cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competitive effects of estradiol-17α on the estradiol-17β induced physical changes in uterine dna

Abstract The presence of estradiol-17β during the melting of native human uterine DNA results in a hyperchromic shift with a Tm of about 35°C. The shift is not observed in the absence of estradiol-17β. The degree of the shift (A 260 at 40°C - A 260 at 25°C) is proportional to the amount of estradiol-17β in the melting mixture up to 4 × 10 −5 M estradiol-17β. Addition of equimolar concentration of estradiol-17α completely abolishes the 35°C shift. The hyperchromicity of DNA is exactly proportional to the concentration difference [(E 2 -17β) - (E 2 -17α)] of the two steroids and equals the shift caused by an amount of estradiol-17β equivalent to the difference. Equilibrium dialysis indicates that small amounts of 3 H-estradiol-17β are bound to uterine DNA and that this binding is abolished by addition of equimolar amounts of estradiol-17α. The sequence of addition of the two steroids did not affect competition by estradiol-17α. The estradiol-17β induced hyperchromicity at 35°C was observed to occur in DNA prepared from both lung and uterine tissue of rats. The unusual type of competition between estradiol-17β and estradiol-17α in this response, suggests that instead of competing for DNA binding sites, estradiol-17α might bind to or titrate estradiol-17β, making it inactive.
Learning optimal dialogue management rules by using reinforcement learning and inductive logic programming

Developing dialogue systems is a complex process. In particular, designing efficient dialogue management strategies is often difficult as there are no precise guidelines to develop them and no sure test to validate them. Several suggestions have been made recently to use reinforcement learning to search for the optimal management strategy for specific dialogue situations. These approaches have produced interesting results, including applications involving real world dialogue systems. However, reinforcement learning suffers from the fact that it is state based. In other words, the optimal strategy is expressed as a decision table specifying which action to take in each specific state. It is therefore difficult to see whether there is any generality across states. This limits the analysis of the optimal strategy and its potential for re-use in other dialogue situations. In this paper we tackle this problem by learning rules that generalize the state-based strategy. These rules are more readable than the underlying strategy and therefore easier to explain and re-use. We also investigate the capability of these rules in directing the search for the optimal strategy by looking for generalization whilst the search proceeds.
Evaluation of the efficacy of the photosystem II inhibitor DCMU in periphyton and its effects on nontarget microorganisms and extracellular enzymatic reactions

AbstractWe examined the efficacy of the photosystem II inhibitor 3-(3,4-diclorophenyl)-1,1-dimethyl urea (DCMU) for inhibition of algal photosynthesis in periphyton associated with submerged decomposing litter of Typha angustifolia. We also investigated the possible nontarget effects of DCMU exposure on heterotrophic microorganisms (i.e., bacteria and fungi) and extracellular enzyme activity associated with decaying litter. Standing-dead Typha leaf litter was submerged for 34 and 73 d, returned to the laboratory, and used for controlled laboratory experiments that examined the effect of DCMU on algal ([14C]bicarbonate, pulse-amplitude modulated fluorometry), bacterial ([3H]leucine), and fungal ([14C]acetate) production. Simultaneous assays also were conducted to examine the effect of DCMU on the activities of 4 extracellular enzymes (β-glucosidase, β-xylosidase, leucine-aminopeptidase, and phosphatase). DCMU significantly inhibited algal photosynthesis in light-exposed periphyton (p always < 0.0003), with...
Vaccinia Virus G1 Protein, a Predicted Metalloprotease, Is Essential for Morphogenesis of Infectious Virions but Not for Cleavage of Major Core Proteins

Genes encoding orthologs of the vaccinia virus G1 protein are present in all poxviruses for which sequence information is available, yet neither the role of the protein nor its requirement for virus replication is known. G1 was predicted to be involved in the cleavage of core proteins, based on a transfection study and the presence of an HXXEH motif found in a subset of metallopeptidases. In the present study, we engineered a recombinant vaccinia virus containing a single copy of the G1L gene with a C-terminal epitope tag that is stringently regulated by the Escherichia coli lac repressor. In the absence of inducer, expression of G1 was repressed and virus replication was inhibited. Rescue of infectious virus was achieved by expression of wild-type G1 in trans, but not when the putative protease active site residues histidine-41, glutamate-44, or histidine-45 were mutated. Nevertheless, the synthesis and proteolytic processing of major core and membrane proteins appeared unaffected under nonpermissive conditions, distinguishing the phenotype of the G1L mutant from one in which the gene encoding the I7 protease was repressed. Noninfectious virus particles, assembled in the absence of inducer, did not attain the oval shape or characteristic core structure of mature virions. The polypeptide composition of these particles, however, closely resembled that of wild-type virus. Full-length and shorter forms of the G1 protein were found in the core fraction of virus particles assembled in the presence of inducer, suggesting that G1 is processed by self-cleavage or by another protease.
Electrical and Structural Characterization of the Interface of Wafer Bonded InP/Si

A study of the interfacial properties of wafer bonded InP/Si is presented. The electrical properties are measured by bonding InP to Si with different doping concentrations and by measuring the current voltage characteristics of the bonded pairs. Two different kinds of structures are studied: 1) n+InP doped to 3×1018 cm-3 bonded with n+Si doped to 1×1019 cm-3, and 2) n+InP doped to 3×1018 cm-3 bonded with p-Si doped to 6×1014 cm-3. After a 350°C anneal, structure 1 shows low resistive ohmic behavior while structure 2 is rectifying due to its higher sensitivity to interfacial chemistry. Indeed, both the reverse and forward current are reduced by annealing in structure 2, suggesting the formation of an interfacial barrier during annealing. This hypothesis is supported by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy combined with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, which indicate the formation of an amorphous interfacial oxide from the reaction of adsorbed water trapped at the InP/Si interface.
Automated hierarchical classification of protein domain subfamilies based on functionally-divergent residue signatures

Background The NCBI Conserved Domain Database (CDD) consists of a collection of multiple sequence alignments of protein domains that are at various stages of being manually curated into evolutionary hierarchies based on conserved and divergent sequence and structural features. These domain models are annotated to provide insights into the relationships between sequence, structure and function via web-based BLAST searches.
Learning From the Media in the Aftermath of a Crisis: Findings from the Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

This study builds on previous examinations of social and mediated learning, expanding the scope to the context of crises. We argue that mediated learning might be particularly important during crisis both to ameliorate the negative emotional consequences of such events as well as to prompt the learning of information that might be important in future emergencies. Using data collected from Minneapolis, Minn., residents after the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, we demonstrate that individuals might have the capacity to learn from the media in the midst of a crisis and that women report learning more than men from crisis media coverage. Finally, we discuss implications for future crisis learning research and recommendations for the media.
Miscommunication Of Uncertainties In Financial Statements: A Study Of Preparers And Users

The focus of this study is management's communication of uncertainty (attested to by auditors) and the potential for miscommunication due to the communication mode used in accounting disclosures. Two hypotheses are addressed to determine if financial statement users differentiate among three levels of uncertainty (using SFAS No. 5 as a vehicle for study), and whether their judgments differ when numerical probabilities replace the prescribed verbal expressions in communicating these uncertainties. The participants for this study are drawn from commercial loan officers from a major regional bank. Results lend evidence that both the level of uncertainty and the mode of communication are significant factors influencing the level of risk revision in an uncertainty exercise. Support is found that miscommunication may exist between the preparers and users of financial statements. However, support is not found that the “vagueness” of SFAS No. 5 verbal expressions of uncertainty is detrimental to users’ decision-making abilities.
The Performance of China's SO2 Scrubbers at Coal Power Plants

The lack of effective policy and law enforcement is a serious and pervasive problem in China and environmental protection is particularly affected. Low SO 2 removal and operation rates at SO 2 scrubbers were of specific interests of this paper. Through active capacity building and mobilization of local governments, significant progress was achieved with a new policy of desulfurized electricity price premium. Jiangsu province witnessed a dramatic increase of removal and operation rates at its SO 2 scrubbers in July 2007 and afterwards when the policy formally entered into force. The success demonstrated China's ability to enforce significant policies and established a promising example for future CO 2 mitigation.
Implementation of an Enoxaparin Protocol for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in Obese Surgical Intensive Care Unit Patients

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a serious health care issue that affects a large number of people. Few standards exist for delineating the optimal dosing strategy for VTE prevention in obese patients, especially in the setting of major surgery or trauma. Objective To document the efficacy of a surgical intensive care unit (SICU)-specific, weight-based dosing protocol of enoxaparin 0.5 mg/kg given subcutaneously every 12 hours for VTE prophylaxis in morbidly obese (defined as body mass index [BMI] ≥35 kg/m(2) or weight ≥150 kg) SICU patients, using peak anti-factor Xa levels to determine therapeutic endpoints. Methods Data were collected retrospectively in an academic, university-based SICU on 23 morbidly obese patients who received weight-based enoxaparin for VTE prophylaxis from December 1, 2008, through June 30, 2010. Results A weight-based dosage range of enoxaparin 50-120 mg twice daily (median 60) was given to 23 patients. The mean BMI was 46.4 kg/m(2). The initial mean anti-factor Xa level (measured after the third dose) was 0.34 IU/mL (range 0.20-0.59). Patients received an average of 18 doses. Two cases required an increase or decrease in dosage based on anti-factor Xa levels. Morbidity related to this dosing included a single event of minor endotracheal bleeding and a single deep vein thrombosis that was likely present prior to treatment. Conclusions Weight-based dosing with enoxaparin in morbidly obese SICU patients was effective in achieving anti-factor Xa levels within the appropriate prophylactic range. This regimen reduced the rate of VTE below expected levels and no additional adverse effects were reported.
No effect of nutritional adenosine receptor antagonists on exercise performance in the heat

Nutritional adenosine receptor antagonists can enhance endurance exercise performance in temperate environments, but their efficacy during heat stress is not well understood. This double-blinded, p...
Supervisor Appraisal as the Link Between Family–Work Balance and Contextual Performance

We examined the relationship between subordinates’ family to work balance (conflict and enrichment) and two dimensions of contextual performance (interpersonal facilitation and job dedication) reported by supervisors. Beyond the direct effects, we hypothesized that supervisor’s appraisals of employee conflict and enrichment would influence the supervisor’s contextual performance ratings. Data collected from a matched sample of 156 private sector employees and their supervisors indicated that the supervisor’s performance ratings were impacted by the supervisor’s appraisal of enrichment. However, the supervisor’s appraisal of conflict only mattered for interpersonal facilitation. There was a direct effect of subordinate’s conflict on both dimensions of contextual performance.
Pulling the rug out from under California: Seismic images of the Mendocino Triple Junction region

The active tectonic regime of northwestern California changes abruptly from transform motion to subduction at the Mendocino Triple Junction. Northward migration of the triple junction has been a major factor in the tectonic history of the continental margin of California since the Oligocene and continues at present. Understanding the effects of triple junction migration on the structure of the crust and upper mantle in this region is therefore necessary for reconstructing the geologic evolution of the continental margin of California and accurately assessing seismic hazards associated with the San Andreas fault system and the Cascadia subduction zone. In 1993 and 1994 a network of large-aperture seismic profiles was collected to image the crustal and upper-mantle structure beneath northern California and the adjacent continental margin. The data include approximately 650 km of onshore seismic refraction/reflection data, 2000 km of off-shore multichannel seismic (MCS) reflection data, and simultaneous onshore and offshore recording of the MCS airgun source to yield large-aperture data. Scientists from more than 12 institutions were involved in data acquisition.
Transpiration and Root Development of Urban Trees in Structural Soil Stormwater Reservoirs

Stormwater management that relies on ecosystem processes, such as tree canopy interception and rhizosphere biology, can be difficult to achieve in built environments because urban land is costly and urban soil inhospitable to vegetation. Yet such systems offer a potentially valuable tool for achieving both sustainable urban forests and stormwater management. We evaluated tree water uptake and root distribution in a novel stormwater mitigation facility that integrates trees directly into detention reservoirs under pavement. The system relies on structural soils: highly porous engineered mixes designed to support tree root growth and pavement. To evaluate tree performance under the peculiar conditions of such a stormwater detention reservoir (i.e., periodically inundated), we grew green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.) and swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor Willd.) in either CUSoil or a Carolina Stalite-based mix subjected to three simulated below-system infiltration rates for two growing seasons. Infiltration rate affected both transpiration and rooting depth. In a factorial experiment with ash, rooting depth always increased with infiltration rate for Stalite, but this relation was less consistent for CUSoil. Slow-drainage rates reduced transpiration and restricted rooting depth for both species and soils, and trunk growth was restricted for oak, which grew the most in moderate infiltration. Transpiration rates under slow infiltration were 55% (oak) and 70% (ash) of the most rapidly transpiring treatment (moderate for oak and rapid for ash). We conclude this system is feasible and provides another tool to address runoff that integrates the function of urban green spaces with other urban needs.
Manipulating interactivity with thematically hyperlinked news texts: a media learning experiment

This article concerns the influence of news presentation on the web. The study had two primary goals. The first was to test the effects of interactivity on learning, and the second was to explore the role of motivation in learning from interactive media. Hypotheses were tested using an experimental design. Study participants were assigned one of four web news stories with structures that encouraged varying degrees of interactivity. The results of hypothesis testing were heavily dependent on which measure of learning was employed. A traditional multiple-choice test of recognition verified an effect of motivation but not of interactive behaviour. A comprehension measure of learning, supported by the cognitive constructivism theory of learning employed in this study, supported an effect of interactive behaviour but not of motivation. Explanations for the findings are proposed and implications for mass communicators discussed.
Structure‐based forest biomass from fusion of radar and hyperspectral observations

[1] Forest biomass was estimated from the remotely sensed profiles of leaf area density. Biomass estimated from forest structure profiles may be more accurate than that determined from microwave power or optical radiance measurements. Multialtitude, airborne, C-band, radar interferometry produced relative density profiles, which were normalized by leaf area indices from airborne hyperspectral optical imagery, yielding the forest canopy leaf area density for 11 structurally diverse stands in Central Oregon. Fits of field biomass measurements to model functions of remotely sensed leaf area density produced agreement between the field and remotely sensed biomasses at the level of 25 tons/ha, or 16% of the average stand biomass. The errors in the field and remote sensing observations indicated that this level of agreement was significant with greater than 99.5% confidence. These results suggest that further demonstrations may lead to a set of model functions that enable global, structure-based biomass remote sensing.
Out of Death: Messianic Time and Money in Caravaggio's Response to Paul

Called by a shadowy apparition to turn away from a pile of coins, Matthew, in the painting by Caravaggio in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome, stared at the money piled between him and his new life. In spite of specters of many sorts, we remain captivated in our beliefs, particularly in our belief in money and the conceptions of time money affords. In order to suggest some ways that we could believe less in money, especially in light of the recent economic crisis, this essay explores representations of time in Caravaggio's paintings as related to questions of messianic time (that is, the anticipation of the arrival of a new understanding) in the writings of Paul. Giorgio Agamben proposed, as a definition of messianic time, 'the time that time takes to come to an end, or, more precisely, the time we take to bring to an end, to achieve our representation of time.' Many paintings by Caravaggio represent questions of time and explore, more specifically, the means by which (as with money and credit) we tie ourselves to our future (arriving) selves. Turning away from money requires transforming our representations of time and our relationships to the future.
Resilience in the face of sexual minority stress: “Choices” between authenticity and self-determination

ABSTRACTThis qualitative study explored the experience of sexual minority stressors and corresponding resilience. Using a grounded theory approach, the core category identified in the analysis was minority stress results from systemic factors that cause lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people to face competition between their desires for authenticity and self-determination. These findings shed light upon the insidious nature of minority stress, especially within U.S. contexts that lack protective legislation, and the adaptive strategies people use to mitigate their effects. By positioning resilience as a choice between authenticity and self-determination, resilience is understood to lessen but not resolve the deleterious impact of sexual minority stress.
Measuring Innovativeness of Public Organizations: Using Natural Language Processing Techniques in Computer-Aided Textual Analysis

ABSTRACTWe propose a new method for measuring innovativeness in the public sector using natural language processing techniques. Our approach extends traditional content analysis techniques by combining insights from linguistic theory and recent developments in computational techniques. We develop and employ phrase-level data dictionaries (using both noun phrases and verb phrases) from organizational documents. We use letters to the board of education from a sample of New Jersey school districts to develop measures of innovativeness—one measure is based on expert assessments and the other is inductively derived. We perform rigorous tests of content validity, external validity, and predictive validity on these measures. We conclude with a discussion of implications of this new measurement approach and its potential applications to other public management contexts.
Mechanism of Methane Chemical Looping Combustion with Hematite Promoted with CeO2

Chemical looping combustion (CLC) is a promising technology for fossil fuel combustion that produces sequestration-ready CO2 stream, reducing the energy penalty of CO2 separation from flue gases. An effective oxygen carrier for CLC will readily react with the fuel gas and will be reoxidized upon contact with oxygen. This study investigated the development of a CeO2-promoted Fe2O3–hematite oxygen carrier suitable for the methane CLC process. Composition of CeO2 is between 5 and 25 wt % and is lower than what is generally used for supports in Fe2O3 carrier preparations. The incorporation of CeO2 to the natural ore hematite strongly modifies the reduction behavior in comparison to that of CeO2 and hematite alone. Temperature-programmed reaction studies revealed that the addition of even 5 wt % CeO2 enhances the reaction capacity of the Fe2O3 oxygen carrier by promoting the decomposition and partial oxidation of methane. Fixed-bed reactor data showed that the 5 wt % cerium oxides with 95 wt % iron oxide produ...
Multi-Modal Knowledge Bases to Facilitate Conceptual Mechanical Design

Over the past several years we have been building a variety of knowledge bases and tools to support conceptual design of mechanical systems. Both intuitive and logical methods have been embedded into system. An interactive system for concept generation and synthesis based on hierarchical morphological charts has been implemented to serve as an organizational framework. Knowledge bases span a wide range of abstraction levels, from physical effects and working principles at one end, to artifact repositories, linkages/mechanisms and common machine elements. Existing knowledge bases from various sources were combined with those developed in-house to create a comprehensive set. User studies on two previous versions of the tool gave us valuable information about enhancements and improvements, both to the knowledge and to the user interface. This paper describes the third incarnation of our Testbed. The methods are now grouped into six modules: Problem Formulation, Re-formulation, Searching for Standard Solutions, Generating sub-solutions from first principles, Gateways to External Resources, Synthesis and Process Monitoring. In addition, users can monitor their state and process. Multilayer morphological charts provide more flexible options as well as customizable solution sets to users. The Testbed is implemented as a web based application implemented in CakePHP (MVC) and PHP. For storing and retrieving data SQLite was used. This Testbed has the dual purpose of design facilitation for novices and for research on conceptual design and creativity.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Nephrotoxicant inhibition of renal proximal tubule cell regeneration

Although nephrotoxicants have been shown to have direct lethal effects on renal proximal tubule cells (RPTC), little is known concerning their effects on the renal regenerative process. Additionall...
Micro-segregation of Solutes in Tin-Containing Ferritic Stainless Steel

Combined a micro-segregation model with Thermao-calc software, the segregation condition of tin-containing ferritic stainless steel was studied in which the precipitation of Mn S was considered. The effects of C,Mn,S,P,and Cr on the interdendritic segregation,zero strength temperature( ZST),and zero ductility temperature( ZDT) of steel were discussed. The segregation of tin in ferritic steel and low-carbon steel was analyzed,the plastic trough phenomenon in the hotworking process of low-carbon steel was explained and the improvement of plasticity by adding tin was studied. The results showed that the segregation ratio of Sn is much higher than that of other elements except for P and S,and Mn restrains the solidification segregation of S. Tin trends to segregate to grain boundary and the segregation ratio of tin in austenite is much higher than that in ferrite.
Coil design considerations for a high-frequency electromagnetic induction sensing instrument

Intermediate electrical conductivity (IEC) materials (101S/m < σ < 104S/m), such as carbon fiber (CF), have recently been used to make smart bombs. In addition, homemade improvised explosive devices (IED) can be produced with low conducting materials (10-4S/m < σ < 1S/m), such as Ammonium Nitrate (AN). To collect unexploded ordnance (UXO) from military training ranges and thwart deadly IEDs, the US military has urgent need for technology capable of detection and identification of subsurface IEC objects. Recent analytical and numerical studies have showed that these targets exhibit characteristic quadrature response peaks at high induction frequencies (100kHz − 15MHz, the High Frequency Electromagnetic Induction (HFEMI) band), and they are not detectable with traditional ultra wideband (UWB) electromagnetic induction (EMI) metal detectors operating between 100Hz − 100kHz. Using the HFEMI band for induction sensing is not so simple as driving existing instruments at higher frequencies, though. At low frequency, EMI systems use more wire turns in transmit and receive coils to boost signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), but at higher frequencies, the transmitter current has non-uniform distribution along the coil length. These non-uniform currents change the spatial distribution of the primary magnetic field and disturb axial symmetry and thwart established approaches for inferring subsurface metallic object properties. This paper discusses engineering tradeoffs for sensing with a broader band of frequencies ever used for EMI sensing, with particular focus on coil geometries.
Intermittent hypoxia leads to functional reorganization of mitochondria and affects cellular bioenergetics in marine molluscs

ABSTRACT Fluctuations in oxygen (O2) concentrations represent a major challenge to aerobic organisms and can be extremely damaging to their mitochondria. Marine intertidal molluscs are well-adapted to frequent O2 fluctuations, yet it remains unknown how their mitochondrial functions are regulated to sustain energy metabolism and prevent cellular damage during hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R). We used metabolic control analysis to investigate the mechanisms of mitochondrial responses to H/R stress (18 h at
An entropy-residual shock detector for solving conservation laws using high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods

This manuscript is concerned with the detection of shock discontinuities in the solution of conservation laws for high-order discontinuous Galerkin methods. A shock detector based on the entropy residual is proposed to distinguish smooth and non-smooth parts of the solution. The numerical analysis shows that the proposed entropy residual converges if the true solution is smooth and sufficiently regularized in space and time. To precisely localize discontinuities of different natures, an approach is developed that dynamically sets the threshold on the detection function, such that the detection criterion retains its sensitivity to the characteristics of the local solution. The implementation is conducted in an entropy-bounded discontinuous Galerkin framework, and numerical tests confirm the convergence property of the entropy-residual formulation and the effectiveness of the thresholding procedure. This shock detector is combined with an artificial viscosity scheme for shock stabilization. Comparison with other detectors is performed to demonstrate the excellent performance of the entropy-residual based shock detector for a wide range of problems on regular and triangular grids.
Alternative Topologies for GREEN-PSO

The expense of evaluating the function to be optimized can make it difficult to apply the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm in the real world. Approximating the function is one way to address this issue, but an alternative is conservation of function evaluations. GREEN-PSO (GR-PSO) adopts the latter approach: given a fixed number of function evaluations, GR-PSO conserves them by probabilistically choosing a subset of particles smaller than the entire swarm on each iteration and allowing only those particles to perform function evaluations. Since fewer function evaluations are used on each iteration, the algorithm can use more particles and/or more iterations for a given number of function evaluations. GR-PSO has been shown to be effective using the global topology, performing as well as, or better than, the standard PSO algorithm (S-PSO) [7]. We extend these results by showing that GR-PSO can achieve significantly better performance than S-PSO, in terms of both best function value achieved and rate of error reduction, using three other topologies—ring, von Neumann, and Moore—on a set of six standard benchmark functions, and that the von Neumann and Moore topologies can be more effective topologies for GR-PSO than the global topology.
Crystal Structures of Dibenzo-13-crown-4 and sym-(2-Picolyloxy)dibenzo-13-crown-4

Solid-state structures are determined for two compounds which containdibenzo-13-crown-4 rings. These include the parent crown etherdibenzo-13-crown-4 and its lariat ether derivativesym-(2-picolyloxy)dibenzo-13-crown-4. The solid-state structure ofdibenzo-13-crown-4 is complicated by disorder of the carbon atoms in theethylene and propylene bridges. The asymmetric unit of the crystal for thelariat ether derivative consists of two chemically identical, butcrystallographically different, molecules.
Lack of TERT Promoter Mutations in Human B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) are a heterogeneous group of immune cell neoplasms that comprise molecularly distinct lymphoma subtypes. Recent work has identified high frequency promoter point mutations in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene of different cancer types, including melanoma, glioma, liver and bladder cancer. TERT promoter mutations appear to correlate with increased TERT expression and telomerase activity in these cancers. In contrast, breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer rarely demonstrate mutations in this region of the gene. TERT promoter mutation prevalence in NHL has not been thoroughly tested thus far. We screened 105 B-cell lymphoid malignancies encompassing nine NHL subtypes and acute lymphoblastic leukemia, for TERT promoter mutations. Our results suggest that TERT promoter mutations are rare or absent in most NHL. Thus, the classical TERT promoter mutations may not play a major oncogenic role in TERT expression and telomerase activation in NHL.
Local Therapy Improves Overall Survival in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND The role of local therapy, in the form of radiation therapy (RT) or radical prostatectomy(RP), and its association on outcomes is not well established in patients with metastatic prostate cancer. METHODS Using the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we evaluated patterns of care and outcomes among patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer from 2004 to 2013 treated with local therapy (RP, intensity-modulated radiation therapy [IMRT], or 2D/3D-conformal radiation therapy [CRT]). The association between local therapy, co-variates, and outcomes was assessed in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model and Propensity score (PS) matching was performed to balance confounding factors. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. RESULTS Among the 1,208,180 patients in the NCDB with prostate cancer, 6,051 patients met the inclusion criteria. No local therapy was used in 5,224 patients, while 622 (10.3%), 52 (0.9%), 153 (2.5%) patients received RP, IMRT, and 2D/3D-CRT, respectively. Use of local therapy was associated with younger age (≤70), lower co-morbidity score, lower T-stage, Gleason score <8, node-negative status, private, and Medicare insurance, higher income quartile, and treatment at comprehensive or academic/research programs (P < 0.05). Five-year overall survival for patients receiving local therapy was 45.7% versus 17.1% for those not receiving local therapy (P < 0.01). In multivariate analysis, RP (HR = 0.51; 95%CI, 0.45–0.59, P < 0.01) and IMRT (HR = 0.47; 95%CI, 0.31–0.72, P < 0.01) were independently associated with superior overall survival. After PS-matching, the use of local therapy (RP or IMRT) remained significantly associated with overall survival (HR = 0.35; 95%CI, 0.30–0.41, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS The use of RP and IMRT, to treat the primary disease, was associated with improvements in overall survival for patients with metastatic prostate cancer. We have identified patient-specific variations in the use of local therapy that may be tested in subsequent prospective clinical trials to improve patient outcomes in this setting. Prostate 77: 559–572, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Office Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Disease: Pathophysiologic Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment.

Ease of the indirect measurement of office blood pressure (BP) and the robust database demonstrating a linear and direct relationship between office BP and future cardiovascular morbid events (MEs)1 has led to the widely held view that an elevated BP defines a disease, hypertension.2 The similarly robust data demonstrating that drugs that reduce an elevated BP reduce the risk for ME3 has fueled the guidelines that recommend treatment to lower BP in this disease.4,5 Indeed, the data on office BP reduction as a therapeutic target has led the Food and Drug Administration to violate their traditional demand that approved therapy make people feel better or live longer and to instead accept BP lowering alone as an adequate measure of effectiveness. The goal of this review is to critically examine the rationale for using office BP as the primary guide to the diagnosis and treatment of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Since the diagnostic value of office BP and therapeutic efficacy of its reduction has been established, the issues that have in recent years consumed the attention of clinical trialists and guideline developers have related to the threshold of BP that requires treatment, the method for assessing the BP, the appropriate target for therapy, and whether certain therapeutic agents are preferable to others in achieving the goal of risk reduction via BP lowering. Numeric criteria for the diagnosis of hypertension have undergone scrutiny because of the recognition that rigid thresholds for diagnosis and treatment may exclude some individuals in need of assessment or treatment.6 Two recent events have generated considerable controversy: (1) a recommendation that systolic BP <150 mm Hg need not be treated in individuals over age 60 years,5 and (2) a study demonstrating that therapy targeting a BP of <120 mm Hg is superior in …
Clinical features, hemodynamics, and outcomes of pulmonary hypertension due to chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: pulmonary hypertension and heart failure.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the clinical, functional, and hemodynamic characteristics of passive and mixed pulmonary hypertension (PH), compare outcomes, and contrast conventional and novel hemodynamic partition values in patients with chronic heart failure of reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFREF). Background PH in HFREF may develop from left-sided venous congestion (passive PH) or the combination of pulmonary arterial disease and venous congestion (mixed PH). Subgroup outcomes are not well defined, and the partition values used to define risk are based largely on consensus opinion rather than outcome data. Methods Ambulatory patients referred for hemodynamic catheterization were analyzed retrospectively (N = 463). Results Comparing patients with no PH to those with passive PH and mixed PH, a progressive gradient of more severely deranged hemodynamics, diastolic dysfunction, and mitral regurgitation was observed. In multivariate analysis, the presence of any PH or mixed PH was associated with older age, diuretic use, atrial fibrillation, and lower pulmonary artery compliance (PAC). Over a median follow-up of 2.1 years, patients with PH displayed greater risk of death (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.24; confidence limits [95% CL]: 1.39, 3.98; p 4 Wood units, systolic pulmonary artery pressure >35 mm Hg, pulmonary wedge pressure >25 mm Hg, and PAC Conclusions Among stable HFREF outpatients, PH was associated with markers of greater disease severity and risk of death. However, the presence of pulmonary arterial disease (mixed PH) carries incremental risk. Abnormalities in pulmonary vascular resistance and compliance may serve as novel therapeutic targets.
Variation in gene regulation underlying annual and perennial flowering in Arabideae species.

The diversity of life history strategies within the angiosperms illustrates the evolutionary flexibility of reproductive characteristics. The number of times an individual reproduces is a key life history trait, and transitions from iteroparous perennials to semelparous annuals have occurred frequently in the flowering plants. Despite the frequency of this evolutionary transition, and the importance of annuality versus perenniality to both agriculture and ecology, understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms involved in perennial flowering is in their infancy. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Kiefer et al. (2017) make significant progress towards understanding divergence in seasonal flowering between annual and perennial species in the Arabideae tribe of Brassicaceae. By combining a comparative approach with gene expression and sequence comparisons, they show that transcriptional differences in FLC orthologs, a floral inhibitor in Arabidopsis thaliana, have occurred repeatedly and underlie differences in flowering between annuals and perennials.
Text Extraction from Smartphone Screenshots to Archive in situ Media Behavior

Life experiences are increasingly intertwined with digital devices, suggesting screens as a preferred, if not required, data source for behavioral studies and health interventions. Text Information Extraction from digital screenshots is then a key prerequisite to the overall accuracy of analyses regarding media behaviors. This unique image data set offers the opportunity i) to test existing Image Processing and Text Recognition methods, and ii) to identify and discuss the computational challenges specific to the considered case. Our aim is to assess whether and how state-of-the-art methodologies can be applied to this novel data set. We show how combining OpenCV-based pre-processing with a Long short-term memory (LSTM) based release of Tesseract OCR, without ad hoc training, ensured a 74% text accuracy at the character level. The implications and incidence of different error factors on the resulting quality of text are discussed, prompting the discussion of future research trajectories.
Combined Spinal Cord Stimulation and Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Back and Neck Pain

Abstract Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been developed as a treatment option for various chronic complex pain conditions. However, over the decades of its clinical use it has become apparent that although pain in the extremities frequently responds well to SCS, this modality often fails to achieve and maintain adequate pain control in the low back and neck over the long term. To respond to this clinical need, a combination of SCS and peripheral nerve field stimulation (PNFS) has been introduced as a safe, effective, and reversible alternative for pain control in the low back. Simultaneous use of SCS with PNFS appears to increase the efficacy of both methods for relieving axial back pain and results in greater patient satisfaction than from SCS or PNFS alone. In the treatment of axial neck pain, on the other hand, the combined use of SCS and PNFS has not been adequately investigated so far, and we are not aware of any studies performed for this indication. In this chapter we review the published studies to provide the reader with an overview of the current state of combined neuromodulation techniques.
Immunohistochemical and Image Analysis-Based Study Shows That Several Immune Checkpoints are Co-expressed in Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Tumors

Abstract Introduction The understanding of immune checkpoint molecules' co-expression in non–small cell lung carcinoma (NCLC) is important to potentially design combinatorial immunotherapy approaches. Methods We studied 225 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from stage I-III NCLCs — 142 adenocarcinomas (ADCs) and 83 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) — placed in tissue microarrays. Nine immune checkpoint markers were evaluated; four (programmed death ligand 1 [PD-L1], B7-H3, B7-H4, and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 [IDO-1]) expressed predominantly in malignant cells (MCs) and five (inducible T cell costimulator, V-set immunoregulatory receptor, T-cell immunoglobulin mucin family member 3, lymphocyte activating 3, and OX40) expressed mostly in stromal tumor-associated inflammatory cells (TAICs). All markers were examined using a quantitative image analysis and correlated with clinicopathologic features, TAICs, and molecular characteristics. Results Using above the median value as positive expression in MCs and high density of TAICs expressing those markers, we identified higher expression of immune checkpoints in SCC than ADC. Common simultaneous expression by MCs was PD-L1 + B7-H3 + IDO-1 in ADC and PD-L1 + B7-H3, or B7-H3 + B7-H4, in SCC. TAICs expressing checkpoint were significantly higher in current smokers than in never smokers. Almost all the immune checkpoint markers showed positive correlation with TAICs expressing inflammatory cell markers. KRAS -mutant ADC specimens showed higher expression of PD-L1 in MCs and of B7-H3, T-cell immunoglobulin mucin family member 3, and IDO-1 in TAICs than wild type. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed worse prognosis in ADC patients with higher B7-H4 expression by MCs. Conclusions We found frequent immunohistochemical co-expression of immune checkpoints in surgically resected NCLC tumors and correlated with tumor histology, smoking history, tumor size, and the density of inflammatory cells and tumor mutational status.
Detecting Contingency for HRI in Open-World Environments

This paper presents a novel algorithm for detecting contingent reactions to robot behavior in noisy real-world environments with naive users. Prior work has established that one way to detect contingency is by calculating a difference metric between sensor data before and after a robot probe of the environment. Our algorithm, CIRCLE (Contingency for Interactive Real-time CLassification of Engagement) provides a new approach to calculating this difference and detecting contingency, improving the running time for the difference calculation from 2.5 seconds to approximately 0.001 seconds on an 1100-sample vector, and effectively enabling real-time detection of contingent events. We show accuracy comparable to the best offline results for detecting contingency in this way (89.5% vs 91% in prior work), and demonstrate the utility of the real-time contingency detection in a field study of a survey-administering robot in a noisy open-world environment with naive users, showing that the robot can decrease the number of requests it makes (from 38 to 13) while more efficiently collecting survey responses (30% response rate rather than 26.3%).
A Novel Combustion Platform for Microwave Plasma-Assisted Combustion Studies

A novel plasma-assisted combustion (PAC) platform is developed and characterized with the ability to decouple the underlying mechanisms and aid in the study of PAC. This unique platform allows for the initial separation and controlled coupling of the plasma, the fuel, and the oxidizer streams in different combinations, which is useful in investigating the various reaction pathways in PAC. Three operation schemes (I–III) were investigated to showcase the platform’s capabilities. In Scheme I, the argon plasma was coupled to a premixed mixture of the fuel and oxidant. While in Schemes II and III, the argon microwave plasma was coupled to either the oxidizer stream or the fuel stream, with the resulting mixture subsequently joining the fuel and oxidizer streams, respectively. Images obtained for various fuel equivalence ratios in each operation scheme showed distinct differences in the flame structures despite keeping all experimental parameters’ constant. The emission spectra obtained at different spatial locations in the combustion platform also depicted distinct emission features for each operation scheme. It is thus inferred that the mechanism through which the plasma assists the combustion in each of these operation schemes is different, highlighting the capability of the novel PAC platform in unraveling the various pathways through which the combustion enhancement is achieved. Hence, the results obtained demonstrate the versatility of the novel PAC platform in discriminating between the various reaction pathways in the PAC of the lean fuel/air mixture.
Effects of Various Methods of Sulpiride Administration on Prolactin Release in Horses.

Abstract Four experiments assessed factors affecting prolactin responses to sulpiride administration in horses. Experiment 1 compared the efficacy of the (−) enantiomer of sulpiride to that of the commonly used (+/−) racemic mixture. Mares were used in an 8 × 8 Latin square to compare the prolactin responses to four doses of levosulpiride to four corresponding doses of the racemic mixture at twice the dose. Responses at each dose indicated equal and similar (P > .1) responses. Experiment 2 compared the efficacy of 1 gram of orally administered racemic sulpiride to 100 mg of intramuscularly injected sulpiride in oil in mares primed with 50 mg of estradiol cypionate (ECP). Prolactin responses in groups receiving sulpiride were robust but similar in magnitude with minor differences in timing. In experiment 3, ECP-primed geldings received subcutaneous injections of 1.8 grams racemic sulpiride in vegetable shortening in one of three sites: the neck, the back below the withers, or the lower girth region; control geldings received no sulpiride. Prolactin responses to sulpiride lasted a minimum of 96 hours. In experiment 4, prolactin responses to 3 g of racemic sulpiride in vegetable shortening were compared to similar injections (3 g) in 5 mL of sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB; SucroMate) or just SAIB (control) in ECP-primed geldings. Controls had no prolactin response to SucroMate, whereas both treatment groups had extended prolactin responses lasting at least 10 days. It is concluded that prolactin responses to sulpiride in horses can be greatly extended by using hydrophobic vehicles like vegetable shortening or SAIB.
Clinical pancreas and islet transplantation: registry statistics and an overview

Interest in the application of clinical pancreas transplantation has increased dramatically recently, as evidenced by the fact that nearly as many pancreas transplants have been performed in the last two years (1981–1982) as in the preceding 14 years following the first pancreas transplantation in 1966 (14). The potential of pancreas and islet transplantation as treatments for Type I diabetes approximates that of kidney transplantation for treatment of end stage renal disease.