cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Loss of tumor progression locus 2 (tpl2) enhances tumorigenesis and inflammation in two-stage skin carcinogenesis.

Tumor progression locus 2 (Tpl2) is a serine/threonine kinase in the mitogen-activated protein kinase signal transduction cascade known to regulate inflammatory pathways. Previously identified as an oncogene, its mutation or overexpression is reported in a variety of human cancers. To address its role in skin carcinogenesis, Tpl2−/− or wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice were subjected to a two-stage dimethylbenzanthracene/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) mouse skin carcinogenesis model. Tpl2−/− mice developed a significantly higher incidence of tumors (80%) than WT mice (17%), as well as a reduced tumor latency and a significantly higher number of total tumors (113 vs 6). Moreover, Tpl2−/− mice treated with TPA experienced significantly higher nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) activation, edema, infiltrating neutrophils and production of proinflammatory cytokines than did WT mice. We investigated the role of the p38, JNK, MEK and NF-κB signaling pathways both in vitro and in vivo in WT and Tpl2−/− mice by using inhibitors for each of these pathways. We confirmed that the proinflammatory effect in Tpl2−/− mice was due to heightened activity of the NF-κB pathway. These studies indicate that Tpl2 may serve more as a tumor suppressor than as an oncogene in chemically induced skin carcinogenesis, with its absence contributing to both tumorigenesis and inflammation.
Historical demographic and epidemiological studies of aging in American Samoans.

American Samoan mortality records, from 1920 through 1988, and epidemiological survey data from 1976 are used to examine demographic definitions of the elderly in different time periods and to examine the association of body habitus and blood pressure with mortality among middle-aged and older Samoans. In the 1920s, the average Samoan lived 24 years, but over 50% of deaths occurred prior to age 15. In the 1980s the average Samoan lived about 54 years and 50% of deaths occurred after age 58. The common definition for matua (an elder or true old one) was 50 years in 1962, an age to which only 17% of the population lived in the 1920s; this value increased to 60–65 years by 1976, when 53% of the population survived to age 50 years and 34% to age 65 years. These data suggest that quantitative demographic factors may have constrained Samoan cultural definitions of matua i.e., “elderliness” during the 20th century. Among middleaged and older Samoans who died between 1976 and 1980, body weight, body mass index (BMI), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were differentially associated with cause-specific mortality by age and sex. None of these risk factors was associated with mortality in older men, but BMI and systolic pressure were significanlty lower among middle-aged men who died. In contrast, all four risk factors were associated positively with mortality in middle-aged women, but in older women only systolic pressure was.
Standardized bioassay and screening of Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus against the Russian wheat aphid (Homoptera: Aphididae).

Two hyphomycetous fungi with potential as biocontrol agents were used in Bioassays against the Russian wheat aphid, Diuraphis noxia (Kurdjumov). Dose-response assays were done using 5-7 concentrations of 2 isolates each of Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin and Paecilomyces fumosomseus (Wize) Brown & Smith. A sensitive assay technique was developed in which adult aphids, 0-2 d of age, were sprayed with fungal spore suspensions on cut barley leaf sections. LC50 estimates were 91 and 282 spores per square centimeter for two B. bassiana isolates and 46 and 56 spores per square centimeter for two P. fumosoroseus isolates. Slopes ranged from 1.43 to 1.76. Aphids were significantly less susceptible to B. bassiana than to P. fumosoroseus , indicated by the lack of overlap among fiducial limits. LT50s varied inversely with dose for all 4 isolates and ranged from 4.6 d to 12.2 d for B. bassiana , and from 3.3 d to 12.2 d for P. fumosoroseus , depending on isolate and dose. In standardized screening assays, relative potencies ranged from 0.2 to 2.1 among 23 isolates of B. bassiuna , and from 0.3 to 3.7 among 14 isolates of P. fumosoroseus . Use of this assay method will facilitate studies of biotic and abiotic factors that influence Russian wheat aphid susceptibility to fungal infection in the laboratory and in the field.
Self-employment and married women

Abstract This paper examines the determinants of self-employment among married women. The study uses these results to assess the impact of selectivity bias, due to self-employment decisions, on the earnings of wage/salary and self-employed workers.
Targeted Prostate Biopsy to Select Men for Active Surveillance: Do the Epstein Criteria Still Apply?

Purpose: Established in 1994, the Epstein histological criteria (Gleason score 6 or less, 2 or fewer cores positive and 50% or less of any core) have been widely used to select men for active surveillance. However, with the advent of targeted biopsy, which may be more accurate than conventional biopsy, we reevaluated the likelihood of reclassification upon confirmatory rebiopsy using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound fusion.Materials and Methods: We identified 113 men enrolled in active surveillance at our institution who met Epstein criteria and subsequently underwent confirmatory targeted biopsy via multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound fusion. Median patient age was 64 years, median prostate specific antigen was 4.2 ng/ml and median prostate volume was 46.8 cc. Targets or regions of interest on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound fusion were graded by suspicion level and biopsied at 3 mm intervals along the longest axis (median 10.5 mm). Also, 12 sy...
Effect of Design Variables, Temperature Gradients, and Speed on Life and Reliability of a Rotating Disk

A generalized methodology to predict the fatigue life and reliability of a rotating disk such as used for aircraft engine turbines and compressors is advanced. The approach incorporates the computed life of elemental stress volumes to predict system life and reliability. Disk speed and thermal gradients as well as design variables such as disk diameter and thickness and bolt hole size, number and location are considered.
GABAa receptor-mediated field potentials are enhanced in area CA1 following prenatal cocaine exposure.

Prenatal cocaine exposure results in several documented changes in neurotransmitter receptor number and structure. Increases have been reported for cortical catecholamine and indoleamine receptor number and binding affinity, in the subunit expression of glutamatergic NMDA and AMPA receptors in the striatum, and in GABA immunoreactivity in the anterior cingulate cortex. We sought information on the functional consequences of cocaine-induced alterations in receptor structure/number. Since hippocampal amino acid neurotransmitters are of critical importance and have been shown to be affected by cocaine, we studied field potentials produced by synaptic activation of isolated glutamatergic NMDA and AMPA receptors and GABAa and GABAb responsive receptors in area CA1 of rabbit hippocampal slices. We found the GABAa receptor population produced significantly larger field potentials in cocaine-exposed offspring compared to controls, while other receptors produced responses similar to controls.
Novel Word Learning in Children With Hearing Impairment

This study examined novel word-learning abilities in young school-age children with mild-to-moderate hearing losses. We questioned whether degree of hearing loss or measures of language and phonolo...
Modeling and optimization of a novel membrane reformer for higher hydrocarbons

An o®el circulating fast fluidized-bed membrane reformer efficiently carries out simultaneous steam and oxidati®e reforming of heptane o®er nickel catalysts. A plug-flow reactor model was de®eloped to in®estigate effects of the operating parameters. The cases with palladium hydrogen membranes andror dense pero®skite oxygen membranes are in®estigated. The simulations show that high purity hydrogen can be efficiently produced using hydrogen membranes, which ‘‘ break’’the thermodynamic equilibrium barri() ers. The pero®skite oxygen selecti®e membranes supply oxygen along the length or height of the reformer for oxidati®e reforming of hydrocarbons, pro®iding the heat necessary for the highly endothermic steam reforming reaction. The combination of these two membranes with the characteristics of the fast fluidization reformer makes this process not only an efficient hydrogen producer but also an energy efficient process. The fast continuous flow of catalyst makes the effect of carbon deposition on catalyst acti®ity negligible in the no®el process. Process optimization for the maximum hydrogen yield is conducted using the flexible tolerance optimization method.
Beyond BA Blinders: Lessons from Occupational Colleges and Certificate Programs for Nontraditional Students

Postsecondary education mostly focuses on the four-year BA degree. Community colleges are often promoted as the first step toward the ultimate goal of a four-year degree. However, community colleges have extremely poor degree completion rates. There is evidence suggesting better results for their private, two-year counterparts -- particularly for certificate completion. We will focus on occupational colleges -- private accredited colleges that offer career preparation in occupational fields like health care, business, information technology, and others. These institutions challenge many of our preconceptions about college. They are less wedded to college traditions, which raises some interesting questions: Do private colleges offering certificates or AA degrees use different procedures? Should community colleges consider some of these procedures to reduce student difficulties and improve their completion rates? For many community college students, earning a more likely, quick sub-BA credential -- perhaps followed by a four-year degree in the future -- will be preferable to the relatively unlikely pathway from a community college program directly to a four-year BA. In sum, this paper suggests that nontraditional colleges and nontraditional credentials (certificates and AA degrees) deserve much closer attention from researchers, policymakers, and students.
TRANSFER OF N2 AND CO2 FIXATION PRODUCTS FROM ANABAENA OSCILLARIOIDES TO ASSOCIATED BACTERIA DURING INORGANIC CARBON SUFFICIENCY AND DEFICIENCY1

Transfer of N2 and CO2 fixation products from the bloom forming blue-green alga, Anabaena oscillarioides Bory, to attached and free swimming bacteria is common during active growth of the former. Incubation with 15N2 and 14CO2 followed by size fractionation filtration reveals that: i) magnitudes of fixed N and C excretion, relative to N2 and CO2 fixation, are dictated by dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) availability for A. oscillarioides photosynthetic production, ii) associated bacteria exhibit preferences for recently fixed excreted N compounds, iii) bacterial utilization of excreted N is independent of ambient light conditions, and iv) lag times between N2 fixation and detectable bacterial assimilation of excreted fixed N compounds are ca. 1–2 h. Both 14NH4Cl dilution and Hg(NH3)2 Cl2 precipitation techniques indicate that NH3 is a major excretion product from A. oscillarioides, particularly during DIC limited growth. Active N and C excretion and transfer to associated bacteria are features of viable A. oscillarioides filaments. Hence, transfer of these metabolites reflects complex mutualistic, and possibly symbiotic associations rather than solely signaling senescence.
Layered mantling deposits in northeast Arabia Terra, Mars: Noachian-Hesperian sedimentation, erosion, and terrain inversion

[1] Thick, layered mantling deposits of different ages occur in several nonpolar regions of Mars and are thought to represent volcanic ash and/or climate-related ice-dust deposition. One such deposit is a layered mantling unit that unconformably blanketed highlands terrain in northeast Arabia Terra during the Late Noachian and/or earliest Hesperian. Shortly thereafter, by the mid-Hesperian, this deposit was substantially eroded; on the basis of its superposed crater population, it appears to have subsequently retained its approximate morphology and distribution in the ∼3.5 Gyr since. When the erosion occurred, in the Early Hesperian, the mantling unit was more resistant in some areas than its surroundings, resulting in inversion of relief: craters were transformed into highstanding buttes, and valleys were transformed into isolated ridges. On the basis of the scale of the observed inversion of relief, the magnitude of erosion in northeast Arabia Terra was substantial, up to hundreds of meters. We have used newly available data to assess the nature of the mantling material and probable mechanisms for its deposition and removal. We find that (1) the mantle unit is layered at scales of meters to tens of meters; (2) the deposit has a median thickness of ∼60 m, and the thickness of the deposit was locally controlled by the topography at the time of its deposition; (3) the mantling unit thins toward the south; and (4) characteristics of the mantling unit, such as its induration, as well as observed pits and fractures, suggest that volatiles may have been incorporated into the mantling unit either during or following its emplacement. Taken together, our observations lead us to favor models for the deposition of the mantling unit involving airfall of dust or ash. Either climate-driven dust deposition or plinian volcanic eruptions from the nearby Syrtis Major volcanic province are plausible candidate models for the emplacement of the unit in time and space.
Albedo of soot‐contaminated snow

We present a new model of snow containing impurities (graphitic carbon). Submicron-sized soot particles are supposed to be distributed randomly throughout the volume. Using the mixing rule for a dielectric constant of a composite medium, we calculate the refractive index of a snow-soot mixture. Then we obtain the single scattering albedo and the asymmetry factor. Using the delta-Eddington approximation, we determine the reflectivity (albedo) of a snow layer in the wavelength range 0.3 μm≤λ ≤2.5 μm. The calculated spectral albedos and the deduced amounts of graphitic carbon agree well with field measurements.
Time delay and integration imagers and their applications to image acquisition cameras

A family of experimental time-delay and integration (TDI) charge-coupled imaging devices has been designed and built using a minimally-modified logic/memory NMOS process. These imagers yield more favorable tradeoffs between image quality, speed, and illumination than conventional linear imagers and are suitable for high-speed scanning of color or monochrome documents at low illumination power. The design and construction of a prototype scanning camera using the 3072*32 TDI devices is also described. Intended for publishing applications, the camera is capable of capturing both monochrome and color images. At half-page document size, the scanning resolution is 300 pixels/in. Special color filters are used to produce colorimetric outputs. Both reflective and transmissive illumination are provided to scan both prints and transparencies of various sizes. >
Binocular rivalry as a function of incongruity in meaning.

This is the third of a series of three papers dealing with semantics of facial expressions. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the ratings of two stimulus inputs on semantic differential scales would predict the experience of binocular rivalry. The stimuli used were five full-face photographs of a man expressing different emotions. These stimuli were rated on the semantic differential and all possible pairs of these stimuli were used as stereograms. It was hypothesized that semantically incongruous stimulus inputs would lead to binocular rivalry and that congruous ones would lead to an absence of rivalry. The hypothesis was supported.
Algorithms for fault identification in a diagnosable multiprocessor system

In the letter, two algorithms for fault identification in diagnosable systems are presented. The order of time complexity for worst-case analysis is given: while the first algorithm executes in a sequential fashion in 0(n), where n is the number of units in the system, the second algorithm executes in 0(log2 n) in a binary tree arrangement. The algorithms are applicable to a diagnostic model with no invalidation.
Intrarenal Ghrelin Infusion Stimulates Distal Nephron-Dependent Sodium Reabsorption in Normal Rats

Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid peptide hormone that exerts powerful orexigenic effects. Ghrelin receptor expression has been reported in the kidney, but the role of ghrelin in the kidney is unknown. The present studies confirmed ghrelin receptor mRNA expression in the kidneys of normal Sprague Dawley rats (n=6) using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the 588-bp PCR product. To test intrarenal ghrelin action, uninephrectomized rats received 3 cumulative 1-hour renal interstitial (RI) infusions of 5% dextrose in water (vehicle, n=21), ghrelin (n=10), ghrelin plus specific ghrelin receptor antagonist [D-Lys-3]-GHRP-6 (n=24), or [D-Lys-3]-GHRP-6 alone (n=32). Mean arterial pressure (MAP), urine sodium excretion rate (U(Na)V), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)), and fractional excretion of lithium (FE(Li)) were calculated for each period. RI ghrelin infusion significantly decreased U(Na)V to 86 ± 4.9% (P<0.05), 74 ± 6.5% (P<0.01), and 62 ± 10% (P<0.01) of baseline during periods 1 to 3, respectively. Ghrelin also significantly decreased FE(Na) to 68 ± 11% (P<0.05), 57 ± 8.6% (P<0.001), and 59 ± 12% (P<0.01) of baseline, without changing GFR or FE(Li). Identical ghrelin infusions in the presence of [D-Lys-3]-GHRP-6 failed to permit reductions in U(Na)V or FE(Na). Following [D-Lys-3]-GHRP-6 infusion alone, U(Na)V increased from 0.06 ± 0.01 to 0.18 ± 0.03 μmol/min (P<0.0001). Concomitant increases in FE(Na) were also observed (0.23 ± 0.03% to 0.51 ± 0.06% [P<0.001]), without changes in MAP, GFR, or FE(Li). Together, these data introduce a novel intrarenal ghrelin-ghrelin receptor system, which, on activation, significantly increases Na(+) reabsorption at the level of the distal nephron.
Comparison of NEAT and HyperNEAT Performance on a Strategic Decision-Making Problem

Neuroevolution is a useful machine learning approach for problems with limited domain knowledge, but it has not done well with strategic decision-making problems, where the correct action varies sharply as the agent moves across states. Two promising neuroevolution algorithms are Neuro Evolution of Augmenting Topologies (NEAT) and its extension, Hyper NEAT. We compare the performance of these two algorithms on a benchmark problem, Keep away Soccer, that requires strategic decision-making. Our results demonstrate that Hyper NEAT outperforms NEAT on a simple instance of the problem but that its advantage disappears when the problem is complicated.
Soybean Plant Growth

In this chapter we model a soybean plant under a set of current and potential alternative environmental conditions. We ask and answer the following three key questions: (a) What is the seasonal biomass accumulation by a soybean plant over an average growing season? (b) How does biomass of the plant parts change over the season with different developmental stages? (c) How do changes in leaf assimilation rate under different atmospheric conditions impact growth and final biomass of the whole plant over the season, and does accelerated senescence in an elevated O3 atmosphere impact overall soybean growth?
A MATHEMATICAL MODEL CHARACTERIZING THE DIFFUSION PROPERTIES OF MICROCAPSULES

In this article, we present a mathematical model to describe the diffusion of dextran through spherical microcapsules. Dextran was first allowed to diffuse into the microcapsules for a certain length of time (loading period). After the loading process was complete, the microcapsules were immersed in water medium, and the released concentration of dextran in the medium was measured over time. To demonstrate the applicability of the diffusion model, it was fit to the dextran release data (Gupta et al., 2004), and estimates of the diffusion coefficients in the core and wall of a microcapsule were obtained. From such estimates, one may be able to characterize the diffusion (or release) properties of microcapsules with different wall or membrane thicknesses, wall constitutions, loading times, and dextran molecular weights. Results from such a model can help in the planning and design of experiments.
Classifying land-ownership motivations in central, Texas, USA: A first step in understanding drivers of large-scale land cover change

Abstract Land-ownership patterns in rural areas are undergoing changes. To explore the critical question of how changing land ownership in a watershed potentially drives land use, we examined differences in individual landowners' reasons for owning drylands. We conducted a mail survey of 767 landowners in three counties of central Texas, USA. Using exploratory factor analysis we reduced motivations into six dimensions: agricultural production, profit-orientation, rural lifestyle, financial investment, mineral extraction, and wildlife enterprise. A cluster analysis of these dimensions classified landowners into three groups: agricultural production, multiple-objective, and lifestyle-oriented. We validated these classifications using variables related to land management, land characteristics, ranching and farming perceptions, and demographics. The landowner groups performed well in discriminating between socio-demographic variables. Although landowners in central Texas are still largely involved in agricultural production (61%), only 24% focus on it exclusively. More than one third (39%) own land exclusively for lifestyle reasons. Changing motivations for owning land may be indicative of a cultural shift that can lead to landscape-scale changes in land cover. Policy tools and education efforts that recognize this heterogeneity in landowners will enhance the resiliency and sustainability of rural communities and of the dryland ecosystems on which they depend.
In their Own Words: The Lived Experience of Pediatric Liver Transplantation

Liver transplantation is the treatment of choice for children with end-stage liver disease. Few studies have examined the experience of transplantation from the child’s perspective. Using a phenomenological approach establishes a safe environment for children to reflect on their lives as transplant recipients. The aim of this study was to uncover the experiences of pediatric liver transplant recipients from the period prior to transplantation, through surgery, and beyond. In-depth conversations with 9 pediatric recipients were carried out. Phenomenological methodology guided the data collection and analysis. The children faced many challenges, including surviving a life-threatening illness while accomplishing normal developmental tasks. The predominant theme was striving for normalcy in their lives.
Whither franchising? The case of Avis Europe PLC

This case study of Avis Europe PLC examines the diminished role of franchising in the vehicle leasing firm's achievement of market dominance in Europe. Market maturity, industry consolidation, adoption of centralised, efficiency-oriented technologies, and strategic alliances are the principal factors in accounting for the decline in the reliance on franchisees for local entrepreneurship and market expansion. Though many theories of franchising find at least some support in this study, the life cycle or ownership redirection explanation proves particularly compelling. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The relationship of fetal position and ethnicity with shoulder dystocia and birth injury

Objective The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with the occurrence of shoulder dystocia and subsequent perinatal outcomes. Study design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 29,612 consecutive term, singleton, vertex vaginal deliveries. The primary outcome was reported shoulder dystocia. Fetal position, ethnicity, and their interaction terms were examined along with maternal characteristics, induction and length of labor, operative vaginal delivery, epidural, and birth weight in both bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results Among women who met study criteria, 524 (1.8%) experienced a shoulder dystocia. African American women had the highest risk of shoulder dystocia (2.6%), compared with other races/ethnicities (P = .001). Women who delivered in occiput posterior position were noted to have a lower risk for shoulder dystocia (1.1%) as compared with occiput anterior position (1.8%, P = .046). However, in the setting of a shoulder dystocia, a higher risk of brachial plexus injury was observed in neonates delivered in occiput posterior position (adjusted odds ratio 10.4, 95% confidence interval 3.03 to 35.88) by vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio 3.24, 95% confidence interval 1.37 to 7.67) and neonates weighing 4000g or more (adjusted odds ratio 2.53, 95% confidence interval 1.09 to 5.85). Conclusion Overall African American women have an increased risk of shoulder dystocia, but their neonates are not more likely to experience birth injury. Although occiput posterior position has a protective effect for shoulder dystocia, the risk of brachial plexus injury is increased in the setting of a persistent occiput posterior delivery. These factors should be used to consider a patient's prospective risk for shoulder dystocia and associated outcomes.
Mechanisms for Tropical Tropospheric Circulation Change in Response to Global Warming

AbstractThe annual-mean tropospheric circulation change in global warming is studied by comparing the response of an atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) to a spatial-uniform sea surface temperature (SST) increase (SUSI) with the response of a coupled ocean–atmosphere GCM to increased greenhouse gas concentrations following the A1B scenario. In both simulations, tropospheric warming follows the moist adiabat in the tropics, and static stability increases globally in response to SST warming. A diagnostic framework is developed based on a linear baroclinic model (LBM) of the atmosphere. The mean advection of stratification change (MASC) by climatological vertical motion, often neglected in interannual variability, is an important thermodynamic term for global warming. Once MASC effect is included, LBM shows skills in reproducing GCM results by prescribing latent heating diagnosed from the GCMs.MASC acts to slow down the tropical circulation. This is most clear in the SUSI run where the Walker circula...
Which Space Partitioning Tree to Use for Search

We consider the task of nearest-neighbor search with the class of binary-space-partitioning trees, which includes kd-trees, principal axis trees and random projection trees, and try to rigorously answer the question "which tree to use for nearest-neighbor search?" To this end, we present the theoretical results which imply that trees with better vector quantization performance have better search performance guarantees. We also explore another factor affecting the search performance -margins of the partitions in these trees. We demonstrate, both theoretically and empirically, that large margin partitions can improve tree search performance.
Response of elementary semiconducting structures to a terahertz electric field

With a bulk plasma frequency in the terahertz range, extrinsic semiconductors may be employed to form composites with tailored dispersion characteristic for fabrication of passive components in the terahertz band. Computations have been performed to study the polarization process in nanoscale semiconducting plates and spheres, employing a transport formulation to account for space charge effects. Results reveal a frequency dependent dipole moment that is influenced by the carrier density when it reaches the level of 1016 cm−3 and a size dependence as the characteristic length in field screening by the space charge is approached. To obtain higher contrast in dispersion effects resulting from the polarization of mobile charges, a material with lower intrinsic permittivity is preferred for developing composites with dispersion properties that are adjustable by composition variation and synthesis processes.
The Structure of the Mitochondrial Membrane: Inferences from Permeability Properties

Mitochondria possess a semipermeable membrane with properties similar to the cell membrane. Despite the presence of a limiting membrane, mitochondria swell approximately 4 to 5 times their original volume without lysis or loss of internal solute. For this reason, it has been argued that the membrane might be convoluted. The present kinetic study of the permeability of isolated mitochondria was undertaken to clarify this question. A photometric method described previously was used. In the case of highly lipid soluble penetrants, the results suggest that neither the permeability nor the surface area available for penetration varies significantly during considerable swelling. These results may be interpreted to mean that the mitochondrial membrane is convoluted. For highly polar compounds, the permeability of the membrane also remains unchanged during swelling, but the surface area available to penetration increases. These results may be interpreted to mean that in this latter case, the surface of the convolutions becomes available only after they are unfolded by swelling. The simplest model that can explain the permeability properties of this membrane consists of a bimolecular lipid layer where the inner monomolecular layer is convoluted.
Study Design Issues and Early Stage Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

The most common type of clinical trial in oncology enrolls patients with advanced disease. End points for phase II trials in advanced disease typically include response rate or time to progression, based upon the presumption that these may serve as surrogates for the ultimate end point of improved survival. Unique problems arise with the design of adjuvant trials, for which response rates clearly are not appropriate end points. In addition, survival is much longer, making rapid completion of phase III trials difficult. For lung cancer, the proportion of patients with stage I and II disease is much lower than with other types of cancer, and the absolute number of these patients is relatively low. To conduct large adjuvant trials in lung cancer more efficiently, we need to optimize our trials as much as possible. "Targeted therapies," by definition, inhibit a specific target, thus offering the theoretical advantage of enriching the patient population by restricting enrollment to patients whose tumor expresses the target of interest. Education of health care professionals regarding the benefits of adjuvant therapies, to decrease a sense of nihilism and to increase referrals, and international collaborations may also be necessary to increase accrual.
Literature review of prosthetics for transtibial amputees

Approximately 82% of all amputations performed in the USA are transtibial amputations, in which the leg is removed below the knee. Because the knee joint is left intact the use of prosthetics is one of the most preferred methods for returning mobility to amputees. The improvement of prosthetics for transtibial amputees is currently an area of intense research. The purpose of this paper is to have a technical survey for transtibial prosthetic including four major components associated with standard transtibial prosthetic. The socket transfers the forces between the residual limb and the prosthetic. A suspension system ensures that solid contact is maintained between the leg and the artificial limb. The prosthetic foot is attached to the socket by a pylon, which also accounts for length of limb lost during amputation. Prosthetic feet come in many forms ranging from little more than wooden blocks to carbon fibre sprinting feet. Two recent advances in transtibial prosthetics include the procedures of direct skeletal attachment, and distaltibiofibular bone bridging which increases the weight bearing capability of the residual limb.
AND/EXOR-based regular function representation

We propose a new data structure, pseudo-symmetric functional decision diagrams (PSFDDs), for completely specified Boolean functions. The new diagrams are based on functional decision diagrams (FDDs) and pseudo-symmetric binary decision diagrams (PSBDDs). As in FDDs, we use Davio expansions to generate the vertices of PSFDDs, but in addition we introduce a new Join-EXOR operation which combines two adjacent vertices such that the function is represented as a regular pseudo-symmetric network (two-dimensional array) instead of a binary tree. The regular structure can be directly mapped to a plane and therefore interconnection length is known from the logic representation. This allows us to accurately predict post-layout delays before the layout is completed. These structures are especially well suited for design technologies where the delay of interconnections limits device performance.
Secreted, receptor-associated bone morphogenetic protein regulators reduce stochastic noise intrinsic to many extracellular morphogen distributions

Morphogens are secreted molecules that specify cell-fate organization in developing tissues. Patterns of gene expression or signalling immediately downstream of many morphogens such as the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) decapentaplegic (Dpp) are highly reproducible and robust to perturbations. This contrasts starkly with our expectation of a noisy interpretation that would arise out of the experimentally determined low concentration (approximately picomolar) range of Dpp activity, tight receptor binding and very slow kinetic rates. To investigate mechanisms by which the intrinsic noise can be attenuated in Dpp signalling, we focus on a class of secreted proteins that bind to Dpp in the extracellular environment and play an active role in regulating Dpp/receptor interactions. We developed a stochastic model of Dpp signalling in Drosophila melanogaster and used the model to quantify the extent that stochastic fluctuations would lead to errors in spatial patterning and extended the model to investigate how a surface-associated BMP-binding protein (SBP) such as Crossveinless-2 (Cv-2) may buffer out signalling noise. In the presence of SBPs, fluctuations in the level of ligand-bound receptor can be reduced by more than twofold depending on parameter values for the intermediate transition states. Regulation of receptor–ligand interactions by SBPs may also increase the frequency of stochastic fluctuations providing a separation of timescales between high-frequency receptor equilibration and slower morphogen patterning. High-frequency noise generated by SBP regulation is easily attenuated by the intracellular network creating a system that imitates the performance of a simple low-pass filter common in audio and communication applications. Together, these data indicate that one of the benefits of receptor–ligand regulation by secreted non-receptors may be greater reliability of morphogen patterning mechanisms.
Not-So-Negative Selection.

It once seemed clear that negative selection of self-specific T cells in the thymus was the major mechanism of central tolerance. But recent studies, including Legoux et al. (2015) in this issue of Immunity, show that this is not always the case.
The role of HER2/neu, estrogen, and progesterone receptor status in the risk and survival of breast cancer leptomeningeal metastasis

11512 Background: Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a dreaded complication of breast cancer with a median survival of approximately 4 months from the time of LM diagnosis. HER2/neu (HER2), estrogen...
Adder and a coarse-grained approach to cell size homeostasis in bacteria

Cell size control and homeostasis is a long-standing subject in biology. Recent experimental work provides extensive evidence for a simple, quantitative size homeostasis principle coined adder (as opposed to sizer or timer). The adder principle provides unexpected insights into how bacteria maintain their size without employing a feedback mechanism. We review the genesis of adder and recent cell size homeostasis study on evolutionarily divergent bacterial organisms and beyond. We propose new coarse-grained approaches to understand the underlying mechanisms of cell size control at the whole cell level.
The temporal binding window for audiovisual speech: Children are like little adults.

Abstract During a typical communication exchange, both auditory and visual cues contribute to speech comprehension. The influence of vision on speech perception can be measured behaviorally using a task where incongruent auditory and visual speech stimuli are paired to induce perception of a novel token reflective of multisensory integration (i.e., the McGurk effect). This effect is temporally constrained in adults, with illusion perception decreasing as the temporal offset between the auditory and visual stimuli increases. Here, we used the McGurk effect to investigate the development of the temporal characteristics of audiovisual speech binding in 7–24 year-olds. Surprisingly, results indicated that although older participants perceived the McGurk illusion more frequently, no age-dependent change in the temporal boundaries of audiovisual speech binding was observed.
Simulation of Yeast Cooperation in 2D

Evolution of cooperation has been an active research area in evolutionary biology in decades. An important type of cooperation is developed from group selection, when individuals form spatial groups to prevent them from foreign invasions. In this paper, we study the evolution of cooperation in a mixed population of cooperating and cheating yeast strains in 2D with the interactions among the yeast cells restricted to their small neighborhoods. We conduct a computer simulation based on a game theoretic model and show that cooperation is increased when the interactions are spatially restricted, whether the game is of a prisoner's dilemma, snow drifting, or mutual benefit type. We study the evolution of homogeneous groups of cooperators or cheaters and describe the conditions for them to sustain or expand in an opponent population. We show that under certain spatial restrictions, cooperator groups are able to sustain and expand as group sizes become large, while cheater groups fail to expand and keep them from collapse.
Model Checking UAV Mission Plans

The United States Air Force has become increasingly interested in the problem of verification of complex systems. Formal methods – mathematically based techniques and tools for designing, specifying, and verifying systems – offer a possible solution. One class of formal methods is model checking, in which a mathematical model of a system is checked or verified against a set of system specifications using automated tools. Here, we explore the use of model checking in UAV mission specification and planning. In this context, system specifications become mission specifications, system models become mission execution plans, and mission execution plans are verified against mission specifications. In particular, we focus on mission specification, planning, and verification in a VIP escort mission. Mission specifications are written in linear temporal logic, mission execution plans are modeled in Promela, and mission verification is performed using the model checker Spin.
The Nation Brand Regime: Nation Branding and the Semiotic Regimentation of Public Communication in Contemporary Macedonia

AbstractThis article analyzes the forms of metasemiotic regimentation that are inherent to any nation-branding project and examines their implications for the organization of publics and governance. Focusing on a state-sponsored nation-branding project undertaken in the Republic of Macedonia, the article argues that nation-branding strategies are best understood as interventions within and across public spheres. As illustrated in the article, the nation-branding project that developed around Skopje 2014—a spectacular urban renovation plan that transformed Macedonia’s capital—included both a public relations effort that targeted several external publics and also a campaign to shape how Macedonia was represented internal to the Macedonian public sphere. This inward-facing aspect of nation branding in Macedonia manifested through metapragmatic discourses that ascribed meaning to public speech and conduct based on their imagined impact on the nation-branding project. In analyzing how government-produced media...
Adult Age Differences in the Time Course of Visual Attention

On each trial in this experiment, subjects made a choice response regarding which of two target letters was present in a visual display. A cue, occurring between 50 and 183 ms prior to display onset, indicated the location of the target. The results indicated that reaction time (RT) increased as a function of both the distance of the target from fixation and the presence of nontarget letters in the display. These RT effects were more pronounced for older adults than for young adults, in a manner consistent with a generalized age-related slowing of visual processing. The changes in RT associated with the cue indicated that, when nontarget letters were present in the display, the buildup of attention over the cue-target interval was slower for older adults than for young adults. This age difference in the time course of attention was independent of the generalized age-related slowing.
Detection Technology for Treponema Pallidum in Laboratory and Its Research Progress

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease caused by Treponema pallidum(TP) infection,which has high infectivity.The accurate detection has great significance in clinical diagnosis and prevention of syphilis spread.The detection method which has high sensitivity and specificity is helpful to the diagnosis of syphilis.Now there are pathogenic examination,serologic examination,gene diagnosis and cerebrospinal fluid examination in laboratory.The pathogenic examination is reliable,but it usually restricted by conditions,so this method is suitable for research or teaching.The serologic examination methods include non-TP antigen serum test and TP antigen serum test.The former method is simple,and suitable for early screening.The latter has high sensitivity and specificity,which is the gold standard for the diagnosis of syphilis now,but its disadvantage is not suitable for clinical observation and high price.Gene diagnosis is a new detection method,which has high sensitivity,but the quality of domestic agents should be improved.Because the sampling technology of the cerebrospinal fluid examination is difficult,patients can not accept the method,and the examination rate is low.The current situation of syphilis detection is reviewed in this article.
Design of High-Affinity Stapled Peptides To Target the Repressor Activator Protein 1 (RAP1)/Telomeric Repeat-Binding Factor 2 (TRF2) Protein–Protein Interaction in the Shelterin Complex

Shelterin, a six-protein complex, plays a fundamental role in protecting both the length and the stability of telomeres. Repressor activator protein 1 (RAP1) and telomeric repeat-binding factor 2 (TRF2) are two subunits in shelterin that interact with each other. Small-molecule inhibitors that block the RAP1/TRF2 protein-protein interaction can disrupt the structure of shelterin and may be employed as pharmacological tools to investigate the biology of shelterin. On the basis of the cocrystal structure of RAP1/TRF2 complex, we have developed first-in-class triazole-stapled peptides that block the protein-protein interaction between RAP1 and TRF2. Our most potent stapled peptide binds to RAP1 protein with a Ki value of 7 nM and is >100 times more potent than the corresponding wild-type TRF2 peptide. On the basis of our high-affinity peptides, we have developed and optimized a competitive, fluorescence polarization (FP) assay for accurate and rapid determination of the binding affinities of our designed compounds and this assay may also assist in the discovery of non-peptide, small-molecule inhibitors capable of blocking the RAP1/TRF2 protein-protein interaction.
Immunological aspects of surgically induced experimental endometriosis: variation in response to therapy

Elevated endometrial antibody titers were detected in serum and peritoneal fluid of rabbits with experimentally induced endometriosis. Surgical extirpation of implants or suppression with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist resulted in decreased endometrial antibody titers, whereas the antibody titers in untreated rabbits with endometriosis increased significantly. Endometrial implants and normal endometrial tissue had similar proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, the serum and peritoneal fluid from rabbits with experimentally induced endometriosis had gamma G immunoglobulin antibodies to an endometrial protein with molecular weight of approximately 40 kD. These antibodies were absent in rabbits without endometriosis. Isolation of endometrial antigens eliciting the humoral immune response in endometriosis may aid in the development of a specific antibody marker for endometriosis.
The end-user and the art librarian

New technology is giving researchers greater independence in their use of bibliographic databases. Art librarians should promote ‘end-user services’ which provide library users with direct access to online databases, although there are a number of problems which are liable to detract from the efficiency and thoroughness associated with computer-assisted searching.
Conformational Stability, Vibrational Spectra and ab initio Calculations for Ethyldifluorophosphine, Methoxydifluorophosphine and Chloromethyldifluorophosphine

The infrared spectra of methoxydifluorophosphine, CH3OPF2, dissolved in liquid xenon have been recorded. From temperature studies of these spectra it is shown that only one conformer exists. Relative conformational stabilities, barriers to internal rotation, force constants, fundamental vibrational frequencies, Raman activities and infrared intensities have been obtained from ab initio calculations at the RHF/6-31G* or MP2/6-31G* levels for ethyldifluorophosphine, methoxydifluorophosphine and chloromethyldifluorophosphine.
Cytologic Atypia in Toxic Goiter

Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder characterized by hyperthyroidism and a diffuse toxic goiter, is often treated by radioactive iodine 131I. Up to 35 % of patients with Graves’ disease, especially those with post 131I therapy, are found to have thyroid nodules which are often evaluated by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Treatment with radioactive iodine can induce nuclear and cytoplasmic changes in follicular cells that could be mistaken as malignancy. The knowledge of a clinical history of Graves’ disease treated with 131I is of paramount importance in minimizing overdiagnosis of malignancy. On the other hand, patients with Graves’ disease can harbor thyroid malignancy, particularly, papillary thyroid carcinoma more than is seen in the general population. It is crucial to adhere strictly to the cytologic criteria in order to minimize over- and underdiagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma in patients with treated Graves’ disease.
DG summary: FEOL discussion

The DG on front-end of the line reliability took place on the evening of Oct. 16, 2012, with approximately twenty attendees from both academia and industry.