cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Port Site Metastases.

Abstract Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is a deadly gynecologic malignancy, but animal models for the study of EOC pathophysiology and drug efficacy are limited. Based on the finding that women with EOC are at risk for metastasis at a trocar site after laparoscopy, we developed a syngeneic murine model of port-site metastasis of EOC. We leveraged the ID8 murine EOC cell line to induce intra-peritoneal tumors in mice. Once durable intraperitoneal tumor was confirmed with bioluminescence imaging, intra-abdominal wall tumors were induced by abdominal wall puncture with a hollow bore needle. This resulted in a robust system in which C57BL/6 mice developed metastatic deposits at a rate of 66.7% ± 10.77; no intra-abdominal wall metastases were seen in control samples (P = .0003, CI 41.16–90.84). Immunodeficient NOD SCID gamma mice developed puncture site metastases in 70% ± 10.0 of mice and also had no metastases documented in control sites (P = .002, CI 42.24–97.76). In addition we were able to demonstrate the presence of immune infiltrates within the metastatic deposits of C57BL/6 mice via IHC. Therefore, in this study we demonstrate the predictable development of invasive abdominal wall metastases in a syngeneic mouse model of EOC. This model enables studies of the metastatic process and provides a novel system in which to test the effect of therapies on a clinically-relevant model in an immune competent mouse.
VelocityGAN: Subsurface Velocity Image Estimation Using Conditional Adversarial Networks

Acoustic-and elastic-waveform inversion is an important and widely used method to reconstruct subsurface velocity image. Waveform inversion is a typical non-linear and ill-posed inverse problem. Existing physics-driven computational methods for solving waveform inversion suffer from the cycle skipping and local minima issues, and not to mention solving waveform inversion is computationally expensive. In this paper, we developed a real-time datadriven technique, VelocityGAN, to accurately reconstruct subsurface velocities. Our VelocityGAN is an end-to-end framework which can generate high-quality velocity images directly from the raw seismic waveform data. A series of experiments are conducted on the synthetic seismic reflection data to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of VelocityGAN. We not only compare it with existing physics-driven approaches but also choose some deep learning frameworks as our data-driven baselines. The experiment results show that VelocityGAN outperforms the physics-driven waveform inversion methods and achieves the state-of-the-art performance among data-driven baselines.
An Intermittent Learning Algorithm for High-Speed Autonomous Driving in Unknown Environments

An intermittent, model-free optimal control algorithm that enables an autonomous vehicle to track a non-predetermined trajectory at high speed is presented. The approach is bandwidth and energy efficient in that communication between actuators is limited to instances when it is needed rather than performing unnecessary periodic updates. We formulate the problem by properly augmenting the system and reference (trajectory) data, and then designing a triggering mechanism for the controller to work with a sampled version of the augmented states at some triggering instants. In order to obtain a model-free solution, we leverage a Q-learning framework with a zero-order hold actor network and a critic network to approximate the optimal intermittent controller and the optimal cost, respectively, resulting in appropriate tuning laws. Finally, we provide a numerical example of an ground vehicle driving autonomously at high-speed on a race track.
Epidermal Growth Factor Mediated Signal Transduction in Rat Hepatocytes

Treatment of rat hepatocytes with epidermal growth factor (EGF) produced an enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of the EGF receptor and phospholipase C-γ (PLC-γ) in conjunction with the mobilization of Ca2+. Approximately 30% of the total PLC-γ was tyrosine phosphorylated with a maximum being reached after 30s of incubation with EGF. Pretreatment of the rats with pertussis toxin prior to isolation of the hepatocytes blocked EGF-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLC-γ and Ca2+ mobilization but had no effect on autophosphorylation of the EGF receptor or Ca2+ responses elicited by angiotensin II or phenylephrine. Under these conditions Gi-protein α subunits were fully ADP-ribosylated. Antibodies specific to PLC-γ coimmunoprecipitated phosphorylated proteins with molecular masses of 190kDa, 96kDa, 47kDa and 25kDa but not the EGF receptor. A 41kDa Gi-protein α subunit was found to be present in the anti-PLC-γ immune complex as shown by in vitro ADP-ribosylation using [32P]NAD+ and activated pertussis toxin. Antibodies specific for the EGF receptor also coimmunoprecipitated a Gi-protein α subunit. Treatment of hepatocytes with EGF caused a decrease in the amount of Gi-protein α subunit associated with the EGF receptor and an increase in its association with PLC-γ. These results indicate that a pertussis toxin-sensitive Gi-protein is intimately involved in the signal transduction pathway mediating EGF-induced activation of PLC-γ and Ca2+ mobilization in hepatocytes.
FADS genetic and metabolomic analyses identify the ∆5 desaturase (FADS1) step as a critical control point in the formation of biologically important lipids.

Humans have undergone intense evolutionary selection to optimize their capacity to generate necessary quantities of long chain (LC-) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing lipids. To better understand the impact of genetic variation within a locus of three FADS genes (FADS1, FADS2, and FADS3) on a diverse family of lipids, we examined the associations of 247 lipid metabolites (including four major classes of LC-PUFA-containing molecules and signaling molecules) with common and low-frequency genetic variants located within the FADS locus. Genetic variation in the FADS locus was strongly associated (p < 1.2 × 10-8) with 52 LC-PUFA-containing lipids and signaling molecules, including free fatty acids, phospholipids, lyso-phospholipids, and an endocannabinoid. Notably, the majority (80%) of FADS-associated lipids were not significantly associated with genetic variants outside of this FADS locus. These findings highlight the central role genetic variation at the FADS locus plays in regulating levels of physiologically critical LC-PUFA-containing lipids that participate in innate immunity, energy homeostasis, and brain development/function.
Disorders of the adrenal gland

Abstract The adrenal gland produces glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, sex hormones, and catecholamines. Deficiency or excess of any of these hormones results in clinical disease. Aldosterone, a mineralocorticoid that regulates sodium and water balance, is produced in the outermost of three layers that comprise the adrenal cortex, the zona glomerulosa. Cortisol, a glucocorticoid that regulates numerous metabolic processes, is produced in the middle layer of the adrenal cortex, the zona fasciculata. The innermost layer of the adrenal cortex, the zona reticularis, is primarily responsible for synthesizing and secreting androgenic steroid hormones that regulate sexual development. The central region of the adrenal gland, the medulla, produces catecholamines, which stimulate the sympathetic nervous system.
Enhancing emulsion functionality using multilayer technology: Coating lipid droplets with saponin-polypeptide-polysaccharide layers by electrostatic deposition.

Abstract Electrically charged food-grade biopolymers can be used to form multilayer coatings around the lipid droplets in oil-in-water emulsions using a sequential layer-by-layer electrostatic deposition approach. In principle, this approach can be used to improve the stability and enhance the functionality of food emulsions. In this study, multilayer coatings were formed from saponins, polypeptides, and polysaccharides using medium chain triglyceride (MCT) lipid droplets as templates (pH 4.0). First, an emulsion containing negatively charged lipid droplets was created using quillaja saponin (QS) as an anionic emulsifier. Second, these anionic droplets were coated with a cationic polypeptide (poly-L-lysine, PLL) to form positively-charged droplets. Finally, these cationic droplets were coated with a negatively-charged polysaccharide, either pectin (PE) or κ-carrageenan (KC), to form anionic droplets. Overall, the 1-layer emulsions had the best resistance to salt, pH, and heat, indicating that quillaja saponins were effective emulsifiers. The 2-layer emulsions had better pH-stability than the 3-layer emulsions, which tended to strongly aggregate under acidic conditions. Conversely, the 3-layer emulsions had better salt-stability than the 2-layer emulsions, which tended to aggregate strongly even at low salt levels (50–100 mM NaCl). All the emulsions were relatively stable to heating (90 °C, 30 min). Overall, our results provide useful insights into the formulation of stable multilayer emulsions from food-grade emulsifiers and biopolymers. There appears to be little advantage to using the multilayer technology to enhance the physical stability of saponin-coated lipid droplets, but there may be advantages in terms of extending their functional properties, which will be explored in future studies.
Over Four Decades of Life with Dialysis: A Tale of Self-Empowerment

A young patient with progressive kidney disease may be best served with successful long-term kidney transplantation when kidney failure develops. Should a living donor transplant be unavailable and the wait for a deceased donor transplant prolonged, a strategic dialysis plan must then be developed
Challenges for Rural Native American Students With Disabilities During COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic unexpectedly changed almost all aspects of people’s everyday lives. This included new challenges in the education of Native American students with disabilities who live in rur...
The Discretion That Matters: Federal Immigration Enforcement, State and Local Arrests, and the Civil-Criminal Line

This Article starts by analyzing the conventional wisdom, crystallized in the Ninth Circuit’s 1983 decision in Gonzales v. City of Peoria, that state and local law enforcement officers do not require express federal authorization to make arrests for criminal violations of federal immigration law. This view, I explain, is based on overreliance on the line between civil and criminal. Even if a state or local arrest for an immigration crime still leaves federal prosecutors with substantial discretion not to bring criminal charges, it is highly likely that the federal government will force arrestees to leave the United States through the civil removal system, where much less discretion has been exercised. In immigration law, the discretion to arrest has been the discretion that matters. As long as this remains true, state and local arrest authority for immigration crimes reflects assumptions that have the potential to supersede much federal control over immigration enforcement. This consequence of state and local arrests assumes great practical importance when the lessons from Gonzales are applied to federal programs—such as § 287(g) agreements and Secure Communities— in which state and local nonimmigration arrests expose noncitizens to federal immigration enforcement. Though federal decisionmakers may exercise greater and more regularized discretion in response to a larger state and local role, such federal discretion will be fundamentally reactive. Any federal policy that allows state and local governments to be gatekeepers—to permit state and local priorities to decide which noncitizens will be exposed to federal immigration enforcement— risks abdication of federal authority over immigration.
In good company

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the relationships among perceived organizational support, positive relationships at work and intent to turnover through a social exchange theory lens. The main contribution of this paper is the investigation of different types of positive workplace relationships on employee withdrawal behaviors. Design/methodology/approach – A 49-item survey was developed through a review of literature related to positive workplace relationships and intent to turnover. Surveys were made available to 200 healthcare employees; 73 surveys were accurately completed and used to test a mediated model of positive relationships at work. Findings – Positive relationships at work were found to have a mediating effect between perceived organizational support and intent to turnover. Additionally, perceived organizational support was found to have direct and indirect effects on intent to turnover. Practical implications – Managers can affect employees’ intentions to turnover by improving practices ...
Ozone health effects : Repeated exposure and sensitive subjects

Ozone has a broad range of health effects in humans. I intend to focus primarily upon two aspects of these health effects: (1) responses to repeated ozone exposures and the potential implication of these studies for understanding chronic effects of ozone and (2) the mechanisms of response to ozone in sensitive subjects and how these may be useful in understanding ozone-associated morbidity. In this regard, the focus will be mainly on human controlled exposure studies.
Global Exposure: Using Cultural Artifacts: Using Photography, Art, and Imagination to Connect Students and their Local Communities to the World

Incorporating a “global vision” into the classroom is an imperative objective in modern social studies education. One of the ten key themes in the NCSS standards is that social studies programs should encourage “experiences that provide for the study global connections and interdependence” (NCSS 2010). This article examines one specific lesson plan and series of collaborations with a foreign school and how these collaborations can thrive in translating global themes into local action. First, I examine the research regarding the various constructs, theories, and standards debated within the study of global education. Second, using photography, art, and web-based communications this article aims to connect students via personal experiences and interests with their foreign counterparts. Finally, I highlight pedagogical options, resources, and suggestions for the practitioner.
Long-term usage of narcotic analgesics by chronic intractable noncancer pain patients in Taiwan from 2003 to 2012

Background/Purpose Chronic pain is a common and important medical problem worldwide. Patients with chronic intractable noncancer pain (CINCP) are treated primarily with narcotics. We analyzed the characteristics of patients with CINCP and the pain prescriptions of Taiwan's physicians. Methods We enrolled 644 patients from 66 hospitals approved by the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration to use long-term narcotics for CINCP between 2003 and 2012. Results The majority (61.8%) of patients were 40–49-year-old men who had been treated with pethidine more often than with fentanyl in the 20–49 years age group. More than 50% of CINCP patients live in northern Taiwan, and most were treated in the department of pain; the major diagnosis (men 28.9%; women 27.7%) was neuropathy. The most frequently prescribed single analgesic was morphine (52.2%); the most frequently prescribed two-drug combination was morphine plus fentanyl (50.8%). Pethidine, however, was the most frequently prescribed analgesic in the neurology (78.0%) and plastic surgery (50.0%) departments. Conclusion To decrease malaise and addiction in patients with CINCP, Taiwan's physicians need more education on narcotic analgesics, and greater professional cooperation to develop therapeutic guidelines that will improve pain care for patients with CINCP.
Financial assessment of battery energy storage systems for frequency regulation service

This paper presents a summary of the expected financial performance of battery storage systems providing market-based frequency regulation service for a regional transmission organization. The potential impact of system characteristics and market structure on the profitability of the project is also evaluated. The Discounted Cash Flow analysis was used to determine the benefit-cost ratio, net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period of energy storage projects. The results of this study indicate that larger systems (greater than 5 MW) with fewer battery replacements (up to 2) are expected to have the best financial performance. The findings of this paper add to a growing body of literature on financial analysis of utility-scale energy storage projects.
Identification of men with the highest risk of early disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND Men destined to have early biochemical recurrence (BCR) following radical prostatectomy (RP) may be optimal candidates for multimodal treatment. Here we identified pre-operative predictors of early BCR within a surgical cohort who recurred. METHODS An institutional prostate cancer (PCa) database containing over 20,000 patients was queried to identify 1,471 men who had BCR after RP, and pre-operative predictors of early versus late BCR were assessed. Early BCR was defined as recurrence within 1 year after RP. Within the recurrence cohort, those with National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) high-risk features were more likely to experience early BCR. Therefore, in all NCCN high-risk men in the database, we abstracted detailed pathologic biopsy data. Among 753 high-risk men, 41 alternate multivariable criteria were assessed for their ability to predict early BCR in crude and adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS The criteria that best identified those likely to experience early BCR are primary Gleason pattern 5 on biopsy or ≥4 cores containing pattern 4 (odds ratio 3.17, P < 0.001). These criteria included 26.7% of NCCN high-risk men. Additionally, these criteria selected for men within the high-risk classification who were at significantly higher risk of subsequent metastasis (adjusted hazard ratio 3.04, P < 0.001) and cancer-specific death (adjusted hazard ratio 3.27, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In men with PCa who present with high-risk features, pre-operative criteria have the ability to discriminate the subgroup most likely to experience early BCR after RP. Men at risk for early disease recurrence may be the most suitable candidates for multimodal therapy. Prostate 74:628–636, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Selection differentials and selection coefficients.

Proof is offered that s ≃ ig for all forms of selection where fitness is a nondecreasing function of a normally distributed phenotype (called fitness potential); s is selection coefficient, i is standard selection differential, and g is standard differential effect of a locus genotype. Evidence is presented that the cost of selection does not limit genic polymorphism; that truncation selection is not necessary for high cost-efficiency; and that opposing directions of selection in a heterogeneous environment do not reduce cost-efficiency critically.
The use of an A-C bridge to measure core loss at high inductions

AKNOWLEDGE of the total core loss and its components is of vital importance to design engineers who use ferromagnetic materials which are subject to magnetic flux changes in direction or magnitude. Generally this information is obtained from measurements made on strip samples in an Epstein frame, with the use of a wattmeter. In many cases, however, there would be certain advantages, such as increased sensitivity and greater frequency range, in making these loss measurements by a bridge method. For measurements at low inductions and high frequencies the bridge methods have been successfully used for several years.1,2 However, if the induction is increased over 10 to 12 kilogausses in nonoriented silicon steels or 16 to 18 kilogausses in oriented silicon steels, the distortion in the wave form of the exciting current is considerable, and it has been found that the results obtained with the bridge methods hitherto used differ from those obtained with the wattmeter. This difference increases rapidly with increases in induction. The bridge method always indicates larger power losses.
Towards a functional organization of the medial temporal lobe memory system: role of the parahippocampal and medial entorhinal cortical areas.

The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), home of the “grid cells” (Hafting et al., 2005), is a component of a large and complex system that connects widespread areas of the cerebral cortex with the hippocampus, known as the medial temporal lobe (MTL) system. It is generally agreed that this system supports declarative memory (Eichenbaum & Cohen, 2001; Squire et al., 2007). Notably, several investigators pursue the notion that components of this system support spatial information processing that underlies navigation, path integration, and cognitive mapping (e.g. McNaughton et al., 2006), and it is not clear whether these spatial processing functions are considered the same or distinct from the role of this system in memory (e.g., Leutgeb et al., 2005; Bird & Burgess, 2008). Many of the papers in this special issue focus on the role of the MEC and its grid cells in spatial processing. In contrast, here we consider the anatomical and functional organization of the entire MTL memory system, with particular attention paid to the MEC and neighboring parts of the parahippocampal region as components of that system. We first provide an overview of the anatomy of the system, wherein the inputs and outputs of the MEC and neighboring cortical areas will be highlighted. We then briefly review the literature on the functional roles of major components of the MTL system, contrasting functions of the hippocampus and the adjacent cortical areas including the MEC. Next we expand on the role of the MEC and its closest cortical associate, the parahippocampal cortex, in humans and animals. At the conclusion of this review we suggest a role for the MEC that is quite different than the navigational function espoused by other papers in this special issue.
Synthesis of an inositol-containing trisaccharide related to insulin signal transduction

Abstract A synthesis of D-mannosyl-(α1–4)-D-glucosaminyl-(α1–6)-D- myo -inositol-1:2-cyclic phosphate ( 1 ) from D-xylose, D-mannose, and D-glucal is reported. Compound 1 constitutes the terminal structure of the PI-PLC-released VSG membrane anchor of Trypanosomes and is structurally related to the inositol phoshate glycan implicated as an insulin second messenger in higher organisms.
Effects of an Online Visual Procedure on Task Completion, Time, and Attitude

Although substantial literature exists regarding learning with visuals, most consider text the primary channel with varying amounts of visuals explored as a secondary channel. This study considered the effectiveness of visuals-only procedural guides versus visuals plus added text, using visuals as the primary channel and using visuals developed from screen shots to eliminate the need to create a visual, stand-in vocabulary. There was no difference in the level of successful task completion between treatment groups. The time required to complete the task was measured and there were significant differences in the amount of time required by treatment group, age, and sex. Both treatment groups responded favorably to the procedures on a follow-up attitude questionnaire. Implications of the study and suggestions for further research are discussed.
Phospholipid composition of aqueous humor, plasma and lens in normal and alloxan diabetic rabbits.

Abstract The phospholipid composition of the aqueous humor, plasma and ocular lens of normal and diabetic rabbits is reported. The presence of this class of compounds in the aqueous humor has been demonstrated for the first time, lysophosphatidyl choline, sphingomyelin and phosphatidyl choline constituting the main fractions. The phospholipids of the plasma were lysophosphatidyl choline, sphingomyelin, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl inositol and phosphatidyl ethanolamine. Lens, in addition to the phospholipids present in the plasma, also contained phosphatidyl serine. In the aqueous humor of diabetic animals, the concentration of lysophosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl choline and some unidentified lipids were found to be reduced while that of sphingomyelin increased. In contrast, the concentrations of nearly all of the plasma phospholipids, including that of phosphatidyl choline, were observed to increase. The phospholipid composition of the lens in normal and diabetic animals was essentially similar, except that in the latter the concentration of phosphatidyl inositol was lower.
The Optical Memory Card As A Transportable Image Archiving Medium In A Digital Imaging Network

The optical memory card (OC) is a plastic coated card of standard credit card size with a reflective area on which 2 to 200 megabytes of digital information can be recorded and read by lasers. The OC has the potential for serving as an archiving medium in a digital imaging network and could enhance continuity of care to the wounded soldier in the battlefield. This paper addresses the applicability of the OC to the U.S. Army combat medical care system, identifies two projects that will be investigating its use, describes the OC technology, and outlines its past promises, present status and barriers to be overcome.
Using Recurrence Relations to Count Certain Elements in Symmetric Groups

Abstract We use the fact that certain cosets of the stabilizer of points are pairwise conjugate in a symmetric group Snin order to construct recurrence relations for enumerating certain subsets ofSn . Occasionally one can find ‘closed form’ solutions to such recurrence relations. For example, the probability that a random element of Snhas no cycle of length divisible by q is ∏d = 1⌊n / q⌋(1 − 1 dq ).
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase from Escherichia coli.

Carbamoyl Phosphate synthetase catalyzes the formation of carbamoyl phosphate, a high-energy intermediate used in several biosynthetic pathways. The enzyme from Escherichia coli has been crystallized at pH 8 in the presence of l-ornithine, MnCl2 and ADP, using PEG 8000 in combination with NEt4Cl and KCl. The crystals (apparently) belong to the orthorhombic space group P212121 with unit-cell dimensions of a = 154.4, b = 166.5 and c = 338.7 A. The crystals are relatively sensitive to radiation damage, but show diffraction to beyond 2.8 A resolution. A low-resolution (3.5 A) native data set has been recorded and conditions for flash cooling the crystal have been established.
Regulation of tomato HMG1 during cell proliferation and growth

The enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR, EC 1.1.1.34) is encoded by a small multigene family in tomato (Lycopersiconesculentum Mill.) and catalyzes the synthesis of mevalonic acid (MVA), a committed step in the biosynthesis of sterols and isoprenoids. A chimeric HMG1::GUS reporter gene fusion was used to analyze the regulation of HMG1 gene expression in detail. HMG1 promoter 5′ deletion mutants established the boundary of a fully inducible promoter. In HMG1::GUS transgenic tomato plants, histochemical staining with 5-bromo-3-indolyl-glucuronide demonstrated that HMG1 was primarily expressed in shoot and root meristems, and in young tomato fruit. This result was confirmed by both HMG1 in-situ hybridization and RNA gel blot analysis. Tomato suspension cell experiments showed that steady-state HMG1 mRNA accumulated during lag and exponential growth phases, but not during the stationary phase. Transient expression of the HMG1::GUS in tissue culture cells treated with mevinolin indicated that HMG1 expression was subject to feedback regulation by a biosynthetic product derived from MVA. These results suggest that a primary, although not exclusive, role of HMG1 is to supply the MVA demand associated with cell division and growth.
Results of feeding propylene glycol in the diet to dogs for two years

Abstract Groups of five male and five female beagle dogs were fed diets containing propylene glycol or dextrose, the latter as equicalorific controls, for 2 yr. Dosage levels used were 5·0 and 2·0 g propylene glycol/kg and 6·35 and 2·54 g dextrose/kg, and in addition a control group received neither compound. The criteria of effect included mortality, body-weight change, diet utilization and water consumption, micropathology, liver, kidney and spleen weights, and measurements of blood, urine and biochemical parameters. None of the criteria measured were significantly altered at 2 g propylene glycol/kg. The higher dose levels of propylene glycol and dextrose were maintained by the inclusion of approximately 20 and 25%, respectively, in the diets of the dogs. As both compounds provide calories available for conversion to adipose tissue, both groups gained somewhat more weight than the controls during the first part of the study. Propylene glycol, in high concentrations, increases the rate of erythrocyte haemolysis. When it was given at the 5-g/kg level, haemoglobin and haematocrit values and the total erythrocyte count were slightly low, while the incidence of anisocytosis, poikilocytes and reticulocytes was increased, findings indicative of erythrocyte destruction with accelerated replacement from the bone marrow. Even at a propylene-glycol concentration of 20% of the diet, this effect was not sufficient to result in any changes that appeared to be irreversible and there was no evidence of damage to bone marrow or spleen. The majority of parameters relevant to effects on the liver were similar in all dosage groups. In dogs consuming 5 g propylene glycol/kg there was a slight increase in total bilirubin. It is concluded that propylene glycol fed to dogs at a concentration of approximately 8% in the diet (2 g/kg/day) is utilized as a carbohydrate energy source without any adverse effects.
Lithium treatment of acute mania in adolescents: a placebo-controlled discontinuation study.

ABSTRACT Objective There are no published placebo-controlled studies of any agent in the treatment of acute mania in children or adolescents. This is the first placebo-controlled study of lithium's efficacy in the treatment of acute mania in adolescents. Method In this discontinuation study, participants received open treatment with lithium at therapeutic serum levels (mean 0.99 mEq/L) for at least 4 weeks. Responders were randomly assigned to continue or discontinue lithium during a 2-week double-blind, placebo-controlled phase. This study had 80% power to detect a 40% difference in exacerbation rates between groups (10% on lithium versus 50% on placebo). Results Twenty-three of 40 protocol participants (57.5%) experienced a clinically significant symptom exacerbation during the 2-week double-blind phase. However, the slightly lower exacerbation rate in the group maintained on lithium (10/19 or 52.6%) versus the group switched to placebo (13/21 or 61.9%) did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions This study does not support a large effect for lithium continuation treatment of adolescents with acute mania, mostly due to the unexpectedly high rate of exacerbations in the group that continued on lithium. Further studies are warranted to clarify whether acute mania in adolescents is lithium responsive.
“A community of democracies in the Americas” – instilling substance into a wondrous phrase

The OAS Charter declared the hemisphere's support for democracy, but Article 18 of the Charter, barring interference of any kind, effectively left the declaration toothless. With the spread of democracy and the end of the Cold War, the hemisphere moved in 1991 to build a network of democratic solidarity. The Inter‐American Democratic Charter, affirmed in Lima on September 11, 2001, represented a major step in the direction of building a “community of democracies in the Americas”. This paper describes the strengths and flaws in the Charter, beginning with its bloated and imprecise definition of democracy. It outlines the threats and challenges to democracy at three different levels of democratic development, and proposes a set of collective responses and a mechanism for judging the state of democracy in the Americas and deciding on the most effective collective response that could really instill substance in the phrase – if accepted by the states of the Americas.
The Atypical Cadherin Flamingo Links Frizzled and Notch Signaling in Planar Polarity Establishment in the Drosophila Eye

Planar cell polarity is established in the Drosophila eye through distinct fate specification of photoreceptors R3 and R4 by a two-tiered mechanism employing Fz and Notch signaling: Fz signaling specifies R3 and induces Dl to activate Notch in R4. We show that the atypical cadherin Flamingo (Fmi) plays critical, but distinct, roles in both R3 and R4. Fmi is first enriched at equatorial cell borders of R3/R4, positively interacting with Fz/Dsh. Subsequently, Fmi is upregulated in R4 by Notch and functions to downregulate Dl expression by antagonizing Fz signaling. This in turn amplifies and enforces the initial Fz-signaling bias in the R3/R4 pair. Our results reveal differences in the planar cell polarity genetic circuitry between the eye and the wing.
Intracellular localization of ribosome biosynthesis in osmotically fragile forms of Streptococcus faecalis

Osmotically fragile “protoplasts” of Streptococcus faecalis 9790 behave similarly to intact streptococci with respect to balanced macromolecular biosynthesis. A rapid but relatively gentle disruption procedure coupled with an “in toto” fractionation allows a more natural and thorough investigation of the intracellular localization of the stages of ribosome assembly than do previously described systems. Immature ribosomal precursor particles initially appear to be associated with polyribosome-like aggregates, a significant portion of which seems to be attached to cytoplasmic membranes. After some degree of maturation, the nascent ribosomes are released as free ribonucleoprotein particles into the cytoplasm, where their conversion to 31-S and 50-S ribosomal subunits is completed.
Performance of a four-element Si drift detector for X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy: resolution, maximum count rate, and dead-time correction with incorporation into the ATHENA data analysis software

The performance of a four-element Si drift detector for energy-dispersive fluorescence-yield X-ray absorption fine-structure measurements is reported, operating at the National Institute of Standards and Technology beamline X23A2 at the National Synchrotron Light Source. The detector can acquire X-ray absorption fine-structure spectra with a throughput exceeding 4 × 105 counts per second per detector element (>1.6 × 106 total counts per second summed over all four channels). At this count rate the resolution at 6 keV is approximately 220 eV, which adequately resolves the Mn Kα and Kβ fluorescence lines. Accurate dead-time correction is demonstrated, and it has been incorporated into the ATHENA data analysis program. To maintain counting efficiency and high signal to background, it is suggested that the incoming count rate should not exceed ∼70% of the maximum throughput.
Synthetic aperture sonar on AUV

Synthetic aperture sonars (SAS) and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) are two of the most exciting technologies under development by the underwater research and development community. Integration of these technologies promises to produce underwater acoustic imaging systems of tremendous capability and versatility. Currently, several efforts, mostly motivated by military applications, are under way to achieve the realization of these systems. This paper describes one such effort, in which the Coastal Systems Station (CSS) SAS system has been integrated with the Bluefin Reliant AUV. Included in this paper are descriptions of the CSS SAS and Bluefin AUV technology and hardware and of the data processing methods. Also presented are the preliminary results obtained during the first system tests carried out at CSS, Panama City, Florida in March 2003.
Accumulated chromosomal instability in murine bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells leads to malignant transformation

Despite recent emerging evidence suggesting that cancer stem cells subsist in a variety of tumors, it is not yet fully elucidated whether postnatal stem cells are directly involved in tumorigenesis. We used murine bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) as a model to test a hypothesis that tumorigenesis may originate from spontaneous mutation of stem cells. In this study, we demonstrated that murine BMMSCs, after numerous passages, obtained unlimited population doublings and proceeded to a malignant transformation state, resulting in fibrosarcoma formation in vivo. Transformed BMMSCs colonized to multiple organs when delivered systemically through the tail vein. Fibrosarcoma cells formed by transformed BMMSCs contained cancer progenitors, which were capable of generating colony clusters in vitro and fibrosarcoma in vivo by the second administration. The mechanism by which BMMSCs transformed to malignant cells was associated with accumulated chromosomal abnormalities, gradual elevation in telomerase activity, and increased c-myc expression. Moreover, BMMSCs and their transformed counterpart, fibrosarcoma-forming cells, demonstrated different sensitivity to anti-cancer drugs. BMMSCs/fibrosarcoma transformation system may provide an ideal system to elucidate the mechanism of how stem cells become cancer cells and to screen anti-sarcoma drugs.
Chromospheric emission of W Ursae Majoris-type stars and its relation to the structure of their common envelopes

Short-wavelength IUE spectra of 14 W UMa binary systems were analyzed. All but the A2 V system GK Cep and possibly the A8 system AG Vir show chromospheric and transition-region emission lines. This property extends to at least as early as A8-9. The luminosity in transition-region emission lines is roughly proportional to bolometric luminosity. The strength of transition-region emission relative to chromospheric emission is roughly independent of spectral type and is at least as great as for other stars with enhanced surface activity. The enhanced chromospheric activity and light curve peculiarities of the hotter systems seem to disagree with the predictions of the contract-discontinuity models for contract binary structure.
Asymmetry in 143-Mev pn Scattering

A beam of 145-Mev protons of polarization 69\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2% was scattered from liquid deuterium. $\mathrm{pn}$ scattering events were identified by a coincidence method. The asymmetry in the scattering was measured. These data can be compared with polarization in free $\mathrm{np}$ scattering at the appropriate angles.
Signal detection audiometry: an exploratory study.

A clinical signal detection procedure, termed “Signal Detection Audiometry” (SDA), was developed for possible use as a clinical tool. This SDA procedure permits the simultaneous acquisition of 1) m...
Electromyographic and magnetic resonance imaging to predict lumbar stenosis, low-back pain, and no back symptoms

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging is commonly used to diagnose lumbar spinal stenosis. Some persons without symptoms have a small lumbar spinal canal. Electrodiagnosis has been used to diagnose spinal stenosis for over sixty years, but we are aware of no masked, controlled trials of the use of
Ion transport in pigmentation

Skin melanocytes and ocular pigment cells contain specialized organelles called melanosomes, which are responsible for the synthesis of melanin, the major pigment in mammals. Defects in the complex mechanisms involved in melanin synthesis and regulation result in vision and pigmentation deficits, impaired development of the visual system, and increased susceptibility to skin and eye cancers. Ion transport across cellular membranes is critical for many biological processes, including pigmentation, but the molecular mechanisms by which it regulates melanin synthesis, storage, and transfer are not understood. In this review we first discuss ion channels and transporters that function at the plasma membrane of melanocytes; in the second part we consider ion transport across the membrane of intracellular organelles, with emphasis on melanosomes. We discuss recently characterized lysosomal and endosomal ion channels and transporters associated with pigmentation phenotypes. We then review the evidence for melanosomal channels and transporters critical for pigmentation, discussing potential molecular mechanisms mediating their function. The studies investigating ion transport in pigmentation physiology open new avenues for future research and could reveal novel molecular mechanisms underlying melanogenesis.
Analysis of bi-layer oxide on austenitic stainless steel, 316L, exposed to Lead–Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)

Abstract Corrosion of the austenitic stainless steel alloy 316L by Lead–Bismuth Eutectic (LBE) was studied using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) with Sputter-Depth Profiling (SDP), and compared to data taken by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-rays (EDXs). Exposed and unexposed samples were compared. Annealed 316L samples, exposed to LBE for durations of 1000, 2000 and 3000 h, developed bi-layer oxides up to 30 μm thick. Analysis of the charge-states of the 2p3/2 peaks of iron, chromium, and nickel in the oxide layers reveal an inner layer consisting of iron and chromium oxides (likely spinel-structured) and an outer layer consisting of iron oxides (Fe3O4). Cold-rolled 316L samples, exposed for the same durations, form a chromium-rich, thin (⩽1 μm) oxide with some oxidized iron in the outermost ∼200 nm of the oxide layer. This is the first experiment to investigate what components of the 316L are oxidized by LBE exposure. It is shown here that nickel is metallic in the inner layer.
Reduced Severity of a Mouse Colitis Model with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition

Ulcerative colitis is characterized by elevated rates of epithelial cell apoptosis, and an up-regulation of pro-apoptotic cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Recently, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) has been shown to promote apoptosis. In addition, pharmacologic ACE inhibition (ACE-I) both prevents apoptosis and reduces TNF-α expression in vitro. We hypothesized that ACE-I, using enalaprilat, would decrease colonic epithelial cell apoptosis and reduce colitis severity in the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model in mice. We assessed the severity of colitis, and colonic epithelial cell apoptosis, after administration of DSS. Mice were given either daily ACE-I treatment or daily placebo. ACE-I treatment markedly improved clinical outcomes. In addition, ACE-I treatment significantly reduced the maximum histopathologic colitis grade. ACE-I also dramatically reduced the epithelial apoptotic rate. To investigate the mechanism by which ACE-I reduced apoptosis; we measured TNF-α, Bcl-2, and Bax expression. TNF-α mRNA was significantly lower with ACE-I treatment compared to placebo at every time point, as was the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2. We conclude that ACE-I reduces the severity of DSS-induced colitis and reduces epithelial cell apoptosis.
AGRELs and BIPs: Metamorphosis as a Bezier curve in the space of polyhedra

The metamorphosis between two user-specified objects offers an intuitive metaphor for designing animations of deforming shapes. We present a new technique for interactively editing such deformations and for animating them in realtime. Besides the starting and ending shapes, our approach offers easy to use additional control over the deformations. The new Bezier Interpolating Polyhedron (BIP) provides a graphics representation of such a deforming object formulated mathematically as a point describing a Bezier curve in the space of all polyhedra. We replace, in the Bezier formulation, the traditional control points by arbitrary polyhedra and the vector addition by the Minkowski sum. BIPs are composed of Animated GRaphic ELement (AGRELs), which are faces with constant orientation, but with parametrized vertices represented by Bezier curves. AGRELs were designed to efficiently support smooth realtime animation on commercially available rendering hardware. We provide a tested algorithm for automatically computing BIPs from the sequence of control polyhedra and demonstrate its applications to animation design.
Oxidation at defects in scales on iron-chromium alloys

A prior investigation on the lateral spreading of oxide into defects in Wustite scales on iron was extended to study the same phenomena in Fe-Cr alloys. Included were two Fe-Cr-Mo alloys and an Fe-25Cr-6Al alloy. Three types of experiments were conducted to study flaws introduced to simulate damage to protective oxide layers caused by particle erosion. It was found that outer scales of Wustite on the Cr-Mo alloys spread into flaws in much the same way as Wustite on unalloyed iron. However, inner scales of (Fe,Cr)3O4 on the Cr-Mo alloys and the scale formed on the Fe-25Cr-6Al alloy had only a slight tendency to spread into flaws. These results are consistent with the known higher diffusion coefficients and higher defect concentrations in Wustite than in other oxide phases.
Estimating random signal parameters from noisy images with nuisance parameters: linear and scanning-linear methods

In a pure estimation task, an object of interest is known to be present, and we wish to determine numerical values for parameters that describe the object. This paper compares the theoretical framework, implementation method, and performance of two estimation procedures. We examined the performance of these estimators for tasks such as estimating signal location, signal volume, signal amplitude, or any combination of these parameters. The signal is embedded in a random background to simulate the effect of nuisance parameters. First, we explore the classical Wiener estimator, which operates linearly on the data and minimizes the ensemble mean-squared error. The results of our performance tests indicate that the Wiener estimator can estimate amplitude and shape once a signal has been located, but is fundamentally unable to locate a signal regardless of the quality of the image. Given these new results on the fundamental limitations of Wiener estimation, we extend our methods to include more complex data processing. We introduce and evaluate a scanning-linear estimator that performs impressively for location estimation. The scanning action of the estimator refers to seeking a solution that maximizes a linear metric, thereby requiring a global-extremum search. The linear metric to be optimized can be derived as a special case of maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation when the likelihood is Gaussian and a slowly varying covariance approximation is made.
Population density and body size in mammals

There seems to be an inverse relationship between the size of an animal species and its local abundance. Here I describe the interspecific seating of population density and body mass among mammalian primary consumers (herbivores, broadly defined). Density is related approximately reciprocally to individual metabolic requirements, indicating that the energy used by the local population of a species in the community is independent of its body size. I suggest that this is a more general rule of community structure.