cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BALB/c-3T3 fibroblasts resistant to growth inhibition by beta interferon exhibit aberrant platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and fibroblast growth factor signal transduction.

Abstract Several lines of evidence now exist to suggest an interaction between the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) growth-stimulatory signal transduction pathway and the beta interferon (IFN-beta) growth-inhibitory signal transduction pathway. The most direct examples are inhibition of PDGF-mediated gene induction and mitogenesis by IFN-beta and the effects of activators and inhibitors of the IFN-inducible double-stranded RNA-dependent eIF2 kinase on expression of PDGF-inducible genes. To further investigate the nature of this PDGF/IFN-beta interaction, we selected BALB/c-3T3 cells for resistance to growth inhibition by IFN-beta and analyzed the phenotypes of resulting clonal lines (called IRB cells) with respect to PDGF signal transduction. Although selected only for IFN resistance, the IRB cells were found to be defective for induction of growth-related genes c-fos, c-myc and JE in response to PDGF. This block to signal transduction was not due to loss or inactivation of PDGF receptors, as immunoprecipitation of PDGF receptors with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies showed them to be present at equal levels in the BALB/c-3T3 and IRB cells and to be autophosphorylated normally in response to PDGF. Furthermore, treatment with other peptide growth factors (PDGF-AA, fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor) also failed to induce c-fos, c-myc, or JE expression in IRB cells. All of these growth factors, however, were able to induce another early growth-related gene, Egr-1. The block to signaling was not due to a defect in inositol phosphate metabolism, as PDGF treatment induced normal calcium mobilization and phosphotidylinositol-3-kinase activation in these cells. Activation of protein kinase C by phorbol esters did induce c-fos, c-myc, and JE in IRB cells, indicating that signalling pathways distal to this enzyme remained intact. We have previously shown that IFN-inducible enzyme activities, including double-stranded RNA-dependent eIF2 kinase and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase, are normal in IRB cells. The finding that the induction of multiple growth-related genes by several independent growth factors is inhibited in these IFN-resistant cells suggests that there is a second messenger common to both growth factor and IFN signaling pathways and that this messenger is defective in these cells.
Asymptotic stability of discrete-time systems with saturation nonlinearities with applications to digital filters

New results for an established for the global asymptotic stability of the equilibrium x=0 of nth order discrete-time systems with state saturations, x(k+1)=sat(Ax(k)), utilizing a class of positive definite and radially unbounded Lyapunov functions, v. When v is a quadratic form, necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained under which positive definite matrices H can be used to generate a Lyapunov function v(w)=w/sup T/Hw with the properties that v(Aw(k)) is negative semidefinite, and that v(sat(w)) >
Aging Well With Friends and Family.

Aging encourages people to enhance their friend and family relationships. In general, the elderly tend to have more heterogeneity in relationships as they grow older. They depend on these relationships for instrumental, financial and emotional support. As a result, older adults who have many friends and have close ties with their families are more socially and psychologically well-adjusted than those who are alienated from their networks.
Sliding mode control of the systems with uncertain direction of control vector

The sliding mode control approach is used for a class of nonlinear systems x/spl dot/=f(t,x)+B(t,x)u with uncertain matrix B. The control design is based on the partition of the extended system state space onto the cells with fixed control vector inside each cell. That results in multiple stable equilibriums for the extended system. In general, these points are different for different values of B. Each equilibrium corresponds to the stability of the origin for the given system, If areas of attraction for the multiple stability points covers the entire state space the proposed control allows to stabilize the system even if the direction of the actuation is unknown. >
Politics in Time: History, Institutions, and Social Analysis

Politics in Time: History, Institutions, and Social Analysis , Paul Pierson, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. xii, 196. Political scientists of the world unite against the decontextual revolution; you have nothing to lose but your n ! Okay, there is no such call to arms in Paul Pierson's important new work, but his book is a well-crafted shot across the bow of the dominant strains in political science. As Pierson sees it, too much of political science scholarship rips politics from its historical and institutional context for the sake of generating carefully bounded causal arguments that are often misleading, if not dead wrong, about the sources and effects of political stability and change. Thus, the aim of Politics in Time is to critique and offer an alternative approach to the tendency of analyzing politics by “reducing a moving picture to a snapshot” (104).
Atlas of defects and faults of turbogenerators

Photographs and drawings of 112 defects and faults of turbogenerators are analyzed and systematized. Diagnostic parameters and features are presented. Criteria of impermissibility of a defect or a fault, causes and consequences of its appearance, methods of detection, and examples are discussed.
Nitric oxide and redox mechanisms in the immune response

The role of redox molecules, such as NO and ROS, as key mediators of immunity has recently garnered renewed interest and appreciation. To regulate immune responses, these species trigger the eradication of pathogens on the one hand and modulate immunosuppression during tissue-restoration and wound-healing processes on the other. In the acidic environment of the phagosome, a variety of RNS and ROS is produced, thereby providing a cauldron of redox chemistry, which is the first line in fighting infection. Interestingly, fluctuations in the levels of these same reactive intermediates orchestrate other phases of the immune response. NO activates specific signal transduction pathways in tumor cells, endothelial cells, and monocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. As ROS can react directly with NO-forming RNS, NO bioavailability and therefore, NO response(s) are changed. The NO/ROS balance is also important during Th1 to Th2 transition. In this review, we discuss the chemistry of NO and ROS in the context of antipathogen activity and immune regulation and also discuss similarities and differences between murine and human production of these intermediates.
Is Bacteroid α-Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Needed for Nitrogen Fixation?

An α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase-deficient mutant of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, the endosymbiont of soybean, is delayed in early symbiotic development, but eventually forms normal, acetylene-reducing bacteroids. This result suggests that B. japonicum bacteroids are not as dependent on the energy-yielding functions of the TCA cycle as previously believed, and raises the possibility that other routes for malate and succinate catabolism could be important during symbiotic nitrogen fixation.
The Verification of the Peaceful Nature of Iran’s Nuclear Program

This chapter reviews the history of defiance of Iran to heed to the requests of the international community to clarify the scope and nature of Iran’s nuclear program. Since it became public in 2002–2003 that Iran had violated its safeguards obligations and was building an enrichment plant in Natanz and a 40 MWt heavy-water reactor at Arak, the EU3 (France, Germany and the United Kingdom) embarked on a diplomatic process to stop Iran from moving closer to a nuclear weapons capability. The process negotiation process was replaced by the efforts of P5+1 (EU3 plus China, Russia, USA) during which the case was deferred from the IAEA to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). In spite of several UNSC resolutions, and increasing sanctions and diplomatic efforts, Iran has not agreed to the verification requests. The paper describes technical measures on how Iran can restore, through the IAEA verification process, the peaceful nature of its nuclear program. The article proposes an alternative path: the policy of openness and cooperation, which will bring about the transparency that is required about the scope and content of Iran’s nuclear program. By selecting this path, Iran can demonstrate that it follows the spirit of the NPT, fulfills its legal obligations, and can without ambiguities enjoy its legitimate rights under the Treaty.
Does Ethnicity Matter? A Study of Ethnic Pluralism and Political Instability in Africa

The prevalence of intrastate violence in Africa makes understanding the sources of instability particularly important to conflict prevention. Why is civil violence more common in Africa? What causes African countries to be more politically unstable? Recent research on civil conflict has increasingly incorporated measures of ethnic pluralism to account for variation in levels of political violence. This work has generated a debate about whether and how ethnic pluralism matters. Easterly and Levine (1997), for example, argue that higher levels of ethnic diversity encourage instability. Collier (2000) instead finds that the likelihood of civil unrest decreases at high levels of ethnic diversity. Englebert (2000) contends that as the result of their simplistic view of ethnic identity and the empirical fragility of the indices they use, theories of ethnic fractionalization fail to explain why some countries are more prone to political violence than others. In this paper, I conduct my own study of the effects of ethnic diversity on events of political instability. I examine whether the empirical shortcomings of current measures of ethnic diversity do in fact detract from the explanatory power of the variable or whether ethnic heterogeneity can determine the likelihood of civil unrest. My goal is to systematically expand on Englebert's hypothesis that ethnic heterogeneity is a weak predictor of economic stagnation in Africa and test how well ethnic pluralism predicts civil unrest.
Myalgias and arthralgias associated with paclitaxel.

Paclitaxel-induced myalgias and arthralgias occur in a significant fraction of patients receiving therapy with this taxane, potentially impairing physical function and quality of life. Paclitaxel-induced myalgias and arthralgias are related to individual doses; associations with the cumulative dose and infusion duration are less clear. Identification of risk factors for myalgias and arthralgias could distinguish a group of patients at greater risk, leading to minimization of myalgias and arthralgias through the use of preventive therapies. Optimal pharmacologic treatment and possibilities for the prevention of myalgias and arthralgias associated with paclitaxel are unclear, partially due to the small number of patients treated with any one medication. The effectiveness of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is the most frequently documented pharmacologic intervention, although no clear choice exists for patients who fail to respond to NSAIDs. However, the increasing use of weekly paclitaxel could necessitate daily administration of NSAIDs for myalgias and arthralgias and leave patients at risk for adverse effects. This concern may also limit the use of corticosteroids for the prevention and treatment of paclitaxel-induced myalgias and arthralgias. Data from case reports suggest that gabapentin (Neurontin), glutamine, and, potentially, antihistamines (eg, fexofenadine [Allegra]) could be used to treat and/or prevent myalgias and arthralgias. Given the safety profile of these medications, considerable enthusiasm exists for evaluating their effectiveness in the prevention and treatment of paclitaxel myalgias and arthralgias, particularly in the setting of weekly paclitaxel administration.
TGFβ, TGFβ receptors, Ki-67, and p27Kip1 expression in papillary thyroid carcinomas

Although most papillary thyroid carcinomas behave as low-grade neoplasms and are generally associated with a good prognosis, some subgroups of these neoplasms represent more aggressive variants. In order to determine if differences in the behavior of these papillary carcinomas were related to expression of growth factors or cell-cycle proteins, we analyzed a series of papillary carcinomas including the conventional or usual type (n=27), tall cell (n=27), diffuse sclerosing (n=5), and columnar cell (n=2) variants for expression of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ), TGFβ receptors (TGFβ-RI and II, the proliferation marker Ki-67, and for the cell-cycle inhibitory protein p27Kip1 (p27). All groups of thyroid tumors expressed TGFβ and TGFβ-RI and RII by immunohistochemical staining. These was a marked increase in the Ki-67 labeling index after staining with antibody MIB-1 in the columnar cell tumors compared to the other groups, but this difference was not significant because of the small number of tumors in this group. The cell-cycle inhibitory protein p27 was expressed in all groups and was not significantly different between groups. Normal thyroid cells had a higher labeling index for p27 compared to papillary carcinomas. These results indicate that TGFβ and TGFβ receptors I and II are commonly expressed in the usual and in variant forms of papillary thyroid carcinomas, and that there is decreased expression of p27 protein in all of these neoplasms compared to normal thyroid. The biological basis for the more aggressive behavior of these variants of papillary thyroid carcinoma remains uncertain.
DNA methyltransferase inhibition increases efficacy of adoptive cellular immunotherapy of murine breast cancer

Adoptive T cell immunotherapy is a promising approach to cancer treatment that currently has limited clinical applications. DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNAMTi) have known potential to affect the immune system through multiple mechanisms that could enhance the cytotoxic T cell responses, including: upregulation of tumor antigen expression, increased MHC class I expression, and blunting of myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) expansion. In this study, we have investigated the effect of combining the DNAMTi, decitabine, with adoptive T cell immunotherapy in the murine 4T1 mammary carcinoma model. We found that expression of neu, MHC class I molecules, and several murine cancer testis antigens (CTA) was increased by decitabine treatment of 4T1 cells in vitro. Decitabine also increased expression of multiple CTA in two human breast cancer cell lines. Decitabine-treated 4T1 cells stimulated greater IFN-gamma release from tumor-sensitized lymphocytes, implying increased immunogenicity. Expansion of CD11b + Gr1 + MDSC in 4T1 tumor-bearing mice was significantly diminished by decitabine treatment. Decitabine treatment improved the efficacy of adoptive T cell immunotherapy in mice with established 4T1 tumors, with greater inhibition of tumor growth and an increased cure rate. Decitabine may have a role in combination with existing and emerging immunotherapies for breast cancer.
Clinical genetics and genetic counseling in Alzheimer's disease

Because of growing evidence for genetic causes of Alzheimer's disease, clinicians are of'ten asked about risks for this disorder among relatives of patients. This paper briefly reviews the evidence For genetic and other causes of Alzheimer's disease, including specifically its typical late-onset variant. Several recent developments in the molecular genetics of early-onset Alzheimer's disease are described briefly. These findings, however, may not apply to more
Applications of Differentiation

This chapter explains how the derivative of a function is a useful tool for studying the behavior of the function itself. It discusses where the function increases and decreases and where it assumes maximal and minimal values. When the functions studied measure economic behavior, this mathematical analysis can be used to determine how profit can be maximised, how cost can be minimised, and how taxation affects an economy. Information about the graph of a function measuring economic phenomena enables one to estimate general economic trends. Knowing where a function increases and decreases, where it is concave upwards or concave downwards, and where the location of its relative extrema and inflection points are essential to accurately sketch any curve y = f(x) . It is also important to know what f(x) looks like at intervals containing its points of discontinuity. The computation of infinite limits indicates what the behavior of the function is as x → ∞ and as x → – ∞.
Vote-Counting Methods

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses vote-counting methods. The vote-counting methods described in this chapter differ from the vote-counting or box-score techniques that are sometimes used in research reviews. The conventional vote-counting or box-score review attempts to draw inferences about the existence of treatment effects by sorting studies into categories according to the outcome of tests of hypotheses reported in the studies. The inference procedures used in conventional vote-counting procedures are inherently flawed and are likely to be misleading. The chapter discusses statistical methods for the analysis of vote-count data that provide explicit estimates of effect magnitude parameters such as the correlation coefficient or standardized mean difference. Vote-counting methods are partially parametric in the sense that they permit inferences about scale-invariant indices of effect size. Conventional vote-counting or box-score methodology uses the outcome of the test of significance in a series of replicated studies to draw conclusions about the magnitude of the treatment effect.
Thermal stability of insulation for extra high voltage direct current service

The theory of thermal instability was first analyzed in detail by Wagner.1 He assumed that thermal instability occurred locally due to a concentration of current in highly conductive filaments. His results indicate that the breakdown voltage is proportional to the thickness of the insulation. Wagner's theory was later supplemented by Rogowski,2 who introduced a term involving the voltage gradient in order to bring the theoretical results in line with the experimental evidence available at that time. The effects of field strength were disregarded by other authors until recent times. Further work was done on the equations for thermal equilibrium in solid insulation by Dreyfus.3 The first broad treatment of electrothermal breakdown was carried out by Fock,4 who considered both thin and thick specimens. He indicates that for thin specimens the breakdown voltage is proportional to the square root of the thickness, while for thick specimens the breakdown voltage is independent of the thickness. Fock's calculations were later simplified by Moon.5
Molecular and physiological evidence of genetic assimilation to high CO2 in the marine nitrogen fixer Trichodesmium

Most investigations of biogeochemically important microbes have focused on plastic (short-term) phenotypic responses in the absence of genetic change, whereas few have investigated adaptive (long-term) responses. However, no studies to date have investigated the molecular progression underlying the transition from plasticity to adaptation under elevated CO2 for a marine nitrogen-fixer. To address this gap, we cultured the globally important cyanobacterium Trichodesmium at both low and high CO2 for 4.5 y, followed by reciprocal transplantation experiments to test for adaptation. Intriguingly, fitness actually increased in all high-CO2 adapted cell lines in the ancestral environment upon reciprocal transplantation. By leveraging coordinated phenotypic and transcriptomic profiles, we identified expression changes and pathway enrichments that rapidly responded to elevated CO2 and were maintained upon adaptation, providing strong evidence for genetic assimilation. These candidate genes and pathways included those involved in photosystems, transcriptional regulation, cell signaling, carbon/nitrogen storage, and energy metabolism. Conversely, significant changes in specific sigma factor expression were only observed upon adaptation. These data reveal genetic assimilation as a potentially adaptive response of Trichodesmium and importantly elucidate underlying metabolic pathways paralleling the fixation of the plastic phenotype upon adaptation, thereby contributing to the few available data demonstrating genetic assimilation in microbial photoautotrophs. These molecular insights are thus critical for identifying pathways under selection as drivers in plasticity and adaptation.
Engineering 3D-Bioplotted scaffolds to induce aligned extracellular matrix deposition for musculoskeletal soft tissue replacement.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine approaches have the potential to overcome the challenges associated with current treatment strategies for meniscus injuries. 3D-Bioplotted scaffolds are promising, but have not demonstrated the ability to guide the formation of aligned collagenous matrix in vivo, which is critical for generating functional meniscus tissue. In this study, we evaluate the ability of 3D-Bioplotted scaffold designs with varying interstrand spacing to induce the deposition of aligned matrix in vivo. Materials and Methods: 3D-Bioplotted polycaprolactone scaffolds with 100, 200, or 400 μm interstrand spacing were implanted subcutaneously in a rat model for 4, 8, or 12 weeks. Scaffolds were harvested, paraffin-embedded, sectioned, and stained to visualize cell nuclei and collagen. Quantitative image analysis was used to evaluate cell density, matrix fill, and collagen fiber alignment within the scaffolds. Results: By 4 weeks, cells had infiltrated the innermost scaffol...
Seven-Year Follow-up Data on Sequential Prospective Trials of Imatinib 400mg Vs 800mg Daily Schedule for Front-Line Treatment of Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML).

Abstract 3438 Background: The standard of care for most patients (pts) with CML has been imatinib mesylate at a dose of 400mg by mouth daily. Earlier studies have suggested that there may be a benefit to pts to start treatment at a higher dose as this may result in faster and more durable responses to imatinib. It is not yet known whether long-term event-free survival (EFS), transformation-free survival (TFS), and overall survival (OS) will be impacted by the higher dosing schedule. Objectives: To determine the long term responses and clinical benefit of imatinib 800mg daily versus 400mg daily dosing when used as upfront treatment strategy in CML. Methods: We conducted sequential prospective trials using imatinib 400mg or 800mg daily as initial therapy for patients with previously untreated chronic phase CML. Results: A total of 281 pts were included in these trials: 208 treated with 800mg and 73 with 400mg. The median follow-up for each group was 79 months (range: 3–107) and 110 months (range: 2–116). The overall, cumulative rate of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) was 91% and 87%, respectively (p=0.49) for those treated with high- and standard-dose, and the cumulative rate of major molecular response (MMR) was 87% and 78%, respectively (p=0.06). Rates of CCyR at 12 months were 90% and 66%, respectively (p Treatment discontinuation for toxicity occurred in 16 (8%) pts treated with 800mg and 6 (8%) pts treated with 400mg. Conclusions: At 7-year follow up, pts treated with 800mg demonstrated a significantly better EFS (by IRIS criteria) compared to those treated with 400mg. There is a trend for a lower annual rate of events and transformation with the higher dose, particualry in the earlier years, but no difference in OS. These results suggest a modest benefit for patients treated with higher dose imatinib. Disclosures: Off Label Use: imatinib at dose of 800mg po daily for CML. Kantarjian: BMS, Pfizer and Novartis: Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy. Verstovsek: Incyte Corporation: Research Funding. Ravandi: Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Cortes: Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding; BMS: Honoraria, Research Funding; Novarits: Honoraria, Research Funding.
Transanal Approaches: Transanal Endoscopic Surgery

To a large degree, the development of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) was catalyzed by the revolution started by the widespread adoption of minimally invasive surgery and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. TEM was developed by Professor Gerhard Buess in Tubingen, Germany, as a response to limitations in the ability of transanal surgery to manage proximal rectal lesions. Professor Buess developed a tool which provided substantial advantages to standard transanal excision. In 1983, following successful animal trials, Buess published a report using his innovative proctoscope to remove a rectal adenoma. The use of this technique subsequently expanded in the USA. The technology has evolved, now with the original design being augmented with a laparoscopic attachment for overhead viewing. In addition, several other innovative platforms for transanal endoscopic surgery (TES) have been developed. This chapter will serve to outline the technique, indications, outcomes, and pitfalls of the various TES techniques for the management of rectal surgery. Finally, we will discuss some newer innovative and thought-provoking uses of the TES platform.
Sex-dependent impact of Scp-2/Scp-x gene ablation on hepatic phytol metabolism

Abstract While prior studies focusing on male mice suggest a role for sterol carrier protein-2/sterol carrier protein-x (SCP-2/SCP-x; DKO) on hepatic phytol metabolism, its role in females is unresolved. This issue was addressed using female and male wild-type (WT) and DKO mice fed a phytoestrogen-free diet without or with 0.5% phytol. GC/MS showed that hepatic: i) phytol was absent and its branched-chain fatty acid (BCFA) metabolites were barely detectable in WT control-fed mice; ii) accumulation of phytol as well as its peroxisomal metabolite BCFAs (phytanic acid » pristanic and 2,3-pristenic acids) was increased by dietary phytol in WT females, but only slightly in WT males; iii) accumulation of phytol and BCFA was further increased by DKO in phytol-fed females, but much more markedly in males. Livers of phytol-fed WT female mice as well as phytol-fed DKO female and male mice also accumulated increased proportion of saturated straight-chain fatty acids (LCFA) at the expense of unsaturated LCFA. Liver phytol accumulation was not due to increased SCP-2 binding/transport of phytol since SCP-2 bound phytanic acid, but not its precursor phytol. Thus, the loss of Scp-2/Scp-x contributed to a sex-dependent hepatic accumulation of dietary phytol and BCFA.
PARENTAL CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY, DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS, AND PARENTING QUALITY: EFFECTS ON TODDLER SELF‐REGULATION IN CHILD WELFARE SERVICES INVOLVED FAMILIES

Parents who are involved with child welfare services (CWSI) often have a history of childhood adversity and depressive symptoms. Both affect parenting quality, which in turn influences child adaptive functioning. We tested a model of the relations between parental depression and child regulatory outcomes first proposed by K. Lyons-Ruth, R. Wolfe, A. Lyubchik, and R. Steingard (2002). We hypothesized that both parental depression and parenting quality mediate the effects of parental early adversity on offspring regulatory outcomes. Participants were 123 CWSI parents and their toddlers assessed three times over a period of 6 months. At Time 1, parents reported on their childhood adversity and current depressive symptoms. At Time 2, parents' sensitivity to their child's distress and nondistress cues was rated from a videotaped teaching task. At Time 3, observers rated children's emotional regulation, orientation/engagement, and secure base behavior. The results of a path model partly supported the hypotheses. Parent childhood adversity was associated with current depressive symptoms, which in turn related to parent sensitivity to child distress, but not nondistress. Sensitivity to distress also predicted secure base behavior. Depression directly predicted orientation/engagement, also predicted by sensitivity to nondistress. Sensitivity to distress predicted emotion regulation and orientation/engagement. Results are discussed in terms of intervention approaches for CWSI families.
Pushing the envelope in biological imaging with dual-view light sheet fluorescence microscopy (Conference Presentation)

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy enables high-speed, high-resolution, gentle imaging of live biological specimens (spanning length scales from single cells to large organs) over extended periods (from hours to days). Here we report a reflective light sheet imaging technique that further improves the spatiotemporal resolution and collection efficiency of our dual-view light sheet microscope (diSPIM). By imaging samples on reflective coverslips, we enable simultaneous collection of four complementary views in 250 ms, doubling speed and improving information content relative to previous diSPIM. We further enhance spatial resolution to less than 300 nm in all three dimensions by combining a high numerical aperture (NA) lens with the use of reflective coverslips. We also present a modified deconvolution algorithm that removes associated epifluorescence contamination and fuses all views for resolution recovery. We demonstrate the broad applicability of the methods in a variety of samples, investigating the dynamics of mitochondria, membranes, Golgi, and microtubules in single cells, and neurodevelopment in nematode embryos. Finally, we describe computational methods for untwisting worm embryos and analyzing calcium activity in freely moving embryos. Our imaging and data processing tools pave the way for establishing a 4D dynamic neurodevelopmental atlas in nematode embryos.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia followed by chronic myelocytic leukemia

Second hematologic malignancies occur rarely in patients previously treated for leukemia. This report describes a patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who remained in complete remission for 5 yr and then developed chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). The original lymphoblasts were associated with a partial deletion of chromosome 21, while CML was associated with a classic Philadelphia marker, indicating the independent origin of the two leukemias.
Broad-Band Dielectric Probes for On-Wafer Characterization of Terahertz Devices

Broad-band dielectric probes are introduced and demonstrated for on-wafer terahertz (THz) device characterization. Dielectrics that are low-loss in the THz region and selective metallization are used to realize the probe designs. The probes are measured and evaluated by themselves and are used to measure on-wafer THz devices. Simulations are done for the probes using ANSYS Electronics Desktop HFSS and measurements are taken using an Emcore frequency domain THz measurement system.
Dorsal raphe oxytocin receptors regulate the neurobehavioral consequences of social touch

Prosocial interactions are essential for group-living animals and are regulated by tactile cues shared among the group members. Neurobiological mechanisms through which social touch influences prosociality and related affective behaviors are relatively unknown. Using the evolutionarily ancient mother-young dyad as a model, we hypothesized that neurobehavioral consequences of social touch involves an interaction between central oxytocin (released during social touch) and serotonin (regulating affect and neuroplasticity). New mother rats showed upregulation of numerous aspects of the oxytocin system in the midbrain dorsal raphe (DR; source of forebrain serotonin) compared to non-maternal females. Preventing this upregulation by OTR knockdown in the maternal DR elicited infanticide, reduced nursing, increased aggression, and decreased active coping behavior. OTR knockdown also decreased serotonin-immunoreactive fibers, and increased neuroplasticity-restricting perineuronal nets, in the primary somatosensory cortex. Thus, oxytocin signaling in the DR regulates mechanisms involved in serotonin-induced cortical plasticity, which refines the tactile processing underlying prosocial behaviors.
Oncogene Regulated Release of Extracellular Vesicles

Oncogenes can alter cellular structure, function, development and metabolism including changing the balance between anabolic and catabolic processes. However, how oncogenes regulate tumor cell biomass remains poorly understood. Using isogenic mammary breast epithelial cells transformed with a panel of ten oncogenes found commonly mutated, amplified or overexpressed in multiple cancers, we show that specific oncogenes reduce the biomass of cancer cells by promoting extracellular vesicle release. While MYC and AURKB elicited the highest number of EVs, each oncogene tested selectively altered the protein composition of released EVs. Likewise, miRNAs were differentially sorted into EVs in an oncogene-specific manner. MYC overexpressing cells require ceramide, while AURKB require ESCRT to release high levels of EVs. Finally, lysosome-associated genes are broadly downregulated in the context of MYC and AURKB, suggesting that cellular contents instead of being degraded, were released via EVs. Thus, oncogene mediated biomass regulation via differential EV release is a new metabolic phenotype which may have implications for cellular signaling and homeostasis.
Sex May be Free, but Children are Not

A brief argument in favor of responsible sexual intimacy and taking parental responsibility for the children that are produced. A one-time act of making life – just like a one-time act of taking life – can trigger a lifetime of responsibilities.
Endemic situation of schistosomiasis in a national surveillance site of Yangzhong City from 2015 to 2018

Objective To analyze the endemic situation of schistosomiasis in a national surveillance site of Yangzhong City, so as to provide the scientific evidence for adjusting the local schistosomiasis control strategy and consolidating the control achievements. Methods According to the National Schistosomiasis Surveillance Scheme (2014 version), the snail status, Schistosoma japonicum infections in humans and livestock and wild feces contamination were monitored in Zhinan Village, a national schistosomiasis surveillance site in Yangzhong City from 2015 to 2018. Results Theareasofsnailhabitatsreducedfrom 8.10 hm 2 in 2015 to 2.72 hm 2 in 2018, and the mean density of living snails decreased from 0.27 snails/0.1 m 2 in 2015 to 0.07 snails/0.1 m 2 in 2018 in Zhinan Village; however, no S. japonicum infections were identified in snails during the period from 2015 to 2018. Serological testing for S. japonicum infections was performed in 2 034 local populations and 858 mobile populations from 2015 to 2018, and the sero-prevalence of S. japonicum human infections was 0.59% to 1.98%, with no egg-positives detected. A total of 79 goats were detected for S. japonicum infections from 2015 to 2018, and no egg-positives were found. In addition, no other livestock was found in Zhinan Village from 2015 to 2018, and no wild feces were found in snail habitats. Conclusion A great success has been achieved in schistosomiasis control in Yangzhong City; however, there are still snails breeding in the city. Monitoring of the risk factors pertaining to schistosomiasis transmission should be further intensified to consolidate the control achievements. ［摘要］ 目的 分析扬中市国家血吸虫病监测点疫情, 为完善当地血吸虫病防治对策和巩固防治成效提供科学依据。 方法 按照《全国血吸虫病监测方案 (2014 年版) 》要求, 于 2015-2018 年对扬中市指南村国家血吸虫病监测点进行螺情、 人畜血吸虫病病情、野粪等监测。 结果 2015-2018 年, 扬中市国家血吸虫病监测点有螺面积和活螺平均密度分别由 8.10 hm 2 、0.27 只/0.1 m 2 降至 2.72 hm 2 和 0.07只/0.1 m 2 , 未发现血吸虫感染性钉螺; 开展本地人群和流动人群血清学血吸 虫病筛查 2 034 人·次和 858 人, 血检阳性率为 0.59% ～ 1.98%, 未发现病原学检查阳性者; 共检测羊 79 只, 未发现血吸虫 感染阳性; 未发现牛等其他家畜养殖; 在有螺区域内未发现野粪。 结论 扬中市血吸虫病防治效果显著, 但仍有钉螺孳 生, 应进一步加大对钉螺等血吸虫病传播风险因素监测, 以巩固防治成果。
Spatial impacts of technological innovations on the levelized cost of energy for offshore wind power plants in the United States

Abstract Recent studies predict significant decreases in the future levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of offshore wind energy, much of which is attributed to anticipated cost reductions from technological innovation. This study evaluates the spatial variability of LCOE caused by technology-induced decreases in a range of capital, operational, and financial cost categories. A spatial cost model of fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind plants is used to model the impact across thousands of potential United States sites. A specified change in an individual turbine subsystem cost produces a range of LCOE outcomes due to the varying geospatial characteristics of the considered sites and the nonlinear, interactive dependency on these input parameters; for example, a 10.8% improvement in net capacity factor can reduce LCOE by between 6% and 20% at different sites. This work expands upon the existing offshore wind literature, which typically evaluates cost sensitivities at a single site and does not consider the spatial variance in LCOE. The results suggest that the impact of technological innovations can be considerable and should be considered on a spatial as well as temporal basis when prioritizing technology innovation research or funding decisions to advance offshore wind technologies in the United States.
A model of cortical timbre classification using spike latency coding

Earlier modeling studies of spiking neural networks with conduction delays have shown that temporally precise, distributed spike patterns (polychronous groups) contain more information about timbral distinctions than firing rates. Additionally, experimental work in auditory cortex has suggested that the initial onset of firing activity is especially important for encoding timbre, an observation that is in accordance with psychoacoustical evidence that the onset characteristics of a stimulus can have a profound effect on the perception of timbre. These observations are combined in a model that uses spike latency to make timbral classifications. A simplified spiking model of the subcortical auditory system is connected to a reservoir of spiking point neurons with cortex-like connectivity statistics and conduction delays. Stimuli are presented to the model in an unsupervised manner, and synaptic strengths are adapted via a spike-timing-dependent plasticity mechanism. After training, a stochastic search algorithm is used to find stimulus-triggered firing patterns generated in the reservoir, the firing latency of which can be used to make accurate timbral categorizations of novel stimuli. The stimuli consist of FM-synthesized instrument sounds (two categories) with varying pitches, demonstrating the model’s ability to learn timbral distinctions in a manner invariant with respect to changes of pitch.
Analyzing Genomic Features with Predictive Chromatin Interaction Models: A Comprehensive Evaluation

Enhancer-Promoter (EP) interactions reflected by Hi-C technology are crucial to understanding genomic functions. Particularly, identifying ‘unique’ genomic features that are characteristically important in a specific cell line can further our current understanding of the mechanisms that drive cell differentiation, tissue development, and disease progression. However, classic prediction models such as TargetFinder provide little valuable insight towards the large disparity between important genomic features across different cell lines. To comprehensively approach this question, herein we first evaluated seven classifiers to predict EP interactions using high-resolution Hi-C maps of genome loci across six classic cell lines, surpassing TargetFinder in all benchmark metrics. We then evaluated the model's predictive performance with features provided by seven feature selection methods from the embedded, wrapper and filter categories. Moreover, groups of features were aggregated from the results of two or more feature methods and analyzed based on the model's performance. Finally, we examined the distinguishing features across six cell lines. Our study suggests the existence of ‘unique’ genomic features that are especially predictive of EP interactions only in specific cell lines.
How to Design a Trustable Cultural Algorithm Using Common Value Auctions

One of the major challenges facing Artificial Intelligence in the future is the design of trustworthy algorithms. In this paper four basic features of trustworthy algorithms are presented. A Cultural Algorithm based upon Common Value Auctions is presented. It is demonstrated that this framework is able to support each of these fundamental principles. The basic principles are: fairness, explainability, responsibility, and sustainability. The first three are features that are part of the Cultural Algorithm configuration used here. The fourth properties was established experimentally. It was shown that the CVA based Cultural Algorithm exhibited improved sustainability in terms of both resilience and robustness over the of a Cultural Algorithm based upon a Wisdom of the Crowds or voting approach..
Sharpness-Aware Minimization Improves Language Model Generalization

The allure of superhuman-level capabilities has led to considerable interest in language models like GPT-3 and T5, wherein the research has, by and large, revolved around new model architectures, training tasks, and loss objectives, along with substantial engineering efforts to scale up model capacity and dataset size. Comparatively little work has been done to improve the generalization of these models through better optimization. In this work, we show that Sharpness-Aware Minimization (SAM), a recently proposed optimization procedure that encourages convergence to flatter minima, can substantially improve the generalization of language models without much computational overhead. We show that SAM is able to boost performance on SuperGLUE, GLUE, Web Questions, Natural Questions, Trivia QA, and TyDiQA, with particularly large gains when training data for these tasks is limited.
Single-Anastomosis Procedures in Metabolic Surgery

The most effective long-term treatment for severe obesity is bariatric surgery with improvement or resolution of obesity-related comorbidities. Single-anastomosis procedures including single-anastomosis duodenoileal bypass and one-anastomosis gastric bypass are relatively new procedures that are gaining popularity worldwide. These surgical techniques are perceived to be less complex with a shorter learning curve in comparison to the standard biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; however, long-term outcomes and complications remain controversial. This article aims to review one-anastomosis procedures, evaluate their outcomes, and review potential complications.
Representing Landscape Architecture

Part 1: Looking Backward and Forward Part 2: Representing the Landscape Design Process Part 3: Drawings and Models Part 4: Words and Media
A Sampler of Event-Related Brain Potential (ERP) Analyses of Language Processing

In large part, language comprehension and production occur quickly and unavailable to conscious reflection. Electrophysiological methods – eventrelated brain potentials (ERPs) and other measures of electrical brain activity – afford a view of the brain in action as it supports these language processes as they unfold in real time. Moreover, ERPs can be utilized even when a comprehender’s only task is to understand a word, phrase or sentence or to produce names or more elaborate utterances. Recording electrical brain activity in response to written and spoken words (as well as smaller and larger linguistic units) thus provides a means of tracking the brain’s sensitivity to various linguistic inputs, revealing which factors are important to processing and the time course of their influence. As a continuous measure of processing, ERPs allow simultaneous looks at brain activity at the multiple time scales at which language processing transpires, from the first milliseconds of processing a word to the seconds required to comprehend a sentence, or even longer for a discourse. One of the greatest advantages to using ERPs, then, is that this combination of methodological features allows for investigations of aspects of language processing that are otherwise difficult if not impossible to detect via other measures. In this chapter, we will examine such instances, outlining five very different groups of ERP studies which exemplify some of the unique insights made possible by use of the methodology in the study of language-related neural processes. In particular, we will discuss the paradigms and the kinds of information that can be gathered from using ERPs to look at language processing outside the focus of attention, during language learning (before explicit knowing), for individuals in unconscious states, in determining Marta Kutas and Katherine A. Delong 154 the nature of predictive processing, and for testing how specific contextual cues may activate information in semantic memory. Our examination of these specific experimental examples makes clear the important role that ERPs have to play in studying language processing, both traditionally and as the number of neuroimaging techniques continues to grow.
The reciprocal influence of organizational culture and training and development programs: Building the case for a culture analysis within program planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that training designers can, and should, account for organizational culture during training needs assessments.Design/methodology/approach – Utilizing the approach and arguments in Giddens' structuration theory, the paper conceptually applies these tenets to training and development programs within organizations.Findings – Within a typical analysis‐design‐develop‐implement‐evaluate (ADDIE) training model, relationships between organizational culture and each step of the training are conceptually available. Organizational culture shapes, influences, and redefines training programs which, in turn, shape, influence, and redefine organizational culture. Including a culture analysis within program planning will ultimately alleviate many of the problems that may arise during the implementation of a training and development program because of cultural resistance and/or clash of values between culture and training.Research limitations/implications – The argumen...
Chinese hamster cell monolayer cultures: II. X-ray sensitivity and sensitization by 5-bromodeoxycytidine in the exponential and plateau periods of growth

Abstract Survival following X-irradiation of HA2 Chinese hamster cells in monolayer culture during various periods of growth was described. Relatively small changes in D0 and n occurred as culture age increased. 72-h exposure to 5 × 10−5 M BCdR produced marked radiosensitization of cells from cultures in exponential growth. With cells from transition and plateau period cultures similarly treated, biphasic survival curves were obtained, demonstrating that only part of the cell population became sensitized. The size of this fraction of sensitized cells agreed with predictions based on measured cell renewal in plateau period cultures. Monolayer cell culture in the plateau period of growth is proposed as a useful in vitro model for in vivo tumor cell behavior.