cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
miRISC Composition Determines Target Fates in Time and Space.

MicroRNA-mediated gene silencing can occur by either target mRNA degradation or translational repression. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Dallaire et al. (2018) show in C. elegans that tissue-specific composition of the silencing complex, miRISC, plays a major role in determining the fate of target mRNAs.
Rethinking Religion in the Theatre of Grotowski

This book opens a new interdisciplinary frontier between religion and theatre studies to illuminate what has been seen as the religious, or spiritual, nature of Polish theatre director Jerzy Grotowski’s work. It corrects the lacunae in both theatre studies and religious studies by examining the interaction between the two fields in his artistic output. The central argument of the text is that through an embodied and materialist approach to religion, developed in the work of Michel Foucault and religious studies scholar Manuel Vasquez, as well as a critical reading of the concepts of the New Age, a new understanding of Grotowski and religion can be developed. It is possible to show how Grotowski’s work articulated spiritual experience within the body; achieving a removal of spirituality from ecclesial authorities and relocating spiritual experience within the body of the performer. This is a unique analysis of one of the 20th Century’s most famous theatrical figures. As such, it is a vital reference for academics in both Religion and Theatre Studies that have an interest in the spiritual aspects of Grotowski’s work.
Mothers and Mental Labor: A Phenomenological Focus Group Study of Family-Related Thinking Work:

Mental labor is an under-researched and long-invisible component of family work. Scholars have described mental labor as important, taxing, and disproportionately performed by mothers compared to f...
Development of Wall Antibiotics and Bacterial Counter-Measures

The bond that cross-links two muropeptides together in the growing sacculus is a special amide bond called a tail-to-tail linkage. Such a bond is also called an endopeptide. Consequently, the transpeptidase that forms it and the hydrolyases (autolysins) that rupture it have special features that distinguish them from enzymes dealing with the usual head-to-tail peptide bonds. For antibiosis an important feature is that the conformation of the active site in the transpeptidase has a structure complimentary both to the tail-to-tail bond and to the family of four-membered β-lactam ring antibiotics.
The impact of Medicaid expansion on postpartum health care utilization among pregnant women with opioid use disorder.

AbstractBackground: Opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy has increased dramatically over the past decade, as have associated adverse maternal health outcomes. Although Medicaid has long been ...
Introduction and Preview

This book invites the reader to learn about multivariate analysis, its modern ideas, innovative statistical techniques, and novel computational tools, as well as exciting new applications.
System System dynamics in in-depth psychology - a possible study of the dream

Everything existing in this world exists in some kind of system. No living being or matter can be abstracted from the system where it came from and to which it belongs. Therefore, the mental life of the human being is part of the so-called world soul and is subjected to the invisible laws of the system dynamics like, for example, in the family, the social system, the national dynamics, and in the whole existence as well. The dreaming, on the other hand, as a psychological aspect of the sleep, is part of the mental system and is subjected to the laws of the individual soul, but also to the influence of the broader mental dimension, especially the subsystem called unconsciousness. This theoretical paper will deal with in-depth analysis, exploration, and explanation of the phenomenon of system dynamics in the dreaming and tries to inform about the world of the dream from a system-dynamic aspect, thus looking at the dream as part of the overall bio-psycho-social whole.
Assessment of Applications of Design of Experiments in Pharmaceutical Development for Oral Solid Dosage Forms

The concept of quality by design (QbD) was introduced to the pharmaceutical industry about a decade ago. Design of experiments (DoE) is an excellent and important tool for a QbD approach. This project’s aim is to obtain an overview of how DoE is being applied to assist pharmaceutical development in New Drug Application (NDA) and Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) submissions for oral solid dosage forms including immediate release (IR) tablet, extended release (ER) tablet, IR capsule, and ER capsule. A total of 131 NDA submissions and 606 randomly selected ANDA submissions with submission dates between 2012 and 2016 were chosen based on the Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) of drug substances. The ratios of applying DoE studies in NDA and ANDA submissions were calculated and compared based on the BCS classes of the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). For the Reference Listed Drug (RLD)-based cluster ANDA submissions, the percentage of applying DoE studies in BCS II ANDA submissions is statistically higher than those of the ANDA submissions in the other three BCS classes. Some common issues of the DoE studies were found in the selected submissions. DoE has been used as an important tool for QbD approach in NDA submissions but has not yet become a routine common practice to assist the implementation of QbD approach during the pharmaceutical development for NDA and ANDA submissions for oral solid dosage forms. By conducting DoE studies, researchers can gather critical information (i.e., CMAs, CQAs, CPPs, potential interactions) during the pharmaceutical development which can help to improve the quality of applications.
Product-line architectures, aspects, and reuse (tutorial session)

GenVoca PLA designs have been created for diverse domains: 2-way radios, extensible compilers, communication protocols, command-and-control fire support, avionics, and matrix computation libraries [7]. GenVoca designs are used in industry; its central concepts relate a wide variety of contemporary and classical research topics, including: aspect-oriented programming, parameterized programming, OO frameworks, Perry's lite semantics [8], generative programming [7], design maintenance [9], and layered software.
Dorey J. 2018. Bees of Australia: A Photographic Exploration

Dorey J. 2018. Bees of Australia: A Photographic Exploration. CSIRO Publishing, Clayton South, Victoria, Australia. 207 pp. ISBN 978-1-48-6308491. US $39.95 (paperback). Sarah Anderson Entomology and Nematology Department University of Florida Gainesville, Florida, USA E-mail: andersonsarah@ufl.edu Rachel E. Mallinger Entomology and Nematology Department University of Florida Gainesvillle, Florida, USA E-mail: rachel.mallinger@ufl.edu View this article in BioOne
Comparative Accuracy of Developmental Screening Questionnaires.

Importance Universal developmental screening is widely recommended, yet studies of the accuracy of commonly used questionnaires reveal mixed results, and previous comparisons of these questionnaires are hampered by important methodological differences across studies. Objective To compare the accuracy of 3 developmental screening instruments as standardized tests of developmental status. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional diagnostic accuracy study recruited consecutive parents in waiting rooms at 10 pediatric primary care offices in eastern Massachusetts between October 1, 2013, and January 31, 2017. Parents were included if they were sufficiently literate in the English or Spanish language to complete a packet of screening questionnaires and if their child was of eligible age. Parents completed all questionnaires in counterbalanced order. Participants who screened positive on any questionnaire plus 10% of those who screened negative on all questionnaires (chosen at random) were invited to complete developmental testing. Analyses were weighted for sampling and nonresponse and were conducted from October 1, 2013, to January 31, 2017. Exposures The 3 screening instruments used were the Ages & Stages Questionnaire, Third Edition (ASQ-3); Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS); and Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC): Milestones. Main Outcomes and Measures Reference tests administered were Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition, for children aged 0 to 42 months, and Differential Ability Scales, Second Edition, for older children. Age-standardized scores were used as indicators of mild (80-89), moderate (70-79), or severe ( Results A total of 1495 families of children aged 9 months to 5.5 years participated. The mean (SD) age of the children at enrollment was 2.6 (1.3) years, and 779 (52.1%) were male. Parent respondents were primarily female (1325 [88.7%]), with a mean (SD) age of 33.4 (6.3) years. Of the 20.5% to 29.0% of children with a positive score on each questionnaire, 35% to 60% also received a positive score on a second questionnaire, demonstrating moderate co-occurrence. Among younger children ( Conclusions and Relevance This study found that 3 frequently used screening questionnaires offer adequate specificity but modest sensitivity for detecting developmental delays among children aged 9 months to 5 years. The results suggest that trade-offs in sensitivity and specificity occurred among the questionnaires, with no one questionnaire emerging superior overall.
Time Management Matters: Online Faculty Perceptions of Helpfulness of Time Management Strategies.

This study examined 256 faculty survey responses to determine perceptions of helpfulness of 24 time management strategies grouped into four categories defined by Berge (1995) as managerial, pedagog...
21st century estimates of mass loss rates from glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska and Canadian Archipelago using a GRACE constrained glacier model

Abstract. Ice mass loss rates from glaciers in the Gulf of Alaska and the Canadian Archipelago are expected to increase through the end of century in response to increasing temperatures. Here, we develop a new glacier model constrained by GRACE gravimetry observations for the period between 2002 and 2017. The high temporal and regional spatial resolution of GRACE mass balance estimates allows us to estimate regional glacier sensitivities to atmospheric changes, and account for higher order of glacier dynamics. We use our regionally constrained models to extrapolate future mass loss under different climate emission scenarios. Generally our 21st century sea level estimates are at the high end compared to other studies. We find that the Gulf of Alaska exhibits the highest mass loss rates between −79 to −112 Gt yr−1 between 2006 and 2100 under different scenarios, and displays the highest sensitivity to the specific scenario (RCP 2.6/4.5/8.5). Our estimates for Baffin Island are significantly higher than prior work (−57 to −85 Gt yr−1) and are comparable to projected mass loss rates from the Ellesmere region (−63 to −101 Gt yr−1).
Prospective and Daily Effects of Cannabis Use on Smoking Outcomes During a Self-Guided Quit Attempt.

INTRODUCTION Past research suggests that cannabis use is a risk factor for relapse in people trying to quit smoking. Most people attempt to quit smoking without any assistance (ie, self-guided quitters), yet no one has examined the association between cannabis use and relapse among self-guided quitters. The current study examines how cannabis use might contribute to poorer smoking outcomes in a sample of self-guided quitters. AIMS AND METHODS Data were taken from a study of unaided smoking cessation in 62 single-smoker couples. Quitters and their Partners completed baseline questionnaires and a 21-day ecological momentary assessment. This article examines Quitters' and Partners' past-year cannabis use reported at baseline and daily cannabis use during the ecological momentary assessment as predictors of prospective and daily smoking outcomes. RESULTS We found very little evidence that past-year cannabis use was associated with poorer smoking outcomes. However, Quitters reported greater smoking on days when they or their Partners reported cannabis use. CONCLUSIONS This study produced evidence to support daily Quitter and Partner cannabis use as a risk factor for poor smoking outcomes. Smoking cessation programs might benefit from targeting cannabis use as well as taking a couples-oriented approach to treatment. IMPLICATIONS This article examined how cannabis use impacts smoking outcomes in a sample of self-guided quitters using prospective and daily diary analyses. We found very little evidence that past-year cannabis use was associated with poorer smoking outcomes. However, Quitters reported greater smoking on days when they or their Partners reported cannabis use. Findings suggest that smoking cessation programs might benefit from targeting cannabis use, as well as taking a couples-oriented approach to treatment.
Incorporating a Novel Hexaazatriphenylene Derivative to a Flexible Screen-Printed Electrochemical Sensor for Copper Ion Detection in Water Samples

A novel hexaazatriphenylene derivative, 6,7,16, 17,26,27-hexahydronaphtho[2,3-h]naphtho[2’,3’:7,8] quino- xalino[2,3-a]naphtho[2’,3’:7,8]quinoxalino[2,3-c]phenazine-5, 10,15,20,25,30-hexaone (HNQP), was successfully synthesized to selectively detect copper (Cu2+) ions over other metal ions in aqueous solutions. A flexible and planar electrochemical sensor with silver, carbon and silver/silver chloride as counter, working and reference electrodes, respectively was fabricated on a polyimide substrate using an additive screen printing process. The HNQP was drop casted on the electrochemical sensor and its capability to selectively detect Cu2+ ions was investigated by performing differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). A wide peak domain with average currents increasing from $0.16~\mu \text{A}$ to $17.97~\mu \text{A}$ was observed as the concentration of Cu2+ ions was increased from $0~\mu \text{M}$ to $100~\mu \text{M}$ , respectively, at reduction potential ~-0.05V. A sensitivity of $135~\mu \text{A}$ /mM and a correlation coefficient of 0.99 was calculated for the HNQP drop casted electrochemical sensor. Further tests revealed selective detection of Cu2+ ions over other interfering metal ions including Co2+, Zn2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Li1+, Pb2+, Hg2+ and Ag1+ using the HNQP drop casted electrochemical sensor. In addition, a limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 142 nM and 430 nM, respectively, was calculated for the sensor which is lower than the specified toxicity levels of Cu2+ ions in drinking water (20 – $30~\mu \text{M}$ ) set by the U.S. environmental protection agency (EPA) and world health organization (WHO).
Learning Interpretable Characteristic Kernels via Decision Forests

Decision forests are popular tools for classification and regression. These forests naturally produce proximity matrices measuring how often each pair of observations lies in the same leaf node. It has been demonstrated that these proximity matrices can be thought of as kernels, connecting the decision forest literature to the extensive kernel machine literature. While other kernels are known to have strong theoretical properties such as being characteristic, no similar result is available for any decision forest based kernel. In this manuscript,we prove that the decision forest induced proximity can be made characteristic, which can be used to yield a universally consistent statistic for testing independence. We demonstrate the performance of the induced kernel on a suite of 20 high-dimensional independence test settings. We also show how this learning kernel offers insights into relative feature importance. The decision forest induced kernel typically achieves substantially higher testing power than existing popular methods in statistical tests.
Factors associated with hospitalization for ischemic stroke and TIA following an emergency department headache visit.

Abstract Background Misdiagnosis of cerebrovascular disease among Emergency Department (ED) patients with headache has been reported. We hypothesized that markers of substandard diagnostic processes would be associated with subsequent ischemic cerebrovascular events among patients discharged from the ED with a headache diagnosis even after adjusting for demographic variables and medical history. Methods We conducted a case-control study of adult ED patients diagnosed with a primary headache disorder at Montefiore Medical Center from 9/1/2013–9/1/2018. Cases were defined as patients hospitalized for an ischemic stroke or TIA within 365 days of their index ED visit. Control patients were defined as those who lacked a subsequent hospitalization for cerebrovascular disease. Pre-specified demographic, clinical, and diagnostic process factors were compared between groups; conditional logistic regression was used to assess the separate and joint influence of baseline features on risk of cerebral ischemia. Results A total of 93 consecutive headache patients with a subsequent ischemic stroke/TIA hospitalization were matched to 93 controls (n = 186). Cases were older than controls and more likely to have traditional cerebrovascular risk factors. Neurological consultation was obtained more often for cases (13% vs. 4%; P = 0.03), cases were in the ED for longer (6 vs. 5 h, P = 0.03), and more frequently received neuroimaging (80% vs. 48%; P Conclusion Factors associated with diagnostic process failures did not increase the odds of subsequent ischemic stroke/TIA hospitalization following ED headache visit in our study.
Predictors of Occurrence and Timing of Post-Tonsillectomy Hemorrhage: A Case-Control Study.

Objective:To describe cases and timing of pediatric post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage (PTH), to evaluate predictors of PTH, and to determine the optimal amount of postoperative care unit (PACU) monitor...
The Development of Grain Structure During Additive Manufacturing

Abstract Additive manufacturing of structural alloys results in the formation of complex microstructures, often with long, columnar grains that grow epitaxially from existing grains. A phase-field modeling framework is presented that considers solidification along a single track of 316L stainless steel in a regime where the solid-liquid interface is moving sufficiently fast that there is absolute interfacial stability with negligible composition variations. By coupling to a thermal field of a moving laser source, the model captures the trajectory of grains solidifying around a melt pool. The effect of interfacial kinetic anisotropy on the predicted as-solidified microstructures is examined through three-dimensional simulations. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses, we find that kinetic anisotropy has the largest impact along the center of the laser track and that the grain morphology in the early stages of solidification is predominantly due to the shape of the melt pool.
Rapidly adaptive nulling of interference

A simpler and more general analysis is presented of a previously reported principal component inverse (PCI) method of rapidly adaptive nulling of interference. It is assumed that the interference consists of a strong Gaussian component with a rank deficient covariance matrix plus a weak component of white Gaussian background noise. An approximate beta probability density function of the output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the PCI method is derived. Using the theoretically derived formulas, it is shown that the PCI method requires much less data to produce a given, needed level of SNR with higher probability than the sample matrix inverse (SMI) method based on the inverse of the sample covariance matrix. The approximations and the final probability density function are tested through computer simulation. They accurately explain the experimental results. >
FlexTileSource: An OpenSeadragon Extension for Efficient Whole-Slide Image Visualization.

Background: Web-based digital slide viewers for pathology commonly use OpenSlide and OpenSeadragon (OSD) to access, visualize, and navigate whole-slide images (WSI). Their standard settings represent WSI as deep zoom images (DZI), a generic image pyramid structure that differs from the proprietary pyramid structure in the WSI files. The transformation from WSI to DZI is an additional, time-consuming step when rendering digital slides in the viewer, and inefficiency of digital slide viewers is a major criticism for digital pathology. Aims: To increase efficiency of digital slide visualization by serving tiles directly from the native WSI pyramid, making the transformation from WSI to DZI obsolete. Methods: We implemented a new flexible tile source for OSD that accepts arbitrary native pyramid structures instead of DZI levels. We measured its performance on a data set of 8104 WSI reviewed by 207 pathologists over 40 days in a web-based digital slide viewer used for routine diagnostics. Results: The new FlexTileSource accelerates the display of a field of view in general by 67 ms and even by 117 ms if the block size of the WSI and the tile size of the viewer is increased to 1024 px. We provide the code of our open-source library freely on https://github.com/schuefflerlab/openseadragon. Conclusions:This is the first study to quantify visualization performance on a web-based slide viewer at scale, taking block size and tile size of digital slides into account. Quantifying performance will enable to compare and improve web-based viewers and therewith facilitate the adoption of digital pathology.
Electrical Discharge in Gases and Modern Electronics

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the fundamentals of electrical discharges in gases considering gaseous discharge plasma. It discusses microwave methods for the study of gaseous discharges; the mechanism of deionization—electron removal from a plasma by diffusion and recombination of electrons with positive ions; excitation and ionization processes in decaying gas discharge plasmas—structure of the afterglow; temperature determination of an electron gas in gaseous discharge plasmas; and mobility of positive ions in monatomic gases-formation of molecular ions in the rare gases. The plasma is the region of gaseous discharge where the space charge of the charge carriers of one sign is largely compensated by that of the charge carriers of opposite sign. The chapter considers mainly those plasmas which are produced in the monatomic gases or in nonelectronegative gases. Two types of gas discharge plasmas are considered: active and inactive. An active plasma is one in which an electrical discharge (or ionization) is maintained by a certain source of energy, such as a d.c. or a.c. electric field or a time-varying magnetic field. In opposition to such an active plasma, an inactive plasma is one in which no ionization is taking place.
Predictive Controller Design by Principal Components Analysis

A new method of designing predictive controllers has been developed that is based on a singular value analysis of the process dynamics. The primary design parameter is the number of principal components of the system generalized inverse to retain in the approximate process inverse used by the controller. The effects of the individual components on closed-loop performance and robustness can be easily calculated. Choices of other controller design parameters have a minimal impact on the results of the new method. Explicit move suppression is not required. The method works particularly well on MIMO processes and tolerates changes in process scaling and output weighting. Application of the method to two distillation column models is illustrated.
Engine Dynamics: Time-Based Versus Crank-Angle Based

Controle de la dynamique des moteurs. Comparaison entre un systeme de regulation base sur le temps et un systeme base sur l'angle du vilebrequin
Computerized Cognitive Testing of Individuals with Down Syndrome and Alzheimer Disease (P3.199)

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer disease (AD) neuropathology typically begins at age 35-40 years in Down syndrome (DS), with lifetime risk approaching 100%. Cognitive evaluation of these individuals is challenging and time consuming. OBJECTIVE: The National Task Force on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices Consensus Guidelines (Mayo Clin Proc 2013; 88:831-840) acknowledged the absence of an accepted standard for cognitive assessment. We evaluated the reliability and reproducibility of an easy-to-use computerized cognitive test to serially quantify function in this population. METHODS: 14 adults (10 females) with DS and mean age of 52 years were diagnosed with AD using ICD-10 criteria. Baseline MMSE scores were 8 to 26. All subjects were treated with a cholinesterase inhibitor (donepezil, 13, rivastigmine, 1), and 8 also received memantine. Subjects were evaluated with the NeuroTrax Moderate to Severe Impairment Assessment Battery (Mindstreams, Newark, NJ). Memory, executive function, verbal function, and visual spatial were evaluated. The test was administered 4 times at 6 month intervals. RESULTS: Scaled scores from the first and last tests were compared. Memory (42.3, 45.5), executive function (63.2, 59.5), verbal (69.5, 73.4), visual spatial (80.1, 74.4.), and global scores (59.2, 55.9) did not significantly change. There was no significant depression on the Geriatric Depression Scale or anxiety on the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. CONCLUSIONS: The precision, reproducibility, and ease of computerized cognitive testing make it a valuable tool in the evaluation of this particularly difficult-to-assess population. Small case studies have suggested efficacy of treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and possibly memantine. The stability demonstrated by our cohort during the 18-month testing period could suggest therapeutic response to therapy. Randomized trials addressing this question are required Disclosure: Dr. Gutman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Moskovic has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jeret has received personal compensation for activities with Forest Laboratories, Inc. as a speaker.
The Coupled-Channels Integral-Equations Method in the Theory of Low-Energy Electron-Molecule Scattering

The part of this workshop that is devoted to electron-molecule collisions is concerned with two somewhat complimentary classes of approaches to this problem: L2-variational methods, such as the R-matrix and T-matrix methods, and eigenfunction-expansion methods, such as the close-coupling or coupled-channel method. The former approaches are discussed in accompanying articles by Schneider and by Fliflet. In this paper, we shall be concerned with the coupled-channels method for low-energy electron-molecule scattering.1–4 Various aspects of the physics of electron-molecule collisions have been discussed in detail elsewhere. Thus the present review will emphasize techniques for solving the problem. We first describe how to formulate and carry out such a calculation (Secs. II and III) and then suggest where likely pitfalls lie and ways to avoid them (Sec. IV). Since most of the applications to date of the coupled-channel method have employed approximate local potentials, the development in this paper will deal primarily with the solution of differential equations via an integral-equations algorithm. The case of integrodifferential equations (which arise when electron exchange effects are rigorously taken into account) will be discussed briefly in Sec. V.
A Preliminary Energy Return on Investment Analysis of Natural Gas from the Marcellus Shale

An analysis of the energy return on investment (EROI) of natural gas obtained from horizontal, hydraulically fractured wells in the Marcellus Shale was conducted using net external energy ratio methodology and available data and estimates of energy inputs and outputs. Used as sources of input data were estimates of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides emitted from the gas extraction processes, as well as fuel-use reports from industry and other sources. Estimates of quantities of materials used and the associated embodied energy as well as other energy-using steps were also developed from available data. Total input energy was compared with the energy expected to be made available to end users of the natural gas produced from a typical Marcellus well. The analysis indicates that the EROI of a typical well is likely between 64:1 and 112:1, with a mean of approximately 85:1. This range assumes an estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) of 3.0 billion cubic feet (Bcf) per well. EROI values are directly proportionate to EUR values. If the EUR is greater or lesser than 3 Bcf, the EROI would be proportionately higher or lower. EROI is also sensitive to the energy used or embedded in gathering and transmission pipelines and associated infrastructure and energy used for their construction, energy consumed in well drilling and well completion, and energy used for wastewater treatment.
A Single Amino Acid Change in Inhibitory Killer Cell Ig-like Receptor Results in Constitutive Receptor Self-Association and Phosphorylation

Signaling by immunoreceptors is often initiated by phosphorylation of cytosolic tyrosines, which then recruit effector molecules. In the case of MHC class I-specific inhibitory receptors, phosphorylation of cytosolic tyrosine residues within ITIMs results in recruitment of a protein tyrosine phosphatase that blocks activation signals. Recent work showed that signaling by an HLA-C-specific killer cell Ig-like receptor (KIR) is independent of signaling by activation receptors. It is not known how ITIM phosphorylation is initiated and regulated. In this article, we show that substitution of His-36 in the first Ig domain of KIR2DL1 with alanine (KIR2DL1-H36A) resulted in constitutive KIR2DL1 self-association and phosphorylation, as well as recruitment of tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1. Furthermore, substitution of His-36 with a similar bulky amino acid, phenylalanine, maintained the receptor in its unphosphorylated state, suggesting that steric hindrance by the His-36 side chain prevents constitutive KIR2DL1 self-association and ITIM phosphorylation. The equally strong phosphorylation of KIR2DL1 and KIR2DL1-H36A after inhibition of tyrosine phosphatase by pervanadate suggested that KIR2DL1-H36A is selectively protected from dephosphorylation. We propose that KIR phosphorylation is controlled by the accessibility of ITIM to tyrosine phosphatases and that KIR binding to HLA-C must override the hindrance that His-36 puts on KIR2DL1 self-association. Expression of KIR2DL1-H36A on NK cells led to stronger inhibition of lysis of HLA-C(+) target cells than did expression of wild-type KIR2DL1. These results revealed that ITIM phosphorylation is controlled by self-association of KIR and that His-36 serves as a gatekeeper to prevent unregulated signaling through KIR2DL1.
The insulin-like growth factor binding protein superfamily: new perspectives.

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBPs) were initially identified as carrier proteins for IGF-I and IGF-II in a variety of biologic fluids. Their presumed function was to protect IGF peptides from degradation and clearance, increase the half-life of the IGFs, and deliver them to appropriate tissue receptors. The concept of IGFBPs as simple carrier proteins has been complicated, however, by a number of observations: 1) the six IGFBPs vary in their tissue expression and their regulation by other hormones and growth factors; 2) the IGFBPs are subjected to proteolytic degradation, thereby altering their affinities for the IGFs; 3) IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5, in addition to binding IGFs, also can associate with an acid-labile subunit, thereby increasing further the half-life of the IGFs; 4) in addition to modifying the access of IGF peptides to IGF and insulin receptors, several of the IGFBPs may be capable of increasing IGF action; 5) some of the IGFBPs may be capable of IGF-independent regulation of cell growth; 6) some of the IGFBPs are associated with cell membranes or possibly with membrane receptors; and 7) some of the IGFBPs have nuclear recognition sites and may be found within the nucleus. Additionally, a number of cDNAs identified recently have been found to encode proteins that bind IGFs, but with substantially lower affinities than is the case with IGFBPs. The N-terminal regions of the predicted proteins are structurally homologous to the classic IGFBPs, with conservation of the cysteine-rich region. These observations suggest that these low-affinity binders are members of an IGFBP superfamily, capable of regulating cell growth by both IGF-dependent and IGF-independent mechanisms.insulin-like growth factor, insulin-like growth factor binding proteins.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration (EUS-FNA) Diagnosis of Recurrent Anal Cancer after Chemoradiation and Negative Forceps Biopsies: A Case Report:

A 69-year-old woman with a history of uT2 N0 post-treated anal squamous cell cancer (SCC) presented for EUS for perianal pain. Two months prior, a digital rectal examination was significant for an indurated lesion on the left lateral rectal wall just proximal to the dentate line. A sigmoidoscopy revealed mild narrowing of the anal canal and an ulcerated friable mucosa in the same area. A biopsy demonstrated ulceration without malignancy. EUS showed a hypoechoic, non-circumferential, left-sided distal rectal mass. EUS-FNA was performed. Cytology demonstrated poorly differentiated SCC. This was confirmed by subsequent surgical resection. While endoscopic biopsy of suspected anal recurrences is usually sufficient, histologic or cytologic confirmation are necessary, as radiation-induced changes are difficult to differentiate from tumor recurrence. This case demonstrates that EUS-FNA is useful in surveillance of anal SCC when there is a high clinical suspicion of recurrence.
Mining knowledge in large scale databases using cultural algorithms with constraint handling mechanisms

This paper proposes a framework for evolutionary systems to mine implicit knowledge in large scale databases. The idea here is to construct knowledge-based evolutionary systems that apply the power of evolution computation to facilitate the data mining processes. This framework provides the possibility of making two processes, the data mining process and the optimization process, work simultaneously and reciprocally. Based on Cultural Algorithms, the data mining process is supported by symbolic reasoning in the belief space, and the optimization process is supported by evolutionary search in the population space. The evolutionary search in databases can facilitate the data mining process, while the data mining process can also provide knowledge to expedite the search in databases i.e. the data mining process and the evolutionary search can be integrated and benefit from each other. This new approach was applied to a large-scale temporal-spatial database, and the results indicate that it successfully mined out some very interesting patterns that are unknown before. Another advantage of this approach is that it doesn't have to access all information in the database in order to identify some interesting patterns, by automatically "select" useful cases from a large database to avoid the exhaustive search to every cases. This suggests a great potential to reach the goal of efficiency and effectiveness for data mining.
The association of individual characteristics and neighborhood poverty on the dental care of American adolescents.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which neighborhood poverty was associated with the utilization of dental care by American adolescents. Methods: To accomplish the study goals we conducted multilevel modeling analyses of two nationally representative data sets: National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health) and the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K). Results: As hypothesized, neighborhood poverty predicted frequency of dental care in both studies (t = 6.06; P < 0.001; t = 2.44; P < 0.05). Even after accounting for individual level predictors such as household income, health insurance, and parental education, adolescents living in poor neighborhoods are less likely than their counterparts in non-poor neighborhoods to utilize dental care. Conclusions: The findings from this study indicate that neighborhoods influence dental care utilization patterns in adolescents.
On the failure mechanisms of titanium nitride/titanium silicide barrier contacts under high current stress

Structures with a single pair of titanium nitride/titanium silicide barrier contacts with connecting narrow diffusion widths ( >
Pyridine nucleotide levels as a function of growth in normal and transformed 3t3 cells.

Abstract The levels of NAD (NAD+ + NADH) and NADP (NADP+ + NADPH) and their redox states were measured as a function of growth in 3T3 mouse fibroblasts which exhibit density-dependent inhibition of growth and SV40 (simian virus #40)-transformed 3T3 cells (SVT2) which have lost this property. The levels were related to cell numbers, protein content, and rates of DNA synthesis. At corresponding cell densities, 3T3 cells contain approximately twice as much total protein as SVT2 cells. The levels of NAD relative to total cellular protein are density dependent in both 3T3 and SVT2, increasing with increasing cell density. Over a 30-fold range of cell densities, the NAD levels in 3T3 increase 2.4-fold, while the levels in SVT2 increase 1.6-fold. The levels of NAD are very similar in dividing 3T3 and SVT2 cells at corresponding cell densities; however, a marked increase in the levels of NAD is observed in 3T3 cells, but not in SVT2 cells, at cell densities just prior to where 3T3 cells enter density-dependent inhibition of growth. This increase in NAD levels is correlated with the cessation of DNA synthesis. The NAD pools are 15–25% NADH for 3T3 and 5–15% NADH for SVT2. NADP levels relative to protein in 3T3 and SVT2 are less density dependent, with overall increases of 1.3- and 1.2-fold, respectively, observed over the range of cell densities examined. NADP levels relative to protein are nearly twice as high in SVT2 cells as in 3T3 cells of corresponding cell densities. The NADP pools are approximately 70–80% NADPH in both cell types.
Dichotic competition of simultaneous tone bursts of different frequency. I. Dissociation of pitch from lateralization and loudness.

Abstract Subjects were presented with two 50 msec tone bursts of 1500 Hz and 1900 Hz separated by one second. One ear received the 1500–1900 sequence at one intensity level while the other ear simultaneously received the reversed (1900-1500 Hz) sequence at another intensity level. The subject was required to report which sequence he heard and its lateralization. A strong ear dominance effect was demonstrated in all 5 subjects for pitch information. A similar dominance for loudness and lateralization was absent. The existence of an ear dominance for pitch but not for lateralization and loudness indicates a striking dissociation in the neural processing of these two types of acoustic information.
Pattern of ecological shifts in the diversification of Hawaiian Drosophila inferred from a molecular phylogeny.

Abstract Background: The endemic Hawaiian drosophilids, a unique group that are remarkable for their diversity and rapid proliferation, provide a model for analysis of the process of insular speciation. Founder events and accompanying random drift, together with shifts in sexual selection, appear to explain the dramatic divergence in male morphology and mating behaviour among these flies, but these forces do not account for their spectacular ecological diversification into a wide array of breeding niches. Although recognized as contributing to the success of this group, the precise role of adaptive shifts has not been well defined. Results To delineate the pattern of ecological diversification in the evolution of Hawaiian Drosophila, we generated a molecular phylogeny, using nucleotide sequences from the yolk protein gene Yp1, of 42 endemic Hawaiian and 5 continental species. By mapping ecological characters onto this phylogeny, we demonstrate that monophagy is the primitive condition, and that decaying leaves were the initial substrate for oviposition and larval development. Shifts to decaying stems, bark and tree fluxes followed in more derived species. By plotting female reproductive strategies, as reflected in ovarian developmental type, on the molecular tree, we also demonstrate a phylogenetic trend toward increasing fecundity. We find some statistical support for correlations between ecological shifts and shifts in female reproductive strategies. Conclusion Because of the short branches at the base of the phylogram, which lead to ecologically diverse lineages, we conclude that much of the adaptive radiation into alternate breeding substrates occurred rapidly, early in the group's evolution in Hawaii. Furthermore, we conclude that this ecological divergence and the correlated changes in ovarian patterns that adapt species to their ecological habitats were contributing factors in the major phyletic branching within the Hawaiian drosophilid fauna.
Assessing student teachers' assessments

In this article, we describe six rubrics for appraising the assessments teacher interns create and use in student teaching. These rubrics help teacher educators make judgments about student teachers' knowledge and skill in developing assessments and are a helpful framework for instruction about assessment.
Random crustal magnetization and its effect on coherence of short-wavelength marine magnetic anomalies

Abstract Recent studies of DSDP samples from layer 2A of oceanic basement have found complex magnetic stratigraphies that seem incompatible with the frequent existence of linear short-wavelength anomalies caused by palaeomagnetic field behavior. Statistical models are developed for the lateral variation of the average magnetization of layer 2A: a Poisson series for reversals of the earth's field and a stairstep random series for discrete magnetic units. It is shown with the power-density spectra of these statistical models that lateral inhomogeneities must average out over distances of less than a few hundred meters. Specifically, individual magnetic units of the type seen at DSDP Site 332 cannot extend uniformly for distances greater than a few hundred meters.
The Partitioning of Variance Habits of Correlational and Experimental Psychologists: the Two Disciplines of Scientific Psychology Revisited

The conceptual differences between coded regression analysis and traditional analysis of variance are discussed. Also, a modification of several SPSS routines was proposed which allows for direct interpretation of ANOVA and ANCOVA results in a form stressing both the strength and significance of scrutinized relationships.
The distribution of selected elements and minerals in soil of the conterminous United States

Abstract In 2007, the U.S. Geological Survey initiated a low-density (1 site per 1600 km2, 4857 sites) geochemical and mineralogical survey of soil of the conterminous United States as part of the North American Soil Geochemical Landscapes Project. Three soil samples were collected, if possible, from each site; (1) a sample from a depth of 0 to 5 cm, (2) a composite of the soil A-horizon, and (3) a deeper sample from the soil C-horizon or, if the top of the C-horizon was at a depth greater than 100 cm, from a depth of approximately 80–100 cm. The
Amyloidosis of the spine in a patient on long-term hemodialysis.

A 54-year-old man with a history of renal failure treated with hemodialysis for over 10 years presented with clinical signs and symptoms and plain radiographic, computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging features of cervical vertebral osteomyelitis with spinal cord compression. Decompressive surgery revealed amyloid deposition. In the setting of chronic hemodialysis, differentation between amyloid deposition and osteomyelitis may not be possible on an imaging basis necessitating biopsy for diagnosis.
Efficiency of Simple Order Statistic Estimates When Losses are Piecewise Linear

Abstract When losses are piecewise linear, optimal decision-making hinges on estimating a specified fractile of a probability distribution. In this article we investigate, through examples, the operating characteristics of an estimation procedure which utilizes simple linear combinations of one or two values in the order statistic generated by an observation vector. Such estimates appear to be remarkably efficient compared to the estimates generated by simple parametric procedures; moreover, this efficiency does not appear to be damaged excessively by the presence of moderate amounts of autocorrelation in the sample values. It also appears to be possible to exploit informal knowledge about the shape of the distribution to improve the efficiency of this procedure.
Secondary Prevention as Context for Assessing Change Processes in Aggressive Children

Abstract Teacher-identified aggressive children N = 62 were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions, both of which involved college student mentors. The experimental condition (PrimeTime) combined therapeutic mentoring, training in problem-solving skills, and consultation with parents and teachers. The comparison treatment (Standard Mentoring) relied solely on the skills of minimally trained, unsupervised mentors. Both interventions lasted 16 months. Our goal was to examine the efficacy of the PrimeTime intervention and the soundness of our model of change. Outcome assessments (at posttreatment and at one-year follow-up) were based on parent-, teacher-, and peer-reports of children's aggression and others' acceptance, as well as on children's self-rated competence and acceptance by others. Outcome analyses revealed small gains for both treatments and provided only partial support for the efficacy of the PrimeTime intervention. Analyses of change processes supported our conceptual model but also identified iatrogenic effects that may have attenuated the therapeutic impact of PrimeTime. The discussion highlights the importance of testing both intervention efficacy and putative mechanisms of change when evaluating newly developed treatment models.
TEMPORAL DEVELOPMENT OF RESISTANCE TO PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

The course of pulmonary tuberculosis was followed in control and BCG-vaccinated mice. Resistance was evaluated by determining the numbers of virulent mycobacteria recovered from the organs at various intervals after airborn infection. A limited but significant retardation of growth of challenge bacilli was observed in both pulmonary and splenic tissues of successfully vaccinated animals. This retardation was manifested chiefly during the early stages of the infection. However, the numbers of virulent organisms recovered from the organs of either vaccinated or control animals were much the same at later stages of the infection. The appearance of pulmonary immunity was related to the stage of development in vivo of the vaccinal population. Only after large numbers of vaccinal bacilli could be recovered from the tissues was heightened resistance observed.
Pharmacokinetics of once-daily IV busulfan as part of pretransplantation preparative regimens: a comparison with an every 6-hour dosing schedule

Abstract In pretransplantation therapy busulfan is typically given every 6 hours. We infused busulfan once daily at 130 mg/m2 for 4 days, performing pharmacokinetic analyses on plasma concentration-time data (n = 60 patients) on days 1, 3, and/or 4. Mean (percent coefficient of variation) maximum concentration, volume of distribution, half-life, and clearance were 3.6 μg/mL (13.8%), 22.6 L/m2 (20.2%), 2.73 hours (27.5%), and 109 mL/min/m2 (26%), respectively. The mean (percent coefficient of variation) and median daily areas under the curve were 4873 (21.8%) and 4871 μM × minute. Intrapatient variability in day-to-day estimated clearance was