cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biological Invasions : Economic and Environmental Costs of Alien Plant, Animal, and Microbe Species

Introduction: Nonnative species in the world David Pimentel Australia The impacts of alien plants in Australia Richard H. Groves Environmental and economic costs of invertebrate invasions in Australia Deon Canyon, Ian Naumann, Rick Speare, and Ken Winkel Brazil Invasive vertebrates in Brazil Carlos Frederico D. Rocha, Helena Godoy Bergallo, and Rosana Mazzoni British Isles Alien plants in Britain Mark Williamson Economic, environmental, and social dimensions of alien vertebrate species in Britain Piran C. L. White, Adriana E. S. Ford-Thompson, Carolyn J. Snell, and Stephen Harris Europe Impacts of alien vertebrates in Europe Susan M. Shirley and Salit Kark Invasive patterns of alien terrestrial invertebrates in Europe Alain Roques Invasive plant pathogens in Europe Ivan Sache, Anne-Sophie Roy, Frederic Suffert, and Marie-Laure Desprez-Loustau India Invasive plants in the Indian subcontinent Daizy R. Batish, R. K. Kohli, and H. P. Singh Invasive invertebrates in India: Economic implications T. N. Ananthakrishnan New Zealand Economic impacts of weeds in New Zealand: Some examples Peter A. Williams and Susan M. Timmins Ecological and economic costs of alien vertebrates in New Zealand M. N. Clout South Africa The economic consequences of the environmental impacts of alien plant invasions in South Africa D. C. Le Maitre, W. J. de Lange, D. M. Richardson, R. M. Wise, and B. W. van Wilgen Invasive vertebrates of South Africa Berndt J. van Rensburg, Olaf L. F. Weyl, Sarah J. Davies, Nicola J. van Wilgen, Dian Spear, Christian T. Chimimba, and Derick S. Peacock United States Rodents and other vertebrate invaders in the United States Michael W. Fall, Michael L. Avery, Tyler A. Campbell, Peter J. Egan, Richard M. Engeman, David Pimentel, William C. Pitt, Stephanie A. Shwiff, and Gary W. Witmer Environmental and economic costs associated with alien invasive species in the United States David Pimentel
Mechanism of deiodination of 125I-human growth hormone in vivo: Relevance to the study of protein disposition

Examination of the disposition of proteins employing 125I-labeled tracers can be complicated by the in vivo deiodination of the tracer. The purpose of this study was to characterize the mechanism by which 125I-labeled proteins are deiodinated in vivo using 125I-human growth hormone (hGH) as a model compound. Intravenous (i.v.) administration of 125I-hGH resulted in a biphasic plasma kinetic pattern, with the majority of radioactivity removed from the plasma during the first 15 min. The level of circulating radioactivity at 2 hr was similar to that 15 min after administration. Radioactivity was eliminated from the animals almost exclusively in the urine. The chemical form of radioactivity in the plasma and urine was analyzed by HPLC, and precipitation of radioactivity with silver nitrate or trichloroacetic acid. Fifteen minutes after administration of 125I-hGH, 30% of the circulating radioactivity was present in the form of iodide (125I-). By 2 hr, the majority of radioactivity in the plasma was in the form of 125I-. The radioactivity in the urine was present exclusively in the form of 125I-. In vivo deiodination of 125I-hGH was reflected by the accumulation of radioactivity in the thyroid glands. There was no evidence for the presence of 125I-peptide intermediates in the plasma or urine of treated animals. In vitro, 125I-hGH was degraded to 125I-peptide intermediates by thyroid gland but not liver or kidney homogenates. In the absence of cofactors, 125I- was not observed as an in vitro metabolic product. However, in the presence of dithiothreitol and NADPH as cofactors, the predominant metabolic product formed by thyroid gland homogenates was 125I-. The deiodination of 125I-hGH by thyroid gland homogenates was inhibited by the serine protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), indicating that proteolysis of 125I-hGH was required for deiodination to occur. This was supported by the observation that 125I-labeled proteolytic fragments of 125I-hGH, but not 125I-hGH, were deiodinated by liver or kidney homogenates in the presence of these cofactors. Deiodination by thyroid gland homogenates was inhibited by the sulfhydryl-group blocking reagent, iodoacetate, in a concentration-dependent manner. The characteristics of the in vitro deiodination reaction suggest that a form of thyronine 5'-monodeiodinase may be involved in the in vivo deiodination of 125I-hGH and possibly other 125I-proteins. These data suggest that the disposition of proteins may be determined more accurately with 3H-, 14C- or 35S-labeled molecules which better represent the characteristics of the native protein.
Marketing Communication Strategies

Widely regarded as the fastest growing communication medium in history, the Internet offers marketers unique ways to reach and build relationships with their prospects and customers. Communication, along with product distribution and transaction functions (e-commerce), yield the Internet's greatest value for marketers. Interactive advertising, e-mail, free software and music samples, online communities, and Web sites are just a few of the online communication tactics that draw customers, move them to product trial, and entice them to return for more. This article explores the roots, role, and context of online marketing communication; examines online advertising; direct marketing, sales promotion, and marketing public relations in depth; and looks into the future of the marriage of technology and communication as expressed on the Internet. Keywords: advertising; customer acquisition costs (CAC); interactive advertising; marketing public relations (MPR); online communities; online marketing; permission marketing
An ignition model for quiescent fuel sprays

Abstract An evaporation controlled ignition model is developed on the basis of data in the literature which suggest that two fuel properties which affect evaporation, volatility, and viscosity, also strongly influence ignition. Due to the similarities between flame stabilization and ignition, the model follows from an existing flame stabilization theory. Basically, the model employs a characteristic time approach which associates specific times with the physical processes which occur during ignition and states that the ignition limit is reached when the mixing rate of the spark kernel with its environment equals the fuel evaporation rate. A favorable comparison between the model and ignition data for quiescent fuel and air mixtures is observed.
Some properties of a protamine-stimulated triglyceride-hydrolyzing enzyme from rat ventricle

Abstract Ventricle from fed or fasted rat has been shown to contain enzymatic activity which hydrolyzes rat adipose tissue triglycerides and which is stimulated by protamine sulfate. Ten-fold purification of this enzyme was achieved by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation at 100,000 g . The enzyme thus obtained shows the following characteristics: it hydrolyzes triglyceride extracted from rat adipose tissue; has a pH optimum between 7.2 and 7.5 in Tris or phosphate buffer; has a requirement for albumin, but not of serum, for maximal activity; is stimulated by protamine sulfate, but is unaffected by heparin, NaCl and NaF; is thermolabile, 5 min at 60° being sufficient to reduce activity by almost 100 per cent. The hydrolytic activity of a 40% sucrose gradient preparation was not limited to triglycerides; both monoglycerides and methyl esters of fatty acids were also hydrolyzed, although the stimulant effect of protamine was restricted essentially to the triglycerides.
Complexity of query processing in databases with OR-objects

If ground disjunctive facts are admitted into a database the data complexity of conjunctive queries grows from PTIME into CoNP with some simple examples of CoNP-Complete conjunctive queries. A natural question which arises in this context is whether it is possible to syntactically characterize those queries which are “bad” (i.e. CoNP-Complete) from those that are “good” (i.e. with PTIME data complexity) given a predefined 'pattern” of disjunctions in the database. In this paper, we study the data complexity of conjunctive queries. We give a complete syntactic characterization of CoNP-Complete conjunctive queries for a class of disjunctive databases called OR-Databases. Our results can be used in complexity tailored design where design decisions are motivated by complexity of query processing. Also, we establish that a similar complete syntactic characterization for disjunctive queries, with negation allowed only on base predicates, would answer the open problem “Does Graph Isomorphism belong to PTIME or is it NP-Complete?”.
Some critical exponent inequalities for percolation

For a large class of independent (site or bond, short- or long-range) percolation models, we show the following: (1) If the percolation densityP ∞(p) is discontinuous atp c , then the critical exponentγ (defined by the divergence of expected cluster size, ∑nP n (p) ∼ (P c −P)−γ asp ↑p c ) must satisfyγ ≥ 2. (2)γ orγ′ (defined analogously toγ, but asp ↓p c ) and δ [P n (p c ) ∼ (n −1−1/δ) asn → ∞ ] must satisfyγ,γ′ ≥ 2(1 − 1/δ). These inequalities forγ improve the previously known boundγ ≥ 1(Aizenman and Newman), since δ ≥ 2 (Aizenman and Barsky). Additionally, result 1may be useful, in standardd-dimensional percolation, for proving rigorously (ind>2) that, as expected,P x has no discontinuity atp c .
Contributions of growth, stasis, and reproduction to fitness in brooding and broadcast spawning marine bivalves

Reproductive modes in marine invertebrates can be generally grouped into two types: those brooding larvae and those broadcast-spawning gametes into the water. We asked if these different life-history strategies differ based on how contribution to fitness is partitioned between growth, stasis, and reproduction. To investigate this question, we used published demographic data on ten diverse species of marine bivalves. We parameterized simple matrix-population models and calculated the sums of elasticities to growth, stasis, and reproduction parameters and plotted the results on triangular axes. We also assessed whether contribution patterns were correlated with reproductive mode and tropical, temperate, or polar environments. We found that some of the broadcast spawners fell in the region of the plot with high elasticities for stasis and that some of the brooders fell in the region of the plot with higher growth and reproduction elasticities than stasis ones. However, instead of a sharp dichotomy, we found a continuum in contributions of stasis parameters with long-lived brooders and short-lived broadcast spawners in the same region of the plot. There was no clear pattern of reproductive mode associated with any particular environment, but we think these preliminary results are intriguing and that further work on comparative demography of marine invertebrates is warranted.
Neutron-proton scattering. I. Differential cross section at 63. 1 MeV

The neutron-proton differential cross section has been measured at 63.1 MeV. The data span an angular range from theta/sub c.m./=40/sup 0/ to 165/sup 0/ with a relative precision of < or approx. = 3.0%. A different angular behavior is observed in the present results as compared to that in the data between 55 and 65 MeV currently used in phase parameter analyses.
Age-related macular degeneration--emerging pathogenetic and therapeutic concepts.

Today, the average life expectancy in developed nations is over 80 years and climbing. And yet, the quality of life during those additional years is often significantly diminished by the effects of age‐related, degenerative diseases, including age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in the elderly worldwide. AMD is characterized by a progressive loss of central vision attributable to degenerative and neovascular changes in the macula, a highly specialized region of the ocular retina responsible for fine visual acuity. Estimates gathered from the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) global eye disease survey conservatively indicate that 14 million persons are blind or severely visually impaired because of AMD. The disease has a tremendous impact on the physical and mental health of the geriatric population and their families and is becoming a major public health burden.Currently, there is neither a cure nor a means to prevent AMD. Palliative treatment options for the l...
Generalization training and the transfer of prosocial behavior in delinquent adolescents

Abstract This study examines the role of generalization training in the transfer of behavior to extra-training settings. Four residents of a treatment center for delinquent adolescents participated in seven 30-min training sessions in which undergraduate students reinforced (praise and redeemable points) positive comments made to peers. For two subjects the same undergraduate trainers conducted all sessions which involved a single activity (ping-pong). For the other two subjects, new trainers and new activities were introducedduring each session. Observation in the residential home was carried out before, after, and during training. “Home” observations revealed that generalization-training subjects showed greater increases over baseline performance during training and post-training periods than constant-training subjects.
Structure and function of Pet100p, a molecular chaperone required for the assembly of cytochrome c oxidase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The assembly of cytochrome c oxidase in the inner mitochondrial membranes of eukaryotic cells requires the protein products of a large number of nuclear genes. In yeast, some of these act globally and affect the assembly of several respiratory-chain protein complexes, whereas others act in a cytochrome c oxidase-specific fashion. Many of these yeast proteins have human counterparts, which when mutated lead to energy-related diseases. One of these proteins, Pet100p, is a novel molecular chaperone that functions to incorporate a subcomplex containing cytochrome c oxidase subunits VII, VIIa and VIII into holo-(cytochrome c oxidase). Here we report the topological disposition of Pet100p in the inner mitochondrial membrane and show that its C-terminal domain is essential for its function as a cytochrome c oxidase-specific ‘assembly facilitator’.
Home teleconsultations with faculty subspecialists on chest images from an intensive care unit

Study objective: To determine whether teleconsultations by first-year radiology residents with faculty thoracic radiologists, using diagnostic-quality teleradiology workstations in the radiologists' homes, would add clinical value for the acute management of intensive care unit patients after regular working hours. Design and setting: First-year radiology residents recorded key findings on new computed chest radiographs from 173 cardiothoracic intensive care unit patients. After consulting with home-based thoracic radiologists on the same images via teleradiology, they recorded any revisions to their original interpretations. An interdisciplinary evaluation panel determined whether the revisions of the residents' initial readings after the teleradiology consultations would have influenced the acute clinical care of these patients. Measurements and results: In 119 of the 173 cases (69 %), differences in key findings on the chest images were observed between the first-year residents' preliminary readings and their revised readings after teleconsultation with a thoracic radiologist. The evaluation panel determined that the changes in key findings after the teleconsultations could have influenced acute patient care in 86 of the 173 cases (50 %). Conclusions: Through rapid teleradiology consultations with residents, focusing on the key findings on newly-obtained computed chest images, home-based thoracic radiologists provided information of added clinical value for the acute management of cardiothoracic intensive care unit patients in one-half of the cases studied. Diagnostic workstations in the homes of faculty subspecialists may enable first-year radiology residents on night or weekend duty to obtain clinical supervision from faculty subspecialists that approximates more closely the level of supervision that they receive during regular working hours.
Religious victimization as social empowerment in discrimination narratives from California’s Proposition 8 campaign

One of the premier social issues in contemporary US politics is that of same-sex marriage. This research explores language use and identity construction by same-sex marriage supporters through narratives of discrimination. This paper analyzes data collected through the non-profit Marriage Equality USA, wherein narrators respond to a survey question about experiences of discrimination during California’s Proposition 8 campaign, a statewide initiative that repealed the rights of same-sex couples to marry. In doing so, narrators use ideologies of religion and religious affiliation to: (1) construct a victim identity in relation to their experiences, (2) use this as a springboard to challenge their victimization, (3) establish opposition between individual and institutional positioning of religious identity, and (4) switch roles with their victimizers with respect to victim and empowered positions. In doing so, narrators use victimization as empowerment to convey a progressive position in an inevitably successful social movement.
Switching of Electron Conduction Current by Molecular Photoelectron-Detachment and Photodissociation Process

Switching of Electron Conduction Current by MolecularPhotoelectron- Detachment and Photodissociation ProcessLong C. Lee and Wen C. WangDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringSan Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182AbstractThe molecular processes that increases a discharge current by photoelectron detachmentof negative ions and decreases the current by photodissociation products could be appliedfor the development of fast and high repetition -rated opening switches. To demonstratethis principle, a switching of electron conduction current by laser irradiation on a DCdischarge medium was investigated. The discharge current sharply increased after the dis-charge medium was irradiated by a laser pulse, and then decreased to a small fraction ofthe original DC current. Our results show that the magnitude and pulse duration of acurrent switching can be controlled by SOC12 pressure, laser power, and laser interactionvolume.IntroductionRecent advance in pulsed -power technology indicates' that fast and high repetition -ratedopening switches are needed for the design of inductive -energy- storage system that hasenergy density much higher (102 -103 times) than the capacitive system.2 These switchesrequire a fast switching of electron conduction current. For an increase of conductioncurrent, molecular processes such as photoionization of gases with intense laser photons3and photoelectron detachment of negative ions4,5 have been suggested. For a decrease ofcurrent, it has been demonstrated that the optically- enhanced molecular -electron- attachmentprocesses are useful.6,7 In this report, we show that the electron conduction current in adischarge medium of a trace SOC12 in N2 can be switched by the irradiation of ArF laserpulses. The discharge current was initially enhanced by photoelectron- detachment ofnegative ions by laser photons and then reduced by the electron attachment to photodisso-ciation products. This fast switching process is useful for the design of opening switches.ExperimentThe experimental apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 1. The gas cell was a six -way blackGas InExcimer Las
Career Employment and Job Stopping

Career jobs typically end well before retirement and are followed by a period of postcareer employment. Although the most financially successful transitions occur when new positions are obtained in the same industry and occupation as the career job, mobility usually involves a change in industry and/or in occupation. Pension-covered career jobs last longer and more frequently end in retirement than noncovered positions. Pensions may also reduce the probability that retirements occur at very young ages and delay retirements when coverage is first obtained in postcareer employment.
Steady‐state discharges

The properties of steady‐state discharges with stochastic magnetic fields are considered using a fluid model. Magnetic field stochasticity provides a simple explanation of the phenomenon of relaxation of a discharge, defined by J. B. Taylor.
Convergence of the coupled-cluster singles, doubles and triples method

Abstract The convergence of coupled-cluster equations for several cases, CCD, CCSD, CCSDT- n and the full CCSDT is investigated. Comparisons are made between the reduced linear equation (RLE) method for accelerating convergence and simple geometric extrapolation techniques, and between energy and wavefunction convergence criteria.
George Herbert Mead : an unpublished review of John Dewey's human nature and conduct

Apres une breve biographie de G.H. Mead, l'A. decrit sa contribution dans le courant litteraire de la psychologie sociale, et nous livre un article qu'il prefera ne pas publier afin de ne pas critiquer les travaux de J. Dewey
Advance directives in skilled nursing facility residents transferred to emergency departments.

Objective: Ten years have passed since Congress enacted the Patient Self-Determination Act to promote the use of advance directives (ADs). This study was performed to determine the frequency, type, demographic distribution, and utility of ADs that accompany residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) transferred to emergency departments (EDs). Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional cohort of SNF residents, transferred to two urban, academic EDs. Chart review and physician interviews were conducted on consecutive patients arriving during 12-hour data collection shifts. Results: Among 715 patients entered, 315 [44%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 40% to 48%] had an AD. Advance directives were significantly more prevalent among white (50%) than African American (34%) or Hispanic (39%) patients (p < 0.001), and varied from 0% to 94% among SNFs. Of the 315 patients with ADs, do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders were the most prevalent (65%, 95% CI = 58% to 69%). Although 75% (95% CI = 69% to 81%) of the DNR orders addressed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), only 12% (95% CI = 8% to 16%) addressed intubation. Among 39 patients who required intubation or CPR, 44% had ADs, 82% (95% CI = 57% to 96%) of which were deemed useful. Conclusions: Despite a decade of legislation promoting their use, ADs are lacking in most SNF residents transferred to EDs for evaluation and in most settings in which a clinical indication exists for intubation or CPR. Variation in their prevalence appears to be associated with both ethnicity and SNF origin. Although about three-fourths of DNR ADs addressed CPR, only about one in ten offered guidance regarding intubation. When available, ADs are used in most instances to guide emergency care.
The effect of sodium chloride on the solubility of ethane in micellar solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate

Abstract Experiments have been carried out to determine the solubility of ethane in aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate containing sodium chloride. Addition of successive increments of NaCl to a micellar solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) causes a small increase in gas solubility at low salt concentrations ( m ). However, at higher salt concentrations NaCl suppresses the solubility of ethane. These salt effects are found to be independent of surfactant concentration. The variation in ethane solubility with salt concentration is interpreted as reflecting the combined effects of an increase in micellar SDS at the expense of the monomeric form which occurs at low salt concentrations and the salting out of ethane from the external aqueous phase. The intramicellar solubility of ethane is not affected by added salt, even in solutions having very high NaCl concentrations (>0.6 m ) which are thought to contain SDS in the form of large aggregates which are thermodynamically unstable with respect to the hydrated solid state.
Barotropic Quasi-Geostrophic Flow Over Anisotropic Mountains

Abstract This paper discusses the nature of quasi-geostrophic β-plane flow over an idealized set of ridges with height h=F(y/Ly) cosx/Lx. When the mountains are highly anisotropic, with scale factor ratio Lx/Ly≪1, the asymptotically exact forced solution is governed by a simple set of three nonlinear ordinary differential equations similar to those obtained by Charney and DeVore (1978). For fixed forcing, the region of parameter space where multiple, stable steady solutions exist is mapped out. A cusp catastrophe occurs in which a rapid zonal flow over the ridges drops to a very low value as a parameter like the driving Rossby number decreases slightly below a certain critical point; and the zonal flow then remains at this low value for a large range of Rossby number on either side of the bifurcation value. The existence of limit cycle solutions is discussed. Such periodic solutions are shown to exist for the f-plane case, and probably exist for the β-plane as well. However, numerical solutions indicate. ...
Regulatory Compliance for Marine LNG Import Terminals in California

California’s projected natural gas demand, coupled with the reality of moribund supply basins, has prompted plans for the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Several project applications for the siting, design, construction, and operation of onshore and offshore LNG import terminals have recently undergone a rigorous federal and state regulatory appraisal. The environmental, public safety, and security mandates encoded in current legal statutes were the dominant compliance issues. Addressing compliance required comprehensive risk assessment with extensive modeling of the potentially perilous scenarios, including natural and malevolent intentional hazards for LNG tanker movements and marine terminal operations. The objective was to evaluate the effect of adverse consequences on public and property not associated with LNG terminal. On the basis of this evaluation experience, the principal federal and state laws, regulations, standards and concerns, and jurisdictional and technical conflicts relevant to environmental, public safety, and security compliance for a marine LNG import terminal are outlined. This will benefit others planning similar ventures in California or elsewhere.
Hypergraph querying using structural indexing and layer-related-closure verification

Graph indexing and querying mechanisms have been receiving significant attention due to their importance in analyzing the growing graph datasets in many domains. Although much work has been done in the context of simple graphs, they are not directly applicable to hypergraphs that represent more complex relationships in various applications. The key problem here is to search a given subhypergraph query in a larger hypergraph dataset. This search problem is known to be NP-hard as it is related to graph isomorphism. To solve this search problem in an efficient manner, we first create an index set by extracting the common subhypergraph structures from the given hypergraph dataset. Upon receiving a query, we use the same indexing techniques and create a query index set from the given subhypergraph. Utilizing both indices, we identify the possible locations of the query in the hypergraph dataset. We then start the subhypergraph search to verify whether the query really appears at each location by using an accelerated verification mechanism called layer-related-closure method. Through experiments on a real hypergraph dataset and random datasets, we demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of hypergraph indexing and our verification method.
A spatial age-structured model for describing sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) population dynamics

The control of invasive sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) presents large-scale management challenges in the Laurentian Great Lakes. No modeling approach has been developed that describes spatial dynamics of lamprey populations. We developed and validated a spatial and age-structured model and applied it to a sea lamprey population in a large river in the Great Lakes basin. We considered 75 discrete spatial areas, included a stock–recruitment function, spatial recruitment patterns, natural mortality, chemical treatment mortality, and larval metamorphosis. Recruitment was variable, and an upstream shift in recruitment location was observed over time. From 1993 to 2011, recruitment, larval abundance, and the abundance of metamorphosing individuals decreased by 80%, 84%, and 86%, respectively. The model successfully identified areas of high larval abundance and showed that areas of low larval density contribute significantly to the population. Estimated treatment mortality was less than expected but had a lar...
Anion Separation by Selective Crystallization of Metal-Organic-Frameworks

A novel approach for the separation of anions from aqueous mixtures was demonstrated, which involves their selective crystallization with metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) containing urea functional groups. Self-assembly of Zn2+ with the N,N‘-bis(m-pyridyl)urea (BPU) linker results in the formation of one-dimensional MOFs including various anions for charge balance, which interact to different extents with the zinc nodes and the urea hydrogen-bonding groups, depending on their coordinating abilities. Thus, Cl-, Br-, I-, and SO42-, in the presence of BPU and Zn2+, form MOFs from water, in which the anions coordinate the zinc and are hydrogen-bonded to the urea groups, whereas NO3- and ClO4- anions either do not form MOFs or form water-soluble discrete coordination complexes under the same conditions. X-ray diffraction, FTIR, and elemental analysis of the coordination polymers precipitated from aqueous mixtures containing equivalent amounts of these anions indicated total exclusion of the oxoanions and select...
Abstract 162: Biomarker identification of residual triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) after standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT)

Backgrounds Residual TNBC after standard NCT has a poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to identify biomarkers that correlate with prognosis and can be used as novel therapeutic targets in this disease Methods 54 residual TNBC were identified. Protein was extracted and 76 antibiotics to proteins related to breast cancer signaling were measured by reverse phase protein arrays (RPPA). Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard model ratios were fitted for each protein and simultaneously. Cross-validation was also performed. The coefficient in the multivariable Cox model were used to calculate a risk score (RS) for each sample. Results The unsupervised clustering analysis of the proteomic profiles for the 54 residual breast cancers and 76 proteins divided the tumors into two groups without significant survival difference. Multivariable analysis using the top 25 proteins from univariable analysis at a false discovery rate (FDR) of 0.3 showed that IGFPB2, LKB1, and S6 were significant predictors in relapse free survival (RFS). RS model calculated based on multivariable analysis was 0.3746*IGFPB2-0.8852*LKB1+0.6012*S6, AUC=0.807. Employing crossvalidation the model was found to be reproducible. Multivariable analysis suggested that RS was an independent predictor of RFS (HR: 2.705, 95% CI 1.549 to 4.723, P-value=0.0005). Conclusions We identified a RS of three biomarkers that predict outcome in patients with residual TNBC that could be studied as therapeutic targets for this disease. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 162. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-162
Crystal Structure of L-N-Acetylhistidine Monohydrate: An Open and Closed Case

L-N-Acetylhistidine crystallizes from aqueous solution as the monohydrate. The crystals are triclinic, space group P1, with two formula units per cell. The structural solution was accomplished by direct methods. The two independent molecules have very different conformations, one open and one closed. These two conformations are compared with those found in other histidine structures.
Sample size calculations for smoothing splines based on Bayesian confidence intervals

Abstract Bayesian confidence intervals of a smoothing spline are often used to distinguish two curves. In this paper, we provide an asymptotic formula for sample-size calculations based on Bayesian confidence intervals. Approximations and simulations on special functions indicate that this asymptotic formula is reasonably accurate.
Coronary Artery Injury by a Valved External Conduit

A 4-month-old infant underwent repair of type I truncus arteriosus and died immediately after as a consequence of left main coronary artery compression by the metallic stent in the Dacron conduit. To avoid injury to the coronary vasculature, the future location of the porcine valve ring should be assessed and relocated if necessary.
Glare and Night Vision Impairment in Corrective Lens Wearers

Glare sensitivity, night vision and glare recovery measures on a night-driving vision tester were collected on 60 students, of whom 34 had uncorrected vision, 18 wore corneal contact lenses and 8 w...
Biliteracy in context: the use of L1/L2 genre knowledge in graduate studies

This article draws on genre theory in a biliteracy context to analyze how one US–Mexico border-crossing graduate student used her genre knowledge and meta-knowledge in her first language, Spanish, as a resource for navigating disciplinary-based genres in her second language, English. The student's strategic use of her L1 genre meta-knowledge from non-university contexts to realize academic literacy tasks in her L2 represented a form of recontextualization, where meanings move and get re-shaped across contexts. This strategic negotiation, in turn, served to disrupt the notions of ‘novice’ and ‘expert’ that are prominent in the composition studies literature on second language writers, where students are seen to be moving on a linear trajectory from novice to expert status in academic writing. The article discusses implications for genre-based research and pedagogy for multilingual learners crossing linguistic, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries in their academic studies.
Cure trends in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: Is it time for a revised concept of cure?

In this issue of Haematologica, Gatta et al. describe cure trends for children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who were diagnosed between 1982 and 2002, analyzing data obtained from various cancer registries across Europe.[1][1] The good news is that the projected proportion
Second-harmonic generation from an array of sub-wavelength metal apertures

We demonstrate the generation of second-harmonic radiation in transmission through periodic and disordered arrays of sub-wavelength metallic apertures. For circular apertures in a square lattice, the second-harmonic signal peaks at incidence angles corresponding to enhanced transmission of the fundamental beam of 800 nm wavelength except at small incidence angles where the local symmetry minimizes the effective second-order nonlinear susceptibility of the apertures. Even though the linear transmission of the fundamental beam can be more than five times greater through the periodic array as compared to a disordered array, the strength of the second harmonic from the disordered array is greater at large incidence angles. By breaking the local symmetry through the use of apertures of non-centrosymmetric shape, the second-harmonic output occurs at fundamental transmission resonances at small incidence angles.
IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND INCIDENCE OF PERITONITIS IN CHILDREN ON CAPD

CAPD is a growing modality of treatment for children with ESRD; however peritonitis is the major complication. We therefore evaluated serum IgG levels and immunoglobulin (Ig) production in 14 children undergoing CAPD for 18.2m (r=4-46m). Mean age was 13.9 yrs (r=0.8-20.5). Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) were isolated and cultured spontaneously with pokeweed mitogen (PWM), protein A from Staphylococcus aureus or Candida albicans for 12 days. Culture supernatants were assayed for IgG and IgM by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Final serum IgG levels correlated with initial serum IgG (r=0.81, p<0.01). Mean initial serum IgG levels correlated inversely with the number of episodes of peritonitis (r=0.61, p<0.02). Ig production by pts PBLs was significantly reduced in spontaneous or activated cultures compared to normal controls. The increment in IgG production by PWM-stimulated lymphocytes from spontaneous cultures tended to correlate inversely with the frequency of peritonitis. A depressed humoral response in children with ESRD undergoing CAPD may predispose to peritonitis.
Age of colluvium indicates accelerated late Wisconsinan hillslope erosion in the Upper Mississippi Valley

Colluvium on foot slopes in parts of North America and Europe has been attributed to a major mass-wasting episode during the last glacial period. Stratigraphic evidence and 14 C ages support this hypothesis for the northern part of the Upper Mississippi Valley. Colluvium in this region grades laterally into, or interfingers with, fluvial sediment beneath the late Wisconsinan Savanna terrace. Colluvial foot slopes are truncated by fluvial surfaces postdating the incision that created the Savanna terrace between 13 and 11 ka. Samples from within the colluvium have 14 C ages between 18.6 and 12 ka. Ages of 28.9 and 20.3 ka have been obtained from beneath colluvium, and fluvial sediment inset into colluvial foot slopes has yielded ages between 12.5 and 9.8 ka. Widespread permafrost during the late Wisconsinan glacial maximum may explain the onset of accelerated mass wasting that produced the colluvium, although mass wasting apparently continued for some time during subsequent climatic warming. The results described here imply major, long-term, climatically driven fluctuations in sediment supply from hillslopes to the fluvial system in this region.
The Economist as Public Intellectual

Over the past two decades, the rising number of outlets for communication through cable networks and electronic broadcasting (not to mention self-promoting Web "blogs") has stimulated the demand for economic commentary. Only the academic economist, as "public intellectual," can provided this commentary in a coherent and rigorous way via the three levels of communication described in this article.
Leishmania tropica: regulation and specificity of the methionine transport system in promastigotes.

Abstract The uptake of l -methionine in Leishmania tropica promastigotes is competitively inhibited by d -methionine which indicates a lack of rigorous stereospecificity for the methionine carrier. l -Ethionine and l -norleucine, as well as a number of neutral, nonpolar amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine, and alanine) also inhibit methionine uptake. All these inhibitors are aliphatic amino acids with terminal methyl groups. Kinetic studies showed that ethionine, norleucine, and alanine are also competitive inhibitors of methionine uptake. Excessive influx of methionine is prevented by feedback inhibition as well as transinhibition of the transport system. In the former, increased levels of methionine within the intra-cellular pools inhibit further uptake of the amino acid. In the latter, enhanced levels of other amino acids including those such as tyrosine and lysine which have no affinity for the methionine carrier inhibit methionine transport. Supplementation of the growth medium with methionine does not repress its transport system. The methionine uptake system in L. tropica thus shows broad specificity and is subject to regulation at the level of carrier activity.
Review of Human Studies Methods in HRI and Recommendations

This article provides an overview on planning, designing, and executing human studies for Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) that leads to ten recommendations for experimental design and study execution. Two improvements are described, using insights from the psychology and social science disciplines. First is to use large sample sizes to better represent the populations being investigated to have a higher probability of obtaining statistically significant results. Second is the application of three or more methods of evaluation to have reliable and accurate results, and convergent validity. Five primary methods of evaluation exist: self-assessments, behavioral observations, psychophysiological measures, interviews, and task performance metrics. The article describes specific tools and procedures for operationalizing these improvements, as well as suggestions for recruiting participants. A recent large-scale, complex, controlled human study in HRI using 128 participants and four methods of evaluation is presented to illustrate planning, design, and execution choices.
A mutation spectra database for bacterial and mammalian genes

Each mutation spectrum in this database is a dataset of changes in DNA base sequence in mutations induced in a gene by a particular mutagen (including spontaneous processes) under defined conditions. There are 240 datasets with 24 500 mutants in nine bacterial genes, two phage genes, five mammalian genes and one yeast gene. The database is available on the Web at http://info.med.yale.edu/mutbase/ . The data tables can be viewed on the Web and downloaded in text form for local use. The data are also available in dBASE III, a format which can be utilized by essentially any desktop computer database program or spreadsheet, and makes feasible analyses of a large number of mutants. Researchers are invited to submit additional data. A data entry program, MUTSIN, diagrams each mutation on the computer screen as the data are entered and alerts the user to any discrepancies between the entry and the gene sequence.
Directed test generation for effective fault localization

Fault-localization techniques that apply statistical analyses to execution data gathered from multiple tests are quite effective when a large test suite is available. However, if no test suite is available, what is the best approach to generate one? This paper investigates the fault-localization effectiveness of test suites generated according to several test-generation techniques based on combined concrete and symbolic (concolic) execution. We evaluate these techniques by applying the Ochiai fault-localization technique to generated test suites in order to localize 35 faults in four PHP Web applications. Our results show that the test-generation techniques under consideration produce test suites with similar high fault-localization effectiveness, when given a large time budget. However, a new, "directed" test-generation technique, which aims to maximize the similarity between the path constraints of the generated tests and those of faulty executions, reaches this level of effectiveness with much smaller test suites. On average, when compared to test generation based on standard concolic execution techniques that aims to maximize code coverage, the new directed technique preserves fault-localization effectiveness while reducing test-suite size by 86.1% and test-suite generation time by 88.6%.
Optimum downwash behind wings in formation flight

other hand, the scaling parameter M1® is more suitable (Fig. 2b). The upstream in uence appears to be a quadratic function of M1®, and the correlation of the downstream in uence and M1® is also reasonablygood.The extentof the interactionregionshowsa similar trend as the upstream and downstream in uences. A good collapse of the data with M1® can be seen. The peakpressuredownstreamof thecornercanbeused to characterize the strength of the upstreamcompressionprocesses. In Fig. 3 it can be seen that the peak pressure downstream of the concave corner can also be scaled with M1®. Stronger compression is associatedwith increasingfreestreamMach number and concave-corner angle. Note that the peak pressure at M1®D 12:30 increases up to 42% of dynamic pressure.
Safety Impacts at Intersections on Curved Segments

Indiana geometric design policy, consistent with national standards, allows for the design of intersections on superelevated curves if other solutions are prohibitively expensive. Consequently, the Indiana Department of Transportation (DOT) has built a number of such intersections. Following a series of fatal crashes at one of these intersections, Indiana DOT made a decision to avoid designing intersections on segments with steep superelevation. This design restriction calls for expensive alternatives, such as realigning roads or adding grade separations. This research was done to determine whether superelevated intersections were more hazardous than similar intersections located on tangents and, if so, to determine what combination of factors made this true. The research focused on two-way stop-controlled intersections where the mainline was a high-speed four-lane divided highway located on a superelevated curve. An attempt was made to analyze as many factors as possible by using appropriate comparison techniques. Negative binomial models were developed to determine the statistical relationship between crash occurrence and intersection geometric characteristics, including curvature of the main road. Crash severity and the joint impact of curvature with weather and lighting conditions were examined by using binomial comparisons of proportions. Research findings show significant increases in crash frequency and severity at intersections located on superelevated curves.
Fabry disease: a morphologic study of 11 cases

Fabry disease is a metabolic disorder caused by the genetic deficiency of alpha-galactosidase A. Deposition of glycosphingolipids in podocytes, endothelial cells, and other cell types leads to formation of myelin-like inclusions, which are the hallmark of the disease. In most untreated males, the disorder progresses to end-stage kidney disease. Fabry disease is rare, and no renal biopsy series focusing on pathologic findings has been published in the past 25 years. We retrieved kidney biopsies diagnosed with Fabry disease from our files, and reviewed clinical data as well as the light and electron microscopy. In total, 11 patients were identified: six male subjects aged 17-43 years and five female subjects aged 30-73 years. On average, male patients presented more than 10 years earlier then female patients. A total of 10 patients had proteinuria, two with the nephrotic syndrome. Four male and three female patients had decreased renal function. Light microscopy showed vacuolization of the podocyte cytoplasm and variable glomerular sclerosis. Older patients and males had more advanced glomerular and interstitial sclerosis, but three of the five female patients also had advanced renal disease. Electron microscopy showed the characteristic myelin-like inclusions most prominently in the podocyte cytoplasm. Seven patients also had podocyte foot process effacement. A second type of deposit, unexpected and conspicuous, was identified in three males, and found to be associated with glomerular basement membrane duplications. These deposits were composed of layered membrane-like material, and therefore morphologically distinct from myelin-like inclusions. They probably represent remnants of damaged endothelial cells.