cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein dispersibility index as an indicator of adequately processed soybean meal

Three chick assays (8 to 17 or 21 d) were conducted to evaluate protein dispersibility index (PDI) as an indicator of minimum adequate heat processing of soybean meal compared with the urease index and protein solubility in 0.2% KOH. Solvent-extracted soyflakes (SF) were subjected to various autoclaving times at 121 C and 105 kPa and were included in 23% CP dextrose-SF diets or 20% CP corn-SF-corn gluten meal diets. Autoclaving times in Chick Assays 1, 2, and 3 were 0 to 36 min, 0 to 30 min, and 0 to 12 min, respectively. Body weight gains and gain-to-feed ratios increased (P < 0.05) with increased SF heating time (0 to 18 min in Chick Assay 1, 0 to 10 min in Chick Assay 2, and 0 to 9 min in Chick Assay 3), with no additional improvement for longer autoclaving times. Urease index values (pH increase) were high initially and at the shorter autoclaving times (1.65 to 2.4), and then decreased suddenly to 0.3 or below as autoclaving time increased in two of the three chick assays. The KOH protein solubility values generally decreased as autoclaving time increased, but the responses were often inconsistent. Protein dispersibility index displayed the most consistent responses to heating time: it decreased from above 70% to generally below 30% as autoclaving time increased from 0 to 30 or 36 min (mean r2 from linear regression of PDI on autoclaving time was 0.92 for the three chick assays). The latter responses were particularly evident for the heating times, which yielded the greatest changes in chick growth performance. These results suggest that PDI is a more consistent and sensitive indicator of minimum adequate heat processing of soybean meal than urease index or protein solubility in KOH.
The Use of Visual Artifacts in the User-Informed Development of an Educational Digital Library Collection

Digital libraries are complex sociotechnical artifacts. As such they will be understood and treated in different ways by the different groups that interact with them. The different understandings of these groups will be rooted in the differing tacit, underlying 'technological frames' that they will have of digital libraries as technologies. In cases where developers and users are both involved in the development of digital library collections, and where the frames of developers and users differ significantly, this can result in difficulties in the collection development process. It is important, therefore, to acknowledge that such differences can exist between developers and users, and to find ways to identify, describe, and mediate them. The paper describes the case of the Digital Water Education Library (DWEL). DWEL was an example of community-led collections development, in which users - in this case educators - were involved in the design and development of its collection. An ethnographic and communications-based analysis of DWEL's organizational communication revealed the existence of different technological frames among the developers and the users of DWEL, differences which impeded the progress of the project. These differences were exacerbated by the project's distributed organizational structure and reliance on network communication technologies for the bulk of its organizational communication. The paper describes how these differences were mediated, in part through the sharing of 'boundary objects' - graphic representations of the project's structures and processes - among the developers and users, and how these representations subsequently informed the development of an online tool that represented some of the developers' knowledge to the users.
A comparison of the effects of micronutrient seed priming and soil fertilization on the mineral nutrition of chickpea (Cicer arietinum), lentil (Lens culinaris), rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Nepal

Soil deficiencies of zinc (Zn) and boron (B) limit crop production in Nepal. Improving the micronutrient status of plants would increase yield and increase micronutrient content of the seeds, leading to better nutrition of the progeny crop and to improved human micronutrient nutrition. The primary micronutrient problem in grain legumes is B deficiency, while in rice (Oryza sativa), Zn deficiency is more important, and wheat (Triticum aestivum) suffers from both deficiencies. A series of field experiments was carried out over two seasons to compare soil fertilization and micronutrient seed priming as methods of improving Zn and B nutrition of each crop. Micronutrient treatments were evaluated for their effect on grain yield and grain micronutrient content. Soil B fertilization increased B content of the grain of lentil (Lens culinaris), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), and wheat by a factor of two to five, while increasing the yield of chickpea only. Soil fertilization with Zn had no effect on yield of any crop, but resulted in a small increase in Zn in wheat grain. Sowing micronutrient-primed seeds had no effect on yield or micronutrient content of the progeny seeds in most cases. During the first season, the primed chickpea seeds failed to emerge at either site, causing complete yield loss, but this negative effect was not observed in the second season with similar priming treatments at nearby sites, and no effect of priming on yield was observed with any other crop in either season.
Complete hunting cycle of Dionaea muscipula: consecutive steps and their electrical properties.

The total hunting cycle of the Venus flytrap consists of five stages: 1. Open state → 2. Closed state → 3. Locked state → 4. Constriction and digestion → 5. Semi-open state → 1. Open state. The opening of the trap after digestion consists of two steps: opening of the lobes, and changing of their curvature from concave to convex shape. Uncouplers carbonylcyanide-4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydrazone (FCCP) and carbonylcyanide-3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) inhibit the trap from opening for two weeks and antracene-9-carboxylic acid inhibits the trap from constricting. Different stages of the hunting cycle have different electrical characteristics. The biologically closed electrochemical circuits in the Venus flytrap are analyzed using the charged capacitor method. If the initial voltage applied to the Venus flytrap is 0.5 V or greater, changing the polarity of the electrodes between the midrib and one of the lobes results in a rectification effect and in different kinetics of discharge capacitance. These effects can be caused by the fast transport of ions through ion channels. The electrical properties of the Venus flytrap were investigated and equivalent electrical circuits within the upper leaf were proposed to explain the experimental data.
THE INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF SLUM CHILDREN: SOME PRELIMINARY FINDINGS.

This study examines certain patterns of linguistic and cognitive behavior in a sample of Negro children from various social classes. Three major levels of language behavior—labeling, relating, categorizing—were analyzed. Consistent class differences in language skills were shown to emerge between groups of Negro children of different socioeconomic class.
A code clone oracle

Code clones are functionally equivalent code segments. De- tecting code clones is important for determining bugs, fixes and software reuse. Code clone detection is also essential for developing fast and precise code search algorithms. How- ever, the challenge of such research is to evaluate that the clones detected are indeed functionally equivalent, consider- ing the majority of clones are not textual or even syntacti- cally identical. The goal of this work is to generate a set of method level code clones with a high confidence to help to evaluate future code clone detection and code search tools to evaluate their techniques. We selected three open source programs, Apache, Python and PostgreSQL, and randomly sampled a total of 1536 function pairs. To confirm whether or not these function pairs indicate a clone and what types of clones they belong to, we recruited three experts who have experience in code clone research and four students who have experience in programming for manual inspection. For confi- dence of the data, the experts consulted multiple code clone detection tools to make the consensus. To assist manual inspection, we built a tool to automatically load function pairs of interest and record the manual inspection results. We found that none of the 66 pairs are textual identical type- 1 clones, and 9 pairs are type-4 clones. Our data is available at: http://phd.gccis.rit.edu/weile/data/cloneoracle/.
Basic Difference Between Brain and Computer: Integration of Asynchronous Processes Implemented as Hardware Model of the Retina

There exists a common view that the brain acts like a Turing machine: The machine reads information from an infinite tape (sensory data) and, on the basis of the machine's state and information from the tape, an action (decision) is made. The main problem with this model lies in how to synchronize a large number of tapes in an adaptive way so that the machine is able to accomplish tasks such as object classification. We propose that such mechanisms exist already in the eye. A popular view is that the retina, typically associated with high gain and adaptation for light processing, is actually performing local preprocessing by means of its center-surround receptive field. We would like to show another property of the retina: The ability to integrate many independent processes. We believe that this integration is implemented by synchronization of neuronal oscillations. In this paper, we present a model of the retina consisting of a series of coupled oscillators which can synchronize on several scales. Synchronization is an analog process which is converted into a digital spike train in the output of the retina. We have developed a hardware implementation of this model, which enables us to carry out rapid simulation of multineuron oscillatory dynamics. We show that the properties of the spike trains in our model are similar to those found in vivo in the cat retina
The Anterior-Posterior Otoplasty

Objective To introduce a simple, modified method for correcting prominauris. Design Case series. Setting Private, facial plastic surgery practice. All operations were performed in an office surgical suite on the campus of a university medical center. Patients Fourteen patients (7 women and 7 men; age range, 22-46 years), constituting 28 ears, underwent otoplasty between February 1995 and November 1997. Follow-up ranged from 7 to 26 months (average, 11.5 months). Intervention Anterior-posterior otoplasty was performed. Outcome Measures Subjective analysis by the author and patients, guided by photograph and chart review. Results Four ears had solely helical correction, while 22 ears had combined helical and conchal corrections. Within a few degrees, the desired posterior rotation occurred in all cases. Minor, persistent asymmetry, in auricle rotation or retrusion of either helical or conchal correction, was evident in 4 cases. Conclusion Anterior-posterior otoplasty is a predictable, safe method for surgically retracting ears.
Retinoids induced astrocytic differentiation with down regulation of telomerase activity and enhanced sensitivity to taxol for apoptosis in human glioblastoma T98G and U87MG cells

We hypothesized that induction of differentiation with retinoid could increase sensitivity to microtubule-binding drug taxol (TXL) for apoptosis in human glioblastoma T98G and U87MG cells. Treatment of cells with 1 μM all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) or 1 μM 13-cis retinoic acid (13-CRA) for 7 days induced astrocytic differentiation, overexpression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and also down regulated telomerase expression and activity, thereby increased sensitivity to TXL for apoptosis. Treatment of glioblastoma cells with TXL triggered production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and activated the redox-sensitive c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) pathway. Moreover, TXL activated Raf-1 kinase for phosphorylation and inactivaion of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. The events of apoptosis included increase in expression of Bax, down regulation of Bcl-2 and baculoviral inhibitor-of-apoptosis protein (IAP) repeat containing (BIRC) proteins, mitochondrial release of cytochrome c and Smac into the cytosol, increase in intracellular free [Ca2+], and activation of calpain, caspase-9, and caspase-3. Increased activity of caspase-3 cleaved inhibitor of caspase-activated DNase (ICAD) to release and translocate CAD to the nucleus for DNA fragmentation. Involvement of stress signaling kinases and proteolytic activities of calpain and caspase-3 in apoptosis was confirmed by pretreating cells with specific inhibitors. Taken together, our results suggested that retinoid (ATRA or 13-CRA) induced astrocytic differentiation with down regulation of telomerase activity to increase sensitivity to TXL to enhance apoptosis in glioblastoma cells. Thus, combination of retinoid and TXL could be an effective therapeutic strategy for controlling the growth of glioblastoma.
Restraint, Seclusion and PRN Medication in English Services for People with Learning Disabilities Administered by the National Health Service: An Analysis of the 2007 National Audit Survey.

Background There is much interest in the use and prevention of unnecessary restrictive behavioural procedures; however, accurate estimates of their use are lacking. The Healthcare Commission and Commission for Social Care Inspection (2007) recently reported such data from a large sample of units administered by the National Health Service (NHS). Materials This study analysed data from The Healthcare Commission on the use of personal and mechanical restraint, PRN (as needed) medication and other restrictive procedures were analysed from 509 service units and 3902 service users. Results Approximately 80% of service units reported using PRN medication and approximately half of service units used personal or mechanical restraints. A small number of services units used restrictive procedures much more than most service units. A small number of service users experience a very large number of applications of restrictive procedures. Conclusion Contemporary English services administered by the NHS and independent health care use restrictive behaviour management procedures commonly, including non-evidence-based practices, such as PRN medication. These services should focus resources on the small proportion of services units and service users and adopt evidence-based practices to safely reduce these restrictive procedures, enhance service user quality of life and ensure value for money from commissioned services.
A semantics-based methodology for integrated computer-aided distributed database design

Presents an integrated semantics-based methodology and an architectural framework for an effective computer-aided DDB design system called Auto-DDB. Auto-DDB facilitates the entire distributed database (DDB) design life cycle (e.g. from requirement specification to allocation schema generation). The design methodology which underlies the construction of Auto-DDB is based on a semantic data model, SEER (synthesized extended entity relationship model), and a transaction model, DTS (distributed transaction scheme). Design heuristic rules rooted in database theories are associated with SEER and DTS constructs for Auto-DDB to automatically transform the application semantics that have been acquired into logical and fragmentation schemata with improved structure to facilitate allocation design. >
iPLA2β: front and center in human monocyte chemotaxis to MCP-1

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) directs migration of blood monocytes to inflamed tissues. Despite the central role of chemotaxis in immune responses, the regulation of chemotaxis by signal transduction pathways and their in vivo significance remain to be thoroughly deciphered. In this study, we examined the intracellular location and functions of two recently identified regulators of chemotaxis, Ca2+-independent phospholipase (iPLA2β) and cytosolic phospholipase (cPLA2α), and substantiate their in vivo importance. These enzymes are cytoplasmic in unstimulated monocytes. Upon MCP-1 stimulation, iPLA2β is recruited to the membrane-enriched pseudopod. In contrast, cPLA2α is recruited to the endoplasmic reticulum. Although iPLA2β or cPLA2α antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide (ODN)–treated monocytes display reduced speed, iPLA2β also regulates directionality and actin polymerization. iPLA2β or cPLA2α antisense ODN–treated adoptively transferred mouse monocytes display a profound defect in migration to the peritoneum in vivo. These converging observations reveal that iPLA2β and cPLA2α regulate monocyte migration from different intracellular locations, with iPLA2β acting as a critical regulator of the cellular compass, and identify them as potential targets for antiinflammatory strategies.
Putting It Together: Finding Success in Behavior Change Through Integration of Services

PURPOSE The purpose of this analysis and commentary was to explore the rationale for an integrated approach, within and outside the office, to help patients pursue healthy behaviors. METHODS We examined the role of integration, building on (1) patterns observed in a limited qualitative evaluation of 17 Prescription for Health projects, (2) several national policy initiatives, and (3) selected research literature on behavior change. RESULTS The interventions evaluated in Prescription for Health not only identified unhealthy behaviors and advised change, but also enabled patients to access information at home, use self-help methods, obtain intensive counseling, and receive follow-up. Few practices can replicate such a model with the limited staff and resources available in their offices. Comprehensive assistance can be offered to patients, however, by integrating what is feasible in the office with additional services available through the community and information media. CONCLUSIONS Blending diverse clinical and community services into a cohesive system requires an infrastructure that fosters integration. Such a system provides the comprehensive model on which the quality of both health promotion and chronic illness care depend. Integrating clinical and community services is only the first step toward the ideal of a citizen-centered approach, in which diverse sectors within the community—health care among them—work together to help citizens sustain healthy behaviors. The integration required to fulfill this ideal faces logistical challenges but may be the best way for a fragmented health care system to fully serve its patients.
Locally-exact homogenization of unidirectional composites with coated or hollow reinforcement

Abstract Effects of coated and hollow reinforcement on homogenized moduli and stress fields in unidirectional composites are investigated using elasticity-based homogenization theory for periodic materials with hexagonal and tetragonal symmetries extended to accommodate coatings. The theory employs Fourier series representations for fiber, coating and matrix displacement fields in the cylindrical coordinate system that satisfy exactly equilibrium equations and continuity conditions in the interior of the unit cell. The inseparable exterior problem requires satisfaction of periodicity conditions efficiently accomplished using previously introduced balanced variational principle which ensures rapid displacement solution convergence in the presence of thick or very thin coatings with relatively few harmonic terms. The solution's stability facilitates rapid identification of coatings' impact on homogenized moduli and local fields in wide ranges of fiber volume fraction and coating thickness. Elastic response of unidirectional composites reinforced by hollow fibers may be obtained without specializing the theory's framework by appropriately adjusting input parameters. This is illustrated using alumina nanotubes as reinforcement, revealing new results of interest in the design of multifunctional porous materials. Equally important, the theory's analytical framework requires minimal effort in constructing input data file that defines the unit cell problem, facilitating use by researchers with little mechanics exposure.
Understanding How Research Experiences for Undergraduate Students May Foster Diversity in the Professorate

College and university professors serve as role models and leaders. Unfortunately, in computing fields, only a small fraction of the professorate is women and/or members of minority racial groups. To address this issue, the current research assessed the role of research experiences for undergraduate students (REUs) on underrepresented students' interest in pursuing a career as a computing professor. We found that REUs utilizing a set of specific practices are linked with underrepresented students' interest in becoming a computing professor. On the other hand, no specific REU practice was associated with majority students' (i.e., White and Asian men's) level of interest in becoming a professor. Thus, this research not only identifies aspects of REUs that may be especially important for increasing diversity in the professorate but also highlights that REUs may serve different purposes for underrepresented versus majority students.
Management of epilepsy during pregnancy: an update:

The clinical management of women with epilepsy on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) during pregnancy presents unique challenges. The goal of treatment is optimal seizure control with minimal in utero fetal exposure to AEDs in an effort to reduce the risk of structural and neurodevelopmental teratogenic effects. This paper reviews the following key issues pertaining to women with epilepsy during pregnancy: AED pharmacokinetics; clinical management of AEDs; seizure frequency; major congenital malformation; neurodevelopmental outcomes; perinatal complications; and breast feeding.
Improving Collocation-Based Scan-Dependent Intercalibration Over the Ocean for Spaceborne Radiometry

Intercalibrating multiple radiometers using data from collocated oceanic fields of view has been a critical method for assessing in-flight instrument performance and reconciling constellation data. In this letter, we present a simple and effective improved method for radiometer intercalibration and apply it to the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Microwave Imager (GMI), the core radiometer of the GPM constellation. By optimizing the collocation criteria, this method is able to produce improved scan-dependent calibration as indicated by the ability to characterize small-scale anomalies and edge-of-scan biases within GMI observations. The accurate characterization of scan-dependent calibration also allows further examination of the intercalibration dependence on brightness temperature (TB). An effective novel method using the cumulative distribution of TBs is used to examine the impact of TB on scan-dependent calibration. It is shown that intercalibration is dependent on TB; however, the GMI magnetic anomalies are additive signals independent of TB and therefore can be corrected by simply subtracting it from the data.
Growth Rate of Solder Intermetallics

The formation of intermetallic layers between copper wires and lead-tin solders is indicative of the strong metallurgical bond required for a durable solder joint Previous studies have shown that these interracial compounds grow at significant rates (up to 1 µm/day at 100°C), and differences in thermal expansion and hardness between the metals and the intermetallics can lead to the mechanical failure of the solder joint during service. Most previous measurements of the compound formation rate have used elevated temperatures to facilitate the direct observation of the intermetallic thickness by optical microscopy, SEM, or TEM. In this study, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) has been used to study the intermetallic growth rate using sputter-deposited thin films of Cu and PbSn. The extraordinary depth sensitivity of RBS (~10 nm) allows these measurements to be made in relatively short times, without the need for heat treatment to accelerate the reaction. Measurements have indicated that at least 23 nm of Cu 6 Sn 5 and 30 nm of Cu 3 Sn form between Cu and PbSn solder in less than one hour. Faster deposition methods are being investigated to further characterize this rapid reaction. Iron has been proposed as a diffusion barrier material to inhibit intermetallic growth in solder joints. Preliminary measurements of the solder/Fe reaction indicates a much slower rate of growth, with less than 50 nm of total intermetallic forming over 8 hours.
Utilization of Glucose, Octanoate and Palmitate by Normal Rat Aorta, and the Effect of these Acids and of Albumin on Glucose Metabolism

SummaryInfluence of octanoate and palmitate on the uilization of glucose by rat aortic tissue was examined. Octanoate but not palmitate depressed the oxidation of glucose-U-14C to CO2. No effect was exerted by these fatty acids on glucose uptake, conversion of glucose to lipids, or oxygen uptake. Commercial bovine serum albumin, used as a carrier for these acids, depressed glucose uptake, increased CO2 production from radioactive glucose, and increased oxygen uptake. These effects were abolished with purification of albumin by dialysis and charcoal treatment. The purified albumin did, however, decrease incorporation of glucose radioactivity into tissue lipid. In a short-term experiment (18-min incubation) octanoate was oxidized to water-soluble products and CO2 much more rapidly than was palmitate. These results suggest that oxidation of free fatty acid, at the more rapid rate observed with octanoate, has a sparing effect on the oxidation of glucose to CO2 in aortic tissue.
Tumor specific immunity to mouse melanoma in vitro.

SummaryAn in vitro assay that measures the ability of mouse spleen cells to inhibit DNA synthesis (IDS) of syngeneic melanoma tumor cells was used in the evaluation of tumor immunity. The IDS assay was used in the measurement of both specific immunity mediated by spleen cells from tumor-bearing mice and nonspecific tumor cell growth inhibition mediated by normal spleen cells. Specific IDS was first demonstrable 2 weeks after injection of 106 B-16 tumor cells sub-cutaneously and persisted during advanced stages of disease. Changes in spleen cell IDS activity were correlated with changing mitogen reactivity during the course of tumor growth. A portion of the spleen cells mediating nonspecific IDS was removed by nylon wool filtration, but the effector cells exhibiting specific immunity were not removed by this procedure. Immune spleen cells did not need to synthesize DNA or divide to inhibit tumor cell DNA synthesis.
Experimental Investigation of Ship Airwake Flow Control for a US Navy Flight II-A Class Destroyer (DDG)

th scale DDG-81 hull form with wind straight down the bow. One of the U.S. Navy's main interests in ship airwakes is the effect they have on aircraft operating nearby. In the interest of providing a more uniform flowfield in the vicinity of the ship, the wind tunnel test investigated the effect of adding angled-serrated flaps to the deckhouse, in contrast to the clean sharp 90-degree corners found on DDG class ships. The flow control portion of this test evaluated the effectiveness of the devices to alter mean and fluctuating velocities in the vicinity of the landing deck in the aft of the ship geometry. Results showed the trends of such geometry modifications. Furthermore, the test investigated the sensitivity of the trends to the flap size, location and deployed angle. This study sought to investigate the effectiveness of fences to smooth out the flow over the landing deck region.
Fecal Flora in Man: Effect of Cathartic

states. For example, in normal individuals the small intestine harbors relatively low numbers of organisms [6, 7], whereas in diarrhea caused by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli [8] and in certain diseases associated with steatorrhea [9] tremendous overgrowth of bacteria occurs in the small intestine. Suppression of certain components of the normal flora by antibiotics increases the susceptibility to enteric pathogens such as Salmonella [10], Shigella, and Vibrio cholerae [11], and commensals such as Staphylococcus [12], and yeast [13]. It is also possible that quantitative changes alone may be responsible for diarrheal disease of unknown etiology such as "tourista" (the diarrhea of travelers) and antibiotic-induced diarrhea [14, 15]. The purpose of the present study was to enumerate the cultivable fecal microbial flora in a
Using "Shrek" to Teach about Stigma.

We describe an active learning exercise to teach students about social stigma. After lecturing on the topic, the instructor distributes a worksheet and shows several clips from the movie Shrek, pau...
From OEM to Technological Companies ——Minor Enterprise's Administrational Organization Structure Experiencing Major Reform Example ——An Energy Efficient Light Company

High efficient organizational structure is the key factor of an organization's growth.Based on study,this present paper reviews one minor energy efficient light company's development and the history of organizational transition.With the analysis of the company's different phases of growth,the paper discuses the changing trend of organizational structure and designs in transitional organization structure from minor OEM enterprises to technical companies.
Research on the quality of Sodium Bicarbonate Injection

Objective: To verify if the new production of Sodium Bicarbonate Injection were in line with quality standards, and met the requirements for sale. Methods: According to the quality standards of Sodium Bicarbonate Injection, a series of qualitative research were carried out. Results: The Sodium Bicarbonate Injection met the required standard. Conclusion: The newly produced Sodium Bicarbonate Injection is in line with quality standards, and is permited for sale.
Progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a parkinsonian syndrome 20 to 30 times less common than Parkinson's disease. PSP and Parkinson's disease share certain symptoms, but also present distinctive features. The histopathological features of PSP are highly specific and enable certain diagnosis. Since no biological marker has been identified, clinical signs must be recognized to establish the probability of the histopathological diagnosis. The NINDS program distinguishes two categories: probable PSP and possible PSP with distinctive characteristics. The sensitivity of probable PSP is only 50 p. 100, but the specificity and positive predictive value are 100 p. cent. For possible PSP, specificity is 83 p. cent (93 p. cent if diagnostic errors are included) and the positive predictive value is lower (83 p. cent). Although there number is smaller, patients with probable PSP are retained for research on new treatments. There have been few, non-controlled therapeutic trials in PSP. No drug and no surgical procedure has been demonstrated to be highly effective. Neuroprotection is a new avenue of research which requires knowledge of the natural course of clinical incapacity. A longitudinal study of 50 patients with probable PSP has provided mid-term results on symptom onset and on the development of three key signs, detected with the standard Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale: incapacity to stand alone without help, incapacity to speak intelligently, incapacity to eat (tube feeding). The Kaplan-Meier curves show that the mean duration of the disease before development of one of these signs is 50 months. Research on protocols designed to stop disease progression should be centered on this period.
PerfOrator: eloquent performance models for Resource Optimization

Query Optimization focuses on finding the best query execution plan, given fixed hardware resources. In BigData settings, both pay-as-you-go clouds and on-prem shared clusters, a complementary challenge emerges: Resource Optimization: find the best hardware resources, given an execution plan. In this world, provisioning is almost instantaneous and time-varying resources can be acquired on a per-query basis. This allows us to optimize allocations for completion time, resource usage, dollar cost, etc. These optimizations have a huge impact on performance and cost, and pivot around a core challenge: faithful resource-to-performance models for arbitrary BigData queries. This task is challenging for users and tools alike due to lack of good statistics (high-velocity, unstructured data), frequent use of UDFs, impact on performance of different hardware types and a lack of understanding of parallel execution at such a scale. We address this with PerfOrator, a novel approach to resource-to-performance modeling. PerfOrator employs nonlinear regression on profile runs to model arbitrary UDFs, calibration queries to generalize across hardware platforms, and analytical framework models to account for parallelism. The resulting estimates are orders of magnitude more accurate than existing approaches (e.g, Hive's optimizer), and have been successfully employed in two resource optimization scenarios: 1) optimize provisioning of clusters in cloud settings---with decisions within 1% of optimal, 2) reserve skyline of resources for SLA jobs---with accuracies over 10x better than human experts.
The relationship between pathologic nodal disease and residual tumor viability (RV) in patients with locoregionally advanced (LRA) adenocarcinoma (ACA) of the esophagus and gastroesophageal junction (E/GEJ) receiving induction chemotherapy, surgery, and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT).

165 Background: A complete pathologic response to induction CRT has been identified as a favorable prognostic factor for patients with LRA ACA of the E/GEJ. Less is known, however, about the impact...
Characterization of Materials I

The characterization of materials is an important step to be taken before utilizing the materials for any purpose. Depending on the purpose, one can subject the material to mechanical, thermal, chemical, optical, electrical, and other characterizations to make sure that the material under consideration can function without failure for the life of the final product. We will consider only mechanical, thermal, and surface properties in this chapter while in the next chapter we will study electrical, optical, and diffusional properties.
Parental Influences on Heavy Episodic Drinking Development in the Transition to Early Adulthood

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine how parental relationship quality (communication frequency, time spent together, and closeness) during early adulthood is related to heavy episodic drinking (HED) during this developmental period and whether effects vary according to age, youth sex, or parent sex. Methods National data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics–Transition to Adulthood Study were analyzed. Youth participated in up to four interviews (2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011; n = 1,320–1,489) between ages 18–25 years. At each wave, respondents reported past-year HED and their communication frequency, time spent, and closeness with each parent (items combined into an index). We tested differences in parental effects by age, parent sex, and youth sex using multigroup latent curve models. Results Paternal relationship quality was negatively associated with HED for both males and females at each age; associations did not vary by respondent age or sex (odds ratio [OR] = .73, 95% confidence interval [CI]: .63–.85). Maternal relationship quality was significantly negatively associated with HED at ages 18–19 years among both sexes equally (OR = .50, 95% CI: .41–.61). Although protective associations continued until the age of 25 years for males, they weakened and became nonsignificant at ages 20–25 years for females (OR = .87, 95% CI: .72–1.04). Findings were robust to inclusion of multiple covariates associated with both parenting and alcohol use. Conclusions Having close, communicative parental relationships seems protective against HED in early adulthood, although for females maternal effects appear limited to late adolescence. Programs to improve relationship quality between young adults and their parents may help curb problematic drinking during this vulnerable period.
Effect of Vitamin C on Performance and Antioxidant Capacity of Cattle Fed Varying Concentrations of Dietary Sulfur

Introduction Ethanol industry co-products, such as dried distiller’s grains with solubles (DDGS), are a common addition to Midwest feedlot diets. However, as a result of the sulfuric acid used during the ethanol fermentation process, DDGS are often rich in sulfur (S), limiting the inclusion rate in cattle diets. High dietary S has been documented to be detrimental to cattle performance, specifically influencing average daily gain (ADG) and hot carcass weight (HCW), and may lead to the development of S toxicity. VC is a potent antioxidant, which is naturally produced in cattle. However, limited research is available concerning the VC needs of feedlot cattle. Previous research noted a decrease in plasma VC during the finishing period of longfed cattle and observed an increase in marbling scores when a rumen-protected VC source was added to the diet during the finishing period. Additionally, cell culture work suggests VC enhances differentiation of pre-adipocytes to adipocytes, a step needed for marbling to occur. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of supplementing VC to diets containing varying concentrations of S on the live and carcass-based performance and antioxidant capacity of cattle.
Abstract 3661: Breaking down the barrier restricting infiltration and differentiation of APC in the tumor microenvironment with a first-in-class antibody targeting Semaphorin4D, and rational combination therapies

Purpose: We expand mechanistic findings in preclinical studies to demonstrate that antibody blockade of Semaphorin 4D (SEMA4D, CD100) reduces expansion of MDSC and shifts the balance of myeloid cells within the TME to facilitate tumor rejection. Efficacy is further enhanced when combined with various immunotherapies. Design of Phase 1b/2 combination trials of VX15/2503, a humanized IgG4 antibody targeting SEMA4D, with immune checkpoint inhibition will be presented. Methods: Anti-SEMA4D antibodies were evaluated alone and in combination with other immunotherapies in various preclinical models. Anti-tumor activity and immune response was characterized by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, functional assays, and cytokine, chemokine and gene expression analysis. A Phase I trial for single agent VX15/2503 was completed, and several 1b/2 combination immunotherapy trials are planned. Results: SEMA4D restricts migration of monocytes and promotes expansion of suppressive myeloid cells in vitro. Strong expression of SEMA4D at the invasive margins of actively growing tumors in vivo restricts the infiltration and modulates polarization of leukocytes in the TME. Antibody blockade of SEMA4D facilitated recruitment of activated DCs and T lymphocytes in preclinical models. M-MDSCs were significantly reduced in tumor and blood following treatment. A significant shift towards increased Th1 cytokines (IFNγ, TNFα) and CTL-recruiting chemokine CXCL9, with concurrent reduction in Treg-, MDSC- and M2-macrophage promoting chemokines (CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL5) was observed. Accordingly, Teff:Treg ratio (3x, p Conclusions: SEMA4D blockade represents a novel mechanism to promote functional immune infiltration into the tumor and enhance immunotherapy. VX15/2503 treatment was well tolerated in a Phase I multiple ascending dose trial in patients with advanced refractory solid tumors. Phase 1b/2 trials of combination therapy with avelumab in NSCLC patients who are immunotherapy naive, and combinations with anti- anti-PD-1 and/or anti-CTLA-4 in melanoma and HNSCC patients who are refractory to PD1 inhibitors are planned in 2017. Citation Format: Elizabeth E. Evans, Holm Bussler, Crystal Mallow, Christine Reilly, Sebold Torno, Maria Scrivens, Cathie Foster, Alan Howell, Stephen R. Comeau, Leslie Balch, Alyssa Knapp, John E. Leonard, Terrence L. Fisher, Siwen Hu-Lieskovan, Antoni Ribas, Ernest S. Smith, Maurice Zauderer. Breaking down the barrier restricting infiltration and differentiation of APC in the tumor microenvironment with a first-in-class antibody targeting Semaphorin4D, and rational combination therapies [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3661. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3661
The Burden of Influenza: a Complex Problem.

Overall, deriving precise and reliable estimates of the burden of illness attributable to influenza virus infection, either by country/region or globally, is made difficult by numerous methodologic challenges. No single study or study design can provide all of the information needed to estimate influenza-related morbidity and mortality, although well-designed and executed vaccine probe studies of sufficient size can add substantially to our knowledge base.
Assessing the relative importance of parameter estimation in stream health based environmental justice modeling

Abstract Performance of environmental justice models depends on the level of accuracy in measuring or estimating the health of the environment. In the past decades, and especially in the area of stream health modeling, significant improvement has been observed. However, the impacts of these improvements on the robustness of environmental justice models have not been evaluated. Therefore in this study, the relative importance of parameter estimation in stream health based environmental justice modeling was evaluated. The Saginaw River Basin in Michigan was considered as the study area, and four major ecological indices evaluating the response of fish and macroinvertebrates to instream stressors were used for stream health assessment. Seventeen socioeconomic and physiographic indices were evaluated at three census levels of county, census tract, and block group. Then the ecological, socioeconomic, and physiographic indices were used in the development of stream health based environmental justice models. Results showed that incorporating ecologically relevant indices and a using two-phase modeling approach not only improved the performance of stream health predictive models but also reduced the sensitivity of environmental justice models to aggregation at different census levels. In addition, using improved stream health indices reduced the redundancy of the independent variables (socioeconomic and physiographic indices), where the total number of significant parameters was reduced from 171 to 115. Besides that, more robust and meaningful spatial dependencies were observed among stream health measures and environmental justice parameters at different spatial levels. In summary having a reliable stream health information is the key for development of robust environmental justice models as evidence by improving model predictability and eliminating contradictory results compared to previous studies.
Minimally invasive interval cytoreductive surgery in ovarian cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis

The introduction of minimally invasive surgery in other gynecologic cancers has shown benefits with similar oncologic outcomes. However, the biology and complexity of surgery for ovarian cancer may preclude this approach for ovarian cancer patients. Our objective is to assess feasibility to achieve complete cytoreductive surgery after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for stage IIIC-IV ovarian cancer patients via minimally invasive surgery. Our data sources include PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Biosis, Clinicaltrials.gov, and the Cochrane Library. Meta-analysis was performed using the random-effects model with DerSimonian and Laird estimator for the amount of heterogeneity to estimate the pooled outcomes. A funnel plot and Egger's regression test were used to test publication bias. The Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale was used to assess the quality of the studies. There were 6 studies (3 prospective, 3 retrospective) that met the criteria for meta-analysis with a total of 3231 patients, 567 were in the minimally invasive group and 2664 in the laparotomy group. Both groups were similar in stage and serous histology. Complete cytoreductive surgery was achieved in 74.50% (95% CI 40.41-97.65%) and 53.10% (95% CI 4.88-97.75%) of patients in the minimally invasive and laparotomy groups, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference between these 2 pooled proportions (p = 0.52). Three studies compared minimally invasive surgery vs laparotomy. No significant difference was observed between the 2 groups in obtaining complete cytoreductive surgery [OR = 0.90 (95% CI 0.70-1.16; p = 0.43)]. A symmetrical funnel plot indicated no publication bias. The pooled proportion for grade > 2 postoperative complications was not significant among the laparoscopy group [3.11% (95% CI 0.00-10.24%; p = 0.15)]. Complete cytoreductive surgery appears feasible and safe with minimally invasive surgery in selected advanced ovarian cancer patients after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Development of Training and Support Programs for Distance Education Instructors.

There is arguably no area more important to distance learning administrators than that of training and support for distance educators. Many educators have reached a level of understanding and experience in which they are highly confident in their ability to deliver quality instruction. When they are faced with adopting techniques that seem to curtail their abilities to immediately interact with students and require the utilization of new technologies, they are understandably fearful that their instruction and subsequent evaluations will suffer.
Adolescent males' combined use of condoms with partners' use of female contraceptive methods.

Objective: Protection from both sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy is best obtained by the combined use of male condoms and effective female contraceptive methods. This research examines dual contraceptive method use among teenage men. Method: Analyzed data from the 1995 National Survey of Adolescent Males, a nationally representative survey of 15 to 19-year-old males. Used bivariate analyses and logistic regression to examine the correlates of combined use of condoms and female methods. Results: At last intercourse, 17% of sexually active males reported use of a condom and a female method of contraception. Condom use, alone and in combination with a female method, was positively associated with talking with the partner about contraception and condoms, believing that males have a responsibility for contraception, and being in an earlier stage of a relationship. Only high levels of worry about sexually transmitted diseases differentially influenced dual method use, increasing the likelihood of using a condom with a female method, but not using condoms alone. Conclusions: The results suggest that efforts to increase condom use in general should also influence young men's use of condoms when their partner is using a female method. Providing information to young males about the high prevalence and serious consequences of sexually transmitted diseases may increase dual method use among adolescents.