cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conformational Equilibria of Terminally Blocked Single Amino Acids at the Water−Hexane Interface. A Molecular Dynamics Study

The conformational equilibria of the acetyl and methyl amide terminally blocked l-alanine, l-leucine and l-glutamine amino acids are examined in vacuum, in bulk water, and at the water−hexane interface, using multi-nanosecond molecular dynamics simulations. The two-dimensional probability distribution functions of finding the peptides at different dihedral angles of the backbone, φ and ψ, are calculated, and free energy differences between different conformational states are determined. All three peptides are interfacially active, i.e. tend to accumulate at the interface even though they are not amphiphilic. Conformational states stable in both gas phase and water are also stable in the interfacial environment. Their populations, however, cannot be simply predicted from the knowledge of conformational equilibria in the bulk phases, indicating that the interface exerts a unique effect on the peptides. Conformational preferences in the interfacial environment arise from the interplay between electrostatic a...
Neuropsychological functioning of children treated with intensive chemotherapy followed by myeloablative consolidation chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell rescue for newly diagnosed CNS tumors: An analysis of the Head Start II survivors

Background To evaluate the neuropsychological late effects amongst survivors treated on the Head Start II protocol between 1997 and 2003. Procedures Forty-nine patients (mean age 2.9 years) diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor underwent baseline neuropsychological assessment prior to autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AuHCT). Twenty-six survivors were retested after 3 years of follow-up as 20 patients did not survive. Patients were evaluated for intelligence, academic achievement, receptive language, visual-motor integration (VMI), learning/memory, social-emotional and behavioral functioning based upon age at testing. Results Overall intelligence and VMI at baseline were low average while verbal and non-verbal intelligence, academic achievement, and receptive vocabulary were in average range. Parents reported social-emotional and behavioral functioning within normal limits. Serial testing revealed Full Scale (FSIQ)/Mental Development Index (MDI), Verbal (VIQ), and Performance (PIQ) Intelligence to be generally stable over 3-year follow-up. Group-average analysis at follow-up demonstrated low average intelligence, academic achievement, receptive language, and VMI. Age at diagnosis was positively correlated with internalizing symptoms and visual immediate memory, while time since diagnosis was inversely correlated with FSIQ, VIQ, PIQ, reading and delayed verbal memory. Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) was avoided in two-thirds of patients. Conclusion Induction, with or without intensification using intravenous methotrexate, followed by myeloablative consolidation chemotherapy with AuHCT, may avoid or delay CSI, with possible stabilization of neuropsychological functioning, including those younger at diagnosis. Continued follow-up is necessary to determine the preservation of neuropsychological, academic, social-emotional and behavioral functioning. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2010;54:429–436. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Earth as Analog: The Disciplinary Debate and Astronaut Training that Took Geology to the Moon

At the beginning of the twentieth century, geology was a terrestrial science, one that had no place making pronouncements on astronomical objects. Yet, by mid-century, this science was de rigueur in lunar studies. This article examines the heated debate, leading up to the Apollo missions, amongst geologists as to whether their discipline could tell scientists anything about the surface or composition of other celestial bodies. Precisely because the United States Geological Survey opened an Astrogeology Branch and geology education became a part of astronaut training, geologists gradually accepted the extraterrestrial application of their field and the prestige that came with it. In addition to recounting this disciplinary shift, this article considers how Earth itself became an analog for understanding the Moon. Before Neil Armstrong took his “one giant leap,” astronauts traveled with trained geologists to sites that they thought would resemble the geologic composition of the Moon. There, astronauts were ...
Inhibition of Growth of Experimental Human Endometrial Cancer by an Antagonist of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone

Antagonists of GHRH are being developed for the treatment of various cancers. In this study we investigated in vivo and in vitro the effects of the GHRH antagonist MZ-J-7-118 and its mechanism of action in HEC-1A human endometrial cancer. Treatment of nude mice bearing HEC-1A xenografts with 10 μg/d MZ-J-7-118 for 6 wk significantly inhibited the volume of HEC-1A tumors by 43%, tumor weight by 40% compared with controls and prolonged the tumor doubling time from 18.7 ± 1.4 to 25.4 ± 3.8 d. Administration of 20 μg MZ-J-7-118, sc, twice a day significantly (P < 0.05) decreased HEC-1A growth, as evidenced by a 57.9% decrease in tumor volume, a 50.7% reduction in tumor weight, and the extension of tumor doubling time from 17.5 ± 2.8 to 36.4 ± 6.5 d. Therapy with GHRH antagonists significantly decreased serum IGF-I levels in experiment 1, and significantly increased tumoral IGF-I levels in experiment 2 in treated mice. Levels of IGF-II and vascular endothelial growth factor-A in tumors were not changed. Specif...
In situ affect detection in mobile devices: a multimodal approach for advertisement using social network

Affect detection has been widely advocated to be implemented in a natural environment. But due to constraints such as correct labeling and lack of usable sensors in natural environment most of the research in multi-modal affect detection has been done in laboratory environment. In this paper, we investigate affect detection in natural environment using sensors available in smart phones. We use facial expression and energy expenditure of a person to classify a person's affective state by continuously recording accelerometer data for energy and camera image for facial expression and measure the performance of the system. We have deployed our system in a natural environment and have provided special attention on annotation for the training data to validate the 'ground truth'. We have found important relationship between valence and arousal space for better accuracy of affect detection by using facial image and energy. This validates Russell's two dimensional theory of emotion using arousal and valence space. In this paper, we have presented initial findings in multi-modal affect detection. Using the multimodal technique, we propose a system that can be used in social networks for affect sensitive advertisement.
Unions, politics, and protectionism

Conventional models of labor relations emphasize “business unionism,” that is, collective bargaining activities and outcomes. We argue that a more realistic model of behavior incorporates the union’s role as an agent of redistribution that seeks to benefit some members and union leaders primarily at the expense of other members, nonunion employees, and consumers. Union power to redistribute wealth is obtained from the special privileges that labor organizations obtain from government. This paper demonstrates how, as political entities, unions and their employers attempt to secure government-sanctioned wealth transfers through protectionism.
Synchronization from insertions and deletions under a non-binary, non-uniform source

We study the problem of synchronizing two files X and Y at two distant nodes A and B that are connected through a two-way communication channel. We assume that file Y at node B is obtained from file X at node A by inserting and deleting a small fraction of symbols in X. More specifically, we consider the case where X is a non-binary non-uniform string, and deletions and insertions happen uniformly with rates βd and βi, respectively. We propose a synchronization protocol between node A and node B that needs to transmit O(q/H2(βd+βi)n log 1/βd+βi) bits (where n is the length of X, q is the alphabet size and H2 is the collision entropy of X) and reconstructs X at node B with error probability exponentially low in n. This protocol readily generalizes the recent result by Tabatabaei Yazdi and Dolecek that dealt with synchronization from binary uniform source and under only deletion errors.
OPTICAL BISTABILITY IN PERIODIC NONLINEAR STRUCTURES CONTAINING LEFT HANDED MATERIALS

We study the transmission properties of a nonlinear peri- odic structure containing alternating slabs of a nonlinear right-handed material and a linear left-handed material. We find that the transmission associated with the zero-averaged refractive-index gap exhibits a bista- ble characteristic that is relatively insensitive to incident angles. This is in contrast to the nonlinear behavior of the usual Bragg gap. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 46: 528 -530, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley. com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21037
Converging Pathogenic Mechanisms in Vascular and Neurodegenerative Dementia

Dementia is a common neurological syndrome with a major impact on the health and quality of life of the elderly. Although the causes of dementia are numerous, Alzheimer dementia (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) are responsible for most cases.1 Recent basic and clinical investigations have provided evidence that AD and VaD, traditionally considered distinct clinical and pathophysiological entities, may share common features. In this brief review, we will present these advances and a synthesis, focusing on the impact that this new information may have on the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions. The neuropathology of AD is characterized by β-amyloid deposition in brain parenchyma and blood vessels and by neurofibrillary tangles.2 The Aβ peptide derives from a larger protein, the amyloid precursor protein (APP), that is cleaved by the proteases α and β secretases to produce Aβ1-40 and Aβ1-42.2 In familial forms of AD, mutations in the APP or presenilin genes promote amyloidogenic APP cleavage, leading to increased Aβ production.2 Present models of AD advocate that Aβ accumulation in the tissue produces the neuronal dysfunction and death that underlies the dementia.3 However, the mechanisms by which Aβ produces neuronal dysfunction have not been elucidated in full. Although Aβ is well-known to be cytotoxic,4–6 recent findings in transgenic mice overexpressing APP have demonstrated that Aβ also has profound effects on cerebrovascular regulation. Resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) is reduced in regions of the cerebral cortex and in the hippocampus of APP mice.7 The cerebral vessels of these mice do not respond to vasodilating agents, such as acetylcholine, that act by releasing endothelium-dependent relaxing factors.8 APP mice are unable to keep CBF constant during moderate hypotension or hypertension, indicating a disturbance in cerebrovascular autoregulation.9 Furthermore, the increase in …
Absence of Q waves after thrombolysis predicts more rapid improvement of regional left ventricular dysfunction

Abstract Although the natural history of regional left ventricular (LV) dysfunction after Q-wave and non—Q-wave myocardial infarction (MI) was well defined in the prethrombolytic era, the functional and structural implications of the absence of Q waves after thrombolysis are less clear. Echocardiography was performed within 48 hours of admission (entry) in 86 patients treated with thrombolysis for their first MI. The extent of abnormal wall motion (AWM; square centimeters) and LV endocardial surface area index (ESA i ; square centimeters per square meters) were quantified by using a previously validated echocardiographic endocardial surface-mapping technique. Electrocardiography (ECG) performed at 48 hours after thrombolysis was used to classify patients into groups with (Q; n = 70) and without (non-Q; n = 16) Q waves. All patients in the Q group had regional LV dysfunction on initial echocardiogram compared with 69% of those in the non-Q group ( p p i was not significantly different between the two groups at entry or at follow-up. In conclusion, failure to develop Q waves after thrombolysis predicts a lower likelihood of developing regional LV dysfunction and, when such dysfunction is present, predicts a greater degree of recovery.
Feasibility Study of an On-Board Natural Gas to Dimethyl Ether Reactor for Dimethyl Ether Preinjection and Enhanced Ignition

Dual fuel (CI) engines provide an excellent means of maintaining high thermal efficiency and power while reducing emissions. This is particularly true in situations where the main CI fuel does not exhibit good autoignition characteristics, such as diesel engines operating on natural gas usually in stationary applications such as a pipeline installation. This paper explores the feasibility of chemically synthesizing DMEfrom natural gas on-board and using it as an ignition source for a dual fuel engine. Conversion from diesel to dual fuel operation merits substantial benefits in PM emission reduction. Assuming a 5% pilot amount, a once through process has been modeled and a first law analysis (using practical isentropic efficiencies) demonstrates that this combined system can be operated with a reduction of between 5%-10% of the equivalent diesel efficiency. Significant quantities (∼30 vol %) of hydrogen are introduced to the natural gas as a byproduct of the DME synthesis process. The corresponding increase in combustion efficiency must be validated by experiments to determine DME and H 2 requirements for successful pilot ignition of the natural gas/H 2 mixture.
Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy/Energy-dispersive Spectroscopy Analysis of the Dentin Adhesive Interface Using a Labeled 2-Hydroxyethylmethacrylate Analogue

In an attempt to compare the morphology of the dentin adhesive interface and the wetting and penetration of the adhesive in relation to the dentin surface, we studied four dentin adhesive systems using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). 2-Hydroxyethylmethacrylate (HEMA), a monomer common to many commercial dentin adhesive systems, was altered to produce a thiolated analogue (HETMA). Sulfur, traceable by EDS and STEM, was substituted for the oxygen atom in the backbone of the HEMA molecule. The resulting analogue, with solubility parameters and other wetting and physical properties very similar to those of HEMA, was applied to four sets of tooth specimens, each pre-treated with a different primer or etchant. Three separate pre-treatments-nitric acid, maleic acid, and citric acid/ferric chloride—created a demineralized zone approximately 1 to 3 μm thick at the dentin surface. The HETMA was found to permeate freely into this zone when either of the latt...
High-tailing it to the apical surface. Focus on “Apical targeting of the P2Y4 receptor is directed by hydrophobic and basic residues in the cytoplasmic tail”

epithelial cell function requires the generation and maintenance of polarized apical and basolateral membrane domains with distinct protein and lipid compositions. This asymmetry in membrane composition is essential for myriad cell functions that include substratum adhesion, cell-cell communication
Transfer non-metric measures into metric for similarity search

Similarity search is widely used in multimedia retrieval systems to find the most similar ones for a given object. Some similarity measures, however, are not metric, leading to existing metric index structures cannot be directly used. To address this issue, we propose a simulated-annealing-based technique to derive optimized mapping functions that transfer non-metric measures into metric, and still preserve the original similarity orderings. Then existing metric index structures can be used to speed up similarity search by exploiting the triangular inequality property. The experimental study confirms the efficacy of our approach.
Project management and high‐value superyacht projects: An improvisational and temporal perspective

This article considers specific elements of the project management of high-value deliverables in an under-researched sector. Specifically, it looks at ways in which change is accommodated in comple...
Rapid Deployment of SOA Solutions via Automated Image Replication and Reconfiguration

Deployment is an important aspect of software solutions' life-cycle and is repeatedly employed at many stages including development, testing, delivery, and demonstration. Traditional script-based approaches for deployment are primarily manual and hence error prone, resulting in wasted time and labor. In this paper we propose a framework and approach for faster redeployment of distributed software solutions. In our approach the solution is first deployed on virtual machines using traditional methods. Then environment dependent configurations of the solution are discovered and preserved along with the images of virtual machines. For subsequent deployments, the preserved images are provisioned, and the deployer is provided an opportunity to change a subset of the recorded configurations that cannot be automatically derived e.g. IP addresses, ports. The remaining recorded configurations are derived by executing meta-model level constraints on the solution configuration model. Finally, the virtual machines are updated with new configurations by leveraging the semantics of appropriate scripts. Our framework allows product experts to describe the configuration meta-model, constraints, and script semantics. This product knowledge is specified only once, and is reused across solutions for automatic configuration discovery and re-configuration. We demonstrate with case studies that our approach reduces the time for repeated deployments of a solution from an order of weeks to an order of hours.
Cloacal evaporation: an important and previously undescribed mechanism for avian thermoregulation

SUMMARY We present the first experimental evidence that a bird is capable of evaporating enough water from the cloaca to be important for thermoregulation. We measured rates of evaporation occurring from the mouth, the skin, and the cloaca of Inca doves Columbina inca Lesson and Eurasian quail Coturnix coturnix Linnaeus. Inca doves showed no significant increase in cutaneous evaporation in response to curtailment of buccopharyngeal evaporation. Cloacal evaporation in doves was negligible at ambient temperatures of 30°, 35° and 40°C. However, at 42°C, the apportionment of total evaporation in doves was 53.4% cutaneous, 25.4% buccopharyngeal and 21.2% cloacal, with cloacal evaporation shedding, on average, 150 mW of heat. In contrast, the evaporative apportionment in quail at 32°C (the highest ambient temperature tolerated by this species) was 58.2% cutaneous, 35.4% buccopharyngeal and 6.4% cloacal. These results suggest that, for some birds, cloacal evaporation can be controlled and could serve as an important emergency tactic for thermoregulation at high ambient temperatures.
Spacecraft Angular Velocity and Line-of-Sight Control Using A Single-Gimbal Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyro

It is well known that complete attitude control of a spacecraft is not possible with only one single-gimbal Variable-Speed Control Moment Gyro (VSCMG) due to the conservation of the angular momentum. However, partial attitude control without violating the angular momentum conservation principle is still possible. In this paper, feedback controllers that stabilize the angular velocity vector of a rigid spacecraft with additional partial attitude stabilization using a single VSCMG are presented. A pair of angles is chosen to parameterize all feasible final spacecraft orientations at rest. Based on this parametrization, an LQR control law is designed to locally stabilize the spacecraft angular velocity, while also controlling a given spacecraft body-axis in inertial space. A multi-stage control law is also suggested to achieve the same control objective in the large.
On the effects of window-limits on the distance profiles of permutation neighborhood operators

Local search algorithms, such as simulated annealing, tabu search, and local hill climbers attempt to optimize a solution to a problem by making locally improving modifications to a candidate solution. They rely on a neighborhood operator to restrict the search to a typically small set of possible successor states. The genetic algorithm mutation operator, likewise, enables the exploration of the local neighborhood of candidate solutions within the genetic algorithm's population. In this paper, we profile window-limited variations of several commonly employed neighborhood operators for problems in which candidate solutions are represented as permutations. Window-limited neighborhood operators enable tuning the size of the local neighborhood--e.g., to balance cost of search step against likelihood of getting stuck in a local optima. Window limits potentially can even be adjusted dynamically during search--e.g., to give a stagnated search a "kick." We provide profiles of the distance characteristics of window-limited variations of several of the more common permutation neighborhood operators.
'First Bite' and the Private Benefit Doctrine: A Comment on Temporary and Proposed Regulation 53.4958-4t(A)(3)

Temporary and Proposed Regulation 53.4958-4T(a)(3), promulgated in 2001, allows an eventual insider to collect profits earned by a charitable organization. As long as profit taking is accomplished via a contract entered into before the recipient is an insider - even when the recipient becomes an insider by virtue of the very contract allowing for the profit distribution - the fundamental requirement that no person may earn a profit from the operation of a charity will not be violated. If, indeed, the recipient becomes an insider by virtue of the contract or arrangement by which profit is first collected, any subsequent profit taking via an unrelated contract or other arrangement will constitute a violation. Hence, the latter day insider is allowed a "first bite" at the charity's profit. Although the Service opposed the first bite rule in the first set of regulations proposed under IRC 4958, it later conceded the rule after its loss in United Cancer Council, Inc. v. Commissioner, 165 F.3d 1173 (7th Cir. 1999). In that case, Judge Posner reasoned that there was no private inurement when an outside fundraiser took (as commission and reimbursement for expenses) 95% of the contributions made to a charitable organization. The Service agreed that the fundraiser was not an insider prior to becoming the charity's exclusive fundraiser. The Service argued, not without factual support, that the fundraiser became an insider by virtue of the fundraising contract, since the contract ceded significant control over the charity's operations to the fundraiser. Judge Posner, adopting a rather literalist approach, noted that the prohibition against private inurement applies only to those who are insiders. The implication was that the right to the profit (rather than the actual taking of the profit) must occur after the recipient is an insider if a violation of the profit-taking prohibition is to be found. Instead of continuing its opposition to the first bite rule, the Service adopted it in 53.4958-4T(a)(3). Judge Posner's opinion, however, cannot be viewed as condoning profit taking. Instead, the opinion asserts that the prohibition against private inurement was the wrong theory. The prohibition against private benefit, according to Posner, is the correct theory. But the private benefit doctrine, as presently articulated in the regulations, will not prohibit first bite profit taking in most instances. Judge Posner assumed otherwise. In any event, once the Service decided to adopt the first bite rule, it should also have re-stated the private benefit doctrine in a manner necessary to effectuate Judge Posner's assumption that profit taking may be addressed under that theory. The Service did not do so. This article contains a proposal for restating the private benefit doctrine in a manner that will close the loophole created by the first bite rule. The substance of the proposal was presented to the Service at a July 31, 2001 public hearing concerning the IRC 4958 regulations.
Analysis of a United States observational registry of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients (pts): reGISTry

20508 Background: Most data on treatment of GIST pts were derived from clinical studies, reflecting practice at academic referral centers. The reGISTry, an observational, internet-based database in...
Effects of Electric Barrier on Passage and Physical Condition of Juvenile and Adult Rainbow Trout

Abstract Electric barriers can inhibit passage and injure fish. Few data exist on electric barrier parameters that minimize these impacts and on how body size affects susceptibility, especially to nontarget fish species. The goal of this study was to determine electric barrier voltage and pulse-width settings that inhibit passage of larger bodied rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (215–410 mm fork length) while allowing passage of smaller bodied juvenile rainbow trout (52–126 mm) in a static laboratory setting. We exposed rainbow trout to 30-Hz pulsed-direct current voltage gradients (0.00–0.45 V cm−1) and pulse widths (0.0–0.7 ms) and recorded their movement, injury incidence, and mortality. No settings tested allowed all juveniles to pass while impeding all adult passage. Juvenile and adult rainbow trout avoided the barrier at higher pulse widths, and fewer rainbow trout passed the barrier at 0.7-ms pulse width compared to 0.1 ms and when the barrier was turned off. We found no effect of voltage gradient...
Ecstasy (MDMA) Alters Cardiac Gene Expression and DNA Methylation: Implications for Circadian Rhythm Dysfunction in the Heart

MDMA (ecstasy) is an illicit drug that stimulates monoamine neurotransmitter release and inhibits reuptake. MDMA's acute cardiotoxicity includes tachycardia and arrhythmia which are associated with cardiomyopathy. MDMA acute cardiotoxicity has been explored, but neither long-term MDMA cardiac pathological changes nor epigenetic changes have been evaluated. Microarray analyses were employed to identify cardiac gene expression changes and epigenetic DNA methylation changes. To identify permanent MDMA-induced pathogenetic changes, mice received daily 10- or 35-day MDMA, or daily 10-day MDMA followed by 25-day saline washout (10 + 25 days). MDMA treatment caused differential gene expression (p 1.5) in 752 genes following 10 days, 558 genes following 35 days, and 113 genes following 10-day MDMA + 25-day saline washout. Changes in MAPK and circadian rhythm gene expression were identified as early as 10 days. After 35 days, circadian rhythm genes (Per3, CLOCK, ARNTL, and NPAS2) persisted to be differentially expressed. MDMA caused DNA hypermethylation and hypomethylation that was independent of gene expression; hypermethylation of genes was found to be 71% at 10 days, 68% at 35 days, and 91% at 10 + 25 days washout. Differential gene expression paralleled DNA methylation in 22% of genes at 10-day treatment, 17% at 35 days, and 48% at 10 + 25 days washout. We show here that MDMA induced cardiac epigenetic changes in DNA methylation where hypermethylation predominated. Moreover, MDMA induced gene expression of key elements of circadian rhythm regulatory genes. This suggests a fundamental organism-level event to explain some of the etiologies of MDMA dysfunction in the heart.
Import Source Reallocation and US Manufacturing Employment, 1972-2001

Examining trade-related employment dynamics, we focus on the potential employment effects of shifts in import sources from relatively high- to low-income nations. Data for 384 6-digit NAICS US manufacturing industries that span the years 1972-2001 are utilized. Increased import penetration is found to reduce both production and non-production employment; however, such job loss is countered by export-led job creation. Extending the literature, we report that reallocation of import sources from high- to low-income nations reduces manufacturing employment, and when shifts in import sources coincide with rising import penetration the result is an acceleration of job loss.
God and Dun & Bradstreet, 1841–1851

The curious fusion of business failure and evangelical Christianity that initiated the United States' largest credit-reporting agency is explored in this portrait of The Mercantile Agency's founder, Lewis Tappan.
CORR Insights®: Is It Possible and Safe to Perform Acetabular-preserving Resections for Malignant Neoplasms of the Periacetabular Region?

This CORR Insights®is a commentary on the article “Is It Possible and Safe to Perform Acetabular-preserving Resections for Malignant Neoplasms of the Periacetabular Region?” by Lam and colleagues available at: DOI: 10.1007/s11999-016-4792-5 . The author certifies that he, or a member of his immediate family, has no funding or commercial associations (eg, consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request. The opinions expressed are those of the writers, and do not reflect the opinion or policy of CORR® or The Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons®. This CORR Insights® comment refers to the article available at DOI: 10.1007/s11999-016-4792-5 .
108 THE COOPERATIVE EFFECTS OF SILIBININ IN COMBINATION WITH IONIZING RADIATION AGAINST HUMAN BLADDER CANCER.

Bladder cancer is currently the sixth most common cancer in the United States. Treatments for invasive disease include surgical cystectomy and organ preservation with chemoradiation with suboptimal results and significant acute and chronic toxicity. Alternative therapies that address specific pathways leading to bladder cancer growth and invasion might provide better local/regional control and reduce distant spread. To this end, silibinin, a naturally derived flavonoid from milk-thistle, has been shown to arrest cell growth, have purported antioxidant properties, and cause apoptosis in human bladder transitional cell carcinoma cells. Silibinin has also been shown to markedly increase UVB-induced apoptosis in mouse epithelial-JB6 cells, up-regulating proapoptotic pathways. Determine the efficacy and optimal in vitro dosing of silibinin in combination with single-fraction, ionizing radiation in the treatment of bladder cancer. Six human bladder cancer cell lines (3HTB, HT1376, J82, RT4, TCC-SUP, and T24) were used, representing different grades and histologic types of bladder cancer. The silibinin doses examined ranged from 20 to 160 μM and the radiation doses from 0 to 6 Gray (Gy) at 60 keV. The silibinin was given concurrently to radiation exposure as well as 2 and 24 hours pre- and post-radiation treatment. Cell viability was determined 96 hours from the time of radiation treatment using a tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay. Individually, silibinin and radiation decreased cell viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. At silibinin doses of 40 to 80 μM the effect of the silibinin and radiation was mildly additive when given concurrently. Considering the antioxidant properties of silibinin it was hypothesized that timing of the exposure of silibinin in relation to radiation was important to its efficacy. At time points when silibinin was added prior to radiation, results were inconclusive, perhaps due to the mixed effects of protection and additive toxicity. At time points when silibinin was added after radiation, a pattern suggestive of increased toxicity was observed, consistent with the known proapoptotic action of silibinin. These data suggest that single-agent silibinin inhibits cell viability in bladder cancer cells at high, sustained doses. Furthermore, this work suggests that silibinin may be an effective adjuvant to radiation when given after radiotherapy. Future studies in this area should focus on longer-duration experiments, fractionated radiation, the use of clonogenic assays to better characterize the radiation effect, and additional time points to establish the most efficacious treatment approaches.
Local Basal Ganglia and Brain Stem Blood Flow in the Head Injured Patient Using Stable Xenon Enhanced CT Scanning

Various lesions have been described in patients who do not survive brain injury (Adams et al., 1972). The areas of brain involved, however, have proven difficult to evaluate on standard computerized tomography (CT) scan or by regional isotopic blood flow studies obtained with external detectors.
A revision of the genus Syagrus (Arecaceae)

Presented here is a taxonomic revision of the Neotropical palm genus Syagrus (Arecaceae, Arecoideae, Cocoseae, Attaleinae), which is mostly from South America and primarily from Brazil. The history of the genus is reviewed. The revision includes a key, a complete list of synonymy, species descriptions, a list of specimens, distribution maps, color plates, and a conservation assessment of each species. Included herein are 65 species, 2 subspecies, and 14 natural hybrids. Of these palms, one is new ( Syagrus pimentae ); three are new combinations ( S. cataphracta, S. elata, S. × dickensonii ); and two have changed their status ( S. graminifolia subsp. graminifolia and S. graminifolia subsp. glazioviana ). Of the fourteen naturally occurring hybrids, eleven have hybrid names and three do not. This revision is an important contribution to the taxonomy and identification of Syagrus species from South America and the Caribbean, and is the culmination of many years of lab and fieldwork.
Sleep, Alcohol, and Quality of Life

Alcohol disrupts sleep even in healthy individuals, and when consumed in excessive amounts for long periods, the sleep disturbance remains even after prolonged abstinence. Disturbed sleep is an important factor contributing to poor quality of life (QoL) in clinical samples of alcohol-dependent subjects as well as in population-based samples. Relapse to alcoholism, which clearly lessens QoL, is associated with disturbed sleep in both prospective treatment and population-based studies. However, these alcohol, sleep, and QoL associations found in treatment and population studies are confounded by other risky health behaviors and co-morbid medical and psychiatric diseases. Controlled laboratory studies have documented the sleep-disruptive effects of alcohol and its impairing effects on functioning the following day. The exacerbating effects of alcohol on sleep-related breathing disorders and an increased association of periodic leg movements with alcoholism have also been well documented. And each of these primary sleep disorders are known for their own impairing effects on daytime function. Finally, and most importantly from a public health perspective, studies have demonstrated that reduced sleep and increased daytime sleepiness, not due to alcohol consumption, will enhance the impairing effects of alcohol.
Beyond P NP =NEXP

Buhrman and Torenvliet created an oracle relative to which P NP =NEXP and thus P NP =P NEXP . Their proof uses a delicate finite injury argument that leads to a nonrecursive oracle. We simplify their proof removing the injury to create a recursive oracle making P NP =NEXP. In addition, in our construction we can make P=UP=NP∩coNP. This leads to the curious situation where LOW(NP)=P but LOW(P NP )=NEXP, and the complete ≤ m p -degree for P NP collapses to a p-isomorphism type.
The Revolutionary Theater of Power: Precedence and Etiquette

The revolution repudiated the ceremonial associated with the old regime and permeated by the aristocratic code. In particular the revolutionaries attacked both precedence and etiquette. They derided what Rousseau deemed the “perfidious veil of politeness.” Perfect politeness could be nothing but a “sign of corruption.” Practical considerations and ideological constraints led the revolutionaries to erect a new theater of power. The struggle between the old and the new was enacted on this symbolic battleground. Predictably, many revolutionary diplomats deliberately and impudently broke the formerly accepted rules of diplomatic conduct. The revolutionaries saw the new ceremony as legitimating the revolution and underlining its power. The reshaping of diplomatic procedures in the revolutionary mold, however, underscored and widened the gulf between France and the rest of Europe.
Technological Systems and Economic Growth: Comparing Finland, Sweden, Japan, and the United States

The purpose of this paper is to compare Finland’s technical and economic performance over the last 20 years to that of Sweden, Japan, and the United States within the context of a discussion of the Finnish national system of innovation, to comment upon the usefulness of the concept of technological systems as distinct from national systems of innovation, and to suggest areas for further research.
Phytochrome control of rapid nyctinastic movements and membrane permeability in Albizzia julibrissin

The rapid nyctinastic movements of Albizzia julibrissin pinnules are under the control of phytochrome. When given prior to a dark period, red light facilitates and far-red light inhibits pinnule closure in the dark. These light effects are mutually photoreversible. The opening reaction of the pinnules following a dark period is mediated mainly by blue light. The nyctinastic closure response is accompanied by an increased rate of electrolyte efflux from the cut pinna base. This observation, coupled with the fact that the rapid nyctinastic movement is not affected by actinomycin D, supports the view that phytochrome control of the sleep movement is not mediated through effects on RNA metabolism, but rather through changes in membrane permeability.
OD-NETBAND: An Approach for Origin–Destination Based Network Progression Band Optimization:

Traditional progression band optimization methods are focused on providing uninterrupted flow along arterial streets. For arterials with significant traffic streams joining and leaving from side st...
In Search of Belonging: Latinas, Media, and Citizenship by Jillian Báez

In Search of Belonging begins as the author, Jillian Baez, recounts watching West Side Story with her parents. When Baez was a child, this film offered her insight into the lives of her Puerto Rica...
Reconstructing the life-cycle of a mixed language: An exploration of Ecuadoran Media Lengua

Aims and objectives:This study explores the assertion that bilingual mixed languages are only diachronically stable if they are not spoken together with both of the contributing source languages. E...
Electrochemistry of S Adlayers at Underpotentially Deposited Cd on Au(111): Implications for the Electrosynthesis of High-Quality CdS Thin Films

We report an electrochemical, scanning probe microscopic, and Raman spectroscopic investigation of thin CdS films grown by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy aimed at understanding the role played by the order of deposition on film quality. Using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), we determine the atomic level structure of the first three monolayers of CdS for Cd-first films. The initial Cd underpotential deposition layer forms a stable ( )−Au(111) adlattice in which the two unique nearest neighbor spacings are 0.33 and 0.29 nm. When H2S is electrolyzed at this surface at underpotential, an adlattice is produced in which the S−S interatomic spacing is 0.34 nm. The unit cell of this structure is ( ) with respect to Au(111). Both the Cd and S monolayers appear to be nearly closest-packed, in contrast to the more open structures observed in the S-first films. Interestingly, the second monolayers of Cd and S were found to have the same structure as in the first monolayer of CdS, implying that the firs...
Abstract 4113: Quantitative cell-based bioassays to advance immunotherapy programs targeting immune checkpoint receptors

The human immune system is comprised of a complex network of immune checkpoint receptors that are promising new immunotherapy targets for the treatment of a variety of cancers and autoimmune disorders. The Nobel prize for Medicine in 2018 was awarded for seminal studies on the role of immune checkpoint targets in T cell activation and furthermore, combining different strategies to release the brakes on the immune system with the aim of eliminating tumor cells even more efficiently. Immunotherapies designed to block co-inhibitory receptors (e.g. PD-1, CTLA-4, TIGIT) are showing unprecedented efficacy in the treatment of cancer. However, not all patients and tumor types respond to this approach. This has resulted in broadening of immunotherapy research programs to target additional co-inhibitory (e.g. LAG-3, TIM-3) and co-stimulatory (e.g. 4-1BB, GITR, OX40, ICOS) receptors individually and in combination. A major challenge in the development of antibody-based biologics is access to quantitative and reproducible functional bioassays. Existing methods rely on primary cells and measurement of complex functional endpoints. These assays are cumbersome, highly variable and fail to yield data required for drug development in a quality-controlled environment. To address this need, we have developed a suite of cell-based functional bioassays to interrogate modulation of immune checkpoint receptors individually (e.g. PD-1, LAG-3, TIM-3, GITR, 4-1BB) and in combination (e.g. PD-1+CTLA-4, PD-1+LAG-3). These assays consist of stable cell lines that express luciferase reporters driven by response elements under the precise control of mechanistically relevant intracellular signals. Thus, the bioassays reflect mechanisms of action for the drug candidates designed for each immune checkpoint receptor and demonstrate high specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility. Here we describe the application of MoA-based immune checkpoint receptor bioassays as tools for biologics drug discovery, development, potency and stability studies. Citation Format: Jamison Grailer, Julia Gilden, Pete Stecha, Denise Garvin, Jun Wang, Michael Beck, Jim Hartnett, Gopal Krishnan, Frank Fan, Mei Cong, Zhi-jie Jey Cheng. Quantitative cell-based bioassays to advance immunotherapy programs targeting immune checkpoint receptors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4113.
Stock price crash risk and CEO power: Firm-level analysis

Abstract This study examines the impact of stock price crash risk on future CEO power. Using a large panel sample with 17,816 firm-year observations, we posit and find a significant negative impact of stock price crash risk on CEO power, suggesting that CEO power becomes smaller after stock price crashes. We also find that our results are stronger for firms with female CEOs and are largely driven by firms with shorter-tenure CEOs. In addition, we find that the significant negative impact of stock price crash risk on CEO power is diminished for firms with strong corporate governance. Our study responds to the call in Habib, Hasan, and Jiang (2018) by providing more empirical evidence on the consequences of stock price crash risk.
Increasing Dietary Carbohydrate as Part of a Healthy Whole Food Diet Intervention Dampens Eight Week Changes in Salivary Cortisol and Cortisol Responsiveness.

It is largely unknown whether and how whole food diets influence psychological stress and stress system responsiveness. To better understand the effects of whole diets on stress system responsiveness, we examined randomized control trial effects of a whole food diet based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) on cortisol responsiveness. A randomized, double-blind, controlled 8-week intervention was conducted in overweight and obese women to examine differentiated effects between two diet intervention groups: one based on the 2010 DGA and the other one based on a typical American diet (TAD). During a test week that occurred at baseline and again after 8 weeks of the intervention, we assessed salivary cortisol collected at 14 selected times across the day, including upon awakening, at bedtime, and during a test visit, and administered a standardized social stress task (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST). There were no statistical differences between the diet groups in salivary cortisol at baseline or after 8 weeks. However, when considering differences in dietary carbohydrate, but not fat or protein, from the pre-intervention (habitual) to the intervention period, there was a significant (P = 0.0001) interaction between diet group, intervention week, saliva sample, and level of intervention-based change in carbohydrate consumption. This interaction was reflected primarily by an 8-week reduction in salivary cortisol during a period just prior to (log Δ −0.35 ± 0.12 nmol/L) and 30 (log Δ −0.49 ± 0.12 nmol/L), 60 (log Δ −0.50 ± 0.13 nmol/L), 90 (log Δ −0.51 ± 0.13 nmol/L), and 120 (log Δ −0.4476 ± 0.1231 nmol/L) min after the TSST in the DGA group having the highest increase (90th percentile) in carbohydrate consumption. In support of this finding, we also found significant (P < 0.05) and inverse linear associations between dietary carbohydrate and log salivary cortisol, with the strongest negative association (β: −0.004 ± 0.0015, P = 0.009) occurring at 30 min post-TSST, but only in the DGA group and at week 9 of the intervention. Together, increasing dietary carbohydrate as part of a DGA-based diet may reduce circulating cortisol and dampen psychological stress-related cortisol responsiveness.
Using extremal events to characterize noisy time series

Experimental time series provide an informative window into the underlying dynamical system, and the timing of the extrema of a time series (or its derivative) contains information about its structure. However, the time series often contain significant measurement errors. We describe a method for characterizing a time series for any assumed level of measurement error [Formula: see text] by a sequence of intervals, each of which is guaranteed to contain an extremum for any function that [Formula: see text]-approximates the time series. Based on the merge tree of a continuous function, we define a new object called the normalized branch decomposition, which allows us to compute intervals for any level [Formula: see text]. We show that there is a well-defined total order on these intervals for a single time series, and that it is naturally extended to a partial order across a collection of time series comprising a dataset. We use the order of the extracted intervals in two applications. First, the partial order describing a single dataset can be used to pattern match against switching model output (Cummins et al. in SIAM J Appl Dyn Syst 17(2):1589-1616, 2018), which allows the rejection of a network model. Second, the comparison between graph distances of the partial orders of different datasets can be used to quantify similarity between biological replicates.