cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of the quality of informed consent for phase I oncology trials over a 30-year period.

Efforts are underway in improving the informed consent process. The success of these efforts to improve quality of informed consent forms (ICFs) for phase I oncology trials has not been previously measured. We reviewed and compared ICFs of all phase I trials for metastatic cancer conducted between 1986 and 1999 and 2000–2015 periods at our institution. Information pertaining to ICF length, study purpose description, research regimen/methods, potential risks and benefits was extracted. The reading level was assessed by Flesch–Kincaid readability tests. Of 364 ICFs screened, 310 ICFs were included in this analysis. The median length of ICFs from 1986 to 1999 and 2000–2015 was 12 and 23 pages, respectively. Only 42% (1986–1999) and 57% (2000–2015) of ICFs stated that individual participants might not benefit from treatment. Only 21% (1986–1999) and 12% (2000–2015) of all ICFs were written at ≤ 8th grade reading level. The median FRE, FKGL and GFI readability scores of ICFs from 1986 to 1999 were 53.6, 8.8, and 9.5, respectively. The median FRE, FKGL, and GFI scores of studies from 2000 to 2015 were 48.5, 10.7, and 12.4, respectively. These scores indicate that the ICF text was too hard for most people to read. The mechanism of action of the treatment, study schema/calendar, possibility of experiencing unexpected risks or death, and risks to pregnant/lactating women were not reported in a substantial number of forms. Our results show that ICFs for phase I oncology trials over last 30 years have become longer, more difficult to read but are still lacking some important information.
Dual Inhibition of DNA and Histone Methyltransferases Increases Viral Mimicry in Ovarian Cancer Cells

Ovarian cancer ranks as the most deadly gynecologic cancer, and there is an urgent need to develop more effective therapies. Previous studies have shown that G9A, a histone methyltransferase that catalyzes mono- and dimethylation of histone H3 lysine9, is highly expressed in ovarian cancer tumors, and its overexpression is associated with poor prognosis. Here we report that pharmacologic inhibition of G9A in ovarian cancer cell lines with high levels of G9A expression induces synergistic antitumor effects when combined with the DNA methylation inhibitor (DNMTi) 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-CdR). These antitumor effects included upregulation of endogenous retroviruses (ERV), activation of the viral defense response, and induction of cell death, which have been termed "viral mimicry" effects induced by DNMTi. G9Ai treatment further reduced H3K9me2 levels within the long terminal repeat regions of ERV, resulting in further increases of ERV expression and enhancing "viral mimicry" effects. In contrast, G9Ai and 5-aza-CdR were not synergistic in cell lines with low basal G9A levels. Taken together, our results suggest that the synergistic effects of combination treatment with DNMTi and G9Ai may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with ovarian cancer with high levels of G9A expression.Significance: Dual inhibition of DNA methylation and histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation by 5-aza-CdR and G9Ai results in synergistic upregulation of ERV and induces an antiviral response, serving as a basis for exploring this novel combination treatment in patients with ovarian cancer. Cancer Res; 78(20); 5754-66. ©2018 AACR.
An Ethical Imperative: Effectively Reducing SGM Disparities Utilizing a Multi-Level Intervention Approach

Abstract Health disparities for sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations are well documented and manifest systemically. Mental health professionals have begun working to address these disparities, demonstrating efforts to more effectively define and increase competency in SGM health and by adapting existing evidence-based interventions to more effectively target the unique needs of the SGM community. While such efforts are necessary, they inadequately address the systemic nature of the problem, placing an unnecessary burden on SGM individuals to tolerate systemic discrimination, injustice, and inequality. The current special series attempts to address this gap by featuring papers that describe multilevel (e.g., micro, mezzo, macro) intervention approaches to reduce SGM health disparities. We argue that advocacy is inherent to the work, and we hope that this special series will empower mental health professionals to engage in multilevel, systemic interventions as an ethical imperative.
Fuel Metabolism Plasticity in Pathological Cardiac Hypertrophy and Failure

The cardiac metabolic network is a highly flexible system that adapts to the environment to maintain a high capacity for ATP production. During the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy, a significant remodeling of metabolic pathways leads to a disruption in energy homeostasis, which contributes to the eventual heart failure. These changes include a shift of substrate preference from fatty acids to glucose, a reduction in the overall oxidative capacity, and a depletion of high energy phosphate content of the heart. Recent studies, using both pharmacological and genetic approaches, have focused on the functional significance of these metabolic changes and have suggested that the loss of metabolic flexibility is a key contributor to the development of cardiac dysfunction. This chapter will focus on advances in the understanding of cardiac metabolic plasticity in pathological cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure as well as therapeutic strategies based on these observations.
Use of an Air Splint to Provide Limb Exsanguination During Intravenous Regional Anesthesia in Children

Intravenous regional anesthesia is a safe and effective technique for providing anesthesia for closed reduction of the forearm in school-age children. The use of a pneumatic splint to provide exsanguination for intravenous regional anesthesia is described. The technique was used in nine children ages 6-14 years undergoing closed reduction of the forearm. In each instance the procedure provided painless exsanguination and adequate anesthesia for the operation. There were no complications related to the procedure.
Artisan or Genius: Two Views of Poetic Process

Historically there have been two ways of conceptualizing the process of writing poems: one “object-centered” and the other “process-centered.” Etymology of terms for poetry reflects these historical understandings, and the ideas can be traced through many cultures. Although interactive in the actual practice of poets, the two notions are theoretically incompatible. These two ways of thinking about poetic process determine the individual’s definition of and criteria for good poetry. Implications of these theories for the poetry therapist include necessary theoretical foundation, progress toward a definition of poetry, understanding of clients’ reactions to poems and poetry-writing, possible understanding of suicide of certain poets.
Trump's Lies: The Unconstitutionality of Government Propaganda

Government propaganda—the government’s deliberate dissemination of false claims on matters of public interest—has increasingly become a source of concern in the United States. Not only does the current presidential administration disseminate propaganda at a rate unprecedented in the modern era, so that Americans now live in an age of government-created “alternative facts,” but the internet and social media have made it possible to find receptive audiences with alarming speed and accuracy. This surge of government propaganda poses troubling questions for the health of our democracy, which requires political accountability and the valid consent of the governed to thrive. Although the crucial role that speech plays in our democratic self-rule is a major reason it merits First Amendment protection, the Free Speech Clause as currently interpreted has no part to play in combating government propaganda. Under the government speech doctrine, the Free Speech Clause does not apply to government speech, including government propaganda. It is time to revisit that conclusion. This Article argues that government propaganda, although government speech, ought to be regarded as covered by, and in violation of, the Free Speech Clause. Admittedly, this proposal is radical for two reasons. First, with few exceptions, the free speech tradition in the United States is averse to regulating harmful speech. Such regulations are believed to invite government abuse and to chill private speech. However, neither of these concerns are triggered when the government is the object rather than the enforcer of speech regulations. The second radical aspect of this proposal is bringing government speech into the purview of the Free Speech Clause. Nevertheless, government propaganda sufficiently undermines the core goals of free speech such that the Free Speech Clause ought to address it.
Abstract WP65: Clinical and Radiographic Characterization of Cerebral Hyperdensities on Post-thrombectomy Conventional Non-contrast Ct Brain: Differentiating Between Contrast Staining and Post-thrombectomy Hemorrhage

Background: Post-interventional cerebral hyperdensities (PCHD) are present 31.2 to 87.5% of the time on post-thrombectomy (PT) CT. It can be difficult for radiologists to differentiate if PCHD repr...
The Supreme Court’s Arbitration Docket

This article discusses three cases about the Federal Arbitration Act that were decided in the U.S. Supreme Court’s October 2018 term: Henry Schein, Inc. v. Archer & White Sales, Inc., New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira and Lamps Plus, Inc. v. Varela. It summarizes the holdings and legal doctrines arising from these three new arbitration cases, situates them within the larger arc of the prior development of arbitration law in America, explores the potential impact of these cases going forward and notes how each case leaves undecided other important issues involving arbitration law.
Development and psychometric assessment of a survey to measure specialty care coordination as experienced by primary care providers.

Objective To assess the psychometric properties and construct validity of a survey of primary care providers' (PCPs') experience of specialty care coordination, which is a counterpart to our existing survey ("CSC-Specialist") that measures specialists' experience of specialty care coordination. Data sources We surveyed PCPs from Veterans Health Administration medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics nationwide (N = 1576) in April 2018. Study design We developed candidate items through literature review, existing surveys, PCP interviews, and expert opinion. We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to develop scales and multivariable linear regression to determine their association with PCPs' overall experience of coordination. Data collection The online survey included 23 candidate scale items about specialty care coordination and a single item asking respondents to rate their overall experience of specialty care coordination on a 0-10 scale. All VA PCPs were eligible. We sent survey invitations to PCPs following local Section Chiefs' email introduction (N = 926) and by directly emailing two random samples (N = 400 and N = 6653), overall response rate across the three nonoverlapping samples = 24 percent. Principal findings Analyses identified 20 items forming 6 scales with strong psychometric properties and predictive power for overall coordination. Two scales are identical to CSC-Specialist scales: "Communication" (k = 3, α = 0.87) and "Data Transfer" (k = 2, α = 0.92); one is similar: "Relationships and Collaboration" (k = 6, α = 0.90). The three remaining scales address the PCP's unique perspective: "Role Clarity" (k = 3, α = 0.85), "Role Agreement" (k = 3, α = 0.75), and "Making Referrals" (k = 3, α = 0.75). The six scales together explained 67 percent of the variance in PCPs' overall coordination experience with specialists. Conclusions The Coordination of Specialty Care-Primary Care Provider Survey (CSC-PCP) is a novel 20-item survey that can be used in quality improvement or health services research, alone or in combination with the CSC-Specialist, to evaluate coordination of care as experienced by either or both participants.
Phosphorescent OLED Materials with Breakthrough Spectral Line Shape and Operational Stability for Automotive Applications

We highlight recent breakthroughs enabling higher performance PHOLEDs for high efficacy automotive lighting and long operational lifetime automotive display applications. Red and amber emitters are demonstrated with high color purity (FWHM as low as 36nm) yielding high efficacy as well as long lifetime (LT). DCI-P3 green emission with 300,000 LT95 at 1,000 nits is demonstrated enabling long LT automotive displays.
Simulated Transactions for Auditing Service Organizations

Testing the shared, proprietary third-party platforms of service organizations and cloud computing presents auditors with a significant challenge. Auditors in these reviews can test automated controls by reading a “deck” of known transactions and comparing these with the accounting reports generated by a client’s automated system. This chapter delineates procedures for constructing and using these methods.
Community Engagement and the Education Regime

Community engagement involves developing broad support for change, often through new power structures that bring together diverse sets of actors in new relationships and a shared goal. This coalition or regime of actors works together with a shared interest and exerts collective power to make change in the community. This chapter examines how local regimes act when government fails to achieve accountability, responsiveness, and equality for all and change is needed. Three distinct interventions are possible: (1) they may seek to avoid change, minimize the problem, and maintain the status quo, (2) the problem grows worse and intervention is mandated from higher levels of government, or (3) local actors may seek to implement change from the bottom up to better control the outcome of reform. Different responses in different locations are analyzed.
How Do Gasoline Prices Affect Fleet Fuel Economy

Exploiting a rich dataset of passenger vehicle registrations in 20 US MSAs from 1997 to 2005, we examine the effects of gasoline prices on the automotive fleet's composition. We find that high gasoline prices affect fleet fuel economy through two channels: shifting new auto purchases towards more fuel-efficient vehicles, and speeding the scrappage of older, less fuel-efficient used vehicles. Policy simulations suggest that a 10 percent increase in gasoline prices from 2005 levels will generate a 0.22 percent increase in fleet fuel economy in the short run and a 2.04 percent increase in the long run. (JEL H25, L11, L69, L71)
“WOW Them and Show Them How Exciting Social Studies Can Be”: Exploring a Self-Sustaining Social Studies Summer Camp for Young Learners Led by Teacher Candidates

The Junior Knight Camp is an annual summer program that specifically supports elementary school students in an effort to increase knowledge of social studies using an interdisciplinary thematic app...
Mutants: A Fruitful Approach to the Understanding of Asparagine-Linked Glycosylation in Eukaryotic Cells

Proteins which have glycans attached on one to six asparagine residues (N-linked glycoproteins) are important constituents of eukaryotic cells. They occur as soluble or membrane-associated components either inside or outside of cells. Secreted proteins such as thyroglobulin and immunoglobulins and intravesicular proteins such as the lysosomal glycosidases are N-linked glycoproteins. Many membrane-associated proteins found on the cell-surface are this class of glycoproteins — insulin receptor, EGF receptor, LDL receptor, and transferrin receptor, as are enzymes associated with many cellular membranes such as Na+/K+ ATPase, galactosyl transferase, sialyl transferase and HMG CoA reductase. Fibronectin and laminin, proteins found at the cell surface, also contain N-linked glycans.
Management of Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media

Chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) is an advanced, persistent form of otitis media (OM) which is characterized by chronic inflammation of the middle ear cleft (MEC), in the presence of a non-intact tympanic membrane leading to frequent and recurrent otorrhea from the ear. CSOM is most prevalent in South East Asia and the Western Pacific and among indigenous populations of North America. The management of CSOM has two principal aims: First, to eradicate infection and hence reduce morbidity and mortality, second, to close the tympanic membrane perforation to reduce hearing loss and risk of reinfection of the middle ear (ME). Recognition of cases that are better managed surgically should be prompt to avoid delayed treatment and reduce morbidity. In some cases this means instituting treatment to stop discharge from the ear before it can be established whether the patient has either active mucosal chronic otitis media (COM) or active squamous COM (cholesteatoma) both of which require surgical intervention. Emerging evidence suggests that biofilms play an important role in the disease process.
Anthocyanins and related compounds—VI

Abstract Flavones, unsubstituted in the 3- and 5-positions, form yellow, dimeric bisflavenylidenes under the conditions of reductive acetylation. With mineral acids these bisflavenylidenes are monoprotonated to yield substituted 4-flavenylflavylium salts. Reductive acetulation of quercetin, on the other hand, gives a complex, amorphous mixture of acetates containing at least one colourless and three unidentified yellow compounds. The colourless product has been crystallised and yields cyanidin chloride with ethanolic hydrochloric acid. This colourless product is 3,3′,4′,5,7-pentaacetoxy-flav-3-ene admixed with a quantity of the isomeric flav-2-ene.
Multivariate proxies and asset pricing relations

Abstract A framework is developed in which inferences can be made about the validity of an equilibrium asset pricing relation, even though the central aggregate in this relation is unobservable. A multivariate proxy for the true market portfolio, consisting of an equal-weighted stock index and a long-term government bond index, is employed in an investigation of the Sharpe-Lintner CAPM. The empirical evidence suggests that we can reject the joint hypothesis that (a) CAPM is valid, and (b) multiple correlation between the true market portfolio and proxy assets exceeds 0.7. Connections to the equilibrium factor pricing literature are also explored.
A pilot study of neurocognitive function in older and younger cocaine abusers and controls.

This pilot study compared basic neurocognitive functioning among older and younger cocaine abusers and control participants, as a preliminary assessment of whether specific cognitive deficits exist in an aged cocaine-abusing population. We hypothesized an interaction between aging and cocaine abuse, such that older cocaine abusers would exhibit decreased neuropsychological test performance relative to both younger cocaine abusers and older control participants. Four groups (n = 20 each) were examined: older cocaine abusers (ages 51-70), younger cocaine abusers (ages 21-39), and two non-illicit substance-using control groups. Basic neuropsychological and psychiatric measures were administered to all participants. Older participants performed more poorly than younger participants on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE, p .05). Older cocaine abusers performed more poorly than older control participants and younger cocaine abusers on the Digit Span Forward (p < .0125). Older cocaine abusers also performed more poorly than younger cocaine abusers on TMT A (p < .0125). This study provides preliminary evidence that older cocaine abusers use a significant amount of cocaine and that there is an interaction between aging and cocaine abuse on psychomotor speed, attention, and short-term memory. Future examination of neurocognitive function in older cocaine abusers is clearly warranted.
A modeling methodology for supply chain synthesis and disruption analysis

The concept of an integrated or synthesized supply chain is a strategy for managing today's globalized and customer driven supply chains in order to better meet customer demands. Synthesizing individual entities into an integrated supply chain can be a challenging task due to a variety of factors including conflicting objectives, mismatched incentives and constraints of the individual entities. Furthermore, understanding the effects of disruptions occurring at any point in the system is difficult when working toward synthesizing supply chain operations. Therefore, the goal of this research is to present a modeling methodology to manage the synthesis of a supply chain by linking hierarchical levels of the system and to model and analyze disruptions in the integrated supply chain. The contribution of this research is fourfold: (1) supply chain systems can be modeled hierarchically, (2) the performance of synthesized supply chain system can be evaluated quantitatively, (3) reachability analysis is used to evaluate the system performance and verify whether a specific state is reachable, allowing the user to understand the extent of effects of a disruption and, (4) an industry case is presented to empirically validate the proposed methodology.
Pesticide Partitioning in Artificial Surface Films

Abstract The partition coefficients for 4,4′ dichlorobiphenyl (which has no permanent dipole) and for 2,3,4,5 tetrachlorobiphenyl (which is unsymmetrical) between octanol and water are reported here, and compared with values reported previously for Lindane, DDT, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). For all five compounds it appears that the partition coefficient is from ten to a thousand times higher when the octanol is in the form of a film on the surface of water than when it is in bulk form. This effect means that surface slicks on natural waters are even more important as concentrators of chlorinated compounds than would be inferred from their bulk partition coefficients.
Use of the delta method to evaluate the precision of assessments that fix parameter values

Abstract Many stock assessments fix values for influential, but poorly known, parameters such as the natural mortality rate or the steepness of the stock-recruitment relationship, which leads to published estimates of uncertainty being underestimates. The delta method, in which the partial derivatives of the model outputs with respect to all of the parameters of the model can be easily obtained numerically using likelihood profiling, can be used to provide quick, but approximate, estimates of precision for model outputs when some key parameters are fixed.
Optimizing the PCIT algorithm on stampede's Xeon and Xeon Phi processors for faster discovery of biological networks

The PCIT method is an important technique for detecting interactions between networks. The PCIT algorithm has been used in the biological context to infer complex regulatory mechanisms and interactions in genetic networks, in genome wide association studies, and in other similar problems. In this work, the PCIT algorithm is re-implemented with exemplary parallel, vector, I/O, memory and instruction optimizations for today's multi- and many-core architectures. The evolution and performance of the new code targets the processor architectures of the Stampede supercomputer, but will also benefit other architectures. The Stampede system consists of an Intel Xeon E5 processor base system with an innovative component comprised of Intel Xeon Phi Coprocessors. Optimized results and an analysis are presented for both the Xeon and the Xeon Phi.
Operational research and material handling

Abstract A number of material handling research areas are reviewed and opportunities for further research are identified. Included in the review is a consideration of the following areas: robotics, conveyor theory, transfer lines, flexible manufacturing systems, equipment selection, storage alternatives, automated storage and retrieval systems, warehouse layout, palletizing, and order picking and accumulation.
THE SYNTAX OF APPLICATIVES IN CHICHE~A: PROBLEMS FOR A THETA THEORETIC ASYMMETRY*

A recent paper by Baker (1988b) claims that certain asymmetries in the syntax of applicatives in Chicheŵa derive from an asymmetry in the assignment of the beneficiary and instrumental theta-roles. In this paper we adduce three types of evidence against this theta theoretic asymmetry. First, the facts of Wh-movement, which he presents as evidence for this asymmetry, on closer inspection, are shown not to follow from it. Second, we demonstrate that his claim that beneficiary applicatives cannot be formed from intransitive verbs is incorrect. And, third, we present the facts of locative applicatives, which behave in a manner opposite to what would be expected given the conception of Theta Theory assumed by Baker (1988b).
Legitimacy and democracy in Fiji

Kenneth Bain. Treason at 10: Fiji at the Crossroads. Auckland: Hodder & Stoughton, 1989. xvi + 236 pp. $NZ34.95. T.P. Bayliss‐Smith, Richard Bedford, Harold Brookfield and Marc Latham. Islands, Islanders and the World: the Colonial and Post‐colonial Experience of Eastern Fiji. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1988. xvii + 323 pp. $102.00. Eddie Dean and Stan Ritova. Rabuka: No Other Way. Moorebank: Doubleday, 1988. 174 pp. $12.95. Brij V. Lal. Power and Prejudice: The Making of the Fiji Coup. Wellington: New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, 1988. viii + 204 pp. $NZ10.00. Satendra Prasad (ed.) Coup and Crisis: Fiji — A Year Later. North Carlton: Arena Publications, 1988. 119 pp. $9.95. Robert T. Robertson and Akosita Tamanisau. Fiji: Shattered Coups. Leichardt: Pluto Press, 1988. xviii + 198 pp. $11.95 Deryck Scarr. Fiji: The Politics of illusions: The Military Coups in Fiji. Kensington: New South Wales University Press, 1988. xvii + 161 pp. No price given.
Modulation of the baroreceptor reflex by central administration of angiotensin

Abstract Pulsatile pressures ranging from 50 to 200 mm Hg were applied to the isolaetd carotid sinuses of dogs. Vascular resistance changes were monitored in isolated gracilis muscle and hindpaw perfused at constant flow. In muscle, reducing the carotid sinus pressure caused increased reflex vasoconstriction durign intravertebral (i.vert.) angiotensin infusion of 10 ng/kg/min. Reflex vsaodilator response to increased carotid sinus pressure were not altered. Reflex responses to high or low carotid sinus pressures during a lower i.vert. angiotensin infusion or i.v. infusion of either dose were also unaffected. In general, baroreceptor initiated reflex vascular activity in the hindpaw was not influenced by i.vert. or i.v. angiotensin. These data demonstrate that through a central mechanism angiotensin causes a dose-dependent shift in the relationship between low carotid sinus pressures and adrenergic discharge to muscle beds.
Corticotropin-releasing factor, neuroplasticity (sensitization), and alcoholism

Sensitization is a ubiquitous biological phenomenon that has a role in the neuroadaptation of many different functions, from learning and memory to stress responsivity. Historically, a specific form of sensitization termed psychomotor sensitization (mistermed in my view as “behavioral sensitization”) is induced by repeated administration of drugs of abuse and has been linked to the neuroadaptive changes associated with increased drug-seeking behavior associated with addiction. Largely observed with psychostimulant drugs, psychomotor sensitization has been considered a model for the increased incentive salience contributing to the increased motivation to seek drugs in individuals with a previous history of drug use. Psychomotor sensitization also has been observed with repeated administration of ethanol in mice, but not in rats, and psychomotor sensitization to ethanol also has been linked to activation of both the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system and extrahypothalamic brain stress systems (Fig. 1). However, the exact mechanism for stress-induced sensitization has remained elusive.
Implementing cloning software in a library environment

Cloning software is now becoming quite popular in all types of libraries. Pricing is such that even smaller libraries can afford it. Cloning software basically takes an image of an entire hard drive and stores it on some kind of medium such as zip disks, compact disks, or a server’s hard drive. It can be used to roll out a group of new computers or as a backup system. It can be especially helpful to libraries that have limited staffing resources to devote to troubleshooting computer software problems. If a software problem occurs on a computer, it can basically be restored in a matter of minutes to the state it was in at the time the image was created. It is well worth the cost when purchasing computers in bulk for a new building or replacing a group of old computers. It is wise to consider a couple of things before going into the cloning business. First, design the images carefully. Second, create a method to track the images after they have been created. This article describes how cloning software can benefit a library as well as designing and tracking the images for most efficient usage.
Predicting rare classes: can boosting make any weak learner strong?

Boosting is a strong ensemble-based learning algorithm with the promise of iteratively improving the classification accuracy using any base learner, as long as it satisfies the condition of yielding weighted accuracy > 0.5. In this paper, we analyze boosting with respect to this basic condition on the base learner, to see if boosting ensures prediction of rarely occurring events with high recall and precision. First we show that a base learner can satisfy the required condition even for poor recall or precision levels, especially for very rare classes. Furthermore, we show that the intelligent weight updating mechanism in boosting, even in its strong cost-sensitive form, does not prevent cases where the base learner always achieves high precision but poor recall or high recall but poor precision, when mapped to the original distribution. In either of these cases, we show that the voting mechanism of boosting falls to achieve good overall recall and precision for the ensemble. In effect, our analysis indicates that one cannot be blind to the base learner performance, and just rely on the boosting mechanism to take care of its weakness. We validate our arguments empirically on variety of real and synthetic rare class problems. In particular, using AdaCost as the boosting algorithm, and variations of PNrule and RIPPER as the base learners, we show that if algorithm A achieves better recall-precision balance than algorithm B, then using A as the base learner in AdaCost yields significantly better performance than using B as the base learner.
X-ray-absorption spectra in KrF2 and FeCl2: Theory.

Theoretical x-ray-absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended x-ray-absorption fine structure (EXAFS) of molecular and crystalline ${\mathrm{KrF}}_{2}$ and gas-phase ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{2}$ have been obtained by using a modified X\ensuremath{\alpha} scattered-wave procedure. EXAFS calculations are made in the single-scattering approximation. Effects of multiple scattering near the absorption edge have been investigated by comparing predicted XANES and EXAFS spectra in the near-edge region. Two exchange-correlation potentials, X\ensuremath{\alpha} and energy-dependent Dirac (ED), were incorporated in the EXAFS calculations. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results confirm that the ED potential is more valid for EXAFS spectra. Molecular field splitting as well as resonance coupling were demonstrated by comparing the theoretical XANES of the isolated ${\mathrm{KrF}}_{2}$ molecule to that of ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{2}$. The single-particle XANES calculation of molecular ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{2}$ is compared with the experimental crystalline ${\mathrm{FeCl}}_{2}$ results of Stern.
Transcriptomic analysis of a marine bacterial community enriched with dimethylsulfoniopropionate

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is an important source of reduced sulfur and carbon for marine microbial communities, as well as the precursor of the climate-active gas dimethylsulfide (DMS). In this study, we used metatranscriptomic sequencing to analyze gene expression profiles of a bacterial assemblage from surface waters at the Bermuda Atlantic Time-series Study (BATS) station with and without a short-term enrichment of DMSP (25 nM for 30 min). An average of 303 143 reads were obtained per treatment using 454 pyrosequencing technology, of which 51% were potential protein-encoding sequences. Transcripts from Gammaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes increased in relative abundance on DMSP addition, yet there was little change in the contribution of two bacterioplankton groups whose cultured members harbor known DMSP degradation genes, Roseobacter and SAR11. The DMSP addition led to an enrichment of transcripts supporting heterotrophic activity, and a depletion of those encoding light-related energy generation. Genes for the degradation of C3 compounds were significantly overrepresented after DMSP addition, likely reflecting the metabolism of the C3 component of DMSP. Mapping these transcripts to known biochemical pathways indicated that both acetyl-CoA and succinyl-CoA may be common entry points of this moiety into the tricarboxylic acid cycle. In a short time frame (30 min) in the extremely oligotrophic Sargasso Sea, different gene expression patterns suggest the use of DMSP by a diversity of marine bacterioplankton as both carbon and sulfur sources.
Constructivist learning of anatomy: gaining knowledge by creating anatomical casts.

Educators are encouraged to provide inquiry-based, collaborative, and problem solving activities that enhance learning and promote curiosity, skepticism, objectivity, and the use of scientific reasoning. Making anatomical casts or models by injecting solidifying substances into organs is an example of a constructivist activity for achieving these goals. This report describes a student-implemented protocol for making postmortem anatomical casts of the bronchial tree and coronary arteries of rats using Silastic® sealant. The teacher facilitated this process by asking leading questions to guide the students toward the development of their own conclusions. This relatively simple and inexpensive procedure has important applications for the constructivist approach to study cardiovascular and respiratory morphology. Anat Sci Educ 4: 98–104, 2011. © 2011 American Association of Anatomists.
A Plug and Play Middleware for Sensory Modules, Actuation Platforms and Task Descriptions in Robotic Manipulation Platforms

We are developing a framework (RISCWare) for the modular design and integration of sensory modules, actuation platforms, and task descriptions that will be implemented as a tool to reduce efforts in designing and utilizing robotic platforms. The framework is used to customize robotic platforms by simply defining the available sensing devices, actuation platforms, and required tasks. The main purpose for designing this framework is to reduce the time and complexity of the development of robotic software and maintenance costs, and to improve code and component reusability. Usage of the proposed framework prevents the need to redesign or rewrite algorithms or applications due to changes in the robot’s platform, operating systems, or the introduction of new functionalities. In this paper, the RISCWare framework is developed and described. RISCWare is a robotic middleware used for the integration of heterogeneous robotic components. RISCWare consists of three modules. The first module is the sensory module, which represents sensors that collect information about the remote or local environment. The platform module defines the robotic platforms and actuation methods. The last module is the task-description module, which defines the tasks and applications that the platforms will perform such as teleoperation, navigation, obstacle avoidance, manipulation, 3-D reconstruction, and map building. The plug-and-play approach is one of the key features of RISCWare, which allows auto-detection and auto-reconfiguration of the attached standardized components (hardware and software) according to current system configurations. These components can be dynamically available or unavailable. Dynamic reconfiguration provides the facility to modify a system during its execution and can be used to apply patches and updates, to implement adaptive systems, or to support third-party modules. This automatic detection and reconfiguration of devices and driver software makes it easier and more efficient for end users to add and use new devices and software applications. In addition, the software components should be written in a flexible way to get better usage of the hardware resource and also they should be easy to install/uninstall. Several experiments, performed on the RISCbot II mobile manipulation platform, are described and implemented to evaluate the RISCWare framework with respect to applicability and resource utilization.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Joint Unsupervised Coreference Resolution with Markov Logic

Machine learning approaches to coreference resolution are typically supervised, and require expensive labeled data. Some unsupervised approaches have been proposed (e.g., Haghighi and Klein (2007)), but they are less accurate. In this paper, we present the first unsupervised approach that is competitive with supervised ones. This is made possible by performing joint inference across mentions, in contrast to the pairwise classification typically used in supervised methods, and by using Markov logic as a representation language, which enables us to easily express relations like apposition and predicate nominals. On MUC and ACE datasets, our model outperforms Haghigi and Klein's one using only a fraction of the training data, and often matches or exceeds the accuracy of state-of-the-art supervised models.
Mono- and dinuclear nickel(II) complexes of resolved Schiff-base ligands with extended quinoline substituents.

The coordination chemistry of four enantiopure tetradentate bis(iminoquinoline) ligands with nickel(II) salts is reported. The previously reported ligands CBQ, CPQ, BBQ, and BPQ result from the condensation of (1R,2R)-cyclohexyldiamine or (R)-BINAM with two equivalents of 2-formylbenzo[h]quinoline or 8-isopropyl-2-quinolinecarboxaldehyde {CBQ = (1R,2R)-cyclohexanediamine-N,N′-bis(benzo[h]quinoline-2-ylmethylene), CPQ = (1R,2R)-cyclohexanediamine-N,N′-bis[[(8-isopropyl)-2-quinolinyl]methylene], BBQ = [(R)-1,1′-binaphthalene]-2,2′-diamine-N,N′-bis(benzo[h]quinoline-2-ylmethylene), BPQ = [(R)-1,1′-binaphthalene]-2,2′-diamine-N,N′-bis[[(8-isopropyl)-2-quinolinyl]methylene]}. Reaction of NiI2 with the (1R,2R)-cyclohexyl ligands gives the mononuclear distorted trigonal-bipyramidal (TBP) complexes [Ni(N3-CBQ)I2] and [Ni(N3-CPQ)I2]. Incomplete iodide abstraction from [Ni(N3-CPQ)I2] with AgOTf leads to partial replacement of the iodide with hydroxide from adventitious water to give [Ni(N3-CPQ)I1.6(OH)0.4] (distorted TBP). The corresponding reaction with [Ni(N3-CBQ)I2] again fails to remove all of the iodide, resulting instead in conversion to the syn dinuclear [Ni2(CBQ)(μ-X)2I2] (X = Cl0.925I0.075) complex, where chloride abstraction from the solvent (CH2Cl2) has resulted in a mixed halide system and the metal centers are square-pyramidal. Reaction of Ni(OTf)2 with CBQ leads to the isolation of the octahedral cation [Ni(CMBQ)2]2+, with CMBQ [(1R,2R)-cyclohexanediamine-mono-N-(benzo[h]quinoline-2-ylmethylene)] being the partial hydrolysis product of CBQ. [Ni(CMBQ)2][OTf]2 crystallizes as a 1 : 1 mixture of P and M helical diastereomers. The coordination of NiI2 with the (R)-BINAM derived ligands yields the anti dinuclear P-helical complexes [Ni2(BBQ)(μ-I)2I2] and [Ni2(BPQ)(μ-I)2I2]: one nickel ion is coordinated in each bidentate iminoquinoline pocket and the geometry at the metal centers is distorted square-pyramidal. Characterisation by 1H NMR, UV-Vis, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectroscopy, combustion analysis, and HRMS is reported in addition to structural and halide abstraction studies.
Hedgehog controls hepatic stellate cell fate by regulating metabolism.

Background & Aims The pathogenesis of cirrhosis, a disabling outcome of defective liver repair, involves deregulated accumulation of myofibroblasts derived from quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), but the mechanisms that control transdifferentiation of HSCs are poorly understood. We investigated whether the Hedgehog (Hh) pathway controls the fate of HSCs by regulating metabolism. Methods Microarray, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and immunoblot analyses were used to identify metabolic genes that were differentially expressed in quiescent vs myofibroblast HSCs. Glycolysis and lactate production were disrupted in HSCs to determine if metabolism influenced transdifferentiation. Hh signaling and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) activity were altered to identify factors that alter glycolytic activity. Changes in expression of genes that regulate glycolysis were quantified and localized in biopsy samples from patients with cirrhosis and liver samples from mice following administration of CCl 4 or bile duct ligation. Mice were given systemic inhibitors of Hh to determine if they affect glycolytic activity of the hepatic stroma; Hh signaling was also conditionally disrupted in myofibroblasts to determine the effects of glycolytic activity. Results Transdifferentiation of cultured, quiescent HSCs into myofibroblasts induced glycolysis and caused lactate accumulation. Increased expression of genes that regulate glycolysis required Hh signaling and involved induction of HIF1α. Inhibitors of Hh signaling, HIF1α, glycolysis, or lactate accumulation converted myofibroblasts to quiescent HSCs. In diseased livers of animals and patients, numbers of glycolytic stromal cells were associated with the severity of fibrosis. Conditional disruption of Hh signaling in myofibroblasts reduced numbers of glycolytic myofibroblasts and liver fibrosis in mice; similar effects were observed following administration of pharmacologic inhibitors of Hh. Conclusions Hedgehog signaling controls the fate of HSCs by regulating metabolism. These findings might be applied to diagnosis and treatment of patients with cirrhosis.
Microsatellite markers for Juglans cinerea L. and their utility in other Juglandaceae species

Ten polymorphic microsatellite markers were found to amplify in butternut (Juglans cinerea; Juglanda- ceae). These microsatellite loci were found to amplify across most of nine other species and five hybrids exam- ined. Loci were highly polymorphic, with 18 to 32 alleles per locus across species. These nuclear microsatellite markers will be useful in examining genetic diversity within and among populations of butternut, and in distin- guishing butternut from interspecific hybrids.
A system-on-board approach for impedance-based structural health monitoring

Currently, much of the focus in the structural health monitoring community is shifting towards incorporating health monitoring technology into real world structures. Deployment of structural health monitoring systems for permanent damage detection is usually limited by the availability of sensor technology. Previously, we developed the first fully self-contained system that performs impedance-based structural health monitoring. This digital signal processor based system effectively replaces a traditional impedance analyzer and all of the manual analysis usually required for damage determination. The work described here will focus on improving this hardware. Efforts are made to reduce the overall power consumption of the prototype while at the same time improving the overall performance and efficiency. By introducing a new excitation method and implementing a new damage detection scheme, reliance on both analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion are circumvented. These new actuation and sensing techniques, along with the underlying hardware, are described in detail. The reduction of power dissipation and improved performance are documented and compared with both traditional impedance techniques and the previous prototype.
Spherical harmonics — Finite element treatment of neutron transport in cylindrical geometry

Abstract A variational spherical harmonics (DPN) method is used in conjunction with the finite element method to solve the transport of neutron beams. The method is developed for finite axisymmetric cylindrical geometry. In this model, the angular distribution along the path of neutron travel is separated into two sub-ranges of the forward and the backward moving particles. The system of the model equations is cast in terms of an even and an odd vector analogue to the even-parity transport technique. The finite element method is applied in space to solve the resulting coupled system of equations. A source-free cylinder with specified incident flux on the z = 0 surface is considered in this study. The model is based on the DP1 and DP3 orders of expansion. The study demonstrates the advantages of the DPN method in accounting for the discontinuity of the angular flux in the direction of particles with no approximation. Results for the scalar flux are presented in isodose curve (contour) form for homogeneous and non-homogeneous media with different absorbing and purely scattering media. Numerical results compared favorably with those obtained by the exact solutions.
Teaching U.S. History as Part of Diversity Studies

For students to undertake a meaningful study of multicultural and diversity issues in American society, they require certain basic historical information and the ability to think critically about competing historical claims and perspectives. In the course of this article, the author discusses how to teach a brief version of U.S. history by focusing on some of the key legal documents that have defined the status of women and people of color in this country. Combining attention to this history with a brief account of the history of immigration provides an effective way to reduce a large body of material to manageable size. The author suggests some pedagogical devices that can help students think critically about issues of power and privilege. In addition, she recommends some films that can help to make history come alive.
Development of a New Strategy for Production of Medium-Chain-Length Polyhydroxyalkanoates by Recombinant Escherichia coli via Inexpensive Non-Fatty Acid Feedstocks

Pseudomonas putida KT2440 is capable of producing medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (MCL-PHAs) when grown on unrelated carbon sources during nutrient limitation. Transcription levels of genes putatively involved in PHA biosynthesis were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in P. putida grown on glycerol as a sole carbon source. The results showed that two genes, phaG and the PP0763 gene, were highly upregulated among genes potentially involved in the biosynthesis of MCL-PHAs from unrelated carbon sources. Previous studies have described phaG as a 3-hydroxyacyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP)-coenzyme A (CoA) transferase, and based on homology, the PP0763 gene was predicted to encode a medium-chain-fatty-acid CoA ligase. High expression levels of these genes during PHA production in P. putida led to the hypothesis that these two genes are involved in PHA biosynthesis from non-fatty acid carbon sources, such as glucose and glycerol. The phaG(pp) and PP0763 genes from P. putida were cloned and coexpressed with the engineered Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 PHA synthase gene phaCl (STQK)(ps) in recombinant Escherichia coli. Up to 400 mg liter(-1) MCL-PHAs was successfully produced from glucose. This study has produced the largest amount of MCL-PHAs reported from non-fatty acid carbon sources in recombinant E. coli to date and opens up the possibility of using inexpensive feedstocks to produce MCL-PHA polymers.