cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Visual communication in interactive multimedia

Careful selection of graphical design can push the narrative strength of graphical projects by adjusting the visual statements to the content-wise statements. While many projects of computer science lack of consequent implementation of artistic principles, graphic designers tend to neglect user interaction and evaluation. In a recent project we therefore started a successful approach to combine both sides. In future work we plan to research on further integration of visual narration into interactive storytelling.
Adding Local Accuracy to Direct Sequential Simulation

Geostatistical simulations are globally accurate in the sense that they reproduce global statistics such as variograms and histograms. Kriging is locally accurate in the minimum local error variance sense. Building on the concept of direct sequential simulation, we propose a fast simulation method that can share these opposing objectives. It is shown that the multiple-point entropy of the resulting simulation is related to the univariate entropy of the local conditional distributions used to draw simulated values. Adding local accuracy to conditional simulations does not detract much from variogram reproduction and can be used to increase multiple-point entropy. The methods developed are illustrated using a case study.
Instability Bounds in Linearly Stable Systems

A general method is presented for determining the bounds on allowable disturbances, in linearly stable systems, for which the system remains asymptotically stable. It is based on transforming a set...
Coping and Stress: A Lens and Filter Model

To illustrate the progression of mental and physical processes from the perception of stressful life events to the possible consequence, illness, an optical lens and photographic filter model is presented. Illness frequently results from a person's overzealous and protracted defenses along with inadequate coping capabilities.
The Neurobiology of Agression

As noted in the previous chapter, it is convenient to subdivide aggressive behavior into two general types, affective and predatory. In addition to the differing behavioral characteristics of these two types of aggressive behavior, there is considerable evidence that they also have different neurobiological substrates. In this chapter we shall review this evidence, concluding with a consideration of the implications of the experimental studies, conducted almost exclusively in animal models, for aggressive behavior in humans.
CT and MRI findings in leptomeningeal melanocytosis

Abstract Leptomeningeal melanocytosis is a rare cause of seizure in the pediatric population. Shown here is a case of this disease in a 9-year-old male who presented with seizures and minor trauma. Imaging showed progression of leptomeningeal enhancement in the setting of increased seizure activity, and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The patient received immunotherapy but eventually succumbed to the disease. This case serves as an educational tool to improve awareness of melanocytic proliferation as a differential consideration for leptomeningeal enhancement.
The Efficacy and Safety of a Procedureless Gastric Balloon for Weight Loss: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Intragastric balloons have been used to bridge the obesity treatment gap with the benefits of being minimally invasive but still required endoscopy. The Elipse intragastric balloon (EIGB) is a swallowable balloon that is spontaneously excreted through a natural orifice at approximately 16 weeks. Several concerns exist, including the treatment efficacy and risk of bowel obstruction. Our meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of EIGB. A literature search was performed from several databases from database inception to November 2019. Eligible studies must report percent total weight loss (%TWL) after completion of treatment and adverse events. The pooled means and proportions of our data were analyzed using random effects model, generic inverse variance method. Six studies involving 2013 unique patients met our eligibility criteria and were included. The mean baseline BMI ranged from 30.6 to 36.2. The pooled early removal rate was 2.3% (95% CI, 1.1–3.5%; I2 31%). The pooled %TWL after completion of treatment (4–6 months) was 12.8% (95% CI, 11.6–13.9%; I2 83%) and at 12 months was 10.9% (95% CI, 5.0–16.9%, I2 98%). For serious adverse events, three patients had small bowel obstruction, and one patient had gastric perforation requiring surgery. Early expulsion by emesis and early deflation were seen in 3 and 9 patients, respectively. This meta-analysis demonstrates that EIGB is a safe device offering an effective weight loss that warrants further studies for its long-term weight loss outcomes. Severe adverse events are rare, and the rate of early removal is low.
The Bad Test-Taker Identity:

There is widespread belief that test-taking ability is an influential component of academic success distinct from domain knowledge and comprehension. Most of today’s college students took many more...
Modeling Driver Behavior in Car-Following Interactions With Automated and Human-Driven Vehicles and Energy Efficiency Evaluation

Human drivers can have diverse car-following behaviors when interacting with connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) and other human-driven vehicles in mixed traffic where many human-driven vehicles and a limited number of CAVs frequently interact and share the road. In this study, Inverse Reinforcement Learning (IRL) is used to model unique car-following behaviors of different human drivers when interacting with the CAV and another human-driven vehicle by using their driving demonstrations collected from in-field driving tests. The learned driver behavior model is shown that the personalized driving behaviors accurately and consistently can be characterized when following the different types of preceding vehicles in a variety of traffic situations. Furthermore, the energy efficiency of different human-driven vehicles when interacting with the CAV and the human-driven vehicle is investigated with the heterogeneous characteristics of drivers’ behaviors, considering driving behaviors have significant influences on vehicle fuel economy. A detailed analysis reveals the significant fuel-saving benefits of the CAV to the following human-driven vehicles during the car-following scenario and the extent of such benefits varies among tested human drivers owing to their intrinsic preferences and perception of CAV. These findings suggest that human-CAV interactions can be effectively leveraged to improve the energy efficiency of mixed traffic.
Is Title VII an

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is commonly referred to as an “anti-discrimination” statute. At its core, we are told, it prohibits something we call “discrimination.” But does it? Startlingly, the answer is, no, not really. Instead, Title VII prohibits certain acts done for certain reasons. True, the prohibited reasons are precisely what everyone has long understood them to be: “because of … race, color, religion, sex, [or] national origin.” But, the prohibited acts do not require “discrimination” and in those cases where the term “discrimination” is relevant, “discrimination” simply means “make a distinction.” It does not connote any wrongfulness on the employer’s part and therefore does not mean “make an unjust distinction.” In short, Title VII is not an anti-discrimination statute, at least not as we ordinarily conceive the concept of “discrimination.”
Envy and Resentment in the Time of Coronavirus

I examine the role played by the emotions of envy and resentment in interpersonal online dynamics during the COVID19 pandemic. I start by reviewing what we know about the interplay of social media use, social comparison and well-being, and by applying this knowledge to current circumstances. Then, I introduce some philosophical distinctions that complicate the already complex empirical evidence, differentiating, in particular, between envy and resentment, and between different kinds of envy. I argue that we can use the knowledge of these distinctions to better cope with these painful, but sometimes productive and always informative, emotions.
Reckless ambition: How implusivity moderates the effect of ambition on transformational leadership

Abstract Ambition is often considered to have a dualistic nature, associated with both being a driver of success and a cause of personal downfalls. However, there is little understanding of what factors may lead to which outcomes. Drawing upon socioanalytic theory, we hypothesize and test a mediation model in which ambition impacts transformational leadership via perceptions of agency. We also utilize the channeling hypothesis to argue that impulsivity acts as a boundary condition for the positive influence of ambition on perceptions of agency. Using multisource data from 333 members of seven student Greek organizations, we found strong support for the positive indirect effect of self-rated ambition on peer-rated transformational leadership through peer-rated agency. We also found that impulsivity attenuated this positive effect such that ambition could be translated into peer-rated agency and, in turn, peer-rated transformational leadership, only when impulsivity was low. Our findings illustrate theoretical and practical implications for ambition that influences leadership outcomes.
Virtual Learning Environment

According to Kumar (1998) VLE is a self-contained web based system that requires no other technology to offer classes. Because no special network is required beyond an HTML internet browser, classes can be accessed from any computer anywhere in the world, and supplies time- flexible courses that can be taken anytime as long as the course is posted on the internet. VLE incorporates audio, animation, video, and text in a multimedia computer environment (Goldber & McKhann, 2000).
Transcriptional regulation of the rat prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 gene in granulosa cells. Evidence for the role of a cis-acting C/EBP beta promoter element.

The promoter of the rat prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase 2 (PGS-2) gene has recently been shown to confer gonadotropic hormone (follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), cAMP) inducibility when ligated to a CAT (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase) reporter gene and transfected into primary cultures of differentiated granulosa cells. To delineate cis-acting elements and trans-activating factors mediating this response, deletions of the active promoter region (-192/-53 base pairs upstream of the transcriptional start site) were tested for their ability to bind protein of granulosa cell nuclear extracts and activate reporter gene activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed that the DNA subregion -142/-120 inhibited protein/DNA binding observed between granulosa cell nuclear extracts and the labeled PGS-2 fragment -192/-53. The subregion -142/-120 acting element C/EBP beta, 5‘-TTATGCAAT-3‘. Point mutations within the C/EBP beta element abolished protein/DNA binding and resulted in a 50% loss of forskolin/LH/FSH inducibility of reporter gene activity. C/EBP beta mRNA and protein were induced rapidly in granulosa cells in vivo by an ovulatory dose of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Collectively, these results indicate that C/EPB beta appears to play a key role in regulating induction of the PGS-2 gene in granulosa cells prior to ovulation.
Transcriptional suppression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 gene expression in human astroglioma cells by TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of zinc-dependent endopeptidases that function in the turnover of extracellular matrix components during development. In addition, MMPs also contribute to pathological conditions associated with inflammation, angiogenesis, and tumor invasion. A 72-kDa type IV collagenase, also referred to as gelatinase A or MMP-2, has been proposed to potentiate the invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. In particular, MMP-2 activity has been shown to constitute an important component of human astroglioma invasion. We investigated the influence of various cytokines, both proinflammatory and immunosuppressive, on MMP-2 gene expression in two human astroglioma cell lines (U251-MG and CRT). Our results indicate that the cell lines constitutively express high levels of MMP-2 mRNA, protein, and bioactivity as assessed by ribonuclease protection assay, immunoblotting, and zymography assays, respectively. The proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IFN-γ individually can inhibit constitutive MMP-2 expression, and function in an additive manner for near-complete inhibition of MMP-2 expression. Inhibition of MMP-2 mRNA levels by TNF-α and IFN-γ is not due to destabilization of the MMP-2 message; rather, inhibition is mediated at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, TNF-α/IFN-γ inhibition of MMP-2 expression results in decreased invasiveness of the human astroglioma cells through an extracellular matrix. These results raise the possibility that TNF-α and IFN-γ may have beneficial effects in attenuating astroglioma invasive properties.
Idiopathic gastric acid hypersecretion

Clearly, hypersecretion of gastric acid exists in the clinical setting and at times is the reason why many acid-peptic disorders do not respond to standard antisecretory medication (Collen et al. 1987a,b, 1988a,b, 1989a,b, 1991; Collen and Gallagher 1990; Collen and Johnson 1991; Collen and Loebenberg 1989; Collen 1989, 1990; Jensen et al. 1983). It is recommended that patients with refractory acid-peptic symptoms and/or mucosal disease (i.e., duodenal ulcer) be evaluated for gastric acid hypersecretion, namely, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (Jensen et al. 1983; Collen et al. 1989d, 1991; Spindel et al. 1986; Baron 1981). Patients with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome can be identified by noting gastric acid hypersecretion and an elevated serum gastrin concentration and by demonstrating a positive provocative secrelin test (Jensen et al. 1983). However, it is estimated that less than 1% of patients with gastric acid hypersecretion actually have Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, and almost all other patients except for less than 1% with other specific causes for gastric acid hypersecretion have no apparent etiology for their gastric acid hypersecretory states (Jensen et al. 1983; Collen 1989; MCCarthy 1982) (Table 1). The patients with no apparent etiology for their gastric acid hypersecretory states are classified as having idiopathic gastric acid hypersecretion.
Anodic Electrodeposition of Cerium Oxide Thin Films II. Mechanism Studies

Nanocrystalline cerium oxide films with grain sizes as small as 6 nm are deposited by anodic deposition. Cyclic voltammetry studies of a series of complexing ligands indicate that formation constants below I x 10 3 and a solution pH between 7 and 10 are needed for CeO 2 film formation. A mechanism is proposed for the deposition of polycrystalline CeO 2 films by anodic deposition.
SU-E-I-05: CT Dose Metrics Applied to Cone Beam CT Using a Clinical SPECT/CT System

Purpose: CTDI includes a series of common dose descriptors for CT scanners. Due to rapidly advancing CT technologies such as cone beam CT, the CTDI metrics face practical and methodological limitations. We applied the CT dose metrics on a SPECT/CT system using both the conventional narrow beam and the cone beam. The purpose of the work is to explore new strategies of overcoming the CTDI limitations. Methods: The SPECT/CT system utilized for this study was a clinical system. It combined a SPECT camera with a flat panel CT detector. During CT imaging, the X‐ray beam width was 32 cm at the detector position, exceeding the length of the pencil ion chamber normally utilized for CTDI100 measurements. We applied the equilibrium dose — Deq method (described in AAPM Report No. 111) using a 0.6 cc Farmer‐type ion chamber in the cone beam mode. The Deq results were then compared with the conventional CTDI100 measurements done with a 10 cm long pencil ion chamber in the narrow beam mode when a 1/15th aperture was added in the collimator that reduced the X‐ray beam width down to 2.2 cm. Conclusion: The Deq measured in the cone beam mode was consistent with the CTDIw measured in the narrow beam mode. The difference was only 3.5% for a technique of 120 kVp, 20 mA and 12 sec with a 32 cm diameter body phantom. The difference was 16.5% for a technique of 120 kVp, 80 mA and 24 sec with a 16 cm diameter body phantom. Conclusion: The equilibrium dose — Deq is a robust CT dose metric for all scanning modes including cone beam CT. This methodology provides a unified and self‐consistent approach for CT scanning of fan beam as well as cone beam.
Response surface methodology to determine optimal measles-specific cytokine responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

Abstract Limitations of assay variability, labor costs, and availability of cells can affect the conduct of large population-based studies. The ability to determine optimal conditions for laboratory assessment of immune outcomes, including measurement of cytokines, can reduce the number of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) needed, reduce the labor costs involved, and the variability in secreted cytokine response by pooling cytokines from the same cell culture supernatant. Previously, we used response surface methodology to predict optimal conditions for vaccinia virus-stimulated cytokine responses in recipients of smallpox vaccine. Here, we apply the same approach for a measles vaccine study. PBMCs were collected from vaccinated subjects, and seven cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, TNF-α, IL-10, IFN-α, IFN-λ1, and IL-6) involved in measles virus-specific cytokine immune responses were examined. PBMCs were stimulated with differing multiplicity of infection (MOI) and days in culture (incubation time). Response surface methodology was used to select the optimal MOI and incubation time for each secreted cytokine. Our results demonstrate that each cytokine's optimal conditions (MOI and incubation time) differ for each virus (measles vs. vaccinia) and each cytokine's optimal conditions for each virus can be predicted using response surface methodology. These conditions allow for cytokines with overlapping optimal conditions to be pooled from the same supernatant in culture to reduce the number of PBMCs used, the costs involved, and assay variability. Therefore, response surface methodology is an effective technique that can be used to optimize antigen-specific secreted cytokines prior to population-based studies.
MEMS mirror for flexible z-axis control in a commercial confocal microscope

We describe the use of a deformable membrane mirror for fast and flexible focus control in a commercial confocal microscope. En-face and oblique imaging over a 55 μm focal range has been demonstrated.
Immunoregulatory properties of antigenic fragments from bovine serum albumin

Regulation of the immune response to bovine serum albumin (BSA) by defined substructures of the protein was investigated. The fragments consisted of 41 to 307 amino acids each bearing unique serologic determinants. When administered intravenously the fragments were capable of suppressing the immune response to the entire BSA molecule. The suppression was T-cell mediated and affected the determinants that were linked. The fragments also primed for a secondary anti-BSA response when given in adjuvant; however, the ability to prime was restricted to determinants on the immunizing fragment. The data demonstrate that immune responses to a large protein molecule can be regulated by a relatively small component of its structure and that the ability of a fragment to induce help is more restricted than is its suppressive potential.
Fuel areal density ( ) measurements using secondary and tertiary reaction for ICF targets

Summary form only given, as follows. In order to achieve ignition in an ICF target, the fuel areal density must be sufficiently high that a significant fraction of the energy of fusion produced alpha particles is deposited in the fuel. Therefore, characterizing areal density is to determine the quality of an implosion. Currently in ICF experiments at the Nova Laser Facility, fuel areal density is measured using the "secondary neutron technique". This technique relies upon the observation of 12-17 MeV neutrons produced via the D(T,n)/sup 4/He reaction in an initially pure deuterium fuel, where the 1.01 MeV reacting triton is produced from the /sup 2/H(/sup 2/H,/sup 1/H)/sup 1/H and D(D,p)T primary reactions. At the proposed National Ignition Facility, the higher anticipated areal densities should slow the triton completely rendering this technique ineffective. Here the possibility of using "tertiary reaction neutrons" is discussed. This technique has the potential of measuring fuel areal densities of 100-300 mg/cm/sup 2/, well beyond the secondary limit of 30 mg/cc. Details of the instrument used to measure secondary neutron spectra, experimental results and potential application to the measurement of tertiary neutrons are presented.
The contribution of perceptual learning to performance on the repetition task.

The hypothesis that the Repetition Task partially reflects the listener's level of perceptual learning was tested in this study. Specifically, it was predicted from data on auditory temporal proces...
Inhibition of the β-barrel assembly machine by a peptide that binds BamD

The protein complex that assembles integral membrane β-barrel proteins in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria is an attractive target in the development of new antibiotics. This complex, the β-barrel assembly machine (Bam), contains two essential proteins, BamA and BamD. We have identified a peptide that inhibits the assembly of β-barrel proteins in vitro by characterizing the interaction of BamD with an unfolded substrate protein. This peptide is a fragment of the substrate protein and contains a conserved amino acid sequence. We have demonstrated that mutations of this sequence in the full-length substrate protein impair the protein’s assembly, implying that BamD’s interaction with this sequence is an important part of the assembly mechanism. Finally, we have found that in vivo expression of a peptide containing this sequence causes growth defects and sensitizes Escherichia coli to antibiotics to which they are normally resistant. Therefore, inhibiting the binding of substrates to BamD is a viable strategy for developing new antibiotics directed against Gram-negative bacteria.
Review : Molecular Basis of Addictive States

Drug addiction can be viewed as a form of neural plasticity—drug—induced neural plasticity. This is because most features of addiction develop gradually and progressively in response to repeated exposure to a drug of abuse and can persist for a long time, perhaps even a lifetime, after discontinuation of drug administration. Within this context of neural plasticity, studies of drug addiction offer a unique opportunity to establish the biological basis of a complex and clinically relevant behavioral abnormality. This derives from the fact that many aspects of addiction can be reproduced with increasing accuracy in laboratory animals. The availability of animal models, in turn, has made it possible to identify specific regions of the brain that mediate behavioral aspects of addiction. Identification of these discrete brain regions has made it possible to begin the process of identifying the molecular and cellular basis of addiction mediated via these regions. This situation for drug addiction contrasts mark...
Simulations of Micelle Self-Assembly in Surfactant Solutions

A simple model of surfactants in aqueous solution is described and molecular dynamics simulations are presented. This model qualitatively reproduces the energy ordering of interactions for surfactants in solution, instead of using the symmetric solvent−solvent and hydrocarbon−hydrocarbon interactions used previously in similar models. The effects of surfactant chain length and concentration are investigated. The results show that the tendency toward micelle formation in the model increases as the chain length is increased and that the type of micelle formed varies with surfactant concentration. Transitions from loose aggregates to spherical micelles to cylindrical micelles are seen as surfactant chain length is increased. A transition from cylindrical micelles to spherical micelles is also seen as surfactant concentration is lowered.
Dynamic spot pattern projection to detect and track object motion

A spatial light modulator can be used to actively illuminate moving objects with spot patterns. This research studies the spot patterns designed to detect and track object motion. To enhance the detection and tracking process, a system supervisor dynamically updates each successive spot pattern. The spot patterns are implemented by pseudo-randomly encoding their frequency plane into a phase-only filter to be implemented on a 128 X 128 Boulder Nonlinear System's LCD device. The modification of the spot patterns are based on the change of reflected intensity from one frame to the next. Detection, tracking, encoding and supervisor design and methodology are presented.
A CLINICAL PROFILE OF PAROXYSMAL HYPERPNEA IN CYANOTIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE.

A large series of patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease and inadequate pulmonary blood flow who required a systemic to pulmonary artery anastomosis was reviewed, along with a small current series of patients unselected as to surgical intervention. Thirty-eight per cent of 190 patients in the first group had definite spells consisting of paroxysmal hyperpnea and increased cyanosis, frequently progressing to loss of consciousness. In the current group, 13 of 24 had spells. In the combined groups, there were three convulsions, eight cerebral vascular accidents, and six deaths due to the spell. Age of onset varied from 1 month to 2 years, with the peak incidence between 2 to 3 months of age. The time of day at which spells occurred was recorded in only 15 patients in the large series: 11 occurred in the morning and four in the evening. In the smaller series, the patients who had only occasional episodes had them exclusively in the morning, whereas the severely affected patients had attacks at almost...
Mental health disorders in young urban sexual minority men.

Purpose Very few studies have examined mental disorders among male sexual minority youth. We describe demographic correlates, comorbidity, and history of mental disorders and suicidality in a large sample of male sexual minority youth.
Comparative study of semiempirical methods for calculating interactions between large molecules with an application to the actinomycin—Guanine complex

A comparison of semiempirical variational and perturbation calculations of intermolecular interactions is presented. The results are compared with ab initio rhf calculations, ab initio perturbation calculations, and with experiments for systems representing hydrogen bonding, electron donor-acceptor complexes, incipient chemical reactions, and π-π stacking interactions. The failure of CNDO supermolecule calculations is discussed. Various approaches to a perturbation scheme using CNDO wave functions are investigated and an optimal method is suggested. The calculation of the stacking interactions in the deoxyguanosine actinomycin D complex suggests that a dual charge-transfer complex is formed. The experimental observation of two inequivalent binding sites on the actinomycin chromophore is interpreted in terms of the calculated energetics of complex formation.
Explanatory models and mental health treatment: is vodou an obstacle to psychiatric treatment in rural Haiti?

Vodou as an explanatory framework for illness has been considered an impediment to biomedical psychiatric treatment in rural Haiti by some scholars and Haitian professionals. According to this perspective, attribution of mental illness to supernatural possession drives individuals to seek care from houngan-s (Vodou priests) and other folk practitioners, rather than physicians, psychologists, or psychiatrists. This study investigates whether explanatory models of mental illness invoking supernatural causation result in care-seeking from folk practitioners and resistance to biomedical treatment. The study comprised 31 semi-structured interviews with community leaders, traditional healers, religious leaders, and biomedical providers, 10 focus group discussions with community members, community health workers, health promoters, community leaders, and church members; and four in-depth case studies of individuals exhibiting mental illness symptoms conducted in Haiti’s Central Plateau. Respondents invoked multiple explanatory models for mental illness and expressed willingness to receive treatment from both traditional and biomedical practitioners. Folk practitioners expressed a desire to collaborate with biomedical providers and often referred patients to hospitals. At the same time, respondents perceived the biomedical system as largely ineffective for treating mental health problems. Explanatory models rooted in Vodou ethnopsychology were not primary barriers to pursuing psychiatric treatment. Rather, structural factors including scarcity of treatment resources and lack of psychiatric training among health practitioners created the greatest impediments to biomedical care for mental health concerns in rural Haiti.
Wide-bandwidth distributed Bragg reflectors using oxide/GaAs multilayers

The authors have designed and fabricated a wide bandwidth high reflectivity distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) using the native oxide of AlAs as the low refractive index layer and GaAs as the high refractive index layer. Results show that the refractive index of the native oxide is 1.55+or-0.01, the peak reflectivity of the DBR is over 99%, and the reflectivity bandwidth is approximately 460 nm. >
Abstract P4-16-12: CARE: A pilot study of the effects of short-term fasting on tolerance to (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients

Background: Preclinical evidence shows that short-term fasting (STS) protects normal cells and makes cancer cells more vulnerable to chemotherapy. This pilot study examines the feasibility and the effects of STS on tolerance to chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. Patients and methods: Eligible patients had histologically confirmed, HER2-negative, early stage breast cancer and adequate bone marrow, liver and renal function. Women receiving (neo) adjuvant TAC courses (docetaxel/adriamycin/cyclophosphamide; day 1, q 3 weeks with G-CSF support at day 2) were randomized to fast 24 hours before and 24 hours after start of chemotherapy or to eat according to the guideline for healthy nutrition. The primary endpoint of the study was to compare neutrophil count after therapy. Secondary endpoints were side effects of chemotherapy, other hematologic counts and chemotherapy-induced DNA damage in leukocytes. Results: A total of 13 patients were included of which 7 patients fasted for 48 hours around the chemotherapy infusion (arm A) and 6 patients had a normal diet according to healthy nutrition guidelines (arm B). The median age was 52 years versus 53 years, BMI was 25.5 kg/m 2 versus 22.9 kg/m 2 and stage III was 43% versus 17% of patients in arms A and B, respectively. Patients were generally motivated to fast and the fasting was well tolerated. Plasma glucose levels were significant lower in fasting patients compared to controls. However, other metabolic parameters showed no significant difference. Fasting did not result in significant differences in neutrophil count or side effects of chemotherapy. Hemoglobin levels and erythrocyte counts after therapy were significantly higher in patients who fasted. Leukocytes of the patients which were isolated at various time points during therapy will soon be analysed for chemotherapy-induced DNA damage and presented at San Antonio. Conclusion: This is the first study evaluating the feasibility of 48 hours STS and its impact on side effects of chemotherapy in a homogeneous group of cancer patients. STS was well tolerated and had a beneficial effect on hemoglobin level, but not on experienced side effects. DNA analysis will follow. Larger studies are required to produce more insight into the possible benefits of STS during chemotherapy. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-16-12.
A novel study of supercontinuum generation

We report the use of a spectrally resolved interferometric double-pump technique to study supercontinuum generation. This technique allows us to observe the non-instantaneous response of the medium and measure the phase stability of supercontinuum generation. In addition, we perform a numerical integration of the extended (3+1)-dimensional non-linear Schrodinger equation and use this to further analyze our data.
The role of social networking sites in medical genetics research.

Social networking sites (SNS) have potential value in the field of medical genetics as a means of research subject recruitment and source of data. This article examines the current role of SNS in medical genetics research and potential applications for these sites in future studies. Facebook is the primary SNS considered, given the prevalence of its use in the United States and role in a small but growing number of studies. To date, utilization of SNS in medical genetics research has been primarily limited to three studies that recruited subjects from populations of Facebook users [McGuire et al. (2009); Am J Bioeth 9: 3–10; Janvier et al. (2012); Pediatrics 130: 293–298; Leighton et al. (2012); Public Health Genomics 15: 11–21]. These studies and a number of other medical and public health studies that have used Facebook as a context for recruiting research subjects are discussed. Approaches for Facebook-based subject recruitment are identified, including paid Facebook advertising, snowball sampling, targeted searching and posting. The use of these methods in medical genetics research has the potential to facilitate cost-effective research on both large, heterogeneous populations and small, hard-to-access sub-populations. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A mathematical overview of warehousing systems with single/dual order-picking cycles

Abstract A multidimensional, integrated lot size and stock location model is outlined to study the empirical properties of a warehousing situation with single/dual-command order-picking cycles. Normative applications of the model are highlighted. Parameter sensitivity tests are performed to identify desirable parameter settings. Heuristics are then compared statistically with respect to the quality of the solution. A controlled experimental framework is used to study the impact of the level of detail in a model representation on the empirical performance of the model. Experimental results and the results of the statistical analysis are presented.
Abstract 5184: Mechanistic analysis of liver inflammation and cancer formation in mice with heterozygous lose of β-spectrin (β2SP).

Acquisition of specific genetic alterations has been shown to play a pivotal role in the progression of various stages of liver cancer, and studies have proved that alteration of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway can lead to the development of gastrointestinal cancers including liver cancer. β-Spectrin (β2SP) is one of adapter proteins for Smad3/Smad4 complex formation during TGF-β signal transduction. Forty % of β2SP+/- mice develop liver cancer, and the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. Hypothesis: Compared to wild-type (WT) mice, β2SP+/- mice had significantly higher number of inflammatory nodules in the liver and this pathological feature might be one of mechanisms contributing to liver cancer formation seen in β2SP+/- mice. Inflammation plays a crucial role at different stages of tumor development. We hypothesize that an increase in liver inflammation leads to liver cancer formation in β2SP+/- mice. We proposed to study the mechanism by which β2SP regulates liver inflammation and suppresses liver cancer development. Experimental Procedures and Results: (1) We dissected livers from 18-month-old WT and β2SP+/- mice and processed for paraffin embedding and the tissue slides were used for hematoxylin and eosin (HE 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5184. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5184
Characterization of vinblastine-induced Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 phosphorylation: evidence for a novel protein kinase and a coordinated phosphorylation/dephosphorylation cycle associated with apoptosis induction

Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 are phosphorylated in response to microtubule inhibitors, but the kinase(s) responsible and the functional significance have remained unclear. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 phosphorylation in KB-3 carcinoma cells treated with vinblastine. In both asynchronous and synchronous cell cultures, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 underwent a well-defined and coordinated cycle of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, with a lengthy period of phosphorylation preceding apoptosis induction, and with dephosphorylation closely correlated with initiation of apoptosis. Internally, validated inhibitors of JNK, ERK, p38(MAPK), or CDK1 failed to inhibit vinblastine-induced phosphorylation of Bcl-xL or Bcl-2. In vitro, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 were poor substrates relative to c-Jun and ATF2 for active recombinant JNK1. Both Bcl-xL and Bcl-2 were localized primarily to the mitochondrial fraction in both control and vinblastine-treated cells, indicating that phosphorylation did not promote subcellular redistribution. Bcl-xL kinase activity was demonstrated in mitochondrial extracts from vinblastine-treated, but not control, cells. These findings suggest that phosphorylation of these key antiapoptotic proteins may be catalysed by a novel or unsuspected kinase that is activated or induced in response to microtubule damage. Furthermore, the same kinase and phosphatase system may be operating in tandem on both proteins, and phosphorylation appears to maintain their antiapoptotic function, whereas dephosphorylation may trigger apoptosis. These results provide evidence for a novel signaling pathway connecting microtubule damage to apoptosis induction, and help to clarify some of the controversy concerning the role of Bcl-2 phosphorylation in microtubule inhibitor-induced apoptosis.
Prefetching over a network: early experience with CTIP

We discuss CTIP, an implementation of a network filesystem extension of the successful TIP informed prefetching and cache management system. Using a modified version of TIP in NFS client machines (and unmodified NFS servers). CTIP takes advantage of application-supplied hints that disclose the application's future read accesses. CTIP uses these hints to aggressively prefetch file data from an NFS file server and to make better local cache replacement decisions. This prefetching hides disk latency and exposes storage parallelism. Preliminary measurements that show CTIP can reduce execution time by a ratio comparable to that obtained with local TIP over a suite of I/O-intensive hinting applications. (For four disks, the reductions in execution time range from 17% to 69%). If local TIP execution requires that data first be loaded from remote storage into a local scratch area, then CTIP execution is significantly faster than the aggregate time for loading the data and executing. Additionally, our measurements show that the benefit of CTIP for hinting applications improves in the face of competition from other clients for server resources. We conclude with an analysis of the remaining problems with using unmodified NFS servers.
The Economic Nature of Basic Human Rights: Economic Explanations of Cross‐National Variations in Governmental Basic Human Rights Performance

This paper examines economic explanations of governmental basic human rights performance in more than one hundred nations. Following Henry Shue's conceptualization of basic rights, I analyze a set of key economic variables (level of development, income distribution, rate of growth, foreign trade, and foreign investment) in terms of their impact on basic socioeconomic and political rights (defined here are subsistence and security rights). Drawing on criticisms of the existing literature, the paper calls for a new empirical approach to cross-regional comparative human rights studies. The article first conceptualizes and operationalizes the concept of basic rights. It then provides a critical review of the relevant literature on economic explanations of rights. Analyzing both individual and combined effects by using correlations analysis, cross-tabulations, bivariate and multiple regression techniques, I interpret my findings as follows: Basic human rights performance is much more varied across nations of comparable economic background than indicated by most other studies of a similar nature. While economic conditions have a significant impact on all basic rights, there are, nevertheless, important differences with respect to the type of basic right and the specific economic variable concerned. Security rights tend to be less affected by economic factors than subsistence rights. Below the threshold of about $1,000 Gross National Product (GNP)/capita income countries are generally unable to guarantee even a modicum of subsistence rights. While level of development can explain close to 50% of the variation in basic human rights performance, income distribution becomes more crucial the more developed nations are. Other findings show foreign trade to have a significantly negative impact on security rights while being somewhat positively related with subsistence rights.
Sex ratios and intrasexual competition for mates in a sex-role reversed shorebird, Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

Operational sex ratio (OSR) was proposed by Emlen and Oring (1977) as an empirical measure of the intensity of sexual selection. Few studies, however, have examined the link between OSR and levels of intrasexual competition, which may influence selection. We studied the seasonal relationship between OSR and female-female competition for mates in Wilson's phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor), a sex-role reversed, non-territorial shorebird. Positive correlations between four measures of OSR (Scan Ratio, Day Ratio, Focal Ratio, and Chase Ratio) indicated seasonal changes in the availability of mates for females. Changes in mate availability resulted from the interaction between paternal care and female emancipation, asynchronous spring arrival schedules of the sexes (Reynolds et al. 1986), and the effect of clutch failure on renesting opportunities. Measures of intrasexual competition (courtship chases, percent males defended, rate and intensity of mate defense, and female-male proximity) varied significantly within and among years. Univariate and multivariate correlations indicated general agreement between measures of OSR and estimates of intrasexual competition. Our results suggest that OSR may provide a useful estimate of the opportunity for sexual selection, especially in species with matedefense mating systems.
Metabolism of (14C-1)-halothane in vivo--effects of multiple halothane anesthesia, phenobarbital and carbon tetrachloride pretreatment.

Abstract Neither single nor multiple halothane anesthesia at 2-day or 2-week intervals (0.85% for 5 hr) altered the metabolism by the rat in vivo of halothane ( 14 CF 3 CHBrCl), as determined by the recovery of radioactivity in cold xylene and 14 CO 2 from expired air and label in urine. Phenobarbital (PBT, 1 g/liter of drinking water for 30 days) pretreatment nearly halved the exhalation of halothane and doubled the excretion of metabolite in the urine, but did not increase or change the pattern of label incorporation in liver organelles or chemical constituents at 2 or 24 hr. Prior injury to the liver endoplasmic reticulum by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ; 0.26 m-moles/kg) reduced both the amount of 14 C metabolite excreted in the urine and bound to the liver without changing the pattern of label incorporation. Relative proportions of total 14 CF 3 CHBrCl dose recovered in the urine and liver fractions decreased slightly with each successive increase in dose over a 2000-fold range. Microsomal proteins but not lipids were selectively labeled. Among organelles, mitochondria incorporated the least label. The relationship of liver injury to the amount of halothane metabolized or bound to protein or lipid remains unclear. However, the results of this in vivo study are consistent with localizing the liver endoplasmic reticulum as the major site of halothane metabolism as well as the most likely site of injury by toxic metabolites of halothane.
The effect of emetine upon rat heart respiration

Emetine exerted an inhibitory effect on the endogenous respiration of rat heart homogenates and on respiration of the homogenates in the presence of glucose, pyruvate, fumarate, and malate. It stimulated respiration of the homogenates in the presence of succinate and increased the activity of a succinic oxidase preparation made from rat heart. Because the oxidation of succinate is not an efficient source of energy for the heart, it seems possible that the cardiotoxic effect of emetine is in part due to the enhanced oxidation of succinate accompanied by an impaired utilization of other substrates.
Abnormal thyroid hormone deiodination in tissues of ob/ob and db/db obese mice.

To explore the relationships between thyroid hormone economy and defective thermogenesis in two genetically obese mouse strains, ob/ob and db/db, we measured iodothyronine deiodination in tissue homogenates and the T4 and T3 content of selected tissues. In lean mice acclimated at room temperature, type II 5′-deiodination in brown adipose tissue (BAT) homogenates rose 14.5-fold between 30 and 180 min of cold exposure at 4 C. In ob/ob mice kept at room temperature, type II 5′-deiodination rates in BAT homogenates were 2.29 times those in lean controls, but acute exposure to 4 C for 3 h caused a much smaller rise in 5′-deiodination in the ob/ob mice than in lean controls. Administration of 1 μg/g norepinephrine caused similar elevations in BAT 5′-deiodination in ob/ob and lean mice, db/db mice had a defect in cold-stimulated BAT 5′- deiodination similar to that in the ob/ob mice in two of three experiments. In the obese animals of both strains, but not the lean mice, the magnitude of the rise in BAT type II ...
Void growth in drawing and extension of ductile metals

Abstract Two applications of a new void growth model are presented to illustrate the ability of the model to predict porosity increases in metal forming. The model was developed from analyses of void growth under conditions of macroscopically isotropic and deviatoric stress states. Special attention was given to scaling of the mean stress by a measure of the matrix material strength rather than the effective stress. The advantage of this is evident in the applications in regions where the macroscopic stress state approaches purely hydrostatic.
African Americans, Democracy, and Biomedical and Behavioral Research: Contradictions or Consensus in Community-Based Participatory Research?

Individualism, in both its political and attitudinal senses, reinforces societal and institutional racism in the United States. Because of individualism's dominant focus on self-interest and self-reliance, any application of “participatory democracy” in community-based biomedical and behavioral research is fraught with dilemmas similar to those that Gunnar Myrdal observed between American racism and democracy. The research establishment is overwhelmed by well-meaning non-minorities who recognize racism and its consequences on health, but only greater representation of people-of-color in the health establishment can ameliorate the inherent contradictions of “participatory democracy” which is so fundamental to the process of community-based participatory research.