cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A parametric study of head-disk interface instability due to intermolecular forces

This paper presents a nonlinear dynamic analysis of the head-disk interface by including intermolecular adhesion forces for sub-5-nm flying air-bearing sliders. Experimental evidence shows that one of the major roadblocks in achieving ultralow flying heights is the stability of the head-disk interface. It is found that the inclusion of intermolecular forces between the slider and disk in modeling the head-disk interface leads to dynamic instability of the slider. A parametric study is conducted showing the dependence of stability/instability on the variables. By understanding the effect each parameter has on stability, we can achieve air-bearing surface and disk morphology system design guidelines. From this study, it is found that the head-disk interface can become unstable due to intermolecular forces below a flying height of about 6 nm. However, from the results of the parametric study, it is shown that a head-disk interface can be designed such that it maximizes stability, although the instability cannot be attenuated completely. By minimizing the intermolecular adhesion forces and the flying-height modulation, and by maximizing the air-bearing stiffness and damping, we achieve maximum stability. Also, it is found that the stiffening effect of the air-bearing film increases the stability. The implications of this study are that the head-disk interface stability is dramatically compromised in the sub-6-nm flying-height regime and that the glide height of "super-smooth" disks will not only be a function of the disk's morphology, but also the intermolecular adhesion force induced instability of the slider.
Effects of protein and energy supplementation of Guernsey cows on the kinetics of digestion and passage of orchardgrass versus alfalfa.

Four mature, nonlactating Guernsey cows were used in a 4 x 4 latin square experiment to determine nutrient digestibility, rate of particulate passage, ruminal volume and composition of ruminal contents in cows fed diets at 80% of ad libitum intake. Diets consisted of 100% alfalfa (AL), 100% orchardgrass (OG), 85% OG plus 15% soybean meal (OG + SBM) and 70% OG plus 20% SBM plus 10% starch (OG + SBM + S) on an as-fed basis. Particulate passage rates were measured by either meal marking (Ce) or ruminal marking (La). Intake (1.6 vs 1.4% of BW) and digestibility of DM (63 vs 56%) and NDF (66 vs 39%) were greater (P less than .05) for OG than for AL. Dry matter and CP digestibility were improved 6 and 16 percentage units, respectively, when OG was supplemented with SBM + S. Nitrogen retention, higher (19 vs 3 g/d; P less than .02) in animals fed OG than in those fed AL, was reduced (P less than .05) when OG was supplemented with SBM (5 g/d), but it was improved (P less than .05) when OG + SBM was supplemented with S (39 g/d). Particulate passage (-k) measured with Ce (3.8 vs 4.6%/h) and La (4.2 vs 4.9%/h) was slower (P less than .01 and P less than .10) for AL vs OG, respectively. Supplementation of OG with SBM increased (P less than .01) -k and reduced (P less than .01) ruminal t1/2 and total t1/2. Averaged across diets, total (32.3 vs 31.1 h) and ruminal t1/2 (15.1 vs 14.0 h) of Ce were slower (P less than .10) than La. Marking techniques were not different (P greater than .05) in sensitivity for passage characteristics. Total ruminal NDF content was not different (P greater than .05) for AL vs OG (10 vs 9 g/kg BW), but it was lower for OG + SBM and OG + SBM + S (7.8 and 7.9 g/kg BW; P less than .05). Supplementation of OG with protein and starch increased total diet intake but did not decrease extent of NDF and ADF digestion.
Enhanced in‐vitro blood compatibility of 316L stainless steel surfaces by reactive landing of hyaluronan ions

A novel dry process for immobilization of hyaluronan on stainless steel surfaces is presented. This process that we call reactive landing is based on an interaction of hyperthermal gas-phase hyaluronan ions with plasma-cleaned and activated stainless steel surfaces. Reactive landing is performed on a unique instrument that combines an in-situ plasma reactor with an electrospray ion source and ion transfer optics. Gas-phase hyaluronan anions are obtained by electrospray ionization of sodium hyaluronan solutions and immobilized by reactive landing on large-area stainless steel surfaces. The immobilized hyaluronan withstands extensive washing with polar solvents and solutions, and the washed surfaces maintain the protective properties against blood platelet activation. The mechanism of hyaluronan discharge and immobilization is discussed.
Defect kinetics in hydrogenated amorphous silicon mis structures

Abstract This paper examines defect creation and annealing kinetics in the silicon-hydrogen system using threshold voltage transient analysis. The defect creation and annealing processes were studied in hydrogenated amorphous silicon MIS devices where the insulator was either a thermal oxide or plasma deposited nitride as a function of time, temperature, and bias. The transients were observed up to one week and were found to exhibit stretched exponential-like behavior characteristic of diffusion in disordered material. The kinetics are consistent with hydrogen hopping through an exponential distribution of barriers and decrease in height as the band tail carrier density was increased. The defect formation energies also decrease as the Fermi level moves towards the band edge. This model explains most, if not all, of the defect formation processes in a-Si:H and the carrier dependence of the H diffusion as well. No correlation between the creation and annealing barriers was found suggesting that a multiple step process is involved. A partially hydrogenated divacancy is suggested as one example of a defect center which has the necessary properties to account for a metastable defect formation.
Macrophage Colony-stimulating Factor Rapidly Enhances β-Migrating Very Low Density Lipoprotein Metabolism in Macrophages through Activation of a Gi/o Protein Signaling Pathway

Abstract Previous studies have examined lipoprotein metabolism by macrophages following prolonged exposure (>24 h) to macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). Because M-CSF activates several signaling pathways that could rapidly affect lipoprotein metabolism, we examined whether acute exposure of macrophages to M-CSF alters the metabolism of either native or modified lipoproteins. Acute incubation of cultured J774 macrophages and resident mouse peritoneal macrophages with M-CSF markedly enhanced low density lipoproteins (LDL) and β-migrating very low density lipoproteins (β-VLDL) stimulated cholesteryl [3H]oleate deposition. In parallel, M-CSF treatment increased the association and degradation of 125I-labeled LDL or β-VLDL without altering the amount of lipoprotein bound to the cell surface. The increase in LDL and β-VLDL metabolism did not reflect a generalized effect on lipoprotein endocytosis and metabolism because M-CSF did not alter cholesterol deposition during incubation with acetylated LDL. Moreover, M-CSF did not augment β-VLDL cholesterol deposition in macrophages from LDL receptor (−/−) mice, indicating that the effect of M-CSF was mediated by the LDL receptor. Incubation of macrophages with pertussis toxin, a specific inhibitor of Gi/o protein signaling, had no effect on cholesterol deposition during incubation with β-VLDL alone, but completely blocked the augmented response promoted by M-CSF. In addition, incubation of macrophages with the direct Gi/o protein activator, mastoparan, mimicked the effect of M-CSF by enhancing cholesterol deposition in cells incubated with β-VLDL, but not acetylated LDL. In summary, M-CSF rapidly enhances LDL receptor-mediated metabolism of native lipoproteins by macrophages through activation of a Gi/o protein signaling pathway. Together, these findings describe a novel pathway for regulating lipoprotein metabolism.
Persistence of Streptococcus pyogenes in Stationary-Phase Cultures

In addition to causing fulminant disease, Streptococcus pyogenes may be asymptomatically carried between recurrent episodes of pharyngitis. To better understand streptococcal carriage, we characterized in vitro long-term stationary-phase survival (>4 weeks) of S. pyogenes. When grown in sugar-limited Todd-Hewitt broth, S. pyogenes cells remained culturable for more than 1 year. Both Todd-Hewitt supplemented with excess glucose and chemically defined medium allowed survival for less than 1 week. After 4 weeks of survival in sugar-limited Todd-Hewitt broth, at least 10(3) CFU per ml remained. When stained with fluorescent live-dead viability stain, there were a number of cells with intact membranes that were nonculturable. Under conditions that did not support persistence, these cells disappeared 2 weeks after loss of culturability. In persistent cultures, these may be cells that are dying during cell turnover. After more than 4 weeks in stationary phase, the culturable cells formed two alternative colony phenotypes: atypical large colonies and microcolonies. Protein expression in two independently isolated microcolony strains, from 14-week cultures, was examined by use of two-dimensional electrophoresis. The proteomes of these two strains exhibited extensive changes compared to the parental strain. While some of these changes were common to the two strains, many of the changes were unique to a single strain. Some of the common changes were in metabolic pathways, suggesting a possible alternate metabolism for the persisters. Overall, these data suggest that under certain in vitro conditions, S. pyogenes cells can persist for greater than 1 year as a dynamic population.
Computational issues in the planning and kinematics of binary robots

To meet the objectives of many future missions, robots will need to be adaptable and reconfigurable. A concept for such a robotic system has been proposed previously based on using a large number of simple binary actuators. Previous researchers have addressed some of the issues brought up by robots with a few binary actuators. This paper examines the computational feasibility of controlling and planning such binary robotic systems with a large number of actuators, including computation of their workspace, forward kinematics, inverse kinematics and trajectory following. Methods are proposed and evaluated by simulation. A detailed error analysis and computational requirements are presented. An example of the planning for a binary walking robot is presented.
Silybin inhibits interleukin-1β-induced production of pro-inflammatory mediators in canine hepatocyte cultures

Au, A. Y., Hasenwinkel, J. M., Frondoza, C. G. Silybin inhibits interleukin-1β-induced production of pro-inflammatory mediators in canine hepatocyte cultures. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap.34, 120–129. Hepatocytes are highly susceptible to cytokine stimulation and are fundamental to liver function. We established primary canine hepatocyte cultures to study effects of anti-inflammatory agents with hepatoprotective properties. Hepatocyte cultures were incubated with control media alone, silybin (SB), or the more bioavailable silybin–phosphatidylcholine complex (SPC), followed by activation with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β; 10 ng/mL). Inflammatory response was measured by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin-8 (IL-8), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) production and also nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) translocation. Hepatocyte cultures continued production of the phenotypic marker albumin for more than 7 days in culture. IL-1β exposure increased PGE2, IL-8, and MCP-1 production, which was paralleled by NF-κB translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Pretreatment with SB and SPC significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced production of pro-inflammatory markers and attenuated NF-κB nuclear translocation. We demonstrate for the first time that primary canine hepatocyte cultures can be maintained in culture without phenotypic loss. The observation that hepatocyte cultures respond to pro-inflammatory IL-1β activation indicates hepatocytes as primary cellular targets of extrinsic IL-1β. The ability of SB and SPC to inhibit hepatocyte culture activation by IL-1β reinforces the notion of their hepatoprotective effects. Our primary canine hepatocyte culture model facilitates identification of hepatoprotective agents and their mechanism of action.
Doing Diplomatic History by the Numbers: A Rejoinder

Schroeder's thoughtful critique of the Situational Analysis Project (SAP) is a welcome and, in many ways, unique addition to the debate over the applicability of quantitative methods to diplomatic history. As far as I know, it represents the first serious discussion by a traditional diplomatic historian of the ways in which quantifiers from across the disciplinary boundary have been ravishing Clio. My only regret is that this thoughtful article is appearing in a journal which few historians read. Unfortunately, I must agree with Schroeder's contention that members of our guild have ignored work done in diplomatic history by behavioral scientists. Their disinterest in quantitative international politics has nothing to do with the relevance of such studies. In addition to the Correlates of War and Conflict and Integration projects cited by Schroeder, scores of comparable projects and publications should be of immediate interest to diplomatic historians.' And although it is true that some diplomatic historians are now beginning to take note of what the social sciences have to offer in the way of general models of decision making and bureaucratic politics, few have experimented with new methodologies. Perhaps I am being too harsh with my fellow diplomatic historians.
Stimulating student interest in design history classes

With history being an established course in design education and sparking creativity being one of design education’s primary objectives, questions arise as to: What forms of history teaching capture student interest? How can the lessons of history resonate with youth in ways that tie the past to the present? How can assignments spark excitement in students and engender a passion for the subject? And, where can faculty draw inspiration from in re-envisioning the role that history can play in their program and profession? Two interior design educators from the University of Minnesota share techniques, assignments, and pedagogies that respond to the above questions and help set a trajectory for both creatively teaching design history and sparking students’ interest and creative potential. Going beyond traditional methodologies and discourses around the teaching of history, these educators take a unique perspective and strive for a diverse set of objectives. Employing techniques such as digital games and free-hand sketching, they challenge students to engage with the material first hand. By tying a design project into a history course, they present students with the opportunity to conceive of ways to bridge the past, present, and future. Infusing history classes with creative and critical thinking that encompasses and responds to pressing social concerns reinforces the meaning of history classes and makes history relevant to students’ lives. Through this sharing, the authors aim to spark a dialogue across the disciplines around the teaching of history and makes history relevant to students’ lives. Through this sharing, the authors aim to spark a dialogue across the disciplines around the teaching of history and the renewed role it can play in design education.
Articulatory settings facilitate mechanically advantageous motor control of vocal tract articulators

It was recently shown that vocal tract postures assumed during pauses in read speech are significantly different from those assumed at absolute rest. This paper examines whether the former category of “articulatory settings” are more mechanically advantageous than absolute rest postures with respect to speech articulation. Appropriate task and articulator variables are extracted from real-time Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rtMRI) data of five speakers reading aloud. Locally-weighted regression is then used to calculate Jacobian matrices representing the transformation between articulatory task velocities and postural velocities. A measure of mechanical advantage is proposed based on the obtained Jacobian. Speech-ready postures and postures during inter-speech pauses are observed to be significantly more mechanically advantageous as compared to rest postures. Furthermore, other postures, such as those that occur during the production of different vowels and consonants, are shown to have mechanical advantages that lie in between this continuum. These results could provide insights into understanding postural motor control and other linguistic phenomena, such as sonority hierarchies, in speech production. Index Terms: speech production, real-time MRI, articulatory setting, postural motor control, task dynamics, forward kinematics, vocal tract shaping.
School librarians as stakeholders in the children and media community: a dialogue

AbstractTo examine how teacher-librarians perceive the work of researchers in children and media and the relationship between JOCAM’s core audience and school librarianship, Renee Hobbs and Joyce Valenza share their thoughts about the future of research and practice in the field of children and media in the form of a dialogue. After discussing librarians’ perceptions of the children and media research community, we explore the relationship between research, policy, and advocacy; the ever-expanding media resources for children and youth; and the gaps between research and practice. The dialogue is intended to inspire JOCAM readers to imagine the next decade with a deeper awareness of the possibilities and benefits that could accrue by connecting researchers to vital stakeholders within the school library community.
Parosteal lipoma of the rib: a benign condition that mimics malignancy

Parosteal lipomas (PL) account for 0.3% of all lipomas. They are composed of adipose tissue adjacent to the bone cortex and elicit bony reactive changes. Location of this typically slow-growing indolent lesion in the ribs is unusual. Albeit a benign condition, PL imaging findings may be misinterpreted as a malignant lesion. We present a patient with a PL in which a surgical biopsy was performed. Distinctive features of PL in the computed tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance image (MRI) are described. Familiarity with the characteristic radiographic PL signs assist in avoiding invasive diagnostic studies. Lipomas are benign tumors consisting of mature fat cells. They are the most common mesenchymal neoplasias and account for 50% of all soft tissue tumors. Their location varies from superficial to deep seated lesions. Musculoskeletal lipomatous lesions may be located in bones, soft tissues, and may also affect joint and tendon sheaths. PL is a rare benign deep fatty-tissue tumor that arises contiguous to the periosteum without originating from it. In 1836, Seering was the first in describing this lesion and named it "periosteal lipoma." Upon realization that there are no adipocytes in the periosteum, the term was changed to the more descriptive "parosteal lipoma" by Power in 1888. This is a case report of a patient with a chest wall mass that on CT scan and MRI had the typical PL appearance. This pattern allows one to identify the lesion and thus, to differentiate it from malignant conditions.
Aurora-A recruitment and centrosomal maturation are regulated by a Golgi-activated pool of Src during G2

The Golgi apparatus is composed of stacks of cisternae laterally connected by tubules to form a ribbon-like structure. At the onset of mitosis, the Golgi ribbon is broken down into discrete stacks, which then undergo further fragmentation. This ribbon cleavage is required for G2/M transition, which thus indicates that a 'Golgi mitotic checkpoint' couples Golgi inheritance with cell cycle transition. We previously showed that the Golgi-checkpoint regulates the centrosomal recruitment of the mitotic kinase Aurora-A; however, how the Golgi unlinking regulates this recruitment was unknown. Here we show that, in G2, Aurora-A recruitment is promoted by activated Src at the Golgi. Our data provide evidence that Src and Aurora-A interact upon Golgi ribbon fragmentation; Src phosphorylates Aurora-A at tyrosine 148 and this specific phosphorylation is required for Aurora-A localization at the centrosomes. This process, pivotal for centrosome maturation, is a fundamental prerequisite for proper spindle formation and chromosome segregation.
Effects of the magnetic resonance contrast medium ferrioxamine methanesulfonate on systemic and renal hemodynamics in the anesthetized dog.

Ferrioxamine methanesulfonate (S-FDF) is a new magnetic resonance (MR) contrast agent developed to improve magnetic resonance imaging of the abdomen and pelvis. This stable complex of deferoxamine methanesulfonate and iron is excreted in the urine by glomerular filtration modified by active renal tubular resorption. This study examines the acute systemic and renal hemodynamic responses to this agent after intravenous administration either as an infusion of 25 mg/kg over 5 minutes or as a rapid bolus at a dose of 50 mg/kg. In eight anesthetized dogs, renal plasma flow (RPF) was measured with an electromagnetic flowmeter, and GFR was determined by the renal extraction of technetium-99m-DTPA. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse rate, and a lead II ECG were assessed. At a dose of 25 mg/kg over 5 minutes, MAP decreased significantly (control 146.0 +/- 6.5 mm Hg vs. 107 +/- 18 mm Hg at 2 minutes; P less than .05). In two of the eight animals, the MAP dropped below 60 mm Hg. Significant decreases in GFR and RPF also were noted. All four of the animals receiving the rapid injection of S-FDF experienced profound hypotension (MAP less than 50 mm Hg). The drop in heart rate from 152 +/- 11.6 bpm to 121 +/- 4.9 bpm was associated with a marked depression of the ST wave in the lead II ECG. Further animal studies are needed to assess the mechanism of toxicity and a potential synergism of action with pentobarbital anesthesia.
Influence of chemical disorder on energy dissipation and defect evolution in advanced alloys

Historically, alloy development with better radiation performance has been focused on traditional alloys with one or two principal element(s) and minor alloying elements, where enhanced radiation resistance depends on microstructural or nanoscale features to mitigate displacement damage. In sharp contrast to traditional alloys, recent advances of single-phase concentrated solid solution alloys (SP-CSAs) have opened up new frontiers in materials research. In these alloys, a random arrangement of multiple elemental species on a crystalline lattice results in disordered local chemical environments and unique site-to-site lattice distortions. Based on closely integrated computational and experimental studies using a novel set of SP-CSAs in a face-centered cubic structure, we have explicitly demonstrated that increasing chemical disorder can lead to a substantial reduction in electron mean free paths, as well as electrical and thermal conductivity, which results in slower heat dissipation in SP-CSAs. The chemical disorder also has a significant impact on defect evolution under ion irradiation. Considerable improvement in radiation resistance is observed with increasing chemical disorder at electronic and atomic levels. The insights into defect dynamics may provide a basis for understanding elemental effects on evolution of radiation damage in irradiated materials and may inspire new design principles of radiation-tolerant structural alloys for advanced energy systems.
Rudder/Fin Roll Stabilization of the USCG WMEC 901 Class Vessel

The U.S. Coast Guard's 270-ft Medium Endurance Cutter (WMEC) operates with an active fin stabilization system. This system was designed using a one-degree-of-freedom (1-DOF) model in the roll direction. The controller was designed separate from the heading autopilot. The effects of the rudders and their ability to produce a significant rolling moment were also neglected as well as the cross coupling of roll motions into other degrees of freedom. This paper studies the effects of the rudders on the rolling motion of the ship using a three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) model. A simple optimal heading autopilot is designed and combined with the existing fin roll controller to investigate the effects of the rudders on the roll motions of this class of vessel. A rudder roll controller and a multiple input-multiple output (MIMO) rudder/fin controller are designed as well. Significant roll reduction can be achieved using the MIMO rudder/fin controller.
Training Staff to Create Caring Communities: Promises and Challenges

Caring communities support the healthy growth of young people by fostering caring youth-staff relationships as well as a sense of connectedness to the people and norms within that setting. Out-of-school-time (OST) programs may be uniquely situated to serve as caring communities, particularly if staff are trained to facilitate caring activities and employ an ethic of care when interacting with youth. These processes can also be described as program design and staff implementation. Program design, which refers to the structured aspects of a program, differs from implementation, or the ways staff interacts with youth throughout the program, because design factors are typically robust to differences in individual staff members’ style. Implementation, on the other hand, varies with respect to the individual staff member. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-part staff training intervention focusing on program design and staff implementation on youths’ sense of caring community. Findings from this study and their implications for managers of OST programs are discussed.
Predicting energy production for multijunction photovoltaics: Effects of spectral variation and cumulative irradiance

Variation of the incident spectrum under real-world illumination conditions can degrade the performance of series connected multijunction solar cells that are optimized for performance under the AM1.5D standard spectrum. Current approaches to correct for this factor and estimate energy production for deployed systems require large amounts of field data and are not useful for evaluating prospective designs. We present a set of 20 spectra that capture the average spectral composition for direct normal irradiance at different cumulative irradiance levels. Combined with the NSRDB information on the frequency of cumulative irradiance levels at locations across the United States, these 20 spectra allow us to predict the energy production of spectrum splitting photovoltaic systems with minimal computation required.
Grafting-From Proteins Using Metal-Free PET–RAFT Polymerizations under Mild Visible-Light Irradiation

We report a new strategy toward polymer–protein conjugates using a grafting-from method that employs photoinduced electron/energy transfer–reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (PET–RAFT) polymerization. Initial screening of reaction conditions showed rapid polymerization of acrylamides under high dilution in water using eosin Y as a photocatalyst in the presence of a tertiary amine. A lysozyme-modified chain transfer agent allowed the same conditions to be utilized for grafting-from polymerizations, and we further demonstrated the broad scope of this technique by polymerizing acrylic and styrenic monomers. Finally, retention of the RAFT end group was suggested by successful chain extension with N-isopropylacrylamide from the polymer–protein conjugates to form block copolymer–protein conjugates. This strategy should expand the capabilities of grafting-from proteins with RAFT polymerization under mild conditions to afford diverse functional materials.
Establishing a Cardiovascular Rapid Prototyping Service

Rapid prototyping, or 3D printing, is a constantly evolving technology. Over the past decade, advancements have infiltrated medicine and biomedical research, particularly pediatric cardiology. This chapter will review the process and outline some of the requirements to set up an in-house 3D printer service. Included is an introduction to the workflow and a brief review of current commercially available technologies. Suggestions are based upon the authors’ experience at a large-scale academic institution and proffered in an effort to ease some of the difficulties of initiation a manufacturing process within the health care environment.
Effect of Modafinil on Cognitive Function in Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Modafinil therapy, a nonamphetamine cognition-enhancing agent, holds the potential to improve recovery from cognitive impairment after intensive care unit (ICU) admission. To date, however, there is a paucity of data on modafinil use in the ICU setting. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of modafinil for improvement in cognition in ICU patients. This retrospective cohort study evaluated a total of 60 ICU patients with any ventilatory support who started on modafinil during their ICU stay from January 1, 2010, to March 19, 2016. The requirements of opioids and sedatives, as well as the lowest and average scores of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Riker Sedation-Agitation Scale (SAS), were recorded during 48 hours before and after the start of modafinil therapy in 6-hour periods. The average daily modafinil dose of 170 mg was given for a median duration of 9 days. Modafinil administration was associated with a small, nonsignificant increase in GCS by 0.34 points after controlling for age, baseline severity of illness, and changes in sedation and analgesia over time (95%CI, −0.34 to 0.73 points; P = .0743). No major modafinil-associated adverse effects were observed. Modafinil administration did not significantly improve cognitive function in ICU patients within 48 hours of initiation. However, because of lack of robust evidence, the impact of modafinil on overall patient outcomes in the ICU remains unclear and needs further investigation.
Androgen receptor antagonism and impact on inhibitors of androgen synthesis in prostate cancer therapy.

In a recent article by Norris and colleagues, published in high-impact J Clin Invest (1), the authors investigated the potential role of androgen receptor (AR) antagonism and the efficacy of cytochrome P450 17A1 (hereafter called CYP17) inhibitors in prostate cancer models.
Asian Interpretations: Transcending the Stream of Consciousness

An examination of the historical roots of American psychology reveals that we have a variety of different frames of reference within which to regard the phenomena of consciousness. There is, first of all, cognitive psychology—what we would call the mainstream of the present-day scientific, academic orientation. Secondly, there is the interpretive framework of the psychoanalytic tradition, which emphasizes dynamics of the unconscious, and most currently, its relation to adaptive functioning of the ego. Thirdly, we have the experiential orientation of the Humanistic movement, advocates of which tend to focus on the creative relationship between consciousness and the unconscious, chiefly through the visualization of preconscious mental processes. Finally, there is the relatively new expression called Transpersonal Psychology, which focuses on inner exploration, ans the actualization of ”ultimate states” of consciousness (Sutich, 1976) achieved through the practice of personal disciplines.
A New Species of Camptocerus Dejean, 1821 (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Scolytini) from Ecuador

Camptocerus lucwildi Smith and Cognato, new species is described from montane forests of the western slope of the Andes in Los Rios Province, Ecuador. The species is similar in morphology to Camptocerus quadridens Blackman, except that the male has one acute spine on the base of each elytron. This species represents one of the few species of Camptocerus Dejean known from the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena forest.
Place, Motion, and Guilt in Wilhelm Raabe's Stopfkuchen

Wilhelm Raabe’s novel, Stopfkuchen (1890) highlights inescapable guilt, guilt that is both bound to specific places and that can travel great distances. The themes of guilt, place, and motion are i...
Bridgman growth of fluoride crystals for radiation-balanced lasers (Conference Presentation)

Radiation-balanced lasers (RBL) combine solid-state optical refrigeration and lasing in one material to enable a net zero thermal load that allows for favorable scaling to high laser powers. A high-performance RBL material, therefore, has to first qualify as a high-performance laser-cooling material. This necessitates exquisite material purity in order to achieve the required near-unity external quantum efficiency and low background absorption. Solvent extraction, ion exchange, and electrochemical treatment of aqueous solutions or melts are some of the techniques available for the purification of starting materials used in the growth of RBL crystals. Scaling these methods to the 100s of gram scale needed for traditional Czochralski crystal growth while maintaining parts-per-billion level impurity concentrations however has proven challenging in several past efforts. In contrast, we have previously shown solvent extraction and electrochemical treatment to be effective on the several gram scale. This creates a need for exploring alternative methods for growing optical-cooling-grade fluoride crystals on the small scale. We will present results on growing Yb-doped YLiF4 (YLF) and LuLiF4 (LLF) single crystals using the vertical Bridgman method. The external quantum efficiency and background absorption of these samples will be reported and discussed in the context of RBL.
What nuclear medicine physicians need to know about normal variant left renal vein and IVC anatomy when interpreting whole body PET/CT and their implications

1046 Learning Objectives 1. Describe normal variant left renal vein and IVC anatomy. 2. Familiarize interpreting physicians with the implications certain left renal vein and IVC variants have on future IVC filter placement and why it is important to include these findings in our oncologic PET/CT reports. Malignancy confers an increased risk for hypercoagulable state, therefore oncologic patients have an inherent increased risk for developing DVT and PE. IVC filter placement in these patients may be required. Most commonly, individuals have a single left renal vein anterior to the aorta, which empties into the IVC at the same level as the right renal vein, and IVC filters are placed just below the ostia for these vessels. The normal variant circumaortic left renal vein can provide a conduit in which lower extremity DVT can bypass an IVC filter and patients who have duplicate IVCs require filters placed in both the right and left IVCs in order to provide adequate protection. These variants are often not appreciated on inferior venacavograms, the most common method for evaluating renal vein and IVC anatomy prior to IVC filter placement. These variants can however be identified on the non-contrast, low dose CT acquired as part of a routine oncologic PET/CT. Reporting these variants may therefore prove useful in alerting referring physicians to their presence and decrease the number of sub-optimally positioned IVC filters
Boundary Violations: Harassment, Exploitation, and Abuse

Violence in the school environment may take several forms. Bullying, exploitation, sexual harassment, and sexual boundary violations have become the focus of exploitation and abuse experts as a serious concern (Olarte, 1991; Veltkamp & Miller, 1994; Miller & Veltkamp, 1989; Crisci, 1999). The spectrum of sexual boundary violations range from tainted jokes, unwanted sexual advances, and inappropriate educator–child relationships to sexual harassment. During the last decade, many organizations have endorsed rules of ethical conduct that prohibit sexual contact between professionals and clients and advised members on the importance of setting sexual boundaries (American School Boards; American Psychiatric Association, 1995; American Psychoanalytic Association, 1993; American Psychological Association, 1995; National Association of Social Workers, Inc., 1990; Jordan & Walker, 1995). Major efforts have also been made to clarify and prohibit sexual contact in the workplace but those have only begun to read the educational setting. There is a dearth of research on sexual harassment or contact in either setting. The purpose of this chapter is to elucidate the specific spectrum of sexual boundary violations that professionals must be aware of in the course of providing schoolbased services. It offers the reader an understanding of the triggers for potential sexual boundary violations, a perpetrator profile and victim profile, the exploitation of the victim in the school setting and the “Trauma Accommodation Syndrome,” and a legal case which has signatures for school-based professionals. Clinician Gabbard (1991) suggested that violations of sexual boundaries between educators and students can occur when the perpetrator confuses his or her own need to be loved with the needs of the victim. The perpetrator fantasizes that love in and of itself may cure his or her psychopathology. The tendency for incestuous sexual experiences—based, perhaps, on the perpetrator’s past—to be reenacted in the perpetrator–victim dyad, and the close link between incest and the desire to be helpful and parental, reflects the immaturity and psychopathology of the perpetrator. Perpetrators often act out their anger and frustration through the sexual exploitation of others. Olarte (1991) identified characteristics of perpetrators who violate
Overview: Progress in Insect Neurochemistry

ICINN-2 stands at a crossroads in the history of insect neurochemistry. Three years ago at the time of ICINN-1, there were only two structurally defined insect neuropeptides -- proctolin and the locust adipokinetic hormone, and the majority of neuroendocrine research was being performed using crude extracts of neurohemal organs. During the intervening three years, there have been nearly a dozen new hormone structures reported either completely or in part. At this meeting alone, there have been seven new hormone sequences described: four peptides that stimulate muscle contraction (leucokinins) (Cook et al.); one peptide that suppresses muscle contraction (leucomyosuppessin) (Holman et al.); a new hypertrehalosemic hormone (T. Hayes and Keeley) and the complete structure for one of the prothoracicotropic hormones (PTTH) of lepidoptera (Suzuki). In addition to these new hormones, other peptides were described as being near to structural definition. These include a diuretic hormone (Proux et al.), additional members of the adipokinetic-hypertrehalosemic hormone (AKH-HTH) family (Gade) and a pheromonotropic hormone (Jaffe et al.).
Demyelination Determinants in the S Gene of MHV

Demyelination is the hallmark pathologic process of several viral-induced, and inflammatory, immune-mediated diseases of the central nervous system (Allen and Bradkin 1993). Several experimental animal model systems are used to study demyelination, including MHV-induced demyelination in mice (Stohlman et al 1981; Wege et al 1982; Lavi et al 1984; Lavi et al 1984b; Lavi and Weiss 1989; Houtman et al 1996; Lavi et al 1999). Previous studies with this model suggested that the S protein and gene may be important for pathogenesis since the spike (S) protein participates in many functions related to virus-host interactions (Dalziel et al 1986). Thus we wanted to explore the possibility that the S gene contains molecular determinants of demyelination. We used targeted RNA recombination as previously described (Peng et al 1995; Leparc-Goffart et al 1998; Phillips et al 1999) to insert the S gene of a non-demyelinating virus (MHV-2) into the background of a demyelinating virus (MHV-A59). We then studied the pathogenesis of the new recombinant viruses.
On the monotone convergence of Newton`s method

New sufficient conditions for the monotone convergence of Newton's method for solving nonlinear systems of equations are given. These conditions are affine-invariant and less restrictive than the hypothesis of Baluev's theorem.
An annotated CNS transcriptome of the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana: De novo sequencing to characterize genes associated with nervous system activity.

The medicinal leech is one of the most venerated model systems for the study of fundamental nervous system principles, ranging from single-cell excitability to complex sensorimotor integration. Yet, molecular analyses have yet to be extensively applied to complement the rich history of electrophysiological study that this animal has received. Here, we generated the first de novo transcriptome assembly from the entire central nervous system of Hirudo verbana, with the goal of providing a molecular resource, as well as to lay the foundation for a comprehensive discovery of genes fundamentally important for neural function. Our assembly generated 107,704 contigs from over 900 million raw reads. Of these 107,704 contigs, 39,047 (36%) were annotated using NCBI’s validated RefSeq sequence database. From this annotated central nervous system transcriptome, we began the process of curating genes related to nervous system function by identifying and characterizing 126 unique ion channel, receptor, transporter, and enzyme contigs. Additionally, we generated sequence counts to estimate the relative abundance of each identified ion channel and receptor contig in the transcriptome through Kallisto mapping. This transcriptome will serve as a valuable community resource for studies investigating the molecular underpinnings of neural function in leech and provide a reference for comparative analyses.
Coordination is key: Joint attention and vocalisation in infant siblings of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Background Research indicates that social communicative behaviours develop atypically during the second year in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This study evaluated whether these behaviours also differed in the extent to which they were coordinated across modalities. Aims To measure joint attention behaviours (e.g., gaze shifts, gestures), vocalisations and their coordination among a cohort of infants with an older sibling with ASD (heightened risk-HR). Methods & procedures This prospective longitudinal study examined 50 HR infants at 14, 18 and 24 months. The Early Social Communication Scales (ESCS)-a structured toy-play task that assesses infant joint attention behaviour-was administered to infants at each age point in the home. Infants' joint attention behaviours, vocalisations and instances where they overlapped were coded from videos. At 36 months, nine infants received an ASD diagnosis (HR-ASD), 15 had a significant language delay (HR-LD) and 26 were classified no diagnosis (HR-ND). Outcomes & results Findings revealed that HR-ASD infants produced fewer advanced joint attention behaviours, and their vocalisations were less frequent and less advanced than HR-LD and HR-ND infants. Notably, HR-ASD infants also coordinated these behaviours together less frequently than their HR peers. Conclusions & implications Differences in the coordination of early communicative behaviours may have negative cascading effects on social and language development for infants who develop ASD. Current intervention practices may be complemented by efforts to increase the coordinated quality of communicative behaviours.
Cellular Dermatofibroma: Clinicopathologic Review of 218 Cases of Cellular Dermatofibroma to Determine the Clinical Recurrence Rate.

Background Cellular dermatofibromas, a variant of dermatofibroma, are reported to recur at rates of 26% to 50%. Objective To determine whether there are distinct clinical or histological differences between cellular dermatofibromas that recur versus those that do not. To determine recurrence rates in a real-world clinical setting. Materials and methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records and skin biopsies of cellular dermatofibroma in the University of Utah Health system between December 2011 and 2016. Clinical and dermatopathological features were evaluated to find distinct differences between the cellular dermatofibromas that recurred compared with those that did not. Results There were no significant differences in histology between the primary lesions in recurrent and nonrecurrent cases. One factor that seemed to be associated with a greater likelihood of recurrence was an initial lesion size greater than 1 cm. The authors' data suggest that if the margins are involved on initial biopsy, there is a 10% chance of recurrence. This percentage is far less than the 26% to 50% reported in the past literature. Conclusion If a patient presents with a cellular dermatofibroma larger than 1 cm and positive margins at initial biopsy, a careful discussion should be had between the provider and patient about the low risk of local recurrence.
Input shaped control of 3-dimensional maneuvers of flexible spacecraft

This paper deals with the control of three dimensional rotational maneuvers of flexible spacecraft. A spacecraft with a spherical hub and six symmetric appendages is considered here as a model. The appendages are long and flexible leading to low frequency vibration under any control action. To provide a comprehensive treatment of input shaped controllers, both open loop and closed loop controllers are considered. The minimum-time bang-bang and the near-minimum-time controller, used in conjunction with the shaped input technique are studied. In addition, a combination of a Liapunov controller with the shaped input control technique is proposed to take advantage of the simple feedback control strategy and augment it with a technique that can eliminate the vibratory motion of the flexible appendages more efficiently.