cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Student Evaluations, Grade Inflation and Pluralistic Teaching: Moving from Customer Satisfaction to Student Learning and Critical Thinking

Faculty at universities that place significant weight on student evaluations often report that they give out easy grades, avoid controversial material and dumb down courses in order to get higher student evaluations. Unfortunately, research on student learning indicates that challenging courses, especially those that challenge students' existing mental models, facilitate greater learning. Meanwhile, research on student evaluations indicates that grading more easily and teaching easier courses has, at best, a small impact on student evaluations. Thus, ironically, faculty perceptions about student evaluations are more problematic than student evaluations themselves. In order to improve the quality of teaching, it is important for universities to develop a system for evaluating teaching that emphasizes (and rewards) the degree of challenge and learning that occurs in courses. This can be achieved by altering student evaluation forms to emphasize the amount students learn and the amount of work they do in a c...
Characterization of opioid peptides in human thyroid medullary carcinoma

A thyroid medullary carcinoma from a man with the multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome Type IIB was examined for the presence of opioid peptides. The tumor contained peptides derived from all three opioid precursors: pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), pro-dynorphin, and pro-enkephalin. The tissue concentrations of the various opioid peptides varied considerably. beta-Endorphin, a POMC-derived peptide, was present in concentrations between 9 to 12 pmoles/g tissue; 8 pmoles/g tissue of alpha-neo-endorphin, a pro-dynorphin-derived product, were seen, whereas the pro-enkephalin-associated peptides were present in much lower concentrations (0.6-2.1 pmoles/g tissue). Immunohistochemical studies showed scattered opioid-positive cells in the tumor tissue and in two other thyroid medullary carcinomas. These data demonstrate that malignant neuroendocrine tumors may contain peptides derived from all three families of the endogenous opioids.
Bridging the Ideological Divide: Trust and Support for Social Security Privatization

Using a pair of national surveys, this article analyzes the individual-level sources of public support for Social Security privatization. Given the inherent risks associated with privatization, we argue that the political trust heuristic affords untapped theoretical leverage in explaining public attitudes toward privatization. We find that, among certain individuals, political trust plays an instrumental role in structuring privatization preferences. Political trust increases support for privatization, but only among liberals. This heterogeneity in trust’s impact is best explained, we argue, by the unbalanced ideological costs imposed by the potential privatization of Social Security. Among liberals, embracing privatization requires the sacrifice of core values, thereby making political trust a potent consideration. Political trust is inconsequential among conservatives because supporting privatization requires no comparable sacrifice for them.
A Comparison Of The Mycin Model For Reasoning Under Uncertainty To A Probability Based Model

Rule-based expert systems are those in which a certain number of IF-THEN rules are assumed to hold. Based on the verity of some assertions, the rules deduce new conclusions. In many cases, neither the rules nor the assertions are known with certainty. The system must then be able to obtain a measure of partial belief in the conclusion based upon measures of partial belief in the assertions and the rule. A problem arises when two or more rules (items of evidence) argue for the same conclusion. As proven in , certain assumptions concerning the independence of the two items of evidence is necessary before the certainties can be combined. In the current paper, it is shown how the well known MYCIN model combines the certainties from two items of evidence. The validity of the model is then proven based on the model's assumptions of independence of evidence. The assumptions are that the evidence must be independent in the whole space, in the space of the conclusion, and in the space of the complement of the conclusion. Next a probability-based model is described and compared to the MYCIN model. It is proven that the probabilistic assumptions for this model are weaker (independence is necessary only in the space of the conclusion and the space of the complement of conclusion), and therefore more appealing. An example is given to show how the added assumption in the MYCIN model is, in fact, the most restrictive assumption. It is also proven that, when two rules argue for the same conclusion, the combinatoric method in a MYCIN version of the probability-based model yields a higher combined certainty than that in the MYCIN model. It is finally concluded that the probability-based model, in light of the comparison, is the better choice.© (1986) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analytical Model of the Confined Compression Test Used to Characterize Brittle Materials

Numerical and analytical simulations of projectiles penetrating brittle materials such as ceramics and glasses are a very challenging problem. The difficulty comes from the fact that the yield surface of brittle materials is not well characterized (or even defined), and the failure process may change the material properties. Recently, some works have shown that it is possible to characterize and find the constitutive equation for brittle materials using a confined compression test, i.e., a test where a cylindrical specimen, surrounded by a confining sleeve, is being compressed axially by a mechanical testing machine. This paper focuses on understanding the confined compression test by presenting an analytical model that explicitly solves for the stresses and strains in the sample and the sleeve, assuming the sleeve is elastic and the specimen is elastoplastic with a Drucker-Prager plasticity model. The first part of the paper briefly explains the experimental technique and how the stress-strain curves obtained during the test are interpreted. A simple and straightforward approach to obtain the constitutive model of the material is then presented. Finally, a full analytical model with explicit solution for displacements, strains, and stresses in the specimen and the sleeve is described. The advantage of the analytical model is that it gives a full understanding of the test, as well as information that can be useful when designing the test (e.g., displacements of the outer radius of the specimen).
Spilt water — tales of David (2 Sam 23,13–17) and Alexander (Arrian, anabasis of Alexander 6.26.1–3)

Abstract In 2 Sam 23,13–17 there is a narative which describes how David poured water on the ground which was obtained by his men at great risk. Form‐critical comparison with comparable narratives concerning Alexander the Great, especially that of Arrian in Anabasis of Alexander 6.26–1–3, appears to indicate that the Greek tradition has influenced the emergence of 2 Sam 23,13–17 in its present form. This implies that material in 2 Sam 21–24, an apparent appendix in the Deuteronomistic History, may have taken shape in the Hellenistic period, and this gives further credence for scholarly views which posit such later dates for much of the biblical text.
Particle simulation of the resistive g mode in a sheared magnetic field

The linear and nonlinear evolution of the interchange instability of a resistive plasma (the resistive g mode) in a sheared magnetic field is studied using electrostatic particle simulation methods. Both the fast and slow interchange mode regimes are considered. In both cases the linear growth rates of the modes scale well with the theoretical values. The saturation of the instabilities is caused primarily by convective mixing of pressure over the width of the eigenmode. The saturation levels predicted by mixing length theory are in reasonable agreement with the simulation results.
Reforms of China's foreign trade system: Experiences and prospects

Abstract The reform of China's foreign trade system since 1979 has been characterized by cycles of centralization and decentralization. The cycles are inevitable inasmuch as direct administrative control remains the pillar of stability of the system. A critical examination of the reform history reveals that a system of market and regulatory controls has been gradually established or reinforced in the process. With the development of a fledgling foreign exchange market, China will move a step further toward a system based on market forces. The eventual outcome of the reform of China's foreign trade system, however, depends on the direction and success of the systemic reforms of the entire economy.
Collision width measurements of CO in combustion gases using a tunable diode laser

Abstract A tunable diode laser was used to record fully resolved vibration-rotation absorption lines of CO in the combustion products of an atmospheric pressure methane-air flame. The measurements were made both at high temperature, in situ , and in gases cooled to room temperature. The in situ measurements were made on 26 lines in the 1 → 0, 2 → 1, and 3 → 2 vibrational bands of the CO fundamental. The room temperature measurements were performed on 19 lines in the 1 → 0 band. Results are presented for the dependence of the collision width, 2γ, on vibrational and rotational quantum numbers at 1850 and 300°K. The temperature exponent N , defined by the relation 2 γ 2 = 2 γ 1 ( T 2 / T 1 ) − N , was also determined and found to depend on rotational quantum number.
The Coexistence of Insect Parasites and Hosts in Laboratory Ecosystems

The coexistence of the chalcid parasite ( Encarsia formosa Gahan) and its greenhouse whitefly host ( Trialcurodes vaporariorum (Westwood)) and the braconid parasite ( Diaeratus rapae Macintosh ) and the green peach aphid host ( Myzus persicae (Sulzer)) were studied in two laboratory population cages which had a suitable space-time environmental structure. The chalcid and whitefly were maintained in a cage 39 inches long, 22 wide, and 14 high. The 56 tomato plants in the cage, which were controlled as to size and height, provided food for the whitefly and at the same time provided a suitable space-time structure to the environment to allow this parasite-host system to survive for 30 weeks. The braconid and aphid were maintained in a special multicell population cage. Each cell contained radish plants for the aphid. Host colonies were destroyed by the parasite in some of the cells, but at the same time new host colonies formed in uninhabited cells. Thus, the discontinuous distribution of host colonies in space and time allowed the braconid and aphid to coexist for 15 weeks, when the system was discontinued.
It is time to assess the utility of thrombelastography in the administration of blood products to the patient with traumatic injuries.

Abstract : Jeager and Zimmermann have demonstrated that thrombelastography (TEG) can be conducted rapidly in the emergency department, providing a wide range of information on coagulation status, with data available before conventional laboratory values can be obtained. The use of blood products in patients with trauma is empiric and blind, especially in patients requiring massive transfusion (10 units of packed red blood cells in 24 hours). It is often stated that coagulation status is the most reliable indication of outcome on admission of the patient with traumatic injuries and should be used to direct the transfusion of blood components. Although results from some studies strongly recommend the TEG to define a patient's coagulation status, and potentially direct administration of blood products in patients with trauma, none has yet been sufficiently powered to demonstrate, specifically, how TEG might transform transfusion guidelines. Only a large multicenter study can conclusively demonstrate the effectiveness of rapidly avail- able TEG data and provide the means to develop algorithms to optimally direct blood product use, which in turn, will reduce overall blood product administration and improve outcomes. The work of Jeagar and Zimmermann provides further evidence that such a study of TEG use should be undertaken.
Nuclear track emulsions

Abstract The use of nuclear track emulsions in nuclear physics research is described with particular emphasis on their employment as focal-plane detectors. A brief description of nuclear emulsions and the theory of the photographic process is given in order to sketch the available opportunities to vary their sensitivity and other properties. Data about currently available emulsions are collected. Some practical techniques for using emulsions as focal-plane detectors are described. A summary of the current state-of-the-art for automatic plate scanning is given.
Trial-two goal arm alternation to direction of movement in trial-one straight alley

The previously reported, unexpected finding that rats may alternate or trial 2 in the goal arms of a T-maze the direction of their movement in the starting-stem of a trial-1 T-maze was followed up in the present study with a minor procedural variation: trial-1 movement occurred in a simple straight alley. Once again, there was a tendency for trial-2 T-maze goal-arm choice to take the rat in a direction opposite to that enforced by the orientation of the trial-1 alley.
The effects of uremia on erythropoietin activity.

Erythropoietin (ESF) activity was determined during acute and chronic uremic states with and without evidence of excretory renal function in humans. These observations demonstrated that detectable endogenous levels of ESF were absent in humans during an acute and chronic uremic state. Unlike the humans, the experimental animals produced ESF at a diminished rate. Also, in experimental animals, factors appear by 48–60 hr which make the bone marrow and spleen less responsive to exogenous ESF. Therefore, the human and nonhuman data show that the anemia of the uremic state can be explained by two factors: (1) an initial inhibition of end-organ ESF responsiveness, and (2) a failure in ESF production. The temporal difference in the effect of these two aspects of erythropoietin activity is perhaps the basis for the variability in measured ESF activity in acute and chronic uremic states.
Deletion of the fyn-kinase gene alters behavioral sensitivity to ethanol

Background: An earlier study showed that deletion of the fyn-kinase gene enhanced sensitivity to ethanol's sedative hypnotic effects and suggested that this was associated with diminished fyn-kinase phosphorylation of NMDA receptors. The authors of that study speculated that this resulted in an inability of the null mutants to develop acute tolerance to ethanol, leading to the longer ethanol-induced sleep times. However, in vivo acute tolerance to ethanol was not examined directly. Methods: To address the role of fyn-kinase in mediating acute tolerance, as well as sensitivity to several other behavioral effects of ethanol, we studied an independently generated population of fyn null mutant and wild-type mice. Results: Homozygous mutants exhibited longer ethanol sleep times that could not be attributed to differences in initial sensitivity, and impaired acute tolerance to the motor incoordinating effects of ethanol as measured by using the stationary dowel, but not the rotarod. Fyn-kinase null mutants were more sensitive to the anxiolytic effects of ethanol when tested using the elevated plus maze, and males displayed a lower preference for ethanol in a two-bottle choice paradigm. Finally, mutant and wild-type mice did not differ in sensitivity to the hypothermic effects of ethanol. The genotypes also did not differ in blood-ethanol clearance, eliminating a metabolic explanation for these behavioral differences. Conclusions: These results show that fyn-kinase modulates acute tolerance to ethanol and suggest a role for fyn in mediating ethanol's anxiolytic and reinforcing properties.
Violence and the Rhetoric of Images

This article is about the politics of visual representation, specifically about how the documentary photograph can be used to mobilize collectivities. Images become the medium for transnational political contests in which opposing groups mobilized by projecting onto those images fundamental values: purity versus idolatry, heritage versus fanaticism, injustice versus innocence, cynicism versus responsibility. . . . Documentary newspaper photographs act as a discourse of emotional engagement through which the Egyptian state seeks to assimilate itself with the newspaper reading audience into a single rhetorical subject. By representing emotions visually, photojournalism engages the passions of a diffuse audience and expresses that engagement as a spontaneous unified outpouring of feeling. It becomes in effect the expressive art of the modern political order.
A market power model with price caps and compact DC power flow constraints

Abstract This paper presents a spatial gaming model with price caps for deregulated electricity markets. There has been heated debate on price caps that have been enforced in deregulated electricity markets. Opponents argue that price caps may send wrong economic signals while advocates argue that price caps are good for damping market power. This paper does not intend to take a stand in the argument. Given the fact that price caps are enforced in several deregulated regional electricity markets in the US, a logical step is to reflect this reality in gaming modeling. However, current gaming models have not included any price cap formulation. This paper is the first one to address the issue. DC power flow equations are used for representing the spatial nature of an electrical network. An algorithm is proposed to find a generalized Nash equilibrium under the enforcement of price caps based on the Kuhn–Tucker Vector Optimization Theorem. Case studies show the successful application of the model. The conclusion is that market power impact can be reduced under appropriate price caps.
Probabilistic analysis of extreme droughts in Southern Maharashtra using bivariate copulas

Drought is a multivariate natural calamity, often characterized by severity and duration. In this paper, the bivariate joint dependence between drought properties severity and duration are modeled using upper tail-dependent copulas such as Gumbel–Hougaard, Galambos and Student’s t copula families. In order to model extreme drought condition, univariate return period of drought properties are obtained using Peak over Threshold (POT) approach. Then, return period obtained using POT approach is compared with copula-based bivariate return period. The methodology is employed to investigate meteorological droughts in Marathwada region, Maharashtra state. The relative performance of different copulas showed that the joint behavior of drought properties are satisfactorily modeled using Archimedean class of Gumbel–Hougaard copula. On comparing univariate return period obtained using POT approach with copula-based bivariate return periods, an increase in drought risk in the region is observed while considering join...
In vitro production of platelet-binding IgG in childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura†

We studied two boys, 9 and 10 years old, respectively, who underwent splenectomy eight months and six weeks after initially presenting as "typical" cases of childhood ITP. Splenic leukocytes from each child were cultured and net synthesis rates of IgG determined. Splenic synthesis rates of IgG were five-and sevenfold greater, respectively, than in spleens of control subjects. A significant portion of the splenic culture-produced IgG from each patient demonstrated specificity for homologous and autologous platelets. Synthesis rates of IgG were determined on serial cultures of bone marrow cells from the 10-year-old boy who failed to respond to splenectomy. His initial marrow synthesis rate of IgG was five times greater than mean control values. His synthesis rate of IgG in marrow decreased to the control range in association with immunosuppressive therapy and intesive platelet transfusions. These data suggest that (1) the spleen was a production site of platelet-binding IgG in the two children, and (2) the bone marrow may have been an additional site of production in our second patient.
The physician’s role in women’s decision making about hormone replacement therapy☆

ObjectiveTo ascertain the sources of information women use when making decisions about hormone replacement therapy (HRT).MethodsA cross-sectional, population-based computerassisted telephone survey of 1082 randomly selected women aged 50–80 years (80.3% response rate) was conducted at Group Health C
Laboratory of ion and second messenger imaging: a tribute to the memory of Erminio Costa.

Abstract When we lost Ermino Costa last year, the end of an era was marked. “Mimo” as we affectionately called him, was looked upon by scores of students, post-doctoral scholars and colleagues with respect and admiration and he was a scientific father figure to many. In this article I reflect upon his time at Georgetown University including his recruitment, formation and leadership of the Fidia-Georgetown Institute for Neuroscience (FGIN). The founding of FGIN created a focus upon neurosciences at the university and fostered many new collaborations. My laboratory became associated with the Institute and was involved in common interests concerning ion and second messenger studies and single cell imaging. Mimo's critical support of work and people during his long and illustrious career has significantly impacted not only neuroscience but the people who were so fortunate to have traveled with him along the road to many important and exciting discoveries.
Freemasonry, Thomas Cole and Nineteenth-Century American Landscape Painting

During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, freemasonry’s network of grand and local lodges facilitated the development and popular dissemination of American art, attracting artists, critics and patrons alike. Freemasonry’s symbolism of nature and architecture particularly influenced the imagery of American landscape painting. The Hudson River School landscapist and freemason Thomas Cole (1801–1848) especially composed sublime mountainous views that drew upon masonry’s rich visual arsenal of hieroglyphic emblems. First publicized in New York newspapers by William Dunlap, a brother mason, Cole’s paintings captured the patronage of the Empire State’s masonic elite. Cole viewed the American wilderness as a sacred, architectural space revelatory of God’s Word. Inspired by Hudson River and Catskill Mountain views, Cole’s landscapes allude to the Herculean building of the Erie Canal, an engineering project that contemporary freemasons also likened to the building of Noah’s Ark.
Structure-Specific Ribonucleases for MS-Based Elucidation of Higher-Order RNA Structure

Supported by high-throughput sequencing technologies, structure-specific nucleases are experiencing a renaissance as biochemical probes for genome-wide mapping of nucleic acid structure. This report explores the benefits and pitfalls of the application of Mung bean (Mb) and V1 nuclease, which attack specifically single- and double-stranded regions of nucleic acids, as possible structural probes to be employed in combination with MS detection. Both enzymes were found capable of operating in ammonium-based solutions that are preferred for high-resolution analysis by direct infusion electrospray ionization (ESI). Sequence analysis by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was performed to confirm mapping assignments and to resolve possible ambiguities arising from the concomitant formation of isobaric products with identical base composition and different sequences. The observed products grouped together into ladder-type series that facilitated their assignment to unique regions of the substrate, but revealed also a certain level of uncertainty in identifying the boundaries between paired and unpaired regions. Various experimental factors that are known to stabilize nucleic acid structure, such as higher ionic strength, presence of Mg(II), etc., increased the accuracy of cleavage information, but did not completely eliminate deviations from expected results. These observations suggest extreme caution in interpreting the results afforded by these types of reagents. Regardless of the analytical platform of choice, the results highlighted the need to repeat probing experiments under the most diverse possible conditions to recognize potential artifacts and to increase the level of confidence in the observed structural information.
Δ M = 3 Spin‐flip acceptor scattering and zerofield splittings

In the presence of an external magnetic field, shallow acceptor levels in II-VI semiconductors split into a J =3/2 quartet of nearly evenly spaced levels. At cryogenic temperatures only the MJ = −3/2 state is thermally occupied, and two transitions are expected: ΔM = 1 (−3/2 to −1/2) with αxx and αxy polarizabilities (z is the direction of applied field) and ΔM =2 (−3/2 to +1/2) with αxz and αyz polarizabilities. In addition to those transitions we have observed at high magnetic fields (H⩽4T) a third transition with αxx and αxy polarizability; we assign it as ΔM = 3 and show that although it is strictly forbidden in zero field, its cross-section varies theoretically as H2, and experimentally it becomes comparable in intensity to the ΔM = 2 transition in both ZnTe: Li and ZnTe: Ag at 10 T. This analysis allows a more accurate evaluation of the gyromagnetic ratio g = − 2k =0.567 ± 0.025 and of the crystal field parameter q in the spin Hamiltonian of Zn Te: Li as q = −0.012±0.006; the sign and magnitude of q have previously been in doubt and can be different for different acceptors. Non-zero spin-flip energies are found, interpreted as due to strain or exchange. These appear to vary with acceptor concentration, and are E1/2 = 1.45± 0.29 cm−1 and E3/2 =4.39±0.14 cm−1 for 0.01% Li. The fact that E3/2 ≈ 3E1/2 indicates that the mean field approximation is valid, with an effective field in zero external magnetic field of He ≈ 3.5 T.
Nixon in the world: American foreign relations, 1969–1977

Fredrik Logevall and Andrew Preston, Oxford and New York, Oxford University Press, 2008, xv+348 pp Thanks to rules that mandate the release of classified documents after 30 years, the 1970s are com...
Analyzing Compression and Buoyancy in Technical Swimming Suits

This study entailed a scientific assessment of popular speculations related to technical (i.e. competition) swimming suits. Specific issues addressed include the effects that buoyancy and compression have on reducing the cross-sectional area of a swimmer’s body and thus reducing the form resistance and increasing the velocity of a swimmer. Analyses in this study were done for competitive female swimmers wearing a range of different technical suits. Body compression by the suits was quantified using the percent reduction of the cross-sectional area of a swimmer with each suit. Several race times swam in international competitions corresponded with the relative percent velocity increase for the corresponding suit. The buoyancy of each technical swimming suit was analyzed by determining the volume of air voids in each suit and the density of each suit. The volume and densities were used to calculate the reduced cross-sectional area of a swimmer’s body interacting with the water and the relative velocity increase for the least dense suit. It was found that the Jaked brand suit was the least dense but the overall reduction in the cross-sectional area of the swimmer’s body due to the swimmer floating slightly higher in the water did not indicate a significant speed advantage.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Measurement of tendon velocities using vector tissue Doppler imaging and curved M-mode in patients with cerebral palsy

We have developed two ultrasound-based methods, vector tissue Doppler imaging (vTDI) and curved M-mode (cMM), to directly quantify the magnitude of muscle and tendon velocities. The goal of this study was to investigate the repeatability of the vTDI and cMM system in measuring tendon velocities in vivo and cross validate between these two independent methods. We performed a preliminary study on children with cerebral palsy (CP) who have foot drop (inadequate dorsiflexion during swing phase of gait), and were undergoing treatment using a functional electrical stimulation device. While vTDI estimated peak instantaneous velocity during dorsiflexion, cMM estimated displacement, from which a mean dorsiflexion velocity could be derived. The peak velocities from vTDI and mean velocity from cMM showed strong correlations with peak and mean joint angle velocities from 3D motion capture (R 2 =0.81 and 0.78, respectively) for all four cases over multiple trials, and the vTDI estimates were consistent with the cMM estimates. These preliminary results demonstrate that direct ultrasonic measurements of muscle and tendon velocities may be used as clinical outcome measures and for studying patients with gait related disorders like CP.
Patient satisfaction with thermal balloon ablation for treatment of menorrhagia.

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether satisfaction in women who have undergone the thermal balloon ablation (TBA) procedure for menorrhagia at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center is consistent with initial published studies. Study Design Two hundred sixteen patients were mailed a survey regarding patient satisfaction, postoperative bleeding patterns, and need for additional surgery. The follow-up interval was 13-60 months. Results The survey response rate was 88%. Eighty-nine percent of women were satisfied with the results of their procedure. After 3-5 years, 37% of women reported amenorrhea and 44% reported minimal/light bleeding. Only 9% of women eventually required hysterectomy. Conclusion This study confirms a patient satisfaction rate in our institution that is consistent with initial published studies.
Abstract A75: A new, microRNA-regulated, epigenetic tumor-promoting pathway in Ewing sarcoma

Ewing Sarcoma is an aggressive pediatric bone and soft tissue malignancy driven by transcription factor oncogenic fusions, of which EWS/Fli1 is the most common. Our studies of the role of microRNAs in EWS/Fli1-driven oncogenesis have uncovered a new tumor-promoting pathway in Ewing Sarcoma. Specifically, we have found that EWS/Fli1 downregulates miR-22, which in turn results in increased expression of the H3K9 histone demethylase, and miR-22 target, KDM3A. Overexpression of miR-22 and stable depletion of KDM3A each results in impaired clonogenic and anchorage-independent growth of Ewing Sarcoma cells. KDM3A depletion further results in impaired tumorigenesis in a xenograft model, upregulation of the repressive H3K9 methyl histone mark, and diminished expression of multiple oncogenes in Ewing Sarcoma. Our studies thus identify a new, potentially targetable, tumor-promoting pathway in Ewing Sarcoma, involving modulation of H3K9 histone methylation downstream of EWS/Fli1. Citation Format: Janet K. Parrish, Marybeth Sechler, Paul Jedlicka. A new, microRNA-regulated, epigenetic tumor-promoting pathway in Ewing sarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Pediatric Cancer at the Crossroads: Translating Discovery into Improved Outcomes; Nov 3-6, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;74(20 Suppl):Abstract nr A75.
Abstract 3280: Interaction between genetic variants in mTOR and body size on breast cancer risk in African-American and European-American women

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), a key protein in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mTOR (PI3K-AKT-mTOR) pathway promoting cell proliferation and angiogenesis, can be activated by overfeeding in animal models. However, epidemiological data on the mTOR pathway and breast cancer risk are very limited. We investigated the association of 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in mTOR with breast cancer and potential effect modification of body size in the Women's Circle of Health Study (WCHS), a large case-control study in New York and New Jersey. Participants included 658 incident cases and 649 controls of European American background (EA) and 621 African-American (AA) cases and 744 matched controls, aged 20-75 y. Body size was approximated by body mass index (BMI) at recruitment measured by trained interviewers or obtained from self-report if the measurement was unavailable. Because allele frequencies varied between AAs and EAs, multivariable logistic regression was performed separately within groups, adjusting for age, family history, education, history of benign breast disease, cigarette smoking, proportion of European ancestry, and BMI (for main effects only). We observed higher risks of breast cancer associated with 3 SNPs in high linkage disequilibrium (r2 = 1) (rs2536 [3’-UTR], p=0.08; rs12116957 [intron], p=0.09; rs12125777 [intron], p=0.018) under a dominant genetic model among EA women. For rs12125777, variant allele carriers had a 71% higher breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR]=1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.10-2.66) compared to non-carriers. The risk was more prominent among women who were overweight/obese (i.e., BMI ≥25 kg/m2; OR=3.34, 95% CI=1.67-6.69), compared to that among those with normal weight (OR=0.89, 95% CI=0.48-1.68; p-interaction=0.009). Compared to estrogen receptor (ER) positive cancers, the increased risk was more noticeable for ER negative cancers: the ORs comparing variant allele carriers to non-carriers were 2.68 (95% CI=1.24-5.79) overall, 8.49 (95% CI=2.85-25.3) among overweight/obese women, and 0.94 (95% CI=0.26-3.38) among normal-weight women; p-interaction=0.018. No association of genetic variants in mTOR with breast cancer was observed among AA women at a significant level of 0.1. Our findings suggest an etiologic role of overweight/obesity via promoting the mTOR pathway in breast carcinogenesis among EA women. Citation Format: Ting-Yuan D. Cheng, Jyoti Shankar, Gary Zirpoli, Song Yao, Michelle Roberts, Chi-Chen Hong, Elisa V. Bandera, Christine B. Ambrosone. Interaction between genetic variants in mTOR and body size on breast cancer risk in African-American and European-American women. [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 3280. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3280
On mismatch number distribution of nanocrossbar logic mapping

Crossbar-based architectures are promising for the future nanoelectronic systems. Due to the inherent unreliability of nanotechnology, logic mapping onto highly defective crossbars needs to be performed on every chip. This posts significant challenge as the mapping problem is NP-complete. The complexity of the defect-tolerant logic mapping problems makes it hard to analyze runtime and model yield. This paper presents a new metric for evaluating the quality of the defect-tolerant logic mapping by tagging each mapping trial with a “score”, namely the mismatch number. Specifically, we look into the mismatch number distribution over: 1) crossbars having the same defect rate, 2) crossbars having the same defect number, and 3) a single crossbar with a given defect pattern. We show that the number of mismatches can be well modeled in probabilistic approaches, and the mismatch number distribution follows Normal/Poisson and Hypergeometric distribution, respectively. This new metric serves as the basis of performing runtime and yield analysis, which are difficult to estimate for logic mapping onto nanocrossbars. More importantly, the quantitative score for each underlying mapping trial serves as the basis in building the reliable nanocrossbar systems.
Do Pulsars Turn Off

THERE are persuasive arguments, nearly independent of the chosen model, which indicate that pulsars do, in fact, turn off in a time short compared with the age of the galaxy. After indicating these arguments, we will show that this behaviour is to be expected on the basis of established physical theory and the particular pulsar model which we1,2 and others (refs. 3–6 and unpublished work of A. G. W. Cameron) have been developing, that the absence of long period pulsars can be quantitatively understood, and that fairly accurate predictions can be made for the rate of change of period Ṗ from other observed quantities.
STAMBPL1 is a deubiquitinating enzyme that regulates HTLV-I Tax subcellular localization and NF-kB activation

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax oncoprotein is predominantly localized in the nuclei where it is associated with transcriptional and splicing regulatory proteins to form the Tax speckled structures (TSS). Tax is also distributed in the Golgi apparatus where it activates the IkB kinase (IKK) complex upstream of NF-κB, an essential transcription factor for Tax-induced immortalization of T lymphocytes. Lysine 63 (K63)-linked polyubiquitination of Tax is necessary for Tax to localize to the Golgi and activate NF-κB, whereas K48-linked polyubiquitination of Tax promotes its degradation in the nucleus. Therefore, post-translational modifications of Tax regulate its subcellular localization and hence its function, however the host factors that regulate Tax localization are unknown. Using a deubiquitinating (DUB) enzyme siRNA library we identified STAM-binding protein-like 1 (STAMBPL1) as a DUB that is required for Tax-mediated NF-κB activation. STAMBPL1 is a member of the JAMM (JAB1/MPN/MOV34 metalloenzyme) family of zinc metalloproteases, several of which have been previously implicated in the regulation of receptor endocytosis and trafficking. Overexpression of wild-type STAMBPL1, but not a catalytically inactive mutant, enhances Tax-mediated NF-κB activation and the induction of NF-κB target genes. Silencing of STAMBPL1 with siRNA inhibits Tax activation of both the canonical and noncanonical NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, overexpression of STAMBPL1 enhances the stability of Tax by blocking its proteasomal degradation, whereas siRNA silencing of STAMBPL1 promotes Tax degradation. Confocal microscopy experiments reveal that STAMBPL1 controls the subcellular localization of Tax by promoting its nuclear export and subsequent trafficking to the Golgi where it activates IKK. Together these results suggest that the deubiquitinating enzyme STAMBPL1 regulates the localization and stability of Tax, and consequently the activation levels of NF-κB.
Impact of myocardial contrast echocardiography on vascular permeability: comparison of three different contrast agents.

Abstract Microvascular permeabilization, petechial hemorrhage and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) have been demonstrated in an in vivo rat model of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE). The purpose of this study was to compare these effects for three US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved ultrasound (US) contrast agents (US CA): Optison®, Definity® and Imagent®. Evans blue dye, an indicator of microvascular permeability, and a contrast agent were injected IV in anesthetized rats suspended in a water bath to mimic scanning depths seen in clinical echocardiology. Diagnostic US B-mode scans with 1:4 end-systolic triggering were performed at 1.7 MHz using a cardiac phased-array scanhead to provide a short axis view of the left ventricle. To elicit readily measurable effects for comparisons, relatively high doses of the agent were used (50 to 500 μL kg −1 for Optison®, 25 to 200 μL kg −1 for Imagent®, 10 to 100 μL kg −1 for Definity®). Microvascular leakage was characterized by the area of Evans blue dye coloration on the hearts and by extraction of the dye from tissue samples. The number of petechia were counted on the epicardial surface of excised hearts. PVCs were counted from ECG traces recorded with the MCE images. Neither evidence of capillary leakage nor PVCs were seen in sham animals. Based on volume dose, Definity® MCE produced more microvascular leakage, but there was no apparent difference between the three agents' microvascular damage potential, which increased linearly with dose at low doses, when expressed in terms of the number of stabilized microbubbles. Definity® MCE resulted in fewer PVCs than the other agents. The effects increased strongly with peak rarefactional pressure amplitude, with apparent thresholds for petechiae at 0.4 MPa and for PVCs at about 1.0 MPa. These results should be of value for minimizing adverse potential in diagnosis and optimizing efficacy in therapeutic applications. (E-mail: douglm@umich.edu )
Identification and distribution of bats of the genus Plecotus in England

The chief aim of this work was to find characters which would enable positive identifications to be made of living Plecotus auritus, Linn., 1758, and Plecotus austriacus Fischer, 1829. Previous work has related to museum material and usually did not give measurements which could be obtained from living bats. Sixteen indices per bat were at first measured, but only 12 of these were found to be significant and necessary for identification. The results were reasonably reproducible which allows their comparison with European data. Other diagnostic characters are described together with the known distribution in the British Isles. A summary of the known distribution and ecological data from Europe is given.
Intensity-modulated stereotactic radiotherapy (IMSRT) for skull-base meningiomas

Purpose: To investigate the potential benefits of a micromultileaf collimator (μMLC) –based intensity-modulated stereotactic radiotherapy (IMSRT) in skull-base meningiomas. Methods and Materials: Seven patients with inoperable or recurrent small-volume (1.7–15.5 cc) skull-base meningiomas were treated with IMSRT to 54 Gy in 30 fractions using a μMLC in the dynamic mode. IMSRT plan quality was evaluated in comparison with the conformal stereotactic radiotherapy technique, using the same beam arrangement and static delivery with the μMLC. Plans were compared using multiple dose distributions and dose–volume histograms for the planning target volume and organs at risk. The conformity and uniformity metrics, as well as normal-tissue complication probabilities, were calculated for the two techniques. Follow-up with MRI and clinical examination was performed at regular intervals. Results: With a mean follow-up of 17 months, local control has been achieved in all cases, and no treatment-related toxicities have been noted. For cavernous sinus tumors overlapping with optic apparatus, IMSRT has improved the dose uniformity within the target on average by 8%, which resulted in a reduction of the estimated chiasm normal-tissue complication probability by up to 65%. Conclusions: Intensity-modulated stereotactic radiotherapy can be safely delivered to improve the dose distributions in select skull-base meningiomas with an appreciable concomitant dose reduction to involved critical structures. Longer follow-up with a larger patient group is necessary to demonstrate sustained tumor control and low morbidity with IMSRT for small inoperable, recurrent, or subtotally resected meningiomas.
Translocation of the Right Coronary Artery Orifice for Right Coronary Artery Compression

We report two cases of surgery for right coronary artery compression between the ascending aorta and the main pulmonary artery. The first case, a 48-year-old male who developed signs and symptoms of right coronary artery ischemia, was evaluated by computed tomography scan of the chest, cinecardioangiogram, and coronary arteriogram. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery with compression of the proximal coronary artery was documented and the patient underwent translocation of the right coronary artery orifice to the anterior aspect of the ascending aorta. The postoperative course was uneventful. The second case, a 67-year-old female with calcific aortic stenosis, underwent cinecardioangiogram, and coronary arteriogram. Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery with proximal right coronary artery compression was identified. The symptoms could not be distinguished from her symptomatic calcific aortic stenosis, however, at the time of surgery, significant compression against the proximal right coro...
Development of a hybrid (MPD plus thermal) arcjet engine with an applied magnetic field

Work carried out by the JPL on several applied field MPD (magnetoplasmasynamic) or hybrid engines, both radiation cooled and liquid cooled, is described. A radiation cooled device was successfully life tested for 554 hrs with ammonia as the propellant. While the electrode erosion was moderate, the boron nitride insulator was badly eroded. Hydrogen and lithium were the other propellants used in these devices. In the case of lithium, a radiation cooled engine had an efficiency of 70 percent at about 5500 sec.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of virus binding to receptor. Studies with rhinovirus, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and surface plasmon resonance.

We have studied the kinetics and thermodynamics of a virus interacting with its receptor using human rhinovirus serotype 3 (HRV3), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54) containing Ig superfamily domains 1-5 (sICAM-1), and surface plasmon resonance. There were two classes of binding sites for sICAM-1 on HRV3, each comprising about 50% of the total sites, with association rate constants of 2450 ± 300 and 134 ± 11 M−1 s−1. These rates are low, consistent with binding to a relatively inaccessible site in the rhinovirus canyon. By contrast, three monoclonal antibodies bound to sICAM-1 with a single rate constant of 17,000-48,000 M−1 s−1. The dissociation rate constant for HRV3 was 1.7 ± 0.1 × 10−3 s−1, giving calculated dissociation constants of 0.7 ± 0.1 and 12.5 ± 1.2 μM. Agreement was good with saturation binding in solution, which showed two sites of similar abundance with KD of 0.55 ± 0.2 and 5.7 ± 2.0 μM. A bivalent chimera of ICAM-1 with the IgA1 Fc region bound with KD= 50 and 410 nM, showing 17-fold enhanced affinity. Lowering pH from 8.0 to 6.0 reduced affinity by approximately 50-fold, primarily by reducing the on rate. Thermodynamic measurements showed that binding of ICAM-1 to HRV3 is endothermic, by contrast to binding to monoclonal antibody. The heat that is absorbed of 3.5 and 6.3 kcal/mol for the two classes of ICAM-1 binding sites may contribute to receptor-mediated disruption of virions, which has an activation energy of about 42 kcal/mol.