cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Actin Straightens the Myosin Relay Helix during the Powerstroke

We have used transient time-resolved FRET, (TR)2FRET, to resolve the structural kinetics of the myosin relay helix during the actin-activated power stroke. The relay helix plays a critical role in force generation in all myosin isoforms coupling structural changes in the ATPase site with rotation of the light chain binding domain and force generation. Previous work demonstrated that the relay helix of the myosin II motor domain from Dictyostelium Discoideum exists in dynamic equilibrium between a bent pre-powerstroke state stabilized by ATP, and a straight post-powerstroke state which predominates in the presence of ADP or when the nucleotide binding site is empty. We predict that actin binding to the myosin.ADP.Pi complex will reverse helix bending. This transition should parallel the myosin power-stroke. To test this hypothesis, a Cys-lite Dictyostelium myosin motor domain was labeled at two introduced Cys residues shown to detect relay helix bending using DEER, TR-FRET and (TR)2FRET spectroscopy. We preformed a (TR)2FRET experiment measuring the structural distribution of the relay helix every millisecond after rapid mixing of myosin.ADP/Pi with actin. This experiment showed that actin binding straightens the bent helix. We characterized the actin dependence of helix straightening and then correlated this dependence with the kinetics of actin binding and phosphate dissociation from the myosin active site. Numerical simulations were used to model a system containing pre and post-powerstroke structural states, actin binding, hydrolysis and phosphate dissociation. We globally fit this model to the (TR)2FRET, actin binding, and phosphate dissociation transients. From this analysis, we are able to determine the timing of helix straightening with respect to actin binding and the critical step of phosphate dissociation which acts as the thermodynamic driving force for myosin's force generating powerstroke.
Why the Brazil nuts are on top: Size segregation of particulate matter by shaking

When a can containing one large ball and a number of smaller ones is shaken, the large ball rises to the top, even when the larger ball is more dense than the others. Similarly, a mixture of different sized particles will segregate by size when shaken. An adaptation of the Monte Carlo method is used to study this size segregation. The results show the local, geometric mechanism by which the segregation is produced. Segregation by size is to be distinguished from the more obvious sifting process which occurs when tiny grains filter down through the interstices between large particles.
Computational procedure for a weighted diallel analysis

A diallel analysis is described for the case in which the values of the characteristic used in an inheritance study have unequal variances. Such a characteristic can be a mean, a slope of a regression line, or the estimates of some parameter of a linear or nonlinear model. Computational formulae are presented which incorporate the necessary weighting along with the statistics of the Hayman-Jinks method for diallel analysis. The method described can also be used to perform a weighted diallel analysis based on means when there are unequal numbers of replications per cross. A simple example demonstrates the computations necessary to complete a weighted diallel analysis.
Engineering student-design competition teams: Capstone or extracurricular?

Year after year, engineering student-design competitions continue to attract increasing attention from engineering programs across the country. The participation in these competitions is beneficial to both students trying to develop their design and networking abilities, and institutions trying to promote their programs and increase their visibility. Traditionally, the perception has been that the easiest, most straight forward way to participate in a student-design competition is to assign the competition project as a capstone senior design project. This way, a group of seniors work under the supervision of a faculty member to complete the project seeing that the completion is a graduation requirement. The recently emerging alternative is to form an extracurricular team of students whose goal is to exclusively participate in the competition. The extracurricular teams are mostly populated by sophomore and junior level students and driven only by their passion and self motivation rather than a curricular requirement. In this paper, we share our observation and experience to contrast both options and provide some recommendations.
Phase and morphology evolution in high-temperature Ti3SiC2–NiTi diffusion-bonded joints

Diffusion joints were formed between Ti3SiC2 and equiatomic NiTi at different temperatures. Homogeneous diffusion bonding was observed at 1100 and 1200 °C, while no bonding was evident at 1000 °C and the samples were completely reacted at 1300 °C. Si diffusion from Ti3SiC2 into NiTi was the main mechanism responsible for the phase and morphology evolution at the interface. In contrast to the 1100 °C experiments, the liquid-phase diffusion at 1200 °C significantly increased the Si diffusion, and changed the phase morphology.
Inferential Theory for Factor Models of Large Dimensions

This paper develops an inferential theory for factor models of large dimensions. The principal components estimator is considered because it is easy to compute and is asymptotically equivalent to the maximum likelihood estimator (if normality is assumed). We derive the rate of convergence and the limiting distributions of the estimated factors, factor loadings, and common components. The theory is developed within the framework of large cross sections (N) and a large time dimension (T), to which classical factor analysis does not apply. We show that the estimated common components are asymptotically normal with a convergence rate equal to the minimum of the square roots of N and T. The estimated factors and their loadings are generally normal, although not always so. The convergence rate of the estimated factors and factor loadings can be faster than that of the estimated common components. These results are obtained under general conditions that allow for correlations and heteroskedasticities in both dimensions. Stronger results are obtained when the idiosyncratic errors are serially uncorrelated and homoskedastic. A necessary and sufficient condition for consistency is derived for large N but fixed T.
Dynamic Modeling and Validation of a Lorentz, Self-Bearing Motor Test Rig

A new type of self-bearing motor that uses Lorentz-type forces to generate both bearing force and motoring torque has been developed. The motor stator is of slotless construction with four three-phase windings. The motor rotor is constructed of 16 surface mounted permanent magnets (PM's). The main advantage of the design is that it eliminates the tradeoff between motoring torque and bearing force with PM thickness as found in previous designs. This paper presents the dynamic model for the self-bearing motor and illustrates how the model is integrated into the overall system model of the motor test rig. The dynamic model is validated against experimentally measured transfer functions with good agreement between the two.
Who Gets Second Opinions

Six states require health plans to provide or authorize second medical opinions (SMOs). The intent of such legislation is to preserve consumer choice, to improve the flow of information, and to improve health outcomes in this era of managed care. However, it is unclear who benefits from these laws. This paper reviews the changing role of second opinions and, using a nationally representative data set from the Commonwealth Fund, examines who gets them. Of persons who had visited a doctor in the previous year, 19 percent received a second opinion, for an estimated cost of $3.2 billion in 1994. Findings suggest that cultural norms and sociocultural factors may partially determine who may benefit from SMO legislation.
Chiral symmetry breaking length scale and gA in chiral bag models

Abstract By excluding the pion from the bag not at the confinement radius R but instead at a smaller radius R ch corresponding to the length scale at which the QCD vacuum breaks chiral symmetry, we obtain g A = 1.22. We also suggest that the independent existence of R ch from R provides a natural mechanism for stabilizing the chiral bag.
Work in progress — Match or mismatch? the teaching and learning of teamwork and communication skills

Communication and teamwork skills remain top-priority outcomes for engineering graduates. Yet researchers and educators alike know comparatively little about the teaching and learning epistemologies engineering faculty employ, or about how faculty epistemologies affect the learning mechanisms of engineering students. Our research seeks to address this gap by first examining student and faculty beliefs about effective practice and transferable learning outcomes with respect to communication and teamwork, and then by developing and testing interventions to enhance the teaching and learning of these important skills. The overall study uses a mixed methods approach including interviews and focus groups with faculty and students, followed by surveys of a broader audience, and finally both qualitative and quantitative assessments of the interventions. Preliminary results from the first phase of the project indeed show a gap between faculty and student beliefs about the teaching and learning of teamwork and communication skills in engineering.
Infrared predetection dynamic range compression via photorefractive crystals.

The theoretical basis and practical implementation of a predetection dynamic-range compression technique for IR sensor systems are discussed. The approach takes advantage of the nonlinear intensity dependence of the gain coefficient in photorefractive crystals. Its feasibility is demonstrated in numerical computations using the experimental data of Cheng and Partovi (1986) on two-wave mixing in GaAs at 1.15 micron wavelength.
A Monte Carlo simulation study of the ionic liquid 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate: liquid structure, volumetric properties and infinite dilution solution thermodynamics of CO2

Abstract A Monte Carlo simulation study is performed on the ionic liquid 1- n -butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate. A modified united atom forcefield is developed for the ionic liquid. Volumetric properties such as density, isothermal compressibility and volume expansivity are computed at temperatures ranging from 298 to 343 K. Henry’s constants and infinite dilution enthalpy and entropy of absorption are computed for CO 2 in the ionic liquid. In addition, local structural information is obtained from radial distribution function analysis. Comparison is made between calculated properties and available experimental data. The performance of the new forcefield is assessed by comparison with two other forcefields developed for this compound.
Association of Being Bullied in School With Suicide Ideation and Planning Among Rural Middle School Adolescents

Background This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents. Methods Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey instrument, 2 cross-sectional surveys were conducted among middle school adolescents (N = 1082) in a rural Appalachian county in Ohio in 2009 and 2012. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning. Results Overall, a total of 468 participants (43.1%) reported ever being bullied in school, and 22.3% and 13.2% of the adolescents surveyed reported suicide ideation and planning, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, ever being bullied in school was significantly associated with both suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7-3.5) and planning (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6-3.8). Conclusions The results show a strong association between being bullied in school and suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents. Prevention of bullying in school as early as in middle school should be a strategy for reducing suicide ideation and planning among adolescents.
Cl, F, and SO2 in Central American volcanic gases

The Cl, F, SO2 contents and Cl/F and Cl/SO4 ratios in Central American volcanic gases are examined. 103−105 tons SO2 per day are given off during eruptions and 102 when a prominent vapor cloud persists between eruptive periods. Data regarding Cl and F and SO4 from leachates, condensates, and incrustations are compared. Our data suggest circumpacific volcanoes are SO2 poor relative to Cl and may be F poor although F is higher in basaltic Central American volcanoes than others.
Estimating large pool fire burning rates

Data for estimating the burning rate and heat output of large pool fires (diameter ≳ 0.2 m) are compiled and computational equations presented. Since a large scatter in the reported data is noted, attention is also focused on areas where further research is most needed in order to improve predictability.
Bioactive furanocoumarins from the berries of Zanthoxylum americanum.

Crude extracts of the berries of Zanthoxylum americanum showed significant lethality to brine shrimp larvae and exhibited cytotoxicity to human tumor cells. Activity-directed fractionation led to 5 furanocoumarins (cnidilin, imperatorin, isoimperatorin, psoralen, and xanthotoxin), the last three of which are bioactive in these bioassays. All were previously known as natural compounds but are new to this plant species.
Monte-Carlo simulation and performance optimization for the cathode microstructure in a solid oxide fuel cell

Abstract A 3D micro-scale model is developed to simulate the transport and electrochemical reaction in a composite cathode. This model takes into account the details of the specific cathode microstructure such as random pore structure, active TPB (three phase boundary) site distribution, particle size and composition and their interrelationship to the charge transfer and mass transport processes. Especially, the pore structure and mass diffusion were incorporated into this model. Influence of the microsturcture parameters on the performance was investigated by numerical simulations. Simulation shows that the cathode porosity should be in the range of 0.25–0.45 for the optimized performance. A larger thickness is in favor of increasing the effective reaction sites and reducing total specific resistance. However, the thickness needs to be confined below a certain thickness in order to prevent lower utilization and excessive concentration loss. The fine particles contribute to increase the TPB length and thus decrease the activation overpotential. On the other hand, the extremely small particles might lead to an excessive diffusion resistance. The model was validated based on the continuum model and experimental data to determine its accuracy in predicting the cathode performance. The results generally agree with the experimental data from the literature. However, as compared with the continuum model, the predicted total resistance is slightly higher for a thin electrode.
Horn polyphenism in the beetle Onthophagus taurus: larval diet quality and plasticity in parental investment determine adult body size and male horn morphology

In a wide range of taxa, individuals are able to express strikingly different morphologies in response to environmental conditions encountered during development. Such polyphenisms have received particular attention from evolutionary biologists because the condition-dependent expression of alternative morphologies is believed to reflect the existence of discrete sets of adaptations to heterogeneous ecological or social conditions, which preclude the evolution of a single, optimal phenotype. Correct interpretation of the adaptive significance, if any, of facultative trait development requires a solid understanding of the determinative regime governing morph expression. Here I explore the environmental variables determining male morphology in the horndimorphic beetle Onthophagus taurus. I demonstrate that natural variation in both the quantity and quality of food that larvae receive from their parents determines body size in males and females, and, by means of a threshold response, the presence or absence of horns in males. In addition, results suggest that parent beetles adjust the amount of food they provision for their offspring according to diet quality, which may help to compensate for environmental variation induced by differential resource quality in the wild. I use these results to further characterize the selective regime responsible for the evolution of male polyphenism in onthophagine beetles and discuss its significance for understanding the origin and maintenance of morphological variation in the genus Onthophagus.
Iron, magnesium, and silicon in dust from Comet Halley

The highest-quality impact mass spectrometer data from the Vega-1 and Giotto spacecraft are presently used to study the Mg, Si, and Fe composition of dust grains in Comet Halley. The results thus obtained are in general agreement with previously reported data, but differ with respect to ion ratio dispersions. A lack of sharp clustering in the data indicates that none of the detected particles can be characterized as single mineral grains; an abundant glass content in the solids may be indicated. The best match of the distribution of Fe/(Fe+Mg) is with interplanetary particles containing high temperature, Mg-rich silicates dominated by anhydrous minerals, so that Comet Halley may be a mixture of ice and high-temperature anhydrous minerals.
Responsibly Managing Students’ Learning Experiences in Student-Run Clinics: A Virtues-Based Ethical Framework

Background: Many medical schools now offer students a distinctive clinical and learning opportunity, the student-run clinic (SRC), in which generalist physicians often play the major role. Although SRCs have become popular, they pose as-yet unexplored ethical challenges for the learning experiences of students. In SRCs students not only take on a significant administrative role especially in coordinating care, but also provide direct patient care for a clinically challenging, biopsychosocially vulnerable, medically indigent population of patients. SRCs provide an exemplar of the ethical challenges of care for such patients. Summary:The ethical framework proposed in this article emphasizes that these valued learning opportunities for students should occur in the context of professional formation, with explicit attention to developing the professional virtues, with faculty as role models for these virtues. Conclusions: The valued learning opportunities for students in SRCs should occur in the context of pro...
Case series: neuropsychiatric symptoms with pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the psychiatric presentation, serologic findings, and neuroimaging patterns in children and adolescents with central nervous system involvement with systemic lupus erythematosus (CNS-SLE). Method Pediatric patients with psychiatric symptoms who fulfilled the 1997 revised diagnostic American College of Rheumatology criteria for SLE were studied. Complement levels, and anti-double-stranded DNA, anti-Smith, anti-phospholipid, and anti-neuronal antibodies were evaluated. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) neuroimaging studies were reviewed. Results The 10 patients with CNS-SLE presented with psychosis, mood disturbance, or confusion, and 8 patients had concomitant neurologic symptoms. The 8 girls and 2 boys ranged in age from 7.5 to 17 years. Serum anti-neuronal antibodies were positive with onset of symptoms and declined with improvement. Initial SPECT was abnormal in all 10 patients and remained abnormal. Conclusion SPECT and anti-neuronal antibodies help confirm CNS involvement in patients with SLE and neuropsychiatric symptoms.
Gentrifying the British Public House, 1896–1914

Scholars of drink in Britain largely have ignored the years around the turn of the century when some drink critics proposed the Scandinavian system of disinterested management as a solution to drunkenness. This seemingly radical foreign concept appealed to reformers because it was so compatible with an older but moribund movement, rational recreation, that flourished in early and mid-Victorian England. The original chief goal?edifying, uplifting recreation for workers?remained unaltered, but the approach? creating rival, nonalcoholic, more respectable alternatives to the pub? failed and was abandoned. Instead, decades of critics reviling the pub were repudiated, as reformers decided not just to copy but literally to take over the enemy. The gentrified pub proved a most alluring prospect, unifying businessmen, philanthropists, landowners, and Anglican clerics in a quest for the remaking of leisure in their own image. Two ports, Gothenburg (Sweden) and Bergen (Norway), popularized the Gothenburg system of disinterested management, designed to elimi nate the profit incentive from liquor retailing and with it the commercial pressure on drinkers to consume alcohol.1 In response to heavy consump tion of brannvin, a strong spirit fermented from grain, both countries had placed all drink outlets selling the beverage under the control of private companies (called bolags in Sweden and samlags in Norway) which the government strictly supervised. Investors received 5 percent dividends, and whatever profits remained were earmarked for some kind of public enter prise. Drink shops were reduced in number, closed on Sunday, and shut more hours. They also had an utilitarian character, with uncomfortable, unattractive rooms, devoid of mirrors, gas lights, newspapers, and games.2 Gothenburg pioneered the scheme first in 1865 and Bergen followed in 1877.
Specificity of Antineoplastic Phenomenon Induced in Mice by Carcinogenic Agents

SummaryWhen mice were inoculated with 3 carcinogenic compounds, they developed a transient antineoplastic (AN) response which was demonstrable by tissue culture technic. This AN phenomenon appeared to be chemically and genetically specific. The duration of the AN response to the 3 agents may represent the latent period of carcinogenesis, since the AN phenomenon disappeared when the tumor emerged. The interpretation of the AN phenomenon on an immunological basis is discussed.
Comparison of the adenine nucleotide metabolism of dog atrial and ventricular myocardium.

Abstract Measurements of atrial and ventricular adenine nucleotides, nucleosides and bases in dog heart indicated that normal atrial ATP, ADP and AMP levels are about one-half those of normal ventricular tissue, but atrial and ventricular tissue levels of adenosine, inosine, and hypoxanthine were about equal. With ischemia, production of adenosine and inosine was less in atrial than in ventricular muscle. In the ventricle, 5′-nucleotidase is associated with external membranes, including those of the T-tubular system and the lack of a T-tubular network in atrium suggested that there might be fewer AMP hydrolyzing sites and hence a slower rate of adenosine production in response to ischemia. This possibility was ruled out since measurements of 5′-nucleotidase on crude tissue extracts indicated that atrial tissue has 2 to 3 times the activity of ventricular tissue. Furthermore, measurements of adenosine kinase activity indicate that atrial and ventricular activities of this enzyme are about equal; hence the lower adenosine levels in atria are also not due to a higher rate of adenosine rephosphorylation. Inhibition of 5′-nucleotidase by ATP and ADP can also be eliminated as a cause of the differences in atrial and ventricular adenosine formation since the concentrations of these compounds are lower in atrial than in ventricular muscle. Finally, the lower levels of IMP and inosine in atrial tissue indicate that deamination by adenylate deaminase is not the major pathway for AMP degradation in atrial tissue. It is possible that the lower substrate (AMP) concentration for 5′-nucleotidase is responsible for the lower adenosine production by atrial tissue in response to ischemia. However, to what extent this contributed to the lower atrial adenosine levels cannot be determined from these data.
Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors promote nitric oxide production in coronary microvessels from failing explanted human hearts

We have previously shown that nitric oxide (NO) release by the coronary circulation in the failing and nonfailing human heart is, in part, regulated by local kinin production in coronary microvessels. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) also known as kininase II, inactivates kinins. ACE inhibitors prevent kinin breakdown by ACE, thereby increasing the concentration of bradykinin (BK) and related kinins. The goal of this study was to determine if kinins contribute to the therapeutic action of ACE inhibitors. Six hearts from end-stage heart failure patients were harvested at the time of orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Microvessels were prepared as previously described, and nitrite production, a metabolic product of NO in vitro, was determined by the Griess reaction. Microvessels were incubated in the presence of kininogen and bradykinin, and with the ACE inhibitors ramiprilat, enalaprilat, or captopril. All caused dose-dependent increases in nitrite. For instance, ramiprilat increased nitrite from 76 +/- 5.6 to 155 +/- 15 pmol/min per mg wet weight. Nitrite production in response to ACE inhibition was blocked by N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a NO synthase inhibitor, and icatibant (HOE 140), a B2-kinin receptor-specific antagonist. Furthermore, NO production was prevented by 3 different serine protease inhibitors, which block kallikrein, the enzyme responsible for conversion of kininogen to kinins. Our results indicate that ACE/kininase inhibitors increase NO production by the coronary microvasculature in the failing human heart, through increased available active kinins. The therapeutic action of ACE inhibition in the failing human heart may result in part from increased NO production by coronary microvessels.
Radial access site inflammatory reaction to a recently available hydrophilic coated sheath

A sterile inflammatory reaction at the radial access site has been described in the literature as an adverse local reaction to Cook hydrophilic coated sheaths during transradial catheterization. To date, this reaction has not been observed with non-Cook hydrophilic sheaths. Here, we describe two cases of such a reaction with Glidesheaths™ at our institution. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
VANISHING OF (CO)HOMOLOGY OVER COMMUTATIVE RINGS

In this paper we give elementary lemmas on the vanishing of Tor and Ext for modules over a commutative ring, which may be regarded as generalizations of known theorems on the rigidity of Tor for finitely generated modules over a complete intersection. In fact, these lemmas supply new theorems on the rigidity of Tor and Ext for finitely generated modules having finite complete intersection dimension. We also give several examples illustrating the fact that the hypotheses of these rigidity theorems are essential.
Multiple protein - DNA interactions in the TATAA-less mouse thymidylate synthase promoter

The mouse thymidylate synthase (TS) promoter lacks a TATAA box and directs transcriptional initiation at multiple sites over a 60 nucleotide region. All of the sequences that are important for transcription are located within close proximity to the first initiation site. Gel mobility shift and footprinting analyses with various sequences from this region of the TS promoter identified three major protein-DNA interactions. One of these corresponds to Sp1 interacting with a nonconsensus binding site downstream of the first transcriptional initiation site. Inactivation of the binding site by site-directed mutagenesis led to a 3-fold reduction in gene expression as well as a significant change in distribution of transcriptional start sites. The proteins responsible for the other two complexes (CII and CIII) do not appear to correspond to any of the common transcription factors that have been studied previously. The CII protein binds very close to the first initiation site. Inactivation of the binding site by site-directed mutagenesis had little effect on expression. The CIII protein binds immediately upstream of CII. Inactivation of this site led to a 12-fold reduction in expression, indicating that it is important for expression of the TS gene.
Evaluation of the budget for silicic acid in Cascadia Basin deep water

Abstract Between 2 and 3 km depth, North Pacific deep waters contain a plume of water with high silicic acid concentrations. The plume extends outward from Cascadia Basin (the Washington Margin), where waters can contain in excess of 200 μM off the coast of Oregon and Washington. To identify the source of the high Si concentrations in Cascadia Basin, we measured silicic acid and germanium concentrations in deep waters, and their fluxes from sediments using incubated cores. The mean flux of silicic acid into bottom waters is 0.81±0.05 mmol/m 2 -day, and the Ge/Si ratio of this flux is 0.7±0.1 μmol/mol. A box model, incorporating these results with hydrographic data, indicates that (1) no more than 5% of the silicic acid added to Basin deep waters can have a hydrothermal source (either hot or warm seeps), and (2) the total input of silicic acid to Basin deep waters is 0.06±0.02 Tmol/y. This input is nearly all from remineralized biogenic debris and should contribute about 0.5% of the 14 Tmol/y that are estimated to be necessary to maintain the North Pacific plume.
Rearing a Weed Cerambycid, Dectes texanus, on an Artificial Medium, with Notes on Biology,

Larvae of Dectes texanus LeConte, a new pest of soybeans, were reared successfully on wheat germ-casein diet, and a satisfactory method was found for rearing adults. The insect was then reared through 4 consecutive generations without significant changes occurring in larval and pupal development time or in weight. Development times of the various life stages at 27±1°C and 65% RH were: egg 4.0, larvae 29.5, pupa 10.0, and adult 34.4 days. Measurement of larval head capsules demonstrated that the insect has 4 well-defined instars. Adults reared from diet-fed larvae behaved normally, and their rate of reproduction, mating behavior, and longevity compared favorably with those of adults reared from field-collected larvae.
First-line combination treatment of colorectal cancer with hepatic metastases : Choosing a targeted agent

Summary A 56-year-old man has a history of bright red blood per rectum for 3 months; computed tomography reveals 4 hepatic lesions in the right lobe, the largest measuring 5.5 cm. Chemotherapy may accomplish sufficient reduction of the hepatic tumor burden to enable surgery with curative intent. Both FOLFOX and FOLFIRI are appropriate, highly active first- line regimens that may also be administered as second-line salvage chemotherapy. Research continues to evaluate the safety and efficacy of combining bevacizumab and cetuximab or adding them singly to established chemotherapy regimens. In patients with initially unresectable tumors, a direct relationship of response to chemotherapy with attainment of resectability supports a strategy of using the most active regimens in potentially curable patients. Literature confirms the importance of exposing patients to the most efficacious agents during the course of disease treatment. Genetic testing for specific mutations such as KRAS may be helpful for supporting a treatment decision to use cetuximab.
A Novel Microwave-Assisted Carbothermic Route for the Production of Copper-Carbon Nanotube Metal Matrix Composites Directly from Copper Oxide

Cu2O was reduced to copper via a microwave-assisted carbothermic route using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as the carbon source. The reaction atmosphere as well as the degree of mixing of Cu2O and MWCNTs was varied, and the resulting products were characterized as a function of microwave exposure time. Irradiation of thoroughly mixed Cu2O and MWCNTs under argon for 45 s produced Cu-MWCNT composites with high MWCNT loading and high hardness. This new approach for fabricating carbon nanotube-reinforced metal matrix composites eliminates many of the challenges associated with traditional methods while requiring a fraction of the time and energy.
Heavy flavors in four-body Z 0 decay

Four-body decay of the ${Z}^{0}$ into one heavy fermion (${M}_{h}\ensuremath{\ge}50$ GeV) and three light fermions has been calculated at $O({{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{W}}^{3})$ in the $\mathrm{SU}{(2)}_{L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{U}(1)$ theory. The expression for the decay rate was derived and numerical integration over the phase space was performed. The heavy fermion was taken to be the top quark or any of the hypothetical fourth-generation quarks and leptons. For heavy-fermion mass ${M}_{h}l{M}_{W}$, the approximation of real-intermediate-$W$ production and subsequent decay was good to only about a factor of 2.5. All branching ratios are at most \ensuremath{\sim}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ (times a possibly small Kobayashi-Maskawa factor in the fourth-generation case), and decrease with increasing ${M}_{h}$.
A microcomputer-based system for real-time analysis of animal movement.

Abstract A microcomputer-based video system for tracking, recording, and analyzing the movement of animals in two dimensions on variegated background in real-time has been developed and validated, both mechanically and with moving animals. Hardware and software (donationware) costs are low. Specimens visualized as small as 3 pixels long may be tracked in an arena that is 240 × 320 pixels in size. The results of tracking a mechanical moving spot are compared with a theoretical circular path. Comparisons between frame-by-frame human observation and computer generated X − Y coordinates are also presented. Applications of the tracking system include insect toxicology and pheromone bioassay, vertebrate locomotion studies, and basic research on taxes and kineses.
Examination of seven candidate regions for multiple sclerosis: Strong evidence of linkage to chromosome 1q44

Examination of seven candidate regions for multiple sclerosis: strong evidence of linkage to chromosome 1q44
On exponentiation of G -sets

We show that Joyal’s rule of signs in combinatorics arises naturally from Dress’s concept of exponentiation of virtual G-sets. We also show that two finite G-sets admit a G-equivariant bijection between their power sets if and only if the (complex) linear representations they determine are equivalent.
Evaluating web page and web site usability

As the number of Web sites continue to increase, so too does the importance of Web page/Web site usability. This paper describes what constitutes Web page/Web site usability and how it can be measured.
A Pentacene with a 144° Twist

9,10,11,20,21,22-Hexaphenyltetrabenzo[a,c,l,n]pentacene (1) was prepared by the reaction of 1,3-diphenylphenanthro[9,10-c]furan with the bisaryne equivalent generated from 1,2,4,5-tetrabromo-3,6-diphenylbenzene in the presence of n-butyllithium, followed by deoxygenation of the double adduct with low-valent titanium. The X-ray structure of 1 shows it to be the most highly twisted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon known, with an end-to-end twist of 143.6 degrees . Compound 1 was resolved by chromatography on a chiral support, and the pure enantiomers have specific rotations in excess of 7000 degrees , but the molecule racemizes slowly at 25 degrees C (t1/2 = 9.3 h, DeltaGrac = 23.8 kcal/mol).
The minority-carrier injection-controlled field-effect transistor (MICFET)

Summary form only given. A three-terminal power field-effect transistor structure that has a switching speed close to that for the power MOSFET with 30% higher on-state current density is described. The device structure is similar to that for the power MOSFET with the addition of a floating injector region whose potential can be controlled by an integrated vertical DMOSFET. The n-channel MICFET structure was fabricated with a standard polysilicon gate DMOSFET process using 20- Omega -cm, 40- mu m-thick epitaxial n-type layers grown on (0.02 Omega pd cm) n/sup +/ substrates. The devices had a p-base of 3 mu m and an n/sup +/ source depth of 1 mu m. The breakdown voltages of the MICFET and DMOSFET were both in excess of 500 V. >
What's new in primary bone tumors

Malignant tumors of the musculoskeletal system can be aggressive, with a high chance of systemic spread. Much of the basic science research regarding sarcoma focuses on molecular pathways and the identification of targets of systemic therapy. Chemotherapy continues to evolve, with targeted agents playing a larger role in the management of tumors. Radiation therapy also continues to evolve, with high-precision radiation techniques being used in many centers throughout the world. Researchers are focusing on identifying the potential benefit of these techniques with regard to local control and lessening of wound complications. The purpose of this article is to present some of the advances in the treatment of malignant musculoskeletal tumors that were reported from August 2013 through October 2014. Chondrosarcoma remains principally a surgically treated disease; chemotherapy and radiation have not proven to be effective in local or distant control. Many researchers are trying to understand the basis of chondrosarcoma, in an effort to identify systemic targets. The role of the transcription factor ETV5 in the development of chondrosarcoma has been elucidated through a study by Mak et al., who found that miR-145 (microRNA-145) was expressed at an abnormally low level, leading to increased expression of SOX-91. SOX-9 induces the expression of ETV5 and subsequently MMP-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-2), which has been linked to the pathophysiology of chondrosarcoma. Studies have shown that miR-145 is an important inhibitor of cell growth, and its underexpression is thought to play a role in cancer development2,3. Osteoclasts have been shown to play an important role in the pathophysiology of cancers including chondrosarcoma. A recent study by Otero et al. demonstrated that osteoclasts affect the ability of chondrosarcoma to invade bone4. This invasion was partially halted by the administration of zoledronic acid, which inhibits osteoclast function. No invasion …
Network Models of Massive Datasets

We give a brief overview of the methodology of modeling massive datasets arising in various applications as networks. This approach is often useful for extracting non-trivial information from the datasets by applying standard graph-theoretic techniques. We also point out that graphs representing datasets coming from diverse practical fields have a similar power-law structure, which indicates that the global organization and evolution of massive datasets arising in various spheres of life nowadays follow similar natural principles.
Hormonal response to lipid and carbohydrate meals during the acute postprandial period

Background: Optimizing the hormonal environment during the postprandial period in favor of increased anabolism is of interest to many active individuals. Data are conflicting regarding the acute hormonal response to high fat and high carbohydrate feedings. Moreover, to our knowledge, no studies have compared the acute hormonal response to ingestion of lipid and carbohydrate meals of different size. Methods: We compared the hormonal response to lipid and carbohydrate meals of different caloric content during the acute postprandial period. Nine healthy men (22 ± 2 years) consumed in a random order, cross-over design one of four meals/beverages during the morning hours in a rested and fasted state: dextrose at 75 g (300 kcals), dextrose at 150 g (600 kcals), lipid at 33 g (300 kcals), lipid at 66 g (600 kcals). Blood samples were collected Pre meal, and at 0.5 hr, 1 hr, 2 hr, and 3 hr post meal. Samples were assayed for testosterone, cortisol, and insulin using ELISA techniques. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for each variable, and a 4 × 5 ANOVA was used to further analyze data. Results: A meal × time effect (p = 0.0003) was noted for insulin, with values highest for the dextrose meals at the 0.5 hr and 1 hr times, and relatively unaffected by the lipid meals. No interaction (p = 0.98) or meal (p = 0.39) effect was noted for testosterone, nor was an interaction (p = 0.99) or meal (p = 0.65) effect noted for cortisol. However, a time effect was noted for both testosterone (p = 0.04) and cortisol (p < 0.0001), with values decreasing during the postprandial period. An AUC effect was noted for insulin (p = 0.001), with values higher for the dextrose meals compared to the lipid meals (p < 0.05). No AUC effect was noted for testosterone (p = 0.85) or cortisol (p = 0.84). Conclusions: These data indicate that 1) little difference is noted in serum testosterone or cortisol during the acute postprandial period when healthy men consume lipid and dextrose meals of different size; 2) Both testosterone and cortisol experience a drop during the acute postprandial period, which is similar to what is expected based on the normal diurnal variation–feeding with lipid or dextrose meals does not appear to alter this pattern; 3) dextrose meals of either 75 g or 150 g result in a significant increase in serum insulin, in particular at 0.5 hr and 1 hr post-ingestion; 4) lipid meals have little impact on serum insulin.
Stimulation of oxytocin release in the lactating rat by a central interaction of alpha 1-adrenergic and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid-sensitive excitatory amino acid mechanisms.

These studies tested for a facilitatory interaction between noradrenergic and excitatory amino acid mechanisms controlling oxytocin (OT) release in the lactating rat. Lactating females were cannulated in the supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SON) or into the third ventricle and treated with the alpha 1-agonist phenylephrine (PHE) or the glutamate receptor agonist alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), either alone or together. Treatment with PHE increased plasma OT dose dependently after microinjection into the SON area; strong stimulation also occurred after third ventricle injection of the drug. AMPA caused dose-dependent increases in plasma OT after SON injection. Coinjection of an ineffective or submaximally effective dose of AMPA and a submaximally stimulating dose of PHE produced synergistic OT discharges. OT release in response to the combination of PHE plus AMPA could be abolished by pretreatment/cotreatment with either an alpha 1-adrenergic antagonist or an AMPA re...
"Science Citation Index"—A New Dimension in Indexing

ing Services Recently Bennett (47) has reiterated my earlier recommendation that an index to the abstracts in specialty journals and to abstracts prepared by the smaller abstracting services be compiled (21). Frequently these are abstracts which include criticism. As such, they constitute original publications. Every author should know of such critical abstracts of his papers. In literature searches, abstracts may serve in lieu of the original articles, particularly when the original article is in a foreign language, or when it is not readily available. Citation indexes can be used to locate these abstracts quickly and to identify unabstracted articles (31). Author Citation Index A random-access computer memory does not require special ordering for data storage. In such memories the arbitrarily assigned data-addresses need not be known to the user. By contrast, a printed citation index must have a
Fuzzy ARTMAP: an adaptive resonance architecture for incremental learning of analog maps

Fuzzy ARTMAP achieves a synthesis of fuzzy logic and adaptive resonance theory (ART) neural networks. Fuzzy ARTMAP realizes a new minimax learning rule that conjointly minimizes predictive error and maximizes code compression or generalization. This is achieved by a match tracking process that increases the ART vigilance parameter by the minimum amount needed to correct a predictive error. As a result, the system automatically learns a minimal number of recognition categories, or hidden units, to meet accuracy criteria. Improved prediction is achieved by training the system several times using different orderings of the input set, and then voting. This voting strategy can also be used to assign probability estimates to competing predictions given small, noisy, or incomplete training sets. Simulations illustrated fuzzy ARTMAP performance as compared to benchmark back propagation and genetic algorithmic systems. >
London through Rose-Colored Graphics: Visual Rhetoric and Information Graphic Design in Charles Booth's Maps of London Poverty.

In this article, I examine a historical information graphic—Charles Booth's maps of London poverty (1889–1902)—to analyze the cultural basis of ideas of transparency and clarity in information grap...
Hantaviruses A Short Review

○ Objective.-Hantaviruses are rodent viruses that have been identified as etiologic agents of 2 diseases of humans: hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). This article presents a concise review of hantavirus biology, the medical features of HFRS and HPS, and tests for the detection of hantavirus infections in humans. Data Synthesis.-Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is a disease found outside the Americas and denotes a group of clinically similar illnesses that vary in severity relative to the causative agent. Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is associated with higher mortality than HFRS, was first recognized as a hantavirus disease in 1993, and occurs within the American continents. Recent genetic studies show that both Old and New World hantavirus species co-evolved with specific rodent hosts. The list of distinct hantaviruses associated with HPS is growing. The burgeoning human population is causing disruption of natural habitats as more and more land is cleared for commercial and residential purposes. Many rodents readily adapt to life in human settlements, where they generally benefit from reduced predation and where they sometimes proliferate to high numbers. Conclusions.-Although often referred to as emerging pathogens, HPS-associated hantaviruses emerge through increased exposure of humans to rodents and their excreta, not through genetic drift or reassortment of the viral genome. Based on current human population growth and development trends, hantavirus diseases will become more common in the near future unless public health measures are taken to curtail or eliminate rodents from human communities.
Histochemical and physiological characteristics of the rat diaphragm

The histochemical and contractile characteristics of the adult rat diaphragm were determined. Based on enzyme histochemistry, the rat diaphragm contained 40% type I, 27% type IIa, and 34% type IIb fibers. There were significantly more type I fibers in the ventral costal (VEN) compared with the crural (CRU) region of the muscle and a slightly higher percentage of type I's on the thoracic relative to the abdominal surface. The contractile properties and the effect of temperature (Q10) were similar in the VEN and CRU regions. Increasing temperature produced higher isometric peak tetanic tension, whereas twitch tension, contraction, and one-half relaxation time all decreased. The maximal shortening velocity increased linearly from 22 and 30 degrees C, then plateaued before decreasing between 35 and 37 degrees C. The VEN and CRU force-velocity curves became less concave as temperature increased from 22 to 35 degrees C. Furthermore, the force-frequency relation of both regions was shifted to the right as temperature increased. The isometric and isotonic contractile properties and fiber type distribution are similar in the VEN and CRU regions of the diaphragm. The rat diaphragm is clearly heterogeneous in fiber type distribution and functionally lies intermediate between slow- and fast-twitch limb skeletal muscles.