cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effects of damage and self-healing on impedance spectroscopy of strain-hardening cementitious materials

Abstract This work elucidated the effects of damage and self-healing on the frequency-dependent electrical response of strain-hardening cementitious materials. Electrical impedance spectroscopy was conducted before material cracking, during single crack opening, sequential formation of multiple microcracks, and subsequent self-healing of the microcracks. The results revealed that the material complex impedance was strongly influenced by crack opening and crack number; both changed during mechanical straining as well as the self-healing process. A new equivalent circuit model was formulated for predicting the frequency-dependent electrical response of the material during damage evolution and self-healing process. Analyzing the changes of model parameters revealed the mechanisms that contribute to the frequency-dependent electromechanical response of the material. This study generated new experimental data and analytical model coupling the electrical response with damage level in cementitious materials. The new understandings are critical for the next step of realizing damage sensing in strain-hardening cementitious materials through frequency-dependent AC measurements.
Political ecology of Costa Rica’s climate policy: contextualizing climate governance

Climate change is a global problem with distinct local impacts that challenge the application of universal policy mechanisms. Climate governance is the broad multiscalar, mixed method approach to mitigate and adapt to climate change. It is founded on neoliberal market logics that commodify carbon, while also attempting to be socially and environmentally sustainable. This research focuses on hydroelectricity, a climate governance mechanism that is simultaneously promoted as a solution to climate change and critiqued for its negative social and environmental impacts. This paradox is explored by assessing the assemblage of interactions occurring within Costa Rica, a place known for their sustainable development and renewable energy production. Local indigenous communities, state, and non-state actors voice a diverse array of perspectives regarding construction of the Diquis hydroelectric project, which the state promotes as a key component of its climate plan. To some indigenous peoples, the project is a threat to their landscapes, livelihoods, and cultures; to others, its delay results in missed economic opportunities. In this paper, I utilize political ecology to explore these diverse perspectives in order to contextualize the local dynamics of global climate governance, providing insights for both climate policy in Costa Rica and climate governance mechanisms broadly.
Disorders of neuromuscular transmission

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized structure connecting the motor nerve terminal to the muscle membrane. Dysfunction of the NMJ can occur due to genetic mutations, autoimmune or toxic causes. NMJ disorders are important to recognize because they can lead to severe or life-threatening weakness, and most of them are treatable. A summary of NMJ anatomy and the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of the most common NMJ disorders is presented below.
“Natural Landscape Preferences: A Predictive Model”: A Reply

(1969). “Natural Landscape Preferences: A Predictive Model”: A Reply. Journal of Leisure Research: Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 197-198.
An LC–MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of curcumin, curcumin glucuronide and curcumin sulfate in a phase II clinical trial

Abstract Curcumin, a principal curcuminoid of turmeric, gained a lot of attention recently due to its wide spectrum of pharmacological activities in prevention and treatment of various human conditions. The current clinical study is focused on the determination of efficacy and tolerability of curcumin and vitamin D3 combination in patients with early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). To support this work, an LC–MS/MS method has been developed for simultaneous determination of curcumin and its metabolites, curcumin glucuronide (COG) and curcumin sulfate (COS), in human plasma using curcumin-d6 as an internal standard for curcumin and BPAG-d6 as an internal standard for COG and COS. In this method, plasma samples were prepared by methanol protein precipitation, and the analytes were separated on a Waters XTerra® MS C18 column (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 3.5 μm) using gradient elution with methanol and 10.0 mM ammonium formate (pH 3.0) at a flow rate of 0.250 mL min−1. Quantitation of curcumin, COG, and COS was carried out by tandem mass spectrometry using negative electrospray ionization in multiple-reaction-monitoring (MRM) mode. The linear calibration range for the method was 2.50–500 ng mL−1 for curcumin, COG, and COS. The method has been validated in accordance with the US-FDA guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. The developed method has been used for the measurement of curcumin, COG and COS concentrations in human plasma samples from a phase II clinical trial.
Traditionalist Spirits and Rationalist Bodies

Different attempts to address the question of the definition of the human being ( insān ) reveal the tensions between various scholarly disciplines and intellectual trends in classical Islam. This article investigates the various definitions of the human being proposed by classical Muslim theologians, particularly Imāmīs who were influenced by Muʿtazilism. It focuses primarily on the works of al-Shaykh al-Ṣadūq (d. 381/991-2), al-Shaykh al-Mufīd (d. 413/1022) and al-Sharīf al-Murtaḍā (d. 436/1044). Though seemingly a question of subtle theology ( laṭīf al-kalām; daqīq al-kalām ), the essence of the human being is in fact intimately related to the main premise of grand theology (jalīl al-kalām ), that is, the question of moral obligation ( taklīf ). For the concern of theologians in the discussion is to identify the subject of moral obligation, the mukallaf , in every human being, to which they refer as the living and/or active being ( al-ḥayy al-faʿʿāl; al-dhāt al-faʿʿāla ). In their attempts to produce a satisfying answer, theologians relied on the contributions of the philosophers , jurists, mystics and traditionalists, thus arriving at different answers that betray the extent of the influence of other scholarly disciplines on various theological schools at different points in time.
SENTINEL LYMPHADENECTOMY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF PRIMARY CUTANEOUS MALIGNANT MELANOMA: An Update

The management of lymph nodes in melanoma patients who have no clinical evidence of nodal disease has changed dramatically with the development of selective lymph node biopsy. This procedure localizes the node in a regional basin most likely to contain a metastasis (the sentinel node) and averts the morbidity of unnecessary elective node dissection. This update reviews the rationale for this procedure and describes the methodology used by the surgeon and the pathologist. A progress report highlights the promise and limitation of this procedure. Sentinel node biopsy is currently the standard for staging select groups of melanoma patients, but the field is rapidly evolving and may eventually be surpassed by even newer molecular diagnostic techniques.
Endobronchial carcinogenesis in dogs.

A canine model of squamous cell lung cancer has been developed through studies with 110 dogs exposed by 11 focal endobronchial regimens to chemical carcinogens: benzo(a)pyrene, nitrosomethylurea, methylcholanthrene, and dimethylbenzanthracene. A combination of nitrosomethylurea and benzo(a)pyrene caused the first invasive cancer after 5.5 years. Toxic side-effects resulted from either nitrosomethylurea or high-dose dimethylbenzanthracene given by bronchial submucosal injection and from adjuvant immunosuppression with azathioprine and corticosteroids. Four regimens in 58 dogs caused 31 cancers, including five T1-2 N0 M0 cancers, 17 metastasizing carcinomas, and nine carcinomas of lesser stages. The following regimens caused cancers: (1) sequential benzo(a)pyrene, nitrosomethylurea, and yttrium 91; (2) benzo(a)pyrene and topical nitrosomethylurea; (3) low-dose dimethylbenzanthracene; (4) high-dose methylcholanthrene. The most suitable regimen to date has been 30 mg of methylcholanthrene given by submucosal injection every 2 to 3 weeks; this produced cancers at preselected sites within 2 years of first exposure in eight of 10 dogs. The neoplastic continuum has followed a predictable, reproducible sequence that regularly began with epithelial hyperplasia. Squamous metaplasia occurred in 6 to 18 weeks; it was followed by progressive squamous atypia. The interval until invasive cancer developed varied with the regimen employed; it was about 20 months with methylcholanthrene. Serial cytologic specimens, studied by image analysis, revealed progressive increase in mean total cellular deoxyribonucleic acid content from diploid in normal cells to greater than tetraploid in cancer cells (p
S-Induced Destabilization of Aluminum Oxide at the Fe(poly)–S–Al2O3 Interface

Auger measurements reveal that, under UHV conditions, interfacial sulfurinduces the destabilization of an aluminum oxide overlayer at theFe–Al2O3 interface at temperatures above400 K. One monolayer deposition of Al onto Fe/S results in the insertion ofAl at the Fe–S interface. Exposure of Fe–Al–S to oxygenat 300 K gives rise to the complete oxidation of the aluminum adlayer asevidenced by the disappearance of the Al0 Auger signal and thestoichiometric formation of the aluminum oxide. When the resultingFe–S–Al2O3 is annealed progressively tohigher temperatures between 400 and 900 K, analysis of the Auger spectrashows a dramatic decline in the Al/O Auger intensity ratio. This declineis accompanied by the appearance of a small signal due to Al0,which maintains a constant intensity as the total Al signal (due mainly toAl3+) decreases. The appearance of the Al0 Augersignal accompanied by the attenuation of the Al3+ signalsignifies the chemical conversion of Al3+ into Al0,probably followed by diffusion of Al into the bulk. The possibility ofalumina dewetting and island formation, however, cannot be ruled out onthe basis of the present data. In the absence of interfacial sulfur, the alumina–Fe interface is stable to 900 K.
Animal Models in Eyeblink Classical Conditioning

Upon reading the individual chapters in the volume, it should become apparent that a wealth of information concerning the neural substrates of eyeblink classical conditioning is now available. While there still remain some differences of opinions concerning the relative roles of specific brain structures during eyeblink conditioning, there is a growing consensus that the basic neural circuits in the brain that are engaged during learning and performance of this task have been defined. Progress in two research areas should be especially important in the coming years. First, now that specific brain areas involved in conditioning have been identified, it should now be possible to uncover the essential molecular and cellular processes that occur within neurons and between neurons to promote the acquisition and memory of this simple, associative learning procedure. Second, it is important to conduct further studies aimed at delineating interactions between parts of the neural circuit known to be engaged in the conditioning. Indeed, use of the eyeblink conditioning procedure seems ideal for advancing our understanding of how activity in interacting brain systems and structures can produce more complex behaviors and cognitions.
Microbiology of hot-fat-trimmed beef

The effects of removal of fat from hot beef carcasses on the shelf life of beef involved measuring the incidence of aerobic (TPC), lactic (LAC), and coliform (TCC) bacteria and the pathogen Escherichia coli (EC) from alternate sides that were hot-fat trimmed (HFT) or not trimmed (NFT) then subjected to a conventional 24-h chill. The biceps femoris, psoas major, longissimus thoracis et lumborum, and supraspinatus muscles were assayed. Higher (P < .05) TPC and EC counts were found for all muscles at 0 d than at 7 and 14 d of storage. The LAC and TCC counts were higher (P < .05) on all muscles after the 14 d of storage than after 0 or 7 d of storage. The significant differences in microbial counts were less than one log 10/g of tissue and therefore are of questionable importance. The HFT did not increase carcass microbial load compared with NFT. This study showed that HFT and accelerated processing of beef for the production of lean retail cuts did not adversely affect the shelf-life of vacuum-packaged beef.
Sex-related differences in outcomes after vascular interventions:

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects a growing number of women, with a prevalence equal to that of men. Still, little is known about sex-specific differences in disease manifestations of PAD and...
A Novel STAT3 Gene Mutation Related Hyper-IgE Syndrome Misdiagnosed as Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Although Hyper-IgE Syndrome (HIES) is a rare immunodeficiency disorder, presenting symptoms may be as common as lung and skin infections. Symptoms are usually nonspecific such as recurrent abscesses, folliculitis, and pneumonias along with skeletal abnormalities. Careful history of susceptibility to skin and lung infections, thorough family history, and findings on physical exam can guide towards the diagnosis of this often-eluded condition. Early optimization of therapy with prophylactic antibiotics can prevent recurrent infections and future complications and improve quality of life and longevity of survival. We present a case of a young female with Hyper-IgE Syndrome with a novel mutation in STAT 3 gene who initially presented with long standing history of intractable skin abscesses being managed as Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Proceedings of the 4th international workshop on Data mining standards, services and platforms

This year marks the sixth year that there has been a KDD workshop on the Predictive Model Markup Language (PMML) and related areas and the fourth year of a broader conference with the theme of Data Mining Standards, Services, and Platforms. Over the past several years, PMML and related data mining standards have matured to the point that conformance of applications to PMML and interoperability have become relevant for many users and for many applications. The first paper in the proceedings this year addresses this issue. Applications benefit by employing standards for specific types of data, such as text, images, and other unstructured information, as well as domain specific standards. Two of the papers in the proceedings are concerned with these issues. Streaming data is becoming more and more important for a variety of applications. One of the papers in the proceedings describes a platform for processing streaming data. Finally, one of the papers describes an open source PMML-compliant scoring engine.
Timing and frequency of fungicide applications for the management of sugarcane brown rust

Abstract The frequency and application timing of fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin fungicides for management of sugarcane brown rust, caused by Puccinia melanocephala, was evaluated during two growing seasons (2016 and 2017) in Belle Glade, FL. Although the rust epidemic duration was longer in 2017 than in 2016, three applications of fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin during early, mid, and late epidemic season at three week-intervals resulted in 40–42% decrease of disease severity on the top visible dewlap leaf (expressed as the area under disease progress curve). These fungicide applications were also associated with a 27–35% increase in mean stalk weight as compared to untreated control plants. Two fungicide applications during early and mid-epidemic season resulted in similar stalk weight gain (25–32%) and 30–39% reduction of disease severity as compared to untreated control. Single applications either during early or mid-epidemic season were the least effective in reducing rust severity and increasing mean stalk weight. Therefore, at least two applications of fluxapyroxad + pyraclostrobin initiated during early epidemic season are necessary for best management of sugarcane brown rust in Florida. Based on increase of estimated commercial yields, the most beneficial chemical control was achieved with two rather than three fungicide sprays at three to four weeks intervals.
Law and Society: Development of the Field

The article discusses the origins of the field of law and society (also called sociolegal studies), especially in the United States; relates it to ‘legal realism’ and to competition and cooperation between the fields of law and sociology; explores the symbiotic relationship of the field to the social welfare state; and then explains its more hostile relationship to the neoliberal state. The field grew very quickly in the 1960s in relation to the activist state, declined in relation to law and economics and the neoliberal state, and then has prospered again through globalization and the rise of interdisciplinary studies in law schools.
Aspirations versus Expectations: Performance Feedback, Analyst Forecasts, and Corporate Downsizing

We compare two competing models of corporate performance evaluation and examine their relative impact on strategic decisions–an organization-centered model based on performance feedback from histor...
Challenges and Directions for Lifecycle Processes Supporting Conformity Assessment of Interoperable Medical Products

Health care delivery is increasingly relying on interoperable components and medical systems built from those components. Existing life-cycle processes found in medical device standards such as IEC 62304 do not adequately address the complexities associated with interoperable medical components and systems. Interoperable medical systems and their associated components may be developed, operated, and maintained by many different organizations. Such systems may be built using platform concepts designed to facilitate reuse of both platform infrastructure and assurance artifacts when the platform is used to build different systems. Life-cycle processes supporting conformity assessment of these products would benefit from explicitly addressing issues such as (a) multi-organization development, risk management, and assurance, (b) life-cycle activities that guide interactions between organizations, (c) product-line development and other notions of explicitly managed reuse, and (d) integration and reuse of components at arbitrary levels of abstraction in the system hierarchy. In this paper, we provide an overview of life-cycle issues for interoperable medical products that are not sufficiently addressed in existing medical device standards. We expose issues that need to be considered in designing life-cycle processes for this space that can guide standards development activities and conformity assessment organizations. To help indicate possible directions, we identify lifecycle concepts from other domains that may adapted for interoperable medical systems.
Examining the Meaning of Vague Quantifiers in Higher Education: How Often is “Often”?

Researchers, assessment professionals, and faculty in higher education increasingly depend on survey data from students to make pivotal curricular and programmatic decisions. The surveys collecting these data often require students to judge frequency (e.g., how often), quantity (e.g., how much), or intensity (e.g., how strongly). The response options given for these questions are usually vague and include responses such as “never,” “sometimes,” and “often.” However, the meaning that respondents give to these vague responses may vary. This study aims to determine the efficacy of using vague quantifiers in survey research. More specifically, the purpose of this study is to explore the meaning that respondents ascribe to vague response options and whether or not those meanings vary by student characteristics. Results from this study indicate a high degree of correspondence between vague and numeric response and suggest that students seem to adapt the meaning of “sometimes,” “often,” and “very often” based on the appropriate reference for the question. Overall, findings provide evidence of the utility and appropriateness of using vague response options. Some differences by student characteristics and the implications of these differences are discussed.
Characterization of herbaceous encroachment on soil biogeochemical cycling within a coastal marsh.

Abstract Vegetation transitions occur globally, altering ecosystem processing of organic matter and changing rates of soil biogeochemical cycling. In coastal marshes, more salt- and inundation-tolerant herbaceous species are encroaching on less tolerant species, concomitant with sea level rise. These species shifts could disrupt ecosystem services such as soil organic matter storage and the cycling of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P). To determine how these ecosystem processes were affected by encroachment, we characterized biogeochemical properties and functions along a transect of encroaching Distichlis spicata L. Greene (saltgrass) on Spartina bakeri Merr. (cordgrass), two herbaceous species. During both the wet and dry season, nine soil cores were obtained from three community types: saltgrass end member, transition zone, and cordgrass end member. Total soil C, N, and organic matter were greatest within the saltgrass and transition zones. The saltgrass and transition zone soils also supported higher rates of enzyme activity and potentially mineralizable N and P than cordgrass soils during the dry season, and greater potential CO2 production and microbial biomass C during the wet season. Generally, the transition zone functioned similarly to the saltgrass zone and the encroachment gradient coincided with a 33 cm elevation change. Seasonally, low extractable nutrient availability (nitrate and soluble reactive phosphorus) during the dry season was correlated with overall greater enzyme activity (N-acetyl-β-D-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, β-glucosidase, xylosidase, and cellobiosidase) and potentially mineralizable N and phosphorus (P) rates. This study demonstrates that shifts in dominant herbaceous species and accompanying abiotic gradients alters biogeochemical processing of organic matter within coastal marshes.
Protocol for Quantifying Zinc Flux in Cultured Cells using Fluorescent Indicators.

Summary Zinc (Zn2+) plays a vital role in the functioning of the cell. Cells have influx and efflux zinc transporters to regulate the levels of Zn2+ in the cytoplasm and organellar compartments to maintain homeostasis. We present a protocol to measure changes in cellular zinc concentrations using either a low-affinity membrane permeable or a high-affinity membrane impermeable fluorescent dye. Overall, zinc-specific fluorescent indicators using the assay can reliably detect the Zn2+ flux into or out of cultured cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Sanchez et al. (2019) .
Maximum Total Point Motion of Five Points Versus All Points in Assessing Tibial Baseplate Stability.

Maximum total point motion (MTPM), the point on a baseplate that migrates the most, has been used to assess the risk of tibial baseplate loosening using radiostereometric analysis (RSA). Two methods for determining MTPM for model-based RSA are to use either five points distributed around the perimeter of the baseplate or to use all points on the three-dimensional model. The objectives were to quantify the mean difference in MTPM using five points versus all points, compute the percent error relative to the 6-month stability limit for groups of patients, and determine the dependency of differences in MTPM on baseplate size and shape. A dataset of 10,000 migration values was generated using the mean and standard deviation of migration in six-degrees-of-freedom at 6 months from an RSA study. The dataset was used to simulate the migration of three-dimensional models (two baseplate shapes and two baseplate sizes) and calculate the difference in MTPM using five virtual points versus all points and the percent error (i.e., the difference in MTPM/stability limit) relative to the 6-month stability limit. The difference in the MTPM was about 0.02 mm, or 4% relative to the 6-month stability limit, which is not clinically important. Furthermore, results were not affected by baseplate shape or size. Researchers can decide whether to use five points or all points when computing MTPM for model-based RSA. The authors recommend using five points to maintain consistency with marker-based RSA.
State-Level Variation in Abortion Stigma and Women and Men’s Abortion Underreporting in the USA

Abortion is highly stigmatized in most settings and severely underreported in demographic surveys. In the USA, variation in the context of abortion between states may influence respondents’ exposure to abortion stigma and create geographic variation in their likelihood of disclosing abortion in surveys. We used restricted geographic data from the 2006–2010 and 2011–2015 National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) to investigate the association between abortion reporting in the USA and state-level structural factors that may influence respondents’ experience of abortion stigma. At the aggregate level, we compared the weighted number of abortions women reported in the NSFG to abortion counts derived from abortion provider censuses and test for variation in underreporting by state-level structural measures. At the individual level, we tested if state-level structural factors were associated with less reporting of abortion in the face-to-face (FTF) survey mode than the more confidential audio computer-assisted self-interviewing mode (ACASI) of the NSFG. We found that at the aggregate level, there were no differences in reporting by the state-level measures. At the individual level, about 40% of women and men who reported an abortion in their ACASI did not fully report in the FTF interview; however, there were few differences by any state-level factors. This study documents that abortion stigma plagues the quality of reporting in the USA for both women and men, regardless of which state they live in. Survey improvements to reduce abortion underreporting are needed.
Virtual Simulation as a Learning Tool for Teaching Graduate Nursing Students to Manage Difficult Conversations

Abstract Background Virtual simulation research focusing on comparison of perceptions between students from different types of graduate nursing programs is limited. The purpose of this study was to explore the use of virtual simulation to experience difficult conversations and to evaluate differences in perceptions between nurse educator (NE), family nurse practitioner (FNP), and nurse anesthesia (NA) students. Method Virtual simulations focusing on suicide awareness, opioid misuse, and conflict resolution were implemented. Results A total of 105 students participated. The majority perceived virtual simulation as realistic and applicable to practice. FNP students were more likely to have experienced a similar situation in practice prior to simulation than NA and NE students. Overall rating of the simulation was significantly higher among FNP and NE students compared to NA students. Conclusions Virtual simulation is useful for experiencing challenging interactions that might not be encountered in practicum. Further research is needed to evaluate long-term application into practice.
Chapter 15 A Modular Approach to Individual Differences in Skill and Coordination

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces an approach to uncovering the basic abilities that may constrain complex motor skills. This approach is based on the idea that motor skills can be broken down into a small number of separable components, each of which is controlled by a different module in the brain. The chapter describes this modular view and applies it to develop a general approach to the study of motor skill and coordination. This approach can be applied to the study of individual differences. Recent applications of this view to the study of clumsiness in children are described. Clumsiness may be caused, at least in some children, by imperfect functioning of one or more general-purpose modules. If true, this suggests several important insights into clumsiness. First, it suggests that at least some clumsy children can be associated with an identifiable problem. For instance, the cerebellar subjects may be characterized as having problems in timing. Importantly, this single problem may be the root cause of many of these children's motor problems. Second, this approach suggests that clumsiness is a multidimensional phenomenon.
[6] Quantitative reconstitution and ADP-ribosylation assays for G proteins

Publisher Summary This chapter describes methods for the functional assessment and quantitation of the heterotrimeric G proteins that regulate adenylylcyclase activity, G s and G i . Two types of assays are described; one involves the reconstitution of G s -stimulated adenylylcyclase activity in the cyc _ variant of the S49 mouse lymphoma cell line and the other is the ability of the α subunits of these G proteins to be ADP-ribosylated by cholera and pertussis toxins. These assays are used to quantitate changes in G s and G i in corpora lutea after treatment of pseudopregnant rabbits with human chorionic gonadotropin and epinephrine. G proteins are responsible for conferring guanine nucleotide and Mg 2+ sensitivity to receptors and effectors and for coupling agonist-occupied receptors to their effectors. The chapter discusses the development of functional reconstitution assays for G s allowed for the characterization of the properties of G s and is instrumental in the purification of Gs. These assays are modified so that they can be used to quantitate G s functionally. Cholera and pertussis toxins have been useful tools in the identification and anaylsis of the structural and functional properties of G s and G i .
Single‐Cell DNA and FISH Analysis for Application to Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

The goal of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is to avoid transfer of embryos affected with a specific genetic disease or condition. This unit describes the steps involved in amplifying DNA from a single blastomere and specific assays for detecting a variety of DNA mutations. For some assays, whole-genome amplification by primer-extention preamplification (PEP) is performed prior to analysis. Support protocols describe the biopsy of one or two blastomeres from the developing preimplantation embryo, isolation for further investigation of all blastomeres from embryos shown to have the mutant allele, and isolation of single lymphocytes or lymphoblastoid cells as models for single-cell DNA analysis. A procedure for FISH analysis on single interphase blastomeres is provided along with a support protocol for probe validation that is recommended as a preliminary step before performing any PGD FISH analysis.
Providers' concordance with survivorship clinical algorithms.

e20645 Background: The utility of algorithms to guide clinical practice related to long-term survivorship care is unclear. In 2012, lymphoma survivorship algorithms for Hodgkin’s and Large B-Cell w...
The Conundrum of Corporate Liability: Seeking a Consistent Approach to the Constitutional Rights of Corporations in Criminal Prosecutions

The initial determination of whether a constitutional right should apply to a corporate criminal defendant should be based on the fundamental premise that the corporation's sole interest is protection from abuse of the government's power to investigate, prosecute, and sanction illegal conduct. Arguably, corporations do not have the human dignity interests that constitutional rights can also preserve. The Court first should compare the possibility of abuse with the effect of permitting a corporation to assert the right and the government's ability to enforce the law effectively. It then should determine whether there is a substantial likelihood that, absent the constitutional protection, the government will abuse a power that might lead to a questionable conviction of a corporate defendant. Only through this weighing of the effects of such an abuse of power can the Court determine the degree of protection a corporation merits under the Constitution in a criminal prosecution. This approach acknowledges that a corporation has no a priori claim to a specific constitutional right, and its interests can be outweighed by the necessity of preserving the government's capability to support a productive law enforcement program when the potential for abuse is not significant. The proposed approach is consistent with the Supreme Court's analysis of corporate rights first undertaken in Hale v. Henkel. Since that decision, the Court has rejected corporate claims to the privilege against self-incrimination. This has been mainly because permitting the assertion of the right would have a deleterious effect on the enforcement of regulatory provisions, which were designed to curb corporate misconduct. Nevertheless, the Court does not permit the government to make full use of the act of producing corporate documents against the individual custodian. Under the Fourth Amendment, the Court acknowledges a limited corporate right that is not coextensive with the protection afforded to the individual. Yet, it still recognizes that denying corporations all protection from unreasonable searches and seizures would give the government carte blanche to abuse its power.
Making sense with private speech

Abstract Private speech, as conceptualized by Vygotsky, has been studied primarily as a means of self direction or executive function. It is reconsidered here in terms of its relation to social speech and to thought. A portion of the “crib speech” of a 2-year-old is presented in the context of her representation of her father’s account of a prospective event, focused on the problems of comprehension of adult talk, and of understanding the complex relations involved in the perspectives of self and other. The function of private speech for the young child is seen in its value as external representation, a major function of semiotic forms in human cognition.
Experimental investigation of bio-butanol laminar non-premixed flamelets

Abstract Pure butanol as well as methane-assisted butanol non-premixed flames were studied in a counter-flow burner configuration in view of the emergence of butanol production from agricultural sources. Major combustion species were measured across the flame using line Raman imaging and temperature measurements were obtained with K -type thermocouples. Of particular importance was the comparison of flames of the same heating value and equivalence ratio, as well as flames of the same overall equivalence ratio but varying reactant flow rates. Extinction strain rates were measured for a wide range of conditions. It was shown that there was a decrease of extinction strain rate with increasing overall equivalence ratio for both constant fuel flow rates and constant heat release of combustion and that butanol flames were more vulnerable to extinction compared to methane. Species concentration measurements indicated that N 2 concentrations anti-correlate with temperature across the non-premixed flame, in agreement with non-premixed flame theory. Finally, the possibility of estimating the scalar dissipation rate at the stoichiometric surface χ stoich was investigated through a measurement of the mixing layer thickness δ , performed with an intensified CCD camera and a modest-power laser.
Preservation or destruction of plant remains by carbonization

Seeds and rinds of several plant taxa were thermally exposed. The results indicate that conditions such as the temperature, length of exposure, moisture content, and the portions of the plant involved influence the fact whether a remain will survive in a condition that is identifiable to the researcher. In addition, distortions may occur that may call into question the use of measurements as a means to distinguish between wild and domesticated forms of plants.
1,2,3-Triazole as a special "X-factor" in promoting hashmi phenol synthesis.

31P NMR experiments revealed rapid decomposition of the Ph3PAu+TfO− complex in the presence of the furan-yne, which resulted in poor reactivity as reported in the literature. Therefore, instead of tuning different ligands (PR3), the 1,2,3-triazole was applied as a special X-factor to stabilize the catalyst. The desired phenol products were prepared in excellent yields (1% cat. up to 95% yield) and chemoselectivity (>20:1).
A Gynecologic Oncology Group phase II trial of the protein kinase C-beta inhibitor, enzastaurin and evaluation of markers with potential predictive and prognostic value in persistent or recurrent epithelial ovarian and primary peritoneal malignancies

Abstract Objectives Protein kinase C (PKC) activation contributes to proliferation and angiogenesis in epithelial ovarian or primary peritoneal carcinoma (EOC/PPC). A multi-institutional phase II trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PKCβ inhibitor enzastaurin in persistent or recurrent EOC/PPC and to explore potential prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Methods Eligible women with measurable platinum-sensitive and resistant EOC/PPC were treated with continuous administration of oral enzastaurin until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. A two-stage sequential design was used to evaluate progression-free survival (PFS) ≥6-months, tumor response, and toxicity. Translational studies included sequencing of the TP53 , PTEN , PIK3CA and PKCβII genes for somatic mutations, quantitative PCR assays for AKT2 and PTEN copy number alterations, and measurement of circulating VEGF-A plasma levels. Results Among 27 eligible and evaluable patients, 3 women with PFS≥6-months (11%) and 2 women with partial responses (7%) were observed. One of them achieved a durable response and remains on the study. No grade 4 adverse events were observed. Most common grade 3 adverse events were constitutional (4) and gastrointestinal (3). Mutations in the TP53 gene and abnormal copy number in the PTEN gene were common (56% and 48% of cases, respectively). Conclusions Enzastaurin was tolerable but had insufficient activity to proceed with the second stage of accrual. However, 1 patient has been progression-free for 44months. No association between a biomarker and response to enzastaurin has been found. Exploratory analysis suggested an association between survival and PTEN copy number losses.
Effect of solution treatment parameters on tensile properties of cast aluminum alloys

The influence of solution heat treatment parameters on T6 properties of unmodified and Sr-modified A356.2 alloys has been studied. The effects of solution temperature and time were investigated with ASTM B 108 test bars cast in sand molds and in permanent molds. Metallographic and image analysis techniques have been utilized to examine the microstructural changes occurring during heat treatment. The results indicate that the effect of Sr modification is to increase the spheroidization rate and lower the coarsening rate of Si particles. The solution temperature has a strong influence on Si particle morphology. Extremely high coarsening rates can be obtained at temperatures greater than 560° C. Solution treatment at these temperatures, however, has a detrimental effect on mechanical properties because of grain boundary melting. It has been established that solution times can be reduced significantly in modified samples. Increasing the solution temperature from 540 to 550°C enhances the strength properties.
Development and Evaluation of the Pediatric Diabetes Routines Questionnaire

This study describes the development of the Pediatric Diabetes Routines Questionnaire (PDRQ), a parent-report measure of diabetes-specific routines in youth with diabetes. Participants were 198 parents of youth with type 1 diabetes ages 5 through 17. The PDRQ and measures of general child routines, family rituals, diabetes treatment adherence, and diabetes-specific family behaviors were administered. Principal components analysis revealed two components, daily regimen routines and technical/situational routines, which sum to form a total score. The PDRQ has strong initial psychometric properties, including good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity coefficients. Overall, promising results for the PDRQ are reported.
Magnetic properties of solid 3He at finite temperature

The Peierls inequality combined with a classical Monte Carlo evaluation of the free energy has been applied as a variational technique to the magnetic spin Hamiltonian of 3 He. We find unexpectedly good agreement with the experimental phase diagram and other measured quantities
Wave breaking along the stratospheric polar vortex as seen in ERA-40 data

Planetary wave breaking through the depth of the Northern Hemispheric stratosphere is observed in daily ERA-40 reanalysis data. Strong wave breaking along the vortex edge is objectively diagnosed by noting the large-scale overturning of potential vorticity contours on isentropic surfaces spanning the stratospheric vortex. Breaking events show distinctly different climatologies depending on whether they occur along the upper or lower portion of the stratospheric vortex. During early winter there is a strong negative correlation between the frequency of breaking events in these two regions. Frequent wave breaking in the lower stratosphere in early winter appears to both shield the upper portion of the vortex from wave disturbances and reduce the net upward wave activity flux into the troposphere, thereby allowing the vortex to strengthen into mid-winter.
Artificial miRNAs Targeting Mutant Huntingtin Show Preferential Silencing In Vitro and In Vivo

Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease caused by CAG repeat expansion in exon 1 of huntingtin (HTT). Studies in mouse models of HD with a regulated mutant transgene show that continuous mutant allele expression is required for behavioral and pathological signs; when mutant HTT expression declined, neuronal degeneration improved. To date, it is unknown whether neural cells in the adult human brain can tolerate reduction in both normal and mutant alleles. Thus, it may be important to develop allele-specific silencing approaches. Several siRNA sequences targeting the CAG expanded motif or prevalent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in linkage disequilibrium with the mutant allele have been designed and their selectivity demonstrated in vitro. However, it is unknown whether these allele-specific siRNAs will retain their specificity when expressed from artificial RNAi platforms. Here, we designed CAG- and SNP- targeting artificial miRNAs and demonstrate that some, but not all, retained their selectivity in vitro using an allele-specific reporter system and in vivo in a transgenic mouse model developed to express normal and mutant human HTT alleles.
Magnetic anisotropy of ferromagnetic Fe and Co thin films (invited) (abstract)

The observation of transition‐metal (TM) magnetic moments in thin films aligned perpendicular to the surface has focused theoretical and experimental attention on the origin of magnetic anisotropy in these exciting low‐dimensional materials. In this paper we report on a study of the magnetic anisotropy of Fe and Co thin films originating from the spin‐orbit interaction term of the fully relativistic Dirac equation. We employ a total energy second variation FLAPW method in which: (i) the electronic charge density is determined with the semirelativistic (no spin‐orbit) FLAPW method; (ii) relativistic eigenvalues are calculated via a variational procedure using the semirelativistic wave functions as basis. The magnetic anisotropy energy of free‐standing Fe(001) and Co(001) monolayers yields in‐plane orientation of the spin moment. Semirelativistic calculations determined the magnetic moments of 1Fe/1Au, 1Fe/1Ag, or 1Fe/1Pd−all (001) slabs; the results agree well with those of monolayer Fe on thicker substrat...
Biochemical Response of Soybean Roots to Fusarium solani f. sp. glycines Infection

The soil-borne fungus Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. f. sp. glycines (FSG) infects soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] roots and causes the disease sudden death syndrome (SDS). The biochemical response of soybean roots to FSG infection, which has not been studied before, was investigated by comparing FSG-inoculated and noninoculated roots of two partially resistant ('PI 520733' and 'PI 567374') and susceptible ('Spencer') genotypes. Activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), the first enzyme in the phenylpropanoid biosynthetic pathway, was increased in inoculated roots of all three genotypes. The phytoalexin glyceollin increased to much higher levels in inoculated roots of the partially resistant cultivars PI 520733 and PI 567374 than in the susceptible Spencer. The changes in phenolic metabolism were localized in lesion-containing areas of roots rather than in the new portion growing under the FSG inoculum. No clear correlation was found between the glyceollin precursor daidzein (4',7-dihydroxyisoflavone) and its conjugates and glyceollin levels in root tissues; however, isoflavone levels increased only in roots of inoculated plants of partially resistant lines, even though constitutive isoflavone levels were higher in the susceptible control. The FSG growth on potato dextrose agar medium was inhibited by increasing concentrations of glyceollin. Induction of lignin synthesis was found in the inoculated roots of all three lines, with the highest rate of lignification observed in roots of the partially resistant genotypes, especially PI 567374. These studies show for the first time that FSG inoculation of soybean roots in soil induces the phenylpropanoid pathway to synthesize isoflavones, the phytoalexin glyceollin, and lignin, indicating that these compounds may be involved in the partial resistance response.
Magnetic resonance imaging of the pulleys of the flexor tendons of the toes at 11.7 T

We obtained high-resolution 11.7-T MR images of the pulleys of the flexor tendons in cadaveric toe specimens. A detailed understanding of toe pulley anatomy as seen with MR is likely to be of benefit in recognizing disease and the effects of trauma. Six cadaveric toes were imaged with an 11.7-T small-bore MR imaging system using optimized coils. Two-dimensional dual-echo SE scans were obtained in three planes (40 × 40 × 400-μm3 voxel size, TE = 7/14 ms, TR = 3,500 ms, fat saturation). Three-dimensional spoiled gradient echo scans were obtained (90–150 μm3 isotropic voxel size, TE = 6 ms, TR = 25 ms, with and without fat saturation). Specimen orientation was with the long axis of the toe either parallel or perpendicular to B0. All the annular (A) pulleys were demonstrated in the great and lesser toes. The A2 pulley in the great and lesser toes and the A4 pulley in the lesser toes were the most substantial pulleys. The A5 pulley, which has not previously been described in the toes, was demonstrated. The cruciform pulleys were also seen and were smaller and thinner. Three tissue layers were seen, and there was evidence of different fiber directions in annular pulleys producing different magic angle effects. Detailed anatomy of the pulley system of the flexor tendons was seen on the 11.7-T MR images showing new features and providing a basis for image interpretation. Similarities and differences between the pulley systems in the toes and the fingers were identified.