cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does cancer kill the individual and save the species

I have argued that most germline mutations are due to endogenous process. I speculate that endogenous control of germline mutation serves an important biological function. A certain rate of mutation is required to generate sufficient variation for adaptation during evolutionary time. Sexual reproduction and recombination may serve to enhance variation, but ultimately new germline mutation is required to replenish variant alleles lost secondary to negative selection, genetic drift, and population bottlenecks. Unfortunately, the requisite mutation rates carry a terrible price: for each advantageous mutation, there are many disadvantageous ones. Thus, all mammals are plagued with substantial Mendelian and multifactorial disease. Consequently, the optimal mutation rate should be at a level just sufficient to maintain the requisite variation needed for adaptation. In this view, mechanisms for negative selection are necessary to keep the mutation rate in check. If a high germline mutation rate produces a high mutation rate in somatic tissues, cancer may be an important mediator of negative selection. The multiple mutations necessary to produce cancer serve to amplify relatively small differences in the mutation rate, thereby providing an efficient selection against individuals with germline mutations that result in a high mutation rate. This hypothesis can account for the general similarity of the longevity-corrected cancer incidence profile and the small but significant prevalence of cancer before and during the reproductive period. While this hypothesis must presently be viewed as speculative, it integrates certain previously disjointed observations and suggests an alternative to the general assumption that cancer represents a breakdown in normal physiology.
Malignant phyllodes tumor of the breast: review of the literature and case report of stromal overgrowth

Abstract Cystosarcoma phyllodes constitutes only 0.3–0.9% of all breast tumors. The term "sarcoma" was initially used because of its fleshy appearance, a more modern term is Phyllodes tumor (PT). The behavior of PT constitutes a spectrum from benign and locally recurrent to malignant and metastatic. In a general surgical series, 6.2% of the tumors were malignant. The microscopic appearance of PT is that of epithelial elements and connective tissue stroma. Malignancy is determined by characteristics of the stroma. The metastatic spread of malignant PT is mainly hematogenous to lung, with infrequent lymphatic involvement. Wide local excision with 2cm margins is the treatment of choice. In 20% of both benign and malignant cases, PT will locally recur. There is no proven benefit of radiation or chemotherapy, although radiotherapy may be useful in selected cases. We present a case of a sarcomatous overgrowth in a malignant phyllodes tumor involving multiple histologic types.
Expression of a foreign gene in electroporated pollen grains of tobacco

The incorporation of genetically engineered DNA into pollen and subsequent fertilization of eggs by the transformed pollen would be a convenient method for producing genetically engineered seed. This method of pollen transformation would circumvent the need for other types of gene transfer methods such as the use of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, which has a limited host range and thus a limited capability for genetically engineering plants. It would also avoid the problems associated with the regeneration of some plants from tissue, cell, or protoplast culture after receiving foreign DNA. To this end, the genetically engineered plasmid DNA vector pBI221 containing the gene encoding β-glucuronidase (GUS) was introduced by electroporation into germinating pollen grains of tobacco (Nicotiana gossei L.). Transient expression of the GUS gene was demonstrated by the presence of GUS activity in fluorometric assays of pollen extracts 24 h after the introduction of pBI221 via electroporation. Intact pBI221 was detected by Southern blotting procedures as a distinct DNA band in pollen extracts 1 h after electroporation. In addition, pBI221 was detected as a diffuse band of higher molecular weight DNA 24 h after electroporation, suggesting that some of the pBI221 was incorporated into the genome of the pollen.
Multifunctional Magnetic Nanocarriers for Image-Tagged siRNA Delivery to Intact Pancreatic Islets

Background—With the ultimate hope of finding a cure for diabetes, researches are looking into altering the genetic profile of the beta cell as a way to manage metabolic dysregulation. One of the most powerful new approaches for the directed regulation of gene expression utilizes the phenomenon of RNA interference. Methods—Here, we establish the feasibility of a novel technology centered around multifunctional magnetic nanocarriers, which concurrently deliver siRNA to intact pancreatic islets and can be detected by magnetic resonance (MR) and optical imaging. Results—In the proof-of-principle studies described here, we demonstrate that, following in vitro incubation, magnetic nanoparticles carrying siRNA designed to target the model gene for enhanced green fluorescent protein, are efficiently taken up by murine pancreatic islets, derived from egfp transgenic animals. This uptake can be visualized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and nearinfrared fluorescence optical imaging and results in down-regulation of the target gene. Conclusions—These results illustrate the value of our approach in overcoming the challenges associated with genetic modification of intact pancreatic islets in a clinically acceptable manner. Furthermore, an added advantage of our technology derives from the combined capability of our magnetic nanoparticles for siRNA delivery and magnetic labeling of pancreatic islets.
B-cell responses to intravenous glucose and glucagon in non-diabetic twins of patients with type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus.

The B-cells of patients with recently diagnosed Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes may have no response to glucose when the response to glucagon is present but attenuated. This observation suggests that the recognition of glucose is more severely affected than that for non-glucose stimulants. To determine whether a similar selective decrease in glucose response was present before the onset of diabetes we studied two groups of non-diabetic identical twins of patients with recently diagnosed Type 1 diabetes: one group with complement-fixing islet cell antibodies who were at high risk of developing diabetes (four of the five have already developed diabetes) and a group without such antibodies at low risk of developing diabetes. In addition, a group of patients with chronic pancreatitis were studied to control for non-specific damage to the B-cell. Responses to i. v. glucose and i.v. glucagon were compared. Patients with chronic pancreatitis has similar responses to both glucose and glucagon and the responses did not differ from control subjects. The B-cells of the immune positive group showed evidence of pathology because the insulin and C-peptide responses to both stimuli were reduced when compared to either their control subjects or the immune negative twin group. However, the B-cell response to both glucose and glucagon in the immune positive twins was similar. Because the B-cell response to glucose was not less than that to glucagon, a selective destruction of the glucose recognition system cannot be a characteristic of all twins throughout the period before they develop Type 1 diabetes.
Decentralized Robust Control System Design

We present a deterministic design approach for decentralized robust controls of large-scale nonlinear uncertain dynamical systems. Two important types of robust control design are drawn. The local design makes use of the local state of each subsystem as the feedback information. The global design utilizes the local state as well as the neighboring states as the feedback information. Only the set of the possible values of the uncertainties is required for the controls. The decentralized feedback controls are continuous functions of the state.
Phase current unbalance estimation in multi-phase buck converters

A method for estimating the phase current unbalance in a multi-phase buck converter is presented. The method uses the information contained in the voltage drop at the input capacitors' ESR to estimate the average current in each phase. Although the absolute estimation of the currents depends on the value of the ESR and is therefore not accurate, the relative estimates of the currents with respect to one other are shown to be very accurate. The method can be implemented with a low-rate down-sampling A/D converter and is not computationally intensive. Experimental results are presented, showing good agreement between the estimates and the measured values.
Interior-point decomposition approaches for parallel solution of large-scale nonlinear parameter estimation problems

Multi-scenario optimization is a convenient way to formulate and solve multi-set parameter estimation problems that arise from errors-in-variables-measured (EVM) formulations. These large-scale problems lead to nonlinear programs (NLPs) with specialized structure that can be exploited by the NLP solver in order to obtained more efficient solutions. Here we adapt the IPOPT barrier nonlinear programming algorithm to provide efficient parallel solution of multi-scenario problems. The recently developed object oriented framework, IPOPT 3.2, has been specifically designed to allow specialized linear algebra in order to exploit problem specific structure. This study discusses high-level design principles of IPOPT 3.2 and develops a parallel Schur complement decomposition approach for large-scale multi-scenario optimization problems. A large-scale case study example for the identification of an industrial low-density polyethylene (LDPE) reactor model is presented. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated through the solution of parameter estimation problems with over 4100 ordinary differential equations, 16,000 algebraic equations and 2100 degrees of freedom in a distributed cluster.
PIERRE BOURDIEU AND THE PRACTICES OF LANGUAGE

AbstractThis paper synthesizes research on linguistic practice and critically examines the legacy of Pierre Bourdieu from the perspective of linguistic anthropology. Bourdieu wrote widely about language and linguistics, but his most far reaching engagement with the topic is in his use of linguistic reasoning to elaborate broader sociological concepts including habitus, field, standardization, legitimacy, censorship, and symbolic power. The paper examines and relates habitus and field in detail, tracing the former to the work of Erwin Panofsky and the latter to structuralist discourse semantics. The principles of relative autonomy, boundedness, homology, and embedding apply to fields and their linkage to habitus. Authority, censorship, and euphemism are traced to the field, and symbolic power is related to misrecognition. And last, this chapter relates recent work in linguistic anthropology to practice and indicates lines for future research.
Determination of the Backbone Dihedral Angles φ in Human Ubiquitin from Reparametrized Empirical Karplus Equations

The backbone dihedral angle in polypeptides is characterized by four different J couplings: 3 JHNHR, 3 JHNC', 3 JHNC‚, and 3 JHRC'. E.COSY and quantitative J correlation techniques have been used to measure these couplings in the protein human ubiquitin, uniformly enriched in 13 C and 15 N. Assuming that the dihedral backbone angles in solution are identical to those in the X-ray structure of this protein and that H N is located in the C'-N-C R plane, Karplus relations for 3 JHNHR, 3 JHRC', and 3 JHNC‚, have been reparametrized. The root-mean-square (rms) difference between measured values of 3 JHNHR, 3 JHRC', 3 JHNC‚, and 3 JHNCand their corresponding Karplus curves are 0.53, 0.25, 0.24, and 0.36 Hz, respectively, whereas the precision of these measurements is considerably better. For any given residue, the differences between the four measured J couplings and values predicted by their Karplus curves on the basis of the X-ray structure-derived angle are highly correlated with one another. On average, a root-mean-square change of 5.7° in the X-ray derived angles is needed to obtain optimal agreement with all four measured J couplings. There is no clear correlation between the angle correction needed and the out-of-plane position of the amide proton predicted by ab initio calculations. The small differences in angles therefore presumably result from small uncertainties in the atomic positions of the 1.8 A X-ray structure. However, they may also be caused by genuine differences between the structure of the protein in solution and in the crystalline state or contain a contribution resulting from deviations from the assumption that the H N -N-C R -H R dihedral angle equals - 60°.
Teaching system simulation using student-expandable software

This paper presents educational software developed by the author for the purpose of teaching numerical algorithms for simulating the behavior of linear and nonlinear systems represented by block diagrams. An important feature of the software is that its functionality can and must be expanded using modules developed by the students taking the course. The software simply provides the framework for validating and running a block diagram, facilitating data input and output, providing timing and sequencing information to each component, and handling data and message flow throughout the simulation. Components that make up the block diagram can then be developed as needed, and in a language- independent fashion, with the only requirement being that they adhere to the Common Object Model (COM) format. As an alternative approach, interpreted VbScript and JScript modules can also be developed for relatively simple components that are not time-critical. Examples are also presented for the use of the software in various settings.
Database indexing for production MegaBLAST searches

Motivation: The BLAST software package for sequence comparison speeds up homology search by preprocessing a query sequence into a lookup table. Numerous research studies have suggested that preprocessing the database instead would give better performance. However, production usage of sequence comparison methods that preprocess the database has been limited to programs such as BLAT and SSAHA that are designed to find matches when query and database subsequences are highly similar. Results: We developed a new version of the MegaBLAST module of BLAST that does the initial phase of finding short seeds for matches by searching a database index. We also developed a program makembindex that preprocesses the database into a data structure for rapid seed searching. We show that the new ‘indexed MegaBLAST’ is faster than the ‘non-indexed’ version for most practical uses. We show that indexed MegaBLAST is faster than miBLAST, another implementation of BLAST nucleotide searching with a preprocessed database, for most of the 200 queries we tested. To deploy indexed MegaBLAST as part of NCBI'sWeb BLAST service, the storage of databases and the queueing mechanism were modified, so that some machines are now dedicated to serving queries for a specific database. The response time for such Web queries is now faster than it was when each computer handled queries for multiple databases. Availability: The code for indexed MegaBLAST is part of the blastn program in the NCBI C++ toolkit. The preprocessor program makembindex is also in the toolkit. Indexed MegaBLAST has been used in production on NCBI's Web BLAST service to search one version of the human and mouse genomes since October 2007. The Linux command-line executables for blastn and makembindex, documentation, and some query sets used to carry out the tests described below are available in the directory: ftp://ftp.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/agarwala/indexed_megablast Contact: schaffer@helix.nih.gov Supplementary information:Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Dimensionality Reduction on the Cartesian Product of Embeddings of Multiple Dissimilarity Matrices

We consider the problem of combining multiple dissimilarity representations via the Cartesian product of their embeddings. For concreteness, we choose the inferential task at hand to be classification. The high dimensionality of this Cartesian product space implies the necessity of dimensionality reduction before training a classifier. We propose a supervised dimensionality reduction method, which utilizes the class label information, to help achieve a favorable combination. The simulation and real data results show that our approach can improve classification accuracy compared to the alternatives of principal components analysis and no dimensionality reduction at all.
A rank property of the generalized Hankel matrix for 2D sinusoidal sequences

Recently, a theory of Hankel operators associated with two-dimensional (2D) linear time-invariant systems has been developed. It is applicable to the class of noncausal systems with rational transfer functions. An algorithm for model order estimation and parameter identification has been developed based upon the singular value decomposition of a generalized Hankel Matrix. Applications are found in system identification and autoregressive moving average (ARMA) spectrum estimation. The characterization of the 2D Hankel operator constructed from sinusoidal data is discussed. In this case, the rank behavior is shown to be markedly different from that which holds for rational data. This fact, different from the case in 1D, suggests a method to separate sinusoids in 2D from colored noise obeying a rational difference equation. >
NAD+ as a metabolic link between DNA damage and cell death

DNA damage occurs in ischemia, excitotoxicity, inflammation, and other disorders that affect the central nervous system (CNS). Extensive DNA damage triggers cell death and in the mature CNS, this occurs primarily through activation of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) cell death pathway. PARP-1 is an abundant nuclear enzyme that, when activated by DNA damage, consumes nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ to form poly(ADP-ribose) on acceptor proteins. The mechanisms by which PARP-1 activation leads to cell death are not understood fully. We used mouse astrocyte cultures to explore the bioenergetic effects of NAD+ depletion by PARP-1 and the role of NAD+ depletion in this cell death program. PARP-1 activation was induced by the DNA alkylating agent, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), using medium in which glucose was the only exogenous energy substrate. PARP-1 activation led to a rapid but incomplete depletion of astrocyte NAD+, a near-complete block in glycolysis, and eventual cell death. Repletion of intracellular NAD+ restored glycolytic function and prevented cell death. The addition of non-glucose substrates to the medium, pyruvate, glutamate, or glutamine, also prevented astrocyte death after PARP-1 activation. These studies suggest PARP-1 activation leads to rapid depletion of the cytosolic but not the mitochondrial NAD+ pool. Depletion of the cytosolic NAD+ pool renders the cells unable to utilize glucose as a metabolic substrate. Under conditions where glucose is the only available metabolic substrate, this leads to cell death. This cell death pathway is particularly germane to brain because glucose is normally the only metabolic substrate that is transported rapidly across the blood-brain barrier.
Pregnancy, Bovine Somatotropin, and Dietary n-3 Fatty Acids in Lactating Dairy Cows: I. Ovarian, Conceptus, and Growth Hormone-Insulin-Like Growth Factor System Responses

The objective was to examine effects of bovine somatotropin (bST), pregnancy, and dietary fatty acids on reproductive responses in lactating dairy cows. Beginning at approximately 17 d in milk (DIM), a comparison was made of isoenergetic diets comprising supplementary lipids of whole cottonseed vs. calcium salts of fish oil enriched lipid (FO). Ovulation was synchronized in cows with a presynchronization plus Ovsynch protocol, and cows were inseminated artificially by appointment or not inseminated (d 0 = time of synchronized ovulation; 77 ± 12 DIM). On d 0 and 11, cows received bST (500 mg) or no bST. All cows were slaughtered on d 17. Number of cows in each group was as follows: control diet had 5 bST-treated cyclic (bST-C), 5 non-bSTtreated cyclic (no bST-C), 4 bST-treated pregnant (bSTP), and 5 non-bST-treated pregnant (no bST-P) cows; and cyclic cows fed FO diet had 4 bST-treated (bSTFO) and 5 non-bST-treated cyclic (no bST-FO-C) cows. Feeding FO increased milk production, number of class 1 follicles (2 to 5 mm), and decreased insulin during the period before d 0 compared with control-fed cows. The bST increased milk production, pregnancy rate [83% (5/6) vs. 40% (4/10)], conceptus length (45 vs. 34 cm), and interferon-τ in the uterine luminal flushings (9.4 vs. 5.3 g) with no effect on interferon-τ mRNA concentration in the conceptus. Treatment with bST increased plasma growth hormone (GH) and insulinlike growth factor (IGF)-I. Among control-fed cows (cyclic and pregnant), bST decreased progesterone concentration in plasma. Cows fed FO had less plasma insulin than control-fed cyclic cows, and FO altered the plasma GH (bST-FO > bST-C) and IGF-I (bST-C > bST-FO-C) responses to bST injections. Endometrial IGF-I mRNA was reduced in pregnant cows and tended to decrease in those fed FO. The IGF-II mRNA was increased in the endometrium of pregnant and bST-treated cows fed the control diet. Cows fed FO had increased concentra
Young adolescents' metacognition and domain knowledge as predictors of hypothesis‐development performance in a computer‐supported context

Recently, the importance of ill‐structured problem‐solving in real‐world contexts has become a focus of educational research. Particularly, the hypothesis‐development process has been examined as one of the keys to developing a high‐quality solution in a problem context. The authors of this study examined predictive relations between young adolescents' metacognition, prior domain knowledge, and hypothesis‐development performance in a computer‐supported environment. Data were collected from 11‐ and 12‐year‐old Korean students (N = 101). A hypothesised model in predicting hypothesis‐development performance was evaluated using structural equation modelling. Both metacognition and prior domain knowledge significantly predicted young adolescents' hypothesis‐development performance. Implications and limitations of the present study and issues, including the experimental design, are discussed.
Where the European Union should Multiply its Money: Stimulating Measures in the Economic Monetary Union

Summary The aim of this article is to investigate in which sectors and countries the European Union should invest to diminish the economic gap between different member states. It answers the question at which sectors and regions the European regional policy should be directed. In an attempt to indicate which regions and sectors have favourable investment opportunities, multipliers are calculated for all but three countries of the Economic Monetary Union. The multipliers are calculated using a technique described by Jensen et al. (1979) and Heijman and Schipper (2010). The highest multipliers are found within the Construction sector. To provide policy recommendations we focus on countries with high multiplier values and high unemployment rates. If we assume that multiplier values and unemployment rates are important, then the European Union should spend most in Slovakia, Estonia, Italy, Greece, and Spain. The spendings in Estonia, Slovakia, and Greece would fall under the Cohesion Funds.
Extreme chipping: addiction to a high-fat diet?

Background: Obesity is a modern health epidemic, with the overconsumption of highly palatable, calorically dense foods as a likely contributor. Despite the known consequences of obesity, behavioral noncompliance remains high, supporting the powerful rewarding properties of such foods. We hypothesized that exposure to preferred diets would result in an amelioration of stress responsivity via activation of reward pathways that would be reversed during dietary withdrawal, increasing the risk for relapse and treatment failure. Methods: Mice were exposed to preferred diets high in fat or carbohydrates for 4 weeks and then were withdrawn to house chow. Behavioral, physiologic, and biochemical assays were performed to examine changes in stress and reward pathways. Results: These studies revealed significant changes in arousal and anxiety-like behaviors, limbic corticotropin-releasing factor expression, and expression of reward-related signaling molecules in response to the highly preferred high-fat diet that was reversed by withdrawal. In a dietary-reinstatement model, mice withdrawn from the high-fat diet endured an aversive environment to gain access to the preferred food. Conclusions: Exposure to a highly preferred diet high in fat reduces stress sensitivity, whereas acute withdrawal from such a diet elevates the stress state and reduces reward, contributing to the drive for dietary relapse.
Contingent Valuation of Quasi-Public Goods: Validity, Reliability, and Application To Valuing a Historic Site:

This article employs the contingent valuation method (CVM) to measure the non- market value of preservation of the Ste. Genevieve Academy, a quasi-public good. This study represents a new application of the CVM featuring a historical resource. As such, the authors explore the validity and reliability of this application of the method. Construct validity tests based on economic theory and the reliability test of internal consistency are conducted. The authors find evidence that the CVM can be a useful approach for measuring the nonmarket value of quasi-public goods such as historical resources. The authors also illustrate how the CVM can be used for policy analysis of preservation of historical sites.
The Approach and Avoidance Function of Guilt and Shame Emotions: Comparing Reactions to Self-Caused and Other-Caused Wrongdoing

Although theory suggests that guilt motivates approach tendencies and shame motivates avoidance tendencies, research has not always supported these relationships. The present study examined the degree to which shame and guilt are uniquely predictive of avoidance and approach motives, respectively, for both self-caused and other-caused wrongdoings. Results revealed that shame and guilt are more highly correlated for self-caused compared to other-caused wrongdoings. This greater blending of shame and guilt in response to self-caused acts makes it somewhat more difficult to distinguish between different unique motivational correlates of these two emotions. However, in response to other-caused wrongdoings, shame uniquely predicted avoidance tendencies (distancing from the event), whereas guilt uniquely predicted approach tendencies (repairing the event). The implications for research on motivation, emotion, and social relations are discussed.
Low temperature microwave annealing of S/D

Microwave annealing of ion-implanted layers in semiconductors is an emerging application of thermal processing of semiconductors, with low processing temperature eliminating unwanted diffusion as the main potential advantage. In this work, requirements and limitations of the microwave processing chamber are discussed first, and secondly, for the first time, results from a processed manufacturing lot using microwave annealing are discussed. The achieved results show that is feasible to achieve the same level of activation of implanted layers as in conventional high temperature RTP processing using the microwave at temperatures below 400 °C, and equivalent processing time.
Energy-based transient stabilization using facts in systems with wind power

This paper considers the problem of transient stability in networks with wind power. The effects of large and sudden wind changes are considered and their impact on system stability is analyzed. Next, a nonlinear control logic referred to as the energy-based nonlinear control is introduced as a possible means of stabilizing the system during such disturbances. It is shown how the proposed energy-based nonlinear control applied to Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) can attenuate disturbances and increase system resilience in response to large disturbances. Potential impact of such FACTS control on system stability is illustrated on a real-world example of Flores Island in Portugal.
Development and characterization of magnetic cationic liposomes in vitro and in vivo: Implications for enhanced tumor therapy

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 3088 Purpose: Cationic liposomes preferentially target tumor vessels compared to vessels in normal tissues; the interaction of cationic liposomes with tumor vessels is heterogeneous. To target tumor vessels more uniformly we seek to combine the electrostatic properties of cationic liposomes with the strength of an external magnetic field (EMF). For this reason we characterize MAG-C (magnetite) cationic liposomes, study their interactions with tumor cell models. We evaluate the growth inhibitory properties of chemotherapeutic agents and drugs encapsulated in MAG-C cationic liposomes against melanoma (B16-F10 & HTB-72) and endothelial (HMVE-D) cells. We also determine tissue distribution profile of particular formulations in (melanoma) tumor bearing mice. Methods: Chemotherapeutic agents used in this study were Vinblastine, Etoposide and Dacarbazine. Particle size and zeta potential were analyzed by 90PlusBI-MAS/ Zeta Pals. DPH polarization was used to evaluate effect of MAG-C on bilayer phase transition temperature (Tc). Cell association studies were carried out using FLX800 microplate reader. SRB assay was conducted to measure cell viability. DIC and fluorescence microscopy was used to evaluate intercellular uptake of liposomes. For biodistribution studies, percent recovery of 111In labeled MAG-C cationic liposomes was determined by Beckman Gamma Counter. Results: The size of cationic liposomes for MAG-C and unincorporated variety was 142 ± 27.40 nm and 105 ± 26.64 nm respectively. Zeta potential for MAG-C cationic liposomes (43.79 ± 10.93 mv) was lower than liposomes without MAG-C (43.79 ± 10.93 mv). The inclusion of PEG did not alter liposome size, but reduced zeta potential. The Tc of MAG-C cationic liposomes (41.2°C) was lower than unincorporated liposomes (51°C). MAG-C cationic liposomes were taken up avidly by melanoma and human dermal endothelial cells; PEG significantly reduced all cellular interactions. Addition of FeCl3 exerted no additional effect on size & zeta potential but significantly reduced the interactions of MAG-C cationic liposomes with HMVE-D. Fluorescence microscopy showed perinuclear localization of magnetic cationic liposomes with all cell lines. Higher cell growth inhibition was observed when B16-F10 was treated with drugs loaded in MAG-C cationic liposomes compared to free drugs, but similar cell growth inhibition was observed for HMVE-D. In vitro cytotoxicity studies: Vinblastine > Etoposide > Dacarbazine. The inclusion of PEG (5 mole%) in MAG-C cationic liposomes did not improve (B16-F10) tumor specific uptake, but significantly reduced accumulation in liver, lung and spleen. Conclusions: The results suggest that MAG-C cationic liposomes may be used to target drugs to solid tumors, while preserving cytotoxic drug effects, and minimizing accumulation in healthy tissues. Subsequent in vivo investigations with EMF are warranted.
Using weak ties to understand resource usage behaviors in an online community of educators

We show that weak ties offer a useful theoretical lens for understanding the sharing and usage of community-contributed resources amongst educators in a large urban school district. Community-contributed resources include a rich variety of teaching and learning resources such as lesson plans, presentation slides, animations and simulations. In this research, we consider whether the deduced relationships between members of the community constitute weak ties. A deduced relationship exists when two community members view or access the same resource. If these deduced relationships do constitute weak ties then other theorized network properties should also be manifest, namely homophily and triadic closures. Our findings support these theoretical conjectures. Firstly, results indicate that the strength of a tie is directly proportional to the level of similarity between users in the network (homophily property). Secondly, we found strong support for the triadic closure property as well; we developed a computational model to predict the formation of weak ties via triadic closures with an accuracy of 97.8%. Insights from our model can be used to improve a collaborative filtering approach for resource recommendation by predicting future similarity between users in the network.
Hybridization, agency discretion, and implementation of the U.S. Endangered Species Act

The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) requires that the "best available scientific and commercial data" be used to protect imperiled species from extinction and preserve biodiversity. However, it does not provide specific guidance on how to apply this mandate. Scientific data can be uncertain and controversial, particularly regarding species delineation and hybridization issues. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) had an evolving hybrid policy to guide protection decisions for individuals of hybrid origin. Currently, this policy is in limbo because it resulted in several controversial conservation decisions in the past. Biologists from FWS must interpret and apply the best available science to their recommendations and likely use considerable discretion in making recommendations for what species to list, how to define those species, and how to recover them. We used semistructured interviews to collect data on FWS biologists' use of discretion to make recommendations for listed species with hybridization issues. These biologists had a large amount of discretion to determine the best available science and how to interpret it but generally deferred to the scientific consensus on the taxonomic status of an organism. Respondents viewed hybridization primarily as a problem in the context of the ESA, although biologists who had experience with hybridization issues were more likely to describe it in more nuanced terms. Many interviewees expressed a desire to continue the current case-by-case approach for handling hybridization issues, but some wanted more guidance on procedures (i.e., a "flexible" hybrid policy). Field-level information can provide critical insight into which policies are working (or not working) and why. The FWS biologists' we interviewed had a high level of discretion, which greatly influenced ESA implementation, particularly in the context of hybridization.
Distance-Dependent Attractive and Repulsive Interactions of Bulky Alkyl Groups

The stabilizing and destabilizing effects of alkyl groups on an aromatic stacking interaction were experimentally measured in solution. The size (Me, Et, iPr, and tBu) and position (meta and para) of the alkyl groups were varied in a molecular balance model system designed to measure the strength of an intramolecular aromatic interaction. Opposite stability trends were observed for alkyl substituents at different positions on the aromatic rings. At the closer meta-position, smaller groups were stabilizing and larger groups were destabilizing. Conversely, at the farther para-position, the larger alkyl groups were systematically more stabilizing with the bulky tBu group forming the strongest stabilizing interaction. X-ray crystal structures showed that the stabilizing interactions of the small meta-alkyl and large para-alkyl groups were due to their similar distances and van der Waals contact areas with the edge of opposing aromatic ring.
A food poisoning caused by shellfish toxins

[Objective]To identify the reason and pathogenic factor of a food poisoning caused by hemifusus,carry out the effective prevention and control measures.[Methods]The samples of suspicious food were collected and investigated by field epidemiology.[Results]The main symptoms of 18 cases were nausea,vomiting and abdominal pain.The laboratory test results showed: the diarrhetic shellfish poisoning(DSP) in meat and intestinal gland of raw hemifusus was 147.04 μg/100g and 88.51 μg/100g respectively,while DSP in meat and intestinal gland of cooked hemifusus was 86.85 μg/100g and 62.78 μg/100g respectively.All results were higher than the standards.[Conclusion]This event is a food poisoning caused by hemifusus with DSP pollution.The market supervision and management department should carry out the tracing investigation in these hemifusus.It is necessary to promote the aquaculture technology that can prevent DSP pollution,establish an early warning system of shellfish toxins pollution,as well as strengthen the research,monitoring,management and control of shellfish toxins,to prevent the similar incidents.
Steroids for the treatment of otitis media with effusion in children.

Oral steroid use, alone or in combination with antibiotics, speeds the resolution of otitis media with effusion. However, there is no evidence that oral steroids improve symptoms or affect long-term outcomes, such as hearing loss. Topical nasal steroids have no effect on otitis media with effusion.
Global Cybersecurity: Key Issues and Concepts

This chapter introduces key terms and concepts, issues, perspectives, ideas, and arguments, about CS. Many important terms related to CS are defined and explained. The chapter also provides some perspectives regarding the concern about the possible gulf that exists between hype and reality regarding the cyber-threats. It provides some arguments for government interventions in dealing with cyber-threats and discusses the nature of cyber-threats and some key challenges facing nations. Also illustrated in this chapter are the elements, basic concepts and frameworks of the government’s CS strategy based on so called the “design school”. It also compares cyber-warfare capabilities of a number of global cyber powers.
Encountering the Other

Written in response to a questionnaire about the American states circulated by the French legation in 1780, Thomas Jefferson’s Notes on the State of Virginia began as a statistical survey and expanded into the most comprehensive statement of his philosophical, social, political, and scientific beliefs. It was also his only published book. Jefferson (1743–1826) collected material for the book while serving as Virginia’s Revolutionary governor, circulated the manuscript privately, and published it in Paris in 1784–85, in London in 1787, and in Philadelphia in 1788. Highly controversial, Jefferson’s Notes became the subject of bitter partisan debate during the presidential campaigns of 1800 and 1804. Jefferson was labeled a “howling atheist,” a “confirmed infidel,” a “liar,” and a “hypocrite.” In 1798, he exclaimed, “Ol that mine enemy would write a book! Has been a well known prayer against an enemy I had written a book, and it has furnished matter of abuse for want of something better.”
Cosmos, Cosmograph, and the Inquiring Poet: New Answers to the “Heaven Questions”*

A Qing dynasty commentator was the first to discover that line 79 of the Chuci “Tianwen”, tian shi zong heng 天式縱衡, referred to the diviner's board, or what the author calls the “cosmograph.” This instrument was a model of the cosmos used by the diviner to determine, among other things, the position of asterisms beneath the horizon. The discovery was echoed by noted scholars in the twentieth century, but no one could determine the significance of the reference. This article analyzes the quatrain in which the line appears and shows how the cosmograph is the microcosmic key to the poem's cosmic interpretation. Quite simply, the answer to the question lies among the stars. The likelihood that the author of “Tianwen” had a cosmograph in mind when he wrote verse 79 is evidence that other lines may also reflect the existence of such devices. For example, with regard to verse 7, huan ze jiu chong 圜貝九重, in which commentators have always perceived a “nine-tiered” heaven, the author argues that what is “round” is the cosmos, and the jiu chong refers to its “manifold” dimensions. Huan ze then is the “cosmic model”, like the cosmograph, and the succeeding lines of the poem describe its components as a means of depicting the motions of the heavens.
Other Aesthetic Emotions

Near 2,000,000 sites on the web refer to “aesthetics.” But definitions of aesthetics, even if given, are circular at best (related to beauty, which is related to aesthetics). Chapter 2, Mechanisms of the Mind: From Instincts to Beauty, gives a scientific definition of aesthetics and the beautiful, which corresponds to a wide understanding, and completes Kantian idea that aesthetics is related to knowledge. Aesthetic emotions measure satisfactions of the knowledge instinct. Near the top of the mental hierarchy they are related to understanding of the highest meaning and purpose, and experienced as the beautiful. This chapter discusses several types of aesthetic emotions, in addition to musical emotions they include emotions of cognitive dissonances, emotions of prosody and their relations to language grammatical inflections and cultures. This book does not touch on aesthetics of poetry, literature, and visual perception.
Topical amiodarone during cardiac surgery: Does epicardial application of amiodarone prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation?

Abstract Objectives Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication after cardiac surgery. Topical amiodarone on the epicardium may help prevent postoperative AF while avoiding the side effects of its systemic administration. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the all-comer strategy of epicardial amiodarone application for the prevention of postoperative AF. Methods A retrospective observational study was performed that evaluated the incidence of new-onset AF in a consecutive series of cardiac surgery patients who were treated with either no amiodarone (historical control, n = 100), epicardial application of amiodarone mixed in a topical hydrogel (n = 50), or epicardial application of an amiodarone-soaked sealant patch (n = 50). Perioperative data were compared between the 3 groups, with all patients receiving continuous postoperative telemetry to monitor for new-onset AF. Results The cohort consisted of 200 cardiac surgery patients (coronary bypass 82%, valve surgery 24%) who had no history of AF (mean age 71.0 years, 28% female). Among the 3 groups, the incidence of postoperative AF did not significantly differ, with 29 of 100 (29%) patients in the historical control group having new AF, compared with 18 of 50 (36%) in the amiodarone-hydrogel group, and 18 of 50 (36%) in the amiodarone-patch group ( P = .56). The results did not differ when the analysis was restricted to coronary bypass patients only (n = 142, 27% vs 38% vs 32%, no-amiodarone vs amiodarone-hydrogel vs amiodarone-patch, respectively, P = .56). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only older age ( P = .001) was significantly associated with new-onset AF, but the use of topical amiodarone was not. Conclusions Routine epicardial application of topical amiodarone was not associated with a reduction in the incidence of new-onset postoperative AF in this observational study of older patients, leading us to question its role in contemporary cardiac surgical practice.
INDIVIDUAL FOREIGN EXCHANGE INVESTORS, RETURN PREDICTABILITY AND MARKET TIMING

This study tests whether individual foreign exchange (Forex) investors can predict future returns, time the market and generate alpha after transaction costs. Using a sample of 1,231 Forex trading accounts and 72,072 trades, the results show that individual Forex investors can predict future returns up to eight days after trade execution, even after controlling for Volatility. The results of return predictability are significant because they support the idea that linear independence is rejected as well as provide empirical evidence that private information is available in the foreign exchange market.
Abstract 15719: Right Ventricular Dysfunction After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement in patients at high surgical risk. We investigated the impact of TAVR on left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function using conventional echocardiography parameters. Methods and results: A total of 202 consecutive patients (age 80.6±8.0 years, aortic valve area 0.80±0.16cm 2 ) who underwent TAVR at Mayo Clinic between 2008 and 2013 were included in the study. LV ejection fraction (EF) and RV systolic function including tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), fractional area change (FAC) and, systolic excursion velocity (S’) were compared before (median 33.5 days) and after TAVR procedure (median 30 days). Patients who underwent pacemaker implantation after TAVR were excluded. LV EF significantly improved following TAVR (55.3±12.6% pre vs 58.5±11.1% post; p Conclusion: TAVR is associated with early enhancement in LV systolic function. However, there is evidence of worsening RV function in a significant number of patients. Further studies are necessary to determine whether this deterioration in RV function is related to anatomic access site or to other factors, and to evaluate its prognostic significance.
Vegetation responses to sagebrush-reduction treatments measured by satellites

Abstract Time series of vegetative indices derived from satellite imagery constitute tools to measure ecological effects of natural and management-induced disturbances to ecosystems. Over the past century, sagebrush-reduction treatments have been applied widely throughout western North America to increase herbaceous vegetation for livestock and wildlife. We used indices from satellite imagery to 1) quantify effects of prescribed-fire, herbicide, and mechanical treatments on vegetative cover, productivity, and phenology, and 2) describe how vegetation changed over time following these treatments. We hypothesized that treatments would increase herbaceous cover and accordingly shift phenologies towards those typical of grass-dominated systems. We expected prescribed burns would lead to the greatest and most-prolonged effects on vegetative cover and phenology, followed by herbicide and mechanical treatments. Treatments appeared to increase herbaceous cover and productivity, which coincided with signs of earlier senescence − signals expected of grass-dominated systems, relative to sagebrush-dominated systems. Spatial heterogeneity for most phenometrics was lower in treated areas relative to controls, which suggested treatment-induced homogenization of vegetative communities. Phenometrics that explain spring migrations of ungulates mostly were unaffected by sagebrush treatments. Fire had the strongest effect on vegetative cover, and yielded the least evidence for sagebrush recovery. Overall, treatment effects were small relative to those reported from field-based studies for reasons most likely related to sagebrush recovery, treatment specification, and untreated patches within mosaicked treatment applications. Treatment effects were also small relative to inter-annual variation in phenology and productivity that was explained by temperature, snowpack, and growing-season precipitation. Our results indicated that cumulative NDVI, late-season phenometrics, and spatial heterogeneity of several phenometrics may serve as useful indicators of vegetative change in sagebrush ecosystems.