cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Classification of Emergent Dynamics in Microgrids Utilizing an Entropic Complexity-Based Feature Extractor

The complexity metric is an effective tool to evaluate the behavioral dynamics in systems with high level of nonlinearity and interconnectivity. This paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using the entropic complexity as a feature to enhance situational awareness in dynamical systems. In fact, the complexity measurement aims to detect dynamical changes and the pattern recognition tool discerns a particular dynamical change from other types of dynamics. In this study, parameters associated with the permutation entropy and also the complexity are determined in real time. The test system is a small-scale microgrid in which a solid-state transformer (SST) is operating under different dynamical conditions. The complexity measurement unit provides datasets that will be used for detection and identification of particular dynamics in the system that can be potentially used in real-time decision-making. Results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in detection and recognition of certain dynamics in microgrids.
Fixed-Confidence, Fixed-Tolerance Guarantees for Ranking-and-Selection Procedures

Ever since the conception of the statistical ranking-and-selection (R8S) problem, a predominant approach has been the indifference-zone (IZ) formulation. Under the IZ formulation, R8S procedures are designed to provide a guarantee on the probability of correct selection (PCS) whenever the performance of the best system exceeds that of the second-best system by a specified amount. We discuss the shortcomings of this guarantee and argue that providing a guarantee on the probability of good selection (PGS)—selecting a system whose performance is within a specified tolerance of the best—is a more justifiable goal. Unfortunately, this form of fixed-confidence, fixed-tolerance guarantee has received far less attention within the simulation community. We present an overview of the PGS guarantee with the aim of reorienting the simulation community toward this goal. We examine numerous techniques for proving the PGS guarantee, including sufficient conditions under which selection and subset-selection procedures that deliver the IZ-inspired PCS guarantee also deliver the PGS guarantee.
Highly Selective Hydroboration of Terminal Alkenes Catalyzed by a Cobalt Pincer Complex Featuring a Central Reactive N-Heterocyclic Phosphido Fragment

The application of a cobalt pincer complex, (PPClP)CoCl2, as a precatalyst for the hydroboration of terminal alkenes with pinacolborane (HBPin) is described. The reactions proceed rapidly under mil...
Dermatologists' Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Intelligence - A Cross-sectional Survey.

This cross-sectional survey finds that most dermatologists are receptive to assistance from AI tools and envision a role for augmented intelligence in clinical practice, but they also value the physician-patient relationship and human accuracy.
Reprogramming progressive cells display low CAG promoter activity

There is wide variability in the propensity of somatic cells to reprogram into pluripotency in response to the Yamanaka factors. How to segregate these variabilities to enrich for cells of specific traits that reprogram efficiently remains challenging. Here we report that the variability in reprogramming propensity is associated with the activity of the MKL1/SRF transcription factor and concurs with small cell size as well as rapid cell cycle. Reprogramming progressive cells can be prospectively identified by their low activity of a widely used synthetic promoter, CAG. CAGlow cells arise and expand during cell cycle acceleration in the early reprogramming culture of both mouse and human fibroblasts. Our work illustrates a molecular scenario underlying the distinct reprogramming propensities and demonstrates a convenient practical approach for their enrichment.
Intra-Operative Radiation Therapy and Surgical Excision for Locally Recurrent Gastrointestinal Cancers: Initial Results of a Single-Institution Registry

Purpose/Objective(s) A data registry was established upon implementation of a program of intra-operative radiation therapy (IORT) using high-dose rate brachytherapy. We evaluated the initial experience of patients with locally recurrent gastrointestinal (GI) cancers to help inform future patient selection and optimal multi-modal treatment management. Materials/Methods All patients treated with surgical resection and IORT at a tertiary referral center were prospectively enrolled in a registry after program implementation in 2015. Candidates for IORT included patients who presented with disease likely to be resected with either close or positive margins based on multi-disciplinary evaluation. Patient, disease, and treatment characteristics including radiation history and acute (within 90 days, Clavien-Dindo grade) were recorded. IORT was administered using a HAM applicator, with field size and location determined intra-operatively, prescribed to 1 cm depth with lead blocking as appropriate. Patterns of failure and toxicity were analyzed. Time to event analysis was conducted using Kaplan Meier method, and contingency tables and chi square statistics evaluated differences in frequency of events. Results Twenty-one patients were identified with locally recurrent GI cancer (rectal 62%, colon 29%, and anal cancer, 9%) who underwent surgical resection and IORT with curative intent. Median age was 58 years. All patients had a history of pelvic external beam radiotherapy (EBRT, median 50.4 Gy); 9 (43%) were treated with pre-operative reirradiation (median dose 43 Gy, median 2 mo prior to surgery). The median IORT dose was 12.5 Gy (range 10-15). Resection was pathologically complete (R0, n = 9), or with microscopic (R1, n = 11) or macroscopic residual (R2, n = 1). Median follow up was 20 months. Twelve (57%) patients had failure at the site of IORT, at a median 7 mo. Freedom from failure (FFF) within the IORT field was associated with resection status (FFF-1y 75% for R0 vs 15% for R1/2, P = 0.0065) but not re-irradiation EBRT or IORT dose (P > 0.05). Pelvic failure beyond the IORT site occurred in 5 (24%) patients at a median 5 mo, and 13 (62%) had eventual distant metastases, at a median 5.5 months. Ultimately, only 3 patients (14%) were disease free at last follow-up. The median hospital stay was 6 days, the 90-day readmission rate was 25%, and acute grade 3 toxicity was observed in 43%, with abscess/sepsis most common (n = 5, 24%). Grade 3 toxicities and 90-day admission were not associated with resection status or EBRT (all P > 0.1). There were no 90-day grade 4/5 toxicities. Conclusion In patients treated with surgical excision and IORT for locally recurrent GI cancer, the ability to achieve a clear resection margin is a critical determinant of in-field local control. Patient selection should consider the chance for R0 resection, as well as the risk of regional or distant progression, when evaluating patients for this aggressive multi-modal treatment.
A tissue-bioengineering strategy for modeling rare human kidney diseases in vivo

The lack of animal models for some human diseases precludes our understanding of disease mechanisms and our ability to test prospective therapies in vivo. Generation of kidney organoids from Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) patient-derived-hiPSCs allows us to recapitulate a rare kidney tumor called angiomyolipoma (AML). Organoids derived from TSC2−/− hiPSCs but not from isogenic TSC2+/− or TSC2+/+ hiPSCs share a common transcriptional signature and a myomelanocytic cell phenotype with kidney AMLs, and develop epithelial cysts, replicating two major TSC-associated kidney lesions driven by genetic mechanisms that cannot be consistently recapitulated with transgenic mice. Transplantation of multiple TSC2−/− renal organoids into the kidneys of immunodeficient rats allows us to model AML in vivo for the study of tumor mechanisms, and to test the efficacy of rapamycin-loaded nanoparticles as an approach to rapidly ablate AMLs. Collectively, our experimental approaches represent an innovative and scalable tissue-bioengineering strategy for modeling rare kidney disease in vivo. The lack of animal models for some human diseases precludes our understanding of disease mechanisms and our ability to test new therapies in vivo. Here the authors present a tissue bioengineering strategy for the study of a rare kidney tumor called angiomyolipoma, in vitro and in vivo, using patient-derived hiPSCs.
Oral recombinant human lactoferrin induces systemic immune responses and inhibits the growth of established tumors

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 4689 We investigated the immunomodulatory function and anti-cancer activity of orally administered recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF), alone and in combination with chemotherapy in tumor-bearing mice. Oral rhLF (300 mg/kg/day for three days) administered to naive Balb/C mice resulted in statistically significant changes with respect to placebo including: (i) increased production of IL-18 in the intestinal tract (8.4 vs. 1.0 ng/ml); (ii) systemic NK activation (34.0 vs. 9.9 lytic units); and (iii) CD8+ T cell expansion in peripheral blood (26% relative increase). IL-18 is known to induce the production of Th1 cytokines including INF-γ, and to enhance cell-mediated immune cytotoxicity via NK and CD8+ T cell activation. We then investigated rhLF’s ability to inhibit tumor growth in syngeneic mice. Monotherapy with oral rhLF (1,000 mg/kg) induced partial or complete regression in mammary adenocarcinoma (TUBO) tumors. Oral rhLF (200 mg/kg) also caused tumor growth inhibition (TGI) in a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCC VII) model: monotherapy with oral rhLF caused a 61% TGI relative to placebo (p<0.001), comparable to Cis-platinum (5 mg/kg) alone (66%). Animals receiving both rhLF (200 mg/kg) and Cis-platinum (5 mg/kg) had a 79% TGI, a statistically significant improvement over either agent alone. These findings suggest that oral rhLF is active against cancer as a single agent and in combination with chemotherapy, and exerts its systemic effect through stimulation of cytokines such as IL-18 from the gut enterocytes. RhLF has been shown to be safe in human clinical trials. Thus, rhLF shows promise as a safe and well-tolerated novel immunomodulatory anticancer agent.
Mobile government fieldwork: a preliminary study of technological, organizational, and social challenges

With its GoMobile project, the City of Seattle is pioneering the utilization of fully mobile wirelessly connected (FMWC) technology applications in fieldwork operations with the aim of significantly improving its operational effectiveness and efficiency as well as its quality of service. Our study analyzes and assesses the efficacy of this prototypical mobile Government project. Preliminary findings, based on the study of one division, show that beyond the expectable technology hurdles numerous unforeseen challenges in the organizational and social context emerge, which when taken together can present staunch and tall obstacles to arriving at the intended outcome. Our study uses a work-centered analytical framework for deriving and clarifying the strategic choices in such projects via a formative model. Our narrative model captures and surfaces the interaction and interdependence between major organizational variables and the work context. In this paper, we report on our early observations and high-level findings.
Variable selection for high dimensional Bayesian density estimation: application to human exposure simulation

Numerous studies have linked ambient air pollution and adverse health outcomes. Many studies of this nature relate outdoor pollution levels measured at a few monitoring stations with health outcomes. Recently, computational methods have been developed to model the distribution of personal exposures, rather than ambient concentration, and then relate the exposure distribution to the health outcome. Although these methods show great promise, they are limited by the computational demands of the exposure model. We propose a method to alleviate these computational burdens with the eventual goal of implementing a national study of the health effects of air pollution exposure. Our approach is to develop a statistical emulator for the exposure model, i.e. we use Bayesian density estimation to predict the conditional exposure distribution as a function of several variables, such as temperature, human activity and physical characteristics of the pollutant. This poses a challenging statistical problem because there are many predictors of the exposure distribution and density estimation is notoriously difficult in high dimensions. To overcome this challenge, we use stochastic search variable selection to identify a subset of the variables that have more than just additive effects on the mean of the exposure distribution. We apply our method to emulate an ozone exposure model in Philadelphia. © 2011 Royal Statistical Society.
Radiation exposure issues in orthopaedics.

The topic of radiation exposure for patients, physicians, and staff has become prominent in the lay press. It seems that every week another story about radiation safety makes the evening news. For physicians and surgeons, the largest radiation exposures involve fluoroscopy use with either fixed or mobile units. For patients, fluoroscopy (c-arm), computed tomography (CT), and nuclear medicine studies constitute the vast majority of exposures. The use of each of these modalities has grown dramatically with changes in the practice of medicine. C-arm use in orthopaedic surgery is increasing rapidly as surgery transitions to minimal-access surgery. With less direct visualization, surgery is being conducted with fluoroscopic guidance. When fluoroscopy is combined with a computer for navigation systems, radiation exposure sustained by surgeons can be reduced dramatically. This transition does not decrease the patient's radiation dose, and in some instances it can increase it substantially1. CT scans have become accepted as commonplace. The rate of CT use is thirty times greater than it was twenty years ago, and the radiation exposure sustained by a patient can be dramatic2,3. Less than one-sixth of physicians receive any training in radiation safety4. One questionnaire study of physicians showed that 4% did not know that ultrasound did not involve ionizing radiation and 27% did not know that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) did not involve radiation at all5. Approximately 90% of physicians underestimated the radiation exposure and risks from pediatric radiographs and CT scans4. A single pediatric abdominal CT scan exposes the patient to more radiation than the seventy-year exposure from living in the vicinity of the Chernobyl accident2. For a five-year-old patient who weighs 19 kg, a chest CT is the equivalent of 600 chest radiographs and a CT of the …
Performance of a flapping foil flow energy harvester in shear flows

Abstract Through numerical simulations, we investigate the energy harvesting performance of a heaving/pitching foil in shear flow. With two-dimensional Navier–Stokes simulations, we examined the energy harvesting efficiencies of such a system in linear shear flows and compared the results with those in uniform flows. It is found that in low shear rates, the performance of the system in linear shear flow is slightly higher than that in uniform flow, whereas the energy harvesting efficiency is greatly diminished if the shear rate is sufficiently high (this effect is more pronounced in higher frequencies). This is attributed to the effects of linear shear on the vorticity generation and the synchronization between fluid forcing and foil motion – when a strong shear flow is introduced the lift force induced by the leading edge vortex that is in phase with the heaving motion of the foil is diminished. Furthermore, by studying the instability of the wake behind the foil, we confirm that the optimal performance of the foil in linear shear flows is associated with the same physical mechanism that controls the performance of the foil in uniform flows, i.e. the excitation of the most unstable modes in the wake when the oscillation frequency of the foil is close to the frequencies of these modes.
Multidimensional and Multifluid Plasma Edge Modelling: Status and New Directions

The plasma boundary in magnetic confinement devices is observed in experiments and in computations to contain radial and poloidal variations in plasma potential, strong radial electric fields and large poloidal drift flows in addition to the parallel flow toward the plasma sheath boundaries and the particle recycling from the walls. The global power balence is largely influenced by impurity radiation and thus by impurity transport in the edge region. The behavior of the edge region is related to global confinement in ways not yet fully known and motivates further improvements in edge plasma modelling. General multifluid transport equations are reviewed in the context of the current status of plasma edge modelling. It is assumed that the macroscopic transport in the plasma edge region is suitable for a moments description, or fluid model. Progress is well established in computational treatments of the standard paradigm including classical parallel and anomalous cross-field flux coupled to neutrals in analytic or Monte Carlo steady state computations. Formulation of momentum diffusivities and curvature drift in toroidal coordinates are considered. New directions include defining the dominant influence of drifts and non-ambipolar flows, improving coupled plasma-neutral transport calculations, and treating impurity flow in full multifluid models. Calculation of the plasma potential driving the E × B drift in the scrape-off layer can be extended inside the last closed flux surface by conserving the divergence of the plasma currents. Coupled plasma-neutral fluids using a neutral diffusion approximation show promise for recycling calculations. Impurity transport based on full multifluid treatment along the field lines has shown good agreement with divertor experiments. Advanced topics for the near future include plasma core-edge transport coupling and eventually the direct solution of coupled momentum equations rather than the presently assumed cross-field ‘anomalous’ flux functions. In the edge region, plasma sheath boundary conditions are a significant sink for plasma particles and heat; a small coupling between the momentum components in the plasma edge can be sufficient to drive an ‘anomalously’ large efflux from the core plasma.
Effect of animal orientation with respect to wind direction on convective heat loss

Abstract Animal orientation with respect to wind direction should be considered when calculating convective heat loss. Three different orientations (1) trunk axis perpendicular to wind direction, (2) trunk axis parallel to wind direction with head facing wind, and (3) trunk axis parallel to wind direction with posterior end toward wind, were studied using a model calf in a wind tunnel. Combined convective heat loss, calculated from a generalized predictive model, and radiative heat loss gave a prediction accuracy of better than ±5% of the measured power input with the 1st orientation, underpredicted with the 2nd orientation and overpredicted with the 3rd orientation.
TISSUE DAMAGE IN HODGKIN'S DISEASE FOLLOWING THERAPY

In 14 patients with Hodgkin's disease, aged 5½ to 19½ years, physical growth, immune status, thyroid function and pulmonary function were studied 1½ to 5 years after receiving extended field radiation ± combination chemotherapy in order to determine early evidence of tissue damage. Eight of the 14 patients maintained the same height percentile or better, 13 maintained the same sitting height percentile whereas the bi-cristal and bi-deltoid diameter was in the same percentile in all patients. Eleven patients reacted to PPD, candida or to SKSD antigens whereas 3 remained anergic despite repeated testing. The IgG, IgA and IgM levels and the absolute lymphocyte count in each patient was within the normal range for age. In 2 patients with lymphocytopenia at the time of diagnosis the absolute lymphocyte count rose to normal levels following therapy. With reference to thyroid function 13 patients had normal T4 levels (range 3.0-5.3 ugm/dl) and 11 had normal TSH levels (range 4.0-9-8 microU/ml). The one patient who had a lowered T4 level also had a markedly elevated TSH level as evidence of thyroid hypofunction and these biochemical parameters returned to normal on thyroid therapy. Pulmonary function tests (FEV1 and VC) revealed 2 patients with severe and 2 with mildly compromised pulmonary function.
MRI findings in an adolescent with type I citrullinaemia

Citrullinaemia is a rare inborn error of urea cycle metabolism. We describe the MRI findings in a 16-year-old boy with type I citrullinaemia during an episode of acute hyperammonaemic encephalopathy and compare them to his previous follow-up MRI studies. MRI revealed bilateral high signal intensity in the cingulate, perirolandic, parietal and temporoinsular cortex, the subcortical white matter and left thalamus. Diffusion-weighted imaging showed high signal intensity and low apparent diffusion coefficient values in the frontoparietal lobes. To our knowledge, MRI findings in an adolescent with type I citrullinaemia have not been previously reported. Since our patient's neuroradiological findings showed greater similarity to type II citrullinaemia, we think his brain injury during this acute episode was probably age-related and independent of the type of citrullinaemia.
First-principles study of the effects of polytype and size on energy gaps in SiC nanoclusters

We have studied the band-gap variation and stability energy in silicon carbide (SiC) nanoclusters of different polytypes using density functional theory (DFT) based on a gradient-corrected approximation. We have obtained a series of spherical SiC nanoclusters with dimensions up to 2 nm from bulk 2H, 3C, and 4H polytype crystals. All clusters with diameters smaller than 1 nm exhibit similar energy-gap-size variations, while energy gaps for clusters larger than 1 nm show a distinct size dependence with different polytypes and approach their bulk gaps with an increase in cluster size. In contrast to their bulk behavior, the binding energy difference between polytypes of clusters within the diameter range 0.5 nm−2 nm is found to be negligible, suggesting that the problems associated with the synthesis of polytypes of SiC in bulk may disappear for small clusters. The convergence of the energy gap and binding energy with different polytypes at small size clusters and the transition between the clusters to bulk ...
Sensory surface of the saccule and lagena in the ears of ostariophysan fishes

The inner ears of a few fishes in the teleost superorder Ostariophysi are structurally unlike those of most other teleosts. Scanning electron microscopy was used to determine if other ostariophysans share these unusual features. Examined were the families Cyprinidae, Characidae, and Gymnotidae (all of the series Otophysi), and Chanidae (of the sister series Anotophysi), representing the four major ostariophysan lineages, the auditory organs of which have not yet been well described. Among the Otophysi, the saccular and lagenar otolith organs are similar to those reported for other ostariophysans. The lagena is generally the larger of the two organs. The saccular sensory epithelium (macula) contains long ciliary bundles on the sensory hair cells in the caudal region, and short bundles in the rostral region. The saccule and the lagena each have hair cells organized into two groups having opposing directional orientations. In contrast, Chanos, the anotophysan, has a saccular otolith larger than the lagenar otolith, and ciliary bundles that are more uniform in size over most of its saccular macula. Most strikingly, its saccular macula has hair cells organized into groups oriented in four directions instead of two, in a pattern very similar to that in many nonostariophysan teleosts. We suggest that the bi-directional pattern seen consistently in the Otophysi is a derived development related to particular auditory capabilities of these species.
Sentence comprehension in Alzheimer's disease

A visual sentence‐picture matching task was used to clarify the nature of the comprehension deficit in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Test sentences varied according to how crucial the processing of syntax was in computing a correct interpretation. Half the sentences could be understood through the comprehension of semantic cues alone; the other half required the processing of syntactic cues. In the first experiment, sentences were removed from view before the test pictures were presented; in the second, sentences and pictures were presented together to decrease demands on working memory. Two factors determined the accuracy of sentence comprehension: whether a syntactic analysis was needed and whether additional working‐memory resources were needed for temporary storage. When storage demands were minimized, patients were able to use semantic cues to guide comprehension. When semantic cues were unavailable, comprehension was impaired, regardless of whether or not there were additional storage requirements, prov...
Amelioration of early cognitive deficits by aged garlic extract in Alzheimer's transgenic mice.

Subtle accumulation of β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) oligomers of Aβ42 species in particular, is known to correlate with cognitive deficits independent of Aβ plaque deposition in the brain. Majority of the research showing behavioral improvement after cerebral Aβ reduction has been reported when the animals carried fewer/abundant amyloid plaques in the brain. Very few studies have addressed whether or not behavioral deficits exist even at the pre-plaque stage or in the absence of plaques that would parallel the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Current study was undertaken to determine whether there exists any cognitive impairment during the pre-plaque stage which may parallel the MCI stage of AD, and to confirm whether the observed behavioral deficits correlate with Aβ42 predominance. In addition, the study determined whether anti-amyloidogenic effects of dietary aged garlic extract would prevent progressive behavioral impairment. For this purpose we used Tg2576 model showing slow plaque development with a predominance of Aβ40, and the TgCRND8 model showing accelerated plaque development with a predominance of Aβ42. The results show that at 2 months of age Tg2576 mice did not exhibit behavioral impairment in any of the tasks studied. While 2-month-old TgCRND8 mice displayed only a subtle behavioral deficit that matched the behavioral deficits observed in 7-month-old Tg2576 mice which may correlate with the MCI stage of AD. TgCRND8 mice at 7 months of age exhibited advanced deterioration in all behavioral tasks studied, suggesting that accelerated Aβ accumulation and the predominance of Aβ42 species may account for the pronounced cognitive deficits observed in TgCRND8. Feeding of aged garlic extract prevented deterioration of hippocampal based memory tasks in these mice, suggesting that aged garlic extract has a potential for preventing AD progression. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficiency of MIMO configuration and adaptive optics corrections in free space optical fading channels

Free Space Optical (FSO) communications is the only practical candidate for realizing universal network coverage between ground and airborne nodes, satellites, and even moon and other nearby planets. When atmosphere (be it the earth or Mars) is a part of the optical channel, attributes of scattering and turbulence bring about amplitude attenuation, and scintillation, as well as beam wander and phase aberrations at the receiving aperture. Phase screens are usually used in order to simulate the atmospheric fading channel and phase fluctuations. In this paper, different methods of generating phase screens are compared based on their accuracy and computational complexity, as in most computer simulations, a large ensemble of phase screens are required for averaging purposes. To combat the focal plane intensity fading, caused by amplitude and phase variations in the received wave-front, it is possible to replace the Single Input-Single Output (SISO) communications system with its Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) equivalent, which has the same total transmit power and receiving aperture area. Another alternative is to equip the receiver with a state of the art Adaptive Optics (AO) correction system. Using average Bit Error Rate (BER), as a performance metric, effectiveness of these two approaches are compared and it is shown that while a MIMO configuration outperforms a basic AO system capable of only tilt corrections, an ideal AO system, which is able to remove higher orders of Zernike modes can asymptotically perform as well as an equivalent MIMO configuration.
Hyperpolarized 3He MRI of mouse lung

Hyperpolarized 3He images of mouse lung are presented. Ventilation images and measurements of 3He apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) are reported in healthy mice, and preliminary studies of emphysema and lung cancer in mice are described using these techniques. The design and operation of an electronically controlled small-animal ventilator to deliver the hyperpolarized gas and control animal respiration are described. Images are acquired using an asymmetric gradient echo imaging method to enhance the signal-to-noise ratio of the rapidly diffusing 3He. In mice with elastase-induced emphysema, the whole-lung average ADC is greater by approximately 25%, a statistically significant difference, compared to healthy animals. By contrast, mice exposed to cigarette smoke for up to 12 months reveal no statistically relevant increases in ADC, although emphysema was not confirmed in these mice. A study of lung cancer (melanoma) in mice is also presented. While tumors are shown to cause substantial ventilation defects in the lung, these defects appear confined to the cancerous regions and do not extend to large-scale regions of the lung distal to the tumors. Magn Reson Med 52:1310–1317, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Two-beam fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy for simultaneous analysis of positive and negative ions in continuous-flow capillary electrophoresis.

Two-beam fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy was used for multicomponent electrophoretic analysis of positive and negative ions flowing continuously, and in opposite directions, through a polymer-coated electrophoresis capillary. Cross-correlation analysis of the fluorescence monitored from two spatially offset microscopic detection volumes revealed the magnitude and direction of the electrophoretic flow velocity of each analyte. This enabled resolution of a three-component mixture containing nanomolar concentrations of cationic rhodamine 6G and anionic 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA) and TAMRA-labeled single-stranded DNA in aqueous buffer. The relative concentrations of each analyte, determined from the cross-correlation analysis, agreed with known values within experimental error. This technique is sensitive to molecular processes occurring on a millisecond time scale and will prove useful for monitoring rapid fluctuations in the magnitude and direction of the electrophoretic flow velocity...
INFLUENCE OF PHOTOPERIOD ON THIAMINE, RIBOFLAVIN AND NIACIN CONTENT OF GREEN PLANTS

IT IS A WELL KNOWN FACT that the climate and the seasons influence the vitamin content of green plants. Many investigators, among them Wolf (1938), Moldtmann (1939), Reid (1941, 1942), Hamner et al. (1944), Rodahl (1944), Aberg (1946), Somers et al. (1948), and Gustafson (1948, 1950), have shown that both light and temperature are factors of great importance in vitamin synthesis. Yet when light intensity and temperature have been accounted for there is still something lacking to account for the high vitamin content of plants during the summer. In 1940 Bonner found that Xanthium pennsylvanicum, Cosmos sulfureus, Lycopersicum esculentum, Brassica nigra and B. alba had a higher concentration of thiamine in the leaves when subjected to a photoperiod of 18-20 hr. than when exposed to a 9-hr. photoperiod. Reid (1942) found that medium to long days were conducive to the production of a high ascorbic acid content in cow peas, whereas short photoperiods produced plants with low ascorbic acid content. Hamner et al. (1944) also found that the tomato produced less ascorbic acid under an 8-hr. photoperiod than when exposed to a 16-hr. photoperiod. In the spring of 1951 the writer had the opportunity of spending several months at the Earhart Plant Research Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California, and it was decided to take advantage of the unusual opportunity offered at this laboratory to study the influence of the photoperiod on vitamin content in several different plants. MATERIAL AND METHODS.-The plants used for these studies were Alaska peas, Black Valentine beans and San Jose Canner tomatoes. The plants were grown in natural light at day temperature of 23 or 260C., and a photoperiod of 14-15 hr. until placed under the experimental conditions. The age of the plants varied considerably but within any one experiment the plants used were of the same age and were closely selected for size and stage of development. The plants were grown in plastic boxes in gravel and vermiculite, and were watered with Hoagland's nutrient solution. In the first experiments the plants were transferred directly from the greenhouse to the experimental rooms, but in the Iater experiments they were first placed in the
Planetary-scale wave structure in the Martian atmosphere

Wave-like perturbations are found in the Mariner 9 IRIS atmospheric temperature data during late Northern Hemisphere winter in a latitude band between 45 deg N and 65 deg N. The nature of the data base prevents a unique separation of spatial and temporal behavior, but Fourier analysis of the data constrains the waves to discrete combinations of planetary wavenumber and period. One major spectral component possesses a meridional amplitude cross section with a maximum near the 1 mbar level at 60 deg N and is strongly correlated with the circumpolar jet observed in thermal winds calculated from the mean meridional temperature cross section. This feature is consistent with the low-wavenumber baroclinic waves observed in Viking Lander data, and the vertical structure reflects the behavior anticipated for a vertically penetrating quasi-geostrophic disturbance. Other possible origins for the wave cannot be ruled out, however. Among these is a stationary wave forced by wavenumber-2 topographic relief.
The Pharmacogenomics Research Network Translational Pharmacogenetics Program: overcoming challenges of real-world implementation.

The pace of discovery of potentially actionable pharmacogenetic variants has increased dramatically in recent years. However, the implementation of this new knowledge for individualized patient care has been slow. The Pharmacogenomics Research Network (PGRN) Translational Pharmacogenetics Program seeks to identify barriers and develop real-world solutions to implementation of evidence-based pharmacogenetic tests in diverse health-care settings. Dissemination of the resulting toolbox of “implementation best practices” will prove useful to a broad audience.
Palin, Saturday Night Live, and Framing: Examining the Dynamics of Political Parody

This work investigates dynamics of political parody through a framing analysis of Saturday Night Live sketches that spoof former Governor Sarah Palin. It is posited that parodies of political figures can be fruitfully understood as reflecting, refracting, and creating political realities, as suggested by the identification of 4 dominant frames in Saturday Night Live sketches. Furthermore, the author argues that the framing approach can serve as a point of convergence for contrasting epistemological approaches to political humor research.
Reaction of guanyl radicals in plasmid DNA with biological reductants: chemical repair of DNA damage produced by the direct effect of ionizing radiation.

Purpose : It has been previously argued that the use of the one-electron oxidants (SCN) 2 •- and Br 2 •- with plasmid DNA leads to the formation of DNA guanyl radicals. These guanyl radical species are intermediates in the DNA damage produced by processes such as photo-ionization and ionizing irradiation. The present paper evaluates the use of thallium(II) ions (Tl II OH +) as the one-electron oxidant, and also determines rate constants for the reduction (repair) of guanyl radicals in plasmid DNA by a variety of reducing agents including the biologically important compounds ascorbate and glutathione. Materials and methods : Aqueous solutions of plasmid DNA containing 10 -3 mol dm -3 thiocyanate or thallous ions and a reducing agent (azide, nitrite, ferrocyanide, hexachloroiridate(III), iodide, ascorbate, glutathione, glutathione disulphide, methionine, tyrosine, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, 10 -7 -10 -4 mol dm -3) were irradiated with 137 Cs γ-rays (662 keV). After irradiation, the plasmid was incubated...
Single-Institution, Multidisciplinary Experience with Surgical Resection of Primary Chest Wall Sarcomas

Introduction Primary chest wall sarcomas are rare mesenchymal tumors and their mainstay of therapy is wide surgical resection. We report our single-institution, multidisciplinary experience with full-thickness resection for primary chest wall sarcomas. Methods A retrospective review of our prospectively maintained databases revealed that 51 patients were referred for primary chest wall sarcomas from 1990 to 2009. Results All patients required resections that included rib and/or sternum. Twenty-nine patients (57%) had extended resections beyond the chest wall. Forty-two patients (82%) required prosthetic reconstruction and 17 patients (33%) had muscle flap coverage. Overall, 51% (26/51) of patients received neoadjuvant therapy. Seventy-three percent (11/15) of high-grade soft tissue sarcomas, 77% (10/13) of high-risk bony sarcomas, and 67% (4/6) of desmoid tumors were treated with induction therapy. Negative margins were obtained in 46 patients (90%). There were no perioperative mortalities. Eight patients (16%) experienced complications. Local recurrence and metastasis was detected in 14 and 23%. Five-year overall and disease-free survivals were 66% and 47%, respectively. Favorable prognostic variables for survival included age ⩽50 years, tumor volume ⩽200 cm 3 , desmoid tumor, bony tumor, chondrosarcoma, and low-grade soft tissue sarcoma. Conclusions We report our multidisciplinary experience with primary chest wall sarcomas that included induction therapy in the majority of high-risk soft tissue and bony sarcomas and desmoid tumors. Despite aggressive preoperative treatments, acceptable surgical results with low morbidity and mortality can be achieved. Neoadjuvant systemic therapy may reduce local and distant recurrence and improve overall survival.
Tunable band gaps in bio-inspired periodic composites with nacre-like microstructure

Periodic composite materials have many promising applications due to their unique ability to control the propagation of waves. Here, we report the existence and frequency tunability of complete elastic wave band gaps in bio-inspired periodic composites with nacre-like, brick-and-mortar microstructure. Numerical results show that complete band gaps in these periodic composites derive from local resonances or Bragg scattering, depending on the lattice angle and the volume fraction of each phase in the composites. The investigation of elastic wave propagation in finite periodic composites validates the simulated complete band gaps and further reveals the mechanisms leading to complete band gaps. Moreover, our results indicate that the topological arrangement of the mineral platelets and changes of material properties can be utilized to tune the evolution of complete band gaps. Our finding provides new opportunities to design mechanically robust periodic composite materials for wave absorption under hostile environments, such as for deep water applications.
1.5 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron breakdown in air

We present experimental measurements of breakdown in atmospheric pressure air created by a 3 μs pulse length, 1.5 MW, 110 GHz gyrotron producing a quasioptical beam. The linearly polarized focused beam creates a plasma that exhibits a filamentary array of streamers. We use a fast gating camera to measure the time evolution of the plasma filaments and their free space expansion velocity. Microwave measurements show that the scattering of incident microwaves by the plasma through an angular distribution agrees with what is predicted by diffraction of the microwave beam after being absorbed by the plasma. We use a fast gating, highresolution spectrometer and a broadband spectrometer to measure breakdown plasma temperatures and compare with previous microwave breakdown experiments.
Template ability of activated DNA from the regenerating lens.

Abstract The template ability of DNA changes during the cell cycle. Prior to the initiation of DNA synthesis in the regenerating lens of Triturus, DNA is converted during the latter portion of the G 1 phase into a form which serves as an excellent template for heterologous DNA polymerase. This activated DNA is a much better template than DNA isolated from the G o phase, or from the early portion of the G 1 phase.
Antiarrhythmic efficacy of desipramine.

The effect of desipramine on chronic ventricular ectopic depolarizations (VEDs) was studied in 10 patients with at least 30 VEDs per hour. A single-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging protocol was followed. Efficacy was defined as a decrease in VED frequency of at least 75%, based on three 24 hour ambulatory ECGs obtained on each dose. Among seven patients with analyzable data, one responded to 75 mg daily, and three others responded to 150 mg daily. Six of the seven patients demonstrated decreases in VED frequency with increases in desipramine serum concentration. Among five patients with episodes of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, desipramine completely abolished the episodes in two, and reduced the frequency of episodes by at least 90% in two others. Adverse reactions were common, and necessitated drug discontinuation or dose reduction in five patients. Desipramine has an antiarrhythmic effect in patients with chronic ventricular ectopy, but its clinical utility is limited by adverse effects.
Oxytocin and bovine parturition: a steep rise in endometrial oxytocin receptors precedes onset of labor.

Oxytocin receptors were measured in myometrium and intercaruncular endometrium of cows during pregnancy and partu. rition. Concentrations of estradiol-17�l, estrone, and progesterone in peripheral blood were also measured. Receptor concentrations in the endometrium rose almost 200-fold from Day 20 to term (p < 0.0001, ANOVA), from 40 ± 11 to 7300 ± 1430 finol/mg protein. Myometrial receptor concentrations increased 10-fold from 180 ± 36 flMol/mg on Day 20 to 1850 ± 360 ftnol/mg protein at term (p <0.0001, ANOVA). During labor, endometrial receptors (6600 ± 1300 fmol/mg) remained at prelabor values, whereas myometrial receptor concentrations had decreased to 1190 ± 316 ff01/mg (not significant) and declined further postpartum. Plasma concentrations of progesterone declined from 4-5 ng/ml to about 2 ng/ml between Days 250 and 282 and dropped to < 0.2 ng/ml shortly before delivery. Plasma concentrations of estrone and estradiol-17(l were below 1020 pg/mi until Day 230. Estrone concentrations were significantly (p < 0.05) increased by Day 250 and estradiol-17� by Day 270, and then both rose rapidly. During labor, plasma estrone was 1135 ± 245 pg/mi and plasma estradiol- 17� was 226 ± 131 pg/mi. The molar ratio of estrone and estradiol-17�3 to progesterone rose from less than 0.01 to 4.4 during labor, and was correlated with oxytocin receptor concentrations in endometrium (r = 0.5160,p < 0.001), but not those in myomethum (r = 0.0 122). The regulation of oxytocin receptors by ovarian hormones in the two tissues may therefore differ.The results suggest that oxytocin participates in the regulation of myometrial contractility and endometrial prostagiandin F2,, release in parturient cows and possibly in luteolysis.
Testing gauge/gravity duality on a quantum black hole

In general relativity, gravity is formulated as a classical physics theory, and formulating its fully quantum version is a great challenge. Gauge/gravity duality conjectures that certain special quantum theories (typically gauge theories) are equivalent to theories of gravity in an emergent spacetime that has more dimensions than the ones appearing in the original quantum theory, and thereby provides an important bridge between quantum theory and gravity. A simple example involves a matrix quantum mechanics theory ( 1 , 2 ) of interacting fundamental particles that gives rise to gravity in a 10-dimensional curved spacetime ( 3 ). Black holes in this spacetime are described by the quantum system at finite temperature. Testing the conjectured duality is difficult because the quantum system is very strongly coupled—it has no easy mathematical solution—when the standard Einstein-like gravity description is applicable. On page 882 of this issue, Hanada et al. ( 4 ) test this relation by numerically calculating the entropy of a black hole in the gauge theory. They also calculate this entropy with a gravity theory that includes the first quantum gravity correction. The agreement between the two computations is evidence for the validity of the gauge/gravity duality, as well as for the internal consistency of string theory as a quantum theory of gravity.
A space-time point process model for analyzing and predicting case patterns of diarrheal disease in northwestern Ecuador.

We consider modeling case-patterns under a complex spatial and longitudinal sampling design as conducted via a serial case–control study of diarrheal disease in northwestern Ecuador. We build a two-stage space-time model to understand the role of spatially and temporally referenced covariates that reflect social and natural environments in the sampled region, after accounting for unmeasured residual heterogeneities. All diarrheal case events are collected from 21 sampled communities in Esmeraldes province in Ecuador, during seven sampling cycles from 2003 to 2008. The region of interest comprises 158 communities along a river basin. Prediction of case counts at unsampled communities at a future time is of interest along with estimation of risk-related parameters. We propose a computationally feasible two-stage Bayesian approach to estimate the risk-related parameters and conduct predictive inference. We first apply the log Gaussian Cox process (LGCP), commonly used to model spatial clustering of point patterns, to accommodate temporal variation within the sampled communities. Prediction of the number of cases at unsampled communities at a future time is obtained by a disease mapping model conditional on the expected case counts from Stage I.