cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
9 Genomic profiling of recurrent “ultra-low risk” endometrial cancer

Objectives To characterize the genomic alterations in recurrent low-grade, non-invasive endometrioid endometrial carcinomas (EECs). Methods We retrospectively identified patients with stage IA EEC who underwent primary surgery at our institution, 2/2009–2/2017, and had follow-up of at least 11 months. “Ultra-low risk” was defined as FIGO grade 1/2, non-invasive, and lymphovascular space invasion-negative. DNA extracted from 36 tumors and matched normal tissue/blood was subjected to massively parallel sequencing targeting over 400 cancer-related genes. Microsatellite instability was assessed via MSIsensor. Results 499 patients with “ultra-low risk” EEC were identified. 14/499 (2.8%) had a recurrence. Median follow-up for non-recurrent cases was 33.0 months (range, 11–116) and for recurrent 50.5 months (range, 11–116). Recurrent patients were older than non-recurrent patients (p=0.016), and had endometriosis identified during pathologic review of specimen more frequently (p=0.015). Other clinical characteristics did not differ. Mutational profiling of primary tumors from 8 recurrent and 28 non-recurrent patients revealed that most ultra-low risk EECs were microsatellite-stable (7/8, 88% recurrent; 26/28, 93% non-recurrent). Mutational signatures varied widely with no dominant signature identified among either group. PTEN and PIK3CA were the most frequently mutated genes in both groups. CTNNB1 hotspot mutations were found in 4/8 (50%) recurrent and 9/28 (33%) non-recurrent EECs (p=0.146). Conclusions Patients diagnosed with “ultra-low risk” EEC have an excellent prognosis; however, we noted that 2.8% of patients developed a recurrence without identifiable clinical or pathologic risk factors. Genomic profiling did not reveal unique alterations in either group. Further work is needed to elucidate the mechanism/biomarker for recurrence in this “ultra-low risk” population.
Reproducibility of International Harmonization Project (IHP)-Based Interpretations of Posttherapy PET/CT in Patients with Hodgkin's and Aggressive Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

Abstract 1556 Poster Board I-579 Background IHP-based interpretation of PET/CT post-tx of lymphoma is now widely used but there is little data regarding its reproducibility and accuracy. We determined interobserver variability using IHP criteria and compared its accuracy with semiquantitative approaches using the residual mass (RM) absolute standardized uptake value (SUV max) alone and the ratio of the RM SUV max to mediastinal blood pool (MBP) SUV mean . Methods Three expert nuclear medicine physicians blinded to patient (pt) outcome independently visually interpreted post-tx PET/CT scans based on the IHP-criteria. RMs were scored on a scale of 0-4, where 3-4 was positive for RMs ≥ 2 cm whereas 1-4 was positive for RMs max , MBP SUV mean and the RM SUV max to MBP SUV mean ratio were determined. Since outcome data were available on all 50 pts (median follow-up of pts without progression = 49 months), the positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy for prediction of residual disease/progression were compared between the IHP-criteria and the semiquantitative approaches. Results A total of 50 post-tx scans in 50 pts with aggressive NHL (n=24) and HL (n=26) were interpreted by the 3 readers. On a patient-by-patient basis, the 3 readers were in complete agreement with respect to final scan interpretation (i.e., pos/neg) 90% of the time using the IHP-criteria. Percentage of PET+ scans ranged from 20%-30% and PET+ RMs from 45%-55% for the 3 readers. On a per-patient basis, visual criteria resulted in PPVs of 47%-70%; NPVs of 86%-88% and accuracies of 74%-84% for the 3 readers. In contrast, cut-off RM SUV max of 2.5 or cut-off RM SUV max to MBP SUV mean ratio of 1.75 resulted in PPV, NPV and accuracy of 75%, 86% and 84% with areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.765 and 0.787, respectively. Conclusions Visual IHP-criteria provide fairly reproducible interpretations among nuclear medicine experts with fair to moderate diagnostic/prognostic accuracy. Compared with the IHP criteria, the semiquantitative approaches provide, at least for some readers, substantial improvement in PPV and overall accuracy. These approaches should, therefore be considered for a more consistent scan interpretations after standardization of the timing of imaging after FDG injection. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Food Insecurity, Chronic Disease and Quality of Life among Deaf Adults Who use American Sign Language

This study examined the relationships of food insecurity, chronic diseases, and QoL in a U.S. sample of 630 deaf adults (18 to 89 years old; 55% female) who used American Sign Language (ASL). Measures of USDA Food Security Module, self-reported diagnoses of chronic diseases, and QoL were administered in ASL and English. Approximately 22% reported facing food insecurity, with low food security (11%) and very low food security (11.4%). QoL, but not the presence of chronic diseases, was significantly associated with food insecurity. Higher income and absence of depression acted as protective factors, reducing the risk for food insecurity.
Increased Activation of the Fear Neurocircuitry in Children Exposed to Violence

Most studies investigating the effect of childhood trauma on the brain are retrospective and mainly focus on maltreatment, whereas different types of trauma exposure such as growing up in a violent neighborhood, as well as developmental stage, could have differential effects on brain structure and function. The current magnetic resonance imaging study assessed the effect of trauma exposure broadly and violence exposure more specifically, as well as developmental stage on the fear neurocircuitry in 8- to 14-year-old children and adolescents (N = 69). We observed reduced hippocampal and increased amygdala volume with increasing levels of trauma exposure. Second, higher levels of violence exposure were associated with increased activation in the amygdala, hippocampus, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex during emotional response inhibition. This association was specifically observed in children younger than 10 years. Finally, increased functional connectivity between the amygdala and brainstem was associated with higher levels of violence exposure. Based on the current findings, it could be hypothesized that trauma exposure during childhood results in structural changes that are associated with later risk for psychiatric disorders. At the same time, it could be postulated that growing up in an unsafe environment leads the brain to functionally adapt to this situation in a way that promotes survival, where the long-term costs or consequences of these adaptations are largely unknown and an area for future investigations.
Baseline immunoreactivity before pregnancy and poly(I:C) dose combine to dictate susceptibility and resilience of offspring to maternal immune activation

Abstract Despite the potential of rodent models of maternal immune activation (MIA) to identify new biomarkers and therapeutic interventions for a range of psychiatric disorders, current approaches using these models ignore two of the most important aspects of this risk factor for human disease: (i) most pregnancies are resilient to maternal viral infection and (ii) susceptible pregnancies can lead to different combinations of phenotypes in offspring. Here, we report two new sources of variability—the baseline immunoreactivity (BIR) of isogenic females prior to pregnancy and differences in immune responses in C57BL/6 dams across vendors—that contribute to resilience and susceptibility to distinct combinations of behavioral and biological outcomes in offspring. Similar to the variable effects of human maternal infection, MIA in mice does not cause disease-related phenotypes in all pregnancies and a combination of poly(I:C) dose and BIR predicts susceptibility and resilience of pregnancies to aberrant repetitive behaviors and alterations in striatal protein levels in offspring. Even more surprising is that the intermediate levels of BIR and poly(I:C) dose are most detrimental to offspring, with higher BIR and poly(I:C) doses conferring resilience to measured phenotypes in offspring. Importantly, we identify the BIR of female mice as a biomarker before pregnancy that predicts which dams will be most at risk as well as biomarkers in the brains of newborn offspring that correlate with changes in repetitive behaviors. Together, our results highlight considerations for optimizing MIA protocols to enhance rigor and reproducibility and reveal new factors that drive susceptibility of some pregnancies and resilience of others to MIA-induced abnormalities in offspring.
Effective hardness of interaction from thermodynamics and viscosity in dilute gases

The hardness of the effective inverse power law (IPL) potential, which can be obtained from thermodynamics or collision integrals, can be used to demonstrate similarities between thermodynamic and transport properties. This link is investigated for systems of increasing complexity (i.e., the EXP, square-well, Lennard-Jones, and Stockmayer potentials; ab initio results for small molecules; and rigid linear chains of Lennard-Jones sites). These results show that while the two approaches do not yield precisely the same values of effective IPL exponent, their qualitative behavior is intriguingly similar, offering a new way of understanding the effective interactions between molecules, especially at high temperatures. In both approaches, the effective hardness is obtained from a double-logarithmic temperature derivative of an effective area.
Habituation: A Possible Mitigation of a Wicked Problem.

A construct for intentional habit formation is suggested as a possible mitigation to the disparity between user capability and systems requirements. The importance of usable security is well represented in early discussions ([3]; Sasse 2001). Twenty years after M. S. Ackerman [7] provided a significant discussion of the “gap” between what humans need and what computers can support, the “social-technical gap” in privacy and security management continues. Humans, for many reasons, cannot make good, consistent decisions regarding security. Current and foundational theoretical understandings of human limitations are outlined, in both an individual and social context. The difference between current systems and principles of interface and interaction design are highlighted. Finally, a possible ameliorating step is suggested. Specifically, a movement from reliance on human cognition and decision making to a reliance on habit formation.
Development of an extruded plastic array for narrow scintillation pulse widths

Abstract This work describes and shows data from a prototype instrument designed to sample transitory gamma rays resulting from stockpile stewardship testing. The required instrumentation needs to be large, sensitive, low cost, and have the ability to measure pulse widths as narrow as 5 ns (or less). The natural material for an instrument to meet these criteria is an organic scintillator. In order to cover a large area and reduce the overall cost of the detection system (material and electronics), one approach would be large pixel elements to cover an array of a few square meters. Unfortunately, this approach will not provide the accuracy required for these experiments as large volume scintillation detectors broaden the intrinsic full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of the scintillation light pulse due to delays introduced by internal reflections within the scintillator volume. We devised an approach to mitigate these broadening effects from large volume detectors, while remaining at a low cost. Our detectors consist of a bundle of extruded plastic scintillation bars, readout by wavelength shifting fibers that pipe the scintillation light to a fast light readout device. In this paper we describe the detector unit and assembly procedure, the fast photomultiplier tube (PMT) and readout electronics, as well as data from the laboratory with a radioactive source and cosmic-ray muons. Additionally, we show results from a detector unit tested at the NRL Mercury pulsed power facility. The concluding section discusses the path forward for this instrument and possible improvements for a field-deployable system.
Neurology Resident Diagnostic Accuracy in Critical Care Scenarios: Analysis of the Close-the-Loop Resident Clinical Acumen Project (4275)

Objective: To evaluate junior neurology resident diagnostic accuracy among patients requiring intensive care unit (ICU) management, to help guide educational initiatives for resident assessment of high-acuity cases. Background: Neurology residents are frequently among the first to evaluate neurologic deficits, including in severely ill, complex patients. One of the most essential goals of training is to identify, triage and manage neurologic emergencies. Design/Methods: Through the Close the Loop Project at Mount Sinai, we recorded residents’ initial diagnostic impression in cases presenting in morning report from July 2010 to June 2016. We compared residents’ initial impression to the final diagnosis and characterized diagnostic errors. In this set of analyses, we stratified diagnostic accuracy according to disposition, critical care needs, and high-acuity diagnoses. Significance was determined using analysis of variance models. Results: 1301 cases were included, with a previously reported overall accuracy of 64.0%. Patient disposition was significantly associated with resident accuracy (p Conclusions: This analysis of our clinical acumen assessment database suggests that junior neurology resident accuracy varies with level of care required, with lower diagnostic accuracy in cases initially requiring critical care and urgent neurosurgical intervention. Our analyses explore the nature of diagnostic patterns among these patients, which can help guide educational/supervision approaches for these high-acuity clinical situations. Disclosure: Dr. Santos has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schorr has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brandstadter has nothing to disclose. Dr. Krieger has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Biogen, EMD Serono, Genentech, Genzyme, Mallinckrodt, MedDay, Novartis, Teva, and TG Therapeutics.
Process flavors of Allium vegetables.

Publisher Summary There are more than 600 different species in the genus Allium of the family of Liliaceae found throughout North America, Europe, North Africa, and Asia. However, only a few of them are considered to be important vegetables; the great majority of Allium species is considered to be wild plants and most of them have little or no economic importance. Among the Allium family, garlic ( Allium sativum L. ), onion ( Allium cepa L. ), leek Allium ampeloprasum L. var. porrum ), scallion ( Allium fistulosum L. ), shallot ( Allium ascalonicum auct. ), great-headed (elephant) garlic ( Allium ampeloprasum L. var. holmense ), wild garlic ( Allium ursinum ), chive Allium schoenoprasum L. ), and Chinese chive ( Allium tuberosum L. ) are vegetables, which have been widely used to flavor foods. The characteristic aromas of the Allium species are attributed to the sulfur-containing volatiles in these plants. It is known that sulfur-containing components are responsible for the flavor and pungency of Allium vegetables. Different Allium vegetables contain different types of flavor compounds. Diallyl disulfide is known as the characteristic aroma compound of cooked or processed garlic. This chapter discusses the process flavors of Allium vegetables.
Human Cloning: Arguments Against

The current debate about the ethics of cloning human beings rests on the premise that, as an adult, the clone would be identical to its progenitor. The significant role of gene–environment interactions in the production of the phenotype makes this proposition entirely untenable. Keywords: genetic diversity; epigenesis; needful falsehoods; Plato's Republic; maternal behavior; plant cuttings; mitochondrial genes; axonal competition; nongenomic intergenerational transfer; lying for the state; maternal behavior; preformationism
Expression of a calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase isoform (PDE1B1) correlates with brain regions having extensive dopaminergic innervation

Cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein phosphorylation plays a central role in neuronal signal transduction. Neurotransmitter-elicited increases in cAMP/cGMP brought about by activation of adenylyl and guanylyl cyclases are downregulated by multiple phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzymes. In brain, the calmodulin (CaM)-dependent isozymes are the major degradative activities and represent a unique point of intersection between the cyclic nucleotide- and calcium (Ca2+)-mediated second messenger systems. Here we describe the distribution of the PDE1B1 (63 kDa) CaM-dependent PDE in mouse brain. An anti-peptide antiserum to this isoform immunoprecipitated approximately 30–40% of cytosolic PDE activity, whereas antiserum to PDE1A2 (61 kDa isoform) removed 60–70%, demonstrating that these isoforms are the major CaM- dependent PDEs in brain. Quantification of PDE1B1 immunoreactivity on immunoblots indicated that striatum contains 3–17-fold higher levels of PDE1B1 than other brain regions, with lowest immunoreactivity in cerebellum. In situ hybridization demonstrated high levels of PDE1B1 mRNA in the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, and olfactory tubercle. Moderate mRNA levels were observed in dentate gyrus, cerebral cortex, medial thalamic nuclei, and brainstem, whereas negligible mRNA was detectable in the globus pallidus, islands of Calleja, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area. Immunocytochemistry confirmed that the majority of PDE1B1 protein was localized to the caudate-putamen, nucleus accumbens, and olfactory tubercle. Within the caudate-putamen, PDE1B1 immunoreactivity was ubiquitous, while PDE1A2 immunostaining was restricted to a minor subset of striatal neurons. The expression of PDE1B1 protein and mRNA correlate strongly with areas of the brain that are richest in dopaminergic innervation; indeed, there are strikingly similar distributions for PDE1B1 and D1 dopamine receptor mRNAs. Since D1 receptor binding activates adenylyl cyclase, and striatal neurons lack CaM-sensitive forms of cyclase, the high amount of this PDE implies an important physiological role for Ca(2+)-regulated attenuation of cAMP-dependent signaling pathways following dopaminergic stimulation.
Consistency and observability invariance in multi-level logic synthesis

An m-function network on n primary inputs as forming an n+m-dimensional space is depicted. In this space there are points that can never occur due to mutual dependencies among the functions. This set has been called the satisfiability don't-care (SDC) set of the network and can be viewed as a function over the extended space. The authors demonstrate a sharp criterion for determining which transformations of the network preserve the SDC, and show that most of the operations of the MIS-II synthesis system preserve the SDC. This has importance for implications which are used in a number of network manipulations. This analysis also clarifies how other operations change the SDC, but in very predictable ways. It is shown that a most of the algebraic and some Boolean operations commonly used in logic synthesis preserve the testability of all but a single node in a network. An interesting example is algebraic division (or resubstitution) of one node into another. >
The Ranking Properties of the Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Rating

The study examines the ranking properties of the Morningstar risk-adjusted rating (RAR). We find that the RAR and the excess return from the CAPM regression yield similar star ratings. In contrast, we document systematic differences between the star ratings produced by the RAR and the excess return estimated from the Fama-French [1993] three factor model. Approximately 77% of domestic equity funds with a ten-year five-star Morningstar rating do not maintain their five stars under the null hypothesis of the Fama-French three factor model. The study concludes that the sole reliance upon the Morningstar star rating to select U.S. equity funds may not result in an optimal allocation across style categories for a multi-fund portfolio.
Perceptual and Neural Response to Affective Tactile Texture Stimulation in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are associated with differences in sensory sensitivity and affective response to sensory stimuli, the neural basis of which is still largely unknown. We used psychophysics and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate responses to somatosensory stimulation with three textured surfaces that spanned a range of roughness and pleasantness in a sample of adults with ASD and a control group. While psychophysical ratings of roughness and pleasantness were largely similar across the two groups, the ASD group gave pleasant and unpleasant textures more extreme average ratings than did controls. In addition, their ratings for a neutral texture were more variable than controls, indicating they are less consistent in evaluating a stimulus that is affectively ambiguous. Changes in brain blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal in response to stimulation with these textures differed substantially between the groups, with the ASD group exhibiting diminished responses compared to the control group, particularly for pleasant and neutral textures. For the most unpleasant texture, the ASD group exhibited greater BOLD response than controls in affective somatosensory processing areas such as the posterior cingulate cortex and the insula. The amplitude of response in the insula in response to the unpleasant texture was positively correlated with social impairment as measured by the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). These results suggest that people with ASD tend to show diminished response to pleasant and neutral stimuli, and exaggerated limbic responses to unpleasant stimuli, which may contribute to diminished social reward associated with touch, perpetuating social withdrawal, and aberrant social development.
REVERSE LOGISTICS: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RESOURCE COMMITMENT AND PROGRAM PERFORMANCE

In response to increasing volumes of returned products, firms are establishing programs to guide the reversal of flows in the supply chain, i.e., reverse logistics. With reverse logistics programs firms seek cost savings and efficiencies related to reclamation, redistribution, and disposal of products returned “upstream” to the retailer or manufacturer. This paper reports on a recent survey of electronics catalog retailers regarding reverse logistics program involvement. In addition to creating a profile of current reverse logistics activities in an industry characterized by high volumes of returns, the research also examines the relationship between investment in reverse logistics related resources and reverse logistics program performance.
Concentration-cancellation for the velocity fields in two dimensional incompressible fluid flows

We show that the weak-L2 limit of a sequence of solutions of the two dimensional incompressible Euler equation is still a solution, provided that a (strong) concentration set for the reduced defect measure has locally finite one dimensional Hausdorff measure in space and time.
Expression of WT-1, Bcl-2, and CD34 by Primary Renal Spindle Cell Tumors in Children:

The confident diagnosis of renal spindle cell tumors in children is often difficult. An immunohistochemical study of WT-1, Bcl-2, and CD34 was performed to determine their expression profiles and to assess the potential utility of these immunohistochemical markers in the differential diagnosis of 36 cases of renal spindle cell tumors of childhood. The cases included 11 stromal predominant Wilms tumors, 12 cellular mesoblastic nephromas, 9 clear cell sarcomas of the kidney (CCSK), and 4 monophasic synovial sarcomas. WT-1 was uniformly positive in primitive undifferentiated stromal Wilms tumors (6 of 6) and negative in the differentiating and differentiated stromal elements of Wilms tumors (0 of 5). WT-1 was also negative in cellular mesoblastic nephromas (0 of 12), CCSKs (0 of 12), and synovial sarcomas (0 of 4). Bcl-2 was expressed in all stromal Wilms tumors (11 of 11), all synovial sarcomas (4 of 4), some CCSKs (4 of 9), and none of the cellular mesoblastic nephromas (0 of 12). Although CD34 was absent in the tumor cells of all the tumors studied (0 of 36), CD34 immunohistochemistry nicely demonstrated the evenly distributed septal capillaries characteristic of CCSK in all 9 cases of this tumor. We conclude that a combination of WT-1 and Bcl-2 immunohistochemistry may aid in the distinction of stromal Wilms tumor, monophasic synovial sarcoma, cellular mesoblastic nephroma, and CCSK.
Evaluating the Service Degradation of Insulated Power Cables

There exists no proven and reliable method to accurately evaluate ranaining life of an insulation when a premature service failure occurs, particularly in the case of direct buried polyethylene and crosslinked polyethylene primary cables.
Research issues in Privacy-preserving Record Linkage

Record linkage from multiple, independent and heterogeneous databases is a major area of database research. However, little attention has been paid to the privacy concerns of colluding databases. Activities such as sharing data for scientific research, monitoring disease symptoms over a region or developing large e-commerce market place, all require large scale data integration among different organizations. Legitimate concerns over data security and privacy have caused organizations to be reluctant to collaborate in any data sharing protocol; thus a data integration protocol applicable for private databases is needed. Privacy-preserving Record Linkage (PRL) deals with the development of such a protocol. This paper presents the PRL key ideas and research challenges.
New phases in the vanadium-iridium system and a tentative constitution diagram

Abstract In the V-Ir system, four intermediate phases were found to exist; their crystal structures and approximate homogeneity ranges were established or confirmed. In addition to the previously known phases V 3 Ir and VIr 3 , there are two new phases, α-VIr and β-(V 1−x Ir x )Ir. A tentative constitution diagram is given; some crystalchemical relationships of these phases among each other and to those in other T 5 -T 9 alloy systems are discussed, and atomic volumes are presented.
Deprotonation of coordinated ethylene may start Phillips catalysis

The metal-catalyzed polymerization of simple olefins, such as ethylene and propylene, has been one of the transformational discoveries in chemistry of the 20th century. It is difficult to imagine today’s civilization without ubiquitous plastics, such as polyethylene and related polymers. Although often attributed to Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, the winners of the 1963 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery of titanium-based catalysts and their use in propylene polymerization, much (∼40–50%) of the polyethylene produced worldwide is actually made with catalysts containing chromium as the catalytic metal. Discovered in 1951 by Paul Hogan and Robert Banks at the Phillips Petroleum Co. in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, the so-called “Phillips catalyst” remains a major workhorse of the polymerization industry to this very day (1). Despite its significant commercial impact, this apparently “simple” heterogeneous catalyst has been the focus of longstanding scientific arguments regarding its mechanism of operation. Most enigmatic among the questions posed is the issue of its initiation. In other words, because the formation of the polymer chains presumably proceeds by repeated insertion of olefin monomer into the metal–carbon bond of an ever-growing chromium alkyl (2), what sequence of chemical events transforms the inorganic catalyst precursor into an organometallic compound—i.e., a material containing a covalent chromium–carbon bond—that catalyzes the polymerization? Delley et al. address this important question, among others, in their elegant study published in PNAS (3).
Hormone replacement therapy and coronary heart disease: results of randomized trials

A number of lines of evidence have suggested that postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy might be useful in the primary and secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD). Data from recent randomized trials are consistent in showing no overall benefit of hormone replacement therapy as a continuous combined regimen of estrogen and a progestin (PERT) in preventing the development of CHD or preventing recurrent events or progression of atherosclerosis. The randomized trials also raise questions about hormone replacement therapy in the form of estrogen alone (ERT) for prevention of CHD and CHD recurrence. Other interventions to prevent CHD and decrease morbidity and mortality in women with established disease have a strong evidence base. Hormone replacement therapy should not be recommended to prevent CHD or CHD recurrence until and unless data from randomized trials establish this as a benefit.
Magnetic circular dichroism of impurities in solids: KMgF3:C

Abstract The magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) of a dilute KMgF 3 :Co crystal in the visible-near UV spectral region is reported. Previously unobserved excited states are detected and structural detail is enhanced throughout the spectrum in comparison to the absorption spectrum. Transition mechanisms and band Ume structures are discussed.
Movable pillars: Organizing dance 1956–1978, by Katja Kolcio

Movable pillars: Organizing dance 1956–1978, by Katja Kolcio, Middletown, CT, Wesleyan University Press, 2010, 220 pp., US$26.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-0-8195-6911-0 “Moveable pillars” charts the d...
Abstract 5026: B7-H1 confers tumor chemoresistance by regulating MAPK/ERK activation

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Development of resistance to chemotherapy and immunotherapy is a major obstacle in extending the survival of cancer patients. Although several molecular mechanisms have been identified that can contribute to chemoresistance, the role of immune checkpoint molecules in tumor chemoresistance has received little consideration. Elevated expression of B7-H1 (also named PD-L1) is predictive of an aggressive disease course, including increases in disease progression and cancer-related mortality in a variety of cancers (ovary, breast, liver, pancreas, esophagus, colon and lung). Although the aggressiveness of B7-H1 positive tumors has been attributed to B7-H1's immune-suppressive function, B7-H1 itself may be directly altering tumor cell intracellular signaling pathways promoting acquisition of drug resistance. It has been reported that overexpression of B7-H1 confers chemoresistance in human cancers. However, the mechanisms by which B7-H1 contributes to tumor chemoresistance have yet to be defined. We show that B7-H1 transfected tumor cells are resistant to chemotherapy. This resistance is due to increased activation of MAPK/ERK pathway in tumor cells with B7-H1 overexpression. Inhibition of ERK activation restored drug sensitivity of B7-H1 positive tumor cells. We further analyzed the downstream elements of B7-H1 signaling pathway and identified a new B7-H1 associated protein that is involved in DNA damage repair and MAPK/ERK activation mechanisms. We conclude that B7-H1 mediates tumor chemoresistance by enhancing the activation of MAPK/ERK pathway via its intracellular signaling pathway. Our studies may identify a novel pharmaceutical target for treatment of B7-H1 positive refractory tumor cells. Citation Format: Amanda Orzechowski, Haidong Dong. B7-H1 confers tumor chemoresistance by regulating MAPK/ERK activation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5026. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5026
The self‐regulated learning aspect of metacognition: A component of gifted education

As interest increases in the connection between metacognition and gifted, a shift in the definition of giftedness from person to performance variables allows an even closer link to skills of self‐regulatory metacognition such as defining, focusing, persisting, guiding, coping, correcting, reinforcing, and solving. Researchers recommend explicit instructional models that teach specific strategies for disciplined, reflective problem solving while stressing accuracy and persistent concentration. This article provides such a detailed account of a classroom‐tested early childhood pedagogy for gifted learners, especially the underachieving gifted. Teacher and peer modeling of think‐aloud, behavioral demonstration, and cueing of five steps to efficient task accomplishment are outlined with examples. Benefits of productive self‐regulated learning strategies during task periormances are reported from teachers, parents, and students.
Microcell-mediated transfer of a single human chromosome complements xeroderma pigmentosum group A fibroblasts

Chromosomes from an immortalized aneuploid human fibroblast cell line were randomly tagged with the selectable marker neo by transfection with the plasmid pSV2neo. Somatic cell fusions between transfected human cells and mouse A9 cells generated pools of G418-resistant human-mouse hybrid clones containing various numbers of human chromosomes. Microcell-mediated chromosome transfer from the hybrid pools to xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group A (XP-A) cells in culture and selection for G418-resistant colonies resulted in the identification of XP cells with enhanced resistance to ultraviolet radiation. Screening of subclones from selected pools of human-mouse hybrids facilitated the identification of hybrids containing a single neo-tagged human chromosome. Transfer of this chromosome to XP-A cells (but not to XP-F or XP-C cells) results in enhanced resistance to ultraviolet light and enhanced excision repair capacity. The identification of a single human chromosome that complements the phenotype of XP-A cells in culture provides the potential for genetic mapping of the complementing gene and for its isolation by molecular cloning.
Estimation of future PM2.5- and ozone-related mortality over the continental United States in a changing climate: An application of high-resolution dynamical downscaling technique.

This paper evaluates the PM2.5- and ozone-related mortality at present (2000s) and in the future (2050s) over the continental United States by using the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP-CE). Atmospheric chemical fields are simulated by WRF/CMAQ (horizontal resolution: 12 × 12km), applying the dynamical downscaling technique from global climate-chemistry model under the Representative Concentration Pathways scenario (RCP 8.5). Future air quality results predict that the annual mean PM2.5 concentration in continental U.S. decreases nationwide, especially in the Eastern U.S. and west coast. However, the ozone concentration is projected to decrease in the Eastern U.S. but increase in the Western U.S. Future mortality is evaluated under two scenarios (1) holding future population and baseline incidence rate at the present level and (2) using the projected baseline incidence rate and population in 2050. For PM2.5, the entire continental U.S. presents a decreasing trend of PM2.5-relate...
The isolation of purified nuclear and chromatin fractions from chick intestinal mucosa

Abstract Techniques are reported for the isolation from large quantities of chick intestinal mucosa of 75–80% of the cellular DNA as purified nuclei or nuclear chromatin. The procedure for the isolation of the nuclei involves treatment of the crude nuclear fraction with 0.1% Triton X-100 followed by sedimentation through 1.75 M sucrose at pH 7.5 containing 0.025 M KCl, 0.05 M Tris, and 0.005 M magnesium chloride. Chromatin is prepared from nuclei by gentle breaking of the nuclear membrane with hypotonic EDTA and homogenization. The chromatin is purified by centrifugation in 1.75 M sucrose. Both techniques permit the isolation of other cytoplasmic components such as the mitochondrial and microsomal fractions. Electron micrographic examination of the nuclei and chromatin indicate that they comprise relatively homogeneous and morphologically intact structures. Chemical analysis of crude nuclei, purified nuclei and chromatin revealed an mg ratio of RNA:DNA of 0.80:1.0, 0.30:1.00, and 0.12:1.0 respectively. When assayed for template efficiency in the synthesis of RNA, the chromatin is shown to be biologically active.
Laser‐enhanced synthesis and processing of diamond films from liquid hydrocarbons

We report synthesis of diamond films by pulsed laser irradiation on copper substrate immersed into liquid benzene. It is envisaged that carbon released from benzene at the liquid-solid interface is converted into diamond as a result of rapid quenching from a high temperature. The diamond crystallites were characterized using high resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging and electron diffraction techniques. Growth of thicker diamond films by subsequent chemical vapor deposition has been investigated by transmission and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Thin diamond film deposited during liquid phase provided seed for diamond growth during subsequent chemical vapor deposition.
The Utility of Ultrasound and Magnetic Resonance Imaging versus Surgery for the Characterization of Müllerian Anomalies in the Pediatric and Adolescent Population

Abstract Study Objective To evaluate the utility of transabdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of American Society for Reproductive Medicine † (ASRM)-classified mullerian anomalies compared to surgical findings in the pediatric and adolescent population. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary academic center. Participants Thirty-eight patients with mullerian anomalies seen in our pediatric and adolescent gynecology clinic were identified both on the basis of ICD-9 codes and having magnetic resonance imaging at Texas Children's Hospital between 2004 and 2009. Interventions None. Main Outcomes Measure Correlation among transabdominal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging findings with surgical findings. Results Mean age was 12.2 (± 4.1) years. Twenty-eight patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging and required surgical intervention, and 88.5% demonstrated correlative consistency with surgical findings. Twenty-two patients underwent ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging, and surgery, which revealed consistency among ultrasound and surgical findings (59.1%) and consistency among magnetic resonance imaging and surgical findings (90.9%). In ASRM diagnoses evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging, surgical findings correlated in 92% (Pearson 0.89). Overall, 55.2% of patients had a renal malformation. Conclusions Magnetic resonance imaging is the gold standard imaging modality for mullerian anomalies and is an effective technique for noninvasive evaluation and accurate classification of the type of anomaly in the pediatric and adolescent population. Magnetic resonance imaging should be considered as an adjunct to transabdominal ultrasound to evaluate mullerian anomalies.
Approach to Compute the Lyapunov Characteristic Exponents for Continuous Dynamical Systems of Dimension Four

In this paper an existing general method for accurately computing the Lyapunov Characteristic Exponents of continuous dynamical systems will be implemented for systems of dimension four. Previously, this approach has only been implemented for systems up to dimension three. A numerical example illustrating the accuracy of the implementation is presented.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Calcium Spike Electrogenesis and Other Electrical Activity in Continuously Cultured Small Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

Spike electrogenesis, local depolarizing and hyperpolarizing responses, spontaneous rhythmic firing, and alternating resting potentials were measured in cells from a continuously cultured small cell carcinoma of the lung. Spike generation was blocked by MnCl2. In view of this evidence for calcium-spike electrogenesis and previous evidence of secretory activity in these cells, this cell line (DMS 53) can provide a model for the study of excitation-secretion behavior in human neoplastic cells.
cGMP-PKG upregulates PGC1α and improves cardiac function in advanced cardiac hypertrophy independently of RGS2

Results Impaired mitochondrial respiration was observed in advanced stage dilative 9wk TAC hearts, associated with down-regulation of PGC1a, but not in 1-3 wk TAC hearts. Delayed sildenafil treatment (100mg/kg/day) initiated after hypertrophy establishment (1-3 wk TAC) inhibited progression of remodeling up to 9wks, which was associated with restored PGC1a expression and preserved mitochondrial function, but not with RGS2 activation. Mice lacking RGS2 develop exacerbated early hypertrophy (1wk TAC) which is unresponsive to sildenafil, whereas sildenafil treatment initiated after 1wk ameliorated long term (up to 7wk) progression of cardiac remodeling and function, with restored PGC1a expression and improved mitochondrial respiratory function. Importantly, similar findings were obtained in PKG1a leucine zipper knock-in animals, wherein RGS2-PKG interaction is disrupted. In rat neonatal cardiac myocytes (RNCM), 72hr exposure to phenylephrine (Gq agonist, 20μM) down-regulated PGC1a and impaired mitochondrial respiration, both of which were normalized by sildenafil co-treatment (1μM). Over-expression of PKG up-regulated PGC1a in RNCM, increasing mitochondrial respiration, whereas this was not observed when PGC1a was silenced.
Global indigenism and spaceship earth: Convergence, space, and re-entry friction

Abstract Since the 1990s, indigenous issues have come to occupy a consistent place in the Global Conservation Movement. In 2000 the WWF (World Wildlife Fund) published a position paper entitled Indigenous and Traditional People of the World and Ecoregion Conservation, which posited significant overlap between biodiversity and cultural diversity on a global scale. The most recent World Parks Congress (2003) was attended by 120 indigenous representatives. Optimistic observers have heralded these events as a convergence of the Indigenous Peoples’ Movement and Global Environmentalism. More cynical observers argue that it is an opportunistic political move by indigenous leaders and their western supporters to take advantage of conservation, or conversely a move by large conservation NGOs to present a ‘people friendly’ facade to capture larger sums of donor money. This article outlines the global historical and political trends that have brought together conservationists and indigenous peoples in the global are...
A master equation theory of excitonic annihilation phenomena for finite latices of low dimensionality

Abstract A master equation is written for the equation of motion for the vector p ( t ), in which the n th component corresponds to the probability of observing n excitons on a lattice with L sites. The dependence of the properties of p ( t ) on the magnitude of L , the intensity of excitation, the lattice dimensionality, and the magnitude of the biexcitonic annihilation rate is discussed. The dependence of the biexcitonic annihilation rate on the exciton density is discussed in the context of a simple simulation of exciton annihilation. The applicability of these ideas to excitonic annihilation in polymers is discussed.
Necrotizing fasciitis of the head and neck: A report of two patients and review

Background Necrotizing fasciitis is a disfiguring condition that can be fatal. The head and neck region is rarely affected. However, when involved, the functional and cosmetic sequelae can be considerable. Materials and Methods We present two case histories, discuss salient diagnostic points, treatment, and review published data on this topic. Results With a timely diagnosis we were able to diagnose and appropriately treat these patients. Conclusions Necrotizing fasciitis is a disfiguring condition that can be fatal if not diagnosed in a timely fashion. Diagnosis and treatment require a high index of suspicion, immediate operative intervention, broad-spectrum antibiotics, and appropriate supportive care. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The relationship between inorganic nitrogen oxidation and organic carbon production in batch and chemostat cultures of marine nitrifying bacteria

Rates of nitrification and organic C production were determined in batch and chemostat cultures of marine nitrifying bacteria; two NH 4 + -oxidizing species and one NO 2 − -oxidizing spezies. With increasing age in batch cultures and with decreasing flow rates in chemostats, cellular organic C and N concentrations declined while the intracellular ratio of C:N remained constant. With decreasing flow rates in chemostats, there was a reduction in (a) carboxylating enzyme activity per unit of cellular organic C (the potential for chemoautotrophic CO2 fixation), and (b) the yield of organic C. For both NH 4 + and NO 2 − oxidizers, rates of nitrification and C yield were lowest at very slow chemostat growth rates, when compared with optimal growth rates in batch cultures. For both NH 4 + and NO 2 − -oxidizing species, the stoichiometric relationship between nitrification and organic C production did not remain constant and appeared to be dependent on the availability of the inorganic N substrate. The organic C yield from NH 4 + oxidation and hence the free energy efficiency declined with increasing age in batch cultures and with decreasing flow rates in chemostats. The C yield from NO 2 − oxidation and the free energy efficiency at slow chemostat growth rates was also lower than that at the optimal growth rate in batch culture.
Study of charge transport mechanisms in ZnO-ZnTe nanojunctions

Improved carrier transport is crucial for enhancing the performance of semiconductor devices such as radiation detectors. Conventionally, semiconductor devices employ planar p-n junctions in which carrier loss occurs mostly in the p-type and n-type diffusion regions. In a nanoscale three-dimensional (3-D) junction, the carriers can be efficiently collected cross the nanostructure by electric field distribution without trapping in the p-n regions. In addition, a nanocone junction should further improve carrier transport properties because this structure can be tailored to be completely depleted. In this work, we studied carrier transport mechanisms in nanojunctions made of vertically aligned ZnO nanostructures and ZnTe matrix using theoretical and experimental methods.
Shear Stress Modulation of IL-1β-Induced E-Selectin Expression in Human Endothelial Cells

Background Endothelial cells (ECs) are continuously exposed to hemodynamic forces imparted by blood flow. While it is known that endothelial behavior can be influenced by cytokine activation or fluid shear, the combined effects of these two independent agonists have yet to be fully elucidated. Methodology We investigated EC response to long-term inflammatory cues under physiologically relevant shear conditions via E-selectin expression where monolayers of human umbilical vein ECs were simultaneously exposed to laminar fluid shear and interleukin-1s (shear-cytokine activation) in a parallel plate flow chamber. Results and Conclusion Naive ECs exposed to shear-cytokine activation display significantly higher E-selectin expression for up to 24 hr relative to ECs activated in static (static-cytokine). Peak E-selectin expression occurred after 8–12 hr of continuous shear-cytokine activation contrary to the commonly observed 4–6 hr peak expression in ECs exposed to static-cytokine activation. Cells with some history of high shear conditioning exhibited either high or muted E-selectin expression depending on the durations of the shear pre-conditioning and the ensuing shear-cytokine activation. Overall, the presented data suggest that a high laminar shear enhances acute EC response to interleukin-1s in naive or shear-conditioned ECs as may be found in the pathological setting of ischemia/reperfusion injury while conferring rapid E-selectin downregulation to protect against chronic inflammation.