cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial Resolution of Thermal-Wave and Thermoacoustic Microscopes

The termal-wave microscope is a new tool for nondestructive evaluation of subsurface features of opaque solids1. In such a microscope, both thermal waves and acoustic waves are generated by a localized, intensity-modulated laser or particle beam. The temperature distribution at the sample boundary, following thermal-wave scattering from surface and subsurface features, can be detected by a gas-cell (the photoacoustic effect)2, an infrared radiation detector (phototermal)3 or a surface-skimming laser probe beam the mirage effect)4. An alternate approach (thermoacoustic microscopy5 or photothermal displacement6) is to detect the surface displacement at a sample boundary. Both types of microscope are operated in a scanning mode, with a localized energy source and either a localized (photothermal, photothermal displacement) or non-local (photo-acoustic, mirage, thermoacoustic) detector.
Micro-Level Analysis of the Determinants of Patenting Behavior of Academic Scientists and Engineers in the United States

Minimal systematic empirical research has been conducted at the individual-level to investigate determinants of patenting behavior of academic scientists. We develop and test a model that predicts how individual characteristics (tenure, scientific excellence, and perceived compatibility between open science and intellectual property protection) and organizational factors (university royalty policy, departmental patent culture, and TTO professionalism, activeness, and profit drive) affect individual patenting activity (discrete indicator of having a patent and count of university patents). Data from a national survey of 1,457 U.S.-based university scientists, of which 995 are patenters, are used in logistic and zero-inflated negative binomial regression models. Findings from this research generally support our hypotheses that individual and organizational factors are associated with individual patenting activity. This research points to ways in which universities and policy makers can address propensity to patent through application of appropriate incentives and reduction of organizational barriers.
Women Policymakers Framing their Leadership and Lives in Relation to Terrorism: The Basque Case

ABSTRACTWe examine terrorism from the perspective of women political elites in the Basque regions of Spain and France, asking whether women are present as policymakers in terrorism politics and how they frame the impact of terrorism on their leadership and lives. To assess women’s presence as policymakers, we report the representation of Spanish and French women in executive leadership and terrorism-related portfolios. We find that women are not equally represented, and they do not participate at the highest levels of terrorism policymaking. To understand how women frame their leadership and lives as related to terrorism, we analyze 14 interviews of women politicians, in which women express that they are equal to men and frame their actions in terms of maternal identity and their claimed ability to relate to citizens. By reporting the frames women politicians use to describe themselves, this article shows how women politicians negotiate gender identities as related to terrorism policy and shows that women...
Influence of atorvastatin calcium on the expression of spinal cord NF-KB and serum inflammatory factors in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis rats

Objective To detect the influence of different doses of atorvastatin calcium on spinal cord nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)expression and serum inflammatory factors levels in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis(EAE)rats.Methods Ten of 82 Wistar rats were sampled as healthy control group,the other 72 rats were induced EAE model by50%guinea pig spinal cord homogenate,then divided into EAE model group,high-dose atorvastalin group(high-dose group),low-dose atorvastatin group(low-dose group),with 24 rats in each group,using quantitative evaluation method compared different(loses of atorvastatin calcium on serum inflammatory factors in rats with EAE,including mterleukin-2(IL-2),homocystei ne(Hcy)and NF-KC level of the spinal cord,and compared the incidence and incubation period.Results After EAE model was established,the incidence and mortality rate of high-dose group was obviously lower than low-dose group and EAE group,and the neural function score was lower than low-dose group and EAE group at 1.4d and 21 d(P0.05),but there was no difference between low-dose group and EAE group(P0.05).14d and 21d after modeling,the serum IL-2,Hcy and spinal cord NF-KB expression level in EAE group were elevated than healty control group(P0.05),high-dose group was lower than low-dose group and EAE group(P0.05),but there was no difference between low-dose group and EAE group(P0.05).Compared with 14d,all above indexes in high-dose group,low-dose group and EAE group in 21d were obviously declined(P0.05).Conclusion High-dose atorvastatin calcium can reduce the incidence and severity of EAE rats,it may he related to anti-inflammatory and immune regulation mechanism
Analysis on Static Voltage Stability Considering Restriction of Branch Power

A method to analyze power system static voltage stability,in which the continuous power flow method is combined with point of collapse method,is proposed.Firstly,using continuous power flow method the vicinity to the critical point of voltage is solved;then taking this result as the initial point of the point of collapse method;finally the critical point of voltage is obtained.The proposed method integrates the advantages of continuous power flow method and point of collapse method and remedies respective defect of each method,and by which the fast and accurate solution of the critical point of voltage is attained.Meanwhile,a new handling approach is adopted to effectively avoid out-of-limit of branch power.Results of calculation example show that the proposed method is accurate and effective.
Non-pancreatic periampullary adenocarcinomas: an explanation for favorable prognosis.

Background/Aims: Our previous studies demonstrate that patients with non-pancreatic periampullary adenocarcinomas have a favorable prognosis relative to those with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This study investigates histopathologic factors that contribute to the superior outcome of these patients. Methodology: A retrospective review of all patients explored for periampullary neoplasms at a single institution over a 20-year period. Results: 291 patients with periampullary neoplasms underwent exploratory laparotomy, of which 185 had resectable tumors. Periampullary adenocarcinomas were resected in 120: pancreatic head (n=74), distal common bile duct (n=10), duodenum (n=5), and ampulla of Vater (n=31). The resection rate for non-pancreatic adenocarcinomas was 90%, while that of pancreatic cancers was 44% (p<0.01). Median survival for resected non-pancreatic adenocarcinomas was 38.8 months; that of pancreatic tumors was 15.3 months (p<0.01). Non-pancreatic adenocarcinomas were significantly smaller (p<0.001), better differentiated (p<0.001), and less likely to have involved nodes (p<0.001), margins (p<0.001), perineural invasion (p<0.001), or vascular invasion (p<0.2) than pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Conclusions: Histopathologic features of non-pancreatic periampullary adenocarcinomas significantly differentiate them from pancreatic adenocarcinoma and contribute to their relatively favorable long-term outcome following resection.
Comorbid intermittent explosive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder: Clinical correlates and relationship to suicidal behavior.

Abstract Objective Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with both aggressive and suicidal behavior. Recent research suggests that the diagnosis of intermittent explosive disorder (IED), an impulse-control disorder characterized by repeated impulsive aggressive behavior, may help to identify individuals at risk for attempting suicide. Given the relationship between anger and PTSD, there is likely to be an increased prevalence of IED among individuals with PTSD; however, little is known about the overlap in these two disorders, including how individuals with comorbid IED and PTSD may differ from those with either disorder alone. The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical correlates of comorbid IED and PTSD and the contribution of these two disorders (among others) to lifetime suicide attempt and characteristics of suicidal behavior. Method In a large sample of community research volunteers (N=1460), we compared individuals with PTSD, IED, and comorbid PTSD and IED on measures of current mood, trait aggression, and trait impulsivity. We also examined the contributions of PTSD, IED, and other syndromal and personality disorders to the prediction of lifetime aggression and lifetime suicide attempt, and their relationship to characteristics of suicide attempts, including level of intent, use of violent versus non-violent means, and the medical seriousness of the attempt. Results Comorbid PTSD and IED was associated with significantly elevated levels of depression, anxiety, anger, aggression, and impulsivity, as well as with high rates of comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders. IED ( β =.56, p p s Conclusion These findings add support to the notion that the diagnosis of IED may aid in identifying individuals at risk for aggressive and suicidal behavior.
Complications of intrauterine contraceptive devices. Report of 5 cases of ectopic placement of the bow.

Abstract In a material of 585 insertions of the Birnberg bow we have encountered five displacements of the device into the peritoneal cavity. For this reason we have decided to use another device to see if ectopic displacements appear less frequently.
Abstract 2999: Cytotoxicity with hydroxamic acid HDACis in combination with antimetabolites is highly sequence dependent in solid tumor cells

Used alone or in combination with other chemotherapeutics, the antimetabolites 2’, 2’-difluoro-2’-deoxycytidine (gemcitabine, dFdCyd), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/fluorodeoxyuridine (FdUrd) comprise the mainstay of treatment for gastrointestinal malignancies, such as pancreatic and colorectal cancer. Gemcitabine with cisplatin is also first-line therapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While these treatments can prolong survival, many patients still relapse and there is need for improvement to current therapies. Cytotoxicity elicited by dFdCyd and 5-FU/FdUrd is influenced by drug metabolism/activation, DNA repair proteins, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) target histone deacetylases, which regulate gene expression through deacetylation of lysine residues on histones and some non-histone proteins. HDACis have been shown to increase expression of p21 and increase apoptosis which could enhance cytotoxicity with antimetabolites. The success of HDACis, including vorinostat and panobinostat, in the treatment of hematologic malignancies has encouraged their use in solid tumors. However, results from clinical trials in patients treated with HDACis alone or with other drugs, including antimetabolites have been mixed and the mechanism(s) underlying successful therapy with HDACis is largely unknown. In the present studies, we used solid tumor cell lines that represent tumors commonly treated with antimetabolites; A549 (NSCLC) and PANC1 (pancreatic cancer) cells, and HT29 (colon cancer) cells to investigate the effect of an HDACi with either dFdCyd or FdUrd, respectively, and we measured clonogenic survival. The data demonstrate that cytotoxicity with an HDACi and an antimetabolite is highly sequence dependent; vorinostat added concurrently with dFdCyd or FdUrd or prior to either antimetabolite resulted in antagonistic cytotoxicity, whereas the addition of the antimetabolite followed by HDACi was additive/synergistic with dFdCyd. Cytotoxicity with panobinostat and antimetabolites was also sequence dependent. Cell cycle distribution studies revealed the accumulation of cells in G1 and G2/M following HDACi addition (≥90% of cells), thus rendering S-phase specific dFdCyd less cytotoxic upon its subsequent addition. Similarly, concurrent addition of HDACi and dFdCyd produced less S-phase accumulation than observed with dFdCyd alone. These data demonstrate that administration of the HDACis and antimetabolites must be sequenced appropriately so that cell cycle effects complement rather than antagonize drug mechanisms. Citation Format: Sheryl A. Flanagan, Jeffrey J. Ackroyd, Aaron Kramer, Jennifer Feigin, Donna S. Shewach. Cytotoxicity with hydroxamic acid HDACis in combination with antimetabolites is highly sequence dependent in solid tumor cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2999.
Human adaptability present and past

Introduction The challenge of paleobiology is to explain the forms, the functions, and the behaviors of past populations – here, those of our hominid ancestors. Toward this end it is desirable to consider our antecedents on the same terms as members of present populations: as organisms functioning, at least adequately if not always optimally, in a variety of particular environmental settings. Since the time of Darwin, the fit between organism and environment has been believed by many biologists to be the result of adaptation. A century after the idea of evolution by means of natural selection was outlined, Colin Pittendrigh (1958) stressed that ‘the study of adaptation is not an optional preoccupation with fascinating fragments of natural history, it is the core of biological study.’ In studies of living populations, this core concept is based on repeated observations of the pervasive relationship between features (or in the terminology of cladistics, character states) and functions. When the temperature drops below a given threshhold, we shiver; when the temperature rises above a given level, we sweat. Children born and raised during a prolonged famine tend to be shorter and lighter at maturity than the generation of their parents. If, however, there is a marked improvement in nutritional conditions, the offspring still can become as tall and as massive as their parents and grandparents. Members of populations that have lived for hundreds of generations under hypoxic conditions at high altitude in the Andean (South America) region exhibit chests that are large relative to stature, with the absolute thoracic dimensions changing little in the next generation even among descendants who migrate to sea level (Eckhardt, 1992a).
Multiscale modeling of a natural rubber: Bridging a coarse-grained molecular model to the rubber network theory

Abstract We adopt a multiscale scheme for constitutive modeling of a natural rubber (NR) with coarse-grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The effective potentials of the CG model are constructed from several full-atomic models using inverse Boltzmann method (IBM) along with the pressure correction for non-bonded interaction. We simulate chains of the natural rubber at mesoscale with an experimental number average molecular weight and decode the behavior of every chain individually in order to formulate strain energy densities with the help of non-Gaussian statistical treatment of a rubber chain. This method considers molecular phenomena and does not need any fitting with experimental data, unlike different physics-based and phenomenological models. The capabilities of this technique are tested with uniaxial (along with strain-rate dependency), equibiaxial, simple shear, and cyclic loading (tension + compression) at different strain levels. A good agreement is observed between the uniaxial stress-strain prediction and the response obtained from an experiment.
Measuring relative utilization of aerobic glycolysis in breast cancer cells by positional isotopic discrimination

The ability of cancer cells to produce lactate through aerobic glycolysis is a hallmark of cancer. In this study, we established a positional isotopic labeling and LC-MS-based method that can specifically measure the conversion of glucose to lactate in glycolysis. We show that the rate of aerobic glycolysis is closely correlated with glucose uptake and lactate production in breast cancer cells. We also found that the production of [3-(13) C]lactate is significantly elevated in metastatic breast cancer cells and in early stage metastatic mammary tumors in mice. Our findings may enable the development of a biomarker for the diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer.
Prediction of Thermochemical Properties Across the Periodic Table: A Review of the correlation consistent Composite Approach (ccCA) Strategies and Applications

Abstract Accurate predictions of thermochemical and spectroscopic properties present challenges as computational costs (eg, memory, disk space, and CPU time) increase when the size of the molecular species and basis sets increase. The correlation consistent Composite Approach (ccCA) is an ab initio composite method that has been designed without empirically optimized parameters to model the energetics of molecules with a goal of predicting energetics within 1 kcal/mol for main group species, 3 kcal/mol for transition metal species, and 5 kcal/mol for lanthanides, from reliable, well-established experimental values. ccCA combines a series of less computationally expensive, albeit, less accurate methodologies, to replicate a much more costly, though much more accurate methodology. Variants of ccCA have been developed to predict chemical properties of compounds containing elements throughout the periodic table. These ccCA variants include methods to accurately describe transition metals, as well as heavy main group, and f -block elements. Some ccCA formulations have been designed to enable the description of large complexes and biomolecules, as well as incorporating solvation effects. An overview of ccCA, the different variants of the method, and applications to organic, transition metal, biochemical, and heavy element species are discussed.
Paranasal sinus size is decreased in CFTR heterozygotes with chronic rhinosinusitis

Background Cystic fibrosis (CF) heterozygotes with a single mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene are at significantly higher risk to develop chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However the reasons why remain unknown. We tested the hypothesis that CFTR heterozygotes would have smaller sinus volumes than healthy controls. To exclude sinus disease as a confounding factor we also assessed paranasal sinus volume in those with CRS, but without known CFTR mutations. Methods A total of 131 adults of white Northern European and Latino origin were recruited: 81 diagnosed with CRS and 50 healthy controls. Subjects were genotyped for 9 common CFTR mutations covering >80% of mutation prevalence. Those with CRS were separated by CFTR mutational status and matched demographically to healthy controls. Three-dimensional sinus volume, mucosal opacification, and skull volume were quantified to obtain the percentage of pneumatization and extent of mucosal disease in each sinus. Twenty-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20) and endoscopy scores were also analyzed. Results In individuals diagnosed with CRS we identified 7 CFTR heterozygotes (8.64%); no CFTR mutations were identified in our healthy controls. There were no significant differences between the 3 matched groups other than sinus pneumatization. The frontal and maxillary sinuses were significantly smaller in CFTR heterozygotes with CRS compared to CFTR wild-type subjects with or without disease. Conclusion CFTR heterozygotes with CRS have significantly smaller frontal and maxillary sinus size compared to those without mutations, irrespective of disease state. This sinus hypoplasia may contribute to impaired mucus clearance and chronic sinus disease development.
THE OXIDASE REACTION IN RELATION TO FLAVOR QUALITY OF GRADE A PASTEURIZED MILK

An oxidase reaction with tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine hydrochloride was carried out in 50 samples of Grade A pasteurized milk. With a majority of the samples a negative oxidase reaction or a change from positive to negative indicated that the flavor score was unacceptable or soon would reach that level.
Spatiotemporal Mapping of Interictal Spike Propagation: A Novel Methodology Applied to Pediatric Intracranial EEG Recordings.

Synchronized cortical activity is implicated in both normative cognitive functioning and many neurological disorders. For epilepsy patients with intractable seizures, irregular patterns of synchronization within the epileptogenic zone (EZ) is believed to provide the network substrate through which seizures initiate and propagate. Mapping the EZ prior to epilepsy surgery is critical for detecting seizure networks in order to achieve post-surgical seizure control. However, automated techniques for characterizing epileptic networks have yet to gain traction in the clinical setting. Recent advances in signal processing and spike detection have made it possible to examine the spatiotemporal propagation of interictal spike discharges across the epileptic cortex. In this study, we present a novel methodology for detecting, extracting, and visualizing spike propagation and demonstrate its potential utility as a biomarker for the epileptogenic zone. Eighteen pre-surgical intracranial EEG recordings were obtained from pediatric patients ultimately experiencing favorable (i.e., seizure-free, n = 9) or unfavorable (i.e., seizure-persistent, n = 9) surgical outcomes. Novel algorithms were applied to extract multi-channel spike discharges and visualize their spatiotemporal propagation. Quantitative analysis of spike propagation was performed using trajectory clustering and spatial autocorrelation techniques. Comparison of interictal propagation patterns revealed an increase in trajectory organization (i.e., spatial autocorrelation) among Sz-Free patients compared to Sz-Persist patients. The pathophysiological basis and clinical implications of these findings are considered.
Relationships between giant sea salt particles and clouds inferred from aircraft physicochemical data

NASA [NNX14AM02G]; Office of Naval Research [N00014-10-1-0811, N00014-11-1-0783, N00014-10-1-0200, N00014-04-1-0118, N00014-16-1-2567]
Choosing wisely: The utility and costs of routine staging imaging in breast cancer.

e17800 Background: Occult metastasis in clinical stage I/II breast cancer is rare, but its presence could substantially change management. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommends against routine staging imaging for asymptomatic stage I/II breast cancer patients as scans have questionable benefit beyond history, physical exam, and basic lab studies. To assist clinicians in providing high-value care we examined the utility and costs of modern CT-based staging to detect occult metastasis in stage I/II breast cancer. Methods: PET-CT and CT with bone scan performed for breast cancer staging over 2 years (10/1/2012 – 9/30/2013) at University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMMC) were identified by CPT and ICD-9 codes. Scans were categorized as indicated if patients were clinical stage III/IV, had recurrence, or had symptoms suggestive of advanced cancer; scans were non-indicated if no such factors were present. Scan results and subsequent interventions were determined by clinician chart review. ...
New ZVT topology for switched inductor high gain boost

This paper proposes a new high gain soft switching dc-dc topology based on switched inductor boost converter (SIBC). SIBC itself as a high gain boost topology has the issue of high conduction loss in switching diodes and high switching loss in the main switches. Also, it has severe EMI issue due to the diode path between input and switching node. The new topology is derived aiming at zero voltage switching (ZVS) turn on of the main switch. The new topology can achieve soft switching for all the switches and alleviate EMI issue. All the diodes achieve a zero current switching (ZCS) turn off without reverse recovery. The soft-switching-SIBC (SSSIBC) also reduces the conduction loss in switching diodes. A numerical simulation in PLECS and a prototype hardware are built for dc-dc stage of a PV micro-inverter 30 V to 200 V 300 W application with 100 kHz switching frequency. A 94.76 % power conversion peak efficiency is achieved.
Anistropically varying conductivity in irreversible electroporation simulations

One recent area of cancer research is irreversible electroporation (IRE). Irreversible electroporation is a minimally invasive procedure where needle electrodes are inserted into the body to ablate tumor cells with electricity. The aim of this paper is to propose a mathematical model that incorporates a tissue’s conductivity increasing more in the direction of the electrical field as this has been shown to occur in experiments. It was necessary to mathematically derive a valid form of the conductivity tensor such that it is dependent on the electrical field direction and can be easily implemented into numerical software. The derivation of a conductivity tensor that can take arbitrary functions for the conductivity in the directions tangent and normal to the electrical field is the main contribution of this paper. Numerical simulations were performed for isotropic-varying and anisotropic-varying conductivities to evaluate the importance of including the electrical field’s direction in the formulation for conductivity. By starting from previously published experimental results, this paper derived a general formulation for an anistropic-varying tensor for implementation into irreversible electroporation modeling software. The anistropic-varying tensor formulation allows the conductivity to take into consideration both electrical field direction and magnitude, as opposed to previous published works that only took into account electrical field magnitude. The anisotropic formulation predicts roughly a five percent decrease in ablation size for the monopolar simulation and approximately a ten percent decrease in ablation size for the bipolar simulations. This is a positive result as previously reported results found the isotropic formulation to overpredict ablation size for both monopolar and bipolar simulations. Furthermore, it was also reported that the isotropic formulation overpredicts the ablation size more for the bipolar case than the monopolar case. Thus, our results are following the experimental trend by having a larger percentage change in volume for the bipolar case than the monopolar case. The predicted volume of ablated cells decreased, and could be a possible explanation for the slight over-prediction seen by isotropic-varying formulations.
How fish eggs are preadapted for the evolution of matrotrophy.

Teleost fishes evolved livebearing via egg retention 14 times. Matrotrophy has evolved within 12 of those lineages. By contrast, squamate reptiles evolved livebearing over 115 times, but only two to four of those lineages are known to have evolved matrotrophy. Is the discrepancy between these organisms in the probability of this transition caused by differences in their eggs? We show that the eggs of oviparous species in the superorder Atherinomorpha can acquire small organic molecules from their surrounding environment against a concentration gradient via mechanisms of active transport. Uptake rates were inhibited by competing radiolabelled amino acids against unlabelled versions of themselves. Transport was non-specific as uptake rates were similar for l-leucine and its biologically uncommon enantiomer d-leucine. Eggs are also capable of transporting larger microspheres across the membrane, but transport is inhibited at temperatures below 4°C, suggesting active transport occurs via pinocytosis. Conflict theory predicts that the ability of the egg to acquire maternal resources will facilitate the embryo–parent arms race that leads to the evolution of matrotrophy following the transition to livebearing. The shelled eggs of amniotes lack such access to maternal resources when retained in the evolution of viviparity.
Uranyl fluorescence lifetime in nanoporous silica gel: The influence of pore size, pH, and water

Abstract The fluorescence lifetime of uranyl adsorbed within nanoporous silica gel was measured as a function of pore size at two different pH values and both wet and dry. It was determined that for uranyl adsorbed within pores larger than 4 nm, the lifetime is relatively independent of pore size, whereas below 4 nm, the lifetime increases with decreasing pore size. A blue shift in the emission spectra was observed at the smallest pore size (2.2 nm) and is believed to be caused by quantum confinement. The lifetime was found to be longer at a neutral pH than in an acidic pH, and this is caused by the formation of a uranyl hydroxyl complex at higher pH values. The presence of water within the pores is found to increase the fluorescence lifetime at all pore sizes and pH values studied in this paper; this is caused by the formation of a uranyl silicate bond in the absence of water. An understanding of the parameters that influence the fluorescence lifetime of uranyl within silica gel is important for the development of more sensitive detection methods.
Isolation, culture, preservation, and identification of entomopathogenic bacteria of the Bacilli

Entomopathogenic Bacilli provide an alternative to chemical pesticides used in insect control programs. This chapter provides techniques, both classical and modern, that will enable researchers from any laboratory setting to identify and work with novel strains of entomopathogenic Bacilli. In addition to providing classical techniques to search for and identify new bacterial isolates potentially toxic to insects, this current chapter includes the use of 16S rDNA gene sequence determination and comparison, which has led to much of the refinements defining the Bacilli. Because these bacteria still have the same biochemical and morphological traits used to determine their identity, we have retained many of the procedures used to isolate, cultivate and identify Bacilli described in the first edition of this manual.
MYC Regulation of Metabolism and Cancer

The MYC proto-oncogene is downstream of many growth-related signal transduction pathways that senses the cellular environment, such that the presence of growth factors and nutrients stimulates MYC expression, which in turn produces a transcriptional factor that amplifies the expression of a broad spectrum of genes involving metabolism, cell cycle, and cell death regulation. Acute deregulation of MYC presumably leads to metabolic imbalances that trigger cell cycle checkpoints, such as p53 or ARF, rendering the cells non-proliferative or dead. During tumor development, however, loss of checkpoints unleashes the ability of deregulated MYC to drive nutrient (glucose and glutamine) uptake, lipogenesis, nucleotide and protein synthesis for ribosomal biogenesis, and cell cycle progression. Deregulation of MYC causes cells to be addicted to nutrients to support a constitutive program of growth. Herein, we review how MYC regulates metabolism and how MYC addiction could be exploited to develop therapies that are directed at metabolic pathways.
3D-cultured neural stem cell microarrays on a micropillar chip for high-throughput developmental neurotoxicology

Numerous chemicals including environmental toxicants and drugs have not been fully evaluated for developmental neurotoxicity. A key gap exists in the ability to predict accurately and robustly in vivo outcomes based on in vitro assays. This is particularly the case for predicting the toxicity of chemicals on the developing human brain. A critical need for such in vitro assays is choice of a suitable model cell type. To that end, we have performed high-throughput in vitro assessment of proliferation and differentiation of human neural stem cells (hNSCs). Conventional in vitro assays typically use immunofluorescence staining to quantify changes in cell morphology and expression of neural cell-specific biomarkers, which is often time-consuming and subject to variable specificities of available antibodies. To alleviate these limitations, we developed a miniaturized, three-dimensional (3D) hNSC culture with ReNcell VM on microarray chip platforms and established a high-throughput promoter-reporter assay system using recombinant lentiviruses on hNSC spheroids to assess cell viability, self-renewal, and differentiation. Optimum cell viability and spheroid formation of 3D ReNcell VM culture were observed on a micropillar chip over a period of 9 days in a mixture of 0.75% (w/v) alginate and 1 mg/mL growth factor reduced (GFR) Matrigel with 25 mM CaCl2 as a crosslinker for alginate. In addition, 3D ReNcell VM culture exhibited self-renewal and differentiation on the microarray chip platform, which was efficiently monitored by enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression of four NSC-specific biomarkers including sex determining region Y-box 2 (SOX2), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), synapsin1, and myelin basic protein (MBP) with the promoter-reporter assay system.
Direct Determination of Band-Gap Renormalization in the Photoexcited Monolayer MoS 2

A key feature of monolayer semiconductors, such as transition-metal dichalcogenides, is the poorly screened Coulomb potential, which leads to a large exciton binding energy (${E}_{b}$) and strong renormalization of the quasiparticle band gap (${E}_{g}$) by carriers. The latter has been difficult to determine due to a cancellation in changes of ${E}_{b}$ and ${E}_{g}$, resulting in little change in optical transition energy at different carrier densities. Here, we quantify band-gap renormalization in macroscopic single crystal ${\mathrm{MoS}}_{2}$ monolayers on ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ using time and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. At an excitation density above the Mott threshold, ${E}_{g}$ decreases by as much as 360 meV. We compare the carrier density-dependent ${E}_{g}$ with previous theoretical calculations and show the necessity of knowing both doping and excitation densities in quantifying the band gap.
Height development milestones for canopy recruitment after overstory removal in the Missouri Ozarks

Abstract Tree height development has been studied extensively. Nonetheless, there is limited quantitative guidance for height expectations during the regeneration period, particularly for common species with low commercial value. Site index models, for example, often omit the initial 15–20 years of development. We examined height development of juvenile trees during the first twenty years after overstory removal in naturally regenerated, mixed stands in the Missouri Ozarks to identify milestones indicative of eventual recruitment into the upper canopy by the end of the regeneration period. Such milestones quantify minimum height requirements for recruitment success from trees that occupied codominant and dominant crown classes at the end of the regeneration period. Results show these milestones differed statistically by site class and those differences increased over time. Species-specific milestones were similar and while some statistical differences were observed, the practical, if not ecological, consequences of those differences appeared limited. The similarity in milestones among species suggests that there is a minimum height threshold for eventual canopy recruitment success after overstory removal in the Missouri Ozarks. This was validated using independent data from a nearby long-term study with tagged individuals. Less than 1% of trees that failed the milestones by year 3 met them after 16 years, and less than 1% of trees failing the milestones at year 8 met them by year 16. Thus, the presented milestones are a tool that can be used to assess individual tree height development during the recruitment process. A tree that attains these milestones early in development is not guaranteed to remain successful throughout the regeneration period, but success without first reaching these milestones is highly improbable.
Multi-Media Marketing: An Extension

This paper presents an extension of the use of multimedia modes of instruction for the teaching of marketing courses. Specifically, a multi-media course currently under development for the teaching of introductory marketing is discussed. Additionally, the impetus for the multi-media course, its structure for use by others, and its theoretical-empirical foundations are discussed.
Estimation of Internal Loading of Phosphorus in Freshwater Wetlands

Freshwater wetlands are found in various climatic zones ranging from tropics to tundra, and their roles from groundwater recharge and flood control to water quality management and biodiversity protection are well recognized. Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient for algal growth in freshwater systems, including wetlands. Various physico-chemical and biological characteristics of wetlands regulate cycles of nutrients such as P. Thus, estimating internal loading of P in wetlands would be crucial in the formulation of effective P management strategies in the wetland systems. This review and limnological data presented may offer needed knowledge/evidence for the effective control of P inputs in wetlands and provide insights on possible ways for interventions in controlling eutrophication and saving the ecosystem from collapse. Various ways of P losses such as agriculture, urbanization, etc., to the water bodies have severely impacted water quality of wetlands by altering physical and chemical nature of the P compounds and release bound P to the water columns. Studies indicate that P sorption–desorption dynamic, mineralization, and enzymatic hydrolysis of P in freshwater wetlands’ soils/sediments are crucial in causing internal loading or sink of P in wetland systems. Thus, extensive studies on abovementioned arenas are crucial to restore natural freshwater wetlands or to increase the efficiency of constructed wetlands in retaining P. In general, researchers have elucidated significant amounts of limnological data to understand eutrophication processes in freshwater wetlands; however, studies on the interactions of P stability and hydro-climatic changes are not well understood. Such changes could significantly influence localized limnology/microenvironments and exacerbate internal P loading in freshwater wetlands; thus, studies in such direction deserve the attention of scientific communities.
A Strong Physically Unclonable Function With >2⁸⁰ CRPs and <1.4% BER Using Passive ReRAM Technology

We experimentally demonstrate a strong physically unclonable function (PUF) circuit featuring >280 challenge-response pair (CRP) capacity, ${F }= 250$ -nm half-pitch $64\times 64$ ReRAM circuits. Passive crossbar circuits with $4{F} ^{2}$ area per crosspoint device and reduced peripheral overhead, not requiring any circuitry for programming, result in an extremely compact design, while low-power consumption is achieved by keeping ReRAM devices in the highly resistive, virgin states. The key contributions of this letter is a novel leakage injection approach using an electrically isolated portion of the crossbar array, which boosts PUF’s robustness, and a key-booking scheme, which dramatically improves reliability across a wide temperature range of operation and further increases PUF circuit density by reducing error correcting overheads. The experimental results showed near-ideal functional performance metrics, including 49.55% uniformity, 49.95% diffuseness, and 49.25% uniqueness. The measured response also passed all relevant NIST randomness tests.
Constructing Anisotropic Single-Dirac-Cones in Bi1–xSbx Thin Films

The electronic band structures of Bi1–xSbx thin films can be varied as a function of temperature, pressure, stoichiometry, film thickness, and growth orientation. We here show how different anisotropic single-Dirac-cones can be constructed in a Bi1–xSbx thin film for different applications or research purposes. For predicting anisotropic single-Dirac-cones, we have developed an iterative-two-dimensional-two-band model to get a consistent inverse-effective-mass-tensor and band gap, which can be used in a general two-dimensional system that has a nonparabolic dispersion relation as in the Bi1–xSbx thin film system.
High Confidence Sets for Trajectories of Stochastic Time-Varying Nonlinear Systems

We analyze stochastic differential equations and their discretizations to derive novel high probability tracking bounds for exponentially stable time varying systems which are corrupted by process noise. The bounds have an explicit dependence on the rate of convergence for the unperturbed system and the dimension of the state space. The magnitude of the stochastic deviations have a simple intuitive form, and our perturbation bounds also allow us to derive tighter high probability bounds on the tracking of reference trajectories than the state of the art. The resulting bounds can be used in analyzing many tracking control schemes.
Identifying Reading Disabilities: A Survey of Practitioners:

Accurate and timely identification of reading disabilities (RDs) is essential for providing appropriate and effective remediation for struggling readers. However, practices for identifying RDs lack...
Trafficking in Europe: an analysis of the effectiveness of European law

An essay is presented on various types of human trafficking in Europe, with a particular focus on the United Kingdom, and discusses the effectiveness of laws and statutes in combating trafficking and protecting victims. It discusses several cases in European Court of Human Rights, including the landmark Rantsev v. Cyprus and Russia. It also examines the European Union (EU) Directive on Combating Trafficking in Europe and member state compliance with the directive.
Relationships Among Obesity, Anorexia, and Personality Measures in the Literature

Many attempts have been made to identify personality characteristics of obese and anorectic individuals. The following is a review of some representative studies and is organized in three sections dealing with personality correlates of obesity, anorexia, and bulimia, respectively.
Cardiac protection by metallothionein against ischemia-reperfusion injury and its possible relation to ischemic preconditioning

Oxidative stress is believed to play a major role in ischemia-reperfusion injury to the heart. Metallothionein (MT), a potential free radical scavenger, may function in protection against this cardiac injury. Hearts isolated from cardiac MT overexpressing transgenic mice and from the nontransgenic littermates were subjected to 50 min of warm (37°C) zero-flow ischemia followed by 90 min reflow. Compared with the nontransgenic controls, the transgenic hearts with MT concentrations about 10-fold higher than normal, showed significantly improved recovery of contractile force (73% versus 22% at the end of 90 min reperfusion, p < 0.01). Efflux of creatine kinase was reduced by more than 50% and the zone of myocardial infarction as demarcated by triphenyl-tetrazolium at the end of reperfusion was reduced by about 40% in the transgenic hearts compared with the nontransgenic controls. The second part of this study was to determine the role of MT in the ischemic preconditioning (PC). An open-chest mouse model was used to determine the effect of ischemic PC on MT synthesis in the heart, then the effect of MT induction on ischemic injury. Mouse hearts were processed four cycles of 5 min occlusion and 5 min reperfusion via ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery to produce ischemic PC. At different time points, cardiac MT was measured by a cadmium-hemoglobin affinity assay. Compared to sham-operated mice (6.6 ± 1.8 μg/g tissue), MT was significantly (p < 0.01) increased to 15.8 ± 1.8 and 17.9 ± 5.0 μg/g 12 and 24 h, respectively, after ischemic PC. Treatment with cadmium for 24 h increased cardiac MT to the same level as that induced by the ischemic PC and inhibited the subsequent injury induced by ischemia reperfusion. These results indicated that MT functions in cardiac protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury, and it may be an important factor involved in the “second window” of protection induced by ischemic PC.
Lobectomy improves ventilatory function in selected patients with severe COPD

Abstract Background . Patients often undergo limited resection instead of lobectomy for non–small cell lung cancer because of a low preoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1 ). Our goal is to define criteria that will preoperatively identify a group of patients who will not lose further function after lobectomy. Methods . Patients who underwent lobectomy with a preoperative FEV 1 of less than 80% of predicted were retrospectively identified. Data collected included preoperative and postoperative pulmonary function tests, age, sex, the lobe resected, and preoperative ventilation–perfusion scan result. Results . Thirty-two patients were included in this study. The median preoperative FEV 1 was 60% of predicted (1.65 L) and the mean change in FEV 1 was a loss of 7.8% after lobectomy. The patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 13) had a preoperative FEV 1 of less than or equal to 60% of predicted (median, 49%; 1.35 L) combined with an FEV 1 to forced vital capacity ratio of less than or equal to 0.6. Group 2 (n = 19) includes all other patients (median preoperative FEV 1 , 69% of predicted; 1.87 L). The mean changes in FEV 1 after lobectomy were +3.7% and −15.7% for groups 1 and 2, respectively ( p 1 after lobectomy for all 32 patients appears linear ( r = −0.43; p = 0.015). Conclusions . Patients with a very low preoperative FEV 1 and FEV 1 to forced vital capacity ratio are less likely to lose ventilatory function after lobectomy and may actually improve it.
Tomography of random social networks

We study the statistical properties of large random networks with specified degree distributions. New techniques are presented for analyzing the structure of social networks. Specifically, we address the question of how many nodes exist at a distance from a given node. We also explore the degree distribution of for nodes at some distance from a given node. Implications for network sampling and diffusion on social networks are described.
Tattoo Pigment in Sentinel Lymph Nodes: A Mimicker of Metastatic Malignant Melanoma

Tattoo pigment in sentinel lymph nodes in melanoma patients is a clinical challenge. A 77-year-old man presented with a pink nodular lesion of the right upper arm. Biopsy revealed a 1.9 mm thick, Clark level 4 nodular melanoma. A wide local excision with 2 cm margins and sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping was planned. Pre operative lymphoscintigraphy using technetium-99 m demonstrated a single strongly pigmented SLN in the right axilla. A prominent tattoo was located on the patient’s upper arm in the area of the melanoma. The clinical impression was highly suspicious for metastatic disease and the tissue was sent to pathology for examination. Frozen section showed a lymph node with benign histiocytes. There were black non-polarizable coarse granules in the subcapsular, sinusoidal areas and also in the histiocytes. Review of permanent hematoxylin and eosin sections as well as immunohistochemical analysis with MART-1 and HMB-45 showed no evidence of metastatic melanoma in the SLN. Pigmentation of lymph nodes is not pathognomic of malignant melanoma. Black pigmented lymph nodes can occur by carbon deposits of tattoo pigment as in our case. Histological confirmation of metastatic malignant melanoma in the SLN is imperative before proceeding to complete regional lymph node dissection.
A Review of “The Aesthetics of Education: Theatre, Curiosity, and Politics in the Work of Jacques Ranciere and Paolo Freire”

From the outset we must admit that we are educational practitioners, particularly interested in literacy education. Over the course of work, we have come to see the teaching of literacy as an art a...