cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract #1868: Epstein Barr virus upregulates MDR1 gene expression in breast tumors

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO Although EBV infection is ubiquitous among human population and causes self-limiting infectious mononucleosis in young adolescents, it is strongly associated with several human malignancies such as Burkitt\#8217;s lymphoma (BL), Hodgkin\#8217;s disease (HD), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), posttransplantation lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and some sporadic cancers of breast and gastrointestinal tract. In these diseases EBV maintains a state of latency by restricting expression of about 90% of it genes and thus evades immune surveillance. Only eleven EBV gene products are expressed in these malignancies. The precise role of these latent gene products in EBV pathogenesis is not well understood. However, latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and non-coding small RNA (EBERs) have been implicated in the genesis of EBV-associated tumors. A recent study demonstrated that EBV infection of an estrogen receptor negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 activates expression of multidrug resistant protein MDR1. This observation suggests expansion of the harmful repertoire of EBV in EBV-associated tumors. Because of the significance of MDR phenotype in cancer patients, we initiated investigation on the mechanism of MDR1 expression in EBV infected mammary cell lines. We tested the effect of expression of various latent EBV gene products on MDR1 expression in estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 cells. We generated MCF-7 cell derivatives that stably expressed LMP1, EBERs or another latent gene product, BamH1 A rightward transcript (BART). We analyzed total RNA preparations from these cells by reverse transcription and real time PCR analysis for the expression of MDR1 and MDR related protein (MRP). Our data indicated that expression of non-coding RNA EBER activated MDR1 expression in this cell line. Analysis of the sensitivity of the cells that stably expressed EBER, to chemotherapeutic drug paclitaxel showed that such expression also made the MCF-7 cells resistant to paclitaxel. Our studies warrant that the effect of EBER and other latent EBV gene products are tested on multiple estrogen receptor-positive and -negative breast cancer cell lines as well as for their ability to induce drug resistance in animal models of tumorigenesis. These studies will be highly beneficial to formulate new therapeutic avenues for EBV-associated cancers of the breast and other organs that acquire MDR phenotype. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 1868.
Multi-scale aspects in model-predictive control

Abstract Multi-scale models of processing systems offer an attractive alternative to models defined in the time- or frequency-domain. They are defined on dyadic or higherorder trees, whose nodes are used to index the values of any variable, localised in both time and scale (range of frequencies). This dual localisation is particularly attractive in solving estimation and control problems. In this paper, multi-scale models are used to design model-predictive controllers (MPC), resulting in design techniques with several important advantages, such as; (a) natural depiction of performance characteristics and treatment of output constraints, (b) fast algorithms for establishing the constrained control policies over long prediction/control horizons, (c) rich depiction of feedback errors at several scales, and (d) optimal fusion of multi-rate measurements and control actions.
Effects of incomplete mixing on reactive transport in flows through heterogeneous porous media

The role of incomplete mixing through an idealized two-dimensional heterogeneous porous medium is studied using a Lagrangian reactive particle tracking method. Velocity-gradient-based flow deformation metrics are considered and connections are made to conservative transport.
Talons of the Eagle: Dynamics of U. S.-Latin American Relations

Contrary to widespread expectation, the ending of the Cold War has not produced continuous harmony and cooperation in U.S.-Latin American relations. Instead, NAFTA seems to threaten as much as it promises; economic prospects have been shaken by the Mexican currency crisis; the war on drugs continues to escalate; and xenophobic reactions to the migration of Latin Americans into the United States, typified by Californias Proposition 187, seize headlines and editorial pages.
The primacy of politics : social democracy and the making of Europe's twentieth century

1. Introduction 2. The background and foundations 3. Democratic revisionism comes of age 4. National socialism 5. From revisionism to social democracy 6. Fascism and national socialism 7. The Swedish exception 8. The postwar era 9. Conclusion.
H+-Translocating ATPase and Other Membrane Enzymes Involved in the Accumulation and Storage of Biological Amines in Chromaffin Granules

Within the adrenal medulla, catecholamines accumulate into and are stored within a highly specialized subcellular organelle, the chromaffin granule. Since their isolation almost 30 years ago, an interdisciplinary approach from pharmacologists, transport and cellular physiologists, electron microscopists, and anatomists has helped to delineate the salient aspects of the structure, composition, and function of these granules. One of the reasons for such profound interest is that the adrenal chromaffin granule has a common embryologic origin with the adrenergic neurotransmitter granules of the central and peripheral nervous system, suggesting that the two amine storage organelles may have functional properties in common.
Acceptance and Mindfulness-Based Approaches to the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is the only anxiety disorder for which a specific event is seen as responsible for the etiology of the symptoms. More specifically, PTSD is diagnosed when a person has been exposed to a potentially traumatic event (e.g., sexual assault, combat, motor vehicle accident), during which the person experienced intense fear, helplessness, or horror (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), followed by a particular constellation of resulting symptoms. There are three main classes of symptoms in PTSD: reexperiencing, avoidance, and arousal. Reexperiencing symptoms may include distressing memories, nightmares, flashbacks, and intense distress or physiological reactivity upon exposure to internal or external cues related to the event.
THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT AND THE MECHANISM OF ACTION OF THYROXINE ON SERUM LIPIDS AND BLOOD FLOW INDEXES IN SUBCLINICAL HYPOTHYROIDISM WOMEN

Objective: Even previous reports mentioned that thyroxine has beneficial effects on subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH); however, the mechanism by which thyroxine mediated such effect still unclear. Thus, we aim to find out the potential benefit of thyroxine administration in women with SCH through assessment of lipids profile with evaluation of uterine and ovarian blood flow indexes. Methods: The current study included 80 women with SCH who had a history of recurrent intrauterine death. Those women were chosen from the cohort of pregnant ladies that routinely seek medical advice. For each woman, estimation of serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), serum lipids profile (low-density lipoprotein [LDL], total cholesterol [TC], and triglyceride [TG]), and also uterine and ovarian pulsatile index (PI) and resistance index (RI) using color Doppler ultrasound, was done at the beginning of study and then repeated following 2 months during which women were given oral thyroxine supplementation (50 μg/d). The study was carried out in Al-Diwaniyah Maternity and Child Teaching Hospital in Al-Diwaniyah province, Iraq and extended from September 2016 to January 2018. Results: Mean serum TSH, LDL, TG, and TC were significantly reduced (p<0.05). Mean early follicular phase ovarian RI and PI and uterine RI were significantly reduced (p<0.05). In addition, mean late follicular phase ovarian RI and PI and uterine RI were significantly reduced (p<0.05). Conclusion: Thyroxine administration to women with SCH significantly decreases serum lipids and increases uterine and ovarian blood flow by mechanism involving reduction in arterial RI and PI.
Qualitative case study of needle exchange programs in the Central Appalachian region of the United States.

Background The Central Appalachian region of the United States is in the midst of a hepatitis C virus epidemic driven by injection of opioids, particularly heroin, with contaminated syringes. In response to this epidemic, several needle exchange programs (NEP) have opened to provide clean needles and other supplies and services to people who inject drugs (PWID). However, no studies have investigated the barriers and facilitators to implementing, operating, and expanding NEPs in less populous areas of the United States. Methods This qualitative case study consisted of interviews with program directors, police chiefs, law enforcement members, and PWID affiliated with two NEPs in the rural state of West Virginia. Interview transcripts were coded inductively and analyzed using qualitative data analysis software. Final common themes related to barriers and facilitators of past program openings, current program operations, and future program plans, were derived through a consensus of two data coders. Results Both NEPs struggled to find existing model programs, but benefited from broad community support that facilitated implementation. The largest operational barrier was the legal conundrum created by paraphernalia laws that criminalize syringe possession. However, both PWID and law enforcement appreciated the comprehensive services provided by these programs. Program location and transportation difficulties were additional noted barriers. Future program operations are threatened by funding shortages and bans, but necessitated by unexpected program demand. Conclusion Despite broad community support, program operations are threatened by growing participant volumes, funding shortages, and the federal government's prohibition on the use of funds to purchase needles. Paraphernalia laws create a legal conundrum in the form of criminal sanctions for the possession of needles, which may inadvertently promote needle sharing and disease transmission. Future studies should examine additional barriers to using clean needles provided by rural NEPs that may blunt the effectiveness of NEPs in preventing disease transmission.
Factors Associated With Pediatric Nontransport in a Large Emergency Medical Services System.

BACKGROUND Pediatric patients attended to by emergency medical services (EMS) but not transported to the hospital are an at-risk population. We aimed to evaluate risk factors associated with nontransport by EMS in pediatric patients. METHODS We reviewed medical records of 24 agencies in a regional EMS system in Southwestern Pennsylvania between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017. We abstracted demographics (age, sex, medical complaint, median household income by zip code, race, ethnicity), clinical characteristics (abnormal vital signs by age, procedures done), and transport characteristics. We excluded patients ≥ 18 years, interfacility transfers, scene assists, cardiac arrest, and those without a patient encounter. We used unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression to identify factors associated with nontransport, reporting adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS We included 30,663 pediatric patients (52.9% male, mean ± SD age = 8.5 ± 6.2 years), of whom 5,002 (16.3%) were nontransports. In adjusted analysis (aOR, 95% CI), nontransports were associated with medical categories of trauma (4.32, 3.57-5.23), respiratory (4.03, 3.09-5.26), toxicologic (2.53, 1.66-3.86), and syncope (5.97, 3.78-9.41). Nontransports were less likely for psychiatric (0.52, 0.34-0.79) complaints; for black patients compared to white (0.31, 0.26-0.37); and in patients 6 to <12 years (0.76, 0.65-0.90), 2 to <6 years (0.77, 0.65-0.91), 1 to <2 years (0.53, 0.42-0.66), and 1 month to 1 year (0.52, 0.40-0.66) compared to patients ≥ 12 years of age. Nontransport was associated with longer scene time (1.03, 1.02-1.04) and with fall compared to winter (1.29, 1.08-1.54) and was less likely in those with abnormal mental status (0.45, 0.33-0.62), medication administration (0.16, 0.08-0.31), or monitor application (0.10, 0.06-0.15). CONCLUSION Pediatric nontransports are associated with traumatic, respiratory, and toxicologic complaints and older age. These findings can facilitate development of refusal protocols and research on outcomes of these at-risk patients.
Taking Organizational Compassion Seriously

The literature on compassion within organizations has recently begun to grapple with the construct of organizational compassion. However, this literature still tends to focus on acts of compassion ...
Guess What's on my Screen? Clustering Smartphone Screenshots with Active Learning.

A significant proportion of individuals' daily activities is experienced through digital devices. Smartphones in particular have become one of the preferred interfaces for content consumption and social interaction. Identifying the content embedded in frequently-captured smartphone screenshots is thus a crucial prerequisite to studies of media behavior and health intervention planning that analyze activity interplay and content switching over time. Screenshot images can depict heterogeneous contents and applications, making the a priori definition of adequate taxonomies a cumbersome task, even for humans. Privacy protection of the sensitive data captured on screens means the costs associated with manual annotation are large, as the effort cannot be crowd-sourced. Thus, there is need to examine utility of unsupervised and semi-supervised methods for digital screenshot classification. This work introduces the implications of applying clustering on large screenshot sets when only a limited amount of labels is available. In this paper we develop a framework for combining K-Means clustering with Active Learning for efficient leveraging of labeled and unlabeled samples, with the goal of discovering latent classes and describing a large collection of screenshot data. We tested whether SVM-embedded or XGBoost-embedded solutions for class probability propagation provide for more well-formed cluster configurations. Visual and textual vector representations of the screenshot images are derived and combined to assess the relative contribution of multi-modal features to the overall performance.
The impact of environmental exposures on sleep

Abstract Many naturally-occurring and artificial external exposures from both the physical and social environments can impact sleep health and subsequent risk of disease across the lifecourse. In this chapter, we summarize observational and experimental research findings investigating how various sleep dimensions are impacted by outdoor as well as indoor (when applicable) light, temperature, noise, vibrations, and other environmental factors like air quality and seasonality. We then discuss how factors in the social environment such as psychosocial stressors emanating from where people live, work, and play appear to affect sleep. Interventions to minimize inopportune exposure to the aforementioned, modifiable factors that can negatively affect sleep health are also summarized. After identifying current recommendations regarding these exposures, we provide future research directions to address important gaps in our current understanding. This overview helps establish a scientific evidence base that seeks to improve or maintain sleep health by optimizing the physical and social environments of all humans.
Drug Induced Alopecia

Complete alopecia is an extreme state, a result of substantial impairment of hair growth. In most cases of alopecia however, impairment of hair growth is less than complete and probably escapes detection since discriminatory techniques are required to detect impairments of hair growth when hair fall per se is subliminal. Identification of the influences of drugs on the growth of hair in the absence of hair fall is possible only by careful examination of hairs for specific indicators of specific events since hair growth can be affected in several distinct and distinctive ways. These are 1.) change in normal hair cycle, 2.) disruption of the mitotic cycle, 3.) change in hair size and 4.) change in rate of hair fiber production.
Normal Pediatric Chest and Role of Advanced Imaging

Clinical symptoms for patients with respiratory disease and cardiovascular disease often overlap. One of the first tests for patients with respiratory distress is a chest radiograph. A chest film frequently can distinguish primary lung disease and congenital heart disease. This chapter will discuss the appearance of a normal chest radiograph and which abnormalities point to cardiovascular disease, which often requires additional imaging. This chapter will also outline important differences in the infant’s upper airway compared to older children and adults. Furthermore, this chapter will briefly discuss chest ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) applications for pediatric patients.
Comparison of Time Series Approaches applied to Greenhouse Gas Analysis: ANFIS, RNN, and LSTM

Forecasting is the process of predicting the future using past and current data. Uncertainty in real-world data makes this process challenging. The two major forecasting techniques usually applied are causal forecasting and time series forecasting. In causal forecasting the independent variables are used to predict the dependent variable. Time series forecasting on the other hand is a technique used to predict the future values based on historical observations of the same variable and patterns that exist in the data. This paper analyzes time series data of greenhouse gas concentrations at different grid cells in California. The forecasting methods used are Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS), Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) and Long Short-term Memory (LSTM) NN. The experimental results reveal that LSTM and ANFIS perform equally well with ANFIS having the shortest execution time.
Lidocaine Binding Enhances Inhibition of Nav1.7 Channels by the Sulfonamide PF-05089771

PF-05089771 is an aryl sulfonamide Nav1.7 channel blocker that binds to the inactivated state of Nav1.7 channels with high affinity but binds only weakly to channels in the resting state. Such aryl sulfonamide Nav1.7 channel blockers bind to the extracellular surface of the S1-S4 voltage-sensor segment of homologous Domain 4, whose movement is associated with inactivation. This binding site is different from that of classic sodium channel inhibitors like lidocaine, which also bind with higher affinity to the inactivated state than the resting state but bind at a site within the pore of the channel. The common dependence on gating state with distinct binding sites raises the possibility that inhibition by aryl sulfonamides and by classic local anesthetics might show an interaction mediated by their mutual state dependence. We tested this possibility by examining the state-dependent inhibition by PF-05089771 and lidocaine of human Nav1.7 channels expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. At -80 mV, where a small fraction of channels are in an inactivated state under drug-free conditions, inhibition by PF-05089771 was both enhanced and speeded in the presence of lidocaine. The results suggest that lidocaine binding to the channel enhances PF-05089771 inhibition by altering the equilibrium between resting states (with D4S4 in the inner position) and inactivated states (with D4S4 in the outer position). The gating state-mediated interaction between the compounds illustrates a principle applicable to many state-dependent agents. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The results show that lidocaine enhances the degree and rate of inhibition of Nav1.7 channels by the aryl sulfonamide compound PF-05089771, consistent with state-dependent binding by lidocaine increasing the fraction of channels presenting a high-affinity binding site for PF-05089771 and suggesting that combinations of agents targeted to the pore-region binding site of lidocaine and the external binding site of aryl sulfonamides may have synergistic actions.
Effect of Soil Attribute on Greenhouse Gas Emission from Agriculture using IoT

A farmer uses different agriculture practices to improve the crop yield generating the greenhouse gases (GHGs). The soil management practices are very important in the greenhouse gas emission from agriculture sector. In this paper we tried to find the greenhouse gas CH 4 and CO 2 emission from agriculture using soil attributes i.e. soil moisture, soil temperature, humidity, pH values, and N-P-K values. We used different machine learning algorithm such as Decision table, SOM regression, ZeroR, Randomforest, Multilayer Perception and Multiple Linear regression for comparison purpose. We collected soil sample using different sensors from the farm. We have used Mean absolute error(MAE) and Root mean squared error (RMSE) as a coefficient of correlation with 10 fold cross validation. The result shows that for CH 4 eq and CO 2 eq the SOMregressor performs better than other classifiers with perfect positive correlation whereas the ZeroR classifier gives negative correlation for CO 2 eq and CH 4 eq emission. Also the OLS statistics of multiple linear regression result shows that R squared value 0.786 means 78% predicted values are similar to actual reading of CH 4 eq emission.
Krill hotspot formation and phenology in the California Current Ecosystem

In the California Current Ecosystem, krill represent a key link between primary production and higher trophic level species owing to their central position in the food web and tendency to form dense aggregations. However, the strongly advective circulation associated with coastal upwelling may decouple the timing, occurrence, and persistence of krill hotspots from phytoplankton biomass and nutrient sources. Results from a coupled physical-biological model provide insights into fundamental mechanisms controlling the phenology of krill hotspots in the California Current Ecosystem, and their sensitivity to alongshore changes in coastal upwelling intensity. The simulation indicates that dynamics controlling krill hotspot formation, intensity, and persistence on seasonal and interannual timescales are strongly heterogeneous and related to alongshore variations in upwelling-favorable winds, primary production, and ocean currents. Furthermore, regions promoting persistent krill hotspot formation coincide with increased observed abundance of top predators, indicating that the model resolves important ecosystem complexity and function.
A Review of Deep Learning for Screening, Diagnosis, and Detection of Glaucoma Progression.

Because of recent advances in computing technology and the availability of large datasets, deep learning has risen to the forefront of artificial intelligence, with performances that often equal, or sometimes even exceed, those of human subjects on a variety of tasks, especially those related to image classification and pattern recognition. As one of the medical fields that is highly dependent on ancillary imaging tests, ophthalmology has been in a prime position to witness the application of deep learning algorithms that can help analyze the vast amount of data coming from those tests. In particular, glaucoma stands as one of the conditions where application of deep learning algorithms could potentially lead to better use of the vast amount of information coming from structural and functional tests evaluating the optic nerve and macula. The purpose of this article is to critically review recent applications of deep learning models in glaucoma, discussing their advantages but also focusing on the challenges inherent to the development of such models for screening, diagnosis and detection of progression. After a brief general overview of deep learning and how it compares to traditional machine learning classifiers, we discuss issues related to the training and validation of deep learning models and how they specifically apply to glaucoma. We then discuss specific scenarios where deep learning has been proposed for use in glaucoma, such as screening with fundus photography, and diagnosis and detection of glaucoma progression with optical coherence tomography and standard automated perimetry. Translational relevance Deep learning algorithms have the potential to significantly improve diagnostic capabilities in glaucoma, but their application in clinical practice requires careful validation, with consideration of the target population, the reference standards used to build the models, and potential sources of bias.
Adolescents and young adults with early acquired HIV infection in the united states: unique challenges in treatment and secondary prevention.

Worldwide, children who acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at an early age, either perinatally or through blood transfusion, are reaching adolescence and adulthood due to successful antire...
Soil lead (Pb) and urban grown lettuce: Sources, processes, and implications for gardener best management practices.

Urban community gardeners employ a range of best practices that limit crop contamination by toxicants like lead (Pb). While Pb root uptake is generally low, the relative significance of various Pb deposition processes and the effectiveness of best practices in reducing these processes have not been sufficiently characterized. This study compared leafy lettuce (Lactuca sativa) grown in high Pb (1150 mg/kg) and low Pb (90 mg/kg) soils, under three different soil cover conditions: 1) bare soil, 2) mulch cover to limit splash, and 3) mulch cover under hoophouses to limit splash and air deposition, in a New York City (NYC) community garden and a rural site in Ithaca, New York (NY). The lettuces were further compared to greenhouse (Ithaca) and supermarket (NYC) samples. Atmospheric deposition was monitored by passive trap collection through funnel samplers. Results show that in low Pb soils, splash and atmospheric deposition accounted for 84 and 78% of lettuce Pb in NYC and Ithaca, respectively. In high Pb soils, splash and atmospheric deposition accounted for 88 and 93% of Pb on lettuces, with splash being the dominant mechanism. Soil covers were shown to be effective at significantly (p < 0.05) reducing lettuce Pb contamination, and mulching is strongly recommended as a best practice.
Understanding the Key Risks Affecting Cost and Schedule Performance of Modular Construction Projects

AbstractModular construction has been documented to be superior over traditional construction methods in terms of schedule, quality, predictability, and other project objectives. However, the lack ...
Solid particle erosion rate predictions through LSBoost

Abstract Solid particle erosion caused by sand production in pipelines is a critical problem in the oil and gas industry. To control, assess, and prevent severe damage from erosion, it is important to have models to predict the erosion magnitude. As one of critical parameters, the erosion rate is of particular interest. In this study, we develop the least-squares boosting model to predict the solid particle erosion rate in elbows from material properties and the geometry of pipewall and sand particles, as well carrier fluid velocities. It applies to both single phase and multiphase flow patterns that involve varying wall materials, particle sizes, and carrier fluid velocities. The model is highly accurate and stable, and thus is promising as a fast, robust, and low-cost tool for solid particle erosion rate estimations.
Inner-retinal contributions to the photopic sinusoidal flicker electroretinogram of macaques. Macaque photopic sinusoidal flicker ERG.

The purpose of this study was to examine inner-retinal contributions to the photopic sinusoidal flicker ERG. ERGs were recorded from 5 anesthetized monkeys to sinusoidally modulated (100%, 0.5-120 Hz) red full field flicker at Lmean of 3.2 log phot td on a rod saturating blue background (3.7 log scot td; 3.0 log phot td) before and after intravitreal injections of tetrodotoxin (TTX) to block Na+-dependent spikes of retinal ganglion and amacrine cells, followed by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDLA) to suppress all activity of these cells. Recordings also were made after blocking bipolar (and horizontal) cell responses with L-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB) and 2-cis-piperidine-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (PDA) or 6-cyano-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX). Control fundamental (F1) and second harmonic (F2) amplitudes were large and variable at temporal frequencies up to 2 Hz. At higher frequencies, Fl amplitude was minimal with a phase step at a frequency between 13 and 19 Hz and maximal at 27-33 Hz. F2 was minimal at 2-3 Hz and maximal at 6-8 Hz, again with a phase step near the minimum. TTX, or NMDLA, produced small changes in Fl that shifted the amplitude minimum to a lower and the maximum to a higher frequency. In contrast, F2 was more strongly affected; both the amplitude minimum (and phase step) and maximum were greatly attenuated, leaving a moderate response from 0.5 to 8 Hz, which then declined as frequency was increased to 30 HZ. After APB and PDA or CNQX, F1 decreased continuously with increasing frequency and F2 was generally much smaller. The nearly linear F1 phase plotwas consistent with the presence of a single mechanism (i.e. photoreceptors). Inner-retinal neurons contribute to the photopic sinusoidal flicker ERG. Whereas for F1, inner-retinal contributions are small relative to those from bipolar cells; for F2, they are equal or greater between 2and 16 Hz.
Computational role of disinhibition in brain function

Neurons are connected to form functional networks in the brain. When neurons are combined in sequence, nontrivial effects arise. One example is disinhibition; that is, inhibition to another inhibitory factor. Disinhibition may be serving an important purpose because a large number of local circuits in the brain contain disinhibitory connections. However, their exact functional role is not well understood. The objective of this dissertation is to analyze the computational role of disinhibition in brain function, especially in visual perception and attentional control. My approach is to propose computational models of disinhibition and then map the model to the local circuits in the brain to explain psychological phenomena. Several computational models are proposed in this dissertation to account for disinhibition. (1) A static inverse difference of Gaussian filter (IDoG) is derived to account explicitly for the spatial effects of disinhibition. IDoG can explain a number of complex brightness-contrast illusions, such as the periphery problem in the Hermann grid and the White’s effect. The IDoG model can also be used to explain orientation perception of multiple lines as in the modified version of Poggendorff illusion. (2) A spatio-temporal model (IDoGS) in early vision is derived and it successfully explains the scintillating grid illusion, which is a stationary display giving rise to a striking, dynamic, scintillating effect. (3) An interconnected Cohen-Grossberg neural network model (iCGNN) is proposed to address the dynamics of disinhibitory neural networks with a layered structure. I derive a set of sufficient conditions for such an interconnected system to reach asymptotic stability. (4) A computational model combining recurrent and feed-forward disinhibition is designed to account for input-modulation in temporal selective attention. The main contribution of this research is that it developed a unified framework of disinhibition to model several different kinds of neural circuits to account for various perceptual and attentional phenomena. Investigating the role of disinhibition in the brain can provide us with a deeper understanding of how the brain can give rise to intelligent and complex functions.
Modesty and Moralism: Justice, Prudence, and Abortion: A Reply to Skeel & Stuntz

In a recent article, Christianity and the (Modest) Rule of Law, law professors David Skeel and William Stuntz argue that American law should be modest in its ambitions. They contend that law is not an appropriate response to many social problems, including abortion. They argue that the rule of law suffers when law attempts to regulate that which it cannot change - a vice they refer to as "legal moralism." Skeel and Stuntz make these arguments from an Evangelical Christian perspective. This essay examines Skeel and Stuntz's ideas concerning legal modesty and legal moralism, particularly regarding abortion. I argue that their essay could have benefited from a more thorough engagement with the Christian intellectual tradition. I also argue that Skeel and Stuntz undermine their claim that law is frequently incapable of affecting social change by relying on Gerald Rosenberg's deeply flawed discussion of abortion prior to Roe v. Wade. By relying solely on Rosenberg's book, Skeel and Stuntz ignore evidence that abortion increased following the state reform efforts of the late 1960s and early 1970s and the decision in Roe. Many commentators have argued that law should be used in a non-coercive manner to curb the incidence of abortion through greater social assistance to women and families. I show that data indicates that these sorts of laws would have a marginal effect on the nearly 1.3 million abortions that take place each year. Skeel and Stuntz see that culture enjoys a priority over law in influencing individuals' choices. However, they misunderstand the importance of law in shaping culture. I argue that abortion as a social problem cannot be resolved solely by legal means. Instead, law should be part an effort of cultural transformation. I offer the example of how law has worked with cultural norms in significantly reducing the incidence of drunk-driving fatalities beginning in the 1980s.
Using Mortality Rates as a Screening Tool: The Experience of the Department of Veterans Affairs

Article-at-a-Glance Background Despite widespread agreement that outcome analyses should be followed by indepth review of the care provided by outlier providers, there are few, if any, reports in the literature describing the effectiveness of this approach to quality improvement. In 1991, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) completed a study to measure hospital-specific mortality rates for VA facilities and to use these rates as a screening tool for focused medical record reviews. Methods The first phase of the project consisted of a comparison of fiscal year 1986 mortality rates for each VA medical center with aggregated VA data, using logistic regression analysis to adjust for patient characteristics related to mortality. In the second phase, medical record reviews of cases from hospitals with elevated levels of mortality were conducted. Results The mortality rate analysis identified 44 facilities with rates that were significantly elevated overall or within specific patient categories. Both the mortality rate analysis and the medical record review suggested that quality concerns were more common in predominantly psychiatric medical centers than in other facilities. Conclusion The study uncovered important opportunities for improvement, particularly regarding the quality of medical care provided in VA psychiatric hospitals, suggesting there is value in performing intensive review of outlier providers in outcome analyses. However, serious questions remain concerning the validity of the use of administrative databases to assess hospitalwide mortality.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), an enveloped single-stranded negative-sense RNA virus, is an important cause of serious respiratory tract illness in infants, older adults, and persons with underlying cardiopulmonary disease. Winter time epidemics occur annually in all parts of the world and account for significant morbidity and mortality. Immunity to infection is incomplete and reinfections are common, often associated with serious consequences especially in frail elderly persons and the severely immunocompromised. There is substantial experimental evidence that the clinical characteristics are primarily influenced by the nature of the innate and cellular immune responses to infection. Development of a successful vaccine requires an understanding of the relationship between protective and pathogenic immune responses. Keywords: Bronchiolitis; Paramyxovirus; Pneumonia; Pneumovirus; Respiratory Syncytial Virus; RNA Virus
Chemical reactivity at buried-interfaces: II. Iron on nonstoichiometric and/or defected molybdenite

Abstract The role of defects and nonstoichioinetries in molybdenite substrates, and their influence on the chemical reactivity at buried MoS 2 Fe interfaces, were investigated using conversion electron Mossbauer spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Defects in the molybdenite crystal structure intentionally introduced by Ar + bombardment, or from the inherent structure of small MoS 2 crystallites, provide pathways for the diffusion and reaction of surface iron into the bulk of MoS 2 to form FeMo 2 S 4 . In comparison, iron overlayers do not react appreciably with undamaged molybdenite single crystals. Excess sulfur within molybdenite, when present, migrates towards deposited iron overlayers where it forms Fe 1− x s (pyrrhotite) and FeS (troilite). Annealing temperature determines the relative fraction of pyrrhotite to troilite and the orientational relationship between the ĉ -axis of the iron sulfide and the ĉ -axis of the molybdenite substrate. The stoichiometry of the molybdenite substrate, the presence of defects, and the annealing temperature provide a number of means to adjust the properties of the MoS 2 Fe interface. Therefore, it may be possible to optimize/control processing conditions so as to impact either the tribochemical or catalytic properties of this important materials.
Biological Aspects as a Rule for Single Implant Placement. The 3A-2B Rule: A Clinical Report

For an implant restoration to be both esthetically and functionally successful, the prosthodontist must conduct a thorough treatment plan and complete a prosthesis design. The prosthodontist must carefully calculate the space needed for the restoration and soft tissue in the restoration process. The restoration and soft tissue are affected by the three-dimensional (3D) position of the implant, as the implant's depth determines the ideal length of the crown. When determining the 3D position of the implant, the clinician must consider the biological aspects required to ensure the restoration's biological integration with the patient's hard and soft tissues. The restoration must be the first component considered in the treatment plan. In addition, the clinician must understand that the distance between the cervical contour (of the planned restoration) and the level of the bone will dictate how the surgical and prosthetic treatment plan is enacted. In this report, a novel Radiographic Biological Ruler© (with biological information) was used to help facilitate the treatment plan's analysis.
Tunable one-dimensional silver-silica nanopeapod architectures.

Silica-coated silver nanowires can be chemically treated to produce a “peapod” architecture in which silver peas are embedded in silica pods. The silver “pea” dimension and interparticle spacings are controllable down to ∼50 nm. This architecture is potentially useful for chemical sensing, plasmonic, or catalytic applications.
Heat capacities of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene at temperatures between 5 K and 430 K and revised heat capacities of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene at temperatures between 10 K and 350 K

Abstract Heat-capacity and enthalpy measurements by adiabatic calorimetry at temperatures T between 5 K and 430 K are reported for 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene (Chemical Abstracts registry number [1013-08-7]). The triple-point temperature was determined and the enthalpy of fusion was measured. Two phase transitions in the solid state were observed and the transition temperatures and transition enthalpies were determined for each. Published heat capacities and derived thermodynamic functions for 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene (registry number [776-35-2]) are revised. Entropies and enthalpies for the condensed phases relative to T → 0 are reported for both compounds. An order-disorder mechanism is postulated for the phase transitions in 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophenanthrene.
A new view of language acquisition

At the forefront of debates on language are new data demonstrating infants' early acquisition of information about their native language. The data show that infants perceptually “map” critical aspects of ambient language in the first year of life before they can speak. Statistical properties of speech are picked up through exposure to ambient language. Moreover, linguistic experience alters infants' perception of speech, warping perception in the service of language. Infants' strategies are unexpected and unpredicted by historical views. A new theoretical position has emerged, and six postulates of this position are described.
Molecular Basis for the RIN4 Negative Regulation of RPS2 Disease Resistance

Recent studies have demonstrated that RPS2, a plasma membrane–localized nucleotide binding site/leucine-rich repeat protein from Arabidopsis thaliana, associates with RPM1 Interacting Protein 4 (RIN4) and that this association functions to modulate the RPS2-mediated defense pathway in response to the bacterial effector protein AvrRpt2. In addition to negatively regulating RPS2 activity, RIN4 is also a target of AvrRpt2, a Cys protease and cognate bacterial effector protein of RPS2. Nicotiana benthamiana has been employed as a heterologous expression system to characterize the RPS2–RIN4 association, defining the domains in RIN4 required for the negative regulation of RPS2 activity. Upon inoculation of N. benthamiana leaves with Agrobacterium tumefaciens expressing RPS2, a rapid hypersensitive response (HR) is detected with 22 h of infiltration. The HR can be blocked by infiltrating the leaf with A. tumefaciens expressing RPS2 in the presence of RIN4, recapitulating the ability of RIN4 to interfere with RPS2-mediated resistance in Arabidopsis. Moreover, in the presence of RIN4, the RPS2-mediated HR can be restored by the delivery of AvrRpt2 via A. tumefaciens. This assay has been developed as a phenotypic marker for (1) the HR-inducing phenotype associated with RPS2, (2) negative regulation of RPS2 by RIN4, and (3) the AvrRpt2-mediated disappearance of RIN4. Here, we present a series of deletion and site-directed mutation analyses to identify amino acids in RIN4 required for the RPS2–RIN4 association and to distinguish these from residues in RIN4 that serve as a target sequence for AvrRpt2. In addition to characterizing the RPS2–RIN4 association in N. benthamiana, we have moved forward to show that the biological relevance of these amino acid changes is applicable in Arabidopsis as well. To this end, we have identified specific amino acids within the C-terminal half of RIN4 that are required for RPS2 regulation and association.
NEU1 Sialidase Expressed in Human Airway Epithelia Regulates Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) and MUC1 Protein Signaling

Epithelial cells (ECs) lining the airways provide a protective barrier between the external environment and the internal host milieu. These same airway epithelia express receptors that respond to danger signals and initiate repair programs. Because the sialylation state of a receptor can influence its function and is dictated in part by sialidase activity, we asked whether airway epithelia express catalytically active sialidase(s). Human primary small airway and A549 ECs expressed NEU1 sialidase at the mRNA and protein levels, and NEU1 accounted for >70% of EC sialidase activity. Blotting with Maackia amurensis and peanut agglutinin lectins established epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and MUC1 as in vivo substrates for NEU1. NEU1 associated with EGFR and MUC1, and NEU1-EGFR association was regulated by EGF stimulation. NEU1 overexpression diminished EGF-stimulated EGFR Tyr-1068 autophosphorylation by up to 44% but enhanced MUC1-dependent Pseudomonas aeruginosa adhesion by 1.6–1.7-fold and flagellin-stimulated ERK1/2 activation by 1.7–1.9-fold. In contrast, NEU1 depletion increased EGFR activation (1.5-fold) and diminished MUC1-mediated bacterial adhesion (38–56%) and signaling (73%). These data indicate for the first time that human airway epithelia express catalytically active NEU1 sialidase that regulates EGFR- and MUC1-dependent signaling and bacterial adhesion. NEU1 catalytic activity may offer an additional level of regulation over the airway epithelial response to ligands, pathogens, and injurious stimuli.
Determination of the minimum improvement in pain, disability, and health state associated with cost-effectiveness: introduction of the concept of minimum cost-effective difference.

BACKGROUND Minimum clinical important difference (MCID) has been adopted as the smallest improvement in patient-reported outcome needed to achieve a level of improvement thought to be meaningful to patients. OBJECTIVE To use a common MCID calculation method with a cost-utility threshold anchor to introduce the concept of minimum cost-effective difference (MCED). METHODS Forty-five patients undergoing transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis were included. Outcome questionnaires were administered before and 2 years after surgery. Total cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained was calculated for each patient. MCED was determined from receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis with a cost-effective anchor of < $50,000/QALY and < $75,000/QALY. MCID was determined with the health transition item as the anchor. RESULTS Significant improvement was observed 2 years after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion for all outcome measures. Mean total cost per QALY gained at 2 years was $42,854. MCED was greater than MCID for each outcome measure, meaning that a greater improvement was required to represent cost-effectiveness than a clinically meaningful improvement to patients. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was consistently ≥ 0.70 with both cost-effective anchors, suggesting that outcome change scores were accurate predictors of cost-effectiveness. Mean cost per QALY gained was significantly lower for patients achieving compared with those not achieving an MCED in visual analog scale for leg pain ($43,560 vs. $112,087), visual analog scale for back pain ($41,280 vs. $129,440), Oswestry disability index ($30,954 vs. $121,750), and EuroQol 5D ($35,800 vs. $189,412). CONCLUSION MCED serves as the smallest improvement in an outcome instrument that is associated with a cost-effective response to surgery. With the use of cost-effective anchor of < $50,000/QALY, MCED after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion was 4 points for visual analog scale for low back pain, 3 points for visual analog scale for leg pain, 22 points for Oswestry disability index, and 0.31 QALYs for EuroQol 5D.
Defect and transport properties of nanocrystalline CeO2-x

It is shown that unique defect thermodynamics and transport properties result for oxides of a few nanometers crystallite size. Fully‐dense CeO2−x polycrystals of ∼10 nm grain size were synthesized, and their electrical properties compared with those of samples coarsened from the same material. The nanocrystals showed reduced grain boundary resistance, 104 higher electronic conductivity, and less than one‐half the heat of reduction of its coarse‐grained counterpart. These properties are attributed to a dominant role of interfacial defect formation.