cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
FLOW-INDUCED SHISH KEBAB PRECURSOR STRUCTURES IN ENTANGLED POLYMER MELTS

Abstract Flow-induced crystallization has long been an important subject in polymer processing. Varying processing conditions can produce different morphologies, which lead to different properties. Recent studies indicated that the final morphology is in fact dictated by the initial formation of crystallization precursor structures (i.e. shish-kebabs) under flow. In this article, factors that affect the shish-kebab formation in entangled polymer melts are systematically reviewed, including the concept of coil–stretch transition, chain dynamics, critical orientation molecular weight, phase transition during shish and kebab formations. In particular, recent experimental results from in situ rheo-X-ray studies and ex situ microscopic examinations have been presented to illustrate several new findings of flow-induced shish-kebab structures in polymer melts. (1) The shish entity consists of stretched chains (or chain segments) that can be in the amorphous, mesomorphic or crystalline state. (2) The kebab entity mainly arises from the crystallization of coiled chains (or chain segments), which seems to follow a diffusion-control growth process. (3) A shish-kebab structure with multiple shish was seen in the ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) precursor. Based on the above results and recent simulation work from other laboratories, a modified molecular mechanism for the shish-kebab formation in entangled melt is presented.
Multi-Torrent: a Performance Study

BitTorrent (BT) has become an extremely popular and successful peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing system. Although empirical evidence suggests that most nodes participate in multiple torrents, surprisingly little research literature exists on this topic. In this paper we focus on a multi-torrent system and specifically on the questions of (a) what incentives could be provided for nodes to contribute resources as seeds in a multi-torrent environment, and (b) what are the resulting performance consequences of such behavior, both on the nodes which are willing to be seeds and on the overall system. We give evidence of the current system lacking incentives for nodes to stay around as seeds in a multi-torrent environment. Motivated by that, we propose a cross torrent based method and then present a simulation-based performance study to illustrate the benefits of our approach.
The Postmethod Condition: (E) merging Strategies for Second/Foreign Language Teaching

Recent explorations in L2 pedagogy signal a shift away from the conventional concept of method toward a “postmethod condition” that can potentially refigure the relationship between theorizers and teachers by empowering teachers with knowledge, skill, and autonomy. So empowered, teachers could devise for themselves a systematic, coherent, and relevant alternative to method, one informed by principled pragmatism. The postmethod condition can also reshape the character and content of L2 teaching, teacher education, and classroom research. In practical terms, it motivates a search for an open-ended, coherent framework based on current theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical insights that will enable teachers to theorize from practice and practice what they theorize. This paper explores one such framework consisting of 10 macrostrategies, based on which teachers can design varied and situation-specific microstrategies or classroom techniques to effect desired learning outcomes. The paper maintains that the framework can be used to transform classroom practitioners into strategic teachers as well as strategic researchers.
Refined crystal structure of DsRed, a red fluorescent protein from coral, at 2.0-A resolution.

Abstract The crystal structure of DsRed, a red fluorescent protein from a corallimorpharian, has been determined at 2.0-A resolution by multiple-wavelength anomalous dispersion and crystallographic refinement. Crystals of the selenomethionine-substituted protein have space group P21 and contain a tetramer with 222 noncrystallographic symmetry in the asymmetric unit. The refined model has satisfactory stereochemistry and a final crystallographic R factor of 0.162. The protein, which forms an obligatory tetramer in solution and in the crystal, is a squat rectangular prism comprising four protomers whose fold is extremely similar to that of the Aequorea victoria green fluorescent protein despite low (≈23%) amino acid sequence homology. The monomer consists of an 11-stranded β barrel with a coaxial helix. The chromophores, formed from the primary sequence -Gln-Tyr-Gly- (residues 66–68), are arranged in a ≈27 × 34-A rectangular array in two approximately antiparallel pairs. The geometry at the α carbon of Gln-66 (refined without stereochemical restraints) is consistent with an sp2 hybridized center, in accord with the proposal that red fluorescence is because of an additional oxidation step that forms an acylimine extension to the chromophore [Gross, L. A., Baird, G. S., Hoffman, R. C., Baldridge, K. K. & Tsien, R. Y. (2000) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87, 11990–11995]. The carbonyl oxygen of Phe-65 is almost 90° out of the plane of the chromophore, consistent with theoretical calculations suggesting that this is the minimum energy conformation of this moiety despite the conjugation of this group with the rest of the chromophore.
A comparison of shared and nonshared memory models of parallel computation

Four algorithms are analyzed in the shared and nonshared (distributed) memory models of parallel computation. The analysis shows that the shared memory model predicts optimality for algorithms and programming styles that cannot be realized on any physical parallel computers. Programs based on these techniques are inferior to programs written in the nonshared memory model. The unit cost charged for a reference to shared memory is argued to be the source of the shared memory model's inaccuracy. The implications of these observations are discussed. >
IDENTIFICATION AND ESTIMATION OF CAUSAL EFFECTS WITH TIME‐VARYING TREATMENTS AND TIME‐VARYING OUTCOMES*

We develop an approach to identifying and estimating causal effects in longitudinal settings with time–varying treatments and time–varying outcomes. The classic potential outcome approach to causal inference generally involves two time periods: units of analysis are exposed to one of two possible values of the causal variable, treatment or control, at a given point in time, and values for an outcome are assessed some time subsequent to exposure. In this paper, we develop a potential outcome approach for longitudinal situations in which both exposure to treatment and the effects of treatment are time-varying. In this longitudinal setting, the research interest centers not on only two potential outcomes, but on a whole matrix of potential outcomes, requiring a complicated conceptualization of many potential counterfactuals. Motivated by sociological applications, we develop a simplification scheme—a weighted composite causal effect that allows identification and estimation of effects with a number of possible solutions. Our approach is illustrated via an analysis of the effects of disability on subsequent employment status using panel data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.
Variational Principles for Diffusion Weighted MRI Restoration and Segmentation

Diffusion tensor MRI is a relatively new MR image modality from which anisotropy of water diffusion can be inferred quantitatively, thus providing a method to study the tissue micro-structure e.g., white matter connectivity in the brain in vivo. Diffusion weighted echo intensity image Sl and the diffusion tensor D are related through the Stejskal-Tanner equation 3
Percutaneous Coronary Interventions in the Diabetic Patient Where Do We Stand

Clinical observations made during the past 20 years have suggested that patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have suboptimal outcomes after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs).1–4 During the same time period, mechanistic studies have provided insights into the cardiovascular risk of DM. In this report, we attempt to synthesize observations made in the experimental laboratory with those made in the clinical setting to identify how diabetic traits may compromise the success of PCI (Figure 1). Figure 1. Diabetic traits potentially compromising the success of percutaneous coronary intervention. The hallmarks of DM are hyperglycemia, insulin resistance or an absolute lack of endogenous insulin, and hyperinsulinemia. These metabolic derangements may lead to premature atherosclerosis, cardiomyocyte dysfunction, and renal failure through several mechanisms. ### Diabetic Arteriopathy In an early stage of atherogenesis, the presence of cholesterol crystals may induce the formation of small hydroxyapatite mineral clefts, which are also called microcalcifications, in the intima or media.5 In DM, medial calcification develops independently of hypercholesterolemia and may cause sheet-like calcific deposits that reduce vascular compliance.6 In the presence of hyperglycemia, medial calcification may be mediated by a glycosylation process, in which N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) binds to serine and threonine residues of vascular proteins.7 In a drug-induced mouse model of type 1 DM, Heath et al6 found a strong increase in vascular O-GlcNAcylation after the onset of increased blood glucose levels, along with a significant increase in aortic calcium content and vascular stiffness. The connection between O-GlcNAcylation and the development of a mineralized matrix was confirmed in an experimental model of vascular smooth muscle cells cultured in osteogenic differentiation media along with an inhibitor of N-acetylglucosaminidase.6 The formation of vulnerable atherosclerotic lesions may be related to hyperglycemia8 or insulin resistance.9 Kuroda et al8 observed that daily glucose fluctuations, measured as the …
Column dampers with negative stiffness: high damping at small amplitude

High structural damping combined with high initial stiffness is achieved at small amplitude via negative stiffness elements. These elements consist of columns in the vicinity of the post-buckling transition between contact of flat surfaces and edges of the ends for which negative incremental structural stiffness occurs. The column configuration provides a high initial structural stiffness equal to the intrinsic stiffness of the column material. Columns of the polymers polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate were used. By tuning the pre-strain, a very high mechanical damping was achieved for small amplitude oscillations. The product of effective stiffness and effective damping as a figure of merit |Eeff|tanδeff of about 1.5 GPa was achieved for polymer column dampers in the linear domain and about 1.62 GPa in the small amplitude nonlinear domain. For most materials this value generally never exceeds 0.6 GPa.
Work Stress in America

Historical and contemporary discourses on American culture were applied to work stress for the purpose of identifying the cultural assumptions, values, and beliefs that may predispose Americans to certain types of distress and, by association, stress-related illnesses within the context of work. Six primary American (albeit democratic) values and beliefs were identified and applied to work stress. The findings suggest that for work stress to be addressed effectively, professionals who study and seek to ameliorate it should understand the cultural underpinnings and assumptions that drive American business specifically, and all democratic societies generally; influence worker behaviors; shape employee–employer cognitions; and bias work stress research. Suggestions for future research are provided.
Early prediction of nasal continuous positive airway pressure failure in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestation

Aim: To predict early nasal continuous positive airway pressure failure within the first 2 h after birth in preterm infants. Methods: Patient and respiratory support variables significantly associated with continuous positive airway pressure failure in the first 72 h after birth were identified in a cohort of preterm infants <30 weeks gestation. Using multivariable logistic regression analysis, risk estimates for early nasal continuous positive airway pressure failure were calculated. Results: From 182 infants included, 62(34%) failed early nasal continuous positive airway pressure. Birth weight ≤800 g, male gender and a fraction of inspired oxygen >0.25 at 1 and 2 h of age were significantly associated with early nasal continuous positive airway pressure failure. Combining these variables in a logistic regression model provided a minimal risk estimate for failure of 0.04[0.01–0.23] (female >800 g, FiO2 ≤ 0.25 at 1, and 2 h) and maximal estimate of 0.92[0.44–0.99] (male ≤800 g, FiO2 > 0.25 at 1 and 2 h). Conclusion: Combining gender, birth weight and the fraction of inspired oxygen at 1 and 2 h of age allows for a better and more individualized prediction of early nasal continuous positive airway pressure failure in preterm infants less than 30 weeks gestation.
Development of youth aerobic-capacity standards using receiver operating characteristic curves.

Background: Cardiovascular fitness has important implications for current and future health in children. Purpose: In this paper, criterion-referenced standards are developed for aerobic capacity (an indicator of cardiovascular fitness) based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Methods: The sample was drawn from participants aged 12-18 years in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999 -2002, N1966). Subjects completed a treadmill exercise test from which maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was estimated from heart rate response. Metabolic syndrome was classified using previously published standards based on the National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III adult values at age 20 years. Using aerobic fitness z-scores as the test and metabolic syndrome as the criterion, ROC curve analysis was used to identify aerobic-capacity thresholds. Results: The area under the curve (AUC) value for boys (83.1%) was high, indicating good utility for detecting risk of metabolic syndrome with aerobic fitness values. The AUC for girls (77.2%) was slightly below the recommended value of 80%. Although the ROC plots identified a defensible point for classifying levels of fitness, the approach in the present study was to establish two independent thresholds, one aimed at high specificity and one aimed at high sensitivity. The resulting z values for the low- and higher-risk threshold lines were then converted back to VO2max estimates using published LMS (Lskewness, Mmedian, and Scoefficient of variation) parameters. Values at the low-risk threshold ranged from 40 to 44 mL/kg/min for boys and from 38 to 40 mL/kg/min for girls. Conclusions: In summary, aerobic fitness can be used with moderate accuracy to differentiate between adolescents with and without metabolic syndrome. Age- and gender-specific aerobic- capacity thresholds for creating separate risk groups were identified using nationally representative growth percentiles. (Am J Prev Med 2011;41(4S2):S111-S116) © 2011 American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Base-Resolution Maps of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Dahl S Rats: Effect of Salt and Genomic Sequence

Analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) at single-base resolution has been largely limited to studies of stem cells or developmental stages. Given the potential importance of epigenetic events in hypertension, we have analyzed 5hmC and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) at single-base resolution in the renal outer medulla of the Dahl salt-sensitive rat and examined the effect of disease-relevant genetic or environmental alterations on 5hmC and 5mC patterns. Of CpG sites that fell within CpG islands, 11% and 1% contained significant 5mC and 5hmC, respectively. 5mC levels were substantially higher for genes with lower mRNA abundance and showed a prominent nadir around the transcription start site. In contrast, 5hmC levels were higher in genes with higher expression. Substitution of a 12.9-Mbp region of chromosome 13, which attenuates the hypertensive and renal injury phenotypes in salt-sensitive rats, or exposure to a high-salt diet, which accelerates the disease phenotypes, was associated with differential 5mC or 5hmC in several hundred CpG islands. Nearly 80% of the CpG islands that were differentially methylated in response to salt and associated with differential mRNA abundance were intragenic CpG islands. The substituted genomic segment had significant cis effects on mRNA abundance but not on DNA methylation. The study established base-resolution maps of 5mC and 5hmC in an in vivo model of disease and revealed several characteristics of 5mC and 5hmC important for understanding the role of epigenetic modifications in the regulation of organ systems function and complex diseases.
Wireless valve position monitoring: A MEMS approach

This paper presents a Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) solution to rotary valve position monitoring. With a device holding commercial off-the-shelf inertial sensors, we develop a sensing algorithm encompassing self-calibration, and noise and drift removal. Our repeatable results show an accuracy of ±5° for part-turn valves and ±10% of a turn for multi-turn models. Our small energy-efficient wireless solution is a cheap and reliable replacement for products on the market.
Making revisions hyper-visible

What should a revised edition of a hypertext be? How might revising a hypertext differ from reissuing a printed book? This essay suggests a revision process that is self-reflexive and explicitly made visible, taking advantage of the ability of hypertext to expand the "margins" of a document in new directions. Where the issues are complex enough, the process of revision should be part of what is presented, not just a machine rumbling in the background that issues in a separate product.
Application of In-Core Detectors to the Startup of Large Boiling Water Reactors

This paper describes an in-core reactor startup system employing fission counters and fission chambers to cover the range of in-core neutron flux of 105 - 5 × 1012 nv in a gamma field of 2.5 × 107 R/h at 550°F. The system can also be used with out-of-vessel fission counter-chambers where the range of 100 - 1010 nv has been covered.
Management of drooling: 10 years after the Consortium on Drooling, 1990.

Drooling is one of the more common associated dysfunctions in children with cerebral palsy (CP) and is perhaps the most problematic socially. In 1990, at the urging of the United Cerebral Palsy Research and Education Foundation, North American experts from a variety of related fields met in Charlottesville, Virginia, to address in a systematic way the subject of drooling. Based on the outcome of that gathering, known as the Consortium on Drooling, a review article was published in this journal, three instructional courses and one symposium were subsequently presented at AACPDM annual meetings, a number of local conferences and seminars have been generated, and several research projects have been undertaken. Thus, there has been considerable activity and some progress in the past 10 years but most of the fundamental issues still remain. The purpose of this annotation is to summarize briefly the new knowledge that has accrued, offer some personal insights based on experiences of the past decade and suggest a practical clinical approach to drooling management. For a systematic overview of salivary physiology, drooling, and the approach to diagnosis and treatment, the reader is referred to the 1992 review article.
Polymer microresonator strain sensors

A new class of fiber-based polymer microresonator strain sensors is analyzed and demonstrated. The flexible sensors are fabricated using a liftoff process and are based on the distortion of the microring by strain and the subsequent shift of the resonant wavelength. For the demonstration, a controlled strain was achieved by flexing the sensor. The measured sensitivity at 1310 nm, 0.32 /spl times/ 10/sup -3/ nm//spl mu//spl epsiv/, is in good agreement with the predictions.
Over- and under-estimating the value of screening mammography

“We do everyone a disservice by overstating or understating the value of mammography. We should evaluate mammography screening without prejudice about its real harms and benefits. ”
Verification Assessment of Piston Boundary Conditions for Lagrangian Simulation of Compressible Flow Similarity Solutions

This work is concerned with the use of similarity solutions of the compressible flow equations as benchmarks or verification test problems for finite-volume compressible flow simulation software. In practice, this effort can be complicated by the infinite spatial/temporal extent of many candidate solutions or “test problems.” Methods can be devised with the intention of ameliorating this inconsistency with the finite nature of computational simulation; the exact strategy will depend on the code and problem archetypes under investigation. For example, self-similar shock wave propagation can be represented in Lagrangian compressible flow simulations as rigid boundary-driven flow, even if no such “piston” is present in the counterpart mathematical similarity solution. The purpose of this work is to investigate in detail the methodology of representing self-similar shock wave propagation as a piston-driven flow in the context of various test problems featuring simple closed-form solutions of infinite spatial/temporal extent. The closed-form solutions allow for the derivation of similarly closed-form piston boundary conditions (BCs) for use in Lagrangian compressible flow solvers. The consequences of utilizing these BCs (as opposed to directly initializing the self-similar solution in a computational spatial grid) are investigated in terms of common code verification analysis metrics (e.g., shock strength/position errors and global convergence rates).
Rare Anorectal Neoplasms: Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor, Carcinoid, and Lymphoma

Several uncommon tumors occur in the anal canal such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors, carcinoids, and lymphoma. Increased clinical experience and advancements in molecular biology have improved the accuracy of pathologic diagnosis and guided treatment recommendations, which the author addresses in this article.
Thermal tolerance of acid adapted and non-adapted Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica in ground beef

D-values of acid adapted Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella were determined in meat serum and ground beef stored at 4 and -20 °C as an indicator of thermal tolerance. Pathogens were acid adapted by growing in Tryptic Soy Broth with 1% glucose (TSB+1%G). Five-strain cocktail of both bacteria were grown and inoculated meat serum was heated to 58, 62, and 65 °C, while inoculated ground beef was heated to 62 and 65 °C on day 1, 7, 14, 21, and 28 (4 °C), and on day 1, 30, 60, 90, and 120 (-20 °C). Higher (P 0.05) was observed at 65 °C. In ground beef D62-values of non-adapted E. coli O157:H7 were higher (P 0.05) were observed in D65-values of acid adapted and non-adapted strains throughout storage (4 and -20 °C). Toxicity of acid adapted E. coli O157:H7 to African Green Monkey kidney cells (Vero cells) was also determined. Vero cells were grown separately and subjected to toxin produced by acid adapted and non-adapted E. coli O157:H7 grown in laboratory media and meat serum. Comparison of toxicity was made after storing samples for 1 and 7 days at 4 and -20 °C. No differences (P>0.05) were observed between the toxicity of acid adapted and nonadapted cells in laboratory media and meat serum at both temperature. Higher (P<0.05)
Unlocking the Gate: What We Know About Improving Developmental Education

One of the greatest challenges that community colleges face in their efforts to increase graduation rates is improving the success of students in their developmental, or remedial, education programs — the courses that students without adequate academic preparation must take before they can enroll in courses for college credit. Emphasizing results from experimental and quasi-experimental studies, this literature review identifies the most promising approaches for revising the structure, curriculum, or delivery of developmental education and suggests areas for future innovations in developmental education practice and research. This analysis focuses on four different types of interventions for improving students’ progress through remedial education and into college-level courses, including (1) strategies that help students avoid developmental education by shoring up their skills before they enter college; (2) interventions that accelerate students’ progress through developmental education by shortening the timing or content of their courses; (3) programs that provide contextualized basic skills together with occupational or college-content coursework; and (4) programs that enhance the supports for developmentallevel learners, such as advising or tutoring. While research on best practices in developmental education abounds, little rigorous research exists to demonstrate the effects of these reforms on students’ achievement. Programs that show the greatest benefits with relatively rigorous documentation either mainstream developmental students into college-level courses with additional supports, provide modularized or compressed courses to allow remedial students to more quickly complete their developmental work, or offer contextualized remedial education within occupational and vocational programs. These strategies show the most promise for educators and policymakers who must act now, but they should also continue to receive attention from researchers. Many of the strategies have not yet been evaluated using more rigorous and reliable research methods, and/or early promising results have not been replicated in other settings. This literature review also notes several promising reforms that merit further study: technologyaided approaches, improved alignment between secondary and postsecondary education, and curricular redesign that reconsiders the key skills that academically underprepared students will need in their careers. Finally, it flags two generic issues — placement assessments and faculty support — that will likely need to be addressed for community colleges to see large-scale changes in their developmental-level students’ achievement.
Relationship between CYP1A2 Localization and Lipid Microdomain Formation as a Function of Lipid Composition

Cytochrome P450 (P450) function requires the interaction of P450 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (CPR) in membranes, and is frequently studied using reconstituted systems composed solely of phosphatidylcholine. There is increasing evidence that other endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lipids can affect P450 structure, activity, and interactions with CPR. Some of these lipid effects have been attributed to the formation of organized liquid-ordered (lo) domains. The goal of this study was to determine if lo domains were formed in P450 reconstituted systems mimicking the ER membrane. CYP1A2, when incorporated in “ER-like” lipid vesicles, displayed detergent insolubility after treatment with Brij 98 and centrifugation in a sucrose gradient. Lipid probes were employed to identify domain formation in both ER-like vesicles and model membranes known to form lo domains. Changes in fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) using an established donor/acceptor FRET pair in both ER-like and model lo-forming systems demonstrated the coexistence of lo- and liquid-disordered domains as a function of cholesterol and sphingomyelin content. Similarly, 6-dodecanoyl-2-dimethylaminonaphthalene (laurdan), a probe that reports on membrane organization, showed that cholesterol and sphingomyelin increased membrane order. Finally, brominated-phosphatidylcholine allowed for monitoring of the location of both CPR and CYP1A2 within the lo regions of ER-like systems. Taken together, the results demonstrate that ER-like vesicles generate microdomains, and both CYP1A2 and CPR predominantly localize into lo membrane regions. Probe fluorescent responses suggest that lipid microdomains form in these vesicles whether or not enzymes are included in the reconstituted systems. Thus, it does not appear that the proteins are critical for stabilizing lo domains.
Structural and functional analysis of two di-domain aromatase/cyclases from type II polyketide synthases.

Aromatic polyketides make up a large class of natural products with diverse bioactivity. During biosynthesis, linear poly-β-ketone intermediates are regiospecifically cyclized, yielding molecules with defined cyclization patterns that are crucial for polyketide bioactivity. The aromatase/cyclases (ARO/CYCs) are responsible for regiospecific cyclization of bacterial polyketides. The two most common cyclization patterns are C7–C12 and C9–C14 cyclizations. We have previously characterized three monodomain ARO/CYCs: ZhuI, TcmN, and WhiE. The last remaining uncharacterized class of ARO/CYCs is the di-domain ARO/CYCs, which catalyze C7–C12 cyclization and/or aromatization. Di-domain ARO/CYCs can further be separated into two subclasses: “nonreducing” ARO/CYCs, which act on nonreduced poly-β-ketones, and “reducing” ARO/CYCs, which act on cyclized C9 reduced poly-β-ketones. For years, the functional role of each domain in cyclization and aromatization for di-domain ARO/CYCs has remained a mystery. Here we present what is to our knowledge the first structural and functional analysis, along with an in-depth comparison, of the nonreducing (StfQ) and reducing (BexL) di-domain ARO/CYCs. This work completes the structural and functional characterization of mono- and di-domain ARO/CYCs in bacterial type II polyketide synthases and lays the groundwork for engineered biosynthesis of new bioactive polyketides.
Gene expression classifier for the diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules: a meta-analysis.

Prior studies demonstrate that a novel genomic test, the gene expression classifier (GEC), could identify a benign gene expression signature in those nodules with indeterminate cytology with a negative predictive value of greater than 95 %. Examine the performance of the AFIRMA gene expression classifier in predicting benign and malignant nodules in patients with cytologically indeterminate nodules. MEDLINE and EMBASE search for studies meeting eligibility criteria between January 1, 2005, and August 30, 2015. A total of 58 studies identified. After excluding duplicates, case reports, reviews, commentary, insufficient data, a total of seven studies selected for analysis. We combined individual patient data from seven studies that examined the GEC test for indeterminate thyroid nodules. The reference standard for determination of benign or malignant nodules was the histopathology of the thyroidectomy specimen. A QUADAS-2 report for all studies included in the final analysis was tabulated for risk of bias and applicability. The pooled sensitivity of the GEC was 95.7 % (95 % CI 92.2–97.9, I 2 value 45.4 %, p = 0.09), and the pooled specificity was 30.5 % (95 % CI 26.0–35.3, I 2 value 92.1 %, p < 0.01). Overall, the diagnostic odds ratio was 7.9 (95 % CI 4.1–15.1). Patients with benign GEC were not followed long enough to ascertain the actual false-negative rates of the index test. Our meta-analysis revealed a high pooled sensitivity and a low specificity for the AFIRMA-GEC test for indeterminate thyroid nodules. This makes it an excellent tool to rule out malignancy.
Hypomethylation of p53 in peripheral blood DNA is associated with arseniasis produced by indoor unventilated-stove coal usage

Objective:To determine p53 gene-specific hypomethylation in peripheral blood of patients with arseniasis as attributed to exposure to indoor unventilated coal stove.And to explore the association between hypomethylation of p53 and Arseniasis Caused by Indoor Unventilated-Stove Coal Usage in Guizhou,China.Methods: Case-control study was designed to analyze the effect of indoor unventilated-stove coal usage on p53 gene-specific hypomethylation.MS-RE-PCR were performed to analyze p53 exon5 hypomethylation in arsenism patients group and control group.Results: The positive rate of p53 gene hypomethylation in patients group was obviously higher than that in control group(P0.01).There was no statistical significance of p53 gene hypormethylaton rate among mild,intermediate and severe arseniasis groups used by trend chi-square test(P0.05).Conclusion: Arsenic could probably induce p53 gene exon5 hypomethylation.
Effects of Objective and Evaluative Front-of-Package Cues on Food Evaluation and Choice: The Moderating Influence of Comparative and Noncomparative Processing Contexts

Many nutrition labeling studies only consider how consumers process health information about a single food product (i.e., in a noncomparative processing context). However, consumers also often comparatively evaluate many different food products at once in more complex shopping environments (i.e., in comparative processing contexts). Directly addressing these important differences, the results of two online studies and two retail laboratory studies demonstrate that the effects of different types of front-of-package nutrition cues (objective vs. evaluative) vary across consumers’ processing contexts (comparative vs. noncomparative). When consumers evaluate a single food item in a noncomparative context, objective nutrition cues that offer specific quantitative information lead to higher evaluations and intentions to purchase healthier products than do evaluative nutrition cues (which provide interpretive information about a product’s overall healthfulness and/or nutrients). However, these effects are reversed when consumers evaluate multiple food items simultaneously in a comparative context, such that evaluative cues have a more positive impact on evaluations and purchase intentions of healthier products. The authors integrate processing fluency and resource matching theoretical frameworks to explain why evaluative (objective) front-of-package cues are more influential in comparative (noncomparative) processing contexts. Implications for consumer health, the food and retail grocery industries, and public policy are offered.
Brief of Amicus Curiae Knowledge Ecology International, in Support of Petitioner (Bowman v. Monsanto Co., et. al.)

KEI's amicus brief provides a brief overview of the history of the Supreme Court's history of applying a robust patent exhaustion doctrine to ensure that a patent holder can receive a single reward for his efforts, but cannot control downstream sales. It also notes that a judicially created exception from patent exhaustion for self-replicating technology is an inappropriate solution. The second section notes that contract law provides a more appropriate mechanism to protect investments in self-replication technology. Notably, contract law, unlike patent law, may be scrutinized for anticompetitive or unconscionable behavior and can be voided for these reasons, thus providing protections both for the patent holder as well as the user. In its long line of patent exhaustion cases, the Supreme Court has repeatedly noted that the application of patent exhaustion does not negate a patent holder's ability to attempt to enforce post-sale limitations through contracts. Finally, KEi's amicus details the non-patent mechanisms that exist that can and should encourage progress wehre patents are an inappropriate or burdensome reward.
Face shields for infection control: A review

Face shields are personal protective equipment devices that are used by many workers (e.g., medical, dental, veterinary) for protection of the facial area and associated mucous membranes (eyes, nose, mouth) from splashes, sprays, and spatter of body fluids. Face shields are generally not used alone, but in conjunction with other protective equipment and are therefore classified as adjunctive personal protective equipment. Although there are millions of potential users of face shields, guidelines for their use vary between governmental agencies and professional societies and little research is available regarding their efficacy.
Simulated Tiltrotor Aircraft Operation in Close Proximity to a Building in Wind and Ground-Effect Conditions

A mid-fidelity computational fluid dynamics tool called RotCFD specifically developed to aid in rotorcraft studies has been applied to the study of wake interactions of civiltiltrotor aircraft in the immediate vicinity of buildings, in- and out-of-ground-effect, with and without winds, consistent with notional tiltrotor operations from urban vertiports. Such civil tiltrotor operations from urban vertiports could potentially enable city-center-to-city center commercial transport. However, in order to one day realize such civil tiltrotor operations, though, it is necessary to better understand the wake interaction and interactional aerodynamic operating environment of urban vertiports. In the early 2000s, a series of 7-by-10 Ft. wind tunnel tests were conducted at NASA Ames Research Center that began to explore some of these civil tiltrotor and vertiport wake interactioninteractional aerodynamics issues. This study seeks to validate computation fluid dynamic predictions against these early wind tunnel experimental results and, thereby, continue exploration of this important research area.
Front Row Seat at the Revolution

When Internet service provider AOL announced it would acquire media conglomerate Time-Warner, Dave Pell, publisher of Davenetics, an online news service for Web professionals, crowed, “The people who still (even to this day) think the net is just about hype are wrong. The debate is over. We are lucky enough to have a front row seat at this revolution.” Our culture is in the process of changing its whole definition of words like media and publishing. Commercial publishing giants now flow into new forms at dizzying speed. We hear a lot about a new “internet Darwinism”, with predictions that only a few large “electronic content providers” will survive. This talk raises troubling questions for small journal publishers like the Seismological Society of America (SSA). SSA leaders have faced electronic publishing with considerable vision and foresight. If it is difficult for commercial publishers to plan an electronic future, it is even more difficult for nonprofit scholarly societies. Venture capital is not available to fund expensive mistakes. Although I still occasionally hear from a Society member that it is “trivial and straightforward” to publish on the Web, most now …
Benzo[a] pyrene-diol-epoxide-induced anchorage-independence in diploid human fibroblasts. Analysis of cellular protooncogenes

Treatment of diploid human fibroblasts with stereoisomeric benzo[a]pyrene anti and syn diol epoxides has been shown to induce anchorage-independent clones of cells with a dose dependence and frequency [(0.5–12)×10-4] not significantly different from mutations at the hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase locus [(1–8)×10-4] in these cells. The majority of the anchorage-independent clones that were picked retained their mutagen-induced, anchorage-independent phenotype through at least 20 generations of expansion in monolayer culture. No variant cells showing extended life-span were detected among survivors in any of the mutagen treatment groups (<1.6×10-7 frequency). Extensive analysis of a pool of 15 cellular protooncogenes (Ha-ras, Ki-ras, N-ras, mos, fos, fes, myc, abl, sis, myb, erbA, erbB, src, raf, N-myc), using Southern and northern blot analysis, was done to determine whether mutagen-induced rearrangement, amplification or overexpression of any of these genes was responsible for the mutagen-induced, anchorage-independent phenotype. We found no evidence that the genomic arrangement or expression level of any of these genes had been altered, thus indicating that an alternative form of mutation, or an alternative gene not included in this screening was responsible for the mutagen-induced, anchorage-independent phenotype.
Early Women Involved in Educational Technology: Vignettes

Discussions of the early leaders in the field of educational technology often focus on the contributions of the male “pioneers” in our discipline. Whether examining the technological developments associated with audiovisual education or the scientific evolution of educational psychology, representations of milestones and important developments are typically exemplified in the literature as the work of male practitioners and scholars. However, some of the groundbreaking work in our field was led by women, efforts that have not been commonly highlighted in our seminal literature, and yet have brought important contributions and a diversity of perspectives to the discipline of educational technology. The following vignettes seek to share a brief introduction to some of the female “pioneers” in our field, while demonstrating the varied professional contexts and activities reflected in their work.
Abstract B02: The role of the immune system in sustained tumor regression following oncogene inactivation

The MYC oncogene has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many types of human cancer. The Felsher laboratory uses a conditional Tet-off MYC mouse model to study the formation of tumors in multiple tissue types, such as lymphoma, and has demonstrated that MYC-induced tumorigenesis is reversible. We have found that many cancers are “oncogene addicted” to MYC. Our laboratory has shown that an adaptive T cell-mediated immune response is essential for sustained tumor regression upon MYC inactivation (Rakhra et al, Cancer Cell, 2010). Now, we have found evidence suggesting that upon MYC inactivation in tumors, B cells are activated and are critical to tumor regression. MYC inactivation in a tumor was associated with the induction of an antibody-mediated response against tumor cells. This humoral response could mediate the killing of tumor cells in an Antibody-Dependent Cellular Cytotoxicity (ADCC) assay. Our work suggests that MYC inactivation results in a B cell-mediated immune response and that ADCC may contribute to tumor regression. Citation Format: Stephanie C. Casey, Rachel K. Do, Dean W. Felsher. The role of the immune system in sustained tumor regression following oncogene inactivation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Myc: From Biology to Therapy; Jan 7-10, 2015; La Jolla, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2015;13(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B02.
Mechanistic Approach for Simulating Hot-Spot Formations and Detonation in Polymer-Bonded Explosives

This paper presents a novel computational approach to characterize hot-spot formations due to impact in polymer-bonded explosives. As the shock propagates through the grain/binder interfaces, the subsequent mechanical and thermal processes lead to localized temperature spikes that can contribute to the ignition of the material and transition to detonation. Hot-spot characteristics are affected by small variations in the microstructure of the polymer-bonded explosive, and therefore require an accurate treatment of the wave propagation over sharp density gradients. For this purpose, a Lagrangian submodel, based on the microscale dynamical model, is used to track the grain/binder interface. Then, hot spots are characterized in terms of the intensity of the impact conditions. Statistical models for the hot spot’s size, temperature, and spatial distribution are generated using the microscale dynamical submodel. The approach uses a mechanistic hot-spot formation model to integrate the effects of the subresoluti...
Personalized fall risk assessment for long-term care services improvement

Fall is a devastating critical event with high incidence and mortality rate among older adults in the United States. Due to the stochastic nature of falls, accurate modeling of fall occurrences is important to reduce and prevent falls. Existing approaches mainly focused on population-level modeling and evaluating fall risk based on static and aggregate measures, such as average fall frequency during a certain time period. To account for individual heterogeneity of fall occurrences and provide instantaneous assessment of fall risk over time, this paper proposes a personalized fall risk assessment model. Bayesian estimation is performed to achieve simultaneous fall risk assessment of multiple individuals. Different performance indices are further presented to comprehensively evaluate fall characteristics of individuals over time. A real case study based on fall records collected from Florida assisted living facilities is provided to illustrate the proposed work and demonstrate its effectiveness. The proposed work will facilitate personalized and proactive interventions and managements for long-term care services improvement.
Biomarkers and Radiotherapy

For a biomarker to be clinically useful there must be adequate preclinical data and have prevalence in the disease of interest. Early research focused on molecules implicated in the cell cycle, DNA repair pathways, and apoptosis as radiation is known to affect such pathways. More recent data has focused on big data, i.e.—omics (genomics, proteomics, etc.) to find a molecular signature that predicts response to radiation as well as identify those who may have increased risk of radiation induced toxicities. While many potential biomarkers in assessing radiation response have been researched this chapter is a start to providing information on biomarkers used in clinical practice.
Multiscale modeling of mechanical response of quantum nanostructures

A multiscale Green’s function method is described for modeling the mechanical response of quantum nanostructures in semiconductors. The method accounts for the discreteness of the lattice in and around the nanostructure, and uses the continuum Green’s function to model extended defects such as free surfaces in the host solid. The method is applied to calculate the displacement field due to a Ge quantum dot in a semi-infinite Si lattice. Corresponding continuum values of the displacement field are also reported.
Operant Conditioning of Reflexes

The spinal stretch reflex and its electrical analog the Hoffmann (H)-reflex are simple behaviors mediated by spinal cord pathways. Because these pathways are affected by descending activity from the brain, monkeys, humans, rats, and mice can gradually increase or decrease these reflexes when rewarded for doing so. This operant conditioning depends on the corticospinal tract and produces a complex hierarchy of spinal and supraspinal plasticity. It is related to processes that occur during development, during skill acquisition throughout life, and in response to trauma and disease. It is a simple model for exploring the mechanisms of skill acquisition and may be the basis for new rehabilitation methods for people with spinal cord injuries or other disorders of motor control.
Mounier-Kuhn syndrome.

A 95-year-old man with hypertension presented with altered mental status and progressive weight loss for 8 months. Chest radiograph from a prior admission showed a large trachea (figure 1A, dotted arrows). A chest CT confirmed tracheobronchomegaly (figure 1B,C arrow, trachea measuring 31 mm), pneumomediastinum (figure 1B,C arrowheads), right lower lobe bronchiectasis and opacities in the right lower lung concerning for pneumonia. …