cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TU-B-352-02: Assessing Tumor Response to Therapy Over Time

Monitoring the efficacy of braintumor therapy is a clinical dilemma. Results of biopsy provide the most reliable indicator but biopsy is too invasive for frequent use. The clinical standard of practice is to perform serial magnetic resonance scans and to assess changes to tumor “size” as seen on gadolinium enhanced images, with “size” measured in one, two, or three dimensions. This review discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the three measurement methods as well as some of the effects of voxel size on the calculation. Problems inherent to the use of gadolinium enhanced images include the effect of steroids and the confounding appearance of radiation necrosis. New treatment methods, such as administration of anti‐VEGF agents, may even cause disappearance of gadolinium enhancement while the tumor continues to grow. The limitations of the “tumor size” approach have led multiple groups to explore alternative methods of assessing tumor activity. We briefly explore some of these alternative methods to assessing tumor growth and treatment response. Educational Objectives: 1. Understand the clinical standard of practice of monitoring braintumor therapy from T1 gadolinium enhanced images. 2. Understand the different common approaches to assessing tumor activity and their strengths/limitations. 3. Understand the limitations inherent to various approaches.
Theory of optical wedges as flux modulators

Many optical experiments and applications require the use of devices called optical wedges which are thin-sheet optical modulators having a continuous, usually linear, change in optical density with either distance or angle. The optical density of a sample area on an optical wedge depends on the size and shape of the aperture and the characteristics of the wedge. The relationship of the effective density of the whole sample to the density at the center of the sample has been derived for wedges of rectilinear and circular form and sampling apertures in the form of rectangles, circles, and circular sectors. The theory has applications in the microdensitometry of photographic edges.
When the numbers don't add up

In Almost Like a Whale, geneticist Steve Jones 'updated' Darwin's Origin of Species. Now in Coral: A Pessimist in Paradise, he does the same for Darwin's earlier Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs. With 150 years or so of hindsight, and with coral in the news as a victim of climate change, Jones has plenty of material to play with. Daniel Pauly — who says he'd have bought the book just for the cover — reviews Coral as one of the 'good reads' in this year's Spring Books special. Elsewhere, Kathleen Taylor reviews The Canon by Natalie Angier. This targets the same market as Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything but takes a different tack — and is shorter! Pat Shipman reviews The Invisible Sex, an antidote to male-dominated anthropology.
Altered endothelin homeostasis in patients undergoing liver transplantation

The liver is a major site of synthesis, clearance, and actions of the powerful vasoactive peptide endothelin-1 (ET-1). We investigated the role of the liver in ET-1 homeostasis by comparing circulating and hepatic ET-1 levels and hepatic ET receptors in patients undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation (OLTx) for end-stage liver disease (ESLD) with those in patients undergoing liver resection for focal lesions with otherwise normal hepatic synthetic function. Central venous and radial arterial blood was drawn immediately after induction of anesthesia (point I), 10 minutes before beginning of resection or the anhepatic stage (point II), and 30 minutes after completion of resection or reperfusion of the grafted liver (point III). Portal and hepatic venous blood was drawn at points II and III. Plasma ET-1 levels were higher in ESLD patients than in resection patients. Plasma ET-1 levels rose both during resection and transplantation; the increase in ET-1 was more pronounced during transplantation. In ESLD patients, hepatic venous ET-1 was higher than portal venous ET-1, suggesting reduced clearance and/or enhanced synthesis of the peptide in the cirrhotic liver. Conversely, hepatic venous ET-1 was lower than portal venous ET-1 in resection patients at all time points and at point III in the ESLD patients. Hepatic concentration of ET-1 was greater and the capacity of the liver to catabolize ET-1 was reduced in ESLD patients as compared to the resection patients. Further, hepatic ET receptor density was higher in ESLD than in resection patients. These results suggest that the cirrhotic liver may contribute to elevated plasma ET-1 in ESLD. Considering its potent hemodynamic and metabolic effects in the liver, increased hepatic ET-1 and ET receptors and plasma ET-1 could play a role in the pathophysiology of liver disease and perioperative complications of OLTx.
Heat transfer and laminar boundary-layer distributions in an internal subsonic gas stream at temperatures up to 13,900 deg R.

Velocity, enthalpy and mass flux radial distributions in laminar boundary layer from calorimetry of argon subsonic flow
IMPROVED RADIATION CALCULATIONS FOR HYPERSONIC REENTRY FLOWS USING EFFICIENT DATABASING SCHEMES

Efficient databasing schemes of emission and absorption coeffi cients are developed to model radiation from nonequilibrium gas flows. For bound-bound transitions, line information including line center wavelength and emission and absorption coefficients without the line shape factor is stored for typical air plasma species. Since the flow is in nonequilibrium, a rate equation approach including both collisional and radiatively induced transitions is used to calculate the electronic state populations. By using the quasi steady state assumption (QSS), the excited state populations of the nonequilibrium gas species are calculated in terms of flow temperature species concentrations, excitation cross sections, and radiative life times. The accuracy and efficiency of the databasing scheme are examined by comparing results of the databasing scheme with those of NEQAIR for the stardust flow field.
NKG2D receptor regulates human effector T-cell cytokine production

Although innate immune signals shape the activation of naive T cells, it is unclear how innate signals influence effector T-cell function. This study determined the effects of stimulating the NKG2D receptor in conjunction with the TCR on human effector CD8+ T cells. Stimulation of CD8+ T cells through CD3 and NKG2D simultaneously or through a chimeric NKG2D receptor, which consists of NKG2D fused to the intracellular region of CD3ζ, activated β-catenin and increased expression of β-catenin–induced genes, whereas T cells stimulated through the TCR or a combination of the TCR and CD28 did not. Activation by TCR and NKG2D prevented expression and production of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10, IL-9, IL-13, and VEGF-α in a β-catenin– and PPARγ- dependent manner. NKG2D stimulation also modulated the cytokine secretion of T cells activated simultaneously through CD3 and CD28. These data indicate that activating CD8+ T cells through the NKG2D receptor along with the TCR modulates signal transduction and the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, human effector T cells alter their function depending on which innate receptors are engaged in conjunction with the TCR complex.
Phased Array Radar Polarimetry for Weather Sensing: Challenges and Opportunities

It is becoming widely accepted that radar polarimetry provides accurate and informative weather measurements, while phased array technology can shorten data updating time. In this paper, a theory of phased array radar polarimetry is developed, and the relationship between the wave field at the radar antenna coordinate and that at the hydrometeors is established, along with the correction matrix to the scattering matrix. The challenges and opportunities for the weather sensing are discussed.
Is there a linewidth theory for semiconductor lasers

Laser generation begins at a critical injection when the gain and loss spectra touch each other at a singular frequency. In the framework of the standard theory, the finite linewidth results from the account of fluctuations associated with the random spontaneous emission processes. This approach is based on the assumption that in the meanfield approximation the singular frequency generation persists for injection levels higher than critical. We show that this assumption in the framework of the Boltzmann kinetic equation for electrons and photons is invalid and therefore the standard description of semiconductor laser linewidth lacks theoretical foundation. Experimental support of the standard theory is also questionable.
Utilization of a novel unidirectional knotless suture during minimal access procedures in pediatric surgery.

Abstract Background The application of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for advanced procedures in children is logical. However, the intracorporeal placement and tying of suture can be challenging, leading to prolonged anesthesia and morbidity. We describe our initial experience with the use of a novel unidirectional barbed knotless suture (V-LOC, Covidien, Mansfield, MA) that permits a safe and efficient advanced MIS reconstruction in infants and children. Methods From August 2010 to February 2012, 11 infants and children underwent diaphragmatic reconstruction utilizing either the absorbable or the permanent V-LOC suture. Data retrieval included gender, weight, diagnosis, operative time, complications and follow up. Results Thoracoscopic or laparoscopic repairs were carried out in all children. Two of the infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia of Bochdalek (CDH) developed a recurrence at 4 and 6months of age and required reoperation. There were no other complications or recurrence in the remaining 9 children, and there were no mortalities in the group. Conclusion This is the first study to evaluate the use of the unidirectional barbed knotless suture in pediatric surgery. We demonstrate that the use of the V-LOC barbed suture is an innovative, safe and time saving option for pediatric MIS. Prospective analysis with long-term follow-up is required to confirm these initial results and to ascertain if this novel approach can be utilized in other pediatric surgical conditions.
Hysteresis and Related Error Mechanisms in the NIST Watt Balance Experiment

The NIST watt balance experiment is being completely rebuilt after its 1998 determination of the Planck constant. That measurement yielded a result with an approximately 1×10(-7) relative standard uncertainty. Because the goal of the new incarnation of the experiment is a ten-fold decrease in uncertainty, it has been necessary to reexamine many sources of systematic error. Hysteresis effects account for a substantial portion of the projected uncertainty budget. They arise from mechanical, magnetic, and thermal sources. The new experiment incorporates several improvements in the apparatus to address these issues, including stiffer components for transferring the mass standard on and off the balance, better servo control of the balance, better pivot materials, and the incorporation of erasing techniques into the mass transfer servo system. We have carried out a series of tests of hysteresis sources on a separate system, and apply their results to the watt apparatus. The studies presented here suggest that our improvements can be expected to reduce hysteresis signals by at least a factor of 10-perhaps as much as a factor of 50-over the 1998 experiment.
Frequency-dependent transmission line modeling for steady state power system harmonic analysis

This paper describes a method for modeling frequency-dependent power transmission lines. The technique presented is aimed at steady state analysis; mainly steady state harmonic studies. The Vector Fitting technique is used to determine the expression for the frequency-dependent line model. The proposed model minimizes the error arising from the constant 60 Hz parameter exact PI model. The Vector Fitting technique has previously been used to model frequency dependent transmission lines for Electromagnetic Transient (EMT) analysis. Differences between the proposed model and the EMT model are highlighted. Three-phase balanced transposed lines using falcon cable type are used as test case. The proposed model is compared to other commonly-used line models. Results show that the proposed model is significantly more accurate than the constant 60 Hz parameter exact PI model and uses lower order expressions retaining the accuracy of the EMT model.
Merkel Cell Carcinoma Diagnosis and Treatment

BACKGROUND. Merkel cell carcinoma is an uncommon malignancy of the skin that often portends a poor prognosis. Since its first description by Toker in 1972, a plethora of case reports and articles regarding the etiopathogenesis and treatment have been published spanning multiple medical and surgical disciplines. Much confusion still exists regarding the diagnosis and treatment of this ominous tumor. OBJECT. Through extensive review of the medical, surgical, and pathological literature, to collate the observations of multiple investigators and summarize these findings. METHODS. Articles from journals of multiple subspecialties were carefully reviewed with particular emphasis placed on epidemiology, prognosis, histology, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, tumor origin, treatment, and work-up of Merkel cell carcinoma. RESULTS. Merkel cell carcinoma is an aggressive malignant neoplasm. Local recurrence develops in 26-44% of patients despite therapy. Up to three-fourths of patients eventually develop regional nodal metastases with distant metastases occurring in one-third of all patients. Reported bverall 5-year survival rates range from 30% to 64%. CONCLUSION. Treatment recommendations unfortunately are based more on anecdotal than scientific data because of the rarity of the tumor and its recognized high risk. Most authors recommend wide local excision of the primary lesion and regional lymph node resection if lymph nodes are palpable followed by x-irradiation of both the postsurgical bed and lymph node basin. The role of elective lymph node resection in the absence of clinically positive nodes remains controversial. Dermatol Surg 1995 ;21 :669-683.
MEMS phase shifters using cascaded slow-wave structures for improved impedance matching and/or phase shift

A new true time delay MEM phase shifter topology based on impedance-matched slow-wave CPW sections is presented. Experimental data for a 4.6 mm long device shows 317/spl deg//dB phase shift at 50 GHz (or 91/spl deg//mm) with S11 less than -21 dB from 1-50 GHz. In a second design, the slow wave phase shifter was additionally loaded with MEM capacitors to result in a phase shift of 257/spl deg//dB at 50 GHz, while keeping S11 below -19dB. The beams are actuated using high resistance bias lines with typical actuation voltage around 30-45V.
Impact of Drilling Operations on Lunar Volatiles Capture: Thermal Vacuum Tests

In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) enables future planetary exploration by using local resources to supply mission consumables. This idea of 'living off the land' has the potential to reduce mission cost and risk. On the moon, water has been identified as a potential resource (for life support or propellant) at the lunar poles, where it exists as ice in the subsurface. However, the depth and content of this resource has yet to be confirmed on the ground; only remote detection data exists. The upcoming Resource Prospector mission (RP) will 'ground-truth' the water using a rover, drill, and the RESOLVE science package. As the 2020 planned mission date nears, component level hardware is being tested in relevant lunar conditions (thermal vacuum). In August 2014 a series of drilling tests were performed using the Honeybee Robotics Lunar Prospecting Drill inside a 'dirty' thermal vacuum chamber at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The drill used a unique auger design to capture and retain the lunar regolith simulant. The goal of these tests was to investigate volatiles (water) loss during drilling and sample transfer to a sample crucible in order to validate this regolith sampling method. Twelve soil samples were captured over the course of two tests at pressures of 10(exp-5) Torr and ambient temperatures between -80C to -20C. Each sample was obtained from a depth of 40 cm to 50 cm within a cryogenically frozen bed of NU-LHT-3M lunar regolith simulant doped with 5 wt% water. Upon acquisition, each sample was transferred and hermetically sealed inside a crucible. The samples were later baked out to determine water wt% and in turn volatile loss by following ASTM standard practices. Of the twelve tests, four sealed properly and lost an average of 30% of their available water during drilling and transfer. The variability in the results correlated well with ambient temperature (lower the temperature lower volatiles loss) and the trend agreed with the sublimation rates for the same temperature. Moisture retention also correlated with quantity of sample: a larger amount of material resulted in less water loss. The drilling process took an average of 10 minutes to capture and transfer each sample. The drilling power was approximately 20 Watt with a Weight on Bit of approximately 30 N. The bit temperature indicated little heat input into formation during the drilling process.
Mechanical and Electromechanical Properties of PMN-PT Single Crystals for Naval Sonar Transducers

Single crystals in the relaxor-ferroelectric lead magnesium niobate (PMN)-lead titanate (PT) system provide significant advantage for underwater sonar transducers. Compared to lead zirconate titanate ceramics, the large electromechanical coupling factor provides significant increases in transducer bandwidth. The superior strain energy density generates higher source level across the band, and the lower Young's modulus allows considerably smaller transducers. These payoffs occur even when PMN-PT crystals are subject to navy relevant conditions such as uniaxial mechanical compressive stresses up to 42 MPa, electric fields up to 1.2 MV/m, and a range of temperatures from 5 to 50degC. This research will provide insight into the impact of navy relevant electric fields and mechanical stress conditions on the cracking and failure of the piezocrystals. The compressive, flexural, and tensile strength of PMN-PT crystal will be reported and discussed with respect to mechanical stress conditions in a typical naval transducer. The dielectric constant, piezoelectric coefficient, Young's modulus, electromechanical coupling factor and energy density under large signal quasi-static conditions will be discussed from the perspective of the implications for sonar projector design and performance.
You Can’t Change What You Don’t See: Developing New Teachers’ Political Understanding of Education

Many teachers who enter the profession to “make a difference” do not realize education is a highly political field. This qualitative study examined how teacher education can support new teachers to develop a critical sociopolitical analysis of education. The findings indicate through a year-long course of study, teachers developed two new awarenesses about education. They (1) recognized that everything within education was political and because of this they (2) realized that they had more to learn. The overarching awareness about the political nature of education supported them to recognize four connected insights: (1) certain groups benefit from current structures while (2) others are oppressed, (3) parents and community members should have power in educational decisions that affect them, and (4) race plays a systemic role in all of the above. Within the awareness of realizing they had more to learn, three new stances emerged. Teachers started to (1) reexamine their prior knowledge, (2) realize they need...
Estradiol induces proliferation of keratinocytes via a receptor mediated mechanism

SPECIFIC AIMSThe role of estrogens in homeostasis of nonreproductive tissues, including skin, is under intensive investigations. Estrogen affects target tissue function by binding to intracellular ...
Anxiogenic-Like Behavioral Phenotype of Mice Deficient in Phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B)

Phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of cyclic AMP and plays a critical role in controlling its intracellular concentration, has been implicated in depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. However, the functions of the four PDE4 subfamilies (PDE4A, PDE4B, PDE4C, and PDE4D) remain largely unknown. In animal tests sensitive to anxiolytics, antidepressants, memory enhancers, or analgesics, we examined the behavioral phenotype of mice deficient in PDE4B (PDE4B-/-). Immunoblot analysis revealed loss of PDE4B expression in the cerebral cortex and amygdala of PDE4B-/- mice. The reduction of PDE4B expression was accompanied by decreases in PDE4 activity in the brain regions of PDE4B-/- mice. Compared to PDE4B+/+ littermates, PDE4B-/- mice displayed anxiogenic-like behavior, as evidenced by decreased head-dips and time spent in head-dipping in the holeboard test, reduced transitions and time on the light side in the light-dark transition test, and decreased initial exploration and rears in the open-field test. Consistent with anxiogenic-like behavior, PDE4B-/- mice displayed increased levels of plasma corticosterone. In addition, these mice also showed a modest increase in the proliferation of neuronal cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. In the forced-swim test, PDE4B-/- mice exhibited decreased immobility; however, this was not supported by the results from the tail-suspension test. PDE4B-/- mice did not display changes in memory, locomotor activity, or nociceptive responses. Taken together, these results suggest that the PDE4B subfamily is involved in signaling pathways that contribute to anxiogenic-like effects on behavior.
Rates and patterns of thermal mixing at a small stream confluence under variable incoming flow conditions

Confluences are important locations for river mixing within drainage networks, yet few studies have examined in detail the dynamics of mixing within confluences. This study examines the influence of momentum flux ratio, the scale of the flow (cross-sectional area) and the density differences between incoming flows on thermal mixing at a small stream confluence. Results reveal that rates and patterns of thermal mixing depend on event-specific combinations of the three factors. The mixing interface at this confluence is generally distorted towards the mouth of the lateral tributary by strong helical motion associated with curvature of flow from the lateral tributary as it aligns with the downstream channel. As the momentum flux from the lateral tributary increases, mixing is enhanced because helical motion from the curving tributary flow expands over the width of the downstream channel. The cross-sectional area of the flow is negatively correlated with mixing rates, suggesting that the amount of mixing over a fixed distance downstream of the confluence is inversely related to the scale of the flow. Density differences are not strongly related to rates of mixing. Results confirm that mixing rates within the region of confluent flow interaction can be highly variable among flow events with different incoming flow conditions, but that, in general, length scales of mixing are short, and rates of mixing are high at this small confluence compared with those typically documented at large-river confluences. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cues of parental investment as a factor in attractiveness

One prediction derived from parental investment theory is that women will be more attentive than men are to cues of a prospective mate’s dispositions to invest in children. Research with 1793 Internet participants, representing a diverse population sample, found that (a) women tend to be generally more critical than men are in their evaluations of potential mates, but not potential friends or neighbors, and (b) cues of a positive disposition towards parental investment (DPI) have a positive influence on female evaluations of the attractiveness of males. This latter effect, however, is less domain-specific than previous research [La Cerra, M. M. (1995). Evolved mate preferences in women: Psychological adaptations for assessing a man’s willingness to invest in offspring (doctoral dissertation, University of California, Santa Barbara). Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: the Sciences & Engineering Mar, 55(9-B), 4149] indicated; it is not limited to mating contexts and to cues focusing on parental investment. In fact, much of the sex difference appears to be due to indifference by males towards cues of female DPI. A second study further clarified that the previous findings were not due solely to the Internet methodology or the immediate accessibility of images being evaluated.
From marketing research to competitive intelligence: useful generalization or loss of focus?

The history of competitive intelligence (as an organizational function) and its evolution out of marketing research are discussed. Besides a straight historical overview, the transition from marketing research to competitive intelligence is analyzed in order to point to both the potential strengths and weaknesses of having intelligence form an independent “freestanding” discipline. While military analogies can be seductive, organizations should continue to embrace the marketing concept which centers on cooperation and service, not conflict.
The evolution of treatment for Wilms tumor

The prognosis for children with Wilms tumor (WT) has improved dramatically as the result of advances in surgical techniques, anesthesia, and supportive care. During the last three decades, the National Wilms Tumor Study Group (NWTSG), the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP), and the United Kingdom Children's Cancer Study Group (UKCCSG) conducted sequential studies of treatments for children with WT. The National Wilms Study Group demonstrated that radiation therapy is not necessary for those with Stage I and II, favorable histology Wilms tumor, and that the dose necessary for local control for those with local Stage III disease is 1050 to 1080 cGy. Administration of actinomycin D and doxorubicin using a single dose rather than divided dose schedule produced less myelosuppression and equivalent outcomes. Loss of heterozygosity for chromosomes 1p and 16q was associated with an inferior outcome. Areas for future investigation include the role of whole lung irradiation in the treatment of those with pulmonary metastases, the use of parenchymal sparing surgical techniques for removal of Wilms tumors, and identification of minimal necessary therapy.
Apnea Testing for Brain Death in Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Possible Solution

Introduction A 42-year-old man with a subarachnoid hemorrhage complicated by anoxic brain injury, respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, and severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) presented a clinical conundrum for safe apnea testing in brain death determination due to profound hypoxemia.
Interfacial Segregation Effects in Mixtures of Homopolymers with Copolymers.

Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy (SIMS) has been used to study the surface and interfacial segregation of diblock copolymers in mixtures of the copolymer in the homopolymer. Symmetric, diblock copolymers of polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), in either the PS or the PMMA homopolymers were investigated. In mixtures of the copolymer with the PS homopolymer, systematic surface enrichment of the copolymer as well as segregation of the copolymer to the polymer/Si interface or in the case of bilayered filmsto the polymer/polymer interface occurs with annealing treatments. These segregation effects persist over a large range of homopolymer molecular weights with changes in the kinetics of the segregation process being predominant.
Magnitude of nighttime transpiration does not affect plant growth or nutrition in well-watered Arabidopsis.

Significant water loss occurs throughout the night via partially open stomata in many C 3 and C 4 plant species. Although apparently wasteful in terms of water use, nighttime transpiration (E night ) is hypothesized to benefit plants by enhancing nutrient supply. We tested the hypothesis that plants with greater E night would have improved plant nutrient status and greater fitness, estimated as pre-bolting biomass, for Arabidopsis thaliana. Two very different levels of E night were generated in plants by exposing them to high vs low nighttime leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficits (VPD leaf ) in controlled environment chambers. An assessment of responses of nighttime leaf conductance (g night ) to VPD leaf indicated that E night differed by at least 80% between the treatments. This large difference in E night , imposed over the entire vegetative growth phase of Arabidopsis, had no effect on leaf nutrient content (N, Ca, K) or pre-bolting rosette biomass. The lack of response to differences in E night held true for both a high and a low nitrogen (N) treatment, even though the low N treatment decreased leaf N and biomass by 40―60%. The N treatment had no effect on g night . Thus, higher E night did not provide a nutrient or growth benefit to Arabidopsis, even when the plants were N-limited.
Interpretation of 100- and 360-MHz proton magnetic resonance spectra of retinal rod outer segment disk membranes

Well resolved proton nuclear magnetic resonance ('H NMR) spectra of bovine retinal rod outer segment (ROS) disk membranes have been obtained at 100 and 360 MHz. The resolved IH resonances of the ROS membranes are due to phospholipids, with little contribution from rhodopsin. The spectra of both the ROS membranes and bilayer vesicles pre- pared from purified ROS phospholipids (liposomes) appear to represent a superposition of relatively sharp resonance components and a broad, underlying background. The distri- bution between sharp and broad spectral components is sen- sitive to sonication and temperature. The percentage of choline methyl protons which are resolved in the ROS membrane spectra as sharp resonance components increases from ap- proximately 35 to 100% and the average of the lipid hydro- carbon chain protons from approximately 20 to 40% over the Nuclear magnetic resonanie (NMR)~ has been used to elucidate details of motion (Horwitz et al., 1972; 1973b; Levine et al., 1972), phase behavior (Chapman, 1975), and asymmetry (Michaelson et al., 1974) in pure and mixed phospholipid bi- layer membranes. In addition, well resolved NMR spectra have been obtained of several natural membranes (see, e.g., Lee et al., 1974a; Davis et al., 1976). A relatively simple membrane system which appears to be particularly amenable to magnetic resonance studies is the rod outer segment (ROS) disk mem- brane from the vertebrate retina (for reviews see Hagins, 1972; Daemen, 1973; Hubbell, 1975; Ebrey and Honig, 1975; Dratz, 1977). A single protein, rhodopsin, comprises at least 85% of the total protein content. The ROS phospholipids are partic- ularly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, with docosahexenoic acid (C22:6w3) comprising at least 3 1-37% of the total fatty acid composition of bovine ROS disk membranes* (Nielson et al., 1970; Anderson and Sperling, 1971). The visual pigment rhodopsin rotates and translates freely in the ROS disk
Th17 memory cells: live long and proliferate

The development of immune memory is a doubleedged sword, helping to maintain health by preventing repeated infections but also driving chronic inflammation when dysregulated. Th17 cells are now well-known as major drivers of autoimmune disease but also play roles in protective immune responses against pathogens. This mini-review will focus on the recent evidence for long-lived, robust Th17 memory cell populations in mouse models and humans, and their functional roles in mediating host protection and chronic disease states. J. Leukoc. Biol. 94: 000–000; 2013.
High Cryptic Diversity across the Global Range of the Migratory Planktonic Copepods Pleuromamma piseki and P. gracilis

Although holoplankton are ocean drifters and exhibit high dispersal potential, a number of studies on single species are finding highly divergent genetic clades. These cryptic species complexes are important to discover and describe, as identification of common marine species is fundamental to understanding ecosystem dynamics. Here we investigate the global diversity within Pleuromamma piseki and P. gracilis, two dominant members of the migratory zooplankton assemblage in subtropical and tropical waters worldwide. Using DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit II (mtCOII) from 522 specimens collected across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, we discover twelve well-resolved genetically distinct clades in this species complex (Bayesian posterior probabilities >0.7; 6.3–17% genetic divergence between clades). The morphologically described species P. piseki and P. gracilis did not form monophyletic groups, rather they were distributed throughout the phylogeny and sometimes co-occurred within well-resolved clades: this result suggests that morphological characters currently used for taxonomic identification of P. gracilis and P. piseki may be inaccurate as indicators of species’ boundaries. Cryptic clades within the species complex ranged from being common to rare, and from cosmopolitan to highly restricted in distribution across the global ocean. These novel lineages appear to be ecologically divergent, with distinct biogeographic distributions across varied pelagic habitats. We hypothesize that these mtDNA lineages are distinct species and suggest that resolving their systematic status is important, given the ecological significance of the genus Pleuromamma in subtropical-tropical waters worldwide.
DIEL VERTICAL MIGRATION BY JUVENILE SOCKEYE SALMON: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FOR THE ANTIPREDATION WINDOW

Diel vertical migration (DVM) is a widespread phenomenon in aquatic organisms, yet the adaptive significance of this behavior is still unclear. In particular, diel vertical migration by juvenile sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) has received considerable attention. We studied how changes in the light environment affect juvenile sockeye DVM in Alaskan lakes through changes in foraging rates and predation risk. Using hydroacoustics to track temporal changes in fish distribution, we found clear patterns of DVM and a strong, significant correlation between the mean depth of the sockeye and the amount of light at the lake surface. However, we could not detect diel changes in the depth distribution of fish large enough to be sockeye predators. Given a lack of diel vertical migration in the zooplankton community, it appears that juvenile sockeye were not simply tracking their food supply. Calculations of the in situ light experienced by individual juvenile sockeye suggested that they migrate to maintain a constant light environment. This light environment allowed the sockeye to exploit an antipredation window whereby they could forage on zooplankton while reducing the odds of visual detection by their predators. Furthermore, this antipredation window was continuous in early summer, but was split into two discrete time periods during the crepuscular hours in late summer. These data support the hypothesis that changes in habitat use by juvenile sockeye salmon reflect a dynamic strategy to minimize the ratio of predation risk to foraging gain that changes dramatically over the course of diel cycles in pelagic ecosystems.
QUANTIFYING PQL BIAS IN ESTIMATING CLUSTER-LEVEL COVARIATE EFFECTS IN GENERALIZED LINEAR MIXED MODELS FOR GROUP-RANDOMIZED TRIALS

We derive the asymptotic bias and variance of the penalized quasilike- lihood (PQL) estimator of the cluster-level covariate eect in generalized linear mixed models for group-randomized trials where the number of clusters n is small and the cluster size m is large. We show that the asymptotic bias is of order Op(1=m) and the asymptotic variance is of order Op(1=n) + Opf1=(nm)g. The practical implication of our results is that the PQL method works well in settings involving small numbers of large clusters which are typical in grouped randomized trials. We illustrate the results using simulation studies.
Maximizers, Satisficers, and Their Satisfaction With and Preferences for Reversible Versus Irreversible Decisions

Previous research on decision reversibility has found that, although people believe they prefer reversible decisions, irreversible decisions yield the most satisfaction. Two studies investigated wh...
Stochastic Model of Motion of Solid Particles

A stochastic model of the motion of small solid particles suspended in a three-dimensional turbulent flow is presented. The corner region of a straight noncircular channel where secondary currents occur is used as a device for generating the three-dimensional flow. The developed stochastic model is random walk which consists of the random and deterministic components. Such a model can be used for computer simulation of the particle motion in the Monte Carlo method of estimating the concentration of solid particles. Problems concerned with multi-dimensional unsteady transport processes of small suspended particles such as sediment, which cannot be solved analytically in the deterministic system, can be solved by the method presented.
It Takes Two to Tango: Strategic Intersection, Terrorism, and the Outcome of Insurgencies

When in combat, both insurgent organizations and states have several strategic options available to them including: 1) non-violent policies designed to win the hearts-and-minds of civilians; 2) targeted military campaigns; and 3) terrorism. Which strategy best enables states to combat insurgent and terrorist groups? Which strategy most effectively enables rebel organizations to challenge states? Scholars often examine these questions separately. That is, they tend to analyze the strategic choices of either states or insurgent organizations rather than the decisions of both actors jointly. I argue that by doing so, they omit the most important factor affecting the outcome of insurgencies: the intersection of the strategies that each side uses to combat and influence the other. In this inquiry, I make two arguments about the trajectory and outcome of insurgencies. First, I contend that the outcome of these conflicts is best explained by the repeated intersection of strategic choices made by both states and rebel groups. Second, I hypothesize that the effect of intersecting insurgency and counterinsurgency strategies will vary based on the ratio of relative power between the insurgent group and its target government. These hypotheses are tested on a dataset of over 60 insurgent and terrorist organizations and their government opponents.
Lossless compression of projection data from photon counting detectors

With many attractive attributes, photon counting detectors with many energy bins are being considered for clinical CT systems. In practice, a large amount of projection data acquired for multiple energy bins must be transferred in real time through slip rings and data storage subsystems, causing a bandwidth bottleneck problem. The higher resolution of these detectors and the need for faster acquisition additionally contribute to this issue. In this work, we introduce a new approach to lossless compression, specifically for projection data from photon counting detectors, by utilizing the dependencies in the multi-energy data. The proposed predictor estimates the value of a projection data sample as a weighted average of its neighboring samples and an approximation from other energy bins, and the prediction residuals are then encoded. Context modeling using three or four quantized local gradients is also employed to detect edge characteristics of the data. Using three simulated phantoms including a head phantom, compression of 2.3:1-2.4:1 was achieved. The proposed predictor using zero, three, and four gradient contexts was compared to JPEG-LS and the ideal predictor (noiseless projection data). Among our proposed predictors, three-gradient context is preferred with a compression ratio from Golomb coding 7% higher than JPEG-LS and only 3% lower than the ideal predictor. In encoder efficiency, the Golomb code with the proposed three-gradient contexts has higher compression than block floating point. We also propose a lossy compression scheme, which quantizes the prediction residuals with scalar uniform quantization using quantization boundaries that limit the ratio of quantization error variance to quantum noise variance. Applying our proposed predictor with three-gradient context, the lossy compression achieved a compression ratio of 3.3:1 but inserted a 2.1% standard deviation of error compared to that of quantum noise in reconstructed images. From the initial simulation results, the proposed algorithm shows good control over the bits needed to represent multienergy projection data.
Benzothiazole Amphiphiles Ameliorate Amyloid β-Related Cell Toxicity and Oxidative Stress

Oxidative stress from the increase of reactive oxygen species in cells is a common part of the normal aging process and is accelerated in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Herein, we report the evaluation of three benzothiazole amphiphiles (BAMs) that exhibit improved biocompatibility without loss of biological activity against amyloid-β induced cell damage compared to a previously reported hexa(ethylene glycol) derivative of benzothiazole aniline (BTA-EG6). The reduced toxicity of these BAM agents compared to BTA-EG6 corresponded with their reduced propensity to induce membrane lysis. In addition, all of the new BAMs were capable of protecting differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells from toxicity and concomitant oxidative stress induced by AD-related aggregated Aβ (1-42) peptides. Binding and microscopy studies support that these BAM agents target Aβ and inhibit the interactions of catalase with Aβ in cells, which, in turn, can account for an observed inhibition of Aβ-induced increases in hydrogen peroxide in cells treated with these compounds. These results support that this family of benzothiazole amphiphiles may have therapeutic potential for treating cellular damage associated with AD and other Aβ-related neurologic diseases.
Parachute Suspension Line Drag Analysis

A team of researchers experimentally investigated the drag of several components of parachute suspension systems commonly used for personnel and cargo airdrops. Specifically, the team determined drag coefficients for Type III nylon cord, 1000 lb spectra, and Type VII nylon webbing between Re = 400 to Re = 7,000, and tensions varying between 10 lbs and 55 lbs. All tests were conducted at an angle of attack of 90 o . The momentum deficit method was used to determine the drag for each test configuration, and these were compared against baseline measurements of a 1/8 in diameter right circular cylindrical rod and a 2 in wide metal band. Close control of the pitot-static system yielded an uncertainty of approximately 10% for the calculations. The for the Type III nylon cord ranged from .78 to 1.22, while for the spectra values remained close to a mean value of .70 over the range of tested conditions. Coefficient of drag data for the Type VII webbing closely matched the corresponding values for the metal band. A vortex shedding analysis did not indicate any synchronization with the natural frequency of the suspension lines, and the characteristic vortex shedding. Nomenclature
Nuclear Spin and Magnetic Moment of Al 27 13

The molecular beam magnetic resonance method has been applied to a determination of the gyromagnetic properties of the ${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$ nucleus. The observed gyromagnetic ratio is 1.451\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.004 in units of $\frac{e}{2Mc}$. A comparison of this ratio with that obtained from the hyperfine splitting of several aluminum lines for various assumed values of the spin of ${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$ fixes the spin of this nucleus as 5/2. The value of the magnetic moment is then found to be 3.628\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.010 nuclear magnetons. The sign of the moment is experimentally determined to be positive.
Effects of soil water availability on leaf photosynthetic and drought-tolerant parameters of pear-jujube tree

Using automatic weighing and irrigation system,three-years-old pear-jujube tree were exposed to suitable soil water condition,medium drought and severe drought,corresponding to 75% ± 5%,60% ± 5%,45%± 5% of field water capacity,respectively,to examine effects of soil water availability on leaf photosynthetic and drought-resistant parameters. Results showed that:(1) Medium drought did not have significant effect on leaf photosynthetic parameters,while severe drought significantly reduced leaf net photosynthetic rate(Pn),transpiration rate(Tr),stomatal conductance(Gs),intercellular CO2concentration(Ci),and light use efficiency(LUE),but increased the water use efficiency(WUE) and the stomatal limitation value(Ls).(2) Medium drought did not influence leaf malonaldehyde(MDA) content,but significantly increased catalase(CAT) activity,whereas severe drought significantly increased MDA content,the activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and peroxidase(POD),and increased the contents of ascorbic acid(ASA) and glutathione(GSH). However,the increases in activities of SOD and POD and contents of ASA and GSH could not repair the damage of membrane system by severe drought. Hence,medium drought did not cause an abiotic stress for pear-jujube leaves,but severe drought had significant impacts on leaf photosynthetic parameters and membrane system,indicating the necessity of irrigation when severe drought occurs.
The argentaffin system of the gastrointestinal tract in the carcinoid syndrome

An 2 Beobachtungen von Carcinoidsyndrom, einem Sektionsfall mit einem voll ausgebildeten typischen Carcinoidsyndrom bei metastasierendem Dunndarmcarcinoid und einem Sektionsfall mit atypischem Carcinoidsyndrom bei metastasierendem kleinzelligem Bronchuscarcinom wird das argentaffine System des ganzen Verdauungstraktes in quantitativer und qualitativer Beziehung gepruft. Nennenswerte Abweichungen von den Verhaltnissen bei entsprechenden Kontrollfallen bestehen nicht, vor allem fehlen abgesehen vom Carcinoid selbst Anhaltspunkte fur eine diffuse oder umschriebene Hyperplasie des argentaffinen Systems. Einzig im Darmresektat eines dritten noch lebenden Patienten mit metastasierendem Ileumcarcinoid und Nierencysten wird eine eindeutig erhohte Zahl argentaffiner Zellen in den an den Tumor angrenzenden, operativ entfernten Ileumteilen gefunden, eine Erhohung, die wahrscheinlich nicht mit dem Carcinoid, sondern den Nierenveranderungen in Beziehung gesetzt werden mus.
A Collaborative Privacy-Preserving Deep Learning System in Distributed Mobile Environment

In the last couple years, deep learning gained great popularity in health and medical science. For analyzing personal health data, privacy of patients and their data is one of the biggest concerns. Traditional methods have the possibility of leaking data because of transferring raw data and storing all data in centralized houseware. Therefore, we proposed a collaborative privacy-preserving learning system based on deep neural network, which does not share local raw data. The system is implemented on an XMPP server and several mobile devices. In the experiments, reconstructed rate is proposed to evaluate the performance of distributed system compared with centralized training. The rate is over 90% in different scenarios. Furthermore, the network traffic while collaborative learning is also measured.