cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunohistochemistry staining validation and prevalence of the estrogen receptor coactivator MED1 in primary and metastatic hormone receptor positive breast cancer.

e11548 Background: MED1 is an estrogen receptor coactivator that is associated with resistance to antiestrogen therapy, and silencing MED1 sensitizes breast cancer cells to fulvestrant Cross talk b...
Health care utilization among adenosine-sensitive supraventricular tachycardia patients presenting to the emergency department

Although adenosine-sensitive supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is generally curable, it remains an important cause of healthcare utilization. We sought to determine predictors of health care utilization among SVT patients presenting to the emergency department (ED). We studied consecutive patients evaluated in an urban, academic ED for adenosine-sensitive SVT. The primary study outcomes were (1) ambulance transportation to the index ED visit, (2) hospital admission from the index ED encounter, and (3) recurrent SVT-associated ED encounters. Among 100 patients with adenosine-sensitive SVT, 35 were transported to the ED by ambulance. Prior electrophysiologist evaluation was associated with a significant 87% reduced odds of ambulance utilization (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.03–0.67, p = 0.015). A total of 62 patients were subsequently admitted to the hospital. All patients with coronary artery disease, diabetes, syncope, and wide complex SVT were admitted. Similarly, individuals with an elevated troponin had a significantly greater odds of hospital admission (OR 16.8, 95% CI 1.9–148.4, p = 0.011). After the index ED visit, 60 patients were seen by an electrophysiologist, and 47 underwent catheter ablation. Individuals treated with catheter ablation had a significant 75% reduction in the risk of a recurrent ED visit for SVT (HR 0.25, 95% CI 0.10–0.62, p = 0.003). Readily modifiable clinical factors, including a previous visit to an electrophysiologist and treatment with catheter ablation, are associated with reduced health care utilization among patients presenting to the ED with SVT.
Analysis of Interacting Local Oscillation Mechanisms in Three-Timescale Systems

Oscillations in slow/fast systems can be generated locally in phase space from either slow passage of trajectories through fast subsystem Hopf bifurcations, or from solutions tunnelling through twisted slow manifolds due to folded node singularities. In the two-timescale context, the fast subsystem Hopf and folded singularity remain as separate entities. In the three-timescale context, however, these singularities can interact, which allows for an interesting mixing of timescales and complex oscillatory dynamics. To further compound the problem, the folded singularity in these three-timescale problems is always close to the folded saddle-node regime, where canard theory breaks down. In this work, we examine a natural scenario in three-timescale systems where the fast subsystem Hopf and a folded node coexist and interact, as seen for instance in models for the electrical bursting activity in pituitary lactotrophs and for the secretion of gonadotropin releasing hormone by hypothalamic neurons. We analyze a ...
Amplification and propagation of interleukin-1β signaling by murine brain endothelial and glial cells.

During acute infections and chronic illnesses, the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) acts within the brain to elicit metabolic derangements and sickness behaviors. It is unknown which cells in the brain are the proximal targets for IL-1β with respect to the generation of these illness responses. We performed a series of in vitro experiments to (1) investigate which brain cell populations exhibit inflammatory responses to IL-1β and (2) examine the interactions between different IL-1β-responsive cell types in various co-culture combinations. We treated primary cultures of murine brain microvessel endothelial cells (BMEC), astrocytes, and microglia with PBS or IL-1β, and then performed qPCR to measure inflammatory gene expression or immunocytochemistry to evaluate nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation. To evaluate whether astrocytes and/or BMEC propagate inflammatory signals to microglia, we exposed microglia to astrocyte-conditioned media and co-cultured endothelial cells and glia in transwells. Treatment groups were compared by Student’s t tests or by ANOVA followed by Bonferroni-corrected t tests. IL-1β increased inflammatory gene expression and NF-κB activation in primary murine-mixed glia, enriched astrocyte, and BMEC cultures. Although IL-1β elicited minimal changes in inflammatory gene expression and did not induce the nuclear translocation of NF-κB in isolated microglia, these cells were more robustly activated by IL-1β when co-cultured with astrocytes and/or BMEC. We observed a polarized endothelial response to IL-1β, because the application of IL-1β to the abluminal endothelial surface produced a more complex microglial inflammatory response than that which occurred following luminal IL-1β exposure. Inflammatory signals are detected, amplified, and propagated through the CNS via a sequential and reverberating signaling cascade involving communication between brain endothelial cells and glia. We propose that the brain’s innate immune response differs depending upon which side of the blood-brain barrier the inflammatory stimulus arises, thus allowing the brain to respond differently to central vs. peripheral inflammatory insults.
Abstract 231: Hydrogen Sulfide Treatment Reduces Hyperglycemic Effects via Activation of Adenosine Monophosphate Activated Protein Kinase In Vitro

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is well known as a potent vasodilator and signaling molecule under normal and pathophysiological conditions. Previously, we reported that in hyperglycemia (HG), impairment of cystathionine β synthase/ cystathionine lyase (CBS/CSE) decreases H 2 S production leading to vascular remodeling. Treatment with H 2 S mitigated the adverse effects; however, its precise mechanism was unknown. Literature reports suggest that hyperglycemia suppresses adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMP-K) pathway and increases autophagy leading to extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. Liver kinase B1 (LKB1) is a protein kinase which has been reported to control the activity of AMP-K. Activation of LKB1, in turn, is regulated by two pseudokinases, STE-20 related protein (STRAD) and mouse protein-25 (MO25). In this study, we hypothesized that H 2 S mediates its effects by the formation of a tri-molecular complex (STRAD/MO25/LKB1) leading to the activation of AMP-K and modulation of autophagy. Mouse glomerular endothelial cells were used in this study. Under normoglycemic (NG) and HG conditions, cells were treated without or with H 2 S and activators/inhibitors of the signaling molecules above. The expression of CBS/CSE was diminished by 3-fold under HG compared to NG. H 2 S production was also decreased [3.5 vs. 7.2 μM/L (HG vs. NG)]. HG decreased LKB1 by 5-fold and AMP-K by 14-fold compared to NG. Autophagy marker LC3A/B ratio was similarly decreased in HG. The expression of periostin, a marker of renal disease progression, was higher (Relative intensity (RI) = 1.9 ± 0.64) in HG compared to NG (RI= 1.4 ± 0.18). In HG, administration of H 2 S activated STRAD by 4-fold and MO25 by 3-fold causing concomitant phosphorylation of LKB1 (5-fold increase) eventually leading to AMP-K phosphorylation (13-fold increase). Interestingly, phosphorylated AMP-K inhibited autophagy and reduced ECM protein accumulation. Our findings suggest that the protective effect of exogenous H 2 S in hyperglycemia is mediated by AMP-K activation involving STRAD and MO25 pseudokinases.
Headache from intracranial air after a lumbar epidural injection: subarachnoid or subdural?

Background and methods. There is a growing awareness of the possibility of headache resulting from intracranial air secondary to identification of the epidural space by loss of resistance using air (LOR-A). Most reported cases have been attributed to subarachnoid air passage. A case is described of sudden headache following LOR-A. Results. Various features of the case suggest that the passage of air to the head was subdural rather than subarachnoid. Conclusions. Recovery was uneventful.
Approaching the crisis in medical research funding: an important role for nonprofit organizations and medical societies

TO THE EDITOR: Rates of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding remain historically low, biomedical scientists struggle, and innovative programs are needed. The mainstay of creative science is the NIH R01 grant, an investigator-initiated research award; currently, <15% of R01 applications are
Advancing creativity for pedagogy and practice

In this paper, the authors advocate for using creativity in one's pedagogy, believing that it can be the catalyst for self-empowerment, deeply powerful dialogue, and substantive critique. Creativity as pedagogy does more than offer an aesthetically diverse approach to complex issues, as it pushes against cultural conformity and domination, prompting participatory methods, reflexivity, and provocation. One possibility for this push is through the praxis framework rehearsal, named in this paper. The tenets of rehearsal are: (re)membering, recall, and representation. Rehearsal, as a radical site, insists on preparing for, or practicing, owning one's voice and body simultaneously as a means of disrupting norms and the status quo. This paper will illustrate the possibilities, tensions, and potential outcomes of creativity for pedagogical practice while simultaneously proposing how educational spaces can be theorized, enacted, or resisted in ways that unsettle neoliberal, regulatory, and colonial discou...
The Role of Minority Journalists, Candidates, and Audiences in Shaping Race-Related Campaign News Coverage:

The question of whether press coverage of racial/ethnic minorities has improved remains. This study tackles it by examining (a) how journalists’ race/ethnicity affects campaign news coverage of rac...
Azacitidine: A Review of its Use in the Management of Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are marked by progressive cytopenias and risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. Supportive care with transfusions, antibiotics, and hematopoietic growth factors has long been the mainstay of therapy for MDS, given that most patients are not eligible for more intensive chemotherapy. The hypomethylating agent 5-azacitidine (AZA) was the first chemotherapeutic agent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of MDS, and it represented a real advance in the management of the disease. In Phase III trials, azacitidine demonstrated a higher response rate and a longer overall survival compared to supportive care alone. Importantly, it is a well-tolerated drug that can be given IV or SC in various outpatient schedules. Future studies are expected to evaluate the activity of AZA in combination with other epigenetic modifying agents and to establish the relative efficacy of azacitidine and decitabine. This review summarizes the current treatment landscape in MDS and specifically addresses the role of azacitidine in the management of MDS.
C-1014: High survival of mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos after vitrification in the absence of permeating cryoprotectants and ultra-rapid warming by an IR laser pulse

In a companion presentation at this meeting and in a full paper published 3/22/14 on line in Cryobiology , we have reported that when Metaphase II mouse oocytes or 2-cell mouse embryos are suspended in EAFS vitrification media that contain only one-third the concentration of solutes as standard, over 90% survive when assessed by osmotic/morphological criteria and up to 85% survive when assessed by the functional ability to undergo IVF and/or develop in vitro to expanded blastocysts, provided that they are warmed at 10,000,000 °C/min by a powerful pulse from an IR laser. The base 0.3× EAFS medium that we used contains ethylene glycol (EG) [0.70 molal], acetamide [0.71 molal], 70,000 MW Ficoll [0.0013 molal], sucrose [0.16 molal], and PBS salts [0.15 molal]. Variants included 0, 0.16, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 molal sucrose, and 0.0062 molal Ficoll. Sucrose, Ficoll, and the salts cannot penetrate the cells; the EG and acetamide can readily do so, but the 2-min exposure time is too short for this to occur. As a consequence, the cells are strongly dehydrated osmotically when vitrification is initiated. This raises the question of whether permeating solutes are needed to achieve high survivals after vitrification. In the companion presentation, we argued that the most important factor aside from ultra-rapid warming was the total molality (and hence, osmolality) of the medium. In the present presentation we address the matter of survival of not only oocytes, but of 2-cell and 8-cell embryos, and morluae and blastocysts vitrified in the total absence of permeating solutes. The morphological and functional survivals of vitrified 2-cell and 8-cell embryos were 92%; the survivals of vitrified oocytes and blastocysts were above 70%. All four of these survivals were obtained with laser-induced warming at 10,000,000 °C/min. If warming was slowed 100-fold to the previous standard maximum of 100,000 °C/min, morphological and functional survivals were zero. Since no one has heretofore warmed oocytes and embryos at the ultra-high rates used here, we believe that this is the first time it has been shown that these cells can be cryopreserved in a solution that is free of any permeating compounds.
Pathological Changes Associated With Topical Chemotherapy for Superficial Bladder Cancer

AbstractWith use of previous observations in experimental animals as a basis for comparison the cytologic and histologic changes in human patients who underwent topical chemotherapy for superficial bladder cancer were documented. Despite the potential for inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid replication these drugs apparently act in vivo as toxic substances, causing increased exfoliation with denudation of papillary and/or flat urothelium. Multinucleation was common but confined to superficial cells. Atypical cells, such as those observed after systemic chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, rarely were present and could be distinguished readily from neoplastic elements. Although topical chemotherapy may suppress tumor growth and progression it apparently does not eradicate the neoplastic process.
SOME CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ERGODIC THEORY AND HARMONIC ANALYSIS

Publisher Summary Parallels, connections, and cross-applications among ergodic theory, harmonic analysis, and spectral theory have long been observed and exploited. This chapter focuses on a family of operators that exist in the boundary zone of these three areas, the study of which clarifies some of these interelationships: the rotated ergodic Hubert transform, or the helical transform of an integrable function f on a measure space X with respect to a measure-preserving transformation T. There is an analogous class of operators for a measure-preserving flow {Tt: −∞ < t < ∞}. The chapter discusses the relationships among strong (p, p) inequalities for the maximal helical transform and its variants, and the suprema of the partial sums of Fourier series.
Dynamic Characterization of Textile Composites Part II: Bi-axial Tension

Part II of this two part paper is concerned with the need to understand the multiaxial response of textile composite materials as compared to the uniaxial response seen in part I. In this paper, a test methodology is introduced to create a a dynamic multiaxial stress state on composite plates. Shock loading of plain woven textile composite materials is studied using a novel technique to induce damage initiation at the crown of the sample, where a biaixal state of stress is present. Both fiberglass and carbon fiber materials are tested at different shock strengths to understand if the failure mode changes at increased shock strengths. The results show the influence of both rate and the multiaxial stress state on the failure strains.
An Objective Method for Forecasting Precipitation Type During the Winter Months at New York City

A method for forecasting precipitation type during the winter months at New York City is developed. Surface temperature, freezing level, and horizontal temperature advection at 850 mb are the forecast parameters used. Results of a test of the method indicate that the assumptions applied in the development are valid.
Multi-User Analog Beamforming in Millimeter Wave MIMO Systems Based on Path Angle Information

We aim to design an analog-only beamforming scheme for downlink multi-user mm-wave systems to optimize the beamforming gain and the inter-user interference at the same time. Traditional analog beamforming schemes, such as the beam selection method, use the array response vector corresponding to the strongest path of the channel to generate a beam pointing to the user. In multi-user systems, such schemes will lead to large inter-user interference, especially when the users are closely located. In this paper, we formulate a multi-objective problem to strike a balance between the beamforming gain and the inter-user interference. To solve the problem, we first use the weighted-sum method to transform the multi-objective problem into a single-objective problem. Then, we use the semi-definite programing technique to make the analog beamforming with constant-magnitude constraints tractable. Furthermore, to alleviate the effects of the channel estimation and feedback quantization errors, we design a robust beamforming scheme to provide robustness against imperfect channel information. We first develop a channel error model for the scattering clustered channel model, which can serve as a general channel error model for the mm-wave channels. Then, we formulate a multi-objective problem using the stochastic approach to suppress the interference and enhance the beamforming gain at the same time. The simulation results show that our proposed non-robust multi-user analog beamformer outperforms the traditional analog beamforming method when the SNR is high and our proposed robust beamformer can provide up to 109% improvement in the sum-rate compared with the beam selection method.
Aspects of Depression Among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged African American Young Adults

The purpose of this phronetic/pragmatic, mixed-methods study was to integrate quantitative data with qualitative data in examining the complex relations among depression, exercise, screen-viewing t...
Dispersion of n2 in solids

We recently performed an extensive series of measurements of the bound electronic nonlinear refractive index n2 of a variety of solids at several wavelengths. We found that as the photon energy approached Eg (the band-gap energy) that n2 changed from positive to negative. This observed wavelength dispersion of n2 can be well explained for wavelengths well below the fundamental absorption edge using a Kramers-Kronig transformation on the two-photon absorption coefficient fi which we had previously studied. While this theory fit the data well for O. IEghW 8Eg (Eg iS the band-gap energy) there was a significant deviation toward larger negative values of n2 near the fundamental absorption edge. We speculated that the AC Stark effect could account for this deviation.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adipose Tissue Complex (ATC): Cellular and Biocellular Uses of Stem/Stromal Cells and Matrix in Cosmetic Plastic, Reconstructive Surgery and Regenerative Medicine

Cellular and biocellular uses of adipose-derived stem/stromal cells in plastic and reconstructive surgery and regenerative medicine have relatively recently come to forefront of the practice of medicine and surgery as a therapeutic option. The concept of “Healing Yourself with Your Own Tissues and Cells” is rapidly resulting in a paradigm shift in patient care for a very wide variety of clinical applications and patient needs. Simply put, the ability to identify and acquire important reparative cell populations and concentrate them has become of significant importance. Offering a proactive means of using the patient’s own tissues and cells is providing a major complement to traditional medication applications. Local and systemic delivery has been greatly advanced with point-of-care abilities to do such isolations and concentrations. As cellular options are evolving in studies, and better recognized in clinical trials for safety and efficacy, the day of “customized” effective therapies will be reported and expanded.
Dedifferentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma with trophoblastic components: Prolonged remission after treatment with bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin

Abstract Dedifferentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma (DEAC) with trophoblastic components is a rare neoplasm with an aggressive behavior and a poor prognosis. Only seven cases have been reported in the literature. We present a 61-year-old patient who was diagnosed with Stage IB dedifferentiated endometrioid adenocarcinoma with trophoblastic elements. A post-operative β-hCG was elevated at 1877 mIU/mL. The patient received 6 cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel with normalization of β-hCG; however, three months after completion of chemotherapy, her β-hCG increased to 39 mIU/mL and a mass overlaying the psoas muscle was noted on imaging. The mass was resected and confirmed to be recurrent disease. Four cycles of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin were administered, and the patient remains without evidence of disease 3 years after completing treatment. Due to the small number of reported cases of DEAC with trophoblastic components, there is limited information regarding the appropriate first-line adjuvant chemotherapy regimen.
Bleeding Patterns among Adolescents Using the Levonorgestrel Intrauterine Device: A Single Institution Review.

Abstract Study Objective To describe the bleeding patterns associated with the use of the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (IUD) in adolescents. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective chart review of postmenarchal adolescent patients ages 8-19 years who had the levonorgestrel IUD inserted at Phoenix Children's Hospital from 2012 to 2018. Interventions Insertion of the 52-mg and 13.5-mg levonorgestrel IUD. Main Outcome Measures The rate of amenorrhea and other bleeding patterns after insertion of the levonorgestrel IUD and the factors that might predict those bleeding patterns. Results A total of 260 charts were identified with 221/260 (85.0%) patients choosing the 52-mg IUD and 39/260 (15.0%) patients choosing the 13.5-mg IUD to be inserted. Follow-up data were available for 166 patients. The overall rate of amenorrhea among IUD users was 39.8% (n = 66) with no difference between 52-mg and 13.5-mg IUD users (P = .656). Regularity and flow of menstrual cycle, history of bleeding disorder, history of developmental delay, and current treatment with testosterone for gender dysphoria before IUD insertion did not appear to have a significant effect on the rate of amenorrhea or bleeding patterns post-IUD insertion. Conclusion The levonorgestrel IUD can be successfully used to control abnormal uterine bleeding and suppress menses in adolescents. Menstrual cycle characteristics pre-IUD insertion did not result in predictable post-IUD bleeding patterns.
Assessment of Skin Phenotype Representation in a Popular Medical Licensing Educational Resource.

This cross-sectional study examines the representation of darker skin phenotypes in tools used by students in preparation for medical licensure testing.
Patient and provider perspectives on preterm birth risk assessment and communication.

Abstract Objective To describe and compare how obstetric patients and care providers view preterm birth risk assessment and communication. Methods We conducted eight focus groups with obstetric patients (n = 35) and 16 qualitative interviews with obstetric providers. Grounded theory was used to identify and analyze themes. Results Patients' knowledge about preterm birth varied greatly. Similar benefits and risks of preterm birth risk counseling were discussed by patients and providers with notable exceptions: patients cited preparedness as a benefit and providers cited maternal blame, patient alienation, and estimate uncertainty as potential risks. Most patients expressed a desire to know their personalized preterm birth risk during pregnancy. Providers differed in whether they offer universal versus selective, and quantitative versus qualitative, preterm birth risk counseling. Many providers expressed concern about discussing social and structural risk factors for preterm birth. Conclusion While many patients desired knowing their personalized preterm birth risk, prenatal care providers’ disclosure practices vary because of uncertainty of estimates, concerns about negative consequences and challenges of addressing systemic inequities and social determinants of health. Practice implications Given the existing asymmetry of information about preterm birth risk, providers should consider patient preferences regarding and potential benefits and risks of such disclosure in their practice.
Experimental investigation of supercritical carbon dioxide non-equilibrium condensation in a highly unsteady environment

Abstract The current work presents a study of qualitative relationships between the flow unsteadiness, induced by nozzle geometry variation, and non-equilibrium condensation behavior at high temporal scales for supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO 2 ) flow. A closed sCO 2 loop facility is used to drive a supercritical carbon dioxide flow through a rectangular converging–diverging channel. As the flow traverses through the channel, it experiences a local pressure reduction in a stalled region, eventually leading to non-equilibrium condensation of the working fluid. The flow is visualized using high-speed shadowgraphy and schlieren techniques to characterize the unsteady flow dynamics at the diverging section of the nozzle. Spectral information of the condensation behavior is retrieved from the optical diagnostics using power spectral density calculations, revealing multiple dominant frequencies in the diverging section of the nozzle. Three different nozzles are studied to understand how these dominant frequencies of condensation phenomenon change with respect to the nozzle geometry. Each nozzle design is distinguished with a unique dominant frequency, which is significantly impacted by the effect of flow throat velocity and the degree of adverse pressure gradient. Nozzles with divergence of 15° shows a dominant frequency in the range of 5 – 6.25 kHz in condensing behavior while nozzles with 6° divergence exhibited half the frequency of the phase change. These effects resulted from the extent of adverse pressure gradient imposed by the divergence angle of the nozzle. Additionally, these dominant frequencies are also compared to the wall-pressure signals acquired from high-frequency pressure transducers. Spectral analysis of wall-pressure signals, which are directly linked to nozzle designs, reveals a strong coupling between the condensation behavior and the wall-pressures.
Clinical and Subclinical Diseases Predisposing to Johne's Disease in Dairy Cattle

Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease (JD) is a chronic and progressive intestinal disease in ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis (MAP). The usual route of infection is fecal-oral, with young cattle becoming infected by exposure to infected adults or their environment. The factors that trigger MAP fecal shedding or JD clinical disease are not understood and little information is provided about it in the literature; why do some cows that already shed the organism in the feces suddenly break into the clinical phase, whereas other shedding herdmates continue in the subclinical phase? The objectives of this study were to identify associations between clinical or subclinical diseases and risk for subsequent occurrence of clinical Johne's disease (JD) and onset of fecal shedding after 305 days in milk (DIM).
Andrea Staiti: Etica naturalistica e fenomenologia, il Mulino, Bologna, 2020, 158 pp., ISBN: 9788815287502

This review discusses Andrea Staiti’s book Etica naturalistica e fenomenologia. In this concise, excellent book, Andrea Staiti develops an original phenomenological approach to meta-ethical questions, such as whether or not there are moral facts; if so, how do they relate to natural facts; and how we gain knowledge of them. Staiti’s claim is that Husserlian phenomenology has key insights to offer to the current debate about moral facts mostly taking place in the analytic tradition. Staiti also argues that Husserlian phenomenology can provide middle ground between ethical naturalism and non-naturalism, and that Husserl’s phenomenology offers a solution to G. E. Moore’s open question argument about the notion of “good.” The book presents some of Husserl’s key concept in a clear and jargon-free way, and it offers original solutions to meta-ethical problems. It has the potential for attracting attention to Husserl’s phenomenology outside the small circle of its supporters.
Optimal Decision Making in High-Throughput Virtual Screening Pipelines

Effective selection of the potential candidates that meet certain conditions in a tremendously large search space has been one of the major concerns in many real-world applications. In addition to the nearly infinitely large search space, rigorous evaluation of a sample based on the reliable experimental or computational platform is often prohibitively expensive, making the screening problem more challenging. In such a case, constructing a high-throughput screening (HTS) pipeline that pre-sifts the samples expected to be potential candidates through the efficient earlier stages, results in a significant amount of savings in resources. However, to the best of our knowledge, despite many successful applications, no one has studied optimal pipeline design or optimal pipeline operations. In this study, we propose two optimization frameworks, applying to most (if not all) screening campaigns involving experimental or/and computational evaluations, for optimally determining the screening thresholds of an HTS pipeline. We validate the proposed frameworks on both analytic and practical scenarios. In particular, we consider the optimal computational campaign for the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) classification as a practical example. To accomplish this, we built the high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS) pipeline for classifying the lncRNA. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed frameworks significantly reduce the effective selection cost per potential candidate and make the HTS pipelines less sensitive to their structural variations. In addition to the validation, we provide insights on constructing a better HTS pipeline based on the simulation results.
THE IMPACT OF VOICE, DATA LINK, AND MIXED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ENVIRONMENTS ON FLIGHT DECK PROCEDURES

This study examined how well airplane crews could handle different types of air traffic control information, conveyed as voice messages and as data, in various combinations and in different contexts. The push to use data-based transmissions has come from some studies reporting misunderstandings of voice-based communications in connection with accidents. But it is important to understand the different demands the two types of communication place on crews and controllers and the procedures each requires for transmission and acknowledgement. Combining the two media may change how they function in ways different from how each functions alone. Details structures of experiments and evaluation methods. The study showed what may occur when mixing voice and data link methods in contexts where there is time pressure. Among the observations: longer transaction times in the mixed environment, but not necessarily increased need for clarification. Future research would be useful in how workloads and other variables in different operational domains affect usability of the different modes.
CRIMES AND OFFENSES Offenses Against Health and Morals: Provide Felony Penalties for Soliciting, Engaging in, Contracting with, Conspiring with, Encouraging, Abetting, or Directing a Minor to Commit a Violent Felony

The Act prohibits a person from knowingly and willfully soliciting, engaging in, contracting with, conspiring with, encouraging, abetting, or directing a minor to commit a crime which is a felony and is violent in nature. Additionally, the Act prohibits a person from knowingly or willfully providing a weapon to a minor to be used in the commission of a felony. A violator of this Act is guilty of a felony and is subject to a minimum one-year prison sentence for the first violation, with sentences increasing for subsequent violations.
Heterogeneity in Neural Crest Cell Populations

The remarkable diversity of neural crest derivatives has been extensively documented (Noden, 1980; Weston, 1982; Le Douarin, 1982). During its development, the embryonic neural crest gives rise to pigment cells, connective tissue of the head and face, and various endocrine cells, as well as neuronal and glial cells of the peripheral nervous system.
Dual Origin of Extradural Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery From Vertebral and Occipital Arteries: Anatomic Case Report.

Background Small anastomotic channels exist between the occipital artery (OA) and muscular branches of the vertebral artery; however, no direct connection has been reported between an extradural origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) and the OA. Objective To describe a rare anatomic connection between the extradural PICA and the OA. Methods A far lateral exposure was completed on a cadaveric head prepared for surgical simulation. The course and branches of the OA were followed, and the relations to their immediate anatomic structures were studied. Results The origin of the PICA was found at the second segment of the vertebral artery, between the C1 and C2 transverse foramina. There was a large anastomotic connection between the superficial descending branch of the occipital artery and the PICA 12 mm proximal to the dural entrance of the artery. Conclusion Awareness of the angioarchitecture of the suboccipital region and the existence of patent vertebrocarotid anastomotic connections is important to avoid complications during surgical or endovascular interventions. When present, a pre-existing OA-PICA anastomosis can be exploited to facilitate treatment in certain vascular pathologies (eg, vertebral artery aneurysms). Awareness of the existence of both an extradural origin of the PICA and a direct connection of this vessel with the OA is of great relevance to the muscular stage of surgical approaches to the posterior craniovertebral junction.
Engineering an Islamic future

A partir d'une recherche sur les pratiques bancaires et financieres islamiques aux Etats-Unis, en Europe, en Asie meridionale et en Asie du Sud-Est, l'A. examine les debats contemporains sur la legitimite des titres financiers a terme (derivatives), centrant son analyse sur la communaute d'universitaires et de professionnels qui tentent de favoriser une approche islamique de la banque et de la finance, en tant que discipline academique, et en tant que force de marche globale. Afin d'examiner la specificite culturelle de l'approche financiere islamique, l'A. examine notamment l'attitude de l'islam envers le risque, l'usure et la speculation. Il met en evidence les points d'accord et de divergence, ainsi que les presupposes partages par l'ensemble de la communaute. Finalement, il considere le processus de constitution et de transformation de ce reseau d'expertise et de connaissance.
Application of the Virtual Refraction to Near-Surface Characterization at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site

Seismic interferometry is a relatively new technique to estimate the Green’s function between receivers. Spurious energy, not part of the true Green’s function, is produced because assumptions are commonly violated when applying seismic interferometry to field data. Instead of attempting to suppress all spurious energy, we show how spurious energy associated with refractions contains information about the subsurface in field data collected at the Boise Hydrogeophysical Research Site. By forming a virtual shot record we suppress uncorrelated noise and produce a virtual refraction that intercepts zero offset at zero time. These two features make the virtual refraction easy to pick, providing an estimate of refractor velocity. To obtain the physical parameters of the layer above the refractor we analyse the cross-correlation of wavefields recorded at two receivers for all sources. A stationary-phase point associated with the correlation between the reflected wave and refracted wave from the interface identifies the critical offset. By combining information from the virtual shot record, the correlation gather and the real shot record we determine the seismic velocities of the unsaturated and saturated sands, as well as the variable relative depth to the water-table. Finally, we discuss how this method can be extended to more complex geologic models.
Studies on a Magnetron Source

In working toward a less noisy H− magnetron source, a new diagnostic tool consisting of a scannable Faraday Cup Array has been developed and installed on the Fermilab H− ion source test bench. The array consists of 14 identical Faraday cups with 1 mm diameter entrance holes spaced 6.4 mm apart. H− beam currents of 50 to 80 mA with a radius of roughly 3 to 4 cm at the collector are routinely produced by the magnetron. Local current density measurements made as a function of acceleration voltage, sample time during the pulse, and background pressure reveal space charge compensation and beam self‐focusing. An optical means of measuring simultaneously the local current density and local phase space parameters is also being investigated. These measurements should shed further light on how the current and beam divergence is distributed over the beam cross section.
Bibliographic Instruction and Source Materials for Undergraduate Students in International Business

Abstract Bibliographic Instruction on international business is an essential component of preparing students for their business curriculum and later as business practitioners. This illustration of a course-related session with corresponding source materials delineates an effective and practical way to get students familiar with the various library resources.
Effects of color stimulation and information on the copying performance of attention-problem adolescents

The optimal stimulation theory proposes that hyperactive children are less tolerant of lower levels of arousal than nonhyperactive children and should thus derive greater gains from stimulation added to repetitive copying tasks than do comparisons. To test this hypothesis, 16 adolescents, rating high on attention and behavior problems, were matched on the basis of age and poor handwriting performance to 16 controls. Matched pairs were randomly assigned to treatment order (high-stimulation colored letters followed in 2 weeks by low-stimulation black letters or the reverse order) and to level of information (color added to difficult letter parts or added to randomly selected letters), counterbalanced for treatment order and level of information within each order. Errors and activity were subjected to a mixed-design analysis of covariance, with IQ the covariate. The major findings indicated that attention-problem adolescents performed better with high-stimulation task stimuli than with low, relative to the opposite performance pattern of controls. Different responding was significant for experimental but not for control children.
A computational approach to detecting collocation errors in the writing of non-native speakers of English

This paper describes the first prototype of an automated tool for detecting collocation errors in texts written by non-native speakers of English. Candidate strings are extracted by pattern matching over POS-tagged text. Since learner texts often contain spelling and morphological errors, the tool attempts to automatically correct them in order to reduce noise. For a measure of collocation strength, we use the rank-ratio statistic calculated over one billion words of native-speaker texts. Two human annotators evaluated the system's performance. We report the overall results, as well as detailed error analyses, and discuss possible improvements for the future.
Biomaterials II: Corrosion issues in biological environments

To read more about him, turn to page 10. To join TMS, visit www.tms.org/Society/Membership.aspx. The longevity of bioimplants is dependent on the nature of their interactions with the physiological environment in which they are placed. For metallic implants, insights into in vivo durability can be obtained using in vitro test methods with the caveat that the latter are only an approximation of the fi nal environment that the component(s) will encounter. In particular, electrochemical techniques afford relatively quick and effi cient pathways to obtain information relative to the environmental stability of candidate alloys. Four papers addressing different aspects of the corrosion of metallic implants follow this commentary. They are briefl y discussed in the sequence in which they appear in the following pages. Douglas Hansen discusses the interaction of biomolecules with metallic surfaces in his paper titled “Biological Interactions at Metal Surfaces.” The author traces the formation of biofi lms by commencing with Quincke’s electrical double layer, going through the DLVO theory, and ends by discussing the specifi city of binding sites via the “lock and key” mechanism. He also describes the forces and interactions involved in biomolecule adsorption (i.e., hydrogen bonding, ionic or electrostatic interactions, and charge transfer interactions). He then discusses the interaction between biomolecules and an oxide surface. The passivating oxide layer on the surface of Type 304L stainless steel is discussed in the context of complexation by a protein. Nicholas Kirkland et al. discuss in vitro corrosion and associated mechanBiomaterials II: Corrosion Issues in Biological Environments
Phase II study of high-dose photon/proton radiotherapy in the management of spine sarcomas.

Purpose Radiotherapy (XRT) for spine sarcomas is constrained by spinal cord, nerve, and viscera tolerance. Negative surgical margins are uncommon; hence, doses of ≥66 Gy are recommended. A Phase II clinical trial evaluated high-dose photon/proton XRT for spine sarcomas. Methods and Materials Eligible patients had nonmetastatic, thoracic, lumbar, and/or sacral spine/paraspinal sarcomas. Treatment included pre- and/or postoperative photon/proton XRT with or without radical resection; patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma received chemotherapy. Shrinking fields delivered 50.4 cobalt Gray equivalent (Gy RBE) to subclinical disease, 70.2 Gy RBE to microscopic disease in the tumor bed, and 77.4 Gy RBE to gross disease at 1.8 Gy RBE qd. Doses were reduced for radiosensitive histologies, concurrent chemoradiation, or when diabetes or autoimmune disease present. Spinal cord dose was limited to 63/54 Gy RBE to surface/center. Intraoperative boost doses of 7.5 to 10 Gy could be given by dural plaque. Results A total of 50 patients (29 chordoma, 14 chondrosarcoma, 7 other) underwent gross total ( n = 25) or subtotal ( n = 12) resection or biopsy ( n = 13). With 48 month median follow-up, 5-year actuarial local control, recurrence-free survival, and overall survival are: 78%, 63%, and 87% respectively. Two of 36 (5.6%) patients treated for primary versus 7/14 (50%) for recurrent tumor developed local recurrence ( p Conclusions Local control with this treatment is high in patients radiated at the time of primary presentation. Spinal cord dose constraints appear to be safe. Sacral nerves receiving 77.12-77.4 Gy RBE are at risk for late toxicity.
Abstract 1261: A preneoplastic switch to glycolytic metabolism driven by a PI3K-induced transcriptional program

Most cancer cells exhibit a peculiar metabolic behavior, producing energy by aerobic glycolysis instead of oxidative phosphorylation (Warburg effect). Several oncogenes directly drive this switch modulating the levels and activity of, among others, Hexokinase II, Lactate Dehydrogenase A, Pyruvate Kinase M2, and Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Kinase 1. We have generated a Pten-/- mouse model in which the PI3K pathway is selectively activated in the thyroid epithelial cells, leading to hyperplasia which later progresses to follicular carcinoma. Using proteomics to identify proteins differentially expressed in early hyperplastic lesions, we have found that the levels of many tricarboxylic acid cycle proteins are down-regulated in mutant thyroids. Down-regulation of these proteins is due to reduced mRNA expression, and results in reduced oxidative phosphorylation and enhanced glycolysis (over 3-fold increase in lactate production in mutants vs. wt). Furthermore, although mutant thyroids cells have a normal number of mitochondria, the expression of most mitochondrially-encoded genes is heavily down-regulated. Strikingly, none of the genes and proteins classically associated with the Warburg effect is found deregulated in the mutant thyroid cells. Analysis of the expression of transcription factors and co-activators involved in cellular metabolism revealed that the decrease in TCA cycle and OXPHOS genes is due to a reduction in ERRα, ERRγ, PPARα and PPARγ levels. Conversely, none of the co-activators analyzed (PRC1, PGC-1α, and PGC-1β) exhibited changes in mRNA expression. Pharmacological and genetic PI3K inhibition in mouse tumor-derived thyroid cancer cell lines increased the expression levels of both TCA cycle OXPHOS genes. Moreover, it also increased mtDNA amount, suggesting that the transition from hyperplasia to cancer involves additional alterations of the metabolic machinery. Likewise, PI3K inhibition induced a marked decrease in lactate secretion. Finally, these thyroid cancer cell lines exhibited high sensitivity to glycolysis inhibitors such as 3-bromopyruvate. Based on these compelling data, we propose a novel mechanism leading to the Warburg effect in preneoplastic lesions: PI3K activation initiates a coordinated rearrangement of the expression of metabolic genes, which favors aerobic glycolysis at the expense of TCA/OXPHOS. The elucidation of this process will lead to innovative targeted approaches to selectively disrupt tumor progression, while preserving normal metabolism in non mutated cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1261. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1261
Prenatal Cocaine Exposure and Gray Matter Volume in Adolescent Boys and Girls: Relationship to Substance Use Initiation

Background Studies of prenatal cocaine exposure have primarily examined childhood populations. Studying adolescents is especially important because adolescence is a time of changing motivations and initiation of substance use. Methods Using magnetic resonance imaging and whole-brain voxel-based morphometry, we assessed gray matter volume (GMV) differences in 42 prenatally cocaine exposed (PCE) and 21 noncocaine-exposed (NCE) adolescents, aged 14 to 17 years. Associations between GMV differences in significant clusters and the probability of substance use initiation were examined. Results PCE relative to NCE adolescents demonstrated three clusters of lower GMV involving a limbic and paralimbic ( p p = .001, FWE corrected), and precuneus ( p = .019, FWE corrected) cluster. GMVs in the superior frontal and precuneus clusters were associated with initiation of substance use. Each 1-mL decrease in GMV increased the probability of initiating substance use by 69.6% ( p = .01) in the superior frontal cluster and 83.6% ( p = .02) in the precuneus cluster. Conclusions PCE is associated with structural differences in cortical and limbic regions. Lower GMVs in frontal cortical and posterior regions are associated with substance use initiation and may represent biological risk markers for substance use.