cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A scientist engineer's contribution to therapeutic discovery and development.

An engineering perspective views cells as complex circuits that process inputs – drugs, environmental cues – to create complex outcomes – disease, growth, death – and this perspective has immense p...
Ventricular global longitudinal strain is altered in children with sickle cell disease.

Cardiac disease is the primary cause of death in sickle cell disease (SCD). Right and left ventricular global longitudinal strain (RVGLS, LVGLS) are early markers of systolic dysfunction but are not well investigated among children with SCD. One hundred and forty-three patients with HbSS or HbSβ0 -thalassaemia (median age 11 years, range 5-19 years) and 71 controls matched for age and sex were compared. RVGLS and LVGLS were measured and compared with conventional measures of echocardiography and markers of haemolysis and inflammation. RVGLS was higher in children with SCD than in controls (-25·72% ± 3·45% vs. -24·54% ± 2·41%, P = 0·005); LVGLS was not different. RVGLS decreased with older age in children with SCD (ρ = 0·338, P < 0·001) but not among controls. Decreased RVGLS was associated with increased left atrial end diastolic volume (ρ = 0·181, P = 0·04); RVGLS increased with cardiac output (r = -0·279, P = 0·01). RVGLS and LVGLS were not associated with disease-modifying therapies, degree of anaemia or haemolysis markers. Elevated RVGLS may indicate an early RV compensatory mechanism in response to upstream myocardial insults and elevated cardiac output. Global longitudinal strain may serve as an early marker of altered myocardial function in children with SCD.
An assessment of pesticide exposures and land use of honey bees in Virginia.

Large-scale honey bee colony loss threatens pollination services throughout the United States. An increase in anthropogenic pressure may influence the exposure of hives to household and agricultural pesticides. The objective of this survey was to provide an assessment of the risk of exposure to commonly used pesticides to honey bee colonies in Virginia in relation to land use. Adult honey bee, pollen, and wax samples from colonies throughout Virginia were evaluated for pyrethroid, organophosphate, organochlorine, and triazine pesticides using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Of the 11 pesticides analyzed, nine were detected in one or more hive matrices. The probability of detecting a pesticide in pollen was less in forests than in pasture, agriculture, or urban landscapes. Coumaphos and fluvalinate were significantly more likely to be detected across all matrices with concentrations in wax as high as 15500 and 6970 ng/g (dry weight), respectively, indicating the need for further research on the potential effects of miticide accumulation in wax to larval and adult bees.
Glutathione S-transferase theta genotypes and environmental exposures in the risk of canine transitional cell carcinoma.

Introduction Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in humans is associated with environmental exposures and variants in glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. Scottish Terriers have a high breed risk for TCC, but the relationship between genetic and environmental risk in dogs is not fully understood. Hypotheses Scottish Terriers have a higher frequency of GST-theta variants compared to lower risk breeds. Dogs with TCC of any breed have a higher frequency of GST-theta variants along with higher environmental exposures, compared to controls. Animals One hundred and five Scottish Terriers and 68 controls from lower risk breeds; 69 dogs of various breeds with TCC, and 72 breed- and sex-matched unaffected geriatric dogs. Methods In this prospective case-control study, dogs were genotyped for 3 canine GST-theta variants: GSTT1 I2+28 G>A, a GSTT1 3'UTR haplotype, and GSTT5 Asp129_Gln130del. Owners of dogs with TCC and unaffected geriatric controls completed a household environmental questionnaire. Results The GSTT1 3'UTR haplotype and GSTT5 Asp129_Gln130del variants were significantly underrepresented in Scottish Terriers (minor allele frequency [MAF] = 0.000 for both), compared to dogs from lower risk breeds (MAF = 0.108 and 0.100; P ≤ .0002). Dogs with TCC did not differ from unaffected geriatric controls across the 3 investigated loci. Transitional cell carcinoma was associated with household insecticide use (odds ratio [OR] = 4.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.44-12.33, P = .02), and was negatively associated with proximity to a farm (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.25-0.99, P = .04). Conclusions and clinical importance Low-activity GST-theta loci are unlikely contributors to TCC risk in dogs. Increased risk is associated with household insecticide use, and possibly with less rural households.
Impact of Online Teamwork Self-Efficacy on Attitudes Toward Teamwork

The lack of professional skills in project teams is one of the most important factors contributing to the high failure rate of Information Technology (IT) projects. Therefore, preparing students for increasingly complex IT projects has been an important learning objective in information sciences and technology programs. This article investigates the relationships between face-to-face students' self-efficacy of managing project tasks through online processes and their attitudes toward teamwork. The relationships among student engagement in learning experiences related to teamwork, self-efficacy of technology-mediated teamwork, and attitudes towards teamwork are investigated using confirmatory factor analysis on a data set with 344 participants. The analysis shows that self-efficacy of technology-mediated teamwork mediates the effect of learning engagement on attitudes toward teamwork. Therefore, the article postulates that mastering technology-mediated teamwork skills helps face-to-face students develop positive attitudes toward teamwork, which can be transferred to the workplace.
Total Synthesis of (-)-Himeradine A.

(-)-Himeradine A is a complex lycopodium alkaloid with seven rings and ten stereogenic centers that shows anticancer activity against lymphoma L1210 cells. A total synthesis has been developed that builds off prior work on (+)-fastigiatine. A 2,4,6-trisubstitited piperidine ring forms the core of the quinolizidine segment, and was prepared by diastereoselective reduction of a pyridine and classic resolution of an intermediate. The remaining secondary amine was introduced with a catalyst-controlled Overman rearrangement. The piperidine segment was coupled in a B-alkyl Suzuki reaction with a bicyclic bromoenone, which was a key intermediate for the synthesis of (+)-fastigiatine. The final transformation featured a transannular Mannich reaction and cyclization to complete the quinolizidine. Five bonds and four new rings were generated in this one-pot procedure. (-)-Himeradine A was prepared in 17 steps in the longest linear sequence.
The Study of Chiral Cardiovascular Drugs: Analytical Approaches and Some Pharmacological Consequences

For chiral CV* drugs, which are administered as racemates, differences between the stereoisomers in pharmacological action have long been recognized. The difficult task of ascertaining the fate of each isomer has been eased by the development of HPLC methodology with CSP’s. This article deals with analytical approaches and, in outline†, pharmacological stereoselectivity aspects for propranolol, labetalol, disopyramide and verapamil as examples of chiral CV drugs for which information on plasma levels is clinically important.
Robotic-assisted transmaxillary approach for removal of juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma of the pterygopalatine and infratemporal fossa.

Endoscopic transmaxillary approaches to remove juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas (JNAs) have been described previously and are used for tumors that extend laterally in the pterygopalatine fossa (PPF) and infratemporal fossa (ITF). There is no previous description of robotic-assisted JNA removal in the literature. The video will demonstrate the success of this technique. Robotic transmaxillary approaches to the lateral PPF and ITF are easily achieved through an extended Caldwell-Luc antrostomy. Total operative time was 519 minutes. Total robotic operative time was 283 minutes. The endoscopic approach provided no assistance in tumor dissection or removal. Robotic-assisted transmaxillary JNA removal allows the operating surgeon to control the endoscope and to operate free of collisions from the robotic console while having an active assistant surgeon at the patient bedside. A video demonstrating the technique is found on Head & Neck's web site.
Biopotential Measurements and Electrodes

Neural biopotentials are electrical signals generated by the cells of the nervous system. Recording and monitoring the aggregate or individual behavior of neurons yields information about the brain and the peripheral nervous system frequently used in clinical and research settings. Many different modalities of recording neural biopotentials have been developed. These differ in spatial scale, temporal resolution, and purpose. In order to faithfully record and make use of these neural signals, we must understand the signal properties, the specific kind of electrodes required for measurement, and the most appropriate circuit architecture needed to amplify and process these signals. Continued developments in electrode materials, interface circuits, and embedded systems for neural interfaces with tailored instrumentation solutions at a range of spatial and temporal scales are driving advances toward future unprecedented medical therapies and neuroscience discoveries.
Effect of zinc substitution on the growth morphology of ZnO-CuO tenorite solid solutions

Abstract ZnxCu1−xO nanoparticles were synthesized by microwave heating of hydroxide mixtures to form single-phase tenorite crystallites with compositions of up to x ≈ 0.12 zinc concentration, after which formation of wurtzite ZnO was also observed. The lattice parameters, determined by Reitveld refinement of the x-ray diffraction data, showed a linear relationship in zinc concentration, a phenomenon known as Vegard’s Law which is generally taken as an indication of homogeneous cation distribution. Substitution of zinc for copper in the tenorite structure affects the particle growth kinetics, which results in a morphological change from plate-like in pure CuO to smaller, needle-like crystallites for compositions emerging at approximately Zn0.025Cu0.975O. The needle-like particles form as a result of imperfect oriented attachment in two dimensions, with the third dimension controlled by the initial hydroxide condensation step. When the concentration of zinc is increased to x = 0.075, imperfect oriented attachment occurs in three dimensions, which yields particles with flower morphologies.
How good are inpatients at feigning Miranda abilities?: An investigation of the Miranda Quiz, Inventory of Legal Knowledge, and Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology.

The current study represents the first investigation into feigned Miranda abilities using an inpatient population. We investigated the use of a very generic measure (i.e., the Structured Inventory of Malingered Symptomatology, or SIMS) as well as two specialized forensic feigning measures: the Miranda Quiz (MQ) and Inventory of Legal Knowledge (ILK). With a quasi-random assignment, 82 acute inpatients were evenly distributed to "feigning" and "genuine" groups. The recommended SIMS cut score > 14 performed poorly, misclassifying three-quarters of the genuine group as feigning. In general, sensitivities on the specialized scales were constrained by the general lack of severe decrements for the feigning group. However, specificities were strong to outstanding. In particular, the MQ floor effect showed some promise but was limited by its small number of items. The strongest potential was observed for the revised ILK scales, especially the Revised Clinical ILK (RC-ILK). When using single-point cut scores on two prior correctional samples, the RC-ILK produced excellent sensitivities (0.94 and 0.96) and outstanding specificities (0.98 and 0.99). Methodological issues and professional implications were discussed in the context of feigned Miranda abilities.
2-5A-Dependent RNase L: A Regulated Endoribonuclease in the Interferon System

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a general overview of 2-5A-dependent RNase L. RNase L contains an array of structural and functional domains that are unique among known and sequenced ribonucleases. An intriguing feature of RNase L is the presence in the amino-terminal half of the enzyme of nine units of about 33 amino acids in length, each containing an ankyrin-related repeat sequence. Ankyrin repeats, named after the ankyrin family of proteins, mediate interactions between and within many different proteins. Ankyrins binds integral membrane proteins and tubulin through their N-terminal domains consisting of 22 such elements. The central domain of erythrocyte ankyrin, which lacks ankyrin repeats, binds to spectrins and vimentin. Therefore, in a single protein, ankyrin repeats may bind some proteins whereas other proteins may attach through additional interaction domains. This chapter discusses perspectives on the 2-5A system, and elaborates structure and functions of RNase L. Biochemical properties of RNase L are also discussed. The chapter explains distribution, localization, and regulation of RNase L and its gene. The chapter concludes with discussing the antiviral activity and antiproliferative effects of RNase L.
A 2 -codes from universal hash classes

We describe a general method to construct codes for unconditional authentication with arbitration (A2-codes), which protect not only against outside opponents but also against certain types of frauds from the receiver and transmitter. The constructions are based on orthogonal arrays and universal hash classes. The idea is to construct A2-codes out of pairs of A-codes. The hitherto known examples are special cases of the construction. Along the way we also construct new universal hash classes.
The Keokuk County Rural Health Study

SUMMARY The Keokuk County Rural Health Study is a population-based, prospective study of environmental exposures and health status of a large randomly-selected sample of residents from each of three strata in one rural Iowa county. The study focuses on injury rates and respiratory disease; in addition, it monitors health care de-livery; geriatric, reproductive, and mental health; and other health outcomes. Injury and disease prevalence are investigated in relation to occupational, agricultural, and other environmental exposures. This paper describes the sampling method, the protocol, and the demographic profile of adult subjects of the first 400 households en-rolled in the study. Farmers were slightly younger than rural non-farmers and townspeople and more farmers had lived in the county all of their lives. Females were more highly educated than were males, and less than half as many female farmers had lived in the county all their lives than had male farmers. Net household income figures were complex and...
Applications of Quantitative AE Methods: Dynamic Fracture, Materials and Transducer Characterization

This paper summarizes the applications of quantitative acoustic emission (AE) measurements for investigation of dynamic fracture processes and for the characterization materials and transducers. The basis of the technique is a measurement system in which two of the three components comprising it (source, structure, sensor) have known temporal and spatial characteristics such that the temporal and spatial features of the third component can be recovered by appropriate signal processing methods. Examples presented in this paper include the characterization of cracks in brittle materials, the evaluation of the frequency-dependent attenuation and dispersion in absorptive composite materials and the determination of the aperture effect of a detecting transducer.
Decentralized adaptive command following and disturbance rejection for subsystems with local full-state feedback

Summary We present a decentralized model reference adaptive control method, where each local controller uses full-state feedback from the local subsystem. The controller is strictly decentralized, meaning that no information (including reference-model trajectories) is shared between local controllers. This decentralized controller achieves stabilization, command following, and disturbance rejection provided that the reference-model commands and the disturbances are sinusoidal with known spectrum. The controller is effective for multi-input subsystems with arbitrarily large subsystem interconnections. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A prospective study of appetite and food craving in 30 patients with Cushing’s disease

Context Glucocorticoid (GC) exposure increases food intake, but the mechanisms in humans are not known. Investigation of appetite and food craving has not been done in patients with chronic GC exposure due to Cushing’s disease (CD), either before or after treatment, and could provide insight into mechanisms of food intake and obesity in these patients.
MORPHOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF METHANOMONAS METHANOOXIDANS

Stocks, Peter K. (Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge), and C. S. McCleskey. Morphology and physiology of Methanomonas methanooxidans . J. Bacteriol. 88: 1071–1077. 1964.—Pure cultures of methane-oxidizing bacteria isolated from soil, from the rumen of a fistulated cow, and from coalmine water were found to be identical in morphological, cultural, and physiological characteristics with Methanomonas methanooxidans of Brown and Strawinski. Two of the isolates were serologically related to the organism of Brown and Strawinski. All the strains required methane for good growth, but a delayed moderate growth occurred on methanol. No other substances were utilized as carbon and energy source. Nitrogen requirements were satisfied by nitrates, ammonium salts, peptone, or certain amino acids. The taxonomic position of the species is discussed. Images
Roles of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the expression of different immune phenotypes by wild-type mice and T cell-targeted type II VIP receptor transgenic mice.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and its two G protein-coupled receptors, VPAC1 and VPAC2, are quantitatively prominent and functionally critical in the immune system. Transgenic (T) mice constitutively expressing VPAC2 selectively in CD4 T cells, at levels higher than those found after maximal induction in CD4 T cells of wild-type (N) mice, have elevated blood concentrations of IgE, IgG1, and eosinophils; enhanced immediate-type hypersensitivity; and reduced delayed-type hypersensitivity. In contrast, VPAC2-null (K) mice manifest decreased immediate-type hypersensitivity and enhanced delayed-type hypersensitivity. The phenotypes are attributable to opposite skewing of the Th2/Th1 cytokine ratio, but no studies were conducted on the roles of T cell-derived VIP and altered expansion of the Th subsets. Dependence of the Th phenotype of T mice, but not of N or K mice, on T cell-derived VIP now is proven by showing that eliminating VIP from TCR-stimulated T cell cultures with VIPase IgG normalizes the elevated number of IL-4-secreting CD4 T cells, decreases the secretion of IL-4 and IL-10, and increases the secretion of IFN-γ. Flexible responsiveness of CD4 T cells from N and K mice, but not T mice, to exogenous VIP in vitro and in vivo is shown by increased numbers of IL-4-secreting CD4 T cells, greater secretion of IL-4 and IL-10, and lesser secretion of IFN-γ after TCR stimulation with VIP. The level of VIP recognized by CD4 T cells thus is a major determinant of the relative contributions of Th subsets to the immune effector phenotype.
A Family Affair: Competing Sponsors of Literacy in Appalachian Students' Lives

This article explores the literacy lives of students enrolled in English Composition courses at two open-admission universities in Central Appalachia and the complex role of immediate and extended family members as sponsors of literacy in these students’ lives. Some relatives emerged as both sponsors and inhibitors-or perhaps more accurately, sponsors of competing meanings of literacy-and illustrated the larger social forces surrounding literacy in these students’ lives.
Contribution of the side branches to rheological properties of pectins.

Abstract The rheological properties of apple pectins with different degrees of side branches were investigated in terms of the zero-shear viscosity (η0), the shear rate dependence of viscosity and the superposability of rheological data to a variety of generalization curves such as ηspversusc[η], ηspversuscMw, η η 0 versus γ γ 0·8 and η η 0 versus γ (η0 − ηs)Mw/cRT. Increase in branching of pectins resulted in higher η0 and increasing shear rate dependence of viscosity. The gradients of ηsp.0versusc [η] in the concentrated region ( c [η] > c ∗ [η] ) were dependent upon the degree of branching, i.e. the higher the branching, the higher the gradients, whereas there was no significant difference in the dilute region ( c [η] ∗ [η] ) irrespective of the degree of branching. Pectins with a low degree of branching displayed better superposition in η η 0 versus γ γ 0·8 and η η 0 versus γ (η0 − ηs)Mw/cRT curves when compared to the sample with more branches. Circular dichroism (CD) studies of pectins showed that the conformation of pectin molecules was not affected by the degree of branching. It is concluded that side branches of pectins can result in significant entanglements in concentrated solutions.
Three-dimensional mapping of strain in ex vivo porcine cornea with an ultrasound elasticity microscope

High frequency strain mapping of a porcine cornea was produced by three-dimensional speckle tracking of a three-dimensional confocally merged ultrasonic data set. Previous two-dimensional elasticity imaging was limited by speckle moving in the non-imaged dimension. This study used an ultrasonic transducer (53 MHz center frequency, 31 MHz bandwidth, 1.67 f#) scanned in three dimensions. A fresh porcine eye globe was embedded in gelatin up to the cornea/sclera junction and pressurized to physiological pressure. A portion of the cornea was imaged with a single element transducer scanned in three directions. Three-dimensional volume sets were created from the data by confocally merging volume sets at several depths. In the vertical dimension, parallel to ultrasonic propagation, the transducer was moved by nearly half its depth of field. Overlaps between adjacent depths were correlated using phase-sensitive speckle tracking to determine precise shifts. Two-dimensional images over multiple depths of field were combined to form a single 2-D image over an entire vertical scan range. Multiple planes were then stacked in the remaining direction to form a 3-D volume set. Next, the cornea was deformed and then imaged again. Three-dimensional speckle tracking was used to create strain maps from the two volume sets. Vertical strain, horizontal strain, and transverse strain behave as expected and provide insight into mechanical properties of corneal tissue.
Parts and wholes: A response to Arnheim☆

According to Arnheim, I have “claimed to have disproved the basic principle of gestalt theory”. That is misleading. What I did say is “that the whole does not in any simple sense determine the appearance of its parts” (1981, p. 26), which Arnheim quotes, and which the bulk of his paper seems to illustrate. I also said that “Either the ‘whole determines the appearance of the parts’, or there is no Gestalt theory” (1981, p. 263), which he also quotes, but appears to misunderstand. He claims that I use my version (Fig. 1) of the Penrose figures (Penrose 8c Penrose, 1958) “to point out that it displays contradictory percepts, not compatible with the unitary structure to be imposed upon the parts by the whole”. I do nothing of the sort: Nowhere do I address such questions as the
Volatile polar metabolites in exhaled breath condensate (EBC): collection and analysis.

Environmental exposures, individual activities and disease states can perturb normal metabolic processes and be expressed as a change in the patterns of polar volatile organic compounds (PVOCs) present in biological fluids. We explore the measurement of volatile endogenous biomarkers to infer previous exposures to complex mixtures of environmental stressors. It is difficult to extract such compounds for ultra-trace level analysis due to their high solubility in water, especially when assaying complex liquid biological media such as exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Existing methods tend to be limited in sample volume processed and restricted in sample throughput. We have developed an alternative passive extraction method wherein a 2 ml sample is injected into a 75 ml glass bulb creating a small pool of liquid; a standard Tenax® sampling tube is inserted above the fluid and allowed to equilibrate with the headspace for ~24 h. The biomarker compounds are preferentially transferred by diffusion from the aqueous sample onto the Tenax® adsorbent; blanks and calibration samples are similarly processed. Numerous samples can be simultaneously prepared and stored awaiting routine analysis for a suite of alcohols and aldehydes using thermal desorption gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). We have optimized the procedures and estimated the sensitivity, precision and extraction efficiency resulting from the preparation and analytical procedures using synthetic samples. We subsequently demonstrated the method using anonymous biological specimens of EBC from healthy adults. The ultimate goal is to develop normal ranges and patterns for PVOCs to infer population-based environmental health states with simple spot measurements based on outlier determinations.
Expression of Calcium Channels in Adult Cardiac Myocytes is Regulated by Calcium

Abstract In addition to playing a significant role in cardiac excitation–contraction coupling, intracellular Ca 2+ ([Ca 2+ ] i ) can regulate gene expression. While the mechanisms regulating expression of Ca 2+ channels are not entirely defined, some evidence exists for Ca 2+ -dependent regulation. Using an adult ventricular myocyte culture system, we determined the effects of Ca 2+ on: (1) abundance of mRNA for l -type Ca 2+ channel α 1 subunit (DHP receptor); (2) amount of DHP receptors; and (3) whole-cell Ca 2+ current (I Ca ). Rat ventricular myocytes were cultured for 1–3 days in serum-free medium containing either normal (1.8 m m ) or high (4.8 m m ) Ca 2+ . Exposing myocytes to high Ca 2+ rapidly elevated [Ca 2+ ] i as determined by fura-2. Northern blot analysis revealed that culturing cells in high Ca 2+ produced 1.5-fold increase in mRNA levels for the DHP receptor. The abundance of DHP receptors, determined by ligand binding, was two-fold greater in myocytes after 3 days in high Ca 2+ . Moreover, peak I Ca was larger in myocytes cultured for 3 days in high Ca 2+ (−17.8±1.5 pA/pF, n =26) than in control cells (−11.0±1.0 pA/pF, n =23). Voltage-dependent activation and inactivation, rates of current decay, as well as percent increases in I Ca elicited by Bay K8644 were similar in all groups. Therefore, larger I Ca is likely to represent a greater number of functional channels with unchanged kinetics. Our data support the conclusion that transient changes in [Ca 2+ ] i can modulate DHP receptor mRNA and protein abundance, producing a corresponding change in functional Ca 2+ channels in adult ventricular myocytes.
Calcifying Subpopulation of Bovine Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells Is Responsive to 17β-Estradiol

Background Arterial calcification, common in atherosclerosis, is associated with an increased risk of clinical events such as myocardial infarction. We previously identified a subpopulation of bovine aortic medial cells, calcifying vascular cells (CVCs), that have osteoblastic characteristics and form bone mineral in vitro in the form of calcified nodules. To assess whether estrogen modulates arterial calcification as well as bone calcification, we tested CVCs for estrogen receptors and for the effect of 17β-estradiol on formation of calcified nodules, calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity, and osteocalcin concentration in the culture medium. Methods and Results Estrogen receptor immunoreactivity was identified in the cytoplasm and the perinuclear region of CVCs by immunocytochemistry. CVCs were treated with 17β-estradiol at concentrations of 0, 5, and 10 nmol/L. Twenty-one days of 17β-estradiol treatment resulted in a significantly increased number of calcified nodules, visualized by von Kossa staining, as well as increased calcium content of the cultures. Increases in alkaline phosphatase activity, a marker for early osteoblastic differentiation, and secreted osteocalcin, a marker for late osteoblastic differentiation, were enhanced in cells treated with 17β-estradiol compared with control cells. Conclusions These results suggest that 17β-estradiol promotes osteoblastic differentiation and calcification in vascular cells and that estrogen may play a regulatory role in arterial calcification.
Experimenter-bias effects on the simple motor task performance of low- and high-test anxious boys and girls.

12 9- to 10-yr.-old boys and girls at each of two levels of test anxiety were Ss in a marble-dropping task under social reinforcement. Ss were tested by female Es expecting either that boys would perform at a higher rate than girls or the reverse. The performance measures were the base rate of response (the number of marbles dropped during the first minute of the task) and a series of six difference scores reflecting changes in rate of response from the base-rate level. The general prediction was that Es would obtain data consistent with the expectations (bias) given them. The results were: (a) no bias effects in the data collected by Es biased to expect boys to perform at a higher rate than girls, (b) for Es biased toward girls, low test-anxious children were influenced by Es' expectations (E-bias effect), but the high test-anxious children were influenced by the social reinforcement in the situation (social reinforcement effect). The implications of experimental investigations of adult expectancy effect...
Endoscopic resection and ablation versus esophagectomy for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal adenocarcinoma.

Background Esophagectomy has been the traditional therapy for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal adenocarcinoma. New endoscopic approaches allow treatment of these lesions with esophageal preservation. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of endoscopic therapy with esophagectomy for high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal cancer. Methods A retrospective review was performed of all patients treated for high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal adenocarcinoma from 2001 to April 2010. Results Endoscopic therapy was performed in 40 patients (high-grade dysplasia = 22, intramucosal cancer = 18) and esophagectomy in 61 patients (high-grade dysplasia = 13, intramucosal cancer = 48). Endotherapy consisted of 102 endoscopic resections and 79 mucosal ablations (median 3 interventions per patient). In the endotherapy group, intramucosal cancer was completely resected in all patients. At last assessment, 10 patients have been converted to intestinal metaplasia without dysplasia and 21 to no residual intestinal metaplasia. Five patients have follow-up biopsy procedures pending after recent ablation, and esophagectomy was performed in 3 patients for failed endotherapy. A laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication has been performed in 8 patients after eradication of intestinal metaplasia. Esophagectomy resected the mucosal disease with negative margins in all patients. Compared with esophagectomy, endotherapy was associated with significantly lower morbidity (39% vs 0; P P = .0026). Conclusions Endoscopic therapy for high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal cancer has lower morbidity than an esophagectomy and similar survival during short-term follow-up, but required multiple procedures in most patients. Both therapies are appropriate options, but preservation of the esophagus allows the option of a fundoplication for reflux control, perhaps further improving long-term quality of life.
Symbiosis: Effects of a Mutualistic Fungus upon the Growth and Reproduction of Xyleborus ferrugineus

Xyleborus ferrugineus beetles developed from asymbiontic eggs through the adult stage on a sterilized meridic diet, but the resulting adults reproduced only when a mutualistic fungus was inoculated into the diet. Beetles with bacterial symbionts still required the fungus for reproduction on a second meridic diet.
Anti-windup design for internal model control

This paper considers linear control design for systems with input magnitude saturation. A general anti-windup scheme which optimizes nonlinear performance, applicable to MIMO systems, is developed. Several examples, including an ill-conditioned plant, show that the scheme provides graceful degradation of performance. The attractive features of this scheme are its simplicity and effectiveness.
The Complexities of Becoming Visible: Reflecting on the Stories of Women of Color as Social Work Educators

This article is part of a lifelong commitment to bring the experiences of women of color to the forefront of academic discussion. It is a reflection on the struggles, sustaining forces, and legacy passed on by women of color, who are social work educators to future generations of women. Framed by feminist theory and the theory of intersectionality, the narratives of 16 women of color are points of reflection. The findings of their narratives affirm multiple barriers and challenges, sustaining forces, and the legacy passed on by these pioneers to future generations. Implications for policy, practice, and research are also discussed.
Tubular carcinoma of the breast: results of a large contemporary series.

Abstract Background Tubular carcinoma (TC) of the breast is an uncommon subtype associated with a favorable prognosis. This study aimed to assess recent trends and prognostic features in the treatment of TC. Methods We performed a retrospective review of cases of TC of the breast treated between 1997 and 2004. Results We identified 111 cases of TC of the breast. The median patient age at diagnosis was 55 years, and the median follow-up period was 72 months. Breast-conservation surgery was performed in 75% (83 of 111) of patients. Axillary staging was performed in 80% (89 of 111). Nine (8.1%) were found to be node-positive. Node positivity was associated with larger tumor size ( P = .003). All node-positive tumors were greater than 1 cm. One patient developed an in-breast recurrence. No patient developed distant metastases or died from breast cancer. Conclusions In this series of TC, the locoregional recurrence rate was low and no patient developed distant metastases. Surgical staging of the axilla may not be necessary in lesions measuring 1 cm or less.
Subprojective lattices and projective geometry

Abstract The class of lattices we are interested in (subprojective lattices), can be gotten by taking the MacNeille completions of the class of complemented, modular, atomic lattices. McLaughlin showed that subprojective lattices can be represented as the lattices of W-closed subspaces of a vector space U in duality with a vector space W. In this paper, we give a characterization of subprojective lattices in terms of atoms and dual atoms, by means of an incidence space satisfying self-dual axioms. In the finite-dimensional case, a subprojective lattice is projective, and hence our self-dual axioms characterize finite-dimensional projective spaces in terms of points and hyperplanes. No numerical parameters appear explicitly in these axioms. For each subprojective lattice L with at least three elements, we define a projective envelope P (L) for it. P (L) is a projective lattice and there is a natural inf-preserving injection of L into P (L). This injection has other important properties which we take as the definition of a geometric map. In the course of studying geometric maps, we obtain a lattice theoretic proof of Mackey's result that the join of a U-closed subspace of V and a finite-dimensional subspace is U-closed, where (U, V) form a dual pair of vector spaces over a division ring. Furthermore, we show that if L is a subprojective lattice, P a projective lattice, and ψ: L → P a geometric map, then P is isomorphic to the projective envelope P (L) of L. The paper presents many other properties of subprojective lattices. It concludes with a characterization of subprojective lattices which are also projective.
Photoionization of Gas-Phase versus Ion-Beam-Desorbed Dopamine with Femtosecond Laser Pulses

We have investigated the photoionization of gas-phase and ion-beam desorbed dopamine using femtosecond laser pulses at wavelengths of 800, 400, 267, and 200 nm. Photoionization of gas-phase dopamin...
Histochemical and experimental studies of 5-hydroxytryptamine in pineal organs of teleosts (Salmo gairdneri and Atherinopsis californiensis).

Abstract Occurrence and localization of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in pineals of rainbow trout ( Salmo gairdneri ) and jacksmelt ( Atherinopsis californiensis ) were investigated by means of the fluorescence histochemical procedure perfected by Hillarp and Falck. All fish were kept in a 14-hr/day photoperiod and were experimentally injected and autopsied either during the night or during the day. Although little if any 5-HT-specific fluorescence was seen in control (saline-injected) fish pineals, others injected with either or both 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and iproniazid (a monoamine oxidase inhibitor) did show such fluorescence. Active uptake by the fish pineals of 5-HTP and synthesis of 5-HT appear likely. Differences in results according to time of treatment and autopsy were not detectable.
Removal of CaCO3 scales on a filter membrane using plasma discharge in water

Abstract In modern wastewater treatment, filters are routinely used for removing unwanted particles from water. The present study investigated if a pulsed spark discharge in water can be used to remove deposits from the filter membrane for its potential application in drinking and industrial water treatment. The test setup included a circulating water loop and a pulsed power system. The present experiments used artificially hardened water with hardness of 1000 mg/L of CaCO 3 made from a mixture of calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) and sodium carbonate (Na 2 CO 3 ) in order to produce calcium carbonate deposits on the filter membrane. Spark discharge in water was found to produce strong shockwaves in water, and the efficiency of the spark discharge in cleaning filter surface was evaluated by measuring the pressure drop across the filter over time. Results showed that the pressure drop could be reduced to the value corresponding to the initial clean state and after that the filter could be maintained at the initial state almost indefinitely, confirming the validity of the present concept of pulsed spark discharge in water to clean dirty filter.
HyCache+: towards scalable high-performance caching middleware for parallel file systems

The ever-growing gap between the computation and I/O is one of the fundamental challenges for future computing systems. This computation-I/O gap is even larger for modern large scale high-performance systems due to their state-of-the-art yet decades long architecture: the compute and storage resources form two cliques that are interconnected with shared networking infrastructure. This paper presents a distributed storage middleware, called HyCache+, right on the compute nodes, which allows I/O to effectively leverage the high bi-section bandwidth of the high-speed interconnect of massively parallel high-end computing systems. HyCache+ provides the POSIX interface to end users with the memory-class I/O throughput and latency, and transparently swap the cached data with the existing slow-speed but high-capacity networked attached storage. HyCache+ has the potential to achieve both high performance and low-cost large capacity, the best of both worlds. To further improve the caching performance from the perspective of the global storage system, we propose a 2-phase mechanism to cache the hot data for parallel applications, called 2-Layer Scheduling (2LS), which minimizes the file size to be transferred between compute nodes and heuristically replaces files in the cache. We deploy HyCache+ on the IBM BlueGene/P supercomputer, and observe two orders of magnitude faster I/O throughput than the default GPFS parallel file system. Furthermore, the proposed heuristic caching approach shows 29X speedup over the traditional LRU algorithm.
Analysis of Immunoparalysis

Severe sepsis has been classically thought to be caused by the body’s overexuberant inflammatory response to severe infection—a well-intentioned attempt to attack the infection that often has deleterious consequences. However, in recent years, a controversial new hypothesis has emerged that
Subclinical features in non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P): review of the evidence that subepithelial orbicularis oris muscle defects are part of an expanded phenotype for CL/P.

Structured Abstract Author – Marazita ML Objectives – Non-syndromic cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) is a common, complex birth defect with a wide phenotypic spectrum. This review summarizes the evidence that subepithelial (occult) defects of the superior orbicularis oris (OO) muscle represent the mildest form of the lip portion of CL/P. Experimental Design – The rate of OO defects was assessed via ultrasound in non-CL/P relatives of individuals with CL/P and compared with controls. Descriptive histology of OO muscles from cadavers was carried out. BMP4 was sequenced in non-CL/P individuals with OO defects vs. controls. Results – 1) Non-CL/P relatives of individuals with overt CL/P have a significantly increased frequency of OO defects compared with controls with no family history of CL/P; 2) Preliminary histological studies of cadaver OO muscles show a pattern of disorganized muscle fibers in an individual with OO discontinuities as seen on ultrasound compared with another individual with no OO defect. That is, the defects seen on ultrasound appear to have an anatomical basis; 3) Sequencing BMP4 found a significant increase in potentially damaging mutations in individuals with OO defects vs. controls. Conclusions – Taken together, these data provide significant support for the hypothesis that subepithelial OO muscle defects are a mild manifestation of the lip portion of the CL/P phenotype. Given that subepithelial OO muscle defects are relatively straightforward to identify via ultrasound, such defects show great promise for providing more accurate recurrence risk estimates to relatives in cleft families. Furthermore, inclusion of OO defects in the CL/P phenotypic spectrum should improve the power of genetic studies.
Defect classification of highly noisy NDE data using classifier ensembles

In this paper, we present a feature selection and classification approach that was used to assess highly noisy sensor data from a NDE field study. Multiple, heterogeneous NDT sensors were employed to examine the solid structure. The goal was to differentiate between two types of phenomena occurring in a solid structure where one phenomenon was benign, the other was malignant. Manual distinction between these two types is almost impossible. To address these issues, we used sensor validation techniques to select the best available sensor that had the least noise effects and the best defect signature in the region of interest. Hundreds of features were formulated and extracted from data of the selected sensors. Next, we employed separability measures and correlation measures to select the most promising set of features. Because the NDE sensors poorly described the different defect types under consideration, the resulting features also exhibited poor separability. The focus of this paper is on how one can improve the classification under these constraints while minimizing the risk of overfitting (the number of field data was small). Results are shown from a number of different classifiers and classifier ensembles that were tuned to a set true positive rate using the Neyman-Pearson criterion.
Smooth on-line learning algorithms for hidden Markov models

A simple learning algorithm for Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) is presented together with a number of variations. Unlike other classical algorithms such as the Baum-Welch algorithm, the algorithms described are smooth and can be used on-line (after each example presentation) or in batch mode, with or without the usual Viterbi most likely path approximation. The algorithms have simple expressions that result from using a normalized-exponential representation for the HMM parameters. All the algorithms presented are proved to be exact or approximate gradient optimization algorithms with respect to likelihood, log-likelihood, or cross-entropy functions, and as such are usually convergent. These algorithms can also be casted in the more general EM (Expectation-Maximization) framework where they can be viewed as exact or approximate GEM (Generalized Expectation-Maximization) algorithms. The mathematical properties of the algorithms are derived in the appendix.
Ageing of Neurospora crassa. III. Induction of cellular death and clonal senescence of an inositol-less mutant by inositol starvation and the protective effect of dietary antioxidants.

Abstract Clonal growth rate and cellular viability of an inositol-less mutant of Neurospora crassa decline rapidly during deprivation of dietary inositol. Dietary antioxidants, either nordihydroguaiaretic acid, vitamin E or 3,5-di- tert. -butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, protected cells and clones of the mutant from death and senescence. Membrane deterioration with associated lipid autoxidation and consequent deleterious free radical reactions appear to be, in part at least, the causes of the mutant's death and senescence.
Strong coupling in a microcavity LED.

The strong coupling limit of cavity QED is reached when matter inserted inside a microcavity exchanges energy with the resonant mode of the cavity more rapidly than the combined rate at which light leaves the cavity and the matter wave function loses its phase information [1,2]. In this limit, the microcavity and matter form a composite quantum system with two new eigenstates that are superpositions of the initial uncoupled states, with new eigenenergies separated in energy by the Rabi splitting. The matter component of the coupled system can be a gas of atoms trapped inside the cavity [3], a superconducting qubit [4], or a solid state thin film containing excitons, in the form of an inorganic quantum well [5], quantum dot [6,7], or organic material [8], in which case the superposition states are referred to as exciton polaritons. Applications of strong coupling in atomic and semiconductor systems have led to one-atom zero threshold lasers [9], high gain polariton parametric amplifiers [10], and predictions that strong coupling may play a key role in future quantum information processors [11]. These experiments have all relied on optical pumping. Here we demonstrate electrically pumped exciton-polariton emission, the first device in which strongly coupled states of light and matter are electrically excited. The matter component of our device is a 6 � 1n mthick film of J aggregated dye. The film consists of 4 bilayers [12] of the cationic polyelectrolyte PDAC (poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and J aggregates of the anionic cyanine dye TDBC (5,6-dichloro-2-[3-[5,6-dichloro-1-ethyl-3-(3-sulfopropyl)-2(3H)-benzimidazolidene]-1-propenyl]-1-ethyl-3-(3-sulfopropyl) benzimidazolium hydroxide, inner salt, sodium salt), molecular structures shown in Fig. 1(a). The J aggregates are crystallites of dye in which the transition dipoles of the constituent molecules strongly couple to form a collective narrow linewidth optical transition possessing oscillator strength derived from all the aggregated monomers [13]. The bilayer films contain a high density of J aggregated TDBC and therefore have a very large peak absorption
Efficiency of block error-correcting codes

Recently, a novel criterion for digital synchronous communication system efficiency estimation has been defined. Using this criterion in the letter we analyse the efficiency of block error-correcting codes.