cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Compile-Time Disambiguation of MATLAB Types through Concrete Interpretation with Automatic Run-Time Fallback

While the popularity of MATLAB for scientific and engineering applications is unabated, its poor performance compared to traditional languages, such as Fortran or even C, for a general class of problems continues to impede its deployment in full-scale simulations and data analysis. To ameliorate performance, we have been developing a MATLAB and Octave compiler that leverages the interpreter to implement some of the optimizations as concrete partial evaluations. Specifically, this poster describes constant propagation and type inference, using a high-level tree-transformation tool that has built-in support for solving dataflow problems. The approach allows propagation and folding of constants in cases that would be impractically difficult otherwise. The idea, when extended to infer variable types, provides a natural way to disambiguate types at compile time while leaving the fallback code in place for run-time evaluation. Experimental evaluation on pieces of real MATLAB code demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach.
The designers' outpost: a tangible interface for collaborative web site

In our previous studies into web design, we found that pens, paper, walls, and tables were often used for explaining, developing, and communicating ideas during the early phases of design. These wall-scale paper-based design practices inspired The Designers' Outpost, a tangible user interface that combines the affordances of paper and large physical workspaces with the advantages of electronic media to support information design. With Outpost, users collaboratively author web site information architectures on an electronic whiteboard using physical media (Post-it notes and images), structuring and annotating that information with electronic pens. This interaction is enabled by a touch-sensitive SMART Board augmented with a robust computer vision system, employing a rear-mounted video camera for capturing movement and a front-mounted high-resolution camera for capturing ink. We conducted a participatory design study with fifteen professional web designers. The study validated that Outpost supports information architecture work practice, and led to our adding support for fluid transitions to other tools.
Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ANKRA2 and CD180 genes with bovine respiratory disease and presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis(1).

Summary The objective was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ANKRA2 and CD180 genes are associated with incidence of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) and presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in cattle. Two independent populations were used. The first population (BRD-affected; N = 90) was composed of 31 half-sib progeny, from a Brahman · Angus sire, that were treated for BRD. Untreated offspring from the sire were selected to serve as controls. The second population (MAP-infected) of 330 animals of unknown parentage was evaluated for the presence of MAP in ileocecal lymph node and classified as positive or negative. Markers in both genes were assessed for association in these two populations. In the BRD-affected population, five SNPs in the ANKRA2 gene were significantly associated (P < 0.05), and two SNPs were highly associated (P < 0.01) with incidence of BRD. In addition, two SNPs in the CD180 gene were found to be associated with this trait. In the MAP-infected population, one SNP in the ANKRA2 gene was significantly associated (P < 0.05) with the presence or absence of MAP, and a SNP in the CD180 gene was highly associated (P < 0.01) with the trait. Haplotypes, using significant markers, showed a positive association with both incidence of BRD (P = 0.0001) and with the presence of MAP (P = 0.0032). Markers in the ANKRA2 and CD180 genes are associated with the ability of the animal to cope with pathogens.
REPRESENTATION AND PREDICTION FOR LOCALLY HARMONIZABLE ISOTROPIC RANDOM FIELDS

The class of harmonizable fields is a natural extension of the class of stationary fields. This paper considers fields whose increments are harmonizable and isotropic. Spectral representations are obtained for locally harmonizable isotropic fields. A linear least squares prediction for locally harmonizable isotropic fields is considered.
Factors associated with smoking among adolescent males prior to incarceration and after release from jail: a longitudinal study

Background The prevalence of cigarette smoking among incarcerated adult men and women is three-four times higher than in the general population, ranging from 70-80%. However, little is known about factors associated with smoking among incarcerated adolescents, especially upon their re-entry into communities after release from jail. The current study explores factors associated with smoking among adolescent males prior to incarceration and one year after their release from jail.
The Wound Macrophage

Macrophages are essential to the healing of wounds. This chapter examines current understanding of the role of macrophages in inflammation, angiogenesis, and fibrosis during repair. Wound macrophages derive from recruited circulating monocyte precursors and local tissue resident macrophages, and exhibit a complex phenotype that changes as the wound matures. This phenotype includes features previously assigned to classical and alternatively activated cells. The phenotype of the wound macrophage is influenced by interactions with other infiltrating cell types, including neutrophils, which modulate pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic functions. The mechanisms governing the disappearance of macrophages from healed wounds remain unclear, with evidence supporting their local demise, their migration to draining lymph nodes, and their potential transdifferentiation to other repair cell types. Most of the present knowledge regarding wound macrophage biology was obtained from animal models. Future studies are needed to define the phenotype and function of the human wound macrophages, and to examine their behavior in the context of pathologic conditions.
Standardization of commercial ATE in the army industrial environment

The US Army Depot System Command's presentation briefly describes the commercial testers that comprise the depot standard family of ATE, their targeted technologies, and the management of their application in the maintenance depot environment. >
Safety controversies in tooth bleaching

Tooth bleaching using peroxide-based materials is an effective procedure in dentistry. Studies provide evidence on the safety of bleaching by dental professionals. However, concerns and controversy remain regarding the safety of bleaching systems that do not involve dental professionals, especially those available at mall kiosks, salons, spas, and cruise ships. Bleaching causes tooth sensitivity and/or gingival irritation in a significant portion of patients. Bleaching requires proper examination, diagnosis, and treatment plan, which can be performed appropriately only by dental professionals; therefore, involvement of dental professionals in bleaching is necessary to maximize the efficacy and minimize potential risks.
The Logarithmic Investor's Decision to Acquire Costly Information

This paper explores the relationship between the decision to purchase a costly information system and the wealth of an investor with a logarithmic utility function, where the information system may provide information concerning the payoffs from risky investments. It is shown, for the logarithmic investor, that a there is a wealth “break-even point” below which it is suboptimal to purchase an information system at a fixed cost, and b the amount the investor would be willing to pay for access to the information system is a linearly increasing function of his wealth.
Towards workload characterization of auction sites

The popularity of online auctions is growing with the participation of businesses and individual customers in various forms of auctions to buy and sell goods and services. This form of electronic commerce is expected to grow and become a significant form of exchange of goods and services competing in a global scale with traditional fixed-price commerce. A good understanding of the workload of auction sites should provide insights about their activities and help in the process of designing business-oriented metrics and designing novel resource management policies based on these metrics. This paper provides a workload characterization of auction sites including i) a multi-scale analysis of auction traffic and bid activity within auctions, ii) a closing time analysis in terms of number of bids and price variation within auctions, iii) the characteristics of the auction winner in terms of entry time, entry price, and bidding activity, and iv) unique bidder analysis.
Sub-band adaptive filtering with delay compensation for active control

This paper introduces a filtered-x least-mean-square (FXLMS) based sub-band adaptive algorithm with error path delay compensation. Our algorithm avoids the signal path delay while compensating for the error path delay, thus increasing system stability. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate experimentally the efficiency of this new adaptive algorithm.
Geographic Specificity, Tornadoes, and Protective Action

AbstractIn 2007, the National Weather Service (NWS) began using storm-based warnings (SBWs) rather than countywide warnings. Some analysts have examined the effects of this change, but little empirical research has yet to focus on the public response. Using a random digit dialing sample and a computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) system, data were collected that focused on protective action decision making in counties that were affected by a severe storm or tornado warning. Based on those data, the following paper examines the influence of these new storm-based warnings on protective action decision making by the public. While a significant relationship between being inside the warning polygon and taking protective action was not found, the authors were able to conclude that polygon size is an important factor. Given these mixed results, it is suggested that future work on storm-based warnings focus on the warnings’ dissemination and reception, as well as the optimization of the polygons themsel...
In Vitro Evaluation of Endotracheal Tubes With Intrinsic Suction

Background Endotracheal tube (ETT) intubation impairs mucus clearance, which can lead to respiratory compromise. We compared three ETTs that have intrinsic capacity to aspirate secretions pooling above the cuff. Methods We evaluated the ability of three ETTs with suction, Hi-Lo Evac, Teleflex ISIS, and Portex Blue Line SACETT, to aspirate saliva and mucus simulants at continuous or intermittent vacuum pressures. We also evaluated the potential for a flexible tracheal membrane to obstruct the ETT suction port with applied vacuum. We measured the dimensions of the suction tubing at critical points to calculate differences in flow. Results In a rigid tracheal model, the ISIS aspirated saliva simulant more quickly with continuous low pressure suction than Evac (P = .0006) and SACETT (P Conclusions The ISIS transmits suction pressure to the tube orifice more powerfully than the Evac and SACETT. This feature makes the ISIS less prone to obstruction by mucus but more likely to obstruct by tissue suction.
Lod scores for gene mapping in the presence of marker map uncertainty.

Multipoint lod scores are typically calculated for a grid of locus positions, moving the putative disease locus across a fixed map of genetic markers. Changing the order of a set of markers and/or the distances between the markers can make a substantial difference in the resulting lod score curve and the location and height of its maximum. The typical approach of using the best maximum likelihood marker map is not easily justified if other marker orders are nearly as likely and give substantially different lod score curves. To deal with this problem, we propose three weighted multipoint lod score statistics that make use of information from all plausible marker orders. In each of these statistics, the information conditional on a particular marker order is included in a weighted sum, with weight equal to the posterior probability of that order. We evaluate the type 1 error rate and power of these three statistics on the basis of results from simulated data, and compare these results to those obtained using the best maximum likelihood map and the map with the true marker order. We find that the lod score based on a weighted sum of maximum likelihoods improves on using only the best maximum likelihood map, having a type 1 error rate and power closest to that of using the true marker order in the simulation scenarios we considered.
Activated mutants of the alpha subunit of G(o) promote an increased number of neurites per cell

The high concentration of the GTP-binding protein G(o) in the neuronal growth cone suggests that G(o) activation state may after neurite outgrowth. We find that activation of pertussis toxin-sensitive G-proteins by mastoparan increases neurite outgrowth from neuroblastoma cells. To examine G(o) activation specifically, point mutations homologous to activating, oncogenic mutations in alpha i2 and alpha s were introduced into the alpha subunit of G(o). The stability of the alpha o mutants to tryptic digestion confirms that they are activated. When expressed in PC12 or N1E-115 cells, activated alpha o doubles total neurites length per cell, primarily by increasing the number of neurites per cell. The growth cones of cells expressing activated alpha o are narrower than control growth cones. Expression of wildtype alpha o or the activated alpha subunits of other G-proteins did not affect total neurite length per cell. Thus, factors that lead to activation of G(o) can modulate neurite number per cell.
CREB activity in the nucleus accumbens shell controls gating of behavioral responses to emotional stimuli

The transcription factor cAMP response element (CRE)-binding protein (CREB) has been shown to regulate neural plasticity. Drugs of abuse activate CREB in the nucleus accumbens, an important part of the brain's reward pathways, and local manipulations of CREB activity have been shown to affect cocaine reward, suggesting an active role of CREB in adaptive processes that follow exposure to drugs of abuse. Using CRE-LacZ reporter mice, we show that not only rewarding stimuli such as morphine, but also aversive stimuli such as stress, activate CRE-mediated transcription in the nucleus accumbens shell. Using viral-mediated gene transfer to locally alter the activity of CREB, we show that this manipulation affects morphine reward, as well as the preference for sucrose, a more natural reward. We then show that local changes in CREB activity induce a more general syndrome, by altering reactions to anxiogenic, aversive, and nociceptive stimuli as well. Increased CREB activity in the nucleus accumbens shell decreases an animal's responses to each of these stimuli, whereas decreased CREB activity induces an opposite phenotype. These results show that environmental stimuli regulate CRE-mediated transcription within the nucleus accumbens shell, and that changes in CREB activity within this brain area subsequently alter gating between emotional stimuli and their behavioral responses. This control appears to be independent of the intrinsic appetitive or aversive value of the stimulus. The potential relevance of these data to addiction and mood disorders is discussed.
Stages of egocentrism in children's use of ‘ this ’ and ‘ that ’: a different point of view

Acquisition of the words this and thatwas tested by a comprehension and a production task with children of ages 4 and 7. In the comprehension task, children had to choose one of two toys requested by the experimenter. Child and experimenter were seated either side by side or facing one another. It was expected that children would first learn the spatial contrast between the two words and then learn to apply it from the speaker's point of view, according to developmental stages similar to those found in other studies of spatial non-egocentrism. The prediction was confirmed, but comparison with the results of de Villiers & de Villiers (1974) suggests an alternative theoretical analysis, in which non-egocentrism is not necessary for correct use of this and that. A second prediction, that performance would be better on the unmarked word that, was not confirmed for the side-by-side condition. In the production task, only 2 of the 60 children violated the restriction that this can refer only to near objects.
Almost work-optimal PRAM EREW decoders of LZ compressed text

Summary form only given. The parallel complexity of LZ compression and decompression has been studied. Parallel algorithms have been designed for LZ1 compression and decompression. LZ2 compression is hardly parallelizable, since it is P-complete. A nearly work-optimal parallel decoding algorithm was shown which run on the PRAM EREW in O(log n) time with O(n/(log n)/sup 1/2 /) processors for text compressed with LZ1 and LZ2 methods. Pseudo work-optimal PRAM EREW decoders for finite window compression and LZ2 compression requiring logarithmic time with O(dn) work are presented. Finally, the PRAM EREW decoders requiring logarithmic time and O(n/log n) processors were observed that are possible with the non-conservative assumption. The algorithms employed the Euler tour technique and parallel integer sorting.
Advanced intravenous access: technique choices, pain scores, and failure rates in a local registry.

Abstract Background When an intravenous (IV) catheter is needed and the common approach of inspection and palpation fails, an advanced access technique becomes necessary. Our objectives were to estimate pain scores, operator times, success rates, and complication rates when advanced techniques are used in a clinical setting. Methods We enrolled patients who had a need for advanced IV access and were able to give informed consent to participate in our study. We collected data on operator type, technique, initial success, number of attempts, skin punctures, operator time, pain scores, and complications. We estimated confidence intervals for proportions using normal binomial approximation or exact calculation. Results The registry documented 154 attempts in 116 patients. The median time from triage to establishment of an IV line was 203 minutes; multiple advanced attempts were required in 24% of cases. Most attempts (95%) used either ultrasound-guided cannulation of a peripheral vein (PUG) (108) or cannulated the external jugular vein (EJ) (38). These 2 methods yielded similar pain scores (4.3-4.5), but PUG required more skin punctures (1.6 vs 1.2) and longer operator time (17.7 vs 11.9 minutes). The only complication was IV line failure, occurring in 6% (95% confidence interval, 0%-18%) of EJ approaches and 27% (95% confidence interval, 18%-38%) of the PUG scenarios. Conclusion Most attempts to establish IV access used PUG or the EJ. External jugular vein cannulation was achieved more quickly, with fewer skin punctures and a lower rate of postinsertion failure, than PUG.
Intramitochondrial localization of δ-aminolaevulate synthetase and ferrochelatase in rat liver

Intramitochondrial loci for delta-aminolaevulate synthetase and ferrochelatase, the initial and final enzymes in haem synthesis, have been found in rat liver. Two different methods of fractionation were applied to mitochondria: (a) sonication and density-gradient centrifugation; (b) treatment with digitonin and differential centrifugation. Similar results were obtained with each technique. delta-Aminolaevulate synthetase is distributed similarly to two known matrix enzymes, malate dehydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase. Ferrochelatase is firmly bound to the the inner mitochondrial membrane. These results are considered in terms of the regulation of haem synthesis and in relation to mitochondrial biogenesis.
The Honeybee Blastoderm Fate Map

SummaryThe distribution of male and female tissue in 25 cuticular structures was recorded for 1555 adult honeybee gynandromorphs derived from 8 queens. Using the gynandromorph data, distances between structures on the blastoderm were calculated with a FORTRAN programme. The distances thus obtained were used in a BASIC programme to construct a detailed fate map showing the location of 24 structures. The distances between structures on the map fitted the gynandromorphic data well. The fate map was consistent with previously published maps for the honeybee, Drosophila and Habrobracon juglandis. Distances between structures on the blastoderm were not influenced by either the queen producing the gynandromorphs or the frequency of gynandromorphs in a queen's progeny. The median ocellus appeared to be a complex, interacting focus mapping at the site of the lateral ocellus with male bilaterally domineering.
Corporate Moral Agency and the Responsibility to Respect Human Rights in the UN Guiding Principles: Do Corporations Have Moral Rights?

In this article Werhane raises the question of whether non-persons such as organizations and corporations have basic rights, as recently argued in the United Nations Guiding Principles, referred to as the Ruggie Principles (2011). Developing a complex view of organizational rights as secondary moral rights, Werhane argues that the corporate obligations to respect human rights spelled out in the Ruggie Principles entail a conclusion that corporations themselves have moral rights too. However, such rights must be considered strictly as secondary moral rights since organizations are not independent of their human constituents.
Surface displacement on the Imperial and Superstition Hills faults triggered by the Westmorland, California, earthquake of 26 April 1981

Parts of the Imperial and the Superstition Hills faults moved right laterally at the ground surface at the time of or shortly following the ML 5.6 Westmorland earthquake of 26 April 1981. The displacements probably occurred before any significant aftershocks on either fault and thus are classed as triggered slips. Although the main shock was located in an exceptionally seismogenic part of Imperial Valley, about 20 km distant from either fault, no clear evidence of past surface faulting is known in the epicentral area. Horizontal displacement on the Imperial and Superstition Hills faults, southeast and southwest of the epicenter, respectively, reached maxima of 8 and 14 mm, and the discontinuous surface ruptures formed along approximately equal lengths of northern segments of the two structures (16.8 and 15.7 km, respectively). The maximum vertical component of slip measured on surface cracks on the Imperial fault (6 mm) was located on the west side of Mesquite basin near Harris Road. Leveling data at Harris Road suggest slightly larger vertical movement at the surface there. Fault dislocation modeling of this leveling data further suggests that the maximum shallow subsurface dip-slip component of the triggered movement was as much a factor of 4 larger than that measured at the fault trace. The map pattern of the rupture may reveal the principal strand among the several near the north end of the Imperial fault. No surface displacement was found along traces of the Brawley fault zone, the San Andreas fault, or the part of the Coyote Creek fault that slipped during the 1968 Borrego Mountain earthquake. Ground search in the epicentral area of the main shock and in the widely dispersed aftershock region in northern Imperial Valley failed to locate any definite evidence of new surface faulting.
Deletion of GPR40 Fatty Acid Receptor Gene in Mice Blocks Mercaptoacetate-Induced Feeding

Both increased and decreased fatty acid (FA) availability contribute to control of food intake. For example, it is well documented that intestinal FA reduces feeding by triggering enterondocrine secretion of satietogenic peptides, such as cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). In contrast, mechanisms by which decreased FA availability increase feeding are not well understood. Over the past three decades substantial research related to FA availability and increased feeding has involved use of the orexigenic compound mercaptoacetate (MA). Because MA reportedly inhibits FA oxidation, it has been assumed that reduced FA oxidation accounts for the orexigenic action of MA. Recently, however, we demonstrated that MA antagonizes G protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40), a membrane receptor for long and medium chain FA. We also demonstrated that, by antagonizing GPR40, MA inhibits GLP-1 secretion and attenuates vagal afferent activation by FA. Because both vagal afferent activation and GLP-1 inhibit food intake, we postulated that inhibition of GPR40 by MA might underlie the orexigenic action of MA. We tested this hypothesis using male and female GPR40 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice. Using several testing protocols, we found that MA increased feeding in WT, but not GPR40 KO mice, and that GPR40 KO mice gained more weight than WT on a high-fat diet. Metabolic monitoring after MA or saline injection in the absence of food did not reveal significant differences in respiratory quotient or energy expenditure between treatment groups or genotypes. These results support the hypothesis that MA stimulates food intake by blocking FA effects on GPR40.
Nuclear localization is required for induction of apoptotic cell death by the Rb-associated p84N5 death domain protein

The mechanisms utilized to transduce apoptotic signals that originate from within the nucleus, in response to DNA damage for example, are not well understood. Identifying these mechanisms is important for predicting how tumor cells will respond to genotoxic radiation or chemotherapy. The Rb tumor suppressor protein can inhibit apoptosis triggered by DNA damage, but how it does so is unclear. We have previously characterized a death domain protein, p84N5, that specifically associates with an amino-terminal domain of Rb protein. The p84N5 death domain is required for its ability to trigger apoptotic cell death. Association with Rb protein inhibits p84N5-induced apoptosis suggesting that it may be a mediator of Rb's effects on apoptosis. Unlike other death domain-containing apoptotic signaling proteins, however, p84N5 is localized predominantly within the nucleus of interphase cells. Here we test whether p84N5 requires nuclear localization in order to trigger apoptosis. We identify the p84N5 nuclear localization signal and demonstrate that nuclear localization is required for p84N5-induced apoptosis. To our knowledge, this identifies p84N5 as the first death-domain containing apoptotic signaling protein that functions within the nucleus. By analogy to other death domain containing proteins, p84N5 may play some role in apoptotic signaling within the nucleus. Further, p84N5 is a potential mediator of Rb protein's effects on DNA damage induced apoptosis.
One-week prototyping of embedded systems

Platform/spec can be easily captured with GUI. Models are automatically generated for development and testing of application code and download to FPGAs. Legacy or preliminary SW can be easily captured and mapped to the platform. Concurrent development of platform SW, HW, and application code speeds-up time-to-market. Simplicity enables synthesis and verification, easy design management and upgrades. (10 pages)
Growth Dependence of Thickness, Morphology and Electrical Transport of InN Over Layers on Ain-Nucleated (00.1) Sapphire

The seeded-heteroepitaxial growth, morphology and electrical transport properties of InN overlayers deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on AIN-nucleated (00.1) sapphire have been investigated. For comparison, InN films were grown directly onto (00.1) sapphire under identical experimental conditions. These unseeded films showed a unimodal growth and were a mixture of textured and broadly heteroepitaxial grains. Low Hall mobility and carrier concentration and high resistivity were typical. In contrast, the AIN-nucleated InN overlayers exhibited a bimodal growth, strongly heteroepitaxial grains, and high Hall mobility. A particularly interesting aspect of the films grown on seeded (00.1) sapphire is the preservation of electrical continuity and high Hall mobility even in the limit of InN overlayers with thicknesses only on the order of 20-40A.
Organizational Structures Coordination and Control

Measures of coordination and control techniques—including structural complexity, formalization, decentralization, and firm internal labor markets—are related to one another in theoretically anticip...
Forensic Pathologist Consensus in the Interpretation of Photographs of Patterned Injuries of the Skin

Forensic pathologists are commonly asked to evaluate injuries on the basis of photographs. Members of the National Association of Medical Examiners were asked to participate in an online survey in which they were presented with 68 patterned injuries of the skin and asked to make a diagnosis ranging from very general (e.g., "blunt" vs. "sharp") to specific (e.g., "baton blow"). This was not the case. Consensus for general diagnosis averaged 0.77 and 0.72 for specific diagnosis. While there was a strong correlation between consensus and confidence in aggregate, individual correlations were poor. Consensus diagnosis was inversely correlated with age, and positively correlated with jurisdictional size, medical degree, and whether or not the respondent was actively performing autopsies as a job function. A subsequent survey is exploring possible reasons for lack of consensus in low-consensus questions. The high correlation between confidence and consensus at the aggregate level and low correlation at the individual level may have implications for quality assurance protocols.
Doppler-Echocardiographic Assessment of Cardiac Pacemakers

A complete echocardiography laboratory now offers not only M- mode and two-dimensional echocardiography but also pulsed, continuous-wave, and color Doppler flow mapping. There are innumerable practical applications of these combined modalities to the clinical management of patients with pacemakers. These include not only the anatomic documentation of lead position and diagnosis of perforations but also evaluation of pacing-related hemodynamics on a beat-to-beat basis. This is particularly valuable for “fine-tuning” multiprogrammable features of the pacing system in an individual patient.
Deoxycoformycin (pentostatin): clinical pharmacology, role in the chemotherapy of cancer, and use in other diseases.

Pentostatin (2'-deoxycoformycin, dCF) is a purine nucleoside analog and a product of the fermentation of Streptomyces antibioticus. It is a tight-binding inhibitor of adenosine deaminase (ADA), an enzyme essential in the cellular metabolism of purines. Children with congenital absence of ADA suffer from atrophy of lymphoid tissues and severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) syndrome. It was hypothesized that pentostatin would be lymphocytotoxic and this proved to be true; this finding prompted its investigation in lymphoid neoplasms. It was anticipated that pentostatin would be most active in neoplasms with high intracellular concentrations of ADA, e.g. acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), particularly of the T-cell variety. Although pentostatin proved to be active in ALL, large doses were required and major toxic effects outweighed therapeutic benefits. By contrast, pentostatin proved to be exceptionally active in hairy cell leukemia (HCL), a B-cell neoplasm with low intracellular concentrations of ADA. Pentostatin has since been shown to possess activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, prolymphocytic leukemia, cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, adult T-cell lymphoma-leukemia, and low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. It potentiates the activity of vidarabine against viruses and against the cells of acute myeloid leukemia. Pentostatin is inactive in melanoma and renal carcinoma, but has not been adequately evaluated in other solid tumors. The toxic effects of pentostatin include renal failure, central nervous system (CNS) depression, immunosuppresion, keratoconjunctivitis, and opportunistic infections. In the absence of pre-existing bone marrow compromise, pentostatin produces only mild myelosuppression. Aside from its use as an antineoplastic agent, pentostatin has potential applications as an immunosuppressive drug, as an antiviral agent, as an antimalarial compound, and in the protection of cells of the CNS from damage induced by ischemia and anoxia. Clinical studies with pentostatin are ongoing, and its roles in the management of neoplastic and non-neoplastic diseases have yet to be fully defined.
Exact Logistic Regression Model

With the increase in the computer’s capacity to do tedious calculations, the use of exact logistic regression models has become increasingly popular in healthcare, banking, and other industries. Traditional methods (which are based on asymptotic theory) when used for analyzing small, skewed, or sparse datasets are not usually reliable. When sample sizes are small or the data are sparse or skewed, exact conditional inference is necessary and applicable (Derr, 2000). We enumerate the exact distributions of certain statistics in obtaining estimates for the parameters of interest in a logistic regression model, conditioned on the remaining parameters. This is a method of testing and estimation that uses conditional methods to obtain exact tests of parameters in binary and nominal logistic models. Exact methods are appropriate for small-sample or sparse data situations that often result in the failure (nonconvergence or separation) of the usual unconditional maximum likelihood estimation method. However, exact methods can take a great deal of time and memory as sample or model sizes increase. For sample sizes too large for the default exact method, a Monte Carlo method is provided. The chapter uses EXACT statement in PROC LOGISTIC or PROC GENMOD, and we also fit models in SAS, C+, and R. Our methods are based on: Troxler, S., Lalonde, T. L., & Wilson, J. R. (2011). Exact logistic models for nested binary data. Statistics in Medicine, 30(8).
Genetic determinants of polycystic ovary syndrome: progress and future directions.

The field of the genetics of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) has relatively recently moved into the era of genome-wide association studies. This has led to the discovery of 16 robust loci for PCOS. Some loci contain genes with clear roles in reproductive (LHCGR, FSHR, and FSHB) and metabolic (INSR and HMGA2) dysfunction in the syndrome. The next challenge facing the field is the identification of causal variants and genes and the role they play in PCOS pathophysiology. The potential for gene discovery to improve diagnosis and treatment of PCOS is promising, though there is much to be done in the field before the current findings can be translated to the clinic.
Rapid Fluorometric Analysis of Acid Phosphatase Activity in Cooked Poultry Meat.

A new quantitative f1uorometric assay was used to determine poultry-muscle acid phosphatase (ACP) activity at five end-point temperatures (EPTs). Nonfrozen or frozen ground broiler and turkey breast and turkey dark meat (16 9) were packed in glass tubes (25 ×150mm) and heated to 62.8, 65.6, 68.3, 71.1 and 73.9°C in a water bath set 1.5°C above target EPT. After heating, samples were removed and immediately chilled (2-3°C). A 75 μl portion of an aqueous meat extract (1 meat/2 H2O wt/wt) was added to 2.0 ml ACP substrate and the kinetic increase in fluorescence monitored at 38°C. The experiment was replicated three times. A curvilinear decrease in mean (N = 12) ACP activity occurred within each muscle type. Although freezing before cooking lowered ACP activity, it was not different (P>.05) from that of nonfrozen meat. Acid phosphatase activity (mU/kg) means (N = 12) with standard errors for EPTs between 68.3 and 71.1°C for broiler and turkey breast and turkey dark meat were as follows: 9270 ± 873 and 5548 ± 562; 9313 ± 665 and 6808 ± 521; and 4821 ± 398 and 3370 ± 281, respectively. This procedure provides a rapid (3 min instrument time), sensitive analytical method for quality-assurance process-control technicians or regulatory analysts to monitor EPT in cooked poultry.
Identification of endothelial and mesenchymal-associated markers in melanoma cells following Galectin-3 silencing: relevance to tumor growth and metastasis

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 3024 Galectin-3 (Gal-3) belongs to the lectin family of carbohydrate-binding proteins. Gal-3 is known to be involved in diverse biological processes including cell growth, differentiation, apoptosis, cell adhesion, malignant transformation and RNA processing. It is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers and therefore may play a putative role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. In order to understand the role of Gal-3 in melanoma progression we stained a melanoma tissue microarray. To delineate the role of Gal-3 on tumor growth and metastasis we used lentiviral technology to silence Gal-3 with small interfering siRNA in a melanoma cell line C8161. To further establish the role of Gal-3 in melanoma metastasis, we performed the Affymetrix cDNA array analysis on C8161 melanoma cells following Gal-3 silencing. In the tissue microarray with progressive melanoma stages, we showed marked differences in the pattern of cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of Gal-3 with higher levels of expression from benign nevi to dysplastic nevi to melanoma to metastatic melanoma. Benign and dysplastic nevi expressed Gal-3 predominantly in cytoplasm, whereas in primary and metastatic melanoma Gal-3 expression was cytoplasmic and nuclear. In vivo, silencing of Gal-3 expression with lentiviral small interfering RNA showed a decrease in tumorigenesis and metastatic potential. Furthermore, in vitro we observed a decrease in invasion and expression of Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) following transfection with siRNA. With the Affymetrix cDNA array analysis, overall 794 genes were identified in which 567 genes showed downregulation and 227 upregulation after Gal-3 knock down. The downregulated genes included Vascular Endothelial (VE)-Cadherin (CDH5), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Fibronectin-1 (FN-1) and Endothelial Differentiation, sphingolipid G-protein receptor-1 (EDG-1), all are usually expressed by endothelial cells. In the group of upregulated genes we identified Protein fucusyltransferase, NCOR-1, HGF agonistantagonist and WNTB2.The downregulated genes CDH5, FN-1 and EDG-1 were validated by Western Blotting. The effect of Gal-3 silencing on IL-8 and MMP-2 expression were validated by immunohistochemistry. Our data show that Gal-3 plays a role in the acquisition of melanoma cell plasticity and aggressiveness, thus contributing to tumor growth and metastasis.
Blood Management Strategies Effect on Hemoglobin Levels in Hospitalized Patients.

Phlebotomy for diagnostic testing is a notable source of blood loss, causing hospitalized patients to lose significant volumes of blood in a short period of time. Previous studies have documented correlations in phlebotomy blood loss, decline in hemoglobin and possible contributions to transfusion volume. One study reported average blood drawn for phlebotomy to be 12.4 mL/day for patients in medical wards, 33.5 mL/day in ICU patients, and 73.9 mL/day in patients with an arterial line (Smoller et al. NEJM.1986; 314: 1233–1235). Another study concluded that an average hemoglobin decrease of .79 g/dL was due to a similar volume of phlebotomy blood loss (Thavendiranthan et al. J Gen Intern Med2005; 20:520–524). Patients treated at the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery (CBMS) at Pennsylvania Hospital decline blood products. Thus, to minimize iatrogenic blood loss, strategies were implemented including the use of pediatric tubes, reduced phlebotomy and the avoidance of central line wastage. In this study we attempt to analyze the adherence to and effectiveness of these strategies in preventing hemoglobin decline. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 46 out of 341 hospitalizations in the CBMS between October 2005 and July 2006, excluding ICU patients and those with blood loss such as surgical patients, patients with gastrointestinal bleeding, and dialysis patients. Erthropoietin (EPO) therapy was not given before or during the days evaluated. The analyzed population had a mean age of 58.7, an initial hemoglobin of 12.3 g/dL and a hospitalization period of 5.1 days. The absolute change between initial and final hemoglobin was on average .71 g/dL. Taking into account fluctuations during their stay, the average change from highest documented hemoglobin to lowest was 1.2 g/dL. In 30.4 percent of this population EPO therapy was subsequently initiated during their hospitalization. Therapy began at an average hemoglobin of 10.8 g/dL and was presumably the result of phlebotomy induced anemia. An average of 2.8 laboratory tests were ordered per day; 57 percent were chemistry panels or complete blood counts. These two tests were ordered almost daily. Thus, even at a CBMS where pediatric tubes are utilized and strict staff protocols are prescribed, the average iatrogenic blood loss is not appreciably different from a non-bloodless center without these regulations. Pediatric tubes can be costly and labor intensive and may not be the most important determinant of iatrogenic blood loss. Therefore, hospitals should work more diligently to eliminate daily and unnecessary phlebotomies by retraining house staff to keep patient blood loss at a minimum.
Assessment of long-range-corrected exchange-correlation kernels for solids: Accurate exciton binding energies via an empirically scaled bootstrap kernel

In time-dependent density-functional theory, a family of exchange-correlation kernels, known as long-range-corrected (LRC) kernels, have shown promise in the calculation of excitonic effects in solids. We perform a systematic assessment of existing static LRC kernels (empirical LRC, Bootstrap, and jellium-with-a-gap model) for a range of semiconductors and insulators, focusing on optical spectra and exciton binding energies. We find that no LRC kernel is capable of simultaneously producing good optical spectra and quantitatively accurate exciton binding energies for both semiconductors and insulators. We propose a simple and universal, empirically scaled Bootstrap kernel that yields accurate exciton binding energies for all materials under consideration, with low computational cost.
Consideration of Magnesium Deficiency in Perinatal Hormonal and Mineral Imbalances

In view of the evidence that inadequate magnesium intake is common during pregnancy and that the plasma levels of magnesium tend to fall, especially during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy even when corrected for hemodilution, it is not surprising that neonatal magnesium deficiency can create problems. Until relatively recent years, however, measurement of magnesium levels in infants was rare. Cord blood analyses, done at intervals since 1923 (Table 3–1) showed wide ranges reported in individual studies, even when the quite reliable old precipitation methods or the more reliable modern procedures were employed. Since individual maternal status and infant status were not designated in most instances, these wide ranges are difficult to interpret. Low levels may have reflected maternal and fetal insufficiency; high levels may have reflected magnesium therapy for preeclampsia. Mean values are even more difficult to evaluate. Determination of serum or plasma magnesium levels of the infant at birth or within hours thereafter presents more problems. Intrauterine asphyxia, difficulties in delivery, or other causes of birth hypoxia or acidosis, and hyperosmolality can all contribute to elevations of serum magnesium levels as the cellular magnesium is released to the extracellular fluid, changes similar to those seen with surgical and other traumatic shock and hypoxic conditions. Such infants have been found to have a negative correlation between their serum magnesium levels and their Apgar scores (Engel and Elin, 1970; Jukarainen, 1974).
Activity of distinct growth factor receptor network components in breast tumors uncovers two biologically relevant subtypes

The growth factor receptor network (GFRN) plays a significant role in driving key oncogenic processes. However, assessment of global GFRN activity is challenging due to complex crosstalk among GFRN components, or pathways, and the inability to study complex signaling networks in patient tumors. Here, pathway-specific genomic signatures were used to interrogate GFRN activity in breast tumors and the consequent phenotypic impact of GRFN activity patterns. Novel pathway signatures were generated in human primary mammary epithelial cells by overexpressing key genes from GFRN pathways (HER2, IGF1R, AKT1, EGFR, KRAS (G12V), RAF1, BAD). The pathway analysis toolkit Adaptive Signature Selection and InteGratioN (ASSIGN) was used to estimate pathway activity for GFRN components in 1119 breast tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and across 55 breast cancer cell lines from the Integrative Cancer Biology Program (ICBP43). These signatures were investigated for their relationship to pro- and anti-apoptotic protein expression and drug response in breast cancer cell lines. Application of these signatures to breast tumor gene expression data identified two novel discrete phenotypes characterized by concordant, aberrant activation of either the HER2, IGF1R, and AKT pathways (“the survival phenotype”) or the EGFR, KRAS (G12V), RAF1, and BAD pathways (“the growth phenotype”). These phenotypes described a significant amount of the variability in the total expression data across breast cancer tumors and characterized distinctive patterns in apoptosis evasion and drug response. The growth phenotype expressed lower levels of BIM and higher levels of MCL-1 proteins. Further, the growth phenotype was more sensitive to common chemotherapies and targeted therapies directed at EGFR and MEK. Alternatively, the survival phenotype was more sensitive to drugs inhibiting HER2, PI3K, AKT, and mTOR, but more resistant to chemotherapies. Gene expression profiling revealed a bifurcation pattern in GFRN activity represented by two discrete phenotypes. These phenotypes correlate to unique mechanisms of apoptosis and drug response and have the potential of pinpointing targetable aberration(s) for more effective breast cancer treatments.
Prior joint disease is associated with increased risk of periarticular histiocytic sarcoma in dogs

Periarticular histiocytic sarcoma (PAHS) is the most common synovial tumour in dogs and is characterized by aggressive local disease with a high rate of distant metastasis. Previously, an association between PAHS and prior joint disease has been demonstrated in the Bernese Mountain Dog breed and suggested in the Rottweiler. We hypothesized that this association would be present in other breeds and investigated this via a retrospective, case-controlled analysis. Cases were dogs diagnosed with PAHS of the stifle or elbow. Controls were age, breed and sex-matched dogs without a diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma. Diagnosis of prior joint disease was determined based on review of medical records and direct veterinarian and owner communications. Data were evaluated using logistic regression, 2-sampled t tests, and chi-squared analysis. Our study population consisted of 28 cases and 46 controls, including Flat-Coated, Golden and Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, English Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, Australian Shepherds, Staffordshire Terriers and mixed breed dogs. Dogs with PAHS were more likely to have prior joint disease in the tumour-affected joint compared with the control population (odds ratio [OR] = 13.42, P < .0001, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.33-48.63). A total of 88.2% of dogs with stifle PAHS had prior joint disease in their tumour-affected joint, most commonly cranial cruciate ligament rupture. This study confirms that the previously noted association between prior joint disease and PAHS in Bernese Mountain Dogs also applies to other breeds. Additional studies are needed to further investigate for a causal relationship.