cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementación del precursor del procedimiento de evaluación relacional en el establecimiento de marcos relacionales de igualdad, oposición y diferencia

El proposito del estudio fue examinar la eficiencia del procedimiento de evaluacion relacional (pPER) en la emergencia de respuestas relacionales de igualdad, oposicion y diferencia. Quince adultos fueron expuestos a ensayos de entrenamiento y de prueba en discriminaciones condicionales. En primera instancia, los participantes observaron dos objetos-estimulo en la pantalla de un computador, despues el sistema mostraba dos opciones de respuesta coloreadas que servian para describir de manera arbitraria la relacion entre los dos objeto-estimulo (que podia ser de igualdad, oposicion o diferencia). Seguidamente, los participantes fueron expuestos a ensayos de prueba de relaciones simetricas con pares de objetos-estimulo conocidos (del entrenamiento inicial) y otros novedosos. Los resultados evidencian que todos los participantes tuvieron niveles altos de precision al relacionar tanto los pares de objetos-estimulo conocidos como los novedosos. Los datos en conjunto sugieren que es posible la emergencia de respuestas relacionales a traves de procedimientos distintos al de igualacion a la muestra.
Kansas State University Human Nutrition (HN 400) Flexbook

The Kansas State University Human Nutrition (FNDH 400) Flexbook is a textbook for students taking Kansas State University FNDH 400 course.FNDH 400 is a 3-hour, intermediate-level, human nutrition course at Kansas State University take primarily by sophomores and juniors because it has prerequisites of a college biology and chemistry courses.
Testosterone and "5α-Dihydrotestosterone" Levels in Peripheral Plasma of Male and Female Ring Doves (Streptopelia risoria) During the Reproductive Cycle

Testosterone (T), Scs-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and androstenedione (A) were measured by radioimmunoassay in peripheral plasma of paired male and female ring doves throughout the reproductive cycle. Before the males were moved to the breeding cage for pairing, their T levels were 183.4 ± 28.1 pg/mI and their DHT levels were 129.5 ± 16.3 pg/mI. Within 4 h after pairing with a female, male androgen levels rose (T = 322.8 ± 136.5 pg/mI, DHT = 1043.8 ± 247.3 pg/mI) and by three days after pairing T and DHT had reached peak levels (701.4 ± 116.8 pg/mI and 1279.5 ± 241.1 pg/mI, respectively). By the time the female laid her first egg, marking the end of the courtship phase and the beginning of the incubation phase, T and DHT levels had declined to 189.6 ± 26.1 and 200.0 ± 41.9. Androgen remained at approximately these low baseline concentrations throughout incubation and squab rearing, and showed a second elevation only at the beginning (courtship phase) of the next reproductive cycle. Androstenedione levels never exceeded 10 pg/mI. In the absence of females, neither removal of a male from his home cage to a novel cage, nor pairing of a male with another male resulted in elevation of T or DHT above baseline values. Castrated males paired with females also exhibited no rise in T or DHT concentrations above baseline values. It is concluded that female doves induce increased androgen secretion in males during the coutship phase of the reproductive cycle, that the major source of the androgen surge is testicular, and that the predominant circulating androgens in male doves are T and DHT. T and DHT were also detected in females, with somewhat higher concentrations tending to occur during courtship than at other phases of the cycle. However, androgen concentrations in females were lower than those of males at all stages of the reproductive cycle.
Dual-Edge Pulse Width Modulation Scheme for Fast Transient Response of Multiple-Phase Voltage Regulators

Transient response is a key performance for the multiphase voltage regulator, especially in microprocessor core (Vcore) applications. Conventional PWM modulation schemes have delay times which can increase the demand on the output capacitors, forcing designs to employ more capacitors for acceptable performance. A new modulation scheme is proposed to achieve very fast transient response by dramatically reducing the modulator delay time. The required output capacitors are much less with this scheme, especially in a Vcore multiphase voltage regulator. In this paper, the conventional modulator delay time is investigated and compared with the new scheme, and some experimental results are included to illustrate the impact of the new modulator on transient performance.
Task networks for controlling continuous processes

This paper describes an extension to the RAP system task-net semantics and representation language to enable the effective control of continuous processes. The representation addresses the problems of synchronizing plan expansion with events in the world, coping with multiple, non-deterministic task outcomes, and the description of a simple form of clean-up task. It is also pointed out that success and failure need no special place in a task network representation. Success and failure are really messages about the execution system's knowledge and do not explicitly define that system's flow of control.
B → Dlν form factors and the determination of |Vcb|

Abstract The zero recoil limit of the B → Dlν form factors is calculated on the lattice, which provides a model-independent determination of |Vcb|. Considering a ratio of form factors, in which the bulk of statistical and systematic errors cancel, we obtain a precise result both for h+(1) and for h−(1).
Study of the kinetics of electrochemical reactions by thin-layer voltammetry

Summary Linear potential sweep voltammetry in thin layers of solution offers numerous advantages for the study of irreversible reactions. The experimental equations, derived here for representative reaction types, are simpler than their counterparts in ordinary voltammetry, and may in some cases be solved directly for the electrochemical rate parameters, k0 and αn0. Rate measurements in thin layers do not require that both members of the reactant couple be present initially in solution. The physical and mathematical simplicity of thin layer voltammetry may allow the otherwise impossible study of irreversible systems involving multiple reactants, multiple charge-transfer steps or complicated stoichiometry. Experiments in which the theory is verified and exploited for studies of fundamental interest will be described in subsequent communications.
Anemia as a sign of abdominal pregnancy

Advanced abdominal pregnancy is an ominous occurrence. The diagnosis is usually made when the physician considers this possibility as the answer to a puzzling obstetric problem. Marked, unexplained anemia, associated with unusual second- and third-trimester signs and symptoms, should warn the physician of the possibility of a near-term abdominal pregnancy.
Income Generation and Employment Opportunities for Women

Much of the economic activity undertaken by women in all societies is unmeasured and unpaid. This raises a conceptual problem concerning the definition of economic activity: the problem arises not just because much of women’s work produces no exchange value, since attempts are made to estimate the money value of certain non-marketed activities, such as the output of subsistence agriculture. In general, those activities concerned with the reproduction of the labour force, both on a daily and generational basis, are not counted as ‘economic activity’ if they are performed within the household on an unpaid basis. In Ethiopia, as in many underdeveloped countries, the reproduction of the labour force involves at least the following: the processing and preparation of food, water-carrying, fuel gathering and carrying, childbirth, child care and the care of adults; these are the unmeasured aspects of economic activity, and women performing them are frequently omitted from the category of ‘active labour force’.
Studies on Leukemia: I. Uric Acid Excretion

1. The urinary excretion of uric acid was studied in 17 normal subjects and in 38 patients with leukemia. The mean excretion of uric acid by the normal subjects was 6.5 mg./Kg. of body weight /24 hrs. The mean excretion of uric acid in 14 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia was 30.3 mg./Kg. /24 hrs.; in 13 patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia, 13.0 mg.; in 6 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 5.2 mg.; and in 5 patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia, 13.5 mg. 2. Following therapy with cortisone, 6-mercaptopurine or Amethopterin, the urinary excretion of uric acid increased in the cases of acute leukemia as the leukocyte count declined. As the leukocyte count approached normal levels, the uric acid excretion decreased. The urinary excretion of xanthine and guanine paralleled the excretion of uric acid. 3. In association with the administration of an aromatic nitrogen mustard derivative to one patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Myleran to one patient with chronic myelocytic leukemia, there was only a slight increase in uric acid excretion.
The “Augenmensch” and the Failure of Vision Goethe and the Trauma of Dilettantism

Taking its cues from Friedrich Nietzsche’s and Georg Simmel’s interpretations of Goethe’s dilettantism, this paper proposes to revise the notion of Goethe the “Augenmensch” and to question the recent privileging of the visual in Goethe’s poetry.
Regulation of skeletal muscle insulin-stimulated signaling through the MEK-REDD1-mTOR axis.

Abstract Recent findings in adipocytes suggest that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular-regulated signaling kinase (ERK) kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2) signaling regulates regulated in development and DNA damage 1 (REDD1) protein expression. Similarly, our previous work show that a lack of REDD1 protein expression, and associated hyperactive basal mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, limits skeletal muscle's response to insulin. Therefore, we sought to determine: 1) if MEK1/2 inhibition is sufficient to reduce REDD1 protein expression and subsequently insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) tyrosine phosphorylation via negative feedback of hyperactive mTOR in REDD1 wild-type (WT) mice and 2) if rapamycin-mediated mTOR inhibition is sufficient to improve IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation in REDD1 knockout (KO) mice. REDD1 WT mice were injected with 10 mg/kg BW of the MEK1/2 non-competitive inhibitor, PD184352, 3 h prior to acute insulin treatment. In separate studies, REDD1 KO mice were injected with 5 mg/kg BW of the mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, 3 h prior to acute insulin treatment. Following the inhibitor treatment period, markers of insulin signaling activation (IRS-1 Y1222, MEK1/2 S217/221, ERK1/2 T202/Y204), REDD1, and mTOR signaling activation (S6K1 T389, rpS6 S240/244) were examined in skeletal muscle collected before and after a 10 min insulin treatment. PD184352 treatment reduced MEK/ERK phosphorylation and REDD1 protein expression, independent of insulin. This reduction in REDD1 protein expression was associated with elevated basal S6K1 and rpS6 phosphorylation and reduced insulin stimulated IRS-1 phosphorylation. Conversely, rapamycin inhibited S6K1 and rpS6 activation, and significantly improved insulin –stimulated activation of IRS-1 and MEK1/2 in KO mice. These data support that REDD1 is required for normal insulin-stimulated signaling, and that a subtle balance exists between MEK1/2, REDD1, and mTOR for the proper regulation of insulin signaling.
Predictors of length of stay, reoperation, and readmission following total laryngectomy

Objectives/Hypothesis To identify relevant patient and surgical risk factors associated with prolonged length of stay, return to the operating room, and readmission within 30 days following total laryngectomy using the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) Study Design Retrospective database study. Patients undergoing total laryngectomy alone for laryngeal cancer were identified from the ACS-NSQIP database from 2005 to 2014. Methods Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors for prolonged length of stay, readmissions, and unplanned reoperations within 30 days. Results Among 871 patients meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria, the median length of stay was 8.0 days (range, 0–130 days). Totally dependent functional status (P < .01; odds ratio [OR]: 32.62), Black or African American race (P = .029; OR: 1.75), and operative time (P < .0001; OR: 1.15) were associated with prolonged length of stay. The overall rate of return to the operating room within 30 days was 12.4%. Contaminated wound status (P = .025; OR: 3.53), operative time (P = .015; OR: 1.10), steroid use (P < .01; OR: 2.92), and smoking (P = .05; OR: 1.60) were significantly associated with return to the operating room. Unplanned readmission rate was 11.9%, and 47.37% of readmissions were due to wound infection/pharyngocutaneous fistula. Dirty/contaminated wound classification (P = .05; OR: 22.5) was associated with readmission on multivariate analysis. Conclusions This is the first population-level analysis to be performed on length of stay, readmission, and reoperation for total laryngectomy. Assessing and identifying modifiable risk factors on quality metrics may reduce overall cost and the burden on limited hospital resources. Level of Evidence 4. Laryngoscope, 127:1339–1344, 2017
A simplified approach for predicting interaction between flexible structures and acoustic enclosures

Abstract The natural frequencies of acoustic–structure systems can be approximated by a closed-form expression that accounts for the interaction between two uncoupled component modes: a given structural mode and the acoustic mode with which it couples most strongly. This expression requires spatial integration of the component mode shapes. In practice, the effort to determine the component mode shapes and compute the necessary integrals negates the simplicity afforded by the closed-form expression. Here, with the use of coupled mode theory, a new nondimensional expression for the coupled natural frequencies is derived. The derivation includes the definition of a new dimensionless number that quantifies the natural propensity of two component modes to couple, irrespective of the enclosure size or the fluid and structural properties. Values of this dimensionless number are presented for common geometries and boundary conditions. With these values, approximations of the coupled natural frequencies can be calculated by hand without explicit knowledge of the component mode shapes or their spatial integrals. The accuracy of these hand calculations is shown for two common acoustic–structure systems: a plate coupled to a rectangular air-filled enclosure and a cylindrical shell containing water.
A new semantic wavelet-based spectral representation

We consider the problem of designing features for the identification of reflectance spectra that capture the semantic information used by experts in ad-hoc labeling rules, such as the shape and position of absorption bands in spectra. We propose the use of statistical models on wavelet coefficients that allow us to quantify the presence of spectrum discontinuities at multiple scales. Such models are now feasible to train due to the availability of large-scale datasets of hyperspectral images. Using a non-homogeneous hidden Markov model, we can succinctly express the semantic information in the spectrum in terms of binary state labels representing its energy content in a multiscale time-frequency analysis. Experimental results show that the features succeed in outperforming existing approaches in encoding and quantifying the semantic features of the spectra that are relevant in classification tasks.
The Promise and Problem of Modeling Viewsheds in the Western Maya Lowlands

This paper addresses the benefits and challenges of modeling viewsheds with ASTER, SRTM, and AirSAR DEMs as they relate to human scale behaviors through a case study that examines the cultural and political significance of viewsheds for Precolumbian Maya rulers. The goal of this chapter is twofold: to illustrate the dramatic differences in currently available datasets for calculating viewsheds and to reflect on the implications indigenous concepts of vision and intervisibility hold for the reconstruction of ancient vistas. We conclude that movement through and vistas across the landscape participated in the construction of political power and authority in Classic period (c. 250–900 C.E.) Maya kingdoms, but that to achieve a reasonable quantitative model of these vistas the parameters of datasets available to most archaeologists are insufficient. Coarse-resolution DEMs used to model viewsheds vastly overstate the perceptible area, yet may conversely obscure areas that would otherwise be visible to a human observer. Visibility analyses have become a part of archaeological standard practice without due consideration of the cultural context of perception, or the resolution of data approximating human scales.
The energetics of development in a very large altricial bird, the brown pelican

The brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis, is the largest altricial species for which the energetics of embryonic development has so far been reported.
The missing link in buyer-supplier joint product innovation: A work group effectiveness perspective

Collaborating with suppliers in product innovations is a common practice due to a lot of benefits.
Evolution and Adaptation in the Maize Genome

Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) has been a prime model organism for understanding the processes of domestication and adaptation. During domestication, maize underwent drastic morphological changes that differentiate it from its teosinte progenitor such as reduced tillering and seed shattering and freeing of the grain from a stony fruit case. Likewise, post-domestication adaptation to new environments has allowed maize to expand to a distribution far exceeding its wild relatives and in fact to a greater range than any other domesticate. Previous work using traditional top-down approaches, such as quantitative trait locus mapping and genome-wide association, has been successful in identifying canonical candidates for domestication and adaptation. However, the recent availability of genomic data and development of new analytical tools offer the opportunity to increasingly look at these processes from the bottom-up based on genomic signatures of selection. Here we review progress thus far in genomic research of maize domestication and adaptation. We discuss the insights genomics has shed on our understanding of these processes and conclude with a future outlook for how genomics might be further applied to these fields.
Stress and the medial temporal lobe at rest: Functional connectivity is associated with both memory and cortisol

Abstract When acute stress is experienced immediately after memory encoding (i.e., post-encoding stress) it can significantly impact subsequent memory for that event. For example, recent work has suggested that post-encoding stress occurring in a different context from encoding impairs memory. However, the neural processes underlying these effects are poorly understood. We aimed to expand this understanding by conducting an analysis of resting functional connectivity in the period following post-encoding stress that occurred in a different context than encoding, using seed regions in the medial temporal lobes known for their roles in memory. In the current study of 44 males randomized to stress (n = 23) or control (n = 21) groups, we found that stress increased cortisol, impaired recollection of neutral materials, and altered functional connectivity with medial temporal lobe regions. Although stress did not significantly alter hippocampus-amygdala functional connectivity, relative to participants in the control group, participants in the post-encoding stress group showed lower functional connectivity between the hippocampus and a region with a peak in the superior temporal gyrus. Across participants in both groups, functional connectivity between these regions was related to greater increases in cortisol, and it was also inversely related to recollection of neutral materials. In contrast, the stress group showed greater parahippocampal cortex functional connectivity with a region in the left middle temporal gyrus than the control group. Moreover, greater functional connectivity between the parahippocampal cortex and the observed cluster in the middle temporal gyrus was associated with greater cortisol changes from pre- to post-manipulation, but was not related to differences in memory. The results show that post-encoding stress can alter the resting-state functional connectivity between the medial temporal lobe and neocortex, which may help explain how stress impacts memory.
Multimedia Aspects of Pediatric Minimally Invasive Surgery

Prior to the twenty-first century, medical professionals, training residents, and medical students were reliant on textbooks, academic or institutional conferences, and medical journals in order to remain up to date on the latest innovations in medicine. As the amount of information to be learned grew, physicians found themselves with a large amount of knowledge to digest with little time to do it. Eventually, as technology advanced, there was a shift to alternate forms of education which incorporated multimedia to enhance the learning experience. This created a chance for physicians to learn in an interactive, engaging, and hands-on manner and allowed them to remain up to date on current surgical technique, technological advances, and surgical education. In addition, by utilizing social media, physicians were able to network across the globe and share relevant resources. In this chapter, different aspects of multimedia will be discussed as it pertains to the education and continued training of practicing physicians.
Over the centuries: a history of Wollstonecraft reception

Both Wollstonecraft’s fame and infamy are attributable to her lived experience as the woman author of the only radical republican feminist text published in the pamphlet war of the 1790s. Yet, her ...
Adiponectin links maternal metabolism to uterine contractility.

Adiponectin is secreted by adipose tissue and promotes insulin sensitivity. Low circulating adiponectin is associated with increased risk for preterm labor, but the influence of adiponectin on uter...
Zeichen des Anthropozäns auf den Gehwegen Turins

Vor etwas mehr als zehn Jahren hat ein Notfall die Grenzen Italiens uberschritten und der Welt ein auserst unangenehmes Bild gezeigt: die Mullkrise in Neapel. Im Juni 2008 ist die Stadt von 400.000 Tonnen Mull heimgesucht worden. Berge entsorgter Dinge, die sich in den Strasen stapeln, Haufen verbrannten Abfalls, ausgedehnte Deponien und eine Vielzahl gesundheitlicher und politischer Probleme waren die Bilder, die aus Suditalien um die Welt gingen.
Race and the Female Star in Australasian Shakespeare

Very few of Shakespeare’s plays feature a central, dominant female character, so when these exceptional plays are staged, the decision about which actress is cast in the starring role can be highly politically charged. In Australia and New Zealand, with their small populations, history of assault by a colonising force on the Indigenous culture and strongly multicultural present-day demographic, there has always been a tension between an avowed philosophy of Shakespeare-for-all and the realities of a theatre industry struggling with ingrained sexism and racism. This chapter focuses on the recollections of actresses who have had the experience of being obliged to consider their marginalisation while playing these central roles. It reflects on the artistic and cultural resonances of instances, particularly within the Shakespeare industries of Australia and New Zealand, when ethnic minority women who might conventionally feel excluded from such a white, male cultural centre have plunged in to claim space as Rosalinds and Cleopatras, Juliets and Portias, Innogens and Helenas.
Are Sexual Minority Stressors Associated with Young Men who Have Sex with Men’s (YMSM) Level of Engagement in PrEP?

Sexual minority stressors (community homophobia, sexuality-related discrimination, and internalized homonegativity) are negatively associated with accessing HIV prevention services among men who have sex with men (MSM). Few studies have tested minority stressors' associations with PrEP engagement among high-HIV risk young MSM (YMSM). Therefore, we assessed the associations between PrEP-indicated YMSM's progression along the PrEP continuum and their experiences of minority stress. N = 229 YMSM completed a web-survey on PrEP-related behaviors and minority stress. Adjusted for covariates, we developed two partial-proportional odds models examining the associations between PrEP continuum progression and minority stressors, as a composite, and community homophobia, sexuality-related discrimination, and internalized homonegativity, respectively. Our multivariable model demonstrated minority stress levels to be negatively associated with PrEP continuum location (AOR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.58-0.99). Broken down, discrimination was positively associated with reporting being at an advanced location along the continuum (AOR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.06-1.82). Internalized homonegativity was negatively associated with continuum location between PrEP-aware participants with no intention to initiate and participants who intended to initiate PrEP (AOR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.27-0.77) and between those who intended to initiate and those who had ever used PrEP (AOR = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.22-0.69). Our findings suggest that minority stress, especially internalized homonegativity, remains a barrier to PrEP among PrEP-indicated YMSM. Sexuality-related discrimination was associated with PrEP continuum progression, suggesting potentially well-developed, adaptive coping skills (e.g., ability to locate sexuality-affirming providers). Coupled with stigma reduction efforts, HIV prevention services aiming to promote PrEP should incorporate internalized homonegativity screenings and referrals into sexuality-affirming resources for PrEP-indicated YMSM.
Alleviating Load Imbalance in Data Processing for Large-Scale Deep Learning

Scalable deep learning remains an onerous challenge, as it is constrained by many factors, including those related to load imbalance. For many deep-learning software systems, multiple data-processing components—including neural network training, graph scheduling, input pipeline, and gradient synchronization—execute simultaneously and asynchronously. Such execution can cause the various data-processing components to contend with one another for the hardware resources, leading to severe load imbalance and, in turn, degraded scalability. In this paper, we present an in-depth analysis of state-of-the-art deep-learning software, TensorFlow and Horovod, to understand their scalability limitations. Based on this analysis, we propose four novel solutions that minimize resource contention and improve deep-learning performance by up to 35% for training various neural networks on 24,576 GPUs of the Summit supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Pediatric Radial Neck Fractures: Outcomes of an Attempted Closed Reduction in the Emergency Department

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine pediatric patients (under the age of 18) with a radial neck fracture, and determine the factors associated with a failed closed reduction (CR) in the Emergency Department (ED). We aim to use these factors to recommend a protocol that guides the treatment management of these fractures. Methods: 70 patients who presented to our ED with acute radial neck fractures were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were: age 18 years or younger at time of injury, diagnosis of radial neck fracture without other …
Micro- and Nanoplastic-Mediated Pathophysiological Changes in Rodents, Rabbits, and Chickens: A Review

Plastics provide tremendous societal benefits and are an indispensable part of our lives. However, fragmented plastics or those intentionally manufactured in small sizes (microplastics or nanoplastics) are of concern because they can infiltrate soils and enter the human food chain through trophic transfer. The pathophysiological impacts of micro/nanoplastics in humans are not characterized but their effects in terrestrial mammals may help elucidate their potential effects in human beings. Rodent studies have demonstrated that micro/nanoplastics can breach the intestinal barrier, accumulate in various organs, cause gut dysbosis, decrease mucus secretion, induce metabolic alterations, and cause neurotoxicity, amongst other pathophysiologic effects. Larger mammals such as rabbits can also absorb microplastics orally. In farm animals such as chicken, microplastics have been detected in the gut, thereby raising food safety concerns. This review mostly focuses on studies conducted to assess effects of micro/nanoplastic exposure through food and water in terrestrial mammals and farm animals including rodents, rabbit and chicken, identifies main knowledge gaps, and provides recommendations for further research to understand food-borne MP/NP toxicity in humans.
Production of l-Phenylalanine from Starch by Analog-Resistant Mutants of Bacillus polymyxa.

p-Fluorophenylalanine-resistant mutants of starch-degrading Bacillus polymyxa ATCC 842, generated by ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis followed by incubation with caffeine, overproduced small amounts of l-phenylalanine (l-phe) from starch. A β-2-thienylalanine-resistant mutant (BTR-7) derived from p-fluorophenylalanine mutant (C-4000 FPR-4) and resistant to both p-fluorophenylalanine and β-2-thienylalanine produced 0.5 g of l-phe and 0.15 g of l-tyrosine per liter from 10 g of starch per liter when growing in a minimal medium. trans-Cinnamic acid (CA) was also excreted by both mutants, indicating the possibility of l-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase-induced deamination of l-phe to CA. The amount of l-phe-derived CA detected in BTR-7 was less compared with mutant C-4000 FPR-4. CA production was induced in the parent only when l-phe was used as a sole nitrogen source. Time of CA production in the two mutants could be delayed by addition of other nitrogen sources, an indication of possible l-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase inhibition or repression. The presence of l-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in B. polymyxa mutant C-4000 FPR-4 was confirmed by assays of cell-free extracts from cells grown in starch minimal medium containing l-phe as the sole nitrogen source. Preliminary studies of the regulation of deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase and prephenate dehydratase in the wild-type strain showed that deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase was subject to feedback inhibition by l-phe, l-tyrosine, and l-tryptophan. Inhibition by each amino acid was to a similar extent singly or in combination at a 0.5 mM level of each amino acid. Prephenate dehydratase was feedback inhibited by l-phe, but not by l-tyrosine or l-tryptophan or both. In the double analog-resistant mutant BTR-7, deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase had specific activity similar to that in the wild type, and the enzyme was still subject to feedback inhibition. However, prephenate dehydratase had increased specific activity and it was also insensitive to feedback inhibition by l-phe. The overproduction of aromatic amino acids by BTR-7 was thought to be due, at least in part, to deregulation of feedback inhibition of prephenate dehydratase. Chorismate mutase was not subject to feedback inhibition in the wild type and was unaffected in the mutant.
Realistic request arrival generation in storage benchmarks

Benchmarks are widely used to perform apples-to-apples comparison in a controlled and reliable fashion. Benchmarks must model real world workload behavior. In recent years, to meet web scale demands, Key-Value (KV) stores have emerged as a vital component of cloud serving systems. The Yahoo! Cloud Serving Benchmark (YCSB) has emerged as the standard benchmark for evaluating key-value systems, and has been preferred by both the industry and academia. Though YCSB provides a variety of options to generate realistic workloads, like most benchmarks it has ignored the temporal characteristics of generated workloads. YCSB's constant-rate request arrival process is unrealistic and fails to capture the real world arrival patterns. Existing workload studies on disk, filesystem, key-value system, network, and web traffic all show that they all exhibit some common temporal properties such as burstiness, self similarity, long range dependence, and diurnal activity. In this work, we show that the commonly observed traffic patterns can be modeled using the three categories of arrival processes: a)Poisson, b)Self similar, and c)Envelope-guided process. The three categories presented are a necessary and sufficient set of request arrival models that all storage benchmarks should provide. To demonstrate the ease of incorporating the models in benchmarks, we have modified YCSB to generate workloads based on all three models, and show the effect of realistic request arrivals through an example database evaluation.
Effect of Rec− Mutations on the Activity of Colicinogenic Factors

The effect of two Rec− mutations (AB2463 and JC1553) on the ability of a cell to accept, maintain, and express the colicinogenic factors ColE1, ColE2, and ColV was examined in Escherichia coli. These mutations had no observable effect on the colicinogenic properties of the ColV factor, but prevented the spontaneous and induced production of colicins E1 and E2 which are determined by the ColE1 and ColE2 factors, respectively. The two Rec− mutations had no apparent effect on the ability of the cells to acquire, maintain, or transfer the ColE1 and ColE2 factors. These mutations did not affect the expression of immunity by any of the three Col factors. ColE1 and ColE2 were also shown to be indirectly induced by mating F− cells carrying these Col factors with ultraviolet-irradiated, non-colicinogenic, Hfr and F+ cells. Indirect induction of colicin production occurred when either an irradiated F+ Rec+ or F+ Rec− strain was employed as the donor strain.
Performance Deterioration in High Effectiveness Heat Exchangers Due to Axial Heat Conduction Effects

The design of high-effectiveness heat exchangers for cryogenic applications requires consideration of axial heat conduction in flow direction, through exchanger core and fluids, an effect which generally can be neglected in conventional heat exchanger work. The most severe performance deterioration is encountered when both fluids have the same heat capacity rate. As indicated schematically in Fig. 1, the temperature difference between fluids which is already small throughout the exchanger is further decreased by axial conduction effects.
Complex PTSD: research directions for nosology/ assessment, treatment, and public health

Complex posttraumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) in children and adolescents extends beyond the core PTSD symptoms to dysregulation in three psychobiological domains: (1) emotion processing, (2) self-organization (including bodily integrity), and (3) relational functioning. CPTSD research directions for the next decade and beyond are identified in three areas: (1) diagnostic classification (establishing the empirical integrity of CPTSD as a distinct form of psychopathology) and psychometric assessment [validation and refinement of measures of childhood polyvictimization and developmental trauma disorder (DTD)], (2) rigorous evaluation and refinement of interventions (and algorithms for their delivery) developed or adapted for CPTSD and DTD, and (3) the epidemiology of CPTSD and DTD, and their public health and safety impact, across the lifespan and intergenerationally, for populations, nations, and cultures.
Attitudes of Business and Non-business Students Toward Corporate Actions

This study examined differences in the attitudes of business and non-business students toward economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary corporate actions. The results from a sample of two hundred and forty-two (242) university students indicated differences across three background variables (college major, gender, and race).
Spontaneous heart disease in the adult chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)

Background A high incidence of heart disease, especially idiopathic cardiomyopathy (IC), is seen in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Methods We reviewed clinical records and necropsy reports of 87 adult chimpanzees for possible causes of heart disease/IC. We examined age, sex, cause of death, weight, diet, environment, infectious diseases, experimental uses and clinical pathology. Results The overall prevalence of heart disease in chimpanzees was 67.81%; the prevalence of IC was 51.72%. The prevalence of IC was significantly higher in males (60.32%) than that in females (29.17%, P = 0.009). The prevalence of other heart disease was higher in females (25%) than that in males (12.70%, P = 0.165). Heart failure occurred in 47.13% of chimpanzees. Heart disease was the primary cause of death in 34.49% of chimpanzees; 29.88% died of unknown causes. Conclusions We found no evidence that diet, environment, viral agents, experimental use or disease exposure contributed to the deaths resulting from IC in chimpanzees.
Ethanol effects on female aggression vary with opponent size and time within session

Female rats displayed different patterns of attack to large and small male intruders into their home cages, as a function of ethanol dose levels. In confrontations with small male intruders, female attack increased significantly at 0.3 g/kg ethanol, declining to saline levels with higher doses (0.6 and 1.2 g/kg). Attack toward large intruders was (nonsignificantly) higher at 0.3 g/kg ethanol, and declined to significantly lower than saline levels with the higher ethanol doses. The attack increases seen with low ethanol doses came in the initial 5-min block of the 30 min test session, and did not persist. These findings suggest that low ethanol doses may especially increase overt aggression in situations in which the tendency to attack is only moderately inhibited by factors such as opponent size or the potential danger of retaliatory attack.
Vibration and Damping in Three-Bar Tensegrity Structure

The most interesting examples of tensegrity structures are underconstrained and display an infinitesimal flex. In the direction of that flex the force-displacement relationship is highly nonlinear, resulting from geometric stiffening and influenced by the effect of prestress at equilibrium. A tensegrity structure would therefore display nonlinear vibrations when excited in the direction of the infinitesimal flex, the “frequency” decreasing with amplitude. Movement in the direction of the flex occurs with only infinitesimal change in member length, and therefore under conventional models of material damping in members the motion would not vanish as rapidly as it would for a conventional oscillator. We study one particular tensegrity geometry for which we present the force-displacement relationship in analytical form and then examine the nonlinear vibrations. We observe the role of damping and we discuss those implications for the design of tensegrity structures in space applications.
The underestimation of project duration: a compensating graphic technique

This note augments recent comments in this journal relating to the tendency for schedulers of R & D to consistently underestimate the time needed for project completion. One author postulated the existence of psychological time-horizons, varying by individual, as the determinant of the degree of underestimation. A little-known graphic technique, the program trend chart, appears to provide an empirical means of compensating for the individual tendency toward underestimation of project duration. The technique may also provide a basis for measurement of an individual's time-horizon, through observation of the variation between actual and predicted completion dates.
The impact of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis.

Background: There has been a debate about the cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), as well as a concern regarding its possible overutilization and changes in the indication for surgery.
Estrogen receptor-β and the cardiovascular system

Retrospective studies show that estrogen significantly decreases the development of primary cardiovascular disease in women. The sex steroid lowers prothrombotic proteins and atherosclerosis-promoting lipids, while maintaining healthy vascular endothelial function by stimulating nitric oxide production. There is little research implicating estrogen as an important controller of blood pressure. In this regard, a recent study provides important new evidence that the estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) mediates several actions of estrogen on vascular smooth muscle cells. Most strikingly, aged male rats that have a genetic inactivation of their ERβ develop moderate hypertension. Thus, estrogen action is probably relevant to the regulation of vascular tone in both sexes.
TU‐C‐210A‐04: MR‐Guided Near Infrared Spectral Tomography of the Breast

Near‐infrared (NIR)spectraltomography applies and records multiple wavelengths of light in the 700–850 nm range through a transceiving multi‐fiber array in order to estimate absorption chromophores and scattering parameters within tissue. The technique provides important functional information associated with local concentrations of oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, and water and lipid fractions but on a centimeter spatial scale. In an effort to improve the spatial discrimination of these molecular characteristics of tissue, the technique has been combined with high resolution anatomical information obtained from MRI. Technical developments have lead to a simultaneous multi‐modality breast exam which combines the spectralNIR information with the data obtained during a dynamic contrast‐enhanced breast MR study. Commercial and custom breast coils have been populated with a 16‐channel fiber optical array and concomitant data acquisition module to explore the clinical potential of the approach. Clinical breast exams involving women with asymptomatic and symptomatic screening and diagnostic ammography along longitudinal studies of women with locally advance breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy have been performed. Results will be presented from anecdotal case reports as well as statistically valid findings from small clinical study designs and phantom experiments which indicate that the technique produces quantitative estimates of the NIR functional parameters at substantially improved spatial resolution relative to NIRspectraltomography when used in the breast alone. Learning Objectives: 1. To learn the basic physical principles of NIRspectraltomography. 2. To learn the basic clinical and physical characteristics of combined MR and NIRspectraltomography. 3. To learn the latest clinical breast imaging results from the technology as developed by Dartmouth investigators.
Human megakaryocytic progenitors (CFU-M) assayed in methylcellulose: Physical characteristics and requirements for growth

The basic culture requirements and several physical characteristics were defined for megakaryocytic colony-forming cells (CFU-M) from normal human marrow growing in methylcellulose. Ficoll-hypaque separated mononuclear cells from human marrow gave rise to megakaryocytic colonies in the presence of normal human plasma and phytohemagglutinin-stimulated leukocyte-conditioned medium (PHA-LCM). Their identity as megakaryocytic colonies was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining with a monoclonal antibody to human factor VIII antigen and by electron microscopy of individually harvested colonies. Demonstration of the single-cell origin of the colonies was provided by analysis of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) enzyme type of individually harvested colonies grown from a G-6-PD heterozygote. The colonies grew best in heparinized or citrated plasma as opposed to serum. Detailed studies suggested that platelet-release products were responsible for this difference. Tritiated thymidine suicide studies showed that the percentage of CFU-M in DNA synthesis was 23 +/- 8% (n = 10). The modal velocity sedimentation rate of CFU-M was 4.9 +/- 0.6 mm/hr (n = 4) while that of concurrently studied granulocyte/macrophage colony-forming cells (CFU-GM) was 5.7 +/- 0.5 mm/hr. Examination of the PHA-LCM dose-response characteristics suggested the presence in the conditioned medium of an inhibitor to megakaryocyte colony growth which was partially removed by chromatography of the medium on Sephadex G-100. The resulting conditioned medium increased the cloning efficiency for CFU-M compared with that with crude PHA-LCM (15.3 +/- 7.0 and 8.2 +/- 5.3/10(5) marrow cells, respectively).
Cost-Effectiveness of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy versus Primary Surgery in Elderly Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer.

Abstract Background The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer has increased in recent years. There is uncertainty about NAC's effectiveness and no study of its cost-effectiveness compared with that of standard primary debulking surgery (PDS). Objectives To seek answers to three important questions: 1) What is the lifetime cost of treating elderly patients with advanced ovarian cancer, based on the primary treatment received? 2) Are the extra costs expended by the NAC group worth any extra survival advantage? 3) Would NAC potentially benefit a particular subgroup and serve as a cost-effective first-line treatment approach? Methods A cohort of elderly women (≥65 years) with stage III/IV ovarian cancer was identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare linked database from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2009. Cost analysis was conducted from a payer perspective, and direct medical costs incurred by Medicare were integrated for each patient. Cumulative treatment costs were estimated with a phase-of-care approach, and effectiveness was measured as years of survival. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and propensity-score–adjusted net monetary benefit regression was used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of NAC per life-year gained. Analyses were further stratified by risk group categorization on the basis of tumor stage, patient age, and comorbidity score. Results Average lifetime cost for treatment with NAC was $17,417 more than with PDS. With only 0.1 incremental life-year gained, the ICER estimate was $174,173. Stratification, however, helped to delineate the treatment effect. Patients in the high-risk subgroup incurred $34,390 and 0.8 life-years more than did patients in the PDS subgroup, with a corresponding ICER of $42,987. In the non–high-risk subgroup, NAC use was dominated by PDS (more costly, less effective). Conclusions Administering NAC before surgery to patients in the high-risk subgroup was cost-effective at "normal" levels of willingness to pay, but not for the overall sample or for patients in the non–high-risk subgroup.
Cyclic regenerative method of simulation

In this paper we develop a cyclic regenerative method of simulation. As an example of its application, we consider a single server queuing system with N-control policy of Heyman. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the ability of this method to reduce the variance of the estimate over that of the traditional regenerative method of simulation.