cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemical Communication in the True Bugs and Parasitoid Exploitation

Heteroptera suck vertebrate and invertebrate blood, or plant sap, and they do it above or below ground, under or on water, even on salt water. There are some 35,000 species of Heteroptera worldwide, including 2,500 predaceous species, yet sexual pheromones are fully known for only a few species. Nevertheless, scattered behavioral, morphological, and chemical evidence suggests that attract-ant pheromones are widespread in the advanced terrestrial infraorders of Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha and Pentatomomorpha (Aldrich, 1988a, 1988b) (Fig. 9.1).
Cortical wave amplitude and eye movement direction are correlated in REM sleep but not in waking

Eye movement related potentials were recorded bilaterally from the lateral geniculate body and visual cortex in five cats during REM sleep and waking. During REM sleep polygraphic recordings showed that these potentials have significantly greater amplitudes (primary waves) in the visual cortex and lateral geniculate body ipsilateral to the direction of the corresponding rapid eye movements. This amplitude difference was seen as a mean increase of 38.2% over the contralateral side and was found in 94.0% of wave pairs. The correlation between horizontal eye movement direction and amplitude of the waves is specific to REM sleep as there were no measurable differences in the waking state. These results are discussed with respect to possible mechanisms and functions of this lateralized wave system and its state dependency.
We’ve Been Framed! Ends, Means, and the Ethics of the Grand(iose) Challenges

Since the United States’ National Academy of Engineering’s Grand Challenges were first publicly articulated in 2008, engineering educators have used its ideas to motivate their work. While there is a sense of moral imperative around pursuing selected Challenges, work that critically examines the ethics of the Grand Challenges has so far been rare. In this paper, examining the process surrounding the framing of the Grand Challenges generates a series of ethical questions about both the specifics of the Challenges and the processes that gave rise to them. A Grand Challenges lesson plan for classroom implementation focuses students on the ethics of problem framing, and the consideration of social justice questions as an integral part of professional ethics.
Mental Status Test Scores are Inversely Correlated with Tremor Severity: A Study of 161 Elderly Essential Tremor Cases

Background: There is an increasing awareness that patients with essential tremor (ET) may exhibit non-motor features, including cognitive dysfunction. Yet there are surprisingly few data in ET on the association, if any, between cognitive dysfunction and motor dysfunction (i.e., tremor severity). Establishing links between the cognitive and motor features of ET would imply that the two share a common underlying pathogenic process. Recent neuroimaging data support this notion. Methods: ET cases were enrolled in a clinical–pathological study at Columbia University Medical Center, New York. The Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (FMMSE) and Modified Mini Mental Status Examination (mMMSE) were administered. Action tremor was rated with a total tremor score (TTS). Results: There were 161 ET cases (mean age 83.9±5.7 years, median FMMSE 28, median mMMSE 50). The FMMSE and mMMSE were inversely correlated with the TTS (r = −0.22, p = 0.005; and r = −0.17, p = 0.029). The association, while statistically significant, was modest in magnitude. In linear regression models that adjusted for age, gender, and education, the association between cognitive test scores and TTS remained robust (p<0.001). After excluding 68 (42.2%) cases taking ET medications with potential cognitive side effects, results remained unchanged. Conclusions: Each of the two cognitive test scores was associated with tremor severity such that greater cognitive dysfunction occurred in cases with more marked tremor. These data support recent imaging data, which suggest that the cerebellar neurodegeneration underlying ET may be involved in the expression of cognitive symptoms in ET.
Investigating the Utility of Eye-Tracking Information on Affect and Reasoning for User Modeling

We investigate the utility of an eye tracker for providing information on users' affect and reasoning. To do so, we conducted a user study, results from which show that users' pupillary responses differ significantly between positive and negative affective states. As far as reasoning is concerned, while our analysis shows that larger pupil size is associated with more constructive reasoning events, it also suggests that to disambiguate between different kinds of reasoning, additional information may be needed. Our results show that pupillary response is a promising non-invasive avenue for increasing user model bandwidth.
5‐Ethylthio‐1H‐tetrazole

[89797-68-2] C3H6N4S (MW 130.17) InChI = 1S/C3H6N4S/c1-2-8-3-4-6-7-5-3/h2H2,1H3,(H,4,5,6,7) InChIKey = GONFBOIJNUKKST-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent used a powerful activator in DNA and RNA syntheses) Physical Data: mp 86–88 °C.1, 2 Solubility: soluble in CH3CN, DMF. Purification: recrystallized from toluene. Analysis of Reagent Purity: IR, UV, elemental analysis.2 Preparative Methods: the title reagent 1 is prepared from the corresponding alkyl thiocyanate and sodium azide through a [2 + 3] cycloaddition under phase transfer catalytic conditions (eq 1).1 The ratio of the solvent (water to toluene) as well as the reaction temperature are important factors in obtaining preparative yields of the alkylthiotetrazoles. 5-Ethylthio-1H-tetrazole has also been prepared using DMF as solvent albeit in much lower yield.2 (1) Handling, Storage, and Precautions: stable reagent; stored under argon, may be toxic.
Selection and characterization of a new switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) line with high somatic embryogenic capacity for genetic transformation.

Abstract Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is used horticulturally as an ornamental and agronomically as an animal feedstock and a putative bio-energy crop. Genetic transformation, using somatic embryogenic (SE) callus derived from mature seeds, is one strategy for improving switchgrass traits. A superior switchgrass line, HR8, was developed in this study using recurrent tissue culture selection from cv. Alamo. Eighty two percent of HR8 seeds germinated after harvest comparing to 26.8% for unselected ‘Alamo’. HR8 seeds that germinated produced 84.9% SE callus. HR8 seeds had higher endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) contents and responded differently to exogenous additions of ABA in culture. Endophytes were isolated from switchgrass seeds and callus. HR8 callus had less endophytic contamination than that of ‘Alamo’ callus. HR8 SE calli were genetically transformable using Agrobacterium. Therefore, HR8 is a superior line for generating SE callus and Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
Free amino acid and protein titers inAnthonomus grandis larvae venomized byBracon mellitor

Changes in the free amino acid levels of extracts from body whole homogenates of 3rd instar boll weevilAnthonomus grandis Boheman (Curculionidae) larvae which had been stung once by females of the ectoparasitoidBracon mellitor Say (Braconidae) were determined. Stung larvae exhibited an initial rise in free amino acid levels within 6 min after the venom was injected followed by a decline within 2h. A second free amino acid peak occurred 4 days after initial sting. Observed increases in free amino acid levels were always followed by synchronized decreases in total soluble proteins. The possible nutritional regulatory effect of ectoparasitoid venom on the physiology of the boll weevil is discussed.
Female Genital Mutilation: When a Cultural Practice Generates Clinical and Ethical Dilemmas

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is of growing concern to health care providers in the United States and Canada as more women from countries where the procedure is practiced emigrate to North America. An introduction to the demographics of FGM, including prevalence rates, is a necessary antecedent for understanding the cultural rationales for this widespread practice. Considering the health consequences of this practice promotes questions about legal and ethical aspects of care as North Americans approach FGM from their own individual cultural frameworks.
Detection of structural chromosome damage in rat interphase cells using region-specific fluorescence in situ hybridization probes developed by microdissection.

Abstract Cytogenetic analysis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) was employed to detect structural chromosome aberrations in interphase. We generated DNA probes specific for rat chromosome regions 1q11–12, 1q31–35 and 1q51–53 by microdissection and degenerate oligonucleotide-primed PCR. Targeted regions were labeled in unique colors by FISH. Abnormal cells were identified on the basis of alterations in the physical distance between the hybridization signals. To evaluate the ability of these probes to quantify chromosome aberrations in interphase, rats were acutely exposed whole-body to 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4 Gy of 137 Cs gamma rays. Eight days later, peripheral blood, bone marrow, lung and pancreas were removed and hybridized with the probes. Multi-color FISH analysis showed dose-responsive frequencies of abnormal interphase nuclei in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells. In lung and pancreas, on the contrary, no increase in the frequency of the abnormal interphases was observed. However, chromosome damage was observed when primary lung cells, obtained from rats irradiated 8 days previously, were cultured for three days. Detection of rearranged signals after in vitro tissue culture was attributed to the movement of chromosome domains that accompanies mitosis. The use of region-specific painting probes appears useful for detecting structural chromosome damage in interphase cells of rat tissues, although further optimization is still needed to improve the method.
Hemodynamic and arterial stiffness differences between African-Americans and Caucasians after maximal exercise

African-American (AA) men have higher arterial stiffness and augmentation index (AIx) than Caucasian-American (CA) men. Women have greater age-associated increases in arterial stiffness and AIx tha...
Fourier transform infrared studies of poly(vinyl chloride) blends with ethylene Co‐ and terpolymers

The miscibility of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with various ethylene copolymers and terpolymers were investigated using FT-IR spectroscopy. All blends reported were 50/50 by weight. In blends of PVC with ethylene/dimethyl acrylamide copolymer (E/DMA), frequency shifts were observed in the amide carbonyl (proton acceptor) and the α-hydrogen of PVC (proton donor) characteristic bands. In blends of PVC with ethylene/ethyl acrylate/carbon monoxide terpolymer (E/EA/CO), both the ester carbonyl and the ketone carbonyl characteristic frequencies showed mutual shifts and appeared as if they merged together. Small frequency shifts were also observed in the α-hydrogen of PVC characteristic bands. In blends of PVC with ethylene/vinyl acetate/carbon monoxide terpolymer (E/VA/CO), the ester carbonyl frequency showed a shift while that of the ketone carbonyl was essentially unchanged. On the other hand, in PVC blends with ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (E/VA), the ester CO frequency did not show any shift, which is consistent with their observed immiscibility. Thus, it is clear that incorporating a ketone CO in ethylene/ester copolymers to form the corresponding terpolymers enhances their miscibility with PVC as earlier proposed on the basis of dynamic mechanical studies. Similar results were shown for blends of PVC with ethylene/2 ethyl hexyl acrylate/carbon monoxide terpolymer (E/2EHA/CO). Frequency shifts imply specific interactions which suggest polymer-polyer miscibility on a molecular scale.
Low-dose sulfur mustard primes oxidative function and induces apoptosis in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Abstract Although considerable work has focused on understanding the processes of direct tissue injury mediated by the chemical warfare vesicant, sulfur mustard (2,2′-bis-chloroethyl sulfide; SM), relatively little is known regarding the mechanisms of secondary injury caused potentially by the acute inflammatory response that follows SM exposure. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) play a central role in the initiation and propagation of inflammatory responses that, in some cases, result in autoimmune tissue damage. The potential for PMN-derived tissue damage following SM exposure may, in part, account for the protracted progression of the injury before it resolves. The current study was undertaken to evaluate the priming, oxidative function, and viability of PMN following exposure to low doses of SM such as those that might remain in tissues as a result of topical exposure. Our results demonstrate that doses of SM ranging from 25 to 100 μM primed PMN for oxidative burst in response to activation by fMLP, and that doses of SM ranging from 50 to 100 μM induced PMN apoptosis. Understanding the mechanisms through which SM directly affects PMN activation and apoptosis will be of critical value in developing novel treatments for inflammatory tissue injury following SM exposure.
What do Students Learn from Participation in an Undergraduate Research Journal? Results of an Assessment

INTRODUCTION Undergraduate research journals provide students with an opportunity to disseminate their work while learning about the scholarly publishing process. The opportunities to learn about scholarly communication have been demonstrated, but such journals also offer a means of helping students attain necessary information literacy competencies. By partnering in the publication of undergraduate journals, libraries can further strategic goals related to information literacy and establish a connection between library publishing and student success. This paper reports on an assessment of the Journal of Purdue Undergraduate Research (JPUR) that was designed to evaluate student learning outcomes and demonstrate connections between journal participation and student success. METHODS The assessment plan included all student and faculty stakeholder groups. Online surveys were distributed to primary stakeholder groups annually for three years; students who attended workshops were asked to complete evaluations; and web metrics were collected. RESULTS The findings indicated that students experienced gains in learning as a result of writing an article, writing a research snapshot, or mentoring a student author. Because of their involvement with JPUR, student authors intended to publish articles in the future. JPUR influenced career decisions. Faculty were motivated to continue to act as mentors for undergraduate research. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION The assessment showed that student authors benefitted from experiencing the full spectrum of the scholarly publishing process. Notably, students gained knowledge of important information literacy concepts. These learning gains and the demonstrated influence of JPUR on student career and scholarly aspirations clearly show that publication of an undergraduate research journal supports university priorities for student success as well as the Libraries’ strategic priorities of information literacy and scholarly communication. It is recommended that other institutions that are publishing undergraduate journals undertake similar assessments, which will further establish the value of such publications.
Furnace Cyclic Oxidation Behavior of Multi-Component Low Conductivity Thermal Barrier Coatings

Ceramic thermal barrier coatings will play an increasingly important role in advanced gas turbine engines because of their ability to further increase engine operating temperatures and reduce cooling, thus helping achieve future engine low emission, high efficiency and improved reliability goals. Advanced multi-component zirconia-based thermal barrier coatings are being developed using an oxide defect clustering design approach to achieve the required coating low thermal conductivity and high temperature stability. Although the new composition coatings were not yet optimized for cyclic durability, an initial durability screening of the candidate coating materials was conducted using conventional furnace cyclic oxidation tests. In this paper, furnace cyclic oxidation behavior of plasma-sprayed zirconia-based defect cluster thermal barrier coatings was investigated at 1163 C using 45 min hot cycles. The ceramic coating failure mechanisms were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with X-ray diffraction (XRD) phase analysis after the furnace tests. The coating cyclic lifetime is also discussed in relation to coating processing, phase structures, dopant concentration, and other thermo-physical properties.
Estrogenic activity and volume fraction of waste water origin in monitoring wells along the Santa Cruz River, Arizona

The fate of estrogenic activity in waste water effluent was examined during surface transport and incidental recharge along the Santa Cruz River in Pima County, Arizona. Based on measurement of boron isotopes, the fractional contribution of reclaimed water in surface waters and ground water wells proximate to the river was determined for a contemporary sample set. Estrogenic activity decreased by −60% over the 25 mi length of the river below effluent discharge points in Tucson. In ground water samples obtained from monitoring wells that are proximate to the Santa Cruz River, both dissolved organic carbon (p= 0.0003) and estrogenic activity (p= 3 × 10−6) were highly correlated to fractional waste water content. Results indicate that proximate ground water quality is sensitive to incidental recharge of reclaimed water in the Santa Cruz River bed. In a few locations, little attenuation of estrogenic activity was apparent during percolation of effluent in the river channel to well withdrawal points.
Comparison bilaterally of lingual and facial arterial rami in the mandibulo-perimandibular complex: Arterioradiographic models for surgical consideration

Anatomic illustrations and arterioradiograms of the facial, submental, lingual and sublingual arteries, and their primary branches in the mandibulo-perimandibular complex are routinely demonstrated unilaterally; illustration and comparison bilaterally have not been documented. The unilateral illustration mode erroneously implies arterioanatomic similarity contralaterally. Mandibulo-perimandibular arteries in 50 stillborn human fetuses and 50 human adult cadavera were assessed. Head and neck arteries of fetal subjects were perfused with a radiopaque perfusant via the ascending thoracic aorta. Then the entire mandibular complex and tongue of each fetus was excised en bloc and radiographed from above the tongue. The radiograms showed 1) that sublingual and submental arteries and their primary rami differ in size, number, arrangement, and distribution unilaterally, as well as bilaterally and 2) that the entire mandibular body complex (including periosteum, cortex, spongiosa, and dentoparadontal structures) receives substantial sources of supply via the facial, submental, and sublingual arteries (extrinsic sources). The facial and lingual arteries and their ramifications in the adult mandibular complex were demonstrated by gross dissection. Comparison between fetal and adult mandibular arterial anatomies showed remarkable similarity. Furthermore, the results of this arterio-anatomic assessment and the results of concurrent, independent, experimental bone surgical studies (Hadidi, Doctoral dissertation, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 1985) favor a growing opinion that rami from the facial, submental, and sublingual arteries (extrinsic sources) to the mandibular body are more essential to its need than is commonly believed. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Does intraoperative fluid management in spine surgery predict intensive care unit length of stay

Abstract Study Objective: To determine whether intraoperative fluid management in spine surgery predicts postoperative intensive care unit length of stay (ICU LOS). Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: University-affiliated medical center. Patients: 103 adult ASA physical status I, II, and III patients undergoing spine surgery. Interventions: Patients were divided into three LOS groups: no ICU stay (LOS0) (n = 26), 1 day ICU stay (LOS1) (n = 48), and ICU stay > 1 day (LOS2) (n = 29). Measurements were analyzed by groups using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests, and linear regression. Measurements: Demographics, comorbidity, length of surgery, surgical procedure, and intraoperative fluids were recorded. Main Results: The important differences in perioperative fluid management among the three groups included estimated blood loss (612 ± 480 mL, 1853 ± 1175 mL, 2702 ± 1771 mL, means ± SD); total crystalloid administration (2715 ± 1396 mL, 5717 ± 2574 mL, 7281 ± 3417 mL); and total blood administration (92 ± 279 mL, 935 ± 757 mL, 1542 ± 1230 mL) in LOS0, LOS1, and LOS2, respectively. The mixture of surgical procedures was similar in LOS1 and LOS2; and differed from LOS0. Predictors of ICU LOS included age, ASA physical status, surgical procedure, total crystalloid administration, and platelet administration. Surgical procedure and total crystalloid administration correlated (Pearson correlation coefficient=0.441; p = 0.000) and were not related to age or ASA physical status. Conclusions: Total crystalloid administration during spine surgery does predict ICU LOS. In addition, total crystalloid administration is closely related to the surgical procedure. Given that the mixture of surgical procedures was similar in LOS1 and LOS2, but differed in estimated blood loss, total crystalloid administration, and total blood administration; intraoperative fluid management during spine surgery only predicts ICU LOS insofar as total crystalloid administration is related to the surgical procedure.
Petascale large eddy simulation of jet engine noise based on the truncated SPIKE algorithm

We apply the truncated SPIKE algorithm to petascale simulation of jet engine noise.We derive a tridiagonal linear system solver from the truncated SPIKE algorithm.The new solver has optimal weak scalability not found in traditional methods.Experimental data show the new solver to be much faster than traditional methods. With the emergence of petascale computing platforms, high-fidelity computational aeroacoustics (CAA) simulation has become a feasible, robust and accurate tool that complements theoretical and empirical approaches in the prediction of sound levels generated by aircraft airframes and engines. Differentiating itself from the broader discipline of computational fluid dynamics, CAA is particularly challenging as it demands high accuracy, good spectral resolution, and low dispersion and diffusion errors from the underlying numerical methods. Large eddy simulation based on space-implicit high-order compact finite difference schemes has been shown to meet such stringent requirements. In this paper, we discuss a new, scalable parallelization scheme with a three-dimensional computational space partitioning. Unlike many traditional multiblock computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods, our partitioning is non-overlapping. We use the truncated SPIKE algorithm to solve the governing equations accurately and limit one-sided biased differentiation to just the physical boundaries. We present experimental performance data collected on Kraken and Ranger, two near-petascale computing platforms.
Advances in Computational Astrophysics

This special astrophysics issue presents three case studies on modeling supernovae, which are spectacular stellar explosions. A fourth paper presents a set of parallel analytical tools being developed to analyze the complex results of such simulations. Many astrophysics problems include multiple interacting physical processes and involve disparate length and time scales. Such multiphysics, multiscale applications are challenging to model and require the largest extant computers to simulate.
RMSD: A 3D real-time mid-level scene description system

This paper introduces a system for real-time, visual 3D scene description. A scene is described by planar patches and conical objects (cylinders, cones and spheres). The system makes use of sensor's natural point order, dimensionality reduction and fast incremental model update (in O(1)) to first build 2D geometric features. These features approximate the original data and form candidate sets of possible 3D object models. The candidate sets are used by a region growing algorithm to extract all targeted 3D objects. This two step (raw data to 2D features to 3D objects) approach is able to process 30 frames per second on Kinect depth data, which allows for real-time tracking and feature based robot mapping based on 3D range data.
Visual Attention: A Cell that Focuses on One Object at a Time

A new study has identified a remarkable neuron in the dragonfly brain that chooses and faithfully follows one and only one prey-like visual target, completely ignoring another, thereby demonstrating a form of competitive selection required for visual attention.
Towards Multimodal Pain Assessment for Research and Clinical Use

Pain is a complex phenomenon that requires consideration of individual differences in the index person, those with whom they interact, and the social context. Pain displays vary, with some patients highly expressive regarding their pain and others exhibiting minimal discomfort. Given myriad individual differences among patients, their families, and healthcare providers, pain is often poorly assessed, which can result in improper treatment. An automatic and reliable assessment of the onset, intensity, and pattern of occurrence of pain would help ensure the best possible treatment. Given these potential medical implications, increasing efforts are underway to develop intelligent systems to enable objective measurement and monitoring of pain.
The binding of Maclura pomifera lectin to cells of the T-lymphocyte lineage in the rat.

Abstract The tissue, anatomic, and developmental distribution of Maclura pomifera (MP) lectin binding to rat lymphoid cells was examined. Analysis was performed by immunofluorescence microscopy and by the fluorescence-activated cell sorter. Comparison with anti-rat Ig to detect B cells and the monoclonal antibodies W3/13, W3/25, and OX 8 to detect T cells revealed that the MP lectin reacted with all T cells and not B cells in spleen and lymph node of young adult rats. The lectin also bound selectively to the thymus-dependent areas in frozen sections of spleen and lymph node. Using the MP lectin in conjunction with anti-Thy1 antibody and the monoclonal antibodies, W3/25 and OX 8, four T-cell subpopulations in spleen and lymphnode were identified on the basis of their cell surface antigenic phenotype. The T-cell developmental distribution of MP binding revealed that 100% of normal and neoplastic thymocytes bound the lectin whereas approximately 25% of TdT + bone marrow cells, putative thymocyte progenitors, were MP + . Thus, the MP lectin is a nonimmunoglobulin reagent which binds to prethymic, thymic, and post-thymic cells of the T-lymphocyte lineage. Affinity chromatography experiments indicated that the MP lectin binds, at least in part, to the major thymocyte cell surface glycoprotein which is recognized by the W3/13 monoclonal antibody.
Factors controlling relative stability of anomers and hydroxymethyl conformers of glucopyranose

The relative energies of 11 different conformers of D-glucose, including different exo-anomeric orientations and at least one of each hydroxymethyl conformer (G−, G+, and T) for each of the two anomeric forms (α and β), were calculated at much more complete levels of quantum mechanical (QM) electronic structure theory than previously available, and relative free energies in solution were calculated by adding rotational, vibrational, and aqueous solvation effects. The gas-phase results are based on very large basis sets (up to 624 contracted basis functions) and the coupled cluster method for electron correlation. Solvation Model 5.4/ AM1 was used to calculate the effects of aqueous solvation. Factors contributing to the relative energies of these conformers have been analyzed. Relative energies varied considerably (up to 4.5 kcal/mol), depending on the theoretical level, and different levels of theory disagreed as to which anomer was lower in energy. The highest-level gas-phase calculations predicted the α-anomer to be lower in free energy by 0.4 kcal/mol (Boltzmann average). Gas-phase energies from several different classical force fields were compared to QM results. The QM structures optimized at the MP2/cc-pVDZ level of theory compared well with experiment for three different crystal structures. In water, the β-anomers were better solvated than the α-anomers by 0.6 kcal/mol (Boltzmann average). Contributions of individual hydrophilic groups to the solvation free energies were analyzed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 19: 1111–1129, 1998
Two-tone measurement of the nonlinear behavior of a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) ring resonator

The nonlinearity of a SOI ring resonator was measured using a two-tone method. At frequencies near 10 MHz, 1.5 mW causes significant signal degradation. At frequencies near 1 GHz, little signal degradation is seen.
The Role of Academic Medical Centers in Advancing Regulatory Science

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has oversight of an increasingly complex array of therapeutic and scientific advances, as well as an expanded mission that now includes enabling innovation. This complex mission necessitates access to and understanding of relevant scientific expertise in what is commonly called “regulatory science.” Academic medical centers have much of this relevant expertise, and there is an increasing need and opportunity for the FDA to engage with them to shape the regulatory science agenda.
A study of stable crack growth in thin SEC specimens of 304 stainless steel by computer vision

Abstract Computer vision methods were used to study crack growth and crack blunting in thin, 304 stainless steel single edge cracked (SEC) specimens with various a/w ratios. The in-plane displacement and strain distributions in the vicinity of the crack tip before and after crack growth were obtained and compared with theoretical predictions. Results for a growing crack indicate that for small amounts of crack growth, a critical value for the ω factor is a predictor of the presence of HRR-type fields. Specifically, with Δa 0 and ω > 10, where a 0 is the initial crack length, the crack tip deformation fields have the same form as observed for stationary cracks; the HRR dominant zones exist for V and e yy but the field variables U , e xx and e xy have either non-existent or much smaller HRR zones. For a limited range of crack growth (0.08 a 0 0 ), trends in the crack tip deformation fields in a segment of the crack tip region are reasonably predicted by the plane strain, quasi-static growing crack tip fields. For larger amounts of crack growth (Δ a > 0.20 × a 0 ), available theories were unable to predict the observed deformations. The J -integral, crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) and crack tip opening angle (CTOA) were investigated to determine if they can be used as fracture parameters for thin specimens. Results indicate that the CTOD-Δa and CTOA-Δa curves were reasonably independent of a/w ratios for all Δa, with CTOA having the admirable quality of being constant during crack growth for Δ a > t . The J avg - Δa (J τ ) trends were independent of a/w ratio only for Δa t is the specimen thickness, with a substantial increase in scatter for larger Δa. In addition, it was determined that the general form of the CTOA-Δa data appears to be due to crack tunneling within the thin specimen for Δa
Mammalian Target of Rapamycin as a Rational Therapeutic Target for Breast Cancer Treatment

Therapies directed at endocrine receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 are important treatment options for patients with breast cancer; however, drug resistance and subsequent disease progression in patients with advanced disease is inevitable. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a key regulator of cell growth and proliferation implicated in the cellular processes that lead to the uncontrolled growth of cancer cells. Hence, overactivation of the mTOR pathway may also represent a key process in the development of resistance to these therapies, and interrupting this signaling cascade may alleviate resistance and help restore drug sensitivity. A number of agents that target the mTOR pathway have shown potent antitumorigenic effects in vitro, and several agents have also shown promise in treating patients with breast cancer. Everolimus and temsirolimus are the most clinically advanced agents in this class, with recent data from the BOLERO-2 study indicating significant benefit associated with everolimus when added to endocrine therapy in patients with endocrine therapy-resistant disease. In this review, we consider the translation of mTOR inhibitors from laboratory studies to large clinical trials, driven by a rational understanding of the role of mTOR in the processes that underlie breast cancer tumorigenesis.
Tracheal Sounds Acquisition Using Smartphones

Tracheal sounds have received a lot of attention for estimating ventilation parameters in a non-invasive way. The aim of this work was to examine the feasibility of extracting accurate airflow, and automating the detection of breath-phase onset and respiratory rates all directly from tracheal sounds acquired from an acoustic microphone connected to a smartphone. We employed the Samsung Galaxy S4 and iPhone 4s smartphones to acquire tracheal sounds from N = 9 healthy volunteers at airflows ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 L/s. We found that the amplitude of the smartphone-acquired sounds was highly correlated with the airflow from a spirometer, and similar to previously-published studies, we found that the increasing tracheal sounds' amplitude as flow increases follows a power law relationship. Acquired tracheal sounds were used for breath-phase onset detection and their onsets differed by only 52 ± 51 ms (mean ± SD) for Galaxy S4, and 51 ± 48 ms for iPhone 4s, when compared to those detected from the reference signal via the spirometer. Moreover, it was found that accurate respiratory rates (RR) can be obtained from tracheal sounds. The correlation index, bias and limits of agreement were r2 = 0.9693, 0.11 (−1.41 to 1.63) breaths-per-minute (bpm) for Galaxy S4, and r2 = 0.9672, 0.097 (–1.38 to 1.57) bpm for iPhone 4s, when compared to RR estimated from spirometry. Both smartphone devices performed similarly, as no statistically-significant differences were found.
American Ginseng Inhibits Induced COX-2 and NFKB Activation in Breast Cancer Cells

Background Epidemiologic evidence suggests reduced breast cancer mortality in users of American Ginseng (AG) ( Panax quinquefolium ). We hypothesized that AG extract decreases proliferation of human breast cancer cells via an anti-inflammatory effect applicable to the prevention of breast and other cancers. Material and Methods A defined lyophilized aqueous extract of AG (LEAG) was dissolved in DMSO 1mg/mL, and serially diluted in saline. The cell lines MDA MB 231 and MCF7 were stimulated with the phorbol ester PDBu and treated with 100–500 mcg/mL LEAG. Proliferation was measured by MDA assay. Induced COX-2 expression was assayed by ELISA. Activation of NFκB by phosphorylation of the p65 subunit was quantified by CASE (cellular activation of signaling ELISA). Results Both cell lines had reduced proliferation when treated with LEAG. PDBu stimulation of MDA MB 231 increased expression of the COX-2 protein 20-fold at 48hours ( P Conclusion In MDA MB 231, COX-2 was inducible with PDBu. This induced COX-2 expression was blocked by 100 microgram/mL LEAG in a time course consistent with the decline in the activated p65 subunit of NFκB. These results provide an anti-inflammatory mechanism for a possible anti-cancer effect of American Ginseng.
Revisional bariatric surgery: perioperative morbidity is determined by type of procedure

Revisional bariatric procedures are on the rise. The higher complexity of these procedures has been reported to lead to increased risk of complications. The objective of our study was to compare the perioperative risk profile of revisional bariatric surgery with primary bariatric surgery in our experience. A prospectively maintained database of all patients undergoing bariatric surgery by three fellowship-trained bariatric surgeons from June 2005 to January 2013 at a center of excellence was reviewed. Patient demographics, type of initial and revisional operation, number of prior gastric surgeries, indications for revision, postoperative morbidity and mortality, length of stay, 30-day readmissions, and reoperations were recorded. These outcomes were compared between revisional and primary procedures by the Mann–Whitney or Chi square tests. Of 1,556 patients undergoing bariatric surgery, 102 patients (6.5 %) underwent revisional procedures during the study period. Indications for revisions included inadequate weight loss in 67, failed fundoplications with recurrent gastroesophageal reflux disease in 29, and other in 6 cases. Revisional bariatric procedures belonged into four categories: band to sleeve gastrectomy (n = 23), band to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 25), fundoplication to bypass (n = 29), and other (n = 25). Revisional procedures were associated with higher rates of readmissions and overall morbidity but no differences in leak rates and mortality compared with primary procedures. Band revisions had similar length of stay with primary procedures and had fewer complications compared with other revisions. Patients undergoing fundoplication to bypass revisions were older, had a higher number of prior gastric procedures, and the highest morbidity (40 %) and reoperation (20 %) rates. In experienced hands, many revisional bariatric procedures can be accomplished safely, with excellent perioperative outcomes that are similar to primary procedures. As the complexity of the revisional procedure and number of prior surgeries increases, however, so does the perioperative morbidity, with fundoplication revisions to gastric bypass representing the highest risk group.
New method for volumetric estimation of functioning thyroid tissue

99m-Tc-pertechnetate SPECT studies of thyroid phantoms, with volumes in 13-198 cc range, and of a number of patients were performed. A modified reconstruction and analytic methods were applied to the data analysis. It involved: (1) transformation of the initial ECT data by a suitable mathematical function to compress the dynamical range of the data; (2) tomographic reconstruction resulting in transaxial (TV) images; (3) decompression of TV images via a reverse function; (4) Gaussian smoothing of the decompressed TV (dTV) images; (5) subtraction of a Compton dTV images from photopeak dTV images, (6) parallel operation on dTV images: Sobel edge detection and impulse filtering; (7) combining the filtered images via the AND operator; (8) edge tracing in the combined image by a human operator; (9) volume estimation by a computer. Based on the phantom studies it was established that the proposed technique yielded volumes with the relative error not exceeding 10%. For patient studies, the obtained volumes were also compared with palpation estimation. It has been found that inter-observer variability of the thyroid volume estimate is a function of physician's experience in utilization of manual palpation and it may result in the relative errors exceeding 50%.© (2000) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Component learning in the four-category concept problem

The four-category concept identification task is analyzed as involving two single-cue subproblems. It is supposed that the two concurrent subproblems are worked on independently by the subject, and further, that subproblem learning is a probabilistic, all-or-nothing event. Various lines of evidence are drawn from the data to document these assertions. In particular, the theory successfully predicts the behavior of subjects in the four-category task by using parameters estimated from other subjects learning only single-cue subproblems.
Malunited fractures of lower end of humerus

Abstract 1. 1. The commonly used methods of operative treatment of malunited fractures of the lower end of the humerus have been reviewed. 2. 2. Emphasis has been placed upon the importance of a good functional result in preference to perfect anatomical reposition with questionable improvement of function. 3. 3. A few of the common complications of malunited fractures of the lower end of the humerus have been discussed briefly.
Geometric gravitational force on particles moving in a line

Abstract In two-dimensional space-time, point particles can experience a geometric, dimension-specific gravity force, which modifies the usual geodesic equation of motion and provides a link between the cosmological constant and the vacuum θ-angle. The description of such a force fits naturally into a gauge theory of gravity based on the extended Poincare group, i.e. “string-inspired” dilaton gravity.
Cell cycle regulation in response to DNA damage in mammalian cells: a historical perspective.

Cell cycle delay has long been known to occur in mammalian cells after exposure to DNA-damaging agents. It has been hypothesized that the function of this delay is to provide additional time for repair of DNA before the cell enters critical periods of the cell cycle, such as DNA synthesis in S phase or chromosome condensation in G2 phase. Recent evidence that p53 protein is involved in the delay in G1 in response to ionizing radiation has heightened interest in the importance of cell cycle delay, because mutations in p53 are commonly found in human cancer cells. Because mammalian cells defective in p53 protein show increased genomic instability, it is tempting to speculate that the instability is due to increased chromosome damage resulting from the lack of a G1 delay. Although this appears at first glance to be a highly plausible explanation, a review of the research performed on cell cycle regulation and DNA damage in mammalian cells provides little evidence to support this hypothesis. Studies involving cells treated with caffeine, cells from humans with the genetic disease ataxiatelangiectasia, and cells that are deficient in p53 show no correlation between G1 delay and increased cell killing or chromosome damage in response to ionizing radiation. Instead, G1 delay appears to be only one aspect of a complex cellular response to DNA damage that also includes delays in S phase and G2 phase, apoptosis and chromosome repair. The exact mechanism of the genomic instability associated with p53, and its relationship to the failure to repair DNA before progression through the cell cycle, remains to be determined.
Extracting media noise characteristics from MFM images

Magnetic force microscopy (MFM) is used to study the noise characteristics of magnetic media. In DC or AC erased areas of the media the noise is characterized by two parameters: the standard deviation of the signal and the average correlation length along and perpendicular to the DC erase direction. In regions of the media where signals are written, the noise is characterized by three parameters which describe the distortions of the signal: the standard deviations of the amplitude, the pulse-width at half-amplitude, and the jitter in the pulse position. The resolution of the MFM is exploited to study the dependence of the noise on sub-micron read widths.
Age-associated studies on thermal stability and template effectiveness of DNA and nucleoproteins from beef thymus

Abstract Thymus DNA prepared from old cows has been reported to have a higher thermal stability than that from calves ( von Hahn and Verzar, 1963 ). Subsequent studies indicated, however, that the age-related difference observed in T m was due to the proteins in the DNA preparations ( von Hahn, 1963 ). These observations suggest the possibility that there is an age-related difference in the binding of protein to DNA. In the present communication, we show that the thermal stability of beef thymus nucleoprotein increases and the template effectiveness for RNA-polymerase decreases with increasing age of the animal. These differences disappear when the nucleoprotein is prepared by a procedure which effectively diminishes the amount of RNA and nonhistone protein in the preparation. No age-related changes in DNA were observed in any characteristics studied.
Temporary neurological dysfunction after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest: a clinical marker of long-term functional deficit.

Abstract Background . With increasing clinical experience, it has become clear that two distinct forms of neurological injury occur after operations on the thoracic aorta that require temporary exclusion of the cerebral circulation. Traditionally, evaluation of neurological outcome was limited to reporting the incidence of postoperative stroke related to ischemic infarcts due to particulate embolization. More recently, the symptom complex defined as "temporary neurological dysfunction" (TND) was recognized as a functional manifestation of subtle and presumably transient brain injury, but whether this early postoperative syndrome is associated with long-term deficits of cognitive and intellectual functions has not been established. Methods . With Institution Review Board approval, 105 patients undergoing elective thoracic aortic surgery were entered into a protocol involving neuropsychological evaluation with a battery of tests preoperatively, and 1 and 6 weeks postoperatively. Patients who could not be tested adequately or had documented strokes were eliminated from final analysis. Seventy-one patients completed the neuropsychological evaluation, which consisted of eight tests consolidated into five domains: attention, cognitive speed, memory, executive function, and fine motor function. Independent observers also determined whether temporary dysfunction was present, and graded its severity based on a fixed but subjective clinical scale, ranging from simple disorientation and lethargy or confusion (grade 1–2) to prolonged extreme agitation or psychotic behavior requiring treatment with psychotropic drugs (grade 3–5). Data were normalized to baseline values, and were analyzed using analysis of variance, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and χ 2 as necessary. Results . A previous analysis had shown that patients who could not be tested or had poor scores 1 week postoperatively were more likely to perform poorly at 6 weeks (odds ratio 5.27, p p = 0.0006). Similarly, the severity of TND (as assessed by clinical score > 2) was also significantly higher in group 2 (11/14) compared with group 1 (0/6; p = 0.006.) Conclusions . The incidence and severity of clinically apparent temporary neurological dysfunction correlates significantly with poor performance on neuropsychological tests 1 week postoperatively. Such poor performance predicts continued deficits in memory and motor function at 6 weeks. Thus, TND may not be a benign self-limited condition as previously supposed, but rather a clinical marker for insidious but significant neurological injury associated with measurable long-term deficits in cerebral function. A concerted effort to reduce the incidence of this complication is therefore necessary.
Absolute Radiation Standard in the Far Infrared

An absolute radiation standard is constructed for use between 200 and 2000 μ. It is demonstrated that the output is that of a blackbody over this wavelength range. The absolute standard is used to calibrate a secondary standard mercury-arc lamp which is found to have an equivalent temperature in the neighborhood of 3000°K. It is shown that absolute standards can be used either to determine the strength of an unknown signal directly or to calibrate the sensitivity of a monochromator-detector system.