cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of acute toxicity and mortality after two different dosing regimens of high-dose interleukin-2 for patients with metastatic melanoma

We compared acute toxicity, drug exposure, in-hospital mortality, and inpatient length of stay between two currently recommended dosing protocols (from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines) of high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma. Patients with metastatic melanoma who received high-dose IL-2 treatment between 2003 and 2010 were identified. Chemotherapy orders, electronic medical records, paper medical charts, and patient discharge summaries were reviewed retrospectively. We identified 13 patients who had received 600,000 units/kilogram (kg)/dose and 15 patients who had received 720,000 units/kg/dose. Patients in the 720,000 units/kg/dose group had a higher rate of grade 3 and 4 bilirubin elevations (34 vs. 12 %), weight gain (any grade, 96 vs. 89 %), and thrombocytopenia (any grade, 75 vs. 65 %). Patients receiving the higher dose also experienced more dose-limiting neurotoxicity (45 vs. 23 %), large-volume diarrhea (15 vs. 0 %), and hepatotoxicity (7 vs. 0 %). There was no in-hospital mortality during treatment in either group. The average length of stay was similar between both groups (5 days, SD = 1 for both groups), and the median cumulative IL-2 exposure was similar between both groups for the first course (10.1 vs.10.5 million units/kg) and for all courses (approximately 11–12 million units/kg). Both high-dose IL-2 protocols had comparable in-hospital mortality and cumulative IL-2 exposure. The 720,000 units/kg/dose dosing scheme did not shorten the length of stay but did lead to greater acute toxicity. Therefore, as a result, we recommend 600,000 units/kg/dose when deciding between the two regimens.
Single-Molecule Analysis of Intraflagellar Transport in Live Chlamydomonas Cells

Eukaryotic cilia and flagella are highly specialized for long-distance cargo transportation. Intraflagellar transport (IFT) in Chlamydomonas flagella requires two proteins: kinesin II motors that transport submembranous protein particles from the flagellar base to the tip by moving along a unipolar array of microtubules, and IFT dynein motors that recycle these particles back to the cell body. To investigate the interactions between microtubule motors and individual IFT cargos, we have attached fluorescent polystyrene beads coated with an antibody for FMG1, a transmembrane glycoprotein. Multicolor tracking of FMG1-beads and GFP-tagged IFT cargos showed that FMG1 is transported by the IFT machinery. The movement of the FMG1-beads was tracked with 1 nm precision at 400 microsecond temporal resolution. We observed the beads taking 8 nm steps in both the retrograde and anterograde directions. Analysis of bead motion also revealed that IFT cargos move unidirectionally from one end of the flagella to the other with infrequent backward steps. Using an optical trap, we have measured the forces that are exerted on the bead by the motor proteins to estimate the number of engaged motors on single IFT cargos. Beads have stalled near 20-30 pN forces in each direction, indicating that there are at least 4-5 active motors involved in the transportation of IFT cargos. Force measurements in a strain that carries a temperature-sensitive mutant of kinesin II showed that heat inactivation of kinesin II did not alter forces in the retrograde direction. Our results suggest that kinesin and dynein motors do not undergo tug-of-war competition with each other in IFT. We favor a model where the regulation of motors is restricted to the base and the tip of the flagellum to provide a continuous stream of IFT cargos along the flagellum.
Reflection Of Laser Radiation From Transparent Media (N >1) With A Diffusely Reflecting Substrate

A small dark ring is formed when laser radiation is incident normally on a thin slab of transparent material that has an index of refraction greater than one, a smooth, specularly reflecting front surface, and a white diffusely reflecting substrate. The dark ring, which is located on the substrate, increases in size as the thickness of the transparent medium increases. It is formed when (1) the ratio of transparent medium thickness to diameter and (2) the ratio of laser beam diameter to transparent medium diameter are small. Since the radius of the dark ring is a function of the transparent medium thickness (as well as the index of refraction), the problem is two-dimensional. Experimental data are presented for the backscattered radiation in the normal direction as a function of radial distance from the incident laser beam. A geometric optics development is used to explain (1) the ring formation and (2) the effect of finite-sized detection apertures. Comparisons with the experimental measurements are used to verify the theoretical analysis.
Expression and purification of 15N- and 13C-isotope labeled 40-residue human Alzheimer’s β-amyloid peptide for NMR-based structural analysis

Amyloid fibrils of Alzheimer's β-amyloid peptide (Aβ) are a primary component of amyloid plaques, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Enormous attention has been given to the structural features and functions of Aβ in amyloid fibrils and other type of aggregates in associated with development of AD. This report describes an efficient protocol to express and purify high-quality 40-residue Aβ(1-40), the most abundant Aβ in brains, for structural studies by NMR spectroscopy. Over-expression of Aβ(1-40) with glutathione S-transferase (GST) tag connected by a Factor Xa recognition site (IEGR(▾)) in Escherichia coli resulted in the formation of insoluble inclusion bodies even with the soluble GST tag. This problem was resolved by efficient recovery of the GST-Aβ fusion protein from the inclusion bodies using 0.5% (w/v) sodium lauroyl sarcosinate as solubilizing agent and subsequent purification by affinity chromatography using a glutathione agarose column. The removal of the GST tag by Factor Xa enzymatic cleavage and purification by HPLC yielded as much as ∼7 mg and ∼1.5mg of unlabeled Aβ(1-40) and uniformly (15)N- and/or (13)C-protein Aβ(1-40) from 1L of the cell culture, respectively. Mass spectroscopy of unlabeled and labeled Aβ and (1)H/(15)N HSQC solution NMR spectrum of the obtained (15)N-labeled Aβ in the monomeric form confirmed the expression of native Aβ(1-40). It was also confirmed by electron micrography and solid-state NMR analysis that the purified Aβ(1-40) self-assembles into β-sheet rich amyloid fibrils. To the best of our knowledge, our protocol offers the highest yields among published protocols for production of recombinant Aβ(1-40) samples that are amendable for an NMR-based structural analysis. The protocol may be applied to efficient preparation of other amyloid-forming proteins and peptides that are (13)C- and (15)N-labeled for NMR experiments.
Potentiation of the action of adenosine on cerebral cortical neurones by the tricyclic antidepressants

The effects of four tricyclic antidepressants, nortriptyline, iprindole, chlorimipramine and desipramine on adenosine-evoked depressions of the firings of rat cerebral cortical neurones has been studied. When applied iontophoretically, all four substances enhanced the depressant actions of iontophoretically applied adenosine but did not affect the depressant actions of the uptake-resistant analogue, adenosine 5'-N-ethylcarboxamide (NECA). Nortriptyline and iprindole administered intravenously (1 mg kg-1) enhanced the depressant actions of iontophoretically applied adenosine. When applied by larger iontophoretic currents, all four antidepressants inhibited the firing of cerebral cortical neurones. Chlorimipramine- and desimipramine-elicited depressions were antagonized by intravenously administered caffeine, an adenosine antagonist. Earlier studies showed the tricyclic antidepressants inhibit the uptake of adenosine by rat brain cerebral cortical synaptosomes. The present results demonstrate that four antidepressants are able to potentiate the action of adenosine and that this occurs when these compounds are given in behaviourally meaningful doses. The specificity of the potentiation is demonstrated by the failure of these compounds to potentiate the depressant actions of an uptake-resistant analogue of adenosine, NECA. Antagonism of the inhibitory effects of the antidepressants on neuronal firings by caffeine, indicates that these compounds can enhance the extracellular levels of endogenously released adenosine sufficiently to depress cell firing.
Animal models for the study of squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract: a historical perspective with review of their utility and limitations. Part A. Chemically-induced de novo cancer, syngeneic animal models of HNSCC, animal models of transplanted xenogeneic human tumors

Understanding the complex histological, genetic and molecular changes that lead to malignant transformation of squamous epithelia of the head and neck will likely guide the development of methods for improved diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). The development and use of animal models that closely mimic the histopathology and molecular pathogenesis of HNSCC in humans would greatly expand the research possibilities and provide a means of testing potential therapeutic agents. However, many available animal models of HNSCC fall short of this objective. In order for investigators to select the appropriate model to answer scientific questions, it is important to understand the benefits and limitations of available animal models for the study of HNSCC. The purpose of this work is to give an overview of the most pertinent animal models of HNSCC, and to discuss future directions of research in this field.
Tyrosine metabolism for insect cuticle tanning

Insects have become one of the most successful animal groups in diversity and numbers through the development of a multifunctional exoskeleton and skin, which must be shed periodically in order for them to grow and develop into adults. The evolutionary choice of certain structural materials for the assembly and stabilization of a cuticle with remarkable mechanical and chemical properties has allowed insects to invade terrestrial environments and to evolve flight mechanics for dispersion relatively early in geological history. Diphenolic compounds derived from tyrosine play a central role in sclerotization or tanning of the new cuticle. The phenolic amino acid is stored during larval feeding, and it is mobilized for the production of both structural proteins and diphenolic tanning precursors that are transported into the cuticle. The latter compounds permeate the cuticle and serve as precursors for quinonoid derivatives that both sclerotize and pigment the exoskeleton. This report focuses on how tyrosine and derived diphenolic structures are stored as inactive molecules in preecdysial stages, and how they are released and metabolized to tanning chemicals that stabilize the new cuticle.
Corrigendum to "Microphysical Process Rates and Global Aerosol-Cloud Interactions" published in Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 9855–9867, 2013

Abstract. A mistake swapped process rates between autoconversion and accretion in global model solutions. Revised figures are presented. The accretion to autoconversion ratio in the model does increase with Liquid Water Path (LWP) as in the steady state model but biases remain. Simulated autoconversion rates are too high. Adjusting process rates following the steady state model ideas leads to an improvement in process rates. The main conclusion is unaffected.
Reactivity of an adsorbed Ru(VI)-oxo complex: oxidation of benzyl alcohol.

The phosphonated ruthenium complex, [Ru(tpy-PO3H2)(OH2)3]2+ (1) (tpy-PO3H2 = 4‘-phosphonato-2,2‘:6‘,2‘ ‘-terpyridine), was synthesized and attached to glass|ITO or glass|ITO|TiO2 electrodes. After ...
Immunoadsorption for coagulation factor inhibitors

Inhibitors to coagulation factors are among the most difficult problems in the management of coagulation disorders. Most presently available therapy does not assure hemostasis. An extracorporeal immunoadsorption system, which selectively binds IgG, was used to lower inhibitor levels in eight patients on 10 occasions. In this system, separated plasma is delivered to two staphylococcal protein A-Sepharose columns, which are coupled to an elution monitor. Columns are eluted sequentially and regenerated to maximize IgG removal. Successful removal of the inhibitor was accomplished in all six hemophiliacs on seven occasions, as well as in a patient with acquired von Willebrand disease. All patients whose inhibitors were lowered to less than 10 Bethesda units achieved measurable factor levels when factor concentrate replacement was given. Immunoadsorption facilitates efficient removal of inhibitors, which allows factor replacement therapy.
Algorithms to design adaptive biorthogonal MRA generating wavelets

The problem of designing a mother wavelet such that this wavelet is as close as possible to a desired signal while it generates, along with a dual, a biorthogonal wavelet decomposition is addressed. It is shown that when the problem is addressed in the frequency domain with bandlimited scaling functions and wavelets, a simple formulation is possible. Further, a closed form sub-optimal solution is possible when the problem is broken down into a series of optimization problems. In the process of the problem formulation, a generalization of the Meyer class of wavelets to the biorthogonal case is obtained.
Performance evaluation of automatic checkpoint-based fault tolerance for AMPI and Charm++

As the size of high performance clusters multiplies, the probability of system failure grows substantially, posing an increasingly significant challenge for scalability. Checkpoint-based fault tolerance methods are effective approaches at dealing with faults. With these methods, the state of the entire parallel application is checkpointed to reliable storage. When a fault occurs, the application is restarted from a recent checkpoint. However, the application developer is required to write significant additional code for checkpointing and restarting. This paper describes disk-based and memory-based checkpointing fault tolerance schemes that automate the task of checkpointing and restarting. The schemes also allow the program to be restarted on a different number of processors. These schemes are based on self-checkpointable, migratable objects supported by the Adaptive MPI (AMPI) and Charm++ run-time and can be applied to a wide class of applications written using MPI or message-driven languages. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the strategies and evaluate their performance.
Multifunctional mesoporous silica nanoparticles as labels for the preparation of ultrasensitive electrochemical immunosensors

Abstract Labels based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) loaded with mediator thionine (TH), enzyme horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and secondary anti-human IgG antibody (Ab 2 ) were developed in order to improve the sensitivity and detection limit of an amperometric immunosensor. The sensitivity of the sandwich-type immunosensor using MSN–TH–HRP–Ab 2 as labels for human IgG detection was about 100 times higher than that using either MSN–TH–Ab 2 or MSN–HRP–Ab 2 as labels, indicating the high catalytic efficiency of HRP in the presence of mediator TH toward H 2 O 2 . The immunosensor using MSN–TH–Ab 2 as labels exhibited a high sensitivity and showed a linear response within the range of 0.01–10 ng/mL human IgG. It also showed good reproducibility and selectivity and acceptable stability. These labels for immunosensors may provide many potential applications for the detection of different biomolecules.
New derivatives of the Streptomyces temperate phage φC31 useful for the cloning and functional analysis of Streptomyces DNA

Abstract The thiostrepton resistance gene (tsr) of Streptomyces azureus, and a synthetic oligonucleotide adapter sequence, were introduced into the DNA of attP-site-deleted phage φC31-based cloning vectors. The DNA of two of the new derivatives, KC515 and KC516, contains single sites for the enzymes BamHI, BglII, PstI, PvuII, SstI (two sites close together) and XhoI, available for the insertion of DNA of up to 4 kb. The two vectors also contain a cloned, promoterless viomycin phosphotransferase gene (vph) from Streptomyces vinaceus. When an internal segment of the Streptomyces coelicolor glycerol (gyl) operon was inserted at the appropriate position and in the correct orientation next to vph, it could bring about in vivo recombination leading to fusion of vph of the chromosomally located gyl operon, resulting in glycerol-regulated expression of viomycin resistance. Two other new φC31 derivatives, KC505 and KC518, are PstI and BamHI replacement vectors, respectively, for 2–8-kb DNA fragments, and allow simple screening for the presence of inserted DNA.
Wall effects during density-gradient centrifugation of southern bean mosaic virus

Abstract It is often assumed that all particles accumulating near the walls of cylindrical tubes during centrifugation are rapidly carried to the pellet by convection. However, in two series of experiments, the amount of southern bean mosaic virus found in the pellet and below the visible virus zone after density-gradient centrifugation was only 1/20th and 1/70th of the amount that should have struck the wall of the tube. Convection due to accumulation of the virus near the wall of the tube must have been of the “cross-tube” type leading to re-entry of the virus into the virus zone.
Implementing motivational interviewing in primary care: the role of provider characteristics

Primary care is an optimal place to target modifiable health behavior problems that are linked to increased risk for mortality. The Veterans Administration (VA) has recognized the importance of coordinated, patient-centered care that increases access to health care services and has recently initiated efforts to implement Patient Aligned Care Teams within the primary care setting. To help support this initiative, administrative leaders at a large VA Health Care organization implemented a training program to teach all primary care staff motivational interviewing (MI) across its local facilities. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we examined the characteristics of providers working within this setting in an attempt to better understand the specific training needs of this group with the goal of optimizing the adoption of MI-related skills. Our findings show that providers vary on perspectives of lifestyle counseling, time commitment pressure, job-related burnout, and self-efficacy, which have important implication for the design and implementation of future trainings in MI and other evidence-based therapies.
An effect of ketones on the concentrations of glucose and of free fatty acids in man independent of the release of insulin

Ketones were infused into dogs, obese hyperinsulinemic patients, children whose weights were in the normal range, and subjects with long-standing, insulin-dependent, juvenile diabetes mellitus. Six of the obese group also had a second infusion two hours after the first one. A significant rise in the serum concentration of insulin was seen in the dogs and in the obese children but only with the first infusion. No increase in the levels of insulin was seen in the control children nor in the obese group with the second infusion. Bv contrast, the blood levels of glucose and of free fatty acids (FFA) declined consistently, even in the absence of a significant increase in the serum concentrations of insulin, and also in the diabetic children who were unable to secrete insulin. It appears that the effect of ketones in lowering levels of glucose and of FFA in the blood may be accompanied by, but need not depend upon, the release of insulin.
Deuterium trapping in evaporated metal films—I. Characterization of the trapping

Abstract Using forward recoil energy spectroscopy (FRES), it was found that evaporated films of a variety of metals can absorb on the order of 1 at.% deuterium (D). This is several orders of magnitude greater than would be expected based on lattice solubility, showing that these films contain a large concentration of defects which trap D. The nature of this trapping was studied using iron as a model system. The defects which trapped D annealed out at ∼500 K and were present in higher concentrations in polycrystalline films than in single crystalline films. Trap concentration decreased with increasing substrate temperature during deposition. These results indicate that the traps may be associated with either voids or grain boundaries.
Matrix metalloproteinase inhibition attenuates brain edema in an in vivo model of surgically-induced brain injury.

Objective Neurosurgical procedures can result in brain injury by various means, including direct trauma, hemorrhage, retractor stretch, and electrocautery. This surgically-induced brain injury (SBI) can cause postoperative complications such as brain edema after blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. The present study seeks to test a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor for preventing postoperative brain edema and BBB disruption in an in vivo model of surgically-induced brain injury. Methods A rodent model of SBI was used which involves resection of a part of the right frontal lobe. A total of 89 Sprague-Dawley male rats (weight, 300-350 g) were randomly divided into four groups: 1) SBI with vehicle treatment (0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide), 2) SBI with single treatment of MMP inhibitor-1 (an inhibitor of MMP-9 and MMP-2), 3) SBI treated daily (total 3 times) with MMP inhibitor-1, and 4) sham surgical group. Postoperative assessment at different time periods included evaluation of BBB permeability, brain water content (brain edema), neurological scoring, histology, immunohistochemistry, and zymography for MMP enzymatic activity. Temporal magnetic resonance imaging studies were also performed to assess postoperative edema. Results The results indicate that SBI caused increased brain water content (ipsilateral frontal lobe) and BBB permeability compared with sham animals. Treatment with MMP inhibitor-1 attenuated MMP-9 and MMP-2 activity and decreased brain water content with preservation of the BBB. Conclusion Inhibition of MMP-9 and MMP-2 attenuates brain edema and BBB disruption after SBI. The study suggests a potential role for MMP inhibition as preoperative therapy before neurosurgical procedures.
Vitamin E Reduces Proteinuria in Children with Renal Disease • 1841

Vitamin E (VE) is a lipid-soluble, chain-breaking antioxidant agent that ameliorates a variety of diseases mediated by excessive production of oxygen free radicals. There is evidence that VE has a beneficial effect on progressive renal injury in experimental animals. Therefore, we studied the effect of VE supplementation to children with renal disease and persistent proteinuria.
Choosing Between the One-Way or Two-Way Street An Exploration of Relationship Promotion by Professional Athletes on Twitter

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships promoted by professional athletes on Twitter utilizing the theoretical framework of parasocial interaction (PSI). Specifically, this study was a content analysis that examined professional athlete tweets in order to determine whether they predominately promoted social or parasocial relationships. The study also explored with whom athletes were engaging in social interaction as well as the topic of each tweet. The data revealed that professional athletes promoted both parasocial and social relationships equally. When they chose to be social, athletes were communicating with lay people and other professional and college athletes. Most athlete tweets were either general statements or insights into their personal lives. The implications of these and other findings will be discussed further.
Framing Deadly Domestic Violence: Why the Media’s Spin Matters in Newspaper Coverage of Femicide

The news media play a substantial role in shaping society's perceptions of social issues, including domestic violence. However, minimal research has been conducted to examine whether news media frame stories of femicide within the context of domestic violence. Using frame analysis, the present research compares newspaper articles representing 113 cases of femicide that define the murder as domestic violence to a random sample of 113 cases without coverage defining the femicide as domestic violence. Findings indicate that both groups are represented by multiple frames, including a previously unidentified frame that places the femicide in the context of domestic violence as a social problem.
30-nm InAs Pseudomorphic HEMTs on an InP Substrate With a Current-Gain Cutoff Frequency of 628 GHz

We report on InAs pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistors (PHEMTs) on an InP substrate with record cutoff frequency characteristics. This result was achieved by paying attention to minimizing resistive and capacitive parasitics and improving short-channel effects, which play a key role in high-frequency response. Toward this, the device design features a very thin channel and is fabricated through a three-step recess process that yields a scaled-down barrier thickness. A 30-nm InAs PHEMT with t ins = 4 nm and t ch = 10 nm exhibits excellent g m, max of 1.62 S/mm, f T of 628 GHz, and f max of 331 GHz at V DS = 0.6 V . To the knowledge of the authors, the obtained f T is the highest ever reported in any FET on any material system. In addition, a 50-nm device shows the best combination of f T= 557 GHz and f max = 718 GHz of any transistor technology.
Spontaneous lipid peroxidation in rabbit epididymal spermatozoa: its effect on sperm motility.

Rabbit spermatozoa released from the cauda epididymidis into Tris phosphate medium contain- ing KCI or NaCl and 0.4 mM EDTA underwent spontaneous lipid peroxidation during aerobic incubation at 37#{176}C. In the medium containing 130 mM Kand 0 mM Na� (KTP), the rate of lipid peroxidation, as measured by malonaldehyde production, proceeded at a linear rate of 0.045 nmol malonaldehyde/h per 108 cells for 22 h. The motility of these spermatozoa declined with time in medium KTP, with 40% initial forward motility decreasing to zero in 4 h and initial 60% flagellar beating ceasing after 12 h. The percent inert spermatozoa showing no flagellar motion in KTP increased linearly with production of malonaldehyde; all flagellar activity stopped at 0.5 nmol malonaldehyde/10 cells. In the Tris phosphate medium containing 120 mM Naand 10 mM K� (NTP), the percentage of sperm showing forward motility was close to 100% and this declined to 60% after 16 h aerobic incubation. Flagellar beating was not observed. In medium NTP, the rate of lipid peroxidation was 0.0056 nmol malonaldehyde/h per 10 cells, eightfold lower than that observed in KTP. The same linear correlation between malonaldehyde production and percent inert sperm was found as for KTP: 0.5 nmol malonaldehyde/108 cells also corresponded to cessation of flagellar motion. The dependence of motility maintenance on K+ concentration in Tris phosphate medium containing (Na+ + K+)=1 30 mM showed maximal maintenance at 10 mM K+, with a decline at 0 mM K+ and steep decline at K+ concentrations greater than 30 mM. This strong dependence of rabbit sperm peroxidation on ionic composition of the medium is suggested to involve perturbation of the equilibrium between O9 and its conjugate acid HO2', the latter species being the agent of peroxidation.
Two-Layer Rotating Exchange Flow between Two Deep Basins: Theory and Application to the Strait of Gibraltar

Rotating two-layer exchange flow over a sill in a strait separating two relatively deep and wide basins is analyzed. Upstream of the sill in the deep upstream basin, the infinitely deep dense lower layer is assumed to be inactive, while the relatively thin upper layer flowing away from the sill forms a detached boundary current in the upstream basin. This analysis emphasizes the importance of this upstream boundary current, incorporating its width as a key parameter in a formalism for deducing the volume exchange rate and discriminating between maximal and submaximal states. Hence, even for narrow straits in which rotation does not dominate the dynamics within the strait, the importance of rotation in the wide upstream basin can be exploited. It is shown that the maximal allowable exchange transport through straits wider than 11⁄2 Rossby deformation radii increases as rotation increases, unlike for smaller rotations, where the exchange decreases as rotation increases. The theory is applied to the exchange flow through the Strait of Gibraltar. This application illustrates how images of the oceans taken from space showing the width of the upstream flow, in this case a space shuttle photograph, might be used to determine the exchange transport through a strait. Maximal exchange conditions in the Strait of Gibraltar are predicted to apply at the time the space shuttle photograph was taken.
From “cartoneros” to “recolectores urbanos”. The changing rhetoric and urban waste management policies in neoliberal Buenos Aires

Abstract This study contributes to the existent literature on neoliberal urban governance examining the process-based character of this formation. I maintain that neoliberal governance is a fluid and evolving formation which is continuously being constructed and reconstructed beneath a rhetorical veneer of inevitable emergence and permanence. In this context, this work examines the interconnections between neoliberal urban ascendancy, changing rhetoric and urban waste management policies, and waste pickers ( cartoneros ), in a case study setting, Buenos Aires. Since 2002, the neoliberal urban governance in Buenos Aires (its institutions, programs and policies) has mobilized different rhetoric and policies to negotiate the waste pickers’ “disturbing” and “dirty” presence in the streets. In that process, the waste pickers, originally marginalized and stigmatized by the neoliberal discourse, have been regulated and disciplined into legal and “well behaved” workers. I would argue that, regulating this activity does not entail giving the waste pickers an opportunity to become central actors in the future of urban waste management in the city. Rather, it is compatible with the logic of the local neoliberal urban projects, focused on disciplining the city’s physical and social landscape as new opportunities for growth and development continue to emerge.
Ethylene Modulates Flavonoid Accumulation and Gravitropic Responses in Roots of Arabidopsis

Plant organs change their growth direction in response to reorientation relative to the gravity vector. We explored the role of ethylene in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root gravitropism. Treatment of wild-type Columbia seedlings with the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC) reduced root elongation and gravitropic curvature. The ethylene-insensitive mutants ein2-5 and etr1-3 had wild-type root gravity responses, but lacked the growth and gravity inhibition by ACC found in the wild type. We examined the effect of ACC on tt4(2YY6) seedlings, which have a null mutation in the gene encoding chalcone synthase, the first enzyme in flavonoid synthesis. The tt4(2YY6) mutant makes no flavonoids, has elevated indole-3-acetic acid transport, and exhibits a delayed gravity response. Roots of tt4(2YY6), the backcrossed line tt4-2, and two other tt4 alleles had wild-type sensitivity to growth inhibition by ACC, whereas the root gravitropic curvature of these tt4 alleles was much less inhibited by ACC than wild-type roots, suggesting that ACC may reduce gravitropic curvature by altering flavonoid synthesis. ACC treatment induced flavonoid accumulation in root tips, as judged by a dye that becomes fluorescent upon binding flavonoids in wild type, but not in ein2-5 and etr1-3. ACC also prevented a transient peak in flavonoid synthesis in response to gravity. Together, these experiments suggest that elevated ethylene levels negatively regulate root gravitropism, using EIN2- and ETR1-dependent pathways, and that ACC inhibition of gravity response occurs through altering flavonoid synthesis.
Renal Infection by a New Coccidian Genus in Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Abstract A novel coccidian parasite from the kidney of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) is described. This coccidian (Nephroisospora eptesici nov. gen., n. sp.) was associated with a generally mild, focal or multifocal, well-demarcated cortical renal lesion less than 1 mm in diameter. The lesion represented cystic, dilated tubules with hypertrophied tubular epithelial cells and was present in the kidneys of 29 of 590 bats. Numerous coccidian parasites in various stages of development were present within the tubular epithelial cells and within the cyst lumina. Oocysts were collected from cystic dilated tubules. Thin-walled, sporulated ellipsoidal oocysts measuring an average of 18.9 × 20.8 µm were present in kidney tissue. The oocysts contained 2 sporocysts with 4 sporozoites. A polar body and a prominent oocyst residuum were present in the oocysts, but no micropyle, sporocyst residuum, or Stieda bodies were detected. Analysis of the 18S rRNA gene sequence put the parasite in the Sarcocystidae. The parasi...
Abstract 19210: Remote Ischemic Conditioning, Applied During Recurrent Coronary Thrombosis Mimicking Unstable Angina, Improves Coronary Patency

Evidence from our group revealed that the benefits of preconditioning ischemia extend beyond infarct size reduction via up-regulation of cardioprotective signaling. We found that brief antecedent ischemia: i) attenuates molecular indices of platelet activation-aggregation (i.e., P-selectin expression, fibrinogen binding); and thus ii) improves arterial patency in models mimicking unstable angina. However, two issues limit potential translation of this endogenous anti-platelet effect: the conditioning stimulus was applied directly to the heart, as a pretreatment . Our current aim was to establish whether brief ischemia applied at a remote site (skeletal muscle), after the onset of recurrent coronary thrombosis, would improve subsequent coronary patency. Methods: Recurrent platelet-mediated coronary thrombosis was initiated in anesthetized dogs by application of a stenosis at a site of vessel injury. At 1 h after injury + stenosis, dogs received: i) remote ischemic conditioning (RIC: 4 5-min episodes of bilateral hindlimb ischemia); or ii) a time-matched sham-control period. Coronary blood flow was monitored throughout the 1 h before treatment and for 2 h after the RIC/sham stimulus. Primary endpoints were: i) area of the flow-time profile (index of coronary patency, expressed as % of baseline flow); and ii) % duration of total thrombotic occlusion (flow=0). Results: Both groups displayed poor coronary patency during the 1 h pretreat period: flow-time area averaged 31-32%, and duration of total thrombotic occlusion was 19-25%. Patency remained unchanged in controls throughout the protocol. In contrast, RIC evoked an immediate attenuation of recurrent thrombosis: flow-time area was increased to 63±10% (p<0.01) and duration of total occlusion was reduced to 4% (p=0.11). Conclusion: Remote ischemic conditioning, applied during episodes of recurrent platelet-mediated thrombosis mimicking unstable angina, improves subsequent coronary patency. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Sub-100 nm resolution 3-D tomography of CZTSe using transmission X-ray Microscopy

Transmission X-ray Microscopy (TXM) is a powerful technique with a theoretical resolution down to 30 nm that can be used to fill the mesoscale gap between the atomic scale resolution of atom probe tomography (APT) and macroscale resolution of energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). For this study, thin film solar cells based on Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) absorber layers with Zn/Sn ratios of 1.0 and 1.4 were characterized using element-specific TXM and 3-D tomographic reconstruction. The resulting data are 3-D concentration fields for Cu, Zn, Sn, and Se. From these data we analyze compositional fluctuations at a previously inaccessible combination of sampling volume and resolution.
A Review of ‘On the Social Desirability of Urban Rail System’ By C. Winston and V. Maheshrib

Clifford Winston and Vikram Maheshri attempt to use benefit-cost analysis to make a definitive statement about the social desirability of urban rail transit in the United States. Their argument is deficient on several elementary analytic and statistical grounds. They underestimate total benefits, and therefore net benefits, and their failure to examine the suitability of their data and to pay attention to the usual caveats associated with benefit-cost analysis further undermines their assertions. As a result, these findings should not be used to inform either the debate or decisions about investment in urban rail systems.
Sentiment and Belief: How to Think about, Represent, and Annotate Private States

Over the last ten years, there has been an explosion in interest in sentiment analysis, with many interesting and impressive results. For example, the first twenty publications on Google Scholar returned for the Query “sentiment analysis” all date from 2003 or later, and have a total citation count of 12,140. The total number of publications is in the thousands. Partly, this interest is driven by the immediate commercial applications of sentiment analysis. Sentiment is a “private state” (Wiebe, 1990). However, it is not the only private state that has received attention in the computational literature; others include belief and intention. In this tutorial, we propose to provide a deeper understanding of what a private state is. We will concentrate on sentiment and belief. We will provide background that will allow the tutorial participants to understand the notion of a private state as a cognitive phenomenon, which can be manifested linguistically in communication in various ways. We will explain the formalization in terms of a triple of state, source, and target. We will discuss how to model the source and the target. We will then explain in some detail the annotations that have been made. The issue of annotation is crucial for private states: while the MPQA corpus (Wiebe et al., 2005; Wilson, 2007) has been around for some time, most research using it does not make use of many of its features. We believe this is because the MPQA annotation is quite complex and requires a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of “private state”, which is what the annotation is getting at. Furthermore, there are currently several efforts underway of creating new versions of annotations, which we will also present. The larger goal of this tutorial is to allow the tutorial participants to gain a deeper understanding of the role of private states in human communication, and to encourage them to use this deeper understanding in their computational work. The immediate goal of this tutorial is to allow the participants to make more complete use of available annotated resources. We propose to achieve these goals by concentrating on annotated corpora, since this will allow participants to both understand the underlying content (achieving the larger goal) and the technical details of the annotations (achieving the immediate goal).
Management of Residual Disease after Therapy for Mediastinal Germ Cell Tumor and Normal Serum Markers

Primary mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (PMNGCT) are rare, representing less than 6% of all germ cell tumors (GCT) and 10% to 20% of all anterior mediastinal masses. These tumors can be biologically aggressive, with regional involvement of adjacent structures and a high metastatic potential. The biology of extragonadal GCT is often different than their gonadal counterparts, despite having similar histological features (Table 58.1).
The Convergent Trend Between the Agricultural Sectors of the Economies of the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Republics develop, there are evident trends indicating a convergence of the institutions comprising the two systems. Capitalism in the United States is acquiring some aspects of the institutions of Socialism, while Socialism in the USSR is adopting some institutions that characterize Capitalism. There are those who would refute the possibility of such a trend. In fact, a Marxist purist would deny the possibility of any change in Communism, while a radically conservative Capitalist would be reluctant to admit any evolution of Capitalism. Admittedly, there are some areas exhibiting a wider schism between the two economies than ever before. The agricultural sectors of both economies provide arguments to substantiate a convergence. Agriculture in the Soviet Union is characterized by government control and ownership of the means of production and centralized planning by a central committee. Involvement in agriculture includes nearly one-third of the Soviet population.1 Soviet agriculture is practiced on large farms called sovkhozy and on smaller state farms known as kolkhozy.2 Agriculture has been the most difficult and the least successful area of Soviet development. It is made more complex by an inadequate growing season in most areas, inadequate rainfall, and the reluctance of peasants, who frequently lack economic incentive, to increase their consumption power above the low level to which they are accustomed. Many Western experts attribute this failure to a lack of incentives for the peasant farmers on collective farms.3
Electronic structures, total energies, and optical properties of alpha -rhombohedral B12 and alpha -tetragonal B50 crystals.

The band structures of {alpha}-rhombohedral B{sub 12} ({alpha}-{ital r}-B{sub 12}) and {alpha}-tetragonal B{sub 50} ({alpha}-{ital t}-B{sub 50}) crystals have been calculated by means of the first-principles orthogonalized linear combination of atomic orbitals method. It is shown that {alpha}-{ital r}-B{sub 12} is a semiconductor with an indirect band gap of 1.70 eV and {alpha}-{ital t}-B{sub 50} is a metal with a semiconductorlike band structure near the Fermi level. The intra-icosahedral and inter-icosahedral bondings in these two crystals are elucidated by resolving the density of states into various partial components, and by studying the valence-charge-density distributions. There is strong evidence for weak three-center bonding in the B crystals, but the traditional view regarding the bonding pattern in icosahedral B{sub 12} may be oversimplified. The total energies of {alpha}-{ital r}-B{sub 12} and {alpha}-{ital t}-B{sub 50} are calculated as a function of crystal volumes without change in the symmetry of the crystals. The equilibrium volume, the bulk moduli, and the cohesive energies obtained are in good agreement with available experimental data and some other recent calculations. Using the wave functions obtained from the band-structure calculation, the frequency-dependent interband optical conductivities in {alpha}-{ital r}-B{sub 12} and {alpha}-{ital t}-B{sub 50} crystals are also calculated. The realmore » and imaginary parts of the dielectric-function curve are shown as a function of photon energy up to 40 eV for {alpha}-{ital r}-B{sub 12} and up to 10 eV for {alpha}-{ital t}-B{sub 50}. They are significant differences in the optical properties of these two crystals because of the different nature of the band structures. For {alpha}-{ital r}-B{sub 12}, a large plasmon excitation at 31 eV is predicted.« less
Le Corbusier’s Postwar Painterly Mythologies

Abstract: Le Corbusier’s graphic output was prolific, consisting of hundreds of paintings, thousands of drawings and watercolors, and scores of collages, lithographs, and murals throughout his career. By the late 1940s his double-nature as artist-architect emerged as a key component to his work, as he highlighted the correlations and correspondences that informed his creative endeavors. His post-war works, specifically his series of Taureaux paintings, reveal the development of such themes as well as the transformation of earlier works as he turned to a mythologically-inspired vocabulary of totemic figures and animals, developing a private cosmology of sun and moon, male and female, the machine and Mediterraneita. Keywords: Le Corbusier, Visual Arts, Painting, Taureaux. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/LC2015.2015.828
A conceptual idea to improve access in a complex health care system.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article was to briefly describe the Open Access model, a method of improving access to a health care organization, and a conceptual idea is proposed for complex organizations that want to engage in this improvement work. The target audience is health care organizations that want to improve access to their services but are challenged by the complexity of their processes. METHODS A case study presents an organization's experience with the Open Access assessment process. This process starts with quantifying an organization's supply and demand and then deciding how to reshape its capacity and implement other strategies. A high-leverage area to improve access is a standardized or predictable process that is streamlined or implemented for a specific group of patients. RESULTS Health care organizations are complex and have processes of care that are not explicit, in which services are rendered uniquely for each individual patient and it is difficult to see the harmony or patterns in how the work is done. CONCLUSION The underlying principles of the Open Access model can be adopted in a complex organization, if it is acceptable to do more exploratory work and create or increase opportunities for the right things to happen.