cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Separation anxiety: Gates-Glidden drills can be hazardous to your health.

Introduction: Gates-Glidden drills are commonly used during endodontic therapy to aid in the development of straight-line access and coronal enlargement of the root canal. The drills come in various sizes and are typicallyusedinalow-speedair-drivenorelectrichandpiece. As a safety feature to aid in retrieval if separation of the drill occurs during use, Gates-Glidden drills are designed to separate near the hub of the drill to allow for easier retrieval. Methods: This case report presents a potentially serious complication associated with the use of Gates-Glidden drills. Results: A contaminated drill became embedded in the arm of an endodontic resident and required surgical removal. Conclusions: Proper office safety precautions can help prevent accidents that may result in serious injury. (J Endod 2011;37: 1470‐1472)
Detection of deception with fMRI: Are we there yet?

A decade of spectacular progress in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology and systems neuroscience research has so far yielded few changes in our daily lives. The dearth of clinical applications of this prolific and academically promising research tool began raising the eyebrows of the public and the research funding agencies. This may be one of the reasons for the enthusiasm and interest paid to the growing body of literature suggesting that blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI of the brain could be sensitive to the differences between lie and truth. The word 'differences' is critical here since it refers to the often-ignored core concept of BOLD fMRI: it is only sensitive to differences between two brain states. Thus, available studies report using fMRI to discriminate between lie and truth or some other comparative state rather than to positively identify deception. This nuance is an example of the extent to which applied neuroscience research does not lend itself to the type of over-simplification that has plagued the interpretation of fMRI-based lie detection by the popular press and the increasingly vocal academic critics. As an early contributor to the modest stream of data on fMRI-based lie detection, I was asked by Dr Aldert Vrij to write a piece in favour of fMRI-based lie detection, to be contrasted with a piece by Dr Sean Spence presenting an opposite point of view (Spence, 2008). This seemingly straightforward task presented two hurdles: having to respond to the popular as well as scientific view of what lie detection with fMRI is and present a wholly positive view of evolving experimental data. Language: en
The Potential of Web 2.0 Tools to Promote Reading Engagement in a General Education Course

General education classes involve extensive course readings. College instructors have a limited time to cover every detail of the materials students are supposed to learn in class; thus, they expect students to learn through course readings. However, many college students demonstrate a low level of engagement in course reading tasks. Existing research has reported that most college students do not complete their assigned readings or they only engage in shallow levels of reading such as skimming and literal comprehension. Despite this negative phenomenon in college, a lack of research has been conducted to promote reading engagement in college classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to provide college instructors with practical guidance on using Web 2.0 tools to enhance student engagement in this task. According to self-determination theory (SDT), Web 2.0 tools share several engagement-enhancing factors. The paper discusses the potential of Web 2.0 technology to engage students by aligning with SDT. Based on the potential of Web 2.0, the paper suggests practical ways of using different Web 2.0 tools (i.e., GoogleDocs, Blog, Twitter, and Facebook) to promote reading engagement in a college classroom.
Accelerated modeling of light transport in heterogeneous tissues using superposition of virtual sources

We present a perturbation theory for diffusive light transport in turbid media, which allows us to model the light distribution around inhomogeneities of complex geometries. The diffusion equation for an inhomogeneous medium is transformed into an equivalent integral equation that can be solved with a fast iterative numerical algorithm. This method models three dimensional geometries considerably faster than standard methods. Furthermore, the integral formulation supports an intuitive understanding of the physical processes.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Retrospective derivation and validation of a search algorithm to identify extubation failure in the intensive care unit

Background: Development and validation of automated electronic medical record (EMR) search strategies is important in identifying extubation failure in the intensive care unit (ICU). We developed and validated an automated search algorithm (strategy) for extubation failure in critically ill patients. Methods: The EMR search algorithm was created through sequential steps with keywords applied to an institutional EMR database. The search strategy was derived retrospectively through secondary analysis of a 100-patient subset from the 978 patient cohort admitted to a neurological ICU from January 1, 2002, through December 31, 2011(derivation subset). It was, then, validated against an additional 100-patient subset (validation subset). Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values of the automated search algorithm were compared with a manual medical record review (the reference standard) for data extraction of extubation failure. Results: In the derivation subset of 100 random patients, the initial automated electronic search strategy achieved a sensitivity of 85% (95% CI, 56%-97%) and a specificity of 95% (95% CI, 87%-98%). With refinements in the search algorithm, the final sensitivity was 93% (95% CI, 64%-99%) and specificity increased to 100% (95% CI, 95%-100%) in this subset. In validation of the algorithm through a separate 100 random patient subset, the reported sensitivity and specificity were 94% (95% CI, 69%-99%) and 98% (95% CI, 92%-99%) respectively. Conclusions: Use of electronic search algorithms allows for correct extraction of extubation failure in the ICU, with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity. Such search algorithms are a reliable alternative to manual chart review for identification of extubation failure.
mtDNA clock runs out for dopaminergic neurons

New studies indicate that damage to the mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) accumulates with age, specifically in the dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra implicated in Parkinson disease. These findings suggest that mtDNA damage is important in the decay of dopaminergic neurons in aging and in Parkinson disease, resulting in loss of mitochondrial function and, ultimately, neuronal death.
Traitement des occlusions proximales de l’artère fémorale superficielle par endartériectomie à ciel ouvert et angioplastie fémoro-poplitée endovasculaire avec stent

Rationnelle Les occlusions proximales de l’artere femorale superficielle (SFA) excluent souvent des interventions endovasculaires pour les lesions femoropoplitees. En outre, certains investigateurs ont rapporte des mauvais resultats de l’angioplastie avec stenting ou stentgraft. Chez des patients adaptes avec des lesions femoropoplitees C et D selon le TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus (TASC) comportant une occlusion proximale de la SFA, nous avons adopte une technique combinant une endarteriectomie femorale par une seule petite incision inguinale avec et un stentgraft femoro-poplite superficiel distal. Dans cet article nous decrivons notre technique et nos resultats chez 14 patients consecutifs. Methodes 14 patients qui ont eu ce procede hybride entre mai 2005 et avril 2009 ont ete identifies de notre registre prospectif. Les donnees sur les indications, les complications, la duree de sejour hospitalier, les index cheville-bras pre- et postoperatoires, la permeabilite determinee par echographie duplex, les taux de sauvetage de membre, et les resultats fonctionnels ont ete colligees. Resultats Des 14 patients, neuf ont ete operes pour claudication, deux pour des douleurs de repos, et trois pour trouble trophique ; trois etant TASC C, les autres etant TASC D. En tout, 12 patients ont recu un stentgraft et deux des stents metalliques nus. L’index cheville-bras median de la jambe affectee etait de 0,61 (extremes, 0,23-1,71) avant chirurgie et 0,99 (extremes, 0,63-1,39) apres chirurgie ( p = 0,034). Il n’y avait aucune complication significative liee a la procedure. Un patient est decede secondairement de causes independantes 5 mois plus tard, deux ont ete perdus de vue apres leur sortie, et trois ont ete perdus de vue apres que la permeabilite primaire ait ete confirmee a 2, 4, et 4 mois, respectivement. Des huit autres patients, quatre avaient encore une permeabilite primaire de leurs stentgrafts a 52, 19, 17, et 4 mois, respectivement, et un cinquieme patient avait une permeabilite secondaire a 24 mois. Les trois autres patients avaient occlus leurs stentgrafts avec une permeabilite primaire confirmee pour la derniere fois a 0,5, 2,5, et 8 mois, respectivement ; deux ont une claudication stable et un a des douleurs de repos et un ulcere ne cicatrisant pas, mais tout ont un sauvetage de membre jusqu’a maintenant. Conclusion L’endarteriectomie femorale associee a un stentgraft femoro-poplite endovasculaire fournit une alternative viable pour la revascularisation des occlusions proximales de la SFA avec une seule petite incision inguinale. La technique decrite dans cet article permet a un plus grand nombre de patients presentant des occlusions proximales de la SFA d’etre traites principalement avec des techniques endovasculaires et evite un pontage femoral commun- poplite sus-articulaire.
Consumers Energy Efficiency Practices

This paper aims to give the consumer a list of energy saving practices in order to reduce the usage of energy in residential and commercial buildings. Such practices are crucial to any residential or commercial setting before embarking on installing renewable energy systems such as solar power systems. Those methods are relatively cheap to implement and has the potential to provide energy savings up to 30 %.
The emerging roles of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of frontotemporal dementia-amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FTD-ALS) spectrum disorders

Increasing evidence suggests that frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) share some clinical, pathological, and molecular features as part of a common neurodegenerative spectrum disorder. In recent years, enormous progress has been made in identifying both pathological proteins and genetic mutations associated with FTD-ALS. However, the molecular pathogenic mechanisms of disease onset and progression remain largely unknown. Recent studies have uncovered unexpected links between FTD-ALS and multiple aspects of RNA metabolism, setting the stage for further understanding of the disorder. Here, the authors will focus on microRNAs and review the emerging roles of these small RNAs in several aspects of FTD-ALS pathogenesis.
Lysophosphatidylcholine stimulates EGF receptor activation and mesangial cell proliferation: regulatory role of Src and PKC

Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a major component of oxidized-low density lipoproteins (ox-LDL), modulates various pathobiological processes involved in vascular and glomerular diseases. Although several studies have shown increased plasma concentrations of ox-LDL as well as LPC in patients with renal disease, the role of LPC in mesangial cell proliferation and associated signaling mechanisms are not clearly understood. In this study, we have shown that LPC induced the phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), as well as the p42/44 MAP kinases. LPC activated Src-kinase and protein kinase C (PKC), and both Src kinase inhibitor PP-2 and PKC inhibitor inhibited the activation of EGFR by LPC. LPC (5-25 microM) stimulated human mesangial cell proliferation by 4-5 fold. Preincubation of mesangial cells with the Src inhibitor (PP-2), or PKC inhibitor (bisindolylmaleimide GF109203-X), or EGF receptor kinase inhibitor (AG1478), or MEK inhibitor (PD98059) significantly inhibited LPC-mediated mesangial cell proliferation. The data suggest that LPC, by activating Src and PKC signaling pathways, stimulates EGF receptor transactivation and down-stream MAP kinase signaling resulting in mesangial hypercellularity, which is a characteristic feature of diverse renal diseases.
Facilitating and automating empirical evaluation

Through the automation of empirical evaluation we hope to alleviate evaluation problems encountered by software designers who are relatively new to the process. Barriers to good empirical evaluation include the tedium of setting up a new test for each project, as well as the time and expertise needed to set up a quality test. We hope to make the evaluation process more accessible to a wider variety of software designers by reducing the time and effort. required for evaluation through the use of a wizard-like system that does not require expertise in evaluation techniques. Implementation is accomplished by utilizing a library of design knowledge in the form of claims to focus the evaluations. User tests were performed to evaluate receptiveness to the software tool as well at the performance of the underlying methods. Results were positive and provide a justification for further research into this area as well as exposing problem areas for improvement.
Mitral regurgitation recovery and atrial reverse remodeling following pulmonary vein isolation procedure in patients with atrial fibrillation: a proof of concept cardiac MRI study

Summary Atrial reverse remodeling triggered by favorable pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation results in regression of mitral regurgitation. Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a chronic and progressive disease, and if uncontrolled results in permanent remodeling of the myocardium. Reverse remodeling of the left atrium (LA) after the successful pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in recurrent/chronic AF may occur, however, mitral regurgitation (MR) recovery after the successful PVI has not been demonstrated but would be an important factor in PVI durability. Objective Retrospectively analyze the effectiveness of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) procedure in patients with AF for evidence of atrial reverse remodeling and recovery of MR via CMR. Methods Prior to PVI, patients underwent a clinically indicated CMRI, post-PVI (6±1months) patients underwent a follow up MRI, and were classified into 2 groups: responders (R) to PVI, non responders (NR) to PVI as assessed by cessation of AF at the end of 3 month blanking period. Further, CMR was used to evaluate the severity of MR (0 to 4+) and to relate changes in MR to LA, LAA volumes as well as mitral apparatus (mitral annulus, tenting area, tenting height and tenting angle). For continuous variables, group differences were assessed by unpaired or paired two-sample t tests or their non-parametric equivalents. We used chi-square tests for evaluating categorical variables. Results Of the 94 patients with AF who underwent PVI, 76 (81%) were classified as R and 18 (19%) were classified as NR. Mean age, mean BSA and antiarrhythmic therapies were similar between the groups. MR pre vs. post in the R group significantly improved (Mean 0.78, Median 1.0 vs. Mean 0.51, Median 0, P 0.01) and was matched by favorable mitral geometry reverse remodeling [annulus (34.5 ± 3.9 mm vs. 32.6 ± 3.9 mm, p <0.001), tenting area (169.7 ± 55.9 mm2 vs. 139.0 ± 40.6 mm2, p < 0.001), and tenting height (8.0 ±2.0 mm vs. 7.2 ± 1.8 mm, p <0.001), tenting angle (128° ± 11° vs. 130° ± 10°)]. However, in the NR group MR failed to improve (Mean 1.06 Med 1.0 vs. Mean 0.67 Med 0, p NS), and paralleled failure of mitral geometry reverse remodeling [annulus (33.1 ± 4.0 mm vs. 32.9 ± 3.6 mm, p NS), tenting area (154. 0 ± 42.0 mm2 vs. 143.9 ± 45.4 mm2, p NS), tenting height (6.9 ± 1.9 mm vs. 7.0 ± 1.8, p NS), tenting angle (131° ± 11 vs. 130° ± 10°)]. Likewise, LVESD, LVEF, LA volume, and RA volumes pre to post PVI favorably improved in the R group but not in NR (table 1). Conclusions Long-term success rate in AF patients following PVI remains suboptimal. In those with successful and
Stressful Life Events and Adolescent Substance Use and Depression: Conditional and Gender Differentiated Effects

Stressful life circumstances have myriad influences on human health and behavior. Early research focused on the variable distribution of stress and its effects by socioeconomic status, race, and gender. More recent research indicates that variation by age is also an important consideration. For example, adolescent reactions to stressful life events are often inconsistent with adult reactions to similar life situations and transitions. Moreover, since most studies assess only a single outcome-usually depression-they risk classification bias since analyses exclude other potential stress-related outcomes. This paper assesses the gender distinct effects of stressful life events on two outcomes among adolescents, substance use and depressive symptoms. The results of a second-order regression model indicate that life events affect female, but not male, depressive symptoms, especially when self-esteem is low or mastery is high. Furthermore, life events affect substance use when peer drug use is high, or when parental support is low, but this latter effect is limited to female adolescents.
Hypothyroidism produced by radioactive iodine (I131) in the treatment of euthyroid patients with angina pectoris and congestive heart failure; early results in various types of cardiovascular diseases and associated pathologic states.

Hypothyroidism, induced by I131 to lessen the work of the heart, is proposed as a means of treating certain patients with angina pectoris and congestive failure who are refractory to the standard medical measures. Eighteen such patients have been treated. The period of follow-up averages thirteen months. Eight of the 13 patients with angina pectoris and 3 of 5 patients with congestive failure showed worthwhile improvement. In 6 of the 18 patients, the improvement was striking. Tentative criteria for the selection of patients, their pre- and post-treatment management, and detailed descriptions of the results are presented.
Skip-and-prune: cosine-based top-k query processing for efficient context-sensitive document retrieval

Keyword search and ranked retrieval together emerged as popular data access paradigms for various kinds of data, from web pages to XML and relational databases. A user can submit keywords without knowing much (sometimes nothing) about the complex structure underlying a data collection, yet the system can identify, rank, and return a set of relevant matches by exploiting statistics about the distribution and structure of the data. Keyword-based data models are also suitable for capturing user's search context in terms of weights associated to the keywords in the query. Given a search context, the data in the database can also be re-interpreted for semantically correct retrieval. This option, however, is often ignored as the cost of re-assessing the content in the database naively tends to be prohibitive. In this paper, we first argue that top-k query processing can help tackle this challenge by re-assessing only the relevant parts of the database, efficiently. A road-block in this process, however, is that most efficient implementations of top-k query processing assume that the scoring function is monotonic, whereas the cosine-based scoring function needed for re-interpretation of content based on user context is not. In this paper, we develop an efficient top-k query processing algorithm, skip-and-prune (SnP), which is able to process top-k queries under cosine-based non-monotonic scoring functions. We compare the use of proposed algorithm against the alternative implementations of the context-aware retrieval, including naive top-k, accumulator-based inverted files, and full-scan. The experiment results show that while being fast, naive top-k is not an effective solution due to the non-monotonicity of underlying scoring function. The proposed technique, SnP, however, matches the precision of accumulator-based inverted files and full-scan, yet it is orders of magnitude faster than these.
Validation and Application of Electronic Propinquity Theory to Computer-Mediated Communication in Groups

This research presents an experiment based on the theory of electronic propinquity, testing how the presence of alternate communication media, media bandwidth, information complexity, and users' communication skills affect propinquity (the psychological feeling of nearness) and satisfaction that communicators experience using different communication channels. Groups communicated using one or two of several different channels, including face-to-face, desktop video, audio, and text-based chat, with channel differences between members in some groups. Predicted effects of bandwidth, information complexity, communication skills, and comparative media availability on propinquity and satisfaction were observed. These findings demonstrate a confound in previous research on propinquity theory, suggest newfound validity, and extend the model to interactive computer-mediated communication channels unanticipated by the original theory. Implications include the potential of electronic propinquity to account for discre...
The Correlation between the Psoas Muscle/Vertebral Body Ratio and the Severity of Peripheral Artery Disease

Background The measurement of psoas muscle area is a new and potentially useful tool for assessing the frailty of patients in the context of various disease states ranging from cancer to abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Considering the similarity of risk factors for frailty and atherosclerosis, we sought to investigate whether patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have smaller psoas muscle areas in general. Furthermore, we investigated whether PAD symptom severity correlates with psoas muscle size. Methods A chart review was conducted on 146 patients with PAD. Of these patients, 85 (58%) had a computed tomography scan within the last 5 years and were included in the study. Fifty-five patients with AAA and no occlusive disease were included as controls. Cross-sectional areas of the psoas muscles and L4 vertebral body were collected at the mid-L4 level for all patients. Total psoas muscle area was calculated and divided by L4 area to correct for body habitus. Ankle-brachial indices and Rutherford classification were collected as measures of PAD severity. Logistic and multiple regressions were run to assess the difference in psoas muscle/vertebral body ratio between patients with PAD and AAA and within PAD patients, respectively. Results PAD patients have a lower psoas muscle/vertebral body ratio controlled for sex and age than patients with AAA ( P Conclusions Using psoas muscle area as a measure of frailty, patients with PAD may be frail as a group. However, the severity of each patient's symptoms does not appear to correlate with the patient's degree of frailty. Prospective studies with larger populations are needed to clarify whether the psoas muscle area has any prognostic value in PAD.
An Approach for Ensuring Robust Safeguard against Location Privacy Violation

The challenge of preserving user’s location privacy is more important now than ever before with the proliferation of handheld devices and the pervasive use of location based services. To protect location privacy, we must ensure k-anonymity so that the user remains indistinguishable among k-1 other users. There is no better way but to use a location anonymizer (LA) to achieve k-anonymity. However, its knowledge of each user’s current location makes it susceptible to be a single-point-of-failure. In this paper, we propose a formal location privacy framework, termed SafeGrid that can work with or without an LA. In SafeGrid, LA is designed in such a way that it is no longer a single point of failure. In addition, it is resistant to known attacks and most significantly, the cloaking algorithm it employs meets reciprocity condition. Simulation results exhibit its better performance in query processing and cloaking region calculation compared with existing solutions. As an added feature, in SafeGrid a user has the option of not using LA, yet achieving as much obfuscation (deliberate degradation of location data) as needed without ever sacrificing performance gain.
Plasma Oscillations and Expansion of an Ultracold Neutral Plasma

We report the observation of plasma oscillations in an ultracold neutral plasma. With this collective mode we probe the electron density distribution and study the expansion of the plasma as a function of time. For classical plasma conditions, i.e., weak Coulomb coupling, the expansion is dominated by the pressure of the electron gas and is described by a hydrodynamic model. Discrepancies between the model and observations at low temperature and high density may be due to strong coupling of the electrons.
Development of New Moisture-Conditioning Procedure for Hot-Mix Asphalt

The presence of pore water in mixtures can cause premature failure of hot-mix asphalt pavements. The processes typically associated with moisture damage are complex and occur over a long period of ...
Repeated Sequences of Interspike Intervals in Baroresponsive Respiratory Related Neuronal Assemblies of the Cat Brain Stem

Many neurons exhibit spontaneous activity in the absence of any specific experimental perturbation. Patterns of distributed synchrony embedded in such activity have been detected in the brain stem,...
On limiting expressions for the capacity region of Gaussian interference channels

With an explicit counterexample, it is shown that the restriction to Gaussian distributions in the limiting expression for the capacity region of memoryless Gaussian interference channel falls short of achieving capacity, in general. Techniques that enable one to make use of the limiting expression to obtain valid and possibly tight outer bounds for Gaussian interference channels are also explained.
26.4 A 160-to-960MHz ETSI class-1-compliant IoE transceiver with 100dB blocker rejection, 70dB ACR and 800pA standby current

The Internet of Everything (IoE) is a macro trend that is presently disrupting the global electronic industry. Tremendous growth is forecast in the areas of sensing, measurement and the interpretation of data, before transferring to the Cloud for analysis. This exponential increase in wireless-sensor traffic, coupled with increasingly harsh environments in which sensor networks operate around the globe, is driving the need for a new class of wireless transceivers that can offer a significant improvement in key performance metrics such as co-existence, radio-frequency (RF) emissions, link-margin and interference resilience, while also maximizing battery lifetime. Moreover, the multiplicity of use-cases and modes of operation called out in wireless connectivity standards such as IEEE 802.15.4g, WMBUS (Modes N/S/T/C/F/R), and in many proprietary connectivity standards is demanding more highly integrated system solutions.
History of the Pacific Branch

The Pacific Branch of ESA is made up of Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington in the United States; Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan in Canada; Baja California, Sinaloa, and Sonora in Mexico; and the Central Pacific Island Territories. This area extends from the Arctic to the tropics.
Abstract 3207: Application of an antibody-free, highly sensitive PRISM-SRM proteomics approach for monitoring low abundance proteins and protein isoforms in cell lines and tumor tissue.

Stable-isotope dilution coupled to targeted mass spectrometry, applying selected reaction monitoring (SRM), provides good selectivity, reproducibility, and sensitivity rendering it highly suitable for robust and high-throughput protein quantification. Historically, SRM sensitivity for measuring protein concentration in biofluids such as blood plasma has been limited to the low μg/mL level. Application of front-end sample preparation methods such as immunoaffinity depletion and strong cation exchange (SCX) chromatographic fractionation has improved the SRM detection limit to low ng/mL level. The ability to detect and quantify low abundance proteins present in blood plasma/serum at sub-ng/mL levels, however, relies on the availability of specific affinity reagents (e.g., antibodies that have the associated disadvantage of an expensive, lengthy, and high failure rate de novo process). To address this limitation, we have recently developed an antibody-free, targeted quantification capability that enables protein quantification of prostate-specific antigen and other exogenous proteins at 50-100 pg/mL levels in plasma/serum. Unlike the traditional SCX fractionation approach where all resulting fractions are analyzed by the second dimension LC-SRM, this new capability, PRISM (high-pressure high-resolution separations with intelligent selection and multiplexing), uses high resolution. Citation Format: Jintang He, Xuefei Sun, Tujin Shi, Athena Schepmoes, Thomas Fillmore, Vladislav Petyuk, Fang Xie, Marina Gritsenko, Feng Yang, Naoki Kitabayashi, Sung Suk Chae, Mark Rubin, Javed Siddiqui, John Wei, Arul Chinnaiyan, Wei-Jun Qian, Richard Smith, Jacob Kagan, Sudhir Srivastava, Tao Liu, Karin Rodland, David Camp. Application of an antibody-free, highly sensitive PRISM-SRM proteomics approach for monitoring low abundance proteins and protein isoforms in cell lines and tumor tissue. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3207. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3207
Use of Polycarboxylic Acid Derived from Partially Depolymerized Lignin As a Curing Agent for Epoxy Application

In this study, Kraft lignin was partially depolymerized through base catalyzed depolymerization (BCD) in supercritical methanol to increase its solubility in organic solvents. The resulting partially depolymerized lignin (PDL) was then converted to lignin-based polycarboxylic acid (LPCA) by reacting with succinic anhydride. The hydroxyl value of PDL and acid value of LPCA were determined using 31P NMR. LPCA was used as a curing agent to cure a commercial epoxy (DER353). Because LPCA was a soft solid, glycerol tris(succinate monoester) (GTA) which was liquid at room temperature was also synthesized and used as cocuring agent and a diluent for LPCA. Dynamic mechanical properties and thermal stability of the cured epoxy resins were examined using dynamic mechanical analysis and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. Results showed that curing of DER353 with the LPCA resulted in an epoxy resin with a moderate glass transition temperature (Tg) and a storage modulus comparable to the resin cured with the com...
Effects of Thermal Denaturation on Binding between Bixin and Whey Protein

Heating is commonly used in the manufacture of dairy products, but impacts of thermal denaturation on binding between whey protein and molecules such as pigments are poorly understood. The objective of this work was to study the impacts of thermal denaturation on binding between bixin, a pigment relevant to colored cheeses, and whey proteins using several complementary techniques. Fluorescence spectroscopy data showed that heat treatment caused tryptophan in β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin to be exposed to a more polar environment, but the opposite was observed for bovine serum albumin. The fluorescence quenching study indicated that the quenching of whey protein fluorescence by bixin was static quenching, and the affinity of binding with bixin was enhanced after thermal denaturation, caused by a higher extent of unordered structures, as revealed by results from circular dichroism and Fourier transform infrared spectra. β-Lactoglobulin was responsible for overall impacts of thermal denaturation on bindi...
The Internal Phonological Differences of Wenling(温岭) Dialect

On this paper, seven representative speeches of Wenling(温岭) dialect are under comparison in order to demonstrate their phonological differences. The internal phonological differences of Wenling(温岭) dialect are mainly as follows: distinction between Jianyin(尖音) and Tuanyin(团音), pronunciation of Hou(侯) rhyme, finals of Kaikou(开口) words of the second grade of Jian(见) group in MC Guo(果), Hong(洪) and Xi(细) of some Jing(精) and Zhi(知) groups of Yangsheng(阳声) rhymes, main vowels of Hekou(合口) rhyme of MC Zhen(臻), finals of [■] and [i■], final of Hekou(合口) words, nasal vowels types, divergence and convergence of entering rhyme, read as apico-advanced consonants for Jian(见) and Xiao(晓) group, as well as tones.
Information Sources in Supercomputing and Supercomputers

Supercomputing is a relatively new field but its impact is being felt in almost every science and engineering discipline as well as a number of research areas not generally associated with computing. The advent of faster, more powerful computers has made possible arithmetic and design calculations that ten years ago were either impossible, prohibitively expensive, or time consuming. As supercomputers and their applications become more commonplace, demand for information concerning them will increase. This paper presents a brief background on supercomputing and supercomputers followed by a bibliography of references sources in sections covering monographs, monographic series, conference proceedings, journals, indexes and abstracts, online databases, and research centers.
Assessing nicotine dependence.

Family physicians can assess the smoking behavior of their patients in a few minutes, using carefully chosen questions. The CAGE questionnaire for smoking (modified from the familiar CAGE questionnaire for alcoholism), the "four Cs" test and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence help make the diagnosis of nicotine dependence based on standard criteria. Additional questions can be used to determine the patient's readiness to change and the nature of the reinforcement the patient receives from smoking. These tools can assist family physicians in guiding patients to quit smoking-the single most important thing smokers can do to improve their health.
Predicting Phonological Development

One of the important questions that continues to be asked about language development is whether very early language behavior does or does not predict later language competence. Much of the data collected on this issue over the past ten years seem to indicate that delays that occur during infancy are not, neccessarily, predictive of later development (Menyuk, 1979a). That is, those infants that are not severely and clearly deficited to begin with, but show slow development of speech and language during the first two years of life, apparently begin to catch up during the third year. Standard tests of language development at three years often show that these children are now equal to their age peers on those aspects of language development that these tests measure.
T-cell antigens of Mycobacterium immunogenum, an etiological agent of occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis

The T lymphocyte-mediated immune lung disease hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) in machinists is poorly understood for disease mechanisms and diagnosis due in part to lack of information on causative T-cell antigens of the etiological agent Mycobacterium immunogenum (MI). Therefore, overall objective of the current study was to identify T-cell reactive antigens of this recently recognized pathogen. In this direction, purified recombinant form of five of the seroreactive proteins (reported in our initial study), including three cell wall-associated (arbitrarily designated as antigens A through C) and two secretory (AgD & AgE), were examined for their potential to activate antigen-presenting cells (APCs) viz. alveolar macrophages and human monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and for T-cell reactivity. All five proteins strongly activated APCs by inducing inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 & IL-1α) and nitric oxide (NO), albeit to a varying extent (AgE≥AgD>AgB≥AgA≥AgC), implying their differential potential for activation of APCs. However, only two of the five proteins (AgA, AgD) showed significant T-cell response (T lymphocyte proliferation and IFN-γ secretion) when tested using sensitized T-cells from MI-induced HP mouse model. These antigens also activated the human naive CD4(+) T cells in presence of autologous DCs as measured using ELISPOT for IFN-γ. Immuno-informatic analysis predicted that the identified T-cell antigens (AgA and AgD) bind more number of class I and class II HLA alleles as compared with the reference immuno-dominant antigens ESAT-6 and CFP-10 from the tuberculous mycobacterial species M. tuberculosis. Predicted human population coverage for the epitopes of AgA (90.87%) and AgD (88.09%) was also higher as compared to those for the reference antigens ESAT-6 (82.42%) and CFP-10 (80.21%). These two antigens were further predicted to be highly immunogenic for class I peptide MHC (pMHC) complex as compared to the reference antigens. Collectively, our results imply that AgA and AgD are T-cell antigens with a high HLA binding frequency as well as population coverage for HLA alleles. This first report on T-cell antigens and epitopes of M. immunogenum is significant as it is expected to open up avenues for understanding pathogenesis mechanisms and developing T-cell-based immunodiagnostic tools for this poorly investigated occupational lung disease.
Observation of Higher-Order Dephasing-Induced Coherences in a Flame in a Magnetic Field

Dephasieg-induced phenomena are a novel class of effects that are ordinarily forbidden because the two or more relevant quantum-mechanical amplitudes add coherently and cancel out.1 When dephasing is present, however, these amplitudes no longer cancel, and previously unseen effects can be observed. Indeed, a number of novel dephasing-induced phenomena have been seen.2-5 Of particular interest, both for fundamental reasons and for diagnostic purposes, are (third-order) dephasing-induced resonances between equally populated levels of a ground electronic state,6,7 specifically, Zeeman and hyperfine coherences. Working with a sodium-seeded flame, we8 have observed these latter effects and, at higher intensities, subharmonics of them.
Density-functional theory computer simulations of CZTS0.25Se0.75 alloy phase diagrams

Density-functional theory simulations of CZTS, CZTSe, and CZTS0.25Se0.75 photovoltaic compounds have been performed to investigate the stability of the CZTS0.25Se0.75 alloy vs. decomposition into CZTS, CZTSe, and other secondary compounds. The Gibbs energy for vibrational contributions was estimated by calculating phonon spectra and thermodynamic properties at finite temperatures. It was demonstrated that the CZTS0.25Se0.75 alloy is stabilized not by enthalpy of formation but primarily by the mixing contributions to the Gibbs energy. The Gibbs energy gains/losses for several decomposition reactions were calculated as a function of temperature with/without intermixing and vibration contributions to the Gibbs energy. A set of phase diagrams was built in the multidimensional space of chemical potentials at 300 K and 900 K temperatures to demonstrate alloy stability and boundary compounds at various chemical conditions. It demonstrated for CZTS0.25Se0.75 that the chemical potentials for stability differ betwe...
Immunological Modification to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Altering immunity by pharmacological or mechanical means has provided at once the most powerful and most hazardous ways of treating rheumatoid arthritis. The drugs include corticosteroids, particularly as a high-dose pulse, the cytotoxic drugs, particularly the alkylating agents and anti-metabolites, and the imidazole family of drugs which their supporters fondly call immunodulators or even immuno-restoratives. In addition, a new class of chemicals, which interfere with particular nucleic acid pathways so as to affect differentially sub-classes of lymphocytes, seems likely to provide drugs in this category in the near future. The mechanical means of altering immunity include direct removal of lymph by thoracic duct drainage, apheresis of plasma, of lymphocytes, of monocytes, or various combinations thereof, and lymph node irradiation. They are all based on the reasonable view that disordered immunity is important in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. They do not require that disordered immunity is the root cause of arthritis. In general, they resemble gold and penicillamine in being slow to take effect and slow to wear off, and are distinctly more powerful than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which inhibit prostaglandin synthetase. Although they all affect immunity, it is not certain what aspect of their action makes them work, just as it is possible that gold and penicillamine work through some of the immunological actions ascribed to them.
Smart Assembly for Soft Bioelectronics

Biology is soft and curvilinear, whereas wafer-based electronics are rigid and planar. The mechanical mismatch impedes the effective integration of electronic systems with biological tissues or skins, paving the way for the construction of device materials (i.e., semiconducting composites) onto soft, biocompatible elastomers with the ability to be stretched, bent, and twisted. Advances in mechanics allow the rather brittle device materials to accommodate large levels of strain (g1%) and therefore retain their functionality under repeated mechanical deformations in use.
Incorporation of a cascade gamma ray correction into the SRW iterative reconstruction for non-standard PET nuclides: Towards a unified correction weighted (UCW) scheme in the sensitivity image

We describe an extension of the scatter and randoms weighted (SRW) iterative PET reconstruction algorithm which includes a model-based cascade estimate in the trues fraction (TF) estimation for non-standard PET nuclides as an effort to unify the corrections for quantitative PET imaging into the sensitivity image. The unified correction weighted (UCW) scheme which includes the attenuation, normalization, and TF estimates was incorporated into the widely used 3D-OSEM reconstruction. A 76Br contrast phantom with a ∼54% background contamination (including the scatter, randoms, and cascade events) and a 86Y contrast phantom with a ∼83% background contamination were scanned, and the data were reconstructed using the standard and the UCW methods. The contrast vs noise and the reconstruction time comparisons were evaluated, and it was found that the UCW method outperforms the standard Ordinary Poisson (OP) approach in terms of convergence in hot and cold contrasts. A 50% overall time gain for the 76Br study and an 80% time gain for the 86Y study as compared to the OP method was achieved using the proposed method due to the better convergence rate (i.e. able to stop at earlier iteration) and faster reconstruction time (i.e. no need to store and process the scatter, randoms, and cascade sinograms in the forward model for every single iteration). These studies also demonstrated that the background correction weighted scheme in the sensitivity image works well with relatively high background fractions. It was observed that the higher the background contamination, the better the convergence rate for the UCW method as compared to the OP approach.
From Liverpool to New York City: behind the veil of a Black British male scholar inside higher education

AbstractThis paper speaks to the experience of Black British male experience in academia, with emphasis on UK and US colleges and universities. It is an autoethnographic study in terms of relating, witnessing, and noting both learning and teaching experiences within the confines of higher education in the UK and US. The idea behind this paper is to highlight the need for greater access and opportunity for Black scholars to teach and study without stress and strain on their minds and bodies. There are a number of studies that confirm the efficacy in sharing one’s experience as an ‘insider’ within academia as a person of color. But there are few studies that speak directly to the reality of teaching and researching within the context of Africana or Black Studies in higher education. It is noted that academia should be a place whereby liberal arts of all genres are accepted and respected; in this sense, there is still a long way to go before we can attest to the affirmative of this point of view.
Extended Examples of Best Matching

This chapter presents four extended best matching case studies associated with distributed manufacturing, supply, social, and service networks. Detailed definitions, mathematical models, solution approaches, numerical analysis and discussions are presented for each case. The purpose is to demonstrate “A–Z” of modeling, optimizing, and controlling best matching processes via four comprehensive case studies.
Economic impacts of climate change on agriculture: A comparison of process-based and statistical yield models

A large number of studies have been published examining the implications of climate change for agricultural productivity that, broadly speaking, can be divided into process-based modeling and statistical approaches. Despite a general perception that results from these methods differ substantially, there have been few direct comparisons. Here we use a data-base of yield impact studies compiled for the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (Porter et al 2014) to systematically compare results from process-based and empirical studies. Controlling for differences in representation of CO2 fertilization between the two methods, we find little evidence for differences in the yield response to warming. The magnitude of CO2 fertilization is instead a much larger source of uncertainty. Based on this set of impact results, we find a very limited potential for on-farm adaptation to reduce yield impacts. We use the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) global economic model to estimate welfare consequences of yield changes and find negligible welfare changes for warming of 1 °C–2 °C if CO2 fertilization is included and large negative effects on welfare without CO2. Uncertainty bounds on welfare changes are highly asymmetric, showing substantial probability of large declines in welfare for warming of 2 °C–3 °C even including the CO2 fertilization effect.
Identification of peer effects via a root estimator

By exploiting the correlation structure of individual outcomes in a network, we show that a carefully constructed root estimator can identify peer effects in linear social interaction models, when identification cannot be achieved via variation of group sizes or intransitivity of network connections. We establish the consistency and asymptotic normality of the root estimator under heteroskedasticity, and conduct Monte Carlo experiments to investigate its finite sample performance.
ASSOCIATIONS OF SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP) <120 (VERSUS 120-139) MMHG WITH OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE AND PRESERVED EJECTION FRACTION (HFPEF) WITHOUT HYPERTENSION (HTN)

According to the 2017 update of 2013 ACCF/AHA HF guideline, SBP should be lowered to <130 mmHg in patients with HFpEF and HTN. However, less is known about the association of lower SBP and outcomes in HFpEF without HTN. Of the 8873 hospitalized patients with HF and EF ≥50% in Medicare-linked