cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diabetes Control Is Associated with Environmental Quality in the U.S.

Background: Environmental parameters, including built and sociodemographic environments, can impact diabetes control (DC). Indeed, epidemiological studies have associated specific environmental factors with DC; however, the impact of multidimensional environmental status has not been assessed. Methods: The Environmental Quality Index (EQI) is a comprehensive quantitative metric that captures five environmental domains. DC was defined as the proportion of adults aged 20+ years with a previous diabetes diagnosis, high fasting blood glucose, and/or elevated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) who currently do not have high fasting blood glucose or elevated HbA1c. We conducted county-level analyses of age-adjusted DC prevalence rates for 2004-2012 in association with EQI for 2006-2010 and domain-specific indices using random intercept multilevel linear regression models clustered by state and controlled for county-level rates of obesity and physical inactivity. Analyses were stratified by rural-urban strata and results are reported as prevalence rate differences (PRD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing highest quintile/worst environmental quality to lowest quintile/best environmental quality. Findings: The association of DC with cumulative environmental quality is negative after controlling for obesity and leisure time physical inactivity for all counties (PRD -0.32,95% CI:-0.38,-0.27). This suggests that rates of DC worsen as environmental quality declines. While overall environmental quality exerts effects on DC that vary across the rural-urban spectrum, poor sociodemographic and built environmental factors are associated with decreased DC nationally. Interpretation: These data suggest that improvements in environmental quality mediated by larger scale policy and practice interventions may improve glycemic control and reduce the morbidity and mortality arising from hyperglycemia. Funding Statement: This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health [P30 DK092949 to JSJ (via the Chicago Center for Diabetes Translational Research), P30 ES027792 (ChicAgo Center on Health and EnvironmenT), and R01 ES028879 (to RMS)], the American Diabetes Association [1-17-JDF-033 to RMS], and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EP-17-D-000063 to JSJ]. A.K.K. supported in part by an appointment to the Internship/Research Participation Program at Office of Research and Development (Center for Public Health & Environmental Assessment), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Declaration of Interests: The authors do not have any conflicts of interest pertinent to this manuscript.
Automatically Extracting OWL Versions of FOL Ontologies

While OWL and RDF are by far the most popular logic-based languages for Semantic Web Ontologies, some well-designed ontologies are only available in languages with a much richer expressivity, such as first-order logic (FOL) or the ISO standard Common Logic. This inhibits reuse of these ontologies by the wider Semantic Web Community. While converting OWL ontologies to FOL is straightforward, the reverse problem of finding the closest OWL approximation of an FOL ontology is undecidable. However, for most practical purposes, a “good enough” OWL approximation need not be perfect to enable wider reuse by the Semantic Web Community.
A survival case of premature infant with hepatoblastoma (fetal pattern) along with other serious comorbidities and surgical interventions

An estimated ratio (i.e., 1 in 10) babies are born too early every year. Roughly 1 million children die each year due to impediments raised pertaining to preterm birth. One such extreme preterm male baby was presented in the neonatal care unit with respiratory distress and grunting. Baby was confirmed to have ventricular septal defect along with patent ductus arteriosus and craniosynostosis which was treated with medications and surgical managements. He was also engaged with various prophylactic and empirical antibiotic therapies to cover the microbial growth. The most disturbing stage here was the appearance of liver mass sizing 5.8 cm × 1.3 cm accompanied with area of necrosis, diagnosed with hepatoblastoma which was evident with the aid of ultrasound. Hence, chemotherapy was commenced which was in accordance with Societe Internationale d Oncologie Pediatrique Epithelial Liver Tumor Study Group-3. Although the existing comorbidities haunted the baby for a long time, he finally made it successfully to get into track by fighting all the hurdles bravely, which was a sheer miracle. Along with the clinicians/surgeons, we Clinical Pharmacists worked hand in hand to ensure the baby to be receiving optimized drug regimen keeping in mind the risk-benefit ratio.
Art and Embodiment: From Aesthetics to Self-Consciousness

Introduction: An Ecological Theory of Art PART ONE: VARIETIES AND STRUCTURES OF AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE 1. Aesthetic Domain: A Logical Geography 2. Aesthetic Experience and the Experience of Art 3. Alienation and Disalienation in Abstract Art PART TWO: THE PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ART 4. Fundamental Ontology and Transcendent Beauty: An Approach to Kant's Aesthetics 5. Heidegger and the Question of Aesthetics 6. Merleau-Ponty: Vision and Painting 7. Art, Architecture, and Self-Consciousness: An Exploration of Hegel's Aesthetics PART THREE: THE ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ART 8. The Needs of Self-Consciousness: From Aesthetic Experience to Unalienated Artifice 9. Art and the Needs of Self-Consciousness 10. Defining Art: Questions of Creativity and Originality Appendix Conclusion Index
Enhancing web search by using query-based clusters and multi-document summaries

Current web search engines, such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo!, rank the set of documents SD retrieved in response to a user query and display each document D in SD with a title and a snippet, which serves as an abstract of D. Snippets, however, are not as useful as they are designed for, i.e., assisting its users to quickly identify results of interest, if they exist. These snippets are inadequate in providing distinct information and capturing the main contents of the corresponding documents. Moreover, when the intended information need specified in a search query is ambiguous, it is very difficult, if not impossible, for a search engine to identify precisely the set of documents that satisfy the user's intended request without requiring additional inputs. Furthermore, a document title is not always a good indicator of the content of the corresponding document. All of these design problems can be solved by our proposed query-based cluster and summarizer, called $$Q_{Sum}$$QSum. $$Q_{Sum}$$QSum generates a concise/comprehensive summary for each cluster of documents retrieved in response to a user query, which saves the user's time and effort in searching for specific information of interest without having to browse through the documents one by one. Experimental results show that $$Q_{Sum}$$QSum is effective and efficient in generating a high-quality summary for each cluster of documents on a specific topic.
Identification and frequency domain quasi-maximum likelihood estimation of linearized dynamic stochastic general equilibrium models

This paper considers issues related to identification, inference, and computation in linearized dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) models. We first provide a necessary and sufficient condition for the local identification of the structural parameters based on the (first and) second order properties of the process. The condition allows for arbitrary relations between the number of observed endogenous variables and structural shocks, and is simple to verify. The extensions, including identification through a subset of frequencies, partial identification, conditional identification, and identification under general nonlinear constraints, are also studied. When lack of identification is detected, the method can be further used to trace out nonidentification curves. For estimation, restricting our attention to nonsingular systems, we consider a frequency domain quasi-maximum likelihood estimator and present its asymptotic properties. The limiting distribution of the estimator can be different from results in the related literature due to the structure of the DSGE model. Finally, we discuss a quasi-Bayesian procedure for estimation and inference. The procedure can be used to incorporate relevant prior distributions and is computationally attractive.
Collaborative caching for multicell-coordinated systems

Cellular networks have become a major Internet gateway over which online video is increasingly accessed. Data caching in cellular networks brings the accessed content closer to the requesting clients, thus enhancing simultaneously the performance of the video application and the operational efficiency of the cellular network. State-of-the-art caching schemes for cellular networks either employ traditional approaches such as Least Recently Used (LRU) caching or optimize the cache placement at each base station independently. We study the problem of collaborative content caching among base stations such that their aggregate operational cost is minimized or the profit earned by the service provider is maximized, given their caching capacity constraints. We distinguish between two cases: (i) non-coded data in which a content item is either stored at a base station or not, and (ii) coded data, where segments of the fountain or network coded content item are stored at multiple base stations. For the non-coded case, we derive an integer programming formulation and prove its NP-completeness. We also design a fully polynomial-time approximation algorithm for solving the problem of interest. For the coded case, we derive a linear program formulation that can be solved in polynomial time. Our simulation results show that the proposed collaborative caching schemes provide considerable advances over non-collaborative competitors.
Characterization of the Dynamic Germination of Individual Clostridium difficile Spores Using Raman Spectroscopy and Differential Interference Contrast Microscopy

ABSTRACT The Gram-positive spore-forming anaerobe Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Spores of C. difficile initiate infection when triggered to germinate by bile salts in the gastrointestinal tract. We analyzed germination kinetics of individual C. difficile spores using Raman spectroscopy and differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy. Similar to Bacillus spores, individual C. difficile spores germinating with taurocholate plus glycine began slow leakage of a ∼15% concentration of a chelate of Ca2+ and dipicolinic acid (CaDPA) at a heterogeneous time T1, rapidly released CaDPA at Tlag, completed CaDPA release at Trelease, and finished peptidoglycan cortex hydrolysis at Tlysis. T1 and Tlag values for individual spores were heterogeneous, but ΔTrelease periods (Trelease − Tlag) were relatively constant. In contrast to Bacillus spores, heat treatment did not stimulate spore germination in the two C. difficile strains tested. C. difficile spores did not germinate with taurocholate or glycine alone, and different bile salts differentially promoted spore germination, with taurocholate and taurodeoxycholate being best. Transient exposure of spores to taurocholate plus glycine was sufficient to commit individual spores to germinate. C. difficile spores did not germinate with CaDPA, in contrast to B. subtilis and C. perfringens spores. However, the detergent dodecylamine induced C. difficile spore germination, and rates were increased by spore coat removal although cortex hydrolysis did not follow Trelease, in contrast with B. subtilis. C. difficile spores lacking the cortex-lytic enzyme, SleC, germinated extremely poorly, and cortex hydrolysis was not observed in the few sleC spores that partially germinated. Overall, these findings indicate that C. difficile and B. subtilis spore germination exhibit key differences. IMPORTANCE Spores of the Gram-positive anaerobe Clostridium difficile are responsible for initiating infection by this important nosocomial pathogen. When exposed to germinants such as bile salts, C. difficile spores return to life through germination in the gastrointestinal tract and cause disease, but their germination has been studied only with population-wide measurements. In this work we used Raman spectroscopy and DIC microscopy to monitor the kinetics of germination of individual C. difficile spores, the commitment of spores to germination, and the effect of germinant type and concentration, sublethal heat shock, and spore decoating on germination. Our data suggest that the order of germination events in C. difficile spores differs from that in Bacillus spores and provide new insights into C. difficile spore germination.
Relapsing febrile nodular nonsuppurative panniculitis (Weber-Christian syndrome): case report with response to roentgen therapy, and failure of cortisone.

Excerpt Relapsing febrile nodular non-suppurative panniculitis is an uncommon disease of unknown etiology. In a review article Beerman1found 83 reported cases. No review of the literature is here i...
Role of nucleoside transport and purine release in a rabbit model of myocardial stunning

Previously, we have demonstrated the role of nucleoside transport and purine release in post-ischemic reperfusion injury (myocardial stunning) in several canine models of ischemia. Since rabbits are deficient of xanthine oxidase, it is not known whether selective blockade of purine release is beneficial in a rabbit model of coronary artery occlusion and reperfusion (stunning). Therefore, we determined the hemodynamic and metabolic correlates in response to myocardial stunning in the presence or absence of selective nucleoside transport blocker (p-nitrobenzylthioinosine, NBMPR) and adenosine deaminase inhibitor (erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine, EHNA). Sixty adult anaesthetized rabbits were surgically prepared for hemodynamic measurements. After stabilization period, the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 15 min and reperfused for 30 min. Transmural myocardial biopsies were obtained from the ischemic LAD area and from the non-ischemic posterior (circumflex, CFX) segment of the myocardium. Rabbits (n = 60) were randomly assigned to either the control or the EHNA/NBMPR-treated group (n = 30 each). Each group was further divided to either functional or metabolic groups (n = 15 each subgroup). Each animal received intravenously 30 ml of either a vehicle solution or 100 M EHNA and 25 M NBMPR 10 min before ischemia. Although administration of EHNA/NBMPR did not affect the heart rate, it did cause mild hypotension (about 20-30%). Fifteen minutes of LAD occlusion resulted in significant ATP depletion and concomitant accumulation of nucleosides in both groups (p < 0.05 vs. baseline and non-ischemic CFX segment). AMP was higher in the LAD compared to the CFX segment. Significant accumulation of adenosine was observed in the treated group compared to the control group. It is concluded that EHNA/NBMPR induced site specific entrapment of adenosine of nucleoside transport in the rabbit heart, in vivo.
Sequential Instance-Based Learning for Planning in the Context of an Imperfect Information Game

Finding sequential concepts, as in planning, is a complex task because of the exponential size of the search space. Empirical learning can be an effective way to find sequential concepts from observations. Sequential Instance-Based Learning (SIBL), which is presented here, is an empirical learning paradigm, modeled after Instance-Based Learning (IBL) that learns sequential concepts, ordered sequences of state-action pairs to perform a synthesis task. SIBL is highly effective and learns expert-level knowledge. SIBL demonstrates the feasibility of using an empirical learning approach to discover sequential concepts. In addition, this approach suggests a general framework that systematically extends empirical learning to learning sequential concepts. SIBL is tested on the domain of bridge.
A density based clustering scheme for situational awareness in a smart-grid

Synchrophasors are the state-of-the-art measuring sensors that sense voltage, current, or frequency with high data rate. This paper presents an approach to analyze the streaming smart-grid data generated by synchrophasors. A novel unit-circle representation is used to visualize the real-time phasor data. A Density based clustering (DBSCAN) method is proposed to cluster the phasor data to detect bad-data for classification, and identifying various fault anomalies. The paper uses datasets from an IEEE 14 bus system test-bed to aid system operators in carrying various predictive analytics and decisions.
Real Earnings Management and Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans

Increasingly, shareholders and regulators have been calling for a reigning in of executive salaries. Most of this discussion has focused on bonuses and stock options, the more observable portions of an executive compensation package. However long term incentive pay, such as supplemental executive retirement plans (SERPs), has become a significant portion of executive compensation and is more difficult to monitor. This paper examines whether managers use real earnings management in the form of Accelerated Share repurchases (ASR) to increase total compensation through this more obscure or ‘stealth’, area of pay. This is because ASRs tend to have a more immediate and significant impact on EPS versus open market repurchases (OMRs). While SERPs provide an opportunity for CEOs to hide compensation, stronger managerial power may enhance this opportunity. We find evidence that managers who have SERPs in place are significantly more likely to choose ASRs versus OMRs. We also find that as executives’ horizon shorten, they are also more likely to use this stronger form of earnings management (ASR). Additionally, we find that, on average, ASR firms have higher managerial power than OMR firms. Finally, we are able to provide direct evidence of the economic significance of SERP programs. Additional analyses provide further support for the link between SERPs and real earnings management in the form of share repurchase choice.
Primary language of parent is associated with disparities in pediatric preventive care

Objectives To determine whether infants of parents whose primary language is not English are less likely to receive recommended preventive care than infants of parents whose primary language is English. Study design We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all 38,793 1-year-old Medicaid-enrolled infants born in Washington state between January 1, 1999 and September 30, 2000. The main exposure was self-reported primary language of parents. Using multivariate regression, we estimated the relative risk of receiving appropriate and timely receipt of preventive care visits in the first year as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and Washington state Medicaid. Results Fewer than 1 in 6 (15.4%) infants received all 6 recommended preventive care visits in their first year of life. Infants of parents whose primary language was not English were half as likely to receive all recommended preventive care visits compared with infants of parents whose primary language was English (adjusted relative risk = 0.53; 95% confidence interval = 0.49 to 0.58). This disparity was seen in white, Hispanic, and African-American infants, but not in Asian-American infants. Conclusions Disparities based on primary language exist in receipt of recommended pediatric preventive care in white, Hispanic, and African-American infants enrolled in Medicaid.
Induction of Caspase-Mediated Cell Death by Matrix Metalloproteinases in Cerebral Endothelial Cells after Hypoxia—Reoxygenation

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may contribute to the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia by degrading matrix components in the neurovascular unit. In this study, the authors document a pathway by which MMPs interfere with cell—matrix interactions and trigger caspase-mediated cytotoxicity in brain endothelial cells. Hypoxia—reoxygenation induced endothelial cytotoxicity. Cytoprotection with zDEVD-fmk confirmed that cell death was partly caspase mediated. The temporal profile of caspase-3 activation was matched by elevations in MMP-2 and MMP-9. MMP inhibitors significantly decreased caspase-3 activation and reduced endothelial cell death. Degradation of matrix fibronectin confirmed the presence of extracellular proteolysis. Increasing integrin-linked kinase signaling with the β1 integrin-activating antibody (8A2) ameliorated endothelial cytotoxicity. The results suggest that MMP-9 and MMP-2 contribute to caspase-mediated brain endothelial cell death after hypoxia—reoxygenation by disrupting cell—matrix i...
Energy‐conservation management in organizations

To investigate the effects on energy-conservation management in organizations over time, a longitudinal study was designed to monitor five organizations for five years. They represent different types of organizations managing their own buildings in Sweden. Facilitating organizational structures and managerial practices are identified, and practical implications of introducing and maintaining energy-conservation management in organizations are discussed in detail.
Surface treatment of AM355 stainless steel for adhesive bonding

Abstract Surface treatments for preparing AM355 stainless steel for adhesive bonding have been studied. Lap shear, wedge test and stress durability data are presented for bonds prepared using 19 different surface treatments. The oxides formed on the stainless steel as a result of the surface treaments have been characterized using Auger electron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and surface potential difference, photoelectron emission and water contact angle methods.
Rationale, design, and methods of the systematic treatment enhancement program for bipolar disorder (STEP-BD)

The Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD) was conceived in response to a National Institute of Mental Health initiative seeking a public health intervention model that could generate externally valid answers to treatment effectiveness questions related to bipolar disorder. STEP-BD, like all effectiveness research, faces many design challenges, including how to do the following: recruit a representative sample of patients for studies of readily available treatments; implement a common intervention strategy across diverse settings; determine outcomes for patients in multiple phases of illness; make provisions for testing as yet undetermined new treatments; integrate adjunctive psychosocial interventions; and avoid biases due to subject drop-out and last-observation-carried-forward data analyses. To meet these challenges, STEP-BD uses a hybrid design to collect longitudinal data as patients make transitions between naturalistic studies and randomized clinical trials. Bipolar patients of every subtype with age >/= 15 years are accessioned into a study registry. All patients receive a systematic assessment battery at entry and are treated by a psychiatrist (trained to deliver care and measure outcomes in patients with bipolar disorder) using a series of model practice procedures consistent with expert recommendations. At every follow-up visit, the treating psychiatrist completes a standardized assessment and assigns an operationalized clinical status based on DSM-IV criteria. Patients have independent evaluations at regular intervals throughout the study and remain under the care of the same treating psychiatrist while making transitions between randomized care studies and the standard care treatment pathways. This article reviews the methodology used for the selection and certification of the clinical treatment centers, training study personnel, the general approach to clinical management, and the sequential treatment strategies offered in the STEP-BD standard and randomized care pathways for bipolar depression and relapse prevention.
B-splines and NURBS based finite element methods for Kohn–Sham equations

Abstract This paper presents a B-splines and NURBS based finite element method for self-consistent solution of the Kohn–Sham equations [1] , [2] for electronic structure modeling of semiconducting materials. A Galerkin formulation is developed for the Schrodinger wave equation (SWE) that yields a complex-valued generalized eigenvalue problem. The nonlinear SWE that is embedded with a non-local potential as well as the nonlinear Hartree and exchange correlation potentials is solved in a self-consistent fashion. In the self-consistent solution procedure, a Poisson problem is integrated and solved as a function of the electron density that yields the local pseudopotential (for pseudopotential formulation) and the Hartree potential for SWE. Accuracy and convergence properties of the method are assessed through test cases and the superior performance of higher-order B-splines and NURBS basis functions as compared to the corresponding Lagrange basis functions is highlighted. Self-consistent solutions for semiconducting materials, namely, Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) and graphene are presented and results are validated via comparison with the planewave solutions.
The adverse effect of systemic hypertension following myocardial reperfusion

Abstract Transient myocardial ischemia in postoperative hypertension is relatively common with coronary artery bypass surgery. This study examines the effect of hypertension during reperfusion of transiently ischemic myocardium. The animal model was open chest pigs with myocardial ischemia induced by the occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 min followed by 2 hr of reperfusion. A normotensive control group was compared with animals rendered hypertensive with phenylephrine during the ischemic and reperfusion times. In the hypertensive group, systolic blood pressure was raised from 106 to 161 mm Hg and peripheral vascular resistance from normal to 3600 dyn-sec-cm −5 . Regional left ventricular wall thickness, mitochondrial function, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ uptake, tissue calcium, water content, and hemorrhage were evaluated. Compared to controls the hypertensive group had (1) loss of systolic wall thickening with increased diastolic wall thickness in the reperfused zone, (2) intramyocardial hemorrhage in the area of reperfusion, (3) significant impairment of oxidative phosphorylation by mitochondria isolated from the reperfused zone, (4) a marked reduction in the rate of Ca 2+ uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, and (5) an increase in ischemic tissue calcium. Thus, hypertension associated with revascularization of acutely ischemic myocardium may accentuate myocardial damage.
A phase II study of gemcitabine and cisplatin in patients with advanced, persistent, or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Abstract Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the response rate and toxicity of cis -platinum and gemcitabine in advanced, recurrent, or persistent squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Methods. From July 1997 to January 1999, we conducted a Phase II trial in patients with advanced, persistent, or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix. The schedule employed 1250 mg/m 2 of gemcitabine on days 1 and 8 and 50 mg/m 2 of cis -platinum on day 1 in a 21-day cycle. Eligibility criteria were a GOG performance status of 0–2, adequate bone marrow reserve, serum creatinine less than 1.8 mg%, and a lesion which could be measured in two dimensions. None of the patients had received prior chemotherapy other than radiation sensitizers. Standard GOG toxicity and response criteria were used. Results. Nineteen patients were enrolled into the trial. Two patients were inevaluable because of inadequate trial of drug. Seventeen patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. The median age of the patients was 47 years (range 24–72). The median number of cycles delivered was 5 (range 2–8). The incidence of grade 4 neutropenia and anemia was 2.4 and 1.2%, respectively. Two patients developed a single episode of grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity. The overall response rate was 41% (7/17). There was 1 complete response of 14 months duration and 6 partial responses. Among those patients not previously irradiated, the response rate was 57% (4/7). Among the radiated patients, the response rate was 30% (3/10) with all responses occurring in the radiation field. Conclusion. This combination of cis -platinum and gemcitabine is a well-tolerated regimen which exhibits high activity in advanced, recurrent, or persistent squamous cell cervical cancer.
Back to the shed: gendered visions of technology and domesticity

One of the tropes of the age of ubiquitous computing is the migration of computation into new spaces. Domestic environments have been a particular focus of attention for many. However, these spaces are neither empty nor neutral. They are already populated by people and practices which shape both their physical form and cultural meaning. We want to consider here some questions of technology and domesticity. In order to give some critical perspective, we want to approach domestic space from the edge, and in particular, from the shed.
Evidence of a physiological role for neuropeptide Y in ventromedial hypothalamic lesion-induced hyperphagia

We evaluated the role of neuropeptide Y (NPY), a potent endogenous orexigenic signal, in the ventromedial hypothalamic (VMH) lesion-induced hyperphagia in rats. To produce hyperphagia and excessive weight gain, adult female rats received bilateral electrolytic or sham lesions in the VMH. Concurrently, a permanent intracerebroventricular cannula was implanted in the third ventricle of the brain. After a recovery period, these rats were passively immunized against NPY to evaluate the role of endogenous NPY on hyperphagia. The results showed that intraventricular administration of NPY antibodies abolished the hyperphagia in VMH-lesioned rats. These revelations are in agreement with the notion that altered hypothalamic NPY release or action may underlie the hyperphagia and excessive weight gain seen in response to structural damage in the VMH.
Former NSF assistant director Killeen reflects on geosciences and society

“This is prime time for the geosciences,” Tim Killeen, former assistant director for geosciences at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF GEO), told Eos during a recent exclusive interview. Killeen, who served at NSF from July 2008 until his term expired in June 2012, oversaw a number of new initiatives and an expansion of the geoscience directorate's annual funding portfolio from $752 million to about $880 million. NSF announced on 7 November that Roger Wakimoto, director of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, will start as the new geosciences assistant director in February 2013 (see related article, this page, and Eos, 93(47), 475, doi:10.1029/ 2012EO470004). During the broad-ranging interview, Killeen reflected on the importance of the geosciences and their relationship to society. Killeen has been president of the Research Foundation for the State University of New York (RFSUNY) and SUNY vice chancellor for research since 9 July. He took the helm of RFSUNY after some personnel there “took advantage of lax oversight to cheat taxpayers,” according to New York State comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. Killeen, who was AGU president from 2006 to 2008, is responsible for the supervision and operation of RFSUNY, which supports about $1 billion in research at SUNY, an institution with 64 campuses and nearly 470,000 students.
African-American Boys in Relative Care and a Culturally Centered Group Mentoring Approach

ABSTRACT An innovative culturally centered group mentoring intervention is piloted with African-American boys in a relative caregiver program in Memphis. The integration of the Afrocentric conceptual framework is described. Its appropriateness for a group of at-risk urban youth is discussed. The implementation strategy includes promoting spirituality via a culturally centered mentoring approach. Spirituality is emphasized as a potential protective factor and is explored with a unique short questionnaire. The perceptions of the relative caregivers are also measured in an attempt to gauge influence of the intervention. Outcomes indicating a slight increase in spiritual orientation among the youth and improved school and home behavior are discussed, as are the limitations of this innovative culturally centered group mentoring effort. Strategies for further evaluation research are also provided.
The Reaction of α-Methylstyrene Analogs and Related Compounds With Sodium Perborate in Acetic Acid

Abstract A series of α-substituted styrene analogs have been reacted with sodium perborate in acetic acid to produce l-acetoxy-2-aryl-2-propanol analogs in good yield. The reaction constitutes a mild and convenient method for the oxidation of styrene type double bonds.
Retardation of growth of implants of carcinoma 755 in cortisone-injected mice.

Summary1. Cortisone, when administered during the first few days after transplantation of carcinoma 755 in C57 mice, has a profound inhibitory effect on growth of the tumor but the tumor remains viable. 2. These effects of cortisone appear to be due to the change in the environment and to the delay in new blood vessel formation about the tumor transplant.
Abstract 2853: Monoclonal antibodies derived in neuN mice following successful T cell therapy of spontaneous breast tumors are specific for tumor progenitor cells.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC There is considerable interest in developing approaches to specifically target tumor progenitor cells. Our previous results demonstrated that adoptive transfer of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells primed with a breast cancer progenitor vaccine inhibited the progression of spontaneous primary tumors in neuN mice. Interestingly, post-treatment serum but not pre-treatment serum was reactive with surface molecules on the vaccine cells. This indicates that the transferred T cells resulted in uptake of tumor antigens and stimulation of host B cells. To characterize the antigenic targets, we generated hybridomas from spleen cells derived from treated mice. Three candidate clones which were strongly reactive with a neu-negative variant tumor line were subjected to two rounds of limiting dilution cloning. The mAb prepared from hybridoma #1 (IgG1) and hybridoma #2 (IgG2b) were each reactive against two independent tumor lines derived from spontaneous breast tumors in neuN mice (C2D1 and MMC5) when these cells were maintained in serum-free culture medium as tumorspheres. There was no reactivity against the same tumor cell lines when cultured as adherent monolayers in serum-containing medium nor was there reactivity against 3T3 adherent or tumorsphere cultures. Our previous analysis of tumorsphere cultures of C2D1 and MMC5 indicated that they express a panel of markers associated with tumor progenitor cells and have markedly enhanced per-cell tumorigenicity. Two of these antibodies have been purified by protein G or Protein A columns and retain binding to C2D1-tumorsphere cells, but not to C2D1 adherent cells. Importantly, these two antibodies can also bind to cultured 4T1-tumorsphere cells, an additional breast cancer cell line arising initially in BALB/c mice. These studies will allow us to identity corresponding antigens and determine expression on a broader array of spontaneous breast carcinomas in neuN mice. The epitopes recognized by these mAbs, which are expressed on progenitor cells from multiple tumor lines, might have importance as an immunotherapy target. Citation Format: Li-Xin Wang, Mona Patel, Michael Berk, Gregory E. Plautz. Monoclonal antibodies derived in neuN mice following successful T cell therapy of spontaneous breast tumors are specific for tumor progenitor cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2853. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2853
Early neurobehavioral deficits as phenotypic indicators of the schizophrenia genotype and predictors of later psychosis

Schizophrenia is a genetically complex disorder that requires sharper delineation of its phenotypic boundaries. Considerable attention has been devoted in recent family and high-risk studies to the identification of both subclinical and other phenotypes, such as neurobehavioral deficits, that may be indicators of the genetic liability to schizophrenia. In high-risk studies, candidate liability indicators that are evident by young ages are also evaluated for their ability to predict future schizophrenia or spectrum disorders. We report on assessments of verbal short-term memory, gross motor skills, and global attention administered in midchildhood to offspring of schizophrenic, affectively ill, and normal parents as predictors of adult psychoses and as possible indicators of schizophrenia-susceptibility genes.
SIM white light on-board processing algorithms

The Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) is a space-based long baseline optical interferometer designed to perform precision astrometry to an unprecedented accuracy. Highly accurate white light fringe estimation is an important enabling technology for the success of SIM. To accomplish this, the combined light from the two arms of the interferometer is sent through a prism so that fringes formed at different wavelengths are dispersed across a number of spectral channels. The relative optical path difference (OPD) between the two arms is modulated so that an estimate of the phase in each of the channels can be obtained using phase shifting interferometry (PSI) techniques. The present paper presents several of the difficulties encountered in white light fringe estimation for SIM, and offers a number of alternatives for mitigating them.
A sequence element associated with the Plasmodium falciparum KAHRP gene is the site of developmentally regulated protein-DNA interactions

The Plasmodium falciparum gene encoding the knob associated histidine-rich protein (KAHRP) is shown to be transcriptionally regulated during its expression in the intraerythrocytic cycle as demonstrated by stage specific nuclear run-on analysis. The genomic organization of the KAHRP gene was determined and the structural basis for the stage specific transcription investigated. A sequence motif with two-fold symmetry was found 160 bp upstream of the RNA initiation site. This sequence element interacts with parasite derived nuclear extracts in a stage specific manner that correlates with the transcriptional activity of the KAHRP gene. These studies suggest a functional role for this structural element in the developmental regulation of a P. falciparum erythrocytic gene.
OA08.02. Differential acute effects of real and sham acupuncture on mu-opioid receptor availability in treatment naive and conditioned chronic pain patients

Purpose Previous studies suggest acupuncture analgesic effects involve the release of endogenous opioid peptides. We have previously shown that while both acupuncture and sham reduced clinical pain in fibromyalgia (FM), only acupuncture increased mu-opioid receptor (MOR) baseline receptor availability in vivo (binding potential, BP). Here we investigated whether real and sham acupuncture were associated with differential changes in MOR BP in FM patients that were naive to acupuncture as compared to conditioned patients.
An analytical model for evaporative cooling of atoms

Evaporative cooling of trapped atoms is described as a sequence of truncation of the high-energy tail of the thermal distribution followed by collisional relaxation. This model is solved analytically for arbitrary power-law potentials. The threshold density for accelerated evaporation is. found to be lowest in a three-dimensional linear potential.
Differential effects of vasopressin on the water, calcium and lysosomal enzyme contents of mitochondria-rich and lysosome-rich (granular) epithelial cells isolated from bullfrog urinary bladder.

Abstract Treatment of bullfrog urinary bladder with arginine vasopressin (AVP) elicited a dose-dependent increase in the basal movement of water and sodium across isolated tissues. Epithelial cells from the mucosal surface and incubated with 10 ml) AVP/ml for 30 min retained a greater amount of intracellular water and calcium than cells not treated with hormone. The epithelial cells were further separated into two major fractions by density gradient centrifugation; cells damaged during these manipulations were separated from viable cells and discarded. Morphologcal examination of the two respective fractions indicated that they largely consisted of mitochondria-rich (MR) and granular (G) cell types which line the lumen of bullfrog bladder. The calcium content of MR cells averaged 25% greater than that of G-type cells. G cells had a markedly higher content of the characteristic lysosomal hydrolases, acid phosphatase and cathepsin B1, than that found in MR cells. Incubation of G cells with AVP elicited significant increments in water and calcium contents and extracellular release of lysosomal enzymes as compared to untreated cells. Among MR cells treated with AVP, cell calcium declines slightly but no significant increase in water content or extracellular hydrolase activity was detected in comparison with paired control cells. The physiological significance of acid proteinase release from G cells treated with AVP was evaluated in experiments with intact bladder. Proteinase inhibitors which suppress the activity of cathepsin Bl selectively antagonized the action of hormone on water permeation. The data suggest that alterations in the calcium and lysosomal hydrolase activity associated with G cells exposed to AVP may contribute to the hormone-induced water flow observed across the intact epithelium.
Acute opioid but not benzodiazepine dependence in rats responding for intracranial self-stimulation.

Rationale: Four-hour pretreatment with a single dose of morphine or related opioids sensitizes rats responding for intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) to the rate-decreasing effect of naltrexone, indicative of antagonist-precipitated withdrawal from acute opioid dependence. Objectives: To determine whether sensitization to naltrexone could be observed in morphine-pretreated rats responding under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of ICSS and to determine whether acute pretreatment with benzodiazepines produces similar sensitization to flumazenil. Methods: Rats with an electrode in the medial forebrain bundle were trained to respond under an ICSS PR schedule, in which the number of responses required for a 250-ms stimulus started at one, then increased gradually. If no responding occurred for 30 s, the response requirement reverted to a single response and the break point was operationally defined. Results: Pretreatment (4-h) with 3.0 mg/kg or 5.6 mg/kg morphine reduced the ED25 values of naltrexone for decreasing response rate from 18±6.7 mg/kg to 0.021±0.006 mg/kg and 0.006±0.001 mg/kg, respectively. Changes in break point usually paralleled changes in response rate. In contrast, 4- to 24-h pretreatment with the benzodiazepines chlordiazepoxide (30 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg) or diazepam (3.0 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg), behaviorally-active doses, did not significantly alter sensitivity to the effects of flumazenil (1.0–30 mg/kg). Conclusions: These results show that PR ICSS provides a stable behavioral baseline for testing drugs in rats and extend to this procedure the generality of the phenomenon of acute opioid dependence. There was no comparable evidence of acute benzodiazepine dependence, suggesting that there are differences in the ways that opioid and benzodiazepine agonists initiate the adaptive changes that underlie the state of physical dependence.
Mixed laplacians and potential representations

Study of mixed and other generalizations of the Laplacian; the related « Poisson » formulas and potential representations. Most of this is a preliminary to the larger eventual problem of totalization of Laplacians.
Determinants of Employment Status among People with Multiple Sclerosis.

This study identified factors predicting employment or lack thereof among adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). Data for the analysis were provided by 139 individuals with MS who were considered available for the workforce (i.e., were no older than 62 and did not declare themselves retired). Results from a backward, stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis included the following variables as the best predictors of employment: symptom persistence, severity of symptoms, educational attainment, and presence of cognitive limitations. The relevance of the findings for rehabilitation assessment and intervention strategies is discussed.
Segmental retaining wall (SRW) split face delaminations and practical implications

Abstract This paper describes a scaling/delamination phenomenon that can occur on the split face of some segmental retaining wall (SRW) units. While this feature may not necessarily be related to environmental attack or material durability, its presence may cause an inspector to incorrectly diagnose environmental degradation of the SRW material. Field examples of SRW units containing this feature in climates with and without freeze-thaw exposure are shown, followed by observations of this phenomenon under laboratory conditions. A simulation is then demonstrated to connect these delaminations to the SRW manufacturing process. Finally, the implications of these features on field inspection and laboratory testing of SRW units are discussed, and suggestions are provided to help avoid misleading interpretations on the condition of SRW units.
Absolute Bioavailability of Isoflavones from Soy Protein Isolate-Containing Food in Female Balb/c Mice

Soy isoflavones, genistein and daidzein, are widely consumed in soy-based foods and dietary supplements for their putative health benefits; however, evidence for potential adverse effects has been obtained from experimental animal studies. An important prerequisite for understanding the pharmacodynamics of isoflavones is better information about pharmacokinetics and bioavailability. This study determined the bioavailability of genistein and daidzein in a mouse model by comparing plasma pharmacokinetics of their aglycone and conjugated forms following administration of identical doses (1.2 mg/kg genistein and 0.55 mg/kg daidzein) by either an intravenous injection (IV) or gavage of the aglycones in 90% aqueous solution vs a bolus administration of equimolar doses delivered in a food pellet prepared using commercial soy protein isolate (SPI) as the isoflavone source. The bioavailability of genistein and daidzein was equivalent for the gavage and dietary routes of administration despite the use of isoflavone aglycones in the former and SPI-derived glucosides in the latter. While absorption of total isoflavones was nearly quantitative from both oral routes [>84% of areas under the curve (AUCs) for IV], presystemic and systemic phase II conjugation greatly attenuated internal exposures to the receptor-active aglycone isoflavones (9-14% for genistein and 29-34% for daidzein based on AUCs for IV). These results show that SPI is an efficient isoflavone delivery vehicle capable of providing significant proportions of the total dose into the circulation in the active aglycone form for distribution to receptor-bearing tissues and subsequent pharmacological effects that determine possible health benefits and/or risks.