cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract A09: The role of asparagine in glutamine-independent proliferation of breast cancer cells

The majority of proliferating cells utilize the carbon backbone of glutamine as a major anaplerotic input into the TCA cycle. In addition, glutamine serves as a donor of reduced nitrogen for the biosynthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides, as well as for a number of non-essential amino acids. Thus, cells rely on external sources of glutamine for biomass accumulation and growth. However, recent data indicate that some cancer cell types – luminal breast cancer lines in particular – are able to proliferate in the absence of exogenous glutamine. Furthermore, luminal breast cancer lines display increased expression of GLUL (glutamine synthetase) and reduced expression of GLS1 (glutaminase), when compared to basal subtype. We sought to identify key metabolic determinants of glutamine-independent proliferation. As our preliminary data indicate, the presence of amino acid asparagine is required for the proliferation of luminal breast cancer cells as well as normal breast epithelial cells in the setting of glutamine deprivation. Both asparagine and glutamine contain amide groups in their respective side chains and are thus structurally similar to each other. However, most normal mammalian tissues – with the exception of the liver and the kidney – are unable to catabolize asparagine, making it essentially metabolically inert for the majority of cell types. Our group has previously shown that asparagine suppresses cell death in cells that depend on glutamine for survival. In this study, we attempt to elucidate the mechanism by which asparagine facilitates the biomass accumulation and proliferation of glutamine-independent cell types. First, we investigate whether luminal breast cancer cells may possess an ability to catabolize asparagine in a manner similar to glutaminolysis and thus use it as an alternative source of reduced nitrogen and carbon in a setting of glutamine deprivation. Second, we explore a potential regulatory metabolic function of asparagine, whereby it may regulate cellular glutamine synthesis and thus enable proliferation in conditions of glutamine deprivation. Citation Format: Natalya N. Pavlova, Craig B. Thompson. The role of asparagine in glutamine-independent proliferation of breast cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; Jun 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(1_Suppl):Abstract nr A09.
Capturing patient reported outcomes and quality of life in routine clinical practice: ready for prime time?

Aim Aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of using internet-tablets to capture patient reported outcomes (PRO) questionnaire in a busy gastroenterology clinic, and determine predictors of questionnaire completion. PRO and quality of life instruments are extensively used to estimate the burden of disease and as end-points in clinical trials. However, their collection by paper can be costly, prone to human errors, and inefficient. We hypothesized that the majority of patients, irrespective of age, gender or ethnicity, will be able to complete PRO questionnaires on Internet tablets in a timely manner with good levels of satisfaction. Methods Internet-enabled tablets were used to collect PRO, and summative scores of quality of life provided to physicians. Predictors of completion were first assessed univariately and then by multivariate analysis using automated stepwise selection method on 1,000 bootstrap samples. Patient satisfaction was assessed using 5 item Likert-like scale. Results During the 12 week period, 1625 patient visits (mean age 49.8 ± 14.3 years, females 55.2% and Whites 82.5%) entered PRO data into tablets, of which 1396 (85.9%) visits had complete response. Average completion time of PRO questionnaire was less than 10 minutes (9.3 minutes ± 7.0). Majority of the patients found tablets easy to use (69.7%) and preferred it over paper-based questionnaires (70.8%). Multivariate analysis showed that subjects who were white Caucasians (odds ratio [OR] 1.9; P=0.004), had higher Cleveland Clinic Global Quality of Life (OR 2.2; P=0.027), or had either IBD or liver disease, were more likely to complete questionnaire (OR 4.0; P=0.001). Conclusion Collection of PROs in gastroenterology clinics using internet-tablets is feasible without any additional overhead, and with good levels of patient satisfaction and completion rates.
Sexual Politics in Environmental Ethics: Impacts, Causes, Alternatives

Matters related to sex and gender are central in environmental ethics, intersecting with class and race. In Western capitalist and other colonizing systems, negative views about nature are deeply interwoven with derogatory views about those people who are associated with nature, including women and the feminine. Gendered relationships with nature and other species are highly varied across classes and cultures. Nonetheless, these days nearly everywhere females are more directly and negatively impacted by environmental harms, because gendered work and labor roles, including unpaid, domestic, caretaking and “flexible” work, often put women in closest proximity to environmental risks and challenges. Critical and reconstructive attention to specific systems and realities of sex and gender is therefore needed to develop adequate understanding of many issues at the heart of environmental ethics, and to bring diverse knowledge and more caring, empowering and effective moral responses to the fore.
Prediction of fatty acid chain length and unsaturation of milk fat by mid-infrared milk analysis

Our objective was to develop partial least squares (PLS) models to predict fatty acid chain length and total unsaturation of milk fat directly from a mid-infrared (MIR) spectra of milk at 40°C and then determine the feasibility of using those measures as correction factors to improve the accuracy of milk fat determination. A set of 268 milks (modified milks, farm bulk tank milks, and individual cow) were analyzed for fat, true protein, and anhydrous lactose with chemical reference methods, and in addition a MIR absorption spectra was collected for each milk. Fat was extracted from another portion of each milk, the fat was saponified to produce free fatty acids, and the free fatty acids were converted to methyl esters and quantified using gas-liquid chromatography. The PLS models for predicting the average chain length (carbons per fatty acid) and unsaturation (double bonds per fatty acid) of fatty acids in the fat portion of a milk sample from a MIR milk spectra were developed and validated. The validation performance of the prediction model for chain length and unsaturation had a relative standard deviation of 0.43 and 3.3%, respectively. These measures are unique in that they are fat concentration independent characteristics of fat structure that were predicted directly with transmission MIR analysis of milk. Next, the real-time data output from the MIR spectrophotometer for fatty acid chain length and unsaturation of milk were used to correct the fat A (C=O stretch) and fat B (C–H stretch) measures to improve accuracy of fat prediction. The accuracy validation was done over a period of 5 mo with 12 sets of 10 individual farm milks that were not a part of the PLS modeling population. The correction of a traditional fat B virtual filter result (C–H stretch) for sample-to-sample variation in unsaturation reduced the Euclidean distance for predicted fat from 0.034 to 0.025. The correction of a traditional fat A virtual filter result (C=O stretch) modified with additional information on sample-to-sample variation of chain length and unsaturation gave the largest improvement (reduced Euclidean distance from 0.072 to 0.016) and the best validation accuracy (i.e., lowest Euclidean distance) of all the fat prediction methods.
Bilirubin levels and phototherapy use before and after neonatal red blood cell transfusions

BACKGROUND Our previous retrospective study suggested that red blood cell (RBC) transfusion of preterm neonates can be associated with an increase in bilirubin, but this has not been tested prospectively. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We studied neonates before and after RBC transfusions, recording serial bilirubin levels and whether they qualified for phototherapy. Because lysed RBCs release plasma-free hemoglobin (Hb), a precursor to bilirubin, we also measured plasma free Hb and bilirubin from the donor blood. RESULTS We studied 50 transfusions given to 39 neonates. Gestation ages of transfused neonates, at birth, were 26 (24-29) weeks (median [interquartile range]); birthweights were 750 (620-1070) g. The study transfusion was given on Day of Life 9.9 (3.4-19.2). In 20% (10/50) phototherapy was being administered at the beginning of and during the transfusion. In these patients neither the 4- to 6- nor the 24- to 36-hour-posttransfusion bilirubin levels were significantly higher than before transfusion. However, in 30% of the others (12/40) phototherapy was started (or restarted) after the transfusion and 15% had a posttransfusion bilirubin increase of at least 2.5 mg/dL. These neonates received donor blood with a higher plasma-free Hb (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Neonates commonly qualify for phototherapy after transfusion. A minority (15% in this series) have a posttransfusion bilirubin increase of at least 2.5 mg/dL. We speculate that neonates qualifying for a RBC transfusion, who are judged to be at high risk for bilirubin-induced neurotoxicity, might benefit from checking their serum bilirubin level after the transfusion and providing donor blood with low plasma-free Hb levels.
VCF-kit: assorted utilities for the variant call format.

Summary The variant call format (VCF) is a popular standard for storing genetic variation data. As a result, a large collection of tools has been developed that perform diverse analyses using VCF files. However, some tasks common to statistical and population geneticists have not been created yet. To streamline these types of analyses, we created novel tools that analyze or annotate VCF files and organized these tools into a command-line based utility named VCF-kit. VCF-kit adds essential utilities to process and analyze VCF files, including primer generation for variant validation, dendrogram production, genotype imputation from sequence data in linkage studies, and additional tools. Availability and Implementation https://github.com/AndersenLab/VCF-kit. Contact erik.andersen@northwestern.edu.
Do nonrenewable-energy prices affect renewable-energy volatility? The case of wood pellets

Abstract Over the past decade, the U.S. Southeast has experienced a rapid expansion of wood-pellet biomass production for European export. This renewable wood-pellet supply requires nonrenewable-energy inputs in its manufacturing and logistics, which suggests possible price-volatility spillovers between renewable and nonrenewable markets. A BEKK-MGARCH model is employed for investigating these possible price-volatility spillovers. Overall, results suggest a limited negative effect of past volatile nonrenewable-energy prices influencing current wood-pellet price volatility. Specifically, high volatilities in nonrenewable-energy prices do not affect the volatility of wood-pellet prices. Thus, any stability concerns in terms of nonrenewable-input prices affecting the wood-pellet market are not warranted.
Spheroids of cardiomyocytes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells improve recovery from myocardial injury in mice

The microenvironment of native heart tissue may be better replicated when cardiomyocytes are cultured in three-dimensional clusters (i.e., spheroids) than in monolayers or as individual cells. Thus...
VAPOR GROWTH AND TRANSPORT RATES OF IV–VI COMPOUNDS IN MICRO-GRAVITY

ABSTRACT The positive effects of micro-gravity on crystal morphology and fundamental properties of the chemical vapor transport process were established by analyzing the results of nine transport experiments on multi-component systems performed in micro-gravity environment. In the Skylab 3 and 4 mission experiments, GeSe and GeTe were transported using two temperature gradients and different pressures of transport agent GeI 4 . The Apollo-Soyuz experiments are a direct extension of the Skylab results. The systems employed for the Apollo-Soyuz mission are GeSe 0.99 Te 0.01 -GeI 4 , GeS 0.98 Se 0.02 -GeCl 4 and GeS-GeCl 4 -Ar. The temperature gradient and transport agent pressures were different from those of the Skylab experiments. A full discussion of this work will appear in J. Electrochem. Soc. 124 , 1095-1102 (1977).
Multi-Display Prototyping Using Any Browser Based UX Tools

With advancements in display technology and increased user demands, automotive manufactures are targeting multiple displays, in various sizes and orientations. They are also adding features and interactions that span across multiple displays in an attempt to engage more users in the car. Today developers and designers use 'rapid prototyping' tools like UXPin and Framer, to quickly validate and test their ideas. But these tools do not support Multi-Screens and Multi-Displays prototyping environments. Also, other prototyping tools like EB Guide and Qt, which support such environments, require extensive software learning and development time that denies the purpose of 'rapid prototyping'. Hence, we propose a solution that would help any automotive designer and/or developers to quickly prototype and test their multi-media solutions for multi-screen vehicle system using any browser based UX tool.
Quantum Chemical Approach for Calculating Stability Constants of Mercury Complexes

Stability constants are central to the multiscale modeling of the thermodynamic speciation, cycling, and transport of mercury (Hg) and other contaminants in aquatic environments. However, for Hg, experimental values for many relevant complexes are not available, and for others can span ranges in excess of 10 log units. The missing data and large uncertainties lead to significant knowledge gaps in predictions of thermodynamic speciation. As an alternative to experimental measurements, thermodynamic quantities can be calculated with quantum chemical methods. Among these, density functional theory (DFT) with a polarizable continuum solvent combines accuracy with practicability. Here, we present an accurate and quick approach in which we use DFT with continuum solvation to calculate stability constants of Hg complexes with inorganic and low molecular-weight organic ligands in aqueous solution. Specifically, we use the M06/[SDD]6-31+G(d,p) level of theory in combination with a modified version of the SMD solve...
Random walks and forbidden minors II: A $\text{poly}(d\varepsilon^{-1})$-query tester for minor-closed properties of bounded-degree graphs

Let $G$ be a graph with $n$ vertices and maximum degree $d$. Fix some minor-closed property $\mathcal{P}$ (such as planarity). We say that $G$ is $\varepsilon$-far from $\mathcal{P}$ if one has to remove $\varepsilon dn$ edges to make it have $\mathcal{P}$. The problem of property testing $\mathcal{P}$ was introduced in the seminal work of Benjamini-Schramm-Shapira (STOC 2008) that gave a tester with query complexity triply exponential in $\varepsilon^{-1}$. Levi-Ron (TALG 2015) have given the best tester to date, with a quasipolynomial (in $\varepsilon^{-1}$) query complexity. It is an open problem to get property testers whose query complexity is $\text{poly}(d\varepsilon^{-1})$, even for planarity. In this paper, we resolve this open question. For any minor-closed property, we give a tester with query complexity $d\cdot \text{poly}(\varepsilon^{-1})$. The previous line of work on (independent of $n$, two-sided) testers is primarily combinatorial. Our work, on the other hand, employs techniques from spectral graph theory. This paper is a continuation of recent work of the authors (FOCS 2018) analyzing random walk algorithms that find forbidden minors.
TANGRAM: Optimized Coarse-Grained Dataflow for Scalable NN Accelerators

The use of increasingly larger and more complex neural networks (NNs) makes it critical to scale the capabilities and efficiency of NN accelerators. Tiled architectures provide an intuitive scaling solution that supports both coarse-grained parallelism in NNs: intra-layer parallelism, where all tiles process a single layer, and inter-layer pipelining, where multiple layers execute across tiles in a pipelined manner. This work proposes dataflow optimizations to address the shortcomings of existing parallel dataflow techniques for tiled NN accelerators. For intra-layer parallelism, we develop buffer sharing dataflow that turns the distributed buffers into an idealized shared buffer, eliminating excessive data duplication and the memory access overheads. For inter-layer pipelining, we develop alternate layer loop ordering that forwards the intermediate data in a more fine-grained and timely manner, reducing the buffer requirements and pipeline delays. We also make inter-layer pipelining applicable to NNs with complex DAG structures. These optimizations improve the performance of tiled NN accelerators by 2x and reduce their energy consumption by 45% across a wide range of NNs. The effectiveness of our optimizations also increases with the NN size and complexity.
Trump’s Challenge to the World’s Liberal Economic and Trade System

The unexpected election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States in 2006 has led to major changes in U.S. economic and trade policies in the first 2 years of the new administration in Washington. Some of these policies, both domestic and international, are very controversial and represent a major break with the past, and they have already had a major impact on the U.S. and on world economies.
Günter Frankenberg, Comparative Constitutional Studies: Between Magic and Deceit

Few fields of legal study are as introspective as comparative law. It is fairly obvious that scholars would try to analyze and elaborate the rules of contracts, succession, or administrative law. Those subjects affect people every day. It takes some thinking, on the other hand, to figure out why anyone should care about how and why German and Canadian judicial qualifications differ. In fact, a hefty chunk of comparative law scholarship concerns, well, comparative law scholarship.1 Comparative constitutional law—a relative latecomer to comparative study—contributes at least its fair share to this literature.2 For many years, Gunter Frankenberg has been an important participant...
Efficient sample pooling strategies for COVID-19 data gathering

Sample pooling of CoViD-19 PCR tests has been recently proposed as a low cost alternative to individual tests. We show that sample pooling is efficient as long as the fraction of the population infected is relatively small. Fisher information theory suggests a rule of thumb that for low infection rates p, pooling 2/p samples is close to optimal. We present a simple strategy for survey design when not even a ballpark estimate of the infection rate is available.
Designing an Employee Experience Approach to Teacher Retention in Hard-to-Staff Schools.

Many school employers struggle with teacher turnover challenges despite their use of wide-ranging teacher retention initiatives. Emphasizing a new Talent Centered Education Leadership approach, thi...
Social Media: A New Tool for Scientific Engagement.

To keep up with the accelerating pace of scientific advancement, tools for scientific communication must be easily accessible and engaging and allow for the quick dissemination of knowledge. Social media meet these requirements, facilitating the rapid sharing of new data and creating an accessible environment that promotes discussion and intellectual debate.
Bone Marrow Edema and Joint Overuse in Athletes:a Mini-Review

Bone marrow edema (BME) on MRI is defined as an area of low signal intensity on Tl-weighted MR images and associated...
Attending to the Multidimensional Nature of Spirituality and Faith: Integrating Spiritual Development and Moral Foundations Theory:

The psychological study of spiritual development continues to grow in popularity, but definitions, theories, and frameworks related to this field often focus on a narrow range of qualities associat...
Weight-Ranked Divide-and-Conquer Contracts

This paper studies a large class of multi-agent contracting models with the property that agents' payoffs constitute a weighted potential game. Multiple equilibria arise due to agents' strategic interactions. I fully characterize a contracting scheme that is optimal to the principal for a large class of equilibrium selection criteria and implementation requirements. This scheme ranks agents in ascending order of their weights in the weighted potential game and induces them to accept their offers in a dominance-solvable way, starting from the first agent. I apply the general results to networks and pure/impure public goods/bads.
Pathway Tools Visualization of Organism-Scale Metabolic Networks

Metabolomics, synthetic biology, and microbiome research demand information about organism-scale metabolic networks. The convergence of genome sequencing and computational inference of metabolic networks has enabled great progress toward satisfying that demand by generating metabolic reconstructions from the genomes of thousands of sequenced organisms. Visualization of whole metabolic networks is critical for aiding researchers in understanding, analyzing, and exploiting those reconstructions. We have developed bioinformatics software tools that automatically generate a full metabolic-network diagram for an organism, and that enable searching and analyses of the network. The software generates metabolic-network diagrams for unicellular organisms, for multi-cellular organisms, and for pan-genomes and organism communities. Search tools enable users to find genes, metabolites, enzymes, reactions, and pathways within a diagram. The diagrams are zoomable to enable researchers to study local neighborhoods in detail and to see the big picture. The diagrams also serve as tools for comparison of metabolic networks and for interpreting high-throughput datasets, including transcriptomics, metabolomics, and reaction fluxes computed by metabolic models. These data can be overlaid on the metabolic charts to produce animated zoomable displays of metabolic flux and metabolite abundance. The BioCyc.org website contains whole-network diagrams for more than 18,000 sequenced organisms. The ready availability of organism-specific metabolic network diagrams and associated tools for almost any sequenced organism are useful for researchers working to better understand the metabolism of their organism and to interpret high-throughput datasets in a metabolic context.
Feasibility of home and hospital colorectal irrigation with continuous tube placement for Hirschsprung’s disease in neonates and infants: a comparative retrospective study

Since the length of the affected colon widely varies, the preoperative management of Hirschsprung’s disease varies from one hospital to another. For our cases in which the length of the aganglionic colon cannot be managed by enema, anal bougienage, or rectal irrigation, colorectal irrigation is used along with the placement of a transanal catheter for these patients as home or hospital management, until one-stage definitive surgery can be performed. No comparative studies have been conducted on the continuous tube placement method, and no study has utilized this method as home management. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the efficacy and feasibility of our proposed continuous tube placement management for patients with Hirschsprung’s disease in the hospital or even at home. We included 22 infants with Hirschsprung’s disease between 2008 and 2018. The patients were divided into two groups: those who were managed with enema, bougienage, and rectal irrigation (n = 6), and those who were managed with the placement of a continuous transanal tube and colorectal irrigation (n = 16). The group with continuous transanal tube placement was further divided into two groups: those who were preoperatively managed with a continuous anorectal tube at home (n = 7), and those at a hospital (n = 9). Preoperative demographic information and clinical details were retrospectively examined and compared between the two groups. Univariate analysis showed no significant differences in the backgrounds and clinical status between the enema, bougienage, and rectal irrigation group and the colorectal irrigation group. The patients in the home group were older and weighed more at the time of radical surgery than those in the hospital group (p = 0.0267, p = 0.0377, respectively). The total duration of hospitalization until radical surgery was significantly decreased in the home group (p = 0.0315). The total duration of hospitalization was significantly reduced in patients undergoing home colorectal irrigation which was as effective as the conventional method, with no impact on the preoperative condition or postoperative outcomes. Hence, our home-based preoperative management for patients with Hirschsprung’s disease may be effective and potentially feasible for the management of patients with Hirschsprung’s disease.
Empirical ordering of stains in cytology-are we saving or losing?

Introduction Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and body cavity fluids (pleural and peritoneal) have a useful role in the detection of infectious diseases, especially when combined with ancillary stains (Grocott methenamine silver, acid-fast bacilli, Fite, and cytomegalovirus). However, empirical ordering of stains and duplicate testing by concurrent microbiology cultures leads to unnecessary wastage of resources. The aim of our study was to optimize the use of resources. Materials and methods We performed a retrospective review of all BALs and body cavity fluids from 2016 to 2018 to determine the baseline stain order rate, which was then used in conjunction with clinical information to create a reasonable target for 2019. The methods implemented included communication with the clinical team to modify current ordering practice, monitoring stain orders prospectively through 2019, and updating the cytology requisition form to limit upfront ordering of ancillary stains. Results From 2016 to 2018, of the 1270 specimens reviewed, 323 (55%) were BALs and 108 (16%) were body cavity fluids that had had ≥2 stains preordered. This was reduced by the end of 2019 to 10% of BALs and 3.4% of body cavity fluids, leading to $25,935.24 in costs savings (including 275 hours of technician time and 39.3 hours of pathologist time). Conclusions We found that ancillary microorganism stains have limited utility in cytology specimens and should only be ordered when indicated after a review of the initial smears. In today’s era of cost savings, upfront ordering of ancillary stains can lead to significant wastage of resources that can be prevented by improving workflow.
Comparison of Candidate Designs and Performance Optimization for an Electric Traction Motor Targeting 50 kW/L Power Density

The continued expansion of the global electric vehicle fleet is accompanied by an unprecedented demand for high power density electric traction motors. With the ambitious U.S. DRIVE 2025 target of 50 kW/L power density and an equally aggressive cost reduction goal, innovative approaches have to be utilized in terms of both the design and manufacturing of electric traction motors. In this paper, six motor options are compared and the best design is picked for each option to investigate the drive and excitation requirements and the weighted power efficiency over multiple load points, with necessary mechanical stress and demagnetization checks. State-of-the-art winding technologies, including high slot fill die compressed windings and hairpin windings, and rotors both with permanent magnet (PM) and PM-free are incorporated. The design of high flux density and low harmonic content magnetic field is also demonstrated.
Behavioral Variability in Mortuary Deposition: A Modern Material Culture Study

This paper examines critically several key assumptions that have guided many archaeological interpretations of prehistoric mortuary assemblages. It is argued that more sophisticated models of mortuary deposition need to be incorporated into research that attempts to reconstruct community structure and other sociological variables from variation in grave assemblages. To illustrate this point, and to begin to build such models, a study of artifacts deposited in mortuary contexts was conducted by the author in a major urban center in Arizona in 1996. Several different behavioral pathways through which objects enter mortuary contexts are identified in this study, and some general material correlates for each are specified. This study also provides a vehicle for exploring preliminarily how, and to what extent, various forms of mortuary depostion are related to the social identities of the deceased. Finally, a synthetic model is developed which seeks to explain variation in mortuary deposition in terms of behavioral interactions between the living, on the one hand, and the deceased and various classes of material culture, on the other. It is hoped that the general models and material correlates developed through this study can be elaborated by prehistorians to bolster inferences drawn from specific mortuary populations and to explore previously-uncharted realms of mortuary behavior in the past.
Remote optical detection of ground vibrations

We present progress being made in the passive optical remote detection of ground surface vibration. With proper design, minute seismic surface waves may be captured using remote visible imagery. The utility of subband steerable filters to the detection of surface vibrations in the absence of inherent image contrast is demonstrated. Detections with the filters are shown with laboratory data and compared to Fourier transform results over a range of surface vibrational amplitudes. We present an analysis of the optical measurements of ground surfaces performed during the passing of nearby trains with discussion of the hardware, software, and detection clutter sources. Results from optical remote sensing are interpreted using additional accelerometer measurements and image processing.
Optical properties of semiconductors under hydrostatic pressure—III: Germanium-silicon alloys

Abstract The optical absorption edge of a number of germanium-silicon alloys has been measured at room temperature as a function of hydrostatic pressure from 1 to 7000 kg cm 2 . The pressure variation of the energy corresponding to the edge (dE/dP)T varies continuously with composition from pure germanium to pure silicon. A break in this curve is found between 10 and 20 per cent silicon, consistent with an interpretation in which the (100) conduction-band minimum becomes lower than the (111) minimum as silicon content is increased.
Embracing the spiritual history

Dear daughters Brooke, Blair, and Taylor,I had a patient recently whose death was particularly harrowing. The experience allowed me to reflect on the importance of both “taking” and “dealing with” ...
An Experimental Investigation of Magnification Lens Offset and Its Impact on Imagery Analysis

A digital lens is a user interface mechanism that is a potential solution to information mangement problems. We investigated the use of digital lensing applied to imagery analysis. Participants completed three different types of tasks (locate, follow, and compare) using a magnification lens with three different degrees of offset (aligned, adjacent, and docked) over a high-resolution aerial photo. Although no lens offset mode was significantly better than another, most participants preferred the adjacent mode for the locate and compare tasks, and the docked mode for the follow tasks. This paper describes the results of a user study of magnification lenses and provides new insights into preferences of and interactions with digital lensing.
Specific role of each human leukocyte type in viral infections. I. Monocyte as host cell for vesicular stomatitis virus replication in vitro

Each major leukocyte type of the peripheral blood of healthy donors was studied in vitro for its ability to support vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication. Purified cultures of each white blood cell type were prepared by the selective adsorption and elution of cells from silicone-treated glass beads. It was found that monocytes and macrophages (derived from the rapid transformation of monocytes in vitro) were the principal host cells for VSV replication. Interferon added to mixed leukocyte cultures, prior to virus inoculation, reduced virus yields and prevented destruction of macrophages. Cultures of small lymphocytes, containing no detectable monocytes or macrophages, produced amounts of virus equivalent to 1% of that produced in leukocyte cultures which contained 7% monocytes. Small lymphocytes did not undergo demonstrable cytopathic alterations in virus-infected cultures. VSV neither replicated nor produced cytopathic effects in polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
The Functional Analysis of Drinking Behavior

In our society, the use of alcohol is a frequently exhibited and highly complex behavior which involves multiple components. The majority (74%) of our adult population drinks, and, for the most part, this drinking is problem free. Thus, for most persons, drinking can be considered a socially normative, or prosocial, behavior. A functional analysis interpretation of the behavior of drinking alcohol suggests that drinking serves different functions for different individuals in different contexts. Hence, consistent with this approach, the fact that some people develop drinking problems and others do not is seen as dependent upon a given individual’s internal and external environment, including biological and sociocultural factors, past learning history, and, of course, features of prevailing environmental situations.
A Structured Approach to Calculating Reasonable Royalties

A significant part of the problem with patent damage awards comes from the non-exclusive, fifteen-factor “Georgia-Pacific” test now taken as the gold standard for calculating reasonable royalty damages. Simply handing the question of reasonable royalty to the jury, without more, is not a recipe for precision in damages analysis. But the fifteen-factor test may actually be worse, because it overloads the jury with factors to consider that may be irrelevant, overlapping, or even contradictory. And because the jury’s finding is the result of such a complex, multi-factor test, it is, as a practical matter, almost entirely immune from scrutiny by either district or appellate judges facing a deferential standard of review. The Authors suggest a structured approach to calculating reasonable royalties. Most of the factors in the Georgia-Pacific test in fact boil down to three fundamental questions: (1) what is the marginal contribution of the patented invention over the prior art?; (2) how many other inputs were necessary to achieve that contribution, and what is their relative value?; and (3) is there some concrete evidence suggesting that the market has chosen a number different than the product of (1) and (2)? By structuring the inquiry in this way, courts (or Congress) can not only simplify the question for the jury, but also enable district courts and the Federal Circuit to easily review the factual basis for a jury award.
Stable ion study of benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) derivatives: 7,8-dihydro-BaP, 9,10-dihydro-BaP and its 6-halo derivatives, 1- and 3-methoxy-9,10-dihydro-BaP-7(8H)-one, as well as the proximate carcinogen BaP 7,8-dihydrodiol and its dibenzoate, combined with a comparative DNA binding study of regioisomeric (1-, 4-, 2-) pyrenylcarbinols.

A stable ion study of a series of BaP derivatives is reported. 7,8-Dihydro-BaP 1 gives a persistent bay-region benzylic-like carbocation which shows extensive charge delocalization into the pyrene moiety. In contrast, a “benzylic” carbocation can not be generated from 9,10-dihydro-BaP 2. Introduction of bulky substituents at peri C-6 of 9,10-dihydro-BaP (as in 4 and 5) prevents side reactions (dimerization) to the extent that the initially formed carbocation undergoes rearrangement to generate the corresponding bay-region “benzylic” carbocation as a persistent species. Introduction of methoxy substituents into the 1- or 3- positions of 9,10-dihydro-BaP-7(8H)-one (6,7) increases its electrophilic reactivity to the extent that stable carboxonium–arenium dications are produced in FSO3H–SO2ClF. A detailed NMR study (at 500 MHz) of the resulting mono- and dications is reported, and charge delocalization mode (as well as conformational aspects) are addressed. Other oxidized derivatives of BaP such as the 7,8-dihydrodiol 9 and the 7,8-dihydrodibenzoate 8 are not suitable models for stable ion study because of competing O-protonation (and elimination). Energies for various possible arenium ions and regioisomeric “benzylic” cations were computed by the DFT method at the B3LYP/6-31G(d)//B3LYP/6-31G(d) level or by AM1 for comparison with the experimental results. These findings provide further evidence in support of the stability sequence: 1-pyrenyl > 4-pyrenyl > 2-pyrenyl in α-pyrene-substituted carbocations as models for the intermediates arising from BaP-epoxide ring opening. In an effort to provide a parallel, a series of α-pyrenylcarbinols were subjected to a DNA binding study using human MCF-7 cells. The results/trends are discussed and compared with the stable ion data.
Dissertation Summary: Innovation and Industry Development: Lessons from the British Cotton Textile Industry During the U.S. Civil War

This dissertation uses the large negative shock to the British cotton textile industry, caused by the U.S. Civil War, in order to test three long-running questions about innovation. Chapter one provides the first empirical test of the leading theory of directed technical change, introduced by Acemoglu (2002). I show that the shortage of U.S. cotton increased innovation in technologies related to Indian cotton, the main alternative, and increased the relative price of Indian cotton, confirming the key predictions of the theory. Chapter two introduces a new methodology for testing whether the existing stock of knowledge affects the level of new innovation and applies the methodology using the empirical setting. Chapter three considers the impact on the location of industries in Northern England. My results provide causal evidence that temporary shocks, acting through inter-industry Marshallian spillovers, can affect the long-run location of economic activity.
Rapidly evolving EEG changes in a case of Alzheimer disease.

A patient who presented with a subacutely evolving dementia and electroencephalographic changes resembling those reported in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease was found at autopsy to have Alzheimer disease. Despite typical clinical and electroencephalographic findings, accurate discrimination between these two diseases depends on pathological examination.
Effect of hypoxia on the proliferation of retinal microvessel endothelial cells in culture.

Background:To determine if hypoxia stimulates the prolif- eration of retinal microvessel endothelial cells in culture. Methods: Bovine retinal microvessel endothelial cells were cultured in normoxic (95% air, 5% CO2) and hypoxic (2% O2,5%CO2, 93% N2) conditions. Endothelial cells were identified by acetylated LDL and Factor VIII- related antigen immunocytochemical staining. Cells from passages three to eight were used in these experiments. Proliferation assays included cell counts by hemocytometer and autoradiographic analysis of incorporated 3 H-thymidine ( 3 H-TdR). Results: At day 4, cell counts of endothelial cells in hypoxia showed a 133% increase over those grown in normoxic conditions (N 5 25,P F 0.01). Cell counts per day for 5 days were 121-181% greater in hypoxia. Autoradi- ography of endothelial cells exposed to 3 H-TdR and counted every 12 hours for 60 hours exhibited labeling indices 112-118% higher in hypoxic conditions (P F 0.0001). Endothelial cells cultured under hypoxic condi- tions were smaller and spindle-shaped, whereas those grown under normoxic conditions were larger and more polygonal. Conclusions:Hypoxia increases DNAsynthesis and stimulates prolifera- tion of retinal microvessel endothelial cells in vitro and induces alter- ations in morphology. These results may be relevant to microvessel angiogenesis, which occurs in vivo under ischemic conditions. Anat. Rec. 248:366-373, 1997. r 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Calculation of photoelectron spectra of the trihalides of group V elements

Abstract The SCF-Xα-SW method is applied to calculate the ionization energies of the trihalides of all of the Group V elements. The calculated orbital energies agree very well with reported experimental ionization energies. The molecular-orbital orderings obtained coincide with recent experimental orbital assignments. The results are also compared with previous ab initio, semiempirical and Xα calculations for NF 3 , PF 3 , PCl 3 and PBr 3 . The comparison indicates that the present results show improved agreement with experiment and clarify certain ambiguities in the earlier molecular-orbital assignments.
Can longitudinal strain by 2 dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography provide diagnostic and prognostic value in immunoglobulin light chain and hereditary transthyretin cardiac amyloidosis

Purpose: The aim of our study was to determine if longitudinal strain and strain rate (LS/LSR) provide diagnostic and prognostic value to distinguish hereditary transthyretin cardiac amyloid (HCA) from immunoglobulin light chain cardiac amyloid (ICA) in patients with preserved LVEF. Methods: Forty age and gender matched ICA and HCA patients with normal LVEF were included. LVEF, left ventricular mass index (LVMI) and NT-pro BNP were detected. Left ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and strain rate (GLSR), as well as average basal, mid and apical systolic strain and SR were obtained with 2 dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography. Survival was also calculated. Results: NT-pro BNP in ICA (3537±4005 pg/ml) vs. HCA (844±1806 pg/ml) was significantly different (P<0.01); LVEF (65±7% vs. 64±7%) and LVMI (124±30 g/m2 vs. 129±41 g/m2) were not significant. There were significant differences in GLS (-12.0±4.2% vs. -13.9±2.8%, P<0.05) and GLSR (-0.73±0.22 s-1 vs.-0.84±0.18 s-1, P<0.05) between ICA and HCA group. The most significant difference was seen in apical LS (-13.1±4.3% vs. -17.3±3.3%, P<0.001) and LSR (-0.82±0.24s-1 vs.-1.02±0.23 s-1, P<0.001), in mid LS (-12.0±4.6% vs.-13.7±3.1%, P<0.05) and LSR (-0.66±0.23s-1 vs. -0.77±0.18s-1, P<0.05) as well, but not in basal LS/LSR. Patients with HCA had a better 3 year survival than those with ICA (P<0.01), the most significantly independent predictor was apical LS [cut-off -14.7%, OR 4.1 (1.37, 12.4), P<0.01], but LVMI and NT-pro BNP showed no superiority to longitudinal strain in survival. ![Figure][1] Survival curve of HCA vs. ICA Conclusions: There are regional variations in LS/LSR that can distinguish HCA from ICA. Longitudinal strain might be a good predictor for survival in patients with light chain and hereditary cardiac amyloidosis. [1]: pending:yes
Range image enhancement via one-dimensional spatial filtering

Abstract Range images obtained by systems that have a shallow, nearly horizontal line of sight suffer from a strong low-frequency vertical gradient which often dominates the finer scale objects of interest in the scene. Two one-dimensional high pass operators (differencing and normalizing) are used to enhance the visibility of 1.06-μ range images and the results are analyzed physically and discussed in terms of subsequent line and feature extraction success.
Internal friction in lead doped with noble metals

Abstract Experiments intended to characterize some anelastic relaxation peaks previously reported by Turner et al. in the PbAu, PbCu and PbAg systems failed to confirm the presence of such peaks. Discrepancies in the values of background damping suggest that some unknown impurity may have played a decisive role in the occurence of those relaxations.
Delayed random walks

Abstract A delayed random walk {S ∗ n , n ≥ 0} is defined here as a partial sum process of independent random variables in which the first N summands ( N optional) are distributed F 1 ,…, F N , respectively, while all remaining summands are distributed F 0 , where { F k , k ≥ 0} is a sequence of proper distribution functions on the real line. Delayed random walks arise naturally in the study of certain generalized single server queues. This paper examines optional times of the process such as π = inf {n: n ≥ 1 and S ∗ n ≥ 0} . Conditions insuring the finiteness of E {π} and E {π 2 } are obtained, generating functions calculated, and illustrative examples given. The bivariate functions E{r π explsqbitS ∗ π rsqb} and E { ∑ n=0 π−1 explsqbitS ∗ n rsqb} are studied for the case where N ≡ 1.
Cross-species EST alignments reveal novel and conserved alternative splicing events in legumes

Background Although originally thought to be less frequent in plants than in animals, alternative splicing (AS) is now known to be widespread in plants. Here we report the characteristics of AS in legumes, one of the largest and most important plant families, based on EST alignments to the genome sequences of Medicago truncatula (Mt) and Lotus japonicus (Lj).
Pituitary Senescence: The Evolving Role of Pttg

Despite the high prevalence of pituitary adenomas they are invariably benign, indicative of unique intrinsic mechanisms controlling pituitary cell proliferation. Cellular senescence is characterized by a largely irreversible cell cycle arrest and constitutes a strong anti-proliferative response, which can be triggered by DNA damage, chromosomal instability and aneuploidy, loss of tumor suppressive signaling or oncogene activation. In vivo senescence is an important protective mechanism against cancer. Here we discuss prospective mechanisms underlying senescence-associated molecular pathways activated in benign pituitary adenomas. Both deletion and over-expression of pituitary tumor transforming gene (Pttg) promote chromosomal instability and aneuploidy. Pttg deletion abrogates tumor development by activating p53/p21-dependent senescence pathways. Abundant PTTG in GH-secreting pituitary adenomas also triggers p21-dependent senescence. Pituitary p21 may therefore safeguard against further chromosomal instability by constraining pituitary tumor growth. These observations point to senescence as a target for effective therapy for both tumor silencing and growth restraint towards development of pituitary malignancy.
Enzyme evolution: generation of a bifunctional enzyme by fusion of adjacent genes.

Two genes encoding distinct enzymes have been functionally fused by mutation. After fusion, the two genes act as one and produce a single polypeptide chain responsible for both catalytic activities.
Institutional Effects on Decision Making on Public Lands: An Interagency Examination of Wildfire Management

A significant increase in catastrophic wildfires in the interior West of the United States has left public land agencies scrambling to reduce dangerous fuel loads and manage forests according to an ecological understanding of fire and forest health. However, this has not translated into standardized on-the-ground fire and fuel management in public land agencies. Different on-the-ground management practices raise questions about the extent to which ecosystems management is being utilized and how well land agencies are adapting to their new responsibilities. This study employs an institutional analysis and development framework to examine how and why on-the-ground decisions and outcomes differ. Decisions and outcomes are discussed as a function of the multiple layers of institutions that guide and constrain the decision processes of line officers who are responsible for developing and executing fire and fuel management projects.