cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk of retinal detachment after cataract extraction, 1980-2004: a population-based study.

Purpose To estimate the long-term cumulative risk of retinal detachment (RD) after cataract extraction (CE). Design Retrospective cohort study and nested case–control study. Participants All residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota who had CE from 1980 through 2004 (10 256 CEs in 7137 residents) and were diagnosed subsequently with RD in the same period. Two controls chosen from the primary cataract surgery cohort were matched to each RD case by age, gender, and duration of follow-up. Methods Cases were identified through the Rochester Epidemiology Project databases. Records were reviewed to confirm case status and ascertain risk factor information. The observed probability of RD after CE was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. A cumulative probability ratio of RD after CE was determined by comparing the observed probability of RD and the expected probability of RD in residents without CE. Logistic regression models assessed differences between cases and controls. Main Outcome Measures Probability of and risk factors associated with RD after CE. Results Eighty-two cases of RD were identified. The cumulative probability of RD increased in a nearly linear manner over the 25-year study period. At 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years after extracapsular CE (ECCE) and phacoemulsification, cumulative probabilities of RD were 0.27%, 0.71%, 1.23%, 1.58%, and 1.79%, respectively. There was no significant difference in the probability of RD after ECCE when compared with phacoemulsification ( P = 0.13). The cumulative probability ratio of RD at 20 years after ECCE and phacoemulsification remained 4.0-fold (95% confidence interval, 2.6–5.4) higher than would be expected in a similar group of residents not undergoing CE ( P P Conclusions The cumulative risk of RD after ECCE and phacoemulsification is increased for up to 20 years after surgery.
High-affinity carbamate analogues of morphinan at opioid receptors

Abstract A series of carbamate analogues were synthesized from levorphanol (1a), cyclorphan (2a) or butorphan (3a) and evaluated in vitro for their binding affinity at μ, δ, and κ opioid receptors. Functional activities of these compounds were measured in the [35S]GTPγS binding assay. Phenyl carbamate derivatives 2d and 3d showed the highest binding affinity for κ receptor (Ki = 0.046 and 0.051 nM) and for μ receptor (Ki = 0.11 and 0.12 nM). Compound 1c showed the highest μ selectivity. The preliminary assay for agonist and antagonist properties of these ligands in stimulating [35S]GTPγS binding mediated by the κ opioid receptor illustrated that all of these ligands were κ agonists. At the μ receptor, compounds 1b, 1c, 2b, and 3b were agonists, while compounds 2c–e and 3c–e were μ agonists/antagonists.
Quantifying potential losses of non-Pt MEAs for gas-phase HBr PEM electrolyzer to produce hydrogen

Abstract Gas-phase HBr can be converted to hydrogen and bromine in a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer. However, due to high cost and the poisoning of bromine and bromide ions on Pt electrodes, non-Pt MEAs (membrane electrode assembly) need to be developed and evaluated. In this paper, RuO2, carbon (Vulcan XC 72R) and TiO2–Nb (10% wt.) are prepared as anodes, and IrO2/C and MoS2 are prepared as cathodes for incorporation into MEAs. The individual electrodes in these MEAs are then evaluated by de-convoluting the individual voltage losses in-situ from the total electrolyzer voltage. On the anode, Pt, Vulcan XC 72R, TiO2–Nb (10% wt.) and RuO2 are all found to have comparable activity toward bromine evolution. On the cathode, Pt was more active toward the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) compared to IrO2/C, and both were far superior to MoS2.
Caffeine-reinforced conditioned flavor preferences in rats

In 4 experiments, rats were trained to associate 1 of 2 differently flavored solutions with caffeine. During later 2-bottle extinction tests, they consistently preferred flavors that had been previously mixed with 2 lower (0.25 and 0.125 mg/ml), but not 2 higher (0.5 and 0.75 mg/ml), caffeine concentrations. Hunger during conditioning increased the size of these preferences, but neither preexposure to unflavored caffeine nor hunger during the choice test had any effect on them. Because caffeine is noncaloric, this last finding strengthens the hypothesis that hunger enhances the expression of only calorie-based conditioned flavor preferences. More fundamentally, the present results represent the first clear evidence that, through Pavlovian conditioning, rats can develop preferences for flavors associated with caffeine.
Model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) exception for portal hypertensive gastrointestinal bleeding

Portal hypertensive bleeding of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complication of end-stage liver disease. Bleeding can be controlled endoscopically and pharmacologically in up to 90% of patients. 1 Transjugular intrahepatic portal systemic shunt (TIPS), or less often surgery, are alternative treatments for patients with recurrent or refractory variceal bleeding or bleeding from portal hypertensive gastropathy who have a contraindication to TIPS or who bleed despite a patent TIPS. The mortality rate in patients with recurrent or refractory variceal bleeding or bleeding from portal hypertensive gastropathy is close to 100%, but these clinical situations are difficult to quantify for the purpose of organ distribution. TIPS may be contraindicated in a number of patients with end-stage liver disease. Despite its minimally invasive nature, TIPS has been associated with a 30-day mortality rate as high as 48%. 2 Many authors have looked at various factors associated with a poor prognosis after TIPS, which include serum bilirubin and creatinine levels, Child-Pugh score, and encephalopathy. The development of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) was based on predicting mortality in patients with a TIPS. This system has now been modified and applied to liver organ distribution in the United States. 3 The ability to predict mortality was not improved by including GI bleeding in the MELD. 4 Bilirubin has been shown by a number of investigators to be a good predictor of mortality after TIPS. Rajan and colleagues 5 have shown that an “elevated pre-TIPS
An efficient filter for approximate membership checking

We consider the problem of identifying sub-strings of input text strings that approximately match with some member of a potentially large dictionary. This problem arises in several important applications such as extracting named entities from text documents and identifying biological concepts from biomedical literature. In this paper, we develop a filter-verification framework, and propose a novel in-memory filter structure. That is, we first quickly filter out sub-strings that cannot match with any dictionary member, and then verify the remaining sub-strings against the dictionary. Our method does not produce false negatives. We demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of our filter over real datasets, and show that it significantly outperforms the previous best-known methods in terms of both filtering power and computation time.
Market-oriented ethanol and corn-trade policies can reduce climate-induced US corn price volatility.

Agriculture is closely affected by climate. Over the past decade, biofuels have emerged as another important factor shaping the agricultural sector. We ask whether the presence of the US ethanol sector can play a role in moderating increases in US corn price variability, projected to occur in response to near-term global warming. Our findings suggest that the answer to this question depends heavily on the underlying forces shaping the ethanol industry. If mandate-driven, there is little doubt that the presence of the corn-ethanol sector will exacerbate price volatility. However, if market-driven, then the emergence of the corn-ethanol sector can be a double-edged sword for corn price volatility, possibly cushioning the impact of increased climate driven supply volatility, but also inheriting volatility from the newly integrated energy markets via crude oil price fluctuations. We find that empirically the former effect dominates, reducing price volatility by 27%. In contrast, mandates on ethanol production increase future price volatility by 54% in under future climate after 2020. We also consider the potential for liberalized international corn trade to cushion corn price volatility in the US. Our results suggest that allowing corn to move freely internationally serves to reduce the impact of near-term climate change on US corn price volatility by 8%.
Localization and central projections of primary afferent neurons that innervate the temporomandibular joint in cats.

Primary afferent neurons that innervate the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in cats were labeled by injecting a 2-5% solution of wheatgerm agglutinin bound to horseradish peroxidase into the joint capsule and capsular tissues in 14 cats and processing the brain stem and trigeminal ganglia using the tetramethylbenzidine method described by Mesulam (1978). The perikarya of ganglion cells that innervate the TMJ ranged in diameter from 15 to 109 μm and were primarily located in the posterolateral portion of the trigeminal ganglion. The central processes of these neurons entered the brain stem in middle pons and were distributed to all portions of the sensory trigeminal nuclei. However, the majority of labeled fibers and greatest density of terminal labeling were observed in the dorsal part of the main sensory nucleus and the subnucleus oralis of the spinal trigeminal nucleus. Very few labeled fibers were observed in the spinal tract of the trigeminal nerve below the obex. However, evidence for axon terminals wa...
Radiation treatment for Ewing family of tumors in adults: the University of Florida experience.

Purpose To review the clinical characteristics and outcomes of adult patients with Ewing family of tumors treated with radiation at the University of Florida. Methods and Materials Clinical features, treatment, and outcomes of 47 patients older than 18 years with Ewing family of tumors treated with combined radiation therapy and chemotherapy from 1970 to 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Analysis was stratified by age older or younger than 30 years. Patients with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis were excluded from the study. Results The 29 men and 18 women had a median age of 24 years. Thirty-three patients were 18–30 years old and 14 patients were older than 30 years. Median follow-up of living patients was 8.2 years. The 5-year overall survival rate for all patients was 43% (p = 0.8523). The 5-year local control rate for all patients was 75% (p = 0.9326). The 5-year rate of freedom from distant metastasis for all patients was 45% (p = 0.5471). There were no significant differences in 5-year overall survival, local control, and freedom from distant metastasis rates; patterns of distant failure; or toxicity profiles between older adult patients and younger adult patients. Conclusions We found that the natural history and treatment outcomes of the Ewing family of tumors were consistently similar in adults (young and old) and children. Thus, aggressive combined modality approaches should be considered for adult patients.
The Phosphoinositide-3-phosphatase MTMR2 Associates with MTMR13, a Membrane-associated Pseudophosphatase Also Mutated in Type 4B Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 4B (CMT4B) is a severe, demyelinating peripheral neuropathy characterized by distinctive, focally folded myelin sheaths. CMT4B is caused by recessively inherited mutations in either myotubularin-related 2 (MTMR2) or MTMR13 (also called SET-binding factor 2). MTMR2 encodes a member of the myotubularin family of phosphoinositide-3-phosphatases, which dephosphorylate phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI(3)P) and bisphosphate PI(3,5)P2. MTMR13 encodes a large, uncharacterized member of the myotubularin family. The MTMR13 phosphatase domain is catalytically inactive because the essential Cys and Arg residues are absent. Given the genetic association of both MTMR2 and MTMR13 with CMT4B, we investigated the biochemical relationship between these two proteins. We found that the endogenous MTMR2 and MTMR13 proteins are associated in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. MTMR2-MTMR13 association is mediated by coiled-coil sequences present in each protein. We also examined the cellular localization of MTMR2 and MTMR13 using fluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation. We found that (i) MTMR13 is a predominantly membrane-associated protein; (ii) MTMR2 and MTMR13 cofractionate in both a light membrane fraction and a cytosolic fraction; and (iii) MTMR13 membrane association is mediated by the segment of the protein which contains the pseudophosphatase domain. This work, which describes the first cellular or biochemical investigation of the MTMR13 pseudophosphatase protein, suggests that MTMR13 functions in association with MTMR2. Loss of MTMR13 function in CMT4B2 patients may lead to alterations in MTMR2 function and subsequent alterations in 3-phosphoinositide signaling. Such a mechanism would explain the strikingly similar phenotypes of patients with recessive mutations in either MTMR2 or MTMR13.
Piezoelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramic Fiber/Polymer Composites

This papers on piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic fiber/polymer composite were fabricated by a novel technique referred to as relic processing. Basically, this involved impregnating a woven carbon-fiber template material with PZT precursor by soaking the template in a PZT stock solution. Careful heat treatment pyrolized the carbon, resulting in a PZT ceramic relic that retained the fibrous template form. After sintering, the densified relic was backfilled with polymer to form a composite. Optimized relic processing consisted of soaking activated carbon-fiber fabric twice in an intermediate concentration (405-mg PZT/(1-g solution)) alkoxide PZT solution and sintering at 1285{degrees}C for 2 h. A series of piezoelectric composites encompassing a wide range of dielectric and piezoelectric properties was prepared by varying the PZT-fiber orientation and polymer-matrix material. In PZT/Eccogel polymer composites with PZT fibers orientated parallel to the electrodes, K = 75, d{sub 33} = 145 pC/N, d{sub h} = 45 {plus minus} 5 pC/N, and d{sub h}g{sub h} = 3150 {times} 10{sup {minus}15} m{sup 2}/N were measured. Furthermore, in composites with a number of PZT fibers arranged perpendicular to the electroded surfaces, K = 190, d{sub 33} = 250 pC/N, d{sub h} = 65 {plus minus} 2 pC/N, and d{sub h}g{submore » h} = 2600 {times} 10{sup {minus}15} m{sub 2}/N.« less
Reaction Pathways for Nitrogen Incorporation at Si-SiO2 Interfaces

This paper presents experimental studies in which N-atoms have been incorporated at Si-SiO2 interfaces by forming the interface and oxide film by a 300°C remote plasma assisted nitridation/oxidation process using N2O. Process dynamics have been studied by on-line Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) by interrupted plasma processing. Plasma-activated species have been identified by in-situ mass spectrometry (MS) and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). Based on AES studies using N2O, O2 and sequenced N2O and O2 source gases, reaction pathways for N-atom incorporation i) at and/or ii) removal from buried Si-SiO2 interfaces have been identified, and contrasted with reaction pathways for nitridation using conventional furnace processing. The active species for N-atom incorporation is NO+, and for oxide growth, O2.
Ameboma of the rectum

the operating surgeon, and the intraluminal image was that of pale blue mucosa in which a focus of abnormal vessels was actively oozing bright red blood (Figure 18). This area corresponded to the location of the angiographic blush and was felt to be grossly consistent with an arteri­ ovenous malformation. The area was outlined by hemo­ clips externally, and the colonoscope was slowly with­ drawn for a second look. Decompression of the large bowel was carried out by endoscopic suction during with­ drawal. It was noted that the abnormal vascular pattern was not demonstrable without transillumination even when outlined by silver clips (Figure 1C). Intra-operative colonscopy was completed within 20 minutes. Conserva­ tive wedge resection was performed. The patient's post­ operative course was uneventful. Grossly the wedge of the cecum measured 1.5 x 2 cm and was normal except for a small central mucosal depres­ sion. Microscopic sections revealed a collection of dilated, thin walled blood vessels in the submucosa with penetra­ tion of the muscularis mucosa by some. One vessel could be seen communicating with the lumen (Figure 10). Elastic stains revealed a variable elastic content in the walls with some vessels virtually devoid of elastic tissue. The final diagnosis was arteriovenous malformation.
27-Hydroxycholesterol: a potential endogenous regulator of estrogen receptor signaling

The selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are synthetic pharmaceuticals, the relative agonist and antagonist activities of which are not equivalent in all cells. Their discovery has raised the possibility that endogenous small molecules might exist that have similar properties and could have important physiological roles. In support of this hypothesis is the recent demonstration that the oxysterol 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC) interacts with and modulates the transcriptional activity of both estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes and that the relative agonist and antagonist activity of 27HC is influenced by both cell and promoter context. Although there is limited information available on the role of 27HC in classical estrogen-responsive tissues, that which is available in animal models of cardiovascular disease and cellular models of breast cancer support a role for this ligand in ER signaling. These results provide an interesting potential link between cholesterol (and cholesterol metabolism) and ER function, the physiological and pathological importance of which remains to be determined.
Thyroid lobectomy for treatment of well differentiated intrathyroid malignancy.

Background There remains controversy over the type of surgery appropriate for T1T2N0 well differentiated thyroid cancers (WDTC). Current guidelines recommend total thyroidectomy for all but the smallest lesions, despite previous evidence from large institutions suggesting that lobectomy provides similar excellent results. The objective of this study was to report our experience of T1T2N0 WDTC managed by either thyroid lobectomy or total thyroidectomy. Methods Eight hundred eighty-nine patients with pT1T2 intrathyroid cancers treated surgically between 1986 and 2005 were identified from a database of 1810 patients with WDTC. Total thyroidectomy was carried out in 528 (59%) and thyroid lobectomy in 361 (41%) patients. Overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were determined by the Kaplan-Meier method. Factors predictive of outcome by univariate and multivariate analysis were determined using the log rank test and Cox proportional hazards method respectively. Results With a median follow-up of 99 months, the 10-yr OS, DSS, and RFS for all patients were 92%, 99%, and 98% respectively. Univariate analysis showed no significant difference in OS by extent of surgical resection. Multivariate analysis showed that age over 45 yr and male gender were independent predictors for poorer OS, whereas T stage and type of surgery were not. Comparison of the thyroid lobectomy group and the total thyroidectomy group showed no difference in local recurrence (0% for both) or regional recurrence (0% vs 0.8%, P = .96). Conclusion Patients with pT1T2 N0 WDTC can be safely managed by thyroid lobectomy alone.
Vibration reduction and monitoring

Typical passive and active vibration reduction systems are dealt with, particular emphasis being on the Westland active control of structural response system fitted to all versions of the EH101. In addition, the extensive experience acquired during the evolution of vibration health monitoring on North Sea helicopters is outlined.
PMU Placement to Ensure Observable Frequency and Voltage Dynamics: A Structured System Approach

The incorporation of sophisticated sensing technology, notably the phasor measurement units (PMUs), offers tremendous opportunities toward real-time dynamic state monitoring in the smart grid. With a view to effectively exploiting the potentials of these advanced and non-conventional sensing resources, this paper is concerned with the design of PMU placement and sampling methodologies that optimize the state estimation performance in the face of infrastructure and communication limitations. Specifically, on the qualitative front, the paper addresses the minimal placement requirement (measured in terms of the minimal number of sensing units to be deployed) that guarantees dynamic system observability, and explicitly characterizes the desired placement configuration(s) that ensure such observability. Simulation studies performed on the IEEE 5-bus system (with 37 dynamical state components) demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
USE OF META-LANGUAGE IN INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS,

Abstract : The article attempts to point out the usefulness of metalanguage in designing information retrieval systems. In its three sections, it first, sets the stage for the introduction of the meta-language concept with general remarks on information retrieval systems. Second, it discusses meta-language in general. Last, it considers certain theoretical implications pointing to the implementation of meta-language in literature-searching systems. (Author)
Lack of thrombopoietin potentiation of platelet collagen activation in the first trimester is associated with preeclampsia

To determine whether a difference exists in platelet reactivity to collagen and potentiation by thrombopoietin (TPO) between preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic patients, 187 first trimester pregnant patients were prospectively followed through pregnancy. Citrated blood, drawn at first ( 28 weeks), when patients were admitted for delivery, and 4-6 weeks postpartum, was assayed by a Whole Blood Impedance Aggregometer measuring platelet activation by 0.4 mug/ml collagen, +/-10 ng/ml TPO. There was no significant difference in 1st trimester platelet collagen activation by unpaired t-test between groups. Significant TPO potentiation of collagen activation (P 0.8, paired t-test) TPO potentiation at any time. While the mechanism for this difference in thrombopoietin potentiation of platelet activation by collagen as early as the first trimester is unknown, it may be one of the initiating events in this syndrome.
Spontaneous activity in the developing mouse midbrain driven by an external pacemaker.

Central nervous system (CNS) development depends upon spontaneous activity (SA) to establish networks. We have discovered that the mouse midbrain has SA expressed most robustly at embryonic day (E) 12.5. SA propagation in the midbrain originates in midline serotonergic cell bodies contained within the adjacent hindbrain and then passes through the isthmus along ventral midline serotonergic axons. Once within the midbrain, the wave bifurcates laterally along the isthmic border and then propagates rostrally. Along this trajectory, it is carried by a combination of GABAergic and cholinergic neurons. Removing the hindbrain eliminates SA in the midbrain. Thus, SA in the embryonic midbrain arises from a single identified pacemaker in a separate brain structure, which drives SA waves across both regions of the developing CNS. The midbrain can self-initiate activity upon removal of the hindbrain, but only with pharmacological manipulations that increase excitability. Under these conditions, new initiation foci within the midbrain become active. Anatomical analysis of the development of the serotonergic axons that carry SA from the hindbrain to the midbrain indicates that their increasing elongation during development may control the onset of SA in the midbrain. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol 2009
Short note: Fast geodesics computation with the phase flow method

This paper introduces a novel approach for rapidly computing a very large number of geodesics on a smooth surface. The idea is to apply the recently developed phase flow method [L. Ying, E.J. Candes, The phase flow method, J. Comput. Phys., to appear], an efficient and accurate technique for constructing phase maps for nonlinear ordinary differential equations on invariant manifolds, which are here the unit tangent bundles of the surfaces under study. We show how to rapidly construct the whole geodesic flow map which then allows computing any geodesic by straightforward local interpolation, an operation with constant complexity. A few numerical experiments complement our study and demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Fan-beam reconstruction algorithm for a spatially varying focal length collimator

Fan-beam collimators are used in single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) to improve the sensitivity for imaging of small organs. The disadvantage of fan-beam collimation is the truncation of projection data surrounding the organ of interest or, in those cases of imaging large patients, of the organ itself, producing reconstruction artifacts. A spatially varying focal length fan-beam collimator has been proposed to eliminate the truncation problem and to maintain good sensitivity for the organ of interest. The collimator is constructed so that the shortest focal lengths are located at the center of the collimator and the longest focal length is located at the periphery. The focal length is assumed to increase monotonically toward the edge of the collimator. A reconstruction algorithm for this type of fan-beam collimation, expressed as an infinite series of convolutions followed by one backprojection, is presented. Simulations show that only a small number of N terms in the series is needed to obtain high-quality reconstructions. Computer simulations showed that if the focal length function is smooth, the reconstructions are free of artifacts. >
Two-stage marker-stratified clinical trial design in the presence of biomarker misclassification

Summary The marker-stratified design (MSD) is an important design to assess treatment and marker effects in personalized medicine. The MSD stratifies patients into marker positive and marker negative subgroups on the basis of their biomarker profiles and then randomizes them to the standard treatment or a new treatment within each subgroup. The performance of the MSD can be seriously undermined when the biomarker is measured with error (or misclassified). A recently proposed analytic method corrects the biomarker misclassification in the MSD under the assumptions that the biomarker classification rates are known and no other covariates need to be adjusted. We propose a two-stage MSD to relax these assumptions. We analytically investigate the bias in the estimation of prognostic and predictive marker effects and treatment effects caused by biomarker misclassification in the presence of covariates, and we propose an expectation–maximization algorithm to correct such biases. The design does not require prespecification of the misclassification rates and can incorporate any covariates that potentially confound the prognostic and predictive marker effects and treatment effect. Numerical trial applications show that the method has desirable operating characteristics.
Critical Length of PEG Grafts on lPEI/DNA Nanoparticles for Efficient in Vivo Delivery.

Nanoparticle-mediated gene delivery is a promising alternative to viral methods; however, its use in vivo, particularly following systemic injection, has suffered from poor delivery efficiency. Although PEGylation of nanoparticles has been successfully demonstrated as a strategy to enhance colloidal stability, its success in improving delivery efficiency has been limited, largely due to reduced cell binding and uptake, leading to poor transfection efficiency. Here we identified an optimized PEGylation scheme for DNA micellar nanoparticles that delivers balanced colloidal stability and transfection activity. Using linear polyethylenimine (lPEI)-g-PEG as a carrier, we characterized the effect of graft length and density of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on nanoparticle assembly, micelle stability, and gene delivery efficiency. Through variation of PEG grafting degree, lPEI with short PEG grafts (molecular weight, MW 500–700 Da) generated micellar nanoparticles with various shapes including spherical, rodlike, an...
How can neuroscience contribute to moral philosophy, psychology and education based on Aristotelian virtue ethics?

The present essay discusses the relationship between moral philosophy, psychology and education based on virtue ethics, contemporary neuroscience, and how neuroscientific methods can contribute to studies of moral virtue and character. First, the present essay considers whether the mechanism of moral motivation and developmental model of virtue and character are well supported by neuroscientific evidence. Particularly, it examines whether the evidence provided by neuroscientific studies can support the core argument of virtue ethics, that is, motivational externalism. Second, it discusses how experimental methods of neuroscience can be applied to studies in human morality. Particularly, the present essay examines how functional and structural neuroimaging methods can contribute to the development of the fields by reviewing the findings of recent social and developmental neuroimaging experiments. Meanwhile, the present essay also considers some limitations embedded in such discussions regarding the relationship between the fields and suggests directions for future studies to address these limitations.
Multivariate Analysis of Sales Responses of Competing Brands to Advertising

The sales responses of five competing brands to advertising were investigated, with parameters of the simple market response functions for all brands estimated jointly. The effectiveness of adverti...
Abstract 4855: Role of HDACi-induced autophagy in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST)

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are rare tumors that remain incurable mainly due to their high metastatic potential. These biologically aggressive tumors account for 3-10% of soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Roughly 50-60% of MPNSTs develop within the background of an inherited disease known as neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF1), while the rest develop sporadically. Despite aggressive combined modality therapy, the 5 year survival rates range from 35% to 50%. Thus, the understanding of MPNST resistance and development of a more efficient and targeted therapeutic approachs is essential to improve the otherwise dismal prognosis for these patients. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are novel compounds with efficacious in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects in a variety of tumor types including STS. Human MPNST cells treated with HDACi exhibit significant growth arrest. However, no apoptosis is observed but rather a dramatic induction of autophagy as assayed by multiple approaches. Whether drug-induced autophagy9s role is to protect or kill the cells remains to be determined. Autophagy blockade via siRNA (Beclin 1 and Atg 5) or pharmacological manipulation with bafilomycin A1 and chloroquine significantly enhances HDACi pro-apoptotic effects. Furthermore, in vivo studies revealed that single agent HDACi or chloroquine alone had a modest effect on tumor growth, whereas combined treatment resulted in marked growth inhibition. These findings suggest that autophagy may mediate a potential protective response in MPNST and strongly support further study of combined HDACi with autophagy blockers as a novel therapeutic approach for MPNST. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4855.
Scaling of electroresistance effect in fully integrated ferroelectric tunnel junctions

Systematic investigation of the scalability for tunneling electroresistance (TER) of integrated Co/BaTiO3/SrRuO3 ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) has been performed from micron to deep submicron dimensions. Pulsed measurements of the transient currents confirm the ferroelectric switching behavior of the FTJs, while the hysteresis loops measured by means of piezoresponse force microscopy verify the scalability of these structures. Fully integrated functional FTJ devices with the size of 300 × 300 nm2 exhibiting a tunneling electroresistance (TER) effect of the order of 2.7 × 104% have been fabricated and tested. Measured current density of 75 A/cm2 for the ON state and a long polarization retention time of ON state (>10 h) show a lot of promise for implementation of high-density BaTiO3-based FTJ memory devices in future.
The effect of Combined Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Enterococcus and Bacillus cereus Tablets,Live and Montmorillonite powder in breast milk jaundice

Objective To observe and analyze the effects of Combined Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Enterococcus and Bacillus cereus Tablets,Live and Montmorillonite powder in the therapy of jaundice.Method 85 patients with breast milk jaundice were divided randomly into four groups:A (control group) 、B (the group of Combined Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Enterococcus and Bacillus cereus Tablets,Live) 、C (the group of Montmorillonite powder) and D (the group of Combined Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Enterococcus and Bacillus cereus Tablets,Live combined with Montmorillonite powder) ,the four groups all stopped breastfeeding.Detected the bilirubin concentration in the blood and jaundice time after the four treatments.Results Compared to control group and observation groups,the observation groups in the reduction of time were fast and reduction of bilirubin levels were higher than the control group.But the effects were different among the observation groups.Conclusion Combined Bifidobacterium,Lactobacillus,Enterococcus and Bacillus cereus Tablets,Live and Montmorillonite powder could advance the excretion of bilirubin,shorter hospital stay.There is no difference between the two treatments and combination therapy is more effective.
A box-constrained approach for hard permutation problems

We describe the use of sorting networks to form relaxations of problems involving permutations of n objects. This approach is an alternative to relaxations based on the Birkhoff polytope (the set of n × n doubly stochastic matrices), providing a more compact formulation in which the only constraints are box constraints. Using this approach, we form a variant of the relaxation of the quadratic assignment problem recently studied in Vogelstein et al. (2015), and show that the continuation method applied to this formulation can be quite effective. We develop a coordinate descent algorithm that achieves a per-cycle complexity of O(n2 log2 n). We compare this method with Fast Approximate QAP (FAQ) algorithm introduced in Vogelstein et al. (2015), which uses a conditional-gradient method whose per-iteration complexity is O(n3). We demonstrate that for most problems in QAPLIB and for a class of synthetic QAP problems, the sorting-network formulation returns solutions that are competitive with the FAQ algorithm, often in significantly less computing time.
Chemi-ionization reactions of La, Pr, Tb, and Ho with atomic O and La with N2O from 200 to 450 K

The chemi-ionization rate coefficients of La, Pr, Tb, and Ho with O have been measured from 200 to 450 K using a thermalized flow tube apparatus. Both La and Tb were found to react near the calculated hard sphere collision limit, while the Pr and Ho reactions proceeded at roughly 40% of that limit at all temperatures. The efficiencies of these reactions are considered and the near thermoneutral character of the reaction with Ho can explain this case, whereas an explanation for the inefficiency of the Pr reaction remains elusive. The chemi-ionization reaction of La with N2O was also studied and found to proceed roughly 2 orders of magnitude slower than the competing neutral oxidation pathway. The latter result disagrees with previous literature reports.
Learning Disabilities and Tourette’s Syndrome

A retrospective study of 138 children with Tourette’s syndrome examined the contribution of neurobehavioral concomitant symptoms to academic difficulties in the Department of Neurology, and Division of Biostatistics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY.
Joint Maximum Likelihood Estimation for Diagnostic Classification Models.

Joint maximum likelihood estimation (JMLE) is developed for diagnostic classification models (DCMs). JMLE has been barely used in Psychometrics because JMLE parameter estimators typically lack statistical consistency. The JMLE procedure presented here resolves the consistency issue by incorporating an external, statistically consistent estimator of examinees’ proficiency class membership into the joint likelihood function, which subsequently allows for the construction of item parameter estimators that also have the consistency property. Consistency of the JMLE parameter estimators is established within the framework of general DCMs: The JMLE parameter estimators are derived for the Loglinear Cognitive Diagnosis Model (LCDM). Two consistency theorems are proven for the LCDM. Using the framework of general DCMs makes the results and proofs also applicable to DCMs that can be expressed as submodels of the LCDM. Simulation studies are reported for evaluating the performance of JMLE when used with tests of varying length and different numbers of attributes. As a practical application, JMLE is also used with “real world” educational data collected with a language proficiency test.
Signature buffer: bridging performance gap between registers and caches

Data communications between producer instructions and consumer instructions through memory incur extra delays that degrade processor performance. We introduce a new storage media with a novel addressing mechanism to avoid address calculations. Instead of a memory address, each load and store is assigned a signature for accessing the new storage. A signature consists of the color of the base register along with its displacement value. A unique color is assigned to a register whenever the register is updated. When two memory instructions have the same signature, they address to the same memory location. This memory signature can be formed early in the processor pipeline. A small signature buffer, addressed by the memory signature, can be established to permit stores and loads bypassing normal memory hierarchy for fast data communication. Performance evaluations based on an Alpha 21264-like pipeline using SPEC2000 integer benchmarks show that an IPC (instruction-per-cycle) improvement of 13-18% is possible using a small 8-entry signature buffer.
Changes in Trap Temperature as a Method to Determine Timing of Capture of Small Mammals

Patterns of animal activity provide important insight into hypotheses in animal behavior, physiological ecology, behavioral ecology, as well as population and community ecology. Understanding patterns of animal activity in field settings is often complicated by the need for expensive equipment and time-intensive methods that limit data collection. Because animals must be active to be detected, the timing of detection (e.g., the timing of capture) may be a useful proxy for estimation of activity time. In this paper, we describe a new method for determining timing of capture for small mammals. In our method, two small temperature loggers are positioned in each trap so that one logger registers the internal temperature of a live-trap at set intervals while the other logger simultaneously records external trap temperature. We illustrate the utility of this technique using field data from live-trapping of deer mice, Peromyscus maniculatus, one of the most ubiquitous, widely distributed small mammals in North America. Traps with animals inside registered consistent increases in internal trap temperature, creating a clear, characteristic temperature deviation between the two data loggers that can determine trap entry time within a very narrow time window (e.g., 10 minutes). We also present pilot data to demonstrate the usefulness of the method for two other small-mammal species. This new method is relatively inexpensive, robust to field conditions, and does not require modification of traps or wiring of new devices. It can be deployed as part of common live-trapping methods, making it possible to assay the timing of capture for a large number of animals in many different ecological contexts. In addition to quantifying timing of capture, this approach may also collect meaningful temperature data and provide insight into the thermal costs of animal activity and relationships between environmental conditions and the time of an animal’s capture.
Counting the ions surrounding nucleic acids

Nucleic acids are strongly negatively charged, and thus electrostatic interactions-screened by ions in solution-play an important role in governing their ability to fold and participate in biomolecular interactions. The negative charge creates a region, known as the ion atmosphere, in which cation and anion concentrations are perturbed from their bulk values. Ion counting experiments quantify the ion atmosphere by measuring the preferential ion interaction coefficient: the net total number of excess ions above, or below, the number expected due to the bulk concentration. The results of such studies provide important constraints on theories, which typically predict the full three-dimensional distribution of the screening cloud. This article reviews the state of nucleic acid ion counting measurements and critically analyzes their ability to test both analytical and simulation-based models.
Hemoglobin Bound Von Willebrand Factor (HbVWF) Multimers Are Hyperactive and More Prevalent in Patients with Sickle Cell Disease.

Abstract Abstract 3058 Poster Board II-1034 Elevated levels of von Willebrand factor (VWF), especially the ultra-large multimers, play a significant role in the pathogenesis of vascular occlusion in sickle cell disease (SCD) by promoting cell adhesion to the endothelium. Investigating the pathophysiology of vaso-occlusion and thrombosis in SCD, we have recently observed that excessive extracellular-hemoglobin (Hb) in plasma significantly inhibited ADAMTS-13 proteolysis of VWF by binding directly to the enzyme cleavage-site on VWF. Here, we further show that subpopulations of VWF multimers, which are bound to extracellular-Hb, exist in plasma. We have successfully isolated the Hb-bound VWF (HbVWF) multimers from SCD patients' plasma using the Ni-NTA column and quantified by commercial kit. The HbVWF multimers exist in 5 to 6-times less quantity than the Hb-free multimers as measured in SCD patients. Purified HbVWF multimers are mostly uncleavable by recombinant ADAMTS-13 in vitro. These HbVWF multimers are hyper active in agglutinating platelets as detected by ristocetin cofactor (RCof) activity assay, and also hyper adhesive to collagen type-III compared to the Hb-free multimers. The HbVWF multimers exists in about 2-fold more quantity in SCD patients than normal individuals [mean percent level ± SE, 8.1±1.8 (individual mean 6 – 11) vs. 16.6±3 (12 – 21), P Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Two-Level Additive Schwarz Domain Decomposition Preconditioner for a Flat-Top Partition of Unity Method

We investigate a two-level additive Schwarz domain decomposition preconditioner for a flat-top partition of unity method. We establish condition number estimates for the biharmonic problem and present numerical results that confirm our analysis.
Reducing calculation requirements in FPGA implementation of deep learning algorithms for online anomaly intrusion detection

Deep learning algorithms produced impressive results in the image and voice recognition fields. Machine learning approach can be implemented to improve anomaly detection method to detect novel attacks. We use dynamic fixed-point arithmetic to reduce Deep Belief Network (DBN) calculations in an FPGA. We trained a three-layer DBN using contrastive divergence with pipeline structure, fine-tuning the network using a softmax function. Our work using dynamic fixed-point arithmetic and pipeline structure reduced the calculation requirement of the DBN more than 30% compare to the 16-bit implementation. We used the MNIST dataset for evaluation before testing online intrusion detection and achieved accuracy of 94.6% on the NSL-KDD dataset and 95.1% on the HTTP CSIC 2010 dataset. We produced efficient resource utilization and detection speed of .008ms. Our design can be further improved to decrease deep learning resources during training and testing for online intrusion detection in low powered devices.
Assessment of health surveys: fitting a multidimensional graded response model.

The multidimensional graded response model, an item response theory (IRT) model, can be used to improve the assessment of surveys, even when sample sizes are restricted. Typically, health-based sur...
Emerging from Humboldt’s Shadow: British Travelers and John Arrowsmith’s Maps of Mexico, 1822–1844

The years immediately following Mexico’s independence in 1821 saw a massive expansion in that country of British economic and political activity, which was focused especially on the exploitation of...
Balloon tract dilatation facilitates fluoroscopically guided removal of deeply penetrating foreign bodies

Previous reports describe removal of foreign bodies using image guidance with serial tract dilation or blunt and sharp dissection techniques. This report describes a novel technique utilizing balloon tract dilatation to facilitate the removal of retained radiopaque soft tissue foreign bodies under fluoroscopic guidance. This technique offers a minimally invasive approach for rapid retrieval of deeply penetrating foreign bodies, obviating the need for a large incision or surgical cut down.
Core sites and categories: An overlap study of architecture resources on the internet

Quality, the Internet and the NAAB An often-repeated warning about the Internet is the uneven quality of its Web sites. Librarians strive to address this issue by pointing to preferred, librarian-selected links on their Web pages. Just as with print collections, a standard criterion for the selection of Web links for library pages is quality. Relevance to the educational mission of the institution is anoth er criterion for the selection of links. It is reasonable to assume that
DIAGNOSIS OF STAGE A PROSTATE CANCER IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

One of the most frequently cited facts regarding the epidemiology of prostatic cancer is that the incidence and mortality rates for Oriental males are far lower than those of corresponding Western populations (for review see 1,2). Specifically, data derived from world-wide cancer registries indicate that the prostate cancer incidence rates (per 100,000) for males residing in the United States vary from 10 to 30 times those of Osaka, Japan or 50 to 125 times those of Shanghai, China (3).
Fiction versus Function: The Persistence of ‘Representative Character’ in the Law of Diplomatic Immunity

A chapter in an edited cross-disciplinary volume on psychology and diplomacy, this work provides a study of the historical evolution of notions of diplomatic immunity from ancient times to the 20th century. The chapter discusses the major approaches taken over time to providing a theoretical basis for providing extensive protection for diplomats and their missions from the jurisdiction of local laws and courts.