cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Differential YAP expression in glioma cells induces cell competition and promotes tumorigenesis

ABSTRACT Intratumor heterogeneity associates with cancer progression and may account for a substantial portion of therapeutic resistance. Although extensive studies have focused on the origin of the heterogeneity, biological interactions between heterogeneous malignant cells within a tumor are largely unexplored. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor. Here, we found that the expression of Yes-associated protein (YAP, also known as YAP1) is intratumorally heterogeneous in GBM. In a xenograft mouse model, differential YAP expression in glioma cells promotes tumorigenesis and leads to clonal dominance by cells expressing more YAP. Such clonal dominance also occurs in vitro when cells reach confluence in the two-dimensional culture condition or grow into tumor spheroids. During this process, growth of the dominant cell population is enhanced. In the tumor spheroid, such enhanced growth is accompanied by increased apoptosis in cells expressing less YAP. The cellular interaction during clonal dominance appears to be reminiscent of cell competition. RNA-seq analysis suggests that this interaction induces expression of tumorigenic genes, which may contribute to the enhanced tumor growth. These results suggest that tumorigenesis benefits from competitive interactions between heterogeneous tumor cells.
Recent Studies on DNA Adducts Resulting from Human Exposure to Tobacco Smoke

DNA adducts are believed to play a central role in the induction of cancer in cigarette smokers and are proposed as being potential biomarkers of cancer risk. We have summarized research conducted since 2012 on DNA adduct formation in smokers. A variety of DNA adducts derived from various classes of carcinogens, including aromatic amines, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, tobacco-specific nitrosamines, alkylating agents, aldehydes, volatile carcinogens, as well as oxidative damage have been reported. The results are discussed with particular attention to the analytical methods used in those studies. Mass spectrometry-based methods that have higher selectivity and specificity compared to 32P-postlabeling or immunochemical approaches are preferred. Multiple DNA adducts specific to tobacco constituents have also been characterized for the first time in vitro or detected in vivo since 2012, and descriptions of those adducts are included. We also discuss common issues related to measuring DNA adducts in humans, including the development and validation of analytical methods and prevention of artifact formation.
Dynamic arousal signals construct memories of time and events

Everyday life unfolds continuously, yet we tend to remember past experiences as discrete event sequences or episodes. Although this phenomenon has been well documented, the brain mechanisms that support the transformation of continuous experience into memorable episodes remain unknown. Here we show that a sudden change in context, or event boundary, elicits a burst of autonomic arousal, as indexed by pupil dilation. These boundaries during dynamic experience also led to the segmentation of adjacent episodes in later memory, evidenced by changes in memory for the timing, order, and perceptual details of recent event sequences. Critically, we find that distinct cognitive components of this pupil response were associated with both subjective (temporal distance judgements) and objective (temporal order discrimination) measures of episodic memory, suggesting that multiple arousal-mediated cognitive processes help construct meaningful mnemonic events. Together, these findings reveal that arousal processes may play a fundamental role in everyday memory organization.
The flash effect in electronic conductors: The case of amorphous carbon fibers

Abstract Fibers of amorphous carbon are deployed as a model system to explore the incidence of flash in electronic conductors. The onset of flash is confirmed by a non-linear rise in conductivity and intense electroluminescence. The electroluminescence spectra are quite different from those seen in oxides. Flash causes a significant transformation of the amorphous carbon into graphite. However, flash also leads to embrittlement of the fibers presumably by the scission of covalent bonds. The fibers were heated with electrical current without using a furnace. The maximum temperature remained just below the melting point of platinum, the metal used for the electrodes.
The politics of farmer–herder conflicts and alternative conflict management in Northwest Cameroon

This study investigates the history and political economy of farmer-herder conflicts using field surveys to advance the theoretical understanding of the linkages between agro-pastoralism and farmer...
Spin phase diagram of the interacting quantum Hall liquid

Measurement of the ground-state spin polarization of quantum systems offers great potential for the discovery and characterization of correlated electronic states. However, spin polarization measurements have mainly involved optical1–3 and NMR4,5 techniques that perturb the delicate ground states and, for quantum Hall systems, have provided conflicting results1,4,6. Here we present spin-resolved pulsed tunnelling (SRPT) that precisely determines the phase diagram of the ground-state spin polarization as a function of magnetic field and Landau level (LL) filling factor (ν) with negligible perturbation to the system. Our phase diagram shows a variety of polarized, unpolarized and topological spin states in the lowest (N = 0) LL, which can largely be described by a weakly interacting composite fermion (CF) model7. However, the phase diagram shows unexpected behaviour in the N = 1 LL. We observe fully polarized ν = 5/2 and 8/3 states but a partially depolarized ν = 7/3 state. This behaviour deviates from the conventional theoretical picture7,8 of weakly interacting fractional quasiparticles, but instead suggests unusual electronic correlations and the possibility of new non-Abelian phases9–11. The results establish SRPT as a powerful technique for investigating correlated electron phenomena. The spin polarization of a quantum Hall system is determined by a spin-resolved tunnelling method. This technique shows a substantial regime where the weakly interacting composite fermion picture is not valid.
Atmospheric River Modeling: Forecasts, Climate Simulations and Climate Projections

Research in recent years has highlighted the significance of ARs to the occurrence and modulation of weather and hydrology extremes, as well as the critical role they play in helping establish the Earth’s climate—namely its water and energy budgets—through their decisive effect on the poleward transport of water vapor. With this in mind, it is imperative that ARs—and their associated dynamics, thermodynamics, and hydrodynamics—be accurately represented in our weather and climate models. This chapter reviews modeling and model-evaluation studies of ARs, including both weather forecast and climate simulation/projection applications. Specifically, research performed to date on predictive aspects of ARs for short- to extended-range (i.e., 1- to 15-day) weather forecasts is discussed and summarized. In addition, this chapter reviews research and model-evaluation studies that examine and quantify regional and global climate model representations of ARs. By extension, the more the fidelity and systematic biases in climate models are understood and quantified, the more the uncertainty in climate model projection of ARs can be characterized. Thus, this chapter also reviews the research that has examined contemporary sets of climate projections to quantify how ARs and related fields are expected to change. Finally, this chapter summarizes gaps in understanding and research of AR simulations, multi-time-scale forecasting, and climate projections.
Early childhood Special education teachers' self-efficacy in relation to individual children: Links to children's literacy learning

Abstract Using data from 73 early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers and 837 preschool children, this study examined whether teachers experienced differences in self-efficacy in teaching children with and without disabilities, as well as whether they experienced differences in self-efficacy when teaching children with different types of disabilities. Additionally, we investigated the relations between ECSE teachers' self-efficacy toward individual children and children's print knowledge, as well as the extent to which children's disability status moderated these relations. Our results showed that ECSE teachers felt less self-efficacious with children with disabilities versus children who are typically developing and experienced the lowest efficacy for teaching children with autism spectrum disorder among children with disabilities. ECSE teachers' self-efficacy in relation to individual children served as a significant predictor of children's print knowledge. Results did not support a moderation role for children's disability status. These findings illustrate the importance of examining teacher self-efficacy at the child level and indicate that higher teacher self-efficacy is beneficial to early literacy development for all children in ECSE classrooms, including those with disabilities.
An atypical case of pediatric epidermolysis bullosa acquisita: Review of diagnosis and pitfalls

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is a rare autoimmune blistering disorder, with <50 pediatric cases reported to date.1 Presentation is categorized into 2 subtypes—classic mechanobullous and inflammatory. Here we present a case of EBA with mixed clinical phenotype with an atypical presentation of erythema multiforme-like eruption.
Thinking globally, composing locally: Rethinking online writing in the age of the global internet, by Rice, R., & St. Amant, K. (Eds.). (2018). Logan, UT: Utah State University Press.

With the emergence of online media, as traditional boundaries are breaking in the field of communication and the notion of audience is changing, the necessity of reviewing the modes of writing becomes consequential. Thinking Globally, Composing Locally, an edited collection by Rich Rice and Kirk St. Amant, takes a kairotic approach and aims to offer a foundation for addressing the technical issues related to online writing in terms of composition and rhetoric. To address the new audience, the editors believe writers need to rethink their writing contexts, reassess their perception of global communication, and reconsider their writing methods to create content for online media. To practically implement these key issues, this book proposes "3Cs"---Contacting, Conveying, and Connecting. In an interview with Gustav Verhulsdonck (2018), Kirk St. Amant clarified the 3Cs. According to him, contact is a wish to get recognized by the audience that the composed work is worthy of attention, convey is the way information flows, and connect is the bridge of interaction between author and audience.
Attitudes and Experiences Towards Death of Healthcare Professionals Working in Neonatal Intensive Care Units.

BackgroundDeath is an integral part of neonatal intensive care units’ (NICUs) environment and little it is known about NICU’s staff death concepts.AimTo investigate attitudes and experiences toward...
Connected components in O(lg/sup 3/2 mod V/ mod ) parallel time for the CREW PRAM

Computing the connected components of an undirected graph G=(V, E) on mod V mod =n vertices and mod E mod =m edges is addressed. An efficient and simple algorithm that runs in O(lg/sup 3/2/ n) time using n+m CREW processors is presented. >
Self-luminous devices and melatonin suppression in adolescents:

Self-luminous devices, such as computers, tablets and cell phones can emit short-wavelength (blue) light, which maximally suppresses melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that starts rising approximately 2 hours prior to natural bedtimes and signals darkness and sleep to the body. The present study extends from previously published studies showing that light from self-luminous devices suppresses melatonin and delays sleep. This is the first study conducted in the home environment that investigated the effects of self-luminous devices on melatonin levels in adolescents (age 15–17 years). Results show that 1-hour and 2-hour exposure to light from self-luminous devices significantly suppressed melatonin by approximately 23% and 38% respectively. Compared to our previous studies, these results suggest that adolescents may be more sensitive to light than other populations.
Chapter 1 Membrane Tethers

Publisher Summary Membrane tethers are thin cylinders of bilayer membrane pulled from the surfaces of cells or membrane vesicles under mechanical force. These structures have been well characterized in pure lipid systems and in red blood cells, where the process of tether formation can take place under well-defined conditions. From those studies, detailed mechanical descriptions of the process have been validated and fundamental physical properties of the membrane bilayer and the strength of its association with the underlying cytoskeleton have been characterized. The dynamics of tether formation can be characterized in terms of an effective viscosity coefficient that relates the dynamic force contribution to the rate of tether formation. More detailed mechanical analysis reveals that the effective viscosity is expected to scale as the square of the tether radius, which in turn decreases with increasing force. This leads to lower apparent viscosities at higher rates of tether formation and the appearance of shear thinning, even though the drag coefficient that characterizes the rate-dependent force generated from interactions between the bilayer and the cytoskeleton remains constant. Tether formation from leukocytes has been found to be an important modulating factor in the rolling adhesive interactions between leukocytes and endothelium, where they act to prolong bond lifetime and maintain cell–cell contact. It is anticipated that properly accounting for the physical characteristics of tether formation will help lead to reliable predictions of cell behavior as they roll along and are detached from adhesive substrates.
Determination of Real-Gas Stagnation Temperature Based on Mass-Flow Consideration

ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS encountered in the operation of high-enthalpy test facilities is the determination of high stagnation temperatures (T > 4,000°R). Since these temperatures normally exceed the capabilities of available thermocouples, it is often necessary to resort to one of the various optical methods—such as pyrometry or the sodium-line reversal technique— for the determination of these temperatures. A method has been presented whereby real-gas stagnation properties in a highenthalpy system can be determined if the mass-flow rate through the system and the stagnation pressure are known. In the present analysis, this method was applied to determine stagnation temperature for stagnation pressures ranging from 100 to 1,000 atm. Nitrogen is considered to be the flow medium and the expansion of the gas from the stagnation chamber is assumed to be an isentropic and steady-state process. The maximum temperature dealt with (5,000°R) was low enough that the gas remained in an undissociated state; however, the method may be extended to other gases which may or may not be dissociated, provided the thermodynamic properties of the gas in the desired pressure and temperature range are known. A one-dimensional analysis of the flow is used to evaluate the mass flow per unit area at the throat of a nozzle for various stagnation pressures and temperatures. The evaluation of mass flow per unit area at the throat of a nozzle is a trial-and-error procedure and was performed in the following manner. Starting with an assumed stagnation pressure and temperature, an initial value of stagnation entropy was obtained from published data. , 3 The flow in the system was expanded by reducing the stagnation temperature at a constant value of stagnation entropy. At each assumed temperature the values of pressure, density, and enthalpy were obtained from Ref. 2 or 3; the velocity at each point was calculated from the energy equation. The result of the analysis is presented in Fig. 1, wherein mass flow per unit throat area is plotted against stagnation temperature. The dashed lines represent ideal-gas calculations. The spread between the ideal-gas and real-gas curves becomes larger as the stagnation pressure is increased. I t may be seen from Fig. 1 that a significant error in stagnation temperature could result by using the ideal-gas relationship. For example, a t a mass flow per unit throat area of 16,000 lb/ft-sec and a stagnation I7|-
An Empirical Analysis of Judging Bias by Sex, Region & Side

Conventional wisdom among those involved in competitive academic debate holds that, despite an emphasis on objective decision-making, factors other than skill affect the outcomes of rounds. This study examines all debate rounds at the Lincoln Douglas Debate Tournament of Champions from 2004-2009. We estimate predictions of round outcomes based on transitivity and the outcomes of other rounds observed in the tournament in order to evaluate the potential for bias and control for the relative skill of debaters. We develop a binomial choice model to estimate the marginal effects of various biases. In particular, we find statistical evidence of bias related to regional affiliation and topic side. These factors may explain the significant number of non-transitive outcomes in the data. Finally, we suggest some policy remedies to mitigate the impact of biases and further applications of our methodology.
Collective Action under the Articles of Confederation . By Keith L. Dougherty. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Pp. xii, 211. $49.95.

Until the Articles of Confederation were cast aside, the Continental Congress assigned obligations, known as requisitions, to the states for the payment of taxes and the raising of troops. The state governments were then responsible for meeting the obligations however they wished. This volume by Keith Dougherty studies the history of requisitions over the preconstitutional period and explores how the experience ultimately influenced the framing of the constitution.
Darwin's Finches

Darwin's finches are a prime example of adaptive radiation and of evolution in action. Beak size of these equatorial bird species repeatedly changed within two decades as a response to environmental changes during El Nino conditions. Keywords: birds; equatorial; evolution; beak size; adaptive radiation; tropic
The influence of wettability on NAPL dissolution fingering

Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations in homogeneous porous media were used to investigate the influence of porous medium wettability on the formation and growth of preferential dissolution pathways, dissolution fingers, during nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) dissolution. As the porous medium became increasingly NAPL-wet, dissolution fingers grew wider and slower. This result was observed in physical experiments with 0% and 100% NAPL-wet conditions and confirmed with numerical simulations at these and intermediate wettabilities. A previously derived expression for an upscaled mass transfer rate coefficient that accounts for the growth of dissolution fingers was used to quantify the effect of fingering on overall NAPL removal rates. For the test cases evaluated, NAPL dissolution fingering controlled the overall rate of NAPL dissolution after the dissolution front moved 4 cm in 0% NAPL-wet conditions and 18 cm in 100% NAPL-wet conditions. Thus, even in completely NAPL-wet media dissolution fingering may control the overall rate of NAPL dissolution after relatively short travel distances. The importance of NAPL dissolution fingering in heterogeneous systems with spatially varying NAPL saturations, though, remains an important question for future work.
On the design and test of a liquid injection electric thruster

A liquid injection electric thruster (LINJET) was designed and tested. The results of the tests were very encouraging with thruster performance levels well in excess of design goals. Supporting activities to the engine design and test included a five-million pulse life test on the main capacitor, a 46-million pulse test on the trigger electronics, design and fabrication of a zero resistance torque connector for use with the torsional pendulum thrust stand, design and fabrication of a logic box for control of engine firing, and a physical and chemical properties characterization of the perfluorocarbon propellant. While the results were encouraging, testing was limited, as many problems existed with the design. The most significant problem was involved with excessive propellant flow which contributed to false triggering and shorting. Low power active thermal control of the propellant storage cavity, coupled with a re-evaluation of the injection ring pore size and area exposed to the main capacitor discharge are areas that should be investigated should this design be carried forward.
The effects of spiral anisotropy on the electric potential and the magnetic field at the apex of the heart

This paper describes a volume-conductor model of the apex of the heart that accounts for the spiraling tissue geometry. Analytic expressions are derived for the potential and magnetic field produced by a cardiac action potential propagating outward from the apex. The model predicts the existence of new information in the magnetic field that is not present in the electrical potential.
Influence of Diet Sequence on Intake of Foods Containing Ergotamine d Tartrate, Tannins and Saponins by Sheep

Abstract Plant secondary compounds (SCs) play crucial roles in plant survival and defense against herbivores and in appropriate amounts SCs provide health and nutritional benefits to herbivores. The presence of SCs in plants is important, and means need to be found to enhance their benefits while minimizing their negative impacts on herbivores. One approach to this challenge is to offer herbivores mixtures of forages with diverse and complementary SCs such that a combination of SCs becomes less toxic than each of its components in isolation. We determined if a diversity of SCs (tannins, saponins, and alkaloids) offered in different temporal sequences influenced intake of food by sheep. In Experiment 1, three groups of sheep ( n = 8/group) received a food containing the alkaloid ergotamine d tartrate (EDT) and the same food containing condensed tannins (TAN) in three different sequences. Group 1 received TAN for 30 min followed by EDT for 1 h (TAN → EDT), Group 2 received EDT for 1 h followed by TAN for 30 min (EDT → TAN), and Group 3 (Control Group) received EDT for 30 min followed by EDT for 1 h (EDT → EDT). Experiment 2 was similar to Experiment 1 except a new group of sheep was used and saponins (SAP) replaced tannins. Sheep had greater intakes of EDT when supplemented with TAN (17 vs. 19 g EDT/kg BW/d for TAN → EDT and EDT → TAN, respectively; P = 0.0002) or SAP (SAP → EDT vs. EDT → SAP – 10 vs. 12 g/kg BW/d; P = 0.0979) than when fed only EDT (9 and 7 g/kg BW/d, respectively), regardless of the sequence in which the foods were presented. Intake of TAN was greater for sheep in TAN → EDT than for sheep in EDT → TAN on 4 or the 7 days of the trial ( P = 0.0336). Likewise, intake of SAP was greater for the sequence SAP → EDT than for EDT → SAP (6 vs. 2 g SAP/kg BW/d; P = 0.0162). Regardless of sequence, sheep ate consistently more food with EDT than with either TAN or SAP. Sheep had higher total food intake, and they also ate more EDT, when they were fed TAN as opposed to SAP. Under the conditions of our experiment, sheep ate more food with alkaloids (EDT), and perhaps benefitted more nutritionally, when they had tannins (TAN) rather than saponins (SAP) in their diet.
Course, Predictors of Diaphragm Recovery After Phrenic Nerve Injury During Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

Background Hemidiaphragm paralysis from phrenic nerve injury is a known complication of congenital cardiac surgery. Return of diaphragm function has been reported; however, prior studies on this subject have been limited by small numbers, static assessment methods, or observation of plicated or non-plicated patients alone. To describe return of function, we reviewed fluoroscopy and ultrasonography in all diagnosed cases of diaphragmatic paralysis. Methods Surgical cases at our institution between 1991 and 2010 were identified for patients with postoperative hemidiaphragm paralysis diagnosed by chest X-ray, ultrasound, or fluoroscopy. Follow-up ultrasound and fluoroscopic studies were reviewed for return of diaphragm function. Results Seventy-two cases of postoperative hemidiaphragm paralysis were identified. Forty cases were plicated prior to discharge. Plicated patients were younger at time of diagnosis (median 46 days average 3.6 months; p = 0.025) and had a larger proportion of single ventricle diagnoses (48% vs 16%) compared with non-plicated patients. Twenty-six patients with paralysis were excluded in follow-up due to lack of studies documenting diaphragm function after the diagnostic study. Of the remaining 46 cases, median follow-up was 353 days (range: 6 days to 17 years). Plicated and non-plicated patients regained function at similar frequency (60% and 54.8%, respectively). Plication status, Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery (RACHS) 1 score, age at diagnosis, and side of paralysis did not predict failure of recovery. Conclusions In the current era, return of diaphragm function after phrenic nerve injury sustained during congenital cardiac surgery is a known occurrence; however, predicting recovery continues to be difficult.
CD81 binding regions of hepatitis C virus remain conserved after liver transplantation

CD81 is a surface-associated protein expressed in the membranes of mammalian cells. It has been suggested that CD81 interacts with hepatitis C virus E2 protein, and thus might facilitate the entry of HCV into hepatocytes. The envelope-binding site appears to involve amino acids (aa) 480-493 and 544-551 within the E2 glycoprotein. Little is known about the quasispecies genetic diversity of these two regions. We studied four patients who underwent transplantation for HCV-related cirrhosis and who developed recurrent hepatitis C. We evaluated HCV quasispecies diversity in serum samples obtained at the time of transplantation and at several time points thereafter. Quasispecies diversity was assessed by cloning and sequencing of viral isolates, with computer analysis of evolution models. The genetic distance in the region that spans aa 480 to 493 was 0.019 ± 0.004 before the transplant, and 0.039 ± 0.014 after the transplant (p=0.324). In the aa 544 to 551 region, the pre-transplant genetic distance was 0.012 ± 0.008 and the post-transplant distance, 0.010 ± 0.007 (p=0.890). There was also no significant difference between the number of nonsynonymous substitutions per nonsynonymous site before and after transplantation. In conclusion, the HCV genetic sequences of putative CD81 binding regions aa 480-493 and aa 544-551 did not diversify significantly after liver transplantation. This may favor HCV re-infection of the allograft after liver transplantation.
Reconciling Financial Information at Varied Levels of Aggregation

Financial statements summarize a firm’s fiscal position using only a limited number of accounts. Readers often interpret financial statements in conjunction with other information, some of which may be aggregated in a different way (or not at all). This paper exploits properties of the double-entry accounting system to provide a systematic approach to reconciling diverse financial data. The key is the ability to represent the double-entry system by network flows and, thereby, access well-recognized network optimization techniques. Two specific uses are investigated: the reconciliation of audit evidence with management-prepared financial statements, and the creation of transaction-level financial ratios.
Proprioceptive Discrimination of a Covert Operant without Its Observation by the Subject

When the subject occasionally emitted an invisibly small thumb twitch (detected electromyographically), he received a tone as a signal to press a key. After several conditioning sessions, the tone was progressively diminished to zero. The subject nevertheless continued to press the key whenever he emitted a thumb twitch, and he reported that he still heard the tone.
The Role of Multimodality Imaging in the Management of Pericardial Disease

Received November 12, 2009; accepted March 19, 2010. Pericardial pathology is commonly encountered in clinical practice and may present either as an isolated process or in association with other systemic disorders. Recognizing pericardial pathology can be relatively straightforward, particularly if the clinical manifestation is typical (eg, the patient with acute pericarditis and an audible friction rub reporting retrosternal pain, exacerbated by inspiration or in the supine position) or when an associated disease process gives a direct clue to the diagnosis (eg, the finding of a complex pericardial effusion in a patient with a known malignancy). In these situations, the diagnostic pathway can be limited to a relatively small sequence of tests to basically confirm the initial clinical suspicion.1 However, pericardial disease can also result in nonspecific symptoms and equivocal physical findings. When the initial tests of choice turn out to be nondiagnostic or the course of the disease is prolonged, pericardial disease may cause considerable diagnostic dilemmas. Furthermore, established diagnostic techniques may not visualize the full extent of the pericardial disease process. In such difficult clinical situations, an integrated multimodality imaging approach may provide incremental value. Unfortunately, current guidelines do not address the role of a multimodality approach in the difficult to manage pericardial patient.1 This review will therefore discuss the potential role of different imaging modalities in the diagnosis and management of pericardial disorders, with a specific focus on what constitutes a rational multimodality imaging approach. The 3 imaging modalities most commonly used for evaluation of pericardial disease are echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography (CT), and cardiac MRI (CMR). The main indications and limitation for each test are summarized in Table 1. Echocardiography remains the initial imaging method of choice for the majority of patients with pericardial disease, but in many clinical scenarios, a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) …
Human Immunodeficiency Virus–Associated Dementia

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) enters the nervous system in the first hours of infection and remains present throughout the infection. Over the past 15 years, much has been learned about the neurologic complications of HIV infection, as well as secondary complications due to the development of opportunistic infections and increased risk of malignant neoplasms associated with the immunodeficient state. The increased risk of previously rare neurologic complications such as cryptococcal meningitis, toxoplasma encephalitis, and progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy has permitted refinement of therapeutic stratagems for the treatment of these complications. While these are important issues, the fundamental neurologic problem is understanding the pathophysiology of the HIV infection in the brain so as to optimally treat this critical manifestation of acquired immunodeficiency sydrome (AIDS). Clinical observations and formal trials are contributing to the increasing knowledge about HIV disease in the brain.
A field investigation of physical and chemical mechanisms affecting pollutant concentrations in fog droplets

High ionic loadings were found in fogwater collected at Bakersfield. California during an extended stagnation episode. The major ions were NH 4 + NO 3 - , and SO 4 2- , with concentrations usually in the millimolar range. Droplet growth played an important role in determining fogwater concentrations. The amount of solute decreased substantially over the course of each fog event; this was attributed, at least in part, to deposition of fog droplets on surfaces. The occurrence of dense fogs thus seemed to limit particle build-up during stagnation episodes. The sulfate fraction in the aerosol increased appreciably over several days of stagnation, but no statistical evidence for in situ S(1V) aqueous-phase oxidation was found. The high ammonia concentrations present were sufficient to neutralize a large fraction of the ambient acidity. As a result, fogwater pH values rarely attained the extremely low values found in other polluted environments. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0889.1984.tb00247.x
Lifetime of electric flux tubes near the QCD phase transition

Electric flux tubes are a well-known attribute of the quantum chromodynamic (QCD) vacuum in which they manifest confinement of electric color charges. Recently, experimental results appeared which suggest that not only do those objects persist at temperatures $T\ensuremath{\approx}{T}_{c}$ near the QCD phase transitions, but their decay is suppressed and the resulting clusters in Au-Au collisions are larger than in $\mathit{pp}$ collisions (i.e., in vacuum). This correlates well with recent theoretical scenarios that view the QCD matter in the $T\ensuremath{\approx}{T}_{c}$ region as a dual-magnetic plasma dominated by color-magnetic monopoles. In this view, the flux tubes are stabilized by dual-magnetic currents and are described by dual magnetohydrodynamics (DMHD). In this article, we calculate classically the dissipative effects in the flux tube. Such effects are associated with rescattering and finite conductivity of the matter. We derive the DMHD solution in the presence of dissipation and then estimate the lifetime of the electric flux tubes. The conclusion of this study is that a classical treatment leads to too short of a lifetime for the flux tubes.
On providing successful Research Experiences for Undergraduates

This paper presents strategies for providing successful Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). The authors have advised several undergraduates on research for the past few years, and have jointly supervised around twenty-five students, over two summers, on a project funded by an NSF-funded REU program in areas relating to the visualization of astrophysical data using high performance file systems. Several of these student projects have led to research publications. The paper briefly motivates the need for research in modern computing and engineering education. It then presents specific details about the development of summer REU programs including how to: secure funding and institutional support; plan a summer program including the design of scalable research projects; develop strategies to advertise and recruit students, especially from underrepresented groups; create a dynamic research and social environment through one-on-one mentoring; develop appropriate assessment and evaluation processes; and track student participants after they graduate from the program.
Accelerated 3D MERGE carotid imaging using compressed sensing with a hidden markov tree model

Purpose: To determine the potential for accelerated 3D carotid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using wavelet based compressed sensing (CS) with a hidden Markov tree (HMT) model. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively applied HMT model-based CS and conventional CS to 3D carotid MRI data with 0.7 mm isotropic resolution from six subjects with known carotid stenosis (12 carotids). We applied a wavelet-tree model learned from a training database of carotid images to improve CS reconstruction. Quantitative endpoints such as lumen area, wall area, mean and maximum wall thickness, plaque calcification, and necrotic core area were measured and compared using Bland–Altman analysis along with image quality. Results: Rate-4.5 acceleration with HMT model-based CS provided image quality comparable to that of rate-3 acceleration with conventional CS and fully sampled reference reconstructions. Morphological measurements made on rate-4.5 HMT model-based CS reconstructions were in good agreement with measurements made on fully sampled reference images. There was no significant bias or correlation between mean and difference of measurements when comparing rate 4.5 HMT model-based CS with fully sampled reference images. Conclusion: HMT model-based CS can potentially be used to accelerate clinical carotid MRI by a factor of 4.5 without impacting diagnostic quality or quantitative endpoints. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:1194–1202. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modulation of defensive reflexes in Aplysia californica by appetitive stimulation.

A series of experiments examined the effect of appetitive, food stimulation on various defensive behaviors of Aplysia californica. The influence of the appetitive “state” on (1) defensive siphon withdrawal, (2) locomotion, and (3) inking was determined by examining these responses immediately after Aplysia had ingested a daily, nonsatiating meal. The performance of all three types of defensive activity was attenuated following such appetitive stimulation compared with the performance of animals who had not been fed for 24 hr. Furthermore, the influence of food stimulation on defensive siphon withdrawal was maintained for at least 0.5 hr after feeding, and could be obtained by appetitive stimulation alone, without actual ingestion of the food. These results demonstrate an elementary form of behavioral coordination and integration within a relatively simple invertebrate preparation. These significant behavioral modulations may provide a model system for the investigation of the neural correlates of analogous “state” variables in more complex preparations.
Pineal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase activity in four mammalian species

Abstract The activity of pineal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase (NAT) was compared in four mammalian species: the albino rat, the golden hamster, the Mongolian gerbil and the English short-hair guinea pig. In all species a night-time elevation in pineal NAT activity was apparent. In the rat, pineal NAT activity exhibited a dark:light ratio of 60:1; in the hamster and gerbil the ratio was 3:1 while in the guinea pig the dark:light ratio was 1.5:1. With the exception of the guinea pig, the greatest pineal NAT activity was recorded at 04.00 h (8 h after onset of darkness). In the guinea pig the maximal NAT activity was attained at 24.00 h (4 h after onset of darkness).
Imaging correlation of children with DFNB1 vs non-DFNB1 hearing loss:

Objectives: To evaluate temporal bone CT findings in GJB2-related deafness (DFNB1) hearing loss and non-DFNB1 hearing loss children.Study Design: Case-control series.Subjects and Methods: Children with nonsyndromic hearing loss diagnosed as DFNB1 or non-DFNB1 after screening GJB2 allele variants and the large GJB6 deletion. Temporal bone CT images compared in a cohort of nine DFNB1 children with 10 non-DFNB1 children. Visual criteria and absolute measurements were compared against established normative values.Results: Visual inspection failed to identify two patients with abnormalities identified by using absolute measurements. Only one of nine DFNB1 children had an ear anomaly versus seven of 10 non-DFNB1 (odds ratio 16.33; 95% CI, 1.35, 197.78; P = 0.050). The non-DFNB1 group had a mean vestibule width that was significantly larger, and a mean lateral semicircular canal island width and vestibular aqueduct that were significantly smaller than the DFNB1 group.Conclusions: Visual inspection of temporal bo...
Enumeration of Seven-Argument Threshold Functions

A tabulation of the 2470 representative threshold functions of seven arguments has been prepared by the author. This paper discusses the methods used in, and the threshold logic implications of, the enumeration. The self-dual classification method of Goto-Takahasi was employed. A lattice was defined on the 8-cube in terms of which all 2-monotonic, canonical, self-dual functions of eight arguments were directly generated. Each such representative function was then treated by a modified form of the Muroga-Toda-Takasu linear programming test-synthesis procedure to obtain minimal 1-realizations. The Chow parameters for each function were calculated, and the final enumeration was ordered lexicographically by these parameters to afford a trivial test-synthesis procedure for n?7. The enumeration demonstrated that minimal 1-realizations are still integral for n?7; it corroborated Cobham's result that complete monotonicity is equivalent to 1-realizability, and established hyper-2-monotonicity as a useful characterization, for n?7. It significantly extended our knowledge of the number of threshold functions and the various symmetry types, the size of weights and threshold required, the number of iterations required by the linear program, and similar statistics.
Chebyshev linear-phase filter poles by interpolation

A simple interpolation formula is given to compute the pole locations of an all-pole filter whose phase is linear in the Chebyshev sense. The interpolation formula gives good results for filters with 2-10 poles and peak phase errors between 0° and 1°. Fair accuracy is achieved for peak phase errors up to 5°.
Interactions between Size-Structured Predator and Prey Populations: Experimental Test and Model Comparison

Abstract Because predation mortality is often size-dependent, the survival and size structure of prey populations may vary substantially depending on the size structure of the predator assemblage. We tested this hypothesis in a replicated pond experiment in which a bimodal size distribution of young-of-year spot Leiostomus xanthurus was exposed to two sizes of southern flounder Paralichthvs lethostigina, each predator size-group present alone or together, at densities providing equal predation pressure, After 3 weeks, we examined cohort survival and size distributions of remaining spot. In the no-predator controls, spot size-frequency distributions were essentially unchanged, and survival of the large- and small-spot cohorts was similar. However, the size distribution of survivors, and the relative survival of large- and small-spot cohorts, differed markedly with the size structure of the predator assemblage, In the presence of small southern flounders, the large-spot cohort survived 4 times better than t...
Detergent-hard water interactions in machine dishwashing

Insufficient detergent concentration has recently been recognized as a major contributor to film formation on glassware in machine dishwashing. The film is shown to consist largely of calcium tripolyphosphate, Ca5(P3O10)2; evidence is cited for the presence of a silicate, probably calcium metasilicate, as well. Systematic variation of detergent concentration and of water hardness allows construction of a response surface describing conditions of maximum and minimum rates of film formation. The extent of film formation is minimized when the ionic ratio of Ca or Mg or both to tripolyphosphate is 1:1 and maximized when the ratio is 5:2. These ratios correspond to the 1:1 chelate and the uncharged precipitate, Ca5(P3O10)2, respectively. The implications of this treatment to other detergency processes are also considered.
Cost-Effective Integration of an a-Si:H Solar Cell and a ZnO TFT Ring Oscillator—Toward an Autonomously Powered Circuit

Cost-effective integration of a-Si:H solar cells and oxide-based thin-film transistor (TFT) circuits may lead to broader battery-free device applications. We demonstrate a n-i-p a-Si:H 15-series connected solar cell that supplies power to a ZnO-based ring oscillator. The ring oscillator can operate at 28 kHz at 6 V, corresponding to ≈100 mW/cm2 illumination. This letter describes the integration and compact fabrication of the a-Si:H solar cell and ZnO TFT ring oscillator. The fabrication process includes several mask steps to reduce the number of processing steps.
The effects of increasing the number of stimulus modalities included in a fear-eliciting imagery scene on reported imagery clarity, scene repetition, and sympathetic (fear) arousal

The present study tested the hypothesis that autonomic responding to imagery instructions can be enhanced by increasing the number of stimulus modalities associated with the feared stimulus. This prediction was supported by the skin-conductance frequency data. The theory under consideration also resulted in a prediction that imagery ratings of clarity would initially be lower as the number of modalities (stimulus intensity of the scenes) increased. It was further predicted that with scene repetition and subsequent fear extinction, imagery clarity would then increase. The scenes were presented in the form of stimulus propositions. The data supported both of these predictions. An additional hypothesis that the autonomic differences between subjects who rated themselves prior to the experiment as either low or high in fear to the target stimulus would diminish as a direct function of an increase in the number of stimulus modalities presented was only partially supported. The paper presents the underlying rationale for these predictions as well as noting the clinical relevance of the findings.
SU‐FF‐I‐119: Novel MicroCT Imaging Techniques for In Vivo Quantification of Vascular Volume in Murine Tumor Models

Purpose: Growing interest in angiogenesis and anti‐angiogenic tumor therapy has created a demand for vascular imaging techniques. This work describes a method for in vivo quantification of vasculature in murine tumormodels using contrast enhanced μCT. Method and Materials: Mice from a prostate tumor line were imaged over a span of three weeks to measure growth, and SCC xenograft mice undergoing anti‐angiogenic therapy with Avastin™ were imaged over eleven days to monitor tumor response. Mice were injected with 0.4 mL of a μCT blood pool contrast agent and scanned using a Siemens Inveon μCT/PET scanner. CTimages were manually segmented into tumor and vascular volume in a commercial software package (Amira 4.0, MercuryComputer Systems) and tumor volume was compared to vascular volume. Results: Over the span of three weeks, the prostate model increased in tumor volume by a factor of four and the vascular volume increased by a factor of 15. The ratio of vascular volume to tumor volume increased from 1.5% to 6%. In the xenograft models, a measurable decrease in tumor and vascular volume was seen in both mice, but the ratio of vascular volume to tumor volume stayed relatively constant (approximately 4% in the 400 mm3tumor and 17% in the 100 mm3tumor).Conclusion: This work demonstrates the capability for in vivo quantification of tumor vasculature with a minimally invasive procedure. In particular, the technique was sufficiently sensitive to monitor vascular growth and to determine a therapeutic effect from molecular therapy over the span of eleven days. This technique may be useful as a tool to better understand the process of tumor‐induced angiogenesis and evaluate the efficacy of targeted molecular therapies.
NIA’s intervention testing program at 10 years of age

The previous 20 years of basic research on aging has identified a large number of genes and gene products whose expression can be manipulated in a variety of ways to increase the healthy life span of animal models such as yeast, nematodes, fruit flies, and mice. In an overt attempt to capitalize on this information, the National Institute on Aging (NIA) began a program in 2003 to identify nutritional and pharmaceutical interventions that could be safely employed to extend the healthy life span of mice. This program is called the Intervention Testing Program (ITP), and this article briefly describes the development of this initiative and some of the early success achieved during its first 10 years (2004–2014) of operation.