cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HSP90 and Immune Modulation in Cancer.

Abstract Heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a highly conserved molecular chaperone that plays prominent functional roles in nearly all aspects of cell biology. As a chaperone, it interacts with literally hundreds of “clients,” many of which are important drivers, regulators, and promoters of cancer. Thus, HSP90 is a high-value target in the development of anticancer therapeutics. Despite its popularity, our overall knowledge of HSP90 in immune function has lagged behind its well-recognized tumor-supportive roles. The use of inhibitors of HSP90 as chemical biological probes has been invaluable in revealing important roles for the chaperone in multiple aspects of immune function. Given this critical link, we must now consider the question of how immune outcomes may be affected by the HSP90 inhibitors currently in clinical development for the treatment of cancer. This chapter will review some of the immunological aspects of HSP90 function in terms of its intracellular and extracellular roles in antigen presentation, immune effector cell tasks, and regulation of inflammatory processes. This review will further examine the value of HSP90 inhibitors within the context of cancer immunotherapy and will discuss how these drugs might be optimally utilized in combination with immune stimulatory approaches against cancer.
A semantic enhanced search for spatial Web portals

This paper reports our research on utilizing semantic model to improve the searching function within Spatial Web Portals (SWPs). Based on SWEET, We build the domain ontology and implement a semantic inference service. Multiple data resources are bridged to provide cross catalog searches. We expect this research to support spatial search in an intelligent manner.
Physiologic Signs and Symptoms: Contribution to the Interpretation of the Exercise Test

Evaluation of the physiologic responses to exercise can greatly enhance the information gained by consideration of the electrocardiogram alone. Interpretation of chest pain patterns, blood pressure and heart rate responses, and changing physical examinations is essential for complete interpretation of the exercise stress test
Nonreciprocal optical devices based on diluted (semi) magnetic semiconductors

Dilute magnetic semiconductors are generally II–VI compounds (like ZnTe or CdSe) containing large fractions (up to 50 %) of magnetic ions such as Mn that substitute for the group II element. The introduction of the magnetic ion only weakly affects most semiconductor properties, but it does cause a tremendous increase of Faraday rotation.
On communication requirements for multi-agent consensus seeking

Several consensus protocols have been proposed in the literature and their convergence properties studied via a variety of methods. In all these methods, the communication topologies play a key role in the convergence of consensus processes. The goal of this paper is two fold. First, we explore communication topologies, as implied by the communication assumptions, that lead to consensus among agents. For this, several important results in the literature are examined and the focus is on different classes of communication assumptions being made, such as synchronism, connectivity, and direction of communication. In the latter part of this paper, we show that the confluent iteration graph unifies various communication assumptions and proves to be fundamental in understanding the convergence of consensus processes. In particular, based on asynchronous iteration methods for nonlinear paracontractions, we establish a new result which shows that consensus is reachable under directional, time-varying and asynchronous topologies with nonlinear protocols. This result extends the existing ones in the literature and have many potential applications.
Organische Reaktionen in Mikrotröpfchen: Analyse von Reaktionsbeschleunigungen durch Massenspektrometrie

Die bemerkenswerte Entdeckung, dass eine Reaktionsbeschleunigung in Losungen mit begrenztem Volumen erfolgt, wirft ein augenscheinliches Ratsel auf. Durch Spray-Ionisation gebildete Mikrotropfchen konnen genutzt werden, um den Verlauf von Reaktionen in der Bulkphase zu verfolgen und auserdem Reaktionen zwischen den Reagentien in solch einer Reaktion zu beschleunigen. In diesem Kurzaufsatz werden Beschleunigungsphanomene in Tropfchen und dunnen Filmen vorgestellt und moderne Methoden, die zur Untersuchung beschleunigter Reaktionen in Losungen mit begrenztem Volumen und groser Oberflache angewendet werden, zusammengefasst. Bedingungen, die entweder eine einfache Verfolgung oder eine Beschleunigung bestimmen, werden beim Auftreten von diskontinuierlicher und vollstandiger Desolvatisierung als Endpunkt der Tropfenentwicklung abgestimmt. Die gegensatzlichen Merkmale von Reaktionen in Mikrotropfchen und in Bulklosung werden in Verbindung mit moglichen Mechanismen, nach denen eine Reaktionsbeschleunigung in Mikrotropfchen erfolgt, beschrieben. Derzeitige Anwendungen von Tropfchen als Mikroreaktoren werden im Hinblick auf eine Reaktionsbeschleunigung in begrenzten Volumina und ein mogliches zukunftiges Scale-up angefuhrt.
Local processing of sensor array data using current mode circuitry

A sensor array has been developed which performs local processing on sensory data using current mode circuitry. Specifically, a CMOS magnetic field sensor-based circuit which applies the sensor-processor integration idea to robotic tactile sensing is described. The sensors which provide the raw data are split-drain MAGFETs, i.e. large pFETs with two drains. This approach to machine perception solves parallel problems in a parallel format, saving time and connector space. Discrete approximations to spatial convolution operations such as low-pass filtering, edge detection, and so forth are easy to generate in the current mode circuitry domain. Multistage filtering operations involve the same principles as single-stage filtering operations and hence are also straightforward. The current mode domain is a regime in which arithmetic computations on analog data can be performed in proximity to sensor circuitry without using a prohibitive amount of space, and is thus a promising area for work in sensor-processor combination and for sensor data processing in general. >
Maximum Likelihood Methods for Two-Variable Datasets

One of the most common tasks in the analysis of scientific data is to establish a relationship between two quantities. Many experiments feature the measurement of a quantity of interest as function of another control quantity that is varied as the experiment is performed. In this chapter we use the maximum likelihood method to determine whether a certain relationship between the two quantities is consistent with the available measurements and the best-fit parameters of the relationship. The method has a simple analytic solution for a linear function but can also be applied to more complex analytic functions.
Changing Risk Trajectories and Health Outcomes for Vulnerable Adolescents: Reclaiming the Future.

Adolescents in the juvenile justice system are underserved and understudied even though they are disproportionately affected by myriad health risks and comorbidities.1 Less well understood is whether duration of incarceration is associated with poorer long-term health outcomes and whether risk behaviors persist into adulthood. This issue of Pediatrics provides 2 studies addressing these questions. Barnert et al2 analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and observed that incarceration duration in adolescence and early adulthood is independently predictive of poorer physical and mental health in adulthood. Relative to adolescents without an incarceration history, incarceration duration of 1 year predicted adult functional limitations, adult depressive symptoms, and adult suicidality. In a related study, Abrams et al3 examined changes in adolescents’ HIV and AIDS sex- and drug-risk behaviors during the 14 years after incarceration. Although risk behaviors decreased, the prevalence of sexual risk behaviors remained higher than in the general population, with marked racial differences. As adolescents traverse the developmental trajectory to adulthood, we need to marshal new initiatives to reduce risk behaviors and improve … Address correspondence to Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Rd, NE, Room 554, Atlanta, GA 30322. E-mail: rdiclem{at}emory.edu
Some Thoughts on Behavioral Approaches to Therapy

The usefulness of Pavlovian vs. operant camps in behavior therapy is questioned and discussed. An evaluation of theoretical issues and a discussion of data vacuums in behavior therapy are provided.
Three-phase line overloading predictive monitoring utilizing artificial neural networks

The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate an autonomous method to perform real time monitoring of power line overloading. To that end, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) that is repeatedly trained every hour with the most recently acquired measurements is utilized for conducting automated monitoring. The ANN is trained by using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm synergistically with Bayesian regularization, which is used to avoid overfitting of the training data. Obtained results by applying the ANN to a set of simulated data taken with the Gridlab-d software exhibit the potentiality of the method in monitoring and predicting line overloading at each line of a three-phase line system in nearly real-time manner.
Dramatically Polarized Opinion on the Role of Brachytherapy Boost in Management of High-risk Prostate Cancer: A Survey of North American Genitourinary Expert Radiation Oncologists.

Abstract Introduction Three randomized clinical trials have established brachytherapy (BT) boost in combination with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) as superior to definitive EBRT and ADT alone in terms of biochemical control (but not overall survival) at the expense of increased toxicity in men with high-risk (HR) prostate cancer (PCa). The current view regarding these 2 treatment algorithms among North American genitourinary (GU) experts is not known. Methods A survey was distributed to 88 practicing North American GU physicians serving on decision-making committees of cooperative group research organizations. Questions pertained to opinions regarding BT as monotherapy for low-risk PCa and BT boost for HR PCa. Responders were asked to self-identify as BT experts versus non-experts. Treatment recommendations were correlated with practice patterns using the Fisher exact test. Results Forty-two radiation oncologists completed the survey, of whom 23 (55%) recommend EBRT and ADT alone and 19 (45%) recommend addition of BT boost. Twenty-five participants (60%) identified themselves as BT experts. Nearly 90% of those recommending BT boost were BT experts versus approximately 10% of non-BT experts (P Conclusions There is a dramatic polarization in opinions regarding incorporation of BT boost into EBRT + ADT therapy for patients with HR PCa among North American GU radiation oncology experts, who serve on decision-making committees and influence the national treatment guidelines and future clinical trials. Those who identify themselves as BT experts are significantly more likely to recommend BT boost. These findings are likely to influence the national guidelines and implementation of BT boost in current and future North American PCa clinical studies.
Finding Repeating Synaptic Inputs in a Single Neocortical Neuron

A goal in neuroscience is to understand what occurs when large numbers of interconnected neurons actively communicate with each other to create perception. An important part in this goal is to observe large numbers of neurons engaged in such communication. Outlined here is an approach to this challenge. This approach uses a single neuron as a “microphone” of cortical activity. As potentially thousands of neurons may connect with a single neuron in the mammalian sensory neocortex, then it may be possible to record large networks by recording the synaptic inputs to a single neuron. In pursuing this goal, we observed patterns in the recordings that appeared to repeat with remarkable precision. Whether this finding is evidence that the cortex can produce precisely repeating patterns is a matter of contention, and we describe recent investigations of this question.
Early operative management of complicated appendicitis is associated with improved surgical outcomes in adults.

Abstract Background There is no consensus on the ideal management of complicated appendicitis. Methods The New York State Planning and Research Cooperative database was used to identify all patients admitted with complicated appendicitis and undergoing appendectomy within 1-year. Primary outcome was any complication. Secondary outcomes included length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and laparoscopy use. Outcomes were compared in appendectomy before or after 48h from admission. Results 31,167 patients ≥18yo were identified for analysis, 28,015(89.9%) underwent early appendectomy. Early appendectomy patients were more likely to be White (69.8% vs. 64.2% p Conclusions In this population-level study of complicated appendicitis we found more complications, longer LOS, and higher charges in patients undergoing delayed surgery.
Multifacet Universes of Generalization and D Study Designs

In this chapter it is assumed that all facets in the universe of admissible observations can be considered infinite in size and, consequently, the G study variance components have been estimated for a random model. Given these assumptions, this chapter provides procedures, equations, and rules for estimating universe score variance, error variances, generalizability coefficients, and other quantities for random and mixed model D studies with any number of facets. The random model equations and rules are quite general. The mixed model procedures are somewhat simplified; more general procedures are treated in Chapter 5.
Changing the Face of Acne Therapy

Many innovations in acne therapy have evolved since the discovery in 1949 that vitamin A derivatives affected epidermal proliferation. Approval of topical tretinoin solution in 1971 was followed by modifications in the formulation to improve tolerability and provide flexibility in dosing. Identification of retinoid receptors led to research that resulted in 2 receptor-selective synthetic retinoids: adapalene and tazarotene. Today, topical retinoids are one of the cornerstones of acne therapy and are recommended as first-line therapy for all but the most severe forms of acne. They are used as monotherapy in mild comedonal acne; for inflammatory acne, topical retinoids are used in combination with benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and antibiotics (topical or oral) and/or hormonal therapy for females. Because of the high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant strains of Propionibacterium acnes, topical antibiotics should no longer be used as monotherapy. Topical retinoid monotherapy is recommended for maintenance because it prevents formation of microcomedones, the precursor lesions in acne. Combination topical retinoid/antimicrobial therapy has become the current recommended standard of care for the management of patients with acne. Combination therapy can target multiple pathogenic factors: abnormal follicular keratinization, P acnes proliferation, inflammation, and increased sebum production. A number of fixed-combination products are available. These products are effective, generally well-tolerated, and more convenient for patients than multiple individual agents. By reducing the number of medications and applications, fixed-combination products have the potential to improve patient adherence, thereby improving treatment outcomes.
Markov decision processes for control of a sensor network-based health monitoring system

Optimal use of energy is a primary concern in fielddeployable sensor networks. Artificial intelligence algorithms offer the capability to improve the performance or sensor networks in dynamic environments by minimizing energy utilization while not compromising overall performance. However, they have been used only to a limited extent in sensor networks primarily due to their expensive computing requirements. We describe the use of Markov decision processes for the adaptive control of sensor sampling rates in a sensor network used for human health monitoring. The MDP controller is designed to gather optimal information about the patient's health while guaranteeing a minimum lifetime of the system. At every control step, the MDP controller varies the frequency at which the data is collected according to the criticality of the patient's health at that time. We present a stochastic model that is used to generate the optimal policy offline. In cases where a model of the observed process is not available a-priori. we descrihe a Q-learning technique to learn the control policy, by using a pre-existing master controller. Simulation results that illustrate the performance of the controller are presented.
US Physicians' Reactions To ACA Implementation, 2012-17.

Physicians play a key role in implementing health policy, and US physicians were split in their opinions about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) soon after its implementation began. We readministered e...
Printed, Flexible Lactate Sensors: Design Considerations Before Performing On-Body Measurements.

This work reports the process of sensor development, optimization, and characterization before the transition to on-body measurements can be made. Sensors using lactate oxidase as a sensing mechanism and tetrathiafulvalene as a mediator were optimized for sporting applications. Optimized sensors show linear range up to 24 mM lactate and sensitivity of 4.8 μA/mM which normalizes to 68 μA*cm-2/mM when accounting for surface area of the sensor. The optimized sensors were characterized 3 different ways: using commercially available reference and counter electrodes, using printed reference and counter electrodes, and using a printed reference electrode with no counter electrode. Sensors intended for measuring sweat must be selective in the presence of sweat constituents. Thus, in addition to traditional characterization in pH 7.0 buffer, we characterized sensor performance in solutions intended to approximate sweat. Sensor performance in pH 7.0 buffer solution was not reflective of sensor performance in artificial sweat, indicating that further characterization is necessary between sensor measurement in pH 7.0 buffer and on-body measurements. Furthermore, we performed enzyme activity measurements and sensor measurements concurrently in five different salts individually, finding that while NH4Cl and MgCl2 do not affect enzyme activity or sensor performance in physiologically relevant ranges of salt concentration, NaCl concentration or KCl concentration decreases enzyme activity and sensor current. On the other hand, CaCl2 induced a nonlinear change in sensor performance and enzyme activity with increasing salt concentration.
13 C Saturation-Transfer Difference (STD)-NMR Experiments Using INEPT Polarization Transfer

Saturation-transfer difference (STD)-NMR spectroscopy has been widely used to screen potential ligands for binding to large receptor molecules. The STD-NMR experiment is typically based on a proton NMR spectrum, which can suffer from spectral overlap, leading to missing information in STD-based epitope mapping. Two-dimensional STD-NMR experiments can alleviate spectral overlap, but are time consuming. Here, we examine the feasibility of saturating protons in a receptor molecule and observing the STD effect on nearby carbon nuclei after transferring polarization from protons to carbons using the insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer (INEPT) pulse sequence. We show that under favorable conditions, a 1H→13C STD-INEPT experiment can give information similar to that obtained from a two-dimensional heteronuclear experiment, but in significantly less time. The STD-INEPT experiment could be especially useful when studying mixtures of ligands in which the peak positions in the proton and HSQC spectrum change significantly, and in particular, when using high-throughput, automated methods to analyze the data.
Cross-modal generalization of anomia treatment to reading in aphasia

Background: Generalization of treatment effects is the ultimate goal of therapy. However, treatment generalization across language modalities is not well understood in the aphasia literature and re...
"Tell Me More": Students Can Practice and Self-Evaluate Primary Palliative Care Skills in a Large, Multistate Internal Medicine Clerkship.

Background: Experts recommend integrating palliative care throughout the four-year medical school curriculum, including in required clerkships such as internal medicine (IM). Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether third-year medical students could gain meaningful experience in primary palliative care during their IM clerkship with observation and feedback from internists and/or IM residents or fellows. Design: We implemented two clinical exercises: (1) perform advance care planning with a patient and (2) participate in the delivery of important news. Students self-reported aspects of their experience in a confidential online survey. Setting/Subjects: Third-year medical students enrolled in a required IM clerkship. Measurements: Students reported the setting in which they completed the exercises, their level of independence, and their level of comfort with advance care planning after completing the exercise. We performed a qualitative analysis of open-ended comments to determine domains, themes, and subthemes and a separate analysis to determine the extent to which the comments suggested learning relevant to the stated learning objectives for each exercise. Results: The majority of students completed both exercises without palliative care specialists present, 76% (196/258) for the advance care planning exercise and 75% (195/259) for important news. Fifty-one percent (132/258) of students completed advance care planning with a significant level of independence, and 70% (182/258) reported being comfortable or very comfortable with advance care planning after completing the exercise. Qualitative analyses of student comments found that the majority of students described learning something related to the stated learning objectives for each exercise and suggested that they gained an appreciation of the complexity of patient-provider interactions around serious illness and palliative care. Conclusion: We found it feasible to integrate clinical exercises in advance care planning and delivering important news into an IM clerkship.
Holding On: A Community Approach to Autonomy in Dementia

Walsh problematizes a dichotomy in medical decision-making for dementia patients: clinical practice tends to give moral weight to patients’ post-onset preferences, while philosophical literature te...
Conning the Dream: Musical Showcase as Confidence Game

Not all strategies that appeal to the ideology of getting signed have the same effects on artists. Some strategies that target aspiring musicians are confidence games that charge musicians exorbitant fees to participate for the chance to be seen. This chapter looks at a case study of Coast 2 Coast LIVE—an artist showcase that travels and charges participants for the chance to compete in future showcase competitions. This is one scheme, among dozens, that targets young musicians with the chance to be discovered by Artist & Repertoire staff.
The role of hand therapy in facilitating participation in rock wall climbing: A case report of a woman with cerebral palsy.

Abstract Study Design This is a case report. Background A woman with hemiplegic cerebral palsy and limited right upper extremity motion, strength, and control was referred to hand therapy to enable participation in adaptive climbing. Purpose The purpose of this case is to describe the role of hand therapy in identifying and addressing barriers to participation in adaptive climbing. Description of the patient’s wrist flexion/extension, grip strength, and functional use over the course of eleven months is also included. Methods Activity analysis, iterative problem solving, activity simulation, activity modification, and targeted therapeutic exercises were used over the course of eleven sessions. Results The patient conveyed successful participation in adaptive climbing with reported improvements in overall strength, motion, ability to shift weight, ability to manage digit spasticity, spontaneous right upper extremity use, and body awareness. Active right wrist flexion, wrist extension, and grip strength improved by 33 degrees, eight degrees, and 35 lbs, respectively. Conclusions This case highlights an unconventional treatment scenario where outpatient hand therapy was entirely focused on targeting and facilitating the patient’s participation in a specific activity—adaptive climbing. Rehabilitation professionals, uniquely suited to helping individuals explore interests, determine “good fit”, identify barriers, and navigate obstacles, can advance the promotion of participation in activities that are both meaningful and physically engaging.
Against empathy: moving beyond colonizing practices in educational technology

Empathetic design is the ability for the designer to predict the cognitive and emotional experience of learners as they engage with the design product and process. It aims to center sensitivity toward learners, and the design process as a whole, which suggests potential application in educational settings. In the shift to digital, empathetic design may help instructors imagine learners’ thoughts and feelings engaged during the learning activity, and make iterative changes in response. Though empathetic design highlights sensitivity toward learners, by attempting to ‘be’ the other, it may unintentionally enact practices, and ideologies, of colonization. Recommendations for praxis via humanizing pedagogy are offered.
Disrupting the ghrelin-growth hormone axis limits ghrelin's orexigenic but not glucoregulatory actions.

Abstract Objective Acyl-ghrelin regulates eating, body weight, blood glucose, and GH secretion upon binding to its receptor GHSR (growth hormone secretagogue receptor; ghrelin receptor). GHSR is distributed in several brain regions and some peripheral cell-types including pituitary somatotrophs. The objective of the current study was to determine the functional significance of acyl-ghrelin's action on GHSR-expressing somatotrophs in mediating GH secretion and several of acyl-ghrelin's metabolic actions. Methods GH-IRES-Cre mice and loxP-flanked (floxed) GHSR mice were newly developed and then crossed to one another to generate mice that lacked GHSR selectively from somatotrophs. Following validation of mice with somatotroph-selective GHSR deletion, metabolic responses of these mice and control littermates were assessed following both acute and chronic acyl-ghrelin administration, a 24-h fast, and a prolonged 60% chronic caloric restriction protocol modeling starvation. Results In mice with somatotroph-selective GHSR deletion, a single peripheral injection of acyl-ghrelin failed to induce GH secretion or increase food intake, unlike wild-type and other littermate control groups. However, the usual acute blood glucose increase in response to the acyl-ghrelin bolus was preserved. Similarly, chronic s.c. acyl-ghrelin administration to mice with somatotroph-selective GHSR deletion failed to increase plasma GH, food intake, or body weight. Physiologically elevating plasma acyl-ghrelin via a 24-h fast also failed to raise plasma GH and resulted in a limited hyperphagic response upon food reintroduction in mice with somatotroph-selective GHSR deletion, although those mice nonetheless did not exhibit an exaggerated reduction in blood glucose. Physiologically elevating plasma acyl-ghrelin via a 15-day caloric restriction protocol which provided only 40% of usual daily calories failed to raise plasma GH in mice with somatotroph-selective GHSR deletion, although those mice did not exhibit life-threatening hypoglycemia. Conclusions These results reveal that direct engagement of GHSR-expressing somatotrophs is required for a peripheral ghrelin bolus to acutely stimulate GH secretion and the actions of chronic acyl-ghrelin delivery and physiological plasma acyl-ghrelin elevations to increase plasma GH. These results also suggest that actions of acyl-ghrelin to increase food intake and body weight are reliant on direct activation of GHSRs expressed on somatotrophs. Furthermore, these results suggest that the glucoregulatory actions of acyl-ghrelin – in particular, its actions to raise blood glucose when acutely administered, prevent small blood glucose drops following a 24-h fast, and avert life-threatening hypoglycemia during an acute-on-chronic caloric restriction protocol – do not depend on GHSR expression by somatotrophs.
A review of pre-clinical models for Gulf War Illness.

Abstract Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multisymptomatic disorder that afflicts over 1/3rd of the 1991 GW veterans. It spans multiple bodily systems and presents itself as a syndrome exhibiting diverse symptoms including fatigue, depression, mood, and memory and concentration deficits, musculoskeletal pain and gastrointestinal distress in GW veterans. The etiology of GWI is complex and many factors, including chemical, physiological, and environmental stressors present in the GW arena, have been implicated for its development. It has been over 30 years since the end of the GW but, GWI has been persistent in suffering veterans who are also dealing with paucity of effective treatments. The multifactorial aspect of GWI along with genetic heterogeneity and lack of available data surrounding war-time exposures have proved to be challenging in developing pre-clinical models of GWI. Despite this, over a dozen GWI animal models exist in the literature. In this article, following a brief discussion of GW history, GWI definitions, and probable causes for its pathogenesis, we will expand upon various experimental models used in GWI laboratory research. These animal models will be discussed in the context of their attempts at mimicking GW-related exposures with regards to the variations in chemical combinations, doses, and frequency of exposures. We will discuss their advantages and limitations in modeling GWI followed by a discussion of behavioral and molecular findings in these models. The mechanistic data obtained from these preclinical studies have offered multiple molecular pathways including chronic inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, lipid disturbances, calcium homeostatic alterations, changes in gut microbiota, and epigenetic modifications, amongst others for explaining GWI development and its persistence. Finally, these findings have also informed us on novel druggable targets in GWI. While, it has been difficult to conceive a single pre-clinical model that could express all the GWI signs and exhibit biological complexity reflective of the clinical presentation in GWI, animal models have been critical for identifying molecular underpinnings of GWI and evaluating treatment strategies for GWI.
1,3-Asymmetric Induction in Diastereoselective Allylations of Chiral N-Tosyl Imines

Lewis-acid mediated allylations of β-alkoxy N-tosyl imines lead to 3-alkoxy homoallylic N-tosyl amines with anti diastereoselectivity. Diastereoselectivity and yields of reactions are comparable between two methods of Hosomi-Sakurai allylations. Observed selectivity trends and computational evidence suggest that 1,3 asymmetric induction occurs through the formation of a six- membered ring chelate which adopts a half-chair-like conformation. The product ratios of allylations to β-alkoxy N-tosyl imines are dependent on conformation preferences of the chelate and stereoelectronic interactions in the transition-state structures. Debenzylation and detosylation of these allylation products result in anti 1,3-amino alcohols, a privileged motif in synthetic and natural bioactive compounds.
An inverse method for mechanical characterization of heterogeneous diseased arteries using intravascular imaging.

The increasing prevalence of finite element (FE) simulations in the study of atherosclerosis has spawned numerous inverse FE methods for the mechanical characterization of diseased tissue in vivo. Current approaches are however limited to either homogenized or simplified material representations. This paper presents a novel method to account for tissue heterogeneity and material nonlinearity in the recovery of constitutive behavior using imaging data acquired at differing intravascular pressures by incorporating interfaces between various intra-plaque tissue types into the objective function definition. Method verification was performed in silico by recovering assigned material parameters from a pair of vessel geometries: one derived from coronary optical coherence tomography (OCT); one generated from in silico-based simulation. In repeated tests, the method consistently recovered 4 linear elastic (0.1 ± 0.1% error) and 8 nonlinear hyperelastic (3.3 ± 3.0% error) material parameters. Method robustness was also highlighted in noise sensitivity analysis, where linear elastic parameters were recovered with average errors of 1.3 ± 1.6% and 8.3 ± 10.5%, at 5% and 20% noise, respectively. Reproducibility was substantiated through the recovery of 9 material parameters in two more models, with mean errors of 3.0 ± 4.7%. The results highlight the potential of this new approach, enabling high-fidelity material parameter recovery for use in complex cardiovascular computational studies.
Calculation of Neutron Die-Away Times in a Large-Vehicle Portal Monitor

Monte Carlo methods have been used to calculate neutron die-away times in a large-vehicle portal monitor. These calculations were performed to investigate the adequacy of using neutron die-away time measurements to detect the clandestine movement of shielded nuclear materials. The geometry consisted of a large tunnel lined with He/sup 3/ proportional counters. The time behavior of the (n,p) capture reaction in these counters was calculated when the tunnel contained a number of different tractor-trailer load configurations. Neutron die-away times obtained from weighted least squares fits to these data were compared. The change in neutron die-away time due to the replacement of cargo in a fully loaded truck with a spherical shell containing 240 kg of borated polyethylene was calculated to be less than 3%. This result together with the overall behavior of neutron die-away time versus mass inside the tunnel strongly suggested that measurements of this type will not provide a reliable means of detecting shielded nuclear materials in a large vehicle. 5 figures, 4 tables.
Happy Anniversary to the CPLR: A Joint Achievement of the Practicing Bar and the Academy

This September, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Civil Practice Law and Rules of New York State. The CPLR was the handiwork of the Advisory Committee on Practice and Procedure, appointed in 1955 by the New York State Temporary Commission on the Courts. Under the leadership of the Committee's reporter, then Columbia Law School Professor Jack B. Weinstein, the Committee members, which included former New York State Bar Association presidents Jackson Dykman and S. Hazard Gillespie, spent five years overhauling, revising and reforming the Civil Practice Act of 1920. This remarkable joint venture between the practicing bar and the academy involved thousands of hours of detailed research, two full-day meetings a month, many public hearings, hundreds of draft reports, extensive debate, myriad hours of consultation with the bench and bar and, in 1961, submission of a final report to the Legislature. Although the Legislature did not adopt all of the Committee's proposals, the CPLR was enacted and became effective on September 1, 1963. This impressive document is one of the nation's oldest state procedural codes; it is appropriate to review its origins and to salute those involved in its creation.
Protection of retinal pigment epithelium from oxidative injury by glutathione and precursors.

Purpose This study was performed to examine the effect of exogenous glutathione (GSH) or its precursor amino acids on oxidative injury in cultured human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Methods Cultured human RPE cells were suspended in Krebs-Henseleit medium, and 150 microM t-butylhydroperoxide was added. Cell viability was assessed by 0.2% trypan blue exclusion 30, 60, and 120 minutes after the addition of GSH or its amino acid precursors. Results Added GSH provided protection at concentrations of 0.01 mM and higher. The amino acid precursors for GSH, glutamate, cysteine, and glycine also protected against injury, but this required at least 0.1 mM of each amino acid. Inhibition of intracellular GSH synthesis by inclusion of 1 mM buthionine sulfoximine eliminated the protection by added amino acids but did not alter the protection by added GSH. Conclusions These results indicate that protection by the amino acid precursors is mediated through synthesis of GSH, and they also show that exogenous GSH can provide protection against oxidative injury.
Implications of the eccentricity of the human umbilical cord

Abstract The eccentricity of origin of the human umbilical cord was measured on 148 placentas, and the distribution of this parameter is shown to correspond adequately to that of a radial error from target theory. The direction of the eccentricity is not found to have any relation to the shape of the placenta. This evidence is offered in support of the importance of the vector of implantation in the origin of eccentric cords. The conclusion follows that trophotropism must not be a major force in the etiology of eccentricity.
Genetic Manipulation of NK Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy: Techniques and Clinical Implications

Given their rapid and efficient capacity to recognize and kill tumor cells, Natural killer (NK) cells represent a unique immune cell to genetically reprogram in an effort to improve the outcome of cell-based cancer immunotherapy. However, technical and biological challenges associated with gene delivery into NK cells have significantly tempered this approach. Recent advances in viral transduction and electroporation have now allowed detailed characterization of genetically modified NK cells and provided a better understanding for how these cells can be utilized in the clinic to optimize their capacity to induce tumor regression in vivo. Improving NK cell persistence in vivo via autocrine IL-2 and IL-15 stimulation, enhancing tumor targeting by silencing inhibitory NK cell receptors such as NKG2A, and redirecting tumor killing via chimeric antigen receptors, all represent approaches that hold promise in preclinical studies. This review focuses on available methods for genetic reprogramming of NK cells and the advantages and challenges associated with each method. It also gives an overview of strategies for genetic reprogramming of NK cells that have been evaluated to date and an outlook on how these strategies may be best utilized in clinical protocols. With the recent advances in our understanding of the complex biological networks that regulate the ability of NK cells to target and kill tumors in vivo, we foresee genetic engineering as an obligatory pathway required to exploit the full potential of NK-cell based immunotherapy in the clinic.
Atmospheric Circulation Associated With the Midwest Floods of 1993

Abstract This paper presents an observational analysis of the large-scale atmospheric circulation prior to and during the Midwest floods of June–July 1993. The floods developed and persisted in association with three major circulation features, none of which alone would likely have produced such intense and prolonged flooding. First, a persistent, positive phase of the North Pacific teleconnection pattern was observed throughout the Pacific sector for four months prior to the onset of the floods. This anomalous circulation was associated with much above-normal cyclone activity over the middle latitudes of the North Pacific and with below-normal cyclone activity over the western and central United States. Second, a major change in this pattern occurred over the western United States in late May, which established very strong zonal flow from the western Pacific to the eastern United States. This flow provided a “duct” for the intense cyclones to propagate directly into the Midwest throughout the month of Ju...
Crosslinking systems in the graft polymerization of chromium‐tanned collagen

Ten polyfunctional vinyl-type monomers were graft polymerized with butyl acrylate or methyl methacrylate onto chromium-tanned collagen in a redox initiated, emulsion-type system. The thickness of the grafted leathers showed an increase ranging from 9 to 159 percent. The regression of total polymer on thickness gave a better fit than did bound polymer, the correlation coefficient being 0.774. The tensile load at break increased in all but one case, with a maximum increase of 70 percent over the control. Since the thickness increase was usually greater than the load increase, the tensile strength usually decreased. The changes, in tensile elongation were not always in agreement with those anticipated from crosslinked bulk polymers. In addition to these physical effects, inclusion of the polyfunctional comonomers generally reduced the amount of extractable polymer. A hypothesis is proposed to explain some of the observed effects.
The past is the key to the future

Abstract A new major frontier of geological research, which was initiated in the 1970's, involves predicting future geologic trends or events through study of the present and past, rather than trying to understand the past, often using what one knows about the present. Like most scientific frontiers, this one began from practical considerations—environmental concerns. The lack of formal recognition of this frontier results from fragmentation among many Federal agencies and highly focused mission-oriented programs ( e.g. , earthquake prediction, CO 2 , nuclear-energy safety, etc.). Most programs aim to predict only the next 50–100 years, but much longer periods of the past need to be studied to do this. Nuclear-waste disposal has sometimes been considered in terms of the next million years, a period of time permitting significant and broad geologic changes. Decreasing public interest in environmental concerns relegates many questions from the realm of applied research back to that of basic research. Most of these questions are so fascinating, however, that the frontier is still worth pursuing. Such questions include whether a phenomenon will or will not take place and the rates at which it can develop ( e.g. , how fast do rifts form, how fast can a caldera event begin, and how quickly can a glacial maximum arrive?). Common elements of all studies include the historic record, trends in the Quaternary, analogues in various periods of the geologic time scale, and allowance for phenomena never experienced before. Other examples of studies include the Cretaceous as a period of a climatic extreme, an especially interesting time period; establishing the amount of paleocloudiness, a particularly challenging and important research area; acid rain as a possible new phenomenon. Geochemistry has much to contribute to this frontier science.
VALUES OF VOLUNTARY SIMPLICITY: LIFESTYLE AND MOTIVATION

This paper describes the relation between values and behavior of a new life style, that of voluntary simplicity which is characterized by low consumption, self-sufficiency, and ecological responsib...
Long-Term and Chronic Homelessness in Homeless Women and Women With Children

The Chronic Homelessness initiative has directed millions of federal dollars to services for single "unaccompanied homeless" individuals, specifically excluding women living with their children. Using a data set with a nationally representative sample of homeless adults, we calculated the prevalence rates and profiles of long-term homelessness in homeless women (n = 849). With the exception of the criterion of being a single "unaccompanied individual," many women, including women with children, met the criteria for chronic homelessness including having a disability of mental health or substance abuse problems. Our findings suggest that the federal definition of chronic homelessness needs to be revised.
One step microelectroelution concentration method for efficient coupling of sodium dodecylsulfate gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry for protein analysis

The coupling of the widely used separation technique of conventional sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) with the mass accuracy measurement capability of mass Spectrometry (MS) provides a very powerful analytical technique. However, at present, there is no simple, definitive method for coupling the two methods. Typically, separated proteins are extracted from the gel, either as the native protein or as a peptide mixture after in-gel proteolytic digestion, and then analyzed by mass Spectrometry. However, the various extraction techniques described previously have been labor intensive and require a large number of steps. The mass Spectrometry analysis of very low concentrations of in vivo derived proteins requires minimum sample handling and on-line concentration. Therefore, we have developed an efficient microelectroelution technique that is applied in a single step manner and contains an on-line concentration device. Initial results from this system have shown a high efficiency of analyte elution from the gel and a simple, robust technique for the coupling of SDS-containing gels with MALDI-TOF-MS analysis and a capability of analyzing proteins at the subpicomole level.
Meningeal enhancement and low CSF pressure headache. An MRI study

A 34-year-old woman developed severe and incapacitating positional headaches two weeks following a minor head trauma. Lumbar punctures demonstrated unmeasurable or very low CSF pressures. Gado-linium-enhanced cranial MRI showed diffuse enhancement of thickened meninges, suggesting inflammation. One year later, MRI was normal.
The Detached Dust Shell around the Massive Star HD 179821

We have used the Keck I telescope to resolve at three mid-IR wavelengths the emission from HD 179821 (= RAFGL 2343), a G-type supergiant of perhaps 30 M☉ with a detached dust shell. The shell is very approximately circular in shape with an inner diameter of ~33, corresponding to 3.0 × 1017 cm. We estimate that the star was losing ~4 × 10-4 M☉ yr-1 until about 1800 yr ago, when the mass loss slowed dramatically. During the past ~104 yr, the star has lost ~10% of its initial mass. The star lies about 035 off center and is closer to the brighter, northern hemisphere of the nebula, which can be explained if the outflow velocity V∞ deviates by +20% from the average in the southern hemisphere and -20% from the average in the northern hemisphere. The mass-loss rate (θ) may have been inversely correlated with the outflow velocity so that the momentum outflow was isotropic during the mass-loss phase. It also seems that totalV∞ was within a factor of 2 of L*/c, where L* is the current luminosity of the star; the mass loss may have been driven by radiation pressure. These results may help characterize the asymmetric circumstellar winds into which supernova explosions propagate.
Human-Android Interaction in the Near and Distant Future.

In this article, a psychologist and an artificial-intelligence (AI) researcher speculate on the future of social interaction between humans and androids (robots designed to look and act exactly lik...
The Posse Gymnasium

Abstract Posse's Swedish system of gymnastics fit well with the objectives of physical education.