cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TU-G-303-03: Machine Learning to Improve Human Learning From Longitudinal Image Sets

‘Radiomics’ refers to studies that extract a large amount of quantitative information from medical imaging studies as a basis for characterizing a specific aspect of patient health. Radiomics models can be built to address a wide range of outcome predictions, clinical decisions, basic cancer biology, etc. For example, radiomics models can be built to predict the aggressiveness of an imaged cancer, cancer gene expression characteristics (radiogenomics), radiation therapy treatment response, etc. Technically, radiomics brings together quantitative imaging, computer vision/image processing, and machine learning. In this symposium, speakers will discuss approaches to radiomics investigations, including: longitudinal radiomics, radiomics combined with other biomarkers (‘pan-omics’), radiomics for various imaging modalities (CT, MRI, and PET), and the use of registered multi-modality imaging datasets as a basis for radiomics. There are many challenges to the eventual use of radiomics-derived methods in clinical practice, including: standardization and robustness of selected metrics, accruing the data required, building and validating the resulting models, registering longitudinal data that often involve significant patient changes, reliable automated cancer segmentation tools, etc. Despite the hurdles, results achieved so far indicate the tremendous potential of this general approach to quantifying and using data from medical images. Specific applications of radiomics to be presented in this symposium will include: the longitudinal analysis of patients with low-grade gliomas; automatic detection and assessment of patients with metastatic bone lesions; image-based monitoring of patients with growing lymph nodes; predicting radiotherapy outcomes using multi-modality radiomics; and studies relating radiomics with genomics in lung cancer and glioblastoma. Learning Objectives: 1. Understanding the basic image features that are often used in radiomic models. 2. Understanding requirements for reliable radiomic models, including robustness of metrics, adequate predictive accuracy, and generalizability. 3. Understanding the methodology behind radiomic-genomic (’radiogenomics’) correlations. Research supported by NIH (US), CIHR (Canada), and NSERC (Canada)
1492, 1942, 1992: The Theme of Race in the Harry Potter Series

In this article Lana Whited discusses several crucial dates in the Harry Potter books and matches them with European and North American events that historically occurred on those dates. The parallels Whited notes lend weight to what readers may consider a secondary theme of the series: racism. According to Whited, exploring and combating racism is a primary theme for Rowling in this series, and Rowling brings up this theme repeatedly in various comic and dramatic ways.
Transport: A Nonequilibrium Process

So far, the focus of this book has been on systems at equilibrium, where they experience no net flux of heat, work, or matter. Classical thermodynamics treats these systems easily. As we pointed out earlier, the greatest value of thermodynamics is that the behavior of a system can be predicted, even when the mechanistic details are not known. Homogeneous systems, at constant temperature and pressure, such as the solutions of electrolytes and macromolecules described so far, are composed of molecules that individually experience a variety of forces, both orienting and randomizing. On an instantaneous time scale, this might lead to net movements of mass or energy; however, the time average of the forces leads to the steady-state condition of equilibrium. The activity of a component is the reflection of the time-average molecular forces acting in a system at equilibrium. There are cases in which the time average of a force or forces acting on a system results in the flow of material. When these events occur, transport phenomena result. Transport phenomena and the principles associated with non-equilibrium behavior are extremely important in biological systems because, as we have already suggested, true equilibrium states are achieved only in death. Steady-state systems, which have constant fluxes, are common. These systems are treated by nonequilibrium methods.
Effects of overexpression of Pkn2, a transmembrane protein serine/threonine kinase, on development of Myxococcus xanthus

Pkn2 is a putative transmembrane protein serine/threonine kinase required for normal development of Myxococcus xanthus. The effect of Pkn2 overexpression on development of M. xanthus was examined by expressing pkn2 under the control of a kanamycin promoter. Pkn2 was clearly detected by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis in the overexpression strain (the PKm/pkn2 strain) but could not be detected in the wild-type strain. Overexpressed Pkn2 was located almost exclusively in the membrane fraction, suggesting that Pkn2 is a transmembrane receptor-type protein Ser/Thr kinase. The PKm/pkn2 strain formed fruiting bodies more slowly than the wild-type strain, in contrast to a Pkn2 deletion strain, the delta pkn2 strain, which developed faster than the wild-type strain. However, spore production was reduced in both the PKm/pkn2 and delta pkn2 strains. These data suggest that Pkn2 functions as a negative regulator for fruiting-body formation and that the proper level of Pkn2 is necessary for maximum myxospore yield.
Fission yeast enters a joyful new era.

A report on the Second International Fission Yeast Meeting, Kyoto, Japan, 25-30 March 2002.
Determination of fezolamine and its desmethyl metabolite in human plasma and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract Sensitive and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic methods for the quantitation of the experimental antidepressantfezolamine and its desmethyl metabolite in plasma and urine have been developed. Both assays are linear between 0 and 500 ng/ml in both plasma and urine and have calculated minimum quantifiable levels of less than 10 ng/ml. Statistical evaluation of analytical parameters under single-blind conditions demonstrated an overall precision within ±4% of nominal for both compounds in either biological medium. The overall accuracies of the assays were within ±5% of nominal values in urine and ±10% of nominal values in plasma. Following intravenous administration of fezolamine fumarate to beagle hounds, a biexponential decline in drug plasma levels was observedwith the first phase having a halflife of about 11 min and the second phase about 2.6 h. Peak plasma levels of the metabolite were observed at 2 h. Recovery of the parent drug in urine was less than 5% of the administered dose and less than 1% for the desmethyl metabolite.
Foreign as Domestic Affairs: Rethinking Horizontal Federalism and Foreign Affairs Preemption in Light of Translocal Internationalism

What does federalism have to do with the question of what role "foreign" law does or ought to play in the United States? That issue frames this Article. Underappreciated thus far in the literatures on federalism and on social network theory is the role played by translocal organizations of public officials. These networks (such as the Conference of Mayors, the National League of Cities, the National Governors Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Association of Counties, and others) are national, but not federal. They both mirror the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States and cross them. Furthermore, these organizations also blur the line between nongovernmental organizations ("NGOs") and government organizations, for they are voluntary, quasi-private associations of public actors. Through these activities, these translocal organizations serve as importers and exporters of ideas, some of which they help to turn into law. Sitting between the government and the private sector, these national organizations of state officials have become vital forces in a norm entrepreneurship that I term translocal institutional transnationalism. These interactions create a two-way street (or ocean) for both importation and exportation, and what passes through are a range of precepts, liberal and conservative, on an array of topics from human rights and national security to the organization of families and commerce. This article documents some of this trade in ideas and laws and analyzes how translocal transnationalism relates to the presumed problem of "foreign" law within the American polity. I do so by two examples, one outlining local efforts to promote and to use the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women ("CEDAW"), and the other sketching the engagement of cities in the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ("Kyoto Protocol"). Both initiatives undermine the sovereigntist claim that a turn to "foreign" law intrinsically poses problems for majoritarianism and for federalism.
Effects of endogenous and exogenous progesterone on emotional intelligence in cocaine-dependent men and women who also abuse alcohol.

Objective As sex differences in substance dependence may impinge upon the perception and regulation of emotion, we assess emotional intelligence (EI) as a function of gender, menstrual cycle (MC) phase and hormonal changes in early abstinent cocaine-dependent individuals who abuse alcohol (CDA). Methods Study 1: The Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) was administered to 98 CDA (55 M/43 F) and 56 healthy (28 M/28 F) individuals. Performance in women was also assessed by MC phase. Study 2: The MSCEIT was administered to 28 CDA (19 M/9 F) who received exogenous progesterone (400 mg/day) versus placebo for 7 days (study 2). Results Study 1: Healthy females were better than healthy males at facilitating thought and managing emotions. This gender discrepancy was not observed in the CDA group. Additionally, all women in the high compared with the low progesterone phase of their MC were better at managing their emotions. Study 2: Exogenous progesterone improved ability to facilitate thought in both males and females. Conclusions CDA women may be vulnerable to difficulties managing and regulating emotions. Gonadal hormones may contribute to this gender effect, as increases in both endogenous and exogenous progesterone improved selective aspects of EI. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Transcriptional Corepressors HIPK1 and HIPK2 Control Angiogenesis Via TGF-β-TAK1-Dependent Mechanism

Several critical events dictate the successful establishment of nascent vasculature in yolk sac and in the developing embryos. These include aggregation of angioblasts to form the primitive vascular plexus, followed by the proliferation, differentiation, migration, and coalescence of endothelial cells. Although transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is known to regulate various aspects of vascular development, the signaling mechanism of TGF-β remains unclear. Here we show that homeodomain interacting protein kinases, HIPK1 and HIPK2, are transcriptional corepressors that regulate TGF-β-dependent angiogenesis during embryonic development. Loss of HIPK1 and HIPK2 leads to marked up-regulations of several potent angiogenic genes, including Mmp10 and Vegf, which result in excessive endothelial proliferation and poor adherens junction formation. This robust phenotype can be recapitulated by siRNA knockdown of Hipk1 and Hipk2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells, as well as in endothelial cell-specific TGF-β type II receptor (TβRII) conditional mutants. The effects of HIPK proteins are mediated through its interaction with MEF2C, and this interaction can be further enhanced by TGF-β in a TAK1-dependent manner. Remarkably, TGF-β-TAK1 signaling activates HIPK2 by phosphorylating a highly conserved tyrosine residue Y-361 within the kinase domain. Point mutation in this tyrosine completely eliminates the effect of HIPK2 as a transcriptional corepressor in luciferase assays. Our results reveal a previously unrecognized role of HIPK proteins in connecting TGF-β signaling pathway with the transcriptional programs critical for angiogenesis in early embryonic development.
Neuroendocrine peptides in milk

Abstract Milk, which is a mammal-specific biologic fluid, contains several neuroendocrine peptides at concentrations higher than those found in plasma. These neuroendocrine peptides can be synthesized or processed in the mammary gland or excreted into milk through various pathways. In addition, certain milk proteins, notably casein, can be enzymatically processed to release "exorphins," peptides with opioid activities. In suckling mammals, hormones and neuropeptides are absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract and appear intact in the plasma. This absorption is age dependent and could have physiologic significance in neonatal development.
High resolution morphology and electrical characterization of aged Li-ion battery cathode.

Understanding the changes that take place in an aged Lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cathode is vital to improving battery storage capabilities. High resolution imaging using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and current measurement capabilities are used to determine the difference in surface morphology as well as conductance between unaged and aged cathode. Upon aging, agglomeration of LiFePO4 particles with nanocrystalline deposits is observed and the samples show lower conductance and hence increased resistance. The data identifies potential degradation mechanisms which reduce the conductivity of the cathode leading to poor cycling performance of the battery.
Antibodies to saccharomyces cerevisiae in Crohn's disease: higher titers are associated with a greater frequency of mutant NOD2/CARD15 alleles and with a higher probability of complicated disease.

Background: Both antibodies to Saccharomyces cerevisiae (ASCA) and carriage of two mutated NOD2/CARD15 alleles are associated with ileal Crohn's disease (CD) and complications requiring bowel surgery. We assessed the ASCA titer as a marker of CD clinical behavior. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we phenotyped 117 unrelated CD patients. Titers (Units, U) of ASCA IgG and IgA were measured and patients were genotyped for three high-risk NOD2/CARD15 alleles. Multiple logistic regression and Cox regression analyses were used to assess the association of factors to CD phenotype and time to surgery. Results: ASCA seropositivity was associated with younger age at diagnosis, ileal disease, and complicated (stricturing or penetrating) behavior. There was a dose–response between the number of mutant NOD2/CARD15 alleles and the prevalence and titers of ASCA. The ASCA titer and tobacco use were associated with ileal disease independently of NOD2/CARD15 status. The ASCA titer (odds ratio (OR): 2.7 per 25 U, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.5-46.7) and ileal disease were associated with stricturing/penetrating behavior, independently of NOD2/CARD15 status. Patients with ileal CD and ASCA titers of 41 U and 60 U needed 10 and 5 years of disease, respectively, to accumulate a 50% risk of complications. Conclusions: ASCA+ patients had a greater frequency of mutant NOD2/CARD15 alleles. Nonetheless, higher ASCA titers were associated with higher probabilities of ileal CD and stricturing/penetrating behavior independently of NOD2/CARD15 status. Higher ASCA titers were associated with more rapid development of complications. This quantitative marker may prove useful in risk-stratifying patients to more aggressive antiinflammatory therapies. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007)
Combustion characteristics of higher-alcohol/gasoline blends

AbstractAn experimental investigation was conducted to determine the emissions characteristics of higher alcohols and gasoline (UTG96) blends. While lower alcohols (methanol and ethanol) have been ...
PEER RATINGS AND LEADERLESS GROUP DISCUSSIONS FOR EVALUATION OF CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE

An attempt was made to evaluate the internal consistency, temporal reliability, and validity of peer ratings as used in a classroom situation. Twenty-six Ss were divided into four small groups as part of a 6-wk. course in industrial psychology. Ss designed the rating device along four performance-related dimensions. Ratings of self and group peers were obtained at 2-wk. intervals; intelligence and class grades were used as validation criteria. It was found that internal consistency was low, but did not vary as exposure increased over time. The reliability of the four scales (Coordination and Organization; Ideas, Information and Resources; Effort; and Interpersonal Relations) did not vary appreciably. Factor analysis of the final ratings yielded Halo, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Productivity factors. Several explanations for the high correlation (.77) between the Interpersonal Relations scale and class grades are offered.
Group counseling with primary school-age children

Abstract This paper presents a study of developmental group counseling with three first grade children, one of whom was referred because of his inattentiveness and disruptive influence in the classroom. A counseling triad was introduced to facilitate the learning process. Systematic observation in the classroom as well as anecdotal evidence provided continuous data which suggested positive outcomes.
The sequence of a porcine cDNA encoding α-lactalbumin

Abstract A cDNA clone encoding porcine α-lactalbumin (αLA) was isolated and sequenced. The longest clone was 688 nucleotides (nt) long and encoded a preprotein of 141 amino acids (aa) including a leader peptide of 19 aa. The porcine cDNA exhibited a nt similarity of between 72.2%–83.5% to other αLA cDNAs and an aa similarity of between 50.8%–85.2% with other αLA aa sequences. The derived aa sequence varied at three positions from a previously reported sequence for porcine αLA obtained by direct aa sequencing.
Hypoxia-inducible Factor 2α Regulates Expression of the Mitochondrial Aconitase Chaperone Protein Frataxin

Mice lacking Epas1, encoding the transcription factor Hypoxia-inducible Factor 2α (HIF-2α), exhibit an apparent mitochondrial disease state. Similarities between knock-outs of Epas1 and of Sod2, encoding the mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme manganese superoxide dismutase, led to the identification of Sod2 as a HIF-2α target gene. However, Sod2 levels in Epas1–/– liver are intermediate between that of Sod+/– and Sod2–/– mice, which have subtle or severe phenotypes, respectively. This suggests that additional HIF-2α target genes besides Sod2 contribute to the Epas1–/– mitochondrial disease state. To define the nature of the mitochondrial defect in Epas1–/– liver, we performed biophysical, biochemical, and molecular studies. In the setting of decreased Sod2 levels and increased oxidative stress, we found reduced respiration, sensitized mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening, intact electron transport chain activities, and impaired mitochondrial aconitase activity. Mitochondrial aconitase protein levels were preserved, whereas mRNA and protein levels for frataxin, the oxidative stress-regulated mitochondrial aconitase chaperone protein, were markedly reduced in Epas1–/– livers. The mouse Fxn promoter was preferentially activated by HIF-2α through a consensus HIF-responsive enhancer element. In summary, the studies reveal that Fxn, like Sod2, is a nuclear-encoded, mitochondrial-localized HIF-2α target gene required for optimal mitochondrial homeostasis. These findings expand upon the previously defined role of HIF-2α in the cellular response to oxidative stress and identify a novel link of HIF-2α with mitochondrial homeostasis.
Density of the Medvedev lattice of Π 0 1 classes

The partial ordering of Medvedev reducibility restricted to the family of Π0 1 classes is shown to be dense. For two disjoint computably enumerable sets, the class of separating sets is an important example of a Π0 1 class, which we call a ``c.e. separating class''. We show that there are no non-trivial meets for c.e. separating classes, but that the density theorem holds in the sublattice generated by the c.e. separating classes.
Characterization of damage modes in impacted thermoset and thermoplastic composites

Composite materials remain extremely vulnerable to out-of-plane impact loads, which may lead to severe losses in strength and stiffness. Impact induced damage is often a complex mixture of transverse cracks, delaminations and fiber failures. An experimental investigation was undertaken to quantify damage tolerance and resistance in composite materials impacted using the drop-weight method. Tests were conducted on laminates of several different carbon-fiber composite systems such as epoxies, modified epoxies, and amorphous and semicrystalline thermoplastics. In this paper, impacted composite specimens have been examined using destructive and nondestructive techniques to establish the characteristic damage states. Specifically, optical microscopy, ultrasonic and scanning electron microscopy techniques have been used to identify impact induced damage mechanisms. Damage propagation during post impact compression was also studied.
Turing degrees of hypersimple relations on computable structures

Let A be an infinite computable structure, and let R be an additional computable relation on its domain A. The syntactic notion of formal hypersimplicity of R on A, first introduced and studied by Hird, is analogous to the computability-theoretic notion of hypersimplicity of R on A, given the definability of certain effective sequences of relations on A. Assuming that R is formally hypersimple on A, we give general sufficient conditions for the existence of a computable isomorphic copy of A on whose domain the image of R is hypersimple and of arbitrary nonzero computably enumerable Turing degree.
DC responsivity of proximity effect bridges to high frequency radiation

The effect of microwave radiation on the dc current-voltage characteristic of proximity effect bridges has been studied at frequencies of 10, 35, and 90 GHz. The properties of bridges fabricated in layered films of Nb and Ta are reported. The fraction, epsilon, of the incident radiant power absorbed by the bridge is measured calorimetrically, permitting determination of the intrinsic responsivity (volts per watt of power absorbed when operated in a current-biased mode). In the test geometry employed, epsilon is typically about .0001 for a 0.1 ohm Nb-Ta bridge, and increases roughly linearly with dc junction resistance. Broad-band responsivity is generally independent of incident power, increases with increasing critical current (decreasing temperature), and decreases with increasing frequency. Peak responsivities achieved to date are about 100,000 V/W (absorbed) at 10 GHz and about 100 V/W (absorbed) at 90 GHz.
Abstract 4605: CDIP-BAP31 complex bridges endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria during ER-stress mediated apoptosis.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Resolved ER stress response is fundamentally essential for intracellular homeostatic balance, but unsettled ER stress can lead to apoptosis. In addition, imbalances in homeostasis would result in improper cell functioning that may become an important pathogenic factor in a number of prevalent diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, and cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms relating ER stress to apoptosis still remain largely unfamiliar. Here, we show that a proapoptotic p53 target, CDIP, acts as a key signal transducer of ER stress response. Applying a biochemical/proteomics approach, we characterize BAP31, B-cell receptor-associated protein 31 that is an integral protein of ER and known to crosstalk with mitochondrial proteins during the apoptosis process, as an interacting partner of CDIP. Upon ER stress, CDIP is induced and enhances an association with BAP31 at the ER membrane. We found that the CDIP-BAP31 complex formation is essential for ER stress-mediated apoptotic process. CDIP-/- or CDIP knock-down cells are strongly resistant to ER-stress-induced apoptosis. Moreover, we show that CDIP up-regulation and binding to BAP31 is required for BAP31 cleavage via caspase-8 activation in response to ER stress and also responsible for BAP31-Bcl-2 association, then resulting in Bcl-2 sequestration from BAX. The recruitment of Bcl-2 with BAP31-CDIP complex triggers BAX oligomerization/activation that causes its translocation to the mitochondria, followed by cyctochrome c release. Genetic knockout of CDIP in mice also leads to impaired response to ER-stress-mediated apoptosis, likely through reduced BAX activation. Together, our data demonstrate that the CDIP-BAP31→Bcl-2/BAX regulatory circuit represents a novel mechanism for establishing an ER-mitochondrial cross-talk for ER stress-mediated apoptosis signaling. Citation Format: Takushi Namba, Fang Tian, Kiki Chu, So-Young Hwang, Sam W. Lee. CDIP-BAP31 complex bridges endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria during ER-stress mediated apoptosis. [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 4605. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4605
Second Primary Lung Cancers: Smokers Versus Nonsmokers After Resection of Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma

Background Smokers have a higher risk of developing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) than never-smokers, but the relative risk of developing second primary lung cancer (SPLC) is unclear. Determining the risk of SPLC in smokers versus never-smokers after treatment of an initial cancer may help guide recommendations for long-term surveillance. Methods Patients who underwent resection for stage I adenocarcinoma were identified from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Patients with other histologies, synchronous lesions, or who received neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy were excluded. The SPLCs were identified based on Martini criteria. Results From 1995 to 2012, a total of 2,151 patients underwent resection for stage I adenocarcinoma (308 never-smokers [14%] and 1,843 ever-smokers [86%]). SPLC developed in 30 never-smokers (9.9%) and 145 ever-smokers (7.8%). The SPLC was detected by surveillance computed tomography scan in the majority of patients (161; 92%). In total, 87% of never-smokers and 83% of ever-smokers had stage I SPLC. There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of SPLC between never-smokers and ever-smokers ( p = 0.18) in a competing-risks analysis. The cumulative incidence at 10 years was 20.3% for never-smokers and 18.2% for ever-smokers. Conclusions Although smokers have a greater risk of NSCLC, the risk of a second primary cancer developing after resection of stage I lung cancer is comparable between smokers and never-smokers. The majority of these second primary cancers are detectable at a curable stage. Ongoing postoperative surveillance should be recommended for all patients regardless of smoking status.
Alcohol Expectancies, Pregaming, Drinking Games, and Hazardous Alcohol Use in a Multiethnic Sample of College Students

Pregaming is a risky drinking behavior that occurs when students drink alcohol before a primary social gathering or event. The paucity of research on pregaming highlights the need for research on the correlates of drinking behaviors, such as alcohol expectancies, that might increase the likelihood of pregaming. Thus, we sought to examine how alcohol expectancies and the valuations (i.e., desirability) of these expectancies are associated with frequency of pregaming, drinking game (DG) participation, and hazardous alcohol use. Students (N = 1327) from nine U.S. colleges and universities completed self-report surveys. Results showed sufficient discriminant validity among pregaming behaviors, DG participation, and hazardous alcohol use. Findings also revealed that pregaming mediated the associations between positive alcohol expectancies and hazardous drinking behaviors. Finally, when we tested for invariance across gender, ethnicity, and legal versus underage alcohol users, we found full invariance across gender and ethnicity, but not for legal versus underage alcohol users. Future research directions and potential implications for prevention efforts are discussed.
Casuistry and clinical ethics.

For the last century, moral philosophy has stressed theory for the analysis of moral argument and concepts. In the last decade, interest in the ethical issues of health care has stimulated attention to cases and particular instances. This has revealed the gap between ethical theory and practice. This article reviews the history and method of casuistry which for many centuries provided an approach to practical ethics. Its strengths and weaknesses are noted and its potential for contemporary use explored.
COLLINARUS: collection of image-derived non-linear attributes for registration using splines

ABSTRACT We present a new method for fully automatic non-rigid registration of multimodal imagery, including structuraland functional data, that utilizes multiple texutral feature images to drive an automated spline based non-linearimage registration procedure. Multimodal image registration is signicantly more complicated than registrationof images from the same modality or protocol on account of diculty in quantifying similarity between dierentstructural and functional information, and also due to possible physical deformations resulting from the dataacquisition process. The COFEMI technique for feature ensemble selection and combination has been previouslydemonstrated to improve rigid registration performance over intensity-based MI for images of dissimilar modali-ties with visible intensity artifacts. Hence, we present here the natural extension of feature ensembles for drivingautomated non-rigid image registration in our new technique termed Collection of Image-derived Non-linearAttributes for Registration Using Splines (COLLINARUS). Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the COL-LINARUS scheme is performed on several sets of real multimodal prostate images and synthetic multiprotocolbrain images. Multimodal (histology and MRI) prostate image registration is performed for 6 clinical data setscomprising a total of 21 groups of in vivo structural (T2-w) MRI, functional dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)MRI, and ex vivo WMH images with cancer present. Our method determines a non-linear transformation toalign WMH with the high resolution in vivo T2-w MRI, followed by mapping of the histopathologic cancer extentonto the T2-w MRI. The cancer extent is then mapped from T2-w MRI onto DCE-MRI using the combinednon-rigid and ane transformations determined by the registration. Evaluation of prostate registration is per-formed by comparison with the 3 time point (3TP) representation of functional DCE data, which provides anindependent estimate of cancer extent. The set of synthetic multiprotocol images, acquired from the BrainWebSimulated Brain Database, comprises 11 pairs of T1-w and proton density (PD) MRI of the brain. Following theapplication of a known warping to misalign the images, non-rigid registration was then performed to recover theoriginal, correct alignment of each image pair. Quantitative evaluation of brain registration was performed bydirect comparison of (1) the recovered deformation eld to the applied eld and (2) the original undeformed andrecovered PD MRI. For each of the data sets, COLLINARUS is compared with the MI-driven counterpart of theB-spline technique. In each of the quantitative experiments, registration accuracy was found to be signicantly(p< 0.05) for COLLINARUS compared with MI-driven B-spline registration. Over 11 slices, the mean absoluteerror in the deformation eld recovered by COLLINARUS was found to be 0.8830 mm.Keywords: quantitative imageanalysis, magneticresonance, whole-mounthistology, imageregistration,prostate,cancer, B-splines, COFEMI, hierarchical, non-rigid
Melting and flowing

We present a fast and stable system for animating materials that melt, flow, and solidify. Examples of real-world materials that exhibit these phenomena include melting candles, lava flow, the hardening of cement, icicle formation, and limestone deposition. We animate such phenomena by physical simulation of fluids --- in particular the incompressible viscous Navier-Stokes equations with free surfaces, treating solid and nearly-solid materials as very high viscosity fluids. The computational method is a modification of the Marker-and-Cell (MAC) algorithm in order to rapidly simulate fluids with variable and arbitrarily high viscosity. This allows the viscosity of the material to change in space and time according to variation in temperature, water content, or any other spatial variable, allowing different locations in the same continuous material to exhibit states ranging from the absolute rigidity or slight bending of hardened wax to the splashing and sloshing of water. We create detailed polygonal models of the fluid by splatting particles into a volumetric grid and we render these models using ray tracing with sub-surface scattering. We demonstrate the method with examples of several viscous materials including melting wax and sand drip castles.
Management of feet and ankle burns: Orthotic management of pre-existing deformity and protocol for prevention of deformity

Abstract Burns to the ankles and dorsum of the feet frequently present rehabilitative problems involving plantarflexion, metatarsal subluxation and toe hyperextension. A specialized anterior conformer splint has been designed to prevent or correct this resulting deformity and its application has shown dramatic results on a variety of burn patients.
Stress-Strain Model of Ultrahigh Performance Concrete Confined by Fiber-Reinforced Polymers

The application of ultrahigh performance concrete (UHPC) as an alternative to conventional concrete has grown rapidly in recent years. However, to date, little is known about the confinement behavior of UHPC, knowledge that is necessary to develop design guidelines for UHPC columns. In a previous study, the authors investigated the stress-strain behavior of a series of UHPC-filled fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tubes with different fiber types and thicknesses under uniaxial compression. The FRP confinement was shown to significantly enhance both the ultimate strength and strain of UHPC. It was also shown that the existing confinement models are incapable of predicting the behavior of FRP-confined UHPC. Therefore, in this study, two commonly used FRP confinement models are recalibrated based on test results of FRP-confined UHPC. A model was further modified based on the stress-strain model of unconfined UHPC to better capture the linear response of UHPC before the activation of FRP confinement. A comparison of the three models showed that a recalibrated model provides the most accurate prediction of the stress-strain behavior of FRP-confined UHPC in terms of the stress-strain curve and ultimate strength and strain.
Felt Obligation Towards Parents in Mexican-American and Anglo-American Young Adults:

The present study compares self-reports of felt obligation towards parents, cultural attitudes about family functioning and perceptions of family interactions in a sample of 100 Mexican-American and Anglo-American young adults. On average, Mexican-American men and women reported significantly higher levels of familism, more collectivist attitudes and more helping behavior in relationships with parents than did Anglo-Americans, while Anglo respondents reported having more contact with social systems outside the family system. Mexican-American young adults generally reported feeling significantly more obligated to avoid conflict, provide assistance and strive for self-sufficiency in their relationships with parents than did Anglo-Americans. Cultural attitudes of familism and collectivism were related to reports of felt obligation for Mexican-American respondents but not for Anglo-American respondents. Implications of results for family development theory are discussed.
BETAS, a spectral code for three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium and nonlinear stability calculations

A fully three-dimensional spectral code has been developed and implemented. It computes three-dimensional equilibria using the variational approach, by minimizing the potential energy subject to appropriate constraints. A second minimization, with an additional constraint, is used to examine the stability of solutions. The magnetic field representation allows for non-nested flux surfaces. Thus it can be used to study solutions with islands and variation of the potential energy with respect to topology changes. A spectral representation in the toroidal and poloidal angles, coupled with a special choice of collocation points in the radial direction results in greatly enhanced resolution. A fast iterative method was developed, with the number of iterations required for convergence independent of the mesh size. Residuals converge exponentially to the round-off error, allowing the potential energy to be computed to the eight-digit accuracy required for nonlinear stability analysis. A small amount of artificial viscosity may be needed for convergence in cases where low-order resonances are present in the plasma region. Numerical results show convergence to known axially symmetric equilibrium solutions, as well as close agreement with eigenvalue calculations in helically symmetric stellarator configurations. Solutions exhibiting island formations are found to have lower potential energy than that of the nearby nested case. Internal modes are found to localize inside the resonant surface, with the eigenfunction having sharp gradients at the resonant surface.
Student knowledge and perception before and after an orientation program in an offshore Caribbean medical school

A two day orientation program is conducted for all first semester undergraduate medical students since January 2014. The effectiveness of the program and its possible impact on student knowledge and perceptions has not been previously studied. The present study was conducted to study student knowledge and perceptions before and after the orientation program and note differences in scores according to the gender and nationality of the respondents using a rretrospective-pre questionnaire. The statements were scored and mean scores calculated. Student perception about the effectiveness of various sessions was also measured. Knowledge and perception scores before and after the program was compared using paired t-test. Strengths of the program and suggestions for further improvement were also obtained. Nineteen of the twenty-five (76%) first semester students participated. The mean knowledge and perception scores before the module were 1.97 (maximum score 3) and 2.75 (maximum score 5) respectively. After the program the knowledge and perception scores increased significantly to 2.75 and 4.41. The mean overall effectiveness scores as perceived by the respondents was 3.16 (maximum score 4). The orientation program significantly improved knowledge and perception of students. The program was perceived as effective. Improvements are required in certain areas. Similar programs can be considered in other Caribbean medical schools.
Blooms of surf-zone diatoms along the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. IV. Nitrate reductase activity in natural populations and laboratory cultures of Chaetoceros armatum and Asterionella socialis

Nitrate reductase (NR) activity in the surf-zone diatom Chaetoceros armatum T. West was studied in its natural habitat at Copalis Beach, Olympic Peninsula, Washington (USA) over a period of 18 months. Variations of enzyme activity were found, depending on the season and the time of day. General seasonal trends in NR activity were correlated with nitrate concentrations in the surf-zone. The results also indicated that several factors may limit the activity of the enzyme. This is one of the reasons why NR activity could not be correlated with environmental nitrate concentration on the basis of individual measurements at a given point in time. Enzyme inhibition due to the presence of ammonium occurred on several occasions throughout the study period, and could be detected by the NR assay. This phenomenon for the most part masked any pattern of diel periodicity in NR activity that might have been expected to exist in cells in the natural environment. Cultures of C. armatum and Asterionella socialis Lewin and Norris were also studied in the laboratory. A diel fluctuation in NR activity corresponding to the pattern shown in natural phytoplankton by other authors was exhibited in C. armatum under a light-dark regime of 8 h light – 16 h dark and a light intensity of 400 lux.
Group Agency and Individualism

Pettit and List argue for realism about group agency, while at the same time try to retain a form of metaphysical and normative individualism on which human beings qualify as natural persons. This is an unstable and untenable combination of views. A corrective is offered here, on which realism about group agency leads us to the following related conclusions: in cases of group agency, the sort of rational unity that defines individual rational unity is realized at the level of a whole group; rational unity is never a metaphysical given but always a product of effort and will; just as it can be realized within groups of human beings it can also be realized within parts of human beings, as well as within whole human lives; in cases of group agency, the rational unity that is achieved at the level of the group typically precludes rational unity at the level of its human constituents within their whole lives, though it can be realized within parts of those human lives. Along the way, a contrast is drawn between cases of genuine group agency and the cases of political agency envisaged by Rousseau and Rawls (and by Pettit and List) which leave individual human beings intact as separate agents in their own rights.
Copulatory behavior of Syrian golden hamsters in a one-male two-female test situation

Eighteen male hamsters each completed two tests of copulatory behavior: one with one female present and one with two females. Males displayed only relatively small, quantitative alterations of their typical copulatory pattern in the two-female vs. the one-female situation. All males mated with both females. Shifts between females tended to occur at predictable times-particularly after ejaculations and those long intromissions that did not immediately precede ejaculations. When mating in the two-female situation, males sired more offspring than with one female. Females in the two-female situation received less copulatory stimulation than in the one-female situation, but there were no detectable deleterious effects of this reduced stimulation on reproduction. Should copulation occur between one male and two females in the natural habitat, it would appear to be of reproductive advantage to the male, with no detriment to the female.
What Might be Learned From Studying Language in the Chimpanzee? The Importance of Symbolizing Oneself

Ten years ago, there was little reason to believe that much could be learned from studying language in the chimpanzee. Earlier reports (Hayes 1951; Kellogg & Kellogg 1967) of a chimpanzee’s inability to use language seemed to demonstrate that biological factors limited the extent to which the chimpanzee could learn to use abstract symbols. Thanks to the work of the Gardners (1969, 1971), Premack (1970a, 1971b), Fouts (1972b, 1975a,c), and Rumbaugh and Glasersfeld (1973), we now know a chimpanzee has a much larger linguistic potential than was ever imagined. Once allowance was made for the vocal limitations of a chimpanzee (Lieberman 1968; Lieberman, Klatt, & Wilson 1972), it became possible to teach it to use arbitrary gestures, plastic tokens, or the lexigrams of a computer console in a manner that parallels the human use of single symbols. Most provocative have been demonstrations that chimpanzees can use sequences of symbols. This suggests a syntactic potential as well as a symbolic one.
Metaphyseal dysostosis: questionably a form of vitamin D-resistant rickets.

Summary Two patients with ricketslike lesions of the bones associated with normal serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase have been studied in relation to the response to large doses of vitamin D. Each patient had a prompt and sustainedremission of the osseous lesions following institution of therapy. The development of hypercalcemia due tovitamin D intoxication has been avoided by a stepwise increase in dose of vitamin D.
Fulminant group A streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis: Clinical and pathologic findings in 7 patients

Abstract Background: Necrotizing fasciitis is a rapidly progressive soft tissue infection with high morbidity and mortality rates. Examination of deep incisional biopsy specimens can provide prompt diagnosis and improve survival. We describe 7 patients with necrotizing fasciitis caused by group A Streptococcus species. Objective: Our purpose was to describe the unique dermatopathology and clinical features in 7 patients with necrotizing fasciitis caused by group A Streptococcus . Methods: We conducted a retrospective review. Results: The average age of the patients was 47 years. Fasciitis occurred on an extremity in all cases. All 5 patients with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome died of their disease. The histopathologic findings from early fascial disease revealed superficial epidermal necrosis, edema, and hemorrhage with few inflammatory cells, whereas clinically advanced, necrotic skin lesions revealed diffuse necrosis, thrombosis, neutrophilia, and numerous gram-positive diplococci. Conclusions: Patients with clinical features of necrotizing fasciitis should have a deep incisional biopsy specimen obtained from the central area of ecchymotic, necrotic plaques to confirm the diagnosis. Immediate surgical intervention is necessary to reduce the morbidity and mortality rates associated with necrotizing fasciitis. (J Am Acad Dermatol 2002;47:489-92.)
Simulations of Protein Aggregation

A number of diseases, known as amyloid diseases, are associated with pathological protein folding. Incorrectly or partially folded peptides or proteins can self-assemble into a variety of neurotoxic aggregate species, ranging from small soluble oligomers to amyloid fibrils. I will discuss fully atomic simulations of the early stages of aggregation of the Alzheimer Amyloid-beta peptide implicated in Alzheimer's Disease. I will also introduce an off-lattice coarse-grained peptide model that can be used to simulate the entire aggregation process from monomers to fibrils. The effects of surfaces on the morphology of the aggregates will be discussed.
Genetic and biochemical characteristics of cyclodiene epoxidase in the housefly.

Abstract Housefly strains resistant to insecticides by oxidative detoxication mechanisms possess higher levels of microsomal cyclodiene epoxidase activity as compared with two susceptible or one Dieldrin-resistant strain. The epoxidase system in strains with higher activity has apparently greater affinity for aldrin, isodrin and heptachlor, as judged by the Michaelis constants. The epoxidase activity in resistant strains increases after the emergence of adult flies and maximum activity occurs at slightly different ages in each strain. Male flies have about half of the activity of the females. The high epoxidase activity in an Isolan-resistant strain is inherited through a semidominant gene, Ox , on chromosome II.