cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parallel processing by distinct classes of principal neurons in the olfactory cortex

Understanding the specific roles that different neuron types play within a neural circuit is essential for understanding what that circuit does and how it does it. The primary olfactory (piriform, PCx) cortex contains two main types of principal neurons: semilunar (SL) and pyramidal (PYR). SLs and PYRs have different morphologies, connectivity, biophysical properties, and downstream projections, predicting distinct roles in cortical odor processing. The prevailing model is that odor processing in PCx occurs in two stages, where SLs are the primary recipients of olfactory bulb (OB) input, and PYRs receive and transform information from SLs. Here we recorded from optogenetically-identified SLs and PYRs in awake, head-fixed mice. We found differences in SL and PYR odor-evoked activity that reflect their different connectivity profiles. But SL responses did not precede PYR responses and suppressing SL activity had little effect on PYR odor responses. These results suggest that SLs and PYRs form parallel odor processing channels.
Evaluation of available height, location, and patency of the ostium for sinus augmentation from an implant treatment planning perspective.

Purpose The objective of this study was to evaluate the amount of height available for a maxillary sinus augmentation procedure without blocking the ostium and jeopardizing the drainage of the ostiomeatal complex using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging. Materials and methods A total of 200 sinonasal complexes comprising 100 dentate and 100 edentulous scans were retrospectively assessed using CBCT. Invivo 5.0, a CBCT reconstruction program, was used for image evaluation. The coronal section demonstrating the ostiomeatal complex was selected as a reference view to perform measurements of the sinus. The measurements were done by 2 evaluators in separate sessions. Comparative analyses of measurements were performed between dentate and edentulous patients and between male and female patients. Results The safe height to which the sinus can be elevated without compromising the integrity of the ostiomeatal complex was calculated for each sinus. In the presence of significant mucosal thickening, the height available for augmentation was calculated by subtracting the height of mucosal thickening from the sinus floor to the location of the ostium. In this study, the available height was approximately 27.05 mm for dentate and 23.40 mm for edentulous patients. The inter-operator reliability was excellent for all the parameters evaluated. Conclusion This retrospective study with a limited number of patients from a single university-based site shows that CBCT is valuable in evaluating the location and patency of the ostium for planning sinus augmentation procedures for dental implant placement.
Additively manufactured Haynes 282: effect of unimodal vs. bimodal γʹ- microstructure on mechanical properties

Abstract This study examines the effects of lower-than-nominal heat treatment (HT) temperatures and cooling rates —possible during the treatment of larger components— on microstructure and tensile properties Haynes 282 manufactured via laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing process. Two main HT schedules, i.e., conventional treatment and its lower temperature variants were performed. The microstructural evolution at each step of the HTs was tracked and compared. It was shown that solution temperature of a wide range (1062–1146 °C) could moderately remove the as-solidified dendritic microstructure resulting in similar distribution of grain boundary (GB) carbides. In addition, the lower temperature double aging process resulted in a bimodal γ′-precipitates consisting of both nano-sized secondary γʹ- and large primary (>∼100 nm) γ′-precipitates, while the conventional aging gave rise to a unimodal γ′-precipitates with precipitates of diameter ∼60 nm. Owing to the bimodal γ′-precipitates and a similar GB carbide distribution, the low temperature HTs resulted in comparable tensile properties to the conventional HT despite having much larger γ′-precipitates. The results imply that moderate HT temperature deviations due to excessive component size, such as lower temperatures and slower heating/cooling rates, does not negatively impact the mechanical properties of L-PBF Haynes 282.
Aging and Retirement

As the population is “graying” throughout the globe, the term “retirement” is gaining importance day by day from different newer perspectives. It is probably one of the inevitable destinations of every human adult, and it regulates an intergenerational social cycle that operates the status of the economic development of a country. The transition from working life to apparent workless life controls the well-being of the concerned person remarkably economically, physically, and psychologically. However, the subtle idea of retirement should not be entangled only with the transition from pre-older adults to older adults on a specific day; instead, the transitioning is in every day, every moment, even beyond that age. In later life, all these issues have a collective and profound impact on the morbidity and life span of the individual. However, with the progression of time, today’s aging population has many more options regarding retirement planning from work that were never present before. Retirement is a milestone in an individual’s life, and this chapter discusses how everyone should feel about retirement; this is retirement from work, not from life. Finally, a relation of ageism with retirement is addressed in the context of a proposed theory, the “complementary theory of aging.”
CLAUSEREC: A Clause Recommendation Framework for AI-aided Contract Authoring.

Contracts are a common type of legal document that frequent in several day-to-day business workflows. However, there has been very limited NLP research in processing such documents, and even lesser in generating them. These contracts are made up of clauses, and the unique nature of these clauses calls for specific methods to understand and generate such documents. In this paper, we introduce the task of clause recommendation, asa first step to aid and accelerate the author-ing of contract documents. We propose a two-staged pipeline to first predict if a specific clause type is relevant to be added in a contract, and then recommend the top clauses for the given type based on the contract context. We pretrain BERT on an existing library of clauses with two additional tasks and use it for our prediction and recommendation. We experiment with classification methods and similarity-based heuristics for clause relevance prediction, and generation-based methods for clause recommendation, and evaluate the results from various methods on several clause types. We provide analyses on the results, and further outline the advantages and limitations of the various methods for this line of research.
The Impacts of Gender-Focused Social Programs at a Micro-Finance Institution: A Case Study in Ayacucho, Peru

Approved: ___________________________________________ Larry Becker Abstract The goal of this research project is to better understand the impacts and difficulties of offering gender-focused social programs through micro-lending banks. Previous research has demonstrated not only the importance of micro-lending, and the benefits of lending to women, but also the value of offering social programs specifically designed to address their needs. The project focused on the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) program, provided by FINCA-Peru, a micro-finance institution in Ayacucho, Peru. The purpose of the program was to empower women, and help them to value themselves and to plan for the future. The methodology included 57 interviews with members of FINCA-Peru who had completed the GALS training, as well as 5 interviews with leaders of the banking groups and 4 interviews with GALS program facilitators. Evaluation survey data about the program were also used. The results of the study confirm previous research showing the importance of gender-focused social programs in micro-lending institutions. Both the interview and survey responses were overwhelmingly positive. Many bank members mentioned that GALS had helped them to value themselves as women, interact and communicate with family members, and plan for the future. There were also ideas for improving the sessions, including having a bigger classroom and longer sessions.The goal of this research project is to better understand the impacts and difficulties of offering gender-focused social programs through micro-lending banks. Previous research has demonstrated not only the importance of micro-lending, and the benefits of lending to women, but also the value of offering social programs specifically designed to address their needs. The project focused on the Gender Action Learning System (GALS) program, provided by FINCA-Peru, a micro-finance institution in Ayacucho, Peru. The purpose of the program was to empower women, and help them to value themselves and to plan for the future. The methodology included 57 interviews with members of FINCA-Peru who had completed the GALS training, as well as 5 interviews with leaders of the banking groups and 4 interviews with GALS program facilitators. Evaluation survey data about the program were also used. The results of the study confirm previous research showing the importance of gender-focused social programs in micro-lending institutions. Both the interview and survey responses were overwhelmingly positive. Many bank members mentioned that GALS had helped them to value themselves as women, interact and communicate with family members, and plan for the future. There were also ideas for improving the sessions, including having a bigger classroom and longer sessions.
Feature matching for building extraction from multiple views

We present a method to generate three-dimensional building hypotheses starting from sparse features, hypothesized building corners, extracted from multiple views of the scene. This technique relies on knowledge about the imaging geometry and acquisition parameters to provide rigorous geometric constraints for the matching process. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated using complex aerial imagery taken with highly oblique views containing buildings with flat or peaked roofs. >
Is population growth a deterrent to development in the South Pacific

Some have argued that population growth deters development, while others claim that population growth either aids development or has no significant effect on development. In a sample of South Pacific nations, population growth and size were found to be unrelated to economic development, defined as GDP per capita. However, when indices of quality of life or social development such as mortality, health services and education were used, population growth and size were found to be negatively related to these indices. If these “quality of life” indices are valued by nations, an argument may exist for policy support for family planning.
The mass ratio mcmb in semi-leptonic b-decays

Abstract The calculation of the s23 mixing angle from semi-leptonic B-decay depends on the mass ratio m c m b . The energy scales at which the running masses mc and mb should be taken are determined once terms of order ( α s ( m c m b )) are taken into account. We give an analytic expression for the QCD correction to the decay rate to all orders in the ratio between on-shell masses. We explain how it should be modified when both masses are taken at a single common scale.
Progressive loss of anti-HER2 CD4+ T-helper type 1 response in breast tumorigenesis and the potential for immune restoration

Genomic profiling has identified several molecular oncodrivers in breast tumorigenesis. A thorough understanding of endogenous immune responses to these oncodrivers may provide insights into immune interventions for breast cancer (BC). We investigated systemic anti-HER2/neu CD4+ T-helper type-1 (Th1) responses in HER2-driven breast tumorigenesis. A highly significant stepwise Th1 response loss extending from healthy donors (HD), through HER2pos-DCIS, and ultimately to early stage HER2pos-invasive BC patients was detected by IFNγ ELISPOT. The anti-HER2 Th1 deficit was not attributable to host-level T-cell anergy, loss of immune competence, or increase in immunosuppressive phenotypes (Treg/MDSCs), but rather associated with a functional shift in IFNγ:IL-10-producing phenotypes. HER2high, but not HER2low, BC cells expressing IFNγ/TNF-α receptors were susceptible to Th1 cytokine-mediated apoptosis in vitro, which could be significantly rescued by neutralizing IFNγ and TNF-α, suggesting that abrogation of HER2-specific Th1 may reflect a mechanism of immune evasion in HER2-driven tumorigenesis. While largely unaffected by cytotoxic or HER2-targeted (trastuzumab) therapies, depressed Th1 responses in HER2pos-BC patients were significantly restored following HER2-pulsed dendritic cell (DC) vaccinations, suggesting that this Th1 defect is not "fixed" and can be corrected by immunologic interventions. Importantly, preserved anti-HER2 Th1 responses were associated with pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant trastuzumab/chemotherapy, while depressed responses were observed in patients incurring locoregional/systemic recurrence following trastuzumab/chemotherapy. Monitoring anti-HER2 Th1 reactivity following HER2-directed therapies may identify vulnerable subgroups at risk of clinicopathologic failure. In such patients, combinations of existing HER2-targeted therapies with strategies to boost anti-HER2 CD4+ Th1 immunity may decrease the risk of recurrence and thus warrant further investigation.
Exploring the mechanics of endothelial cells one cell at a time

Summary form only given. Research during the past 20 years on the biology of the vascular wall, and the endothelial layer lining the major arteries in particular, has been dominated by measurements and theories that treat the layer as being homogeneous. This is not the case, and more recent measurements have shown that the behavior of individual cells can differ markedly from the mean. In this address, I will review some of the new results that provide information at the level of individual cells and suggest how these differences between cells can provide clues regarding the biophysical processes that are at work.
The Complexities of "Hate"

Debate concerning the validity and proper scope of "hate crime" laws has intensified as Congress and several state legislatures consider expanding or enacting such laws in the wake of several brutal, highly publicized incidents of bias-motivated violence. In this Article, Professor Wang points out that supporters and critics of hate crimes laws approach the controversy from a common starting point: their shared assumptions concerning the nature of the motivations that propel hate crimes. These conventional assumptions center on a narrow "prototype" of perpetrators as hard-core, animus-driven individuals whose violent acts are deviant, irrational, and intended solely to inflict harm on a member of the "target" group. This Article challenges these widely held assumptions. Searching beyond the caricatured portrayal of perpetrators' motivations painted by the conventional assumptions, it examines the historical and social science literature on the motivations behind two "classic" forms of hate crime: racial violence during this country's "lynching era" (1880-1930) and anti-gay violence today. That literature provides a fuller, more complex picture of the motivations that animate apparent "hate" crimes, revealing that social context plays a far greater role in inspiring such crimes than has commonly been recognized and that perpetrators often are more opportunistic and "rational" than "hate-driven."
Jeffrey B. Graham 26 November 1941 – 8 December 2011

![Fig. 1.][1] Fig. 1. Graduate student William Lowell (left) and Jeff Graham conducting an experiment on a leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata , in a swimming tunnel respirometer (one version of the ElasmoTunaTron) at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, circa 1980. Photo from Scripps
Phakic retinal detachments in the elderly.

PURPOSE To discover if clinical nontraumatic phakic retinal detachments in the elderly possess characteristics that distinguish them from similar cases in younger persons. METHODS A retrospective study of 100 consecutive cases in patients aged 70 years and older was performed. Recorded data included patient age and sex, type and location of retinal break, extent of detachment, and associated vitreoretinal pathology. RESULTS Approximately 90% of retinal breaks were horseshoe tears, and the majority were located in the superior temporal quadrant. Horseshoe tears confined to the posterior margin of the vitreous base were responsible for retinal detachments in 30% of cases, and an additional 36% of breaks were located anterior to the equator. CONCLUSION The incidence of this type of anterior break is higher than that previously described for phakic retinal detachments, although previous studies have not discussed break types as a function of old age. Anterior horseshoe tears, which cause many phakic retinal detachments in the elderly, may not be caused by acute posterior vitreous detachment, but rather to persistent chronic traction on the vitreous base after posterior vitreous detachment.
A support vector machine for terrain classification in on-demand deployments of wireless sensor networks

Terrain characteristics can significantly alter the quality of the results provided by the deployment methodology of large-scale wireless sensor networks. For example, transmissions between nodes that are heavily obstructed will require additional transmission power to establish connection between nodes. In some cases, heavily obstructed areas may prevent nodes from establishing a connection at all. Therefore, terrain analysis and classification of specific deployment areas should be incorporated in the methodology process for evaluation and optimization of the performance of wireless sensor networks upon deployment. Although there exists radio frequency (RF) models capable of modeling obstructions, such as vegetation, foliage, etc., automatic assignment of parameter values for these models may be troublesome, specifically in highly irregular deployments terrains, where proximity of poor and optimal conditions for signal propagation may be adjacent to each other. In these situations, parameter estimation for modeling terrain obstruction may result in overly optimistic or pessimistic results, causing characterizations or predictions that deviate from the true performance of the WSN once deployed. This paper presents the results of employing a support vector machine for automatic terrain classification. The approach can be used to automatically determine areas of high obstruction, which is essential to estimate obstruction parameters in simulations and enhancing the overall decision-making process during pre-deployment of large-scale and irregular deployment terrains.
AN ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL CONSUMPTION FUNCTIONS

Abstract : Consumption functions form a major component of modern macroeconomic theory. The considerable amount of econometric evidence that has been accumulated since the 1930's has generally been interpreted as showing a significant relationship between national income and aggregate consumption. Frequently, classical tests of significance have been applied to the results obtained from the estimation of aggregate consumption functions. However, it seems unlikely that the assumptions underlying these classical tests are satisfied by the economic time series which have been used in these studies. This paper is concerned with more robust ways of examining the significance of such correlation and regression studies.
Early Growing Season Flooding Influence on Seedlings of Three Common Bottomland Hardwood Species in Western Tennessee

Abstract Understanding relative flood tolerance of hardwood bottomland seedlings is fundamental to restoring floodplain ecosystems. Thus, we quantified the effects of three early growing season flo...
Urocortin 1 microinjection into the mouse lateral septum regulates the acquisition and expression of alcohol consumption.

Abstract Previous studies using genetic and lesion approaches have shown that the neuropeptide urocortin 1 (Ucn1) is involved in regulating alcohol consumption. Ucn1 is a corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) –like peptide that binds CRF1 and CRF2 receptors. Perioculomotor urocortin-containing neurons (pIIIu), also known as the non-preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus, are the major source of Ucn1 in the brain and are known to innervate the lateral septum. Thus, the present study tested whether Ucn1 could regulate alcohol consumption through the lateral septum. In a series of experiments Ucn1 or CRF was bilaterally injected at various doses into the lateral septum of male C57BL/6J mice. Consumption of 20% volume/volume ethanol or water was tested immediately after the injections using a modification of a 2-h limited access sweetener-free “drinking-in-the-dark” procedure. Ucn1 significantly suppressed ethanol consumption when administered prior to the third ethanol drinking session (the expression phase of ethanol drinking) at doses as low as 6 pmol. Ethanol intake was differentially sensitive to Ucn1, as equivalent doses of this peptide did not suppress water consumption. In contrast, CRF suppressed both ethanol and water intake at 40 and 60 pmol, but not at lower doses. Repeated administration of Ucn1 during the acquisition of alcohol consumption showed that 40 pmol (but not 2 or 0.1 pmol) significantly attenuated ethanol intake. Repeated administration of Ucn1 also resulted in a decrease of ethanol intake in sham-injected animals, a finding suggesting that the suppressive effect of Ucn1 on ethanol intake can be conditioned. Taken together, these studies confirm the importance of lateral septum innervation by Ucn1 in the regulation of alcohol consumption.
Numerical study of geometrical frustration in a planar soft-hard magnetic system

We computationally study the frustrated macroscopic magnetic configurations of a thin soft-magnetic layer on top of a hard magnet geometrically patterned as three equidistant disks. The interplay between competing exchange, magnetostatic, and Zeeman interactions, enhanced by the geometric constraints, results in rich magnetization configurations when an external magnetic field is rotated around the sample. We identify four successive ranges of the external field magnitude in each of which the system exhibits unique energetics and chooses different sets of energy minima during the rotation of the external magnetic field. The system can be used as a ternary logic storage device, with read and write operations achieved by utilizing the unique behavior of the system in each of the four regimes.
Optimizing the mass transport phenomenon around micro-electrodes of an enzymatic biofuel cell inside a blood artery via finite element analysis method

Two different orientations of an enzymatic biofuel cell (EBFC) chip, involving highly dense and three-dimensional cylindrical micro-electrodes arrays, have been studied with the finite element method. Mass transport phenomenon around the micro-electrodes of an EBFC chip inside a blood artery has been simulated. The stability of the chip to its position and blood flow pattern surrounding it are also investigated. The comparison between horizontal position (HP) and vertical position (VP) reveals that the chip can be more stable in VP rather than in HP. In VP, the diffusive flux and convective flux values are bigger compared to HP, but both these fluxes are non-uniform around all electrodes in both the positions. In addition to that in case of HP, the electrodes located at different positions on a chip receive different amount of glucose. A novel designed chip with holes through the substrate has enhanced the diffusive and convective flux in the HP of a chip and also all micro-electrodes on a chip receives similar amount of glucose uniformly throughout from the top to the bottom.
Source of bursty radio emissions from Uranus

The distribution of energetic electrons on the auroral field lines in the magnetosphere of Uranus can develop large anisotropies and a large loss cone. These, in turn, can lead to large-amplitude whistler waves and upper-hybrid waves. Nonlinear currents caused by interaction between these waves can produce radio emissions that are in good agreement with the bursty Uranian kilometric radiation observed by Voyager 2.
Amphibian use of man-made pools on clear-cuts in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, USA

Timber harvesting can alter habitats of forest-dwelling species and these alterations can be highly detrimental to species such as amphibians that are intimately associated with habitat temperature and moisture regimes. Consequently, information on conservation practices that can reduce impacts on these species can be useful to prevent local extinctions. Twenty-two of 40 pools constructed by the Fernow Experimental Station, USDA Northern Research Station, Parsons, West Virginia in 1993 on primitive haul roads in two clearcut areas on McGowan Mountain, Tucker County, WV were monitored for 3 years to determine their potential use by anurans. Monthly samples (April through September) of water chemistry and amphibian captures were taken to evaluate amphibian use of these pools. Anurans that used the pools to breed were Bufo americanus americanus, Rana sylvatica, Psuedacris brachyphona, and Hyla chrysoscelis. Desmognathus ochrophaeus and Gyrinophilus porphyriticus porphyriticus were also found in ponds but no evidence of breeding was discovered. By 1994, 14 of the 22 pools that held water were used by anurans for reproduction. Species richness of anurans that bred in pools was primarily dependent on pond depth. Man-made small but deep ponds placed carefully such that their hydroperiods are long enough for larvae to complete development (i.e., near seepages) provides breeding habitat for some frogs species, as well as refugia for non-breeding frogs and salamanders in clear-cut areas. Pools constructed at strategic locations on primitive roads have the potential to reduce adverse impacts of timber harvesting on some amphibian populations.
Reducing morbidity and mortality in incident hemodialysis patients with an early intervention program.

Reducing morbidity and mortality in incident hemodialysis patients with an early intervention program
On the mechanisms and behavior of coal syngas transport and reaction within the anode of a solid oxide fuel cell

It is expected that in future years high temperature fuel cells will be coupled with coal gasification technology to produce electric power, as well as other valuable commercial products. Numerous technical investigations have already shown the feasibility of such systems at the system level as well as in the details of fuel cell operation. This paper focuses on the operation of an anode comprised of conventional solid oxide fuel cell anode materials (Ni/YSZ cermets) when operating on coal syngas. A model is presented for the transport of gases through the anode, as well as gas specie reactions within the anode consisting of methane reforming and water-gas shift. The model is validated by making comparisons to data and other models from the literature. The model is then employed to analyze transport performance within the anode over operating pressures between 1 and 15 atm. Results show the pressure effects on specie profiles, diffusion losses, and cell heating. Specifically, there is a maximum pressure (8 atm) under which hydrogen is produced by the methane-steam reaction; operating at higher pressure will produce methane. In addition, the concentration overpotential decreases as pressure increases from 1 to 5 atm after which it again increases. Finally, the model predicts a significant amount of heating due to the net reforming and water-gas shift reactions that should be considered by developers of these future systems.
A novel dynamic model to predict abnormal oxygen desaturations in blood

This paper presents a novel approach for modeling and predicting the dynamics of blood oxygenation signals (SpO 2 ). A performance metric based on a dynamically adjusted threshold is optimized to fit the SpO 2 predictive model by maximizing its ability to predict abnormal desaturation events. While we use a predictive model structure that is discrete time autoregressive, we formulate fitting this model structure as a mixed integer programming problem (MIP) and we optimize the models to maximize multi-step ahead predictions of abnormal events. Our results show that the proposed model is better able to capture the dynamic behavior for abnormal changes of SpO 2 compared to standard autoregressive models. This study provides a starting point for further needed investigation in prediction of physiological systems behavior.
The Quick Response Management System: Structure and Components for the Apparel Industry

Pressures from low-cost, global sources change the competitive position of industries in high cost arenas. For these high cost companies in the textile, apparel, and other consumer products industries, the time-based strategy of Quick Response (QR) has been proposed as a manufacturing management system to create a new advantage. This system has been discussed by trade associations, consultants, and individual companies, but a need exists for comprehensive and generic study. This paper examines the definition and organization of the QR management system as implemented by a variety of apparel manufacturers. Three hypotheses were tested using results from a mailed survey to apparel company plant managers. Indications are that QR is more than an inventory system or a rapid delivery system. Strong support was found for the proposal that QR can be defined by a set of five component technologies. The results verify the definition of this management system and can aid manufacturers in many industries in the selec...
Evidence for involvement of Bax and p53, but not caspases, in radiation‐induced cell death of cultured postnatal hippocampal neurons

Bax (a death-promoting member of the bcl-2 gene family), the tumor suppressor gene product p53, and the ICE/ced-3-related proteases (caspases) have all been implicated in programmed cell death in a wide variety of cell types. However, their roles in radiation-induced neuronal cell death are poorly understood. In order to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying radiation-induced neuronal cell death, we have examined the ability of ionizing radiation to induce cell death in primary cultured hippocampal neurons obtained from wild-type, p53-deficient and Bax-deficient newborn mice. Survival in neuronal cultures derived from wild-type mice decreased in a dose-dependent manner 24 hr after a single 10 Gy to 30 Gy dose of ionizing radiation. In contrast, neuronal survival in irradiated cultures derived from p53-deficient or Bax-deficient mice was equivalent to that observed in control, nonirradiated cultures. Western blot analyses indicated that neuronal p53 protein levels increased after irradiation in wild-type cells. However, Bax protein levels did not change, indicating that other mechanisms exist for regulating Bax activity. Adenovirus-mediated overexpression of p53 also caused neuronal cell death without increasing Bax protein levels. Irradiation resulted in a significant induction in caspase activity, as measured by increased cleavage of fluorogenic caspase substrates. However, specific inhibitors of caspase activity (zVAD-fmk, zDEVD-fmk and BAF) failed to protect postnatal hippocampal neurons from radiation-induced cell death. Staurosporine (a potent inducer of apoptosis in many cell types) effectively induced neuronal cell death in wild-type, p53-deficient and Bax-deficient hippocampal neurons, indicating that all were competent to undergo programmed cell death. These results demonstrate that both p53 and Bax are necessary for radiation-induced cell death in postnatal cultured hippocampal neurons. The fact that cell death occurred despite caspase inhibition suggests that radiation-induced neuronal cell death may occur in a caspase-independent manner.
Changes in structural integrity of heart DNA from aging mice

Abstract The state of the structural integrity of the DNA from mouse myocardial cells has been investigated by utilizing both CsCl density gradient sedimentation and digestion by S1 endonuclease from Aspergillus orzae . The DNA from myocardial cells of young mice sedimented in a narrow peak at the expected density of 1.701 g/cm3, while the DNA from the heart cells of senescent mice became broadly distributed in CsCl gradients, banding even more multimodally in alkaline sucrose gradients. This mode of sedimentation indicates that old mouse DNA becomes partially fragmented. When the native DNA of myocardial cells from 6, 20 and 30 month old mice was treated with single-strand specific S1 endonuclease, it was the DNA from the senescent mice that showed a progressive increase in sensitivity to digestion by the enzyme. The results indicate that the heart DNA of aging mice develops single-stranded gaps in addition to a breakdown into differently sized fragments.
Review: In older patients without CVD, statins reduce MI and stroke but not all-cause mortality

Source Citation Savarese G, Gotto AM Jr, Paolillo S, et al. Benefits of statins in elderly subjects without established cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2013;62:2090-9. 2...
Wavelet-based partial volume effect correction for simultaneous MR/PET of the carotid arteries

Simultaneous MR/PET scanners allow for the exploration and development of novel PVE correction techniques without the challenges of coregistration of MR and PET. The development of a wavelet-based PVE correction method, to improve PET quantification, has proven successful in brain PET.2 We report here the first attempt to apply these methods to simultaneous MR/PET imaging of the carotid arteries. The American College of Radiology (ACR) phantom was injected with 18F-FDG for a lesion to background ratio of 2.5. As per ACR protocol, hot cylinders (“lesions”) were injected with 30.71MBq and the phantom background was injected with 12.95MBq. The ACR phantom was then scanned on the Siemens mCT and Siemens Biograph mMR. One patient was injected with 446.6MBq of 18F-FDG and scanned after a circulation time of 90 minutes on the Siemens Biograph mMR. The MR/PET acquisition consisted of the system standard Dixon attenuation correction sequence. Wavelet-based PVE correction was performed to incorporate high frequency wavelet information from MR images into PET images to improve resolution. Qualitative and quantitative uptake parameters where measured to assess the efficacy of the method used. Qualitative comparisons in the ACR phantom and a patient without and with wavelet-based PVE correction demonstrated slight improvement in image quality. Line profiles drawn through the 8mm cylinder and 25mm cylinder and demonstrated an improvement of quantification in the wavelet-based PVE corrected PET image compared to the non-corrected PET image. Standard deviation of SUV before and after PVE correction in the left and right carotid arteries was decreased demonstrating partial volume effect correction. The technique applied here demonstrated an improvement in both resolution and quantification in the phantom and the patient. These results demonstrate the feasibility of wavelet-based PVE correction to provide improved quantification for MR/PET in the carotid arteries.
Epitaxial Growth and Characterization of the Ordered Vacancy Compound CuIn3Se5 on GaAs (100) Fabricated by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Epitaxial growth of the ordered vacancy compound (OVC) CuIn3Se5 has been achieved on GaAs (100) by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) from Cu2Se and In2Se3 sources. Electron probe microanalysis and X-ray diffraction have confirmed the composition for the 1-3-5 OVC phase and that the film is single crystal Culn3Se5 (100). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization of the material also showed it to be single crystalline. Structural defects in the layer consisted mainly of stacking faults. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements performed at 7.5 K indicate that the bandgap is 1.28 eV. Raman spectra reveal a strong polarized peak at 152 cm−1, which is believed to arise from the totally symmetric vibration of the Se atoms in the lattice. Atomic force microscopy reveals faceting in a preferred (100) orientation.
INDEPENDENT DETERMINATION OF SUPERCOLLISION ENERGY LOSS MAGNITUDES AND RATES IN HIGHLY VIBRATIONALLY EXCITED PYRAZINE WITH EVIB = 36000-41000 CM-1

We report results of the first state-resolved study of large ΔE energy transfer resulting from collisions of highly excited pyrazine with initial vibrational energies of 36000−41000 cm-1. We have used transient infrared absorption spectroscopy to monitor the rotational and translational energy gain in a CO2 bath at short times following collisions with highly excited pyrazine. We have measured nascent distributions of high-energy rotational states, J = 56−84, for CO2 in its ground vibrationless (0000) state, the translational energy gain associated with these excited rotational states, and state-resolved rate constants for excitation of the high-energy bath states. Our results show that for the CO2 rotational states investigated, the nascent rotational distributions and translational energies change very little for a 13% change in pyrazine energy. In contrast, the rate constants for these events are strongly influenced by the donor internal energy content and increase by an order of magnitude for a 5000 c...
Stiff person syndrome: a case report.

Abstract The case report features a patient who had a diagnosis of a common type of breast cancer with an uncommon neurologic syndrome. She had extreme pain and progressive stiffness with cognitive and functional decline. This article includes the pathogenesis and treatment options for a rare, but treatable, autoimmune disorder of malignancy called stiff person syndrome.
Reluctant Ally: United States Foreign Policy Toward the Jews from Wilson to Roosevelt

Introduction Woodrow Wilson During the "Great War" Woodrow Wilson and the "King Crane Commission" to the Near East Woodrow Wilson and the "Minorities Treaties" Charles R. Crane's Crusade for the Arabs, 1919-1939 The Onset of the Hitlerian Period, 1933-1941 American Diplomacy Toward the Jews During the Hitlerian Period Afterword: America's Response to the Holocaust--A Controversy Bibliography Index
Precision and performance of polysilicon micromirrors for hybrid integrated optics

We have designed and built integrated, movable micromirrors for on-chip alignment in silicon- optical-bench technology. The mirrors are fabricated using surface micromachining with three polysilicon layers. A polysilicon-hinge technology was used to achieve the required vertical dimensions and functionality for alignment in hybrid photonic integrated circuits. The positioning accuracy of the mirrors is measured to be on the order of 0.2 micrometers . This precision is shown theoretically and experimentally to be sufficient for laser-to-fiber coupling. In the experimental verification, we used external actuators to position the micromirror and obtained 45% coupling efficiency from a semiconductor laser (operating at 1.3 micrometers ) to a standard single-mode optical fiber. The stability and robustness of the micromirrors were demonstrated in shock and vibration tests that showed that the micromirrors will withstand normal handling and operation without the need for welding or gluing. This micromirror technology combines the low-cost advantage of passive alignment and the accuracy of active alignment. In addition to optoelectronic packaging, the micromirrors can be expected to find applications in grating-tuned external-cavity lasers, scanning lasers, and interferometers.
Use of genetic markers to certify fetal origin of cultured amniotic fluid cells

Phenotypes of five polymorphic enzymes: red cell acid phosphatase, phosphoglucomutase, esterase D, adenosine deaminase, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase were determined in extracts of 24 amniotic fluid cell cultures and in the corresponding maternal red cells. Twenty-one of the 24 fetus/mother pairs can be distinguished by at least one of the markers. Thus, polymorphic enzyme markers may be useful in affirmation of fetal origin of cultured cells and to avoid possible diagnostic errors.
The human engineering task area

The human engineering area of the STARS program is focused primarily on the end users of US DoD computer systems and on the personnel involved in the development and operational support of these systems. The objective is to ensure the development of systems that are highly usable by these two groups. The issues, however, are identical to those arising in the development of commercial products as well. This article discusses several key issues related to the human engineering of computer systems and recommends several general types of activities to help ensure the design of highly usable systems.
Radiotherapy and extent of surgical resection in retroperitoneal soft‐tissue sarcoma: Multi‐institutional analysis of 261 patients

Background and Objective To examine the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) and surgical technique on survival in retroperitoneal soft-tissue sarcoma. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using the National Oncology Database, a proprietary database of aggregated tumor registries owned by IMPAC® Medical Systems (Sunnyvale, CA). Patients who received definitive surgery with negative or microscopic-positive margins were included. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method and were compared for statistical significance (P < 0.05) using the log-rank test. Results Two hundred sixty-one patients met inclusion criteria. The median follow-up was 59 months (range 0.2–186 months). The 5-year cause-specific survival (CSS) and local failure-free survival (LFFS) were 73% and 66%, respectively. Grade, margin status, and histology were independent predictors for CSS (P < 0.05). Adjuvant RT was associated with a significant improvement in LFFS over surgery alone (hazard ratio = 0.42, 95% confidence interval 0.21–0.86, P < 0.05). Patients receiving simple excision and RT had a 5-year LFFS of 88%, significantly higher than wide resection with or without RT (log-rank, P < 0.05). Conclusion Adjuvant RT is associated with a lower risk of local relapse compared to surgery alone. The impact of surgical technique on adjuvant RT efficacy warrants further study. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010; 101:345–350. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Gfi-1 restricts proliferation and preserves functional integrity of haematopoietic stem cells.

Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) sustain blood production throughout life. HSCs are capable of extensive proliferative expansion, as a single HSC may reconstitute lethally irradiated hosts1. In steady-state, HSCs remain largely quiescent and self-renew at a constant low rate, forestalling their exhaustion during adult life2,3. Whereas nuclear regulatory factors promoting proliferative programmes of HSCs in vivo and ex vivo have been identified4,5,6, transcription factors restricting their cycling have remained elusive. Here we report that the zinc-finger repressor Gfi-1 (growth factor independent 1), a cooperating oncogene in lymphoid cells7,8, unexpectedly restricts proliferation of HSCs. After loss of Gfi-1, HSCs display elevated proliferation rates as assessed by 5-bromodeoxyuridine incorporation and cell-cycle analysis. Gfi-1-/- HSCs are functionally compromised in competitive repopulation and serial transplantation assays, and are rapidly out-competed in the bone marrow of mouse chimaeras generated with Gfi-1-/- embryonic stem cells. Thus, Gfi-1 is essential to restrict HSC proliferation and to preserve HSC functional integrity.
Trends in gestational choriocarcinoma: a 27-year perspective.

Abstract Objective To evaluate trends in incidence and survival rates for gestational choriocarcinoma with the use of population-based data. Methods Overall and 5-year average age-adjusted incidence rates were computed with the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program public-use database. Differences by age at diagnosis, race, stage, registry, and over calendar time were compared by Poisson regression, and survival censored for deaths other than choriocarcinoma by log-rank tests and Cox's proportional hazard ratios. Results Between 1973 and 1999, 450 cases were recorded. The annualized age-adjusted incidence rate for choriocarcinoma was 0.133 per 100,000 woman-years and decreased by 49.7% (2.8% per year). By race (whites, blacks, and others), incidence rates declined by 62.3%, 27.2%, and 54.3%, respectively. In the Poisson model evaluating incidence rates, age, race, registry, and stage were significant main effects. Compared with whites, the relative risk was higher for blacks (2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.60, 2.86) and others (2.30, 95% CI 1.67, 3.18). Rates were highest in Utah and lowest in Iowa. By age at diagnosis, rates were higher in 20–39-year-olds. The 5-year relative survival rate was 89.5%. Censored survival was significantly lower among blacks (whites 92.4%, blacks 84.9%, others 87.1%, P = .045), for advanced disease (localized 94.5%, regional 92.9%, distant 87.1%, P = .02), and with increasing age at diagnosis (P = .017). Age and calendar time significantly influenced censored survival independent of stage and registry. Conclusion Gestational choriocarcinoma incidence rates have declined and survivals have improved, but blacks continue to have higher incidence and lower survival rates.
Homocysteine and Redox Signaling

Homocysteine is a thiol-containing amino acid that has gained notoriety because its elevation in the plasma is correlated with complex and multifactorial diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and neural tube defects. Homocysteine is redox-active, and its toxic effects have been frequently attributed to direct or indirect perturbation of redox homeostasis. Although the literature on the pathophysiology of elevated homocysteine is rather extensive, a very wide range of concentrations of this amino acid has been used in these studies ranging from normal to pathophysiological to unphysiological. It is clear that homocysteine induces varied responses that are specific to cell type and that cells, depending on their origin, display a wide range of sensitivity to homocysteine. In this review, we focus on the redox signaling pathways that have been connected to homocysteine in vascular (endothelial and smooth muscle) cells and in neuronal cells. We also discuss redox regulation ...
The Paths to Specific vs Nonspecific Sequence Recognition

Our understanding of both nonspecific and specific protein-DNA interaction mechanisms raise questions related to the nature of the transient encounter states, and the structural and energetic features of the protein-DNA binding process. Here we have used the nuclease domain of colicin E7 (N-ColE7) from E. coli to complex with a 12-bp DNA as the model system to draw a picture of how a protein approaches, encounters and associates with DNA. Multiscale studies using Molecular Dynamics (MD) and Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations were performed to provide the binding process on multiple length and timescales. We characterize the encounter states and identify the spatial and orientational aspects required for the association by BD simulations. At the atomic length-scales, we investigated the binding process by MD simulations. Several intermediate binding states, which have different positions and orientations of protein around DNA in the initial structures are postulated from the MD trajectories. The results facilitate better understanding of sequence-independent protein-DNA binding landscapes and suggest pathways with favorable intermediate binding states common to both specific and nonspecific complexes.
Viscoelastic stagnation point flow in a wake

We investigate stagnation point flow of an Oldroyd B fluid away from a wall. For the axisymmetric case, an exact solution exists which has a quadratic velocity profile. For the planar case, the velocity is quadratic near the stagnation point, but grows exponentially at infinity.