cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Thrombectomy for Middle Cerebral Artery Division Occlusions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Middle cerebral artery division (M2) occlusion was significantly underrepresented in recent mechanical thrombectomy (MT) randomized controlled trials, and the approach to this disease remains heterogeneous. Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of outcomes at 90 days among patients undergoing MT for M2 middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusions. Methods: Five clinical databases were searched from inception through September 2016. Observational studies reporting 90-day modified Rankin Scale scores for patients undergoing MT for M2 MCA occlusions with an M1 MCA control group were selected. The primary outcome of interest was good clinical outcome 90 days after MT of an M1 or M2 MCA occlusion. Secondary outcomes of interest included mortality and excellent clinical outcome, recanalization rates, significant intracerebral hemorrhage, and procedural complications. Results: A total of 323 publications were identified, and 237 potentially relevant articles were screened. Six studies were included in the analysis (M1 = 1,203, M2 = 258; total n = 1,461). We found no significant differences in good clinical outcomes (1.10 [95% CI, 0.83-1.44]), excellent clinical outcomes (1.07 [0.65-1.79]), mortality at 3 months (0.85 [0.58-1.24]), recanalization rates (1.06 [0.32-3.48]), and significant intracranial hemorrhage (1.19 [0.61-2.30]). Conclusions: MT of M2 MCA occlusions is as safe as that of main trunk MCA occlusions, and comparable in terms of clinical outcomes and hemorrhagic complications. Randomized clinical trials are needed to assess the impact of MT in patients with M2 occlusions, given that M1 MCA occlusions have different natural histories than M2 occlusions.
Learning context-content similarity for image retrieval

The onset of Web 2.0 has given the freedom of tagging to the users. These tags are often used for retrieval of multimedia data in the Social Network setting. However, not all the multimedia data have meta-data associated with them, thus making the retrieval cumbersome for the users. We propose a novel technique to bridge the semantic gap between the user's personal ideas (Subjective properties) regarding the images, represented by the meta-data, and the actual representation (Objective properties) of the images, represented by the content of the images. This spanning of semantic gap provides a mechanism for contextual retrieval of the images, based on the context-to-content association. We performed preliminary experiments on the Instagram data collected from public users' profile. The experiments performed on the data demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for real-time application.
P214 Significance and limitations of sera treated with molecular weight centrifugal column

Aim Our lab routinely treats high PRA patient serum with molecular weight centrifugal columns (SC) to remove high molecular weight interference from testing, especially in cases where prozone effect is suspected. Treated serum is used in Luminex single antigen bead (SAB) testing and/or flow cytometric crossmatching and results are correlated with test results using untreated sera. In this study our goal is to define the limitations and significance of sera treated by molecular weight centrifugal column. Methods 124 patients had complement dependent cytotoxicity (CDC) and SAB/SC testing performed between January 2015 and February 2017. Protocol treats 250 μl of serum using the PALL 300 K Nanosep Centrifugal Device. Samples were centrifuged at 14,000 g for 15 min and collected from the reservoir for testing. Specificities determined using One Lambda LABScreen single antigen bead (SAB) Luminex assay and the GEN TRAK 60 well cell tray (CDC: 3 W plus AHG). Analysis included correlation of SAB/SC and CDC including evaluation of regraft status and donor specific antibody (DSA). Results 100/124 patients were CDC positive. All CDC specificities were also identified by SAB/SC testing. 46 were regrafts, and 38 (83%) had DSA identified by both CDC and SAB/SC. 9 of these regraft patients had the prozone effect eliminated in SAB/SC testing with CDC specificities matching. 24/124 patients were CDC negative. Eight of these were regrafts, four had DSA identified by SAB/SC, three were also negative by SAB (SC); all had some reactivity on SAB, but it was weak or against putative cryptic antigens. Conclusions Our initial idea for use for the 300 K Nanosep centrifugal column (SC) was to treat sera to remove interference of high molecular weight substances including the IgM pentamers and eliminate any potential prozone effect. The concern is that IgG specific HLA antibody might also be lost in the process. Results confirm that all allo HLA antibody and DSA identified by CDC were preserved and positively identified by SAB/SC. 9 patients had prozone effect alleviated with SC treatment. One regraft patient had flow crossmatch results using SC sera that confirmed DSA remained positive. SAB/SC results MFI do not correlate to standard SAB results MFI. Interpretation should include pattern and history.
Hyperspectral signatures and WorldView-3 imagery of Indian River Lagoon and Banana River Estuarine water and bottom types

Hyperspectral signatures and imagery collected during the spring and summer of 2017 and 2016 are presented. Ground sampling distances (GSD) and pixel sizes were sampled from just over a meter to less than 4.0 mm. A pushbroom hyperspectral imager was used to calculate bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) signatures. Hyperspectral signatures of different water types and bottom habitats such as submerged seagrasses, drift algae and algal bloom waters were scanned using a high spectral and digital resolution solid state spectrograph. WorldView-3 satellite imagery with minimal water wave sun glint effects was used to demonstrate the ability to detect bottom features using a derivative reflectance spectroscopy approach with the 1.3 m GSD multispectral satellite channels centered at the solar induced fluorescence band. The hyperspectral remote sensing data collected from the Banana River and Indian River Lagoon watersheds represents previously unknown signatures to be used in satellite and airborne remote sensing of water in turbid waters along the US Atlantic Ocean coastal region and the Florida littoral zone.
Yoga Nidrā: An Opportunity for Collaboration to Extend the Science of Sleep States

The conscious entry into non-REM, delta wave sleep practiced by yogis under the title yoga-nidrā provides an opportunity for a fruitful collaboration that utilizes the sensitive subjective awareness of yogis to focus and fine-tune the increasingly powerful observational technologies at work in investigative neuroscience. This collaboration would best be conducted with a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies and can utilize the descriptions of states of consciousness in traditional textual materials to generate measurable hypotheses to be tested. These possibilities are discussed in the context of a review of research literature on yoga-nidrā. The literature has so far demonstrated a pronounced lack of clarity and rigor as a result of not using traditional sources which offer a clear definition and measurable hypotheses to guide research design as well as the contemporary practice of yoga-nidrā. Although there are quite a few studies of practices called ‘yoga-nidrā,’ very, very few of them bother to use electroencephalography to measure whether a state of yoga-nidrā is actually attained.
Tetrandrine (TET) Induces Death Receptors: Apo Trail R1 (DR4) and Apo Trail R2 (DR5) and sensitizes Prostate Cancer Cells to TRAIL induced apoptosis

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) selectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells, but not in normal cells; as such, it is a promising therapeutic agent. However, therapeutic resistance limits its clinical use in many malignancies, including prostate cancer. Strategies to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL are urgently needed. We demonstrate here that small-molecule tetrandrine (TET) potentially sensitizes previously resistant (LNCaP and C4-2B cells) and mildly sensitive (PC3 cells) prostate cancer cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, and they do so by upregulating mRNA expression and protein levels of death receptors Apo Trail R1 (DR4) and Apo Trail R2 (DR5). Using shRNA knockdown, we show critical requirement of DR4 and DR5 in sensitization of prostate cancer cells to TRAIL. We show that double knockdown of DR4 and DR5 abrogated the apoptotic effects of TET and TRAIL. We also demonstrate that TET-induced DR4 and DR5 expression is independent of p53 status. Given that loss of p53 is associated with progression of prostate cancer to CRPC and NEPC, our results show that TET, by acting as a TRAIL-sensitizing agent in prostate cancer, could serve as a potential therapeutic agent in CRPC and NEPC, for which there is no cure to date. Mol Cancer Ther; 17(6); 1217-28. ©2018 AACR.
Molecular Tagging Velocimetry (MTV) and Its Automotive Applications

This work provides an overview of the technique of Molecular Tagging Velocimetry (MTV) and some of its automotive applications. The various elements of MTV implementation are briefly described in terms of the available molecular tracers, methods of tagging, detection, and processing schemes. The automotive applications of this velocimetry technique are demonstrated in mapping the velocity field of the intake flow into a “steady flow rig” model of an internal combustion engine and flow mapping of cycle-to-cycle variation in late compression of a motored IC engine.
Acoustic ecology of the California mantis shrimp (Hemisquilla californiensis).

Acoustic communication plays a major role in the behavioral ecology of various marine organisms (Busnel 1963), especially marine mammals and fish. However, little attention has been given to acoustic communication in marine crustaceans (Popper et al. 2001). Furthermore, the interplay between anthropogenic noise and the acoustic ecology of marine crustaceans remains virtually unexplored. In this study, we investigated the acoustic environment of a benthic stomatopod crustacean, the California mantis shrimp (Hemisquilla californiensis, Crustacea, Stomatopoda).
Issue Visibility, Subconstituency Politics, and Legislative Representation: Evidence from a Natural Experiment Using the Armenian Genocide Resolution

To what extent are citizens able to control their elected officials? Conflicting results in studies of legislative representation are frequently attributed to issue visibility as legislators are thought to be more responsive on more visible issues. Others suggest that legislators are more responsive to subconstituencies of intense voters regardless of issue visibility. Unfortunately, the logic underlying these explanations has not yet been articulated, and data needed to test them does not exist. Employing a natural experiment, we exploit the sudden increase in issue visibility and the corresponding change in co-sponsorship behavior surrounding recognition of the Armenian genocide to investigate these theories. We are unable to detect any evidence that visibility enhances responsiveness in either setting, however, legislators seem to consistently represent subconstituencies' preferences. The results suggest that popular sovereignty is undermined when intense issue publics exist.
Critical Qualitative Research as a Means to Advocate for Latinas in STEM.

The current administration of the United States has brought to the forefront the hostile sociopolitical climate found within this diverse country as Americans continue to grapple with the intention...
A Hybrid Model for Short-Time Wind Power Forecasting Base on Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition and Volterra Neural Networks

In view of excavating the non-stationary and nonlinearity of wind power, a hybrid model based on ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and Volterra neural networks(VNN) is introduced. Firstly, the end issue of EEMD is dealt with by using the largest Lyapunov prediction. Secondly, the new gained time series is decomposed into a series of sequences of different time scale by the EEMD to reduce its non-stationary. Then the VNN model of each component is established on the basis of important parameters including embedded dimensions, delay time and maximum Lyapunov exponent, after mining the sequences chaotic characteristics by means of phase space reconstructed. Finally, the predicting results of each subsequence are superimposed to gain the final estimating result. Calculation example results show that the proposed model is able to excavate power time series features effectively and obtain higher prediction accuracy.
Gain Scores Revisited: A Graphical Models Perspective:

For misguided reasons, social scientists have long been reluctant to use gain scores for estimating causal effects. This article develops graphical models and graph-based arguments to show that gai...
Intraepidermal Nerve Fiber Analysis in Human Patients and Animal Models of Peripheral Neuropathy: A Comparative Review

Analysis of intraepidermal nerve fibers (IENFs) in skin biopsy samples has become a standard clinical tool for diagnosing peripheral neuropathies in human patients. Compared to sural nerve biopsy, skin biopsy is safer, less invasive, and can be performed repeatedly to facilitate longitudinal assessment. Intraepidermal nerve fiber analysis is also more sensitive than conventional nerve histology or electrophysiological tests for detecting damage to small-diameter sensory nerve fibers. The techniques used for IENF analysis in humans have been adapted for large and small animal models and successfully used in studies of diabetic neuropathy, chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, HIV-associated sensory neuropathy, among others. Although IENF analysis has yet to become a routine end point in nonclinical safety testing, it has the potential to serve as a highly relevant indicator of sensory nerve fiber status in neurotoxicity studies, as well as development of neuroprotective and neuroregenerative therapies. Recently, there is also interest in the evaluation of IENF via skin biopsy as a biomarker of small fiber neuropathy in the regulatory setting. This article provides an overview of the anatomic and pathophysiologic principles behind IENF analysis, its use as a diagnostic tool in humans, and applications in animal models with focus on comparative methodology and considerations for study design.
Taking opioids in times of crisis: Institutional oversight, chronic pain and suffering in an integrated healthcare delivery system in the U.S.

Abstract Background Opioid treatment for chronic pain has garnered heightened public attention and political pressure to control a devastating public health crisis in the United States (U.S.). Resulting policy changes, together with ongoing public and political attention, have pushed health care systems and providers to lower doses or deprescribe and taper patients off opioids. However, little attention has been paid to the impact of such practice changes on patients who had relied on opioid treatment to manage their chronic pain. The aim of this article is to explore experiences with opioid-related care under aggressive tapering efforts and concomitant heightened monitoring and institutional oversight among patients with chronic pain in an integrated delivery system through in-depth interviews. Methods We interviewed 97 patients with chronic pain who were assigned to the usual care arm of the Pain Program for Active Coping and Training (PPACT) study. These patients had been prescribed opioids as part of their treatment regimens and taken opioids closely monitored by their health care providers. We followed the framework method for coding and analysing transcripts using NVivo 12. Results The experiences of these patients during this period of change can be understood through three interconnected themes: (1) many patients taking opioids experience debilitating physical side effects; (2) navigating opioid treatment contributes to significant emotional distress among many patients with chronic pain and; (3) the quality of patients’ relationship with their primary care provider can be negatively affected by negotiations regarding long-term opioid treatment for chronic pain. Conclusion We highlight the importance of utilizing communication approaches that are patient-centered and include shared decision making during the tapering and/or deprescribing processes of opioids and ensuring alternative pain treatments are available to patients with chronic pain.
The interactive effect of power distance belief and consumers’ status on preference for national (vs. private-label) brands

Abstract Private-label brands have been offered as an alternative to national brands. Given the widespread belief that private-label brands offer good value, it is surprising that the market share of such brands has remained low in most countries. In the current research, we examine the interactive effect of power distance belief (PDB) – the acceptance and expectation of hierarchies and inequalities in society – and consumers’ status on their preference for private-label (vs. national) brands. Results revealed that in high-PDB contexts, low (vs. high) status consumers are more attracted to national brands. Interestingly, this effect emerged only for products low, compared to high, in symbolism. Furthermore, results suggest that the interactive effect of PDB and consumers’ status on brand preferences is driven by consumers’ status consumption needs.
Adding the missing third and fourth dimensions to trajectory analysis in carbonate systems

[Map view and seismic dip lines visualizing differential progradation of SBT7‐8 along bin 60 and bin 100 (=2 km lateral separation). (a) Map view of SB7 and SB8. (b) Map view of SBT 7–8 color‐coded for aggradation (blue) and downstepping (red). (c) Uninterpreted depth‐converted seismic dip line along bin 60. Vertical exaggeration = 3×. (d) Uninterpreted depth‐converted seismic dip line along bin 100. (e) Interpreted depth‐converted seismic dip line along bin 60 with shelf breaks SB7 and SB8, indicating an aggrading shelf break trajectory with minor progradation. (f) Interpreted depth‐converted seismic dip line along bin 100 with shelf breaks SB7 and SB8, indicating a prograding shelf break trajectory with minor aggradation. , Abstract We developed a seismic geomorphology‐based procedure to enhance traditional trajectory analysis with the ability to visualize and quantify lateral variability along carbonate prograding‐margin types (ramps and rimmed shelves) in 3D and 4D. This quantitative approach analysed the shelf break geometric evolution of the Oligo‐Miocene carbonate clinoform system in the Browse Basin and delineated the feedback between antecedent topography and carbonate system response as controlling factor on shelf break rugosity. Our geometrical analysis identified a systematic shift in the large‐scale average shelf break strike direction over a transect of 10 km from 62° to 55° in the Oligo‐Miocene interval of the Browse Basin, which is likely controlled by far‐field allogenic forcing from the Timor Trough collision zone. Plotting of 3D shelf break trajectories represents a convenient way to visualize the lateral variability in shelf break evolution. Shelf break trajectories that indicate contemporaneous along‐strike progradation and retrogradation correlate with phases of autogenic slope system re‐organization and may be a proxy for morphological stability of the shelf break. Shelf break rugosity and shelf break trajectory rugosity are not inherited parameters and antecedent topography does not dictate long‐term differential movement of the shelf margin through successive depositional sequences. The autogenic carbonate system response to antecedent topography smooths high‐rugosity areas by filling accommodation and maintains a relatively constant shelf break rugosity of ~150 m. Color‐coding of the vertical component in the shelf break trajectory captures the creation and filling of accommodation, and highlights areas of the transect that are likely to yield inconsistent 2D sequence stratigraphic interpretations.]
Examining the use of accounting information in planned careers: A group project to more fully engage students in introductory accounting courses

Most undergraduate business students are required to complete one or two introductory accounting courses, but many fail to see the value that such coursework offers their career (Chen, Jones, and McIntyre 2004). However, engaging students in exercises that explicitly demonstrate the link between course content and planned areas of study enhances the student experience in introductory accounting courses (Turner, Lesseig, and Fulmer 2006). This article presents a group project for introductory accounting courses that links course content to planned areas of study across business disciplines. We discuss all elements of the semester-long project and offer several tools to help with implementation (e.g., project instructions, timeline, grading rubric, peer evaluation forms). Further, we provide insight into the advantages and disadvantages of different project administration approaches. Our pre and post-surveys reveal the project helps students across nearly all business majors see that accounting information is used in their planned careers at significantly higher levels than once believed. We also find that the project helps students either increase enthusiasm for their major/planned career or pushes them to consider other majors/career paths. Such insight is invaluable for students early in their business education.
Different receptor mechanisms underlying phytocannabinoid- versus synthetic cannabinoid-induced tetrad effects: Opposite roles of CB 1 /CB 2 versus GPR55 receptors.

Background and purpose Cannabis or cannabinoids produce characteristic tetrad effects-analgesia, hypothermia, catalepsy and suppressed locomotion, which are believed to be mediated by the activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Given recent findings of CB2 and GPR55 receptors in the brain, we examined whether these receptors are also involved in cannabinoid action. Experimental approach We compared Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9 -THC)-, WIN55212-2-, or XLR11-induced tetrad effects between wild-type (WT) and each genotype of CB1 -, CB2 - or GPR55-knockout (KO) mice and then observed the effects of antagonists of these receptors on these tetrad effects in WT mice. Key results Systemic administration of Δ9 -THC, WIN55212-2 or XLR11 produced dose-dependent tetrad effects in WT mice. Genetic deletion or pharmacological blockade of CB1 receptors abolished the tetrad effects produced by all three cannabinoids. Unexpectedly, genetic deletion of CB2 receptor abolished analgesia and catalepsy produced by Δ9 -THC or WIN55212-2, but not by XLR11. Microinjections of Δ9 -THC into the lateral ventricles also produced tetrad effects in WT, but not in CB1 -KO mice. CB2 -KO mice displayed a reduction in intraventricular Δ9 -THC-induced analgesia and catalepsy. In contrast to CB1 and CB2 receptors, genetic deletion of GPR55 receptors caused enhanced responses to Δ9 -THC or WIN55212-2. Antagonisim of CB1 , CB2 or GPR55 receptors produced alterations similar to those observed in each genotype mouse line. Conclusions and implications These findings suggest that in addition to CB1 , both CB2 and GPR55 receptors are also involved in some pharmacological effects produced by cannabinoids. CB1 /CB2 , in contrast to GPR55, receptors appears to play opposite roles in cannabinoid action.
Noncoding RNAs in Apicomplexan Parasites: An Update

Recent breakthroughs in high-throughput technologies, transcriptomics, and advances in our understanding of gene regulatory networks have enhanced our perspective on the complex interplay between parasite and host. Noncoding RNA molecules have been implicated in critical roles covering a broad range of biological processes in the Apicomplexa. Processes that are affected range from parasite development to host–parasite interactions and include interactions with epigenetic machinery and other regulatory factors. Here we review recent progress involving noncoding RNAs and their functions in the Apicomplexa, with a focus on three parasites: Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, and Cryptosporidium. We discuss the limitations and challenges of current methods applied to apicomplexan noncoding RNA study and discuss future directions in this exciting field.
Consequences of Captive-Rearing and Exposure to Cues from Potential Predators on Shell Sizes and Shapes of North American Stagnicoline Gastropods (Family Lymnaeidae)

Understanding the extent to which traits that are used to delimit and diagnose species are phenotypically plastic is important for recognizing species boundaries. Shell characters have long been used for describing species of gastropods, even though these features may be influenced by environmental conditions. To determine the degree of phenotypic plasticity of two North American lymnaeid species, Stagnicola elodes (Say, 1821) and Stagnicola emarginata (Say, 1821), that occur in different habitats and differ in shell morphology, we reared individuals in captivity under similar conditions and compared shell shapes and sizes of wild-caught and captive-reared populations. We also exposed individuals of S. elodes to effluent from a potential predator (crayfish) to gauge the possible impact of the presence of predators on shell morphology. Although the two species remained morphologically distinct, shell shapes of captive-reared individuals of both species differ significantly from those of wild-caught individuals and show similar magnitudes of change among species. Directions of change, however, differed significantly among species. Although shell shapes of individuals of S. elodes that were exposed to crayfish cues were not significantly different from control snails, shell sizes of exposed snails were smaller than unexposed snails. These results suggest that exposure to predators affects growth rates of S. elodes. Nonetheless, given significant associations between shell shape and size that were observed in the captive-rearing and predator-exposure experiments, shell shape changes allometrically during development. These results suggest that morphological differences of other North American Stagnicola species reflect ecophenotypic variation, but more work is necessary to further evaluate this hypothesis.
A Resident-Led Quality Improvement Initiative to Increase Nursing Presence On Inpatient Rounds

Background: Nursing presence on bedside rounds improves patient safety, enhances team communication, and increases family satisfaction. Competing clinical priorities, however, often prevent interdisciplinary rounds from occurring. Recognized as an issue on our pediatric inpatient unit, our residents designed and executed a quality improvement (QI) initiative to address this utilizing a novel experiential QI curriculum. Aim: To increase nursing presence during the medical decision-making component of rounds for pediatric hospitalist patients from baseline (34%) to 80% attendance over 6 months. Methodology: In …
Research on the Difference Mechanism of High Voltage Circuit Breaker's Opening/Closing Coil Current

High voltage circuit breakers are important protection and control equipment for the power grid. The defects and faults of the circuit breaker seriously affect the safety and stability of the power system. As the key component of the operating mechanism of the circuit breaker, the opening/closing coils contain a large amount of information about the operating status of the mechanism. In order to investigate the cause of the difference in the current waveforms, this paper analyzes the factors affecting the circuit breaker opening/closing coil current based on the actual high voltage circuit breaker, and distinguishes the characteristics of the current caused by the environmental difference and Structural difference. At the same time, the characteristics of coil current changes under four different types of mechanism defects are analyzed. These results lay the foundation for status evaluation of high voltage circuit breakers based on opening/closing coil current.
Flexibility of the factorized form of the unitary coupled cluster ansatz

The factorized form of the unitary coupled cluster ansatz is a popular state preparation ansatz for electronic structure calculations of molecules on quantum computers. It often is viewed as an approximation (based on the Trotter product formula) for the conventional unitary coupled cluster operator. In this work, we show that the factorized form is quite flexible, allowing one to range from conventional configuration interaction, to conventional unitary coupled cluster, to efficient approximations that lie in between these two. The variational minimization of the energy often allows simpler factorized unitary coupled cluster approximations to achieve high accuracy, even if they do not accurately approximate the Trotter product formula. This is similar to how quantum approximate optimization algorithms can achieve high accuracy with a small number of levels.
Nutrient Transport by the Invertebrate Gut

The gastrointestinal tracts of multicellular organisms are often complex and variable in structure and exhibit a variety of physiological roles which aid in the maintenance of stable internal homeostatic conditions as well as participate in the regulation of normal growth and development. Because of medical implications the most detailed studies of gastrointestinal physiology have been conducted on mammals. However, over 95% of living metazoan organisms are not mammals, but are invertebrates which also exhibit highly complex gastrointestinal organs. It is therefore appropriate to examine, in similar detail, the physiological properties of gut function in other animal groups, for only in this way can a complete understanding of the processes involved in gastrointestinal physiology be adequately assessed and their possible adaptive significance ascertained. This review summarizes information concerning organic solute transport by the gastrointestinal tracts of the four most anatomically complex invertebrate phyla: Annelida, Echinodermata, Mollusca, and Arthropoda. Mechanisms of nutrient transport by absorptive organs of each animal group are characterized in general terms, and recent information from the author’s laboratory about sugar and amino acid absorption in crustacean gut are discussed in detail.
Antioxidant properties of (-)-epicatechin-3-gallate and its inhibition of Cr (VI)-induced DNA damage and Cr (IV)- or TPA-stimulated NF-κB activation

Electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping was utilized to investigate the scavenging effects on hydroxyl radicals (*OH) and superoxide radicals (O2*-) by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), one of the major anticancer compounds in tea. The spin trap used was 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO). The Fenton reaction (Fe2+ + H2O2-->Fe3+ + *OH + OH-) was used as a source of *OH radicals. EGCG efficiently scavenges *OH radicals with reaction rate of 4.62 x 10(11) M(-1)sec(-1), which is an order of magnitude higher than several well recognized antioxidants, such as ascorbate, glutathione and cysteine. It also scavenges O2*- radicals as demonstrated by using xanthine and xanthine oxidase system as a source of O2*- radicals. Through its antioxidant properties, EGCG exhibited a protective effect against DNA damage induced by Cr(VI). EGCG also inhibited activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-kappaB induced by Cr(IV) and 12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The present studies provide a mechanistic basis for the reported anticarcinogenic properties of EGCG and related tea products.
Immunological studies in acute leukemia.

Advances in chemotherapy and supportive care over the past several years have led to remarkable gains in the treatment of certain forms of acute leukemia. Acute leukemia, however, remains an incurable disease. The major emphasis in the management of this disease has been to employ intensive treatment with cytotoxic agents. These agents are designed to kill as many tumor cells as possible without causing irreparable damage to other vital cell systems, such as the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract, liver, etc.
There Is More to the Story

To the Guest Editor, Herbert L. DuPont: Lest we forget the paramount economic and societal impact that the agents of travelers’ diarrhea (TD) impose on the populations of the developing world, Wang and colleagues (15:110–118) have confidently demonstrated through developed methodology, measured assumptions, and depth of literature review the considerable economic impact these infections inflict on millions of travelers from developed to less developed countries each year.1 They also estimate an important economic loss to these countries’ economies from missed revenue opportunity due to the illness of the traveler, as well as the theoretical (but likely important) lost revenue associated with traveler avoidance to high‐risk regions because of concern about the risk of acquiring the illness. While these estimated pre‐, during, and post‐travel costs …
Linux physical memory analysis

We present a tool suite for analysis of physical memory usage within the Linux kernel environment. This tool suite can be used to collect and analyze how the physical memory within a Linux environment is being used.
Honors as Validation

Ever since I was inducted into the Junior National Honor Society in middle school, I have been engaged in honor societies and honors programs. I have experienced firsthand the profound impact such distinctions can have on students' personal and intellectual development as well as their positive effects on the academic character of institutions. As a student, my induction into an honor society stirred feelings of pride, authenticity, and determination. Academically high-achieving students often find themselves marginalized from other forms of recognition such as those associated with athletic excellence and leadership in student organizations. For these students, the recognition of excellence in academic achievement can be an important affirmation of their discipline, hard work, and intellectual gifts. Later, in high school, I received an award from the National Council of Teachers of English. Although I hardly knew it at the time, I now realize that this award was a turning point in my life. It provided external validation of a gift for writing and story-telling I possessed, but of which I was only dimly aware. For me, the award was far more than a pat on the back for a job well done; it guided me in the choice of a college major and, ultimately, of a profession. On display in my office are a number of diplomas and other impressive-looking awards I have received over the last forty years. None means more to me than the modest framed certificate for "excellence in high school English" that is prominently positioned in their midst. As an undergraduate, I was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Beta Kappa, and I participated as well in the honors program in English at my university. At the time, I viewed these recognitions as resume builders and listed them conspicuously on job applications in hopes that a prospective employer would be impressed. Their real value, though, lay in the way they helped me develop the intellectual self-confidence I would need to be successful in the competitive world of higher education. My association with honor societies and programs did not end with graduation. As a faculty member and administrator, I have come to appreciate even more the value that these affiliations bring to institutions. After my initial induction into Phi Kappa Phi as an undergraduate, I am proud to have played a role in chartering three new PKP chapters: Chapter 265 at the University of Houston-Downtown, Chapter 296 at Texas AM however, I am certain that for others, the bestowal of honors will have the same profound and lasting impact that it has had for me. The presence of honor societies and programs on a university campus is an important component of its reputation for excellence. We in higher education spend a great deal of time talking about the academic reputation of our institutions, as do our prospective students and their families; witness the much-pilloried but nonetheless widely read annual rankings published by U. …
Moving the New Anthropology of Art beyond the Museum

Looking High and Low: Art and Cultural Identity. Brenda Jo Bright and Liza Bakewell. eds. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1995. 210 pp.
From Blame to Punishment: Disrupting Prefrontal Cortex Activity Reveals Norm Enforcement Mechanisms

The social welfare provided by cooperation depends on the enforcement of social norms. Determining blameworthiness and assigning a deserved punishment are two cognitive cornerstones of norm enforcement. Although prior work has implicated the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) in norm-based judgments, the relative contribution of this region to blameworthiness and punishment decisions remains poorly understood. Here, we used repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and fMRI to determine the specific role of DLPFC function in norm-enforcement behavior. DLPFC rTMS reduced punishment for wrongful acts without affecting blameworthiness ratings, and fMRI revealed punishment-selective DLPFC recruitment, suggesting that these two facets of norm-based decision making are neurobiologically dissociable. Finally, we show that DLPFC rTMS affects punishment decision making by altering the integration of information about culpability and harm. Together, these findings reveal a selective, causal role for DLPFC in norm enforcement: representational integration of the distinct information streams used to make punishment decisions.
Attitudes predict the use of physical punishment: a prospective study of the emergence of disciplinary practices.

OBJECTIVE. We sought to track the emergence of discipline techniques by mothers of young children and assess the predictive validity of spanking attitudes with subsequent reports of spanking. METHODS. One hundred thirty-two mothers were surveyed every 6 months (beginning when their child was 12 months old until they were 4 years old) regarding how they disciplined their children. The discipline behaviors measured included physical punishment, noncoercive methods, and the use of time-outs and withdrawal of privileges. Attitudes toward spanking also were assessed several times. RESULTS. When their infants were 12 months old, mothers reported using 10 of the 12 discipline techniques assessed, and by the time the children were 24 months old, most mothers reported widespread use of the techniques. The frequency of use increased with age. Although the use of some discipline methods changed as the children got older, the mothers showed significant stability in their overall discipline strategy. Attitudes toward spanking (assessed when their children were 6 months old) were significantly correlated with subsequent spanking behavior, and the mothers’ attitudes showed stability over time as well. CONCLUSIONS. By the time infants are 12 months old, discipline is a frequent occurrence in many families. A variety of techniques are used, and attitudes toward spanking predict subsequent spanking behavior. This information is useful for pediatricians, because it provides parents with anticipatory guidance about disciplining young children.
Effect of hyperparathyroidism on response to erythropoietin in children on dialysis.

The response to recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO), 50 units/kg thrice weekly, was studied prospectively in 17 children and adolescents with end-stage renal disease who were either transfusion dependent or had hematocrits 400 pg/ml, significantly higher than those of the other patients (P <0.005); 3 of 6 later reached a hematocrit of 30% – 33% after the rHuEPO dose was increased to 120 – 130 units/kg thrice weekly. We conclude that most pediatric dialysis patients can be treated successfully with rHuEPO, 50 units/kg thrice weekly, unless the serum PTH concentration is markedly elevated, in which case a higher dose is likely to be needed.
The Strong CP Problem Revisited

Abstract The strong CP -violating θ parameter, the problem of strong CP violation and their status are reviewed. Among all possibilities, two natural solutions to the strong CP puzzle are thoroughly discussed and emphasized: the axion-type mechanism for hard CP violation and the non-Peccei-Quinn scheme for spontaneous CP nonconservation. Basic properties of the axion are derived from the modified Peccei-Quinn symmetry. Astrophysical and cosmological constraints are described for two different types of invisible axions. In nonaxion solutions, CP is spontaneously broken at the grand-unification scale and the CP phase is transmitted down to the low energy sector by quantum effects or by fermion mixing effects. As a by-product, the cosmological baryon asymmetry, which is caused by the same source of CP violation ultimately responsible for the kaon e parameter, is generated adequately at the one-loop level.
Optimality, scalability and stability study of partitioning and placement algorithms

This paper studies the optimality, scalability and stability of state-of-the-art partitioning and placement algorithms. We present algorithms to construct two classes of benchmarks, one for partitioning and the other for placement, which have known upper bounds of their optimal solutions, and can match any given net distribution vector. Using these partitioning and placement benchmarks, we studied the optimality of state-of-the-art algorithms by comparing their solutions with the upper bounds of the optimal solutions, and their scalability and stability by varying the sizes and characteristics of the benchmarks. The conclusions from this study are: 1) State-of-the-art, multilevel two way partitioning algorithms scale very well and are able to find solutions very close to the upper bounds of the optimal solutions of our benchmarks. This suggests that existing circuit partitioning techniques are fairly mature. There is not much room for improvement for cutsize minimization for problems of the current sizes. Multiway partitioning algorithms, on the other hand, do not perform that well. Their results can be up to 18% worse than our estimated upper bounds. 2) The state-of-the-art placement algorithms produce significantly inferior results compared with the estimated optimal solutions. There is still significant room for improvement in circuit placement. 3) Existing placement algorithms are not stable. Their effectiveness varies considerably depending on the characteristics of the benchmarks. New hybrid techniques are probably needed for future generation placement engines that are more scalable and stable.
Molecular genetic defects and cardiac morphogenesis

Abstract With recent advances in molecular genetics, the etiology of an increasing number of congenital cardiac defects is being defined. In this review, we outline the most recent molecular approaches used to identify the genetic etiologies of cardiac disorders by examining four representative disorders: familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, long QT syndrome, familial supravalvar aortic stenosis and William's syndromes, and the DiGeorge and velocardiofacial syndromes. The genetic etiologies of the first two diseases were identified by studying large families with multiple affected members. The last syndromes made use of known chromosomal alterations. The clinical implications of some of these new findings are also discussed.
Robust estimation in truncated discrete distributions with application to capture-recapture experiments

Abstract A family of estimators is proposed for the relative frequency of the unobservable zero class in a truncated Poisson distribution. Large sample behavior is described by asymptotic expansion and robust properties are discussed in the presence of compound distributions. Two applications are presented involving the estimation of the number of unobserved individuals in complex capture-recapture experiments.
Proliferation and functional characterization of human CD34+ bone marrow cells cultured in simulated microgravity

Abstract The ability of the rotating wall vessel (RWV) bioreactor, developed by NASA for benchtop simulation of microgravity (μ-G), to support expansion of primitive human hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) was assessed during short-term cultures. Human bone marrow (BM) enriched for CD34+ cells (mean purity = 85%, n = 3) was seeded at 1.1 to 2.0 × 10e5 cells/mL in 10 mL in RWV, and incubated in the presence of SCF, IL-3, IL-6, GM-CSF, Flt-3L, and MGDF in either simulated μ-G or earth gravity (1-G). Proliferation of these cells after 5 days of culture averaged 11± 10-fold in μ-G, compared to 4.1 ± 3-fold in 1-G control cultures. Expansion of CD34+ cells was also greater in μ-G cultures compared to 1-G (2.6 ± 2.6 vs. 1.0 ± 0.8, respectively), as well as expansion of more primitive CD34+ CD38−/lo cells (1.9 ± 1.4 vs. 0.8 ± 0.6, respectively). To further examine the hematopoietic potential of CD34+ cells propagated in μ-G, long-term repopulating potential was assessed in NOD/SCID recipients. Conditioned NOD/SCID mice were transplanted with either fresh day 0 CD34-enriched BM cells (570K to 990K/mouse), or progeny of equivalent cell numbers expanded in μ-G (2.5 to 11.4 × 10e6/mouse) or 1-G (1.5 to 3.9 × 10e6/mouse). Fresh CD34+ cells provided 39 ± 14% chimerism at 8 weeks of post-transplantation. Despite possessing in μ-G were deficient in NOD/SCID-repopulating potential compared to 1-G controls (2.1 ± 1.4, n = 4 vs. 14.8 ± 13, n = 4, respectively). To examine whether diminished homing may contribute to the reduced engraftment of μ-G cells, adhesion molecule expression was analyzed. While no differences were found between μ-G and 1-G CD34+ cells in their adhesion molecule repertoire, these cells expressed considerably different levels of CD11a, CD43, CD44, CD49d, CD49e, CD62L, and CXCR4 in comparison to day 0 CD34+ cells, possibly contributing to their reduced engraftment potential. These results in simulated μ-G shed further light on stem cell biology, and may begin to explain some of the hematologic changes occurring in humans exposed to true microgravity.
Accounting Education: The Impact of Globalization

This report investigates the impact of globalization on accounting education as set forth by members of a panel at the annual meeting of the American Accounting Association held in New York in August 2009. It addresses the work of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) in coordinating accounting education globally, research by the International Association for Accounting Education and Research (IAAER) in support of the IAESB, the work of the International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation (IASC Foundation) and its impact on accounting education, and the impact of globalization on accounting education in Japan.
Early phenotype expression of cortical neurons: evidence that a subclass of migrating neurons have callosal axons.

Abstract The use of [3H]thymidine labeling in combination with various axonal transport tracers has revealed that a subset of migrating neurons in the fetal monkey cerebrum issue axons to the opposite cerebral hemisphere while still migrating to their final positions in the cortical plate. Other cortical neurons with the same "birthdate" (i.e., that underwent their last round of DNA synthesis on the same day) are not retrogradely labeled by tracer injections of the opposite hemisphere. These findings suggest that the cardinal distinction between projection and local circuit neurons may be specified in postmitotic neurons before they acquire their final positions in the cortex.