cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adverse clinical outcomes in patients undergoing both PCI and TAVR: Analysis from a pooled multi-center registry.

Background There is a paucity of data regarding the optimum timing of PCI in relation to TAVR. Objective We compared the major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) rates among patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with those who received PCI with/after TAVR. Methods In this multicenter study, we pooled all consecutive patients who underwent TAVR at three high volume centers. Results Among 3,982 patients who underwent TAVR, 327 (8%) patients underwent PCI within 1 year before TAVR, 38 (1%) had PCI the same day as TAVR and 15 (0.5%) had PCI within 2 months after TAVR. Overall, among patients who received both PCI and TAVR (n = 380), history of previous CABG (HR:0.501; p = .001), higher BMI at TAVR (HR:0.970; p = .038), and statin therapy after TAVR (HR:0.660, p = .037) were independently associated with lower MACCE while warfarin therapy after TAVR was associated with a higher risk of MACCE (HR:1.779, p = .017). Patients who received PCI within 1 year before TAVR had similar baseline demographics, STS scores, clinical risk factors when compared to patients receiving PCI with/after TAVR. Both groups were similar in PCI (Syntax Score, ACC/AHA lesion class) and TAVR (valve types, access) related variables. There were no significant differences in terms of MACCE (log rank p = .550), all-cause mortality (log rank p = .433), strokes (log rank p = .153), and repeat PCI (log rank p = .054) in patients who underwent PCI with/after TAVR when compared to patients who received PCI before TAVR. Conclusion Among patients who underwent both PCI and TAVR, history of CABG, higher BMI, and statin therapy had lower, while those discharged on warfarin, had higher adverse event rates. Adverse events rates were similar regardless of timing of PCI.
Experimental Validation of Swarm Array Results using Mars Cube One (MarCO) A/B Downlink Signals

In this paper, we investigate the feasibility of calibrating an orbiting phased array composed of CubeSat class spacecraft together with a larger reference (or “chief”) spacecraft, comprising an overall Swarm Array. Considered as an analog to the Deep Space Network (DSN) Uplink Arraying problem [1], [2], a spaceborne Swarm Array can potentially deliver comparable or even greater operational performance than large monolithic spacecraft (such as increased datarates for telecommunications, or greater baselines for improved spatial resolution), thus increasing future mission capability but with significantly enhanced flexibility, evolvability and robustness.
Reconstruction of X-Ray Fluorescence Computed Tomography From Sparse-View Projections via L1-Norm Regularized EM Algorithm

X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) as a molecular imaging modality can simultaneously identify the localization and quantify the concentration of high-atomic-number contrast agents such as gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Commonly used benchtop pencil-beam XFCT, consisting of a polychromatic x-ray source and a single-pixel spectrometer, suffers from long scanning time and high imaging dose. Sparse-view strategy benefits XFCT to reduce both scanning time and imaging dose. Nevertheless, its reconstruction undergoes ill-posedness induced by the compressive sampling. To preserve consistent imaging quality for sparse-view XFCT, we proposed an iterative Bayesian algorithm based on L1-norm constraint, wherein the L1-norm regularization is included in the one-step-late expectation maximization (OSL-EM) algorithm with regularization parameter determined based on L-curve criteria. The proposed algorithm was verified by imaging a 3-cm-diameter water phantom with 4 inserts containing GNP solutions with concentrations of 0.02, 0.04, 0.08, and 0.16 wt.%, on an in-house-developed dual-modality transmission CT and XFCT system. Different numbers (i.e. 36, 18, 9, and 6) of projection views were used for XFCT reconstruction, to evaluate the performance of various reconstruction algorithms. L1-regularized EM algorithm demonstrated the consistent robustness to suppress background artifacts and localize low-concentration GNPs (0.02 wt.%) with submillimeter accuracy, when the number of projection views reduces from 36 to 9. Moreover, our method’s potential for small tumor spare-view XFCT imaging was validated on a mouse surgically implanted with a 6-mm GNP target.
IGF-1 Influences Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Regulation of Puberty.

The pubertal process is initiated as a result of complex neuroendocrine interactions within the preoptic and hypothalamic regions of the brain. These interactions ultimately result in a timely increase in the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). Researchers for years have believed that this increase is due to a diminished inhibitory tone which has applied a prepubertal brake on GnRH secretion, as well as to the gradual development of excitatory inputs driving the increased release of the peptide. Over the years, insulin-like growth factor -1 (IGF-1) has emerged as a prime candidate for playing an important role in the onset of puberty. This review will first present initial research demonstrating that IGF-1 increases in circulation as puberty approaches, is able to induce the release of prepubertal GnRH and can advance the timing of puberty. More recent findings depict an early action of IGF-1 to activate a pathway that releases the inhibitory brake on prepubertal GnRH secretion provided by dynorphin (DYN), as well as demonstrating that IGF-1 can also act later in the process to regulate the synthesis and release of kisspeptin (Kp), a potent stimulator of GnRH at puberty.
The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level with a Bubble

This paper incorporates a bubble term in the standard FTPL equation to explain why countries with persistently negative primary surpluses can have a positively valued currency and low inflation. It also provides an example with closed-form solutions in which idiosyncratic risk on capital returns depresses the interest rate on government bonds below the economy's growth rate.
Ultrasonic Treatment of Penile Hematoma in Bulls

Corrective surgery for hematoma of the penis has been used for many years (1,2,3,4). Basically, this method is comprised of using sterile surgical technique to remove the blood clot and suturing the rent in the tunica albuginea of the penis followed by skin sutures to close the surgical incision. Metcalf (5) described a variation in clot removal by using a stab incision and suction. The above methods are followed by sexual stimulation soon after the surgery-breeding or electro-ejaculation.
Pediatric Otolaryngology During COVID-19: Parental Concern About Elective Surgery

Objective:To identify the concerns of parents whose children may need elective surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:In December 2020, parents of pediatric otolaryngology patients were recru...
Composition and Bonding Mechanisms in Bioglass™ Implants

Controlled surface active glasses and glass-ceramics were developed to achieve a direct chemical bond of an implant with living tissues (1–4). Devices made from a specific compositional range, (see Fig. 1) that bond to tissues are termed Bioglass™ implants. When this same compositional range is partially or fully crystallized the materials are termed Bioglass™-Ceramic implants. Surface active glass-ceramics made from another specific range of oxide compositions are termed Ceravital® implants (5,6). Other compositional ranges of surface active glasses and glass-ceramics are still being developed (1,8) and the limitations on glass or glass-ceramic compositions that will bond to living tissues are still unspecified.
Testing UML2.0 models using TTCN-3 and the UML2.0 testing profile

This paper describes a toolset for functional testing UML2.0 models by TTCN-3 test suites and its application within Motorola. The toolset incorporates support for part of the UML2.0 testing profile from which TTCN-3 can be generated. The toolset has been developed within Motorola for models developed using Telelogic Tau G2 and test suites using Telelogic Tester. The models are subsequently used for application code generation. The basic integration of the Telelogic Tau and Tester, called cosim, has novel features, such as the ability to service operations declared as external to the model within TTCN-3, and to control model timer operations within TTCN-3. Translating UML2.0 data structures, such as classes, signal definitions, port definitions, and constants into TTCN-3 is done by a tool called UMB. The paper deals with complexities in mapping Tau UML2.0 types and structuring into TTCN-3. To provide more rigorous test specification a tool supporting part of the UML2.0 Testing Profile has been developed which enables consistency of test specifications to be checked automatically and also the generation of executable TTCN-3 test suites for cosim. The toolset is being used by several different product groups within Motorola, and the paper reports some experience and findings, including areas where TTCN-3 can be extended.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Human Placental Chorion for Perinatal Tissue Engineering Applications

The reliable derivation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from a noninvasive autologous source at birth would facilitate the study of patient-specific in vitro modeling of congenital diseases and would enhance ongoing efforts aimed at developing novel cell-based treatments for a wide array of fetal and pediatric disorders. Accordingly, we have successfully generated iPSCs from human fetal chorionic somatic cells extracted from term pregnancies by ectopic expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and cMYC. The isolated parental somatic cells exhibited an immunophenotypic profile consistent with that of chorionic mesenchymal stromal cells (CMSCs). CMSC-iPSCs maintained pluripotency in feeder-free systems for more than 15 passages based on morphology, immunocytochemistry, and gene expression studies and were capable of embryoid body formation with spontaneous trilineage differentiation. CMSC-iPSCs could be selectively differentiated in vitro into various germ layer derivatives, including neural stem cells, bea...
Psychiatric and neurologic aspects of war: concluding comments on the ARNMD conference

These concluding remarks address some of the main disorders that were described during the 89th Annual Conference of the Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease entitled "Psychiatric and Neurologic Aspects of War," held December 16, 2009 at The Rockefeller University, New York, New York. Brief remarks are also made on the roles of clinical scientists to consider some of the diagnostic, therapeutic, and societal elements that were discussed at the conference.
Vocational rehabilitation for persons with rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic disorder which primarily affects the joints. Although advances in its health treatment are being made, the disorder continues to be disabling. Rates of disease-related work loss are high, but few persons receive VR services. Since decline in function is gradual, the opportunity to prevent work disability exists. Useful vocational rehabilitation strategies are those that help individuals: (a) better manage disease symptoms and reduce overall energy demand; (b) retain their current jobs through obtaining reasonable accommodations; (c) identify jobs suited to current or future limitations and the training needed to obtain them; and Cd) enhance their ability to advocate for their own needs. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd
An IFT-A Protein Is Required to Delimit Functionally Distinct Zones in Mechanosensory Cilia

Summary Background Conserved intraflagellar transport (IFT) particle proteins and IFT-associated motors are needed to assemble most eukaryotic cilia and flagella. Proteins in an IFT-A subcomplex are generally required for dynein-driven retrograde IFT, from the ciliary tip to the base. We describe novel structural and functional roles for IFT-A proteins in chordotonal organs, insect mechanosensory organs with cilia that are both sensory and motile. Results The reduced mechanoreceptor potential A ( rempA ) locus of Drosophila encodes the IFT-A component IFT140. Chordotonal cilia are shortened in rempA mutants and an IFT-B protein accumulates in the mutant cilia, consistent with a defect in retrograde IFT. A functional REMPA-YFP fusion protein concentrates at the site of the ciliary dilation (CD), a highly structured axonemal inclusion of hitherto unknown composition and function. The CD is absent in rempA mutants, and REMPA-YFP is undetectable in the absence of another IFT-A protein, IFT122. In a mutant lacking the IFT dynein motor, the CD is disorganized and REMPA-YFP is mislocalized. A TRPV ion channel, required to generate sensory potentials and regulate ciliary motility, is normally localized in the cilia, proximal to the CD. This channel spreads into the distal part of the cilia in dynein mutants and is undetectable in rempA mutants. Conclusions IFT-A proteins are located at and required by the ciliary dilation, which separates chordotonal cilia into functionally distinct zones. A requirement for IFT140 in stable TRPV channel expression also suggests that IFT-A proteins may mediate preciliary transport of some membrane proteins.
A relaxation time study of molecular motions in the glass and crystalline phases of 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate

Abstract Proton relaxation time measurements (T1 and T1ρ) have been done on 1,6-hexanediol dimethacrylate (HDDMA) as a function of temperature between 77 and 296 K. It has been found that HDDMA can exist in either a glass, crystalline, or mixed glass-crystalline phase, depending on the sample temperature and thermal history. The low-temperature motion in the glass and crystalline phases is characterized by methyl group reorientation. An excellent fit to the low-temperature T1 data can be made using a Cole-Davidson (CD) distribution of cutoff correlation times. A broader distribution is observed in the glass phase than in the crystalline phase. In the melt and in the glass phase at high temperatures, whole-molecule reorientation is observed. The T1 data in this range can be fit using a single Arrhenius correlation time. However, in order to simultaneously fit both the T1 and T1ρ data, a CD distribution is required with a cutoff correlation time described by a temperature-dependent activation energy. Additional unresolved motions are observed in the crystalline phase at high temperatures.
Antibody-guided photoablation of voltage-gated potassium currents

A family of 40 mammalian voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels control membrane excitability in electrically excitable cells. The contribution of individual Kv channel types to electrophysiological signaling has been difficult to assign, as few selective inhibitors exist for individual Kv subunits. Guided by the exquisite selectivity of immune system interactions, we find potential for antibody conjugates as selective Kv inhibitors. Here, functionally benign anti-Kv channel monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were chemically modified to facilitate photoablation of K currents. Antibodies were conjugated to porphyrin compounds that upon photostimulation inflict localized oxidative damage. Anti-Kv4.2 mAb–porphyrin conjugates facilitated photoablation of Kv4.2 currents. The degree of K current ablation was dependent on photon dose and conjugate concentration. Kv channel photoablation was selective for Kv4.2 over Kv4.3 or Kv2.1, yielding specificity not present in existing neurotoxins or other Kv channel inhibitors. We conclude that antibody–porphyrin conjugates are capable of selective photoablation of Kv currents. These findings demonstrate that subtype-specific mAbs that in themselves do not modulate ion channel function are capable of delivering functional payloads to specific ion channel targets.
Developing perylene diimide based acceptor polymers for organic photovoltaics

Abstract Perylene diimides are known as promising n-type semiconductor building blocks. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of a set of three soluble poly(perylene diimide)s and their preliminary characterization in organic photovoltaic cells. These polymers are made through the polycondensation of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) with a variety of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)- or poly(propylene glycol) (PPG)-based diamine comonomers. The flexible spacer offers increased solubility in organic solvents and allows the perylene core to assume a conformation that promotes favorable cofacial π–π interactions. Mixtures of these polymers with the hole-transporting polymer, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) result in significant fluorescence quenching. However, the phase separation occurs on a scale too large for a bulk heterojunction solar cell. The PPGylated poly(perylene diimide) shows an unusually low free electron concentration (∼1.0 × 10 12 cm −3 ) and therefore makes an excellent model system for future doping studies. These new polymers may have promise as stable electron-conductive layers with large light-absorptivities in solution-processable applications of organic electronics.
The equivalence of two ways of computing distances from dissimilarities for arbitrary sets of stimuli

Abstract Given a set endowed with pairwise dissimilarities, the Dissimilarity Cumulation procedure computes the (quasi)distance between any two elements of the set as the infimum of the sums of dissimilarities across all finite chains of elements connecting the two elements. For finite sets, this procedure is known to be equivalent to recursive corrections for violations of the triangle inequality in any sequence of ordered triads of points which contains every triad a sufficient number of times. This paper extends this equivalence to infinite set.
CapAuth: A Capability-based Handover Scheme

Existing handover schemes in wireless LANs, 3G/4G networks, and femtocells rely upon protocols involving centralized authentication servers and one or more access points. These protocols are invariably complex and use extensive signaling on the wireless backhaul since they aim to be be efficient (minimal handover latency) without sacrificing robustness. However, the mobile user has little involvement especially with the so-called context transfer stage; this stage involves the transfer of necessary state to the new access point as well as the enforcement of security goals such as user authentication and single point of access. We propose the incorporation of user capabilities, network-asserted proofs of user identity and access control, as a general mechanism to simplify the context transfer stage. To this end, we have designed CapAuth, a capability-based scheme that has reduced complexity, low overhead, high level of fault tolerance and is general enough to implement a range of security policies.
SU-E-T-409: A Comparison of 3D Optical Surface and IR Marker Tracking for Head Motion Compensated Frameless SRS

Purpose: Both infrared marker and 3D facial surface tracking were performed simultaneously on both a head phantom and healthy volunteers. Accuracies of the two 6D real‐time tracking systems were quantitatively assessed both spatially and temporally. The suitability of 3D facial surface tracking for providing real‐time head positioning to guide a robotic head motion compensation stage was investigated. Methods: A xyz stage was programmed to move a head phantom to approximately 200 points in 10×10×10 mm3 and 100×100×100 mm3 cubic volumes, respectively. Both 3D surface and IR marker tracking were performed simultaneously on the head phantom to allow direct comparison of spatial accuracy. Sinusoidal motion was performed along all three axis directions and recorded under the same clock cycle. Spatial and temporal accuracies on actual deformable facial surfaces were assessed by simultaneous 3D surface and IR marker tracking on human volunteers. 3D surface tracking both with and without the use of robotic head motion compensation was evaluated. Results: For 10 samples at each position, the 10 mm cube had RMSE of 0.30 mm and 0.08 mm for the AlignRT and Polaris, respectively. Temporal lag of the AlignRT system was found to be approximately twice the fps time (t_{lag} ∼ 2/fps). The fps value was found to be strongly correlated with region‐of‐interest (ROI) surface size and could vary from 0.5 – 1.6 fps, leading to a lag time of 1 – 4 s. The Polaris output lagged behind the reference by 0.06 s in all cases. Conclusions: Both 3D surface and IR marker devices demonstrate high spatial accuracy for phantom based studies, however, a slight dimensional warping along the SI direction was observed to occur with the AlignRT. The current ROI dependent lag time of the AlignRT could also pose an issue for image guidance techniques requiring quick response times.
Problems associated with stannous 99mTc-radiopharmaceuticals.

Possible reasons for anomalous in vivo behavior of 99m Tc radiopharmaceuticals are evaluated. The complicated and poorly understood solution chemistry of technetium as well as tin (II), the most widely used reducing agent, is shown to contribute to problems. Unreliable performance of stannous kits is deduced to be partly due to initial oxidation and hydrolysis of tin (II) as a result of poor formulation, and also due to low stoichiometric ratios of complexing agent to tin. The kits could fail in two ways: (1) only a fraction of the original tin may be available in the desired form at reconstitution; (2) undesirable side reactions of tin and technetium may occur. Evaluation of generator as well as instant technetium has occasionally revealed situations where the carrier content of 99m Tc solutions could exceed the reductive capability of the stannous ion; this becomes critical with kits containing a very small quantity of Sn (II) in the "usable" form. Parameters for effective performance of tin (II) containing kits are examined, and a titration method allowing for in vitro evaluation of available kits is presented. A model procedure for preparing stable Sn (II) kits has been developed. 9 9 m
Utilizing technology to support the development of empathy

Empathy is a fundamental component of positive and productive human relationships. In the context of civic engagement, the ability to "stand in the shoes of another" increases opportunities to avoid miscommunication and misunderstandings, to work together in cooperative settings, and, as a result create innovative solutions to social issues. In this proposal, we present a fourteen-week workshop being conducted with a diverse group of middle school children to use technology to foster the development of empathy and support civic engagement.
In Congress: Groundwater legislation

Since the mid-1970s, groundwater quality has been one of the major concerns of water resource problems in the U.S. Over 50% of this country's drinking water is provided by groundwater; the amount is nearly 100% in rural America. Groundwater also provides about 40% of our irrigation needs. James L. Oberstar (D-MN) said recently that “groundwater has been contaminated by landfills, waste disposal sites, and many other sources, [and] more and more, by pesticides.” People are asking if there are health hazards.
A nodal triangle-based spectral element method for the shallow water equations on the sphere

A nodal triangle-based spectral element (SE) method for the shallow water equations on the sphere is presented. The original SE method uses quadrilateral elements and high-order nodal Lagrange polynomials, constructed from a tensor-product of the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto points. In this work, we construct the high-order Lagrange polynomials directly on the triangle using nodal sets obtained from the electrostatics principle [J.S. Hesthaven, From electrostatics to almost optimal nodal sets for polynomial interpolation in a simplex, SIAM Journal on Numerical Analysis 35 (1998) 655-676] and Fekete points [M.A. Taylor, B.A. Wingate, R.E. Vincent, An algorithm for computing Fekete points in the triangle, SIAM Journal on Numerical Analysis 38 (2000) 1707-1720]. These points have good approximation properties and far better Lebesgue constants than any other nodal set derived for the triangle. By employing triangular elements as the basic building-blocks of the SE method and the Cartesian coordinate form of the equations, we can use any grid imaginable including adaptive unstructured grids. Results for six test cases are presented to confirm the accuracy and stability of the method. The results show that the triangle-based SE method yields the expected exponential convergence and that it can be more accurate than the quadrilateral-based SE method even while using 30-60% fewer grid points especially when adaptive grids are used to align the grid with the flow direction. However, at the moment, the quadrilateral-based SE method is twice as fast as the triangle-based SE method because the latter does not yield a diagonal mass matrix.
Experimenting with Synthesis and Analysis of Cationic Gemini Surfactants in a Second-Semester General Chemistry Laboratory

A laboratory experiment is described in which students synthesize a variety of cationic gemini surfactants and analyze their efficacy as fabric softeners. Students perform a simple organic synthesis reaction and two analytical tests (one qualitative and one quantitative), and use the class data to assess the synthesized products. The experiment was based on published research developed in the chemistry department at the institution at which the experiment was developed.
Consonant Confusions in Amplitude-Expanded Speech

The perceptual consequences of expanding the amplitude variations in speech were studied under conditions in which spectral information was obscured by signal correlated noise that had an envelope ...
Preparation and nutrient analyses of lactic acid bacterial ensiled salmon viscera

Abstract The objective of this study was to define a procedure for converting salmon viscera into a co-dried product that could evetually be the major protein ingredient in dry salmonid feeds. A lactic acid bacteria fermented silage, and for comparative purposes, a sulfuric acid silage were prepared from salmon viscera ( Oncorhynchus nerka and Oncorhynchus gorbuscha ). Both ensiled products were separately co-dried with poultry by-product meal in a final ratio of 1:1 ( w/w ) on a dry weight basis. Nitrogen levels of the co-dried products were 9 to 1 1%, sufficiently high to be the main protein source in dry feeds for salmonids. Methionine was the limiting amino acid in the co-dried products. Protein fractionation by size exclusion chromatography of samples obtained on the first and fourteenth day of ensilage showed that proteins were hydrolyzed to low molecular weight proteins, peptides, and amino acids. The co-dried products had low numbers of aerobic bacteria and low water activity, which would enhance storage stability. Formation of high levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in freeze-dried silage was inhibited by the addition of 0.025% ( w/w ) ethoxyquin to the silage prior to drying.
Management of civilian gunshot injuries of the femur A review of the literature

Gunshot fractures of the femur are becoming more commonplace in modern civilization. The initial assessment must accurately document the vascular and neurological status of the limb as well as the characteristics of the fracture. Low velocity gunshot wounds require a brief course of broad spectrum intravenous prophylactic antibiotics and limited surgical debridement of the wound. Definitive stabilization should consist of locked, reamed, intramedullary nailing for low velocity injuries, and non-reamed nailing for high velocity injuries. External or plate fixations are best reserved for the more severe Grade IIIC injuries. Successful limb salvage is most dependent on the associated vascular injury, while neurological injury is a major determinant of long-term disability.
Immunotoxin pharmacokinetics: a comparison of the anti-glioblastoma bi-specific fusion protein (DTAT13) to DTAT and DTIL13

DTAT13, a novel recombinant bispecific immunotoxin (IT) consisting of truncated diphtheria toxin, an amino-terminal (AT) fragment of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPa), and a fragment of human IL-13 was assembled in order to target receptors on glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and its associated neovasculature. Previous in vitro studies confirmed the efficacy of DTAT13 against various GBM cell lines expressing both IL-13 receptor or uPA receptor, and previous in vivo testing demonstrated the efficacy of DTAT13 in significantly inhibiting a range of xenograft tumors and showed that DTAT13 was 160- and 8-fold less toxic to the parental fusion IT, DTAT and DTIL13, respectively. To further understand the properties of DTAT13, pharmacokinetic/biodistribution experiments were performed. Binding analysis revealed that the IL-13 domain functioned independently of the uPA domain and that the K d for each binding domain was essentially the same as that of DTIL13 and DTAT. Flow cytometry studies indicated that DTAT13 bound better than DTAT or DTIL13. Analysis of the rate of protein synthesis inhibition in U87 MG cells by DTAT13 compared to DTAT revealed a faster rate of inhibition with DTAT13 compared to DTAT. The rate of protein synthesis inhibition of DTAT13 was identical to that of DTIL13 in U373 MG cells. Intracranial biodistribution studies revealed that DTAT13 was able to cross to the contralateral hemisphere unlike DTIL13 but similar to DTAT. These studies show that DTAT13 has properties encompassing those of both DTIL13 and DTAT and warrants further consideration for clinical development.
Anti-Myeloma Activity of Akt Inhibition Is Linked to the Activation Status of PI3K/Akt and MEK/ERK Pathway

The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal transduction pathway plays a central role in multiple myeloma (MM) disease progression and development of therapeutic resistance. mTORC1 inhibitors have shown limited efficacy in the clinic, largely attributed to the reactivation of Akt due to rapamycin induced mTORC2 activity. Here, we present promising anti-myeloma activity of MK-2206, a novel allosteric pan-Akt inhibitor, in MM cell lines and patient cells. MK-2206 was able to induce cytotoxicity and inhibit proliferation in all MM cell lines tested, albeit with significant heterogeneity that was highly dependent on basal pAkt levels. MK-2206 was able to inhibit proliferation of MM cells even when cultured with marrow stromal cells or tumor promoting cytokines. The induction of cytotoxicity was due to apoptosis, which at least partially was mediated by caspases. MK-2206 inhibited pAkt and its down-stream targets and up-regulated pErk in MM cells. Using MK-2206 in combination with rapamycin (mTORC1 inhibitor), LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor), or U0126 (MEK1/2 inhibitor), we show that Erk- mediated downstream activation of PI3K/Akt pathway results in resistance to Akt inhibition. These provide the basis for clinical evaluation of MK-2206 alone or in combination in MM and potential use of baseline pAkt and pErk as biomarkers for patient selection.
A force-based model for composite steel–concrete beams with partial interaction

Abstract This paper presents a new force-based beam–column element for the nonlinear analysis of composite steel–concrete beams with partial interaction. The element is made up of three components: (a) a fiber beam–column element that models the behavior of the steel girder, (b) a fiber beam–column element that models the behavior of the concrete deck, and (c) a bond element that models the transfer of forces between the steel and concrete elements through shear connectors. The model neglects uplift and frictional effects. The fiber beam–columns are force-based elements that depend on force interpolation functions. A linear bending moment and a constant axial force serve as the interpolation functions. An important factor that favors the use of force-based elements in modeling composite structures is their ability to treat any type of distributed element loads. Distributed element loads are applied internally in a continuous manner by force superposition at the control sections. The state determination of these elements is based on an iterative solution that determines the element resisting forces and stiffness matrix. The bond element is a spring-type element that assumes a linear bond stress variation along the length. The nonlinear behavior of the composite element derives entirely from the constitutive laws of the steel, the concrete and the shear connectors. The paper concludes with a correlation study to investigate the validity of the model. Good agreement between analysis and experimental results was observed.
Testimony: Death of a Guatemalan Village

Testimony: Death of a Guatemalan Village. Victor Montejo. Translated by Victor Perera. Willimantic, CT: Curbstone Press, 1987. 113 pp. $8.95 (paper). ISBN: 0–915306–65–4.
The unsolved problems of neuroscience

Some problems in neuroscience are nearly solved. For others, solutions are decades away. The current pace of advances in methods forces us to take stock, to ask where we are going, and what we should research next.
An approximate but complete model for the ignition response of solidpropellants.

Early theories of ignition, describing events leading to a bootstrapping exothermic reaction, cannot be extended to describe the complete ignition process terminating in steady deflagration. The complete description requires consideration of surface regression. If the regression rate of the propellant is described by simple, feasible relationships and the rate of energy release by temperature-dependent reactions is limited to a maximum value, the complete ignition transient, which starts with the cold, passive solid and ends at a condition of steady-state regression, may be simulated. Such a simulation is achieved by a model that treats the solid as homogeneous, considers the effect of all reaction to be approximated as surface heat fluxes, and employs a simplified description of the steady-state burning process. Qualitative agreement is obtained between predictions of the model and laboratory ignition results for the effect of igniter flux and pressure on ignition times. Values assumed for the net heat of gasification of the propellant, a steady-state burning parameter, and the manner in which the igniter heat flux is terminated are found to have critical effect on the transition to stable deflagration.
A new instrument to study the role of chain rupture in the fracture of glassy polymers

Abstract An instrument has been developed to determine the number of chain scissions and energy consumed per unit fracture area. This instrument utilizes a fine dental burr connected to a rheometer. Its motions are such that it grinds off about 4000 A in height from the polymer films per pass. The first application is to partly annealed polystyrene latex films where it is shown that four regimes of fracture exist as annealing progresses.
Do genealogical patterns in purple photosynthetic bacteria reflect interspecific gene transfer

It is generally thought that interspecific (lateral) transfer of genes is so extensive among bacteria that it is difficult, and perhaps impossible, to determine their phylogenetic relationships. Ambler and coworkers1 reflect this in their suggestion that the relationships seen among cytochrome c sequences of the Rhodospirillaceae are merely the result of a haphazard lateral transfer of the particular gene, and give no indication of the true bacterial phylogenies. However, if comparative analysis of several unrelated macromolecules yields essentially the same phylogenetic tree, then that pattern is extremely unlikely to reflect the lateral transfer of genes2. We have also determined 16S ribosomal RNA catalogues3 for many of the Rhodospirillaceae investigated by Ambler et al. and here we use these two sets of data to compare molecular phylogenies for these bacteria.
Statistical search for non-random features of the seismicity of strong earthquakes

Abstract The space-time-magnitude relationship among worldwide earthquakes of magnitude M ⩾ 7 has been investigated with a view toward discerning the statistical reliability of possibilities of epicenter migration, gaps in seismic activity, and techniques of identifying aftershocks and foreshocks. The statistical procedure involves the calculation of the second-order moment of the sequences. The statistical validity of the results was obtained by modeling the interaction of discrete seismic events by a multidimensional branching stochastic point process. The results are that epicenters of large earthquakes migrate with velocities between 300 and 2,000 km/year with a significance level greater than 99.5%; the maximum likelihood estimate of the velocity of migration of large aftershocks of large earthquakes is about 1,400 km/year; foreshocks of large earthquakes have a maximum likelihood estimate of velocity of migration of about 2,800 km/year. A gap in seismic activity occurs before large earthquakes; with somewhat less confidence, a gap also occurs after large earthquakes, after the aftershock sequence has ended. The number of immediate foreshocks is 35–40% of the number of aftershocks. Aftershocks are comparatively weaker than foreshocks when compared with the main shock. There are hints, that are not fully statistically confirmed, of interaction among large earthquakes in different depth ranges.
Evolutionary Design of Cellular Self-Organizing Systems

In this paper, a genetic algorithm (GA) is used to discover interaction rules for a cellular self-organizing (CSO) system. The CSO system is a group of autonomous, independent agents that perform tasks through self-organization without any central controller. The agents have a local neighborhood of sensing and react only to other agents within this neighborhood. Their interaction rules are a simple set of direction vectors based on a flocking model. The five local interaction rules are assigned relative weights, and the agents self-organize to display some emergent behavior at the system level. The engineering challenge is to identify which sets of local rules will cause certain desired global behaviors. The global required behaviors of the system, such as flocking or exploration, are translated into a fitness function that can be evaluated at the end of a multi-agent based simulation run. The GA works by tuning the relative weights of the local interaction rules so that the desired global behavior emerges, judged by the fitness function. The GA approach is shown to be successful in tuning the weights of these interaction rules on simulated CSO systems, and, in some cases, the GA actually evolved qualitatively different local interaction “strategies” that displayed equivalent emergent capabilities.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Incorporating Writing across the Curriculum into an Introductory Marketing Course

For a number of years, businesspeople have been telling marketing educators and business school deans that companies need college graduates with good communication skills who can analyze complex problems. At the same time, as knowledge in marketing and business grows at a rapid rate, business school faculty face the challenge of incorporating more content-related material into already jammed course calendars. This article's premise is that the meaningful application of writing in marketing classes-utilizing the philosophy of Writing across the Curriculum-can achieve all of these objectives and challenges without overly increasing the burden on faculty.
CCK biosynthesis and processing: Recent progress and future challenges

The peptide cholecystokinin (CCK), like other peptides which pass through the regulated secretory pathway, undergoes a number of post-translational modifications during its biosynthesis including tyrosine sulfation, endoproteolytic cleavage, and trimming by carboxypeptidases. This minireview summarizes what is known about this process in endocrine cells and in the Cpe(fat)/Cpe(fat) mouse and points out what challenges remain for future research.
Intestinal absorption of sodium cefoxitin in rats: effect of formulation

The absorption of cefoxitin from rat intestine, rectum and small intestine was greater when the powdered form was administered than when an aqueous solution was given. Cefoxitin absorption from the small intestine was significantly increased after its administration in suppository form prepared with a triglyceride base, although rectal absorption from the suppository did not differ from that of the drug in powdered form. The increase in absorption by the small intestine from the suppository form may be due to fatty acids produced from triglyceride by lipase.
Cosmological consequences of dilatons in the electroweak model

We consider the cosmological evolution of an electroweak model with a Jordan-Brans-Dicke dilaton, as would result from spontaneously breaking scale-invariance in a complete theory. For the case where the Friedman-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metric is introduced in the Einstein frame, it is shown that the phase transition is first-order, in agreement with previous treatments of this question. It is however argued that the treatment given here is more physically correct than previous treatments. It is also shown that at the electroweak phase transition, which occurs at the temperature of chiral symmetry breaking, most of the vacuum energy goes into oscillations of the dilaton field, with essentially no reheating or increase in entropy. As a result, the universe becomes effectively matter dominated before nucleosynthesis, ruling out the model. The only way to avoid this problem is to have scale-invariance broken at less than O(10(7)) GeV. For the case where the FRW metric is introduced in the Jordan frame, the electroweak phase transition is of second-order as for the minimal standard model. The question of the energy density in dilatons is dependent upon the assumed form of the dilaton potential.
Conventional Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Decreases the Rate of Surgical Sampling of Intrathoracic Lymphadenopathy

Abstract Background: Previous studies have suggested a decreased need for the surgical biopsy of intrathoracic lymph nodes (LNs) due to improved diagnostic rates utilizing transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) with endobronchial ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound. The goal of this study was to determine whether conventional TBNA using combined cytologic and histologic analysis of tissue specimens impacted the rates of surgical diagnostic biopsies of patients with intrathoracic lymphadenopathy. Methods: Retrospective review at a single academic center. All mediastinal and hilar tissue samples submitted for pathologic analysis over an 8.4-year period were analyzed. Patients were categorized into a “before” group and an “after” group based on two different time periods. The before group underwent only cytologic analysis of Wang needle (19-gauge or 21-gauge) aspirates. The after group had cytologic analysis of aspirates as well as histologic analysis of needle “core” (19 gauge) biopsy specimens. The groups were compared for the rate of intrathoracic LNs sampled by surgical means vs TBNA and the number of times that TBNA averted the need for a surgical diagnostic procedure. Results: The success of TBNA increased significantly in the after group compared to that in the before group. The yield for the successful sampling of mediastinal and hilar LNs increased from 53 to 91% (p Conclusions: Conventional TBNA using large-bore needles with both cytology and surgical pathology evaluation decreases the need for surgical sampling of the mediastinum to diagnose thoracic lymphadenopathy.
3D Induction Log Simulation With Octree Fractal Grids

This work presents an approach to 3D simulation of logs of induction resistivity tools in reservoirs. It is based on the usage of Octree Fractal Cartesian grids (OFC; “Octree” means “Octal Tree”), a finite-element discretization, and a direct solver. The corresponding code OFC3D does not require any special form or structure of the electric coefficients of a 3D formation: at any point conductivity, permittivity, and permeability can be arbitrary full tensors. The new code is tested and verified for 1.5D benchmark problems. The CPU time per one transmitter position is about 2 sec (SUN-10, 800 MHz processor), independent of formation coefficients.
From Central Guidance Unit to Student Support Services Unit: The Outcome of a Consultation Process in Trinidad and Tobago

In this article, we report on a multiyear consultation project between a consulting team based in the United States and the Ministry of Education in Trinidad and Tobago. The project was initiated with a request for training in counseling for secondary school students but ended with the training of personnel from the Ministry of Education in diagnosis and assessment at the elementary school level. Outcomes included manuals with national norms on phonemic awareness, oral reading fluency, and parent and teacher rating scales for the elementary-age students in Trinidad and Tobago and on a depression screener and an anxiety measure for secondary school students. Details on the consultation process are discussed as are lessons learned.
Role of supraspinatus in the quadrupedal locomotion of vervets (Cercopithecus aethiops): Implications for interpretation of humeral morphology

Various researchers have noted that terrestrial and arboreal monkeys often differ in the degree to which the greater tubercle of the humerus projects proximally beyond the profile of the humeral head. These differences have been associated with differing leverage requirements for supraspinatus during quadrupedal locomotion. Although Jolly (The Baboon in Medical Research, Vol. II., pp. 23–50, 1967) suggested that a projecting tubercle can be related to the ability of supraspinatus to control more exactly the passive humeral retraction that occurs during support phase of quadrupedalism, most workers emphasize a link between this bony trait and the need for powerful or rapid protraction of the forelimb during swing phase of terrestrial quadrupedalism. We report on an EMG analysis of supraspinatus function showing that the muscle does not act as a brachial protractor during quadrupedalism, even in the relatively cursorial vervet monkey. We suggest that differences in greater tubercle projection can be related to the degree of mobility of the shoulder, and that supraspinatus size is determined by the interaction of greater tubercle height, adaptive importance of brachial elevation, and body size.
School psychologists' involvement in special education due process hearings

A sample of practicing school psychologists was surveyed regarding their experiences with and views of the due process hearing system. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed reported that they had been called upon to testify at one or more due process hearings. Of those who had testified they reported that they were on the stand for an average of approximately 1 hour and that they spent an average of 7.5 hours in preparation. Most common issues on which school psychologists testified were assessment and appropriateness of placement. Both schools and parents were represented by attorneys in 70% of the hearings. Parents requested the hearing 72% of the time but prevailed in only 32% of the hearings. Respondents indicated that they agreed that their hearings had been conducted in a largely professional and fair manner. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.