cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prescribing Medications to Older Drivers: Are Physician Resources Adequate?

AbstractPrimary care physicians are asked by older patients, family members, and licensing authorities to make recommendations regarding the driving ability of older patients. The implications for the older patient are substantial, as safety, mobility, and quality of life will be affected by such decisions. Considering these obligations of clinicians treating older adults, many relevant questions are raised: Is the information that is known about the effects of prescription medications on driving readily available to medical professionals? Do physicians have adequate tools to advise their patients and family members about this issue? These questions were examined by looking at drug entries in the PDR, Drug Facts and Comparisons and the USP-DI for several medications taken by patients who participated in an Older Drivers Evaluation Program at The Ohio State University. Three classes of medications were chosen for examination: benzodiazepines, antidepressants, and opioids. The content and variety of warning...
Influence of surface roughness on the measurement of acoustic nonlinearity parameter of solids using contact piezoelectric transducers.

Abstract The current article reports on the experimental study of the influence of surface roughness on the measurement of the acoustic nonlinearity parameter. The nonlinearity parameter was measured using contact piezoelectric transducers, which were calibrated using the reciprocity based technique. Aluminum and steel samples were chosen to study the influence of hardness of the sample on the measurement of the nonlinearity parameter. While, lower Ra value (average asperity height) aluminum samples were more susceptible to surface deformation and scratches from coupling the transducer to the sample, the same could not be observed for steel samples. Results demonstrate a large variation in nonlinearity parameter for aluminum (∼35%) compared to steel (∼2%) between two consecutive experiments, suggesting flattening of asperities after the first experiment. Experiments were also performed with 3 different setup configurations; (1) receiver and transmitter on rough sides, (2) receiver on smooth and transmitter on rough side and (3) receiver on rough and transmitter on smooth side. Results show that least variation in the measured nonlinearity parameter was observed when the receiver was placed on the smooth side, and a 10% variation was observed between the three setup configurations. Finally, a comparison of relative nonlinearity parameter calculated using current or voltage ratio and absolute nonlinearity parameter showed large discrepancies. Conclusions were drawn from the experimental observations.
Applying J-optimal channelized quadratic observers (J-CQO) to a clinical imaging study for ovarian cancer detection

The identification of blood vessels is an important image processing technique in several medical imaging applications. Detection of blood vessels in computed tomography (CT) images is essential in diagnosis and surgical planning. Computed tomography (CT) is a common imaging modality used for blood vessels imaging. It can provide a high quality images for both diagnosis and treatment purposes. However, it is known that CT is a source of high radiation dose especially for cases required a follow up scans in short time. Reducing the dose is knows to produce statistical noise and artifacts that significantly reduce the image quality. In this paper, we propose a method for three-dimensional (3D) blood vessel detection from CT images reconstructed from small number of projection views. The proposed method is implemented in two stages. First, is a preprocessing stage to reduce noise. In the second stage, we use skeletonization method to extract the centerline of 3D object. Then, we use the blood vessels skeleton to construct a graph model for 3D vascular network. Finally, we use the graph model to detect blood vessels. The proposed method is tested using 3D blood vessel-like phantom and good results are achieved.
Synthesis and crystal structures of (2E)-1,4-bis-(4-chloro-phen-yl)but-2-ene-1,4-dione and (2E)-1,4-bis-(4-bromo-phen-yl)but-2-ene-1,4-dione.

The mol­ecular structure of (2E)-1,4-bis­(4-chloro­phen­yl)but-2-ene-1,4-dione [C16H10Cl2O2, (1)] is composed of two p-chlorophenyl rings, each bonded on opposite ends to a near planar 1,4-trans enedione moiety [–C(=O)—CH=CH—(C=O)–] [r.m.s. deviation = 0.003 (1) A]. (2E)-1,4-Bis(4-bromo­phen­yl)but-2-ene-1,4-dione [C16H10Br2O2, (2)] has a similar structure to (1), but with two p-bromophenyl rings and a less planar enedione group [r.m.s. deviation = 0.011 (1) A]. Both mol­ecules sit on a center of inversion, thus Z′ = 0.5. The dihedral angles between the ring and the enedione group are 16.61 (8) and 15.58 (11)° for (1) and (2), respectively. In the crystal, mol­ecules of (1) exhibit C—Cl⋯Cl type I inter­actions, whereas mol­ecules of (2) present C—Br⋯Br type II inter­actions. van der Waals-type inter­actions contribute to the packing of both mol­ecules, and the packing reveals face-to-face ring stacking with similar inter­planar distances of approximately 3.53 A.
The Rosalie Wolf Memorial Lecture: Abuse-free Care in a World of Age-friendly Health Systems

Imagine a health care system where every older adult is screened for elder abuse and neglect and none is found. That’s a destination for all of us as we think about and consider our commitment to c...
The Legal and Social Movement Against Unpaid Internships

Until very recently, the legal implications of unpaid internships provided by American employers have been something of a sleeping giant, especially on the question of whether interns fall under wage and hour protections of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and state equivalents. This began to change in 2013, when, in Glatt v. Fox Searchlight Pictures, Inc., a U.S. federal district court held that two unpaid interns who worked on the production of the movies “Black Swan” and “500 Days of Summer” were owed back pay under federal and state wage and hour laws. Although the decision would be vacated and remanded by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 2015, the door to challenging unpaid internships remains open, thanks in part to this litigation.This Article examines and analyzes the latest legal developments concerning internships and the growth of the intern rights movement. It serves as an update to a 2002 article I wrote on the employment rights of interns, David C. Yamada, The Employment Law Rights of Student Interns, 35 Conn. L. Rev. 215 (2002). Now that the legal implications of unpaid internships have transcended mostly academic commentary, the underlying legal and policy issues are sharpening at the point of application. Accordingly, Part I will examine the recent legal developments concerning internships, consider the evolving policy issues, and suggest solutions where applicable.In addition, the intern rights movement has emerged to challenge the widespread practice of unpaid internships and the overall status of interns in today’s labor market. Thus, Part II will examine the emergence of a movement that has both fueled legal challenges to unpaid internships and engaged in organizing activities and social media outreach surrounding internship practices and the intern economy.This article grew out of my presentation at the March 2013 Northeastern University Law Journal symposium on employee misclassification. By mutual agreement with the journal editors, we postponed publication of the article to allow for further resolution of the Glatt litigation.
Climate science: The future of coastal ocean upwelling

An ensemble of climate models predicts that winds along the world's coasts will intensify because of global warming, inducing more ocean upwelling — a process that will affect the health of coastal marine ecosystems. See Letter p.390 Coastal upwelling provides nutrients that sustain healthy marine ecosystems along the eastern margins of the world's oceans. Analysis of historical records has suggested an intensification of upwelling in some coastal currents, but to date no consensus has been reached in predictions of future changes in upwelling in a warming climate. Daiwei Wang and colleagues have analysed twenty-two simulations from the CMIP5 model archive — an extensive series of coordinated climate model experiments — which suggest that by the end of the twenty-first century, the coastal upwelling season near the eastern boundaries of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans will start earlier, end later and become more intense at high latitudes, thus becoming more homogeneous. These changes may affect the geographical distribution of marine biodiversity.
The effect of hypothalamic lesion in the sand rat maintained on a high fat diet

Nine sand rats maintained on a high fat diet gained weight, developed endogenous hyperinsulinaemia and resistance to exogenous insulin without further deterioration in glucose tolerance. A four hour post glucose hyperinsulinaemia, noted in some animals on both diets, may represent a chronic stress to the islets in these intermittent feeders. Five animals survived post lesion. Results were consistent with previous findings that lesions in the posterior median eminence portion of the periventricular arcuate system were associated with an improved glucose tolerance, and also in the present study, an increased sensitivity to exogenous insulin. A possible explanation for the mechanism of these effects on carbohydrate metabolism is suggested.
Decision Tree State Clustering with Word and Syllable Features

In large vocabulary continuous speech recognition, decision trees are widely used to cluster triphone states. In addition to commonly used phonetically based questions, others have proposed additional questions such as phone position within word or syllable. This paper examines using the word or syllable context itself as a feature in the decision tree, providing an elegant way of introducing word- or syllable-specific models into the system. Positive results are reported on two state-of-the-art systems: voicemail transcription and a search by voice tasks across av ariety of acoustic model and training set sizes. Index Terms :d ecision tree state clustering, large vocabulary continuous speech recognition, tagged clustering.
Large Hiatal Hernia Mimicking Left Atrial Mass: A Multimodality Diagnosis

![Figure][1] [![Graphic][3] ][3][![Graphic][4] ][4] A large well-circumscribed ovoid-shaped left atrial mass was noted on multiple echocardiographic views (A) . Moderate eccentric mitral regurgitant jet and abnormal high-velocity diastolic flow respected the contours of the mass
Lifestyle factors and health‐related quality of life in adult survivors of childhood cancer: A report from the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study

BACKGROUND Survivors of childhood cancer report poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Modifiable lifestyle factors such as nutrition and physical activity represent opportunities for interventions to improve HRQOL. METHODS The authors examined the association between modifiable lifestyle factors and HRQOL among 2480 adult survivors of childhood cancer in the St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study. Dietary intake, physical activity, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption were assessed through questionnaires. Weight and height were measured in the clinic. HRQOL was evaluated using the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Survey. The physical component summary (PCS), mental component summary (MCS), and 8 domain scores of HRQOL were calculated. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate regression coefficients (β) associated with HRQOL differences. RESULTS Being physically active (PCS β = 3.10; and MCS β = 1.48) was associated with higher HRQOL whereas current cigarette smoking (PCS β = -2.30; and MCS β = -6.49) and obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2 ) (PCS β = -3.29; and MCS β = -1.61) were associated with lower HRQOL in both the physical and mental domains. Better diet (Healthy Eating Index-2015) was associated with higher physical HRQOL (PCS β = 1.79). Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with higher physical (PCS β = 1.14) but lower mental (MCS β = -1.13) HRQOL (all P <.05). Adherence to multiple healthy lifestyle factors demonstrated a linear trend with high scores in both physical and mental HRQOL (highest vs lowest adherence: PCS β = 7.60; and MCS β = 5.76 [P for trend, <.0001]). CONCLUSIONS The association between healthy lifestyle factors and HRQOL is cumulative, underscoring the importance of promoting multiple healthy lifestyles to enhance HRQOL in long-term survivors of childhood cancer.
An Investigator-initiated Study to Assess the Safety and Efficacy of Ingenol Mebutate 0.05% Gel When Used After Cryosurgery in the Treatment of Hypertrophic Actinic Keratosis on Dorsal Hands.

Objectives: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ingenol mebutate 0.05% gel after cryosurgery versus cryosurgery alone for the treatment of hypertrophic and nonhypertrophic actinic keratosis on the dorsal hands. Design: Investigator-blinded split arm study. Setting: Academic institution. Participants: Sixteen subjects with actinic keratoses on dorsal hands. Results: There was a mean reduction in the number of hypertrophic actinic keratosis lesions adjusted for baseline in ingenol mebutate-treated versus control group of -4.3 versus -2.8, respectively. There was a mean reduction in the number of non-hypertrophic actinic keratosis lesions in the ingenol mebutate-treated versus control group of -3.8 versus -0.3. Conclusion: A statistically significant and clinically meaningful difference in response was demonstrated in favor of ingenol mebutate-treated hands versus controls. No significant increase in local skin responses was noted when applying ingenol mebutate 0.05% gel on the same day as cryosurgery. Trial registry: ClinicalTrials.gov, {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT02251652","term_id":"NCT02251652"}}NCT02251652.
A prospective study of patients with shoulder pain and Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT).

ABSTRACTObjectives: A prospective observational cohort study was conducted to (1) determine the prevalence of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) syndromes for patients with shoulder impairments...
Chromium supplements in health and disease

Abstract About half of American adults use dietary supplements, primarily because they believe that supplements promote overall health and prevent disease. Many use chromium-containing supplements in the belief that they are effective in stabilizing blood glucose levels, lowering plasma lipids, moderating mood and cognitive function, and reducing biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation. However, the evidence to support such effects is variable. Most of the randomized controlled trials in the scientific literature have used a range of chromium formulations, in doses typically between 200 and 1000 μg/day primarily in type 2 diabetics and individuals with polycystic ovary syndrome. They are small in number, short in duration, and have yielded mixed results. Some data suggests that efficacy may vary depending on the chromium formulation, dose, and duration of use. For these reasons, chromium-containing supplements to prevent or treat these conditions have not been endorsed by the guidelines of authoritative scientific bodies.
110th Anniversary : Column Efficiency: From Conception, through Complexity,to Simplicity

One of the most enduring concepts in chemical engineering is that of the efficiency of column operations such as distillation, absorption, and stripping. The concept was first articulated by W. K. ...
Abstract PR15: Assessment of tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and the stromal microenvironment in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and matched patient-derived organoids

Patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have few treatment options and continue to have dismal prognoses due to the rapid development of resistance to both standard-of-care and experimental therapies. Several recent studies have demonstrated that patients with distinct PDAC transcriptional subtypes have differing clinical courses, and that the tumor microenvironment can also contribute to patient outcome. However, deep cellular characterization of metastatic PDAC tumors and their stromal microenvironments has been challenging due to limited tissue availability from metastatic liver biopsies. Here, we present a focused assessment of the PDAC liver metastatic niche—encompassing tumor, immune, and stromal cells—via low-input single-cell transcriptional profiling of patient specimens with the goal of developing a deeper understanding of tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment. Our pipeline accesses core needle biopsies from liver metastases, splitting each core for 1) single-cell RNA sequencing using Seq-Well and 2) organoid generation. Using this pipeline, we have successfully profiled liver metastases from 15 patients along with matched early-passage organoid models. Assessment of clinically relevant transcriptional signatures reveals extensive heterogeneity at the single-cell level and identifies new, hybrid transcriptional states occupied by these metastases. In addition, we observe evidence of significant crosstalk between stromal and immune populations and tumor cells. Serial samples at different stages of therapy show transcriptional shifts in tumor cells suggestive of significant plasticity that likely contributes to therapeutic resistance. Initial analysis of matched organoids at successive passages demonstrates a skew in their clonal composition, as well as evolution of their transcriptional state as compared to their in vivo phenotypes. Overall, our work provides an important window into the biology of metastatic PDAC, as well as some of the first direct comparisons of clonality and transcriptional phenotypes across in vivo specimens and their in vitro organoid counterparts. This abstract is also being presented as Poster C43. Citation Format: Srivatsan Raghavan, Peter S. Winter, Andrew Navia, Radha Kalekar, Jennyfer Galvez-Reyes, Sanjay Prakadan, Junning Wang, Emma Reilly, Lauren Brais, James M. Cleary, Jonathan Nowak, Brian M. Wolpin, Alex K. Shalek, Andrew J. Aguirre, William C. Hahn. Assessment of tumor heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and the stromal microenvironment in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and matched patient-derived organoids [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pancreatic Cancer: Advances in Science and Clinical Care; 2019 Sept 6-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PR15.
Hitler and the Habsburgs: The Führer’s Vendetta Against the Austrian Royals

James Longo has written a captivating book. To be sure, it is not a scholarly monograph aimed at professional historians. The endnotes and bibliography indicate little evidence of archival research...
Dependency of solvation effects on metal identity in surface reactions

Solvent interactions with adsorbed moieties involved in surface reactions are often believed to be similar for different metal surfaces. However, solvents alter the electronic structures of surface atoms, which in turn affects their interaction with adsorbed moieties. To reveal the importance of metal identity on aqueous solvent effects in heterogeneous catalysis, we studied solvent effects on the activation free energies of the O–H and C–H bond cleavages of ethylene glycol over the (111) facet of six transition metals (Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au) using an explicit solvation approach based on a hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) description of the potential energy surface. A significant metal dependence on aqueous solvation effects was observed that suggests solvation effects must be studied in detail for every reaction system. The main reason for this dependence could be traced back to a different amount of charge-transfer between the adsorbed moieties and metals in the reactant and transition states for the different metal surfaces. Solvents play a central role in catalytic reactions, but predicting specific solvation effects in heterogeneous systems remains a challenge. Here, a hybrid quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical method is used to elucidate solvation effects on O–H and C–H bond cleavage in ethylene glycol over the (111) facet of six transition metals.
Nuances and Management of Hilar Submandibular Sialoliths With Combined Transoral Robotic Surgery-Assisted Sialolithotomy and Sialendoscopy.

ObjectiveTo describe the management, technical nuances, and success rates of transoral robotic surgery (TORS)–assisted sialolithotomy.Study DesignRetrospective database review.SettingQuaternary aca...
Reflections on the Less Visible and Less Measured: Gender and COVID-19 in India

The gender effects of COVID-19 are complex, and extend much beyond the issues of care work and domestic violence that have captured global attention. Some effects have been immediate, such as job l...
An improved method for estimating antibody titers in microneutralization assay using green fluorescent protein

Viruses that express reporter genes upon infection have been recently used to evaluate neutralizing antibody responses, where a lack of reporter expression indicates specific virus inhibition. The traditional model-based methods using standard outcome of percent neutralization could be applied to the data from the assays to estimate antibody titers. However, the data produced are sometimes irregular, which can yield meaningless outcomes of percent neutralization that do not fit the typical curves for immunoassays, making automated or semi-high throughput antibody titer estimation unreliable. We developed a type of new outcomes model, which is biologically meaningful and fits typical immunoassay curves well. Our simulation study indicates that the new response approach outperforms the traditional response approach regardless of the data variability. The proposed new response approach can be used in similar assays for other disease models.
Patient specific, imaging-informed modeling of rhenium-186 nanoliposome delivery via convection-enhanced delivery in glioblastoma multiforme.

Convection-enhanced delivery of rhenium-186 (186Re)-nanoliposomes is a promising approach to provide precise delivery of large localized doses of radiation for patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme. Current approaches for treatment planning utilizing convection-enhanced delivery are designed for small molecule drugs and not for larger particles such as186Re-nanoliposomes. To enable the treatment planning for186Re-nanoliposomes delivery, we have developed a computational fluid dynamics approach to predict the distribution of nanoliposomes for individual patients. In this work, we construct, calibrate, and validate a family of computational fluid dynamics models to predict the spatio-temporal distribution of186Re-nanoliposomes within the brain, utilizing patient-specific pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assign material properties for an advection-diffusion transport model. The model family is calibrated to single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images acquired during and after the infusion of186Re-nanoliposomes for five patients enrolled in a Phase I/II trial (NCT Number NCT01906385), and is validated using a leave-one-out bootstrapping methodology for predicting the final distribution of the particles. After calibration, our models are capable of predicting the mid-delivery and final spatial distribution of186Re-nanoliposomes with a Dice value of 0.69 ± 0.18 and a concordance correlation coefficient of 0.88 ± 0.12 (mean ± 95% confidence interval), using only the patient-specific, pre-operative MRI data, and calibrated model parameters from prior patients. These results demonstrate a proof-of-concept for a patient-specific modeling framework, which predicts the spatial distribution of nanoparticles. Further development of this approach could enable optimizing catheter placement for future studies employing convection-enhanced delivery.
Unexplored Cdc42 functions at the budding yeast nucleus suggested by subcellular localization.

In budding yeast, the Rho-family GTPase Cdc42 has several functions that depend on its subcellular localization and the cell cycle stage. During bud formation, Cdc42 localizes to the plasma membran...
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Parameters of Artemia Ribosome Subunit Interactions: The Effects of Polyamines

Virtually all eucaryotic cells contain significant amounts of the polyamines— spermine, spermidine, and putrescine. The physiological function of these amines is not well understood at the molecular level, although recent studies have demonstrated that polyamines are required for cellular growth and differentiation and that the concentration within the cell is highly regulated[1,2]. In quiescent cells polyamines are present in very small amounts, although polyamine activity can be dramatically increased within a few hours of exposure to trophic stimuli[3]. The pathway for polyamine biosynthesis has been determined, detailed descriptions are given in several recent reviews[4,5].
THE FERRORESONANT CAPACITOR DISCHARGE IGNITION (FCDI) SYSTEM: A MULTIPLE FIRING CD IGNITION WITH SPARK DISCHARGE SUSTAINING BETWEEN FIRINGS

This paper describes an experimental programmable ignition system based on a new principle of operation. The ignition system provides for electronically controlled changes in spark duration, spark current level, and restriking rate. The ignition system also combines a very fast risetime with a controlled duration. Extensive multicylinder engine dynamometer test data are presented which indicate that improved ignition can be of benefit at marginal engine operating points. /GMRL/
Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Inhibits Ovulation and Steroidogenesis, but Not Prostaglandin Production in the Perfused Rat Ovary

OBJECTIVE:We tested the null hypothesis that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) does not decrease ovulation, estradiol and progesterone production, or prostaglandin (PG) E2,PGF2alpha, or 6 keto-PGF1alpha production in the open bursa rat ovarian perfusion model.METHODS:Experimental animals were controlled for age, weight, litter, and pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) aliquot. Female Sprague-Dawley rats, 26-27 days old, were injected with 25 IU PMSG. Forty-eight hours later, the right ovary was dissected, the bursa removed, and the specimen placed in the perfusion chamber with defined media. Luteinizing hormone and isobutylmethylxanthine were given as an ovulatory trigger. Test perfusions also received TNF-alpha in 0.8-nmol/L, -pmol/L, and -fmol/L doses. Samples were collected at 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 20 hours. Ovulations were counted at 20 hours. Steroids and PGs were measured.RESULTS:The addition of TNF-alpha to the rat ovarian perfusion model resulted in a dose- dependent decrease in ovulat...
Exploiting agents and SIP for smart context level agreements

Traditionally, applications in a network have been developed for static and established environment. However, pervasive computing has created a challenging environment where dynamism and mobility is its uniqueness. To cope with the heterogeneous characteristics of pervasive environments, applications must be aware of the context in which they execute. An important component is the ability to communicate spontaneously with entities (services, users and information sources) based on their current context. This paper presents our novel context sensitive communication protocol, CSCP, which is an extension of the session initiation protocol to support context based session creation, management and context information dissemination between entities in the environment In addition, the paper presents a new model for context based on the concept of ontology. We provide an agent based prototype implementation as a proof of concept.
Web-based video for signals and systems

The goal of this project is to enhance the use of class time in a required, junior-level course in signals and systems that has an annual enrollment of approximately 300 students. Our approach has been the creation of a web-based roadmap of videostreams that interactively address a variety of course concepts. More than 100 focused (10-15 minute) video lectures/exercises have been developed and made available on a local website. Students use the videos as a means of supplementing the lecture material with additional illustrative examples. This paper reports on the experiences and the outcomes with this system over the past two years.
Abstract 745: A non-redox reactive allosteric inhibitor of MAPK phosphatases with selective toxicity to human cancer cells

Mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatases (MKPs) are members of a family of dual specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) that regulate cellular signaling homeostasis by dephosphorylating mitogen-activated kinases, key mediators of cell death and survival. The archetype MKP, DUSP1 (also termed MKP-1/CL100), is overexpressed in ovarian, breast, and prostate cancers and found elevated in the “oncogenic signature” of RAS mutant tumor cells. DUSP1 mediates cancer cell migration and invasion, and protects cells from apoptosis by clinically used antineoplastic agents and gamma-irradiation. Despite the evidence that DUSP1 is a promising anticancer target, efforts to discover small molecule inhibitors have been largely unsuccessful. The MKP active site is shallow and contains a catalytic cysteine that is sensitive to oxidation. Hence, prior discovery screens have mostly identified redox-reactive structures with promiscuous biological activities. Using a zebrafish chemical screen, we recently discovered a new DUSP inhibitory chemotype that has no redox-reactive structural features and that is thought to bind to an allosteric site adjacent to the catalytic cavity. Structure-activity relationship studies in transgenic zebrafish identified an analog (VNK-215) that retained DUSP1 and DUSP6 inhibitory activity but was well tolerated by the developing embryo. Here we hypothesized that VNK-215 could be selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells due to its ability to inhibit DUSP1 and lack of redox-reactive features. We found that in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, VNK-215 had apoptotic and antimigratory activity at concentrations that inhibited DUSP1 in mammalian cells, and induced phosphorylation of the DUSP1 substrates ERK, p38, and JNK. Studies in primary rat hepatocytes and live zebrafish embryos revealed that VNK-215, unlike previously described DUSP inhibitors, did not induce reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage, or toxicity. Our data suggest that the promiscuous activities of existing DUSP inhibitors are the cause of redox reactivity rather than target inhibition, and posit that DUSP1 is a druggable anticancer target for small molecule allosteric inhibitors. Citation Format: Laura Vollmer, Lawrence Vernetti, Ahmet Bakan, Vasiliy Korotchenko, Ivet Bahar, Billy Day, Michael Tsang, Andreas Vogt. A non-redox reactive allosteric inhibitor of MAPK phosphatases with selective toxicity to human cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 745. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-745
Caught in a Winding, Snarling Vine: The Structural Bias of Political Process Theory

The study of social movements has recently been energized by an explosion of work that emphasizes “political opportunities”—a concept meant to come to grips with the complex environments that movements face. In the excitement over this new metaphor, there has been a tendency to stretch it to cover a wide variety of empirical phenomena and causal mechanisms. A strong structural bias is also apparent in the way that political opportunities are understood and in the selection of cases for study. Even those factors adduced to correct some of the problems of the political opportunity approach—such as “mobilizing structures” and “cultural framing”—are subject to the same structural distortions. We recommend social movement analysis that rejects invariant modeling, is wary of conceptual stretching, and recognizes the diverse ways that culture and agency, including emotions and strategizing, shape collective action.
VNAP2: A Computer Program for Computation of Two-dimensional, Time-dependent, Compressible, Turbulent Flow

A computer program, VNAP2, for calculating turbulent (as well as laminar and inviscid), steady, and unsteady flow is presented. It solves the two dimensional, time dependent, compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The turbulence is modeled with either an algebraic mixing length model, a one equation model, or the Jones-Launder two equation model. The geometry may be a single or a dual flowing stream. The interior grid points are computed using the unsplit MacCormack scheme. Two options to speed up the calculations for high Reynolds number flows are included. The boundary grid points are computed using a reference plane characteristic scheme with the viscous terms treated as source functions. An explicit artificial viscosity is included for shock computations. The fluid is assumed to be a perfect gas. The flow boundaries may be arbitrary curved solid walls, inflow/outflow boundaries, or free jet envelopes. Typical problems that can be solved concern nozzles, inlets, jet powered afterbodies, airfoils, and free jet expansions. The accuracy and efficiency of the program are shown by calculations of several inviscid and turbulent flows. The program and its use are described completely, and six sample cases and a code listing are included.
Genetic damage in Salmonella typhimurium by near-ultraviolet radiation. Lack of repair by plasmid pKM101.

Abstract Plasmid pKM101, whose mucA and B genes endow cells with enhanced mutation frequency and enhanced resistance to far-ultraviolet radiation (FUV) (254 nm), had no influence on these properties when cells were damaged by near-ultraviolet radiation (NUV) (300–400 nm). Thus, NUV lesions did not lead to induction of SOS repair and subsequent expression of mucA and B genes on plasmid pKM101. Further, when cells were pre-irradiated with NUV and subsequently irradiated with FUV, there was a blockage of SOS repair, including the repair normally controlled by genes on pKM101.
Effects of Neutron Irradiation on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Nimonic PE-16

Specimens of Nimonic PE-16, a γ'-hardened austenitic alloy, were irradiated in the Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II) in order to determine the effect of neutron irradiation on the microstructure and mechanical properties. Specimens with two different aging treatments were irradiated at temperatures ranging from 650 to 823 K and fluences ranging from 1.2 × 10 2 6 neutrons (n)/m 2 to 4.0 × 10 2 6 n/m 2 . The aging treatments were: (A) 2h at 1313 K + 2 h at 1073 K + 16 h at 973 K; and (B) 4 h at 1313 K + 1 h at 1173 K + 8 h at 1023 K. Postirradiation transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the presence of voids in all irradiated specimens. No difference in the fluence dependence of swelling at an irradiation temperature of 773 K was observed between the specimens with Preirradiation Treatment A and the specimens with Preirradiation Treatment B. In contrast, the temperature dependence of swelling appears to be sensitive to the particular preirradiation aging treatment used. TEM also shows that existing precipitates coarsen slightly during irradiation and that precipitation of γ'-precipitates occurs on irradiation-produced dislocation loops and voids. Specimens irradiated at 773 K were tensile tested at 683, 773, 873, and 973 K. There is no significant difference in postirradiation mechanical properties between the two preirradition heat treatments. There is a large increase in yield strength after irradiation, which is consistent with the observed changes in microstructure. The ductility decreases as the test temperature increases. The low ductilities observed at the higher test temperatures are associated with a tendency for intergranular fracture. Auger spectroscopy of fracture surfaces on a specimen fractured at 823 to 873 K in the Auger chamber indicates that the concentrations of phosphorus and sulfur are a factor of two or three higher, and that the concentrations of iron and chromium are a factor of two lower, on surfaces of grain boundary fracture than on surfaces resulting from ductile fracture within the same specimen. There is also an enrichment of nickel at grain boundaries. In addition, helium release was observed at the time of fracture.
Toward avatar models to enhance performance and engagement in educational games

This paper presents work toward better understanding the roles that avatars can play in supporting learning in educational games. Specifically, the paper presents results of empirical studies on the impact of avatar type on learner/player performance and engagement. These results constitute work establishing baseline understandings to inform our longer term goal of developing models that use dynamic avatars to best support learners in educational games. Our aim is motivated by a convergence of research in the social sciences establishing that identity plays an important role in learning. Of note, aspects of social identity (e.g., race, ethnicity, and gender) have been shown to impact student performance [1] via triggering stereotypes [2]. Recently, performance and engagement studies in our educational game for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning suggest these same phenomena can be activated through virtual avatars [3], [4]. Here, we present results of a comparative study between avatars in the likeness of players and avatars as geometric shapes. In our STEM learning game, results show that players that had selected and used a shape avatar had significantly higher performance than players that had customized and used a likeness avatar. Players using the shape avatar also had significantly higher self-reported engagement, despite having lower self-reported affect towards the avatar.
Block in nuclear localization of period protein by a second clock mutation, timeless

In wild-type Drosophila, the period protein (PER) is found in nuclei of the eyes and brain, and PER immunoreactivity oscillates with a circadian rhythm. The studies described here indicate that the nuclear localization of PER is blocked by timeless (tim), a second chromosome mutation that, like per null mutations, abolishes circadian rhythms. PER fusion proteins without a conserved domain (PAS) and some flanking sequences are nuclear in tim mutants. This suggests that a segment of PER inhibits nuclear localization in tim mutants. The tim gene may have a role in establishing rhythms of PER abundance and nuclear localization in wild-type flies.
Licensed nursing staff reductions and substitutions in Pennsylvania hospitals, 1991-1997

Nurses report a decline in RN/patient and skill mix in the 1990s while quantitative studies fail to confirm this. This study examines aggregate hospital nursing staff in Pennsylvania from 1991-1997, focusing on changes in licensed nursing staff. It finds that licensed nursing staff declined while nursing assistants increased in this period. With adjustment for patient acuity, there was a slight decrease in RN/adjusted patient days of care (APDC), a 23% decrease in LPN/APDC, and a 4% decrease in licensed nurse/APDC. The RN/nurse ratio increased slightly, and licensed nurse/nurse fell slightly. Since RNs often operate in environments which make use of teams of licensed staff, nurses' perceptions of a decline in the RN/patient ratio is a result of the decline in licensed staff/APDC, and of an increase in patient acuity.
Melleolide, a new antibiotic from

Abstract Melleolide, a new sesquiterpenoid orsellinate, has been isolated from cultures of Armillaria mellea . Its structures was elucidated by X-ray crystallography.
Synthesis of ZnTe nanowires onto TiO2 nanotubular arrays by pulse-reverse electrodeposition

Abstract Growth of ZnTe nanowires using a pulse-reverse electrodeposition technique from a non-aqueous solution is reported. ZnTe nanowires were grown on to an ordered nanotubular TiO 2 template in a propylene carbonate solution at 130 °C inside a controlled atmosphere glove box. The pulse-reverse electro deposition process consisted of a cathodic pulse at − 0.62 V and an anodic pulse at 0.75 V Vs Zn 2+ /Zn. Stoichiometry growth of crystalline ZnTe nanowires was observed in the as-deposited condition. The anodic pulse cycle of the pulse-reverse electrodeposition process presumably introduced zinc vacancies as deep level acceptors at an energy level of E v + 0.47 eV. The resultant ZnTe nanowires showed p-type semiconductivity with a resistivity of 7.8 × 10 4 Ω cm and a charge carrier density of 1.67 × 10 14 cm − 3 . Annihilation of the defects occurred upon thermal annealing that resulted in marginal decrease in the defect density.
Role of surgery in pediatric ulcerative colitis

Pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) has a more extensive and progressive clinical course than adult UC. Therefore, more aggressive initial therapies and more frequent surgical treatments are needed. The therapeutic goal is to gain clinical and laboratory control of the disease with minimal adverse effects while permitting the patient to function as normally as possible. Approximately 5–10 % of patients with UC require acute surgical intervention because of fulminant colitis refractory to medical therapy. Mucosal proctocolectomy with ileal J-pouch anal anastomosis is currently recommended as a standard curative surgical procedure for UC in both children and adults worldwide. This review will focus on the current issues regarding the surgical indications for pediatric UC, the technical details of procedures and results of most recent published series to take the most appropriate next step to improve the surgical outcomes and patients’ quality of life.
Systemic delivery of proresolving lipid mediators resolvin D2 and maresin 1 attenuates intimal hyperplasia in mice

Vascular injury induces a potent inflammatory response that influences vessel remodeling and patency, limiting long-term benefits of cardiovascular interventions such as angioplasty. Specialized proresolving lipid mediators (SPMs) derived from ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)] orchestrate resolution in diverse settings of acute inflammation. We hypothesized that systemic administration of DHA-derived SPMs [resolvin D2 (RvD2) and maresin 1 (MaR1)] would influence vessel remodeling in a mouse model of arterial neointima formation (carotid ligation). In vitro, SPM treatment inhibited mouse aortic smooth muscle cell migration (IC₅₀ ≅ 1 nM) to a PDGF gradient and reduced TNF-α-stimulated p65 translocation, superoxide production, and proinflammatory gene expression (MCP-1). In vivo, adult FVB mice underwent unilateral carotid artery ligation with administration of RvD2, MaR1, or vehicle (100 ng by intraperitoneal injection at 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d after ligation). In ligated carotid arteries at 4 d, SPM treatment was associated with reduced cell proliferation and neutrophil and macrophage recruitment and increased polarization of M2 macrophages in the arterial wall. Neointimal hyperplasia (at 14 d) was notably attenuated in RvD2 (62%)- and MaR1 (67%)-treated mice, respectively. Modulation of resolution pathways may offer new opportunities to regulate the vascular injury response and promote vascular homeostasis.
‘Generation X’ consumers' preferences for non‐store versus in‐store shopping for apparel

Female consumers' preferences for shopping via CD/ROM, television or catalogue versus in a specialty store were investigated. Videotaped shopping simulations were viewed by 191 subjects who selected preferred options within each of six forced‐choice pairs. Specialty store was most and television least preferred. Catalogue was most preferred among non‐store options. Fashion Opinion Leadership, Clothing Interest Inventory and Shopping Orientation measures, and demographic and open‐ended questions were used to profile and explore preference behaviour. Analysis with Chi‐Square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) profiled five consumer segments. Subjects had positive and negative perceptions of each venue and believed that shopping through electronic media will be dominant non‐store options in the future.
Highly robust running of articulated bipeds in unobserved terrain

Control design of running robots is often based on mapping the behavior of lower order models onto the robotic systems, and the robustness of running is largely determined by the robustness of these underlying models. However, existing implementations do not take full advantage of the stability that the low order models can provide. In particular, analysis of the theoretical spring mass model suggests leg placement policies that generate near deadbeat rejection of large, unobserved changes in ground height. Here we show in simulation that this blind robustness to rough terrain can be carried over to bipedal robots. We design a control that stably embeds the spring mass model's behavior in a planar robot model and show that resulting system rejects ground disturbances of up to 25% leg length, adapts to persistent ground slopes, and tolerates sensor noise, signal delays, and modeling errors. The results indicate that transferring control derived within the spring mass model is an effective technique for realizing highly robust running in robotic systems.
A 1.8/2.5/3.3V BiCMOS I/O driver with VCC=5V

This paper presents an I/O driver specifically suited for magnetic drive preamplifier applications. In order to save mask cost preamplifiers are often built on a BICMOS process which while consisting of a 3V BJT has 1.8V MOS as the only MOS device. The main feature of the I/O is the ability to work directly off 5V pin supply while also being tolerant to 5V over-voltage on the common output bus using only 1.8V MOS and 3V bipolar devices. The I/O driver supports 1.8/2.5/3.3V signalling levels while requiring no extra LDO, to generate the IO supply voltage.
Influence of remediation in a mine-impacted river: metal trends over large spatial and temporal scales

The effectiveness of mine-waste remediation at the Clark Fork River Superfund site in western Montana, USA, was examined by monitoring metal concentrations in resident biota (caddisfly, Hydropsyche spp.) and bed sediment over a 19-year period. Remediation activities began in 1990 and are ongoing. In the upper 45 km, reduced Cu and Cd concentrations at some sites were coincident with remediation events. However, for a period of three years, the decline in Cu and Cd directly below the treatment ponds was offset by high arsenic concentrations, suggesting that remediation for cations (e.g., Cu and Cd) mobilized anions such as arsenic. The impact of remediation in the middle and lower reaches was confounded by a significant positive relationship between metal bioaccumulation and stream discharge. High flows did not dilute metals but redistributed contaminants throughout the river. The majority of clean-up efforts were focused on reducing metal-rich sediments in the most contaminated upstream reach, implicitly assuming that improvements upstream will positively impact the downstream stations. We tested this assumption by correlating temporal metal trends in sediment between and among stations. The strength of that association (r value) was our indicator of spatial connectivity. Connectivity for both Cu and Cd was strong at small spatial scales. Large-scale connectivity was strongest with Cu since similar temporal reductions were observed at most monitoring stations. The most upstream station, closest to remediation, had the lowest connectivity, but the next three downstream sites were strongly correlated to trends downstream. Targeted remediation in this reach would be an effective approach to positively influencing the downstream stations.