cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Palbociclib Combinations in Hormone Receptor–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients After Prior Everolimus Treatment

Abstract Purpose Outcome data on hormone receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) nonamplified (HER2−) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) treated with palbociclib after treatment with everolimus are lacking. The PALOMA-3 trial, showing benefit of palbociclib plus fulvestrant compared to fulvestrant alone in HR+HER2− MBC after progression while receiving endocrine therapy excluded women previously treated with everolimus. The objective of this study was to examine outcomes of HR+HER2− MBC with prior exposure to everolimus while receiving palbociclib-based therapy. Patients and Methods A retrospective, single-institute review was conducted of HR+HER2− MBC from January 2014 to November 2016 in patients treated with palbociclib after prior treatment with everolimus. Progression-free survival (PFS) was defined as the time from initiation of palbociclib to the date of progression as determined by the treating physician based on radiologic, biochemical, and/or clinical criteria. Response rates were determined on the basis of available radiologic data. Objective response rate (ORR) was defined as the rate of any complete or partial responses; clinical benefit rate (CBR) was the rate of complete response, partial response, or stable disease for at least 24 weeks. Results Twenty-three patients with a mean (range) age of 68 (42-81) years were identified. Kaplan-Meier estimate showed median PFS of 2.9 months (95% confidence interval, 2.1-4.2); ORR was 0 of 23 and CBR was 4 (17.4%) of 23. In the PALOMA-3 trial, median PFS, ORR, and CBR of palbociclib cohort were 9.5 months (95% confidence interval, 9.2-11.0), 19%, and 67%, respectively. Conclusion There is a limited clinical activity of palbociclib combinations after progression with everolimus combination therapy. Further studies are necessary to confirm these findings.
The librarian's assistant: automatically organizing on-line books into dynamic bookshelves

Constructing bookshelves is usually done manually by the providers of online-book collections. This task requires human expertise and becomes tedious even for experts as soon as books become too numerous. This paper addresses the problem of automatically constructing bookshelves. It presents a tool, the Librarian's Assistant, which makes use of numerical as well as conceptual clustering techniques to generate a hierarchy of bookshelves from a set of unorganized books. The Librarian's Assistant can be used as a stand alone tool to assist documentation producers in the process of building manual bookshelves, in order to understand the underlying structure of a given library, as well as a facility integrated in an IR or hypertext system to expand the scope of searches.
Strain-mediated magnetoelectrics: Turning science fiction into reality

There is currently a need for an efficient approach to control magnetism at small scales (<1 mm). Work on these magnetoelectric concepts dates back to the 19th century, when researchers believed that a material could convert electrical to magnetic energy, similar to Oersted’s discovery, made by passing a current through a wire. Today, there are significant magnetoelectric research opportunities in both materials discovery and theoretical modeling efforts to advance this important area of magnetic control. Applications for these strain-mediated magnetoelectric materials range from replacing existing inefficient magnetic memory approaches to spearheading new discoveries, such as micrometer-size electromagnetic motors enabling robotic manipulation. This article and the other articles in this issue provide the motivation, background information, research opportunities, and novel applications for studying strain-mediated magnetoelectric materials. The issue is designed to encourage additional research on magnetoelectrics due to its potential impact on society through the efficient control of magnetism at the micro- and nanoscale.
On the Pursuit of Good Living in Highland Ecuador: Critical Indigenous Discourses of Sumak Kawsay

Sumak kawsay, a vision of good living originating in the thought of indigenous intellectuals, has attracted many commentators since its incorporation into Ecuador’s 2008 constitution. But it remains unclear in much of the secondary literature how the discourse of sumak kawsay and its Spanish derivative buen vivir relate to the day-to-day experiences of indigenous people. We address this lack of clarity through a three-part exploration of Kichwa perspectives on the good life. First, we describe how day-to-day discussions are more likely to revolve around the actually existing life of struggle. Then we analyze an artistic genre that illustrates how decolonized indigenous lives might look. Finally, we examine how the decolonial political philosophy of sumak kawsay has emerged out of concerted collective efforts to overcome the life of struggle. We consider how these three instances of discourse relate to a long Andean history of looking to the past for an alternative to the hardships of the present, and conclude with a call to take indigenous perspectives more fully into account when concepts such as sumak kawsay are invoked by nonindigenous actors. Resumen Sumak kawsay, una vision de la buena vida que origina en el pensamiento de los intelectuales indigenas, ha sido el objeto de muchos comentarios desde su inclusion en la constitucion ecuatoriana de 2008. Sin embargo no queda claro en gran parte de la literatura secundaria como el discurso de sumak kawsay y su derivado espanol buen vivir se relacionan con las experiencias cotidianas de los pueblos indigenas. Acercamos a esta falta de claridad a traves de una exploracion en tres partes de las perspectivas Kichwas sobre la buena vida. En primer lugar, describimos como es mas comun en las discusiones cotidianas hablar de las dificultades de la vida actual. Luego analizamos un genero artistico que ilustra como las vidas indigenas descolonizadas podrian verse. Finalmente, examinamos como la filosofia politica decolonial de sumak kawsay ha surgido de esfuerzos colectivos para superar la mala vida. Consideramos como estas tres instancias de discurso se refieren a una larga historia andina de buscar en el pasado una alternativa a las dificultades del presente y concluimos con una llamada a tomar mas en cuenta las perspectivas indigenas.
The Big Crunch: A Hybrid Solution to Earth and Space Science Instruction for Elementary Education Majors

ABSTRACT We describe the rationale and process for the development of a new hybrid Earth and Space Science course for elementary education majors. A five-step course design model, applicable to both online and traditional courses, is presented. Assessment of the course outcomes after two semesters indicates that the intensive time invested in the development of the course results in a manageable workload during the semester for faculty with an already full teaching load. We also found that average scores in proctored online exams for this cohort of students are identical to the average scores of students from the same major enrolled in a face-to-face (F2F) course. Exam scores significantly improved in the second semester after adjustments to the workload and the introduction of explicit test-taking tips at the beginning of the semester. We found that our students, at all stages of their studies, were not used to the self-guided instruction required for success in online courses, and were often not as comf...
On the behaviour of entire solutions of semilinear elliptic second-order partial differential inequalities

We study the behaviour of solutions (u,v) of semilinear partial differential inequalities of the form −Lu+|u|q−1u≤−Lv+|v|q−1v, which are defined, measurable and locally bounded in the whole space R...
Antiretroviral Drug Concentrations in Lymph Nodes: A Cross-Species Comparison of the Effect of Drug Transporter Expression, Viral Infection, and Sex in Humanized Mice, Nonhuman Primates, and Humans

In a "kick and kill" strategy for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) eradication, protective concentrations of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in the lymph node are important to prevent vulnerable cells from further HIV infection. However, the factors responsible for drug distribution and concentration into these tissues are largely unknown. Although humanized mice and nonhuman primates (NHPs) are crucial to HIV research, ARV tissue pharmacology has not been well characterized across species. This study investigated the influence of drug transporter expression, viral infection, and sex on ARV penetration within lymph nodes of animal models and humans. Six ARVs were dosed for 10 days in humanized mice and NHPs. Plasma and lymph nodes were collected at necropsy, 24 hours after the last dose. Human lymph node tissue and plasma from deceased patients were collected from tissue banks. ARV, active metabolite, and endogenous nucleotide concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and drug transporter expression was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and quantitative targeted absolute proteomics. In NHPs and humans, lymph node ARV concentrations were greater than or equal to plasma, and tenofovir diphosphate/deoxyadenosine triphosphate concentration ratios achieved efficacy targets in lymph nodes from all three species. There was no effect of infection or sex on ARV concentrations. Low drug transporter expression existed in lymph nodes from all species, and no predictive relationships were found between transporter gene/protein expression and ARV penetration. Overall, common preclinical models of HIV infection were well suited to predict human ARV exposure in lymph nodes, and low transporter expression suggests primarily passive drug distribution in these tissues. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: During human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) eradication strategies, protective concentrations of antiretrovirals (ARVs) in the lymph node prevent vulnerable cells from further HIV infection. However, ARV tissue pharmacology has not been well characterized across preclinical species used for HIV eradication research, and the influence of drug transporters, HIV infection, and sex on ARV distribution and concentration into the lymph node is largely unknown. Here we show that two animal models of HIV infection (humanized mice and nonhuman primates) were well suited to predict human ARV exposure in lymph nodes. Additionally, we found that drug transporter expression was minimal and-along with viral infection and sex-did not affect ARV penetration into lymph nodes from any species.
Oversulfated Chondroitin Sulfate Does Not Cause Augmentation in HIT Antibody Mediated Heparin-Induced Platelet Aggregation (HIPA).

Abstract Abstract 2417 Poster Board II-394 Heparin is one of the widely used anticoagulants for the prophylaxis and treatment of thrombotic disorders. Heparin, a linear polysaccharide belonging to a family of glycosaminoglycans (GAGS) consists of repeating disaccharide units of 1-4 linked iduronic acid and glucosamine residues. Heparin is a mixture of low, medium and high molecular fractions and is heterogeneous not only in terms of molecular weight but also sites and degree of sulfation. Oversulfated chondroitin sulfate, one of the important toxic contaminants in certain batches of heparins manufactured during 2007 to 2008 resulted in deaths of some patients following intravenous administration that led to the recall of these heparins by the FDA. An increased incidence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and thrombosis syndrome (HITTS) was reported as a result of contaminated heparins. It was hypothesized that OSCS interacts with heparins and other LMWHs increasing their HIT/HITTS potential. In order to validate this hypothesis blood was drawn from healthy volunteers (n=5) and mixed with 3.2% sodium citrate solution (9 parts of whole blood to 1 part of citrate). The citrated blood samples were centrifuged at 800 rpm to obtain platelet rich plasma (PRP) and further centrifuged at 3000 rpm to obtain platelet poor plasma (PPP). Apheresis fluid was collected from confirmed cases of HIT and pooled. The platelet aggregometers (Biodata) were blanked with individual PPP. The PRP (300ml) was mixed with HIT positive pooled apheresis fluid (200ml) and platelet aggregation was recorded using Gentium Heparin, Enoxaparin, and Bemiparin at a final concentration of 10mg/ml, either alone or in mixtures of 10%, 20% and 30% OSCS. The Heparin-induced platelet aggregations (HIPA) were run for a period of 30 minutes and the tracings obtained. While OSCS alone at a final concentration of 10 mg/ml caused an average of 29.5% platelet aggregation, it did not cause an augmentation of platelet aggregation in 10%, 20% and 30% mixtures with Heparin, Enoxaparin, Bemiparin and AVE 5026 (see table ). This data suggests that drugs like heparin, and low molecular weight heparins such as Enoxaparin, and Bemiparin did not augment HIT/HITTS response when combined in various proportions with OSCS. Based on HIPA the reported increase in HIT response may therefore be due to in vivo interactions of the OSCS with platelets and endothelial cells. Corroborative evidence from clinical studies are warranted to validate these preliminary results. Drugs (FC10mg/ml) Drug Alone 10%OSCS mixture 20%OSCS mixture 30%OSCS mixture OSCS alone Saline Heparin 52.3% 60% 58.3% 58.6% 21.6% 8.3% Enoxaparin 56% 58% 60.5% 60.5% 31% 7% Bemiparin 60% 59.6% 63% 60% 37.6% 9.3% Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Spray-dried amorphous solid dispersions of griseofulvin in HPC/soluplus/SDS: Elucidating the multifaceted impact of SDS as a minor component

This study aimed to elucidate the impact of a common anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), along with hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) and Soluplus (Sol) on the release of griseofulvin (GF), a poorly soluble drug, from amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). Solutions of 2.5% GF and 2.5%-12.5% HPC/Sol with 0.125% SDS/without SDS were prepared in acetone-water and spray-dried. The solid-state characterization of the ASDs suggests that GF-Sol had better miscibility and stronger interactions than GF-HPC and formed XRPD-amorphous GF, whereas HPC-based ASDs, especially the ones with a lower HPC loading, had crystalline GF. The dissolution tests show that without SDS, ASDs provided limited GF supersaturation (max. 250%) due to poor wettability of Sol-based ASDs and extensive GF recrystallization in HPC-based ASDs (max. 50%). Sol-based ASDs with SDS exhibited a dramatic increase in supersaturation (max. 570%), especially at a higher Sol loading, whereas HPC-based ASDs with SDS did not. SDS did not interfere with Sol's ability to inhibit GF recrystallization, as confirmed by the precipitation from the supersaturated state and PLM imaging. The favorable use of SDS in a ternary ASD was attributed to both the wettability enhancement and its inability to promote GF recrystallization when used as a minor component along with Sol.
What Procedures Are Rural General Surgeons Performing and Are They Prepared to Perform Specialty Procedures in Practice

Rural surgeons are performing operations typically performed by "specialists." This study describes specialty procedures performed by general surgeons operating in a rural state and how prepared the surgeons felt starting their rural practice after residency A survey was sent to all exclusively rural surgeons actively practicing in the state, inquiring about their perception of preparedness for rural practice and specialty procedures performed. The survey had a 65.2 per cent response rate. Responders felt well prepared for rural practice after residency (mean response 4.6 ± 0.8 on a Likert scale from 1 to 5; 5 = "well prepared"). Noteworthy, specialty procedures performed by rural surgeons included hysterectomies (51.2%), thyroidectomies (81.4%), parathyroidectomies (60.5%), carotid endarterectomies (11.6%), video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (37.2%), and lobectomies (23.3%). Prominent write-ins included nephrectomies (n = 1), ileal conduits (n = 1), open and endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (n = 1), Whipples (n = 3), and liver resections (n = 2). Rural general surgeons perform many major operations usually performed by specialists. These surgeons felt well prepared for these operations out of residency.
Habermas’ sociological theory of law and democracy: A reply to Wirts, Flynn and Zurn

In Between Facts and Norms (1996) Habermas presents the more straightforward normative discourse theory of law and democracy, in terms of contemporary legal orders, and then examines, in terms of social theory, whether the theory is plausible, given the complex nature of today’s conditions. The following article focuses in particular on Habermas’ social theory. It is critical of Habermas’ idea of ‘the lifeworld’ and discusses whether the circulation-of-power model might be mapped onto the system–lifeworld model.
Identification of strength and spatiotemporal gait parameters associated with knee loading during gait in persons after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Context Altered knee moments are common during gait in patients following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Modifiable factors that influence knee moments and are feasible to record in clinical settings such as strength and spatiotemporal parameters (e.g. step length, step width) have not been identified in persons after ACLR. Objective The objective was to identify strength and spatiotemporal gait parameters that can predict knee moments in persons after ACLR. Design Cross-Sectional Study Setting: Laboratory Patients: Twenty-three participants with ACLR (14.4 ± 17.2 months post-ACLR) participated. Main outcome measures Peak knee flexion and adduction moments were measured while walking at self-selected speeds. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were recorded with a pressure walkway, and peak isokinetic knee extensor strength (60°/s) was recorded on a dynamometer. Pearson coefficients were used to examine the association of peak knee moments with strength and gait parameters. Variables correlated with peak knee flexion and adduction moments were entered into a stepwise regression model. Results Step width and knee extensor strength were the strongest predictors of knee flexion moment accounting for 44% of data variance, whereas stance phase time and step width were the strongest predictors of knee adduction moment explaining 62% of data variance. Conclusions The spatiotemporal variables that were identified could be clinically feasible targets for biofeedback to improve gait after ACLR.
B-cell biology, tolerance, and autoantibodies

Abstract Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex disease characterized by autoantibodies against nuclear antigens and clinical involvement in multiple organ systems. The breakdown of B-cell tolerance is a defining and early event in the disease process. B-cell tolerance is normally enforced centrally in the bone marrow and peripherally in lymphoid tissue by multiple mechanisms, including receptor editing, clonal deletion, anergy, follicular competition, germinal center elimination, and inhibition of differentiation by inhibitory receptors and Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Subversion of tolerance in SLE likely results from genetic and environmental factors and involves multiple pathways, including alterations in factors that affect B-cell activation thresholds, B-cell longevity, and apoptotic cell processing. Both antibody-dependent and -independent mechanisms of B cells are important in SLE. Autoantibodies contribute to disease by multiple mechanisms, including the formation of damaging immune complexes (immune-complex-mediated Type III hypersensitivity reactions) and direct pathogenesis (Type II antibody-dependent cytotoxicity). Autoantibodies also can activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells because RNA- and DNA-containing immune complexes act as TLR ligands, stimulating the secretion of interferon-alpha, which can further promote B-cell activation and differentiation. Autoantibody-independent B-cell functions include antigen presentation and T-cell activation and polarization, in part mediated by the ability of B cells to produce immunoregulatory cytokines and chemokines and by their critical contribution to lymphoid tissue development and organization, including the development of ectopic tertiary lymphoid organs. This chapter will focus on the fundamental biology of B-lymphocyte subsets and their development, including key events in selection and tolerance abrogated in SLE.
Current Treatment Landscape for Third- or Later-Line Therapy in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

The aim of this paper is to summarize the current treatment landscape in metastatic colorectal cancer, as well as those on the horizon in the third-line and beyond settings. Herein, recent data regarding TAS-102, regorafenib, and novel anti-angiogenic agents are described. Data on chemotherapy re-challenge and EGFR re-challenge is reviewed. A summary of data on the use of BRAF-targeted therapies, HER-2-targeted therapies, rare fusions (NTRK, RET), MET amplification, and KRAS G12C is included, as well as a brief review on the current role of immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic colorectal cancer. Multiple new agents are on the horizon. There is increasing relevance of next generation sequencing to look for rare targets, and potentially to assess tumor mutational burden. ctDNA appears to be a valuable asset which may guide the use of therapies in the re-challenge setting.
Fabry-Perot Observations of CEN A

We present Fabry-Perot spectrophotometry of the well-known peculiar galaxy Cen A (NGC 5128). The observations were carried out using the Rutgers Fabry-Perot system and a CCD as a detector. We scanned the Hα and [NII] (λ6583) emission lines. From these data we were able to construct maps of the continuum, line emission, velocity and velocity dispersion. The velocity maps in both Hα and [NII] have smooth gradients and twists in the line of nodes. The deprojected emission maps strongly resemble emission maps of face-on spirals. We speculate that Cen A is a merger between an elliptical and a spiral.
Gauss Composition and Generalizations

We discuss several higher analogues of Gauss composition and consider their potential algorithmic applications.
Analysis of Nonlinear Multibody Systems with Elastic Couplings

This paper is concerned with the dynamic analysis of nonlinear multi-body systems involving elastic members made of laminated, anisotropic composite materials. The analysis methodology can be viewed as a three-step procedure. First, the sectional properties of beams made of composite materials are determined based on an asymptotic procedure that involves a two-dimensional flnite element analysis of the cross-section. Second, the dynamic response of nonlinear, ∞exible multi-body systems is simulated within the framework of energy-preserving and energy-decaying time integration schemes that provide unconditional stability for nonlinear systems. Finally, local three-dimensional stresses in the beams are recovered, based on the stress resultants predicted in the previous step. Numerical examples are presented and focus on the behavior of multi-body systems involving members with elastic couplings.
Glucose tolerance, insulin and growth hormone in infants of gestational diabetic mothers.

Twelve control and nine gestational diabetic mothers (GDM) and their infants were studied at birth. All GDM were obese. The criteria for selection of control mothers were a negative family history for diabetes, a normal oral glucose tolerance test, and the presence of obesity. The mean birth weights of the infants were not significantly different. All infants received a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), completed within the first 24 hours of life. Glucose, serum immunoreactive insulin and growth hormone levels were determined. The mean glucose values obtained at the time of delivery revealed no significant differences between the GDM and the control mothers or between the infants of gestational diabetic mothers (IGDM) and the normal control infants. At birth, the mean seruni insulin levels of the GDM and the IGDM were both significantly higher than were their control GDM and IGDM. The OGTT was performed between 0 and 21 hours after birth and after a 4-hour fast. The mean fasting blood glucose level of the IGDM was significantly lower than that of the control infants, p≤.02. However, during the OGTT, the normal control infants showed a disposal of glucose similar to the IGDM. No evidence of hyperinsulinemia was observed in either the control infants or the infants of gestational diabetic mothers. The mean growth hormone values for the infants at the time of delivery revealed no significant differences between the two study groups. During the OGTT, the IGDM had significantly higher mean growth hormone values at both 60 and 120 minutes.
Multi-scale edge detection and image segmentation

In this paper, we propose a novel multi-scale edge detection and vector field design scheme. We show that using multiscale techniques edge detection and segmentation quality on natural images can be improved significantly. Our approach eliminates the need for explicit scale selection and edge tracking. Our method favors edges that exist at a wide range of scales and localize these edges at finer scales. This work is then extended to multi-scale image segmentation using our anisotropic diffusion scheme.
Fitting Mathematical Models to Biological Data: A Review of Recent Developments

A common problem is to fit a theoretical model, y = f(x,β) + error, relating a measured response, y to a measured vector of predictors, x, and an unknown parameter vector, β. Ordinary least—squares is an appropriate fitting method when the variation of y about the model, i.e., the “error”, is normally distributed with a conditional variance, given x, that is constant. In many biological problems, y is nonnegative, right—skewed, and has a conditional variance that is an increasing function of f(x,β). In this paper, two methods for fitting models to such data are discussed. The methods are (1) transformation of the response and the model and (2) weighted least—squares. The rationale behind these methods, estimation techniques, and statistical inference (testing and confidence intervals) are discussed.
Improved extraction of chlorophyll a and b from algae using dimethyl sulfoxide

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and 90% acetone extracted equal amounts of chlorophyll from diatoms and blue-green algae, but DMSO was superior to 90% acetone for all green algae tested giving 2–60 times more chlorophyll depending on the species. The absorbance spectra of pure chlorophyll a (and b) from 600 nm to 750 nm were identical whether dissolved in 90% acetone or a mixture of DMSO and 90% acetone (1:1 v/v). Thus, several equations for estimating chlorophyll concentration based on extinction in 90% acetone are applicable with this solvent.
A collective goods model of pluralist political systems

In The Logic of Collective Action, Mancur Olson strongly criticized the work of the analytical pluralists, particularly with regard to the fairness of the outcomes in a pluralist political system.' The foundation of his criticism is his assertion, based on a Cournot model of group behavior, that large groups are unable to compete in the political marketplace.2 If this is the case, and if, to use Bentley's phrase, 'the balance of group pressures is the existing state of society,' then one can expect this balance to be badly skewed in favor of small, special interests and against large, general interests. Recent analyses using the same model have shown that Olson's assertion concerning the behavior of large groups is not in general true, and that contrary to his assertion, the relationship between group size and the amount of a public good provided is an increasing one.3 In light of these results, it seems appropriate to re-examine in detail the properties of a model of a pluralist political system based on the theory of collective goods. This paper contains such an analysis of pluralist political systems, and assesses the asymmetries in outcomes which arise from a variety of sources. Among the sources of asymmetry are variation in group size, wealth, influence, intensity of preferences, and the degree of organized pursuit of group goals. The discussion below suggests that variation in system parameters greatly affects the properties of outcomes and that it is necessary to specify more carefully than is usually done the characteristics of a particular pluralist system before assessing the fairness of its outcomes.
Estimating Salivary Flow and Ruminal Water Balance of Intake, Diet, Feeding Pattern, and Slaframine

Three experiments with ruminally fistulated cattle fed 12 times daily were conducted to study the role of saliva secretion in ruminal water balance when intake, diet, and feeding pattern were altered. Water balance data were determined from continuously infused Co-EDTA and pulse-dosed Cr-EDTA with saliva flow estimated by difference between water intake and ruminal outflow. Any net transruminal water flux would be included in the estimate of salivary flow. When the concentration of bluestem hay in the diet was increased from 50 to 90%, ruminal fluid volume, saliva secretion, water intake, dilution rate, and total ruminal outflow increased. At equal intake, the higher forage diet increased ruminal liquid volume, outflow, and saliva secretion but had no effect on dilution rate. Intake, but not forage concentration, affected ruminal pH when 50 and 90% hay diets were fed. Increasing feeding frequency of forage in a 65% bluestem hay diet from 4 to 12 times daily (the grain portion was fed 12 times daily) increased dilution and ruminal outflow; however, the latter was only significant with data from Cr-EDTA. Ruminal volatile fatty acids were not altered by feeding frequency of forage. Nycterohemeral patterns were seen in water intake, ruminal dilution rate, outflow, and salivary flow in both studies. Slaframine increased saliva flow by 29% and was accompanied by increased ruminal liquid volume, dilution rate, and outflow.
An experimental study of the effects of absorption on spectral lines from a plasma

Abstract The progressive effects of absorption on the shape of a spectral line as a function of source intensity are experimentally demonstrated. Studies of a partially resolved helium triplet, using the relative intensities of the components, half widths and degress of absorption, show that the question “when is a plasma optically thin” is indeed a subtle one.
Similarities of host defense mechanisms against pulmonary infectious diseases in animals and man.

Evidence linking exposure to air pollutants with increased susceptibility to infectious diseases in humans comes from epidemiological, clinical, and experimental laboratory studies. The data suggest that the most common, and perhaps the most sensitive, index of the pulmonary effect of air pollutant exposure is on post upper respiratory infection, prolonged cough, phlegm, and purulent sputum. Experimental models of these relationships for extrapolation to humans should be able to measure such minor changes in symptomatology and physiology rather than require major lethal events. The bacterial aerosol model for quantifying nonspecific defense mechanisms of the bronchopulmonary tree utilizing nonpathogenic organisms fulfills this criterion. The function of the six major components of pulmonary antimicrobial defense mechanisms‐including aerodynamic filtration, secretory respiratory tract fluid, fluid transport at the alveolar and bronchial levels, the phagocytic function of alveolar macrophages, the augmentin...
The receiving and scattering properties of a finite dipole array

In this paper, a tutorial discussion is presented on the receiving and scattering properties of the finite dipole array. The primary issue that we consider here is the relationship between the total scattered and received powers for the free-space and the ground-plane-backed dipole arrays. We discuss how the conservation of power relates to the total scattered and received powers for the general antenna and the finite array. The definitions of aperture efficiency, absorption efficiency, and scattering area are reexamined, and their relationship to the concept of total power available to the receiving array is discussed. It is shown that the superposition of received and scattered powers is not a valid concept for determining the total power available to the equivalent load(s) connected to the receiving array. We show that when receiving the maximum possible power from the incident plane wave, both the free-space and ground-plane-backed arrays must scatter some power.
A new fibre optics illumination system for application to electronics holography

Abstract The practical application of electronic holography requires the use of fibre optics. The need of employing coherent fibre optics imposes restrictions in the efficient use of laser light. This paper proposes a new solution to this problem. The proposed method increases the efficiency in the use of the laser light and simplifies the interface between the laser source and the fibre optics. The paper will present the theory behind the proposed method. A discussion of the effect of the different parameters that influence the formation of interference fringes is presented. Results that can be achieved and limitations are given. An example of application is presented.
Neurons from stem cells: preventing an identity crisis.

It is now possible to grow stem cells from a wide variety of tissues. Some of these cells have been shown to differentiate into presumptive neurons in vitro, or after transplantation into the developing or adult brain. When stem cells derived directly from the brain are induced to differentiate, there is a high probability that some of the resulting cells will be neurons. However, when stem cells from one tissue (for example, bone marrow or skin) take on the phenotype of another (for example, brain), rigorous criteria are required to define neurons. The aim of this review is to discuss the various techniques that are used to identify a cell as a neuron.
A Rapid Feature Extractor Based Upon Optically Gathered Projection Data

A typical computer vision system has an analog (i.e. TV camera) front end that delivers a two-dimensional image to digital hardware. Often, the initial computations consist of extraction of features from this image. We propose here an analog preprocessor that can directly deliver a variety of features or perform certain kinds of computations on the input image in a time comparable to the scan times of most TV systems. The system operates directly on projections (i.e. line integrals) of the two-dimensional image rather than the image itself. Two reasons for this are: (1) certain operations are performed more naturally in the projection space, (2) the projections can be processed as one-dimensional temporal signals; devices for these operations have significant advantages over two-dimensional spatial signal processors. We show implementations for performing the following operations: (1) features consisting of the image,Fourier power spectrum integrated along radial pie-wedge segments and concentric arcs. (2) Computation of the Hough transform for detecting line segments. (3) Computations of moments invariant to translation, rotation, and geometric scaling. (4) Computation of certain geometric features with similar invariance properties.
Blood Group Studies of Jungle Indians of the Mato Grosso

Studies of the blood groups of primitive jungle Indians of Brazil revealed them all to be group O with a high incidence of genes CDe, cDE, and CDE. There was a high frequency of Fya and of P and a very low frequency of K. The Diego blood group factor was present in 5 per cent of the Indians studied. A striking and unexpected finding was evidence for a third allele in the Kidd system.
The ITPE technique applied to steady-state ground-coupling problems

Abstract A new analytical procedure called interzone temperature profile estimation (ITPE) is presented and applied to determine the two-dimensional steady-state temperature distribution within earth around a building. The solutions of the governing heat conduction equations are derived for two common ground-coupling geometries: slab-on-grade floors and rectangular basements. A water table at constant temperature is assumed to exist at a given depth below the soil surface. The solutions presented are the first analytic solutions for these geometries capable of considering the effects of both insulation and the presence of a water table on heat flow from these geometries.
Stress and stem cells

The unique properties and functions of stem cells make them particularly susceptible to stresses and also lead to their regulation by stress. Stem cell division must respond to the demand to replenish cells during normal tissue turnover as well as in response to damage. Oxidative stress, mechanical stress, growth factors, and cytokines signal stem cell division and differentiation. Many of the conserved pathways regulating stem cell self-renewal and differentiation are also stress-response pathways. The long life span and division potential of stem cells create a propensity for transformation (cancer) and specific stress responses such as apoptosis and senescence act as antitumor mechanisms. Quiescence regulated by CDK inhibitors and a hypoxic niche regulated by FOXO transcription factor function to reduce stress for several types of stem cells to facilitate long-term maintenance. Aging is a particularly relevant stress for stem cells, because repeated demands on stem cell function over the life span can have cumulative cell-autonomous effects including epigenetic dysregulation, mutations, and telomere erosion. In addition, aging of the organism impairs function of the stem cell niche and systemic signals, including chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.
Ocular-chondrodysplasia in Labrador Retriever dogs: A morphometric and electron microscopical analysis

Ocular-chondrodysplasia in Labrador Retriever dogs is characterized by short-limbed dwarfism and ocular abnormalities. The purposes of the present study were to develop morphological criteria to define the matrix and/or chondrocytic abnormalities associated with this chondrodysplasia, and to test the hypothesis that ineffective matrix-directed cellular swelling was associated with the decreased longitudinal bone growth in these animals. The proximal and distal radial growth plates were collected from four affected animals of the same litter. Stereological techniques were used to analyze both cellular shapes and cellular volume changes in the hypertrophic zone. The pathological changes seen in these growth plates varied between animals and included disorganization of cellular columns with abnormal extent of calcification. Chondrocytes of all zones contained two types of abnormal cellular inclusions classified as light and dark, based on the intensity of eosinophilic staining. Both types of inclusions contained material that resembled the surrounding extracellular matrix, varying only in the apparent hydration of the contents. It could be demonstrated that light inclusions were located in the peripheral cytoplasm and connected to the extracellular matrix through narrow channels. By contrast, dark inclusions were membrane bound and perinuclear. Chondrocytes with multiple, large inclusions appeared to be undergoing degenerative changes. Although the final volume achieved by hypertrophic chondrocytes was consistent with that of normal growth plates, there was a high level of variability of chondrocytic shape and evidence of premature cellular condensation in the maturation zone. The severity of the dwarfism correlated both with the extent of chondrocytic changes and the severity of the ocular lesions. Although the pathogenesis of the disease remains to be precisely defined, the decreased longitudinal bone growth could be attributed to premature chondrocytic death prior to cellular hypertrophy.
Multiscale modeling of alloy solidification using a database approach

A two-scale model based on a database approach is presented to investigate alloy solidification. Appropriate assumptions are introduced to describe the behavior of macroscopic temperature, macroscopic concentration, liquid volume fraction and microstructure features. These assumptions lead to a macroscale model with two unknown functions: liquid volume fraction and microstructure features. These functions are computed using information from microscale solutions of selected problems. This work addresses the selection of sample problems relevant to the interested problem and the utilization of data from the microscale solution of the selected sample problems. A computationally efficient model, which is different from the microscale and macroscale models, is utilized to find relevant sample problems. In this work, the computationally efficient model is a sharp interface solidification model of a pure material. Similarities between the sample problems and the problem of interest are explored by assuming that the liquid volume fraction and microstructure features are functions of solution features extracted from the solution of the computationally efficient model. The solution features of the computationally efficient model are selected as the interface velocity and thermal gradient in the liquid at the time the sharp solid-liquid interface passes through. An analytical solution of the computationally efficient model is utilized to select sample problems relevant to solution features obtained at any location of the domain of the problem of interest. The microscale solution of selected sample problems is then utilized to evaluate the two unknown functions (liquid volume fraction and microstructure features) in the macroscale model. The temperature solution of the macroscale model is further used to improve the estimation of the liquid volume fraction and microstructure features. Interpolation is utilized in the feature space to greatly reduce the number of required sample problems. The efficiency of the proposed multiscale framework is demonstrated with numerical examples that consider a large number of crystals. A computationally intensive fully-resolved microscale analysis is also performed to evaluate the accuracy of the multiscale framework.
Four- and eight-echo diagonal interleaved echo planar scanning

Head and body size images are discussed which were made by collecting four or eight data space lines per TR period. The images have a standard clinical number of pixels (128 x 256) and were made with no data averaging. The lines of data in the data space were collected along diagonal Cartesian echo planar trajectories. In this type of scanning, the main source of error is known to be the inhomogeneity of the main field. Phase angles caused by inhomogeneity can largely be eliminated and scanning speed increased by using the half Fourier method with full Fourier phase maps, but one phase map is required for each echo. To prevent having a speed increase only in scans taking longer than 10 seconds, some attention to GRASS and/or FLASH technology is also required. In addition, the method can be applied to directly to FLASH/GRASS as is demonstrated by a two echo GRASS scan. Fastest image time was 1.9 seconds.
Theory of Plasma Oscillations. A. Origin of Medium-Like Behavior

A theory of electron oscillations of an unbounded plasma of uniform ion density is developed, taking into account the effects of random thermal motions, but neglecting collisions.The first problem considered is that of finding the frequencies at which a plasma can undergo organized steady-state oscillations of small enough amplitude so that a linear approximation applies. It is found that long wave-length oscillations of plasmas with a Maxwell distribution of electron velocities are characterized by the steady-state dispersion relation ${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{2}=\ensuremath{\omega}_{P}^{}{}_{}{}^{2}+(\frac{3\ensuremath{\kappa}T}{m}){(\frac{2\ensuremath{\pi}}{\ensuremath{\lambda}})}^{2}$. Here ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{P}$ is the plasma frequency, $T$ the absolute temperature of the electron gas, $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ the wave-length, and $\ensuremath{\omega}$ the angular frequency of oscillation. It is also shown that organized oscillations of wave-lengths smaller than the Debye length for the electron gas are not possible.The theory is then extended to describe the processes by which oscillations are set up. It is found that, for a given wave-length, a plasma can oscillate with arbitrary frequency, but that those frequencies not given by the steady-state dispersion relation describe motions in which, after some time, there is no contribution to macroscopic averages. These additional frequencies lead asymptotically only to microscopic fluctuations of the charge density about the organized oscillation of the plasma. In this way, one can describe the manner in which the system develops organized behavior.The treatment is then applied to large steady-state oscillations for which the equations are non-linear. One obtains solutions in which particles close to the wave velocity are trapped in the trough of the potential, oscillating back and forth about a mean velocity equal to that of the wave. One can also obtain non-linear traveling pulse solutions in which a group of particles, moving as a pulse, creates a reaction on the surrounding charge, which traps the particles and holds them together.
Through thickness dynamic impact response in textured Ti–6Al–4V plates

Abstract The following work is a computationally derived description of through thickness dynamic impact responses in Ti–6Al–4V polycrystalline aggregates nominally textured via routine rolling deformation and thermal processing schedules in the α + β or β phase fields. Prior work [M.S. Burkins, W.W. Love, J.R. Wood, U.S. Army Research Lab, ARL-MR-359, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 1997] indicates that ballistic response, and the incidence of material plugging, is strongly affected by specific thermal/mechanical processing paths. We attempt to reconcile these response variations within the context of material textures. Thus, realistic processing textures viz. the basal, transverse as well as an idealized random texture are simulated via a 2D constitutive model for slip and twinning (treated here as pseudo-slip) prescribed for the hcp single crystal. The polycrystal is constructed by incorporating the material theory into a finite element model that explicitly represents a spatial distribution of single crystals. The polycrystal mechanical response is examined with respect to macroscopic shear loading as may take place during dynamic punch through processes. A ranking of the material textures is prescribed via numerically derived measures of external work performed.