cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Species-Specific Differences in Positive and Negative Regulatory Elements in the Renin Gene Enhancer

Abstract —A distal transcriptional enhancer has been previously reported upstream of the mouse renin gene. A homologous sequence is also present upstream of the human renin gene, but the mouse and human renin enhancers differ markedly in their ability to activate transcription of a renin promoter. Although the 2 enhancers share high homology in their 202-bp promoter distal portions, their 40-bp proximal portions are heterogeneous. Chimeric enhancers were used to test the role of the 40-bp segment (m40) of the enhancer by using transient transfection analysis in mouse kidney renin-expressing As4.1 cells. Deletion of m40 from the mouse renin enhancer or its addition to the human renin enhancer did not significantly change transcriptional activity when placed close to a mouse or human renin promoter. However, when placed further upstream of a renin promoter, the same deletion and substitution markedly altered enhancer activity. Electrophoretic gel mobility shift analysis identified 2 elements, a and b, in m40 that specifically bound nuclear proteins from As4.1 cells. Mutagenesis and transient transfection analysis revealed that element b accounts for the function of m40 and that element a antagonizes the positive influence of element b. Gel competition and supershift analysis revealed that nuclear factor-Y, a ubiquitous CAAT-box binding protein, binds to element a. Sequence analysis revealed that the human renin enhancer has a natural loss-of-function mutation in element b that affects its ability to transactivate when placed far upstream of a promoter. Reversion of the human renin element b to match the mouse sequence restored transactivation of the enhancer in mouse As4.1 cells. These data suggest that element b cooperates with the rest of the enhancer to maintain full enhancer activity, whereas element a may regulate enhancer activity. Sequence differences in these elements may explain the functional differences in the mouse and human renin enhancer sequences.
Social Networks and the Mass Media

How do global sources of information such as mass media outlets, state propaganda, NGOs, and national party leadership affect aggregate behavior? Prior work on this question has insufficiently considered the complex interaction between social network and mass media influences on individual behavior. By explicitly modeling this interaction, I show that social network structure conditions media's impact. Empirical studies of media effects that fail to consider this risk bias. Further, social network interactions can amplify media bias, leading to large swings in aggregate behavior made more severe when individuals can select into media matching their preferences. Countervailing media outlets and social elites with unified preferences can mitigate the effect of bias; however, media outlets promulgating antistatus quo bias have an advantage. Theoretical results such as these generate numerous testable hypotheses; I provide guidelines for deriving and testing hypotheses from the model and discuss several such hypotheses.
Analog Single Event Transient susceptibility of an SOI operational amplifier for use in low-temperature radiation environments

The next generations of Martian rovers are to examine the polar regions where temperatures are extremely low and the absence of an earth-like atmosphere results in a plethora of radiation issues including Analogue Single Event Transients. To this end, a radiation-hardened, temperature compensated CMOS Single-On-Insulator operational amplifier was designed and fabricated using Honeywell's SOI V process. Broad beam heavy-ion tests at the University of Texas A&M were performed to ascertain the duration and severity of any SET's for low and high gain application. Ambiguity regarding the location of transient formation required the use of an ion microbeam to confirm a region of major concern in the internal bias circuitry.
2‐Chloro‐4H‐1,3,2‐benzodioxaphosphorin‐4‐one

[5381-99-7] C7H4ClO3P (MW 202.54) InChI = 1S/C7H4ClO3P/c8-12-10-6-4-2-1-3-5(6)7(9)11-12/h1-4H InChIKey = BVOITXUNGDUXRW-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent used in phosphorylation and phosphitylation of alcohols and in the formation of H-phosphonates) Alternate Name: salicylchlorophosphite, SalPCl. Physical Data: mp 36–40 °C, bp 127–128 °C/11 mm Hg. Solubility: soluble in CH2Cl2, THF, CH3CN, DMF, and most other organic solvents. Preparative Methods: the reagent1 is prepared by heating a mixture of salicylic acid and redistilled reagent grade phosphorus trichloride (1.1 equiv) at 85 °C in a Claisen flask under an inert atmosphere with a provision to absorb hydrogen chloride by sodium hydroxide solution. The reaction mixture is heated overnight and the product purified by vacuum distillation. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: reagent is hygroscopic, corrosive, and lachrymatory; it should be protected from moisture and handled with care in a fume hood. The toxicity of the reagent is unknown.
Temperature measurements in condensed phases using non-resonant femtosecond stimulated Raman scattering

We have previously demonstrated the capability of femtosecond stimulated Raman scattering (FSRS) data to measure the temperature (T) of condensed matter at the molecular vibrational level. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2011, 107, 43001] In this paper, we expand the theory for the FSRS temperature dependence by considering the effects of an isolated change of T as well as a coupled change of T and chemical concentration. We point out that the origin of the temperature sensitivity of the Stokes to anti-Stokes ratio of FSRS lies in the exponential nonlinearity of the gain and loss. We establish that FSRS of two Raman modes can be used to simultaneously determine the vibrational temperature and the change in concentration of the species contributing to those two modes. Single-shot experimental results using FSRS are presented to demonstrate over four orders of magnitude higher efficiency than spontaneous Raman in small volume samples with picosecond resolution. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
WIRSING-TYPE INEQUALITIES

Wirsing’s theorem on approximating algebraic numbers by algebraic numbers of bounded degree is a generalization of Roth’s theorem in Diophantine approximation. We study variations of Wirsing’s theorem where the inequality in the theorem is strengthened, but one excludes a certain easily-described special set of approximating algebraic points.
Two Kinase Family Dramas

In this issue, Lietha and colleagues (2007) report the structure of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and reveal how FAK maintains an autoinhibited state. Together with the structure of another tyrosine kinase, ZAP-70 (Deindl et al., 2007), this work highlights the diversity of mechanisms that nature has evolved within the kinase superfamily to regulate their activity through autoinhibition.
The Role of Frequent, Interactive Prekindergarten Shared Reading in the Longitudinal Development of Language and Literacy Skills

In this study, we examined the longitudinal relations between frequency and features of reading experiences within the preschool classroom to children's language and literacy outcomes in kindergarten and 1st grade. Frequency refers to the number of shared reading sessions conducted each week as measured by teachers' written reading logs recorded across the academic year. Features refers to teachers' extratextual talk about literal, inferential, or print or phonological topics as assessed by analysis of 6 videotaped readings of narrative and informational texts collected across the preschool year. Participants were 28 preschool teachers and 178 children. The children were largely at risk and randomly selected from among those in each classroom to complete longitudinal assessments. In preschool, results showed that the frequency of classroom shared reading was positively and significantly related to children's receptive vocabulary growth, as was the inclusion of extratextual conversations around the text; only extratextual conversations related to children's preschool literacy growth. There was no evidence of differential influences of these experiences for children; that is, the relationship between frequency or features and children's language and literacy development was not moderated by children's initial skill level. Longitudinally, extratextual talk during preschool shared reading remained associated with children's vocabulary skills through kindergarten, with trends toward significance extending to 1st grade literacy skills. The frequency of preschool shared reading was not a significant predictor of longitudinal outcomes.
Effect of powder/liquid ratio on the clinical and laboratory performance of resin-modified glass-ionomers

Abstract Objectives: To compare the effects of powder/liquid ( P L ) ratio and surface wetness on retention of adhesive Class V restorations. Methods: One-hundred and six Fuji II LC restorations were placed at two clinical trial sites. In the ‘high-dry’ group (Site A), Fuji II LC was mixed at a P L ratio of 3.0 and applied to dentine that was visibly dry, but not desiccated. In the ‘low-wet’ group (Site B), Fuji II LC was mixed at a P L ratio of 2.25 and applied to dentine that was glisteningly moist. The restorations were evaluated at baseline, 1 and 2 years at both sites, and at 3 years at one site. The P L ratio effects on viscosity and wetting were evaluated in vitro by determining the film thickness possible at different ratios. Results: At 2 years the retention levels at the two sites differed significantly (p ≤ 0.1). Site B (‘low-wet’ group) exhibited 100% retention, and Site A (‘high-dry’ group) exhibited 78% retention. At 3 years Site A exhibited 74% retention, and nine of the 12 retention failures occurred in patients 65 years and older. Laboratory measurements demonstrated that the viscosity of ‘low-wet’ mixtures permitted film thicknesses that were one-half those of the ‘high-dry’ group. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that a higher powder/liquid ratio and a drier dentine surface compromised wetting by a resin-modified glass-ionomer resulting in a decline in retention from baseline to 3 years. This study suggests that the dentine surface should be kept hydrated to promote bonding, and that the powder/liquid ratio should be low enough to create low-viscosity mixtures which promote wetting. In the ‘high-dry’ dentine group there was still 74% retention at 3 years, indicating that factors other than wetting affect retention.
Lower confidence limits for process capability indices Cp and Cpk when data are autocorrelated

Many organizations use a single estimate of Cp and/or Cpk for process benchmarking, without considering the sampling variability of the estimators and how that impacts the probability of meeting minimum index requirements. Lower confidence limits have previously been determined for the Cp and Cpk indices under the standard assumption of independent data, which are based on the sampling distributions of the index estimators. In this paper, lower 100(1-α)% confidence limits for Cp and Cpk were developed for autocorrelated processes. Simulation was used to generate the empirical sampling distribution of each estimator for various combinations of sample size (n), autoregressive parameter (ϕ), true index value (Cp or Cpk), and confidence level. In addition, the minimum values of the estimators required in order to meet quality requirements with 100(1-α)% certainty were also determined from these empirical sampling distributions. These tables may be used by practitioners to set minimum capability requirements for index estimators, rather than true values, for the autocorrelated case. The implications of these results for practitioners will be discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Peptidomimetics, a synthetic tool of drug discovery

The demand for modified peptides with improved stability profiles and pharmacokinetic properties is driving extensive research effort in this field. Many structural modifications of peptides guided by rational design and molecular modeling have been established to develop novel synthetic approaches. Recent advances in the synthesis of conformationally restricted building blocks and peptide bond isosteres are discussed.
Calcium Kinetics in Children with Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type III and IV: Pre- and Post-Growth Hormone Therapy

Children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type III and type IV were studied using a 42Ca stable isotope technique. Serum dilution kinetics of 42Ca were studied pre- and post-growth hormone (GH) treatment in 9 OI III (age range 5–9 years) and 8 OI IV patients (age range 5–12 years). Each subject was studied twice: at baseline and following GH therapy (range 1–1.5 years). Isotopic enrichments of 42Ca were followed over 7 days using thermal ionization mass spectrometry. A binding site model, which describes reversible and irreversible binding of calcium (Ca) ions to postulated short- and long-term binding sites in bone, was used to analyze the kinetic data. In type III patients, GH treatment (1) increased the fraction of short-term binding sites, θ (0.777 ± 0.112 versus 0.877 ± 0.05, respectively; P= 0.034); (2) increased the apparent half-life of a Ca ion attached to the long-term binding site by 76% (P= 0.009); (3) although not statistically significant (P= 0.098), a trend toward an increased growth rate was observed with increasing change in θ (Δθ); (4) patients experienced a 75% increase in growth rate during the first 6 months of treatment. In type IV patients, GH treatment increased the apparent half-life of a Ca ion attached to the long-term binding site by 83% (P= 0.048), however, no trend toward an increased growth rate was observed with increasing Δθ in these patients. These significant changes in Ca binding to bone may influence growth in type III patients.
Hematopoietic cells from gadd45a-deficient and gadd45b-deficient mice exhibit impaired stress responses to acute stimulation with cytokines, myeloablation and inflammation

The gadd45 family of gene(s) is rapidly induced by genotoxic stress or by differentiation-inducing cytokines. Using bone marrow (BM) from gadd45a-/-, gadd45b-/- and wild-type (wt) mice, we investigated their role in stress responses of myeloid cells to acute stimulation with differentiating cytokines, myelotoxic agents and inflammatory substances. Bone marrow cells from gadd45a-/- and gadd45b-/- mice displayed compromised myeloid differentiation and higher apoptosis in vitro, following acute stimulation with a variety of differentiating cytokines. Intriguingly, gadd45a-/- and gadd45b-/- colony forming units granulocyte/macrophage progenitors displayed prolonged proliferation capacity compared to wt controls upon re-plating in methylcellulose supplemented with interleukin-3. The recovery of the BM myeloid compartment following 5-Fluorouracil-induced myelo-ablation was much slower in gadd45a-/- and gadd45b-/- mice compared to wt controls. Furthermore, the response of myeloid cells to inflammatory stress, inflicted via intraperitoneal administration of sodium caseinate was impaired in gadd45a-/- and gadd45b-/- mice compared to age-matched wt mice, as indicated by lower percentage of Gr-1-positive cells in the BM and lower number of myeloid cells in peritoneal exudates. Overall, these data indicate that both gadd45a and gadd45b play a role in modulating physiological stress responses of myeloid cells to acute stimulation with differentiating cytokines, myelo-ablation and inflammation. These findings should aid in understanding the response of normal and malignant hematopoietic cells to physiological and chemical stressors including anticancer agents.
Architectures for Learning: A Comparative Analysis of Two Urban School Districts

This article explores the usefulness of communities of practice theory for understanding how districts can create organizational environments that foster teachers’ opportunities to learn the new ideas and practices required to carry out ambitious reforms. It draws on data from a longitudinal study of the implementation of ambitious mathematics curricula in two urban districts. By analyzing the contrasting ways that teachers in two schools in each district were linked to each other and reform efforts at the district level, the article shows how the district reform effort in one district led to significant opportunities for teacher learning and alignment with reform goals while efforts in the other district coordinated action but failed to spur meaningful opportunities for teacher learning. The article closes with implications for policy and practice.
In-Network Outlier Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks

To address the problem of unsupervised outlier detection in wireless sensor networks, we develop an algorithm that (1) is flexible with respect to the outlier definition, (2) works in-network with a communication load proportional to the outcome, and (3) reveals its outcome to all sensors. We examine the algorithms performance using simulation with real sensor data streams. Our results demonstrate that the algorithm is accurate and imposes a reasonable communication load and level of power consumption.
Recent advances in understanding the anti-diabetic actions of dietary flavonoids

Flavonoids are polyphenolic compounds that are abundant in fruits and vegetables, and increasing evidence demonstrates a positive relationship between consumption of flavonoid-rich foods and disease prevention. Epidemiological, in vitro and animal studies support the beneficial effects of dietary flavonoids on glucose and lipid homeostasis. It is encouraging that the beneficial effects of some flavonoids are at physiological concentrations and comparable to clinically-used anti-diabetic drugs; however, clinical research in this field and studies on the anti-diabetic effects of flavonoid metabolites are limited. Flavonoids act on various molecular targets and regulate different signaling pathways in pancreatic β-cells, hepatocytes, adipocytes and skeletal myofibers. Flavonoids may exert beneficial effects in diabetes by (i) enhancing insulin secretion and reducing apoptosis and promoting proliferation of pancreatic β-cells; (ii) improving hyperglycemia through regulation of glucose metabolism in hepatocytes; (iii) reducing insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in muscle and fat and (iv) increasing glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue. This review highlights recent findings on the anti-diabetic effects of dietary flavonoids, including flavan-3-ols, flavanones, flavonols, anthocyanidins, flavones and isoflavones, with particular emphasis on the studies that investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of the compounds.
Measurement of gas‐phase binding energies of crown ethers with metal ions by Fourier‐transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

Complexes of the type [crown+M]+ were observed following laser desorption ionization of 18-crown-6 molecules ‘doped’ with K+, Cs+, and Ba+. Laser desorption ionization of 15-crown-5 and 12-crown-4 ‘doped’ with the same metals gave [(crown)]2+[M]+ type sandwich complexes. Binding energies of crown ethers with different metal ions in all such complexes have been estimated from appearance energies obtained in the collisionally-activated dissociation of the corresponding laster desorbed complexes.
Maternal and fetal hemodynamic effects of autologous blood donation during pregnancy.

Objectives: Our objectives were to describe the maternal and fetal hemodynamic impact of a 1 U acute blood loss during pregnancy and to compare the hemodynamic responses of pregnant women with those of nonpregnant controls. Study Design: With Doppler techniques cardiac output and total peripheral vascular resistance were determined in 16 pregnant women in the third trimester and in 16 nonpregnant volunteers before and during orthostatic stress, before and after donation of 450 ml of whole blood. In pregnant women the fetal umbilical artery systolic/diastolic ratio was also determined. Data were subjected to multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: In both groups orthostasis provoked significant decreases in cardiac output and increases in total peripheral vascular resistance. The hemodynamic effects of blood loss were less pronounced and did not significantly change the hemodynamic response to orthostasis in either group. Neither orthostasis nor blood loss caused significant changes in the umbilical systolic/diastolic ratio. Conclusion: These data support the hemodynamic safety of uncomplicated autologous blood donation during late pregnancy.
The Impacts of Radio Channels and Node Mobility on Link Statistics in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Understanding link statistics in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) is essential to design adaptive routing protocols and achieve desired network performance. While much attention has been given to the node mobility impacts, little has been done to investigate the influence of dynamic channel fadings and the joint effects of the interactions among radio channels, transmission range, node mobility and node-pair distance on link statistics. In this paper, we investigate the link stability and availability by using a distance transition probability matrix of a relative distance between two nodes. Our analysis takes the node effective transmission range Re into account. The relative node movement is based on the Semi-Markov Smooth (SMS) mobility model [1] which captures the smooth node speed (V) transition and the radio channel variations in a small time- scale. We show that the PDF of link lifetime in MANETs can be effectively approximated by the exponential distribution characterized by the parameter V/Re. Moreover, we And that the impacting factors on residual link lifetime are in the decreasing order of node speed, transmission range, node-pair distance. The analytical results are validated by extensive simulations.
Ultra-elongate Freshwater Pearly Mussels (Unionida): Roles for Function and Constraint in Multiple Morphologic Convergences with Marine Taxa

Morphologic convergence may arise because natural selection produces an optimal solution for a given set of environmental conditions or because constructional and historical constraints limit available variation, making certain morphologies inevitable. Shell shape in bivalves typically is interpreted as functional, with emphasis placed on substrate preferences and life habits. Freshwater pearly mussels (Order Unionida) represent the most diverse freshwater bivalve clade and, although their life history and related morphologic traits are strikingly divergent from marine bivalves as well as other freshwater bivalve clades, multiple convergences in shell form within and among these groups occur. Ultra-elongate shells (length/height ratios > 3.0) in both marine and unionoid taxa are one such example. At least 13 families, including 4 phylogenetically defined unionoid families, have ultra-elongate representatives. These taxa occur in substrates ranging from soft sediments to hard grounds and a variety of life habits including nonmotile semi-infaunal, active burrowers, and borers; which seems to imply weak functional/adaptive control on morphology. For many of these taxa, however, this shape may reflect functional forces related to direct substrate penetration without major anterior/posterior rotation of the shell, rather than the type of substrate penetrated. Further, shell elongation is achieved through a variety of differential growth patterns, which argues against a strong role for constructional or historical constraint. Clarifying the meaning of a modern analog or proxy is critical for evaluating paleoenvironmental and paleoecological interpretations of extinct ultra-elongate bivalve taxa as well as for informing efforts to protect and restore extinction-vulnerable extant populations.
Interpretation in the year 2000 … as seen from 1993 or … There's enough oil in the world without the benefit of what geophysicists do

Nearly seven years ago the SEG Interpretation Committee sponsored a workshop on the role of the seismic interpreter—and by extension, all geophysicists—in the year 2000. Well, here we are in the new millennium, and the obvious question is: How well did we predict the changes that would occur in our profession?
Mediation: The 'New Arbitration'

Mediation once offered disputing parties a refuge from the courts. Today it offers them a surrogate for arbitration. As lawyers become increasingly involved representing parties in mediation, the boundaries between mediation and arbitration are blurring. Lawyers generally control the mediation process, considering it the functional equivalent of a private judicial settlement conference. Legal mediation has taken on many of the features traditionally associated with arbitration - adversarial posturing by attorneys in the name of zealous advocacy, adjudication by third party neutrals, and the practice of mediator evaluation. While mediation advances toward an arbitration model, arbitration is becoming the “new litigation.” I argue that mediation’s move to the zone of arbitration practice is problematic because it clashes with mediation’s core values of self-determination and participation. This directional shift limits the spectrum of options available to disputing parties, depriving them of mediation’s benefits-- the opportunity to experience individualized justice as a relief from the rigidity of the formal justice system. Mediation stands at the crossroads and it is worth reflecting on whether the time has come to pull in the reins.
Chronic medical conditions in adult survivors of retinoblastoma: Results of the Retinoblastoma Survivor Study.

BACKGROUND Limited data are available regarding long-term morbidity in adult survivors of retinoblastoma (Rb). METHODS The Retinoblastoma Survivor Study is a retrospective cohort of adult survivors of Rb diagnosed between 1932 and 1994. Participants completed a comprehensive questionnaire adapted from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study surveys. Chronic conditions were classified using the National Cancer Institute's Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.03). Multivariate Poisson regression was used to compare survivors of Rb with 2377 non-Rb controls, consisting of the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study sibling cohort and survivors with bilateral versus unilateral disease. RESULTS Survivors of Rb (53.6% with bilateral disease) and non-Rb controls had a mean age of 43.3 years (standard deviation, 11 years) and 37.6 years (SD, 8.6 years), respectively, at the time of study enrollment. At a median follow-up of 42 years (range, 15-75 years), 86.6% of survivors of Rb had at least 1 condition and 71.1% had a severe/life-threatening (grade 3-4) condition. The adjusted relative risk (RR) of a chronic condition in survivors compared with non-Rb controls was 1.4 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.3-1.4; P<.01); for a grade 3 to 4 condition, the RR was 7.6 (95% CI, 6.4-8.9; P<.01). Survivors were at an excess risk regardless of laterality. After stratifying by laterality and excluding ocular conditions and second malignant neoplasms (SMNs), only those with bilateral disease were found to be at an increased risk of any nonocular, non-SMN condition (RR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1-1.2) and for grade 3 to 4 nonocular, non-SMN conditions (RR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.5). CONCLUSIONS Survivors of Rb have an increased risk of chronic conditions compared with non-Rb controls. After excluding ocular conditions and SMNs, this excess risk was found to persist only for those with bilateral disease. Cancer 2016;122:773–781. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
An Analysis of Student Effort and Performance in the Finance Principles Course

This paper documents the relation between performance and effort by students in an introductory financial management course. Unlike the handful of previous studies that rely on self-reported data, we use objectively measured data on effort. We measure effort by the number of attempts made and the amount of time spent by students on repeatable computerized quizzes. We find that effort positively influences student performance. Given the positive link between effort and performance that we find here, we encourage educators to motivate students to exert effort in their education.
Pneumococcal Vaccination Strategies. An Update and Perspective

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important global pathogen that causes a wide range of clinical disease in children and adults. Pneumococcal pneumonia is by far the common presentation of noninvasive and invasive pneumococcal disease and affects the young, the elderly, and the immunocompromised disproportionately. Patients with chronic pulmonary diseases are also at higher risk for pneumococcal infections. Substantial progress over the century has been made in the understanding of pneumococcal immunobiology and the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease through vaccination. Currently, two pneumococcal vaccines are available for individuals at risk of pneumococcal disease: the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) and the 13-valent pneumococcal protein-conjugate vaccine (PCV13). The goal of pneumococcal vaccination is to stimulate effective antipneumococcal antibody and mucosal immunity response and immunological memory. Vaccination of infants and young children with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine has led to significant decrease in nasal carriage rates and pneumococcal disease in all age groups. Recent pneumococcal vaccine indication and schedule recommendations on the basis of age and risk factors are outlined in this Focused Review. As new pneumococcal vaccine recommendations are being followed, continued efforts are needed to address the vaccine efficacy in the waning immunity of the ever-aging population, the implementation of vaccines using two different vaccines under very specific schedules and their real world clinical and cost effectiveness, and the development of next generation pneumococcal vaccines.
On the meaning of the weighted alternative free-response operating characteristic figure of merit

Purpose: The free-response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) method is being increasingly used to evaluate observer performance in search tasks. Data analysis requires definition of a figure of merit (FOM) quantifying performance. While a number of FOMs have been proposed, the recommended one, namely, the weighted alternative FROC (wAFROC) FOM, is not well understood. The aim of this work is to clarify the meaning of this FOM by relating it to the empirical area under a proposed wAFROC curve. Methods: The weighted wAFROC FOM is defined in terms of a quasi-Wilcoxon statistic that involves weights, coding the clinical importance, assigned to each lesion. A new wAFROC curve is proposed, the y-axis of which incorporates the weights, giving more credit for marking clinically important lesions, while the x-axis is identical to that of the AFROC curve. An expression is derived relating the area under the empirical wAFROC curve to the wAFROC FOM. Examples are presented with small numbers of cases showing how AFROC and wAFROC curves are affected by correct and incorrect decisions and how the corresponding FOMs credit or penalize these decisions. The wAFROC, AFROC, and inferred ROC FOMs were applied to three clinical data sets involving multiple reader FROC interpretations in different modalities. Results: It is shown analytically that the area under the empirical wAFROC curve equals the wAFROC FOM. This theorem is the FROC analog of a well-known theorem developed in 1975 for ROC analysis, which gave meaning to a Wilcoxon statistic based ROC FOM. A similar equivalence applies between the area under the empirical AFROC curve and the AFROC FOM. The examples show explicitly that the wAFROC FOM gives equal importance to all diseased cases, regardless of the number of lesions, a desirable statistical property not shared by the AFROC FOM. Applications to the clinical data sets show that the wAFROC FOM yields results comparable to that using the AFROC FOM. Conclusions: The equivalence theorem gives meaning to the weighted AFROC FOM, namely, it is identical to the empirical area under weighted AFROC curve.
Safety analysis for food raw material of catering industry

Objective: To investigate the foods hygiene and safety conditions in catering industry in Zhongshan city to explore the hazards of food and provide a basis for the protection of food hygiene and safety.Methods:Collected the information on food testing during 2004-2008,and find the major factors of food contamination.Results:(1) The fraction defective of microbial indicators in cooked meat products was 34.93%.The detection rate of pathogenic bacteria in poultry,meat and aquatic products was 11.24%.Lead and cadmium were detected in pig offal,pork and aquatic products.(2) The fraction defective of vegetable′ residue was 58.86%,and the detection rate of lead and cadmium were both 20%.(3) The fraction defective of food products was merely 2.98%.However,cadmium,mercury,arsenic and lead were detected.(4) The fraction defective of vegetable oil was 6.48%,and the main item of disqualification was acid number,which account for 70.59% in total.(5) The fraction defective of flavorings was 10.48%,and the main item of disqualification were amino acid nitrogen and total numbers of colony.Conclusion:The major hygiene problems of foods in catering industry was microbial contamination,in addition,the pollution of heavy metal can not be ignored.
Warped source spectrum for voice conversion and similarity

A hybrid voice conversion method was developed that combines frequency warping and unit selection.The system first generates the warped source spectrum by frequency warping and then uses the warped source spectrum as a target to select the target speaker's real spectrum.The target speaker's spectrum then substituted for part of the warped source spectrum before reconstructing the converted speech to improve the similarity over the entire spectrum.Evaluations show that the hybrid voice conversion method improves the similarity more than frequency warping alone.
Social Justice and the Future of Higher Education Kinesiology

ABSTRACTThis article presents a rationale for the infusion of social justice into kinesiology programs for the purpose of reducing inequities in society. Specifically, the current climate for social justice is considered and discussed using examples from an university-inspired service-learning initiative, law, and politics. Of note are the following areas of discussion: (a) differentiation between social diversity and social justice, (b) public pedagogy as a means by which to inspire service action, (c) the creation of climates for speech and application of social justice, (d) modeling and socialization for equity, and (e) the neoliberal threat to inclusiveness. The article concludes with suggestions for practice, research, and training to implore kinesiology programs to position movement as an issue of justice.
Classical Music in Advertising: Brand Supporter or Detractor?

The purpose of this research is to explore brand image and attitude toward the brand and the relationship to classical music in advertising and perceived music brand congruency. Over the past 30 years, many articles have aimed to study the effect of background music in advertising. Most of these studies though focus on contemporary popular music and omit the use of classical music which is often used in global brand advertisements. Various measures have been used to gauge advertising effectiveness when music is used in advertising, including advertising recall, brand recall, and support of brand benefits for example. Additionally, music in advertising has been assessed in relationship to brand image, identity, attitude toward the brand, and purchase intent.
CLIMATOLOGY OF WIND-DRIVEN RAIN FOR THE CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES FOR THE PERIOD 1971 TO 1995

Rainfall that is pushed along horizontally by the wind is referred to as wind-driven rain (WDR) or driving rain. Water penetration of exposed building surfaces is enhanced with WDR, and structural damage is accelerated with repeated WDR exposure. Additionally, WDR is an agent for enhanced soil erosion and for dispersal of certain plant diseases. This research provides a descriptive climatology of WDR for the contiguous United States. WDR intensity is estimated from a linear regression model that develops a relationship between rainfall on a horizontal surface and rainfall on a vertical surface. The WDR estimates are used to create maps of WDR intensity, WDR event duration, WDR annual frequency, WDR total receipt, and WDR direction. A 25–year period of record (POR) of hourly data is used for 182 stations across the United States. Areas of highest WDR intensity, duration, and frequency are found in the southern United States, especially along the Gulf Coast. Directional indices indicate that WDR occurs most...
Characterizing fraud and its ramifications in affiliate marketing networks

Cookie stuffing is an activity which allows unscrupulous actors online to defraud affiliate marketing programs by causing themselves to receive credit for purchases made by web users, even if the affiliate marketer did not actively perform any marketing for the affiliate program. Using 2 months of HTTP request logs from a large public university, we present an empirical study of fraud in affiliate marketing programs. First, we develop an efficient, decision-tree based technique for detecting cookie-stuffing in HTTP request logs. Our technique replicates domain-informed human labeling of the same data with 93.3% accuracy. Second, we find that over one-third of publishers in affiliate marketing programs use fraudulent cookie-stuffing techniques in an attempt to claim credit from online retailers for illicit referrals. However, most realized conversions are credited to honest publishers. Finally, we present a stake holder analysis of affiliate marketing fraud and find that the costs and rewards of affiliate marketing program are spread across all parties involved in affiliate marketing programs.
Diastereoselective Michael-Claisen Cyclizations of γ-Oxa-α,β-unsaturated Ketones en Route to 5-Oxatetracyclines.

5-Oxatetracyclines were synthesized from d-arabinose using sequential Michael–Claisen cyclization reactions via a 5-oxa-AB enone substrate. The 5-oxatetracyclines were found to have poor stability in aqueous buffer (pH 7.4, 37 °C) and showed little to no inhibition of bacterial growth (S. aureus, E. coli).
Applications of the Jupiter Global Ionosphere‐Thermosphere Model: A case study of auroral electron energy deposition

We investigate auroral energy deposition using a non-hydrostatic global atmospheric model coupled to a two-stream electron transport model. We present several electron beam study cases, discussing energy flux and electron energy effects on the ion and neutral densities, the atmospheric thermal profile, H3+ and hydrocarbon infrared (IR) emissions, H2 far ultraviolet (FUV) emissions and color ratios, and vibrationally excited molecular hydrogen. Using the non-hydrostatic Jupiter Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (J-GITM), we find that FUV spectral characteristics consistent with previous Hubble Space Telescope results derive primarily from electrons with energies above 10 keV, over energy fluxes of 10 – 100 erg/cm2s, while IR emissions are predominantly due to electrons with energies below 10 keV, over energy fluxes of 10 – 100 erg/cm2s. Electrons with energies below about 10 keV produce enough H2(ν) to deplete the H+ population, modifying the ionospheric composition, and consequently the H3+ emissions, which can be used to directly relate H2 vibrational excitation to auroral observations. New observations by Juno will provide better electron energy distributions to constrain the electron energy spectrum and magnitude at the upper boundary of the model and simultaneously provide a determination of the FUV and IR spectra that can be cross correlated with the observations.
An elusive brain death diagnosis: You can't get there from hereAuthors Respond:

I read with great interest the case report by Story and Winter.1 Their patient was brain dead clinically but confirmatory testing in the form of CT angiography and EEG was requested, which failed to document whole-brain death. One might argue that they would not have encountered this medical, ethical, and legal quandary if the concept of brain stem death was adopted and accepted universally as opposed to whole-brain death, which is the currently accepted criterion in the United States. Electrocerebral inactivity or electrocerebral silence in a brain death EEG is defined as no EEG activity over 2 uV when recording from scalp electrode pairs 10 or more cm apart with interelectrode impedances under 10,000 Ohms (10 KOhms) but over 100 Ohms. It is a well-known fact that pockets of brain activity may persist in a patient who is clinically (all brain stem reflexes absent and apnea test positive) brain dead. These islands of brain activity may yield a …
USA PATRIOT Act: What’s Next?

After nearly a year of proposals and counter-proposals, two extensions, and ongoing behind the scenes negotiations, Congress passed two bills renewing the USA PATRIOT Act. President Bush signed the legislation only hours before the Act was set to expire. The USA PATRIOT Act was enacted weeks after the September 11, 2001 attacks as a response to concerns about breakdowns in intelligence gathering that may have contributed to the attack. The Act was also intended to strengthen law-enforcement and intelligence-gathering tools to prevent future attacks. However, it has been criticized for threatening constitutional rights and civil liberties. This work examines the Act as well as some of the changes that were made when it was renewed. In addition, it considers what form the USA PATRIOT Act may take in the future and what debate may follow
Approaches to the quantitative analysis of delayed hypersensitivity.

Phenomena as diverse as tuberculin sensitivity, delayed sensitivity to soluble proteins other than tuberculin, contact allergy, homograft rejection, experimental autoallergies, and the response to many microorganisms, have been classified as members of the class of immune reactions known as delayed or cellular hypersensitivity. Similarities in time course, histology, and absence of detectable circulating immunoglobulins characterize these cell-mediated immune reactions in vivo. The state of delayed or cellular hypersensitivity can be transferred from one animal to another by means of sensitized living lymphoid cells (Chase, 1945; Landsteiner and Chase, 1942; Mitchison, 1954). The responsible cell has been described by Gowans (1965) as a small lymphocyte. Passive transfer has also been achieved in the human with extracts of sensitized cells (Lawrence, 1959).
Punctuated equilibrium, modularity, and A-Life

In this paper, we discuss A-Life experiments in which we evolve artificial neural network controllers for an animat. We report two significant findings. First, during the evolution of our controllers, modularity emerges in previously undifferentiated neural networks. Second, we have experimented with punctuated equilibrium in our evolutionary algorithm and found that occasional punctuations increase optimization.
Interplay between Conjugated Backbone Units and SideAlkyl Groups in Chirality Sensitive Interactions of Single WalledCarbon Nanotubes with Polyfluorenes

Current synthetic methods of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) fail to produce monodisperse chiralities resulting in the need for postsynthetic separation relying on selectively dispersed SWC...
TCT-362 Comparison of Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Using Intravascular Ultrasound or Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography

The use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided imaging during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) offers more detailed characterizations of coronary lesion, aiding the interventional cardiologists to improve outcomes of PCI. However, the beneficial effect of IVUS- over optical coherence
Implicit Bias in Pediatrics: An Emerging Focus in Health Equity Research

* Abbreviation: ED — : emergency department Despite large-scale investments in research, health policy, care delivery models, and medical school curricula, inequities along the continuum of child health care and health persist.1,2 The study “Racial and Ethnic Differences in Emergency Department Pain Management of Children with Fractures”3 in this issue of Pediatrics contributes new insights into the field of pediatric health equity research with a focus on pain in the emergency department (ED) setting. Goyal et al3 find that although racial and/or ethnic minority children were more likely to receive analgesics and achieve a ≥2-point reduction in pain, they were less likely to receive opioids and experience optimal pain reduction. This work builds on a well-established body of literature in adult care and an emerging evidence base in pediatrics demonstrating inequities in analgesic administration.4 Studies in pediatric EDs have demonstrated racial and/or ethnic disparities in analgesic management for children presenting with acute abdominal pain and appendicitis.5,6 The current study adds to the field by combining process and outcome measures in assessing analgesic management. As the authors and other researchers in the field have highlighted, there … Address correspondence to Jean L. Raphael, MD, MPH, Texas Children’s Hospital, 6701 Fannin St, Suite D.1540.00, Houston, TX 77030. E-mail: raphael{at}bcm.edu
Congenital Long QT syndrome.

Many important advances have been made in the last several years regarding the molecular genetics and physiology of the congenital long QT syndrome. These findings have significantly changed our perceptions of the clinical manifestations of this disorder, and added new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Further, the findings have fundamental importance for understanding the molecular mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis in general and, therefore, have broad applicability to clinical cardiology. This chapter reviews the current status of the genetic basis of the congenital long QT syndrome, and provides an overview of the physiologic and phenotypic consequences of the genetic alterations.
Striatal activation to monetary reward is associated with alcohol reward sensitivity.

One well-known phenotypic risk factor for the development of alcohol use disorder is sensitivity to the rewarding effects of alcohol. In the present study, we examined whether individuals who are sensitive to alcohol reward are also sensitive to nondrug rewards, thereby reflecting a broader individual difference risk factor. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that subjective response to acute rewarding effects of alcohol would be related to neural activation during monetary reward receipt relative to loss (in the absence of alcohol). Community-recruited healthy young social drinkers (N = 58) completed four laboratory sessions in which they received alcohol (0.8 g/kg) and placebo in alternating order under double-blind conditions, providing self-report measures of subjective response to alcohol at regular intervals. At a separate visit 1–3 weeks later, they completed a reward-guessing game, the ‘Doors’ task, during fMRI in a drug-free state. Participants who reported greater motivation (i.e., wanting) to consume more alcohol after a single moderate dose of alcohol also exhibited greater neural activation in the bilateral ventral caudate and the nucleus accumbens during reward receipt relative to loss. Striatal activation was not related to other subjective ratings including alcohol-induced sedation, stimulation, or pleasure (i.e., feeling, liking). Our study is the first to show that measures of alcohol reward are related to neural indices of monetary reward in humans. These results support growing evidence that individual differences in responses to drug and nondrug reward are linked and together form a risk profile for drug use or abuse, particularly in young adults.