cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Presence of an enlarged pool of MOPC-315-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors in the thymuses of mice that eradicated a large MOPC-315 tumor as a consequence of low-dose melphalan therapy

We have previously shown that, as a consequence of low-dose melphalan (L-phenylalanine mustard) treatment, thymocytes from mice bearing a large, day-10 MOPC-315 tumor, but not thymocytes from normal mice, acquire the ability to generate an enhanced level of antitumor cytotoxicity upon in vitro stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells plus low concentrations (9.0-90 IU/ml) of exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2). Here we show that the time interval between tumor inoculation and low-dose melphalan therapy as well as the magnitude of tumor burden at the time of the chemotherapy are important for the ability of the drug to render thymocytes more responsive to in vitro stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells plus low concentrations of recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2). Specifically, the chemotherapy was found to be effective in enhancing the thymic antitumor reactivity only if the mice bore a large, late-stage tumor. Comparison of thymocytes from untreated mice bearing a large, late-stage tumor to thymocytes from normal mice revealed that tumor-bearer thymocytes contained approximately a three-fold higher frequency of cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors (CTLp) for MOPC-315-associated antigens. Following curative low-dose melphalan therapy of mice bearing a large, late-stage MOPC-315 tumor, the frequency of CTLp for MOPC-315-associated antigens increased further, reaching a level approximately tenfold higher than that found among thymocytes of normal mice. At the same time, the frequency of CTLp for an antigenically unrelated allogeneic tumor (EL4) as well as the overall percentage of mature cells was not increased. The cells responsible for the exertion of the enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity following in vitro stimulation of thymocytes from mice treated with low-dose melphalan when they have a large, late-stage MOPC-315 tumor are of the CD8+/CD4- phenotype. Thus, the enhanced level of antitumor cytotoxicity generated by thymocytes from mice that are treated with low-dose melphalan when they have a large, late-stage MOPC-315 tumor is due, at least in part, to the presence of an enlarged pool of CTLp specific for MOPC-315-associated antigens, which mature into CD8+/CD4- effector cells upon stimulation with MOPC-315 tumor cells plus low concentrations of rIL-2.
Solovay-type theorems for circular definitions

We present an extension of the basic revision theory of circular definitions with a unary operator, □. We present a Fitch-style proof system that is sound and complete with respect to the extended semantics. The logic of the box gives rise to a simple modal logic, and we relate provability in the extended proof system to this modal logic via a completeness theorem, using interpretations over circular definitions, analogous to Solovay’s completeness theorem for GL using arithmetical interpretations. We adapt our proof to a special class of circular definitions as well as to the first-order case.
Strategic targeting of agricultural conservation easements as a growth management tool

Public and private programs have preserved an estimated 730,000 ha of agricultural land in the United States by acquiring agricultural conservation easements (ACEs) that retire a property’s development rights. ACEs could be a potent tool for smart growth if strategically targeted. This paper attempts to quantify measures of strategic targeting of ACEs as guidance for planners. Evaluating the placement of 157 ACEs in the San Francisco Bay Area of California produced mixed results. Preservation and development of agricultural land were both consistent with general plans. In contrast, we found little evidence of ACEs being used on a regional scale either to reinforce urban growth boundaries or to coalesce with other open space to form large contiguous blocks of protected areas. We used the TOPSIS method (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) to identify the most strategic agricultural lands, which are quite different from where easements have been established through 2002. We encourage planners to consider strategic targeting of ACEs as a politically acceptable mechanism to complement traditional planning tools to minimize low density sprawl.
Novel Strategies for Enhanced Removal of Persistent Bacillus anthracis Surrogates and Clostridium difficile Spores from Skin

Background: Removing spores of Clostridium difficile and Bacillus anthracis from skin is challenging because they are resistant to commonly used antimicrobials and soap and water washing provides only modest efficacy. We hypothesized that hygiene interventions incorporating a sporicidal electrochemically generated hypochlorous acid solution (Vashe ® ) would reduce the burden of spores on skin. Methods: Hands of volunteers were inoculated with non-toxigenic C. difficile spores or B. anthracis spore surrogates to assess the effectiveness of Vashe solution for reducing spores on skin. Reduction in spores was compared for Vashe hygiene interventions versus soap and water (control). To determine the effectiveness of Vashe solution for removal of C. difficile spores from the skin of patients with C. difficile infection (CDI), reductions in levels of spores on skin were compared for soap and water versus Vashe bed baths. Results: Spore removal from hands was enhanced with Vashe soak (>2.5 log10 reduction) versus soap and water wash or soak (~2.0 log10 reduction; P 3.5 log10 spores from hands (P <0.01 compared to washing or soaking alone). Bed baths using soap and water (N =26 patients) did not reduce the percentage of positive skin cultures for CDI patients (64% before versus 57% after bathing; P =0.5), whereas bathing with Vashe solution (N =21 patients) significantly reduced skin contamination (54% before versus 8% after bathing; P =0.0001). Vashe was well-tolerated with no evidence of adverse effects on skin. Conclusions: Vashe was safe and effective for reducing the burden of B. anthracis surrogates and C. difficile spores on hands. Bed baths with Vashe were effective for reducing C. difficile on skin. These findings suggest a novel strategy to reduce the burden of spores on skin.
Detection and Characterization of a Lethal Yellowing (16SrIV) Group Phytoplasma in Canary Island Date Palms Affected by Lethal Decline in Texas.

ABSTRACT Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used to detect phytoplasmas in Canary Island date (Phoenix canariensis) palms displaying symptoms similar to lethal yellowing (LY) disease in Corpus Christi, TX. An rDNA product (1.8 kb) was amplified consistently from 10 of 11 palms by PCR employing phytoplasma universal rRNA primer pair P1/P7. Also, AluI endonu-clease digests and sequencing of P1/P7 products revealed that nontarget Bacillus megaterium-related rDNA sequences of similar size were co-amplified along with phytoplasma rDNA from 10 palms. A 1,402-bp product was obtained from all 11 symptomatic palms when initial P1/P7 products were reamplified by PCR employing nested LY phytoplasma group-specific 16S rRNA primer pair LY16Sf/LY16Sr. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of nested PCR products revealed that palm-infecting phytoplasmas were uniform and most similar to strains composing the coconut lethal yellowing phytoplasma (16SrIV) group. Sequence analysis of 16S rDNA det...
Mechanisms of sod2 Gene Amplification in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

tions of LiCl, and .90% of the amplified sod2 genes are found in 180- and 225-kilobase (kb) linear amplicons. The sequence of the novel joint of the 180-kb amplicon indicates that it is formed by recombination between homologous regions near the telomeres of the long arm of chromosome I and the short arm of chromosome II. The 225-kb amplicon, isolated three times more frequently than the 180-kb amplicon, is a palindrome derived from a region near the telomere of chromosome I. The center of symmetry of this palindrome contains an inverted repeat consisting of two identical 134-base pair sequences separated by a 290-base pair spacer. LiCl-resistant mutants arise 200 ‐ 600 times more frequently in strains deficient for topoisomerases or DNA ligase activity than in wild-type strains, but the mutant cells contain the same amplicons. These data suggest that amplicon formation may begin with DNA lesions such as breaks. In the case of the 225-kb amplicon, the breaks may lead to a hairpin structure, which is then replicated to form a double-stranded linear amplicon, or to a cruciform structure, which is then resolved to yield the same amplicon.
Cognitions and Insomnia Subgroups

This study explored cognitive predictors of multiple symptoms of insomnia (difficulty with sleep initiation, maintenance, and early morning awakenings) among a sample of individuals seeking cognitive-behavior therapy for insomnia. Participants consisted of 146 clinical patients with insomnia of which 67 (45.89%) were classified as Single Symptoms subgroup and 79 (54.11%) as Combined subgroup. A receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis was conducted to identify predictors of Combined versus Single Symptom subgroups. The set of predictor variables included demographics, sleep-related cognitions, circadian preferences, depression symptoms, and self-report sleep parameters with insomnia subgroups (Combined versus Single Symptom only) as the dependent variable. The ROC analysis identified two significant predictors: Self Efficacy Scale (SES) 30 min, poorer sleep quality, higher insomnia severity, less morningness tendency, higher depression symptom severity, and more anxiety about anxiety and about sleep compared to individuals with SES score ≥23. These findings indicate that low self-efficacy and increased thoughts about the environment are associated with having multiple symptoms of insomnia. Further research should examine the specific role of self-efficacy and thought content in the etiology of individuals who suffer from multiple symptoms of insomnia.
Predictive Subspace Learning for Multi-view Data: a Large Margin Approach

Learning from multi-view data is important in many applications, such as image classification and annotation. In this paper, we present a large-margin learning framework to discover a predictive latent subspace representation shared by multiple views. Our approach is based on an undirected latent space Markov network that fulfills a weak conditional independence assumption that multi-view observations and response variables are independent given a set of latent variables. We provide efficient inference and parameter estimation methods for the latent sub-space model. Finally, we demonstrate the advantages of large-margin learning on real video and web image data for discovering predictive latent representations and improving the performance on image classification, annotation and retrieval.
A system-level VLSI platform for optical interconnection insertion

The present paper will briefly review issues in the context of overall intelligent optical interconnection module (IOIM) pair design needs. Emphasis will be given to present design efforts on the electronic virtual optical alignment (EVOA) system with discussion of design results and trade-offs regarding the externally controlled detector array and the array switching network architecture. >
Long-term survival and toxicity in patients treated with high-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer.

Purpose To report long-term survival and toxicity outcomes with the use of high-dose intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to 86.4 Gy for patients with localized prostate cancer. Methods and Materials Between August 1997 and December 2008, 1002 patients were treated to a dose of 86.4 Gy using a 5-7 field IMRT technique. Patients were stratified by prognostic risk group based on National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk classification criteria. A total of 587 patients (59%) were treated with neoadjuvant and concurrent androgen deprivation therapy. The median follow-up for the entire cohort was 5.5 years (range, 1-14 years). Results For low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups, 7-year biochemical relapse-free survival outcomes were 98.8%, 85.6%, and 67.9%, respectively ( P P P P 50% of initial biopsy positive core ( P =.001) were predictive for distant mestastases. No prostate cancer-related deaths were observed in the low-risk group. The 7-year prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) rates, using competing risk analysis for intermediate- and high-risk groups, were 3.3% and 8.1%, respectively ( P =.008). On multivariate analysis, Gleason score ( P =.004), percentage of biopsy core positivity ( P =.003), and T-stage ( P =.033) were predictive for PCSM. Actuarial 7-year grade 2 or higher late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicities were 4.4% and 21.1%, respectively. Late grade 3 gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity was experienced by 7 patients (0.7%) and 22 patients (2.2%), respectively. Of the 427 men with full potency at baseline, 317 men (74%) retained sexual function at time of last follow-up. Conclusions This study represents the largest cohort of patients treated with high-dose radiation to 86.4 Gy, using IMRT for localized prostate cancer, with the longest follow-up to date. Our findings indicate that this treatment results in excellent clinical outcomes with acceptable toxicity.
Impact of 16S rRNA Gene Sequence Analysis for Identification of Bacteria on Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

The traditional identification of bacteria on the basis of phenotypic characteristics is generally not as accurate as identification based on genotypic methods. Comparison of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequence has emerged as a preferred genetic technique. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis can better identify poorly described, rarely isolated, or phenotypically aberrant strains, can be routinely used for identification of mycobacteria, and can lead to the recognition of novel pathogens and noncultured bacteria. Problems remain in that the sequences in some databases are not accurate, there is no consensus quantitative definition of genus or species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence data, the proliferation of species names based on minimal genetic and phenotypic differences raises communication difficulties, and microheterogeneity in 16S rRNA gene sequence within a species is common. Despite its accuracy, 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis lacks widespread use beyond the large and reference laboratories because of technical and cost considerations. Thus, a future challenge is to translate information from 16S rRNA gene sequencing into convenient biochemical testing schemes, making the accuracy of the genotypic identification available to the smaller and routine clinical microbiology laboratories.
The advantages and challenges of machine fault detection using artificial neural network and fuzzy logic technologies

Machine fault detection has always been an important topic in power engineering. The early detection of faults in rotating machines can significantly enhance the safety, reliability, and economic issues of power systems. With the emerging technology of artificial neural networks and fuzzy logic, the motor fault detection problem cam be easily solved using an innovative approach based on easy accessible measurements, without the need for expensive equipment or accurate mathematical models that are required from conventional fault detection techniques. This paper describes the advantages and the challenge of using the technology of artificial neural networks to solve motor fault detection problems, and also highlights the research results of the National Science Foundation sponsored project Motor Fault Detection Using Artificial Neural Networks. >
Sex-Specific Interactions of Microbial Symbioses on Cricket Dietary Selection

The nutrients found in prey and nonprey foods, and relative digestibility of these foods, has a major influence on diet selection by omnivorous insects. Many insects have developed symbiotic relationships with gut bacteria to help with extracting nutrition from nonprey diets. Gryllus pennsylvanicus (Burmeister) (Orthoptera: Gryllidae) was assigned to one of two treatment groups, antibiotic-treated and nonantibiotic-treated, and consumption of seeds (nonprey) and eggs (prey) were measured. Male crickets administered antibiotics consumed more seeds and greater seed weight, while antibiotic-fed female crickets consumed fewer seeds and less seed weight, relative to the untreated male and female crickets, respectively. Both male and female antibiotic-treated crickets consumed similar weight of eggs as nonantibiotic-treated male and female crickets, respectively. These results provide evidence that gut symbionts influence diet selection of male and female G. pennsylvanicus differently. This sex-specific dietary selection may be because of the fact that male and female crickets have different nutritional requirements.
Integrating hard and soft skills: software engineers serving middle school teachers

We have developed and implemented, over four semesters, a model for engaging computer science majors in service learning for teachers of grades 6-8 at a K-8 school in an underserved community. This paper describes the design of a course focused on interweaving software engineering practice, service learning, and development of "soft" professional skills. CS student teams partner with middle school teacher teams to create learning games for classrooms, and then conduct classroom instruction and observation. We report on our results from evaluating the experience of CS students and middle school teachers through pre-post surveys, evaluator observation of student demo presentations and classroom instruction, focus groups, and student reflective journals.
Hypereosinophilic Syndrome: Current Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment*

Hypereosinophilic syndrome is a heterogeneous group of rare disorders characterized by marked blood or tissue eosinophilia resulting in a wide variety of clinical manifestations. Although the existence of clinical subtypes (or variants) of HES has been appreciated for some time, the recent characterization of some of these variants at the molecular and immunologic levels has demonstrated dramatic differences in disease pathogenesis, response to treatment, and prognosis depending on the etiology of the eosinophilia. This, together with the availability of novel targeted therapies, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, has fundamentally altered the approach to the diagnosis and treatment of HES.
Cyclic Fatigue of Ce‐TZP/AI2O3 Composites: Role of the Degradation of Transformation Zone Shielding

The origin of cyclic fatigue in two Ce-TZP/Al2O3 composites was investigated by (a) measurements of residual stresses in the transformation zones and crack-tip stress intensities in in situ loaded compact specimens using microprobe Raman spectroscopy, (b) examination of the crack-tip transformation zones by transmission electron microscopy, and (c) measurements of crack-growth rates in cyclic fatigue and in sustained loading at 400°C, a temperature at which stress-induced transformation of the tetragonal zirconia to the monoclinic polymorph was suppressed. Transformation zones formed during cyclic fatigue consistently showed lower compressive residual stresses and higher crack-tip stress intensities than the zones formed in sustained loading. Transmission electron microscopy revealed monoclinic laths of smaller average twin spacing and of multiple types of lattice correspondence in the transformation zones of the fatigue specimens as compared to the sustained-load specimens. Crack-growth measurements at 400°C indicated a significant suppression of the cyclic fatigue effect in the absence of transformation plasticity. These results in combination pointed to degradation of transformation-zone shielding as an important contributing cause of cyclic fatigue in Ce-TZP/Al2O, composites. A more efficient accommodation of the transformation strains within the zones appears to be the underlying mechanism of the degradation of zone shielding in cyclic fatigue.
Nutrient cycling at the landscape scale: The role of diel foraging migrations by geese at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

Wildlife refuges are sites of dense aggregations of wintering waterfowl. Refuge managers are concerned about local water-quality effects and the amount of birdborne nutrient load that might cause eutrophication in roosting ponds and(or) be exported to downstream systems. We initiated this research effort to test the hypothesis that daily feeding migrations by geese represented a significant source of nutrients to wetland systems at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in the middle Rio Grande River valley of New Mexico. We documented the role of geese in translocating nutrients through a combination of time budget and mass balance models for birds, bioassays of phytoplankton growth, and stable isotope methods that trace the source of nitrogen to food webs. Geese increased the nutrient loading rates in some wetland ponds by up to 40% for total nitrogen and 75% for total phosphorus. Bioassays revealed that nitrogen was consistently limiting to primary production by algae in the ponds. Chlorophyll levels increased in proportion to bird densities. Fish and crayfish from the ponds intensively used by birds had very low stable nitrogen signatures relative to those from the Rio Grande River. This result derived from the low 15 N in alfalfa and corn, which were the primary forage for birds, and accumulated through food webs in proportion to bird use of individual ponds as roosting areas. In general, the wetland ponds functioned efficiently in retaining the birdborne, allochthonous nutrient load and only modest amounts of the total nitrogen or phosphorus were exported downstream.
Cellular Survival in a Mixed Radiation Environment

SummaryCalculations of the survival, r.b.e., and o.e.r. of human kidney cells, after sequential irradiation with gamma-rays and 14 MeV neutrons, agree well with the experiments of Railton et al., with CHO cells in these radiation environments.
Development, Preliminary Testing and use of the Parenting Tracking form in Perinatal Addiction Treatment

An instrument for assessing the parent-child relationship over time was developed and tested for clinical application, using a transactional development framework. It was used each month by the primary therapist for each of 18 mother-child dyads for a period of 14 months, resulting in 128 incidences of use of the tool. Items are related to the Mental Development Index (MDI) subscale of the Bayley Scale for Infant Development (BSID). Exploratory factor analysis to test construct validity yielded three factors that accounted for 84.8% of the variance, with factor loadings of. 52143 to.78355. Results describe the nature of the parenting relationship during addiction recovery for this sample, and indicate the usefulness of this instrument for assessing the nature of the parenting relationship during addiction recovery. Implications for perinatal addiction research and practice include encouraging healthy parent-child interactions that support the continuing development of the child.
Force observation and force/position control of a micromanipulation/microassembly system.

The automation of a system dedicated to micromanipulation and microassembly tasks is addresses in this talk. While the system is based on piezoelectric actuators, reduced number of sensors is used due to the lack of convenient force sensors. As a result, observer techniques are used to provide estimate values of the forces. The signals provided by the force observer and by the displacement sensors are afterwards used for a robust feedback control techniques, the aim the being the automation of the micromanipulation/microassembly system. The experimental results prove the efficiency of the combination of observer techniques and the robust control techniques in the microworld applications.
Language patterns in conjunctive concept identification

Subjects learned two conjunctive concepts utilizing geometric figures in which there were two relevant attributes. An initial positive instance in each problem was followed by three blank-trial stimuli which overlapped the initial instance by exactly two attribute values. The analysis of blank-trial responses indicated that Ss sample adjective-noun hypotheses significantly more often than adjective-adjective hypotheses, where adjective-noun and adjective-adjective describe labels which can be given the cue pairs.
Constructing Idealized Communities in Japan's Countryside

This paper examines the recent dramatic increase in tourists visiting Japan's countryside, specifically onsen (hot spring resorts). Citing government efforts to improve access to remote regions, the increase in passenger cars, and an underlying desire to escape the city, this paper describes Japan's new independent tourist and the recent popularity of small-scale onsen. In stark contrast to huge onsen resorts that were popular 20 years ago, these smaller onsen have become popular through tourist place-making, in which idealized rural villages are recreated for commercial purposes. Through the example of Kumamoto Prefecture's Kurokawa Onsen, this paper shows recent trends in Japanese tourism and highlights the problematic nature of tourist place-making in Japan's countryside.
The evaluation and interpretation of ultrasonic assessment of fetal growth

HE ULTRASONIC measurement of fetal structures for comparison with standard models of growth is a technique routinely used to assess risk of a fetus or neonate to be delivered small for its gestational age and to experience the complications associated with intrauterine growth retardation.l~15 While this type of evaluation is commonly performed with a high degree for clinical reassurance for the patient and her physician, the clinical interpretation of fetal growth is complex and currently involves primarily individualized approaches. Most clinicians have not evaluated the sources of the various graphs and tables that they utilize to establish their diagnosis of normal growth. The varying criteria of patient selection in individual studies, different techniques of statistical analysis, and multiple criteria for evaluation of outcome have made interpretation difficult when comparison of standard reference models is attempted. The purpose of this article is to discuss important variables used in the development of models for the description of the growth of fetal structures and for the establishment of neonatal growth curves, which frequently represent outcome criteria used in the evaluation of fetal measurements. The clinical approach, which is utilized at our institution for assessing the fetal risk for abnormal fetal growth from single or serial ultrasound examinations, will be described.
Assessing the impact of coverage gaps in the Medicare Part D drug benefit.

ABSTRACT: The new Medicare Part D drug benefit contains major coverage gaps for people who spend moderate to high amounts on prescription drugs who qualify only for the standard coverage. To help p...
Diagnostic Evaluation of X-ray and US Manifestations of Upper Digestive Tract Obstruction in Infant(A Report of 20 Cases)

Objective To study the evaluation between the X-ray findings and ultrasound(US) manifestations of upper digestiveobstruction in infancy.Methods X-ray and US manifestations of 20 cases of infant with upper digestive obstruction proved by operationwere analysed respectively.Results In 20 cases,12 patients had pyloric stenosis,3 duodenal stresia,3 midgut malformation,2 hiatalhernia.Pyloric stenosis was diagnosed by X-ray in 11 cases,by US in 9,misdiagnosed by US in 1 case.Duodenal stresia was observed by X-ray and US in 2 cases separately,not observed by X-ray and US in 1 case separately.Midgut malformation was demonstrated by X-ray and US in 1 case separately,not demonstrated in 2 cases separately.Hiatal hernia was found by X-ray in 2 cases,misdiagnosed by US in 2 cases.Conclusion The two methods can't substitute with each other but complement.X-ray is better than US in the diagnosis of pyloric stenosis and hiatal hernia.US is better than X-ray in the diagnosis of midgut malformation.
Applying Goal-Driven Autonomy to StarCraft

One of the main challenges in game AI is building agents that can intelligently react to unforeseen game situations. In real-time strategy games, players create new strategies and tactics that were not anticipated during development. In order to build agents capable of adapting to these types of events, we advocate the development of agents that reason about their goals in response to unanticipated game events. This results in a decoupling between the goal selection and goal execution logic in an agent. We present a reactive planning implementation of the Goal-Driven Autonomy conceptual model and demonstrate its application in StarCraft. Our system achieves a win rate of 73% against the built-in AI and outranks 48% of human players on a competitive ladder server.
Quantification of Human Health Risk Reduction Following the Introduction of Bt Cotton

Genetically modified (GM) crops were first grown on commercial scales in the mid 1990’s. By 2002, 58.7 million hectares of genetically modified crops were planted worldwide [1]. The number of hectares planted has been increasing rapidly since the first commercial introduction. During the five-year period 1996-2000 the number of countries growing GM crops more than doubled, increasing from 6 in 1996 to 16 in 2002. Figure 1 gives the global area of GM crops during the period 1996-2002. The rapid adoption rates reflect the claims given by the biotechnology industry that GM crops will yield overall benefits. One such claim is that GM crops can bring financial and environmental benefits to farmers and consumers as a safe replacement for traditional synthetic chemical pesticides. Synthetic chemical pesticides have played an important role in crop protection since they were first introduced in the mid 1940’s. After Rachel Carson published her controversial book Silent Spring, regulatory agencies initiated a process of implementing stricter legislation to restrict the use of pesticides. Reduction of pesticide use following the introduction of GM crops has been well documented in the scientific literature after the first commercial introduction of GM crops [2]. However, its implications with respect to environmental and public health have yet to be well studied and little quantitative information is available on human health risk reduction resulting from the reduction of pesticide uses [3]. In this paper, the human health risks associated with reduced pesticide uses following the introduction of genetically modified crops are quantified. In this study, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) cotton, a genetically modified crop, is chosen as the research focus based on its global popularity. Additionally, one of the most important benefits associated with Bt crops is to reduce insecticide uses. In 2002 the global area of GM cotton was 6.8 million hectares, of which 4.6 million were sown with the Bt trait [1]. Bt is a bacterium that produces insecticidal proteins. Bt’s toxins are very specific to certain harmful insects and are relatively safe to most beneficial insects and humans. Additionally, Bt toxins are biodegradable and not persistent in the soil [4]. GM cotton carrying the insect-resistant Bt gene was commercialized in 1996 in the United States. Figure 2 gives cotton statistical data during the period 1996-2000 in the United States [5]
Reinhold Niebuhr and History: The Elusive Liberal Critique

Interpreters of Reinhold Niebuhr generally ascribe the inconsistencies in his view of history to either his changing mind or inadequacies in the development of Christian realism. These perspectives can be insightful but they neglect larger and more systematic questions about the relation of Niebuhr to the specific historical period he addresses, that of liberalism. This essay argues that Niebuhr's work both draws more deeply on liberal assumptions and poses sharper historical criticism than is often recognized. The analysis provided below demonstrates that while Niebuhr identifies the rationalized self-legitimation in the liberal teleology of progress, his view of the historical development of individuals and societies reproduces the idea that liberal society is the culmination of all previous historical periods. The difficulties Niebuhr has in overcoming the limits of liberal categories are instructive regarding the complexity of criticizing a society of which we are a part.
Scaling Up: Representing Gender Diversity in Survey Research

Survey measures of gender have been critiqued for failing to reflect the diversity of the population. Conventionally, respondents to national surveys are categorized as female or male. Calls for im...
Surface polarity determination in 〈110〉-orientated compound semiconductors high-resolution electron microscopy

Abstract Several distinctive image features in principle enable the polarity of 〈110〉-oriented compound semiconductors to be determined from high-resolution electron micrographs. In practice, knowledge of objective lens defocus and crystal thickness, and precise control of crystal and beam tilt, are generally required before unambiguous discrimination of crystal polarity is possible. Confirmation of surface polarity for a (1 × 1) reconstruction of a (110) CdTe surface observed profile imaging is reported.
CD52 Is Expressed in Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia and May Be a Target for Alemtuzumab.

Event free survival in children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) remains low at approximately 50%, and more effective therapy is urgently needed. Alemtuzumab is an anti-CD52 humanized antibody with activity in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. In adults with AML, CD52 was expressed in 36% of patients. Alemtuzumab treatment in relapsed adult AML patients resulted in complete response without platelet recovery (CRp) in 2/9 (22%), reduction of marrow blasts in 1/9 (11%) and reduction of peripheral blasts in 5/9 (56%) (Cancer, 2006;106:2645–51). The expression of CD52 has not been reported in childhood AML. AML (excluding M3) was diagnosed in 48 children at our institution from February 2002 to February 2007. The flow cytometric expression of CD52 antigens was studied in 41 pediatric patients at diagnosis: 20 girls and 21 boys and median age 5.1 years (range 0–18). CD52 expression ≥ 20% of leukemic blasts was considered positive. Of the 41 AML patients, 19 (46%) were positive and 22 (54%) were negative for CD52. In the CD52 positive patients the median expression was 72% (range 22%–99%), and intensity was moderate to dim. Expression by cytogenetic risk groups is demonstrated in Table 1: More low-risk patients were CD52 positive than negative, but the reverse was true for patients with Down syndrome. Age, gender, FAB subtype or presenting white blood cell count did not correlate with CD52 expression. Event free survival and overall survival were similar in CD52 positive and negative patients. In summary, CD52 is expressed in almost half of children with AML. The activity of single agent Alemtuzumab in adults with AML suggests that this agent should be evaluated to treat CD52-positive pediatric AML patients in combination with chemotherapy.
Emerging TV Experiences: How VR, Voice, and Emerging Audiences Have Changed the TV Landscape

At TVX 2015, we led an interactive workshop to explore how people, contexts, and multi-device experiences contribute to a changed landscape of TV watching behaviors. Since then, the television and video industry has developed new technologies and attracted an ever-growing audience. This one-day, interactive workshop at TVX 2017 will bring together academics and professionals to update the framework, and to understand the challenges and opportunities associated with technological developments in VR/360 video and voice interactions, and a new focus on audiences such as kids, teens, and emerging markets.
In search of the Mexican Beverly Hills: Latino suburbanization in postwar Los Angeles

In Search of the Mexican Beverly Hills chronicles Mexican American settlement and activism in suburban Los Angeles. Part of a growing body of important scholarship that complicates depictions of po...
The Effects of Reward Omission and Change on Proactive Interference in Spatial Alternation

Whether reward omission on the sample runs of a delayed alternation task would reduce proactive interference was tested in two experiments. On the first run of a trial, the animal entered one arm of a maze to obtain a food reward; on the second run the reward was available in the opposite arm. Alternation declined across a block of massed trials, but there was less of a decrease when the reward was omitted in the final trial or when another maze was substituted. In a task that required retention of three mazes at a time, alternation again declined across massed trials but was reinstated either by omitting the reward on the final trial or by substituting a different reinforcer. The results suggest that altering the reward outcome can improve memory discriminability of recently visited maze locations and thereby overcome trace confusion in memory.
Role of phase IV trials in determining the safety and efficacy of oral contraceptives. Guidelines for evaluation.

This article provides a 10-point checklist for evaluating postmarketing surveillance studies (phase IV research) of new oral contraceptives (OCs). Since women desire safe and efficacious contraceptives that will not hinder them in the workplace testing of new methods is vital. While randomized clinical studies (RCTs) follow rigorous guidelines these studies take place in controlled environments something no longer possible once a drug has widespread use. Phase IV research simply assesses the actions of practitioners with respect to actual users of the OC. The following guidelines provide a good test for phase IV: 1) The trials should examine a large number of typical practitioners possibly community-based practitioners who are actual prescribers of the new OC. 2) While RCTs screen their patients phase IV should include a wide range of women who represent actual users. 3) Phase IV should not focus exclusively on one aspect of the drug but should evaluate several areas of interest (today they might include endometrial control ovarian cyst development efficacy safety etc.). The relevancy of outcomes should depend on whether they are measurable. 4) Phase IV should have a very large sample size definitely in the thousands. 5) Data should be gathered over of short period of time relying on mail-back questionnaires and telephone surveys. 6) The data should be handled carefully and should be open for review. 7) Since there are no perfect studies the strengths and weaknesses of a particular test should be discussed. 8) The data should be left descriptive. 9) The results of the study should be incorporated into the existing literature in a responsible and scientific fashion. 10) The practical implications of the study as well as its strengths and weaknesses should be apparent.
AN ULTRASONIC DEVICE FOR USE IN THE HEMATOLOGY LABORATORY

An ultrasonic device has been developed whose output is indicative of the viscoelastic properties of the fluid in which the transducer system is immersed. Applications of the device for hematocrit determination and coagulation monitoring are discussed.
Incentives to Form Research Joint Ventures I

What are the reasons firms may want to participate in RJVs? What are the factors underlying the tendency of modern management teams to enroll their companies in increasing numbers of joint R&D organizations? In their important work fifteen years ago, Berg, Duncan and Friedman (1982) dealt with a similar question. Both their study and my study are based on samples of joint ventures spanning eleven years of cooperative industrial activity. The two studies refer to cooperative activity twenty years apart (1965-1975 to 1985-1995 respectively). However, whereas their sample included all types of joint ventures, 1 concentrate on joint ventures where the only, or primary, joint activity is R&D. Moreover, whereas their joint ventures were in mining and manufacturing industries, my sample of research joint ventures also includes many in the service industries.
Give Me a Break: Design for Communication Among Family Caregivers and Respite Caregivers

This study focuses on solutions to issues that arise from gaps in communication between primary family caregivers of older adults and respite caregivers. We collected data through 18 semi-structured interviews with primary family and respite caregivers and qualitatively analyzed the interviews to extract common needs. Participants identified three main needs that our designs address: building trust through status updates, learning routines & care management, and accessing technology. Based on those needs, we designed a prototype of an application which connects primary family caregivers with respite caregivers and facilitates communication between the involved parties. This design can serve as a framework for future work designed to improve elder care in general, the well-being of caregivers, and the effectiveness of respite care.
Evaluation of Subset Norm Stability in ACS General Chemistry Exams

The ability to assess students’ content knowledge and make meaningful comparisons of student performance is an important component of instruction. ACS exams have long served as tools for standardized assessment of students’ chemistry knowledge. Because these exams are designed by committees of practitioners to cover a breadth of topics in the curriculum, they may contain items that an individual instructor may not cover during classroom instruction and therefore chooses not to assess. For the instructor to make meaningful comparisons between his or her students and the national norm sample, the instructor needs norms that are generated upon the basis of the subset of items he or she used. The goal of this project was to investigate the effects of norm stability when items were removed from ACS General Chemistry Exams. This was achieved by monitoring the average change in percentile for students as items were removed from the exam and noting when average change crossed a specified threshold. An exploration of subset norm stability for three commonly used ACS General Chemistry Exams is presented along with implications for research and instruction.
Avian ecological studies in a sagebrush community: bird responses to fire and territory dynamics in a sparrow population

I documented the responses ot nongame birds to a prescribed fire in a sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) community in southeastern Idaho (2 years preburn and 4 years postburn). The fire produced a mosaic of burned (45%) and unburned habitat patches and significantly altered major components of the vegetation. After the fire, experimental (burned) study plots consistently supported 1 more species than control plots. Total bird densities declined moderately the year after fire, but by the fourth postburn season, total densities on experimental plots were greater than those on controls. Sage sparrows (Amphispiza belli) and Brewer's sparrows (Spizella breweri) dominated the bird assemblages associated with both treatments. Sage sparrow population densities were unaffected by fire; Brewer's sparrow numbers declined in the 2 breeding seasons immediately after fire but increased dramatically thereafter. Sage thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus) showed no response to fire, and western meadowlarks (Sturnella neqlecta) increased slightly. Horned larks (Eremophila alpestris) and vesper sparrows (Pooecetes gramineus) colonized burned areas. Return rate of male sage sparrows was somewhat reduced 2 years after fire, nest survival probability was significantly greater on the burned plots than on controls the first year after fire, and nestling growth rates increased the first year postburn.
Palliative care impact on symptom burden.

217Background: A national network of five hospitals piloted the use of a patient reported outcomes tool as a means for referring patients to the palliative care program. An externally validated ass...
Structure-Activity Relationships of 7-Substituted Dimethyltyrosine-Tetrahydroisoquinoline Opioid Peptidomimetics.

The opioid receptors modulate a variety of biological functions, including pain, mood, and reward. As a result, opioid ligands are being explored as potential therapeutics for a variety of indications. Multifunctional opioid ligands, which act simultaneously at more than one type of opioid receptor, show promise for use in the treatment of addiction, pain, and other conditions. Previously, we reported the creation of bifunctional kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist/mu opioid receptor (MOR) partial agonist ligands from the classically delta opioid receptor (DOR) antagonist selective dimethyltyrosine-tetrahydroisoquinoline (Dmt-Tiq) scaffold through the addition of a 7-benzyl pendant on the tetrahydroisoquinoline ring. This study further explores the structure–activity relationships surrounding 7-position pendants on the Dmt-Tiq scaffold. Some analogues maintain a KOR agonist/MOR partial agonist profile, which is being explored in the development of a treatment for cocaine addiction. Others display a MOR agonist/DOR antagonist profile, which has potential to be used in the creation of a less addictive pain medication. Ultimately, we report the synthesis and in vitro evaluation of novel opioid ligands with a variety of multifunctional profiles.
Reduced 25(OH) Vitamin D Association with Lower Alpha-1-Antitrypsin Blood Levels in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

Introduction: Reduced circulating levels of 25(OH)VD are associated with an increased incidence of chronic lung diseases. Alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) is needed to maintain healthy lung function.Objec...
Photothermal modulation of human stem cells using light-responsive 2D nanomaterials

Two-dimensional (2D) molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanomaterials are an emerging class of biomaterials that are photoresponsive at near-infrared wavelengths (NIR). Here, we demonstrate the ability of 2D MoS2 to modulate cellular functions of human stem cells through photothermal mechanisms. The interaction of MoS2 and NIR stimulation of MoS2 with human stem cells is investigated using whole-transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq). Global gene expression profile of stem cells reveals significant influence of MoS2 and NIR stimulation of MoS2 on integrins, cellular migration, and wound healing. The combination of MoS2 and NIR light may provide new approaches to regulate and direct these cellular functions for the purposes of regenerative medicine as well as cancer therapy.
Superelectrophilic nazarov cyclizations with N-heterocycles

Abstract A series of Nazarov cyclizations has been studied involving N-heterocyclic-substituted 1-arylprop-2-en-1-one derivatives (aza-chalcones). Superacid catalyzed reactions of these derivatives provide good yields of heterocyclic-substituted 1-indanones. A mechanism is proposed involving diprotonated, superelectrophilic intermediates.