cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Universality of Parallel Increasing Quantitative Nodal Burden and Mortality Across Solid Cancers.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Nodal staging systems vary substantially across solid tumors, which implies significant heterogeneity in the behavior of nodal variables across cancers. We hypothesized, in contradiction to this, that quantitative metastatic lymph node (LN) burden is a universal and dominant predictor of mortality across solid cancers, and therefore is capable of both simplifying and improving nodal staging for many cancers. MATERIALS/METHODS Retrospective cohort analysis of 1,304,498 patients in the National Cancer Database with solid cancers undergoing surgery between 2004-2015 across the 16 most common cancer sites in the United States (bladder, breast, cervix, colorectal, endometrium, esophagus, gastric, head and neck, hepatobiliary, lung, melanoma, ovary, pancreas, prostate, renal, thyroid). Restricted cubic spline modeling was used to assess the independent association of LN number and survival across a continuous nonlinear spectrum. Recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) was used to develop 16 nodal classification systems based on quantitative nodal burden. The reproducibility of these findings was assessed in 1,969,727 patients from SEER-18. RESULTS Consistently across all disease sites and without exception, mortality risk increased continuously and steeply with each +LN to a change point of ≤5 LN, and continued to increase more modestly without plateau beyond this (P < 0.001 for all hazard ratios [HRs] per LN of the initial and secondary spline segments). Disease sites with the highest HR per LN of the initial spline segment were melanoma (1.92/LN), bladder (1.66/LN) and renal (1.57/LN). Conversely, sites with the lowest HR per LN of the initial spline segment were thyroid (1.13/LN), ovary (1.19/LN) and endometrium (1.21/LN). RPA-derived nodal classification systems for all 16 disease sites universally produced multiple prognostic groups (between 3-8 depending on site) with non-overlapping survival curves that captured a wide spectrum of mortality risk (all P < 0.001). These RPA-derived systems demonstrated improved concordance with mortality compared to current AJCC nodal staging systems in disease sites without pathologic nodal classification based on number of positive LNs including bladder, cervix, endometrium, lung, ovary, prostate, and renal. The RPA-derived systems were also validated in an independent database, producing groups with distinct all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality (all P < 0.001). Defining high nodal burden as the RPA-derived group with the highest number of +LNs, this factor conveyed markedly higher mortality (HR range: 1.8-4.6) than any other nodal covariate, including extranodal extension, size, and location (HR range: 0.9-1.5) in multivariable analysis across all organ sites. CONCLUSION Quantitative metastatic LN burden is a fundamental driver of mortality across solid cancers. Given its reproducibility and objectiveness, +LN number should serve as a foundation for pathologic nodal staging across all solid tumors.
Multiscale model of metal alloy oxidation at grain boundaries

High temperature intergranular oxidation and corrosion of metal alloys is one of the primary causes of materials degradation in nuclear systems. In order to gain insights into grain boundaryoxidation processes, a mesoscale metal alloy oxidation model is established by combining quantum Density Functional Theory(DFT) and mesoscopic Poisson-Nernst-Planck/classical DFT with predictions focused on Ni alloyed with either Cr or Al. Analysis of species and fluxes at steady-state conditions indicates that the oxidation process involves vacancy-mediated transport of Ni and the minor alloying element to the oxidation front and the formation of stable metal oxides. The simulations further demonstrate that the mechanism of oxidation for Ni-5Cr and Ni-4Al is qualitatively different. Intergranular oxidation of Ni-5Cr involves the selective oxidation of the minor element and not matrix Ni, due to slower diffusion of Ni relative to Cr in the alloy and due to the significantly smaller energy gain upon the formation of nickel oxide compared to that of Cr2O3. This essentially one-component oxidation process results in continuous oxide formation and a monotonic Cr vacancy distribution ahead of the oxidation front, peaking at alloy/oxide interface. In contrast, Ni and Al are both oxidized in Ni-4Al forming a mixed spinel NiAl2O4. Different diffusivities of Ni and Al give rise to a complex elemental distribution in the vicinity of the oxidation front. Slower diffusing Ni accumulates in the oxide and metal within 3 nm of the interface, while Al penetrates deeper into the oxide phase. Ni and Al are both depleted from the region 3–10 nm ahead of the oxidation front creating voids. The oxide microstructure is also different. Cr2O3 has a plate-like structure with 1.2–1.7 nm wide pores running along the grain boundary, while NiAl2O4 has 1.5 nm wide pores in the direction parallel to the grain boundary and 0.6 nm pores in the perpendicular direction providing an additional pathway for oxygen diffusion through the oxide. The proposed theoretical methodology provides a framework for modeling metal alloy oxidation processes from first principles and on the experimentally relevant length scales.
Heart of Heaven, Heart of Earth and Other Mayan Folktales

Heart of Heaven, Heart of Earth and Other Mayan Folktales. James D. Sexton and Ignacio Bizarro Ujpan. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1999. 152 pp.
An anaerobic chemostat that permits the collection and measurement of fermentation gases.

A chemostat was designed to allow anaerobic growth in the culture vessel in the absence of a continuous stream of O2-free gas. Produced gases were collected within the culture and collection vessels, and pressure build-up was prevented by allowing gases to expand into a collapsed football bladder. The culture overflow was collected in a flask, held at 0 C, that was emptied by applying a positive CO2 pressure to the system. Ruminococcus albus, a H2 and CO2-producing anaerobe, was used to test the operation of the apparatus. H2 production was measured by sampling the various gas spaces of known volume and measuring H2 concentration by gas chromatography. Measurement of accumulated fermentation gases and the effects of the accumulation on fermentations can be studied with the apparatus.
Medium of Simple Structure

In this chapter, we consider in detail the three-dimensional elastic medium of simple structure. To describe, in the same language, discrete and continuum non-local models, we introduce the three-dimensional quasicontinuum. Then, starting from crystal dynamics, we obtain the general nonlocal equations of motion for the medium of simple structure. We investigate the consequences of such physical requirements as energy conservation, finite action-at-a-distance, stability and invariance of the energy with respect to rigid body motions. In particular, the last requirement leads to the existence of a symmetric stress tensor. In contrast to the local elasticity, the stress and energy density are not defined uniquely in nonlocal elasticity.
Enhancement of plasmid DNA immunogenicity with linear polyethylenimine

The utility of plasmid DNA as an immunogen has been limited by its weak immunogenicity. In the present study, we evaluated the ability of a family of linear polyethylenimine (PEI) polymers, complexed to plasmid DNA, to augment DNA expression in vivo and to enhance antigen-specific adaptive immune responses. We showed that four of five structurally different PEIs that we evaluated increased in vivo DNA expression 20- to 400-fold, and enhanced DNA-induced epitope-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses 10- to 25-fold in BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice respectively, when delivered intravenously. Functional studies of the PEI-DNA-induced CD8⁺ T-cell responses demonstrated that formulation of DNA with PEI was associated with increased numbers of cells secreting type I cytokines. In addition, PEI-DNA complexes improved antigen-specific T(H) 1-helper cell and humoral responses. Most importantly, the PEI-DNA complexes elicited memory cellular responses, capable of rapid expansion and accelerated clearance of a lethal dose of recombinant Listeria monocytogenes. Lastly, we identified physical properties of PEI-DNA complexes that are associated with enhanced DNA-elicited immunogenicity. These findings demonstrate that PEI polymers can play an important role in the development of DNA-based vaccines in the setting of infectious disease prevention and cancer therapy.
Window Design Method

This chapter contains sections titled: Finite Impulse Response (FIR) Synthesis Window-Based Design Deterministic Design Data Windows Matlab Window FIR Design Kaiser Window Truncated Fourier Transform Design Method Frequency Sampling Design Method ]]>
A product development model: from a reliability engineering viewpoint

The author reviews the development history of two common products (cars and refrigerators) and presents discussions of reliability engineering and the evolution of economy. It is suggested that there is a direct and intimate relationship between the societal type and the product development process. A product development model is then discussed. Reliability is considered in the initial stages of design and reliability predictions are made in every iteration. These predictions provide a means of measuring design improvement. >
Azimuthal modulation of C-band scatterometer /spl sigma//sup 0/ over Southern Ocean sea ice

In a continuing evaluation of the ERS-1 C-band scatterometer as a tool for studying polar sea ice, the authors evaluate the azimuthal modulation characteristics of Antarctic sea ice. ERS-1 AMI scatterometer mode data sets from several study regions dispersed in the Antarctic seasonal sea ice pack are evaluated for azimuthal modulation. When appropriate, the incidence angle dependence is estimated and removed in a study region before determining whether azimuthal modulation is present in the data. Other comparisons are made using the fore and aft beam measurement difference. The results show that over the ice pack, azimuthal modulation is less than 1 dB at the scale of observation of the ERS-1 C-band scatterometer.
Rulemaking, Litigation Culture And Reform In Federal Courts

Culturally based litigation practices are central to the policies of federal courts. Unlike the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, cultural based practices are neither uniform nor explicitly defined among the federal courts. These practices are specifically tailored to ensure judicial efficiency, and in turn, they heavily influence practice and procedure in federal courts. This Article examines the significance of cultural litigation practices and their influence on amending or establishing new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. The author proposes that rulemaking must compliment cultural practices in order to be successful and concludes that when conflict exists between these practices and rulemaking, cultural practices will ultimately establish standards for the conduct of litigation in the federal courts.
Primary human sinonasal epithelial cell culture model for topical drug delivery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis

Objectives The primary human sinonasal epithelial cell culture (HSNEC) allows for in-vitro modelling of mucosal responses to topical therapy. Cultures grown from healthy donors may underestimate changes in individuals with chronic sinonasal disease thereby yielding inaccurate results with respect to this large patient population. The purpose of this study was to analyse HSNECs derived from patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP) to determine whether expected disease dependent variables salient to topical drug delivery persist in culture. Methods Cultures were grown from patients with CRSwNP. Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) (basal and stimulated), permeability (trans and paracellular), inflammatory response, and glucocorticoid dose response were measured and compared with healthy controls. Key findings Methylcholine stimulated CBF was greater in CRSwNP versus controls (ΔCBF60min 7.25 ± 1.02 vs 0.89 ± 1.04 Hz, respectively). Paracellular permeability was greater in CRSwNP versus controls (basolateral dextran120min 18.97 ± 3.90 vs 11.31 ± 4.35 µg/ml, respectively). Lipopolysaccharide (0.1 mg/ml) stimulated interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 secretion was increased in CRSwNP versus controls (IL-6 Δbaseline 1738.72 ± 654.82 vs 1461.61 ± 533.51%, respectively; IL-8 Δbaseline 137.11 ± 0.83 vs 111.27 ± 0.67%, respectively). CRSwNP cultures were more sensitive than controls to dexamethasone (1 µg/ml) dependent IL-6 and IL-8 suppression. Conclusions HSNECs derived from patients with CRSwNP retained their primary phenotype with respect to ciliary function, epithelial permeability, irritant induced inflammatory cytokine secretion, and glucocorticoid dose response.
Lucky 13 Strikes Back

In this work we show how the Lucky 13 attack can be resurrected in the cloud by gaining access to a virtual machine co-located with the target. Our version of the attack exploits distinguishable cache access times enabled by VM deduplication to detect dummy function calls that only happen in case of an incorrectly CBC-padded TLS packet. Thereby, we gain back a new covert channel not considered in the original paper that enables the Lucky 13 attack. In fact, the new side channel is significantly more accurate, thus yielding a much more effective attack. We briefly survey prominent cryptographic libraries for this vulnerability. The attack currently succeeds to compromise PolarSSL, GnuTLS and CyaSSL on deduplication enabled platforms while the Lucky 13 patches in OpenSSL, Mozilla NSS and MatrixSSL are immune to this vulnerability. We conclude that, any program that follows secret data dependent execution flow is exploitable by side-channel attacks as shown in (but not limited to) our version of the Lucky 13 attack.
Race and risk of hepatitis in narcotic addicts

A group of unselected addicts who participated voluntarily in a methadone withdrawal program were studied during a 1-year period. Sixty-seven percent were under 25 years of age, 63% were Black, and 76% were males. Intimate contact may be responsible for infection of HBAg-positive non-needle-using “snorters” of heroin. There was a higher frequency of hepatitis, HBAg-positive, and SGOT measurement over 250 units among white than among Black addicts, but no sex difference was detected. HBAg was positive in 68 patients; 42 of these had hepatitis, and 24 of the 26 asymptomatic addicts developed hepatitis. Seventy-one percent of hepatitis patients were HBAg-positive. After HBAg-positive illness, second attacks of hepatitis in 6 cases were all HBAg-negative.
Providing Guidance on the Health Effects of Religious/Spiritual Involvement: A National Assessment of University Counseling Professionals

This study assessed the perceptions and practices of a national sample of university counseling professionals (n = 306) regarding their provision of guidance on the health effects of religious/spiritual involvement. Relatively few (21%) discussed the physical health effects of religiosity/spirituality with their clients. The majority (52%) were unsure that such discussions would result in lower health risks; however, nearly half (48%) indicated that these would promote recovery. Almost two-thirds (64%) indicated that discussions of religious/spiritual involvement and health “should occur only with clients who indicate that religion/spirituality is important to them.” A plurality (36%) of the respondents had received no formal training on this topic. Implications for clinical training, university counseling centers, and future research are discussed.
Cross-slip and glide behavior of ordinary dislocations in single crystal γ-Ti–56Al

Abstract Single crystals of Ti–56Al deformed at 873 K in [ 1 6 3] and [ 1 12 5] orientations exhibit anomalous hardening. The anomalous hardening increases with increasing the Schmid factor for cross-slip in (1 1 0) plane as well as a { 1 1 1} cross-slip plane. The yield stress and CRSS show temperature dependence as well as orientation dependence. The deformation structure of these crystals was observed by TEM. The TEM study shows that ordinary dislocations of screw character were the main deformation structure, but these dislocations were frequently pinned by “superjogs” in {1 1 0) planes. The alloy with a higher flow stress shows a wide spread presence of the {1 1 0) edge dislocation segments. These edge segments appear to have formed through a double cross-slip mechanism in which a screw dislocation cross-slipped onto (1 1 0) plane from the {1 1 1} primary slip plane and subsequently cross-slip again onto a {1 1 1} plane. This double cross-slip leaves a pair of short edge segments “superjogs” in {1 1 0) plane. It appears that these superjogs are immobile in the forward direction, but mobile in the lateral directions. As a result, these (1 1 0) superjogs act as pinning points, but also, provide a Frank–Read source for formation of dislocation loops as well as dislocation dipoles. These loops and dipoles probably contribute to alloy hardening at high temperatures. ©
Exponential shear flow of linear, entangled polymeric liquids

A previously proposed reptation model is used to interpret exponential shear flow data taken on an entangled polystyrene solution. Both shear and normal stress measurements are made during exponential shear using mechanical means. The model is capable of explaining all trends seen in the data, and suggests a novel analysis of the data. This analysis demonstrates that exponential shearing flow is no more capable of stretching polymer chains than is inception of steady shear at comparable instantaneous shear rates. In fact, all exponential shear flow stresses measured are bounded quantitatively by stress measurements taken during inception of steady shear. Information taken from the model about chain stretching suggests that normal stress measurements are strong indications of stretching, whereas shear stress measurements are indicative of both chain stretching and segment orientation.
DEAD-box RNA helicase Sub2 is required for expression of lacZ fusions in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is a dosage-dependent suppressor of RLR1 (THO2)

Abstract RLR1 (THO2) encodes a novel, phylogenetically-conserved KEKE motif protein involved in transcription and transcription-associated recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. One characteristic aspect of RLR1 function is its requirement for expression of the Escherichia coli lacZ reporter gene regardless of the yeast promoter to which it is fused. rlr1-1 was originally isolated (employing lacZ as a transcriptional reporter) as a suppressor of a mutation in the gene encoding Sin4, a subunit of the Mediator subcomplex of the RNA polymerase II (PolII) transcriptional machinery. To clarify the function of Rlr1, we performed a genetic screen for dosage-dependent suppressors of the cold-sensitive phenotype of rlr1-1. From this screen we isolated SUB2, encoding a conserved DEAD-box RNA helicase family member having roles in both pre-mRNA splicing and mRNA export in yeast, flies, and humans. We demonstrate that Sub2, like Rlr1, is required for lacZ to be expressed in yeast, and that sub2 mutants manifest rlr1-like growth defects. Our results are consistent with a hypothesis where expression of lacZ fusions in yeast preferentially requires a Sub2-mediated mRNP assembly/export pathway linked to transcription via Rlr1.
Fiber-optic-based biosensor: signal enhancement in a production model

A fiber optic-based biosensor which integrates a novel array of optical and electrical components, together with long fused silica fibers and proteins for detection of analyte in solution has been put into limited production. The optical fiber core near the distal end is tapered and coated with either antibodies or DNA binding proteins. Assays are performed by flowing a solution containing the fluorescently tagged ligand molecules over the coated fiber. Within seconds, analyte recognition occurs and a fluorescence signal is transmitted back up the fiber. Applications for the biosensor include clinical diagnostics, pollution control, and environmental monitoring. Ten of the laboratory devices described in this article have been constructed and are being used for assay development. In addition, the prototype of a truly portable device has recently been built and is now being tested.
SU‐GG‐J‐177: The Application of An ASi‐Based EPID to Guide Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) of Head‐And‐Neck Cancer

Purpose: In head‐and‐neck IMRTtreatment,doses to targets and critical organs are affected by many factors including patient positioning, weight loss and tumor shrinkage. To ensure therapeutic effectiveness, re‐planning with a new CT is often conducted. However, it remains unclear how to re‐plan in time before intolerable dose deviation occurs. We propose to use EPID to quantitatively monitor treatment delivery and guide re‐planning decision. Method and Materials: In the method, baseline exit intensity maps are obtained with EPID during the first treatment. Exit intensity maps during the following treatments are compared against the baseline. When deviation from the baseline is beyond a threshold, re‐planning may be considered. To test the method, a phantom study and a patient study are conducted. In the phantom study, a cylindrical phantom with a 2.5cm bolus is scanned with CT, and an IMRT plan is generated in an Eclipse workstation. The baseline intensity maps are first obtained with EPID. Then, two new sets of intensity maps are respectively acquired after a shift of the phantom by 2cm to simulate mis‐positionig and bolus removal to simulate tumor shrinkage. Deviations are quantified with gamma analysis. In the patient study, exit intensity maps are acquired for nine consecutive head‐and‐neck IMRTtreatments. The first set is used as baseline and compared against the rest eight sets. Results: In the phantom study, the shift and bolus removal introduce considerable deviations, indicated by low pass rates of 50%. In the patient study, pass rates of certain fields after seven fractions are dropped to 70%, which is well below 95% pass rate of portal dosimetry at DUMC. This suggests a verification of patient positioning and targets with consideration of re‐planning. Conclusion: This work presents a real‐time, efficient and quantitative tool to monitor head‐and‐neck IMRT delivery. Future work involves automation of this method.
Genetics of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis supports the role of T helper cells in multiple sclerosis pathogenesis

Objective: The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is the primary genetic contributor to multiple sclerosis (MS) and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), but multiple additional interacting loci are required for genetic susceptibility. The identity of most of these non-MHC genes is unknown. In this report, we identify genes within evolutionarily conserved genetic pathways leading to MS and EAE. Methods: To identify non-MHC binary and quantitative trait loci (BTL/QTL) important in the pathogenesis of EAE, we generated phenotype-selected congenic mice using EAE-resistant B10.S and EAE-susceptible SJL mice. We hypothesized that genes linked to EAE BTL/QTL and MS-GWAS can be identified if they belong to common evolutionarily conserved pathways, which can be identified with a bioinformatic approach using Ingenuity software. Results: Many known BTL/QTL were retained and linked to susceptibility during phenotype selection, the most significant being a region on chromosome 17 distal to H2 (Eae5). We show in pathway analysis that T helper (TH)-cell differentiation genes are critical for both diseases. Bioinformatic analyses predicted that Eae5 is important in CD4 T-effector and/or Foxp3+ T-regulatory cells (Tregs), and we found that B10.S-Eae5SJL congenic mice have significantly greater numbers of lymph node CD4 and Tregs than B10.S mice. Interpretation: These results support the polygenic model of MS/EAE, whereby MHC and multiple minor loci are required for full susceptibility, and confirm a critical genetic dependence on CD4 TH-cell differentiation and function in the pathogenesis of both diseases. ANN NEUROL 2011;70:887–896
Infra-red heating source and associated apparatus for the study of contaminants in inert gases

Abstract Vacuum microbalance methods using radiant heating of the sample, a flow type of reaction system and a sensitive monitoring system for water vapor were used to study the reactivity of metal powders with contaminants in inert gases. Kinetic and capacity studies were made on zirconium and aluminum powders in argon atmospheres containing H2, O2, H2O and CO2 at the 5 to 50 ppm level at 400°C.
Rocks and clocks: linking geologic history and rates of genetic differentiation in anchialine organisms

The geologic history of a region can significantly impact the development of its flora and fauna, with past events shaping community patterns and evolutionary trajectories of species. In this context, islands are excellent “natural laboratories” for studying the fundamental processes of evolution due to their discrete geographical nature and dynamic geologic histories. An island system meeting these criteria is the Hawaiian Archipelago, which is ideal for testing how island geologic history influences the processes leading to population genetic variation and differentiation. One Hawaiian endemic whose evolutionary history is closely tied to the geology of the islands is the anchialine atyid shrimp Halocaridina, whose mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene is hypothesized to be evolving at the rate of 20% per million years. To validate this rapid evolutionary rate, time since divergence estimates between geographically close, yet genetically distinct, populations were calculated for Halocaridina from anchialine habitats on the islands of Hawai’i, Maui, and O’ahu. On the younger (i.e., 2.75 million years) island of O’ahu. These results suggest geologic age, basin origin and/or composition are important factors that should be taken into consideration when conducting molecular clock analyses on anchialine flora and fauna as well as island populations in general.
Analytical tools and current challenges in the modern era of neuroepigenomics

Over the past decade, rapid advances in epigenomics research have extensively characterized critical roles for chromatin regulatory events during normal periods of eukaryotic cell development and plasticity, as well as part of aberrant processes implicated in human disease. Application of such approaches to studies of the CNS, however, is more recent. Here we provide a comprehensive overview of available tools for analyzing neuroepigenomics data, as well as a discussion of pending challenges specific to the field of neuroscience. Integration of numerous unbiased genome-wide and proteomic approaches will be necessary to fully understand the neuroepigenome and the extraordinarily complex nature of the human brain. This will be critical to the development of future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies aimed at alleviating the vast array of heterogeneous and genetically distinct disorders of the CNS.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate and ceramide 1-phosphate: expanding roles in cell signaling

The phosphorylated sphingolipid metabolites sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) have emerged as potent bioactive agents. Recent studies have begun to define new biological functions for these lipids. Generated by sphingosine kinases and ceramide kinase, they control numerous aspects of cell physiology, including cell survival and mammalian inflammatory responses. Interestingly, S1P is involved in cyclooxygenase-2 induction and C1P is required for the activation and translocation of cPLA2. This suggests that these two sphingolipid metabolites may act in concert to regulate production of eicosanoids, important inflammatory mediators. Whereas S1P functions mainly via G-protein-coupled receptors, C1P appears to bind directly to targets such as cPLA2 and protein phosphatase 1/2A. S1P probably also has intracellular targets, and in plants it appears to directly regulate the G protein alpha subunit GPA1.
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE DEPRESSOR SUBSTANCE IN LIVER EXTRACT

Because of the very unpleasant notoriety that has come to the writer through the sensational reports of the daily press, it seems desirable to make it clear that his interest in the depressor action of liver extract is primarily physiological. As far as the clinical use of liver extract for the relief of hypertension is concerned, it is in the hands of Macdonald and others, and the problem of the writer has been to ascertain, if possible, whether the depressor effect is due entirely to histamine (and cholin), or whether there is an autocoid secreted by the liver which is responsible in part, at least, for the lowering of blood pressure. The statement that histamine is a new substance discovered by the writer is absurd, and was never made by him. In a previous communication (1926) some evidence was given for concluding that there is no depressor autocoid secreted by the liver, unless, indeed, histamine (and cholin) be so regarded. The present paper is the result of an attempt to apply the method used by Sh...
Solution of functional difference equations from behavioral theory

Behavioral models based on Markovian decision processes lead to functional difference equations for quantities such as the mean lifetime of the forager and the probability of reproductive success of the forager. In this paper, asymptotic and iterative methods are developed for the solution of such equations. The asymptotic methods are compared with numerical simulations. The iterative methods can be proved by a simple application of contraction mapping theorems.
Improved technique for high precision FSR measurement

It is critical to know the free spectral range (FSR) of an etalon for telecommunication applications. In this paper, we have improved the Pound-Drever-Hall (PDH) based technique for measuring the FSR of an etalon by 2 orders of magnitude. This improved technique results 1 part in 10 6 precision. To our knowledge this is the most precise measurement of FSR.
Homelessness, Mental Illness and Citizenship

Assertive mental health outreach to homeless persons, which operates under the premise that mental illness must be understood and treated within the individual’s social and economic environment, points towards the goals of community membership and ‘citizenship’—a connection to the rights, responsibilities, roles, and resources that society offers through public and social institutions and informal ‘associational life’—for homeless persons. We argue that the concept of citizenship is a useful framework for approaching these goals. We review the principles of assertive mental health outreach and relevant aspects of contemporary citizenship theory; present a case example of outreach leading to a ‘citizenship project’; and discuss the potential benefits and pitfalls of a citizenship framework, including strategies and recommendations for program administrators, researchers and policy makers.
When Cultures Collide: Third Cinema Meets the Spaghetti Western

Abstract:The political Spaghetti Western provides a rich terrain for a transnational approach that complicates some of the more monolithic theorizations of First and Third Cinema as well as commercial cinema's relation to radical politics.
The HELIOS spacecraft zodiacal light photometers used for comet observations and views of the comet west bow shock

The HELIOS A and B zodiacal light photometers can be used to view comets as they pass the spacecraft. Because the HELIOS spacecraft orbit the Sun on their own, and are generally far from Earth, the spacecraft allow us to view comets from a different perspective than normally available. Comet West (1976VI) passed through perihelion on February 25, 1976. The comet crossed the HELIOS A and B spacecraft zodiacal light photometer fields of view, allowing them to record the brightness, polarization and color of the comet. Data from the U, B and V photometers showed a distinct blueing followed by a slight reddening corresponding to the ion and dust tails, respectively, entering the field of view of each photometer sector. The extent of the tail of Comet West was far greater seen from the HELIOS spacecraft than seen from Earth, even taking into account their generally closer viewing perspective. As Comet West traveled away from the Sun, it was observed in the zodiacal light photometer fields of view at a solar distance of more than 1.4 AU. The zodiacal light photometers also viewed Comet Meier (1978XXI). Comet Meier is far more compact than Comet West, extremely blue and unlike Comet West showed no significant dust tail. The interplanetary medium is observed to a level of the variations in the brightness of the electron-scattering component near Comet West. A brightness “bump” present in the data before the comet reached some photometer positions can be shown to approximately form a parabolic shape sunward and ahead of the orbital motion of the Comet West nucleus. We presume that this bump is evidence of the position of the cometary atmosphere or an enhancement of the ambient interplanetary medium ahead of the comet motion. The brightness bump in terms of density generally corresponds to a density enhancement of the ambient medium by a few times in the vicinity of the comet. When compared with Comet Halley and couched in terms of the shock stand-off distance, the distance of this brightness increase from the nucleus implies a neutral gas production rate of approximately 2.5 times that of Halley. This is in agreement with the neutral gas production rate measured from Comet West using more direct techniques.
Psychosocial predictors and correlates of dysphoria in adolescent and young adult Latinas

This study determined how multiple ecodevelopmental domains influenced dysphoria in a community sample of Latina adolescents. Risk factors tested include childhood maltreatment, parental alcohol-related problems, and polysubstance problems. Protective factors include general self-efficacy, social conformity, and family connection. Female participants ( N = 904) were recruited from the Los Angeles area. Many significant correlations were found between the ecodevelopmental domains and dysphoria. The strongest unique protective factor was family connection; others were social conformity and general self-efficacy. The only unique risk factor that emerged was physical neglect. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sustained perceptual invisibility of solid shapes following contour adaptation to partial outlines

Contour adaptation (CA) is a recently described paradigm that renders otherwise salient visual stimuli temporarily perceptually invisible. Here we investigate whether this illusion can be exploited to study visual awareness. We found that CA can induce seconds of sustained invisibility following similarly long periods of uninterrupted adaptation. Furthermore, even fragmented adaptors are capable of producing CA, with the strength of CA increasing monotonically as the adaptors encompass a greater fraction of the stimulus outline. However, different types of adaptor patterns, such as distinctive shapes or illusory contours, produce equivalent levels of CA suggesting that the main determinants of CA are low-level stimulus characteristics, with minimal modulation by higher-order visual processes. Taken together, our results indicate that CA has desirable properties for studying visual awareness, including the production of prolonged periods of perceptual dissociation from stimulation as well as parametric dependencies of that dissociation on a host of stimulus parameters.
Some properties of a vanadium molybdenum oxide composite produced by mechanochemical treatment in various media

It was studied how the duration of mechanochemical treatment (MCT) in water, ethanol, and air for 1–6 h affects the crystal structure and some physicochemical properties of a vanadium molybdenum oxide composite (V:Mo = 0.7:0.3). The obtained samples were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction and differential thermal analyses; IR, Raman, and electron spectroscopy; nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and mercury porosimetry. It was found that MCT in air gives rise to a phase V2MoO8, whereas MCT in water for 3–6 h produces a previously unknown phase containing V4+. MCT in ethanol only changes the exposure of some crystal planes of V2O5 and MoO3. It is the last samples have the maximal photocatalytic activity in dye degradation in aqueous solutions.
Food Safety for the Consumer

With more media attention being given to nutrition, health, and safety, it is important to be able to locate and provide consumers with information that will be both useful and relevant in the area of food safety. Smartphone technology, mobile computing, and abundant wi-fi have made it much easier for consumers to access information from virtually anywhere. This column highlights some reliable sources of information on the topic of food safety across a variety of mediums.
The effect of information announcements on bid/ask spreads in the call options market*

. This study investigates changes in the call option market microstructure, as reflected in bid/ask spread changes, surrounding information release dates. The size of bid/ask spreads is not significantly changed by accounting earnings releases. The results indicate a significant increase in the bid/ask spread on the date of large price changes and a significantly increased number of insignificant changes in both actual and proportional bid/ask spreads surrounding earnings announcements and dates of large price changes. Significant increases in trading volume precede both types of information releases. Resume. Cette etude examine les changements dans la microstructure du marche des options d'achat, tels que refletes par les changements dans l'ecart des cours acheteur et vendeur, autour des dates de publication d'information. La taille des ecarts des cours acheteur et vendeur n'est pas sensiblement modifiee par la publication des benefices comptables. Les resultats montrent un accroissement significatif de l'ecart entre le cours acheteur et vendeur a la date de changements majeurs des prix, et un accroissement significatif du nombre de changements negligeables a la fois des ecarts de cours acheteur et vendeur absolus et relatifs, autour des dates de publication de resultats et de fluctuations de prix importantes. Des accroissements significatifs du niveau d'activite precedent les deux types d'informations divulguees.
Distribution of oxysterols in human serum: Characterization of 25-hydroxycholesterol association with serum albumin

Abstract Oxysterols, derived either from cholesterol autoxidation in vitro or through lipoprotein peroxidation in vivo are biologically active compounds implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Using 25-hydroxycholesterol (25OHC) as a model and radiolabeled 25OHC to trace mass, in this study we examined the transport of oxysterols in human serum. In contrast to cholesterol, which is associated exclusively with serum lipoproteins, 55 to 75% of 25OHC added to serum in vitro was associated with the lipoprotein-deficient fraction of serum (LPDS, density > 1.21 g/mL) over a wide concentration range. Upon sequential gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, and nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 25OHC added to LPDS eluted in a single peak corresponding to a protein peak of molecular weight about 67 kD. Immunoprecipitation of serum albumin from LPDS also precipitated 25OHC. 25OHC added to albumin-depleted LPDS did not associate with any of the remaining serum proteins, suggesting that albumin is the sole protein with which 25OHC associates to any significant extent in LPDS. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used to characterize the association of 25OHC with albumin. Other oxysterols, including 19-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, and 7-ketocholesterol, effectively competed with 25OHC for association with BSA, suggesting that they also associate with albumin in serum. The association of 25OHC with albumin in serum is selective but of low affinity as calculated from Scatchard analysis. However, given the high concentration of albumin in serum a significant amount of serum oxysterols may be delivered to or removed from various tissues via albumin.
Relationship of the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests, the Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test, and Clinical Observations Accompanying Them to Evaluations in Otolaryngology, Ophthalmology, and Audiology: Two Descriptive Case Studies

A preliminary investigation was conducted into the relationship of the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests (SCSIT), the Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test (SCPNT), and clinical observations accompanying these tests to evaluations in otolaryngolgoy, ophthalmology, and audiology, ophthalmology, and audiology. The subjects were two children with vestibularly based sensory integrative dysfunction. The results revealed that there was no agreement between the results of the SCPNT and the otolaryngological evaluation. There was some agreement between the ophthalmology evaluation and the clinical observations accompanying the SCSIT. Both subjects scored poorly in two areas of auditory processing. Possible reasons for these results are discussed as well as implications for occupational therapy reached and practice.
Bidirectional Importance Sampling for Unstructured Direct Illumination

Recent research in bidirectional importance sampling has focused primarily on structured illumination sources such as distant environment maps, while unstructured illumination has received little attention. In this paper, we present a method for bidirectional importance sampling of unstructured illumination, allowing us to use the same method for sampling both distant as well as local/indirect sources. Building upon recent work in [WFA*05], we model complex illumination as a large set of point lights. The subsequent sampling process draws samples only from this point set. We start by constructing a piecewise constant approximation for the lighting using an illumination cut [CPWAP08]. We show that this cut can be used directly for illumination importance sampling. We then use BRDF importance sampling followed by sample counting to update the cut, resulting in a bidirectional distribution that closely approximates the product of the illumination and BRDF. Drawing visibility samples from this new distribution significantly reduces the sampling variance. As a main advance over previous work, our method allows for unstructured sources, including arbitrary local direct lighting and one-bounce of indirect lighting.
Comparison of culture media and chairside assays for enumerating mutans streptococci

Aim: This study compared several traditional culture-based media and chairside cultural assays for ability to recover mutans streptococci (MS) from pure cultures and from saliva samples. Methods and Results: When pure cultures were used with traditional culture-based media, mitis-salivarius bacitracin (MSB) agar demonstrated less support for bacterial recovery than trypticase-yeast extract-cysteine sucrose-bacitracin (TYCSB) agar and the modified medium of Ritz (HLR-S). One species of MS, Streptococcus ferus (c), was not recovered on MSB medium. Chairside cultural tests displayed considerable disparity between tests in recovering bacteria from pure cultures. On the glass adherence assay (Mucount®), S. ferus was not detected and Streptococcus criceti was not detected on the dipslide assay (Cariescreen SM®) or on the plastic adherence assay (Dentocult SM Strip mutans®). The frequency of isolation of pure strains of bacteria other than MS was common. From saliva samples, the frequency of isolation of MS on HLR-S and TYCSB media and the glass adherence assay was 91–97%. The frequency of isolation on MSB medium and on the dip-slide and plastic adherence assays was significantly decreased (37, 47 and 69%, respectively). Recovery scores varied considerably among the culture methods studied and tended to be highest on the HLR-S medium and on the glass adherence assay. Conclusions: Growth and recovery profiles of pure bacterial cultures and of saliva samples for the MS varied according to different media. Significance and Impact of the Study: Caution should be exercised in comparing results between studies that employ different cultural methods for MS enumeration.
Expression of functional recombinant scorpion β-neurotoxin Css II in E. coli.

Abstract The gene for a β-neurotoxin [ Centruroides suffusus suffusus toxin II (Css II)] from the scorpion C. suffusus suffusus was synthesized by recursive PCR and cloned into the expression vector, pET15b. This recombinant vector was transformed into a thioredoxin mutant host bacterial cell, AD 494(DE3)pLysS, and expression was induced with isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). Although the level of expression was low, the recombinant toxin was found only in the soluble fraction with no evidence for the formation of inclusion bodies as had been observed previously with other scorpion toxins. The recombinant Css II was purified by successive ion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and circular dichroism (CD) spectral measurements indicate that the protein has a native structure with no indication of denatured species. The recombinant neurotoxin inhibits the uptake of [ 3 H]GABA [γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)] in neuronal cells as effectively as natural β-toxins.
A Critical Examination of the Social Contagion Image of Collective Behavior: the Case of the Enfield Monster*

This paper makes an initial statement regarding the conceptual and empirical utility of the social contagion image as posited by Blumer and Klapp. Their position is then criticized on the basis of its assumption that unverified and unusual sensory experiences, mobilization processes, and mass preoccupations are equivalent and undifferentiated products of social contagion. Further, the social contagion approach is unable to adequately account for differential participation in these collective behavior events. Most of these problems stem from the assumed discontinuity between collective and institutional behavior embodied in the social contagion perspective. An alternative approach is posited which suggests that communication processes, availability of the population for participation, and institutional demands provide a more adequate explanation of differential participation with respect to unusual sensory experiences, mobilization, and mass preoccupation. A case study of a monster sighting in a rural community is presented and examined from this alternate perspective.