cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early effect of 90Y radioembolisation on hepatocellular carcinoma and liver parenchyma stiffness measured with MR elastography: initial experience

To quantify hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and liver parenchyma stiffness using MR elastography (MRE) and serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP), before and 6 weeks (6w) after 90Y radioembolisation (RE), and to assess the value of baseline tumour and liver stiffness (TS/LS) and AFP in predicting response at 6w and 6 months (6 m). Twenty-three patients (M/F 18/5, mean age 68.3 ± 9.3 years) scheduled to undergo RE were recruited into this prospective single-centre study. Patients underwent an MRI exam at baseline and 6w following RE (range 39–47 days) which included MRE using a prototype 2D EPI sequence. TS, peritumoural LS/LS remote from the tumour, tumour size, and AFP were measured at baseline and at 6w. Treatment response was determined using mRECIST at 6w and 6 m. MRE was technically successful in 17 tumours which were classified at 6w as complete response (CR, n = 7), partial response (PR, n = 4), and stable disease (SD, n = 6). TS and peritumoural LS were significantly increased following RE (p = 0.016, p = 0.039, respectively), while LS remote from tumour was unchanged (p = 0.245). Baseline TS was significantly lower in patients who achieved CR at 6w (p = 0.014). Baseline TS, peritumoural LS (both AUC = 0.857), and AFP (AUC = 0.798) showed fair/excellent diagnostic performance in predicting CR at 6w, but were not significant predictors of OR or CR at 6 m. Our initial results suggest that HCC TS and peritumoural LS increase early after RE. Baseline TS, peritumoural LS, and AFP were all significant predictors of CR to RE at 6w. These results should be confirmed in a larger study. • Magnetic resonance elastography–derived tumour stiffness and peritumoural liver stiffness increase significantly at 6 weeks post radioembolisation whereas liver stiffness remote from the tumour is unchanged. • Baseline tumour stiffness and peritumoural liver stiffness are lower in patients who achieve complete response at 6 weeks post radioembolisation. • Baseline tumour size is significantly correlated with baseline tumour stiffness.
Impact of Mitral Valve Prosthesis on Stroke after Insertion of Veno-Arterial Membrane Oxygenation for Postcardiotomy Shock

Purpose Veno-arterial membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) is used in profound postcardiotomy shock (PCS). Previous study raised the possibility that use of VA-ECMO after mitral valve replacement (MVR) may pose a risk of valve thrombosis and embolism including stroke likely due to low transvalvular flow. This study focused on stroke after valve surgery requiring VA-ECMO. Methods Of 482 adult patients undergoing VA-ECMO from January 2011 to July 2020, 113 received VA-ECMO for PCS: coronary artery bypass Grafting (CABG): N=44; Mitral valve repair: N=12; Aortic valve replacement (AVR), N=28; MVR, N=29. Precautions taken to limit thromboembolism included: (1) low VA-ECMO flows were maintained between 1.5-2.2 L /min/m2, if possible, to provide hemodynamic support while maximizing trans-valvular flow and prosthesis washing; (2) anticoagulation was initiated within 24 hours postoperatively; (3) A bioprosthesis was used for 98.2% of valve replacements. The incidence of stroke and survival to discharge were primary outcomes. Results Peripheral VA-ECMO cannulation was performed in 87.6% (CABG, 79.5%; MV repair, 100%; AVR, 96.4%; and MVR 86.2%, p=0.483). Of these, 65.7% of peripheral cannulation was axillary VA-ECMO. The overall survival for PCS was 57.5%, with an incidence of stroke of 11.5% (CABG, 6.8%; MV repair, 8.3%; AVR, 10.7%; and MVR 20.7%; CABG or MV repair vs MVR, p=0.066; CABG or MV repair vs. AVR, p=0.889). Median support length of VA-ECMO was 6 days. In 6 patients who had stroke after MVR, 5 patients (83.3%) developed stroke after decannulation with a median interval of 1 day. The incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was 15.9%, 25%, 28.6%, and 32.1%, respectively (P=0.405). In univariable logistic regression analysis, MVR was a predisposing factor for postoperative stroke (odds ratio: OR, 3.39: p=0.078), but AVR (OR, 1.56: p=0.579) and central cannulation (OR, 3.03: p=0.178) were not. Conclusion The incidence of stroke after MVR was significant in PCS requiring VA-ECMO which suggests that an intracardiac embolic source may cause stroke with recovery of heart function. An alternative mechanical support or treatment strategy may be considered after MVR given the high rate of stroke during VA-ECMO support.
Religion, Theologie, Philosophie

Das Kapitel klart die Begriffe von Religion, Theologie und Philosophie und untersucht die Beziehungen, die zwischen ihnen bestehen.
Designing for Deficit Irrigation

Deficit irrigation is the practice of deliberately under-irrigating a crop. This practice may be preferable to full irrigation when water supplies are limited or irrigation costs are high. This paper investigates the merits of deficit irrigation for a farm in eastern Oregon. Two distinctly different irrigation systems were designed, one for full irrigation, the other for deficit irrigation. The costs and performances of these two systems are compared. It is determined that the system designed for deficit irrigation could lead to increased farm income while substantially reducing energy, water and capital requirements. These advantages would be gained by designing the deficit irrigation system for long intervals between irrigations and for low soil moisture uniformity. It is concluded that deficit irrigation can offer significant benefits under some circumstances, these benefits may be largely dependent on system design, and a comprehensive economics analysis is required to accurately assess the merits of a deficit irrigation scheme.
Where have all the babies gone? Towards an Anthropology of infants (and their caretakers)

In much anthropological literature infants are frequently neglected as outside the scope of both the concept of culture and disciplinary methods. This article proposes six reasons for this exclusion of infants from anthropological discussion. These include the fieldworker’s own memories and parental status, the problematic question of agency in infants and their presumed dependence on others, their routine attached to women, their seeming inability to communicate, their inconvenient propensity to leak from a variety of orifices, and their apparently low quotient of rationality. Yet investigation of how infants are conceived beyond the industrialized West can lead us to envision them far differently from how they are conceived in the West (including by anthropologists). Confronting such comparative data suggests the desirability of considering infants as both relevant and beneficial to the anthropological endeavor.
Should the United States Designate Specialist Patent Trial Judges? An Empirical Analysis of H.R. 34 in Light of the English Experience and the Work of Professor Moore

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit currently reverses from one-third to nearly one-half of all patent claim construction decisions by the U.S. district courts. Because claim construction often determines the outcome of patent litigation, the high appellate claim construction reversal rate contributes to significant uncertainty among inventors and investors. Congress is currently considering legislation, H.R. 34, which will designate specialist district court patent judges so as to reduce this unacceptably high reversal rate. This article concludes that designation of specialist patent trial judges among the federal district court judiciary is likely to reduce the high appellate claim construction reversal rate, based upon an empirical analysis of the appellate claim construction reversal rate in England, which has specialized patent tribunals. Part I of the article examines proposed U.S. legislation that would designate specialized patent trial judges. Part II analyzes the patent claim construction process in the United States, enumerating the challenges faced by generalist U.S. district court judges charged with deciding highly complex patent litigation actions. Part III then examines the English patent claim construction process, drawing numerous parallels between patent litigation in the United States and England that render the English system a valid comparator when considering the respective appellate claim construction reversal rates in the two jurisdictions. Part IV presents empirical results that strongly support the notion that designation of specialist patent trial judges in the United States could indeed decrease the appellate claim construction reversal rate, thereby affording certainty to patent litigants and investors. Part V then considers why the approach proposed in H.R. 34 is superior to the current English system of specialized patent trial courts.
A novel feasibility analysis approach based on dimensionality reduction and shape reconstruction

Abstract Optimal and feasible operation of process plants demand accurate knowledge of the effect of parameter uncertainty on process design and operation. There has been considerable effort towards accurate representation of the feasible operation range and different metrics have been proposed in literature to quantify the operational flexibility. While these methods are largely successful in addressing convex problems, their applicability becomes restricted for general nonconvex problems. The feasibility analysis technique proposed in this paper considers the feasible region as an object, and applies surface reconstruction ideas to capture and define the shape of the object. The procedure starts by first sampling the feasible region to have a representation of the feasible space, an α shape is then constructed with the sampled points, thus generating a polygonal representation of the feasible parameter space. With this information at hand, any point can be checked for its feasibility by applying the point-in-polygon algorithm. The proposed method is general, and can be applied to any convex, non-convex even disjoint problems without any further modifications.
Pareto Optimization of Temporal Decisions

The focus of this paper is on constrained optimization problems where the objective is to maximize a set of local preferences for times at which events occur. Previous work by the same authors has resulted in a reformulation of a subclass of these problems into a generalization of Temporal Constraint Satisfaction Problems, using a semiring as the underlying structure for reasoning about preferences. A tractable strategy for combining and comparing preferences was proposed, wherein computing global preferences consists of taking the minimum of the component preference values. This strategy, which we here dub the "weakest link optimization" (WLO) strategy, is a coarse method for comparing solutions, and therefore can easily be demonstrated to have drawbacks. To formalize this observation, we show here that the optimal solutions generated by WLO are not in general Pareto optimal. To compensate for these limitations, we make WLO more robust by combining it with a process that involves iteratively committing to temporal values in the set of optimal solutions, concomitantly fixing the preference value for the projection of the solution to the local preference. The intuition is simple: by applying WLO iteratively to reduced problems, WLO might be able to improve the preference values of the remaining temporal variables. We demonstrate the improvement gained from applying this technique on examples from Mars Rover planning domain, and prove that the combined strategy results in solutions that are in the set of Pareto optimal solutions.
Assessing Transnational Private Regulation of the OTC Derivatives Market: ISDA, the BBA, and the Future of Financial Reform

For the last twenty years, the dominant narrative of the over-the-counter derivatives market has been one of absent regulation, deregulation, and regulatory conflict, predictably resulting in disaster. This Article challenges this narrative, arguing that the global derivatives market has been subject to pervasive and harmonized regulation by what should be recognized as transnational private regulators. Recognizing the reality of widespread transnational private regulation of derivatives has significant implications, which this Article explores. Appreciating the actual regulatory status quo is essential if policymakers are to correctly diagnose problems, avoid past regulatory errors, and plan effective remedies. There are also advantages to relying on private transnational regulation, as increased governmental effort to regulate the OTC derivatives space may undermine and fracture existing regulation. To be sure, private transnational regulation carries risks that have sometimes materialized, such as the manipulation of LIBOR. Thus, this Article also evaluates best practices in regulating through transnational private governance.
Cost-Effective Rapid and Long-Term Screening of Chemical Vapor Intrusion (CVI) Potential: Across Both Space and Time

Reviews including the latest “data-rich” chemical vapor intrusion-radon (CVI-Rn) studies indicate buildings/times can be “screened-in” as having Rn-evident-susceptibility/priority for soil gas intrusion, and elevated-potential for CVI concerns, or not. These screening methods can supplement conventional indoor-air chemical sampling, under naturally varying conditions, by prioritizing buildings and times based on indoor Rn levels. Rn is a widespread, naturally occurring component of soil gas and a tracer of soil gas intrusion into the indoor air of overlying buildings. Rn is also an indicator for generally similar behavior of other components of near-building soil gas, possibly including chemical contaminant vapors. Indoor Rn is easily measured at a low cost, allowing continuous observations from essentially all buildings with the potential for CVI across time. This presents cost savings and other benefits for all CVI stakeholders.
A deterministic method to characterize canopy radiative transfer properties

Investigations of snowcover dynamics beneath vegetation canopies require either measured or estimated solar and thermal radiation values at the snow surface. A deterministic method is presented that uses portable arrays of pyranometers and pyrgeometers to quantify the amount of incoming radiation at the snow surface. Example solar and thermal radiation datasets are presented from boreal deciduous, boreal coniferous and temperate coniferous forest stands. The data indicate that the canopies transmitted 33% (4-8 March), 15% (6-10 February), and 3% (22-24 September) of the above-canopy radiation. In the boreal deciduous and temperate conifer stands, thermal radiation is increased by 25% and 34% respectively. Thermal gains partially offset solar reduction, such that incoming all-wave radiation is decreased by 22% and 25% respectively for each of these stands. When recorded at a high temporal resolution, array data can estimate below-canopy diffuse solar radiation values for estimation techniques that treat direct and diffuse transmission independently. We provide examples of how radiometer array data are used to derive simple canopy radiation transmissivity parameters for global, beam and diffuse radiation. Radiometer arrays also provide data for detailed investigations to assess within-stand radiation variability, or to investigate radiation variations across land cover discontinuities, to advance our understanding of snowcover energetics in complex environments.
Potential investigation of cloud-aerosol interaction with a multiple-wavelength Raman-elastic lidar

Measurements of low-altitude cloud and its interaction with aerosol are analyzed with a multiple-wavelength elastic- Raman scattering lidar. Using the numerical experiment approach, we first evaluate the retrieval accuracy of cloud extinction from the Raman-lidar algorithms, in particular at the cloud edges. For the low-level water-phase cloud, the simulation also shows the dramatic variation of lidar-ratio, color-ratio and extinction-ratio with the small droplets and their correlation. Then, the measurement examples by CCNY elastic-Raman lidar illustrate that the small droplets probably appear at the cloud edges, which might imply the new particle formation or the cloudaerosol interaction.
Molecular cloning of genes involved in the production of the extracellular polysaccharide xanthan by Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Abstract Recombinant plasmids pIJ3040 and pIJ3041 containing overlapping fragments of the genome of wild type Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris restored the production of extracellularpolysaccharide to non-slimy mutants. Mutagenesis of the cloned DNA with the transposon Tn5 was used to localize the complementing region of the DNA. Marker-exchange of Tn5 insertions from cloned DNA into the X.c. campestris genome provided evidence for linked genes involved in EPS production. the EPS-deficient mutants retained pathogenicity in a seedlin bioassay.
Variability within the rabbit C repeats and sequences shared with other SINES

Abstract The C family of short, interspersed repeats (SINES) is highly repeated in the rabbit genome, and most members have a structure suggestive of a model for their dispersal via reinsertion of a double-stranded copy of an RNA polymerase III transcribed RNA. We have determined the nucleotide sequence of additional members of the repeat family and have compiled them to obtain an improved consensus sequence. This compilation shows that although most regions of the repeat are well conserved, two regions show high variability. Some individual repeats are truncated, and one truncated repeat retains the characteristic structures of a retroposon. The consensus sequence for C repeats does not match the sequence of any other sequenced mammalian SINE over large regions, but short imperfect matches to several primate and rodent SINES are observed. A sequence similar to the 27 nucleotide consensus sequence TCCCAGCAACCACATGGGAGGCAGAGA was found in all mammalian SINES examined. The 3' portion of this sequence matches a DNA segment found at the replication origins of papovaviruses.
How the systems approach is determining automotive battery design and use

Abstract Today, the battery in a vehicle system is specific and designed as a single, stand-alone vehicle product. Traditionally, customer specifications were the driving force behind battery design and application requirements. This method is not able to comprehend the fluctuating requirements of real-time, vehicle systems. Growing competition in the automotive market is increasing customer needs and expectations in regards to cost, weight, size efficiency, time-to-market, and quality of the products and systems. System engineering is a service that Delco Remy, as an electrical power system supplier, offers to help their customers secure gains in the market place. System development and application engineering is essential for the development of performance-optimized components that meet the systems and total vehicle cost, reliability and timing objectives. The battery integration must be managed through the electrical power system during the complete vehicle development process in order to increase ultimately customer satisfaction.
VARICELLA-ZOSTER VIREMIA: ASSOCIATION WITH PROGRESSIVE VARICELLA

In retrospect, progressive varicella (the clinical involvement of organ systems other than the skin, the prolonged appearance of vesicles, or clinically significant hemorrhage) is usually not difficult to distinguish from typical varicella. However this often fatal complication of varicella is difficult to anticipate even in children at high risk. During the course of varicella, viral culture of buffy coats in human fibroblast tissue cultures were performed on 13 normal children and 15 children at risk of developing progressive varicella. Eight patients who developed progressive varicella had viremia in association with exanthem whereas no child who had a typical varicella course demonstrated viremia. In 6 patients with a progressive course, viremia was present prior to the clinical appreciation of a progressive course of the varicella infection. The viremia appeared to be cell-associated and thus may be amenable to rapid diagnosis by immunofluorescence or electron microscopy. The documentation of viremia preceeding the clinical manifestations of progressive varicella infection may allow the early recognition of those children in whom antiviral therapy may be beneficial.
Implementing the Lorenz oscillator with translinear elements

Nonlinear processing is often more suitable than the traditional linear approach is for analyzing biological signals. Unfortunately, digital nonlinear operations are computationaly expensive. In contrast, a large variety of nonlinear operations can efficiently be implemented in analog electronics, operating at real-time speeds. The low level of accuracy generally associated with analog processing is not a concern in this scenario, as biological signals themselves typically have low signal-to-noise ratios. One challenge of analog processing is in its apparently-ad hoc design, and the fact that there is very little wide-spread knowledge of systematically implementing analog electronics to perform arbitrary nonlinear computations. Another issue is the integrity of the analog components; the analog properties of electronic devices are prone to a large amount of mismatch. In this paper, we examine multiple-input translinear element (MITE) networks, a class of analog circuits that addresses the two concerns of a structured synthesis procedure and component mismatch. We test the ability of these MITE networks for accurately realizing linear and nonlinear systems with prescribed dynamics by attempting to implement the Lorenz equations. We will present the theoretical procedure, address practical implementation issues, and then show experimental results from a version of the circuit fabricated in a 0.5 μm CMOS technology through MOSIS.
A pilot sweet cherry feeding study in overweight men: Tolerance, safety, and anthocyanin exposure

Sweet cherries are rich in bioactive anthocyanins (ACN) and thus are considered a functional food. Yet, tolerance to and bioavailability of a significant daily dose of cherries has not been evaluated in humans. This pilot study aimed to assess compliance, tolerance, safety, and change in circulating/excreted ACNs due to daily consumption of sweet cherries. Change in bowel habits, quality of life, urinary/circulating concentration ACNs, and inflammatory biomarkers were measured in overweight, older men (n = 37) before and after daily consumption of three cups of sweet cherries for 4 weeks. Cherry fruit ACN content was also measured. Tolerance to intervention was high in this study. An increase in several plasma/urine ACNs was observed, but did not correlate with the amount of ACN measured in the fruits. No significant changes in inflammatory biomarkers were observed. This intervention was feasible and increased anthocyanin exposure in overweight men.
An analytical solution for the finite-horizon pavement resurfacing planning problem

This paper presents an analytical approach for planning highway pavement resurfacing activities in the case of continuous pavement state and continuous time. It solves for the optimal resurfacing frequency and intensity that minimize life-cycle costs in a finite horizon. Optimality conditions are derived analytically, and a simple algorithm is developed to solve for the exact optimal solution. The optimal resurfacing strategy is found to be consistent with findings previously obtained by using an approximate approach and the strategy obtained for the infinite-horizon problem.
The relation of behavioral inhibition and perceived parenting to maladaptive perfectionism in college students

Abstract Maladaptive perfectionism has the potential to undermine physical and psychological health ( Enns, Cox, Sareen, & Freeman, 2001 ). The current investigation focused on the characteristics that put individuals at-risk of maladaptive perfectionism. We investigated the relation of parenting (autonomy granting, warmth, and supervision) and personality (BIS/BAS) to maladaptive perfectionism among college students. Findings indicate that BIS was positively related to maladaptive perfectionism and parental autonomy granting was negatively related to maladaptive perfectionism. Interestingly, we observed an interaction such that among individuals with high BIS, maladaptive perfectionism was predicted by BIS ( β = .26) and autonomy granting ( β = −.26). By contrast, for individuals with low BIS, maladaptive perfectionism was predicted only by parental autonomy granting ( β = −.42). Findings indicate the importance of investigating broad models that include both personality and family factors as predictors of perfectionism.
Early Lexical Acquisition in Children with Specific Language Impairment

This study examined the characteristics of early lexical acquisition in children with specific language impairment. Sixteen unfamiliar words and referents were exposed across 10 sessions to languag...
On the binding of aflatoxin B1 and its metabolites to hepatic microsomes

Abstract The metabolism of aflatoxin B1 was studied using the cytochrome P450-dependent mixed function oxidase system of rat liver microsomes. An aflatoxin metabolite produced in the presence of microsomes and NADPH and not produced in the presence of SKF-525A seems to become covalently bound to microsomes. The bound metabolite is observed as a spectral peak at 412 nm by means of difference spectroscopy. This metabolite appears to be related to either aflatoxin B2a or its precursor.
Calculation of prolate functions for optical analysis

The linear and circular prolate functions are basis sets for the bare cavity eigenmodes of stable and unstable laser resonators having rectangular or circular symmetry. Early calculations of these functions used power series expansions. A matrix technique which was first used by Sanderson and Streifer is used here to demonstrate rapid and accurate numerical calculations of prolate functions.
Flood Hazard Management: British and International Perspectives

This proceedings of an international workshop at the Flood Hazard Research Centre (Queensway, Enfield, Middlesex, U.K.) begins by noting how past British research on flood problems concentrated on refining techniques to implement established policy. In contrast, research covered in North American and Australian publications involved normative issues on policy alternatives and administrative implementation. The workshop's participants included 16 widely recognized scientists, whose origins were about equally divided between Britain and overseas; from this group the workshop's organizers expertly drew ideas for refining British urban riverine flood hazard management and for cultivating links among researchers everywhere. Such intellectual exchange should be of keen interest to flood hazard program managers around the world, to students of comparative institutional performance, to those who make policy on protecting people from hazards, and to hydrologists and other geophysicists who must communicate descriptive information for bureaucratic, political, and public decision- making.
Molecular biology and metaphysics

“And now the announcement of Watson and Crick about DNA. This is for me the real proof of the existence of God”. (Salvador Dali, 1964).
Synthesis and characterization of high molecular weight perfluorocyclobutyl-containing polybenzimidazoles (PFCB–PBI) for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Abstract High molecular weight perfluorocyclobutyl-containing polybenzimidazoles (PFCB–PBI) were synthesized from 4,4′-((1,2,3,3,4,4-hexafluorocyclobutane-1,2-diyl)bis(oxy))dibenzoic acid (PFCB diacid) and 3,3′,4,4′-tetraaminobiphenyl (TAB) in phosphorous pentoxide/methanesulfonic acid (PPMA). PPMA was used as a reaction medium to replace PPA due to the higher monomer solubility. High molecular weight polymer was achieved via optimization of the monomer/solvent ratio, polymerization temperature, and polymerization time. The resulting polymer showed good thermal and chemical stability. Several different phosphoric acid doping membrane preparation processes were investigated. Conventional DMAc solvent casting and direct-casting of the PBI/PPMA solution did not produce sufficiently strong membranes to fabricate into MEAs. A modified PPA process was developed that produced improved membranes. The mechanical properties of these membranes were low compared to other PBI membranes; however, they were sufficiently strong to fabricate into membrane electrode assemblies and tested in single cell fuel cells under various conditions. The polymer dissolved in phosphoric acid at temperatures above 140 °C, which limited the operation of fuel cells below 140 °C. The maximum power densities of fuel cells operated with these membranes were similar to meta-PBI membranes prepared by the conventional casting process and lower than para-PBI membranes prepared by the PPA process.
Does laterality of motor impairment tell us something about cognition in Parkinson disease

This cross-sectional study investigates the relationship between severity of right- and left-sided motor symptoms and deficits in global cognitive function as well as individual cognitive domains in 117 Parkinson disease patients. Items of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Part III were divided into right- and left-sided total scores. Composite scores in verbal fluency, verbal memory, executive function, and visuoperceptual skills were obtained from a full neuropsychological battery. We observed a significant association between right-sided motor impairment and verbal memory, visuoperceptual skills, and verbal fluency, but not executive function. The relationship between right symptoms and verbal fluency was fully mediated by cognitive status, while the relationship between right symptoms and verbal memory as well as visuoperceptual skills was not. Left-sided motor symptoms were not significantly related to any composite cognitive domain. When patients were divided into groups based on the side of predominant symptoms, no group differences were found in performance on the specific cognitive domains. This suggests that the degree of right-sided symptoms is more correlated to specific cognitive domains than is group classification of laterality.
Lebesgue measure and social choice trade-offs

An Arrovian social choice rule is a social welfare function satisfying independence of irrelevant alternatives and transitivity of social preference. Assume a measurable outcome spaceX with its (Lebesgue) measure normalized to unity. For any Arrovian rule and any fractiont, either some individual dictates over a subset ofX of measuret or more, or at least a fraction 1−t of the pairs of distinct alternatives have their social ordering fixed independently of individual preferences. Also, for any positive integerβ (less than the total number of individuals), there is some subsetH of society consisting of all butβ persons such that the fraction of outcome pairs (x, y) that are social ranked without consulting the preferences of anyone inH, whenever no individual is indifferent betweenx andy, is at least 1−1/4β.
The transcription activation domains of Fos and Jun induce DNA bending through electrostatic interactions

Transcription factor-induced DNA bending is essential for the assembly of active transcription complexes at many promoters. However, most eukaryotic transcription regulatory proteins have modular DNA-binding and activation domains, which appeared to exclude DNA bending as a mechanism of transcription activation by these proteins. We show that the transcription activation domains of Fos and Jun induce DNA bending. In chimeric proteins, the transcription activation domains induce DNA bending independent of the DNA-binding domains. DNA bending by the chimeric proteins is directed diametrically away from the transcription activation domains. Therefore, the opposite directions of DNA bending by Fos and Jun are caused, in part, by the opposite locations of the transcription activation domains relative to the DNA-binding domains in these proteins. DNA bending is reduced in the presence of multivalent cations, indicating that electrostatic interactions contribute to DNA bending by Fos and Jun. Consequently, regions outside the minimal DNA-binding domain can influence DNA structure, and may thereby contribute to the architectural reorganization of the promoter region required for gene activation.
Evaluation of a Primary Amine-Functionalized Ion-Exchange Resin for CO2 Capture

A primary amine-functionalized polymeric ion-exchange resin (Lewatit VP OC 1065, Lanxess) was evaluated for use in CO2 capture applications. The polymeric resin was characterized by SEM, DRIFTS-IR, N2 adsorption isotherms, and packed bed sorption measurements to determine some of the characteristic properties of the resin. Capture capacities ranging from 1.85 to 1.15 mol CO2/kg sorbent were obtained in a packed bed reactor exposed to 10 vol % CO2 in N2 at adsorption temperatures ranging from 30 to 70 °C. The capture capacity of the resin was stable over 18 adsorption/regeneration cycles. The resin was evaluated through thermogravimetric analysis to have a low moisture adsorption (1.5 mol H2O/kg sorbent). It is possible to completely regenerate the resin under 1 atm of CO2 at 200 °C.
Transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms in epidermal growth factor regulation of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) subunits and hCG receptor gene expression in human choriocarcinoma cells

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates the secretion of hCG in choriocarcinoma cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in this EGF action have never previously been investigated. The present study investigated them as well as EGF regulation of the hCG/LH (LH) receptor gene in JEG-3 human choriocarcinoma cells. The JEG-3 cells contain multiple EGF receptor messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts and a single 170-kilodalton immunoreactive receptor protein. The human EGF can bind to the receptor protein and stimulate the receptor autophosphorylation as well as the phosphorylation of four other membrane proteins. Culturing JEG-3 cells with recombinant human EGF resulted in a dose- and time-dependent increase in hCG secretion. The maximal effect was seen at 100 ng/ml EGF, with a time lag of about 5 h. Tyrosine kinase, but not protein kinase-C or protein kinase-A, signaling was involved in the EGF action to increase hCG secretion. The EGF-induced increase in hCG secretion was not due to an increase in cell...
Stimulus relatedness and response coding

Three experiments measured paired-associate learning when the stimulus items were related to a coded version of their respective responses. The responses were low-meaningful CCC trigrams which could be transformed readily into words by insertion of the appropriate vowels. It was found that such relatedness induced a coding strategy in S and considerably facilitated overall learning. The independent effect on response learning could not be determined: apparently, the response and hook-up stages of learning were facilitated simultaneously in this situation.
Abstract C223: Targeting hypoxia for more effective immunotherapy of prostate cancer.

In early clinical trials, vaccination with allogeneic cancer cells enhanced the overall survival in some patients with malignancies. Because the administered vaccine cells were cultured at pO2=20 kPa, it is unclear whether they provided an adequate antigen match to tumor cells in situ where pO2 is generally much lower. Thus, we postulate that hypoxically grown vaccine cells will provide a better antigen match to tumors in situ. We are testing this hypothesis by studying the effects of hypoxia on prostate cancer (CaP) cells. LnCaP and VCaP cells were cultured at pO2=2 kPa or 20 kPa and analyzed by 2-D gel electrophoresis. The difference in pO2 affected the proteome mostly quantitatively (i.e., by change in spot intensity). Using a threshold of fivefold change, we found that hypoxia decreased the levels of thirteen proteins and increased of four in VCaP cells. These results are in line with the reports showing that hypoxia affects expression only of a small fraction of total cellular protein and that the content of total protein is not altered significantly. To determine if the hypoxia-dependent changes affected immune reactivity of the cells, we took advantage of the spontaneous autoantibodies against tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). Hence, we compared the binding to lysates of LnCaP and VCaP cells of antibodies pooled from CaP patients (n=25), healthy controls (n=25), rheumatoid arthritis (n=17), colorectal cancer (n=10) and lung cancer (n=10). CaP patient sera plasma reacted with numerous spots, some even in control groups and thus considered nonspecific. CaP sera plasma specifically bound to seven spots; four were hypoxia-specific. All selected spots were excised from the gel, trypsin-digested, and identified by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry as heat shock 70 kDa protein 4; protein disulfide isomerase A3; heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L and leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 47. With the exception of the latter, the proteins have been identified or validated as TAAs before, but apparently none in CaP. CaP patient antibodies bound to lysates of LnCaP cells grown at pO2=2 kPa, but less than to such VCaP cell lysates. Our results confirmed the findings that hypoxia affects the proteome mostly quantitatively. Lysates of hypoxic CaP cells revealed novel potential TAAs suggesting the potential immunologic relevance of antigens in the hypoxic proteome. Thus, pO2 control can provide a tool for the development of more effective immunotherapy for CaP and possibly other cancers. Support: DOD PC094680 (CRG), PCF Creativity Award (CRG), Mayo Clinic Prostate SPORE 5P50CA091956 (SV-P); Mrs. Adelyn L. Luther, Singer Island, Florida and Mayo Clinic Cancer Center (SV-P). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr C223.
Another Look at Ci-VSP

Voltage changes are involved in a range of biological functions including neuronal signal propagation, muscle contraction and T-cell activation. Voltage sensitive proteins respond to the changes in membrane potential via a voltage-sensing domain (VSD). Voltage-gated ion channels use the VSD to open and close a pore domain, which allows for the passive movement of ions down their concentration gradients. The discovery of the Ciona intestinalis voltage-sensing phosphatase (Ci-VSP)(1) opened up a whole new way of looking at voltage sensing. This is the first and only currently known class of protein that has a VSD but no pore. Instead Ci-VSP, and its VSP homologs including fish and frogs, contains a cytoplasmic lipid phosphatase whose activity is regulated by voltage. It is also the only known VSD to work as a monomer instead of in concert with other VSD modules. It still displays similar complex motions as the VSDs from channels which is intriguing. We and others have also shown that lipids play a role in regulating the protein. Even so, many questions remain unanswered regarding how this voltage activated enzyme works. We have taken an interdisciplinary approach including biochemical and electrophysiological approaches to probe the inner workings of VSPs.1. Murata, Y., et al, (2005) Nature 435, 1239-1243.
Congressional Cohorts and Voting Patterns

Voting behavior on selected issues during the 90th and 95th sessions of Congress is used to determine whether important generational differences altered congressional behavior during the 1970s. Voting differences between newer and older members are examined on issues concerning social welfare, government management, foreign policy, civil liberties and rights, and public interest issues such as environmentalism and consumerism. Some seniority-related differences were expressed in the 90th and 95th sessions. While the younger members of Congress are more likely to reflect the temper of the times, the longer Democrats are in Congress, the more conservative they become.
Computed optical emissions from a sonoluminescing bubble

A sonoluminescing bubble has been modeled as a thermally conducting, partially ionized plasma. The model is more complete than previous models, due to the inclusion of both plasma and normal molecular thermal conduction, vapor pressure, surface tension, the mixing of gas and water vapor in the bubble, and opacities. The model accounts for most of the observed experimental trends, including (i) the asymmetric pulse shape; (ii) the temperature and driving pressure dependence of the pulse width and intensity; and (iii) spectral shapes, in particular, the 300-nm peak in the spectrum of xenon sonoluminescence, which to our knowledge has not been explained by any previous model; and (iv) a hydrodynamic explanation of why water is the ``friendliest'' liquid in which sonoluminescence occurs. The agreement between the calculations and the data, as well as the model's predictions of almost every experimental trend, suggest strongly that the spectral and temporal properties of the emissions of a sonoluminescing bubble are due to adiabatic- or shock-initiated thermal emission from a cool dense plasma.
Ultrasonic Tomography for Evaluation of Concrete Pavements

Ultrasonic tomography is an emerging technology that shows promise for quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) during construction or for rehabilitation decisions about concrete pavements. However, the benefits of this emerging technology have not yet been fully captured for widespread use in highway infrastructure management. Verification of a state-of-the-art ultrasonic tomography device, MIRA, is presented through multiple field trials involving typical pavement constructability and rehabilitation issues. Field trials indicate that although the device is a useful portable pavement diagnostic alternative capable of consistent thickness measurement, reinforcement location, and distress evaluation, significant efforts and user expertise are required for measurement and data interpretation of large-scale application. Software was developed for a more productive, objective signal interpretation method with automated analysis of reinforcement location in continuously reinforced concrete pavement. This type of automation for multiple applications shows promise for the use of ultrasonic tomography to improve large-scale pavement QA/QC and rehabilitation projects in the future. Nevertheless, the research in the paper shows ultrasonic tomography to be an accurate, reliable, and convenient alternative or supplement to traditional techniques that can be used for a wide variety of small-scale pavement diagnostics applications.
Ganglioside GD3 enhances adherence of botulinum and tetanus neurotoxins to bovine brain synapsin I

Tetanus toxin (TTx) and botulinum toxin serotype A (BTxA), preincubated with trisialoganglioside GT1b, adhere to proteins present on blots of bovine synaptosomal proteins. Differential solubilization and ammonium sulfate fractionation provided material enriched in two proteins that appeared to be adhered to most strongly by the labeled neurotoxins. After excision of the appropriate bands from blots of electrophoretically separated proteins, N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis permitted identification of the proteins as synapsins Ia and Ib. Comparison of the effectiveness of different gangliosides at enhancing adherence of the neurotoxins to blots of synapsins Ia and Ib indicated that GD3 was most effective.
Broadening the Educational Evaluation Lens With Communicative Evaluation

Outcomes-based accountability in the form of test scores and performance indicators are a primary lever for improving student achievement in the current educational landscape. The article presents communicative evaluation as a complementary evaluation approach that may be used along with the primary methods of school accountability to provide a more comprehensive picture of the school environment. Through document reviews of state school report cards and the communicative evaluation of an educational program, the article discusses the study on challenges to academic achievement and possible solutions proffered by the students struggling to meet state graduation standards. The article identifies several issues emerging from the case connected to moving communicative evaluation from theory to practice. A brief discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of communicative evaluation and how it might best be utilized in evaluation practice is included.
Digging into Google Earth: An analysis of ''Crisis in Darfur"

Abstract Google publicists have suggested the Crisis in Darfur is an example of the Google Earth software’s “success at tangibly impacting what is happening on the ground.” Yet whether or not Google Earth’s interface, along with a medley of other media representations of the conflict, have impacted events on the ground or led to coherent policies of humanitarian intervention remains open to debate. This article draws upon critical approaches from media studies—namely discourse analysis—to analyze several aspects of the Google Earth/USHMM Crisis in Darfur project. While this project was no doubt developed with the noble intention of generating international awareness about widespread violence that has recently occurred in the Darfur region, it is important to evaluate how representations of global conflicts are changing with uses of new information technologies and whether such representations can actually achieve their desired impacts or effects. The article begins with a discussion of the Crisis in Darfur project’s history, proceeds to analyze some of the press coverage of the project and then moves to a critique of the layer using four categories of analysis: (1) the shifting role of satellite image; (2) the temporality of the interface; (3) the practice of conflict branding; and (4) the practice of “information intervention.” Throughout the article, I explore how the presentation of Darfur-related materials through Google Earth reproduces problematic Western tropes of African tragedy and misses an opportunity to generate public literacy around satellite images. I also consider how humanitarianism is intertwined with digital and disaster capitalism, and suggest that this instance of “information intervention” makes patently clear that high visual capital alone cannot resolve global conflicts.
Quantitative endoscopic imaging elastic scattering spectroscopy: model system/tissue phantom validation

We have designed and built an imaging elastic scattering spectroscopy endoscopic instrument for the purpose of detecting cancer in vivo . As part of our testing and validation of the system, known targets representing potential disease states of interest were constructed using polystyrene beads of known average diameter and TiO2 crystals embedded in a two-layer agarose gel. Final construction geometry was verified using a dissection microscope. The phantoms were then imaged using the endoscopic probe at a known incident angle, and the results compared to model predictions. The mathematical model that was used combines classic ray-tracing optics with Mie scattering to predict the images that would be observed by the probe at a given physical distance from a Mie-regime scattering media. This model was used generate the expected observed response for a broad range of parameter values, and these results were then used as a library to fit the observed data from the phantoms. Compared against the theoretical library, the best matching signal correlated well with known phantom material dimensions. These results lead us to believe that imaging elastic scattering can be useful in detection/diagnosis, but further refinement of the device will be necessary to detect the weak signals in a real clinical setting.© (2008) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.