cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are adolescents who were breast-fed less likely to be overweight? Analyses of sibling pairs to reduce confounding.

Background: Cohort analyses suggesting that breast-feeding protects against being overweight have been criticized for inadequately controlling for confounding associated with the self-selection of feeding practices. Methods: Using nationally representative U.S. data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (1994-1996), we performed traditional cohort analyses (n = 11,998) using logistic regression to estimate the relation between breast-feeding and adolescent overweight (body mass index ≥85 percentile, based on year 2000 CDC growth charts), controlling for known potential confounders. Breast-feeding also was assessed in a subsample of 850 sibling pairs to account for unmeasured genetic and environmental factors. Results: Among girls in the full cohort, the odds of being overweight declined among those who had been breast-fed at least 9 months; odds ratios ranged from 0.90 (95% confidence interval = 0.74-1.09) for <3 months of breast-feeding to 0.78 (0.64-0.96) for ≥9 months. A similar effect was seen in boys, although these trends were less consistent. In contrast, an analysis of sibling pairs provided no evidence of breast-feeding effects on weight within discordant trends. Conclusion: Cohort data indicate that odds of being overweight decrease as breast-feeding duration increases, at least among girls. However, sibling analyses suggest that this relationship may not be causal but rather attributable to unmeasured confounding related to mothers' choice to breast-feed, or to other childhood risk factors for overweight. Our results illustrate the utility of sibling analyses in understanding the true effect of early life exposures (such as breast-feeding) on health outcomes over time, independent of confounding factors that may not be satisfactorily controlled using traditional prospective cohort methods.
Left Ventricular Pressure -Volume Relationships and Myocardial Oxygen Consumption in the Isolated Heart

An isolated dog-heart preparation, in which absolute volumes were known, was employed to determine left ventricular pressure-volume relationships and myocardial oxygen consumption. Loading was varied from the extreme of zero pressure change to zero volume change during systole. Maximum peak systolic pressures were developed by isovolumetric, and maximum stroke volumes by isobaric contractions. When the load was varied to allow both pressure and volume to change in systole, the peak systolic pressures and the simultaneously determined ventricular volumes could be plotted as a "peak systolic pressure-volume line." Moderate changes in diastolic volume had little effect on the position of the line, and the mechanical work of the heart appeared to depend on the nature of the load rather than the diastolic volume. Epinephrine and digitalis glycosides did not affect diastolic pressure-volume relationships. Heart rate affected the diastolic pressure-volume curve only at rapid rates, where changes in the rate of relaxation produced apparent differences in compliance. Myocardial oxygen consumption is shown to be correlated with peak systolic pressure or volume, and is not mainly determined by either diastolic volume or stroke work.
Percent change in B-type natriuretic peptide levels during treadmill exercise as a screening test for exercise-induced myocardial ischemia.

Background Myocardial ischemia leads to changes in regional wall stress. Induction of ischemia during a treadmill exercise, although brief, may lead to transient elevation in the plasma level of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) from baseline levels, which could serve as a biochemical marker of myocardial ischemia. Methods Sixty subjects (mean age 57, 41 men) undergoing myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in conjunction with Bruce protocol treadmill exercise for evaluation of chest pain or screening for ischemia had their BNPs measured (Triage Biosite Test) at baseline, immediately postexercise, and 10 to 15 minutes after exercise. Results Of the 60 patients, 10 had ischemic perfusion defects by SPECT (mean 14%, range 5%-37%). In patients with no evidence of ischemia, median BNP level at baseline was 15.05 pg/mL (interquartile range 7-37.7), increased significantly immediately postexercise median level (34.7 pg/mL [14.9-67.6]), and decreased toward baseline levels within 10 to 15 minutes postexercise (20.3 pg/mL [8.6-48.5], analysis of variance P P = .014). Patients with and without ischemia did not differ in age, exercise time, peak systolic or diastolic blood pressure, peak heart rate, or other baseline characteristics. A >10% change in BNP level from rest per minute of exercise had a sensitivity of 80%, a specificity of 71%, and a negative predictive value of 92% to detect reversible ischemia by SPECT. Conclusion Transient elevation in BNP occurs during treadmill exercise and is more pronounced in patients with ischemia. B-type natriuretic peptides may therefore be used in combination with treadmill exercise for the evaluation of coronary artery disease.
Molecular Motors and Synaptic Assembly

Proper synaptic function requires the seamless integration of the transport, assembly, and regulation of synaptic components and structures. Inasmuch as the synapse is often distant from the neuronal cell body, newly synthesized synaptic proteins, the precursors of synaptic vesicles, active zone compartments, channels and receptors, and mitochondria, must be transported along lengthy neuronal processes to participate in synaptogenesis. Neuronal transport is mediated by motor proteins that associate with their cargoes via adaptors (or receptors) and that travel along the cytoskeleton network within the neuronal processes. Thus, the identity of membranous protein cargoes and the specificity of motor-cargo interactions are critical for correctly targeting cargoes and properly assembling synapses in developing neurons and in remodeling synapses of mature neurons in response to neuronal activity. In this article, the authors review recent progress in characterizing microtubule- and actin-based motor proteins that are involved in delivering synaptic components and discuss potential mechanisms underlying the formation of motor-receptor-cargo complexes that contribute to synaptogenesis and activity-induced synaptic plasticity.
The use of dynamic tracing for troubleshooting

As technology expands and more advanced computer systems come about, troubleshooting becomes more of a problem. Computer systems such as SAP, PeopleSoft, and airport logistics systems have expanded with the smallest implementation having on the order of four servers and millions of lines of code to a large implementation of hundreds of servers and billions of lines of code. Troubleshooting of these complex systems could become a nightmare for the troubleshooter. In this paper we will first look at the current state of troubleshooting and investigate their shortcomings. We will then propose an alternative to the current system to overcome those shortcomings. The idea is to have a system that will help to pinpoint the troubled area of a computer system before troubleshooting.
Parallel and two-way automata on directed ordered acyclic graphs

In this paper we study automata which work on directed ordered acyclic graphs, in particular those graphs, called derivation dags ( d -dags), which model derivations of phrase-structure grammars. A rather complete characterization of the relative power of the following features of automata on d -dags is obtained: parallel versus sequential, deterministic versus nondeterministic and finite state versus a (restricted type of) pushdown store. New results concerning trees follows as special cases. Closure properties of classes of d -dag languages definable by various automata are studied for some basic operations. Characterization of general directed ordered acyclic graphs by these automata is also given. Contents. Abstract. 1. Introduction. 2. Definitions of the graphs. 3. Parallel dag automata. 4. Finite state relabeling. 5. Two-way dag-walking automata. 6. Comparison. 7. Closure properties of d -dag languages. 8. Recognition of doags. Acknowledgment. References.
Performance changes in champion swimmers aged 30 to 84 years.

Abstract Performance changes in champion swimmers aged 30 to 84 years were examined using both longitudinal and repeated cross sectional designs. When single cross sectional slices of the data were analyzed, decrements in performance with advancing age were found, similar to those reported in older track athletes. When the same individuals or cohorts were followed over time, the changes were found to be substantially smaller. The results also showed greater age changes in short, anaerobicallyswum races than in longer, aerobically-swum races.
Automated analysis of multiple performance characteristics in magnetic resonance imaging systems

As with other digital imaging systems in heavy medical use, it is desirable with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to obtain extensive, rigorous system performance measures from a small set of images of one or two relatively simple test objects. Digital analysis of the parallel square rod (PSR) test object introduces digital image system self-evaluation to MRI and extends automated image evaluation to include rigorous measures throughout the imaging volume rather than just average measures over the image. Precise comparisons with theory and between systems can be performed as well as quality control and corrections for nonuniformities. The PSR test object consists of an 18 X 18 X 36 cm rectangular acrylic container enclosing 60 parallel square acrylic rods running the entire length. The inter-rod space is filled with a liquid or gel that produces strong, tissuelike signals in MRI and high contrast relative to the rods for computed tomography (CT). For profiles of slice thickness and separation, the rods are tilted in the test object to intersect the image plane at a 45 degree angle when the test object sides are parallel and perpendicular to the image plane. The test object itself is rotated 6-12 degrees about its major axis so that the sides of the rods make a small angle to the rows and columns of pixels. This allows digital sampling at finer spacing than the pixels for determination of edge response functions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Qualitative Study to Explore How Parental Expectations and Rules Influence Beverage Choices in Early Adolescence

Abstract Objective To understand parent beverage expectations for early adolescents (EAs) by eating occasion at home and in various settings. Methods Descriptive study using focus group interviews and the constant comparative method for qualitative data analysis. Results Six focus groups were completed, and 2 were conducted in Spanish. Participants (n = 49) were mostly female (86%) and non-Hispanic white (49%) and Hispanic (33%). Parent expectations for EA beverage intake were based on health beliefs, EA preferences, and cost, whereas those related to portion sizes and frequency varied by beverage type. Parents managed beverage expectations at home and away from home by making healthful beverages available and accessible, or by offering or allowing only specific beverages. Conclusions and Implications Results from this qualitative study involving a small sample of parents showed that expectations were influenced by practical concerns and managed primarily through availability practices. These issues could be addressed to improve EA beverage consumption.
Androgen receptor expression patterns in Becker's nevi: an immunohistochemical study.

Background Becker's nevus (BN) is a hyperpigmented patch that traditionally presents on the upper torso in adolescent males. Previous studies have reported an association with increased androgen receptors (ARs) in lesional skin in men and women who have associated physical abnormalities. Objective This study was conducted to assess the presence of ARs immunohistochemically in female patients with BN but no other physical abnormalities and compare this finding with BN in males and in normal skin. Methods Biopsy specimens from Becker's nevi in 3 women and 3 men as well as normal skin in the 3 female subjects were stained with AR antibody, and the level of expression in various cutaneous structures was measured. Results ARs were increased in dermal fibroblasts in Becker's nevi compared to that found in normal skin. Limitations The major limitation of the study was the small sample size. Conclusion In BN there is increased AR expression in dermal fibroblasts; immunohistochemical staining may aid in making the biopsy diagnosis.
An approach to calculate insulation resistance (IR) at different temperatures and voltages

Analytical methods for determining insulation resistance (IR) for solid insulation systems at various ambient temperatures and applied voltages are presented. The methods used are based on trending of the IR at various temperatures and voltages. A model for insulation resistance, which precisely shows the trend of its variation under the influence of a single environmental parameter while all other parameters are held constant at a fixed defined environment, is developed. Experimental data are used to validate the proposed analytical methods. >
Detection of composite events spanning multiple camera views with wireless embedded smart cameras

With the introduction of battery-powered and embedded smart cameras, it has become viable to install many spatially-distributed cameras interconnected by wireless links. However, there are many problems that need to be solved to build scalable, battery-powered wireless smart-camera networks (Wi-SCaNs). These problems include the limited processing power, memory, energy and bandwidth. Limited resources necessitate light-weight algorithms to be implemented and run on the embedded cameras, and also careful choice of when and what data to transfer. We present a wireless embedded smart camera system, wherein each camera platform consists of a camera board and a wireless mote, and cameras communicate in a peer-to-peer manner over wireless links. Light-weight background subtraction and tracking algorithms are implemented and run on camera boards. Cameras exchange data to track objects consistently, and also to update locations of lost objects. Since frequent transfer of large-sized data requires more power and incurs more communication delay, transferring all captured frames to a server should be avoided. Another challenge is the limited local memory for storage in camera motes. Thus, instead of transferring or saving every frame or every trajectory, there should be a mechanism to detect events of interest. In the presented system, events of interest can be defined beforehand, and simpler events can be combined in a sequence to define semantically higher-level and composite events. Moreover, event scenarios can span multiple camera views, which make the definition of more complex events possible. Cameras communicate with each other about the portions of a scenario to detect an event that spans different camera views. We present examples of label transfer for consistent tracking, and of updating the location of occluded or lost objects from other cameras by wirelessly exchanging small-sized packets. We also show examples of detecting different composite and spatio-temporal event scenarios spanning multiple camera views. All the processing is performed on the camera boards.
Resonances of a dielectric BOR buried in a lossy, dispersive layered medium

A method-of-moments (MoM) analysis is used to determine late-time resonances of dielectric bodies of revolution (BOR), buried in a lossy layered medium, with application to plastic-land-mine identification. To make the analysis tractable, we have extended the recently developed discrete complex image technique (DCIT) for the evaluation of the (dyadic) layered-medium Green's functions to complex (resonant) frequencies. Results are presented for several buried dielectric targets, in which we demonstrate, for example, the spiraling character of the resonant frequencies as a function of target depth.
Understanding Failure of Condom Use Intention Among Adolescents: Completing an Intensive Preventive Intervention

Although interventions based on cognitive theories can reduce rates of unsafe sexual behavior in adolescents, effect sizes remain small. This study was a qualitative investigation of inner-city adolescents' intentions to use condoms following participation in an intensive safer sex program. In-depth interviews with 26 adolescents were analyzed using standard qualitative methods. Although participants reported strong intentions to use condoms, they described many exceptions to their intention. Condom use intentions were also trumped by the presence of alternative, often conflicting intentions. Typical barriers to condom use played a minor role compared to exceptions and competing intentions. Boys and girls differed in the ways exception to intention and alternate intentions interfered with condom use; these reflected gender roles and norms, which are often neglected in HIV/STD prevention programs. The authors conclude that the barrier model to explain non-condom use is incomplete and that the concept of in...
Weak phase gamma from ratio of B ---> K pi rates

The ratio of partial decay rates for charged and neutral $B$ mesons to $K\ensuremath{\pi}$ final states provides information on the weak phase $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\equiv}\mathrm{Arg}{(V}_{\mathrm{ub}}^{*})$ when augmented with information on the $\mathrm{CP}$-violating asymmetry in the ${K}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{\mp}}$ mode. The requirements for a useful determination of \ensuremath{\gamma} are examined in the light of present information about the decays ${B}^{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}},$ ${B}^{+}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{K}^{0}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+},$ and the corresponding charge-conjugate modes. The effects of electroweak penguin diagrams and rescattering corrections are noted, and proposals are made for estimating and measuring their importance.
Shear Stress Activates p60src-Ras-MAPK Signaling Pathways in Vascular Endothelial Cells

Abstract —The aim of this study was to elucidate the upstream signaling mechanism that mediates the fluid shear stress activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including c-Jun NH 2 -terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal–regulated kinases (ERKs), in vascular endothelial cells (ECs). Our results indicate that p60src is rapidly activated by fluid shear stress in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs). Shear stress induction of the hemagglutinin (HA) epitope–tagged HA-JNK1 and the Myc epitope–tagged Myc-ERK2 was significantly attenuated by v-src(K295R) and c-src(K295R), the kinase-defective mutants of v-src and c-src, respectively. HA-JNK1 and Myc-ERK2 were activated by c-src(F527), a constitutively activated form of p60src, and the activation was abolished by RasN17, a dominant-negative mutant of p21ras. In contrast, although HA-JNK1 and Myc-ERK2 were also activated by RasL61, an activated form of p21ras, the activation was not affected by v-src(K295R). These results indicate that p60src is upstream to the Ras-JNK and Ras-ERK pathways in response to shear stress. The shear stress inductions of the promoters of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and c- fos , driven by TPA-responsive element (TRE) and serum-responsive element (SRE), respectively, were attenuated by v-src(K295R). This attenuation is associated with decreased transcriptional activities of c-Jun and Elk-1, the transcription factors targeting TRE and SRE, respectively. Thus, p60src plays a critical role in the shear stress activation of MAPK pathways and induction of Activating Protein-1 (AP-1)/TRE and Elk-1/SRE–mediated transcription in ECs.
Implicit solvers for large-scale nonlinear problems

Computational scientists are grappling with increasingly complex, multi-rate applications that couple such physical phenomena as fluid dynamics, electromagnetics, radiation transport, chemical and nuclear reactions, and wave and material propagation in inhomogeneous media. Parallel computers with large storage capacities are paving the way for high-resolution simulations of coupled problems; however, hardware improvements alone will not prove enough to enable simulations based on brute-force algorithmic approaches. To accurately capture nonlinear couplings between dynamically relevant phenomena, often while stepping over rapid adjustments to quasi-equilibria, simulation scientists are increasingly turning to implicit formulations that require a discrete nonlinear system to be solved for each time step or steady state solution. Recent advances in iterative methods have made fully implicit formulations a viable option for solution of these large-scale problems. In this paper, we overview one of the most effective iterative methods, Newton-Krylov, for nonlinear systems and point to software packages with its implementation. We illustrate the method with an example from magnetically confined plasma fusion and briefly survey other areas in which implicit methods have bestowed important advantages, such as allowing high-order temporal integration and providing a pathway to sensitivity analyses and optimization. Lastly, we overview algorithm extensions under development motivated by current SciDAC applications.
HOST-RANGE EVOLUTION: ADAPTATION AND TRADE-OFFS IN FITNESS OF MITES ON ALTERNATIVE HOSTS

Trade-offs in fitness on different host plants has been a central hypothesis in explaining the evolutionary specialization of herbivores. Surprisingly, only a few studies have documented such trade-offs. In this paper, I present results from a selection experiment that demonstrates trade-offs in host plant use for a polyphagous spider mite. Although adaptation to a novel poor-quality host did not result in detectable costs on a favorable host, spider mites that had adapted to a poor-quality host lost their ability to tolerate the poor-quality host when they were reverted to the favorable host for several generations. Trade-offs in fitness on alternative hosts among herbivorous spider mites remains one of the classic empirical examples of constraints on the evolution of host range. Adaptation to the novel poor-quality host was not associated with adaptation to a related host-plant species or to particular host-plant chemicals that I assayed. Thus, the complexity of host-plant defenses may restrict host shifts to single species of novel host plants, and adaptive zone shifts onto entire groups of plants predicted by the Ehrlich and Raven Model may be rare. Spider mite performance was genetically associated with host-plant preference. Mites from the control population showed a significant preference for the favorable host plant, whereas mites adapted to the novel host plant showed no preference. Finally, although induced plant responses to herbivory in the poor-quality host decreased the fitness of unselected mites, induced responses resulted in higher fitness of adapted mites. These results suggest that spider mites that rapidly adapt to particular host plants can overcome consti- tutive and inducible plant defenses.
A multi-institutional project-centric framework for teaching AI concepts

The paper presents the second phase of a curriculum project that builds on existing successful work. Our work involves the development, implementation, and testing of an adaptable framework for the presentation of core AI topics that emphasizes the relationship between AI and computer science. Under phase 1, we developed and pilot-tested our proof-of-concept. The second phase involves further development and testing of this adaptable framework for the presentation of core AI topics through a unifying theme of machine learning using a project-based and application-oriented approach. A total of twenty-six projects that span a variety of applications are being developed and tested. Each project involves the development of a machine learning system in a specific application. The applications span a large area including network security, recommender systems, game playing, computational chemistry, robotics, conversational systems, cryptography, web document classification, vision, bioinformatics, pattern recognition, data mining, and others. We present an overview of this work along with preliminary classroom experiences.
List-wide control is not entirely elusive: evidence from picture-word Stroop.

Stroop interference is attenuated in mostly incongruent lists, as compared with mostly congruent ones. This finding is referred to as the list-wide proportion congruence effect. The traditional interpretation refers to the strategic biasing of attention via list-wide control. In mostly incongruent lists, attention is biased away from the irrelevant words, whereas in mostly congruent lists, words are more fully processed. According to the item-specific account, the list-wide proportion congruence effect reflects stimulus-driven mechanisms, and not list-wide control. The unambiguous evidence available to date strongly favors the item-specific account. Using a picture–word Stroop task, we demonstrate a list-wide proportion congruence effect for 50% congruent items that are embedded in mostly incongruent and mostly congruent lists. This novel finding illustrates that the list-wide proportion congruence effect is not entirely dependent on item-specific contributions and supports the list-wide control account. We discuss factors impacting the emergence of list-wide control in Stroop tasks.
Genetic Improvement of Bioherbicides

Plant pathogenic fungi and bacteria potentially provide an ecologically sound means of suppressing weeds in agricultural and natural environments. Traditionally, the challenge of biological control has been to find naturally occurring plant pathogens capable of controlling a weed population (Charudattan 1991; Auld and Morin 1995). In most cases, a plant disease causes only minimal damage to a plant population. However, in a few cases like Dutch elm disease and the Great Potato Famine, the impact of the plant pathogen on its host plant has been devastating. Over the past 50 years, biocontrol researchers have searched for plant pathogens that are capable of inflicting these levels of damage on weed populations. However, few pathogens have proven efficacious and even fewer have been commercialized.
Reengineering for Parallelism : an entry point into PLPP for legacy applications: Research Articles

Many parallel programs begin as legacy sequential code that is later reengineered to take advantage of parallel hardware. This paper presents a pattern called Reengineering for Parallelism to help with this task. The new pattern is intended to be used in conjunction with PLPP (Pattern Language for Parallel Programming), described in our book (Mattson TG, Sanders BA, Massingill BL. Patterns for Parallel Programming. Addison-Wesley: Reading, MA, 2004). PLPP contains a structured collection of patterns and embodies a methodology for developing parallel programs in which the programmer starts with a good understanding of the problem, works through a sequence of patterns, and finally ends up with the code. Most of the patterns in PLPP are also applicable when reengineering legacy code, but it is not always clear how to get started. Reengineering for Parallelism provides an alternate point of entry into PLPP and addresses particular issues that arise when dealing with legacy code. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ethical implications of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.

Direct-to-consumer marketing of pharmaceuticals increases pressure on physicians to succumb to consumer demand. The strength to withstand this pressure comes in part from acceptance of the role of paternalism in the physician-patient relationship.
Pilot deployment of the LDSD parachute via a supersonic ballute

The Low Density Supersonic Decelerator (LDSD) Project required the use of a pilot system due to the inability to mortar deploy its main supersonic parachute. A mortar deployed 4.4 m diameter supersonic ram-air ballute was selected as the pilot system for its high drag coefficient and stability relative to candidate supersonic parachutes at the targeted operational Mach number of 3. The ballute underwent a significant development program that included the development of a new liquid methanol-based pre-inflation system to assist the ballute inflation process. Both pneumatic and pyrotechnic mortar tests were conducted to verify orderly rigging deployment, bag strip, inflation aid activation, and proper mortar performance. The ballute was iteratively analyzed between fluid and structural analysis codes to obtain aerodynamic and aerothermodynamic estimates as well as estimates of the ballute's structural integrity and shape. The ballute was successfully flown in June 2014 at a Mach number of 2.73 as part of the first LDSD supersonic flight test and performed beyond expectations. Recovery of the ballute indicated that it did not exceed its structural or thermal capabilities. This flight set a historical precedent as it represented the largest ballute to have ever been successfully flown at this Mach number by a NASA entity.
Demonstrating the Effects of Stress on Cellular Membranes

Living beet cells are excellent models for some simple experiments involving cellular membranes. Membranes are functionally important because they separate and organize chemicals and reactions within cells by allowing selective passage of materials across their boundaries. As in all biology, a membrane's structure relates to its function, and an understanding of membrane function is fundamental for introductory biology students. Unfortunately, most laboratory experiments investigating characteristics of membranes are prohibitively complex for introductory biology courses or include artificial rather than living membranes. This paper describes two simple procedures allowing students (grades 7-12) to experiment with living membranes and to relate their results to fundamental membrane structure. The membranes of living eukaryotic cells, including beet cells, are composed of a bilayer of phospholipid molecules interspersed with protein molecules. A phospholipid molecule is a combination of a phosphate group and two fatty acids bonded to a three-carbon glycerol chain (Figure 1). The resulting phospholipid molecule is polarized. The polar (charged) phosphate group is hydrophilic (water-loving) and the nonpolar fattyacid groups are hydrophobic (waterfearing). Polarized phospholipids will innately self-assemble into a doublelayered sheet of molecules forming a membrane. The hydrophobic tails of the lipids form the core of the membrane and hydrophilic groups line both surfaces (Figure 1). This elegant assembly is stable and allows selective penetration by small lipid-soluble, hydrophobic molecules. The lipid bilayer resists penetration by most large, hydrophilic molecules. Roots of beets (Beta vulgaris) contain an abundant red pigment called betacyanin, which is localized almost entirely in the large central vacuoles of the beet cells. These vacuoles are surrounded by a vacuolar membrane (i.e., tonoplast) and the entire beet cell is further surrounded by a cellular or plasma membrane. As long as the cells and their membranes are intact, the betacyanin will remain inside the vacuoles. However, if the membranes are stressed or damaged, betacyanin will leak through the tonoplast and plasma membrane and produce a red color in the water surrounding the stressed beet. This red color allows a student to easily assess damage to living membranes by monitoring the intensity of color produced by stressful, experimental treatments such as extreme temperatures or lipiddissolving solvents.
Differences in κB DNA-binding properties of v-Rel and c-Rel are the result of oncogenic mutations in three distinct functional regions of the Rel protein

The oncogene v-rel of Reticuloendotheliosis virus, strain T, is derived from an avian c-rel proto-oncogene. c-rel encodes a member of the Rel/NF-κB family of transcription factors. The highly oncogenic v-Rel differs from c-Rel which has low transforming potential by the acquisition of numerous mutations. In this manuscript, we demonstrate that the oncogenic mutations in v-Rel directly alter the ability of this protein to bind to DNA. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis with Rel proteins synthesized in vitro as well as isolated from nuclei of Rel expressing cells showed that three mutation clusters, present in the N-terminus, the center and the C-terminus of v-Rel, altered three different aspects of DNA binding. In contrast, the oncogenic C-terminal deletion of 118 amino acids present in v-Rel had almost no influence on its DNA binding. The N-terminal mutation cluster altered the κB DNA-binding specificity of the v-Rel oncoprotein relative to c-Rel. The mutation Met-20→Thr was found to be principally responsible for this alteration. The second mutation cluster was responsible for increased binding of v-Rel to all the κB sites examined presumably because it stabilized v-Rel homodimers. This alteration in DNA binding was mapped to the group of two mutations within the cluster. In contrast, the third mutation cluster in the C-terminus of v-Rel destabilized the binding of v-Rel to all of the κB sites examined. This is the first indication that regions outside the Rel Homology Region can participate in the control of binding of the c-Rel protein to DNA. The three mutation clusters examined contributed to the tumorigenic potential of v-Rel with the relative strength decreasing with their position from the N-terminus to the C-terminus. These results suggest that the oncogenic mutations in v-Rel cooperate and enable v-Rel to form nuclear complexes with aberrant DNA-binding properties that may directly alter gene expression and DNA replication resulting in the transformation of the cell.
Microfinance and Female Group Action in Bangladesh

This paper provides evidence that participation in microfinance programs may increase the likelihood of female group action against domestic violence and spousal abandonment. Although female empowerment has been an explicit target of many microfinance programs the literature remains conflicted regarding the magnitude and direction of impact. Using multiple estimation methods with data from Bangladesh I find that women from villages with microfinance programs are substantially more likely than women from non-program villages to have taken group action by publicly protesting when they observed a woman being beaten abandoned or divorced. Taking advantage of eligibility requirements for program participation I further show that women from program villages who are eligible to participate are substantially more likely than non-eligible women from the same village to have taken group action which suggests that these effects are in fact related to the microfinance programs themselves. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Fractographic Evidence of Multiple Slip in Deformed Hot-Pressed Spinel

Spinel is a refractory oxide ceramic which, in principle, should meet the Taylor-von Mises criterion of five slip modes, a necessary condition for the achievement of polycrystalline plasticity without loss of structural integrity. Crystallographically, its (111)[110] slip systems are multiple and quite comparable to those of a face-centered-cubic metal. Fractographic examinations of a spinel specimen (> 99.9% pure) previously subjected to deformation in three compressive stress cycles at 1600°C have revealed several microscopic features characteristic of polycrystalline plasticity which experimentally support the expectation of multiple slip processes in spinel ceramics.
Harmonious Vertex Colorings

In this chapter, we study vertex colorings of graphs, where the colors are elements of \(\mathbb{Z}_{k}\) or of [k] for some integer k ≥ 2. These give rise to either edge-distinguishing labelings or proper edge colorings defined in a variety of ways.
ERP evidence of preserved early memory function in term infants with neonatal encephalopathy following therapeutic hypothermia.

Neonatal encephalopathy (NE) carries high risk for neurodevelopmental impairments. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) reduces this risk, particularly for moderate encephalopathy (ME). Nevertheless, these infants often have subtle functional deficits, including abnormal memory function. Detection of deficits at the earliest possible time-point would allow for intervention during a period of maximal brain plasticity. Recognition memory function in 22 infants with NE treated with TH was compared to 23 healthy controls using event-related potentials (ERPs) at 2 wk of age. ERPs were recorded to mother’s voice alternating with a stranger’s voice to assess attentional responses (P2), novelty detection (slow wave), and discrimination between familiar and novel (difference wave). Development was tested at 12 mo using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition (BSID-III). The NE group showed similar ERP components and BSID-III scores to controls. However, infants with NE showed discrimination at midline leads (P = 0.01), whereas controls showed discrimination in the left hemisphere (P = 0.05). Normal MRI (P = 0.05) and seizure-free electroencephalogram (EEG) (P = 0.04) correlated positively with outcomes. Infants with NE have preserved recognition memory function after TH. The spatially different recognition memory processing after early brain injury may represent compensatory changes in the brain circuitry and reflect a benefit of TH.
Peaks and Plateaux: different F0 patterns representing the same category

This paper revisits results of previous studies about sentence initial high tones in the Portuguese language and argues that the shape and distribution of these sentence initial pitch events in Brazilian Portuguese are more complex than previously suggested in the literature. By pointing out that peaks and plateaux are manifestations of the same pitch event the results also suggest that the peak, the highest point of a pitch excursion, is not always the main pitch target of the phrasal tone in this language. These findings contribute to the phonology-phonetics mapping in intonation.
The distribution of family history risk for disease in primary care practices

B73 Background: Family Healthware™ created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a self-administered, web-based tool that assesses familial risk for 6 diseases coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke (CVA), diabetes (DM), and colorectal (CRC), breast (BC), and ovarian (OC) cancers and provides a "prevention plan" with personalized recommendations for lifestyle changes and screening. The tool systematically collects and records family history information for the aforementioned diseases as well as an individual9s behavioral risk factors, nutrition, physical activity and current screening practices. The objective of this data presentation is to describe the distribution of family history risk classification for each disease in primary care >practices. >Methods: The Family Healthware Impact Trial (FHITr), a cluster-randomized clinical trial in primary care practices evaluates the clinical utility of the tool in 3785 healthy participants. FHITr randomized all practices to intervention or control arms. After randomization, all participants completed a baseline survey, and intervention arm participants completed Family Healthware™. All participants completed a 6-month follow-up survey to evaluate change, and control arm participants subsequently complete the tool. This presentation is of only the baseline data of family history. >Results: Of the 3785 participants enrolled, 2363 were allocated to the intervention arm, and their data is presented here. Participants had a mean age=50.6 years (range 35-65) and were primarily Caucasian (90%) and female (71%) with a mean BMI of 27 (SD=6). Overall, 82% have a strong (S) or moderate (M) family-history based risk for at least one of these diseases: CHD (S=33%, M=26%), CVA (S=14%, M=34%), DM (S=11%, M=28%), CRC (S=2%, M=11%), BC (S=10%, M=14%), OC (S=4%, M=6%). Screening compliance according to standard population recommendations varied across tests: cholesterol (95%), blood pressure (92%), colorectal cancer screening (78%), mammograms (73%). >Conclusions: Our findings suggest a substantial burden of family-history based risk in the adult primary care population. Implementing the automated online risk assessment tool as a standard part of practice may easily and economically identify subpopulations that would benefit most from targeted prevention strategies.
Dominican Dignitaries and Private Preaching at Papal Avignon Part II: The Sermon by Hugues de Vaucemain (14 April 1340)

The survival of two sermons, both by Dominican dignitaries, both delivered in the private chapel of Cardinal Pierre de Pres during the Lenten cycle of 1340, and both preserved in the same manuscrip...
Interprofessional Education and Practice: A Family-Centered Approach to Autism.

The article discusses the role of interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) in the delivery of service to a young child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and his family. An introduction to the concepts is provided with an outline of the strengths and challenges evident in implementing an IPCP approach to quality care. The core competencies for IPE and IPCP are also explained with examples of their application to children with ASD and their families. After reading this article, health care providers should be able to summarize their role in IPE and IPCP and identify their responsibility as a member of a collaborative team. The value of an interprofessional team in practice is emphasized, and ways to build successful teams are explained.
The future of immune checkpoint blockade immunotherapy: towards personalized therapy or towards combination therapy

One of the major breakthroughs in cancer immunotherapy in the past decades was the discovery of immune checkpoint molecules, notably cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) (1) and the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1, also known as CD279) T-cell receptor (2) and its ligands (programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1, also known as B7-H1 or CD274) (3) and PD-L2 (also known as B7-DC or CD273) (4).
Risk of peritoneal metastases in patients who had negative peritoneal staging and received therapy for localized gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background Positive peritoneal cytology (+PCyt) or gross carcinomatosis (GPC) carries a poor prognosis. Laparoscopic staging to detect +PCyt/GPC is recommended for all ≥T1b gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). The natural history of patients with GAC who have baseline -PCyt and then undergo multimodality therapy is not well documented, particularly for the risk of subsequent GPC. Methods We identified 238 GAC patients with baseline -PCyt who were followed for the development of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). Standard statistical methods were employed. Results Of 238 patients, 192 had attempted surgery after preoperative therapy. Of these, 13 patients (6.8%) had GPC and one had liver metastases, thus surgery was aborted. We followed 164 patients who had an R0 resection. The median follow-up duration was 3.4 (range, 0.6-18) years. The rate of PC was 13.4%, (22/164 patients) and the median time to PC was 15.6 months. Female gender was associated with PC on multivariate analysis. The 5-year OS rate for patients without subsequent PC was 75%. Conclusion Even with baseline -Cyt, ∼25% of patients develop PC following multimodality therapy. Patients who do not develop PC have an excellent OS rate. Further research is warranted to detect PC at baseline by the use of biomarkers.
Identifying Victims of Human Trafficking in Central Pennsylvania: A Survey of Health-Care Professionals and Students

Objective: To assess Central Pennsylvania health-care professional and student knowledge, beliefs, and awareness of human trafficking.Methods: An anonymous online public survey URL was distributed ...
Signal Characteristics for Target Localization and Discrimination

Included in this review are hypotheses regarding exploitable clue structure in target echoes, analyses of echolocation signal forms and how the characteristics of signals might influence echolocation behavior, and explicit, although heuristic, models of specific echolocation phenomena.
Decision-maker beliefs and the sunk-cost fallacy: Major League Baseball’s final-offer salary arbitration and utilization

Abstract We use Major League Baseball final-offer arbitration (FOA) to analyze how sunk costs affect high stakes decisions while controlling for the beliefs of the decision maker. FOA gives us an explicit measure of a team’s beliefs; the team’s final offer is a direct measure of its perceived value of the player. Using an instrumental variables approach, we find salary has a meaningful impact on player utilization, measured in plate appearances. FOA also allows us to directly compute the average treatment effect of FOA outcomes on compensation, and to therefore, examine the validity of our instrumental variables strategy. When a player’s request is chosen in FOA his compensation is 39% greater and he receives 35.6–45.2 additional plate appearances, 7.5–9.6% of the mean. Furthermore, we find arbitration hearings do not affect (i) team success through changing expenditures, (ii) individual productivity, (iii) team beliefs, or (iv) utilization prior to arbitration. Sunk costs have a significant effect, both statistically and economically, on high stakes decisions made by experts, even while controlling for beliefs.
Gene therapy in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Gene therapy traditionally has been associated with “gene replacement,” where exogenous recombinant DNA is introduced ex vivo into somatic cells that are then introduced back into the patient as a way to correct an inherited genetic defect. However, several novel gene therapy strategies for treating autoimmune diseases recently have emerged. Strategies involving the use of several types of DNA vaccines, the application of various viral vectors, and the use of diverse cellular vectors have shown promise in inhibiting autoimmune-mediated inflammation and repairing tissue damaged as a result of autoimmune attack. In the current review, we examine and discuss the development and proposed use of emerging gene therapy strategies for the treatment of autoimmune disease with specific emphasis on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model widely used in multiple sclerosis (MS) research.
Neodissociation Theory of Multiple Cognitive Control Systems

Man does more than one thing at a time—all of the time—but the representation of these actions in consciousness is never complete. On occasion he becomes conscious of much that happens within his body and of much that is happening currently in the external world, as well as of remembered or imagined events. His awareness can shift from one to another of these happenings, and there is some question about how much he can comprehend at once.
New benzophenone O-glucoside from Hypericum ellipticum.

Examination of the acetone extract of the aerial parts of Hypericum ellipticum afforded a new acetylated benzophenone glucoside (3′-O-β-D-3″,4″,6″-triacetylglucopyranosyl-2,4,5′,6-tetrahydroxybenzo...