cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Representation Learning for Integrating Multi-domain Outcomes to Optimize Individualized Treatment

For mental disorders, patients' underlying mental states are non-observed latent constructs which have to be inferred from observed multi-domain measurements such as diagnostic symptoms and patient functioning scores. Additionally, substantial heterogeneity in the disease diagnosis between patients needs to be addressed for optimizing individualized treatment policy in order to achieve precision medicine. To address these challenges, we propose an integrated learning framework that can simultaneously learn patients' underlying mental states and recommend optimal treatments for each individual. This learning framework is based on the measurement theory in psychiatry for modeling multiple disease diagnostic measures as arising from the underlying causes (true mental states). It allows incorporation of the multivariate pre- and post-treatment outcomes as well as biological measures while preserving the invariant structure for representing patients' latent mental states. A multi-layer neural network is used to allow complex treatment effect heterogeneity. Optimal treatment policy can be inferred for future patients by comparing their potential mental states under different treatments given the observed multi-domain pre-treatment measurements. Experiments on simulated data and a real-world clinical trial data show that the learned treatment polices compare favorably to alternative methods on heterogeneous treatment effects, and have broad utilities which lead to better patient outcomes on multiple domains.
Field-Free Spin-Orbit Torque Switching in Magnetic Tunnel Junction Structures With Stray Fields

Spin-orbit torque (SOT) offers ultrafast magnetic switching in the subnanosecond regime for magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) as an alternative to future cache memories. However, one main obstacle to the development of perpendicular SOT-MRAM is that a small in-plane external field is required to achieve deterministic magnetization switching. Here we eliminate the external magnetic field for deterministic SOT switching by utilizing the stray field in a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) structure. The MTJ consists of a perpendicularly magnetized CoFeB free layer and an in-plane magnetized reference layer that provides a stray field. Unlike usual SOT switching in a single ferromagnet, four switching phases as well as unique critical switching current dependence on the applied in-plane magnetic fields have been observed. This letter demonstrates the effectiveness of stray-field assisted field-free SOT switching in MTJ structures that may extend to eliminate the main obstacle of SOT-MRAM in practical applications.
Child mental health outcomes in military families

Families that include a current or former member of the US Armed Services face unique challenges. These challenges center on three facets of military family life known to contribute to negative chi...
Polyclonal Regulatory T Cell Manufacturing Under cGMP: A Decade of Experience

We report on manufacturing outcomes for 41 autologous polyclonal regulatory T cell (PolyTreg) products for 7 different Phase 1 clinical trials over a 10- year period (2011-2020). Data on patient characteristics, manufacturing parameters, and manufacturing outcomes were collected from manufacturing batch records and entered into a secure database. Overall, 88% (36/41) of PolyTreg products met release criteria and 83% (34/41) of products were successfully infused into patients. Of the 7 not infused, 5 failed release criteria, and 2 were not infused because the patient became ineligible due to a change in clinical status. The median fold expansion over the 14-day manufacturing process was 434.8 -fold (range 29.8-2,232), resulting in a median post-expansion cell count of 1,841 x 106 (range 56.9-16,179 x 106). Other parameters, including date of PolyTreg production, patient sex, and patient age did not significantly correlate with fold expansion of Treg during product manufacturing. The main correlate of post-expansion cell number was starting cell number, which positively correlates with absolute circulating Treg cell count. In conclusion, PolyTreg manufacturing outcomes are consistent across trials and dates of production.
Clinical Analysis of Divalent Platinum Complexes with Anti-Neoplastic Activity

Analytical procedures for the clinical monitoring of Pt-containing anti-neoplastic drugs in biological fluids have been developed. Chromatographic separation of platinates has been achieved on solvent-generated (dynamic) ion-exchangers. The retention of platinum analytes can be increased or decreased by addition of organic modifiers and/or electrolytes to an aqueous mobile phase. Biological fluids can be directly applied to the chromatographic system using a column-switching approach in which the platinates are transferred from a silica pre-column to a second, RP, analytical column.
Viscosity of Cell-Free Canine Gastric Mucus

Summary Cell-free gastric mucus secreted by canine fundic pouches, stimulated by the topical application of acetylcholine to the mucosa, loses its initial high viscosity upon incubation at 37°C. This process is speeded up by the addition of cysteine, and retarded by oxalate or citrate ions (removing calcium) or by adding organic mercury. It has a pH optimum of 6.0–6.5, and it is accompanied by a parallel release of tyrosine-like substances. Addition of trypsin, papain and pectinase liquified mucus, but salivary amylase, desoxyribonuclease, snail digestive juice, lysozyme, hyaluronidase and soybean trypsin inhibitor, have no effect on this process of spontaneous liquefaction. This evidence is interpreted as supporting the concept that, under physiological conditions, liquefaction of the surface layer of mucus of the stomach may be constantly taking place, perhaps under the influence of a local mucolytic enzyme, which has not as yet been identified with known mucolytic or gastric enzymes.
DECS: an environment for developing cooperative distributed software systems

This paper describes the design and implementation of an environment for developing cooperative distributed applications. Salient features of this environment include an extensible toolkit of cooperative mechanisms called agencies. An agency is a multi-site flexible entity that encapsulates communication and distribution concerns and exports an object oriented server type local interface to it's clients. The development environment provides a graphical user interface for composing distributed applications and new components from existing components. >
The IFC's New Africa, Latin America, and Caribbean Fund: Its Worrisome Start, and How to Fix it

In April 2010 the International Finance Corporation announced the creation of the African, Latin American, and Caribbean fund, a new co-investment vehicle funded largely with commitments from sovereign wealth and pension funds. The fund's objective was to draw on the IFC and the World Bank's strengths in emerging markets to identify and support enterprises that might not otherwise have come to the attention of large investors and thereby help strengthen the private sector and alleviate poverty in some of the world's poorest countries. Unfortunately the fund has, so far, proven a disappointment. It has invested only in large corporations that were already well known to investors. The fund should return to the principles that seemed to motivate its creation: direct engagement with private enterprises, rather than politically-connected financial intermediaries; leveraging the World Bank's superior knowledge and understanding of emerging markets, rather than investing in corporations listed in London or Frankfurt; and providing capital to small- and medium-sized enterprises that would otherwise not have the support needed to grow and compete nationally or globally.
Exposure to classroom poverty and test score achievement: Contextual effects or selection?

It is widely believed that impoverished contexts harm children. Disentangling the effects of family background from the effects of other social contexts, however, is complex, making causal claims difficult to verify. This study examines the effect of exposure to classroom poverty on student test achievement using data on a cohort of children followed from third through eighth grade. Cross-sectional methods reveal a substantial negative association between exposure to high-poverty classrooms and test scores; this association grows with grade level, becoming especially large for middle school students. Growth models, however, produce much smaller effects of classroom poverty exposure on academic achievement. Even smaller effects emerge from student fixed-effects models that control for time-invariant unobservables and from marginal structural models that adjust for observable time-dependent confounding. These findings suggest that causal claims about the effects of classroom poverty exposure on achievement ...
Prophylaxis of Invasive Fungal Infections: A Review of the Use of Posaconazole

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) cause significant morbidity, mortality, and increased cost of care in patients with hematological malignancies, prolonged (i.e. >7–10 days) treatment induced neutropenia, and other disease states causing underlying immunosuppression. One strategy often used to combat the development of invasive infections is the use of antifungal agents as prophylaxis in at risk patients. Posaconazole is an oral triazole with a useful spectrum of activity against many fungal pathogens of concern in patients at risk for the development of IFIs. Posaconazole is only available in oral formulation and therapeutic drug monitoring may provide value due to variable absorption and serum concentrations. Clinical efficacy and pharmacoeconomic data have demonstrated the utility of posaconazole in the treatment of oropharyngeal candidiasis and for prophylaxis in patients at risk for development of IFIs. Several organizations or expert groups involved in developing guidelines for the management of IFIs recommend posaconazole anti-fungal prophylaxis in patients with AML or MDS and chemotherapy induced neutropenia or significant GVHD. In addition, nonrandomized studies (largely of salvage therapy) and case series suggest that posaconazole may be effective as treatment for invasive aspergillosis, zygomycosis, and coccidiomycosis. Further, small case series or individual case reports suggest activity against other less commonly encountered filamentous fungi and Histoplasma.
A double-threshold-testing robust method for fault detection and isolation in dynamic systems

"Robustness" is one of the most important issues for model-based fault detection and isolation (FDI) in dynamic systems. This paper proposes a double threshold statistical testing method for general residuals that are created by a model-based residual generator. After all available knowledge and information has been applied to the residuals, they are still nonzero while there is no fault. The double threshold statistical testing represents the nonzeros, model-errors or residues, by a standard Bernoulli and binomial random model so that, by appropriate design, the false-alarm probability can be controlled and the detection power can be maximized. Consequently, the FDI scheme becomes more "robust" while maintaining a higher level of fault detection sensitivity. The theoretical properties of this robust method are presented and the testing criterion is examined.
The immunoglobulin-binding protein in vitro autophosphorylation site maps to a threonine within the ATP binding cleft but is not a detectable site of in vivo phosphorylation

In vitro incubation of immunoprecipitated immunoglobulin-binding protein (BiP) complexes with calcium and [gamma-32P]ATP resulted in the phosphorylation of BiP on a threonine residue. This autophosphorylation activity did not occur in the presence of magnesium but had the same pH optimum as reported for its magnesium-dependent ATPase activity. This suggested the possibility that both activities could occur through ATP hydrolysis at the same site. In support of this, mutation of either Thr-37 or Thr-229 to a glycine eliminated both autophosphorylation and ATPase activities, and mutation of either residue to a serine significantly reduced both activities. Glutamic acid 175 in HSC71 has been hypothesized to flank the divalent cation complexed with ATP. Mutation of the analogous glutamic acid, Glu-201, in BiP abolished ATPase activity but still supported some autophosphorylation. The in vitro phosphorylation site was mapped to Thr-229 by mutational analysis. This threonine has been hypothesized to interact with the gamma-phosphate of ATP through a polarized water molecule and would be in a position to act as a phosphate acceptor in the ATP hydrolysis reaction. These data imply that both ATPase and autophosphorylation result from ATP hydrolysis at the same site and that the cation associated with BiP determines which activity is observed. Comparison of partial protease digestion or cyanogen bromide cleavage products of in vitro and in vivo phosphorylated BiP demonstrated that Thr-229 is not a detectable site of phosphorylation in cells. Therefore, whatever functional role phosphorylation may have in vivo, it cannot be attributed to autophosphorylation of Thr-229.
Substance P in the anterior thalamic paraventricular nucleus: promotion of ethanol drinking in response to orexin from the hypothalamus

The paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) appears to participate in drug addiction. Recent evidence in rats shows that ethanol drinking is increased by orexin/hypocretin (OX) afferents from the hypothalamus, acting specifically in the anterior (aPVT) rather than posterior (pPVT) PVT subregion. The present study sought to identify neuropeptides transcribed within the PVT, which themselves might contribute to ethanol drinking and possibly mediate the actions of OX. We discovered that substance P (SP) in the aPVT can stimulate intermittent-access ethanol drinking, similar to OX, and that SP receptor [neurokinin 1 receptor/tachykinin receptor 1 (NK1R)] antagonists in this subregion reduce ethanol drinking. As with OX, this effect is site specific, with SP in the pPVT or dorsal third ventricle having no effect on ethanol drinking, and it is behaviorally specific, with SP in the aPVT reducing the drinking of sucrose and stimulating it in the pPVT. A close relationship between SP and OX was demonstrated by a stimulatory effect of local OX injection on SP mRNA and peptide levels, specifically in the aPVT but not pPVT, and a stimulatory effect of OX on SP expression in isolated thalamic neurons, reflecting postsynaptic actions. A functional relationship between OX and SP in the aPVT is suggested by our additional finding that ethanol drinking induced by OX is blocked by a local NK1R antagonist administered at a sub-threshold dose. These results, suggesting that SP in the aPVT mediates the stimulatory effect of OX on ethanol drinking, identify a new role for SP in the control of this behavior.
Pillowcases and quasimodular forms

We prove that natural generating functions for enumeration of branched coverings of the pillowcase orbifold are level 2 quasimodular forms. This gives a way to compute the volumes of the strata of the moduli space of quadratic differentials.
14 MeV Fast Neutron Activation Analysis in the Year 2000

In recent years there is a decided upswing in interest in the application of fast neutron activation analysis methodologies to certain problems, i.e., detection of contraband substances, use of steady-state and pulsing instruments of body compositions etc. The value of a method which can characterize major and minor elements in large samples is again recognized.
Alfred J. Lotka and the origins of theoretical population ecology

Ecology, being an interdisciplinary subject, has often advanced by borrowing perspectives and methods from numerous other disciplines. Of the many cross-disciplinary transfers that have contributed to the science of ecology, one unusual source of inspiration has been physical chemistry, which in a round-about way served to stimulate the development of population ecology in the 1920s. This transfer from physical chemistry into biology was the brainchild of Alfred James Lotka (1880–1949), a man of exceptional creativity and one of the fathers of what would later become theoretical population ecology. Alfred James Lotka, 1880–1949. Image courtesy of MetLife Archives. Lotka’s story has an ironic twist because he did not intend to contribute to the discipline of ecology. His goal was to create a new biological discipline called “physical biology,” by which he meant the “broad application of physical principles and methods in the contemplation of biological systems ” (1). The analogy between physical chemistry and physical biology lay in the idea that the same basic laws governed both kinds of systems. In both systems, all processes could be reduced to two kinds of changes: those involving exchanges of matter between the components of the system, and those involving exchanges of energy. In the chemical system the components were molecules. In the biological system the components were organisms plus the raw materials in their environment, and the exchanges of matter and energy took place through the web of food relationships, growth, and reproduction. Understanding these relationships mathematically was the goal of physical biology. Because of his attention to systems, Lotka’s approach was strongly ecological, but when he started his project in the early 20th century, ecology barely existed as a discipline and he did not think, even two decades later, that ecologists would be his main audience. Lotka received his undergraduate education in … [↵][1]1Email: sharon{at}jhu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Metformin prevents aggressive ovarian cancer growth driven by high-energy diet: similarity with calorie restriction

Caloric restriction (CR) was recently demonstrated by us to restrict ovarian cancer growth in vivo. CR resulted in activation of energy regulating enzymes adenosine monophosphate activated kinase (AMPK) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) followed by downstream inhibition of Akt-mTOR. In the present study, we investigated the effects of metformin on ovarian cancer growth in mice fed a high energy diet (HED) and regular diet (RD) and compared them to those seen with CR in an immunocompetent isogeneic mouse model of ovarian cancer. Mice either on RD or HED diet bearing ovarian tumors were treated with 200 mg/kg metformin in drinking water. Metformin treatment in RD and HED mice resulted in a significant reduction in tumor burden in the peritoneum, liver, kidney, spleen and bowel accompanied by decreased levels of growth factors (IGF-1, insulin and leptin), inflammatory cytokines (MCP-1, IL-6) and VEGF in plasma and ascitic fluid, akin to the CR diet mice. Metformin resulted in activation of AMPK and SIRT1 and inhibition of pAkt and pmTOR, similar to CR. Thus metformin can closely mimic CR's tumor suppressing effects by inducing similar metabolic changes, providing further evidence of its potential not only as a therapeutic drug but also as a preventive agent.
Design of Water Distribution Systems

The ultimate goal of drinking water utilities is to provide adequate quantities of water to its consumers while maintaining satisfactory pressures throughout the distribution system. Efficient design of water distribution system components is an important step that allows not only achieving this goal but also enabling the utilities to provide water at affordable costs. Design of water distribution systems is a complex and tedious process. Several optimization techniques have been reported in literature to automate and reduce the complexity of the design process. However, lack of robust optimization platforms that allow specification of preferred objective functions and desired combinations of constraints and decision variables have seriously limited the use of available optimization technology for water distribution systems design. This article presents a comprehensive iterative method that makes use of a hydraulic network model for design of water distribution systems. The article describes various components of a water distribution system that would affect the design process along with a list of constraints that should be considered for efficient design. Although the procedure presented is for design of new water distribution systems, the method can be easily adapted for sizing enhancements to existing systems. Keywords: water quality; fire protection; reliability; surge protection; optimization; diurnal demand variation; rural water systems
Catalytic Subunit of Mitochondrial DNA Polymerase from Drosophila Embryos CLONING, BACTERIAL OVEREXPRESSION, AND BIOCHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION

A full-length cDNA of the catalytic subunit of mitochondrial DNA polymerase from Drosophila embryos has been obtained, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The cDNA clone encodes a polypeptide with a deduced amino acid sequence of 1145 residues and a predicted molecular mass of 129.9 kDa. Amino-terminal sequence analysis of the mature catalytic subunit of the heterodimeric mitochondrial enzyme from Drosophila embryos identified the amino-terminal amino acid at position +10 in the deduced amino acid sequence, indicating a mitochondrial presequence peptide of only nine amino acids. Alignment of the catalytic subunit sequence with that of Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment indicated a high degree of amino acid sequence conservation in each of the three DNA polymerase and three 3′→ 5′ exonuclease domains identified by biochemical studies in the latter enzyme. Bacterial overexpression, purification, and biochemical analysis demonstrated both 5′→ 3′ DNA polymerase and 3′→ 5′ exonuclease in the recombinant polypeptide. This represents the first demonstration of 3′→ 5′ exonuclease activity in the polymerase catalytic subunit of animal mitochondrial DNA polymerase.
Establishing optimal project-level strategies for pavement maintenance and rehabilitation – A framework and case study

This article presents a framework and an illustrative example for identifying the optimal pavement maintenance and rehabilitation (MR and cost is expressed in terms of the agency and user costs over the life cycle. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a case study. Probability distributions are established for the optimization input variables and Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to yield optimal solutions. Using the results of these simulations, M&R strategy contours are developed as a novel tool that can help pavement managers quickly identify the optimal M&R strategy for a ...
Female intercollegiate athletes' trait-anxiety level and performance in a game

The mental and emotional state of an athlete just prior to competition is of prime concern to those interested in maximizing athletic performance. This holds for the interactive effect of anxiety level and motor performance which is characterized by an inverted-U function. While anxiety level may influence motor performance ( 6 , 7 ) , quan'tification in contest conditions is limited. Moderately trait-anxious subjects perform better than subjects high or low in trait anxiety on motor tasks under varying levels of stress (1, 2 ) , but later work gave somewhat different results. In an examination of Little League baseball players utilizing perceived situation (game) criticalness, a positive linear relationship was found (5 ) , but none between arousal as measured by the criticalness of a situation and performance in men's intercollegiate basketball games ( 3 ) . In contrast, female basketball players had higher state-anxiety scores prior to crucial games than ones thought to be easy (4 ) . In the present study pre-competition trait-anxiety level was correlated with athletic performance for four different female intercollegiate varsity sport teams (badminton, basketball, softball, track). On a local rating scale coaches standardized their assessments of the performance of their players (N = 30). Pre-competition trait-anxiety levels and performance ratings were recorded over the course of each sport's season at events varying in importance. No relationship was obtained between trait-anxiety level and performance as rated by the coaches ( r = .15, .06, .03). A 2 X 3 analysis of variance for repeated measures for high and low trait-anxious subjects over three conditions of importance of a contest showed the pre-competition trait-anxiery level did not vary with the perceived importance of the athletic contest (Palre = 0.45, p > .05). This lack of relationship between players' anxiety level and the coaches' assessment of performance in a game suggests that the coaches' ratings may not give a reliable assessment of performance because pre-competition anxiety levels were consistent with the perceived importance of each contest.
Transcription during bacteriophage SPO1 development: mutations affecting the program of viral transcription.

Abstract Bacteriophage SPO1 host-dependent mutants in three cistrons show defects in the program of viral transcription (Gage & Geiduschek, 1971a). Mutants in two eistrons ( sus F4 and sus F14) are analogous to T4 maturation defective mutants: they replicate viral DNA in the non-permissive host but are unable to make viral late l or m 2 l , RNA and do not form protein subassemblies of the virion. These mutants are also unable to shut off viral m transcription. A mutant in a third cistron ( sus F21) only transcribes that viral RNA ( e , em ) for which no protein synthesis in the infected cell is required. Non-permissive sus F21 infected cells fail to make m , m 1 l , or m 2 l , RNA and almost entirely cease viral transcription eight to ten minutes after infection (at 37 °C). These transcriptive defects suggest a simple hierarchical ordering of the normal temporal sequence of wild-type viral transcription. That ordering, in turn, suggests a model of transcription during viral development that involves not less than three control elements of viral transcription, two of which are positive and one of which is negative.
Potentiation of the hyporeactivity induced by in vivo endothelial injury in the rat carotid artery by chronic treatment with fish oil

1 The present study investigates whether or not chronic feeding of rats with a diet enriched in fish oil affects the reactivity of balloon-injured carotid arteries. The left carotid arteries were injured in vivo by the repeated passage of a balloon catheter. Both the right (control artery) and the left carotid arteries were excised 24 h after the injury, and suspended in organ chambers for the measurement of changes in isometric tension in the presence of indomethacin. 2 Phenylephrine evoked similar concentration-contraction curves in the right (control) carotid arteries without endothelium from control and fish oil-fed rats. Balloon injury decreased the contractility of carotid arteries to phenylephrine in both types of rats and the pEC50 for phenylephrine was significantly decreased in balloon-injured arteries from control rats compared to those obtained in arteries from fish oil-fed rats (pEC50 7.59 ± 0.1 and 7.28 ± 0.06, respectively) while maximal contractions were similar (1.93 ± 0.15 g and 1.79 ± 0.12 g, respectively). 3 The treatment of control right carotid arteries without endothelium with either NG-nitro-l-arginine (an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase) or superoxide dismutase (which protects nitric oxide from degradation) did not affect significantly the contractions to phenylephrine in either group. In these preparations, methylene blue (an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase) decreased slightly but significantly maximal contractions to phenylephrine in both groups. The treatment of balloon-injured carotid arteries with NG-nitro-l-arginine or methylene blue partly restored contractions to phenylephrine in arteries from both types of rat. Superoxide dismutase further depressed the contractility to the α1-adrenoceptor agonist in balloon-injured arteries from control diet-fed rats but had no effect in balloon-injured preparations from fish oil-fed rats. 4 3-Morpholino-sydnonimine (SIN-1, a donor of nitric oxide) evoked similar concentration-dependent relaxations in control and balloon-injured carotid arteries from both types of rat. 5 Balloon injury caused an increase in the tissue content of cyclic GMP in carotid arteries from control diet-fed rats. This production of cyclic GMP was abolished by NG-nitro-l-arginine. Superoxide dismutase potentiated significantly the production of cyclic GMP caused by balloon injury in control but not in fish oil-fed rats. 6 These observations confirm that in vivo balloon injury causes the production of nitric oxide in the injured blood vessel wall. This production of nitric oxide from l-arginine accounts for the decreased contractility to phenylephrine and the accumulation of cyclic GMP in balloon-injured arteries. They further indicate that chronic feeding of rats with fish oil potentiates the l-arginine-nitric oxide pathway in the injured vessel leading to an enhanced hyporeactivity to phenylephrine.
Evaluation of a 5 T REBCO Pancake Coil Magnet with IBAD/PLD Coated Conductors☆

Abstract REBa 2 Cu 3 O x (REBCO, RE = rare earth) coated conductors are expected to show high performance for superconducting applications because of their high current density and high mechanical strength. Fujikura has developed REBCO coated conductor over 570 A/cm width at 77 K, self field with over 800 m length. In addition, we have succeeded in developing a 5 T cryocooled REBCO magnet with a stored energy of 426 kJ. The magnet is composed of 24 pancake coils and the total length of the REBCO coated conductors is approximately 7.2 km. It is important to validate the long-term operation test results of the REBCO magnets with larger diameters in order to use these conductors in practical superconducting applications. We confirmed that the REBCO magnet could be excited up to 5 T 16 months after the fabrication of the magnet. On the other hand, we have evaluated the 24-stacked pancake coil in liquid nitrogen before fabrication the 426 kJ magnet. The difference of the calculated critical current ( I c ) and measured I c of the stacked coil was 2%. We have confirmed that the calculated coil I c was in good agreement with the measured coil I c in liquid nitrogen.
Adolescent Literacy Tutoring: Face-to-Face and Via Webcam Technology.

The purpose of this research project was to examine the effectiveness of supervised literacy tutoring delivered by 25 secondary teacher candidates to middle and high school students via webcam technology and in person. The results stem from two semester-long studies of technology-delivered tutoring from a university to middle and high school settings. Findings support the effectiveness of delivering literacy tutoring components through 18 one-hour tutoring sessions using webcam technology with secondary teacher candidates as instructors. In addition, the data revealed that there was no significant difference in the literacy growth among those students who received tutoring in person or via webcam technology.
The relationship between the price and demand for natural gas: A partially controlled study

Since the onset of the energy crisis, indicated by the start of the Arab oil embargo, the price of natural gas increased for most residential consumers. the relationship between price and monthly demand over five years is examined for a sample of almost identical owner-occupied town houses in a planned community in central New Jersey, USA. It is shown that, since the onset of the energy crisis, the average price, in current dollars, of gas has increased in the USA, and the average demand has decreased, leading to a significant negative estimate of elasticity. However, this disappears if the effects of overall inflation on demand are removed. Closer examination reveals that the relationship between current price and demand is not linear, since the major decrease in demand occurred during the winter immediately following the embargo, but the major increases in current price occurred during subsequent winters. Whether the large reduction in demand is due to price increases, overall inflation, or is a response to conservation appeals by US public officials is an open question. No short-term effects of price on demand are found.
Impediments to Academic Performance of Bisexual College Students

AbstractObjective: To investigate health-related impediments to academic success for bisexual college students. Participants: Respondents to the Fall 2011 American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II) survey who self-identified as bisexual, heterosexual, gay, or lesbian. Methods: Secondary analyses of the ACHA-NCHA II data were conducted to compare the experiences of bisexual students with both each other (bisexual men and bisexual women) and those of their nonbisexual counterparts (heterosexual and gay/lesbian students). Results: Bisexual college students are a large and distinct sexual minority group. On all measures with the exception of discrimination, bisexual college students reported the strongest threats to academic success of all sexual orientations. Conclusions: Given the unique impediments for bisexual students, college health professionals should consider specifically addressing needs for bisexual students, bisexual women in particular.
Redefining the Gap between Theory and Practice: Should Anthropologists Try to Change the World?

: Liam Frink is contributing editor of “Ethical Currents,” the AAA Committee on Ethics column in Anthropology News.
Toward quantifying the amount of style in a dataset

Exploiting style consistency in groups of patterns (pattern fields) generated by the same source has been demonstrated to yield higher accuracies in OCR applications. The accuracy gains obtained by a style consistent classifier depend on the amount of style in a dataset in addition to the classifier itself. The computational complexity of style-based classifiers precludes their applicability in situations where datasets have small amounts of style. In this paper, we propose a correlation-based measure to quantify the amount of style in a dataset and demonstrate its use in determining the suitability of a style consistent classifier on both simulation and real datasets.
Tissue underlying the intestinal epithelium elicits proliferation of intestinal stem cells following cytotoxic damage.

The goals of this study were to document the proliferative response of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) during regeneration after damage from doxorubicin (DXR), and to characterize the signals responsible for ISC activation. To this end, jejuni from DXR-treated mice were harvested for histology, assessment of ISC numbers and proliferation by flow cytometry, crypt culture, and RNA analyses. Histology showed that crypt depth and width were increased 4 days after DXR. At this time point, flow cytometry on tissue collected 1 h after EdU administration revealed increased numbers of CD24loUEA− ISCs and increased percentage of ISCs cycling. In culture, crypts harvested from DXR-treated mice were equally proliferative as those of control mice. Addition of subepithelial intestinal tissue (SET) collected 4 days after DXR elicited increased budding (1.4 ± 0.3 vs. 5.1 ± 1.0 buds per enteroid). Microarray analysis of SET collected 4 days after DXR revealed 1030 differentially expressed transcripts. Cross-comparison of Gene Ontology terms considered relevant to ISC activation pointed to 10 candidate genes. Of these, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) family member amphiregulin and the BMP antagonist chordin-like 2 were chosen for further study. In crypt culture, amphiregulin alone did not elicit significant budding, but amphiregulin in combination with BMP antagonism showed marked synergism (yielding 6.3 ± 0.5 buds per enteroid). These data suggest a critical role for underlying tissue in regulating ISC behavior after damage, and point to synergism between amphiregulin and chordin-like 2 as factors which may account for activation of ISCs in the regenerative phase.
Novel high-intensity focused ultrasound clamp--potential adjunct for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.

Abstract Background and Purpose: Partial nephrectomy (PN) can be technically challenging, especially if performed in a minimally invasive manner. Although ultrasound technology has been shown to have therapeutic capabilities, including tissue ablation and hemostasis, it has not gained clinical use in the PN setting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ability of a high-intensity ultrasound clamp to create an ablation plane in the kidney providing hemostasis that could potentially aid in laparoscopic PN. Methods: A new instrument was created using a laparoscopic Padron endoscopic exposing retractor. Ultrasound elements were engineered on both sides of the retractor to administer high-intensity ultrasound energy between the two sides of the clamp. This high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) clamp was placed 2 to 2.5 cm from the upper and lower poles of 10 porcine kidneys to evaluate its effectiveness at different levels and duration of energy delivery. PN transection was performed through the dis...
Intermountain life flight preflight risk assessment score and transport outcomes.

Abstract Purpose In 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration recommended helicopter emergency medical systems implement a pre-flight risk assessment score (PRAS) to help pilots assess flight risks. To date, there are no studies evaluating the PRAS. This study examined the transport outcome (successful, aborted or turned-down) associated with our PRAS. Methods PRASs from August 2005 through April 2008 were retrospectively analyzed. Before each flight, pilots filled out a PRAS if the total calculated score was ≥ 15 or the flight was aborted or turned down for weather. PRASs were described in unsuccessful outcomes (aborted vs. turned down). Results 4844 of 4986 (97%) transports had PRAS Conclusion Transport success rates for our PRASs
Diabetes Decreases FDG Accumulation in Primary Lung Cancer.

Objective: To compare kinetics and accumulation of 2-[fluorine-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) in primary lung cancer between diabetic and non-diabetic patients using positron emission tomography (PET). Methods: Five diabetic patients and 21 non-diabetic patients underwent dynamic FDG-PET to image untreated primary lung cancers. Standardized uptake value normalized for lean body mass (SUL) was determined in tumor, blood, muscle, and lung. A 3-compartment metabolic model was applied to FDG kinetics in tumors in 24 of 26 patients. Results: At the time of PET scans, serum glucose levels were elevated in 5 diabetic patients, while 21 non-diabetic patients showed normal glucose levels. In diabetic patients, tumor SUL, tumor/blood and tumor/muscle SUL ratios were significantly decreased (P < 0.02) and also tumor/lung SUL ratio declined (P = 0.064), as compared to non-diabetic patients. In addition, the rate constant for FDG phosphorylation (k3) and influx constant (Ki) in diabetic patients were significantly lower than those in non-diabetic patients (P < 0.02). Conclusion: In diabetic patients, the rate of FDG accumulation in tumors is decreased, and tumor targeting with FDG is impaired. Diabetes may reduce the sensitivity of FDG-PET for lung cancer detection.
c-Jun, at the crossroad of the signaling network

c-Jun, the most extensively studied protein of the activator protein-1 (AP-1) complex, is involved in numerous cell activities, such as proliferation, apoptosis, survival, tumorigenesis and tissue morphogenesis. Earlier studies focused on the structure and function have led to the identification of c-Jun as a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor that acts as homo- or heterodimer, binding to DNA and regulating gene transcription. Later on, it was shown that extracellular signals can induce post-translational modifications of c-Jun, resulting in altered transcriptional activity and target gene expression. More recent work has uncovered multiple layers of a complex regulatory scheme in which c-Jun is able to crosstalk, amplify and integrate different signals for tissue development and disease. One example of such scheme is the autocrine amplification loop, in which signal-induced AP-1 activates the c-Jun gene promoter, while increased c-Jun expression feedbacks to potentiate AP-1 activity. Another example of such scheme, based on recent characterization of gene knockout mice, is that c-Jun integrates signals of several developmental pathways, including EGFR-ERK, EGFR-RhoA-ROCK, and activin B-MAP3K1-JNK for embryonic eyelid closure. After more than two decades of extensive research, c-Jun remains at the center stage of a molecular network with mysterious functional properties, some of which are yet to be discovered. In this article, we will provide a brief historical overview of studies on c-Jun regulation and function, and use eyelid development as an example to illustrate the complexity of c-Jun crosstalking with signaling pathways.
DIRECT HEMAGGLUTINATION BY HEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE.

SummaryThirty-four spinal fluid isolates of Hemophilus influenzae were found capable of directly agglutinating sheep, guinea pig and human “O” erythrocytes. The hemagglutination titer is directly related to concentration of the organisms employed in the HA test.
A study of syn–anti isomerism of six-coordinate ruthenium(II) complexes containing PhP(CH2CH2CH2PCy2)2 (Cyttp) ligand

Abstract A study is reported on synthesis and ligand substitution/modification reactions of the syn and anti geometric isomers of the six-coordinate ruthenium(II) complexes [mer-Ru(κ2-O2CX)(CO)(Cyttp)]n (n = 0, X = O (2); n = +1, X = Me (3), Ph (4), OMe (5), OEt (6); Cyttp = PhP(CH2CH2CH2PCy2)2) and cis-mer-RuX2(CO)(Cyttp) (X = I (7), Cl (8)) (syn (s) and anti (a) refer to the orientation of the Ph group on the central P atom of Cyttp). Reaction of cis-mer-Ru(BF4)2(CO)(Cyttp) (1) in freshly prepared aqueous acetone solution with each of sodium carbonate, sodium acetate, and sodium benzoate affords 2a, 3a(BF4), and 4a(BF4), respectively. The syn isomer of 2a, 2s, was synthesized by prolonged treatment of solid mer-Ru(CO)2(Cyttp) with gaseous O2. Complexes 2a and 2s do not interconvert even on heating in toluene or methanol at reflux temperature for 24 h. Alkylation of 2a and 2s with 1 equiv. of [Me3O]BF4 or [Et3O]PF6 affords the methylcarbonato (5a(BF4) and 5s(BF4), respectively) and ethylcarbonato (6a(PF6) and 6s(PF6), respectively) complexes. Use of >2 equiv. of [Me3O]BF4 still furnishes 5s(BF4) from 2s, but yields 1 instead of 5a(BF4) from 2a. The foregoing reactions represent, to our knowledge, the first example of different reactivity of syn and anti isomers of metal Cyttp complexes. Prolonged treatment of 2a with an excess of MeI at room temperature results in the formation of 7a. A parallel reaction of 2s with MeI to yield 7s requires heating; at ambient temperature, 5s(I) is obtained instead. Each of the complexes 2, 3(BF4)–5(BF4), and 6(PF6) is converted to 8 with retention of the syn or anti configuration by the action of hydrochloric acid. It is concluded from this and previous studies that complexes stable to ligand dissociation do not undergo syn–anti isomerization, in contrast to those that contain weakly coordinated ligands. 13C{1H} and 31P{1H} NMR spectroscopic generalizations were developed that enable syn–anti assignment to be made for this class of complexes. The structures of 2a (as 2a·CH2Cl2·2H2O), 2s (as 2s·(3/4)MeC(O)Me·2H2O), and 5s (as 5s(BF4)·C6H6) were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.
Subacute toxicity of all-trans- and 13-cis-isomers of N-ethyl retinamide, N-2-hydroxyethyl retinamide, and N-4-hydroxyphenyl retinamide

The major limitation for continuous administration of natural retinoids for chemoprevention of cancer is their high toxicity; however, synthetic retinamides have the desirable quality of reduced toxicity while retaining most of the biological activity. We have presently evaluated the comparative toxicity of all-trans- and 13-cis-isomers of N-ethyl retinamide (ER), N-2-hydroxyethyl retinamide (HER), and N-4-hydroxyphenyl retinamide (HPR) in mice and rats after po and ip administration. The computed LD90, DL50, and LD10 values for combined sexes of mice following 21 daily doses of the above retinoids were determined. Identical doses of the same retinoid by ip administration produced more toxicity and deaths than by the po route. The 13-cis-isomers exhibited comparatively less toxicity than the corresponding all-trans-isomer. Based on the lethality data, all-trans-retinoic acid was most toxic followed by all-trans-HER greater than all-trans-HPR greater than all-trans-ER. Changes in clinical chemistry and hematological parameters associated with administration of the retinamides include a dose-dependent peripheral anemia evidenced by erythrocytopenia and decreased hemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume. Retinoid treatment also caused increased plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and decreased serum albumin levels. Histopathological changes associated with retinoid administration primarily included liver lesions as characterized by degeneration and enlargement of hepatocytes. The present studies indicate that synthetic retinoids are less toxic than the natural ones.
Void swelling in ion-bombarded molybdenum

Abstract Heavy ion bombardment of molybdenum single crystal has produced calculated swelling values of 2.5 to 3% in the temperature range 900°C to 1000°C. The swelling values are somewhat higher than those reported by Evans for 900°C bombardment. The differences in the swelling are believed to be due to the absence of helium or the slightly higher temperatures used in this work.
Infrared Spectroscopy of Divacancy-Associated Radiation-Induced Absorption Bands in Silicon

Defect infrared-absorption bands induced by fast neutrons in $n$-type, $p$-type, and intrinsic silicon were investigated by the piezospectroscopic method. The divacancy-associated bands at 1.8 and 3.3 \ensuremath{\mu} together with two sharp subbands at 3.45 and 3.61 \ensuremath{\mu} were observed in all types of Si when the measurements were made below 150\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. When measurements were made at 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K the 1.8-\ensuremath{\mu} band was observed in all samples while the 3.3-\ensuremath{\mu} band was observed only in $n$-type Si. The 3.9-\ensuremath{\mu} band which has been identified to be associated with the + 1 charge state of the divacancy defect was not observed. Detailed temperature-dependence studies of the fine structures of the 3.3-\ensuremath{\mu} band give no evidence of phonon structure. The fine structures of the 3.3-\ensuremath{\mu} band are not associated with a single -2 charge state of the divacancy as previously reported but rather are due to three different optical transitions. We conclude that the charge state of the divacancy defect responsible for the observation of these bands is not the same everywhere in the sample. Detailed low-temperature-stress studies of the absorption bands utilizing polarized light lead to large dichroism and small splitting for the 3.4- and 3.61-\ensuremath{\mu} sharp bands, with smaller dichroism and large splitting for the 1.8-\ensuremath{\mu} band. Stress-induced splitting of the bands at 78\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K leads to a confirmation of the model of the divacancy defect deduced from electron-paramagnetic-resonance (EPR) studies by Watkins and Corbett. In terms of a one-electron molecular-orbital model of energy levels the bands at 1.8, 3.45, and 3.61 \ensuremath{\mu} are identified as associated with the $X\ensuremath{-}Y$ dipole-moment transitions. The 3.3-\ensuremath{\mu} band arises from an optical transition due to ionizations of electrons from the weak-orbital-bonding state to the nearest conduction-band edge.