cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgen receptor antagonists: a patent review (2008-2011).

Introduction: Androgen receptor (AR) antagonists are predominantly used as chemical castration to treat prostate cancer (i.e., in conjunction with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)). Unfortunately, castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) typically develops that is refractory to targeted therapy. Insights into CRPC biology have led to the emergence of a promising clinical candidate MDV3100 () and a resurgence in this field. A pipeline of preclinical competitive (C-terminally directed) antagonists was discovered using a variety of innovative screening paradigms. Some inhibit nuclear translocation, selectively downregulate or degrade AR (SARD), antagonize wild-type and escape mutant AR (pan-antagonists) and/or antagonize AR target organs in vivo. Separately, the N-terminal domain has emerged as a promising novel target for noncompetitive antagonists. Areas covered: AR antagonists whose patents published between 2008 and 2011 are reviewed. Antagonists are organized based on the screening paradigm reporte...
What Nonprofit Board Members Don't Know Can Hurt Them (and Their Organizations)

The author dedicates this article to current and future board members of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback (AAPB), the Biofeedback Certification International Alliance (BCIA), and the International Society for Neurofeedback and Research (ISNR); their related foundations; state and regional societies; and any other nonprofits who serve our field. This article explores the advantages and disadvantages of self-management versus the use of a for-profit management company, explains the value of board orientation, identifies what new and established board members should understand, and stresses the importance of board service with integrity.
Are Teen Delinquency Abstainers Social Introverts?: A Test of Moffitt’s Theory:

Prior research has identified a small group of adolescents who completely refrain from delinquent behavior. Researchers have hypothesized that these adolescents may be excluded from normative peer activities and are thus insulated from delinquent peer role models. A central argument in Moffitt’s account of delinquency abstention, for example, is that delinquency abstainers are socially isolated due to certain unappealing physical/personality characteristics. Using the detailed friendship network data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), the authors attempt to test Moffitt’s account of delinquency abstention, particularly the association between social exclusion and delinquency. Their results do not suggest strong empirical support for the hypothesis that delinquency abstention is ‘‘correlated with unpopularity and social isolation.’’ The complex associations between adolescent friendship network characteristics and delinquency abstention highlight the necessity for futur...
Thermodynamics, Kinetics, and Mechanism of (silox)3M(olefin) to (silox)3M(alkylidene) Rearrangements (silox = tBu3SiO; M = Nb, Ta)

Olefin complexes (silox)3M(ole) (silox = tBu3SiO; M = Nb (1-ole), Ta (2-ole); ole = C2H4, C2H3Me, C2H3Et, C2H3C6H4-p-X (X = OMe, H, CF3), C2H3tBu, cC5H8, cC6H10, cC7H10 (norbornene)) rearrange to alkylidene isomers (silox)3M(alk) (M = Nb (1alk), Ta (2alk); alk = CHMe, CHEt, CHnPr, CHCH2C6H4-p-X (X = OMe, H, CF3 (Ta only)), CHCH2tBu, cC5H8, cC6H10, cC7H10 (norbornylidene)). Kinetics and labeling experiments suggest that the rearrangement proceeds via a δ-abstraction on a silox CH bond by the β-olefin carbon to give (silox)2RM(κ2-O,C-OSitBu2CMe2CH2) (M = Nb (4-R), Ta (6-R); R = Me, Et, nPr, nBu, CH2CH2C6H4-p-X (X = OMe, H, CF3 (Ta only)), CH2CH2tBu, cC5H9, cC6H11, cC7H11 (norbornyl)). A subsequent α-abstraction by the cylometalated “arm” of the intermediate on an α-CH bond of R generates the alkylidene 1alk or 2alk. Equilibrations of 1-ole with ole‘ to give 1-ole‘ and ole, and relevant calculations on 1-ole and 2-ole, permit interpretation of all relative ground and transition state energies for the complex...
Glucose Metabolism in Sediments of a Eutrophic Lake: Tracer Analysis of Uptake and Product Formation

The uptake of glucose and the formation of end products from glucose catabolism have been measured for sediments of eutrophic Wintergreen Lake with a combination of tritiated and 14C-labeled tracers. Time course analyses of the loss of [3H]glucose from sediments were used to establish rate constants for glucose uptake at natural substrate concentrations. Turnover times from these analyses were about 1 min for littoral and profundal sediments. No seasonal or site differences were noted in turnover times. Time course analyses of [U-14C]glucose uptake and 14C-labeled end product formation indicated that glucose mass flow could not be calculated from end product formation since the specific activity of added [14C]glucose was significantly diluted by pools of intracellular glucose and glucose metabolites. Mass flow could only be accurately estimated by use of rates of uptake from tracer studies. Intermediate fermentation end products included acetate (71%), propionate (15%), lactate (9%), and only minor amounts of butyrates or valerates. Addition of H2 to sediments resulted in greater production of lactate (28%) and decreased formation of acetate (50%), but did not affect glucose turnover. Depth profiles of glucose uptake indicated that rates of uptake decreased with depth over the 0- to 18-cm interval and that glucose uptake accounted for 30 to 40% of methanogenesis in profundal sediments.
Evaluating the risk of extraocular tumour spread following intravitreal injection therapy for retinoblastoma: a systematic review

Background Intravitreal injection therapy (IViT) for retinoblastoma has shown promise in the treatment of vitreous seeds; however, the potential for tumour dissemination following intravitreal penetration has limited its use. This review evaluates the risk of extraocular tumour spread in patients receiving therapeutic intravitreal injections for retinoblastoma. Methods PUBMED (1946–present), SCOPUS (all years), Science Citation Index (1900–present) and Conference Proceedings Citation Index—Science (1990–present) electronic databases were searched to identify all published reports of IViT for retinoblastoma in humans. Results 14 studies with original IViT data were included in this review. A total of 1304 intravitreal injections were given in 315 eyes of 304 patients, with one report of extraocular tumour spread and one patient in whom intravitreal treatment could not be excluded as a contributor to metastatic disease. The proportion of subjects with extraocular tumour spread potentially due to IViT in these combined reports was 0.007 (95% CI 0.0008 to 0.0236), with a mean follow-up of 72.1 months. In a subset of 61 patients receiving IViT via safety enhancing injection techniques (347 injections, 19.6 months mean follow-up), there were no reports of tumour spread. Conclusions Local and systemic tumour spread following IViT in cases of retinoblastoma is rare, and this risk is potentially reduced by the use of safety enhancing injection techniques. These results suggest that the risk of tumour spread should not preclude IViT use for carefully selected patients as part of multi-modal globe salvaging therapy.
Glatiramer acetate recovers microscopic tissue damage in patients with multiple sclerosis. A case–control diffusion imaging study

Abstract Traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques have contributed to the management of multiple sclerosis (MS) but are limited in their ability to detect neuronal damage. Advanced MRI metrics provide assessment of microscopic neuronal changes; however, few studies have examined the effects of MS therapies on these measures. This prospective, open-label, observational study evaluated the effect of subcutaneous glatiramer acetate (GA) 20mg/day on the 1- and 2-year changes in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) measures in patients with relapsing–remitting (RR) MS and in age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC). Inclusion criteria were age 18–65, RR disease course, expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score ≤5.5 and disease duration p =0.007) and at year 2 (−10.1%, p =0.028). The recovery of DWI MPD was significantly higher in MS patients compared to HC at year 1 ( p =0.01) and year 2 ( p p =0.018). No significant DWI MPD and entropy changes were observed in HC over the follow-up. No significant deterioration in magnetization transfer ratio occurred over the follow-up in MS patients and HC. Patients on GA and HC did not develop significant global or regional atrophy over 2 years. GA significantly improved microscopic tissue damage in the brain, as measured by DWI over the 1- and 2-year follow-up.
Hα Emission Variability in the γ-ray Binary LS I +61 303

LS I +61 303 is an exceptionally rare example of a high-mass X-ray binary that also exhibits MeV-TeV emission, making it one of only a handful of "γ-ray binaries." Here we present Hα spectra that show strong variability during the 26.5 day orbital period and over decadal timescales. We detect evidence of a spiral density wave in the Be circumstellar disk over part of the orbit. The Hα line profile also exhibits a dramatic emission burst shortly before apastron, observed as a redshifted shoulder in the line profile, as the compact source moves almost directly away from the observer. We investigate several possible origins for this red shoulder, including an accretion disk, mass-transfer stream, and a compact pulsar wind nebula that forms via a shock between the Be star's wind and the relativistic pulsar wind.
Impact of Adenotonsillectomy on Insulin Resistance and Lipoprotein Profile in Nonobese and Obese Children.

Background OSA associates with insulin resistance (IR), hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia consistently in adults, but inconsistently in children. We set out to quantify the impact of OSA treatment upon obesity and metabolic outcomes and thus assess causality. Methods Sixty-nine children with OSA; mean age, 5.9 years (range, 3-12.6); 55% boys; and 68% nonobese (NOB) underwent baseline overnight polysomnography, anthropometric and metabolic measurements, adenotonsillectomy (TA 91% of obese children) had residual OSA (apnea-hypopnea index > 1 event/h) post-TA changes did not differ significantly between sexes or NOB and obese participants; however, post-TA conversely, on regression analysis, follow-up IR, HDL, and triglycerides were predicted by BMI z score, not residual OSA. Conclusions TA however, following TA post-T&A polysomnography is indicated to assess which children still require treatment.
Dimensions of Moral Development Among Nonviolent Individuals

There is a considerable literature on the philosophy and practice of nonviolence, but aside from detailed case sudies (e.g., Erikson, 1968) there is very little empirical work on the psychology of nonviolence. In this chapter I will very briefly outline what appear to be the major moral dimensions of nonviolent personality, report the results of an attempt to verify hypothesized covariation of one of these dimensions with attitudes toward nonviolence, and consider the implications of these findings for future research. Finally, I will note additional research directions that look promising concerning the moral personality of nonviolent individuals.
N-ras mutations are associated with poor prognosis and increased risk of leukemia in myelodysplastic syndrome

To evaluate the clinical significance of N-ras mutations in the myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) archival bone marrow samples from 252 patients were studied for the presence of N-ras exon I mutations using polymerase chain reaction amplification and differential oligonucleotide hybridization. Subsequently, clinical information about these patients was obtained and analyzed. Of 220 evaluable patients, 20 (9%) had point mutation of N-ras involving codon 12. Individuals with N-ras mutation had a significantly shorter survival period than those who were N-ras negative (P = .02). An increased risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) was also found in patients with N-ras mutations (P = .005). N-ras mutations were not associated with any French-American-British (FAB) subtype, with the presence of increased myeloblasts, or with chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow. However, the presence of increased bone marrow blasts was strongly associated with poor survival rate and risk of AML (P < .001 for each). After stratifying for the percentage of blasts, N-ras mutations remained significantly associated with shorter survival period (P = .04) and increased risk of AML (P = .02). Bone marrow cytogenetic abnormalities, particularly when multiple abnormalities were present, were significantly associated with a poor prognosis (P < .001). In conclusion, N-ras mutation, although relatively infrequent in MDS, is associated with short survival period and increased probability of developing AML.
Police officer perspectives on intellectual disability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine police officer perceptions about persons with intellectual disabilities. Design/methodology/approach – In this study, 188 officers from three police districts in the Southeast USA were surveyed using a modified Social Distance Questionnaire. Findings – Results indicate that the majority of police officers surveyed had little or no training with regard to disabilities and that most are willing to interact socially with individuals with intellectual disabilities. Further, this study found that female officers had significantly greater positive attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities than male respondents and that white respondents were more knowledgeable about these individuals than those from minority backgrounds. Research limitations/implications – While these results are significant, it should be noted that the number of female and minority participants was relatively low. Practical implications – The paper includes recommendations for...
Abstract 3980: The immunomodulatory agent L-MTP-PE induces activation and expansion of human γδ T cells capable of lysing osteosarcoma cells.

The outcome of patients with metastatic osteosarcoma remains poor despite aggressive multimodality therapy. Liposomal Muramyl Tripeptide Phosphatidyl Ethanolamine (L-MTP-PE) is a non-specific immune modulator that activates monocytes and macrophages and has shown antitumor activity in osteosarcoma. The mechanism of action of L-MTP-PE remains unresolved. Here we investigated the effects of the agent on lymphocyte subpopulations. Whole peripheral blood from 9 healthy donors were stimulated with L-MTP-PE for 24 hours. Compared to non-stimulated controls, a proliferative response of CD3+ lymphocytes was found (1.77±0.06 fold expansion, p= We conclude that L-MTP-PE induces effective in vitro expansion of γδ T cells via a mechanisms involving the mevalonate pathway, in a manner similar to aminobisphosphonate agents. L-MTP-PE-activated γδ T cells have the potential to lyse osteosarcoma cells and may thus be involved in the antitumor effects of this agents. Citation Format: Sibylle Mellinghoff, Bianca Altvater, Uta Dirksen, Heribert Juergens, Claudia Rossig, Martina Ahlmann. The immunomodulatory agent L-MTP-PE induces activation and expansion of human γδ T cells capable of lysing osteosarcoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3980. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3980
Interferon-γ-stimulated and GTP-binding-proteins-mediated phospholipase A2 activation in human neuroblasts

Abstract Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a potent growth-inhibitory cytokine also endowed with differentiating activity on neural cells. Binding of IFN-gamma to its high-affinity receptor induces a rapid and transient activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). The mechanism coupling the IFN-gamma receptor (IFN-gamma-R) to PLA2 activation is not clearly defined, and no information is available on this mechanism in neuroblast cells. We have tested the hypothesis that GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) may couple the IFN-gamma-R to PLA2 in the human neuroblastoma (NB) cell line LAN-5. Incubation of NB cells with IFN-gamma resulted in a rapid increase in [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) release, and this effect was blocked by pretreatment with anti-IFN-gamma antibodies. IFN-gamma-stimulated AA release was still observed in permeabilized cells that were blocked by pretreatment with anti-IFN-gamma-R antibodies. Exposure of permeabilized LAN-5 cells to guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]), a non-hydrolysable GTP analogue, induced a dose-dependent release of [3H]AA. A non-specific nucleotide effect was excluded, since similar stimulatory effects on AA mobilization were not observed by GTP, ATP, CTP, ADP and GDP. IFN-gamma-stimulated AA release was completely blocked by the guanine nucleotide analogue that inhibits G-protein function, guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate (GDP[S]). A role for G-proteins in IFN-gamma-R coupling to PLA2 was further supported by the inhibition of IFN-gamma-induced [3H]AA release by treatment of permeabilized cells with pertussis toxin and with the antiserum against the common alpha-subunits of G-proteins. To determine a possible contribution to AA mobilization by the phospholipase C and diacyglycerol lipase pathway or by protein kinase C activation, the effects of neomycin, a phospholipase C inhibitor, and PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate), a direct activator of protein kinase C, were investigated. Neither neomycin nor PMA affected either basal or IFN-gamma-stimulated AA release. Ca2+ concentration, which has been shown to regulate the activity of some PLA2s, does not appear to play an important role in the regulation of the IFN-gamma-stimulated PLA2 activity, since incubating permeabilized cells in different concentrations of Ca2+ induced AA release without affecting the IFN-gamma response. Altogether, these findings suggest the existence of IFN-gamma-R, which couples a Ca(2+)-independent PLA2 activation via pertussis-toxin-sensitive G-proteins.
The Monte Carlo Simulation of Pulsed Neutron-Fission Neutron Uranium Logging Technique

PNFN was a method for uranium exploration.Pulsed neutron source was used,prompt fission epithermal neutron or delayed fission thermal neutrons were detected by using 3He neutron detector.Under the condition of different uranium content and porosity,the PNFN responses were simulated by using the MCNP code.The relationship between fission neutron and formation condition was studied.The obtained results showed that the larger the formation porosity,the lower the calculated uranium content.The precision of uranium content could be increased by the correction of scattering cross-section obtained by prompt fission epithermal or thermal neutron time decay spectrum method.
Control of solidified structures of Al-Si hypereutectic alloy by using intense magnetic fields

The changes of the macro- and micro- solidified structures of AI-15.7%Si hypereutectic alloy were examined under various experimental conditions, and the influences of static and gradient magnetic fields with different amplitude and direction on the structures were investigated in details. It is found that not only the distribution of the primary crystal silicon but the structures and density of silicon framework of eutectic are different because of different magnetic parameters. The changes of the primary crystals distribution is due to the action of the Lorentz and magnetization forces caused by intense magnetic fields on the migratory behaviors of Si particles in the alloy matrix; and the forces can also change the convection phenomena during solidification to affect the solidified structures of alloy. The results indicate that it is possible to control the behaviors of reinforced particles in the metal matrix by using intense magnetic fields in the solidification process of metal matrix composites.
Exotic Annual Bromus Invasions: Comparisons Among Species and Ecoregions in the Western United States

Exotic annual Bromus species are widely recognized for their potential to invade, dominate, and alter the structure and function of ecosystems. In this chapter, we summarize the invasion potential, ecosystem threats, and management strategies for different Bromus species within each of five ecoregions of the western United States. We characterize invasion potential and threats in terms of ecosystem resistance to Bromus invasion and ecosystem resilience to disturbance with an emphasis on the importance of fire regimes. We also explain how soil temperature and moisture regimes can be linked to patterns of resistance and resilience and provide a conceptual framework that can be used to evaluate the relative potential for invasion and ecological impact of the dominant exotic annual Bromus species in the western United States.
Multirobot Coverage Using Observation-Based Cooperation with Backtracking.

In cooperative robot teams, communications can speed up execution, reduce duplication, and prevent interference. Although many systems use explicit communications, persistent intra-team digital communications is not guaranteed. One approach to this challenge is to use implicit communication to infer state rather than using digital messages. We investigate using implicit communication in the form of observation to infer state to coordinate a robot team in a coverage task. We demonstrate how pruning and backtracking a search tree can improve multi-robot coverage. Experiments were conducted to compare team performance of a robot team using observation-based cooperation to one that uses explicit communications.
The Effects of Prior Stress on Anxiety-Like Responding to Intra-BNST Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Polypeptide in Male and Female Rats

Chronic or repeated exposure to stressful stimuli can result in several maladaptive consequences, including increased anxiety-like behaviors and altered peptide expression in anxiety-related brain structures. Among these structures, the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) has been implicated in emotional behaviors as well as regulation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity. In male rodents, chronic variate stress (CVS) has been shown to increase BNST pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and its cognate PAC1 receptor transcript, and BNST PACAP signaling may mediate the maladaptive changes associated with chronic stress. Here, we examined whether CVS would sensitize the behavioral and/or endocrine response to a subthreshold BNST PACAP infusion. Male and cycling female rats were exposed to a 7 day CVS paradigm previously shown to upregulate BNST PAC1 receptor transcripts; control rats were not stressed. Twenty-four hours following the last stressor, rats were bilaterally infused into the BNST with a normally subthreshold dose of PACAP. We found an increase in startle amplitude and plasma corticosterone levels 30 min following intra-BNST PACAP infusion in male rats that had been previously exposed to CVS. CVS did not enhance the startle response in cycling females. Equimolar infusion of the VPAC1/2 receptor ligand vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) had no effect on plasma corticosterone levels even in previously stressed male rats. These results suggest that repeated exposure to stressors may differentially alter the neural circuits underlying the responses to intra-BNST PACAP, and may result in different anxiety-like responses in males and females.
Giant cell arteritis and vascular disease-risk factors and outcomes: a cohort study using UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

Objective To evaluate the associations between GCA and vascular diseases and other comorbidities in patients with GCA compared with non-vasculitis patients. Methods Using the UK-based Clinical Practice Research Datalink we identified 9778 newly diagnosed GCA patients in 1990-2014, and up to 10 non-vasculitis patients randomly matched to each case on age, sex, practice and years of history before cohort entry. We compared the distributions of 9 different pre-existing vascular diseases and 11 other comorbidities, and risks of incident vascular diseases and other comorbidities after cohort entry between GCA and non-vasculitis patients. Results Patients with GCA were more likely to have a history of vascular diseases and other comorbidities except myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cancer, compared with non-vasculitis patients. Patients with GCA had increased risks for all types of incident vascular disease compared with non-vasculitis patients: adjusted hazard ratios were 1.57 (95% CI: 1.36, 1.82) for myocardial infarction, 1.41 (95% CI: 1.29, 1.55) for stroke, 1.75 (95% CI: 1.49, 2.06) for peripheral vascular disease, 1.98 (95% CI: 1.50, 2.62) for aortic aneurysm and 2.03 (95% CI: 1.77, 2.33) for venous thromboembolism. Patients with GCA also had increased risks for other incident comorbidities (type 2 diabetes, depression, etc.), but not for cancer. Conclusion Patients with GCA had more prior vascular diseases and other comorbidities before the diagnosis and they also had increased risks for incident vascular diseases and many other incident comorbidities after the diagnosis compared with non-vasculitis population.
Gust Factors: Meteorologically Stratified Climatology, Data Artifacts, and Utility in Forecasting Peak Gusts

AbstractGust factors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, are investigated using Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS) wind measurements from 2007 to 2014. Wind and gust observations reported in the standard hourly ASOS dataset are shown to contain substantial bias caused by sampling and reporting protocols that restrict the reporting of gusts to arbitrarily defined “gusty” periods occurring during small subsets of each hour. The hourly ASOS gust reports are found to be inadequate for describing the gust characteristics of the site and ill suited for the study of gust factors. A gust-factor climatology was established for Milwaukee using the higher-resolution, 1-min version of the ASOS dataset. The mean gust factor is 1.74. Stratified climatologies demonstrate that Milwaukee gust factors vary substantially with meteorological factors, with wind speed and wind direction exerting the strongest controls. A variety of modified gust-factor models were evaluated in which the peak wind gust is estimated by multiplying a...
Public Health Models of Violence and Violence Prevention

The purpose of this article is to describe several models used by public health scientists to guide the description, understanding, and prevention of violence. Violence is a complex problem with many causes and manifestations. Models are useful for simplifying reality, organizing information, and guiding understanding of a problem. The models described in this article fall into three general categories: (1) models to describe the occurrence and characteristics of violent events, (2) models to guide thinking about causes and opportunities for prevention, and (3) models to guide thinking about prevention activities. Examples are used throughout the article to orient the reader to the various models and the public health approach to violence. This article concerns personal violence as opposed to war or other types of organized or institutional violence.
Combining convolutional neural networks for emotion recognition

Emotion is at the core of all human interaction, and thus as technology is becoming increasingly pervasive in daily life, emotion recognition is becoming increasingly relevant as well. It is an area that has a seemingly endless range of applications, from advertising and entertainment, to education and healthcare. Research has been done on detecting facial expressions from images using machine learning, and we expand on past work by applying new methods. In addition to training two convolutional neural networks individually, we also train new models that combine the two different neural networks at different stages of training. Our goal is to compare the results of early and late fusion of networks, and demonstrate that combining models leads to more accurate results for identifying emotion.
Association of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio with immune populations in the tumor microenvironment of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

688Background: Currently, there are no blood biomarkers that reflect the composition of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Hi...
Semantic, Pragmatic and Discourse Analysis

This chapter focuses on the methods and tools for automatic or computer-aided annotation and analysis of texts at the semantic, pragmatic and discourse levels. All of the tools discussed in this chapter are accessible through a graphic user interface (GUI) or a web-based interface. As such, our descriptions of the interfaces of the tools themselves will be relatively brief, except in cases where such descriptions facilitate our discussion of the analytical methods underlying the tools. In the first section, we introduce two tools for semantic field analysis, i.e., the UCREL Semantic Analysis System (USAS, Archer et al., Introduction to the USAS category system, 2002) and the Profile in Semantics-Lexical (PRISM-L, Crystal, Profiling linguistic disability, 1982) module of the Computerized Profiling (CP, Long et al., http://www.computerizedprofiling.org, 2008) software package. The second section covers two tools for the analysis of propositions, namely, the Computerized Propositional Idea Density Rater (CPIDR, Brown et al., Behavior Research Methods 40:540–545, 2008; Covington, http://www.ai.uga.edu/caspr/CPIDR-5-Manual.pdf, 2012) and the Analysis of Propositions (Johnston and Kamhi, Merrill-Palmer Quarterly 30:65–86, 1984; Kamhi and Johnston, Best practices in school speech-language pathology, 1992, 99–105; Lahey, Language disorders and language development, 1988) module of CP. The third section briefly describes a module of CP for assisting the coding and profiling of conversational acts, i.e., the Conversational Act Profile (CAP, Fey, Language intervention with young children, 1986) module. The fourth section discusses the analysis of cohesion and coherence, focusing on the indices that Coh-Metrix (Graesser et al., Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers 36:193–202, 2004b; Graesser et al., Educational Researcher 40:223–234, 2011) generates for this purpose. The chapter concludes with a discussion of AntMover (Anthony, http://www.antlab.sci.waseda.ac.jp, 2003), an automatic text structure analyzer.
AN EFFICIENT RESTRUCTURING APPROACH FOR WAFER SCALE PROCESSOR ARRAYS

Parallel processing using processor arrays is being widely investigated to overcome the performance limitations of traditional uniprocessor computer systems. Some inherent problems with the board level implementation of highly parallel systems are separate component packaging costs, assembly cost on printed circuit boards, and low reliability due to the complex pin to pin interconnections on the boards. Especially significant is the large signal propagation delay in MOS VLSI technology required to drive signals off chip. Wafer Scale Integration (WSI)1 promises a solution to this problem by integrating the entire processor array and the interconnection structure on a single packaged wafer. Thus WSI will make it possible to eliminate the off chip signal drivers required within the processor chips, and the complex board level interconnections among the processors. As a result, signal delays can be substantially reduced allowing faster operation. In addition, system reliability may also be improved because of elimination of the mechanical and electrical failures frequently observed at the pins and interconnections in traditional designs.
Engaging Emerging Countries: Implications of China’s Major Shifts in Climate Policy

Engaging developing countries, especially emerging counties such as Brazil, Russia, India and China, is a central challenge for international climate policy. While the world is still debating the outcome of international climate negotiations, China has been quietly developing its leadership in clean energy and moving towards a low-carbon economy and society. By end 2009, for instance, China had become the world’s leading new wind installer, solar exporter and new nuclear capacity constructor, in total, as well as the world’s top investor in clean energy, while at the same time becoming the world’s biggest carbon dioxide emitter. China’s move towards a low-carbon economy will have big implications on global energy and climate policy. China’s transition typifies a unique opportunity for developed economies to engage emerging economies in the global climate efforts.
Mechanisms of calcium transport in the thick ascending limb of the loop of Henle.

In the micropuncture segment between late proximal convoluted tubule and early distal tubule, approximately 20–25% of the filtered load of calcium is transported1. An undetermined fraction of the transport may occur in the proximal straight tubule where studies by Rouse, et al2 in the isolated perfused superficial straight tubule of the rabbit have suggested a substantial calcium efflux from the lumen. Beyond this segment, the thick ascending limb would appear to account for the hulk of calcium transport which occurs in the loop of Henle. Thus, studies by Rocha, et al,3 and Rouse, et al2 have shown a very low bidirectional permeability to calcium and little if any net flux in the thin descending and ascending loop segments.
Two Phases of Pattern Formation in the Developing Rodent Trigeminal System

The patterning of neural connections, as reflected by the ordered projections between functionally related groups of cells, is a hallmark of the vertebrate CNS. The precision and specificity of such organization is especially striking in the interconnections within sensory systems wherein topographic representations of the periphery are mapped onto multiple central cell groups. These features are epitomized in the rodent trigeminal system: the array of vibrissae and sinus hairs on the snout is replicated in the punctate arrangement of cells and axons along the entire trigeminal neuraxis (see Woolsey, 1989 for a review). The question of how such ordered patterns come about has been addressed at various levels, including the establishment of regional specificity (Schneider, 1973), the acquisition of positional identity (rev., Gaze, 1970; Jacobson, 1978; Lund 1978), the selection of postsynaptic partners (Purves and Lichtman,1985), and so on. In this chapter we review our studies on pattern formation in the trigeminal system within the context of two particular aspects of this issue: the conferring of axial orientation of the somatotopic map in the CNS and the emergence of modular patterning within this map.
Alcohol Abuse, HIV-1, and Hepatitis C Infection

Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug in the United States. Approximately 14 million Americans meet the criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence [1]. Alcohol abuse significantly affects morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases [2] and contributes to 85,000 deaths each year in the United States [3]. Alcohol use is common among HIV-infected individuals, and its impact on HIV disease progression has been suggested. Since alcohol use is widespread and it is often heavy among HIV-infected individuals and among the most sexually active age groups at risk of HIV infection, it has been of a great interest to investigate the role of alcohol abuse in promoting HIV transmission and infection. It was suggested that acute and chronic alcohol use might increase host susceptibility to HIV infection [4, 5]. Heavy alcohol consumption was strongly associated with incidence of HIV infection [6]. Alcohol use and abuse have been identified as potential behavioral risk factors for the transmission of HIV, in the form of drinking before risky sexual events or frequent binge drinking as associated with HIV incidence [7–9]. Alcohol consumption, particularly at high levels, has a negative impact on adherence to medications in general [10] and specifically to combined antiretroviral therapy, cART [11–14]. Chander et al. found that hazardous levels of alcohol use were associated with decreased cART utilization, adherence, and viral suppression, independent of active drug use. Combined alcohol and drug use was associated with lower odds of adherence and viral suppression than either drugs or alcohol alone [15].
Computer aided serendipity: the role of autonomous assistants in problem solving

Pencil and paper are perhaps the most effective problemsolving tools ever invented. Why is this so, and what does this portend for computer-assisted problem solving? In this paper we investigate why the computer has not made more significant inroads into many aspects of problem solving, even in domains ostensibly concerned with purely formal methods. We observe that for many problem-solving activities computers are currently more constraining than enabling, particularly during problem formulation. We identify some of the obstacles that must be overcome in making the computer a more attractive medium for problem solving, and explore some of the tools that will likely play a part in bringing this about.
Investigation of the H-bond-mediated aglycone delivery reaction in application to the synthesis of β-glucosides.

Abstract In an attempt to refine the H-bond-mediated Aglycone Delivery (HAD) glycosylation reaction reported herein is the synthesis of β-glucosides using an ethylthio glucoside donor equipped with the remote 6-O-picoloyl substituent. Upon examining various aliphatic, aromatic, and carbohydrate acceptors, it was determined that both electronic and steric factors may greatly affect the stereoselectivity of the HAD reaction with this donor.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS): In Scientific Evidence, Even 'Gold Standard' Techniques Have Limitations

There is an emerging view that there are two types of forensic science: “junk” science such as forensic odontology (bitemark analysis) and “real” science such as nuclear DNA typing. The 2009 National Research Council report contributed to the emergence of this view. On the one hand, the report was sharply critical of techniques such as bitemark analysis. On the other hand, the report had high praise for techniques such as the DNA typing identification technique and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) as an elemental analysis methodology. The courts are becoming increasingly skeptical about “junk” science techniques. In some instances, they are excluding testimony based on such techniques. In other cases, they are severely restricting the wording of the opinions based on such techniques that experts may testify to. However, in the case of “real” science, the courts tend to assume reliability. In particular, the courts have come to view nuclear DNA typing and GC/MS analysis as the “gold standards” of forensic science. The courts routinely admit testimony about nuclear DNA typing, and one court has gone to the length of declaring that GC/MS analysis is “nearly infallible.” However, the 2016 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report raised questions about one “gold standard,” DNA analysis. The PCAST report questioned the validity of the traditional methods of analyzing mixed DNA samples. The report faulted those methods as unduly subjective. In addition, many commentators have challenged the validity of Low Copy Number (LCN) testing of minute or “touch” DNA samples. Although the New York have admitted testimony about LCN analysis, many other courts have barred such testimony. The thesis of this article is that like nuclear DNA testing, GC/MS analysis has important limitations. The article explains that when GC/MS is used in drug testing, the court must inquire as to the mode of analysis: full scan, selective ion reliance, or selective ion monitoring. The article adds that when GC/MS is employed to identify ignitable liquids in arson investigations, the court should inquire as to the condition of the sample tested: Has it been subjected to weathering, microbial degradation, or pyrolysis? It is certainly justifiable to subject “junk” science to more intense scrutiny. However, the courts should not naively assume that GC/MS is “nearly infallible.” In forensic science, even “gold standard” techniques have significant limitations.
Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission reduction during pellet induration by fuel addition to the green pellets and decreased excess air

A research project was undertaken to determine if coal addition to fluxed-magnetite prefired pellets would reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions during pellet induration. Iron-oxidation-rate tests, coal-oxidation-rate tests and calcinations-rate tests were conducted in a laboratory furnace to determine the amount of coal necessary to provide adequate heat for limestone calcination without producing detrimental effects to magnetite oxidation. Pilot-scale pot-grate tests were then performed both with and without coal in the prefired pellets to verify pellet-quality parameters and nitrogen oxide emissions. The off-gas during each pot-grate test was analyzed for NOx, CO2, CO, SO and O2. There was approximately a 10% reduction in NOx emissions with coal addition during the normal pot-grate firing cycle. There was a 75% reduction in NOx emissions during firing cycles that used 25% to 75% excess air during firing rather than the normal 300% excess air.
Getting to the bottom of treatment of rectal prolapse in the elderly: Analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP).

Abstract Background Many approaches to treat rectal prolapse exists, yet little is known regarding their safety in the elderly. Method NSQIP (2008–2014) was queried to identify patients ≥ 70 years who underwent open rectopexy (OR), laparoscopic rectopexy (LR) and perineal rectosigmoidectomy (PR). Patients were selected using NSQIP's estimated probability of morbidity of ≥50th percentile. Outcomes were 30-day mortality and a composite: mortality, septic shock and organ space abscess and fascial dehiscence. Results Overall, 1361 patients underwent OR(18%), LR(15%) and PR(67%) with no difference in outcomes among 3 approaches. After adjustment of other factors, the composite was associated with PR [OR 2.5, CI 1.1, 5.7] and not with older age [OR 1.3, (CI) 0.7, 2.4]. From 2008 to 2014, LR increased from 11% to 19%; and PR decreased from 75% to 72%. Conclusions All 3 surgical approaches carry low morbidity among the sick, elderly. PR remains the predominant approach nationally. A paradigm shift accepting the safety of abdominal approaches is needed. There should also be less focus on age in the decision-making process of surgical treatment.
The influence of timing of peer cooperation on learning

This longitudinal study tests the optimal placement of cooperative learning during instruction. Pre-service teachers (N = 97) were taught about psychology theories applied to educational contexts a...
Controlled Natural Language Framework for Generating Assertions from Hardware Specifications

In this paper, we present a controlled natural language (CNL) framework for automatic processing and generation of assertions from hardware design specification. Current CNL systems have limitations in mapping differently worded sentences with the same meaning to the same logic structures. We aim to mitigate this limitation by developing a dependency grammar based CNL where the constructed parse tree does not follow strict surface-structure dependencies and instead extract additional relationship based on semantic information that is embedded in the grammar. In addition, current translation schemes for creating executable assertions from hardware design specifications do not provide feedback on wrongly or ambiguously written input sentences. Our natural language understanding algorithm is guided by the dependencies in the parse tree and has the capability to offer useful feedback for sentences that are not fully understood. We reported results on natural language assertions extracted from UART, Memory and AMBA AXI protocol specification documents. We successfully tested syntactic variations of these specifications as well.
Formation and Oxidative Degradation of Leukotrienes by Eosinophils and Neutrophils

Leukotrienes, formed by the lipoxygenation of arachidonic acid, are a potent group of chemical mediators that are important in inflammation. This paper will focus on leukotriene production by eosinophils. Eosinophilic leukocytes are prominent participants in inflammatory reactions but their function in these reactions has been previously poorly understood. Also to be discussed is how phagocytic cells can inactivate leukotrienes by oxidative mechanisms. Leukotriene inactivation by phagocyte generated peroxidase and hydroxyl radical systems may serve as a host defense mechanism to limit the great biologic activities of these mediators.
Emerging Roles of Cyst Nematode Effectors in Exploiting Plant Cellular Processes

Abstract Diverse phytonematodes deliver effector proteins into the cells of their plant hosts using a hollow, protrusible mouth spear called a stylet. Collectively, these stylet-secreted effector (SSE) proteins function to modulate cellular processes that favour nematode growth and development. We discuss the functions of SSEs, with an emphasis on cyst nematodes. Identified plant targets of several cyst nematode effectors have revealed their putative function in parasitism. Several cyst nematode effectors modulate host developmental pathways and alter phytohormone balance to favour feeding site establishment. Other effectors are deployed to various plant compartments to subvert plant stress and defence responses. We also discuss genome-aided discovery of the entire complement of cyst nematode effectors that promises to uncover the full range of effector functions and enable comparative analyses that address outstanding questions in plant–cyst nematode interactions such as the molecular basis of host specificity.
Can automated treatment plans gain traction in the clinic

Recently, there has been an increased interest in the feasibility and impact of automation within the field of medical dosimetry. While there have been many commercialized solutions for automatic treatment planning, the use of an application programming interface to achieve complete plan generation for specific treatment sites is a process only recently available for certain commercial vendors. Automatic plan generation for 20 prostate patients was achieved via a stand-alone automated planning script that accessed a knowledge-based planning solution. Differences between the auto plans and clinically treated, baseline plans were analyzed and compared. The planning script successfully initialized a treatment plan, accessed the knowledge-based planning model, optimized the plan, assessed for constraint compliance, and normalized the treatment plan for maximal coverage while meeting constraints. Compared to baseline plans, the auto-generated plans showed significantly improved rectal sparing with similar coverage for targets and comparable doses to the remaining organs-at-risk. Utilization of a script, with its associated time saving and integrated process management, can quickly and automatically generate an acceptable clinical treatment plan for prostate cancer with either improved or similar results compared to a manually created plan.