cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Would an Unbroken Immigration System Look Like

This paper, which was delivered as the keynote address at the Miller Center’s immigration reform conference in 2013, surveys the obstacles to immigration reform and argues for specific steps forward. The key principles underlying the analysis are sustaining and expanding legal immigration and commitment to future law compliance through a mix of well-designed deterrents and more focused direct enforcement. The paper urges the House to accept a capacious legalization of long-time de facto residents, as provided for in the Senate’s 2013 immigration reform bill. The House should see such a step (counterintuitively) as a long-term immigration enforcement measure – because it would reduce key obstacles to vigorous interior enforcement in the future and also help enhance the legitimacy of important programs now under severe challenge, such as Secure Communities, by minimizing their use against long-term well-anchored residents. The 1986 IRCA experience, wherein legalization was successful but the associated enforcement measures largely failed, should not count against this approach, because the United States now has extensive enforcement tools and resources not at all available in 1986 – though they need to be deployed intelligently in order to achieve full post-reform success. E-Verify, which provides for a speedy computer check of the employment authorization of new hires, is a highly promising deterrent. Nonetheless, it remains vulnerable to identity fraud and identity theft. Congress needs to assure more vigorous and well-funded measures to fight such fraud, either through biometric systems at hiring sites (politically unlikely) or through much greater inducements to states to share their driver’s license photos for use in E-Verify’s “photo tool.” Congress should also shed its fixation on deploying a biometric exit system as a way of enhancing enforcement against visa overstays; the paper explains why such a system at this point is a wasteful exercise. Congress instead should provide for enhanced action against overstays that would use biographic information already available in existing Homeland Security data systems. It should also enact streamlined procedures, with focused safeguards, to enable speedy issuance of a removal order against overstays. The Senate bill lavished unnecessary billions on expanded border enforcement; most of those new resources should be applied instead to enhanced interior enforcement.
An In Vitro Assembly System Identifies Roles for RNA Nucleation and ATP in Yeast Stress Granule Formation

Summary Stress granules (SGs) are condensates of mRNPs that form in response to stress. SGs arise by multivalent protein-protein, protein-RNA, and RNA-RNA interactions. However, the role of RNA-RNA interactions in SG assembly remains understudied. Here, we describe a yeast SG reconstitution system that faithfully recapitulates SG assembly in response to trigger RNAs. SGs assembled by stem-loop RNA triggers are ATP-sensitive, regulated by helicase/chaperone activity, and exhibit the hallmarks of maturation observed for SG proteins that phase-separate in vitro. Additionally, the fraction of total RNA that phase-separates in vitro is sufficient to trigger SG formation. However, condensation of NFT1 mRNA, an enriched transcript in this population, can only assemble an incomplete SG. These results suggest that networks of distinct transcripts are required to form a canonical SG and provide a platform for dissecting the interplay between the transcriptome and ATP-dependent remodeling in SG formation.
Abstract 5083: Indoleamine 2-3 dioxygenase expression by metastatic melanoma cells correlates with increased overall survival

Though immunotherapy revolutionized the treatment of advanced melanoma, many patients fail to respond to checkpoint blockade, creating a pressing need to optimize the immune response to metastatic melanoma. Indoleamine 2-3 dioxygenase (IDO), which can be induced in a variety of cancer types and inhibits the immune response, has emerged as a potential target for future immunotherapies. Conflicting evidence exists regarding the prognostic significance of IDO expression in metastatic melanoma cells. We hypothesized that IDO expression by melanoma cells would correlate with decreased overall survival (OS). Skin or lymph node metastases from 89 patients with Stage III or IV melanoma were included in this study. Tissue microarrays (TMA) were constructed and immunohistochemical staining for IDO1 (Sigma Prestige, HPA 023072, 1:2,000 dilution) was performed. IDO staining in tumor cells was scored by an experienced dermatopathologist and was classified as positive (IDO+) when clear cytoplasmic staining was present in ≥1% of tumor cells. The main endpoint for analysis was OS as defined by the time from initial surgery to death. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling was performed and Cox proportional hazards assumptions were tested using Schoenfield residual analysis. Following IHC staining, 32/89 patients were classified as IDO+ (36%). Comparison of patient demographics revealed that IDO+ patients were more likely to undergo resection with palliative intent and to have Stage IV disease. Tumor immunotype also varied by IDO status, with IDO+ patients more likely to have immunotype B or C lesions. Additionally, IDO+ tumors showed higher intratumoral density of CD20+ B cells, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells, and FoxP3+ T-cells. Patients with IDO+ lesions had significantly better OS (median 31.6 vs 98.5 months, p-value Citation Format: Kevin Lynch, Sarah Gradeki, Min Kwak, Alejandro Gru, Nolan Wages, Craig Slingluff. Indoleamine 2-3 dioxygenase expression by metastatic melanoma cells correlates with increased overall survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5083.
A highly rugged 19 dBm 28GHz PA using novel PAFET device in 45RFSOI technology achieving peak efficiency above 48

5G NR mmWave band PA applications use the high PAPR modulation which requires very low EVM along with a reliable operation at high peak power levels. This work shows the exceptional HCI reliability, linearity and efficiency that 45RFSOI technology offers for mmWave PAs. In particular, the design uses novel PAFET transistor which offers 22% higher voltage handling capability compared to the RVT (Regular Vt) transistor thereby enabling a reliable 10 year lifetime at higher Pout. A differential 2-stack single stage PA design is presented that demonstrates best in class Psat=18.8 dBm with 48% peak PAE, while showing less than 0.1 dB degradation during a 4:1 VSWR stress.
Personal space Increases during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Response to Real and Virtual Humans

Typically, people maintain a certain distance from others ("personal space") during daily life, in a largely automatic, unconscious manner. However during the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing recommendations led to deliberate expansions of personal space outside of intimate social circles. In the laboratory, personal space preferences are quite stable over repeated measurements. Here, we collected such measurements both before and during the pandemic in the same individuals, using both conventional and virtual reality-based techniques. We found that the size of personal space, and discomfort ratings in response to personal space intrusions, increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, in response to both real humans and virtual "others". Moreover, this increase in personal space requirements correlated with the perceived, not the actual, risk of being infected with COVID-19 - even in a virtual reality environment in which there was no possibility of infection. Thus, quantification of personal space may reveal some of the psychological effects of the pandemic, and subsequent progress towards recovery.
Surface Plasmon-Enhanced Short-Wave Infrared Fluorescence for Detecting Sub-Millimeter-Sized Tumors.

Short-wave infrared (SWIR, 900-1700 nm) enables in vivo imaging with high spatiotemporal resolution and penetration depth due to the reduced tissue autofluorescence and decreased photon scattering at long wavelengths. Although small organic SWIR dye molecules have excellent biocompatibility, they have been rarely exploited as compared to their inorganic counterparts, mainly due to their low quantum yield. To increase their brightness, in this work, the SWIR dye molecules are placed in close proximity to gold nanorods (AuNRs) for surface plasmon-enhanced emission. The fluorescence enhancement is optimized by controlling the dye-to-AuNR number ratio and up to ≈45-fold enhancement factor is achieved. In addition, the results indicate that the highest dye-to-AuNR number ratio gives the highest emission intensity per weight and this is used for synthesizing SWIR imaging probes using layer-by-layer (LbL) technique with polymer coating protection. Then, the SWIR imaging probes are applied for in vivo imaging of ovarian cancer and the surface coating effect on intratumor distribution of the imaging probes is investigated in two orthotopic ovarian cancer models. Lastly, it is demonstrated that the plasmon-enhanced SWIR imaging probe has great potential for fluorescence imaging-guided surgery by showing its capability to detect sub-millimeter-sized tumors.
Noncommutative Ergodic Optimization and Unique Ergodicity

We extend the theory of ergodic optimization and maximizing measures to the non-commutative field of C*-dynamical systems. We then develop a commutative invariant of W*-dynamical systems called an \emph{erasure} in order to prove a non-commutative analog of the Jewett-Krieger Theorem. Finally, we employ this ergodic optimization machinery to provide an alternate characterization of unique erogdicity of C*-dynamical systems when the resident group action satisfies certain Choquet-theoretic assumptions.
How 'Animal Spirits' React to the Government Credibility Problem - a Real Option Analysis of Emission Permits Policy Risk

This paper demonstrates how to use the real option approach to make a physical capital investment decision under the presence of the government credibility problem. Specifically, I study a rational firm’s optimal decision to build an electric power plant when the firm believes that there is a CO2 policy risk. Least-square Monte-Carlo simulations make the following predictions. First, with the current high energy commodities volatilities and physical capital costs, a rational firm invests in power plants early and the government credibility problem does not substantially increase such short investment timing. Second, the time-inconsistency problem does increase the investment into less-green plants and the expected profit of a rational firm. The methodology in this paper is general and applicable to other areas in finance.
REVIEW OF CAR-FOLLOWING THEORY

Steadily increasing volumes of traffic and the accompanying concern for safety have spawned the need for a thorough understanding of the dynamic characteristics of vehicular flow. Car-following theory has been developed as a mathematical description of traffic flow on long, straight highways in dense flow conditions. This theory, consisting of a body of over 30 models, provides a conceptual basis for understanding traffic phenomena, permits analysis of safety considerations, allows a determination of highway capacity, and provides a basis for automatic control of vehicles. A primary intuitive appeal of the car following methodology is this microscopic consideration of the actual factors involved in the driving process. Milestones in the development of car following theory are traced from initial investigations to current studies. Theoretical justifications employed in the development of the better known models are related.
Effects of Chemical Speciation on the Mineralization of Organic Compounds by Microorganisms

The mineralization of 1.0 to 100 ng each of four complexing compounds—oxalate, citrate, nitrilotriacetate (NTA), and EDTA—per ml was tested in media prepared in accordance with equilibrium calculations by a computer program so that the H, Ca, Mg, Fe, or Al complex (chemical species) was predominant. Sewage microorganisms mineralized calcium citrate more rapidly than iron, aluminum, or hydrogen citrate, and magnesium citrate was degraded slowest. Aluminum, hydrogen, and iron oxalates were mineralized more rapidly than calcium oxalate, and magnesium oxalate was decomposed slowest. Sewage microorganisms mineralized calcium NTA but not aluminum, magnesium, hydrogen, or iron NTA or any of the EDTA complexes. Pseudomonas sp. mineralized calcium and iron citrates but had no activity on hydrogen, aluminum, or magnesium citrate. Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes mineralized calcium, iron, hydrogen, and aluminum citrates but had little activity on magnesium citrate. Pseudomonas alcaligenes used calcium, iron, hydrogen, and aluminum oxalates readily, but it used magnesium oxalate at a slower rate. Listeria sp. destroyed calcium NTA but had no effect on hydrogen, iron, or magnesium NTA. Increasing the Ca concentration in the medium enhanced the breakdown of NTA by Listeria sp. The different activities of the bacterial isolates were not a result of the toxicity of the complexes or the lack of availability of a nutrient element. NTA mineralization was not enhanced by the addition of Ca to Beebe Lake water, but it was enhanced when Ca and an NTA-degrading inoculum were added to water from an oligotrophic lake. The data show that chemical speciation influences the mineralization of organic compounds by naturally occurring microbial communities and by individual bacterial populations.
Fostering Feminist Principles in Our Community

SUMMARY In a recent focus group discussion at the Feminist Therapy Institute conference participants outlined a vision for a future community based on feminist principles. It is built on five critical ideals, including more equitable distribution of resources, genuine respect for human diversity and varying world views, caring and compassionate members, increased connections and collaborations, and political/personal empowerment. While the challenges inherent to such vision must be acknowledged, greater attention will be placed on ways in which we can begin to foster environments and micro communities that are conducive to feminist practice and ideology.
Pioneering in plasma simulation

Pioneering leads the way in science and is essential to those who follow, who reap the benefits. Plasma simulation, begun in the 1950s, has had numerous pioneering efforts over the past five decades. This short paper recalls some of these, apropos to recognizing the early contributions by Marc Feix. The next decade will probably see science simulations done in high schools with simulations of whole devices, small and large, accelerating immensely.
Primary large cell lymphomas of the mediastinum: an analysis of 20 cases.

Abstract Malignant lymphomas originating primarily in the mediastinum consist predominantly of Hodgkin's disease of the nodular sclerosis type, lymphoblastic lymphomas, and large cell non-Hodgkin's lymphomas of diffuse growth pattern (DHL). This analysis of 20 cases of primary mediastinal DHL presents the clinical and pathologic findings in nine patients with T-immunoblastic sarcoma (T-IBS), six with sclerosing variants of follicular center cell lymphoma (FCCL), and five with B-immunoblastic sarcoma (B-IBS). T-IBS patients were predominantly young adult women (mean age 31 years) presenting with relatively well confined mediastinal tumors; four of nine manifested the SVC syndrome. The immunomorphologic findings in T-IBS were similar to those of node-based peripheral T-cell lymphomas. Patients with FCCL and B-IBS were predominantly men, exhibited a broad age range, and presented with larger tumors with a high incidence of contiguous involvement of intrathoracic structures (83% in FCCL, 60% in B-IBS). Chemotherapeutic intervention attained CR in 19 of 20 patients, with 14 of 20 remaining alive in relapse-free CR a median of 26 months after completion of therapy. Durable CR was attained in eight of nine T-IBS patients, in four of six patients with FCCL, and in three of five patients with B-IBS. The morphologic features of these lymphoma subtypes are presented in detail and discussed in relation to the complex differential diagnosis of mediastinal neoplasms.
NF-κB and cancer : Mechanisms and targets

In addition to being a central coordinator of immune responses, NF-kappaB signaling also plays a critical role in cancer development and progression and it may determine the response to therapy. NF-kappaB activation was shown to provide a critical mechanistic link between inflammation and cancer and is a major factor that controls the ability of both preneoplastic and malignant cells to resist apoptosis-based tumor surveillance mechanisms. NF-kappaB may also be involved in regulation of tumor angiogenesis and invasiveness. Importantly, NF-kappaB and the signaling pathways that mediate its activation have become attractive targets for development of new chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic approaches.
Modeling transport in fractured porous media with the random-walk particle method: The transient activity range and the particle-transfer probability

[1] Multiscale features of transport processes in fractured porous media make numerical modeling a difficult task, both in conceptualization and computation. Modeling the mass transfer through the fracture-matrix interface is one of the critical issues in the simulation of transport in a fractured porous medium. Because conventional dual-continuum-based numerical methods are unable to capture the transient features of the diffusion depth into the matrix (unless they assume a passive matrix medium), such methods will overestimate the transport of tracers through the fractures, especially for the cases with large fracture spacing, resulting in artificial early breakthroughs. We have developed a new method for calculating the particle transfer probability that can capture the transient features of diffusion depth into the matrix within the framework of the dual-continuum random-walk particle method by introducing a new concept of activity range of a particle within the matrix. Unlike the multiple-continuum approach, the new dual-continuum particle tracking method does not require using additional grid blocks to represent the matrix. It does not assume a passive matrix medium and can be applied to the cases where global water flow exists in both continua. The new method has been verified against analytical solutions for transport in the fracture-matrix systems with various fracture spacing. The calculations of the breakthrough curves of radionuclides from a potential repository to the water table in Yucca Mountain demonstrate the effectiveness of the new method for simulating three-dimensional, mountain-scale transport in a heterogeneous, fractured porous medium under variably saturated conditions.
Paleoenvironment, Algal Structures, and Fossil Algae in Upper Cambrian of Central Texas: ABSTRACT

The presence of algal limestone bodies in the Point Peak and San Saba Members of the Wilberns Formation (late Dresbachian to Early Ordovician) in the Llano uplift region of central Texas has been known for many years, but they have not been studied in detail. The relations between environment, fossil algae, and algal structures are not well understood, and the descriptive terminology is becoming more complicated. The writer examined algal macrostructures together with their corresponding microfabrics and fossil algal flora from a paleo-oceanographic viewpoint. Several previously unknown microfabrics were found that reflect the growth patterns of various algal taxa in response to different hydrologic conditions. For example, fossil algae with wispy or tufted growth forms are found in nonlaminated algal macrostructures (limited hydrologic stress), whereas laminated macrostructures such as stromatolites exhibit tightly laminated microfabrics (considerable hydrologic stress). The various environmentally produced structures are found commonly in sequences that depict the long-term oceanographic history of the algal limestone buildups (reefs) from their inception (commonly in the sublittoral) to the r culmination (commonly in the intertidal). Four genera of fossil algae found in this study were Girvanella, Epiphyton, Renalcis, and Nuia. End_of_Article - Last_Page 703------------
Poor glycemic control and antepartum obstetric complications in women with insulin-dependent diabetes

Abstract OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that the rate of complications of pregnancy in women with insulin-dependent diabetes is higher than in nondiabetic women and is associated with poor glycemic control and microvascular disease. METHOD: Women who enrolled in a multidisciplinary program of diabetes in pregnancy prior to 20 weeks' gestation were included in the study and matched 1:2 by age, race and parity to a control group of nondiabetic women. Complications of pregnancy were retrospectively analyzed and compared between groups. The association of complications with glycemic control and microvascular disease was analyzed within the diabetic group. RESULT: Women with diabetes had significantly higher rates of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), polyhydramnios, pyelonephritis, preterm delivery and meconium-stained amniotic fluid. Poor glycemic control, particularly during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, was associated with all complications, except pyelonephritis. Microvascular disease was associated with PIH and preterm delivery prior to 34 weeks. CONCLUSION: Women with insulin-dependent diabetes are at high risk for complications of pregnancy. Glycemic control during the first and second trimesters may affect events later in pregnancy.
Intimate Partner Violence/Abuse and Depressive Symptoms among Female Health Care Workers: Longitudinal Findings

Intimate partner violence and abuse (IPV/A) have been shown to have a major impact on mental health functioning. This study assessed the longitudinal association between recent IPV/A and depressive symptoms to identify potential targets for preventive interventions for women. Random effects models were used to examine four waves of data collected at 6-month intervals from a cohort of 1,438 female health care workers. IPV/A (e.g., sexual and physical violence, psychological abuse) in the past 5 years was associated with higher Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) 10 scores across four waves after adjustment for age, time, marital status, and childhood trauma. Women who reported IPV/A in the past 5 years had higher CES-D 10 scores (β, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-1.82; p < .0001) than nonabused women. This association was generally constant with time, suggestive of a cross-sectional association across all four waves of data. Additionally, recent IPV/A was associated with change in depressive symptoms over time among the full cohort and those with CES-D 10 scores below 10 (the threshold for likely depression) at baseline. Recent IPV/A was independently associated with depressive symptoms both cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The longitudinal association was stronger among those not depressed at baseline. Implications for health care settings and workplace policies addressing IPV/A are discussed.
Repair After Acute Lung Injury

Studies of cell population control will continue to constitute an important part of the body of experiments designed to elucidate the cellular mechanisms of lung repair. As important as studies of mechanisms of injury are to our contemporary understanding of lung injury, as a body of knowledge, they are incomplete. We must synthesize this information with studies addressing the mechanisms of lung repair. It is with a more thorough understanding of both injury and repair that important therapeutic advances may be conceived.
Heat management prevents tissue buckling and collateral damage in NIR-laser welding

In this study, a NIR erbium fiber laser tuned to a water vibrational overtone absorption band at 1455 nm was used to weld directly, in vitro, seventy-six porcine aorta tissues without the need for extrinsic solder materials. The tissues were divided into eleven groups based on the multiple and variable parameters that were used to weld the tissues. The effectiveness of the parameters used in each of the weld groups was evaluated directly at the time of the weld and also by tensile strength measurements done at the termination of the weld. Management of heat produced in tissues is of critical importance for good laser tissue welding (LTW). To address heat management issues, we report LTW using a transparent cover over the tissue specimen as a heat sink. Multiple scanning helps distribute the laser-generated heat and allows the tissue to cool between scans, reducing thermal damage. Better heat management using a transparent cover slide enhances the welding success. It reduces collateral damage and limits water evaporation and control the buckling of tissue around the line of apposition so that the two pieces that are welded do not move apart along the line of apposition due to buckling pressure and ensure a full-length weld.
Role of Peripheral Adenosine A1 Receptors in the Regulation of Sleep Apneas in Rats

Abstract The effects of administration of N 6 - p -sulfophenyladenosine ( p -SPA), a peripheral adenosine A 1 receptor agonist, and 8-( p -sulfophenyl)theophylline ( p -SPT), a peripheral adenosine A 1 receptor blocker, on spontaneous apneas were studied in 10 adult Sprague–Dawley rats by monitoring respiration, sleep, and blood pressure for 6 h. Intraperitoneal injection of p -SPA (1 mg/kg) to rats suppressed spontaneous central apneas during non-rapid eye movement sleep by 50% in comparison to control recordings ( p = 0.03). This effect was blocked by pretreatment with an equimolar dose of p -SPT (0.67 mg/kg) indicating that p -SPA suppression of apneas was receptor mediated in the peripheral nervous system. Administration of p -SPA did not affect apnea expression in rapid eye movement sleep and had no effect on sleep or blood pressure at the dose tested. Administration of p -SPT (0.67, 6.7, and 30 mg/kg) to rats had no effect on apneas, sleep, or blood pressure. The lack of p -SPT effect on sleep apneas argues against a physiologic role for endogenous adenosine in the peripheral nervous system as a modulator of sleep apnea expression under baseline conditions.
Bolus recovery by gray jays: an experimental analysis

Abstract Gray jays (Perisoreus canadensis) typically store food boli in various sites on conifers. In a laboratory setting we determined whether gray jays recover stored boli by means of olfaction, trial-and-error search or spatial memory. Using an artificial tree with 52 possible caching sites, caching and/or recovery trials were performed with five captive gray jays for the following experiments: (1) no extra visual cues on tree; (2) extra visual cues (pine foliage) attached to tree; (3) pungent-smelling food hidden by observer; (4) one bird allowed to cache food but caches recovered by a second bird; (5) one bird allowed to observe another bird cache food and later permitted to recover those caches. Results supported the memory hypothesis, but cache site preferences were apparent for individual birds. To control for this, an additional experiment (6), in which cache site access was limited by the investigators, was conducted with two new birds. These results also indicated that gray jays use spatial memory to recover stored boli.
Converging evidence for the functional significance of imagery in problem solving

Abstract Two kinds of explanations have been offered for the process by which three-term series problems are solved, one in terms of linguistic principles and the other in terms of visual-spatial imagery. Two experiments are reported in which three different classes of operations are brought to bear on the problem: (1) Manipulation of stimulus attributes (characteristics of problems), (2) manipulation of variables that selectively encourage or inhibit the use of imagery (facilitating instructions; the suppression of visualization by reading), and (3) measurement of relevant individual differences (spatial-reasoning ability). All of the results indicate that imagery plays a functional but not a necessary role in the solution of three-term series problems; it is suggested that imaginal representation is functional because it reduces the load on memory. An adequate explanation of problem-solving will have to address certain general issues, such as the diversity of forms of cognitive representation and differences within and between individuals in the choice of problem-solving strategies.
Glyphosate Weed Control Enhancement with Ammonium Sulfate and Commercial Water Conditioning Agents

Glyphosate herbicide labels generally recommend addition of ammonium sulfate (AMS) to the spray solution, which often improves weed control, especially when mixed with hard water. AMS in solution disassociates, and the sulfate binds with cations in the spray solution, preventing the development of glyphosate-cation complexes that tend to have lower absorption into plant leaves. In addition, the ammonium ion can associate with the glyphosate molecule, which helps facilitate glyphosate absorption into the leaf. The recommended AMS rate is 1–2 % w/w, and AMS is available in both dry and liquid formulations. Applicators generally find AMS inconvenient to use because of the high use rate and handling issues. Several companies are marketing low-rate water conditioner products to be used as an alternative to AMS with glyphosate. Pesticide applicators like the convenience of low-rate water conditioners, but performance of these products has been inconsistent. Field experiments were conducted near Manhattan, KS, from 2005 to 2008 to compare the efficacy of glyphosate with AMS and various commercial water conditioners on velvetleaf, sorghum, corn, and sunflower. Each experiment consisted of a sublethal (0.31 or 0.43 kg ae/ha) dose of glyphosate applied in combination with the recommended application rate of each adjuvant. Water hardness, environmental conditions, and plant growth stages varied by experiment. Control of all assay species with glyphosate was enhanced by the addition of AMS, unless control was near complete in the absence of AMS. Commercial water conditioner products that included an AMS component at the equivalent rate of 1 % w/w gave equal or slightly better control than glyphosate plus 1 % w/w AMS. Commercial water conditioners that did not provide an equivalent amount of AMS gave less control than glyphosate with 1 % or 2 % w/w AMS and were often no better than glyphosate alone for the low-rate products.
Both synthesis and reuptake are critical for replenishing the releasable serotonin pool in Drosophila

The two main sources of serotonin available for release are expected to be newly synthesized serotonin and serotonin recycled after reuptake by the serotonin transporter. However, their relative importance for maintaining release and the time course of regulation are unknown. We studied serotonin signaling in the ventral nerve cord of the larval Drosophila CNS. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry at implanted microelectrodes was used to detect serotonin elicited by channelrhodopsin2-mediated depolarization. The effects of reuptake were probed by incubating in cocaine, which is selective for the serotonin transporter in Drosophila. p-chlorophenylalanine, an inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase2, was used to investigate the effects of synthesis. Stimulations were repeated at various intervals to assess the time course of recovery of the releasable pool. Reuptake is important for the rapid replenishment of the releasable pool, on the 1 min time scale. Synthesis is critical to the longer-term replenishment (10 min) of the releasable pool, especially when reuptake is also inhibited. Concurrent synthesis and reuptake inhibition decreased both serotonin tissue content measured by immunohistochemistry (by 50%) and the initial amount of evoked serotonin (by 65%). Decreases in evoked serotonin are rescued by inhibiting action potential propagation with tetrodotoxin, implicating endogenous activity in the depletion. These results show synthesis is necessary to replenish part of the releasable serotonin pool that is depleted after reuptake inhibition, suggesting that regulation of synthesis may modulate the effects of serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Post burn muscle wasting and the effects of treatments

Abstract Severe burns are typically followed by a hypermetabolic response that lasts for at least 9–12 months post-injury. The endocrine status is also markedly altered with an initial and then sustained increase in proinflammatory ‘stress’ hormones such as cortisol and other glucocorticoids, and catecholamines including epinephrine and norepinephrine by the adrenal medulla and cortex. These hormones exert catabolic effects leading to muscle wasting, the intensity of which depends upon the percentage of total body surface area (TBSA) involved, as well as the time elapsed since initial injury. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies may be used to reverse the catabolic effect of thermal injury. Non-pharmacological strategies include early excision and wound closure of burn wound, aggressive treatment of sepsis, elevation of the environmental temperature to thermal neutrality (31.5 ± 0.7 °C), high carbohydrate, high protein continuous enteral feeding and early institution of resistive exercise programs. Pharmacological modulators of the post-burn hypermetabolic response may be achieved through the administration of recombinant human growth hormone, low dose insulin infusion, use of the synthetic testosterone analogue, oxandrolone and beta blockade with propranolol. This paper aims to review the current understanding of post-burn muscle proteolysis and the effects of clinical and pharmacological strategies currently being studied to reverse it curb these debilitating sequelae of severe burns.
Plasma and cardiac lactic dehydrogenase activity in burn shock.

SummaryAnesthetized dogs subjected to a standardized cutaneous burn injury covering 35% of their surface area showed a marked increase in total plasma LDH activity. The increase in LDH activity was accompanied, as determined in another group of burned dogs, by a significant decrease in cardiac output and an increase in total peripheral resistance and hematocrit. In control dogs, plasma LDH activity showed little or no change during a 4-hr period, while burned dogs increased their plasma LDH activity from 44.7 to 137.0 units/ml. The negative myocardial uptake of LDH indicated that cardiac muscle in burned dogs released LDH into the circulation. In the absence of burn trauma, dogs subjected to the same experimental procedures had no significant efflux of LDH from the heart. The release of myocardial LDH in the burned animal may possibly be related to the action of a burn toxin, a state of myocardial anoxia or the presence of an underlying injury to the heart.
New kind of ring around Saturn.

It is believed that barring extraordinary circumstances the Saturn satellite Titan must lose its atmosphere at a prodigious rate. The velocity of the atmospheric particles, however, although sufficient to escape from the satellite, does not quite reach Saturnian escape velocity. Consequently, atoms and molecules lost by Titan are forced by the planet's gravitational field to orbit Saturn until ionized or until they are recaptured by Titan, forming a gaseous torus encompassing Titan's orbit.
Special issues on moment methods in kinetic gas theory

This two-volume special issue of ‘Continuum Mechanics and Thermodynamics’ is the result of an international meeting on moment methods in kinetic gas theory that took place in November 2008 at ETH Zurich [1]. There have been over 30 participants from 10 different countries attending 13 invited lectures on various developments in moment methods. The workshop was hosted jointly by the ‘Research Institute for Mathematics (FIM)’ and the ‘Seminar for Applied Mathematics (SAM)’ at ETH Zurich, as well as supported by the ‘Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF)’. In recent years, moment methods in kinetic gas theory proved to be a successful tool to extend classical fluid dynamics for applications in microor rarefied gas flows. The classical equations of compressible fluid dynamics, known as the system ofNavier–Stokes and Fourier, loose their validity in extreme physical processes involving rarefaction or micro-scales. The lack of sufficient particle collisions is expressed in larger values of the Knudsen number K n—the ratio between the mean free path and an observation scale—and leads to thermal non-equilibrium which can only be described using refined mathematical models. Kinetic gas theory based on a statistical description of the gas provides a valid framework to model processes in a rarefied regime or at small scales [2,3]. The main variable used to describe the gas is the distribution function or probability density of the particle velocities. However, in situations of intermediate non-equilibrium this detailed statistical approach still yields a far too complex description of the gas. In these situations it is desirable to have a continuum model based on partial differential equations for the fluid mechanical field variables. The classical fluid dynamics equations can be derived fromBoltzmann’s equation as the first order contribution in a Chapman–Enskog expansion [4], an asymptotic expansion in the Knudsen number. It seemed natural to look for higher order contributions as an extension for the laws of Navier–Stokes and Fourier. However, the hope for useful equations was dashed by the observation of Bobylev [5] stating that these higher order models are inherently unstable in the general case. In the 1940s Harold Grad [6,7] developed an alternative to the Chapman–Enskog expansion by producing moment equations from Boltzmann’s equation. The fundamental idea of moment approximations is to replace the variable of a high dimensional distribution function f (x, t, c) for the velocity c ∈ R3 by a finite setmoment variables {Fn (x, t)}n=0,1,2,... at each (x, t). The working hypothesis is that at (x, t) a finite number of moments are sufficient to encode the details of f as a function of c. The first moments are the conservative variables of gas dynamics, the density, the momentum density and total energy density. Obviously, the motivation is that
Bisphenol A: invisible pollution.

Purpose of reviewBisphenol A (BPA) is a high volume chemical used in a wide variety of products, including plastic bottles and canned goods. Based on widespread human exposure and endocrine effects observed first in animal studies and now in humans, this chemical is being extensively studied. Most p
Interpretation Overlap of Endometrial Cells with Clinically Significant Lesions in Cervical Cytology (Pap) Smears: ThinPrep Experience at Large Tertiary Care Laboratory with Community Outreach

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of squamous cell abnormalities in cervical smears seen in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital and document any change in the pattern of these lesions. Materials and Methods: Over a 21 year period (1992-2012), 140404 cervical smears were studied. Conventional Pap (till 2005) and ThinPrep smears were first screened by cytotechnologists and finally reported by cytopathologists. The smears were classified according to the modified Bethesda System. Results: Smears from 135766 patients were found satisfactory for reporting. The unsatisfactory smears comprised 3.30% of the total smears. Atypical squamous cells (ASC) were seen in 3222 cases (2.37%); atypical glandular cells (AGC) were seen in 1092 cases (0.80%); low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions including human papilloma virus changes (LSIL)1299 cases (0.96%); high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL)-294 cases (0.22%)and carcinoma 118 cases (0.09%) of which 61 cases were squamous cell carcinoma. Comparison of average cases/annum during the study period revealed a significant increase in ASC from 1.39% to 2.68% (p<0.0001) and AGC from 0.42 to 0.93% (p<0.001). However, percentage of LSIL, HSIL and carcinoma detected in Pap smears remained the same. Conclusions: A significant linear trend (p<0.001) was observed in satisfactory smears, ASC and AGC over the years. However, no significant change was found in the detection of LSIL, HSIL and carcinoma. A reduction in the age of LSIL/HSIL and a trend of increase in the Kuwaiti women over the years was also observed which makes screening of young women essential in Kuwait.
Conditional knockdown of Fgfr2 in mice using Cre-LoxP induced RNA interference

RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated gene knockdown is a potent approach for studying gene function. We have previously reported a plasmid-based, tamoxifen-inducible gene knockdown system in cultured cells using a combined RNAi and Cre-LoxP system. Here, we validate this system in mouse and show that it can be used to suppress the expression of an endogenous gene (Fgfr2) with high efficiency. We show that transgenic mice carrying the U6-ploxPneo-Fgfr2 RNAi construct are normal, displaying Fgfr2 transcripts equivalent to those of wild-type controls, indicating that the U6 promoter is inactive in vivo due to the presence of the neo in the promoter. After excision of the neo by crossing with transgenic mice that express Cre in the mouse germline, the U6 promoter is activated, leading to over 95% reduction of Fgfr2 transcripts, and consequently, embryonic lethality. On the other hand, activation of the U6 promoter using transgenic mice that express Cre in the progress zone of the limb results in live mice with malformation of digits of both the forelimbs and hindlimbs. This method provides a fast, yet efficient way to decipher gene functions in vivo in a tissue-specific manner.
Human Ecstasy use is associated with increased cortical excitability: an fMRI study.

The serotonergic neurotoxin, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/Ecstasy), is a highly popular recreational drug. Human recreational MDMA users have neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric impairments, and human neuroimaging data are consistent with animal reports of serotonin neurotoxicity. However, functional neuroimaging studies have not found consistent effects of MDMA on brain neurophysiology in human users. Several lines of evidence suggest that studying MDMA effects in visual system might reveal the general cortical and subcortical neurophysiological consequences of MDMA use. We used 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging during visual stimulation to compare visual system lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and Brodmann Area (BA) 17 and BA 18 activation in 20 long abstinent (479.95±580.65 days) MDMA users and 20 non-MDMA user controls. Lifetime quantity of MDMA use was strongly positively correlated with blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal intensity in bilateral LGN (rs=0.59; p=0.007), BA 17 (rs=0.50; p=0.027), and BA 18 (rs=0.48; p=0.031), and with the spatial extent of activation in BA 17 (rs=0.059; p=0.007) and BA 18 (rs=0.55; p=0.013). There were no between-group differences in brain activation in any region, but the heaviest MDMA users showed a significantly greater spatial extent of activation than controls in BA 17 (p=0.031) and BA 18 (p=0.049). These results suggest that human recreational MDMA use may be associated with a long-lasting increase in cortical excitability, possibly through loss of serotonin input to cortical and subcortical regions. When considered in the context of previous results, cortical hyper-excitability may be a biomarker for MDMA-induced serotonin neurotoxicity.
High speed integrated A/D converter

This report will discuss the integration of 16 high-performance, low-power comparators on a single chip with efficient encoding circuitry for use as a 100-MHz 4-bit parallel A/D converter with 8-bit accuracy.
Subsurface microbiological heterogeneity: current knowledge, descriptive approaches and applications

Improved understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of microbiological properties and processes is critical due to the relative difficulty and high cost of obtaining large numbers of subsurface samples. Quantification of spatial patterns in subsurface environments is important because it is well known that geologic, hydrologic and geochemical properties are not constant in space; rather, they are spatially autocorrelated, or related over certain length scales. Preliminary research indicates that subsurface microbiological properties have similar length scales, and the microbiological properties appear to be spatially correlated to geologic, hydrologic and/or geochemical properties. Temporal variability can also be important in subsurface systems that receive seasonal recharge. In order to better understand heterogeneous subsurface systems, it is critical to sample such that the spatial and temporal patterns are adequately captured, and understand what is causing the variability and spatial patterns. Improved understanding in these two areas will yield more efficient sampling schemes, assist in defining factors that control the distribution of microbiological properties at the field scale, and increase the ability to predict and ultimately model the distribution of microbiological properties and the responses of microbial communities to environmental perturbations such as subsurface contaminant transport and bioremediation.
SSeCKS sequesters cyclin D1 in glomerular parietal epithelial cells and influences proliferative injury in the glomerulus.

Glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PECs) are precursors to podocytes in mature glomeruli; however, as progenitors, the distinct intrinsic mechanisms that allow for repeated periods of cell-cycle arrest and re-entry of PECs after glomerulogenesis are unknown. Here, we show that the Src-suppressed protein kinase C substrate (SSeCKS), a multivalent scaffolding A kinase anchoring protein, sequesters cyclin D1 in the cytoplasm of quiescent PECs. SSeCKS expression is induced in embryonic PECs, but not in embryonic podocytes, starting at the S phase of glomerulogenesis, and is constitutively expressed postnatally by PECs, but not podocytes, in normal glomeruli. Cyclin D1 was immunoprecipitated with SSeCKS from capsulated glomeruli containing PECs, whereas decapsulated glomeruli without PECs lacked SSeCKS and cyclin D1. Cell–cell contact inhibition of proliferation in cultured PECs induced SSeCKS expression and binding of cyclin D1 by SSeCKS in the cytoplasm, whereas phosphorylation of SSeCKS by activated protein kinase C disrupted binding, resulting in nuclear translocation of cyclin D1. SSeCKS−/− mice showed hyperplasia of PECs in otherwise normal glomeruli and developed significantly worse proteinuric glomerular disease, marked by increased PEC proliferation and expression of nuclear cyclin D1, from nephrotoxic nephritis. These results suggest that SSeCKS controls the localization and activity of cyclin D1 in PECs and influences proliferative injury in the glomerulus.