cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation-Related Injuries and Their Management: An Update

Ionizing radiation (in the form of X-rays) is used for the majority of procedures in interventional radiology. This review article aimed at promoting safer use of this tool through a better understanding of radiation dose and radiation effects, and by providing guidance for setting up a quality assurance program. To this end, the authors describe different radiation descriptive quantities and their individual strengths and challenges, as well as the biologic effects of ionizing radiation, including patient-related effects such as tissue reactions (previously known as deterministic effects) and stochastic effects. In this article, the clinical presentation, immediate management, and clinical follow-up of these injuries are also discussed. Tissue reactions are important primarily from the patients' perspective, whereas stochastic effects are most relevant for pediatric patients and from an occupational viewpoint. The factors affecting the likelihood of skin reaction (the most common tissue reaction) are described, and how this condition should be managed is discussed. Setting up a robust quality assurance program around radiation dose is imperative for effective monitoring and reduction of radiation exposure to patients and operators. Recommendations for the pre-, peri-, and postprocedure periods are given, including recommendations for follow-up of high-dose cases. Special conditions such as pregnancy and radiation recall are also discussed.
Feedback-resistant mutants of histidine biosynthesis in yeast.

Mutants resistant to the histidine analog 1, 2, 4-triazole-3-alanine have been isolated and characterized. All members of one group, TRA1, map in the gene encoding the first enzyme of histidine biosynthesis, have a feedback-resistant first enzyme, and are dominant in diploids. As a consequence of the altered feedback properties, some TRA1 mutants have an internal histidine pool 12–15 times higher than that of wild type. In addition to their inability to control the size of their histidine pool, these mutants are unable to derepress normally. Some implications of these results for the study of feedback-resistant strains of higher plants are discussed.
Antecedents of Ethical Decision Making in Sales Organizations

This paper develops propositions about ethical decision making in sales organizations. Because salespeople are involved in relationships both within and outside of the organization it is necessary to consider the internal and external conditions that affect decision making. Drawing on the literature examining ethics in a marketing context, we delineate the circumstances under which ethical behavior is likely to occur. The relational context, environmental variables and the structure of selling relationships are proposed as antecedents of ethical decision making in sales organizations.
Understanding the role of governments in global tobacco control

Relatively little has been written about the appropriate roles of governments in tobacco control. Using economics and public policy and public health theories, we examine why governments should intervene in tobacco control, and what they should do. We then review key government roles that: (i) increase information for individuals on tobacco by banning tobacco advertising and promotion on tobacco goods, trademarks and logos; by increasing research on the causes, consequences and costs of tobacco products and by promoting public information and media campaigns, including serious warning labels on tobacco products; (ii) raise the cost of smoking through taxation and regulation; (iii) spend limited public funds on the most effective and cost-effective tobacco control interventions; (iv) develop global and regional taxation and regulatory approaches, including control of smuggling.
Divide or Conquer: Cell Cycle Regulation of Invasive Behavior

Cell invasion through the basement membrane (BM) occurs during normal embryonic development and is a fundamental feature of cancer metastasis. The underlying cellular and genetic machinery required for invasion has been difficult to identify, due to a lack of adequate in vivo models to accurately examine invasion in single cells at subcellular resolution. Recent evidence has documented a functional link between cell cycle arrest and invasive activity. While cancer progression is traditionally thought of as a disease of uncontrolled cell proliferation, cancer cell dissemination, a critical aspect of metastasis, may require a switch from a proliferative to an invasive state. In this work, we review evidence that BM invasion requires cell cycle arrest and discuss the implications of this concept with regard to limiting the lethality associated with cancer metastasis.
On the several Multi-physics models in simulation of transient nonlinear behaviors of stimuli-responsive polymer hydrogels in BioMEMS

T multi-physics models were developed or presented to predict the transient nonlinear behavior of actuators/sensors based on stimuli-responsive polymer hydrogels. A true meshfree, implicit numerical scheme was conducted to solve the coupled transient nonlinear partial differential governing equations. For the developed models involving chemo-electro-mechanics, the transient responds of electric-sensitive hydrogels including the membrane deformation, ionic concentrations and electric potentials interior and exterior the membranes are numerically simulated and compared. And the parameters having important influence on the transient hydrogel deformation are also investigated.
Five Lectures on Topological Field Theory

Topological quantum field theories – TQFTs – arose in physics as the baby (zero energy) sector of honest quantum field theories, which showed an unexpected dependence on the large scale topology of space-time. The zero energy part of the Hilbert space of states does not evolve in time, as by definition it is killed by the Hamiltonian; so, at first sight, its physics appears to be uninteresting. But this argument fails to consider a space-time with interesting topology.
Bombardments During the Spanish Civil War

“I heard an old man saying that the fighter planes had very meticulously bombed the most central points of the city, as if they had calculated it millimeter by millimeter.” Montserrat Roig, Ramona, Adeu INTRODUCTION In Chapter 2, I developed a theory on the determinants of direct violence in civil wars, with a focus on conventional civil wars. In this chapter, I extend my theoretical framework to indirect violence, and I generate a set of hypotheses that are tested with data on bombardments perpetrated by fascist armed forces (under Franco's leadership) in the region of Catalonia during the Spanish Civil War. Following the taxonomy presented in Chapter 2, indirect violence is perpetrated with heavy weaponry (e.g., bomber aircraft, field artillery, naval gunfire) and does not require face-to-face interaction with victims; indirect violence can consist of aerial, artillery, or maritime bombardments. As explained in Chapter 2, there are two main dimensions over which indirect violence differs from direct violence, and that make their respective theoretical explanation necessarily distinct: on the one hand, direct violence is perpetrated by an armed group in the territories they control, whereas indirect violence is mostly perpetrated in territories under the rival's control. On the other hand, direct violence implies an interaction between armed groups and civilians: this is not the case for indirect violence, which therefore leaves less room for civilian agency. The use of air power became widespread during World War II, thanks to the technological development during World War I (Overy, 1980). The Spanish Civil War was the first conflict of the twentieth century in which air forces played an essential role (Payne, 2010: 471). Many bombs were dropped on cities full of noncombatants (Balcells 1987: 34; Leitz 1999). Since then, bombings against civilian targets have been frequent in any war where armed groups have access to air power. Artillery is much older than air power, but the underlying trend in artillery has been an increase in range, precision, and payloads, which has enabled it to reach “strategic” targets – deep inside enemy lines – rather than targets on the front or its immediate rear and so it can work much as a substitute for air power.
Conical Bioreactor with Internal Lamella Settler for Perfusion Culture of Suspension Cells

A perfusion bioreactor configuration is presented which incorporates a conical lamella settler within a reactor vessel which is itself conical. The method used in determining dimensions for the sedimenter and in scaling up the apparatus ensures that cell residence time in the seperator is independent of reactor working volume. A benchtop-scale prototype of the reactor was tested with hybridoma cells. A 30-day perfusion culture in this vessel reached a maximum cell concentration of 6.5 million cells/mL, with a specific antibody production rate four times that seen in batch culture.
Protein-amino nutrition of nonruminant animals with emphasis on the pig: past, present and future.

During the period of 1958 to 1983, the fortified corn-soybean meal diet became standard for swine production systems. Dietary formulation changed from a protein to an amino acid basis. Amino acid requirements were established for all classes of swine. For growing swine, some of these studies led to refinements of earlier estimated requirement values, but for brood sows, both gestating and lactating, requirements for virtually all of the indispensable amino acids were established for the first time. With requirement values available, attention turned to factors affecting requirements, e.g., protein level, energy level, amino acid balance, sex and criterion of response. In addition, initial attempts were made to obtain amino acid bioavailability values for swine feedstuffs. Other nonruminant species were also represented in the dramatic changes that occurred in protein-amino acid nutrition. Improved and highly palatable purified crystalline amino acid diets were developed for rats, chicks, dogs, cats, rabbits and fish. Nitrogen nutrition and metabolism of nonruminant herbivores (e.g., rabbits and horses) likewise became better understood during the last 25 yr.
An Internet of ownership: Democratic design for the online economy:

The disappointments of the online economy – for instance, user surveillance and systemic labor abuses – stem at least in part from its failures to meaningfully share ownership and governance with r...
Quick Quenching of Polymer Blends

Abstract A new technique for quick quenching dilute polymer solutions into the solid state is presented – the rapid expansion of supercritical solutions (RESS). Since this process is governed by convection, it has a characteristic time (10 −7 s) that is much faster than the times of conventional, diffusion-governed quenching techniques such as freeze-drying (10 −5 s) or coagulation (10 3 s). Thus, for mixtures of immiscible polymers, precipitation into the solid state via RESS may occur more quickly than phase separation. Mixtures of immiscible poly(ethyl methacrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) have been precipitated from dilute chlorodifluoromethane solution via rapid expansion across an orifice. In the mixtures, a single glass transition temperature was observed, intermediate to the component Tg's. Physical aging at 20°C below the PEMA T g demonstrated that enthalpy recovery occurred only at the blend T g , confirming that no distinguishable homopolymer phases existed. When precipitated by rapid solution expansion, a block copolymer of styrene and methyl methacrylate exhibited a two-phase morphology, with one phase apparently consisting of pure polystyrene and the other a mixture of polystyrene and PMMA. Because the solvent used was a non-solvent for polystyrene, it is likely that the blocks were not intimately mixed in the precursor solution, and this segregation was reflected in the precipitate.
Bonded Bells and Two-Dimensional Spectra

Falling dominos. A bat hitting a baseball out of the stadium. A dog tugging on a leash. Energy transfer is all around us (Fig. 2.1). One of the most elegant demonstrations of energy transfer is “Newton’s cradle” (Fig. 2.2). You’ve probably seen this executive toy: five metal balls are attached to a metal frame by a thin wire, like five pendulums kissing each other. When the first ball is swung (Fig. 2.2a), it hits the neighboring balls, but only the ball at the extreme end reacts and swings out (Fig. 2.2b).
The Mycobacterium avium Complex and Slowly Growing Mycobacteria

The non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) include Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare, Mycobacterium kansasii and over 150 additional species of opportunistic pathogens whose source for human infection is the environment. NTM are normal inhabitants of soils, natural waters, drinking water distribution systems and household plumbing. NTM cause pulmonary, dermal, lymph node and disseminated infections in susceptible individuals. Risk factors for NTM disease include immunodeficiency, structural abnormalities of the chest, and exposure to dusts and inheritance of mutations leading to cystic fibrosis or α-1-antitrypsin-deficiency. The lipid-rich outer membrane of NTM is responsible, in part, for their resistance to disinfectants and commonly used antibiotics. Long term, multidrug regimens, often including rifampicin and clarithromycin, can result in disappearance of symptoms. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of NTM infection are available.
Nonlinear Operator Approximation

This paper is concerned with convergence theorems and error bounds for approximate solutions of nonlinear problems, with particular applications to Urysohn integral equations. It is an abbreviated version of a more extensive projected sequel by P.M. Anselone, J. Davis and P.M. Prenter. The main goal is to clarify, simplify, and sharpen theorems and proofs on nonlinear operator approximation by Anselone [1], Atkinson [2], Moore [6,7] and Prenter [8]. More general related results have been obtained by Stummel [9, 10].
A Role for Protein–Protein Interaction Networks in the Identification and Characterization of Potential Biomarkers

Biomarkers play an important role in the field of medicine. Over the past decade, a significant amount of data has been generated by high-throughput analysis, such as microarray technologies or proteomics, yet the discovery rate of biomarkers remains low. This lack of progress is primarily due to poor understanding of the biological processes causing the diseases. There is a growing consensus that a holistic network-based approach of characterizing diseases could aid in the development of novel therapeutics. This chapter describes the recent progress in the field of integrative network analysis for biomarker discovery and the pitfalls associated with methods used for the analysis.
Talk on the Caribbean Plant Protection Commission

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the talk on the Caribbean plant protection commission. The Caribbean Plant Protection Commission was established by the 48th Session of the FAO Council in 1967 through Resolution No. 8/48. The need for such a commission was first emphasized by the Second Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society held in Barbados in October, 1964, which adopted a resolution to request FAO to provide assistance in this regard. The First Session of the Caribbean Plant Protection Commission was convened at Paramaribo, Suriname, from July 15–22, 1968. The delegates to the First Session agreed that the specific problems concerning plant quarantine existed in all member countries. The specific quarantine measures suggested by the delegates needed to resolve existing problems involved preparing new or revision of existing, plant quarantine legislation, and its maintenance on an up-to-date basis and implementing approved procedures for boarding and inspecting air and land carriers.
Statistical Mechanics of Distinguishable Particles

In order to develop the tools for evaluating thermodynamic quantities by statistical methods we begin with the observation that we are dealing with immense numbers of particles (atoms or molecules) of matter. Each particle has available to it an immense number of possible energies of various kinds, but, left to itself, an isolated collection of such particles will eventually come to an equilibrium state in which the number of particles in any one state will thereafter remain constant. If the collection or system is isolated, classical thermodynamics tells us that it will, quickly or slowly, come to that state with the greatest possible entropy. This is, in fact, the famous second law of thermodynamics, often written dSE, V ≥ 0, where S, E, and V are entropy, energy, and volume, respectively. At the same time we know from everyday experience that any spontaneous change involves a progression from a less to a more probable state. The conclusion is inevitable that there ought to be some connection between entropy and probability. We are thus led to examine the subject of probability and, in turn, enquire how one can determine which of a great many possible states is the most probable one. We can then anticipate that a knowledge of the most probable state will lead us to its entropy and to other thermodynamic properties.
Niels Bohr’s Conceptual Legacy in Contemporary Particle Physics

Niels Bohr’s most-noted contributions to contemporary thought center around his work with quantum theory. His atomic model of 1913, his complementarity approach to quantum mechanics, and his ensuing lifelong debate with Albert Einstein have all received extensive attention from physicists, historians, and philosophers alike. Yet Bohr’s scientific creativity was not limited to atomic phenomena and quantum mechanics. He continued to blaze new paths into uncharted territory during the 1930s and 1940s as an early leader in the developing field of nuclear physics. This collection of original work, however, has garnered far less attention from Bohr scholars than has his well-known work with non-relativistic quantum mechanics.
Emerging Therapeutic Targets and Experimental Drugs for the Treatment of NAFLD

The two main subsets of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) include: (1) nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), the more common and non-progressive subtype; and (2) nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), the less common subtype, which has the potential to progress to advanced liver damage. Current treatment strategies have focused on lifestyle management of modifiable risk factors, namely weight, and on the optimization of the management of individual components of metabolic syndrome. Various hypothetical pathogenic mechanisms have been proposed, leading to the development of novel drugs with the potential to effectively treat patients with NASH. Numerous clinical trials are ongoing, utilizing these experimental drugs and molecules targeting specific mechanistic pathway(s) to effectively treat NASH. Some of these mechanistic pathways targeted by experimental pharmacologic agents include chemokine receptor 2 and 5 antagonism, inhibition of galectin-3 protein, antagonism of toll-like receptor 4, variation of fibroblast growth factor 19, agonism of selective thyroid hormone receptor-beta, inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1, inhibition of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase, agonism of farnesoid X receptor, antibodies against lysl oxidase-like-2, and inhibition of inflammasomes. Emerging data are promising and further updates from ongoing clinical trials are eagerly awaited.
A K-Means Algorithm Approach for Classifying Wireless Signal Loss Using RTT and Bandwidth

This paper shows that with bandwidth and round-trip time statistics, data analytics can be used to classify three characteristic phenomena in wireless signal use: decreases in bandwidth due to signal over-saturation, signal attenuation due to increasing distance, and signal improvement due to decreasing distance. Using a K-Means algorithm, bandwidth and round-trip time trends were clustered correctly by signal loss type with a 99.98% accuracy rating with 10,000 validation samples.
Acoustic Non-Line-Of-Sight Imaging

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging enables unprecedented capabilities in a wide range of applications, including robotic and machine vision, remote sensing, autonomous vehicle navigation, and medical imaging. Recent approaches to solving this challenging problem employ optical time-of-flight imaging systems with highly sensitive time-resolved photodetectors and ultra-fast pulsed lasers. However, despite recent successes in NLOS imaging using these systems, widespread implementation and adoption of the technology remains a challenge because of the requirement for specialized, expensive hardware. We introduce acoustic NLOS imaging, which is orders of magnitude less expensive than most optical systems and captures hidden 3D geometry at longer ranges with shorter acquisition times compared to state-of-the-art optical methods. Inspired by hardware setups used in radar and algorithmic approaches to model and invert wave-based image formation models developed in the seismic imaging community, we demonstrate a new approach to seeing around corners.
Inspiration, Subversion, and Appropriation: The Effects of Radio Free Europe Music Broadcasting

During the Cold War, young people in Eastern Europe were often seen as mere recipients and reproducers of Western popular culture. This article examines the role of musical programming in broadcast...
Milton and the Creation of England’s Long Reformation

This essay considers how Milton's perspectives on the Long Reformation, including its messy process, can reshape debates, dominated by historians of early modern religion, over how to conceptualize...
Crossed Wires in the Motor City: A Genealogy and Analysis of the 1967 Riots and the 1968 Strike Wave in Detroit

In the years 1967 and 1968 the city of Detroit was the site of two waves of rebellion. The riot of 1967 was one of the largest and most costly urban rebellions in U.S. history. And in the ashes of the ‘67 insurrection a wave of strikes began shutting down the sprawling factories of the auto industry. These strikes were organized by militant Black workers who later founded the League of Revolutionary Black Workers, an organization that characterized itself as the “ideological inheritor” of the riot. This article situates the League within the global moment of 1968, discusses the relationship of work stoppages to circulation struggles, and examines how the participants’ experience in riots, both on the streets of Detroit and in the prisons around the state, informed the praxis and politics of the League.
Creating a Radiology Call Center Hotline and "HOT" Sites: Centralizing Radiology Questions and Cohorting Out-patient Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Abstract Introduction Amidst COVID-19 crisis, confusion exists over current radiology operations due to influx of new data and new protocols. In order to decrease confusion and reduce imaging facility related COVID-19 transmissions, we created a dedicated radiology COVID-19 call center and dedicated out-patient COVID-19 imaging sites (referred to “HOT” sites). Materials and Methods We created a central radiology call center hotline, staffed by our radiology technologists, to answer all radiology questions related to COVID-19 and help with scheduling exams. All out-patient x-ray exams became mandatory to schedule through the call center so proper COVID-19 screening could occur. If positive for COVID-19 symptoms, they are sent to “HOT” sites. Various statistical analyses were performed. Results A total of 2548 calls were received over 7 weeks with linear increase in calls during this period (R 2 = 0.17, P = 0.003). Most common reasons for calling were related to scheduling (n = 2336, 92%) and radiology operations (n = 145, 6%). At our main “HOT” site, from a total of 371 separate patient encounters by date of study, 72 patient encounters (19%) were COVID-19 positive at time of exam. Discussion This project provides efficient and reassuring radiology operations during an emergency situation by providing a single reliable point of contact and a source of truth for all facets of radiology. In doing so, we facilitate high quality patient centered care while protecting the health of our patients and staff.
General Access to C-Centered Radicals: Combining a Bioinspired Photocatalyst with Boronic Acids in Aqueous Media

Carbon-centered radicals are indispensable building blocks for modern synthetic chemistry. In recent years, visible light photoredox catalysis has become a promising avenue to access C-centered rad...
Measuring and Harnessing Transference in Multi-Task Learning

Multi-task learning can leverage information learned by one task to benefit the training of other tasks. Despite this capacity, naive formulations often degrade performance and in particular, identifying the tasks that would benefit from co-training remains a challenging design question. In this paper, we analyze the dynamics of information transfer, or transference, across tasks throughout training. Specifically, we develop a similarity measure that can quantify transference among tasks and use this quantity to both better understand the optimization dynamics of multi-task learning as well as improve overall learning performance. In the latter case, we propose two methods to leverage our transference metric. The first operates at a macro-level by selecting which tasks should train together while the second functions at a micro-level by determining how to combine task gradients at each training step. We find these methods can lead to significant improvement over prior work on three supervised multi-task learning benchmarks and one multi-task reinforcement learning paradigm.
Abstract 15441: Determining the Optimal Thresholds for Classifying Functional Mitral Regurgitation Severity by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Non-ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Background: Functional mitral regurgitation (MR) grading by echocardiography is often challenging, and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) may provide more accurate and reproducible assessment, howeve...
A mediation analysis of schizophrenia variants: Risk alleles may affect a gene's expression differently from how the expression affects risk

Variants identified by Genome wide association studies (GWAS) are often expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), suggesting they are proxies or are themselves regulatory. Additionally eQTL analyses show that variants often affect more than one gene. Lacking data on many tissue types, developmental time points and homogeneous cell types, the extent of this one-to-many relationship is underestimated. This raises questions on whether a disease eQTL target gene explains the genetic association or is a by-stander. It also puts into question the direction of the effect of a gene9s expression on the risk, since the many genes regulated by the same variant may have opposing effects, imperfectly balancing each other. We used two brain gene expression datasets (CommonMind and BrainSeq) for a mediation analysis of schizophrenia-associated variants. We find that indeed eQTL targets often mediate risk but the direction in which expression affects risk is often different from the direction in which the risk allele changes expression. Of 38 genes significant for mediation in both datasets 33 showed consistent direction (Chi2 test P=6*10-6) and for 15 of them (45%) the expression change associated with the risk allele was protective, which suggests the likely presence of other target genes with overriding effects. Our results identify specific risk mediating genes and suggest caution in interpreting the biological consequences of targeted modifications of gene expression, as not all eQTL targets may be relevant to disease and those that are might have different than expected directions.
Profiling serum neurofilament light chain and glial fibrillary acidic protein in primary progressive multiple sclerosis

This study examined the utility of serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) as biomarkers in primary progressive multiple sclerosis in context with clinical severity, progression, and treatment. Using a single-molecule array (Quanterix), serum protein concentrations were measured from twenty-five participants semiannually for five years. There was no association between levels of either biomarker and disease severity, disease duration, or treatment group. Enrollment sNfL level was not associated with future clinical worsening. Precedent clinical worsening was not associated with last sGFAP measurement. These results suggest a limited role for these biomarkers in primary progressive disease management.
Securing seabed cybersecurity, emphasizing intelligence augmentation

The Communications website, http://cacm.acm.org, features more than a dozen bloggers in the BLOG@CACM community. In each issue of Communications, we'll publish selected posts or excerpts. twitter Follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/blogCACM http://cacm.acm.org/blogs/blog-cacm John Arquilla considers the outlook for undersea cyberwar, while Judi Fusco, Pati Ruiz, and Jeremy Roschelle discuss how building equitable applications in education requires an emphasis on augmenting intelligence.
Hypnosis in the Treatment of Pediatric Functional Neurological Disorder: The Magic Glove Technique.

Abstract The treatment of functional neurological disorder (FND), previously referred to as conversion disorder, can be challenging. Despite these challenges and with increased understanding of this condition, new treatment options are emerging. One such treatment is hypnosis, which has a long history of use in the treatment of FND. Jean-Martin Charcot, considered by many to be the father of modern neurology, used therapeutic hypnosis as early as the 19th century. In this report, we discuss the novel use of a hypno-anesthetic technique (the magic glove) for treatment of FND presenting as diplegia. We illustrate the use of the technique with the case of a 9-year-old girl who suffered from chronic pain and lower extremity weakness secondary to FND. With the magic glove technique, she improved rapidly and was free of symptoms by her sixth month follow-up visit. We review the current literature on FND interventions and emphasize the need for continued research in this field.
Diffusion: Detection of Microscopic Motion

Mention diffusion to most MR users and they will most likely think of the techniques for diffusion-weighted MRI that came into routine clinical use during the 1990s after FDA approval for use of these methods in the diagnosis of stroke. Indeed, that is the largest application of diffusion in clinical MRI. We will see, however, that effects of diffusion are always present in all MRI images. “Diffusion imaging” results when we structure MR images to make them especially sensitive to the effects of diffusion.
Multivariate Steepest Ascent Using Bayesian Reliability

MULTIVARIATE STEEPEST ASCENT USING THE BAYESIAN RELIABILITY FUNCTION By Jeffrey Norman Fuerte, Jr. M.S. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. Major Director: Dr. David Edwards, Assistant Professor, Department of Statistical Science and Operations Research The path of steepest ascent can used to optimize a response in an experiment, but problems can occur with multiple responses. Past approaches to this issue such as Del Castillo’s overlap of confidence cones and Mee and Xiao’s Pareto Optimality, have not considered the correlations of the responses or parameter uncertainty. We propose a new method using the Bayesian reliability to calculate this direction. We utilize this method with four examples: a 2 factor, 2-response experiment where the paths of steepest ascent are similar, ensuring our results match Del Castillo’s and Mee and Xiao’s; a 2 factor, 2response experiment with disparate paths of steepest ascent illustrating the importance of the Bayesian reliability; two simulation examples, showing parameter uncertainty is considered; and a 5 factor, 2-response experiment proving this method is not dimensional limited. With a Bayesian reliable point, a direction in multivariate steepest ascent can be found.
MERFISHing for spatial context

A new paper in Science by Zhuang and colleagues introduces multiplexed error-robust FISH (MERFISH). MERFISH extends single-molecule imaging techniques to profile the copy number and localization patterns of thousands of genes, representing a major advance for spatial transcriptomics, with exciting potential applications in immunology.
TNF-α Regulates Transforming Growth Factor-α Expression in Regenerating Murine Liver and Isolated Hepatocytes

TNF-alpha is a pleotropic proinflammatory cytokine that has been implicated as a contributing factor in a number of disease processes, primarily through its ability to induce the expression of inflammatory and cytotoxic mediators. TNF-alpha is also involved in cell growth accompanying the healing process in multiple organ systems and influences liver repair following hepatotoxic damage or regeneration following partial hepatectomy. In this respect, TNF-alpha is a known mitogen for hepatocytes. In this paper we describe a novel role for TNF-alpha in the modulation of expression of TGF-alpha, the latter being a complete hepatocyte mitogen. TNF-alpha directly up-regulates TGF-alpha mRNA by up to 7-fold in isolated mouse hepatocytes, whereas neutralization of TNF-alpha significantly decreased liver mRNA and protein expression of TGF-alpha following chemical-induced hepatotoxicity. That TNF-alpha directly stimulated TGF-alpha was suggested by the inability of either anti-IL-6 Abs or cycloheximide to inhibit TNF-alpha-induced TGF-alpha expression in hepatocytes. However, in the presence of anti-TGF-alpha neutralizing Abs, the mitogenic activity of TNF-alpha is abrogated. Using cells transfected with the TGF-alpha promoter, and an RNA polymerase inhibitor, it was shown that TNF-alpha modulates TGF-alpha expression through both pre- and posttranscriptional events. Taken together, these data suggest that TNF-alpha participates in liver repair and regeneration, in part, by directly inducing the expression of TGF-alpha.
Ultrastructural analysis of platelets in nonhuman primates: III. Stereo microscopy of microtubules during platelet adhesion and the release reaction

Abstract The role of microtubules in adhesion and in the adhesion-stimulated release reaction of platelets from African green monkeys has been studied using conventional (100 kV) and high voltage (1000 kV) stereo electron microscopy. Upon exposure in vitro to either glass or a carbon-stabilized formvar surface, platelets were rapidly activated and extended numerous filopodia. The adhesion process evolved over a period of 10–20 min with extension of a delicate hyalomere across the surface between adjacent filopodia. Microtubules, which form a circumferential ring in the resting cell, were dissociated upon cell activation and then reassembled in patterns which conformed to the general cell shape. In dendritic cells with numerous filopodia the microtubules were oriented radially. With subsequent hyalomere development, the microtubules paralleled major cell axes. This morphological transition of platelet adhesion was accompanied by the release of β-thromboglobulin (B-TG) which was maximal at 20 min, a time that corresponded to maximal hyalomere extension. Treatment of platelets with colchicine or vinblastine sulfate prior to adhesion dissociated the microtubules, but affected neither the morphological transition nor β-TG release. Our observations separate microtubules from adhesion-related events and suggest that during adhesion the microtubules, by conforming to cell shape, may simply provide cytoskeletal support.
Palaeoecology (Communication arising): Fossils and avian evolution

Given that Feduccia has explicitly stated that there is a near absence of ornithurine birds in Late Cretaceous continental deposits1 and has speculated that ornithurines may have been more or less restricted to shoreline and marine deposits during this time1, we do not believe that we misrepresented Feduccia's hypothesis. We reported the finding of an almost complete skeleton of an ornithurine from Late Cretaceous continental deposits, and do not see how this specimen could have no bearing on Feduccia's previous arguments.
STROKE VOLUME AND RELATED HEMODYNAMIC DATA IN NORMAL CHILDREN.

1. Catheterization data on 21 children between the ages of 6 and 16 years with no demonstrable hemodynamic abnormality were analyzed in order to establish normal values for blood flow in children. 2. The findings are: (a) Body surface area is a reliable standard of size for predicting cardiac output, stroke volume, and oxygen pulse. (b) Stroke volume is less variable than cardiac output or oxygen pulse since it is less affected at rest by minor variance from the basal state. (c) Cardiac index of 4.1 1/min/ m2 is valid within the surface area range of 0.7 to 1.2 m2. (d) Stroke index of 42 ml/beat/ m2 is valid within a surface area range of 0.7 to 1.5 m2. 3. Oxygen pulse is proposed as a sensitive index of the variance from basal state and as a useful flow measure for outpatient cardiac function studies. 4. A nomogram is presented for predicting cardiac output, stroke volume, and oxygen pulse from surface area.
ALOHA CMOS imager

We report on a A 32/spl times/32 pixel CMOS imager with a digital pixel output fabricated in a 0.6 /spl mu/m CMOS process. The imager incorporates an embedded ALOHA MAC interface for unfettered self-timed pixel read-out in energy aware sensor network applications. Collision on the output is monitored using an analog contention detector. The imager has an unprecedented dynamic range of 240 dB for an individual pixel with an array dynamic range of 180 dB. The power consumption is 795 /spl mu/W for typical outdoor illumination conditions with a typical pixel mean event rate of 10 K samples/s with frame rate updates of 4.88 K frames/s.
The Consumption of Processed Tomato Products Enhances Plasma Lycopene Concentrations in Association with a Reduced Lipoprotein Sensitivity to Oxidative Damage

Lycopene, the predominant carotenoid in tomatoes, is hypothesized to mediate the health benefits of tomato products. We designed a study to examine the change in plasma lycopene and resistance of lipoproteins to ex vivo oxidative stress. Healthy individuals (n = 60; age >40 y; 30 men/30 women) consumed a lycopene-free diet for 1 wk and were subsequently randomized to receive 35 +/- 1, 23 +/- 1 or 25 +/- 1 mg lycopene/d from Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup (CS), Campbell's Ready To Serve Tomato Soup (RTS) or V8 Vegetable Juice (V8), respectively, for 15 d. Total plasma lycopene concentrations decreased from 0.499 +/- 0.044 to 0.322 +/- 0.027 (35%, P < 0.0001) micro mol/L for the 60 participants during the 7-d washout period. After intervention, total lycopene concentrations increased for those consuming CS, RTS and V8 (compared with the washout period for each group) to 0.784 +/- 0.083 (123%, P < 0.0001), 0.545 +/- 0.061 (57%, P < 0.01) and 0.569 +/- 0.061 (112%, P < 0.0001) micro mol/L, respectively. The concentrations of all lycopene isomers decreased during the washout period. As a percentage of plasma total lycopene isomers for the 60 subjects, all-trans-lycopene decreased from 44.4 +/- 1.2 to 39.6 +/- 1.2 (P < 0.0001), whereas total cis-lycopene isomers increased from 55.6 +/- 1.2 to 60.4 +/- 1.2 (P < 0.0001) during the washout period, a shift that was reversed by consumption of tomato products for 15 d. The ex vivo lipoprotein oxidation lag period, used as a measure of antioxidant capacity, increased significantly from 64.7 +/- 2.4 min at the end of the washout period (all groups) to 70.1 +/- 4.0 (P < 0.05), 68.3 +/- 2.4 (P < 0.05) and 71.7 +/- 4.0 min (P < 0.01) after treatment for the CS, RTS and V8 groups, respectively. This study shows that lycopene concentrations and isomer patterns change rapidly with variation in dietary intake. In addition, 15 d of tomato product consumption significantly enhanced the protection of lipoproteins to ex vivo oxidative stress.
An inclusive paradigm of peace: The Kingdom of God∗

Abstract Peace Studies performs an invaluable function, identifying and analysing causes of unpeacefulness and pointing out paths to peace on earth. For many reasons, including historical ones and the philosophical backgrounds of peace researchers and educators, attention paid to the concept of peace as presented in the peace literature has been inadequate. Peace itself is regarded primarily as a goal and is sought in piecemeal fashion. In these pages the basis of a holistic and integrated paradigm of peace is outlined.
Atomic structure of the crystalline/amorphous interface in a directionally crystallized Pd80Si20 alloy

An amorphous ribbon of Pd80Si20 alloy was directionally crystallized under an imposed temperature gradient of 25 K/mm with a growth velocity of 0.0785 mm/s, and the structure of the crystalline/amorphous interface was investigated by conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Under these conditions, the amorphous Pd80Si20 crystallizes into a broken-lamellar eutectic of the Pd3Si and Pd9Si2 equilibrium phases. The Pd3Si phase is faceted and grows along the [010] direction by nucleation and propagation of unit-cell ledges parallel to the (010) terrace plane. The Pd9Si2 phase is largely coherent with Pd3Si and grows along a high-index crystallographic direction. Microscopic facets were not observed on the Pd9Si2 phase either by conventional or high-resolution TEM, indicating that its crystalline/ amorphous interface is comparatively rough. These observations are related to the crystallography and interphase boundary (IPB) energies of the phases and discussed in terms of mechanisms of lamellar growth.
Extractors and pseudorandom generators.

We introduce a new approach to constructing extractors. Extractors are algorithms that transform a “weakly random” distribution into an almost uniform distribution. Explicit constructions of extractors have a variety of important applications, and tend to be very difficult to obtain. We demonstrate an unsuspected connection between extractors and pseudorandom generators. In fact, we show that every pseudorandom generator of a certain kind is an extractor. A pseudorandom generator construction due to Impagliazzo and Wigderson, once reinterpreted via our connection, is already an extractor that beats most known constructions and solves an important open question. We also show that, using the simpler Nisan-Wigderson generator and standard error-correcting codes, one can build even better extractors with the additional advantage that both the construction and the analysis are simple and admit a short self-contained description.
EFFECTS OF UNILATERAL STIMULI ON THE MAGNITUDE AND LATENCY OF BILATERALLY RECORDED SKIN CONDUCTANCE RESPONSES

This experiment examined the effects of unilateral stimulation on the relative magnitude and latency of skin conductance responses recorded bilaterally from the palms. The unilaterally applied stimuli were shocks to either the left or right forefinger and voluntary flexion of either the left or right foot. Additional stimuli consisted of binaurally presented tones and deep breaths. In a within-Ss design, the 22 Ss were submitted to 18 repetitions of each stimulus. The unilateral shocks as well as the foot movements had the effect of augmenting the relative magnitude of skin conductance responses from the palm ipsilateral to the site of stimulation. The shocks were found to be somewhat more effective than foot flexion in producing this effect. The relative latencies of responses were also influenced by the shocks, with shorter latency responses occurring from the palm ipsilateral to the stimulus site. Consideration is given to the role of both suprasegmental and spinal-cord mechanisms in mediating these effects of unilateral stimuli.
Issues in Soviet energy policy and conflicts over fuel costs in regional development

(1971). Issues in Soviet energy policy and conflicts over fuel costs in regional development. Soviet Studies: Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 26-58.
Neurochemical phenotype of vagal afferent neurons activated to express C-FOS in response to luminal stimulation in the rat

Abstract The vagus nerve conveys meal-induced primary afferent responses to the brainstem. Electrophysiological studies indicate that luminal stimuli such as osmolarity and the digestion products of carbohydrates elicit powerful vagal nodose neuronal responses by activating serotonin 3 (5-hydroxytryptamine-3, 5-HT 3 ) receptors on intestinal mucosal afferent fibers. To characterize the neurochemical phenotype of neurotransmitters in vagal nodose neurons that are activated by luminal stimulation, we examined c- fos protein (c-Fos) expression in response to luminal stimulation in conscious rats. A double-labeling technique using antisera to glutamate (Glu), substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and somatostatin (SS) was used to determine the neurochemical profile of c-Fos-positive neurons. c-Fos immunoreactivity was insignificant in vehicle-treated rats. Luminal perfusions of NaCl (500 mOsm), tap water (5 mOsm), maltose (300 mmol/l), and 5-HT (10 −5 mol/l) each elicited a significant increase in the number of cells expressing c-Fos. Chronic vagotomy eliminated an increase in nodose neuronal c-Fos expression, and the 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist granisetron significantly reduced it. Glu-, SP-, and CGRP-containing neurons represented 28%, 53%, and 19%, respectively, of the total population of nodose neurons. Few neurons contained SS. Double-labeling studies revealed that of the c-Fos-positive neurons responsive to hypertonic NaCl, 52%, 41%, and 3% exhibited immunoreactivity for Glu, SP, and CGRP, respectively. Of those responsive to tap water, 47%, 50%, and 4% exhibited immunoreactivity for Glu-, SP- and CGRP, respectively. In addition, 44%, 38%, and 8% of 5-HT-stimulated and 30%, 32%, and 5% of maltose-stimulated c-Fos-positive neurons exhibited, respectively, Glu, SP, and CGRP immunoreactivity. The few neurons that contained SS did not express c-Fos. Conclusions: Vagal primary afferent neurons that respond to 5-HT-dependent luminal stimuli, such as hyperosmolarity and maltose, contain mainly Glu and SP. These neurons appear to play an important role in the mediation of the vago-vagal reflex elicited by luminal stimuli.
Speakers of tonal and non-tonal Korean dialects use different cue weightings in the perception of the three-way laryngeal stop contrast

The current study investigated the perception of the three-way distinction among Korean voiceless stops in non-tonal Seoul and tonal Kyungsang Korean. The question addressed is whether listeners from these two dialects differ in the way they perceive the three stops. Forty-two Korean listeners (21 each from Seoul and South Kyungsang) were tested in a perception experiment with stimuli in which VOT and F0 were systematically manipulated. Analyses of the perceptual identification functions show that VOT and F0 cues trade off each other for the perception of the three stops. However, the trading relationship differs between the two dialects. Logistic regression analyses confirmed the two dialects use the perceptual cues differently for the lenis and aspirated stops. While Seoul listeners rely primarily on F0 for making lenis responses and on VOT and F0 for aspirated responses, F0 plays a less important role in modulating both lenis and aspirated responses for Kyungsang than for Seoul listeners. It is proposed that different tonal systems between the two dialects and the ongoing diachronic sound change in the stops of Seoul Korean contribute to the inter-dialect difference in cue weighting for the three-way stop distinction. The results suggest that although the difference in phonology between the two dialects influences the phonetic realization, the phonetic trade-off among multiple cues allows each dialect to maintain the phonemic distinction in a unique way.