cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypospadias repair with tubularized incised plate. Is uroflowmetry necessary postoperatively

Abstract Objective Hypospadias repair with tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIP) produces good cosmesis, but is reported to result in a change in urinary stream postoperatively, with an obstructive pattern. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine whether early uroflowmetry is a good method for diagnosing neourethral stricture. Patients and method In 126 boys, primary TIP repair was performed between 1999 and 2003. Uroflowmetry was performed in potty-trained boys 2 months' postoperatively (68 boys) and both 2 and 12 months (38 boys) after TIP. Boys with obstructed flow and/or clinical symptoms were calibrated in their neourethra. Results Forty-nine percent of the boys with distal hypospadias and 87% of the proximal cases had a flow rate of less than 10 ml/s at uroflowmetry 2 months after TIP, but only 12/126 boys (10%) were considered to have a neourethral stricture. There was a spontaneous increase in maximum flow rate between 2 and 12 months after TIP repair both in patients who had been calibrated and in boys in whom no intervention had been performed. Conclusion Early uroflowmetry appears to be unnecessary, as the voiding history appears to be just as good at alerting a suspicion of urethral stricture after TIP repair. There is a spontaneous normalization of the urinary flow in boys after TIP repair, but the need for long-term follow up beyond puberty is great, especially in cases of proximal hypospadias.
Effect of acute and chronic acidosis on glutamine uptake in kidney slices of newborn rats.

AbstractDevelopmental changes in glutamine uptake, CO2 and NH3 production was studied in kidney slices isolated from 12-, 18-, and 65-day-old rats under normal and acidotic conditions. The kidney slices from 12- and 18-day-old animals showed lower uptake of glutamine, CO2 and NH3 production compared to 65-day-old animals. Chronic acidosis increased the ability of kidneys from postnatal rats to accumulate and metabolize glutamine but this increment was lower than the adults. Acute acidosis of newborn animals failed to show any significant changes in glutamine uptake and metabolism even though the degree of acidosis reached was the same between chronic and acute acidotic groups. Newborns failed to show an optimal pH for glutamine uptake and metabolism under normal and acidotic conditions. Along with other factors, the inability of newborn kidneys to increase transport of glutamine during an acid challenge can also explain the lowered ammonia production of newborn rats.
Luminal B breast tumors are not HER2 positive

This is a letter regarding a recently published article in Breast Cancer Research by Tamimi et al (Breast Cancer Res 2008, 10(4):R67). Concerns regarding categorization of breast cancer molecular classes using surrogate immunohistochemical markers are discussed.
Nitric oxide mediates immunosuppression induced by Listeria monocytogenes infection: quantitative studies.

Abstract Our laboratory has shown that immunization of mice with an attenuated strain ofSalmonella typhimuriuminduces profound suppression in the capacity of splenocytes to mount anin vitroantibody plaque-forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and to proliferate in response to mitogens.In vitroaddition of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (NMMA), an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, to cell cultures fromSalmonella-immunized mice completely blocked suppression of the PFC responses, implicating that NO is the suppressor factor. The present study quantified the role of nitric oxide in immunosuppression induced byListeria monocytogenes, a gram positive intracellular pathogen of macrophages.Listeriainfection resulted in suppression of the PFC assay at inoculating doses of greater than 6.5×103colony forming units, with no suppression observed at lower doses. Suppression correlated with increased nitrite production. Addition of NMMA to spleen cell cultures taken fromListeria-infected mice completely blocked suppression of the PFC response, and returned nitrite production to baseline levels. In regard toListeria-induced suppression of responses to the mitogen, Concanavalin A (Con A), the parameters were different from those observed for the PFC response. There was a direct correlation between the log10of the inoculating dose ofListeriaand degree of immunosuppression, with suppression observed at doses as low as 1×103cells. Addition of NMMA to the Con A-stimulated cultures resulted in reduced nitrite levels, but only partial restoration of the proliferative responses. Co-culture of splenocytes fromListeriainoculated mice with normal splenocytes in media with NMMA and reduced levels of L-arginine resulted in complete reversal of suppressed responses to Con A. Similar differences in ease of reversing suppression of the PFC response, as compared with responses to Con A, were previously noted using cells taken fromSalmonella-infected mice. The present results show that a gram positive intracellular pathogen of macrophages,L. monocytogenes, induces immunosuppression in mouse spleen cells by a nitric oxide mediated mechanism that closely parallels that induced by the gram negative pathogen,S. typhimurium.
Preliminary Studies on the Resiliency of Stochastic Linear Solvers

With the advent of exascale computing and the realization that memory errors will be an ever important part of the high performance computing landscape, this paper proposes the reconsideration of stochastic linear solvers for their inherent scalability and resiliency capabilities. This paper addresses the latter by analyzing the resiliency of stochastic solvers to randomly occurring memory errors that go undetected. The premise is that, in stochastic solvers, undetected errors can be considered as part of the random process while detectable errors can be filtered using basic statistics. Thus, the goal is not to detect all memory errors, but only those that matter and quantifying their frequency which will impact efficiency. A simple iterative stochastic solver was implemented and all double-precision input variables were imposed a bit-flip to determine their impact on the final solution. Accepted batches contribute to the sample mean and variance that is used to determine whether or not to accept or reject the following batch. The test case indicated that 3-6 % of all soft memory errors in the double-precision variables were detected as exceeding the normal noise of the method. Since only a small fraction of memory errors truly matter, stochastic solvers offer a path that could potentially avoid error correction code all together. Multiple consecutive bit errors were also analyzed for the specific case of five neighboring bit flips. The test on one variable produced a soft error detection rate 1 % higher than the single bit-flip.
Imaging β-Galactosidase Activity in Human Tumor Xenografts and Transgenic Mice Using a Chemiluminescent Substrate

Background Detection of enzyme activity or transgene expression offers potential insight into developmental biology, disease progression, and potentially personalized medicine. Historically, the lacZ gene encoding the enzyme β-galactosidase has been the most common reporter gene and many chromogenic and fluorogenic substrates are well established, but limited to histology or in vitro assays. We now present a novel approach for in vivo detection of β-galactosidase using optical imaging to detect light emission following administration of the chemiluminescent 1,2-dioxetane substrate Galacto-Light PlusTM. Methodology and Principal Findings B-gal activity was visualized in stably transfected human MCF7-lacZ tumors growing in mice. LacZ tumors were identified versus contralateral wild type tumors as controls, based on two- to tenfold greater light emission following direct intra tumoral or intravenous administration of reporter substrate. The 1,2-dioxetane substrate is commercially available as a kit for microplate-based assays for β-gal detection, and we have adapted it for in vivo application. Typically, 100 µl substrate mixture was administered intravenously and light emission was detected from the lacZ tumor immediately with gradual decrease over the next 20 mins. Imaging was also undertaken in transgenic ROSA26 mice following subcutaneous or intravenous injection of substrate mixture. Conclusion and Significance Light emission was detectable using standard instrumentation designed for more traditional bioluminescent imaging. Use of 1,2-dioxetane substrates to detect enzyme activity offers a new paradigm for non-invasive biochemistry in vivo.
Validation studies of seismic PRAs

Abstract The validity and limitations of seismic probabilistic risk assessment methods are examined by determining how uncertainties due to inherent variability, modeling assumptions, and incomplete data effect risk estimates and inferences. The analysis was performed using the plant logic for the Limerick Generating Station for illustrative purposes. The role of uncertainties in seismic hazard analysis and component fragility modeling was assessed. Although the seismic hazard dominates core damage probability calculations, the component fragility modeling may be significant in seismic margin studies.
Human glycerol kinase deficiency with hyperglycerolemia and glyceroluria

Abstract Two brothers with a previously unidentified syndrome of severe osteoporosis and neuromuscular disease have elevated concentrations of glycerol in serum and urine. A deficiency of glycerol kinase in leukocytes of both patients is described.
trans-activation of the HIV promoter by a cDNA and its genomic clones of human herpesvirus-6.

Abstract Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) is a lymphotropic herpesvirus, and in vitro , it can productively infect human CD4 + T cells as HIV-1. Co-infection of T cells by HIV-1 and HHV-6 can lead to both activation of the HIV-1 promoter and acceleration of the cytopathic effects. An HHV-6 (GS) cDNA clone, pCD41, encoding for a 41-kDa nuclear protein was identified and characterized previously (Chang and Balachandran, J. Virol. 65, 2884-2894 and 7085, 1991). Sequence analyses show that this protein has significant hemology with the human cytomegalovirus UL44 gene coding for the ICP36 family of early-late-class phosphoprotein. Using this cDNA as the probe, a 3.8-kb Eco RI genomic fragment encoding the HHV-6(GS)P41 was cloned and designated as pGD41. When cotransfected with the HIV LTR CAT into CV-1 cells, both the pCD41 and pGD41 clones trans -activated the HIV LTR. Sequence analyses of pCD41 indicate that there are two potential open reading frames (ORFs), A and B, which are homologous to the ORFs found in the genomic clone pGD41. Deletion constructs of the pCD41 clone demonstrated that ORF-A was critical for the HIV LTR activation. Deletion analyses of the pCD41 ORF-A and the use of promoter constructs further mapped an internal functional promoter within the pCD41 sequence that can direct the synthesis of the trans -activating protein. By using HIV LTR deletion mutants, the NF-κB binding sites were found to be critical for response to the pCD41 trans -activation.
Total thoracoscopic pneumonectomy: indications and technical considerations

Although descriptions of series of thoracoscopic wedge resections and lobectomies have been published, with increasing frequency and encouraging results, only a handful of individual reports of minimally invasive pneumonectomy are available. The authors of these publications unanimously have used a limited 6to 16-cm thoracotomy to allow the introduction of traditional surgical instruments and to provide some direct visualization of the surgical field, especially the hilar structures. This has been traditionally accepted as the method of choice in video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). However, it is arguable, that the requirement for a minithoracotomy, particularly if rib spreading or rib resection is used, reduces the benefits of minimal trauma associated with the smaller incisions. VATS wedge resections and anatomic lobectomies are frequently performed. The indications, preoperative patient workup, postoperative care, and basic oncologic principles are essentially the same as with open thoracic surgery. We use preoperative mediastinoscopy before any lung cancer resection. We discuss here our initial experience with entirely videothoracoscopic pneumonectomy, such as has not been reported to date.
Thoughts on improvable objects, contradiction and object/tool reciprocity in a study of zoo educator professional development

In this forum we discuss three aspects designed to clarify and extend Kelly and Kassing’s paper. These are the roles of improvable objects, contradiction and object/tool reciprocity. In each case we cite relevant literature and pose questions to the field. Our goal is to seed ideas for future discussions concerning the role of activity theory in our current and future research in informal learning settings.
Low Cost Concurrent Error Masking Using Approximate Logic Circuits

With technology scaling, logical errors arising due to single-event upsets and timing errors arising due to dynamic variability effects are increasing in logic circuits. Existing techniques for online resilience to logical and timing errors are limited to detection of errors, and often result in significant performance penalty and high area/power overhead. This paper proposes approximate logic circuits as a design approach for low cost concurrent error masking. An approximate logic circuit predicts the value of the outputs of a given logic circuit for a specified portion of the input space, and can indicate uncertainty about the outputs over the rest of the input space. Using portions of the input space that are most vulnerable to errors as the specified input space, we show that approximate logic circuits can be used to provide low overhead concurrent error masking support for a given logic circuit. We describe efficient algorithms for synthesizing approximate circuits for concurrent error masking of logical and timing errors. Results indicate that concurrent error masking based on approximate logic circuits can mask 88% of targeted logical errors for 34% area overhead and 17% power overhead, 100% timing errors on all timing paths within 10% of the critical path delay for 23% area overhead and 8% power overhead, and 100% timing errors on all timing paths within 20% of the critical path delay for 42% area overhead and 26% power overhead.
Evaluation of cell replication by bovine T cells in polyclonally activated cultures using carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) loading and flow cytometric analysis.

Studies reported here demonstrated that carboxyfluorescein succinimidyl ester (CFSE) loading of lymphocytes and flow cytometric analysis is a powerful assay to assess the kinetics and extent of cellular replication by bovine T-cell subpopulations in heterogeneous cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) where subpopulation interactions can occur. As CFSE analysis allows determination of the proportion of lymphocytes that divided, as well as the number of cell divisions each cell underwent, distinctions in responses among mitogen-stimulated cultures could be made even when(3)H-thymidine incorporation was equivalent. When combined with surface staining for detection of differentiation antigens, differences among T-cell subpopulations with regard to the number of divisions their members had undergone, were found. Anti-CD3 mAb stimulated both CD8(+)and CD4(+)T cells to undergo several cell divisions in 72 hours, while there was essentially no division by gamma delta T cells. In contrast, in concanavalin A-stimulated cultures, all T-cell subpopulations had divided.
Nicotinic-serotonergic drug interactions and attentional performance in rats.

Both central serotonergic and nicotinic systems play important roles in a variety of neurobehavioral functions; however, the interactions of these two systems have not been fully characterized. The current study served to determine the impact of a relatively selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, ketanserin, on attentional function in rats and the interactions of ketanserin with nicotine administration. A standard operant visual signal detection task was used to assess sustained attention. In expt 1, adult female Sprague–Dawley rats (n=39) were injected subcutaneously (SC) with a dose range of ketanserin (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg). In expt 2, the interactions of acute ketanserin (0, 1 and 2 mg/kg, SC) and acute nicotine (0, 25 and 50 μg/kg, SC) were assessed. In expt 3, the interaction of acute ketanserin (0, 1 and 2 mg/kg, SC) and chronic nicotine (5 mg/kg per day, SC for 4 weeks via osmotic pump) was characterized. Using an operant visual signal detection task, three possible outcomes (dependent variables) were measured in each trial: percent hit, percent correct rejection, and response omissions. Ketanserin, when given alone, did not have a significant effect on either percent hit or percent correct rejection. Acute administration of 25 μg/kg nicotine significantly improved percent hit (i.e. improvement in choice accuracy), an effect that was reversed by acute administration of 1 mg/kg ketanserin. Chronic nicotine infusion for 28 consecutive days significantly increased percent correct rejection (i.e. improvement in choice accuracy) without development of tolerance, an effect which was reversed by an acute dose of 2 mg/kg ketanserin. These data suggest a functional interaction between nicotine and 5-HT2A receptor antagonist ketanserin.
Ethics education in surgical residency: past, present, and future.

THE CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE OF MEDICINE is associated intimately with the field of bioethics. The principles of bioethics and moral reasoning are taught at all allopathic medical schools in the United States and Canada. Residency programs in several different specialties now include formal ethics education with specific emphasis on clinical decision making and resolving moral conflicts as a part of their core curriculum. Notably, both the American Boards of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine have required ethics education during residency and have tested for competency in their respective certifying examinations since the mid1980s. The breadth of ethics education has even expanded beyond traditional health care professions. The fields of psychopharmacology, bioengineering, computer science, engineering, dentistry, and even dental hygiene have all published formal plans for ethics education in their respective fields. In 1997, a survey of U.S. general surgery programs was conducted by Downing et al to evaluate the status of ethics teaching in general surgery. Of the respondents, 85% favored a formalized ethics curriculum; however, a lack of faculty expertise was cited as the major impediment to establishing such a program. One year later, a similar survey was conducted in the field of pediatric surgery with similar results; the majority of respondents supported the incorporation of bioethics teaching into the formal curriculum of pediatric surgery. As a result of these influential studies, surgery training programs have begun to adopt ethics education into residency training; however, the nature by which this education occurs, as well its effectiveness,
Glucose-induced Tyrosine Phosphorylation of p125 in Beta Cells and Pancreatic Islets A NOVEL PROXIMAL SIGNAL IN INSULIN SECRETION

Abstract In this study, we demonstrate that stimulation of beta cells with carbachol and glucose causes increased tyrosine phosphorylation of a 125-kDa protein concurrently with increased insulin secretion. The effect was observed in two different insulin-secreting cell lines and in rat pancreatic islets. Tyrosine phosphorylation was largely calcium independent and occurred within 2 min after stimulation of beta cells with glucose and the muscarinic agonist carbachol. In islets, the effect of glucose was greatly diminished by the addition of mannoheptulose, a seven-carbon sugar that inhibits glucokinase, suggesting that glucose metabolism is required for tyrosine phosphorylation of the protein to occur. Neither insulin nor insulin-like growth factor I significantly increased tyrosine phosphorylation of the 125-kDa protein, suggesting that it was not an autocrine effect. Depolarization of beta cells with glyburide or 50 mM potassium dramatically increased insulin secretion but had no significant effect on tyrosine phosphorylation. Addition of phorbol ester caused a less than 2-fold increase in tyrosine phosphorylation, whereas the calcium ionophore A23187 had no effect. Among the various fuel secretagogues tested, only D-glucose stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation, both alone and in combination with carbachol. Finally, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG879 inhibited both tyrosine phosphorylation and insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these data demonstrate the presence of a novel signaling pathway in glucose-induced insulin secretion: tyrosine phosphorylation of beta cell p125, which is a proximal step in insulin secretion. Our current working hypothesis is that glucose stimulation of beta cell p125 tyrosine phosphorylation is an essential step for insulin secretion.
Microwave Bipolar Transistor Technology - Present and Prospects

This paper reviews the present status and future prospects for Si bipolar transistors and monolithic integrated circuits designed for applications at frequencies above 500MHz. The technological limitations on performance are discussed as well as the fundamental strengths and basic terminal characteristics which insure that bipolar transistors and integrated circuits will continue to offer the most cost-effective solutions to many microwave system design problems in the coming decade of the 1980's.
Characterization of Modified Hepatitis C Virus E2 Proteins Expressed on the Cell Surface

The envelope proteins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are the likely targets of neutralizing antibodies and their molecular and functional characterization is relevant for vaccine development. We previously showed that surface-expressed E2 is a better immunogen than intracellular E2 and, therefore, we were interested in exploring more efficient ways to present E2 protein on the cell surface. We found that E2 targeted to the cell surface by replacement of its transmembrane domain did not bring E1 to the surface although E1 could be expressed independently on the cell surface if its transmembrane domain was similarly replaced. FACS analysis suggested that E2 expressed on the cell surface acquired its native conformation more efficiently when truncated at aa 661 than when truncated at aa 715. The shorter form of truncated E2 better retained the ability to bind the second extracellular loop (EC2) of CD81, the putative HCV receptor. Interestingly, deletion of the hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) did not perceptibly alter E2 structure; cell-surface forms of E2 lacking the HVR1 remained reactive with conformation-sensitive MAbs and were able to bind recombinant EC2 of CD81.
Privacy-Enhanced User-Centric Identity Management

User-centric identity management approaches have received significant attention for managing private and critical identity attributes from the user's perspective. User-centric identity management allows users to control their own digital identities. Users are allowed to select their credentials when responding to an authentication or attribute requester and it gives users more rights and responsibility over their identity information. However, current user-centric approaches mainly focus on interoperable architectures between existing identity management systems and privacy issues have not been considered in depth. In this paper, we propose a category-based privacy preference approach to enhance the privacy of user-centric identity management systems. In addition, we present our proof-of-concept prototype of our approach in the Identity Metasystem.
Synthesis, structural order and magnetic behavior of self-assembled /spl epsi/-Co nanocrystal arrays

The synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with monodispere size distributions, their self assembly into ordered arrays and their magnetic behavior as a function of structural order (ferrofluids and 2D assemblies) are presented. Magnetic colloids of monodispersed, passivated, cobalt nanocrystals were produced by the rapid pyrolysis of cobalt carbonyl in solution. The size, size distribution (std. dev.<5%) and the shape of the nanocrystals were controlled by varying the surfactant, its concentration, the reaction rate and the reaction temperature. The Co particles are defect-free single crystals with a complex cubic structure related to the beta phase of manganese (/spl epsi/-Co). In the 2D assembly, a collective behavior was observed in the low-field susceptibility measurements where the magnetization of the zero field cooled process increases steadily and the magnetization of the field cooling process is independent the temperature. This was different from the observed behavior in a sample comprised of disordered interacting particles. A strong paramagnetic contribution appears at very low temperatures where the magnetization increases drastically after field cooling the sample. This has been attributed to the Co surfactant-particle interface since no magnetic atomic impurities are present in these samples.
Contraceptive use: the US perspective

Multiple factors impact population trends and contraceptive use patterns in the US. Age distribution is the main factor driving contraceptive need however. Recent fertility trends in the US are heavily influenced by the transition of the "baby boomer" cohort from highly fertile to less fertile ages. Also exerting an influence on contraceptive use patterns are changes in age at marriage and the timing of pregnancies the modal age at which reproduction is completed the cost and accessibility of prescription methods of contraception and perceived method-related risks and side effects. The new once-a-month injectable which combines a progestogen with estrogen has been shown to be safe convenient and highly effective. Its availability in the US has the potential to further reduce the rate of unintended pregnancies. Innovative approaches to increasing injection access beyond clinics and doctors offices would enhance use of this method.
Krüppel-Like Factor-4 Transcriptionally Regulates VE-Cadherin Expression and Endothelial Barrier Function

Rationale:Vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin localized at adherens junctions (AJs) regulates endothelial barrier function. Because WNT (wingless) signaling-induced activation of the transcription factor Kruppel-like factor (KLF)4 may have an important role in mediating the expression of VE-cadherin and AJ integrity, we studied the function of KLF4 in regulating VE-cadherin expression and the control of endothelial barrier function. Objective:The goal of this study was to determine the transcriptional role of KLF4 in regulating VE-cadherin expression and endothelial barrier function. Methods and Results:Expression analysis, microscopy, chromatin immunoprecipitation, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, and VE-cadherin–luciferase reporter experiments demonstrated that KLF4 interacted with specific domains of VE-cadherin promoter and regulated the expression of VE-cadherin at AJs. KLF4 knockdown disrupted the endothelial barrier, indicating that KLF4 is required for normal barrier function. In vivo studies...
Race and Residence Differences in the Use of Formal Services by Older Adults

Using a longitudinal panel that oversampled older (65+) African Americans and rural residents of north Florida, this study examines race and residence differences in the use of four services: two community-based services (senior centers and special transportation) and two home-based services (homemaker and nursing care). Significant differences across race and residence groups in the use of these services were identified. Black elders, especially rural Blacks, had higher odds of using community-based services, net of other sociodemographic, social support, and health characteristics. In contrast, rural elders were most likely to use homemaker services, controlling for other factors including race. Neither race nor residence was a significant predictor of the use of in-home nursing services in this sample. The findings are discussed within the context of the importance of examining both the individual and combined influences of race and residence on formal service use.
A Hierarchical Simulation Flow for Return-Loss Optimization of Microprocessor Package Vertical Interconnects

Design of package- and board-level interconnects utilizing full-wave electromagnetic solvers, is becoming increasingly important owing to increased frequencies of operation, miniaturization, and reduced time to market. Thus, parameterization, optimization, and statistical analysis tools are becoming an invaluable part of a designer's armory. Leveraging a previously developed fast full-wave electromagnetic solver, this paper addresses the development of a framework for package interconnect design. Parametric sweeps are conducted to show the existence of optimal designs and to select the best routing strategies. Having applied the popular response surface methodology for optimization and having outlined its limitations for higher-dimensional problems, a general optimization scheme is proposed and illustrated on a differential package interconnect line. The proposed methodology features a dimensionality reduction scheme and a reusable, multidimensional look-up table preceding the global optimization phase, which is facilitated by a smooth interpolation scheme based on splines. The second phase features a custom local optimizer incorporating all the variables without any dimension reduction. This methodology has been applied to automated synthesis of a differential package line resulting in a significant improvement of the return loss performance. A statistical analysis methodology, based on utilizing the gradient, has been presented to arrive at the spread in the differential return loss, occurring due to manufacturing tolerances, around the designed response.
SiGe IC- based mm-wave imager

Millimeter-wave radiation and detection offers the possibility of detecting concealed weapons. Passive imaging measures the mm-wave radiation emitted from target objects. A passive mm-wave imager and the designs affecting the overall system performance are discussed. With low power receiver architecture and SiGe ICs, a focal plane based full staring array is feasible and can provide a high thermal resolution, ~-1.1K at >10Hz frame rate.
Carbon Accounting and Economic Model Uncertainty of Emissions from Biofuels-Induced Land Use Change

Few of the numerous published studies of the emissions from biofuels-induced "indirect" land use change (ILUC) attempt to propagate and quantify uncertainty, and those that have done so have restricted their analysis to a portion of the modeling systems used. In this study, we pair a global, computable general equilibrium model with a model of greenhouse gas emissions from land-use change to quantify the parametric uncertainty in the paired modeling system's estimates of greenhouse gas emissions from ILUC induced by expanded production of three biofuels. We find that for the three fuel systems examined--US corn ethanol, Brazilian sugar cane ethanol, and US soybean biodiesel--95% of the results occurred within ±20 g CO2e MJ(-1) of the mean (coefficient of variation of 20-45%), with economic model parameters related to crop yield and the productivity of newly converted cropland (from forestry and pasture) contributing most of the variance in estimated ILUC emissions intensity. Although the experiments performed here allow us to characterize parametric uncertainty, changes to the model structure have the potential to shift the mean by tens of grams of CO2e per megajoule and further broaden distributions for ILUC emission intensities.
Daptomycin: From the Mountain to the Clinic, with Essential Help from Francis Tally, MD

Daptomycin has been approved and successfully launched for the treatment of complicated skin and skin-structure infections caused by gram-positive pathogens [1] and bacteremia and right-sided endocarditis due to Staphylococcus aureus, including strains that are resistant to methicillin or other antibiotics [2]. The development of the drug, however, was not straightforward; it involved a cast of characters, including scientists at Eli Lilly and at Cubist Pharmaceuticals. Of most importance, the development of daptomycin involved the tenacious leadership of Dr. Francis Tally. As a tribute to Dr. Tally, we attempt to reconstruct the path of daptomycin from the mountain to the clinic.
Breast Cancer Stage and Treatment Among Ohio Medicaid Beneficiaries With and Without Mental Illness.

Among Ohio Medicaid beneficiaries, women with mental illness did not experience disparities in breast cancer treatment. This may reflect equalizing effects of Medicaid through improved access.
Cutting Edge: IL-12 and Type I IFN Differentially Program CD8 T Cells for Programmed Death 1 Re-expression Levels and Tumor Control

Naive CD8 T cells proliferate in response to TCR and CD28 signals, but require IL-12 or type I IFN to survive and develop optimal effector functions. Although murine CTL generated in vitro in response to IL-12 or IFN-α had comparable effector functions, IL-12-stimulated cells were significantly more effective in controlling tumor in an adoptive immunotherapy model. They maintained high numbers and function, whereas IFN-α-stimulated cells declined in number and became exhausted. Consistent with this, IFN-α-stimulated cells in the tumor expressed higher levels of programmed death 1 (PD-1) inhibitory receptor than did IL-12-stimulated cells. When blocking Ab specific for the PD-L1 ligand of PD-1 was administered, the efficacy of IFN-α-stimulated CTL became comparable with that of IL-12-stimulated cells. Thus, IL-12 and IFN-α differentially program CD8 T cells to re-express distinct levels of PD-1 upon re-encountering Ag, resulting in IL-12-stimulated cells being less susceptible to exhaustion in the face of sustained tumor Ag.
A comparison of statistical selection strategies for univariate and bivariate log‐linear models

In this study, eight statistical selection strategies were evaluated for selecting the parameterizations of log-linear models used to model the distributions of psychometric tests. The selection strategies included significance tests based on four chi-squared statistics (likelihood ratio, Pearson, Freeman-Tukey, and Cressie-Read) and four additional strategies (Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC), consistent Akaike information criterion (CAIC), and a measure attributed to Goodman). The strategies were evaluated in simulations for different log-linear models of univariate and bivariate test-score distributions and two sample sizes. Results showed that all eight selection strategies were most accurate for the largest sample size considered. For univariate distributions, the AIC selection strategy was especially accurate for selecting the correct parameterization of a complex log-linear model and the likelihood ratio chi-squared selection strategy was the most accurate strategy for selecting the correct parameterization of a relatively simple log-linear model. For bivariate distributions, the likelihood ratio chi-squared, Freeman-Tukey chi-squared, BIC, and CAIC selection strategies had similarly high selection accuracies.
The Health Challenges of Urban Latino College Students as Revealed Through Student Journaling

Because of the unique health risks faced by the Hispanic population and the notoriously poor health habits of college students, this study examines the health challenges faced by Latino college students enrolled at an urban commuter institution. A thematic analysis reveals the top themes for males and females as healthy eating, weight management, and exercise. Alcohol use management is a theme for males, whereas stress management is found as a theme for females.
Characterization of an NGF–P-TrkA Retrograde-Signaling Complex and Age-Dependent Regulation of TrkA Phosphorylation in Sympathetic Neurons

Nerve growth factor (NGF) is a target-derived trophic factor for developing sympathetic and cutaneous sensory neurons. NGF promotes growth and survival of neurons via activation of the receptor tyrosine kinase TrkA. We used compartmentalized cultures of sympathetic neurons to address the mechanism of NGF signaling from distal axons and terminals to proximal axons and cell bodies. Our results demonstrate that an NGF-phospho-TrkA (NGF-P-TrkA)-signaling complex forms in distal axons and is retrogradely transported as a complex to cell bodies of sympathetic neurons. Although a minor fraction of both NGF and TrkA is retrogradely transported, a large fraction of the NGF that is retrogradely transported is found complexed with retrogradely transported TrkA. Interestingly, the metabolism of the P-TrkA complex is dramatically different in young, NGF-dependent sympathetic neurons as compared to older, NGF-independent sympathetic neurons. After withdrawal of NGF from distal axons of young neurons, P-TrkA within distal axons, as well as within proximal axons and cell bodies, dephosphorylates rapidly. In contrast, after withdrawal of NGF from distal axons of older neurons, P-TrkA within distal axons dephosphorylates completely, although more slowly than that in young neurons, whereas dephosphorylation of P-TrkA within proximal axons and cell bodies occurs markedly more slowly, with at least one-half of the level of P-TrkA remaining 2 d after NGF withdrawal. Thus, P-TrkA within the cell bodies of young, NGF-dependent sympathetic neurons is derived from distal axons. A more stable P-TrkA complex within cell bodies of mature sympathetic neurons may contribute to the acquisition of NGF independence for survival of mature sympathetic neurons.
An energy-efficient mobile recommender system

The increasing availability of large-scale location traces creates unprecedent opportunities to change the paradigm for knowledge discovery in transportation systems. A particularly promising area is to extract energy-efficient transportation patterns (green knowledge), which can be used as guidance for reducing inefficiencies in energy consumption of transportation sectors. However, extracting green knowledge from location traces is not a trivial task. Conventional data analysis tools are usually not customized for handling the massive quantity, complex, dynamic, and distributed nature of location traces. To that end, in this paper, we provide a focused study of extracting energy-efficient transportation patterns from location traces. Specifically, we have the initial focus on a sequence of mobile recommendations. As a case study, we develop a mobile recommender system which has the ability in recommending a sequence of pick-up points for taxi drivers or a sequence of potential parking positions. The goal of this mobile recommendation system is to maximize the probability of business success. Along this line, we provide a Potential Travel Distance (PTD) function for evaluating each candidate sequence. This PTD function possesses a monotone property which can be used to effectively prune the search space. Based on this PTD function, we develop two algorithms, LCP and SkyRoute, for finding the recommended routes. Finally, experimental results show that the proposed system can provide effective mobile sequential recommendation and the knowledge extracted from location traces can be used for coaching drivers and leading to the efficient use of energy.
Spatial distribution of chironomid larvae (Diptera: Chironomidae) in two central Florida lakes

Spatial distribution of larval Chironomidae was investigated in 2 lakes, Jessup and Monroe, in central Florida. Each lake was divided into 6 sections and benthic samples were seasonally collected from each section from October 1995 to February 1997. Among >30 species of chironomids collected, Glyptotendipes paripes (Edward) was predominant in Lake Jessup. In Lake Monroe, G. paripes and Tanypodinae were codominant, with Chironomus crassicaudatus Malloch being abundant only in the summer. Spatial distribution of dominant chironomid species was analyzed by fitting to the negative binomial distribution, Iwao's patchiness regression, and Taylor's power law. The negative binomial gave variable fits with the chi-square test and with the second moment statistic. Four out of 6 data sets of G. paripes in Lake Monroe fitted the negative binomial distribution based on a chi-square test, whereas in Lake Jessup no data set fitted to this analysis. In contrast, using the second moment statistic, more data sets (4 out of 6) in Lake Jessup fitted to the negative binomial than in Lake Monroe (1 out of 6). Fitness of the negative binomial was good for Tanypodinae in Lake Monroe. The Iwao's regression statistically fitted 8 out of 12 data sets of G. paripes ; however, the wide range of β values (3.12–15.96) suggested this method to be inappropriate for our data. All data sets of G. paripes statistically fitted Taylor's power law with aggregation index, b , ranging from 1.498 to 2.162. Homogeneity of Taylor's regression for G. paripes over sampling seasons was revealed in both lakes. Overall, Taylor's power law was a better descriptor for aggregated populations of chironomid larvae in these 2 lakes and provided a basis for developing sequential sampling plans.
Fine Structural Abnormalities of the Placenta in Diabetic Rats

In the streptozocin-induced diabetic rat, the placenta is larger and the fetus is smaller than normal. To study cellular differences that might contribute to the size and functional disparity between diabetic and control placentas, a light- and electron-microscopic analysis was performed on 14-, 18-, and 22-day (term) control and diabetic placentas. Diabetic placentas, especially later in gestation, were marked by the presence of large numbers of glycogendistended cells in the basal zone. Within the placental labyrinth, the trophoblastic layers of the interhemal membrane were significantly thicker in the diabetic placentas on days 18 and 22, and large accumulations of lipid droplets were present, especially in the inner two trophoblastic layers. In normal placentas there is a marked thinning of the placental barrier in the labyrinth by day 22 of gestation, making the thickness of the labyrinthine layers in age-matched diabetic placentas even more impressive. Finally, the labyrinth of 22-day diabetic placentas contained more glycogen and rough endoplasmic reticulum in the inner trophoblastic layer, a feature that is found in less-mature (18-day) control placentas. Thus, the diabetic placentas have a number of features that are consistent with functional immaturity/ dysmaturity. Cytologic evidence confirms the presence of increased glycogen and lipid reserves in both the junctional zone and the cellular area between maternal and fetal blood. The thickening and modification in the interhemal membrane of the labyrinth of the diabetic placentas increase the diffusion distance between the maternal and fetal circulations and thus may adversely affect placental exchange functioning and result in the fetal growth retardation seen in this model of the diabetic pregnancy.
Detection of Intracellular Cytokines by Flow Cytometry

Intracellular cytokine detection by flow cytometry has emerged as the premier technique for studying cytokine production at the single-cell level. Multiparameter flow cytometry permits simultaneous detection of two or more cytokines within a single cell, allowing direct T(H)1 versus T(H)2 determination. This capability, combined with the high throughput inherent in the instrumentation, gives intracellular cytokine staining an enormous advantage over existing single-cell techniques such as ELISPOT, limiting dilution, and T cell cloning. The unit describes intracellular staining of cells that have already been stimulated in vitro and fixed. Methods for in vitro activation by PMA and ionomycin or antigens, fixation of cell suspensions, and cell-surface staining are also described. Because of the greater level of nonspecific binding inherent in fixed, permeabilized cells, greater care must be taken in designing specificity controls. A protocol in which brefeldin A is used to identify cytokine-producing T cells activated in response to in vivo contact with microbial antigens is also described.
(9,10-Triptyceno)­benzo-28-crown-8

The structure of the title compound, C40H44O8, differs from previously determined structures of triptyceno–crown ether mol­ecules as its longer crown ether chain does not congest a triptycene cavity.
Robots need humans in the loop to improve the hopefulness of disaster survivors

In this exploratory study, participants taking cover from a simulated earthquake interacted with a search-and-rescue robot that assumed one of four different identities, distinguished by varying degrees of autonomy, and whose communications were either clear or noisy. Results showed that identities with low autonomy elicited greater hopefulness from participants than identities with high autonomy. Discussion focuses on design recommendations for search-and-rescue robots, and on the design of immersive HRI experiments.
Performance characterization and optimization of mobile augmented reality on handheld platforms

The introduction of low power general purpose processors (like the Intel® Atom™ processor) expands the capability of handheld and mobile internet devices (MIDs) to include compelling visual computing applications. One rapidly emerging visual computing usage model is known as mobile augmented reality (MAR). In the MAR usage model, the user is able to point the handheld camera to an object (like a wine bottle) or a set of objects (like an outdoor scene of buildings or monuments) and the device automatically recognizes and displays information regarding the object(s). Achieving this on the handheld requires significant compute processing resulting in a response time in the order of several seconds. In this paper, we analyze a MAR workload and identify the primary hotspot functions that incur a large fraction of the overall response time. We also present a detailed architectural characterization of the hotspot functions in terms of CPI, MPI, etc. We then implement and analyze the benefits of several software optimizations: (a) vectorization, (b) multi-threading, (c) cache conflict avoidance and (d) miscellaneous code optimizations that reduce the number of computations. We show that a 3X performance improvement in execution time can be achieved by implementing these optimizations. Overall, we believe our analysis provides a detailed understanding of the processing for a new domain of visual computing workloads (i.e. MAR) running on low power handheld compute platforms.
Question Generation from Concept Maps

In this paper we present a question generation approach suitable for tutorial dialogues. The approach is based on previous psychological theories that hypothesize questions are generated from a knowledge representation modeled as a concept map. Our model automatically extracts concept maps from a textbook and uses them to generate questions. The purpose of the study is to generate and evaluate pedagogically-appropriate questions at varying levels of specificity across one or more sentences. The evaluation metrics include scales from the Question Generation Shared Task and Evaluation Challenge and a new scale specific to the pedagogical nature of questions in tutoring.