. Indeed, islet transplantation has proven successful in inducing insulin independence for at least 1 year after the procedure. Progress in this discipline during the past 20 years has paved the way for stem cell-based therapies. Here we review the current state of the art of islet transplantation and examine the challenges that need to be addressed before a transition is made to stem cell-derived insulin-producing cells, with particular emphasis on the immunological aspects (rejection and autoimmunity) of type I diabetes.