cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbes associated with parthenogenesis in wasps of the genus Trichogramma.

Abstract Cytological evidence is presented for a complete correlation between the presence of microorganisms in eggs and the incidence of revertible parthenogenesis (thelytoky) in wasps of the genus Trichogramma . A 2% lacmoid stain was used to visualize microorganisms in wasp eggs. Eggs of all 13 revertible parthenogenetic lines (i.e., lines that can be rendered bisexual by antibiotic treatment) carry microorganisms, while the eggs of all 5 nonrevertible parthenogenetic lines (i.e., lines that cannot be reverted to bisexual reproduction by either temperature or antibiotic treatment) are free of microorganisms. Microorganisms were not detected in eggs of 6 field-collected bisexual (arrhenotokous) lines, nor in those of 3 bisexual lines derived from revertible parthenogenetic lines by antibiotic treatment. The lacmoid stain provides a fast, easy method to detect microorganisms in the Trichogramma eggs and may be used in a modified form for the detection of microorganisms in the eggs of other species.
Electrochemical preparation of chitosan/hydroxyapatite composite coatings on titanium substrates

Composite coatings containing brushite (CaHPO4 · 2H2O) and chitosan were prepared by electrochemical deposition. The brushite/chitosan composites were converted to hydroxyapatite/chitosan composites in aqueous solutions of sodium hydroxide. The coatings ranged from ≈1 to 15% chitosan by weight. Qualitative assessment of the coatings showed adhesion significantly improved over that observed for electrodeposited coatings of pure HA. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 66A: 411–416, 2003
Constitutive equation of wood at variable humidity and temperature

Theoretical analysis of the effects of variations in moisture content and temperature on the creep of wood is presented. Thermodynamics of the processes of diffusion of water in wood microstructure is discussed and distinction is drawn between macrodiffusion and microdiffusion. The constitutive relation for steady states of moisture content and temperature is formulated on the basis of Maxwell chain model whose viscosity coefficients depend on moisture content and temperature. It is shown that the apparent acceleration of creep due to simultaneous drying (or wetting) as well as heating (or cooling) may be modeled as additional, stress-induced shrinkage (or swelling) and stress-induced thermal expansion (or contraction), described by shrinkage and thermal expansion coefficients that depend on the absolute values of the rates of pore humidity and temperature. Certain other sources of irreversibility of creep are also discussed.
A generic floorplanning methodology

One of the important and time consuming stages of design automation is the physical layout design cycle. The physical layout cycle itself consists of several steps, such as partitioning, floorplanning, placement, synthesis, muting and compaction. In this paper, a generic floorplanning methodology is presented. The methodology is based on the hierarchical cooperation of two context-free languages (SCAN and GEOMETRIA). In order to achieve an acceptable planning, the SCAN language defines the partitioning of the floor area and the global acquisition strategy (scan patterns) for the placement of the macro blocks. On the other hand, GEOMETRIA language deals with the local synthesis of the block under the constraints superimposed by global scan patterns. The results obtained by this methodology are very promising in comparison with other floorplanning methodologies. >
INTRAPERITONEAL ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS: A REVIEW OF COMPATIBILITY AND GUIDANCE FOR CLINICAL USE

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an effective home-based therapy for end-stage renal failure. Intraperitoneal administration of drugs to PD patients is particularly important for the treatment of peritonitis. Clinicians need to know that the administered drug is compatible with both the PD solution and its container. A detailed literature search on drug compatibility and stability was performed and results of all published stability studies are presented for all drugs, PD solutions, and containers studied. These data will aid clinicians managing PD patients and provide a resource to demonstrate which drugs have been shown to be stable in various PD solutions and solution containers. This is important information to assist clinicians in applying effective treatments, in particular, for peritonitis.
Alfven resonance effects on magnetosonic modes in large tokamaks

The theory of Alfv\'en resonance effects on the wave modes of a tokamak is extended beyond the incompressible magnetohydrodynamic model to include finite-($\frac{\ensuremath{\omega}}{{\ensuremath{\Omega}}_{i}}$) effects and compressibility. The discrete spectrum of compressional Alfv\'en waves consists of a sequence of frequencies with finite damping decrements resulting from the Alfv\'en resonance. The finite-frequency effects can cause the damping to almost vanish. This permits Alfv\'en resonance heating via high-$Q$ eigenmodes in large tokamaks.
Psychological and Physiological Mechanisms by Which Discovery and Didactic Methods Work.

Since ancient times, educators and parents have pondered which of two basic instructional strategies is more effective. This article describes physiological, affective, and cognitive mechanisms by which didactic and discovery methods appear to work, as revealed by a search of the research literature of the past decade or so. The optimal instructional method depends on the instructional objective, the educator's skills, and the nature of the students. But given the predominance of didactic method in today's schools–and the large body of research suggesting significant advantages to the discovery methods–more use of discovery methods should probably be employed, especially for students for whom didactic methods appear to be sub-optimal.
Symposium 6: New Approaches to the Evolution of Social Behavior

One of the most fascinating topics in evolutionary biology is how and why organisms cooperate with each other. Natural selection works through competition between alleles for representation in the next generation. Yet one sees everywhere organisms actually helping each other, from mutualisms between ants and plants to the altruistic acts of firefighters storming into burning buildings to rescue people. But how can natural selection lead to cooperation? This, of course, is not a new question, and a tremendous amount of work in evolutionary theory in the last 40 years has shown that helping others can frequently be the winning strategy in the struggle for existence. We have a sophisticated theory of social evolution, dealing not only with helping behaviors, but also other behaviors such as policing, spiteful harm-doing, and so on.
Cost and Performance Comparison of U.S. Overhead Sign Support Structures

Recent developments in fatigue analysis and design of overhead sign support structures prompted AASHTO to update the Standard Specifications for Structural Supports for Highway Signs, Luminaires, and Traffic Signals in 2001. An earlier version of the specification was published in 1994 and, according to recent studies, did not adequately address the issue of fatigue. Updating existing sign support structures to comply with the AASHTO 2001 sign specification may result in a substantial expense to the state departments of transportation nationwide. A method was developed to analyze and evaluate overhead sign support structures for comparison based on cost and performance. The method was then applied to sign support structures across the United States to determine the best performing and most economical designs currently in use. To determine the estimated fatigue life of critical connection details, the evaluation of overhead sign support structure performance was based on dynamic analyses of finite element ...
Evaluation of choroidal thickness among patients with oculocutaneous albinism.

We read with interest on the article by Karabas et al 1, which reported statistically significant decreased subfoveal choroidal thickness in patients with oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) as compared with age-controlled normal subjects. We would like to congratulate the authors on being the first to describe this among OCA subjects. However, there are relevant factors that we will like to point out. Karabas pointed out that their findings of choroidal thickness among the healthy control population were higher than other studies. Karabas reported …
Scaling function waveform for effective side-lobe suppression in radar signal

Scaling function of generic wavelet is proposed to be the radar waveform of a radar signal. Its shows significant advantage on conventional linear frequency modulated (LFM) or chirp radar waveform in side-lobe compression. To increase the bandwidth of the radar waveform, we further propose a new radar waveform named chirp-Z, which is composed of wavelet packets. The generation of the chirp-Z signal is introduced, and the signal is compared with the chirp radar pulse with the same duration and same bandwidth chirp. The result demonstrates that chirp-Z signal has much better side-lobe suppression than the conventional chirp signal. Furthermore, due to the composition of wavelet packets in the chirp-Z signal, subband adaptation in both amplitude and phase adjustment becomes flexible in responding to the variation of environments. The latter enables powerful cognitive radar.
Using a collaborative weaning plan to decrease duration of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the intensive care unit for patients receiving long-term ventilation.

• BACKGROUND Patients requiring mechanical ventilation for prolonged periods typically are sicker and have more comorbid illnesses than do patients who can be weaned more rapidly. As a result, the weaning process is often complex, requiring shared decision making by a skilled, multidisciplinary team. Unfortunately, many of the structures used in critical care units to plan and evaluate care do not lend themselves to collaborative management of patients. • OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of a collaborative weaning plan on outcomes, including duration of mechanical ventilation, for patients treated with mechanical ventilation for 7 days or more. • METHODS A collaborative weaning plan (weaning board and flow sheet) was introduced into the medical intensive care unit at the University of California Los Angeles, Medical Center. A historical design was used to compare outcomes before and after the plan was used. The primary outcome variable was duration of mechanical ventilation. Other outcomes studied included length of stay in the unit, cost, prevalence of complications (ie, reventilation, readmission to the intensive care unit), and mortality rate.
Comparison of Buoy-Mounted and Bottom-Moored ADCP Performance at Gray’s Reef

Abstract Simultaneous ADCP profile measurements are compared over a 2-month period in late 2003. One set of measurements comes from a National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoy-mounted ADCP, the other from a bottom-mounted, upward-looking ADCP moored roughly 500 m from the buoy. The study was undertaken to evaluate the proficiency of an experimental configuration by NDBC; unfortunately, the ADCP was not optimally configured. The higher temporally and vertically resolved bottom-mounted ADCP data are interpolated in time and depth to match the buoy-mounted ADCP measurements. It is found that the two ADCP measurements are significantly different. The buoy-mounted measurements are affected by high-frequency (<10 h period) noise that is vertically coherent throughout the profiles. This noise results in autospectra that are essentially white, unlike the classic red spectra formed from the bottom-mounted ADCP observations. The spectra imply a practical noise floor of 0.045 m s−1 for the buoy-mounted system. Contamina...
Parturition in Nonhuman Primates

among nonhuman primates faces two major problems. First is the great diversity in reproductive processes among animals of this order. Interspecies differences in patterns and mechanisms of reproduction are characteristic among mammals in general. These differences even among otherwise closely related animals lend a diversity to reproductive processes that appears to exceed differences found in other mammalian organ systems. The primates demonstrate their full share of this diversity. The second problem is that primate reproductive biology is relatively well known for only a few frequently-studied species, with little information on many, particularly on those more distantly related to man. And even among the best studied nonhuman primates, events during or immediately before partuntion are often not well known because the time of birth cannot be accurately predicted and frequently occurs at night. The order of primates includes 176 species
Journals Relevant to Practice

To the Editor: In a recent article (Physical Therapy 66:540–541, 1986), Deborah Gibson and I listed journals that had been cited frequently by authors in Physical Therapy over a four-year period. The list was published to give clinicians an indication of journals that might be useful sources of information for their practices. In a Letter to the Editor, I noted the ongoing availability of a current list of cited journals in Science Citation Index (Physical Therapy 66:1275, 1986). An alternative to identifying important information sources by citation analysis is the use of the Physiotherapy Current Awareness Topic Search (CATS) . This publication, which has been presented both in Physical Therapy (66:1279, 1986) and Physiotherapy (72:533–535, 1986) is generated from a MEDLINE computer search. Nearly 100 core journals are reviewed monthly for CATS . About 3,000 additional journals are scanned for relevant physical therapy content. [ ARTICLE][1] [ ARTICLE][2] [ ARTICLE][3] [1]: /lookup/volpage/66/540?iss=4 [2]: /lookup/volpage/66/1275?iss=8 [3]: /lookup/volpage/66/1279?iss=8
Chromatographic separation of germanium and arsenic for the production of high purity (77)As

A simple column chromatographic method was developed to isolate (77)As (94±6% (EtOH/HCl); 74±11 (MeOH)) from germanium for potential use in radioimmunotherapy. The separation of arsenic from germanium was based on their relative affinities for different chromatographic materials in aqueous and organic environments. Using an organic or mixed mobile phase, germanium was selectively retained on a silica gel column as germanate, while arsenic was eluted from the column as arsenate. Subsequently, enriched (76)Ge (98±2) was recovered for reuse by elution with aqueous solution (neutral to basic). Greater than 98% radiolabeling yield of a (77)As-trithiol was observed from methanol separated [(77)As]arsenate [17].
BODY SIZE AND NUMBERS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

Although it is one of the most important attributes of organisms, body size has received surprisingly little attention in biology. (Some exceptions, with literature entries, are Bonner, 1968; Gould, 1966, 1968; Haldane, 1928; Hutchinson, 1971; Kurten, 1963; McNab, 1971; Nicol, 1964; Rensch, 1960; Schoener, 1970.) Even when it is discussed, there is sometimes an apology for considering a subject that is mainly treated in the popular literature. But the popular literature is right, in its crude understanding: an organism's size affects it and its neighbors crucially in several ways. Physiological and morphological requirements at different sizes (allometry in its several guises) have been studied sporadically since at least Galileo, and this aspect is probably the best (although not well) understood. Ontogenetic changes in size relate both to this functional allometry and to evolutionary strategies: in what circumstances is it better to be large as an adult or an an egg, spore, or seed? The strong tendency for small mammals and some other animals to get larger on islands and large mammals to get smaller there may be the ecotypic "rule" with the fewest exceptions, but it is not widely known and is less understood (cf., Van Valen, 1970). Most evolutionary strategies relate to body size in one way or another. The popular interest differs from these somewhat sophisticated notions, and it is the subject of this interest that I will pursue (cf., Van Valen, 1969). It is clear that large organisms are in some sense more important than small ones, in addition to being on the whole more conspicuous. This importance comes largely from the fact that each individual has a disproportionately large share of the flow of energy (reduced carbon) and other resources in a community. I will present elsewhere extensive analyses of the partitioning of the energy flow by animals of different sizes within various kinds of communities; here I consider a condensed but global picture of the present state of evolution as expressed in classifications of angiosperms, mammals, and birds. The degree of dominance of a species (or set of species) in an ecosystem (local or global) is the proportion of a limiting resource, especially energy, that it controls per individual (or species). I consider dominance and body size in relation to number of species of different kinds in the world.
Generation Conservation: Children’s Developing Folkbiological and Moral Conceptions of Protecting Endangered Species

ABSTRACTResearch Findings: This study investigated folkbiological concepts that structure children’s moral reasoning regarding conservation. Participants (N = 52; 7- and 10-year-olds, gender balanced) were interviewed regarding their values, moral obligations, and rights concerns for endangered and extinct animals. Across the 2 ages, children drew on the animal’s living status and teleology, as well as ecological relations, to ground their moral reasoning. Developmentally speaking, the younger children employed both nature-centered and human-centered moral reasoning, whereas the older children employed a complex form of moral reasoning that integrated human models of moral thinking with distinct biological understanding. Practice or Policy: The findings can improve education and policy that supports the next generation of conservationists. Educators can draw on these findings to develop class material and activities that teach children about ecological relations—knowledge children can employ to construct ...
Analysis of Food Poisoning in a Certain City from 2003 to 2007

Objective To explore the rules and characteristics of food poisoning in a certain city from 2003 to 2007,and to provide scientific basis for effective control and prevention of food poisoning.Method Descriptive statistical analysis was conduced about food poisoning from 2003 to 2007 in a certain city.Results There were 84 food poisoning events and 1,836 poisoned persons from 2003 to 2007 in a certain city,with the incidence of 14.12/100,000.Meat and meat products were the most common food related to poisoning,the frequency of outbreak and the number of victim accounted for 38.10% and 36.76% respectively.Bacterial food poisoning and the number of victim accounted for 58.33% and 61.33%;parahemolyticus food poisoning and the number of victim accounted for 26.19% and 24.95%;the main site of food poisoning was mess halls,which accounted for 47.62% and 52.29%.The peak of prevalence in a year was seen during the third quarter,which accounted for 42.86% and 43.19%.Conclusions Strengthening propaganda and education,enhancing supervision and monitoring of foodstuff sanitation,focusing on the main seasons,main places and key points are the effective methods for the control and prevention of food poisoning.
Analysis on the pregnancy outcome of gestational diabetes mellitus based on standardized management of a new diagnostic criterion

Objective To explore the effect of standardized management on pregnancy outcome of gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) based on a new diagnostic criterion of GDM issued by Ministry of Health in July 2011. Method A total of 184 GDM patients based on a new diagnostic criterion and receiving standardized management were collected as study group,116 GDM patients not receiving standardized management during the same period were selected as control group; the pregnancy outcomes in the two groups were compared and analyzed. Results The incidence rates of preeclampsia,polyhydramnios,fetal distress,macrosomia and cesarean section rate in study group were significantly higher than those in control group(P 0. 05); there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence rates of postpartum hemorrhage,puerperal infection,ketoacidosis,premature delivery,perinatal death,fetal malformation,and neonatal asphyxia between study group and control group(P 0. 05). Conclusion Conducting standardized management among GDM patients can effectively reduce maternal and infantile complications and improve pregnancy outcome; the incidence rate of GDM increases under the new diagnostic criterion of GDM,GDM management should be enhanced in maternal and child health care institutions.
New trends in the drug therapy of localized and disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection

Recent advances in the drug therapy of localized and disseminated infection with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are reviewed. MAC infection is the most commonly reported bacterial infection in patients with AIDS, and the frequency of this infection in patients negative for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is increasing. The main portals of entry for MAC are the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. Localized MAC infection is more common in HIV-negative than HIV-infected patients. The symptoms of disseminated MAC disease are those typical of advanced HIV disease. The most reliable diagnosis is provided by blood cultures; radiometric culturing techniques are favored. The overall treatment of MAC infection has improved greatly with the introduction of new agents during the past 15 years; survival time has been extended. Clarithromycin and azithromycin have proven effective against both localized and disseminated MAC infection. Clarithromycin is the cornerstone of therapy for disseminated infection. Ciprofloxacin has been successfully used to treat disseminated infection as part of a four-drug regimen including rifampin, ethambutol, and clofazimine. Rifabutin has substantial efficacy when combined with other agents. Liposomal aminoglycosides, such as amikacin, and interferon gamma have shown some initial promise. Rifabutin is currently recommended for the prevention of MAC disease in HIV-infected patients. Clarithromycin and azithromycin have also shown efficacy for prophylaxis, and fluoroquinolones may play a preventive role as well. New drug therapies are improving the outlook for persons infected with MAC.
Reduction of Elliptic Curves

The properties of reduction in this chapter, except for §3, are due to Deuring, who used them to give his algebraic proofs for complex multiplication. We shall not give any proofs. These can be given ad hoc, as Deuring did, for the elliptic curves, or one can develop a general reduction theory, as in Shimura [39]. No matter what, it is a pain to lay these foundations, but the results can be stated simply. Although classically one reduces over a discrete valuation ring, it is useful to deal with an arbitrary local ring.
Safety of Topical Dermatologic Medications in Pregnancy.

Dermatologic drugs should be employed with caution in women of childbearing age who are pregnant or considering pregnancy. Topical drugs have little systemic absorption. Therefore, they are deemed safer than oral or parenteral agents and less likely to harm the fetus. However, their safety profile must be assessed cautiously, as there is limited available data. In this article, we aggregate human and animal studies and provide recommendations on using topical dermatologic medications in pregnancy. J Drugs Dermatol. 2016;15(7):830-834.
Fatigue-driving recognition based on the state of the human eye and electroencephalographic signal

The paper apply dual indicators based on eye's state and electroencephalographic signals to identify whether the driver is at the state of fatigue or not. This method improves the detection rate and detection precision, reduce error detection rate, and increase system's robustness and stability compared with single eye movement signal or electroencephalographic signals. The first step is to collect eye's state information, then use the PERCLOS algorithm to identify whether a driver is at the state of fatigue or not. At the same time the power ratio of alpha, beta and theta which are received by parallel processing EEG signal identifies whether the driver is at the state of fatigue or not. As long as the system meets one of the two indicators, the driver is identified to fatigue and the system make alarm.
Biobanking and translational medicine: The academic perspective

T University of Arizona Biorepository is responsible for collecting, storing, tracking, processing, and distributing human tissue, blood, and other bio-specimens. The Biorepository’s mission is to provide high-quality, clinically annotated specimens to the research community at this and other institutions as well as to industry involved in biomedical research. Researchers can use the stored materials for future research studies to learn more about cancer, diabetes, and other health problems. The bank will provide a ready supply of samples, so researchers do not have to look for donors for each new study. The biorepository provides consistent collection, processing, banking and clinical correlative procedures and operates in conjunction with departments of Surgery, Ophthalmology, Pulmonology, Aging, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Biomedical Engineering, OB-GYN, Cardiology and others. Currently the bio-repository has in its possession 1.5 million patient samples obtained through Pathology. The bio-repository utilizes universal electronic consents providing annotated clinical data on each patient through an Honest Broker arrangement. All samples are linked to patient medical identifiers allowing for access to the electronic health record now and at all times in the future in a deidentified fashion. Fresh frozen paraffin blocks, blood, plasma, sera, urine and other biological fluids; as well as biopsies and other tissues/bio-samples are stored. In addition, DNA/RNA/proteins are also banked for all samples. Significantly, we have now developed methodology allowing for genomic and phenotypic sample characterization for approx. $2/patient sample. As all samples are stored according to industry best practices, in temperature-controlled, monitored, and alarmed environments (in LN2 or other freezers as appropriate) to maximize resource integrity utilizing cGTP practices whenever possible, the biorepository also serves as a source of cells and tissues for projects involving translational and regenerative medicine. To facilitate investigator interactions the biorepository utilizes Tissue Metrix2 as the central database for information on all banked bio-samples. The software has a web-based front-end with an Oracle database which permits access from web browsers across multiple platforms. It employs role based security to permit control over user access to information stored in the database. The i2b2 open source exploration tool is used as a storefront for investigator sample requests in a text based format.
Primary Intimal Sarcoma of the Left Atrium: An Incidental Finding on Routine Echocardiography:

Cardiac sarcomas are extremely rare primary malignant tumors of the heart. In this article, we present the case of a 70-year-old female, who was found to have a left atrial mass during a routine outpatient transthoracic echocardiography. Further investigation with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging confirmed the presence of a bilobulated mass with heterogeneous enhancement. Left atrial myxoma was the first diagnostic consideration, followed by other primary cardiac tumors, and thrombus. The patient subsequently underwent resection of the mass, utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass. Upon pathological examination, the mass was found to be an intimal sarcoma. The objective of this report is to describe a case of this rare disease entity, and to discuss its presentation, pathological findings and management.
Defensive Liability Without Culpability

A minimally responsible threatener is someone who bears some responsibility for imposing an objectively wrongful threat, but whose responsibility does not rise to the level of culpability. Minimally responsible threateners include those who knowingly commit a wrongful harm under duress, those who are epistemically justified but mistaken in their belief that a morally risky activity will not cause a wrongful harm, and those who commit a harm while suffering from a cognitive impairment which makes it prohibitively difficult to recognize and act on what is morally required of them. The chapter argues that minimally responsible threateners can indeed be morally liable for the harms they impose. Put differently, culpability is not a necessary basis for liability.
Near-optimality of greedy set selection in the sampling of graph signals

Sampling has been extensively studied in graph signal processing, having found applications in estimation, clustering, and video compression. Still, sampling set selection remains an open issue. Indeed, although conditions for graph signal reconstruction from noiseless samples were derived, the presence of noise makes sampling set selection combinatorial and NP-hard in general. Performance bounds are available only for randomized sampling schemes, even though greedy search remains ubiquitous in practice. This work sets out to justify the success of greedy sampling by introducing the concept of approximate supermodularity and updating the classical greedy bound to account for this class of functions. Then, it quantifies the approximate supermodularity of two important reconstruction figures of merit, namely the log det of the error covariance matrix and the mean-square error, showing that they can be optimized with worst-case guarantees using greedy sampling.
Gender differences in bullying: Moving beyond mean level differences

Are boys more aggressive than girls? Although a tremendous amount of research over the last several decades supports an answer of “yes” (Block, 1983; Parke & Slaby, 1983), more recent research would also support an answer of “it depends” (Knight, Guthrie, Page, & Fabes, 2002). That is, it depends on important contextual factors that might vary across investigations such as the deﬁnition of aggression, the method of assessment employed, and the age of the child/adolescent.
Feasibility test of quantitative assessment of breast density based on dielectric impedance spectroscopy

Breast density is a well-recognized important breast cancer risk factor. However, accurately assessing breast density is difficult. Although the mammographic density is the most popular method to assess breast density in current clinical practice, it is not accurate and reliable due to the overlap of breast tissues and inter-reader variability. In order to more accurately assess breast density, we proposed a new non-invasive assessment technology based on the measurement of dielectric impedance spectrums of the breast regions. The objective of this study is to test the feasibility of this new technology through a unique phantom study. The phantom design is based on mixing two types of agar saline materials with two different levels of electrical conductivity corresponding to fat and fibro-glandular tissue conductivities. In the phantom design considerations, we assembled four breast phantoms to mimic four breast density categories defined by the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. The testing results showed that as the increase of the simulated “fibro-glandular” tissues inside the phantom, the measured electrical impedance values monotonically decreased. The testing results were consistent and reproducible at different positions between detection probes and breast phantom surface when considering and calibrating the systematic errors. Thus, this study demonstrated the feasibility of developing and applying a new dielectric impedance measurement technology and device to assess breast density, which is low-cost, non-invasive, non-hazard and easy-to-use. If successful in future tests, this new method has potential to assist better assessing breast cancer risk for developing an optimal personalized breast cancer screening paradigm.
Genetic Recombination Induced by Ultraviolet Light

When bacteria are exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light, the principal photoproducts to be formed in their DNA are pyrimidine dimers. These dimers are of the cyclobutane type and are formed between adjacent pyrimidine bases in the same single strand (Setlow, 1966). It is also known that wild type cells survive exposure to UV light by means of a recovery mechanism in which the pyrimidine dimers are excised from the DNA forming single strand gaps. The twin helix is then reconstructed by DNA synthesis using the intact opposite strand as template. Certain strains that carry mutations in loci designated uvr are unable to excise pyrimidine dimers, and are abnormally sensitive to the lethal effects of UV light (Setlow and Carrier, 1964; Boyce and Howard-Flanders, 1964).
Anoctamins (TMEM16 proteins): Functions and involvement in neurologic disease

Anoctamins (anion channels with 8 transmembrane domains [ANO]), also known as transmembrane proteins with 16 domains (TMEM16), are highly conserved intracellular calcium (Ca2+)–activated proteins with multiple cellular functions. The ANO/TMEM16 family includes 10 members (ANO1/TMEM16A to ANO10/TMEM16K), with distinct distributions in tissues. Some of these proteins, such as ANO1 and ANO2, are prototypical Ca2+-activated chloride (Cl−) channels. Others, including ANO6, mediate Ca2+-dependent exposure of phospholipids that are normally expressed in the inner leaflet of the membrane to the extracellular surface; this process is called phospholipid scrambling or scramblase activity. Anoctamins are involved in regulation of neuronal cell excitability, epithelial secretion, smooth muscle contraction, repair of skeletal muscle membrane, and tumorigenesis. The structure, mechanism of activation, and functions of anoctamins have been reviewed recently.1–6 Anoctamins contribute to heat-induced pain7,8 and modulate excitability in neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG),9 hippocampus,10 and cerebellum.11 Mutations affecting different anoctamins have been linked to several neurologic disorders, including muscle disease,12–15 cerebellar ataxia,16–18 and dystonia.19,20 Thus, anoctamins constitute a potential therapeutic target in a wide range of neurologic disorders.
Meta-topolin stimulates de novo shoot organogenesis and plant regeneration in cassava

A novel protocol for de novo shoot organogenesis from cassava has been developed utilizing meta-topolin to stimulate shoot regeneration from leaf, petiole and stem internode explants. While use of meta-topolin alone was capable of inducing shoot regeneration, a two-stage system combining meta-topolin with 2,4-D in a first stage medium, followed by subculture onto elevated levels of meta-topolin, was superior for inducing multiple shoot regeneration events in more than 35% of explants in cultivar TME 7. Caulogenesis was achieved in eleven additional cultivars. Meta-topolin was also found to be beneficial for stimulating shoot regeneration from somatic embryos and cotyledon explants. The shoot organogenesis techniques described enhance the capacity of existing embryogenic systems and present previously unavailable morphogenic pathways for developing genetic transformation and gene editing technologies in cassava.
Adaptive scheduling of parallel jobs in spark streaming

Streaming data analytics has become increasingly vital in many applications such as dynamic content delivery (e.g., advertisements), Twitter sentiment analysis, and security event processing (e.g., intrusion detection systems, and spam filters). Emerging stream processing systems, such as Spark Streaming, treat the continuous stream as a series of micro-batches of data and continuously process these micro-batch jobs. Such micro-batch based stream processing provides several advantages over traditional stream processing systems, which process streaming data one record at a time, including fast recovery from failures, better load balancing and scalability. However, efficient scheduling of micro-batch jobs to achieve high throughput and low latency is very challenging due to the complex data dependency and dynamism inherent in streaming workloads. In this paper, we propose A-scheduler, an adaptive scheduling approach that dynamically schedules parallel micro-batch jobs in Spark Streaming and automatically adjusts scheduling parameters to improve performance and resource efficiency. Specifically, A-scheduler dynamically schedules multiple jobs concurrently using different policies based on their data dependencies and automatically adjusts the level of job parallelism and resource shares among jobs based on workload properties. We implemented A-scheduler and evaluated it with a real-time security event processing workload. Our experimental results show that A-scheduler can reduce end-to-end latency by 42% and improve workload throughput and energy efficiency by 21% and 13%, respectively, compared to the default Spark Streaming scheduler.
Discrete Image Reconstruction

We have seen that, when complete continuous X-ray data are available, then an attenuation-coefficient function f(x, y) can be reconstructed exactly using the filtered back-projection formula, Theorem 6.2.
Working with the Wesley College Cannon Scholar Program: Improving Retention, Persistence, and Success.

Wesley College secured a five-year (2014-2019) National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM (scholarships in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) grant to provide affordability and access to its robust STEM programs. With these funds, the College initiated a freshman to senior level, mixed-cohort, Cannon Scholar (CS) learning community. To receive an annual scholarship for four years, the Scholars must be United States citizens or permanent residents, demonstrate financial need, maintain an annual cumulative GPA of 2.7, and remain a STEM major. For Cannon Scholars interested in mentored research, existing NSF EPSCoR (Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research), and National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of General Medical Sciences - IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) funding, complement the innovation and cross-disciplinary collaboration in the CS programming. This enriches and further supports its Scholars. Three years into the S-STEM grant, the 2014-2016 Cannon Scholars’ average GPAs are approximately two-thirds of a letter grade higher than the non-CS STEM majors, and approximately two-sixths of a letter grade higher than the Colleges non-STEM majors. Supplementing engaging STEM-opportunities with resource-intensive academic and financial actions, resulted in all twenty-one of the 2014-2016 CS graduates entering STEM professions.
The best-laid incentive plans.

Hiram Phillips couldn't have been in better spirits. The CFO and chief administrative officer of Rainbarrel Products, a diversified consumer-durables manufacturer, Phillips felt he'd single-handedly turned the company's performance around. He'd only been at Rainbarrel a year, but the company's numbers had, according to his measures, already improved by leaps and bounds. Now the day had come for Hiram to share the positive results of his new performance management system with his colleagues. The corporate executive council was meeting, and even CEO Keith Randall was applauding the CFO's work: "Hiram's going to give us some very good news about cost reductions and operating efficiencies, all due to the changes he's designed and implemented this year." Everything looked positively rosy--until some questionable information began to trickle in from other meeting participants. It came to light, for instance, that RD compensation consultant Steven Gross; retired U.S. Navy vice admiral and management consultant Diego Hernandez; and Barry Leskin, a consultant and former chief learning officer for Chevron Texaco, offer their advice in this fictional case study.
Amniotic fluid: the value of prenatal analysis. II.

Amniotic fluid analysis is an integral tool in assessing the normalcy or abnormalcy of the unborn child. Amniotic fluid is normally clear but may be faintly milky or opalescent especially during the last trimester of pregnancy. A yellow or reddish brown color suggests fetal complication as does the presence of meconium in the fluid. Amniotic fluid osmolality can be used in assessing fetal maturity and perinatal outcome. Osmolality of 250 m0sm/kg or less generally indicates a fetus of 37 weeks or more gestational age; such a value however should not be considered an absolute criterion because of the wide scatter of normal values. A decrease in amniotic fluid osmolality can be attributed to a change in sodium electrolyte concentration. However electrolyte concentrations in the amniotic fluid have not been significantly correlated with the pathologic states of pregnancy. Other components of amniotic fluid are: 1) acid-base balance the significance of which is little understood; 2) urea uric acid and creatinine which are mainly fetal excretory products; 3) proteins changes in the levels of which can be clinically helpful in managing an Rh-negative sensitized pregnancy; 4) amino acids which have potential for use in prenatal diagnosis of metabolic diseases (e.g. cystinuria glycinuria phenylketonuria); 5) lipids which may provide an accurate basis for assessing fetal lung maturity and may play a role in the coagulopathy associated with amniotic fluid embolism and; 6) prostaglandins the significance of which is yet to be understood.
Minorities in the Economy of the United States

Part II of this book deals with the institutional aspects of majority-minority relations: economic life, political and legal processes, family structures and intermarriage, religious institutions, and education. Chapters 9 and 10 consider the roles of minorities in the American economy. Since we cannot include all racial and cultural minorities in the United States in this segment of the book, the focus here is mainly on the four groups who are most disadvantaged: Blacks, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Native Americans.
Human TH9 differentiation is dependent on signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 to restrain STAT1-mediated inhibition.

Background Patients with loss-of-function (LOF) signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) mutations have dermatitis, enhanced IgE production despite a relative lack of immediate hypersensitivity, recurrent infection, and an increased rate of lymphoma in addition to a number of skeletal and connective tissue abnormalities. Patients with STAT1 gain-of-function (GOF) mutations also have susceptibility to candidiasis and sinopulmonary infection, as well as autoimmunity and squamous cell carcinoma, in addition to even more broad phenotypes. Objective Because of the link between TH9 cells and allergic inflammation, autoimmunity, and antitumor surveillance and because evidence shows a role for either STAT3 or STAT1 in TH9 differentiation conflicts, we sought to determine the status on this lineage of STAT1 GOF and STAT3 LOF mutations in human subjects. Methods We detected IL-9 levels and TH9 differentiation in patients with STAT3 LOF and STAT1 GOF mutations, together with TH9 transcript factors, and partially rescued their deficiency in vitro by adding cytokines they lacked or transfecting key molecules. Results We found that PBMCs or sorted naive CD4+ T cells from patients with STAT3 LOF and STAT1 GOF mutations had impaired TH9 generation/differentiation. STAT3 inhibition in normal TH9 cultures diminished early IL-21 induction and late IL-9 production, whereas exogenous IL-21 enhanced TH9 differentiation, even with STAT3 inhibition, by restoring suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 expression and thus inhibiting excessive phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (p-STAT) 1 activation. Furthermore, exogenous expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 or either T-bet or STAT1 RNA interference in STAT3 LOF cells partially rescued IL-9 differentiation. Conclusion Collectively, these results suggest that human TH9 differentiation depends on normal p-STAT3 and IL-21 production to suppress p-STAT1 activation and T-bet transcription.
Label-free quantitative mass spectrometry analysis of differential protein expression in the developing cochlear sensory epithelium

The sensory epithelium of the inner ear converts the mechanical energy of sound to electro-chemical energy recognized by the central nervous system. This process is mediated by receptor cells known as hair cells that express proteins in a timely fashion with the onset of hearing. The proteomes of 3, 14, and 30 day-old mice cochlear sensory epithelia were revealed, using label-free quantitative mass spectrometry (LTQ-Orbitrap). Statistical analysis using a one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni’s post-hoc test was used to show significant differences in protein expression. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to observe networks of differentially expressed proteins, their biological processes, and associated diseases, while Cytoscape software was used to determine putative interactions with select biomarker proteins. These candidate biomarkers were further verified using Western blotting, while coimmunoprecipitation was used to verify putative partners determined using bioinformatics. We show that a comparison across all three proteomes shows that there are 447 differentially expressed proteins, with 387 differentially expressed between postnatal day 3 and 30. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed ~ 62% of postnatal day 3 downregulated proteins are involved in neurological diseases. Several proteins are expressed exclusively on P3, including Parvin α, Drebrin1 (Drb1), Secreted protein acidic and cysteine rich (SPARC), Transmembrane emp24 domain-containing protein 10 (Tmed10). Coimmunoprecipitations showed that Parvin and SPARC interact with integrin-linked protein kinase and the large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel, respectively. Quantitative mass spectrometry revealed the identification of numerous differentially regulated proteins over three days of postnatal development. These data provide insights into functional pathways regulating normal sensory and supporting cell development in the cochlea that include potential biomarkers. Interacting partners of two of these markers suggest the importance of these complexes in regulating cellular structure and synapse development.
Effects of group size on conversation treatment outcomes: Results of standardized testing.

Background: Group treatment for people with aphasia has the potential to improve communication and reduce social isolation, while reducing medical costs (Elman & Bernstein-Ellis, 1999). However, th...