cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Draw-a-Man Test and Achievement in the First Grade

THE DIFFICULTIES involved in attempting to predict scholastic success are well known. Espe cially difficult is the matter of preschool testing and prediction. Because the range of activities which preschool and beginning first-grade pupils may be expected to do is limited, testing at the se levels is limited. Most tests for preschool and be ginning first-grade pupils involve pictures, draw ings, and oral instructions. Examples include var ious kinds of ability and readiness tests. The Good enough (4) Draw-a-Man Test assigns a mental age and IQ on the basis of a drawing of a man. PURPOSE OF STUDY
Heat Transfer in Unsaturated Soil with Application to Borehole Thermal Energy Storage

In this study, we numerically and experimentally evaluated heat transfer in soils under unsaturated conditions in the context of simulating a laboratory-scale, three-dimensional soil-borehole thermal energy storage (SBTES) system. Most previous studies assumed that soil thermal and hydraulic properties are constant and that heat transfer in soil occurs only in the form of conduction, neglecting convective and latent heat transfer. In addition, there is a lack of data from controlled experiments to validate multiphase numerical models that can be used to better study SBTES systems installed in the vadose zone. The goal of this study was to evaluate the significance and impact of variable soil thermal and hydraulic properties, as well as different heat transfer mechanisms, in unsaturated soils. Four laboratory experiments were performed using a three-dimensional laboratory-scale SBTES system, incorporating sensors to collect soil temperature and moisture data at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Experimental data were then used to validate a numerical model that solves for water and vapor flow and considers nonequilibrium phase change. Results revealed that for the test conditions studied, convective heat transfer was higher than conductive heat transfer in the middle of the borehole array. Moreover, for the experiments on unsaturated sand, about 10% of the total heat transfer was in the form of latent heat. Simulation results demonstrated the importance of including both convection and latent heat in SBTES system modeling. Results also revealed a need for using saturation-dependent effective thermal conductivity in modeling SBTES systems in unsaturated soils rather than using constant values such as those obtained from system thermal response tests.
Constitutive Expression of CD40L by CAR-Modified Tumor Targeted T Cells Enhances Anti-Tumor Efficacy Both in Vitro and in Vivo

Abstract 4120 T cells can be genetically modified to target tumor antigens through the expression of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Recent reports have demonstrated the effectiveness of CAR modified T cells in patients with relapsed or refractory malignancies. However, CAR modified T cells have yet to demonstrate the ability to recruit an endogenous anti-tumor response which would greatly enhance their therapeutic benefit. To overcome these limitations we have developed a bi-cistronic gamma-retroviral vector allowing for constitutive co-expression of a CD19-specific CAR (19–28z) and human CD40 ligand (CD40L; CD154). The CD40 ligand/CD40 system has been demonstrated to activate dendritic cells (DCs) and alter the phenotype of B cells (upregulation of co-stimulatory and adhesion molecules and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines) with subsequent stimulation of CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation. We now demonstrate T cells genetically modified to constitutively express CD40L undergo enhanced proliferation and up-regulated secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including GM-CSF and INF-g. Furthermore, T cells modified to constitutively express CD40L, upon co-culture, will alter the phenotype of CD40+ B cell tumor cell lines by enhancing the expression co-stimulatory molecules (CD80/CD86), adhesion molecules (CD54/CD58/CD70) and death receptors (CD95; Fas). These findings were similarly evident in primary patient tumor samples (e.g. CLL cells) when co-cultured with autologous T cells modified to constitutively express CD40L. We further demonstrate maturation of monocyte derived DCs with subsequent secretion of IL-12 following co-culture with autologous T cells modified to constitutively express CD40L. T cells transduced with the bi-cistronic 19–28z/CD40L vector showed enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity against a panel of CD19+ tumor cell lines. Furthermore, infusion of 19–28z/CD40L modified T cells enhances the survival of CD19+ tumor bearing immunodeficient mice (SCID/Beige) when compared to mice treated with T cells modified to express the anti-CD19 19–28z CAR alone. We conclude that further genetic modification of CAR targeted T cells to constitutively express the co-stimulatory CD40L may enhance the anti-tumor efficacy of this adoptive T cell therapy. Our data suggests this enhanced T cell efficacy may be due to both autocrine and paracrine mediated mechanisms. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Molecular characterization of endometrial cancer and therapeutic implications

Purpose of reviewThe present article reviews genomic subtyping of endometrial carcinoma and new molecular markers with therapeutic and prognostic implications.Recent findingsEndometrial cancer has historically been classified through histology into endometrioid (type 1) and nonendometrioid (type II,
The effect of aging and cardiorespiratory fitness on the lung diffusing capacity response to exercise in healthy humans.

Healthy aging is a crucial area of research. This article details how differences in age and cardiorespiratory fitness level affect lung diffusing capacity, particularly during heavy exercise. We c...
Applications of Auger Electron Spectroscopy in Ferrous Metallurgy

Publisher Summary From its introduction , Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES) has been applied to a number of long-standing problems in the metallurgy of iron and steel. It has made enormous impact in the general areas of intergranular embrittlement and surface segregation, and it has begun to contribute to the understanding of interface-controlled phase transformations. This chapter discusses the application of Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) in the study of impurity-induced intergranular fracture, segregation of solutes to free surfaces, and effects of surface-active solutes on the kinetics of phase transformations. It discusses the problem of quantitative Auger analysis, which is the establishment of surface concentrations from measured peak heights or peak height ratios. The chapter describes a calibration method for relating experimental values of Auger peak heights dN(E)/dE to surface concentrations. The chapter discusses some recent ideas on the physical basis for reduction of intergranular cohesion by impurity segregation and reviews surface studies in Fe–Sn, Fe–C, Fe–N, Fe–S, Fe–Si alloys, and impurity-doped Ni–Cr steels. It also reviews the work done on the effects of impurity segregation to solid–liquid and solid–solid interfaces in cast irons.
Teaching assembly programming for ARM-based microcontrollers in a professional development kit

This paper presents our practice of teaching the contemporary ARMv7M architecture and ARM assembly programming, and our experience of using μVision, a professional embedded software development environment, for assembly programming assignments on ARM Cortex-M processor-based systems. ARM architectures are dominantly used in mobile devices and embedded systems [4]. The survey data on the use of μVision and its impact to student learning is also analyzed in this paper. Most of the students are favor of using μVision in this course and agree that the use of μVision has a positive impact to their learning and future careers.
The Influence of Technological Links, Social Ties, and Incumbent Firm Opportunistic Propensity on the Formation of Corporate Venture Capital Deals:

New ventures often innovate by building on the technology of incumbent firms. The resulting technological links that form between new ventures and incumbents can open up valuable collaborative oppo...
79 Field assessment of safe sleep instrument using smartphone technology

Statement of Purpose To pilot a protocol that evaluates the safety of an infant’s sleep environment using photographs taken with a smartphone. Methods Participants were a convenience sample of teen mothers aged 13 to 19 years who owned a smartphone and who had an infant younger than 4 months of age. A safe sleep environment survey was administered during a postnatal home visit. During the visit, teen mothers were trained to take and submit standard photographs of their infant’s sleep environment. One month after the home visit, teen mothers were prompted via text message to send photographs of the infants’ current sleep environment. Study staff independently assessed the photographs across five domains of infant sleep safety, including sleep location, surface, position, presence of soft items, and hazards near the sleep area. The primary outcome was inter-rater reliability between coders, measured using Cohen’s Kappa coefficient (ae∼). Results Three coders assessed photographs from nine participants. The inter-rater reliability was strong for four of the five domains assessed: sleep location Kappa (ae∼)=0.74, sleep position ae∼=1.00 and sleep surface ae∼=1.00. The inter-rater reliability for recognition of various soft items in the sleep area varied from ae∼=0.69 for loose bedding to ae∼=1.00 for pillows. Identification of other hazards near the sleep area (cords, blinds, etc) had a lower inter-rater reliability (ae∼=0.42). Conclusions Using photographs, coders can reliably categorise some key safety aspects of infant sleep areas, but further study is needed to fully characterise sleep environments using photographs alone. Development of a detailed coder guide is planned for use in a larger study. Significance and Contributions to Injury and Violence Prevention Science Photography has potential utility in the evaluation of injury prevention interventions as an alternative to labour intensive and intrusive home visits.
Thermal investigation of nanostructured bulk thermoelectric materials with hierarchical structures: An effective medium approach

In recent years, hierarchical structures have been intensively studied as an effective approach to tailor the electron and phonon transport inside a bulk material for thermoelectric applications. With atomic defects and nano- to micro-scale structures in a bulk material, the lattice thermal conductivity can be effectively suppressed across the whole phonon spectrum, while maintaining or somewhat enhancing the electrical properties. For general materials with superior electrical properties, high thermoelectric performance can be achieved using hierarchical structures to minimize the lattice thermal conductivity. Despite many encouraging experimental results, accurate lattice thermal conductivity predictions are still challenging for a bulk material with hierarchical structures. In this work, an effective medium formulation is developed for nanograined bulk materials with embedded nanostructures for frequency-dependent phonon transport analysis. This new formulation is validated with frequency-dependent pho...
Impact of Brief Counseling on Nonurgent Prior- versus Never-counseled Samples

The purposes of this study were to distinguish prior- versus never-counseled nonurgent University Counseling Center (UCC) clients and to test if brief counseling had a differential impact on these ...
Theoretical Perspectives: Economics, Culture, Politics

A variety of theoretical perspectives provide insight into immigration. Economics, which assumes that actors engage in utility maximization, represents one framework. From this perspective, it is assumed that individuals are rational actors, i.e., that they make migration decisions based on their assessment of the costs as well as benefits of remaining in a given area versus the costs and benefits of leaving. Benefits may include but are not limited to short-term and long-term monetary gains, safety, and greater freedom of cultural expression. Individual costs include but are not limited to the expense of travel, uncertainty of living in a foreign land, difficulty of adapting to a different language, uncertainty about a different culture, and the trepidation about living in a new land. Psychic costs associated with separation from family, friends, and the fear of the unknown also should be taken into account in cost-benefit assessments.
Searching and Displaying Structures in Beilstein Online

This chapter describes what is in the Beilstein Structure Database and how it can be searched. Structure searching in the Beilstein Database is greatly facilitated by MOLKICK, a PC-resident structure drawing program, although it is possible to conduct structure searches without using MOLKICK. This section will not repeat what has been published in the MOLKICK manual, and for details concerning that program, users are urged to consult the manual.
The Myth of First Mover Advantage

Conventional wisdom would have us believe that it is always beneficial to be first – first in, first to market, first in class. The popular business literature is full of support for being first and legions of would-be business leaders, steeped in the Jack Welch school of business strategy, will argue this to be the case. The advantages accorded to those who are first to market defines the concept of First Mover Advantage (FMA). We outline why this is not the case, and in fact, that there are conditions of applicability in order for FMA to hold (and these conditions often do not hold). We also show that while there can be advantages to being first, from an economic perspective, the costs generally exceed the benefits, and the full economics of FMA are usually a losing proposition. Finally, we show that increasingly, we live in a world where FMA is eclipsed by innovation and format change, rendering the FMA concept obsolete (i.e. strategic obsolescence).
Development of capillary electrophoresis-based microfluidic devices for future medical diagnostics: separation and detection of DNA adducts and other related biomarkers

Genotoxic carcinogens can react covalently with DNA to form DNA adducts, which can lead to mutations in critical genes and subsequently to the development of diseases such as cancer. Consequently, the role of DNA damage and their subsequent biomarkers are considered important in studies involving cancer and other aging-related diseases. Analytical methods with high resolving power and sensitive detection are needed to detect neurotransmitters (e.g. dopamine (DA) and DA-derived DNA adduct), catechol estrogenderived DNA adducts, and 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine DNA adduct in human fluids, as their presence is difficult to determine by standard chromatography with UV absorbance detection. Furthermore, these DNA adducts are weakly fluorescent at room temperature. Thus, native fluorescence detection methods are ineffective with this class of biomarkers. Interestingly, capillary electrophoresis (CE) combined with electrochemical detection (ED) has been found to be a sensitive, selective technique for analyzing a large number of compounds including these analytes. Therefore, a CE-based PDMS/glass hybrid microfluidic device for free solution electrophoresis with totally integrated gold electrodes and simplified gated sample injection were fabricated to separate and detect various DNA adducts and other related biomarkers. Various arrangements of the ED system were tested and evaluated including inchannel and end-channel detection. The best electrode configuration was optimized based on in-channel detection with an in situ fabricated palladium decoupler serving as the electrophoretic ground located inside the microchannel. With these microdevices, excellent separation of the above analytes can be accomplished in relatively short times (< 2 minutes); with a limit of detection (LOD) in the sub-femto mole range. Different buffer systems were
Quadrature for parabolic Galerkin BEM with moving surfaces

Abstract The successful implementation of the Galerkin Boundary Element Method hinges on the accurate and effective quadrature of the influence coefficients. For parabolic boundary integral operators quadrature must be performed in space and time where integrals have singularities when source- and evaluation points coincide. For problems where the surface is fixed, the time integration can be performed analytically, but for moving geometries numerical quadrature in space and time must be used. For this case a set of transformations is derived that render the singular space–time integrals into smooth integrals that can be treated with standard tensor product Gauss quadrature rules. This methodology can be applied to the heat equation and to transient Stokes flow.
Characterization of Suicide and Deliberate Self-Harm Among Children in the United States:

We analyzed data from the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) database for the years 2008 to 2013 to characterize deliberate self-harm among children and adolescents presenting to an emergency department (ED) in the United States. All ED visits for patients aged 19 years or younger involving any self-inflicted injuries were selected. We identified 594 658 ED visits involving self-harm. The majority of patients were female (65.8%), and between ages 16 and 19 years (62.6%). Most were treated and released from the ED (44.9%). The most common mechanisms involved injury by cutting/piercing instruments (26.4%) or poisoning by analgesics or antipyretics (21.5%). There was decrease in ED visits involving 16 to 19 year olds (-8%), and an increase in visits involving 13 to 15 year olds (+45%), 11 to 12 year olds (+94%), and 10 year olds or younger (16%). Our findings highlight a new vulnerable younger population at risk for self-inflicted injuries.
No man's land: the denial of victimisation in male statutory rape cases

Through a synthetic review (i.e., a synthesis or critical analysis of a body of knowledge to identify trends, discrepancies, and new lines of inquiry), of the case law, supplemented by empirical li...
Prenatal cannabis exposure and childhood outcomes: Results from the ABCD Study®

ABSTRACT Importance In light of increasing cannabis use among pregnant women, the Surgeon General of the United States issued an advisory against the use of marijuana during pregnancy on August 29th, 2019. Objective To determine whether cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with adverse outcomes among offspring. Design Cross-sectional analysis of the baseline session of the ongoing longitudinal Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Setting Data were collected from 22 sites across the United States between 2016 and 2018. Participants Children ages 9-11 (n=11,489) and their parent or caregiver. Exposure Prenatal marijuana exposure prior to and following maternal knowledge of pregnancy. Main Outcomes and Measures Child psychopathology symptomatology (i.e., psychotic-like experiences and internalizing, externalizing, attention, thought, and social problems), cognition, sleep, birth weight, gestational age at birth, body mass index (BMI), and brain structure (i.e., total intracranial volume, white matter volume, gray matter volume). Covariates included familial (e.g., income, familial psychopathology), pregnancy (e.g., prenatal vitamin use, whether the pregnancy was planned), and child (e.g., birth weight, substance use) variables. Results Among 11,489 children (age 9.9±0.6 years; 47.78% female), 655 (5.70%) were prenatally exposed to cannabis in total. Marijuana use prior to (n=648; 5.64%) and following (n=242; 2.11%) maternal knowledge of pregnancy were associated with increased offspring psychopathology characteristics (i.e., psychotic-like experiences and internalizing, externalizing, attention, thought, social, and sleep problems) and BMI as well as reduced cognition, birth weight, and brain structure (i.e., total white and gray mater volumes; all psfdr 0.06). Conclusions and Relevance Prenatal cannabis exposure, and its correlated factors, may increase risk for psychopathology and reduced cognition during middle childhood as well as reduced birthweight. Consistent with recent recommendations by the Surgeon General, marijuana use during pregnancy should be discouraged.
Parental child-feeding in the context of child temperament and appetitive traits: Evidence for a biopsychosocial process model of appetite self-regulation and weight status

Pediatric obesity is a serious public health challenge and there is a need for research that synthesizes the various linkages among the child and parental factors that contribute to pediatric overweight and obesity. The main objective of this study was to examine potential mechanisms and pathways that might explain how child temperament is indirectly related to child body composition through appetitive traits and parental child-feeding practices. Participants consisted of 221 children between 4-6 years of age (51% males, mean age = 4.80 years, standard deviation = 0.85) and their parents (90.5% biological mothers, (Mage) = 32.02 years, (SDage) = 6.43) with 71% of the parents being married. Study variables included child temperament (negative affectivity and effortful control), child appetitive traits (food avoidance and food approach), controlling parental child-feeding practices (restrictive feeding and pressure to eat), and child body composition. Body composition were indexed by parent perceptions, body mass index (BMI), and percent body fat. Results showed that children with low levels of effortful control are more prone to exhibit food avoidance, which in turn is likely to elicit parental pressure to eat that in turn is linked to high child weight status. In addition, children with high levels of negative affectivity are prone to exhibit a food approach, which in turn is likely to elicit restrictive feeding from parents that in turn is linked to high child objective weight status. Findings situate controlling parental child-feeding practices in the context of child temperament and appetitive traits using a biopsychosocial framework of appetite self-regulation and weight. Results highlight that child appetite self-regulation processes and parental child-feeding practices could be essential components to target in childhood obesity preventive interventions.
Nonlinear and hyperbolic metasurfaces and applications

We engineer the nonlinear response of multilayered hyperbolic metamaterials systems by employing the optical response of Arsenide semiconductor materials. The photoexcited carriers lead to spectral, temporal, and polarization dependent optical response that is described in this talk. The response is suggestive of generating a transient hyperbolic materials response in this system. Exploration of this response and the use of these materials as a basis for nonlinear metasurfaces will be discussed.
Adapting National Preservation Standards to Climate Change

When it comes to human ability to respond to climate change, laws matter. To slow the warming that poses an existential crisis for our species, we must be willing to dramatically reshape our laws and legal institutions to encourage or require better behaviors. Within the context of sweeping reforms that are needed, it would be easy to overlook the rather narrow field of historic preservation law. But recalibrating the way we treat historic places is essential in the climate crisis. In a time of vast uncertainty and rapid change, our historic places have the potential to connect us to our history. They often forge our collective identities and serve as backdrops for the moments that endure in our memories. Climate change will inevitably affect these places. We have already seen California landmarks burning, Alaskan cultural sites melting away, Midwestern ghost towns exposed, and East Coast artifacts submerged. Others have considered these sites within their historical and cultural context, and the many practical implications of climate change, including the relocation—or the forsaking—of people and structures alike. Keeping their work in mind, I hope to illuminate how our laws play an important role in choosing what is preserved, and how. I focus on a foundational rule perhaps not-so-obviously tied to climate change: the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties (the “Standards”). The Standards are invoked when people try to change historic properties, and they are widely accepted as the measure by which such changes should be judged. Indeed, the Standards have been adopted into law by state legislatures, tribal governments, and local historic district commissions all over the country. For that reason, what they say, and how they are interpreted, has ripple effects on preservation at every level. In the view of many preservationists, the Standards have capably protected physical fabric within a broad interpretive framework. Unfortunately, the Standards do not adequately address climate change or reduce the environmental impact either of the people occupying historic places or of the places themselves. Instead, the Standards prohibit or make more difficult climate-related adaptations of physical form, such as installing energy-efficient windows or solar panels, raising sites, or moving structures. This essay explains the significance of the Standards, analyzes their inadequacy in the climate context, and suggests reforms that recognize the intertwined fate of our tangible heritage and our warming planet.
Cervical spine uptake: Imaging pitfall in dual-tracer parathyroid scintigraphy

1019 Learning Objectives 1. To raise the awareness of a diagnostic pitfall from cervical spine technetium-99 m sestamibi uptake seen during dual-tracer parathyroid scintigraphy and 2. to detail all the pertinent characteristics of this findings on planar and SPECT/CT imaging. Dual-tracer scintigraphy with technetium-99 m sestamibi and iodine-123 sodium iodide is the standard imaging technique for the evaluation of parathyroid adenoma in hyperparathyroidism. This procedure is based on the distribution discrepancy of technetium-99m sestamibi with regard to iodine-123 sodium iodide, which is best demonstrated by subtraction technique. The authors present four cases of hyperparathyroidism in which the tracer activity from the cervical spine contributes to the mismatched technetium-99 m sestamibi distribution with potential misdiagnosis of parathyroid disease. Based on the planar and SPECT/CT imaging, the authors discuss the characteristics of such findings to be recognized as scintigraphic pitfall
Investment in Real Assets and Information Acquisition: The OCE Proferences Case

An agent optimizes over real investment and investment in information acquisition while maximizing a two-period utility that captures his ordinal certainty equivalent (OCE) preferences. Optimal investment is characterized and the impact of risk and time preferences on it is investigated.
Mid-infrared femtosecond pulses from a critically phase-matched optical parametric oscillator based on KTiOAsO/sub 4/

Summary form only given. We present results obtained with a system where a Ti:sapphire-pumped femtosecond optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on critically phase-matched KTiOAsO/sub 4/ (KTA) generates pulses covering the 2.8-4-/spl mu/m region in the idler branch and 1.08-1.2 /spl mu/m in the signal branch. Similar devices based on KTA and KTP have previously produced idler pulses of up to 1.9 /spl mu/m and 3.65 /spl mu/m respectively but we have extended this tuning range by using a different crystal cut, and selecting KTA to avoid absorption problems in KTP.
Identification of putative direct effectors for G alpha o, using yeast two-hybrid method.

Heterotrimeric G proteins enable the cell to receive and process extracellular signals by linking the G-protein-coupled receptors to intracellular signaling networks. When a ligand binds to the receptor a conformational change is induced in the α subunit of the heterotrimeric complex such that the bound GDP is exchanged for GTR This exchange “activates” the α subunit, which releases the fly complex resulting in two independent signaling components. The GTP bound form of the α subunit is able to bind to and regulate downstream signaling components. The identification of direct binding partners for the α subunits has enabled the building of complex signaling networks that control many aspect of cellular function. This chapter describes the methods used to identify putative effectors for the Gα o subunit.
Surveys assessing STI related health information needs of adolescent population

Individuals are widely using different sources to acquire health information. To better understand the adolescents' needs of having tailored health information, it becomes important to assess the existing sources that they utilize to obtain that information. Our study objective was to identify sources of STI related health information studied among adolescents. A search was conducted using Google during November 2011 to January 2012 to identify different STI related health information sources. A combination of 3 key words including adolescent sexual health survey, sex health information survey, and sexual health education assessment were used. The first 20 weblinks from each search were combined resulting in a total of 60 primary weblinks. Secondary search was conducted to identify additional relevant articles. A total of 10 articles were found relevant, of which 52% were non US-based. 87% of the primary articles were excluded as they did not gather the source of STI related health information in their surveys. Most common sources assessed were TV, doctor, books, magazines, friends, and parents. Internet was assessed only in 3 of the final 10 articles. Future research should be done to assess role of internet as a possible source of disseminating STI related health information among adolescents.
Rapid field inversion gel electrophoresis in combination with an rRNA gene probe in the epidemiological evaluation of staphylococci.

A rapid field inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE) protocol was combined with an rRNA gene probe in the analysis of staphylococci that were difficult to study epidemiologically by conventional means. The following groups of clinical isolates were examined: (i) predominantly antibiotic-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains containing no detectable plasmids and unresponsive to bacteriophage typing and (ii) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains carrying a single plasmid ca. 30 kilobases in size. The results indicated that strain interrelationships could be established on the basis of SmaI-generated chromosomal restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) analyzed by FIGE. RFLP analysis of strains known to be unrelated established the importance of minor differences in DNA banding patterns as indicators of strain dissimilarities. Hybridization studies with an rRNA gene probe confirmed this conclusion. These results suggest that FIGE analysis of chromosomal RFLPs (especially in combination with molecular probes) is an important addition to the armamentarium of molecular epidemiology. Images
Improving soft-tissue contrast in four-dimensional computed tomography images of liver cancer patients using a deformable image registration method.

Purpose To investigate a deformable image registration method to improve soft-tissue contrast in four-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) images of the liver. Methods and Materials Ten patients with hepatocellular carcinoma underwent 4D CT scan for radiotherapy treatment planning on a positron emission tomography/CT scanner. Four-dimensional CT images were binned into 10 equispaced phases. The exhale phase served as the reference phase, and images from the other nine phases were coregistered to the reference phase image using an intensity-based, automatic deformable image registration method. Then the coregistered images were combined to create a single, high-quality reconstructed CT image at exhale phase as the new reference for target delineation. The extent of image quality enhancement was quantified relative to the original CT by calculating the signal-to-noise ratio and the contrast-to-noise ratio. Results The soft tissue image contrast was noticeably better after deformable image registration than in the original scans. Signal-to-noise ratios inside the liver region of interest increased for all patients by a factor of 3.0 (range, 2.3–3.7). The improvement in image quality was not linearly proportionate to the number of images averaged. Using only 6 phases can achieve at least 85% of the contrast enhancement that can be achieved using all 10 phases. We also found that contrast enhancement was inversely proportional to the original image quality ( p = 0.006), and the contrast enhancement is attained with little loss of spatial resolution. Conclusions This deformable image registration method is feasible to improve soft-tissue image quality in 4D CT images.
Flavonoid biocides: Structure/activity relations of flavonoid phytoalexin analogues

Abstract Two sets of semisynthetic flavonoid phytoalexin analogues were synthesized and their lipophilicity ( R M ) correlated with their antifungal and antibacterial activity. Two natural phytoalexins, pisatin and maackiain, were also tested under these same conditions, and their R M 's determined. The observed structure/activity relationships suggest that these analogues, and the phytoalexins, function primarily as uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. The relative acidity and number of hydroxyl groups per molecule appear to be the main factors affecting the antifungal activity of flavonoids. with the bacterium, Streptococcus faecium , there is not the same simple correlation between lipophilicity and antibacterial activity for the two sets of analogues, implying they have different modes of action.
Putting bounds on the drivers of turbulence

When fluids with different or continuously varying properties flow next to one another, turbulent flow can emerge. At its most basic, turbulence takes the form of swirling vortices that occur along the flow direction; these vortices are known as a Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability. Superimposed on this two-dimensional K-H foundation are a variety of secondary instabilities that extend the mixing into three dimensions and endow it with a more complicated structure. How these secondary instabilities form and the role they play in pulling smoothly flowing fluid into the chaos of turbulence remain an area of active investigation.
RADIOACTIVE IRON ABSORPTION BY GASTRO-INTESTINAL TRACT INFLUENCE OF ANEMIA, ANOXIA, AND ANTECEDENT FEEDING DISTRIBUTION IN GROWING DOGS

Iron absorption is a function of the gastro-intestinal mucosal epithelium. The normal non-anemic dog absorbs little iron but chronic anemia due to blood loss brings about considerable absorption—perhaps 5 to 15 times normal. In general the same differences are observed in man (1). Sudden change from normal to severe anemia within 24 hours does not significantly increase iron absorption. As the days pass new hemoglobin is formed. The body iron stores are depleted and within 7 days iron absorption is active, even when the red cell hematocrit is rising. Anoxemia of 50 per cent normal oxygen concentration for 48 hours does not significantly enhance iron absorption. In this respect it resembles acute anemia. Ordinary doses of iron given 1 to 6 hours before radio-iron will cause some "mucosa block"—that is an intake of radio-iron less than anticipated. Many variables which modify peristalsis come into this reaction. Iron given by vein some days before the dose of radio-iron does not appear to inhibit iron absorption. Plasma radio-iron absorption curves vary greatly. The curves may show sharp peaks in 1 to 2 hours when the iron is given in an empty stomach but after 6 hours when the radio-iron is given with food. Duration time of curves also varies widely, the plasma iron returning to normal in 6 to 12 hours. Gastric, duodenal, or jejunal pouches all show very active absorption of iron. The plasma concentration peak may reach a maximum before the solution of iron is removed from the gastric pouch—another example of "mucosa block." Absorption and distribution of radio-iron in the body of growing pups give very suggestive experimental data. The spleen, heart, upper gastro-intestinal tract, marrow, and pancreas show more radio-iron than was expected. The term "physiological saturation" with iron may be applied to the gastro-intestinal mucosal epithelium and explain one phase of acceptance or refusal of ingested iron. Desaturation is a matter of days not hours, whereas saturation may take place within 1 to 2 hours. We believe this change is a part of the complex protein metabolism of the cell.
LETHALS IN FINITE POPULATIONS

It has been assumed, based on theoretical studies, that lethals with the level of dominance estimated from experimental studies would have an allele frequency that is virtually independent of effective population size. However, here it is shown numerically that the expected frequency of lethals with low levels of dominance is also dependent on finite population size, although not as much as completely recessive lethals. This finding is significant in determining the standing level of inbreeding depression and the consequent potential for the evolution of self-fertilization. In addition, the architecture of genetic variation influencing inbreeding depression in populations with a history of small size may be of important consequence in endangered species. Finally, it is shown that the loss of lethal genetic variation often occurs much more quickly than the regeneration of lethal variation by mutation. This asymmetry may result in a lower standing genetic variation for inbreeding depression than expected from mutation rates and contemporary population size data.
Incorporating and reporting uncertainties in fault slip rates

[1] Quantitative slip rate estimates are essential to understanding crustal deformation processes and assessing seismic hazard. Computing slip rates requires two fundamental ingredients: estimates of the age of an offset landforrn or deposit and displacement along the fault of interest. Because both of these measures contain uncertainty, slip rates are inherently uncertain. Methods to compute and report slip rates have not been standardized, and therefore slip rate data are presented inconsistently and are frequently ambiguous; in particular, slip rate uncertainty is often insufficiently characterized. We present a rigorous probabilistic approach to computing and reporting intermediate- to long-term fault slip rates; additionally, we have developed freely available software that provides standard age and displacement uncertainty models. We demonstrate the method using recent observations from the Neodani and Death Valley-Fish Lake Valley fault zones, and we compare slip rates determined using this approach with previously published results.
Stone Tool Caching On the North American Plains: Implications of the McKean Site Tool Kit

AbstractA tool cache was recently recovered from the Middle Plains Archaic stratum of the McKean site in Wyoming. Analysis of this cache, including a microwear study of the utilized edges, yielded data about raw material procurement, manufacture, and the use of storage facilities on the NW High Plains of North America. These data are used to make inferences about the technological system from the perspective of implement storage behavior. The characteristics of settlement and subsistence strategies, a matter of current debate in the region, are addressed in this analysis.
Acrolein Causes Inhibitor κB-independent Decreases in Nuclear Factor κB Activation in Human Lung Adenocarcinoma (A549) Cells

Acrolein is a highly electrophilic alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde to which humans are exposed in various situations. In the present study, the effects of sublethal doses of acrolein on nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were investigated. Immediately following a 30-min exposure to 45 fmol of acrolein/cell, glutathione (GSH) and DNA synthesis and NF-kappaB binding were reduced by more than 80%. All parameters returned to normal or supranormal levels by 8 h post-treatment. Pretreatment with acrolein completely blocked 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced activation of NF-kappaB. Cells treated for 1 h with 1 mM diethyl maleate (DEM) showed a 34 and 53% decrease in GSH and DNA synthesis, respectively. DEM also reduced NF-kappaB activation by 64% at 2 h post-treatment, with recovery to within 22% of control at 8 h. Both acrolein and DEM decreased NF-kappaB function approximately 50% at 2 h after treatment with TPA, as shown by a secreted alkaline phosphatase reporter assay. GSH returned to control levels by 8 h after DEM treatment, but proliferation remained significantly depressed for 24 h. Interestingly, DEM caused a profound decrease in NF-kappaB binding, even at doses as low as 0.125 mM that had little effect on GSH. Neither acrolein nor DEM had any effect on the levels of phosphorylated or nonphosphorylated inhibitor kappaB-alpha (IkappaB-alpha). Furthermore, acrolein decreased NF-kappaB activation in cells depleted of IkappaB-alpha by TPA stimulation in the presence of cycloheximide, demonstrating that the decrease in NF-kappaB activation was not the result of increased binding by the inhibitory protein. This conclusion was further supported by the finding that acrolein modified NF-kappaB in the cytosol prior to chemical dissociation from IkappaB with detergent. Together, these data support the conclusion that the inhibition of NF-kappaB activation by acrolein and DEM is IkappaB-independent. The mechanism appears to be related to direct modification of thiol groups in the NF-kappaB subunits.
Relativistic Eikonal Dynamics

The eikonal formula for the scattering due to neutral-vector-meson exchange at very high energy in the generalized ladder approximation is obtained as the exact solution of a dynamical equation. This equation is obtained by applying high-energy approximations to an equation of the quasipotential type. The latter equation is known to have the correct low-energy limit and it therefore interpolates between high- and low-energy approximations to the generalized ladder approximation.
Does the H index have predictive power

Bibliometric measures of individual scientific achievement are of particular interest if they can be used to predict future achievement. Here we report results of an empirical study of the predictive power of the h index compared with other indicators. Our findings indicate that the h index is better than other indicators considered (total citation count, citations per paper, and total paper count) in predicting future scientific achievement. We discuss reasons for the superiority of the h index.
Inhibition of Bovine Phenol Sulfotransferase (bSULT1A1) by CoA Thioesters EVIDENCE FOR POSITIVE COOPERATIVITY AND INHIBITION BY INTERACTION WITH BOTH THE NUCLEOTIDE AND PHENOL BINDING SITES

Previous work with the bovine phenol sulfotransferase (bSULT1A1, EC ) demonstrated inhibition by CoA that was competitive with respect to the sulfuryl donor substrate, 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) (Leach, M., Cameron, E., Fite, N., Stassinopoulos, J., Palmreuter, N., and Beckmann, J. D. (1999) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 261, 815-819). Here we report that long chain acyl-CoAs are more potent inhibitors of bSULT1A1 and also of human dopamine sulfotransferase (SULT1A3) when compared with unesterified CoA and short chain-length acyl-CoAs. A complex pattern of inhibition was revealed by systematic variation of palmitoyl-CoA, PAPS, and 7-hydroxycoumarin, the acceptor substrate. Convex plots of apparent K(m)/V(max) versus [palmitoyl-CoA] were adequately modeled using an ordered rapid equilibrium scheme with PAPS as the leading substrate and by accounting for the possible binding of two equivalents of inhibitor to the dimeric enzyme. Interestingly, the first K(i) of 2-3 microm was followed by a second K(i) of only 0.01-0.05 microm, suggesting that positive subunit cooperativity enhances binding of long chain acyl-CoAs to this sulfotransferase. Simultaneous interaction of palmitoyl-CoA with both the nucleotide and phenol binding sites is suggested by two experiments. First, the acyl-CoA displaced 7-hydroxycoumarin from the highly fluorescent bSULT1A1.PAP.7-HC complex in a cooperative manner. Second, palmitoyl-CoA prevented the quenching of bSULT1A1 fluorescence observed with pentachlorophenol. Finally, titrations of bSULT1A1-pentachlorophenol complex with palmitoyl-CoA caused the return of protein fluorescence, and the binding of palmitoyl-CoA was highly cooperative (Hill constant of 1.9). Overall, these results suggest a model of sulfotransferase inhibition in which the 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-diphosphate moiety of CoA docks to the PAPS domain, and the acyl-pantetheine group docks to the hydrophobic phenol binding domain.
Global Resources and Market Impacts on US Pacific Northwest Fisheries

Abstract Fish and fishery products represent a dynamic sector of the world's global food economy. Changes in supply, market demands, and fishery regulations have major impacts on regional fisheries in the US. Many small and mid-size fishing operations have been adversely affected by these changes and have undertaken different strategies to overcome economic hardships and survive in the global marketplace. This paper will discuss two such fisheries in the Pacific Northwest, the Pacific salmon and troll-caught albacore fisheries, and show how they have met the challenges of globalization. Different examples of branding, marketing, and responses to market change have helped mitigate some of the negative impacts of increasing competition. The need for working cooperatively among disparate groups for resource management, utilization, and marketing is becoming more critical for small and mid-size enterprises to survive and prosper in a global economy. A Chinese version of this article's abstract is available on...
Habitat-specific effects of particle size, current velocity, water depth, and predation risk on size-dependent crayfish distribution

This study assessed effects of abiotic (current velocity, water depth, particle size) and biotic (predation risk for crayfish, size distribution and densities of predatory fish) variables on habitat- and size-specific distribution patterns of lotic crayfish (Orconectes obscurus) using field surveys and tethering experiments. Additionally, particle size manipulations were used with predation assays to assess habitat-specific interactions since the average particle size increased from deep pools to shallow pools to riffles. Large crayfish had the highest densities in deep pools and were associated with increased water depth, whereas small and medium crayfish had the highest densities in shallow pools and were strongly associated with increased particle size and decreased water depth. Regardless of size, crayfish in deep pools had significantly lower survival than in shallow pools and riffles. However, only small crayfish showed consistent differences in predation risk by habitat type and were significantly more vulnerable to predation than larger crayfish. Additionally, large rocky refugia resulted in significantly higher survival of small crayfish in the combined particle manipulation/tethering experiment. Overall, predation appears to be a key mechanism structuring habitat-specific distribution patterns for only small O. obscurus. Large substrates may be particularly important in habitats where both small crayfish density and predation risk are high.