cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thyrotoxicosis caused by thyroid cancer.

Thyroid cancer is a rare cause of thyrotoxicosis. Most of the reported cases were caused by well differentiated follicular carcinomas with extensive metastatic disease, usually to bone or lung. The majority of tumors secreted triiodothyronine predominantly. Treatment consisted of thyroidectomy in most cases, followed by iodine-131 therapy; favorable response to 131I radiotherapy predicted survivorship. In this review, the 10-year survival from diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma was 59%, which is similar to rates in euthyroid patients with metastatic follicular carcinoma.
Improved predictions of cyclic stress-strain curves for lead free solders using the Anand viscoplastic constitutive model

Solder materials in electronic packages are often subjected to thermal cycling, either during their application in products or during accelerated life qualification testing. Cyclic temperatures cause the solder joints to be subjected to cyclic mechanical stresses and strains due to the mismatches in the thermal expansion coefficients of the assembly materials. Such loads lead to thermo-mechanical fatigue including damage accumulation, crack initiation and propagation, and eventual failure. Prior studies have revealed that the predictions of cyclic stress-strain curves using the standard Anand viscoplastic constitutive model yield hysteresis loops that are different in shape and loop area when compared with the experimental results.
Mother Nature’s Pedagogy: How Children Educate Themselves

For this chapter we must distinguish between schooling and education. Schooling is the deliberate use of special procedures to teach preselected skills, concepts and beliefs (a curriculum) to students. Education is a much broader concept. It is the entire set of processes by which each new generation of human beings acquires the skills, knowledge, rituals, beliefs, lore and values—in short, the culture—of the previous generation. Education is cultural transmission. From a biological perspective, schooling is new, arising in the most recent eye-blink of our evolution. It became common for large segments of the population only a century or two ago. Education, in contrast, is as old as our genus and is an integral part of our biological makeup.
Where in the air? Aerial habitat use of nocturnally migrating birds.

The lower atmosphere (i.e. aerosphere) is critical habitat for migrant birds. This habitat is vast and little is known about the spatio-temporal patterns of distribution and abundance of migrants in it. Increased human encroachment into the aerosphere makes understanding where and when migratory birds use this airspace a key to reducing human–wildlife conflicts. We use weather surveillance radar to describe large-scale height distributions of nocturnally migrating birds and interpret these distributions as aggregate habitat selection behaviours of individual birds. As such, we detail wind cues that influence selection of flight heights. Using six radars in the eastern USA during the spring (2013–2015) and autumn (2013 and 2014), we found migrants tended to adjust their heights according to favourable wind profit. We found that migrants' flight altitudes correlated most closely with the altitude of maximum wind profit; however, absolute differences in flight heights and height of maximum wind profit were large. Migrants tended to fly slightly higher at inland sites compared with coastal sites during spring, but not during autumn. Migration activity was greater at coastal sites during autumn, but not during spring. This characterization of bird migration represents a critical advance in our understanding of migrant distributions in flight and a new window into habitat selection behaviours.
Ecofeminismo : mulheres do primeiro e do terceiro mundo

A autora coloca em discussao o tema do ecofeminismo, que “se funda na intuicao basica de que na cultura ocidental — e nas culturas patriarcais de modo geral — ha uma conexao fundamental entre a dominacao das mulheres e a dominacao da natureza”. Essa dominacao, fruto de uma “interpretacao masculinista” da realidade, e exercida por homens que se consideram os detentores privilegiados do espirito, da mente e do poder soberano. O ecofeminismo quer superar esse mito da separacao entre mente e corpo, entre pensamento e sentimento e entre o dominante homem e as subordinadas mulher e natureza.
Sodium Nitrite and Sodium Thiosulfate Are Effective Against Acute Cyanide Poisoning When Administered by Intramuscular Injection

Study objective The 2 antidotes for acute cyanide poisoning in the United States must be administered by intravenous injection. In the out-of-hospital setting, intravenous injection is not practical, particularly for mass casualties, and intramuscular injection would be preferred. The purpose of this study is to determine whether sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate are effective cyanide antidotes when administered by intramuscular injection. Methods We used a randomized, nonblinded, parallel-group study design in 3 mammalian models: cyanide gas inhalation in mice, with treatment postexposure; intravenous sodium cyanide infusion in rabbits, with severe hypotension as the trigger for treatment; and intravenous potassium cyanide infusion in pigs, with apnea as the trigger for treatment. The drugs were administered by intramuscular injection, and all 3 models were lethal in the absence of therapy. Results We found that sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate individually rescued 100% of the mice, and that the combination of the 2 drugs rescued 73% of the rabbits and 80% of the pigs. In all 3 species, survival in treated animals was significantly better than in control animals (log rank test, P Conclusion We conclude that sodium nitrite and sodium thiosulfate administered by intramuscular injection are effective against severe cyanide poisoning in 3 clinically relevant animal models of out-of-hospital emergency care.
The efficacy of trabectedin in treating ovarian cancer.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The majority of women with epithelial ovarian cancer present with advanced stage disease and there is a critical need for novel drugs and treatment strategies to improve outcomes. Trabectedin is a unique cytotoxic agent with a complex mechanism of action. It binds to guanines in the N2 position in the minor groove of DNA and its cytotoxicity involves DNA repair pathways and transcription regulation. Trabectedin’s activity is also related to the drug-induced changes of the tumor microenvironment. It has been shown to improve progression-free survival in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer. The most common adverse events experienced with trabectedin are nausea, vomiting, fatigue, neutropenia and transaminitis. Studies of biomarkers that are predictors of trabectedin benefit are underway.Areas covered: This review covers trabectedin’s mechanism of action and pharmacology, the clinical development of the drug in ova...
Towards a standardized cloud service description based on USDL

Abstract In recent years, cloud computing paradigm has attracted a lot of attention from both industry and academia. However, each cloud provider uses its own techniques (languages, standards, ontologies, or models, etc.) to describe cloud services. The diversity of these techniques leads to the vendor lock-in problem, and thus, the lack of a cloud service description standardization. In addition, existing service descriptions cover only particular aspects and neglect others. For example, WSDL covers only technical aspect and does not cover business and semantic ones. Our objective is to define a standardized cloud service description that covers technical, operational, business, and semantic aspects. In this paper, we introduce different approaches that have dealt with cloud service description, and thus, we adopt USDL language as an appropriate technique to describe cloud services thanks to its expressivity by covering three perspectives (technical, operational, and business). But, USDL is still limited because it cannot cover semantic aspect and it is not intended for cloud computing domain. After that, we highlight USDL limitations that can appear in cloud computing domain and that should be taken into consideration in our research work. This paper will focus on establishing a WSMO-based ontology to define semantically cloud services. This new cloud service description is based on USDL and we will enhance it by taking into consideration some USDL limitations. Finally, we test our proposed cloud service description model on a case study to prove its applicability.
Electropermeabilization by uni- or bipolar nanosecond electric pulses: The impact of extracellular conductivity.

Abstract Cellular effects caused by nanosecond electric pulses (nsEP) can be reduced by an electric field reversal, a phenomenon known as bipolar cancellation. The reason for this cancellation effect remains unknown. We hypothesized that assisted membrane discharge is the mechanism for bipolar cancellation. CHO-K1 cells bathed in high (16.1 mS/cm; HCS) or low (1.8 mS/cm; LCS) conductivity solutions were exposed to either one unipolar (300-ns) or two opposite polarity (300 + 300-ns; bipolar) nsEP (4–40 kV/cm) with increasing interpulse intervals (0.1–50 μs). Time-lapse YO-PRO-1 (YP) uptake revealed enhanced membrane permeabilization in LCS compared to HCS at all tested voltages. The time-dependence of bipolar cancellation was similar in both solutions, using either identical (22 kV/cm) or isoeffective nsEP treatments (12 and 32 kV/cm for LCS and HCS, respectively). However, cancellation was significantly stronger in LCS when the bipolar nsEP had no, or very short (
The Effect of Action Observation Training on Balance and Sit to Walk in Chronic Stroke: A Crossover Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of an action observation training on balance and sit to walk in chronic stroke. Twenty-four chronic stroke patients participated in this study. Participants were randomly allocated to either the landscape imagery observation physical training group (LIOPT) or the action observation physical training group (AOPT). LIOPT observed a landscape picture for 2 min 30 s while the AOPT group observed related video recording. Both groups underwent a physical training session after the observation session for 12 min 30 s and the sessions were repeated twice a day, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Outcome measures included Time Up and Go Test (TUG), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Weight Distribution Index (WDI), and limit of stability (LOS). Between-group and within-group comparisons were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed rank test, respectively. The AOPT and LIOPT groups have shown statistically significant differences in TUG, DGI, WDI, and ...
Successful treatment of fulminant neonatal enteroviral myocarditis in monochorionic diamniotic twins with cardiopulmonary support, intravenous immunoglobulin and pocapavir

Neonatal cardiogenic shock most commonly occurs due to critical congenital heart disease, sepsis, metabolic disorder or arrhythmias. In particular, enterovirus infections are common in the neonatal period, and patients can present with fulminant myocarditis. Early recognition is imperative due to its high morbidity and mortality without prompt and aggressive treatment. We present the successful treatment of fulminant neonatal enteroviral myocarditis in a pair of monochorionic diamniotic twins with cardiopulmonary support, intravenous immunoglobulin and pocapavir, an enteroviral capsid inhibitor. The twins took an almost exact parallel hospital course, including day of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) cannulation, day of ECMO decannulation, improvement of cardiac function, discharge and status at follow-up. While it was difficult to assess the relative contribution of each intervention, our case shows promise in the use of pocapavir for treatment of severe enteroviral infections. Remarkably, both twins demonstrated remarkable recovery within 2 weeks, underscoring that early aggressive cardiopulmonary support, and potentially pocapavir, contributed to their recovery.
What does Puerto Rican Citizenship Mean for Puerto Rico’s Legal Status?

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico occupies a strange netherworld within the United States. To quote an infamous Supreme Court decision from a century ago, it is "foreign in a domestic sense." Eminent scholars have suggested that the reason for giving Puerto Rico this unusual status was to preserve Congress's power to expel Puerto Rico from the Union. But is such a power plausible today? Puerto Ricans are natural born US citizens. Even if Congress had the right to "dispose" of a territory such as Puerto Rico, could it also strip Puerto Ricans of their citizenship? We argue that the citizenship rights enjoyed by Puerto Ricans today - granted by statute, and solidified by nearly a century of historical practice - are not compatible with an unrestrained Congressional power to expel the island, and that the latter must yield. That, in turn, suggests that perhaps Puerto Rico is no longer "foreign" to the United States in any sense.
On Successive Approximation of Optimal Control of Stochastic Dynamic Systems

An approximation theory of optimal control for nonlinear stochastic dynamic systems has been established. Based on the generalized Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation of the cost function of nonlinear stochastic systems, general iterative procedures for approximating the optimal control are developed by successively improving the performance of a feedback control law until a satisfactory suboptimal solution is achieved. A successive design scheme using upper and lower bounds of the exact cost function has been developed for the infinite-time stochastic regulator problem. The determination of the upper and lower bounds requires the solution of a partial differential inequality instead of equality. Therefore it provides a degree of flexibility in the design method over the exact design method. Stability of the infinite-time sub-optimal control problem was established under not very restrictive conditions, and stable sequences of controllers can be generated. Several examples are used to illustrate the applicati on of the proposed approximation theory to stochastic control. It has been shown that in the case of linear quadratic Gaussian problems, the approximation theory leads to the exact solution of optimal control.
Intranasal Drug Delivery to the Brain

Drug delivery into the central nervous system (CNS) compartment is often restricted by the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barriers (BCSFB) that separate the blood from brain interstitial and cerebrospinal fluids, respectively. New strategies to circumvent the BBB are greatly needed to utilize polar pharmaceuticals and large biotherapeutics for CNS disease treatment because the BBB is typically impermeable to such compounds. Intranasal administration is a noninvasive method of drug delivery that potentially allows even large biotherapeutics access to the CNS along extracellular pathways associated with the olfactory and trigeminal nerves. Rapid effects, ease of self-administration, and the potential for frequent, chronic dosing are among the potential advantages of the intranasal route. This chapter provides an overview of the unique anatomic and physiologic attributes of the nasal mucosa and its associated cranial nerves that allow small but significant fractions of certain intranasally applied drugs to transfer across the nasal epithelia and subsequently be transported directly into the CNS. We also review the preclinical and clinical literature related to intranasal targeting of biotherapeutics to the CNS and speculate on future directions.
High capacity closed-cycle 1 K cryocooler

Abstract A low vibration 1 K closed-cycle cryocooler, precooled by a 4 K pulse tube cryocooler (Cryomech model PT415), has been developed to provide high cooling capacities at temperatures of ∼45 K, ∼4 K and
“The Leopard Does Not Change Its Spots”: Structuration Theory and the Process of Managerial Decision-Making Regarding Popular Management Theories:

Popular management theories (PMTs) significantly influence how organizations are run. To date, scholarship investigating the PMT phenomenon has focused on their perceived popularity, relative merit...
Solution Rheology of Poly(acrylic acid)-Grafted Silica Nanoparticles

Network formation of polymer-grafted nanoparticles in aqueous solutions is an unexplored area in polymer science. In this study, nanoparticles grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) chains with diff...
Longitudinal Effects of Peer, School, and Parenting Contexts on Substance Use Initiation in Middle Adolescence.

Purpose: Preventing substance use initiation (SUI) can reduce negative consequences associated with adult substance use disorder. The role of involvement with deviant peers, school connectedness, a...
Correction to: Longitudinal Differences in Response to Name Among Infants Developing ASD and Risk for ADHD

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a consistency mistake in Figure 1 legend. The legend for Figure 1 refers to "Non-ADHD/Non-ASD Concerns" instead of "Comparison," which is the wording used in the text/tables, but that these terms are synonymous. The figure 1 with the correct legend is given below.
Characteristics and Outcomes for Secondary Breast Cancer in Childhood, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer Survivors Treated with Radiation.

Background: Radiotherapy is used to treat many adolescent and young adult (AYA) and childhood cancer patients and is a risk factor for secondary breast cancer. While premenopausal breast cancer is inherently more aggressive, no studies to date have evaluated the characteristics and breast cancer–specific survival (BCSS) of premenopausal secondary breast cancer after radiotherapy in AYA and childhood cancer survivors. Methods: Female patients ages 12 to 50 diagnosed with primary breast cancer from 1988 to 2014 (n = 107,751) were obtained from the California Cancer Registry and compared with similar aged patients with secondary breast cancer who were treated with radiotherapy for their primary tumor (n = 1,147) from ages 12 to 39. We examined BCSS using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Results: The secondary breast cancer cohort was more likely to be Hispanic or Black, be 35 to 45 years of age, have earlier stage tumors, be higher grade, have no lymph node involvement, and be hormone receptor negative. All women showed worse BCSS for large tumor size, lymph node involvement, and hormone receptor–negative status. BCSS was worse for women with secondary breast cancer both overall (hazard ratio, 1.98; 95% confidence interval, 1.77–2.23) and in all subgroups considered. Associations were most pronounced in Hispanics, Asian/Pacific Islanders, and younger women, as well as those with earlier stage, lymph node–negative, and hormone receptor–positive disease. Conclusions: BCSS is significantly decreased among all survivors of childhood and AYA cancer treated with radiotherapy that develop a secondary breast cancer, including women with good prognostic features. Impact: Therefore, we may need to consider alternative and even more aggressive treatment in what were considered low-risk populations previously.
Doing narrative analysis from a narratives-as-practices perspective

Abstract In this paper I lay out some of the main theoretical methodological principles that underlie a narratives-as-practices approach and discuss three foci that emerge from current research and pave the way for future investigations. In particular, I focus on mobility, connectivity, time/space anchoring and chronotopicity as both characteristics of narrative and research areas which allow for an integration of the focus of interactional approaches on emergence with a consideration of the historical and social embedding of narratives into practices. I review recent research that has contributed to this trend in narrative studies and discuss some of the limitations of current work and areas that need further investigation. I advocate for an expansion of research on a wider variety of practices, attention to the characteristics of narrative genres, and in general a stronger critical engagement with ways in which narratives participate in social processes involving power and inequality.
Amyloidogenic Proteins Drive Hepatic Proteostasis Remodeling in an Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Model of Systemic Amyloid Disease

Systemic amyloidosis represents a class of disorders in which misfolded proteins are secreted by effector organs and deposited as proteotoxic aggregates at downstream target tissues. Despite being well-described clinically, the contribution of effector organs such as the liver to the pathogenesis of these diseases is poorly understood. Here, we utilize a patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-based model of hereditary transthyretin (TTR) amyloid disease (ATTR amyloidosis) in order to define the contributions of hepatic cells to the distal proteotoxicity of secreted TTR. To this end, we employ a gene correction strategy to generate isogenic, ATTR amyloidosis patient-specific iPSCs expressing either amyloidogenic or wild-type TTR. We further utilize this gene editing strategy in combination with single cell RNAseq to identify multiple hepatic proteostasis factors, including many components of adaptive unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling pathways, whose expression correlates with the production of destabilized TTR variants in iPSC-derived hepatic cells. We further demonstrate that enhancing ER proteostasis within ATTR amyloidosis iPSC-derived hepatic lineages via stress-independent activation of aforementioned adaptive UPR signaling preferentially reduces the secretion of destabilized amyloidogenic TTR. Together, these results suggest the potential of the liver to chaperone-at-a-distance and impact pathogenesis at downstream target cells in the context of systemic amyloid disease, and further highlight the promise of UPR modulating therapeutics for the treatment of TTR-mediated and other amyloid diseases.
Enhancing Biomass Value Chain by Utilizing Biochar as A Free Radical Scavenger to Delay Ultraviolet Aging of Bituminous Composites Used in Outdoor Construction

Abstract This study examines the merits of using biochar to delay aging in construction while promoting the economic viability of biofuel production and enhancing the biomass value chain. Biochar residue from pyrolysis of biomass to biofuel was introduced to neat asphalt and rubberized asphalt binders. The study results showed biochar can delay oxidation and UV-induced aging at binder and mixture level as evidenced by lowering rheological and chemical aging indexes. The rheological aging index was measured based on the change in crossover modulus due to aging, and the chemical aging index was measured based on the change in carbonyl and sulfoxide functional groups due to aging. Four types of aging were examined including oxidation and UV aging at the binder level as well as aging and weathering at the mixture level. In terms of oxidation aging, biochar was more effective for rubberized asphalt, while in the case of UV aging, neat asphalt appeared to benefit more than rubberized asphalt from the presence of biochar. The latter can be attributed to the role of biochar as a UV-light blockage and free radical scavenger. Rubberized asphalt inherently contains carbon black which enhances the internal resistance against UV aging, hence the role of biochar was not as significant in rubberized asphalt compared to that of the neat asphalt. However, in the case of oxidation aging, biochar noticeably improved the rubberized asphalt compared to neat asphalt. The study outcomes provide a simultaneous solution to promote resource conservation and enhance aging resistance of bituminous composites. Biochar, carbonaceous particles, made from biowaste can be used as a free radical scavenger to delay ultraviolet aging of bituminous composites. Therefore, this study promotes sustainability by creating applications for biochar while increasing pavement durability by delaying asphalt aging.
Glutamatergic projections from homeostatic to hedonic brain nuclei regulate intake of highly palatable food.

Food intake is a complex behavior regulated by discrete brain nuclei that integrate homeostatic nutritional requirements with the hedonic properties of food. Homeostatic feeding (i.e. titration of caloric intake), is typically associated with hypothalamic brain nuclei, including the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN). Hedonic feeding is driven, in part, by the reinforcing properties of highly palatable food (HPF), which is mediated by the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Dysregulation of homeostatic and hedonic brain nuclei can lead to pathological feeding behaviors, namely overconsumption of highly palatable food (HPF), that may drive obesity. Both homeostatic and hedonic mechanisms of food intake have been attributed to several brain regions, but the integration of homeostatic and hedonic signaling to drive food intake is less clear, therefore we aimed to identify the neuroanatomical, functional, and behavioral features of a novel PVN → NAc circuit. Using viral tracing techniques, we determined that PVN → NAc has origins in the parvocellular PVN, and that PVN → NAc neurons express VGLUT1, a marker of glutamatergic signaling. Next, we pharmacogenetically stimulated PVN → NAc neurons and quantified both gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate release and phospho-cFos expression in the NAc and observed a robust and significant increase in extracellular glutamate and phospho-cFos expression. Finally, we pharmacogenetically stimulated PVN → NAc which decreased intake of highly palatable food, demonstrating that this glutamatergic circuitry regulates aspects of feeding.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

This article discusses the role of rehabilitation in the treatment of acute and chronic pain. It highlights the roles of the biomedical and biopsychosocial models of pain treatment. It offers a brief outline of the roles of the members of the rehabilitation team and some of the tools they commonly use.
Deep Learning-Guided Jamming for Cross-Technology Wireless Networks: Attack and Defense

Wireless networks of different technologies may interfere with each other when they are deployed at proximity. Such cross-technology interference (CTI) has become prevalent with the surge of IoT devices. In this paper, we exploit CTI in coexisting WiFi-Zigbee networks and propose DeepJam, a new stealthy jamming strategy, to jam Zigbee traffic. DeepJam relies on deep learning techniques to capture the temporal pattern of the past wireless traffic and predict the future wireless traffic. By only jamming the victim’s transmissions that are not disrupted by CTI, DeepJam can significantly reduce the victim’s throughput with far fewer jamming signals and is thus much more stealthy than conventional jamming strategies. Detailed evaluations show that DeepJam can converge within 10 sec and achieve the jamming-efficiency gains of up to 742% and 285% over conventional random and reactive jamming strategies, respectively, in practical scenarios. We also propose a simple yet effective countermeasure against DeepJam.
Technically difficult colonoscopy, a non-radiologic sign of sigmoidal obstruction: value of sigmoid colectomy for intractable symptoms.

Technical difficulty in passing the colonoscope was assessed in 371 patients undergoing 627 colonoscopies during 1989-91 and were graded as 0: no difficulty and cecum reached (71.43%); 1: difficult but cecum reached (20.22%); 2: difficult and cecum not reached although lumen beyond seen (4.85%); and 3: difficult and cecum not reached as luuen beyond could not be seen (3.5%). Frequency of patients with chronic lower abdominal pain and/or disturbed bowel habits in each grade increased as grade of obstruction increased: 0 (25.66%), 1 (36%), 2 (77.77%), and 3 (100%)
Size reduction and dual mode degeneracy in microstrip patch antenna using periodically rippled silicon substrate

A novel fabrication process for periodically rippled transmission lines is presented in this paper. This technique allows for height modulation of microstrip passive components, resulting in size reduction as well as dual mode degeneracy. A 4 mm × 4 mm X-band one dimensional (1D) rippled patch antenna with 6 µm periodicity is designed and fabricated using this technique. A 26% size reduction compared to regular antennas, as well as dual-mode operation is demonstrated in measurements. The measurement results confirm the potential application of the proposed structure in the design of compact dual-band integrated devices on silicon substrates.
Apoptosis in cerebellar granule neurons is associated with reduced interaction between CREB-binding protein and NF-κB

Cerebellar granule neurons undergo apoptosis when switched from medium containing depolarizing levels of potassium (high K+ medium, HK) to medium containing low K+ (LK). NF-κB, a ubiquitously expressed transcription factor, is involved in the survival-promoting effects of HK. However, neither the expression nor the intracellular localization of the five NF-κB proteins, or of IκB-α and IκB-β, are altered in neurons primed to undergo apoptosis by LK, suggesting that uncommon mechanisms regulate NF-κB activity in granule neurons. In this study, we show that p65 interacts with the transcriptional co-activator, CREB-binding protein (CBP), in healthy neurons. The decrease in NF-κB transcriptional activity caused by LK treatment is accompanied by a reduction in the interaction between p65 and CBP, an alteration that is accompanied by hyperphosporylation of CBP. LK-induced CBP hyperphosphorylation can be mimicked by inhibitors of protein phosphatase (PP) 2A and PP2A-like phosphatases such as okadaic acid and cantharidin, which also causes a reduction in p65–CBP association. In addition, treatment with these inhibitors induces cell death. Treatment with high concentrations of the broad-spectrum kinase inhibitor staurosporine prevents LK-mediated CBP hyperphosphorylation and inhibits cell death. In vitro kinase assays using glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-CBP fusion proteins map the LK-regulated site of phosphorylation to a region spanning residues 1662–1840 of CBP. Our results are consistent with possibility that LK-induced apoptosis is triggered by CBP hyperphosphorylation, an alteration that causes the dissociation of CBP and NF-κB.
Distributed qos routing for backbone overlay networks

In recent years, overlay networks have emerged as an attractive alternative for supporting value-added services. Due to the difficulty of supporting end-to-end QoS purely in end-user overlays, backbone overlays for QoS support have been proposed. In this paper, we describe a backbone QoS overlay network architecture for scalable, efficient and practical QoS support. In this architecture, we advocate the notion of QoS overlay network (referred to as QSON) as the backbone service domain. The design of QSON relies on well-defined business relationships between the QSON provider, network service providers and end users. A key challenge in making QSON a reality consists of efficiently determining routes for end user QoS flows based on the service level agreements between the QSON provider and network service providers. In this paper, we propose and present a scalable and distributed QoS routing scheme that can be used to efficiently route end user QoS flows through QSON. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our solution through simulations.
Activation of human peripheral blood T cells does not lead to increased P-glycoprotein expression.

The expression of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) on normal human lymphocytes, and its drug exclusion capacity, implies that Pgp might be involved in cytokine secretion. We used two-color flow cytometry to detect simultaneously Pgp expression and IL-2 accumulation in resting and mitogen-activated human lymphocytes. Among resting lymphocytes from five healthy donors less than 1% were Pgp+ as determined by reactivity with the anti-Pgp monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4E3. The percentage of Pgp+ lymphocytes increased to 3% after 24 hr of mitogenic stimulation that induced maximal production of cytoplasmic IL-2. The percentage of lymphocytes that coexpressed membrane Pgp and cytoplasmic IL-2 accounted for <10% of the total IL-2 producing lymphocytes. Finally, mitogen-induced cytoplasmic IL-2 accumulation was enhanced by stimulation in the presence of monensin but not the Pgp functional inhibitor verapamil. Because mAb 4E3 detected lower than expected numbers of Pgp+ lymphocytes, we compared the binding of mAbs MRK16 and 4E3 concomitant with doxorubicin (DOX)-uptake by K562 and R7 tumor cells and purified CD8+ lymphocytes. The MRK16 mAb was found to be sensitive but not very specific (30%). In contrast, the sensitivity of 4E3 was equivalent to MRK16 (98%) and was highly specific (98.5%). There was also a positive association between DOX efflux and the level of Pgp expression as detected by 4E3 but not MRK16. Thus, human T cells do not markedly up-regulate their expression of functional Pgp molecules as detected by mAb 4E3 following activation, suggesting that Pgp does not play a major role in IL-2 secretion by activated T cells.
Muon measurements with MACRO

The large size, good pointing resolution and fine grain of the MACRO detector make it a powerful tool for studying interactions of very high energy cosmic rays through the high energy muons (E≳1.3 TeV) resulting from decays of energetic pions and kaons. Results are presented on muon astronomy, cosmic ray composition studies and interaction model studies.
Making Steel, Making Prosperity, Making Pollution, Making Images: The Environmental Photography of Steel Mills

Environmental impacts of steelmaking are felt in communities where steel is made and beyond, from dramatic changes in landscapes to smoke-darkened horizons to contaminated ponds. For photographers and other artists—painters, poets, songwriters—those impacts provide an opportunity to use their creative works to draw public attention to ecological conditions at operating and abandoned mills. This article explores how three American photographers—Masumi Hayashi, John Pfahl, and Ruth Dusseault—used their images to raise social consciousness of steel-related environmental problems. It finds that despite differences in their photographic techniques, each has created a potent marriage of aesthetics with social commentary and a public agenda through documenting unwelcome and welcome changes in communities affected by steelmaking.
Ambient Air Pollution and Increases in Blood Pressure Role for Biological Constituents of Particulate Matter

See related article, pp 509–516 Particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets made up of several components including elemental carbon, organic chemicals, metals, acids (such as nitrates and sulfates), and soil and dust particles. Epidemiological studies consistently show that exposure to PM in urban areas across the globe is associated with increases in short- and long-term cardiovascular mortality and morbidity, most notably for myocardial infarction, heart failure, and ischemic stroke.1 The range in strength of these associations is likely related to variation in PM sources and composition across space and time and attests to the need to understand the contribution of specific sources to ultimately inform regulatory, public health, and clinical strategies to reduce risk. A systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2014 reported a positive association between short-term exposure to PM2.5 and blood pressure (BP).2 The article discussed potential mechanisms including PM-induced activation of pulmonary nociceptive receptors, pulmonary inflammatory responses, and release of endothelin-1 and suggested that activation of pulmonary receptors and vagal afferents could lead to shifts in autonomic balance and vasoconstriction. Other effects including oxidative stress and decreased NO availability, as well as systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, have also been widely reported in association with PM components such as transition metals and organic carbon species. In this issue of Hypertension , Zhong et al3 provide evidence that the level of microbial components (specifically endotoxin and β-1,3-d-glucan) in inhaled ambient PM were directly correlated with increased BP which might elevate the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke and contribute to the burden of disease in the US attendant to ambient air PM exposure. It is also worth noting that these ubiquitous biological molecules are key initiators of the innate immune system, although the relationship …
Gradient-based adaptation of continuous dynamic model structures

A gradient-based method of symbolic adaptation is introduced for a class of continuous dynamic models. The proposed model structure adaptation method starts with the first-principles model of the system and adapts its structure after adjusting its individual components in symbolic form. A key contribution of this work is its introduction of the model’s parameter sensitivity as the measure of symbolic changes to the model. This measure, which is essential to defining the structural sensitivity of the model, not only accommodates algebraic evaluation of candidate models in lieu of more computationally expensive simulation-based evaluation, but also makes possible the implementation of gradient-based optimisation in symbolic adaptation. The proposed method is applied to models of several virtual and real-world systems that demonstrate its potential utility.
Burn-in effectiveness-theory and measurement

Burn-in effectiveness is modeled as a function of time, temperature, electrical stress, stress coverage and failure mechanism. Actual field data for a variety of products is used to validate or deduce the relevant burn-in parameters. The modeling of burn-in is discussed to show the importance of the acceleration and stress coverage of the burn-in and of the failure distribution of the product. The modeling of burn-in is used to explain the failure characteristics of products which experience burn-in. The modeling of the characteristics of the failure distribution of burned-in product was used to analyze several experimental or reliability data sets to either validate or deduce the relevant parameter estimates for the specific burn-in. The modeling also extracts the relevant burn-in parameters from an analysis of field reliability performance. >
Identification of coping ideation and strategies preventing suicidality in a college-age sample

This study attempts to identify coping mechanisms relevant to the prevention of progressive lethality in suicidal behavior among youth. College students (N = 296) aged 18 to 24, self-identified as having no past suicidal ideation, mild ideation, severe ideation, or having attempted suicide, completed the Reasons for Living Inventory (Linehan, Goodstein, Nielson, & Chiles, 1983), a similarly derived instrument for age-specific coping cognitions, and a scale of coping strategies for diminishing suicidality. Discriminant functions analyses of the mean factor scores for each scale were used to assess the pertinence of various coping mechanisms among the 4 groups. Patterns of similarities and differences in mechanisms were identified.
Spectacular infrastructure and its breakdown in socialist Vietnam

No material resource and public good is more critical to sustaining urban life than water. During postwar reconstruction in Vietnam, planners showcased urban infrastructure as a spectacular socialist achievement. Water-related facilities, in particular, held the potential for emancipation and modernity. Despite East German–engineered systems, however, taps remained dry in socialist housing. Lack of water exposed existing hierarchies that undermined the goal of democratic infrastructure yet enabled new forms of solidarity and gendered social practice to take shape in response to the state's failure to meet basic needs. Infrastructural breakdown and neglect thus catalyzed a collective ethos of maintenance and repair as the state shifted responsibility for upkeep to disenchanted tenants. I track these processes in a housing complex in Vinh City, where water signified both the promises of state care and a condition of its systemic neglect. [materiality, infrastructure, socialist modernity, urbanization, decay, maintenance and repair, water, Vietnam]
Ecology of spiny rats, Proechimys canicollis, in northern Colombia

Une population de Proechimys canicollis, rat epineux de Colombie du Nord, a ete echantillonnee grâce a des captures mensuelles d'animaux vivants pendant 21 mois, pour decrire l'abondance, la dynamique et la structure de la population. Les piegeages ont ete effectues sur cinq transects permanents dans un milieu de foret primaire ancienne. Une serie de variables de microhabitat ont ete mesurees a chaque station afin de decrire les associations de cette espece. P. canicollis etait le petit mammifere le plus frequemment capture, mais avec une abondance relative de seulement 0,23 pour 100 nuits/station. L'abondance a fluctue au cours de la periode d'etude et a montre une variation au cours de la premiere annee mais pas de la seconde. Le sex ratio n'a pas differe de 1:1, la plupart des individus etant adultes a la premiere capture. Les individus etaient repartis dans tous les microhabitats recenses, mais ils etaient apparemment plus abondants dans les zones perturbees de la foret. L'ecologie de cette espece parait etre comparable a celle des autres especes du genre.
Ion sampling from chemical plasmas

Studies of ion sampling from a nitrogen afterglow at a pressure of a few Torr indicate that the ion-sampling process depends strongly on the local electric fields at the sampling apertures. Gasdynamic effects also play a role in the sampling process. Ions sampled from a nitrogen afterglow were1primarily N2+, N3+, and N4+. At constant pressure, the balance between N2+, N3+, and N4+ is almost independent of the nature of the material from which the sampling electrode is constructed and of the potentials used for ion extraction. Exceptions are noted. Dielectric coatings on electrode surfaces lead to very long duration (≈30 sec) time effects in the ion-sampling process. These effects are explained in terms of a theory of surface charging. The surface charge has a very strong influence on the ion-sampling process. Under conditions of air addition to active nitrogen, long-term time dependencies of ion currents were experienced when using a system with gold electrodes. These effects can be explained in terms of a changed surface condition associated with the air addition. Ions were sampled from a low-pressure atomic oxygen-acetylene diffusion flame. Ion currents were much higher when a “pusher” electrode was given a negative potential than when given a positive potential. An explanation is given.
Variations of NO, NO2 and O3 concentrations downwind of a Los Angeles freeway

Abstract A sampling study was conducted to quantify the relationships of NO, NO2 and O3 concentrations with distance downwind of the San Diego freeway in Los Angeles. By continuously, monitoring at a site upwind (background) of the freeway and at selected downwind sites, patterns of NO, NO2 and O3 concentrations were detailed. Minimal separation distances of the samplers from the roadway to eliminate measurable influence were estimated to be approx 400–500 m for NO, NO2 and O3. A spatial model was fitted to the empirical NO and NO2 data, which incorporated the effects of dilution, reaction and background level on measured downwind concentration. This model fit the experimental data closely and indicated that: 1. (1) the decrease of NOx downwind of the freeway can be expressed by a simple exponential dilution, 2. (2) the reaction of NO and O3 downwind of the freeway is not well mixed and deviates from the ideal photostationary state, and 3. (3) the simple rate equations for the reaction of NO with O3 and the photodissociation of NO2 could be combined with a simple exponential dilution term to define the measured concentrations of NO2.
Parcellation of the human prefrontal cortex using MRI

A methodology was developed for dividing prefrontal cortical gray matter into insular, orbital, inferior, middle, superior, cingulate, and frontal pole regions using anatomical criteria. This methodology was developed as a follow-up to one that measured whole prefrontal gray and white matter volumes in schizophrenic and control subjects. This study showed no overall volume differences in prefrontal cortex between schizophrenic and control subjects. The parcellation of prefrontal cortex was done to increase the probability of detecting abnormalities that were circumscribed to a particular portion of the region. A 1.5 Tesla magnet was used to acquire contiguous 1.5-mm coronal slices of the entire brain. Volumes were then measured in a group of right-handed male (n = 15) subjects. Gray matter was parcellated using criteria that were mainly based on gross anatomy, as visualized in 3-dimensional renderings of the brain. Reliability of the parcellation scheme was very high (r(i) = 0.80 and above). This methodology should be useful in the study of cortical pathology in a number of neurological disorders, including schizophrenia.
The effect of track structure on cell inactivation and chromosome damage at a constant let of 120 keV/μm

Abstract The influence of track structure on chromosome damage and cell inactivation are being investigated. Plateau-phase normal human fibroblast cultures were irradiated with gamma rays, and He, Ne and Ar ions. Particle velocities were chosen so that all beams had an LET of 120 keV/μm. In this constant-LET experimental design, the radial distribution of excitations and ionizations about the particle track is the most significant variable. Using premature chromosome condensation, chromatin breaks were measured at two time points, promptly after irradiation and after a prolonged incubation to allow for repair. These measurements give an indication of both initial chromosomal damage and also residual damage that is either not repaired or is misrepaired. Survival was measured under the same conditions. Results indicate that the RBEs for both cell inactivation and, to a lesser extent, chromosome damage decrease as particle energy increases.
Effect of chronic or cyclic exposure to estradiol on the humoral immune response and the thymus.

Abstract Estradiol (E2) is known to enhance humoral immunity. Previous studies examining serum immunoglobulin levels on days within the estrous cycle or in the ovariectomized, chronically E2-implanted rat have determined a positive correlation between serum E2 concentrations and antibody responsiveness. No previous study has investigated the effect of fluctuating E2 concentrations, as during the estrous cycle, throughout the course of a specific humoral immune response. Therefore, in the present study we addressed the influences of cyclic and tonic E2 exposure on the anti-fluorescein response in the rat. Ovariectomized rats were submitted to a 2 × 2 factorial design of chronic E2 implants and 4-day E2 injection (and vehicle control) regimens. Anti-fluorescein antibody production and thymic weights were measured. Animals given a 4-day cycle of E2 showed significantly (p