cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pooled Analysis of Phase II Window Studies in Children With Contemporary High-Risk Metastatic Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Report From the Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee of the Children's Oncology Group

Purpose The Soft Tissue Sarcoma Committee of the Children's Oncology Group has conducted five upfront window trials in patients with newly diagnosed metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma to identify promising new treatment agents. Patients and Methods This pooled analysis identified a total of 420 patients (115 from Intergroup Rhabdomyosarcoma Study III [IRS-III] and 305 from the five window trials). We assessed window therapy response rate, failure-free survival (FFS), and overall survival (OS). Results Response rates (complete + partial response) assessed at week 6 of window therapy ranged from 41% to 55% and did not predict FFS (P = .073) or OS (P = .31). FFS was influenced by trial (P = .048); patients enrolled onto IRS-III and the ifosfamide/etoposide and ifosfamide/doxorubicin trials fared best. When grouped and compared with topoisomerase I poison trials, ifosfamide/topoisomerase II inhibitor trials had superior FFS (P = .013). However, there was no difference in survival. Conclusion Upfront phase II window ...
Merging C4I with modeling and simulation

Visionary thinkers have long assumed that C4I and modeling and simulation (M&S) technologies would be merged. Yet despite the obvious promise, progress has been painfully slow. The current revolution in military affairs and the evolution of Joint warfighting doctrine are catalyzing new efforts in this important area. This paper explores the reasons for a renewed interest in merging C4I and M&S capabilities, summarizes the significant progress made to date and discusses the challenges which must be met if M&S is to be routinely used in military operations.
Phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region in Menyanthaceae using predicted secondary structure

Sequences of the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions ITS1 and ITS2 have been used widely in molecular phylogenetic studies because of their relatively high variability and facility of amplification. For phylogenetic applications, most researchers use sequence alignments that are based on nucleotide similarity. However, confidence in the alignment often deteriorates at taxonomic levels above genus, due to increasing variability among sequences. Like ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and other RNA molecules, the ITS transcripts consist in part of conserved secondary structures ('stems' and 'loops') that can be predicted by mathematical algorithm. Researchers have long considered the evolutionary conservation of rRNA secondary structure, but until recently few phylogenetic analyses of the ITS regions specifically incorporated structural data. We outline a novel method by which to derive additional phylogenetic data from ITS secondary structure in order to evaluate support for relationships at higher taxonomic levels. To illustrate the method, we describe an example from the plant family Menyanthaceae. Using predicted ITS secondary structure data, we obtained a well-resolved and moderately supported phylogeny, in which most topological relationships were congruent with the tree constructed using ITS nucleotide sequence data. Furthermore, the explicit encoding of ITS structural data in a phylogenetic framework allowed for the reconstruction of putative ancestral states and structural evolution in the functional but highly variable ITS region.
Evaluation of Resident Canada Goose Movements to Reduce the Risk of Goose- Aircraft Collisions at Suburban Airports

Resident (non-migratory) Canada goose (Branta canadensis) populations in suburban environments pose risks to human health and safety. Specifically, the relatively large size and gregarious behavior of geese combined with an overlap in aircraft flight space pose substantial risk of property damage and human fatalities from goose-aircraft collisions. We estimated home range and core use areas of resident Canada geese and evaluated goose movements to better define the risk of goose-aircraft collisions around Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro,North Carolina,USA.Weplaced satellitetransmitters on 16 of 763 neck- and leg-banded geese to identify and track individuals over an 18-month study period. The frequency of satellite-tagged goose movements peaked daily within thefirst 2hours after sunrise (28.1%) and again near sunset (27.2%). All in-flight goose movements occurred � 64m above ground level. Geese flying at these altitudes posed a risk to aircraft in the take-off and landing phases of flight. For all in-flight movements, the number of movements per day was 0.13 during the molt (1 Jun-15 Jul), 0.42 during early post-molt 2008 (16 Jul-31 Oct), 0.36 during late post-molt (1 Nov-31 Jan), 0.58 during breeding/nesting (1 Feb-31 May), and 0.58 during the early post-molt 2009. Satellite-tagged geese traveled a mean distance ranging from 2.0km (SE ¼0.3) to 4.9km (SE ¼0.4) per day, depending on sex and season, which supports the need for intensive goose management within a minimum distance of 8km from airports. Mean fixed 95% kernel home range and 50% core use area were 991.8ha (SE ¼241.1) and 120.4ha (SE ¼24.6), respectively. Additionally, we monitored site recolonization of nuisance geese after the controlled removal of 60 resident geese from 1 site, which eliminated 24.2% of those initially banded at the site in 2008, but other geese began to recolonize the site within 27 days. Rapid recolonization of the removal site suggests that lethal removal should be conducted at all molt locations within a minimum distance of 8km of suburban airports and any additional removal or management resources should be applied to greater distances to prevent recolonization of these sites by geese in close proximity to the removal site. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
SPEEDUP-AWARE CO-SCHEDULES FOR EFFICIENT WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT

Many HPC systems run workloads comprising scientific simulations where the problem size is often fixed while model parameters are changed for each run. The speedup profile of such applications can often be determined using data from previous runs. Many applications exhibit sublinear speedups and thus only incremental improvements in execution time when larger numbers of processors are used. In this paper, we consider a workload of applications queued for execution and co-schedules that can exploit speedup profiles. More specifically, we seek co-schedules to reduce workload completion time (i.e., makespan), and total energy consumed by the system. Additionally, we explore how co-schedules may reduce average application turnaround time and thus benefit the user. We propose speedup-aware processor partitioning (SAPP) co-scheduling schemes, including optimal and greedy variants. We show that our greedy co-schedules reduce system energy, workload makespan and average application turnaround time when compared to a base scheme that runs each application on all available processors. Our experiments demonstrate that on a system with 128 processors, on average, our SAPP-greedy co-schedules can reduce makespan and turnaround time by 20% and decrease total energy consumed by 40%.
The angular distribution of directional changes of guided 3T3 cells

This paper reports that the angular distribution of directional change of 3T3 cells which followed guiding lines on a substrate and left the guidance at various angles shows a peculiar preference for angles between 30 degrees and 60 degrees. Regarding the phenomenon of cellular guidance itself, 3T3 cells faced with a choice between guiding lines toward different directions seem to explore various options before following one. This observation suggests that the outcome of a probing action and not substrate properties alone can explain the guidance behavior of 3T3 cells.
Diabetes, heart rate, and mortality

A large body of evidence indicates that a persistently high heart rate is associated with a significant risk for higher mortality and sudden death in individuals with a variety cardiovascular disorders, as well as in the general population. Heart rates elevated beyond a certain threshold have been found to be a risk factor for mortality in patients with hypertension, in survivors of myocardial infarction, and in patients with impaired cardiac function. Conversely, a naturally slow heart rate, or one that is slow by virtue of sympathetic blockade induced by pharmacologic agents, may result in longer survival. This is particularly evident in the case of beta-adrenergic blocking drugs, especially in patients after myocardial infarction and in those with acute as well as chronic cardiac failure, a syndrome in which there is a complex neurohormonal disturbance with elevated heart rate. Persistently elevated heart rate is also a feature of diabetes mellitus associated with autonomic neuropathy. Whether this also constitutes an independent risk factor for sudden and augmented mortality is not well defined. In this review, the data on the role of increased heart rate as a risk factor for mortality are examined in the context of other factors that may have therapeutic implications.
Estrogen and progesterone receptors have distinct roles in the establishment of the hyperplastic phenotype in PR-A transgenic mice

Expression of the A and B forms of progesterone receptor (PR) in an appropriate ratio is critical for mammary development. Mammary glands of PR-A transgenic mice, carrying an additional A form of PR as a transgene, exhibit morphological features associated with the development of mammary tumors. Our objective was to determine the roles of estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) in the genesis of mammary hyperplasias/preneoplasias in PR-A transgenics. We subjected PR-A mice to hormonal treatments and analyzed mammary glands for the presence of hyperplasias and used BrdU incorporation to measure proliferation. Quantitative image analysis was carried out to compare levels of latency-associated peptide and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) between PR-A and PR-B transgenics. Basement membrane disruption was examined by immunofluorescence and proteolytic activity by zymography. The hyperplastic phenotype of PR-A transgenics is inhibited by ovariectomy, and is reversed by treatment with E + P. Studies using the antiestrogen ICI 182,780 or antiprogestins RU486 or ZK 98,299 show that the increase in proliferation requires signaling through E/estrogen receptor alpha but is not sufficient to give rise to hyperplasias, whereas signaling through P/PR has little impact on proliferation but is essential for the manifestation of hyperplasias. Increased proliferation is correlated with decreased TGFβ1 activation in the PR-A transgenics. Analysis of basement membrane integrity showed loss of laminin-5, collagen III and collagen IV in mammary glands of PR-A mice, which is restored by ovariectomy. Examination of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) showed that total levels of MMP-2 correlate with the steady-state levels of PR, and that areas of laminin-5 loss coincide with those of activation of MMP-2 in PR-A transgenics. Activation of MMP-2 is dependent on treatment with E and P in ovariectomized wild-type mice, but is achieved only by treatment with P in PR-A mice. These data establish a link between hormonal response, proliferation, modulation of MMP activity and maintenance of basement membrane integrity that depend on a balance in the expression levels of PR-A and PR-B isoforms. Notably, concomitant increased proliferation, due to inhibition of TGFβ1 activation, and loss of basement membrane integrity, via increased MMP-2 activity, appear to be prerequisites for the PR-A hyperplastic phenotype.
There are finitely many Q-polynomial association schemes with given first multiplicity at least three

In this paper, we will prove a result which is formally dual to the long-standing conjecture of Bannai and Ito which claims that there are only finitely many distance-regular graphs of valency k for each k>2. That is, we prove that, for any fixed m"1>2, there are only finitely many cometric association schemes (X,R) with the property that the first idempotent in a Q-polynomial ordering has rank m"1. As a key preliminary result, we show that the splitting field of any such association scheme is at most a degree two extension of the rationals. All of the tools involved in the proof are fairly elementary yet have wide applicability. To indicate this, a more general theorem is proved here with the result alluded to in the title appearing as a corollary to this theorem.
Access Control Strategies for Virtualized Environments in Grid Computing Systems

The development of adequate security solutions and in particular of authentication and authorization techniques for grid computing systems is a challenging task. Challenges arise from the heterogeneity of users, the presence of multiple security administration entities, the heterogeneity of security techniques used at the various grid hosts, the scalability requirements, and the need for high-level policies concerning resource sharing. Recent trends, like accessing grid through science gateways and the use of virtual organizations (VO) for managing user communities, further complicate the problem of security for grid computing systems. Currently, the GSI component developed as part of the Globus Toolkit, the de-facto standard for grid infrastructures is not fully suited to meet those challenges. The main drawback of such an approach is that it relies on a low level identity-based authorization scheme. .A low-level access control policy maps a user's identity (distinguished name) to a local account. Such approach does not scale and does not address many of the outlined requirements. We thus need security solutions that go beyond the simple solutions currently in use. The goal of this paper is to make a first step towards such solutions. The paper discusses and analyzes authentication and authorization solutions that better fit novel grid infrastructures characterized by virtual organizations and science gateways. Some of these solutions derive from ongoing work in current grid infrastructure projects; others are new proposals that we think worthy of discussion. In particular, we analyze the solutions proposed as part of the GridShib and the VO Privilege projects
A computational model of hemorrhage and dehydration suggests a pathophysiological mechanism: Starling-mediated protein trapping.

We sought to understand the degree to which a single computational cardiovascular model could replicate the typical responses of healthy subjects through a breadth of blood loss patterns and whethe...
Open bisimulation for aspects

We define and study bisimulation for proving contextual equivalence in an aspect extension of the untyped lambda-calculus. To our knowledge, this is the first study of coinductive reasoning principles aimed at proving equality of aspect programs. The language we study is very small, yet powerful enough to encode mutable references and a range of temporal pointcuts (including cflow and regular event patterns).Examples suggest that our bisimulation principle is useful. For an encoding of higher-order programs with state, our methods suffice to establish well-known and well-studied subtle examples involving higher-order functions with state.Even in the presence of first class dynamic advice and expressive pointcuts, our reasoning principles show that aspect-aware interfaces can aid in ensuring that clients of a component are unaffected by changes to an implementation. Our paper generalizes existing results given for open modules to also include a variety of history-sensitive pointcuts such as cflow and regular event patterns.Our formal techniques and results suggest that aspects are amenable to the formal techniques developed for stateful higher-order programs.
HIGH-SPEED NETWORKS, VISUALIZATION, AND MASSIVE PARALLELISM IN THE ADVANCED COMPUTING LABORATORY

Very high performance massively parallel machines are now available to solve significant problems for the nation that have been heretofore inaccessible. However, these machines, with their large memories are of little use for these problems without existing in an environment in which the scientist can perceive what is happening in the calculation and analyze the results effectively. This requires being able to transmit enormous amounts of data from these machines through very high performance networks in a way which is easily comprehended and manipulated by the scientist. In order to provide such an environment for these Grand Challenge applications, researchers in the Advanced Computing Laboratory have been developing a very high-speed network (100 Mbytes/s) based on the standard HIPPI protocol developed at Los Alamos. This is used to send data over a multiple cross bar network between supercomputers, high performance graphics machines, and high-speed framebuffers. Examples of scientific problems being explored in this way will be given, including approaches to high-speed archival data storage and interactive data exploration over these networks.
Prospective evaluation of Doppler sonography to detect the twinkling artifact versus unenhanced computed tomography for identifying urinary tract calculi.

Objectives The twinkling artifact is an emerging tool for identifying urinary tract calculi. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the twinkling artifact compared to unenhanced computed tomography in detecting urolithasis. Methods After Research Ethics Board approval, 51 patients with flank pain from the emergency department were enrolled between November 2009 and September 2010. Patients received an unenhanced computed tomographic scan with 1.25-mm raw data and reformatted 5-mm axial and 2-mm coronal images. Blinded assessment of the urinary tract was performed with gray-scale and color Doppler interrogation. The number of calculi, location, size, kidney distance from the skin, body mass index of the patient, and sonographic image parameters were recorded. Results There were 35 right-sided and 38 left-sided renal calculi, 14 right-sided and 21 left-sided ureteric calculi, and 6 bladder calculi (total, 114 calculi). Thirteen patients had no calculi. The average calculus size was 2.6 mm (range, 1-9 mm). There were 6 false-positive and 22 false-negative instances of twinkling artifacts. On gray-scale evaluation looking for an echogenic focus with shadowing, there were 8 false-positive and 40 false-negative findings. The positive predictive value (PPV) of the twinkling artifact for identifying calculi was 94%, and the sensitivity was 83%. The PPV of gray-scale sonographic shadowing was only 64.9%, and the sensitivity was 80.2%. Conclusions The twinkling artifact has a high PPV for detecting renal and urinary tract calculi. Evaluation for the twinkling artifact is a complementary technique to standard gray-scale shadowing of calculi and improves detection of urolithiasis on sonography.
Deferrisoma palaeochoriense sp. nov., a thermophilic, iron(III)-reducing bacterium from a shallow-water hydrothermal vent in the Mediterranean Sea.

A novel thermophilic, anaerobic, mixotrophic bacterium, designated strain MAG-PB1T, was isolated from a shallow-water hydrothermal vent system in Palaeochori Bay off the coast of the island of Milos, Greece. The cells were Gram-negative, rugose, short rods, approximately 1.0 μm long and 0.5 μm wide. Strain MAG-PB1T grew at 30–70 °C (optimum 60 °C), 0–50 g NaCl l− 1 (optimum 15–20 g l− 1) and pH 5.5–8.0 (optimum pH 6.0). Generation time under optimal conditions was 2.5 h. Optimal growth occurred under chemolithoautotrophic conditions with H2 as the energy source and CO2 as the carbon source. Fe(III), Mn(IV), arsenate and selenate were used as electron acceptors. Peptone, tryptone, Casamino acids, sucrose, yeast extract, d-fructose, α-d-glucose and ( − )-d-arabinose also served as electron donors. No growth occurred in the presence of lactate or formate. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 66.7 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence indicated that this organism is closely related to Deferrisoma camini, the first species of a recently described genus in the Deltaproteobacteria. Based on the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis and on physiological, biochemical and structural characteristics, the strain was found to represent a novel species, for which the name Deferrisoma palaeochoriense sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MAG-PB1T ( = JCM 30394T = DSM 29363T).
Challenging the presence of scalar charge and dipolar radiation in binary pulsars

Corrections to general relativity that introduce long-ranged scalar fields which are nonminimally coupled to curvature typically predict that neutron stars possess a nontrivial scalar field profile anchored to the star. An observer far from a star is most sensitive to the spherically symmetric piece of this profile that decays linearly with the inverse of the distance to the source, the so-called scalar monopole charge, which is related to the emission of dipolar radiation from compact binary systems. The presence of dipolar radiation has the potential to rule out or very strongly constrain extended theories of gravity. These facts may lead people to believe that gravitational theories that introduce long-ranged scalar fields have already been constrained strongly from binary pulsar observations. Here we challenge this “lore” by investigating the decoupling limit of Gauss-Bonnet gravity as an example, in which the scalar field couples linearly to the Gauss-Bonnet density in the action. We prove a theorem that neutron stars in this theory cannot possess a scalar charge, due to the topological nature of the Gauss-Bonnet density. Thus Gauss-Bonnet gravity evades the strong binary pulsar constraints on dipole radiation. We discuss the astrophysical systems which will yield the best constraints on Gauss-Bonnet gravity and related quadratic gravity theories. To achieve this we compute the scalar charge in quadratic gravity theories by performing explicit analytic and numerical matching calculations for slowly rotating neutron stars. In generic quadratic gravity theories, either neutron star–binary or neutron star–black hole systems can be used to constrain the theory, but because of the vanishing charge, Gauss-Bonnet gravity evades the neutron star–binary constraints. However, in contrast to neutron stars, black holes in Gauss-Bonnet gravity do anchor scalar charge, because of the difference in topology. The best constraints on Gauss-Bonnet gravity will thus come from accurate black hole observations, for example through gravitational waves from inspiraling binaries or the timing of pulsar–black hole binaries with radio telescopes. We estimate these constraints to be a factor of 10 better than the current estimated bound, and also include estimated constraints on generic quadratic gravity theories from pulsar timing.
Activation of phospholipase D by α-thrombin or epidermal growth factor contributes to the formation of phosphatidic acid, but not to observed increases in 1,2-diacylglycerol

The receptor-mediated activation of a phosphatidylcholine-hydrolysing phospholipase D (PLD) has recently been described. We investigated the effect of alpha-thrombin and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on cellular PLD activity in order to determine the role of this enzyme in mitogen-induced increases in phosphatidic acid and sn-1,2-diacylglycerol. In the presence of ethanol, stimulation of [3H]myristic acid-labelled quiescent IIC9 cells with alpha-thrombin or EGF resulted in a rapid increase in radiolabelled phosphatidyl-ethanol which reached a plateau at 1 min, indicating the rapid and transient activation of PLD. We observed a concomitant decrease in the mitogen-stimulated increase of radiolabelled phosphatidic acid. In contrast, ethanol did not significantly effect the elevation of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol levels stimulated by alpha-thrombin or EGF as determined by measurement of sn-1,2-diacylglycerol mass or the appearance of [3H]1,2-diacylglycerol. A novel lipid, detected by two-dimensional t.l.c. analysis, was generated in [3H]myristic acid-labelled cells stimulated with alpha-thrombin, but not EGF, in the presence of ethanol. Treatment in vitro of cellular lipids isolated from [3H]myristic acid-labelled cultures with PLD in the presence of ethanol also resulted in the generation of this novel lipid species, supporting the role of this enzyme in its production. These data indicate that in quiescent IIC9 cells: (a) alpha-thrombin or EGF rapidly and transiently activates a PLD; (b) although this activation is responsible for part of the mitogen-induced increases in phosphatidic acid, it does not contribute to induced increases in sn-1,2-diacylglycerol; and (c) activation of this enzyme appears to be involved in the formation of a novel lipid generated in response to alpha-thrombin, but not EGF, in IIC9 fibroblasts.
Regulation of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum function by phospholamban.

Calcium fluxes across the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane are regulated by phosphorylation of a 27,000-dalton membrane-bound protein termed phospholamban. Phospholamban is phosphorylated by three different protein kinases (cAMP-dependent, Ca2+-CAM-dependent and Ca2+-phospholipid dependent) at apparently distinct sites. Phosphorylation by each of the protein kinases increases the rates of active calcium transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. The stimulatory effects of protein kinases on the calcium pump may be reversed by an endogenous protein phosphatase activity. The phosphoprotein phosphatase can dephosphorylate both the cAMP-dependent and the Ca2+-CAM-dependent sites of phospholamban. Phosphorylation of phospholamban also occurs in situ, in perfused beating hearts, during the peak of the inotropic response to β-adrenergic stimulation. Reversal of the stimulatory effects is associated with dephosphorylation of phospholamban. Thus, in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that phospholamban is a regul...
Study I and Study II: Research Methods

The methods used to implement and evaluate the two studies will be presented. Study I is first described in considerable detail. Because many of the procedures for Study II were similar to those of Study I, only the differences will be presented for Study II. The focus of the methods in this chapter is on the youth participants. This section begins with a discussion of the referral and selection process for the youth and their families. A brief discussion of the recruitment and selection of the student volunteers follows. Next, the six conditions—five intervention groups and one “treatment-as-usual” control group—are presented. The section closes with an explication of the various measures used.
Abstract P2-04-02: Identification of genes associated with breast cancer micrometastatic disease in bone marrow using a human-in-mouse xenograft system

Disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) found in the bone marrow (BM) of breast cancer patients portend a poor prognosis and are thought to be the intermediaries in the metastatic process. Study of these cells has been limited due to their scarcity. To develop a clinically relevant model to characterize hese cells, we have employed a human in mouse (HIM) xenograft model for propagating, isolating, and molecularly characterizing DTCs. Human breast adenocarcinomas were prospectively collected from 5 patients and implanted into humanized NOD/SCID mouse mammary fat pads. BM was collected from the long bones at varying passages of the tumors and analyzed for human-specific gene expression by qRT-PCR and gene expression microarray. Human-specific gene expression of SNAI1, GSC, FOXC2, KRT19, and STAM2 , presumably originating from disseminated tumor cells, was detectable in the BM of all mice that had developed metastatic disease to other solid organs, but was not detectable in xenotransplanted mice that did not develop metastatic disease. Comparative gene expression microarray analysis of the HIM primary tumor, the corresponding BM from mice with metastatic disease, and BM from control mice identified additional patterns of gene expression enriched in BM-associated DTCs which included several genes associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, aggressive clinical phenotype, and metastatic disease development in primary human tumors. We have found that BM DTCs can be detected using the HIM xenograft model and have identified unique patterns of gene expression associated with BM DTCs, which may provide further insight into the biology and therapeutic vulnerability of metastatic tumor cell populations in breast cancer patients. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-04-02.
Minireview: On the Structure and Gating Mechanism of the Mitochondrial Channel, VDAC

There is considerable evidence that the voltage-gated mitochondrial channel VDAC forms a beta-barrel pore. Inferences about the number and tilt of beta-strands can be drawn from comparisons with bacterial beta-barrel pores whose structures have been determined by x-ray crystallography. A structural model for VDAC is proposed (based on sequence analysis and electron crystallography) in which the open state is like that of bacterial porins with several important differences. Because VDAC does not occur as close-packed trimers, there are probably fewer interpore contacts than in the bacterial porins. VDAC also appears to lack a large, fixed intraluminal segment and may not have as extensive a region of uniformly 35 degrees -tilted beta-strands as do the bacterial porins. These structural differences would be expected to render VDAC's beta-barrel less stable than its bacterial counterparts, making major conformational changes like those associated with gating more energetically feasible. A possible gating mechanism is suggested in which movement of the N-terminal alpha-helix out of the lumen wall triggers larger-scale structural changes.
Scriptworlds Lost and Found

When writing systems spread beyond their language of origin, they bring literacy to formerly oral cultures or intrude on or displace an existing system. The process of learning a new script often entails learning a good deal about the source culture and its literature, sometimes overwriting earlier local traditions, other times creatively stimulating them. This essay looks first at some of the literary consequences of the spread of cuneiform writing in relation to its hieroglyphic and alphabetic rivals in the ancient Near East, and then discusses the advance and later loss of Chinese script in Vietnam and Korea, in the examples of the foundational work of modern Vietnamese literature, Nguyen Du’s The Tale of Kieu , and poems by the modern Korean poet Pak Tujin.
Social Equity of Street Trees in the Pedestrian Realm

absractPedestrian accessibility is a primary component of just and vital urban environments. Presence of usable sidewalks is the foundation of pedestrian accessibility, but their walkability depends on socioeconomic and contextual attributes. The mere presence of a sidewalk might not facilitate its usability or walkability. Use of sidewalks also depends on positive conditions of comfort and safety. In many climates, street trees contribute significantly to comfort and to perceptions of safety. Street trees also provide ecosystem services that benefit humans. Recent efforts to reduce non-point-source pollution through installation of green infrastructure provide opportunities to increase the presence of trees in pedestrian travel ways. Environmental justice considerations imply that accessibility, including sidewalk walkability, be fairly distributed to maximize individual, societal, and environmental benefits and to respond to limitations imposed by socioeconomic status (SES). Our main hypothesis is that ...
Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Resection of a Noninvasive Thymoma in a Cat with Myasthenia Gravis Using Low-Pressure Carbon Dioxide Insufflation.

Objective To report the use of low-pressure carbon dioxide insufflation during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for resection of a noninvasive thymoma in a cat with secondary myasthenia gravis. Study Design Clinical case report. Animal Client-owned cat. Methods An 11-year-old castrated male domestic shorthair cat was examined for generalized weakness, voice change, hypersalivation, hyporexia, vomiting, coughing, and gagging. Thoracic ultrasound revealed a cranial mediastinal mass for which cytology was consistent with a thymoma (or lymphoid tissue). Acetylcholine receptor antibody concentration was elevated at 3.16 mmol/L (reference interval < 0.3 mmol/L). Thoracic computed tomography showed two round, contrast-enhancing structures in the cranioventral mediastinum identified as the sternal lymph node and a cranial mediastinal mass (11 × 17 × 24 mm). A presumptive diagnosis of thymoma with paraneoplastic myasthenia gravis was made and surgical resection of both mediastinal masses was recommended. Results Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of the cranial mediastinal mass and sternal lymph node were performed with low-pressure carbon dioxide insufflation maintained at an intrathoracic pressure of 2–3 mmHg. The cat recovered from surgery without serious complications. Nineteen months after surgery, the cat developed hind limb stiffness. Thoracic radiographs ruled out a cranial mediastinal mass or megaesophagus. Acetylcholine receptor antibody concentration remained elevated at 2.72 mmol/L. Conclusion Low-pressure thoracic insufflation facilitated video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of cranial mediastinal masses in this cat.
The Places of the Subject: Abjection and the Transcendent City in Nada and La plaça del Diamant

This chapter reads the protagonists of Nada (Laforet 1945) and La placa del Diamant (Rodoreda 1962) through the lens of abjection. It explores first how we might consider the protagonists of each novel in relationship to the abject, and then examines how this slippage of self parallels the protagonists’ physical movement between the domestic sphere and the external landscape of the city, which provides a transcendent escape from abjection. Given that Julia Kristeva’s foundational formation of the abject (Powers of Horror 1982) situates the abject in opposition to the sacred, the chapter reads the cityscape of Barcelona in both novels as a sacred space of purification, where subjective unity is restored following its breakdown in the realm of the abject.
Multiparametric Quantitative Ultrasound Imaging in Assessment of Chronic Kidney Disease

Objectives To evaluate the value of multiparametric quantitative ultrasound imaging in assessing chronic kidney disease (CKD) using kidney biopsy pathologic findings as reference standards. Methods We prospectively measured multiparametric quantitative ultrasound markers with grayscale, spectral Doppler, and acoustic radiation force impulse imaging in 25 patients with CKD before kidney biopsy and 10 healthy volunteers. Based on all pathologic (glomerulosclerosis, interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy, arteriosclerosis, and edema) scores, the patients with CKD were classified into mild (no grade 3 and <2 of grade 2) and moderate to severe (at least 2 of grade 2 or 1 of grade 3) CKD groups. Multiparametric quantitative ultrasound parameters included kidney length, cortical thickness, pixel intensity, parenchymal shear wave velocity, intrarenal artery peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistive index. We tested the difference in quantitative ultrasound parameters among mild CKD, moderate to severe CKD, and healthy controls using analysis of variance, analyzed correlations of quantitative ultrasound parameters with pathologic scores and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) using Pearson correlation coefficients, and examined the diagnostic performance of quantitative ultrasound parameters in determining moderate CKD and an estimated GFR of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Results There were significant differences in cortical thickness, pixel intensity, PSV, and EDV among the 3 groups (all P < .01). Among quantitative ultrasound parameters, the top areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for PSV and EDV were 0.88 and 0.97, respectively, for determining pathologic moderate to severe CKD, and 0.76 and 0.86 for estimated GFR of less than 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Moderate to good correlations were found for PSV, EDV, and pixel intensity with pathologic scores and estimated GFR. Conclusions The PSV, EDV, and pixel intensity are valuable in determining moderate to severe CKD. The value of shear wave velocity in assessing CKD needs further investigation.
For critical geographies of human rights1

Few geographers have studied the theory, practice, and construction of international human rights. This article argues that human geographers should engage in what I term ‘critical geographies of h...
Human Capital Dan Keunggulan Bersaing Ritel Minimarket: Strategi Sebagai Pemediasi (Human Capital and Competitive Advantage Minimarket Retail: Strategic as a Mediation)

Indonesian Abstract: Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menguji pengaruh modal manusia (human capital) terhadap keunggulan bersaing perusahaan yang dimediasi oleh strategi. Pendekatan dalam penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode survei. Penelitian ini dilakukan dengan menguji hipotesis yang telah dikembangkan berdasarkan teori human capital, strategi dan keunggulan bersaing sebelumnya. Penelitian ini menggunakan data primer yang berupa self report menggunakan self-administered survey yaitu dengan cara menyebarkan kuesioner secara langsung kepada para responden yakni pelaku ritel minimarket di Kota Madiun Jawa Timur sebanyak 42 minimarket. Analisis data dilakukan dengan menggunakan model pengukuran persamaan struktural dengan bantuan software Smart PLS 3.0. Hasil penelitian mendapati modal manusia berpengaruh signifikan dan positif terhadap strategi dan keunggulan bersaing. Selain itu, strategi berpengaruh signifikan dan positif terhadap keunggulan bersaing. Sedangkan strategi memediasi (secara parsial) pengaruh modal manusia terhadap keunggulan bersaing. English Abstract: This research aims to examine the influences of human capital toward competitive advantage mediating by strategy. This research employs quantitative approach using survey method. Data collection was conducted at 42 minimarket managers located in Madiun City, East Java, Indonesia. The data were analyzed using measurement model of structural equation modeling supported by Smart PLS 3.0 software. The results of the research find out that human capital has significant and positive influences towards strategy and competitive advantage. In addition, strategy has significant and positive influences toward competitive advantage. Whereas, strategy has partially mediated the influence of human capital toward competitive advantage.
Impact of Off-Sensing Attacks in Cognitive Radio Networks

Cognitive Radio (CR) is a promising solution to solve the spectrum scarcity problem. It enables opportunistic access to the available licensed spectrum for secondary users (SUs). However, CR networks (CRNs) possess security vulnerabilities and are susceptible to attacks. One of the most common attacks in CRNs, under which perpetrators exploit channel availability, is Primary User Emulation (PUE) attack. Here, a perpetrator mimics the signal characteristics of a benign primary user (PU) and transmits the signal to prevent SUs to access the spectrum. Researchers have proposed many solutions based on periodic sensing of the spectrum. However, all of the existed solutions have a strong assumption that the perpetrator's transmission coincides with the sensing intervals of SUs. In this paper, we introduce a new room of vulnerability in the conventional sensing approaches, where a perpetrator attacks only when no one is sensing the channel. This attack will decrease the channel utilization by SUs and create a Denial of Service (DoS) situation for victim SUs. We name this attack as off-sensing attack. We also propose an analytical model to analyze the impact of this attack in CRNs. Numerical analysis and simulation results show that this attack possesses a serious threat to CRNs.
Machine Learning-Based Detection of Ransomware Using SDN

The growth of malware poses a major threat to internet users, governments, and businesses around the world. One of the major types of malware, ransomware, encrypts a user's sensitive information and only returns the original files to the user after a ransom is paid. As malware developers shift the delivery of their product from HTTP to HTTPS to protect themselves from payload inspection, we can no longer rely on deep packet inspection to extract features for malware identification. Toward this goal, we propose a solution leveraging a recent trend in networking hardware, that is programmable forwarding engines (PFEs). PFEs allow collection of per-packet, network monitoring data at high rates. We use this data to monitor the network traffic between an infected computer and the command and control (C&C) server. We extract high-level flow features from this traffic and use this data for ransomware classification. We write a stream processor and use a random forest, binary classifier to utilizes these rich flow records in fingerprinting malicious, network activity without the requirement of deep packet inspection. Our classification model achieves a detection rate in excess of 0.86, while maintaining a false negative rate under 0.11. Our results suggest that a flow-based fingerprinting method is feasible and accurate enough to catch ransomware before encryption.
Diagnosis and interventions of vascular complications in lung transplant

Though rare, pulmonary vascular complications after lung transplantation carry high morbidity and mortality. Knowledge of the normal and abnormal appearance of lung transplant vasculature is essential for timely and appropriate diagnosis and management of complications. Appropriate selection of surgical and endovascular treatments depend on the availability of expertise and requires a multidisciplinary approach to ensure the best outcomes.
US Ethnic Group Differences in Family Member Support for People With Diabetes in the 2nd Diabetes Attitudes, Wishes and Needs (DAWN2) Study.

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to describe the perceptions of family members (FM) and people with diabetes (PWD) regarding the frequency and helpfulness of FM support for PWD, including differ...
HIV-1 Gag Recruits PACSIN2 to Promote Virus Spreading

The p2b domain of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) Gag and the p6 domain of HIV-1 Gag contain late assembly (L) domains that engage the ESCRT membrane fission machinery and are essential for virus release. We now show that the PPXY-type RSV L domain specifically recruits the BAR domain protein PACSIN2 into virus-like particles (VLP), in addition to the NEDD4-like ubiquitin ligase ITCH and ESCRT pathway components such as TSG101. PACSIN2, which has been implicated in the remodeling of cellular membranes and the actin cytoskeleton, is also recruited by HIV-1 p6 independent of its ability to engage the ESCRT factors TSG101 or ALIX. Moreover, PACSIN2 is robustly recruited by NEDD4-2s, a NEDD4-like ubiquitin ligase capable of rescuing HIV-1 budding defects. The NEDD4-2s-induced incorporation of PACSIN2 into VLP correlated with the formation of Gag-ubiquitin conjugates, indicating that PACSIN2 binds ubiquitin. Although PACSIN2 was not required for a single cycle of HIV-1 replication after infection with cell-free virus, HIV-1 spreading was nevertheless severely impaired in T cell lines and primary human peripheral blood mononuclear cells depleted of PACSIN2. HIV-1 spreading could be restored by reintroduction of wild-type PACSIN2, but not of a SH3 domain mutant unable to interact with the actin polymerization regulators WASP and N-WASP. Overall, our observations indicate that PACSIN2 promotes the cell-to-cell spreading of HIV-1 by connecting Gag to the actin cytoskeleton.
Propagation and Preservation of Elms Via Tissue Culture Systems

Tissue culture systems offer opportunities to propagate, select preserve, and improve forest trees. This paper discusses the status of callus, suspension, anther, and protoplast cultures and cryopreservation in elms. These findings are related to broader uses in reforestation programs. The paper also describes some research needs in each of these areas.
Risk perception, bias, and the role of the patient-doctor relationship in decision making about cerebral aneurysm surgery.

Cognitive biases may negatively affect both patients' and physicians' decision making, especially when the stakes are high and the risks uncertain, so honesty in the patient-physician relationship and recognition of biases is critical.
The Future of Corporate Women

The past two decades have given rise to considerable discussion and debate regarding the extent to which women have made progress in breaking the glass ceiling. This debate is especially salient when considering women’s ascension to the boardroom and executive suite. Some organizational observers suggest that considerable progress is evident, while others provide a more pessimistic view of progress. We develop this issue by providing an overview of the rationale offered on both ends of the continuum—that women have made progress in breaking the glass ceiling and that women have made little progress in breaking the glass ceiling. We also summarize two recent studies which examine the extent to which women are better represented among corporate directors and in the executive suite. We conclude with extensions to these studies which empirically examine changes in the profile of female directors, as compared to their male counterparts, over a ten year period.
Writing Interview Protocols and Conducting Interviews: Tips for Students New to the Field of Qualitative Research

Students new to doing qualitative research in the ethnographic and oral traditions, often have difficulty creating successful interview protocols. This article offers practical suggestions for students new to qualitative research for both writing interview protocol that elicit useful data and for conducting the interview. This piece was originally developed as a classroom tool and can be used by professors teaching qualitative research in conjunction with academic readings about qualitative interviewing.
A normal phase high performance liquid chromatography method for the separation of hydroxy and non-hydroxy neutral lipid classes compatible with ultraviolet and in-line liquid scintillation detection of radioisotopes.

Abstract In this paper, we report a method for the separation of hydroxy fatty acid and non-hydroxy fatty acid containing neutral lipid classes via normal phase HPLC with UV detection on a PVA-Sil column. The hexane/isopropanol/methanol/water based method separates all the neutral lipids in 21 min, and subsequently flushes through the polar lipids by 27 min such that prefractionation of neutral and polar lipids are not required, and the column is re-equilibrated for the next run in 15 min, for a total run time of 45 min per sample. The separation was demonstrated at both 1.0 mL/min and 1.5 mL/min for added applicability for fraction collection or inline analysis. Separation of various hydroxy fatty acid containing lipids was demonstrated from three different plant species Ricinus communis, Physaria fendleri, and engineered Arabidopsis thaliana. Additionally, we have combined this method with an in-line liquid scintillation counter for the separation and quantification of 14C labeled lipids obtained from in vivo metabolic flux experiments conducted in the developing seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana.