cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Wnt Signaling Enhances Inner Ear Organoid Development in 3D Culture

Stem cell-derived inner ear sensory epithelia are a promising source of tissues for treating patients with hearing loss and dizziness. We recently demonstrated how to generate inner ear sensory epithelia, designated as inner ear organoids, from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in a self-organizing 3D culture. Here we improve the efficiency of this culture system by elucidating how Wnt signaling activity can drive the induction of otic tissue. We found that a carefully timed treatment with the potent Wnt agonist CHIR99021 promotes induction of otic vesicles—a process that was previously self-organized by unknown mechanisms. The resulting otic-like vesicles have a larger lumen size and contain a greater number of Pax8/Pax2-positive otic progenitor cells than organoids derived without the Wnt agonist. Additionally, these otic-like vesicles give rise to large inner ear organoids with hair cells whose morphological, biochemical and functional properties are indistinguishable from those of vestibular hair cells in the postnatal mouse inner ear. We conclude that Wnt signaling plays a similar role during inner ear organoid formation as it does during inner ear development in the embryo.
Wide-range and fast thermally-tunable silicon photonic microring resonators using the junction field effect.

Tunable silicon microring resonators with small, integrated micro-heaters which exhibit a junction field effect were made using a conventional silicon-on-insulator (SOI) photonic foundry fabrication process. The design of the resistive tuning section in the microrings included a “pinched” p-n junction, which limited the current at higher voltages and inhibited damage even when driven by a pre-emphasized voltage waveform. Dual-ring filters were studied for both large (>4.9 THz) and small (850 GHz) free-spectral ranges. Thermal red-shifting was demonstrated with microsecond-scale time constants, e.g., a dual-ring filter was tuned over 25 nm in 0.6 μs 10%–90% transition time, and with efficiency of 3.2 μW/GHz.
Hierarchical representations of network data with optimal distortion bounds

Single linkage hierarchical clustering is a tool in unsupervised learning which has been fully characterized for finite metric spaces, but not for the unrestricted setting of general networks. We follow a recent line of work to complete the characterization for general networks, and moreover, we provide quantitative bounds on how much information is lost when applying our method to network data. These bounds are novel even in the setting of finite metric spaces. Finally, we propose a construction called a treegram that provides a visual summary of the result of applying our method to a network data set.
Recognizing Inevitable Change and Responding Responsibly.

![Figure][1] We in the cardiovascular profession can learn a lot about managing change from this year’s American College of Cardiology (ACC) Annual Scientific Session host city—Washington, DC. The mantra that “change is inevitable” could be the city’s motto. Each election cycle
Experimental Investigations on Fluorescence Excitation and Depletion of Carbon Dots

Carbon dots (CDs) can be readily synthesized and utilized as attractive fluorescent probes for a variety of applications. In this study, we have synthesized CDs using a previously published method and characterized their photo-physical properties. The resultant CDs possess prominent photo-stability and short emission wavelength in the violet region. Our study reveals that CDs, with weak photo-bleaching, enable them to be employed to achieve high spatial resolution in stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. The depletion efficiency can reach 60%. More importantly, the shorter excitation wavelength of CDs contributes to further improvement of resolution for STED microscopy. An excellent candidate for fluorophores, these CDs have potential to be used in super-resolution imaging for STED microscopy.
Properties of the cuticular proteins of Anopheles gambiae as revealed by serial extraction of adults

How cuticular proteins (CPs) interact with chitin and with each other in the cuticle remains unresolved. We employed LC-MS/MS to identify CPs from 5-6 day-old adults of Anopheles gambiae released after serial extraction with PBS, EDTA, 2-8M urea, and SDS as well as those that remained unextracted. Results were compared to published data on time of transcript abundance, localization of proteins within structures and within the cuticle, as well as properties of individual proteins, length, pI, percent histidine, tyrosine, glutamine, and number of AAP[A/V/L] repeats. Thirteen proteins were solubilized completely, all were CPRs, most belonging to the RR-1 group. Eleven CPs were identified in both soluble fractions and the final pellet, including 5 from other CP families. Forty-three were only detected from the final pellet. These included CPRs and members of the CPAP1, CPF, CPFL, CPLCA, CPLCG, CPLCP, and TWDL families, as well as several low complexity CPs, not assigned to families and named CPLX. For a given protein, many histidines or tyrosines or glutamines appear to be potential participants in cross-linking since we could not identify any peptide bearing these residues that was consistently absent. We failed to recover peptides from the amino-terminus of any CP. Whether this implicates that location in sclerotization or some modification that prevents detection is not known. Soluble CPRs had lower isoelectric points than those that remained in the final pellet; most members of other CP families had isoelectric points of 8 or higher. Obviously, techniques beyond analysis of differential solubility will be needed to learn how CPs interact with each other and with chitin.
Plasmonic sensor with high figure of merit based on differential polarization spectra of elliptical nanohole array

Using the difference of the polarization transmission spectra of elliptical nanohole arrays (ENAs), the figure of merit (FOM) of the sensor performance of ENA can be significantly improved, and is inversely proportional to the measurement resolution. By optimizing the aspect ratio of the elliptical holes, Ag thickness, substrate-effect, and adhesive layer, the sensitivity, FOM, and relative sensitivity of the ENA can be improved to be 775 nm RIU-1, 705 RIU-1, and 70.23%, respectively, with an excellent linear dependence on the change of refractive index. Such a high-performance sensor also can be used in monitoring the molecule adsorption and RNA hybridization, revealing a highly localized near-field enhancement. This will benefit the sensing of surface-specific binding events in biologic detection and medical diagnosis.
Mucositis and Pain in the Peri-HSCT Period

Diagnosis and proper management of pain is a critical part of the necessary supportive care for patients undergoing HSCT but can be a significant clinical challenge for the healthcare team due to the multifactorial nature of pain in the HSCT setting. This chapter details the many causes of pain in HSCT. HSCT-associated pain is often due to the conditioning regimen (which consists of high-dose chemotherapy and/or total body irradiation) and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis regimens as well as potential post-HSCT complications. Given that mucositis is one of the largest sources of pain and infection in patients undergoing HSCT, special attention is paid to mucositis-specific strategies. These strategies include oral care and topical therapies such as glutamine and palifermin which are under investigation. Systemic non-opioid pain medications are also discussed. The remainder of this chapter focuses on opioid options and discusses the principles of conversion between opioids, use of caregiver-/patient-controlled analgesia (which can facilitate better pain control and result in a lower total amount of opioids needed), management of opioid side effects, and guidelines for weaning opioids to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Association of Symptoms and Clinical Findings With Anticipated Outcomes in Patients With Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer.

Importance Despite advances in treatment over the last decades, recurrent head and neck cancer continues to have a poor prognosis. Prognostic accuracy may help in patient counseling. Objective To explore whether symptoms and clinical variables can predict prognosis in the setting of recurrent head and neck cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants In this retrospective cohort study, patients treated for head and neck cancer with curative intent at Siteman Cancer Center in St Louis, Missouri (a tertiary cancer center) between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2014, were reviewed. The dates of data analysis were October 2016 to June 2017. Patients who developed a recurrent cancer were included, with 196 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Main Outcomes and Measures Symptoms and clinical findings at presentation of recurrence were recorded. Sequential sequestration and conjunctive consolidation (2 multivariable techniques) were used to create a composite staging system to predict 1-year overall survival (OS). Results Among 196 patients (mean [SD] age, 61 [11] years; 166 [84.7%] of white race/ethnicity; 76.5% male), 1-year OS was 58.2% (114 of 196 patients). Time to recurrence, symptom severity stage, and rTNM stage were consolidated into a 3-category Clinical Severity Staging System, with 1-year OS rates of 90.2% (95% CI, 82.7%-97.6%) for the 61 patients classified as A, 58.1% (95% CI, 47.7%-68.6%) for the 86 patients classified as B, and 18.4% (95% CI, 7.5%-29.2%) for the 49 patients classified as C. The discriminative power of the new composite staging was better than that of the American Joint Committee on Cancer classification (C = 0.79 vs C = 0.66). Conclusions and Relevance These findings suggest that clinical variables are associated with anticipated outcomes in patients with recurrent head and neck cancer.
An Automated Self-Configuring Driver System for IEEE 802.11b/g WLAN Standards

This paper presents a prototype for an automated self-configuring driver system (ASDS) for the IEEE 802.11 WLANs. This software system provides a new way of running multiple IEEE 802.11 wireless standards on laptops and other mobile devices on the fly anywhere around the world.
Paths toward Environmental Consciousness

Much of my life has been spent in the Borough of Brooklyn in New York. A graduate of its public schools and Brooklyn College, I went to Teachers College, Columbia University, for a PhD in developmental psychology that I received in 1957. While a graduate student I taught in the psychology department at Brooklyn College. After completing my degree, I was a research consultant on a 2-year study of creativity at Hunter College High School. With the termination of this project, I began my association with Bill Ittelson and Hal Proshansky in their environmental research that was based first at Brooklyn College, then at the Graduate School of the City University of New York in Manhattan.
The impact of shale development on crop farmers: how the size and location of farms matter

New technologies coupled with high energy prices, a desire for energy independence, and cleaner energy, have led to many energy companies investing large amounts of capital into rural places. In the last decade, along with solar and wind, unconventional shale oil and gas production has risen steeply throughout the United States (U.S. Energy Information Administration, Drilling productivity report, 2018) boosting economic growth and stimulating wealth creation in many communities. Because farmers own or operate over half of rural lands in the lower 48 states, the possibility is high for shale development to contribute to the financial well-being of farmers with land in shale regions. However, by focusing on the large royalties of some landowners, environmental and social risks that farmers encounter may be overlooked. To address the gap of farmer impacts, I examine the experiences and perceptions of crop farm owners who reside in two established shale plays: the Bakken region in North Dakota and the Marcellus region in Pennsylvania and in one emerging shale play: the New Albany region in Southern Illinois. I survey farm owners of both large and small crop farms, who farm a variety of crops both by conventional and organic methods. By having such a diverse sample of farm owners in both established shale plays and emerging shale plays, I explore how farmers’ experiences differ with respect to their finances and investments, environmental degradation as well as how their perceptions of trust in oil and gas companies and community rifts differ.
Structuring Digital Game Stories

This paper describes ongoing research towards a new model of video game storytelling involving structural manipulation of space and interactivity.
16 Gastrointestinal Diseases

This chapter focuses on chronic gastrointestinal disorders and places particular emphasis on that which is most relevant to health psychologists. The past decade has realized several advances in the understanding of the etiology and maintenance of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is now framed around an empirically supported biopsychosocial model, first laid out in a presidential address to the American Gastroenterological Association in 1998 (Drossman 1998; Drossman et al. 1999) and gradually adopted over the next several years (Halpert & Drossman 2005; Levy et al. 2006). In the 2001 version of this chapter, the conceptualization of gastrointestinal syndromes remained in the psychosomatic realm, thereby emphasizing the contributions of psychopathology, child abuse, and stress to the development and expression of IBS. While each of these areas has a role in the current conceptual model of IBS, they are much less central than previously thought. Advances in cognitive neuroscience have described specific cognitive-affective processes that affect pain and gastrointestinal motility; these have informed psychological treatment. Finally, advances in IBS research have led to increased understanding of the psychological aspects of other gastrointestinal conditions, particularly esophageal disorders and inflammatory bowel diseases. Keywords: gastrointestinal; irritable bowel; esophageal disorders; inflammatory bowel diseases; psychosocial
Late Presentation of Hardware Related Osteomyelitis of the Radius

While internal fixation related osteomyelitis is common, it is usually diagnosed within the first few years after implant insertion. We report our experience with a rare case of a late presentation of hardware related osteomyelitis of the radius 8 years after bony fixation, as well as successful treatment with irrigation, debridement, removal of hardware and antibiotics. This case represents the latest initial presentation of osteomyelitis after its hardware insertion that has been reported in the literature.
Wax Minds: Writing Subjectivity and Agency in Hamlet and The Atheist’s Tragedy

This chapter argues that both Shakespeare and Tourneur use wax to explore the nature of subjectivity and the limits of agency. The chapter begins by exploring how various philosophical, religious, and educational texts associate the mind with wax and use wax to think through questions of memory, epistemology, virtue, and character formation. It then turns to Hamlet and The Atheist’s Tragedy to explore how those plays use wax to explore problems of subjectivity and agency and what wax metaphorics might have to do with the revenge tragedy genre more broadly.
Screening and Counseling for Alcohol Use in Adolescents With Chronic Medical Conditions in the Ambulatory Setting.

Abstract Purpose We seek to determine how youth with chronic medical conditions experience alcohol screening and counseling. Methods Adolescents with type I diabetes, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, moderate persistent asthma, cystic fibrosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or inflammatory bowel disease were surveyed. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis quantified rates of asking and counseling about alcohol. Results Of 390 participants (75.1% white/non-Hispanic, 51.8% female, average age 16.4 years), 70% reported being asked about their alcohol use by a healthcare provider, and 76% reported receiving at least one message regarding alcohol and health. Of past year drinkers, 54% disclosed use to their provider. Only 2.0% of youth reported receiving the message “I should not drink.” Conclusions Most youth with chronic medical conditions were asked and counseled about alcohol use although few heard unambiguous recommendations to avoid alcohol consumption.
Assessing Thyroid Function in the Elderly

With aging, the normal thyroid gland has been reported to increase in size, although this is not consistent, and some studies show no changes in thyroid gland size or weight (reviewed in [1]). Other studies have reported increased rates of thyroid gland atrophy and fibrosis, although this may be due to underlying autoimmune thyroid disease in the population. Finally, thyroid nodules are much more common with aging, with nodules discovered by ultrasound in up to 50% of subjects over the age of 50 years [2].
Assessing State Variation in Plastic Surgeons' Risk of Hepatitis C Exposure: Revisit in Methodology

Background As the national opioid epidemic escalates, rates of the Hepatitis C (HCV) infection have similarly risen. Surgeons exposed intraoperatively secondary to sharp instrument or needle-sticks are affected both socioeconomically and physically. Current treatment strategies involve antiretroviral agents that have not been universally available. This study evaluates the current risk of surgeon exposure to HCV. Methods CDC data regarding state-by-state HCV diagnosis reporting were combined with the plastic surgery workforce data from the ASPS. Proxy variables for exposure risk to HCV were generated for each state and compared. Results West Virginia plastic surgeons were found to have a significantly elevated risk of exposure (60.0 versus 18.7, P 3 × IQR + 75th percentile). Similarly, states within the Ohio Valley were found to be at increased risk (34.8 versus 16.0, P = 0.05). States most heavily burdened by the opioid crisis were found to be at an increased risk for HCV exposure (40.8 versus 13.6, P = 0.0003). Conclusions Plastic surgeons employed in states within the Ohio Valley were found to be at an increased risk of exposure to HCV. Plastic surgeons operating in states severely impacted by the opioid crisis were found to be at an increased risk of exposure. These findings underscore the importance of reducing the risk in the operating room and the need for better data collection to better understand this association and mitigate the risk to the operating surgeon.
In vivo evaluation of inner and outer retinal water transport associated with light activation of photoreceptors after dark adaptation in mice

The development of functional retinal imaging is of great interest to clinical and experimental ophthalmology. Recent progress in OCT-based functional imaging of rods and/or cones outer segments elongations in response to stimuli that bleach fraction of their rhodopsin promises to address the need for probing photoreceptor function. Building on this model, we developed the framework to monitor changes in the gross morphology of the whole retina of mice in response to light stimulation. In our current submission, we will discuss our findings in the context of known retinal water barriers restricting water movements between inner and outer retina.
Dynamics of learning: time-varying feedback effects within the intelligent tutoring system of structure strategy (ITSS)

The intelligent tutoring system of structure strategy (ITSS) is a web-based digital tutoring system proven to be effective in helping students recognize and use text structures to comprehend and recall texts. However, little is known about the dynamic learning processes within the ITSS. This study aims to investigate the effects of feedback dosage on lesson mastery throughout the progression of ITSS lessons. We applied a confirmatory factor analysis and extended vector autoregressive model to assess the dynamic relationships among three tasks embedded within the ITSS and found: (1) significant cross-regression effects among the three reading tasks; (2) distinct effects of feedback dosage on the specific reading task; and (3) different effect sizes of feedback across lessons. Results provide helpful insights on ways to design better modules in further development of the ITSS.
Implications for the Sports Program for Girls and Women

(1942). Implications for the Sports Program for Girls and Women. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 13, No. 6, pp. 345-346.
GTP hydrolysis by ADP-ribosylation factor is dependent on both an ADP-ribosylation factor GTPase-activating protein and acid phospholipids.

ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) is a 21-kDa GTP binding protein that regulates eukaryotic membrane traffic. Both the binding and hydrolysis of GTP by ARF have been shown to be necessary for this function. However, purified mammalian ARF lacks intrinsic GTPase activity ( 100-fold purification of ARF GAP, making it, likely, an inherent property of this reaction. PIP2 alone stimulated ARF GAP activity up to 30-fold with a half-maximal effect at 100-300 microM but had no effect on the GTPase rate of ARF alone. Phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate was also active but had only 50% of the maximal effect and twice the EC50 of PIP2. Phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and diacylglycerol either alone or in the presence of ARF GAP do not stimulate ARF GTPase activity. ARF proteins have been identified recently as regulators of phospholipase D. The product of the phospholipase D reaction, phosphatidic acid, stimulated ARF GAP approximately 5-fold and reduced the PIP2 concentration needed for GAP stimulation about 6-fold. The substrate of phospholipase D, phosphatidylcholine, inhibited ARF GAP activity, but this inhibition seen with phosphatidylcholine was partially reversed by phosphatidic acid. A feedback loop for the coordinate regulation of phospholipase D and ARF activities is proposed.
Thrombin generation after the abrupt cessation of intravenous unfractionated heparin among patients with acute coronary syndromes: Potential mechanisms for heightened prothrombotic potential

Abstract OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine the mechanistic basis for thrombin generation and increased prothrombotic potential after the abrupt cessation of intravenous (IV) unfractionated heparin among patients with acute coronary syndromes. BACKGROUND A “rebound” increase in prothrombotic potential has been observed biochemically and clinically after the abrupt cessation of unfractionated heparin (UFH) among patients with acute coronary syndromes. Although the mechanism is unknown, tissue factor and the extrinsic coagulation cascade, both operative in atherosclerotic vascular disease and arterial thrombosis, are thought to be centrally involved. METHODS In a single-center, pilot study, 30 patients with either unstable angina or non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction who had received a continuous IV infusion of UFH for 48 h were randomly assigned to: 1) abrupt cessation, 2) IV weaning over 12 h or 3) subcutaneous weaning over 12 h. RESULTS Thrombin generation (prothrombin fragment 1.2) was evident within 1 h of UFH cessation, increased progressively (by nearly two-fold) at 24 h (p = 0.002) and correlated inversely with tissue factor pathway inhibitor concentration (r = −0.61). Thrombin generation was greatest among patients randomized to abrupt cessation (1.6-fold increase at 24 h) and least in those with IV weaning. CONCLUSIONS Thrombin generation after the abrupt cessation of UFH may represent a drug-induced impairment of physiologic vascular thromboresistance in response to locally generated tissue factor. A dosing strategy of abbreviated IV weaning attenuates but does not prevent heparin rebound among patients with acute coronary syndromes.
On Limit Reliability Functions of Large Systems. Part I

In the reliability investigation of large systems the problem of the complexity of their reliability functions appears. This problem may be approximately solved by the assuming that the number of the system components tends to infinity and finding the limit reliability function of the system. It is closely related to the limit theorems in the extreme value theory discussed in many publications. The solution for simple series and parallel systems is well known and given for instance in Barlow and Proschan (1975). The limit reliability functions of more complex series-parallel and parallel-series systems with identical components are discussed in Kolowrocki (1993). The results on limit reliability functions of series-parallel and parallel- series systems with different components are given in Kolowrocki (1994). In the paper the classes of limit reliability functions of any homogeneous and nonhomogeneous large series, parallel, series-parallel and parallel-series system are presented. Moreover, practically useful lemmas and their applications are given. Systems with multistate components are more general and play an important role in the reliability practice. Therefore in the paper limit reliability functions of large homogeneous multi-state series, parallel, series-parallel and parallel-series systems are given. As a summary of this part of the paper a hypothesis on the class of possible limit reliability functions of considered multi-state systems is stated.
Stabilization of networked control systems over a sharing link using ALOHA

In this paper we consider a networked control model which has multiple plant-controller pairs, each pair's plant and controller being separated. All the sampled data transmissions share a common single link. Instead of deterministic/centralized scheduling, all the plant-controller pairs use the link in a random access fashion (particularly, according to a simplified version of ALOHA), as in generic data networks. The sampled data packets suffer from possible collisions in the random link access, thus the resulting sampling processes have random interarrival times. We argue that the stabilization problem can be solved in a two-stage manner. First, for each single plant-controller pair, a necessary and sufficient condition is derived for its (mean-square) stability under random sampling. Second, for multiple pairs altogether, it is shown that the existence of simultaneous stabilizing policies corresponds to the feasible solution set of a series of inequality constraints.
Using Keyblock Statistics to Model Image Retrieval

Keyblock, which is a new framework we proposed for the content-based image retrieval, is a generalization of the text-based information retrieval technology in the image domain. In this framework, keyblocks, which are analogous to keywords in text document retrieval, can be constructed by exploiting a clustering approach. Then an image can be represented as a list of keyblocks similar to a text document which can be considered as a list of keywords. Based on this image representation, various feature models can be constructed for supporting image retrieval. In this paper, we will conduct keyblock statistic analysis and propose keyblock importance vector to improve the retrieval performance. The statistic analysis is based on the keyblock entropy as well as the keyblock frequency in the image database.
Import Safety Rules Should Not Hinder Legitimate Generic Drug Markets: The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)

Trade agreement negotiations are routinely cloaked in secrecy, a model that may have suited the Eighteenth Century, but has no place in modern democracies. Transparency deficits have led to capture by powerful industries, sometimes to the detriment of public health. This is a standard account of the WTO TRIPS Agreement, but the pattern is being repeated, in a new regime, in the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and related efforts. In the context of pharmaceuticals, ACTA should be limited to deliberate trademark violations and should not be expanded to encompass other intellectual property rights such as patent infringement. Recent seizures of generic medicines by Dutch authorities highlight the danger to legitimate and valuable global generic drug markets from overzealous enforcement of border control regimes.
Push/Pull: PC technology/end user demand

PC advances are driven by a combination of user demands and technology. With the PC's penetration of the consumer market, it is essential that user requirements drive technology investments. The author describes the current environment as content and applications drive technology investments for the next major advancements in the PC. These advances will allow for the development of a broad base of communication and entertainment applications. This, in turn, will propel the demand of more powerful and prevalent use of VLSI technologies, including microprocessors, memories and DSP chips.
Using administrative records to assess earnings reporting error in the survey of income and program participation

This paper analyzes income misreporting propensities and magnitudes using the 1992 SIPP longitudinal file matched to Social Security Summary Earnings Records. Specifically, we focus on wage and salary and self-employment earnings. Our findings suggest that the 1992 SIPP accurately estimates the net number of earnings recipients, but tends to underestimate the amounts received. The misreporting pattern reveals that respondents on the lowest end of the income distribution tend to overreport earnings, while those at the higher end of the earnings distribution are more likely to underreport earnings. Additionally, it is shown that demographic characteristics can be used in a predictive model of misreporting, but they explain a larger fraction of the variation in overreporting than underreporting.
Test Reactive Systems with Buchi Automata: Acceptance Condition Coverage Criteria and Performance Evaluation

Buchi automata have been used to specify and reason linear temporal requirements of reactive systems. A reactive system interacts with its environment constantly, and its executions may be modeled as infinite words. A key question in testing a reactive system is how to make testing relevant to the system's requirement, that is, to focus testing on the required behaviors in terms of infinite words. We propose a specification-based testing technique that tests a reactive system with respect to its requirements in Buchi automaton. At the core of our approach are metrics measuring how well a test suite covers the acceptance condition of a buchi automaton. Acceptance condition is a key element of buchi automaton defining infinite words. We propose weak and strong variants of coverage metrics and their related test criteria for applications requiring tests of different strengths. We propose a model-checking-assisted algorithm to automate test case generation for proposed criteria. Besides debugging a system, our proposed approach may be used for revealing problems with system requirements. We propose an algorithm for refining a requirement encoded in Buchi automaton. Finally, we evaluate the performance of the proposed test criteria using cross-coverage comparison. The result indicates that our approach improves the effectiveness of testing with more efficient test cases targeted for system requirements.
Active stereo inspection using computer solids models

A system which links a computer solids modeler to an active stereo imaging inspection station is used to inspect automobile glass. 1 Research concerning the method of generating projection patterns for circular contours is described. A prototype system consisting of a coniputer graphics workstation a projector and a machine vision system was assembled and the system''s performance is discussed.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Acrylamide causes preimplantation abnormalities in embryos and induces chromatin-adducts in male germ cells of mice.

Abstract Acrylamide, a known male postmeiotic germ cell mutagen, caused a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of morphologic abnormalities in preimplantation embryos. Single-cell eggs, growth retardation, and blastomere lysis were detected after paternal treatment with acrylamide (10 to 50 mg/kg, 5 d). The major effects were seen at weeks 1 to 3 after male treatment, with the highest level of abnormalities at the first week (>90% vs. 5% in control). The frequency of abnormal four-day embryos was similar to preimplantation loss assessed at 15 to 16 d p.c. A >100-fold elevation of chromatin adducts in sperm was observed during 1st and 2nd week after treatment, after which adduct levels decreased to baseline level. However, morphologic defects in embryos are not fully explained by the spermatid adduct curve. These findings demonstrate the effects of paternal exposure to acrylamide on preimplantation development and indicate a potential risk to the offspring of men exposed to acrylamide.
Genetic Variants of Fcγ (GM Allotypes) and the Fc-Mediated Effector Functions in HIV-1 Controllers

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have concluded that HLA class I alleles are the primary determinants of the outcome of HIV-1 infection. However, in a comprehensive analysis of the role of humoral immunity in HIV-1 control, Lai et al. (1) conclude that the “presence or absence of protective HLA alleles is not associated with strikingly divergent antibody responses” among HIV-1 controllers and that “understanding the specific features of IgGs with potentiated effector function may be critical to vaccine and therapeutic antibody development.” To explain the observed correlation between HIV-specific IgG1 antibodies and the total IgG1, the authors suggest that GM allotypes, hereditary antigenic variants of the immunoglobulin chains, may have influenced the baseline IgG subclass concentrations. I would like to add that GM allotypes, expressed primarily in the Fc region, may have contributed to all Fc-mediated effector functions listed by the authors: antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP), and antibody-dependent complement-dependent cytotoxicity (ADCDC).
Information seeking and use by low-level students

This paper reports on an exploratory study of information seeking and use in high school students with a low level of information skills and academic competency. Seven students in the 11th grade Remedial Education Program class in American Literature and Composition completed a class project that involved somewhat comprehensive information seeking and use. Data were collected through observation and interview (with students, the teacher, and two library media specialists). All documents each student produced in completing the class project were gathered for data analysis. The preliminary findings of the study indicated that students experienced a great deal of difficulty in the cognitive and affective demands that their tasks required and suggested that technological and instructional mediation would motivate the students' interest in their information seeking and use. The paper concludes with some important implications that can provide a basis for de! signing information literacy instructions for low-level students.
An analysis of the multiple model adaptive control algorithm

An analysis of the Multiple Model Adaptive Control algorithm is presented based on the analysis of a canonical problem simulations of which are similar to those obtained in applications. These results allow the prediction of stability and the characterization of the behaviors observed in the system.
Measuring trade show effectiveness: An effective exercise?

Abstract The trade show is an event that seems to be well accepted in marketing circles. However, despite their growing numbers, trade shows do have their downsides and critics. Part of this problem may be due to the fact some marketers fail to answer the basic question of trade show effectiveness. Thus, in an effort to bring some focus to this issue, we examine findings and research to date with respect to trade shows and highlight some areas that marketers might consider in assessing the effectiveness of these events.
Getting rid of trans fats in the US diet: Policies, incentives and progress

Artificial trans fats in foods increase chronic disease risk in the US population. Federal nutrition label regulation enacted in 2003 requires mandatory disclosure of trans fat content on packaged foods. This action created incentives for the food industry to reduce trans fats both in response to consumer demand and through competition to maintain product reputation. Subsequent public actions include a ban on trans fat use in New York city restaurants and lawsuits against food companies, which created further incentives to remove trans fats, especially in the food service industry. Industry has reformulated packaged foods and found substitutes for restaurant fry oils and trans fats are disappearing from the US food supply. Market response extends throughout the supply chain, and has spurred research to alter oilseed crop characteristics. The widespread and relatively rapid industry response likely has improved the quality of US diets, and demonstrates the potential for policy actions to spur such improvements.
Dynamic Crack Extension Along the Interface of Materials That Differ in Thermal Properties: Convection and Thermal Relaxation

Moving surface loads cause crack extension at a constant subcritical speed between perfectly bonded materials. The materials differ only in thermal properties and are governed by coupled thermoelastic equations that admit as special cases Fourier heat conduction and thermal relaxation with one or two relaxation times. Convection from the crack surfaces is allowed and for the latter two models is itself influenced by thermal relaxation. A dynamic steady state of plane strain is assumed. Fourier heat conduction is shown to dominate away from the crack edge at low speeds; solution behavior at the crack edge at high speeds depends upon the particular thermal model. Thermal mismatch is seen to cause solution behavior similar to that for the isothermal bimaterial, and so insight into the case of general material mismatch is provided.
Oxytocin in schizophrenia: a review of evidence for its therapeutic effects

MacDonald K, Feifel D. Oxytocin in schizophrenia: a review of evidence for its therapeutic effects. Background: The suggestion that the neurohormone oxytocin may have clinical application in the treatment of schizophrenia was first published in 1972. Since then, a considerable body of research on a variety of fronts – including several recent double-blind treatment trials – has buttressed these early reports, providing support for the assertion that the oxytocin system is a promising and novel therapeutic target for this devastating malady. Herein, we review the diverse, convergent lines of evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of oxytocin in psychotic illness. Methods: We performed a systematic review of preclinical and clinical literature pertaining to oxytocin's role in schizophrenia. Results: Multiple lines of evidence converge to support the antipsychotic potential of oxytocin. These include several animal models of schizophrenia, pharmacological studies examining the impact of antipsychotics on the oxytocin system, human trials in patients examining the aspects of the oxytocin system and several double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical treatment trials. Conclusions: There exists considerable, convergent evidence that oxytocin has potential as a novel antipsychotic with a unique mechanism of action. Auspiciously, based on the few chronic trials to date, its safety profile and tolerability appear very good. That said, several critical clinical questions await investigation before widespread use is clinically warranted.
Differences in Vigorous and Moderate Physical Activity by Gender, Race/Ethnicity, Age, Education, and Income among U.S. Adults.

Abstract Background: Inconsistent findings exist regarding correlates of physical activity (PA) in the literature. Leisure-time physical activity among U.S. adults has declined for the last decade. Purpose: This article examines differences in vigorous-intensity and moderate-intensity physical activity by gender, race/ethnicity, age, education, and income among a representative sample of U.S. adults. Methods: A total of 1,000 adults participated in a random-digit telephone survey in 2005 (62% response rate and 82% cooperation rate). Non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics were oversampled to produce reliable estimates for these groups. Standard errors and odds ratios were calculated utilizing SUDAAN, reflecting differential probabilities of selection. Results: After adjusting for differences in existence of a serious health problem, body mass index, marital status, employment status, and smoking status in the multivariable logistic models, none of the five demographic variables except race/ethnicity were predic...
Drug-induced dendritic sprouts on Purkinje cells in the adult cerebellum.

Abstract Ultrastructural studies are reported on the cerebellar cortex of adult albino rats which had been chronically intoxicated with Dilantin. The most prominent finding was the formation of sprouts arising from Purkinje cell dendrites. There were five stages of growth of these dendritic membranes: vacuolar; nipple; projection; early spiral; and late spiral. Cell organelles were usually not seen in these sprouts. Some large late spirals formed oval laminar bodies as large as 4 μ across. Although the membranes forming the large laminar spirals usually were attached to dendrites, such spirals could be seen to arise from axonal terminals and astrocytes. We suggest that dendrites of adult Purkinje cells have more morphological plasticity than is commonly believed.
Respiratory effects of inhalation exposure among workers during the clean-up effort at the World Trade Center disaster site

During December 2001 we conducted a field study of 183 clean-up and recovery workers at the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site to assess respiratory health effects potentially resulting from their work at the site. On site, we administered a respiratory health questionnaire designed to assess upper respiratory symptoms and lower respiratory symptoms, including cough, phlegm, and wheeze, as well as indices of exposure, including number of days worked at the site and job category. Spirometry was conducted for 175 workers. Sixty-five percent of the workers surveyed arrived at the site without lower respiratory symptoms. Of this group, 34% developed cough, 24% developed phlegm, and 19% developed wheeze. Prevalence rates of these symptoms were related to the number of days spent working at the WTC, but not job category. The mean percentage predicted FEV(1) and FVC were 6% and 5% lower, respectively, for workers who developed new lower respiratory symptoms compared to those who remained symptom free. While the development of new wheeze suggested the presence of airway obstruction, the near-normal distribution of age-adjusted FEV(1)/FVC ratios suggested that the degree of obstruction was mild. The prevalence rates of upper airway symptoms (nasal congestion, sore throat, hoarse throat) exceeded those of lower respiratory symptoms, however, it was not determined whether symptoms pre-dated arrival at the WTC site.
New observations in the fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) phenotype.

Purpose: Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) was originally defined as tremor, ataxia, cognitive decline and parkinsonism in individuals who carry between 55-200 CGG repeats in the promoter region of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene. This paper describes a series of patients who meet the definition of FXTAS who presented for care between 2009-2014. Methods/Results: Retrospective chart review of patients seen in the FXTAS clinic at Rush University in Chicago. Conclusions: Patients with FXTAS may present with a progressive supranuclear palsy-like phenotype and eye movement abnormalities are common in these patients. Rapid worsening of gait abnormalities in FXTAS may be due to a secondary spinal issue and should be aggressively treated to regain function. Finally, the FXTAS Rating Scale score does not reliably inform the certainty of diagnosis or CGG repeat size in these patients.
Integrated Genetic Analysis Microsystems

The advent of integrated microsystems for genetic analysis allows the acquisition of information at unprecedented length and time scales. The convergence of molecular biology, chemistry, physics, and materials science is required for their design and construction. The utility of the microsystems originates from increased analysis speed, lower analysis cost, and higher parallelism leading to increased assay throughput. In addition, when fully integrated, this technology will enable portable systems for high-speed in situ analyses, permitting a new standard in disciplines such as clinical chemistry, personalized medicine, forensics, biowarfare detection, and epidemiology. This article presents an overview of the recent history of integrated genetic analysis microsystems with an emphasis on materials aspects, and provides a perspective on current developments and future prospects.
Changes in the oil price-inflation pass-through

Abstract We estimate a Bayesian structural vector autoregression that allows for time-varying parameters and stochastic volatility in the errors to account for the effects of various aggregate shocks on the real price of oil. We employ US quarterly data from 1948:Q1 to 2011:Q2. We find that aggregate supply (‘ AS ’) shocks have a meaningful effect on oil prices only during the 1970s and early 1980s. Our estimates suggest that since the Great Moderation period, oil prices respond more to aggregate demand (‘ AD ’) than ‘ AS ’ shocks and the volatility in oil prices does not seem to be contagious for the volatility in overall inflation. Our results also imply a flattening of the Phillips Curve in the 1990s and 2000s. A preponderance of evidence suggests that oil price-inflation pass-through may have shifted from a supply-side to a demand-side phenomenon. This has important implications for the ability of monetary policy makers to dampen the effects of adverse oil shocks on the aggregate economy.
Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adolescents and Young Adults.

Treatment outcomes have significantly improved for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a relatively common childhood cancer, with 5-year survival rates over 80%. However, survival rates for adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with ALL are lower than that for their younger counterparts. Despite marked heterogeneity in the biology of ALL, advancing age appears to be associated with an increased incidence of prognostically unfavorable cytogenetic abnormalities and a decreased incidence of favorable cytogenetic abnormalities. Retrospective analyses indicate that AYAs display superior remission and survival rates when treated with a pediatric rather than an adult protocol. This is thought to, in part, reflect differences in drug selection and dose intensity, with typical pediatric treatment regimens incorporating higher total doses of vincristine, l-asparaginase, and glucocorticoids than adult regimens, which tend to use more myelosuppressive agents. The tolerability and efficacy of intensive ped...