cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract B75: Association of insurance status and age with stage at diagnosis among cervical cancer patients, National Cancer Database 2000–2007

Introduction: Late stage cervical cancer at diagnosis is associated with greater morbidity and mortality and higher treatment costs. Few studies have examined the association between insurance status and cervical cancer stage at diagnosis. Existing studies have been either state-specific or limited to elderly Medicare recipients. This study aims to examine the relationship between patient characteristics, with a particular focus on age at diagnosis and insurance status, and stage in a large number of cervical cancer patients aged 21–85 in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: Women diagnosed with their first primary invasive cervical cancer between 2000 and 2007 were selected from the NCDB. We evaluated the association between late stage (stage III/IV) and insurance and age while adjusting for race/ethnicity and other socio-demographic and clinical factors. Multivariate log binomial models were used to estimate risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), respectively. Results: Among the 69,739 evaluable patients, the rate of late stage disease increased from 16.53% in 21–34 year olds to 42.44% in women ≥70. The adjusted risk of advanced stage of disease among women 50 years and older was 2.2 to 2.5 times that of patients aged 21–34. Uninsured (RR=1.44, 95% CI 1.40–1.49), Medicaid (RR=1.37, 95% CI 1.34–1.41), Younger Medicare (RR=1.12, 95% CI 1.06–1.19), and Older Medicare (RR=1.20, 95% CI 1.15–1.26) patients had a higher risk of late stage disease compared to privately insured patients. African Americans (RR=1.05, 95%CI 1.02–1.08) had slightly higher risks of advanced stage disease while Hispanics (RR=0.86, 95%CI 0.83–0.89) and other race/ethnicities (RR=0.88, 95%CI 0.84–0.92) had a lower risks compared to whites. Conclusion: In a large national sample of women diagnosed with cervical cancer, the strongest predictor of late stage at diagnosis was age. Patients without private insurance were also more likely to be diagnosed at later stages, particularly uninsured and Medicaid insured patients. Screening should be encouraged for those women for whom it is recommended, especially those at higher risk of advanced stage disease. Consideration of these findings in developing future guidelines for cervical cancer screening among older women is recommended. Citation Information: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2011;20(10 Suppl):B75.
ZVS condition predicting sensor for class E amplifier

A method that predicts the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) condition is presented for the class E amplifier operating at any duty ratio. The prediction is obtained in real-time by observing the switch and shunt capacitor current waveforms with a simple analog-digital circuit. Using this method, a control and/or protection circuit that ensures the ZVS operation may become feasible. Simulation and experimental results showed that the proposed ZVS prediction circuit worked properly.
Kuhn on architectural style

By any measure Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions is a landmark in recent influential ideas. The very term ‘paradigm shift’, now common parlance, derives from this 1962 work. Structure redirected its own domain, the philosophy of science, from a logical positivist orientation in its evaluation of scientific progress to one that accommodates a complex mix of sociological, linguistic and psychological factors. Perhaps because of this interdisciplinary inclusiveness, Kuhn's insights have informed theory in many disciplines. A survey of the recent literature includes works in anthropology, comparative literature, criminal justice, art history, education and feminist studies.
Disulfide bond formation contributes to herpes simplex virus capsid stability and retention of pentons

Disulfide bonds reportedly stabilize the capsids of several viruses, including papillomavirus, polyomavirus, and simian virus 40, and have been detected in herpes simplex virus (HSV) capsids. In this study, we show that in mature HSV-1 virions, capsid proteins VP5, VP23, VP19C, UL17, and UL25 participate in covalent cross-links, and that these are susceptible to dithiothreitol (DTT). In addition, several tegument proteins were found in high-molecular-weight complexes, including VP22, UL36, and UL37. Cross-linked capsid complexes can be detected in virions isolated in the presence and absence of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), a chemical that reacts irreversibly with free cysteines to block disulfide formation. Intracellular capsids isolated in the absence of NEM contain disulfide cross-linked species; however, intracellular capsids isolated from cells pretreated with NEM did not. Thus, the free cysteines in intracellular capsids appear to be positioned such that disulfide bond formation can occur readily if they are exposed to an oxidizing environment. These results indicate that disulfide cross-links are normally present in extracellular virions but not in intracellular capsids. Interestingly, intracellular capsids isolated in the presence of NEM are unstable; B and C capsids are converted to a novel form that resembles A capsids, indicating that scaffold and DNA are lost. Furthermore, these capsids also have lost pentons and peripentonal triplexes as visualized by cryoelectron microscopy. These data indicate that capsid stability, and especially the retention of pentons, is regulated by the formation of disulfide bonds in the capsid.
Characterization of Coherent Si1−xGex Island Superlattices on (100) Si

We examine the nanostructural properties of Si/Si1−xGex island superlattices with 0.37 < x < 0.56 grown at 620-640 °C by molecular beam epitaxy. Analytical transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows that during growth Ge atoms migrate towards the center of the large islands to maintain epitaxial growth and that the most regular structures are obtained at higher Ge composition when the built-in strain is also higher. High-resolution x-ray reciprocal space mapping shows that these heterostructures remain pseudomorphic and that the undulations are aligned along [010] directions and exhibit a long-range coherence and vertical correlation as revealed by the presence of strong satellites in a wave vector direction parallel to the surface. Raman spectra of these samples exhibit the usual Ge-Ge, Si-Ge and Si-Si vibrational modes. When compared with planar Si/Si1−xGex superlattices the Ge-Ge and Si-Ge Raman peaks are shifted to lower frequencies indicating an average alloy composition that is approximately x = 0.1 less than the nominal values, which is in general agreement with analytical TEM.
Molecular characterization of uterine fibroids and its implication for underlying mechanisms of pathogenesis

Objective To identify genes involved in fibroid development by performing global expression profiling on tissues of normal myometrium and uterine leiomyoma origin using Affymetrix HG-U133A GeneChip ® microarrays. Design Whole-genome analysis of mRNA levels in leiomyoma and normal myometrium tissue samples. Setting University research laboratory. Patient(s) Eight patients of varying age and race undergoing surgery for symptomatic fibroids. Intervention(s) After tissue collection of five tumors and five normals from human pathological specimens, labeled cRNA was generated and hybridized to the oligonucleotide-composed arrays. Main outcome measure(s) Quantification of transcript expression levels in uterine fibroids relative to normal myometrium. Result(s) Model-based expression analysis revealed that of the 22,500 transcripts represented on the arrays, 226 genes were found to be dysregulated by a ≥1.5-fold change between leiomyoma and normal myometrium. Moreover, our research identified many dysregulated apoptosis-related genes, of particular interest was TRAIL and Ask1, and also found numerous differentially expressed proliferation genes, including TGFB1, PDGFC, and two dual specificity phosphatases. Conclusion(s) These results indicate that these genes may play a significant role in the development of leiomyomas from normal uterine tissue. We hypothesize that the deregulation of apoptotic and proliferative processes is pivotal to fibroid development.
A high-accuracy CMOS oversampling current sample/hold (S/H) circuit using feedforward approach

This paper presents a CMOS oversampling current sample/hold (S/H) circuit using a feedforward approach. The circuit is comprised of a switched-current integrator, a gain stage, and a current copier. The feedforward approach reduces the output swing of the integrator significantly, thus improving the stability and accuracy of the S/H circuit. The high accuracy is obtained with only one-order integration and a low oversampling ratio. Results show that the circuit can reach 60 dB signal-to-distortion (SDR) ratio with a signal bandwidth of 2 MHz, where the SCAN20 2 /spl mu/m CMOS process and a 3.3 supply voltage are used.
Analyses of urban landscape dynamics using multi-temporal satellite images: A comparison of two petroleum-oriented cities

Rapid urbanization, as a result of population growth and migration from rural to urban, has been recognized as a critical process in urban areas. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal landscape dynamics using multi-temporal satellite images in two petroleum-based cities: Houston, Texas in the United States and Daqing, Heilongjiang province in China. Both cities expanded rapidly on the basis of the petroleum industries during the last 50 years; however, under different socio-political contexts. Comparing the landscape pattern and dynamics in these two cities, we can identify how the urbanization in these two petroleum-based cities affects the landscape pattern, especially in the natural landscapes. A set of landscape indices with supplementary ecological meanings was chosen to facilitate our analyses of spatial dynamics over a span of 20 years. On the basis of the derived indices, a general trend of landscape change was revealed in these two cities: natural landscapes such as grassland and wetland were degraded or fragmented into a more heterogeneous pattern, while the human landscapes such as residential area expanded greatly by replacing other natural classes.
Intracellular Transport of Varicella-Zoster Glycoproteins

Previous observations have established that varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is enveloped in the trans-Golgi network (TGN) in cultures infected with VZV and that the glycoprotein gE is targeted to the TGN by a signal sequence (AYRV) and an acidic TGN signal patch in its cytosolic domain. Neither sequence is present in other VZV glycoproteins. Like gE, gI was targeted to the TGN when it was expressed in transfected cells, suggesting that gI also contains TGN targeting information (colocalized with gE and the AP-1 adaptin complex). In contrast, gB, gC, gH, and gL immunoreactivities were not detected in the TGN when they were expressed individually in transfected cells. In VZV-infected cells, gE, gI, gH, and gL were all concentrated in the TGN. Since VZV glycoproteins that lack targeting sequences (gB, gC, gH, and gL) concentrated in the TGN of infected cells, it is proposed that gE and gI, which have such sequences, serve as navigator glycoproteins, forming complexes that direct the signal-deficient glycoproteins to the TGN.
Sorting of differentiated neurons using Phototransistor-based optoelectronic tweezers for cell replacement therapy of neurodegenerative diseases

A major challenge in cell replacement therapy for neurological diseases is the sorting of differentiated neurons because conventional cell sorting techniques require cells in suspension. Recently, spherical glass beads have been demonstrated as a movable growth substrate, allowing transport of differentiated neurons without dissociation. Phototransistor-based optoelectronic tweezers provides a gentle mean to optically manipulate cells. By combining these two approaches, we demonstrated fluorescent-activated automatic sorting of differentiated neurons. We envision employing this cell sorting system for cell replacement therapy to treat neurodegenerative diseases and other nerve injuries.
An anti-platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 antibody inhibits leukocyte extravasation from mesenteric microvessels in vivo by blocking the passage through the basement membrane

Platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1, CD31) plays an active role in the process of leukocyte migration through cultured endothelial cells in vitro and anti-PECAM-1 antibodies (Abs) inhibit accumulation of leukocytes into sites of inflammation in vivo. Despite the latter, it is still not clear at which stage of leukocyte emigration in vivo PECAM-1 is involved. To address this point directly, we studied the effect of an anti-PECAM-1 Ab, recognizing rat PECAM-1, on leukocyte responses within rat mesenteric microvessels using intravital microscopy. In mesenteric preparations activated by interleukin (IL)-1 beta, the anti-PECAM-1 Ab had no significant effect on the rolling or adhesion of leukocytes, but inhibited their migration into the surrounding extravascular tissue in a dose-dependent manner. Although in some vessel segments these leukocytes had come to a halt within the vascular lumen, often the leukocytes appeared to be trapped within the vessel wall. Analysis of these sections by electron microscopy revealed that the leukocytes had passed through endothelial cell junctions but not the basement membrane. In contrast to the effect of the Ab in mesenteric preparations treated with IL-1 beta, leukocyte extravasation induced by topical or intraperitoneal administration of the chemotactic peptide formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was not inhibited by the anti-PECAM-1 Ab. These results directly demonstrate a role for PECAM-1 in leukocyte extravasation in vivo and indicate that this involvement is selective for leukocyte extravasation elicited by certain inflammatory mediators. Further, our findings provide the first in vivo indication that PECAM-1 may have an important role in triggering the passage of leukocytes through the perivascular basement membrane.
Molecular and Antigenic Architecture of the Antiphagocytic Group A Streptococcal M Protein

The ability of the group A streptococcus to cause human infection is primarily attributable to the M protein, a molecule located on the surface of the cell wall. This protein enables the organism to resist phagocytic attack by human neutrophils, thus allowing the streptococcus to persist in the infected tissue until such time as antibodies are produced against the M molecule (1). Because type-specific antibodies to the M protein lead to the effective clearance of the invading streptococcus, the ability of the organism to vary the antigenic structure of the M molecule has probably been responsible for the survival of the streptococcus in nature (1,2). Lancefield showed that, though delayed in their appearance, once formed, type-specific opsonic antibodies persist in the host for more than 30 years (2). To date, more than 80 se- rologically distinct M molecules have been identified in addition to a large number of clinical isolates for which typing sera are not yet available ((3), WHO meeting, Tokyo, Japan 1985).
The Centenary of GENETICS: Bridges to the Future.

One hundred years ago, in the first paper in the first edition of GENETICS , Calvin Blackman Bridges provided evidence for the chromosome theory of inheritance, laying the groundwork for much of the genetics research that has followed ([Bridges 1916][1]). As we discuss a paper that is arguably a
Age prediction in face images

The ageing factor is very significant in face images. As shown in Figure 13.1, the facial appearance changes a lot with the person's ageing process. The facial appearance changes could be used to characterize the ages of an individual for the purpose of age prediction. Actually, humans have the capability to perceive the ages of other people by looking at their faces. So, age perception from faces is quite natural for people.
Enacting a Reform-Based Science Curriculum: Design Changes to Extend Inquiry

The first author re-entered the middle grades classroom to teach a new National Science Foundation (NSF) physical science curriculum that was designed to foster conceptual change through a scientific approach. The curriculum design met the need and call for reform in science education through its focus on inquiry, evidence-based reasoning, peer collaboration, and deeper understanding of important concepts in a science discipline. Lessons followed a learning cycle of activities for knowledge construction. As a self-study, the first author as teacher sought to learn about his beliefs and abilities in practice while enacting and adjusting the curriculum design. The second author helped in this reflective practice through visiting the first author’s classroom for periodic observations, interviews, and discussions about the implementation of this curriculum. Four videotaped lessons and instructional artifacts demonstrate that the teacher enacted the curriculum with high fidelity to its prescribed inquiries and learning cycle format with only minor changes. Instructional design modifications were made in practice to assist lower achieving students meet its high academic challenge of analytical thinking. The merits of the prescribed curriculum for promoting deductive scientific thinking are detailed alongside instructional design decisions emanating from the curriculums’ academic rigor and limitations in connecting to adolescent interest and choice. This case details one example of a teacher who intended to faithfully implement a reform-based science curriculum , realizing along the way, that design changes were warranted to meet the educative and emotional needs of students in a particular context.
Sweetgrass Utopia in the Southeast: Little St. Simons Island

As a horticulturist, the best way to learn about the cultural needs of a plant is to observe the plant growing in its natural habitat. Off the coast of St. Simons Island, Georgia, lies the small private island named Little St. Simons Island (LSSI) (Fig. 6.1). LSSI is secluded, serene, and filled with native flora and fauna and covers approximately 10,000 acres of rich tidal creeks, marshes, shrub land, maritime forest, and seven untouched miles of beaches.
Correlation between chemical constitution and capillary activity of adrenalocortical hormones.

Summary1. To be able to increase capillary resistance a steroid must possess the same chemical structural prerequisites as required for anti-inflammatory properties. 2. Alterations in cortisone molecule which potentiate its anti-inflammatory activity also increase capillary activity. 3. It seems that capillary activity, as measured by the capillary resistance test, is intimately related with the mechanism involved in the anti-inflammatory effect. 4. Capillary resistance test on adrenalectomized rat is proposed as a new bio-assay method for the demonstration of the anti-inflammatory activity of corticoids.For compounds investigated we are indebted to the research departments of the following firms: Ciba Pharmaceutical Products, Merck and Co., Parke, Davis and Co., Sharp and Dohme, Schering Corp., and E. R. Squibb and Sons.
Rapid Agglutination Test for Infectious Abortion in Cattle

In removing Brucella abortus from agar mediums for the production of rapid-test antigen, there is always some danger of incorporating foreign materials, such as agar and peptone, in the bacterial suspension. The bacterial suspension undoubtedly contains some elements of the medium when the method of soaking the bacteria loose is used. The supernatant saline solution from such a suspension is much darker than a suspension prepared by rapidly loosening the bacteria with a blunt instrument using small amounts of saline solution. The concentrated suspensions of bacteria are filtered through thin layers of cotton to remove the larger particles of foreign material. Subsequently the bacteria are completely sedimented to estimate and adjust the bacterial concentration of the suspension by the volumetric method. Huddleson 1 advised the use of the supernatant fluid to resuspend the bacteria. He said:
The Aftermath of Romantic Betrayal: What’s Love Got to Do with It?

Approaches to love were explored to determine links to psychological experiences after romantic betrayal. Results indicated that the mania (obsessive) love style predicted post-betrayal trauma reactions, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms, whereas other styles were unrelated to these post-betrayal reactions. Weaker effects also were observed in which the mania style was related to post-betrayal anxiety and embarrassment, as well as low levels of psychological resolution for the betrayal across time among those who were no longer involved with their betrayers.
Regulation of phosphatidic acid biosynthetic enzymes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Phosphatidic acid is the biosynthetic precursor of all glycerolipids. To understand how phosphatidic acid biosynthesis is controlled in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we studied the regulation of three enzyme activities involved in the synthesis of this glycerolipid precursor, i.e., glycerophosphate acyltransferase (GPAT), dihydroxyacetone phosphate acyltransferase (DHAPAT), and acyl DHAP reductase. GPAT activity was increased 3-fold, while DHAPAT activity was increased up to 9-fold in wild type cells grown in a nonfermentable carbon source compared to that of glucose-grown cells. The ratio of GPAT/DHAPAT activity was 12 in glucose-grown cells but only 4 in cells grown in glycerol/ethanol. In the previously characterized tpa1 mutant, (T. S. Tillman and R. M. Bell. 1986. J. Biol. Chem. 261: 9144-9149), GPAT was decreased 2-fold and DHAPAT 27-fold compared to activities in the wild type. Acyl DHAP reductase activity in both wild type and tpa1 cells grown on a nonfermentable carbon source was increased approximately 2-fold over that of glucose-grown cells. All three enzymatic activities increased as wild type cells grown on glucose entered the stationary phase of growth. Therefore, GPAT, DHAPAT, and acyl DHAP reductase activities appear to be regulated by the respiratory state of the cell. None of the activities was affected to a great extent by inositol, which is a key regulator of many enzymes involved in the synthesis of PtdOH-derived phospholipids in S. cerevisiae, nor by deletion of the mitochondrial genome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Epidemic of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Mianyang

Objective To investigate the epidemic situation and features of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Mianyang, so as to provide reference for timely adjustment of tuberculosis control strategies. Methods The data of 364 suspected patients with drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in our center during 2012-2013 were collected. Statistical analysis was made by Excel 2003 and SPSS17.0 software. Results The drug-resistance rates in male and female patients were 25.09%(72/287) and 29.87%(23/77) respectively,and the difference between them was not significant(P=0.396). Patients aged 45-83 years old accounted for the majority in patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis(47.37%, 45/95). Patients with 25-44 years old had the highest drug-resistance rates [the resistance rate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to more than one antituberculosis drug not including isoniazid and rifampicin was 4.55%(6/132), and that to antituberculosis drugs at least including isoniazid and rifampicin was 19.70%(26/132)]. The drug-resistance rate of retreated patients[50.88%(29/57) of total drug-resistance rate] was significantly higher than that of na觙ve patients [21.50%(66/307) of total drug-resistance rate]. Sputum smear results showed that the resistance rate of sputum smear-positive patients was 26.58%(80/301), that of sputum smear-negative patients was 23.81%(15/63), and the different between them was not significant(P0.05). The total resistance rate to6 traditional antituberculosis drugs including isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, streptomycin, ofloxacin and kanamycin was 26.10%(95/364), that to the 6 antituberculosis drugs at least including isoniazid and rifampicin was 14.56%(53/364), and extensively drug-resistance rate was 0.82%(3/364). Conclusions The total drug-resistance rate of tuberculosis patients in Mianyang is high, and that of the tuberculosis patients aged 25-44 years old is the highest. The resistance rate of retreated patients is significantly higher than that of na觙ve patients. Tuberculosis patients with drug resistance to isoniazid and rifampicin account for the majority, and most patients are resistant to no more than 3 antituberculosis drugs simultaneously. There is a high occurrence rate of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis(resistant to the antituberculosis drugs at least including isoniazid and rifampicin).
Vitamin B 12.

In spite of the considerable progress made in recent years toward the understanding of the chemistry and biological function of the cobalt-containing B(12) group of compounds, much of the information still is more descriptive than definitive in nature. In general terms, it is known that the free vitamin forms can function as methyl group carriers and that the 5'-deoxyadenosyl or coenzyme forms serve as hydrogen carriers; but the mechanism of these processes is not understood in detail. More systematic studies of the pure chemistry of these complex molecules containing a carbon-cobalt covalent bond are needed before the biochemist can interpret many of his observations on the enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Even in relatively simple solutions it is difficult to ascertain the state of oxidation of several of the vitamin forms, and these problems are compounded when the reactive thiol compounds and complex proteins of the biological systems also are present. For example, both vitamin B(12r) (the Co(2+) form) and corresponding analogs are known to disproportionate in solution to B(12s) (Co(1+)) and B(12a) (Co(3+)) under a variety of mild conditions (12, 57). This means that in the biological systems it is exceedingly difficult to ascertain the chemical nature of many B(12) intermediates and reaction products. The role of the protein moiety of the various B(12)-linked enzymes in the catalytic processes is little known as is, also, the mode of binding of the B(12) derivative to the protein. These types of questions perhaps can be answered eventually by the crystallographers, whose art is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Note added after preparation of manuscript. In contrast to the values given in Table 4 for the molecular weights of the two dissimilar protein moieties of glycerol dehydrase, a recent report (57a), gives a value of 188,000 for the molecular weight of a stable, catalytically inactive complex of 1 mole of hydroxocobalamin and 1 mole of the apoenzyme complex of glycerol dehydrase. The latter is presumed to contain one equivalent of each of the two dissimilar protein subunits. The original estimate of 240,000 as the molecular weight of the unstable sulfhydryl protein moiety (39) was undoubtedly made on partially aggregated material.
DefDroid: Towards a More Defensive Mobile OS Against Disruptive App Behavior

The mobile app market is enjoying an explosive growth. Many people, including teenagers, set about developing mobile apps. Unfortunately, due to developers' inexperience and the unique mobile programming paradigms, a growing number of immature apps are released to users. Despite having useful functionalities, these apps exhibit disruptive behaviors that are inconsiderate to the mobile system as a whole, e.g.,, retrying network connections too aggressively, waking up the device too frequently, or holding resources for unnecessarily long. These behaviors adversely affect other apps running on the same device and frustrate users with battery drain, excessive cellular data consumption, storage overuse, etc. In this paper, we investigate Disruptive App Behavior (DAB) with a study on 287 real-world DAB issues. Guided by the study, we present DefDroid, a mobile OS designed to protect users from the negative impact of DAB at runtime. DefDroid monitors important app activities and tries to adjust app behaviors using fine-grained actions (e.g., enforce back-off to continuous retries, decrease aggressive timer frequency) without breaking app main functionality. Our experiments show that DefDroid effectively curbs 125 real-world DAB cases with small overhead and marginal impact to the usability of both the misbehaving apps and normal apps. During a small-scale user trial, DefDroid also found 6 new DAB issues. We further deployed DefDroid to 185 real users through the PhoneLab testbed for 43 days and found DAB issues from at least 57 apps.
Exploring the role of culture in online searching behavior from cultural cognitive perspective: case study of American, Chinese and Iranian graduate students

The purpose of this study is to identify if cultural differences affect information-searching behavior of users on Google with the use of eye tracking and mouse tracking technologies. According to the theory of cultural cognition, culture has a significant impact on how we organize our thoughts and our relationships, how we perceive the world, and how we decide to behave and act. In this study, I aim to investigate if the theory of cultural cognition is applicable to the users’ online information searching behavior. While the latest quantitative results of this pilot study on American, Chinese and Iranian graduate students showed differences in the search techniques employed by the cultural groups, the Mixed Effect analysis of fixation durations did not reveal significant differences in attention during the course of scanning the search result page on Google. Further analysis will be done and the latest findings will be presented at the conference.
Bedside Skills: A 50-Year Personal Retrospective

Medicine bears a long tradition of detailed medical history and physical examination. These standard techniques are now being shunned in favor of an emphasis on laboratory studies. Yet there should be no contest. The clinician needs both bedside skills and appropriately selected laboratory testing. High-touch and high-tech medicine are not incompatible. When the physician uses them together, he or she is less likely to be misled.
Optimization Research on Ampacity of Underground High Voltage Cable Based on Interior Point Method

The conservative operation method which takes unified current-carrying capacity as maximum load current can't make full use of the overall power transmission capacity of the cable. It's not the optimal operation state for the cable cluster. In order to improve the transmission capacity of underground cables in cluster, this paper regards the maximum overall load current as the objective function and the temperature of any cables lower than maximum permissible temperature as constraint condition. The interior point method which is very effective for nonlinear problem is put forward to solve the extreme value of the problem and determine the optimal operating current of each loop. The results show that the optimal solutions obtained with the purposed method is able to increase the total load current about 5%. It greatly improves the economic performance of the cable cluster.
A Network Tomography Approach for Traffic Monitoring in Smart Cities

Traffic monitoring is a key enabler for several planning and management activities of a Smart City. However, traditional techniques are often not cost efficient, flexible, and scalable. This paper proposes an approach to traffic monitoring that does not rely on probe vehicles, nor requires vehicle localization through GPS. Conversely, it exploits just a limited number of cameras placed at road intersections to measure car end-to-end traveling times. We model the problem within the theoretical framework of network tomography, in order to infer the traveling times of all individual road segments in the road network. We specifically deal with the potential presence of noisy measurements, and the unpredictability of vehicles paths. Moreover, we address the issue of optimally placing the monitoring cameras in order to maximize coverage, while minimizing the inference error, and the overall cost. We provide extensive experimental assessment on the topology of downtown San Francisco, CA, USA, using real measurements obtained through the Google Maps APIs, and on realistic synthetic networks. Our approach provides a very low error in estimating the traveling times over 95% of all roads even when as few as 20% of road intersections are equipped with cameras.
Sparse Recovery from Inaccurate Saturated Measurements

This article studies a variation of the standard compressive sensing problem, in which sparse vectors $\mathbf{x}\in\mathbb{R}^{N}$ are acquired through inaccurate saturated measurements $\mathbf{y}= \mathcal{S}(\mathbf {A}\mathbf{x}+ \mathbf{e}) \in\mathbb{R}^{m}$ , $m \ll N$ . The saturation function $\mathcal{S}$ acts componentwise by sending entries that are large in absolute value to plus-or-minus a threshold while keeping the other entries unchanged. The present study focuses on the effect of the presaturation error $\mathbf{e}\in\mathbb{R}^{m}$ . The existing theory for accurate saturated measurements, i.e., the case $\mathbf{e}= \mathbf{0}$ , which exhibits two regimes depending on the magnitude of $\mathbf{x}\in\mathbb {R}^{N}$ , is extended here. A recovery procedure based on convex optimization is proposed and shown to be robust to presaturation error in both regimes. Another procedure ignoring the presaturation error is also analyzed and shown to be robust in the small magnitude regime.
Prognostic Indicators in CLL: Clinical, Cytogenetics, Novel Mutations, MicroRNAs, Hierarchal Classification

CLL is an indolent leukemia with median survival of years. Individual prognosis, however, is extremely variable. In some patients it runs an indolent course without affecting their life span, while in others the disease has an aggressive behavior with survival of less than 2–3 years. What changes its biology, and what are the prognostic factors that can help in planning treatment options? Several markers have been suggested such as the Rai and Binet staging systems which remain valid till today along with other indicators such as serologic markers, such as Beta 2-microglobulin, and thymidine kinase and cell surface receptors such as CD38 and ZAP-70. Cytogenetics, the most robust markers, are discussed with individual attention to each chromosomal aberration in chromosomes 11, 12, 13, and 17. Novel mutations such as NOTCH1, SF3B1, TP53, ATM, and MYD88 are discussed. There is huge literature on MicroRNAs (MiRs) in CLL; however only a limited have panned out significant. The genetics and clinical markers are comprehensively discussed. Finally hierarchal classification systems delineated by Dohner, Rossi, and Delgado are addressed in this chapter. This chapter is relevant in day-to-day practice.
Tests of contrasting expressive content between first and second musical themes

Since the eighteenth century, music theorists have noted the tendency for Western art-music works to contain themes exhibiting contrasting expressive content. In music exhibiting two main themes, t...
Non-Abelian Symplectic Cuts and the Geometric Quantization of Noncompact Manifolds

Let (M, ω) be a Hamiltonian U(n)-space with proper moment map. In the case where n = 1, Lerman constructed a one-parameter family of Hamiltonian U(1)-spaces M ξ called the symplectic cuts of M. We generalize this construction to Hamiltonian U(n) spaces. Motivated by recent theorems that show that 'quantization commutes with reduction,' we next give a definition of geometric quantization for noncompact Hamiltonian G-spaces with proper moment map, and use our cutting technique to illustrate the proof of existence of such quantizations in the case of U(n) spaces. We then show (Theorem 1) that such quantizations exist in general.
Enzymatic synthesis of 2'-deoxynucleoside diphosphates and triphosphates

2'-Deoxynucleoside diphosphates and triphosphates were synthesized from 2'-deoxy-nucleoside monophosphates by using nucleoside monophosphate kinase and nucleoside diphosphate kinase enzymes. This biocatalytic procedure is superior to chemical methods for obtaining these compounds and can be extended to other applications. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998
Psychogenic Influences Associated with Allergic Disorders

Most discussions of functional respiratory disorders that come to the attention of allergists are centered on the vocal cords and the lower respiratory tract such as related to asthma. Little clinical attention has been focused on functional issues related to the upper airway and specifically those associated with rhinitis conditions. In addition, the evaluation of food allergy frequently is complicated by functional issues. It is therefore important for clinicians to become aware of clinical nuances related to psychological influences that can complicate proper diagnosis and management of these conditions. Familiarity with the differential diagnosis of allergic, non-allergic, and vasomotor rhinitis is important in order to make an accurate diagnosis of these respective clinical entities. Psychogenic sneezing is an example of a common psychologically triggered symptom that mimics an allergic reaction. Other diseases such as fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivity, and chronic fatigue syndrome can present with rhinitis and also are associated with psychological influences. Understanding the etiology of food allergies may not only be life saving but also directs the proper management of the disease state and ultimate resolution of symptoms in some cases. In this context, quality of life and psychological burden of patients with food allergies should be considered, including the effects of psychological conditioning on propagating psychogenic food allergies.
Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase of Cat

Domestic cat (Felis domesticus) pituitary cDNA and leukocyte genomic DNA were amplified by PCR and sequenced for the protein coding regions of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). ~2 kb of BCHE cDNA and ~4 kb of the ACHE gene with introns were sequenced. Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) pituitary cDNA was sequenced for BCHE. Cat and human comparison showed amino acid identities of 94% (AChE) and 88% (BChE). Inhibition assays with specific AChE or BChE inhibitors (BW284C51, edrophonium, ethopropazine, bambuterol, iso-OMPA, dibucaine and Ro 2-0683) showed that cat plasma Cholinesterase activity was 60% BChE and 40% AChE and tiger plasma Cholinesterase activity was 77% BChE and 23% AChE. Gel electrophoresis with selective staining and inhibitor treatment identified AChE, BChE, paraoxonase, and carboxyleserase in cat and tiger plasma. A monomer of AChE was identified in human serum. An alu repeat containing a guanosine/adenine polymorphism [allelic frequency 0.62 (guanidine) and 0.38 (adenosine)] was found in human ACHE intron 3.
A CASE STUDY OF EELEARNING Using Technology to Create and Facilitate Experiential Learning

This study used a case study methodology to document an example of how technology was used to engage students in an experiential eLeaming (eeLeaming) process in order to enhance student learning, student engagement, course relevance, and interaction in an undergraduate course delivered online. While online course delivery has become an accepted and common practice over the past years, creating experiential eeLeaming requires unique strategies and approaches. Using computer programs that encourage creativity and experiential learning can facilitate the learning process.
Ascorbate attenuates red light mediated vasodilation: Potential role of S-nitrosothiols.

Abstract There is significant therapeutic advantage of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) independent nitric oxide (NO) production in maladies where endothelium, and thereby NOS, is dysfunctional. Electromagnetic radiation in the red and near infrared region has been shown to stimulate NOS-independent but NO-dependent vasodilation, and thereby has significant therapeutic potential. We have recently shown that red light induces acute vasodilatation in the pre-constricted murine facial artery via the release of an endothelium derived substance. In this study we have investigated the mechanism of vasodilatation and conclude that 670 nm light stimulates vasodilator release from an endothelial store, and that this vasodilator has the characteristics of an S-nitrosothiol (RSNO). This study shows that 670 nm irradiation can be used as a targeted and non-invasive means to release biologically relevant amounts of vasodilator from endothelial stores. This raises the possibility that these stores can be pharmacologically built-up in pathological situations to improve the efficacy of red light treatment. This strategy may overcome eNOS dysfunction in peripheral vascular pathologies for the improvement of vascular health.
Incidence of treatment effect and characteristic MRI findings in immunotherapy-treated melanoma patients with brain metastases receiving stereotactic radiosurgery.

2066Background: Melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) treated with stereotactic radiosurgery or stereotactic body radiation therapy (SRS/SBRT) and immunotherapy may have higher rates of treatment-related...
Is the most representative skunk the average or the stinkiest? Developmental changes in representations of biological categories.

Abstract People often think of categories in terms of their most representative examples (e.g., robin for BIRD). Thus, determining which exemplars are most representative is a fundamental cognitive process that shapes how people use concepts to navigate the world. The present studies (N = 669; ages 5 years – adulthood) revealed developmental change in this important component of cognition. Studies 1–2 found that young children view exemplars with extreme values of characteristic features (e.g., the very fastest cheetah) as most representative of familiar biological categories; the tendency to view average exemplars in this manner (e.g., the average-speeded cheetah) emerged slowly across age. Study 3 examined the mechanisms underlying these judgments, and found that participants of all ages viewed extreme exemplars as representative of novel animal categories when they learned that the variable features fulfilled category-specific adaptive needs, but not otherwise. Implications for developmental changes in conceptual structure and biological reasoning are discussed.
The Role of Surgical Resection Versus Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Management of Brain Metastases

Abstract Brain metastases commonly arise in cancer patients and carry a poor prognosis. Both surgical resection and highly focused radiation techniques such as stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) aim to improve clinical outcomes by controlling brain metastases at the local site. Determining which patient will benefit the most from surgical resection and/or SRS depends on that patient's clinical and tumor features. This chapter will discuss the landmark studies demonstrating the efficacy of surgical resection and SRS in the management of brain metastases as well as data attempting to compare the two modalities. Important considerations for deciding when to implement surgery and/or SRS will also be covered.
Antidepressants for Preventive Treatment of Migraine

This review describes the pharmacology of each antidepressant class as it applies to migraine prevention, summarizes the evidence base for each medication, and describes relevant side effects and clinical considerations. Use of antidepressants for migraine prevention in clinical practice is also discussed. Antidepressants are commonly used as migraine preventives. Amitriptyline has the best evidence for use in migraine prevention. Nortriptyline is an alternative in patients who may not tolerate amitriptyline. The sedating effect of TCAs can be beneficial for patients with comorbid insomnia. SNRIs including venlafaxine and duloxetine also have evidence for efficacy and may be the most effective treatments in patients with comorbid depression and migraine. SSRIs including fluoxetine are not effective for most patients. The side effect burden of antidepressants can be substantial. Patients should be particularly counseled about the possibility of a withdrawal effect from SNRIs. Antidepressants are an important option for preventive treatment of migraine. Further research on the efficacy and tolerability of SNRIs as migraine preventives is needed.
Conflicts in Adjustment

Regardless of its cause, trauma impacts upon the victim’s self-image. Professionals in mental health have identified various patterns of coping with forms of trauma that range from denial of the severity of the event to overcompensation (deWind, 1984; LaCoursierre, Godfrey, & Ruby, 1986; Tanaka, 1988). Various stages of Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been identified as a function of the types of defenses engaged by the individual (Fairbanks & Nicholson, 1986). For example, loss of control relating to trauma leads to intrusive thoughts and the repetition of traumatic events. A “dominate” continual coping mechanism for trauma has been attributed to denial and emotional numbing. The result for the victim is a state of denial of one aspect of the traumatic event and the experience of intrusive thoughts regarding another aspect of the same event.
Impacts of indoor surface finishes on bacterial viability.

Microbes in indoor environments are constantly being exposed to antimicrobial surface finishes. Many are rendered non-viable after spending extended periods of time under low-moisture, low-nutrient surface conditions, regardless of whether those surfaces have been amended with antimicrobial chemicals. However, some microorganisms remain viable even after prolonged exposure to these hostile conditions. Work with specific model pathogens makes it difficult to draw general conclusions about how chemical and physical properties of surfaces affect microbes. Here, we explore the survival of a synthetic community of non-model microorganisms isolated from built environments following exposure to three chemically and physically distinct surface finishes. Our findings demonstrated the differences in bacterial survival associated with three chemically and physically distinct materials. Alkaline clay surfaces select for an alkaliphilic bacterium, Kocuria rosea, whereas acidic mold-resistant paint favors Bacillus timonensis, a Gram-negative spore-forming bacterium that also survives on antimicrobial surfaces after 24 hours of exposure. Additionally, antibiotic-resistant Pantoea allii did not exhibit prolonged retention on antimicrobial surfaces. Our controlled microcosm experiment integrates measurement of indoor chemistry and microbiology to elucidate the complex biochemical interactions that influence the indoor microbiome.
Fitting and comparing models of phyletic evolution: random walks and beyond

Abstract For almost 30 years, paleontologists have analyzed evolutionary sequences in terms of simple null models, most commonly random walks. Despite this long history, there has been little discussion of how model parameters may be estimated from real paleontological data. In this paper, I outline a likelihood-based framework for fitting and comparing models of phyletic evolution. Because of its usefulness and historical importance, I focus on a general form of the random walk model. The long-term dynamics of this model depend on just two parameters: the mean (μstep) and variance (σ2step) of the distribution of evolutionary transitions (or “steps”). The value of μstep determines the directionality of a sequence, and σ2step governs its volatility. Simulations show that these two parameters can be inferred reliably from paleontological data regardless of how completely the evolving lineage is sampled. In addition to random walk models, suitable modification of the likelihood function permits consideration...
Art-Science Collaborations: Why Do They Matter to Medicine?

Art-science collaborations between medical researchers and artists provide insight into their practical relevance. It is important to recognize that while artists can communicate aspects of medical...