cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nutrient Value of Catfish Meal

Abstract By-products of the processing of catfish have become available as a feed ingredient. Five samples were obtained and evaluated for nutrient content so as to provide the nutritionist with a baseline of information with which to consider possible use of this ingredient. The most unique nutritional features of catfish meal are high levels of protein (60%) combined with calcium (8%) and phosphorus (4.2%). Essential amino acids as percentages of crude protein tend to be somewhat lower than other fish meals. Average TMEn was 2,773 kcal/kg (94% DM).
Downtime data—its collection, analysis, and importance

Until the day when plant production personnel and equipment have no downtime, proper collection and analysis of downtime data will be essential to the development of valid, credible simulation models. Methods and techniques helpful to this task within simulation model building are described.
On the systematic position of the genus Deropristis, of Dihemistephanus sturionis Little, 1930, and of a new digenetic trematode from a sturgeon.

Pristotrema manteri n.g., n.sp. is described from the spiral valve of the shovel-nosed sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorhynchus (Rafinesque), in the Wabash River, Indiana, U.S.A. A new genus, Pristicola , is erected for Dihemistephanus Little, 1930, nec Looss, 1901, with Pristicola sturionis (Little) as the type and only species. The subfamily Deropristiinae Cable & Hunninen, 1942, is re-defined to receive the genera Pristotrema and Pristicola as well as the type genus, Deropristis . The uncertain family position of the Deropristiinae is discussed without removing it from the Lepocreadiidae, although the independent status of that family may be questioned in the light of recent work.
Central control of cardiac baroreflex responses during peripheral hyperosmolality

Acute increases in peripheral osmolality evoke a pressor response and baroreflex-mediated bradycardia. These experiments were designed to determine if the fall in heart rate during peripheral sodiu...
Finite element modeling of anomalous moisture diffusion with dual stage model

In this paper, finite element modeling of anomalous moisture diffusion using commercial finite element code is developed. The modeling method and numerical implementation is based on a dual stage model with both stages described by Fickian terms mathematically. The method is also extended to desorption process at reflow, in which the permanently trapped moisture content is a function of temperature. This paper details the finite element modeling implementation steps for both moisture absorption and desorption. The results are compared to the analytical solutions, and are also compared to the experimental data. A single script using ANSYS APDL is developed for the whole process including absorption and desorption phases.
Mechanisms of change in an emotion regulation group therapy for deliberate self-harm among women with borderline personality disorder

Despite growing evidence for the efficacy of Gratz and colleagues' emotion regulation group therapy (ERGT) for deliberate self-harm (DSH) among women with borderline personality disorder (BPD), the proposed mechanism of change in this treatment (i.e., emotion regulation) remains largely unexamined. This study examined change in emotion dysregulation as a mediator of the effects of this ERGT on DSH and BPD symptoms, as well as the extent to which change in emotion dysregulation during treatment predicts further improvements in DSH during a 9-month follow-up. Participants included 61 female outpatients with BPD and recent DSH who were randomly assigned to receive this ERGT in addition to their ongoing outpatient therapy immediately (n = 31) or after 14 weeks (n = 30). Measures of emotion dysregulation, DSH, and BPD symptoms were administered pre- and post-treatment or -waitlist, and at 9-months post-treatment (for participants in both conditions who received ERGT). Results from a series of mediation analyses provide further support for emotion regulation as a mechanism of change in this treatment. Specifically, results revealed that improvements in emotion dysregulation over the course of treatment mediated the observed reductions in BPD cognitive and affective symptoms during treatment and predicted further improvements in DSH during follow-up.
Angeles, Sacrificios, y Dios: A Puerto Rican Woman's Journey through Higher Education.

Moving from young adulthood to her experiences as a nontraditional student at Pace University, Rivera chronicles her path to independence in this poignant essay about determination, support, and sacrifice. Evoking powerful images, she introduces the people and forces that served to inspire, recharge, and steady her resolve to succeed in her second chance at college. The role of faith is clearly articulated in this story of a student whose identity as a mother serves to remind her why her persistence is so important.
Constructing Democracy in Southern Europe: A Comparative Analysis of Italy, Spain, and Turkey by Lauren M. Mclaren

London & New York: Routledge, 2008, ISBN 978-0-415043819-3, £70 (hb), Pp. xiii +321 Lauren McLaren has undertaken an ambitious task by setting out to explain the differences in the democratisation ...
Chloroquine-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum: Difference in the Handling of 14C-Amodiaquin and 14C-Chloroquine

14 C-amodiaquin and 14 C-chloroquine were used to study drug binding by preparations of owl monkey erythrocytes infected either with a chloroquine-susceptible (CS) or with a chloroquine-resistant (CR) strain of P. falciparum . Both of these drugs are derivatives of 4-aminoquinoline, but they differ in their side chains, and there are differences in the way they are handled by preparations of erythrocytes infected with malaria parasites. Although the apparent association constant for the binding of either drug is approximately 10 7 mol −1 , two to three times more radioactivity was bound from 14 C-amodiaquin than from 14 C-chloroquine. Furthermore, there was no apparent difference between CS and CR parasites with respect to 14 C-amodiaquin binding, whereas erythrocytes infected with CR parasites have a deficiency of 14 C-chloroquine binding. This difference in the handling of amodiaquin probably accounts for its superiority in the treatment of the owl monkey and of humans infected with CR P. falciparum .
Science Signaling Podcast: 12 June 2012

This Podcast features an interview with Shawn Ferguson, senior author of a Research Article published in the 12 June 2012 issue of Science Signaling . Lysosomes are organelles in which cellular waste, damaged organelles, and internalized materials are degraded so that their chemical constituents can be recycled. Maintaining optimal lysosomal function is important for cell physiology, metabolism, and development. Ferguson’s group investigated the mechanism by which lysosomal status controls the activity of TFEB, a transcription factor that promotes the expression of genes that encode lysosomal proteins. Under normal conditions, TFEB was retained in the cytoplasm because it was phosphorylated by the lysosomally-localized kinase mTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin). Lysosomal stress inhibited the interaction between TFEB and mTOR, leading to dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation of TFEB. Thus, mTOR-mediated regulation of TFEB activity maintains lysosomal homeostasis.
Simpson's Paradox: A Data Set and Discrimination Case Study Exercise

In this article, we present a data set and case study exercise that can be used by educators to teach a range of statistical concepts including Simpson's paradox. The data set and case study are ba...
New Field Sensors for Subpicosecond Electromagnetic Pulses

In the ultrafast electronics and optoelectronics communities, especially in the sub-field of applied terahertz beams, the detection of freely propagating picosecond microwave and millimeter-wave signals is primarily being carried out via photoconductive antennas and far-infrared interferometric techniques1–8. However, the limitation of these antenna-based detectors is the resonant behavior of their Hertzian dipole structure. This type of device structure has a resonant wavelength at the twice the dipole length. Therefore, the signal waveform, which includes the resonant detector response function, is not a simple cross-correlation of the incoming terahertz and optical gating pulses. In comparison, although far-infrared interferometric techniques provide an autocorrelation of terahertz pulses, important phase information is still lost. In most field-matter interaction applications, knowledge of the entire terahertz waveform, including both the amplitude and phase, is crucial. Thus, there is a need for the development of suitable sensing devices to support a variety of advanced scientific and technological applications.
Impacts of Site Disturbance on the Small Mammal Fauna of Urban Woodlands

Woodlands are an important component of urban and suburban residential areas in North American cities, making up 30% of open space land in a study of the open spaces in the Chicago, Ill. region (Nilon and Huckstep, in press). Previous researchers have pointed to the educational and social importance of wildlife habitats in and around residential neighborhoods (Burgess et al. 1988), and have considered the potential of these sites in protecting rare species (Dickman and Doncaster 1987).
An Evaluation of Alternative Spatial Models

struct having space as one component.' Evaluation will be limited to economic models involving one or more commodities (primary, intermediate and/or final goods) and depicting one or more of the following economic activities: the regional location and level of production -including primary (farm) and/or secondary (processing) stages; shipping patterns of primary, secondary, and/or final goods; the regional level of consumption of final goods; and the relative and/or absolute level of regional prices. This includes formulations commonly called "activity analysis models," "interregional competition models," "transportation models," "spatial equilibrium models," and "plant location models." Model Classification and Description As the number of alternative models prohibits individual evaluation (without being too discriminating, one can list well over 500 separate formulations), they must be grouped according to some common characteristics. Although several meaningful classifications could be used, the usual distinction and the one followed here is to group the models into: standard equilibrium formulations using demand and supply relations and activity analysis models involving physical production activities and demand relationships. The two groups are not mutually exclusive-both may portray partial or complete equilibrium, their representation of shipping and consumption activities are similar, and the simplest model of each is the standard transportation model with preassigned regional quantities produced and consumed. In the standard equilibrium type model,2 discrete regions are defined and all production and/or consumption in each region is assumed to take place at one point (implicitly assuming homogeneity throughout the entire region). Quantities supplied and demanded in each region may be preassigned or a function of local prices and relevant exogenous variables, and unit transfer costs are specified between each producing and con
FBG-based sensorized light pipe for robotic intraocular illumination facilitates bimanual retinal microsurgery

In retinal surgery, microsurgical instruments such as micro forceps, scissors and picks are inserted through the eye wall via sclerotomies. A handheld intraocular light source is typically used to visualize the tools during the procedure. Retinal surgery requires precise and stable tool maneuvers as the surgical targets are micro scale, fragile and critical to function. Retinal surgeons typically control an active surgical tool with one hand and an illumination source with the other. In this paper, we present a “smart” light pipe that enables true bimanual surgery via utilization of an active, robot-assisted source of targeted illumination. The novel sensorized smart light pipe measures the contact force between the sclerotomy and its own shaft, thereby accommodating the motion of the patient's eye. Forces at the point of contact with the sclera are detected by fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors on the light pipe. Our calibration and validation results demonstrate reliable measurement of the contact force as well as location of the sclerotomy. Preliminary experiments have been conducted to functionally evaluate robotic intraocular illumination.
Abstract 3403: A stochastically arising subpopulation of B-RafV600E-expressing melanoma continues division in the presence of vemurafenib.

Patients with melanomas expressing B-Raf V600E benefit from treatment with B-Raf-targeted therapeutics, such as vemurafenib. Initial responses to these agents are occasionally profound, but the duration of response is variable from patient to patient, with some tumors recurring within a few weeks and others requiring months before tumors progress. The source of this variability of response is under intense investigation. A number of acquired resistance mechanisms have been described, but it is not known whether they pre-exist or develop after treatment initiation. To address this question, we tracked the cellular response to PLX4720 (the vemurafenib research compound) over 96 hours in the A375 and SK-MEL-5 cell line models of B-Raf V600E -expressing melanoma. Both cell lines exhibited a significant early reduction in cell number compared to control, but after 60 hours of treatment cells numbers began to increase even in the presence of 8 μM drug, albeit at a slow rate. This “rebound” proliferation effect was not due to drug decay since re-administration of the drug did not prevent it. We further examined the rebound effect at the single cell level using our newly described Fractional Proliferation assay (Tyson et al., Nat Methods, 2012, 9(9):923-928, doi:10.1038/nmeth.2138). The rebound corresponded to a dividing cell subpopulation whose size and rate of division depend on the concentration of drug. This subpopulation does not represent rare non-responding variants within the cell lines, but rather it arises stochastically as sibling cells do not always exhibit the same phenotypic response. Investigation of the molecular correlates of this dividing subpopulation, which may act as the reservoir from which the resistant cells arise, are ongoing. Citation Format: Darren R. Tyson, Chengwei Peng, Keisha N. Hardeman, Bishal Paudel, Vito Quaranta. A stochastically arising subpopulation of B-Raf V600E -expressing melanoma continues division in the presence of vemurafenib. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3403. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3403
Complete dehiscence and unseated prosthetic aortic valve causing severe aortic insufficiency: an unusual complication of prosthetic valve endocarditis

Images of a female patient's status post bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement with aortic root sparing and mitral valve repair. She presented with shortness of breath and low-grade fever 3 months after surgery. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed a freely mobile and rocking prosthetic aortic valve, totally dislodged and seeming to be stuck at the sinotubular level (figure 1), with a severe paravalvular leak causing aortic insufficiency …
A Survey on the Evolution of Cryptographic Protocols in ePassports.

ePassports are biometric identification documents that contain RFID Tags and are primarily used for border security. The embedded RFID Tags are capable of storing data, performing low cost computations and cryptography, and communicating wirelessly. Since 2004, we have witnessed the development and widespread deployment of three generations of electronic passports The ICAO First Generation ePassport (2004), Extended Access Control (EAC v1.0) ePassports (2006), and Extended Access Control with Password Authentication and Connection Establishment (EAC v2.1) ePassports (2008). Currently, over thirty million ePassports have been issued around the world. In this paper, we provide an introductory study of the technologies implemented in ePassports Biometrics, RFID, and Public Key Infrastructures; and then go on to analyze the protocols implemented in each of the three generations of ePassports, finally we point out their shortcomings and scope for future related research.
Pharmacotherapy of HIV dementia

OBJECTIF: Revoir la presentation clinique et le traitement des troubles cognitifs lies a l'infection par le VIH de type 1 (VIH-1). REVUE DE LITTERATURE: Une recherche dans la banque informatisee MEDLINE concernant la demence liee a l'infection par le VIH et son approche pharmacologique a ete effectuee. D'autres articles ont ete identifies a l'aide de la bibliographie des articles pointes dans cette recherche. SELECTION DES ETUDES ET DE L , INFORMATION : Tous les essais cliniques et les etudes de cas evaluant l'efficacite pharmacologique en terme de benefices cliniques et de variations dans le liquide cerebrospinal et la neuropathologie ont ete revises. La selection n'a pas ete restreinte par le devis des etudes, car la plupart de l'information provient d'etudes ouvertes, non controlees et de cas rapportes. La demence liee a l'infection par le VIH est caracterisee par une triade de troubles cognitifs, moteurs, et comportementaux. Les enfants peuvent presenter un retard dans leur developpement, des troubles d'apprentissage, une croissance cerebrale ralentie, et d'autres troubles neurologiques. La physiopathologie precise de la demence liee a l'infection par le VIH n'est pas determinee. De nombreux agents pharmacologiques (inhibiteurs nucleosidiques de la transcriptase inverse, pentoxifylline, nitroglycerine, memantine, nimodipine, et peptide-T) sont en investigation pour cette indication. La zidovudine est le medicament le plus etudie, car les patients qui le recoivent developpent moins frequemment une demence liee a l'infection par le VIH et montrent une amelioration lors d'evaluations neuropathologiques et neuropsychologiques. Une reponse soutenue a la zidovudine dure 6 mois a un an et une reponse optimale est obtenue a des doses plus elevees, mais cependant moins bien tolerees. Ces patients ont souvent des troubles psychiatriques associes necessitant des psychotropes et sont tres sensibles aux effets indesirables de ces agents. CONCLUSIONS: La demence liee a l'infection par le VIH est une complication devastatrice. La zidovudine est la therapie de choix pour la prevention et le traitement des troubles cognitifs chez les personnes infectees par le VIH et symptomatiques. Des recommandations pour l'utilisation d'autres agents ne peuvent etre faites compte tenu de l'absence de donnees. Le traitement de choiz pourra inclure d'autres agents antitretroviraux, comme lors d'une therapie en association, des que des donnees seront disponibles. Des etudes cliniques controlees sont necessaires pour evaluer l'efficacite des traitements dans la demence liee a l'infection par le VIH.
EVALUATING FOOD BY OBJECTIVE METHODS

Methods used by food scientists to evaluate food quality include objective and sensory methods. This chapter describes the objective methods that do not depend on the observations of an individual; these methods can be repeated using an instrument or a standard procedure. Instrumental or objective methods include a wide variety of tests. The advantages of these tests are many. They may offer a permanent record of results and invite confidence because they are reproducible and less subject to error than the sensory methods of evaluation. However, if results of objective and sensory methods do not correlate, then they may not be measuring the same component of quality and hence the chemical or physical method may not be useful for the study. The appearance of foods can be recorded by means of photography or, in some cases, photocopying. A preliminary acceptance or rejection of a food is based on the visual appearance, including the color. In addition, the measurement of the size of food material particles or structural components may be of interest in research and quality control. The objective measurement of texture is complex because it must reflect the action of the mouth in removing food from an eating utensil; the action of the tongue and jaws in moving the food; and the action of the teeth in cutting, tearing, shearing, grinding, and squeezing food.
Quantitative Emission and Absorption

We are ready to begin discussion of quantitative emission and absorption spectroscopy, with the goal of being able to specify emission and absorption as a function of wavelength. Two steps are involved in this treatment. In the first step, a simple form of the equation of radiative transfer will be used to identify a new parameter, known as the spectral absorption coefficient, which will be seen as the governing quantity which characterizes emission and absorption of light, as a function of wavelength. In the second step, the Einstein theory of radiation is employed to show that the spectral absorption coefficient is given simply by the product of the line strength and a lineshape function; the relationship of the line strength to fundamental quantities known as Einstein coefficients is also shown. With these relationships in hand, it will become evident how spectrally resolved absorption (or emission) can be used as a nonintrusive means of measuring a variety of gasdynamic parameters, including: species concentration, pressure, temperature, density, and even flow velocity.
Tourism and Ethnic Groups: Behavioral Patterns and Marketing Implications

This study examines the tourism patterns of Greek Americans and their role in assimilation and the maintenance of ethnic group boundaries. The data of the study are based upon a questionnaire survey of the Hellenic communities of Cleveland, Akron, and Massillon, Ohio. The findings of the analysis indicate that the folk societies form the primary source of ethnic travel to the country of origin, and can provide the basis for reaching out to the entire Greek American population.
Low-Earth-Orbit Large Satellite Systems

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the low-earth-orbit large satellite systems. For space remote sensing systems, the ground resolution, area coverage, and frequency of coverage are determined by the orbital height and inclination of the observation system. Some specified coverage frequency and resolution could be met by employing a narrow field of view, so that the incomplete surface coverage exists after the coverage interval. The space platform altitude is an operational parameter because it affects the resolution and swath width. The higher the platform, the more area can be measured, but with a corresponding decrease in the ground resolution. A larger aperture provides higher resolution, but at the cost of weight and size, so that a large launch vehicle is required. Reducing the space platform altitude produces smaller ground resolution, but at the cost of orbit perturbation because of atmospheric drag. The emitted earth infrared radiation and reflected solar radiation are functions of time. A variety of orbit inclinations and altitudes are available for space remote sensing systems. The circular sun-synchronous orbit is the most desirable for earth missions.
Mechanics: An Engineering Science

Aristotle often is credited with the first written use of the word in his fourth century BC treatise Mechanics (Greek Mechanae), also translated as Mechanical Problems. The ideas presented in this manuscript are Aristotelian in content; however, there is considerable dispute as to whom actually wrote the treatise (Winter 2007; Dugas 1988).
Short-Wavelength Light-Blocking Eyeglasses Attenuate Symptoms of Eye Fatigue.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether subjects who wear short wavelength-blocking eyeglasses during computer tasks exhibit less visual fatigue and report fewer symptoms of visual discomfort than subjects wearing eyeglasses with clear lenses. Methods A total of 36 healthy subjects (20 male; 16 female) was randomized to wearing no-block, low-blocking, or high-blocking eyeglasses while performing a 2-hour computer task. A masked grader measured critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) as a metric of eye fatigue and evaluated symptoms of eye strain with a 15-item questionnaire before and after computer use. Results We found that the change in CFF after the computer task was significantly more positive (i.e., less eye fatigue) in the high-block versus the no-block (P = 0.027) and low-block (P = 0.008) groups. Moreover, random assignment to the high-block group but not to the low-block group predicted a more positive change in CFF (i.e., less eye fatigue) following the computer task (adjusted β = 2.310; P = 0.002). Additionally, subjects wearing high-blocking eyeglasses reported significantly less feeling pain around/inside the eye (P = 0.0063), less feeling that the eyes were heavy (P = 0.0189), and less feeling that the eyes were itchy (P = 0.0043) following the computer task, when compared to subjects not wearing high-blocking lenses. Conclusions Our results support the hypothesis that short-wavelength light-blocking eyeglasses may reduce eye strain associated with computer use based on a physiologic correlate of eye fatigue and on subjects' reporting of symptoms typically associated with eye strain.
Abstract 34: Myh11 R247C is a Modifier Allele for Aortic Disease

Thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections (TAAD) affect more than 30,000 Americans annually. TAAD can be inherited due to mutations in a number of genes, including MYH11, which encodes the smooth m...
Current Approach to the Evaluation and Management of Microscopic Colitis

Microscopic colitis is a common cause of chronic watery diarrhea, particularly in the elderly. The accompanying symptoms, which include abdominal pain and fatigue, can markedly impair patients’ quality of life. Diagnosis is based upon characteristic histologic findings of the colonic mucosa. This review focuses on the current approach to evaluation and management of patients with microscopic colitis. Although the incidence of microscopic colitis has been increasing over time, recent epidemiological studies show stabilization at 21.0–24.7 cases per 100,000 person-years. Recent research has further expanded our knowledge of the underlying pathophysiology and emphasized the entity of drug-induced microscopic colitis and the association with celiac disease. Two recent randomized studies have confirmed the effectiveness of oral budesonide for both induction and maintenance treatment of microscopic colitis and is now endorsed by the American Gastroenterological Association as first-line treatment. The incidence of microscopic colitis has stabilized at just over 20 cases per 100,000 person-years. Celiac disease and drug-induced microscopic colitis should be considered in all patients diagnosed with microscopic colitis. There are a number of treatments available for patients with microscopic colitis; however, budesonide is the only option well studied in controlled trials and is effective for both induction and maintenance treatment.
Effects of Cd vacancies and unconventional spin dynamics in the Dirac semimetal Cd3As2

Cd3As2 is a Dirac semimetal that is a 3D analog of graphene. We investigated the local structure and nuclear-spin dynamics in Cd3As2 via 113Cd NMR. The wideline spectrum of the static sample at 295 K is asymmetric and its features are well described by a two-site model with the shielding parameters extracted via Herzfeld-Berger analysis of the magic-angle spinning spectrum. Surprisingly, the 113Cd spin-lattice relaxation time (T1) is extremely long (T1 = 95 s at 295 K), in stark contrast to conductors and the effects of native defects upon semiconductors; but it is similar to that of 13C in graphene (T1 = 110 s). The temperature dependence of 1/T1 revealed a complex bipartite mechanism that included a T2 power-law behavior below 330 K and a thermally activated process above 330 K. In the high-temperature regime, the Arrhenius behavior is consistent with a field-dependent Cd atomic hopping relaxation process. At low temperatures, a T2 behavior consistent with a spin-1/2 Raman-like process provides evidence of a time-dependent spin-rotation magnetic field caused by angular oscillations of internuclear vectors due to lattice vibrations. The observed mechanism does not conform to the conventional two-band model of semimetals, but is instead closer to a mechanism observed in high-Z element ionic solids with large magnetorotation constant [A. J. Vega et al., Phys. Rev. B 74, 214420 (2006)].
Comparative Foraging Ecology of White-Tailed Deer and Angora Goats

Seasonal foraging strategies of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and angora goats were compared in three separate pastures under different grazing management schemes at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station near Sonora, Texas. Seasonal changes in diet composition and quality, foraging behavior, and nutrient ingestion rates of deer and goats were compared to identify the relative importance of factors influencing animal foraging efficiency and performance. Comparisons of deer and goat foraging efficiency and weight dynamics in different pastures were used to estimate the nutritional carrying capacity of the three study pastures investigated and to assess the potential impacts range management practices are having on the quality of deer and goat habitats.
The effect of cocaine on oocyte development and the follicular microenvironment in the rabbit

We examined the effects of cocaine exposure in the rabbit on in vitro oocyte development and on steroidal content of follicular fluid (FF) and serum progesterone (P). Cocaine hydrochloride (0, 10, 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg) was administered daily subcutaneously for 5 days to New Zealand White female rabbits before superovulation. On the last day of cocaine administration, animals were given human chorionic gonadotropin intravenously, and laparotomy was performed 6 to 8 hours later. During laparotomy, ovaries were removed, the number of follicles recorded, oocytes retrieved, and FF was obtained. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was then performed on the oocytes and the rate of cleavage observed. For all cocaine dosage groups, no differences were observed in the number of follicles present, number of oocytes retrieved, or IVF and cleavage rates. Cocaine did, however, decrease periovulatory serum P, and FF P, whereas FF estradiol concentrations increased. This suggests that short-term cocaine exposure affects the follicular steroid milieu, possibly by delaying granulosa cell luteinization.
Electrochemically Triggered Surface Deposition of Polyelectrolytes.

An electrochemical approach to surface deposition of polyelectrolytes on self-assembled monolayers is presented. This deposition process can be triggered facilely by a potential bias, which oxidizes ferrocene moieties included in the self-assembled monolayer to ferrocenium, whose charge compensation is fulfilled by polyelectrolytes and associated counterions. This approach is quite general, affording quantitative deposition of both polyanions and polycations with a wide range of chemical identities (synthetic polymers, peptides, and DNA) and molecular weights (103–107 Da as tested). Conventional layer-by-layer polyelectrolyte deposition can be straightforwardly combined with this method to produce electroactive polymer films. Several techniques, including voltammetry, fluorescence spectroscopy, contact angle analysis, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, and atomic force microscopy, were employed to characterize the deposition processes. A detailed discussion on the involved deposition mechanisms ...
Mutational analysis of protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type, T (PTPRT) in esophageal adenocarcinoma

1908 Tyrosine phosphorylation is important in signaling pathways underlying tumorigenesis. Protein tyrosine phosphatase, receptor type, T (PTPRT) is a protein tyrosine phosphatase that plays a suppressive role in tumorigenesis. Mutational analysis of the PTPRT gene has been performed in several types of cancers, including colorectal, breast, ovarian, gastric, and pancreatic cancers, but not in tumors of the esophagus. 48 esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) patients were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent surgical resection at the Baltimore VA Hospital with informed consent. Each exon was amplified by PCR using published primer sets (Science, Vol. 304, p.1164-66, 2004) from cancer genomic DNA and directly sequenced with dye terminator chemistry (DYEnamic ET dye terminator kit, and MegaBACE 1000, Amersham Biosciences, Buckinghamshire, UK). Analysis of the sequences was performed by sequence analysis software (Sequence Analyser ver.3.0, Amersham Biosciences, Mutation Surveyor ver.2.41, Soft Genetics Inc., State College, PA) Whenever a presumptive mutation was identified, it was examined with reverse sequence primers to confirm any sequence alterations. We also examined genomic DNA sequence from white blood cells of each identical patient to determine whether the mutation was acquired somatically or not. We discovered 14 germline sequence alterations in 9/48 (18.8%) patients and 2 somatic mutations in 2/48 (4.2%) patients: at mRNA nucleotide positions G2642del (homozygous) and C3765T (heterozygous). 12 of these 14 germline sequence alterations were synonymous. T1059C, which had been previously reported as a synonymous polymorphism, was detected in 3 patients. We also discovered T2580C (heterozygous) in 3 patients and C1305T (homozygous) in 2 patients, both of which synonymous and not reported. Two somatic mutations of PTPRT were detected in EACs. Furthemore, a number of novel and known germline sequence alterations of PTPRT gene were discovered in EACs. Although some of these sequence alterations may correspond to polymorphisms, some may represent true germline mutations associated with an increased risk of EAC development. Family studies are required to investigate this possibility.
Current Trends in Colorectal Cancer Screening

The following review is to assess the current methods, both non-invasive and invasive, in colorectal cancer screening and discuss novel screening techniques. Colorectal cancer continues to affect millions of people across the world. Through increased and widespread adoption of various screening methods, the rates of colon cancer-related deaths are decreasing. However, this decline has not been observed worldwide, possibly due to the lack of widespread screening adoption. Although there are many methods for screening colorectal cancer, colonoscopy remains the gold standard, due to high sensitivity and specificity as well as the ability to immediately sample or remove concerning tissue. Blood-based molecular testing is the most recent advancement in colorectal cancer screening; however, it has a significantly lower sensitivity and specificity when compared to other methods. However, with continued investigation, blood-based molecular testing may change how we screen for colorectal cancer in the near future. Several options for colorectal cancer screening exist today. Colorectal cancer screening methods and techniques have improved over the last several decades. These improvements have helped to decrease the rates of colorectal cancer-related deaths, most notably in the USA. Various organizations have provided a list of recommendations and suggested screening agendas, which will be reviewed in this discussion.
Resilience of IoT Systems Against Edge-Induced Cascade-of-Failures: A Networking Perspective

Internet of Things (IoT) is a networking paradigm that interconnects physical systems to the cyber world, to provide automation and intelligence via interdependent links between the two domains. Such interdependence renders IoT systems vulnerable to random failures, e.g., broken communication links or crashed cyber instances, because a single incident in one domain can develop into a cascade-of-failures across domains, which dissolves the network structure, and has devastating consequences. To answer how robust an IoT system is, this paper studies its resilience by examining the impact of edge- and jointly-induced cascades, that is, a sequence of failures caused by randomly broken physical links (and simultaneous failing cyber nodes). Resilience of an IoT system is quantified by two new metrics, the critical edge disconnecting probability $\phi _{cr}$ , i.e., the maximum intensity of random failures the system can withstand, and the cascade length $\tau _{cf}$ , i.e., the lifetime of a cascade. For IoT systems with Poisson degree distributions, we derive exact solutions for the critical disconnecting probability $\phi _{cr}$ , above which an edge-induced cascade will completely fragment the network. We also find that the critical condition $\phi _{cr}$ marks a dichotomy of the expected cascade length $\mathbb {E}(\tau _{cf})$ : for the super-critical ( $\phi > \phi _{cr}$ ) scenario, we obtain $\mathbb {E}(\tau _{cf}) \sim \exp (1-\phi)$ through analysis, while for the subcritical scenario, we observe $\mathbb {E}(\tau _{cf}) \sim \exp (1/1-\phi)$ through simulations. With these results, the final outcome of a cascade can be anticipated upon the initial failures, while the reaction window of time-sensitive countermeasures can be obtained before a cascade fully unfolds.
Application of material balance for the phase transition of fluid mixtures confined in nanopores

Abstract It has been customary to describe the phase equilibria of confined fluids using an equation of state (EOS) coupled with the Young-Laplace equation to account for the effect of surface curvature due to confinement. The equilibrium phases in this approach are the vapor (V) in the bulk phase and the confined liquid-like phase (l) in the pores, which are separated by a surface that introduces a pressure difference between the phases. Consequently, we refer to this approach as the Vl method. The condition of phase transitions for confined fluids has been assumed to be the same as that for bulk fluids, so that calculations for dew-point and bubble-point curves do not need a material balance because the mole fraction of the condensed phase is zero for the former and unity for the latter. However, the situation of confined fluids is different from that in the bulk because the equilibrium phases reside in separate regions that have different pressures. In the Vl method, the vapor phase resides in the bulk and drives the chemical potential of the whole system, while the liquid-like phase condenses inside the pores subject to strong interaction with the pore wall. As discussed in the paper, this situation needs a material balance to comprehensively describe the phase transitions. Supporting evidence is also presented from a static experiment using a gravimetric apparatus. New insights derived from generalization of the Vl method in this work enable further investigations that could disclose more unknowns in the phase behavior of confined mixtures.
Novel Loss of Function in the AGK Gene: Rare Cause of End-Stage Heart Failure

The authors present a case of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy due to a novel mutation of AGK gene that led to progressive heart failure. The cardiac…
High-Temperature Thermochemical Interactions of Molten Silicates with Yb2Si2O7 and Y2Si2O7 Environmental Barrier Coating Materials

Abstract The thermochemical behavior of EBC candidate materials yttrium disilicate (Y2Si2O7) and ytterbium disilicate (Yb2Si2O7) was evaluated with three calcium-magnesium-aluminosilicate (CMAS) glasses possessing CaO:SiO2 ratios relevant to gas turbine systems. Pellet mixtures of 50 mol% EBC powder to 50 mol% CMAS glass powder were heat treated at 1200°C, 1300°C, and 1400°C. The products of these interactions were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Above glass melting temperatures, exposure of the disilicates primarily resulted in dissolution into the molten glass followed by precipitation of a Ca2RE8(SiO4)6O2 (RE = Yb3+, Y3+) apatite-type silicate and/or rare earth disilicate. In glasses with high CaO concentrations, apatite readily forms while the disilicate material is consumed by the reaction. As CaO content decreases, the disilicate phase becomes the main reaction product. Overall, reactions with yttrium disilicate favored more apatite crystallization than ytterbium disilicate. The viability of using these disilicates in various operating environments is discussed.
A phase II trial of gemcitabine, irinotecan, and panitumumab in advanced cholangiocarcinoma, with correlative analysis of EGFR, KRAS, and BRAF: An interim report.

4111 Background: Cholangiocarcinoma is an aggressive neoplasm. Current chemotherapy approaches achieve modest results. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway appears to be associated w...
Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics of Pitch Bearing Defects in a MW-Scale Wind Turbine Using Pitch Symmetrical-component Analysis

Recently, multiple wind turbine failure databases have reviewed that pitch bearings are one of the subassemblies with the highest failure rates, and largest contributors to overall downtime [1]–[2]. If a monitoring technology is developed and can give an early warning about the pitch bearing condition, the maintenance process can be largely improved; downtime and losses can be minimized. This paper provides a remote, and hardware-free solution to monitor the pitch bearing health condition called Pitch Symmetrical-component Analysis (PSA). It leverages available measurement signatures from existing pitch control platform, and innovatively applies symmetrical component analysis in multi-phase AC system to multi-axis pitch control system. This hard-ware free solution can be directly applied to existing wind turbine units, and can successfully give the wind farm operator an early warning before pitch bearings fail. It has been proved to be accurate, low cost, and have minimum impacts on turbine normal operation, and has been fully validated by field data from several North America MW-scale wind farms. This approach turns out to be the first validated pure software-play effort to remotely monitor and diagnose commercial MW-scale wind turbine pitch bearing condition, as reported in the literature [3]–[5].
Clinical Presentation of Coronary Artery Disease in the Elderly: How Does it Differ From the Younger Population?

CHD is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly in the U.S. In this age group, the clinical presentation of CHD can be quite atypical. In general, the incidence of typical precordial chest pressure/pain denoting myocardial ischemia is less common whereas dyspnea as an anginal equivalent symptom is frequent. The diagnosis of ischemic cardiac pain is frequently confused by the many comorbid conditions present in the elderly. Even when classic ischemic precordial discomfort is present it tends to be less severe and less well defined. The elderly appear to have reduced pain perception and as a result silent myocardial ischemia is more common and carries a somewhat worse prognosis in the elderly than in younger age groups. Similarly, the presenting symptoms of acute myocardial infarction in the elderly can be nonspecific. The classic crushing substernal chest pain decreases with age whereas the symptom of dyspnea gradually increases. Neurologic symptoms, weakness, and worsening heart failure are common clinical presentations of an acute infarction in elderly patients. Silent (unrecognized) myocardial infarctions are common in the elderly and carry serious prognostic implications.
Online Social Deception and Its Countermeasures: A Survey

We are living in an era when online communication over social network services (SNSs) have become an indispensable part of people’s everyday lives. As a consequence, online social deception (OSD) in SNSs has emerged as a serious threat in cyberspace, particularly for users vulnerable to such cyberattacks. Cyber attackers have exploited the sophisticated features of SNSs to carry out harmful OSD activities, such as financial fraud, privacy threat, or sexual/labor exploitation. Therefore, it is critical to understand OSD and develop effective countermeasures against OSD for building trustworthy SNSs. In this paper, we conduct an extensive survey, covering 1) the multidisciplinary concept of social deception; 2) types of OSD attacks and their unique characteristics compared to other social network attacks and cybercrimes; 3) comprehensive defense mechanisms embracing prevention, detection, and response (or mitigation) against OSD attacks along with their pros and cons; 4) datasets/metrics used for validation and verification; and 5) legal and ethical concerns related to OSD research. Based on this survey, we provide insights into the effectiveness of countermeasures and the lessons learned from the existing literature. We conclude our survey with in-depth discussions on the limitations of the state-of-the-art and suggest future research directions in OSD research.
Customer value co-creation behaviors and service outcomes: insights from a transformative service

This research focuses on a key transformative service, namely public higher education, and examines how student value co-creation behaviors contribute to the quality of educational services and, th...
Quasi-Dimensional Multi-Zone Modeling of Methane-Diesel Dual-Fuel Combustion

Strict CO2 emission and fuel economy regulations are motivating the developers of internal combustion engines to consider alternative fuels. Dual-fuel NG diesel engines are attractive due to minimal design changes, ability to maintain high compression ratio of the diesel baseline, and elimination of driver’s range anxiety. A typical overarching goal is to maximize the substitution ratio, but the higher complexity of the dual-fuel engine comes with challenges, such as the knock limit at high load, combustion instability at low load and methane slip. Development of dual-fuel engine and its control strategies can benefit from predictive simulations, capable of providing deep insights into combustion and emission formation. They can dramatically lower the time and cost for explorations of design and optimizing engine control strategies. Even when experimental data is available, the simulation can provide useful additional insight by predicting value of parameters that are not easy to measure from experimental setup. This paper presents development of a Quasi-D multi-zone combustion model of a heavy-duty dual-fuel engine. The approach marries the best features of the multi-zonal diesel spray model with the turbulent flame entrainment model for the premixed charge of NG and air/EGR. The diesel combustion model developed in this study is based on the framework proposed by Hiroyasu et al. (Hiroyasu, 1985) with several improvements in its sub-models. Regarding the combustion of the premixed charge, a new way of modeling the flame front area during NG flame propagation is proposed. The NG flame is assumed to initiate from the outer boundary of diesel spray and propagates into the space in the direction perpendicular to the diesel spray envelope. The algorithm incorporates geometrical information of all spatial constraints and it can provide a universal solution for various piston or cylinder head designs. The diesel and NG combustion models run concurrently to arrive at a complete prediction of the heat release history of both fuels, based on detailed information about the evolution of diesel spray, ignition and flame propagation of NG-air mixture.