cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic versus marker-assisted selection for stalk strength and second-generation European corn borer resistance in maize.

Maize (Zea mays L.) stalk lodging is breakage of the stalk at or below the ear, which may result in loss of the ear at harvest. Stalk lodging is often intensified by the stalk tunneling action of the second-generation of the European corn borer (2-ECB) (Ostrinia nubilalis (Hb- ner)). Rind penetrometer resistance (RPR) has been used to measure stalk strength and improve stalk lodging resistance, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been identified for both RPR and 2-ECB damage. Phenotypic recurrent selection (PS) increases the frequency of favorable alleles over cycles of selection. Several studies have indicated that marker-assisted selection (MAS) is also a potentially valuable selection tool. The objective of this study was to compare the efficiency of PS versus MAS for RPR and 2-ECB. Marker-assisted selection for high and low RPR was effective in the three populations studied. Phenotypic selection for both high and low RPR was more effective than MAS in two of the populations. However, in a third population, MAS for high RPR using QTL effects from the same population was more effective than PS, and using QTL effects from a separate popula- tion was just as effective as PS. Marker-assisted selection for resistance and susceptibility to 2-ECB using QTL effects from the same population was effective in increasing susceptibility, but not in increasing resistance. Marker-assisted selection using QTL effects from a separate population was effective in both directions of selection. Thus, MAS was effective in selecting for both resistance and susceptibility to 2-ECB. These results demonstrated that MAS can be an effective selection tool for both RPR and 2-ECB resistance. These results also validate the locations and effects of QTL for RPR and 2- ECB resistance identified in earlier studies.
Effect of ventilation pressure on alveolar fluid clearance and β-agonist responses in mice

High tidal volume ventilation is detrimental to alveolar fluid clearance (AFC), but effects of ventilation pressure (P) on AFC are unknown. In anesthetized BALB/c mice ventilated at constant tidal ...
Feeding Three Insect Growth Regulators to White Leghorn Hens: Residues in Eggs and Tissues and Effects on Production and Reproduction

Abstract Three insect growth regulators were fed to mature White Leghorn hens at dietary levels 1, 5, 10, and 50 times higher than the efficacy level for fly control. Feeding 10, 50, 100, and 500 ppm diflubenzuron; 2.5, 12.5, 25, and 250 ppm 6-azido-N-cyclopropyl-N′-ethyl-1, 3, 5-triazine-2,4-diamine (CGA-19255); and 50, 250, 500, and 2500 ppm 1-(8-methoxy-4,8-dimethyl-nonyl)-4-(1-methylethyl) benzene (AI3-36206) for 8 weeks had no adverse effects on feed consumption, body weight, egg production, egg weight, egg shell thickness, fertility, hatchability, or progeny performance. Diflubenzuron and A13-36206 accumulated in the egg to levels approximately .04 and .004 of the dietary level, respectively, with a smaller accumulation in the liver and muscle. Diflubenzuron and A13-36206 accumulated in the body fat to levels approximately .10 and .02 of the dietary level, respectively. Five weeks after withdrawal from the diet, diflubenzuron was not detectable in the egg, liver, fat, or muscle tissues of hens fed any level of the compound; however, hens fed the highest level of A13-36206 had residues of this compound in the body fat. Traces of A13-36206 were also found in the eggs of hens fed the two highest levels 5 weeks after withdrawal. Residues of CGA-19255 were not detectable in the eggs, and the eggs were not analyzed for residues of the CGA-19255 metabolite, N-cyclopropyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triamine (CGA-72662). However, very low levels of the CGA-72662 were found in the liver, body fat, and muscle, but CGA-72662 was not detectable in these tissues one week after the withdrawal of CGA-19255 from the diet.
Cross-Boundary Leadership: A New Challenge for eGovernment

To achieve the vision of eGovernment, organizations across the U.S. federal, state, and local government are challenged to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and to afford citizens the same access to information and services they have come to expect from eCommerce. eGovernment also has the potential to foster participation in governance. To achieve eGovernment objectives, leaders must collaborate across boundaries with their counterparts in other departments, organizations, and levels of government. In 2002, the Information Resources Management College (IRMC), National Defense University (NDU) began focusing on the development of cross-boundary leadership as the foundation of its new eGovernment Leadership Certificate.
Determinants of Aggregate Campaign Fundraising in State Legislative Elections

Most research on variation in campaign finance focuses on why some candidates raise and spend more than others. There are fewer studies attempting to explain variation in aggregate fundraising across states. This paper takes up this question by exploring differences in per capita campaign fundraising across state legislatures: why does aggregate fundraising by legislative candidates vary across states even when controlling for population? Using data from 2003-2010 for all state legislative chambers, I find that institutional design features, rather than political and economic forces, are the primary predictors of variation in campaign fundraising. Smaller districts, more professional legislatures, stronger legislatures vis-a-vis governors, and weak campaign finance regulations all increase fundraising. Contrary to expectations, the level of partisan competition, the cost of living, the size of the state budget, and the wealth of a state do not have a major impact on fundraising levels. These findings suggest that existing fundraising levels are not inevitable and can be manipulated by institutional reforms.
Diagnosis of stator short-circuit faults in series and parallel winding connections of closed-loop controlled PMSMs

Stator winding short-circuit faults are among the most common faults that could occur in permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM). Therefore, on-line diagnosis of incipient stator winding short-circuit faults plays an important role contributing to the safe operation of PMSMs. However, the efficacy of known diagnostic methods varies with the types of stator winding configurations in PMSMs. This paper compares the effectiveness of diagnosis of stator winding short-circuit faults in series and parallel winding connections of PMSMs, with the same interior permanent-magnet rotor configuration. Two existing diagnostic methods have been applied to detect the severity of stator short-circuit faults happening in both series and parallel winding connection in PMSMs. Simulation analysis has been carried out in ANSYS Maxwell to compare the severity of magnetic saturation caused by equivalent short-circuit fault in series and parallel winding connected PMSMs. Experimental results lead to the conclusion that PMSMs with parallel winding connections can mask the influence of such stator short-circuit faults under certain circumstances, and thus it is more challenging to detect such incipient faults in parallel-winding-connected PMSM in comparison with series-winding-connected PMSMs.
The Attractiveness of Female to Male Peach Tree Borers1

The attractancy of female Sanninoidea exitiosa (Say) to males of the species was studied at Fort Valley, Georgia in 1965 by confining individual females from field-collected cocoons within sleeve cages in orchards known to be infested with borers. Caged females first assumed the calling position at a mean time of 12:05 PM the same day they emerged; on subsequent days, they began calling at a mean time of 11:13 AM. The activity of responding wild males was greatest between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. Calling females were most attractive to males on the second and third days of adulthood, but there was considerable variation in attractancy among individuals. Average life of the caged females was less than 3 days.
Computerized lung cancer malignancy level analysis using 3D texture features

Based on the likelihood of malignancy, the nodules are classified into five different levels in Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) database. In this study, we tested the possibility of using threedimensional (3D) texture features to identify the malignancy level of each nodule. Five groups of features were implemented and tested on 172 nodules with confident malignancy levels from four radiologists. These five feature groups are: grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features, local binary pattern (LBP) features, scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) features, steerable features, and wavelet features. Because of the high dimensionality of our proposed features, multidimensional scaling (MDS) was used for dimension reduction. RUSBoost was applied for our extracted features for classification, due to its advantages in handling imbalanced dataset. Each group of features and the final combined features were used to classify nodules highly suspicious for cancer (level 5) and moderately suspicious (level 4). The results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy are 0.7659 and 0.8365 when using the finalized features. These features were also tested on differentiating benign and malignant cases, and the reported AUC and accuracy were 0.8901 and 0.9353.
Hypertension guidelines: Evidence-based treatments for maintaining blood pressure control

Approximately one in three adults in the United States has hypertension. This article provides an update on the latest JNC-8 guideline for treating hypertension in adults. Emphasis is placed on new and updated information and implications for primary care clinicians to help patients achieve and maintain better blood pressure control.
Evaluation of Education of Toxoplasma gondii Infection in the Community

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of health education of toxoplasmosis in the community and in the target groups. Methods Various forms of health education were conducted by the community health care service providers. Health information from the women of childbearing age,pregnant women,and pet keepers were recorded and monitored regularly. Questionnaire type survey was prepared and conducted according to "KABP" standards. Results were analyzed using the SPSS10.0 software. Results Before the introduction of health education,the average scores for the knowledge on Toxoplasma gondii infection,attitude,and personnel behavior were 46.5,61.8,and 81.3,respectively. 1 year after implement of the health education,the average scores for the above 3 factors were 69.6,77.8,and 96.6,respectively. The result was significant (P0.001). Conclusion Health education can prevent toxoplasmosis in the community.
The utilication of OCE management model in nursing case study

Objective To improve the comprehensive ability to analysis and solve the problems of the clinical nurses.Method Using the hard core of the administrant pattern of OEC to analyse nursing cases,and then discuss and summarize them.Result To improve the nurses knowledge,enhance the ability and recognize to open up.Conclusion To set up the circumstance of “honest and belief” between nurses and patients.
The History of Early British and US-American Ecology to 1950

Scientific ecology was anticipated by a long history of natural history observations from classical times, recently termed protoecology (Glacken 1967; Egerton 1976). Ecology (Oekologie) was coined in 1866 by Ernst Haeckel, a German biologist and advocate of Darwin (see Chap. 10) One of the earliest uses in English was by Patrick Geddes, a British botanist. In 1880, 20 years before the term ecology was in general use, Geddes offered a hierarchy of the sciences putting ecology under sociology rather than biology (Mairet 1957), anticipating later connections with sociology. Geddes taught the brothers Robert and William Smith who later joined with Arthur G. Tansley in furthering vegetation studies and plant ecology in Britain (Tansley 1911). In 1893 the president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science described “oecology” as a branch of biology coequal with morphology and physiology and “by far the most attractive” (McIntosh 1985).
What Economists Do about Values

(1977). What Economists Do about Values. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 901-904.
The fertile ground of Hell’s carnival: Charles T. R. Bohannan and the US Army’s Counter Intelligence Corps’ investigations of war criminals, collaborators, and the Huk, in the Philippines 1945–1947

Insurgencies thrive in regions where government legitimacy is absent. In the post-war Philippines, Captain Charles T. R. Bohannan of the Army’s Counter Intelligence Corps became actively aware of t...
Psychometric Evaluation of Three Psychosocial Measures Associated With Physical Activity Among Adolescent Girls

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Perceived Benefits Scale, a Perceived Barriers Scale, and a Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale with data from a group randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a test–retest study with 1-week interval. In the group RCT at baseline and Week 17, 1,012 fifth- to eighth-grade girls completed an iPad-delivered survey and wore 7-day accelerometers measuring moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). In the test–retest study, 91 fifth- to seventh-grade girls completed the iPad-delivered survey at Times 1 and 2. Benefits, barriers, and enjoyment scales had Cronbach’s αs of .75, .86, and .78 and test–retest reliability of .83, .88, and .79, respectively. Benefits Scale had a two-factor structure (physical and psychosocial benefits), while the remaining two had a one-factor structure indicating construct validity. Barriers (r = −.16) and enjoyment (r = .17) were correlated with MVPA indicating concurrent validity. Baseline MVPA and psychosoci...
Reframing Reality: The Aesthetics of the Surrealist Object in French and Czech Cinema

Alison Frank’s book, frankly, is one I was predisposed to like. It is about surrealism in film, in which I have a great interest, and discusses, among others, the films of some of my favorite filmm...
Corticosteriods, Neurocognition and Stress In Adult Survivors of Childhood Leukemia

Abstract Abstract 738 While recent research has demonstrated comparable neurocognitive outcomes in survivors of childhood leukemia (ALL) treated with different types of corticosteroids during induction therapy, the long-term impact of prolonged corticosteroid therapy has not been investigated. We compared neurocognitive and physiologic outcomes in 37 adult survivors of childhood leukemia who were treated with only chemotherapy (i.e., no cranial radiation therapy ) on one of two standard therapy protocols (21 treated with 20 g/m2 HD-IV methotrexate and repeated cycles of prednisone for two years; 16 treated with either 20 or 24 g/m2 HD-IV methotrexate and repeated cycles of dexamethasone for two years). Patients underwent neurocognitive evaluations, physical exams, and laboratory tests after overnight fasting. Morning cortisol was assessed at baseline and 12 h after 1 mg dexamethasone (standard dexamethasone suppression test). Groups were similar for male:female ratio (p=0.73), current age (p=0.90), and cumulative HD-IV methotrexate exposure (p=0.68). No differences were detected in final adult height (p=0.85), body mass index (p=0.43), HDL (p=0.86) or LDL (p=0.99) cholesterol, heart rate (p=0.49), triglycerides (p=0.59), serum glucose (p=0.84), insulin (p=0.63), HgA1C (p=0.62), free T4 (p=0.78), IGF-I (p=0.77), or basal morning cortisol (p=0.72). Survivors treated with dexamethasone displayed significantly higher systolic blood pressure compared to the prednisone exposure group (mean=128.5 ± SD 11.71 vs. 117.7±13.78; p=0.02), and a trend for higher diastolic BP (mean=75.1±9.33 vs. 68.7±10.55; p=0.08). Survivors originally treated with dexamethasone displayed significantly less suppression of cortisol following the dexamethasone suppression test (mean 3.82±6.41 μg/dL) compared to those originally treated with prednisone (0.94 ± 0.75 μg/dL; p=0.05). The dexamethasone group demonstrated significantly lower performance on multiple measures neurocognitive function (Tables 1), including mathematical problem solving (p=0.002), semantic verbal memory (p=0.006) and cognitive flexibility (p=0.02). They also reported more difficulty with emotional regulation (p=0.04). These results suggest that adult survivors of childhood leukemia treated with dexamethasone are at increased risk for neurocognitive impairment and poor emotional regulation. These problems may occur in the presence of symptoms of physical stress. Surprisingly, these survivors appear to display persistent late signs of increased reactivity within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
DGGE analysis of mitochondrial tRNA gene and p53 gene mutations in newborns receiving prepartum AZT-based HIV-1 prophylaxis

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 14-18, 2007; Los Angeles, CA 4265 Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), typically containing two nucleoside analogs including zidovudine (AZT), is highly effective in inhibiting viral replication in HIV-infected patients and reducing perinatal transmission of the virus from mother to child; however, emerging evidence suggests that AZT-based HAART increases risk for mitochondrial disease and cancer in treated patients and children through induction of persistent DNA damage. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) methods were developed for detecting sequence variants in the 22 mitochondrial tRNA genes and exons 5-8 of the p53 tumor suppressor gene, and a pilot study was conducted to determine if mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and/or p53 gene mutations can be detected in accessible tissue/cells from HIV-uninfected newborns receiving prepartum AZT-based prophylaxis versus healthy unexposed control infants. DGGE analysis of umbilical cord tissue identified two previously reported normal variants/polymorphisms in all children (n=9 controls and 8 exposed), plus eight additional sets of distinct variants not found in controls representing ‘hotspots’ for AZT-induced mtDNA mutations ( P <0.001); these included 2 transitions, 5 transversions, and a single-base insertion distinct from previously reported spontaneous mutations or those associated with inherited mitochondrial disease. Similar mutant/wild-type heteroduplex migration patterns were found in cord blood lymphocytes, indicating the occurrence of the same mutations in AZT-exposed infants. Using suggested criteria [Trends in Genetics 20:591-596, 2004], 3 of 4 mutated tRNAs had some pathogenic characteristics. Induction of tRNA gene mutations may lead to altered mitochondrial function, production of reactive oxygen species, and resistance to apoptosis, all which may contribute to carcinogenesis. DGGE analysis of the p53 gene in cord blood lymphocytes demonstrated a total of 42 mutations in 10 AZT-exposed newborns, representing six mutational ‘hotspots’ in exons 5, 6, or 8. No p53 gene mutations were detected in control infant lymphocytes (n=24). These preliminary results correlate with the recent findings of a high degree of multiplicity for p53 gene mutations, including three ‘hotspots’, in individual lung neoplasms from mice exposed in utero to AZT (H-H Hong et al, Environ Mol Mutagen, PMID:16395694). The fact that both p53 and tRNA gene mutations were found in the same 'normal' cell type suggests that these mutations were early events induced during fetal development, predisposing AZT-exposed infants to the development of cancer later in life. The findings of both p53 and tRNA gene mutations in the same type of cells raises the question of whether the mtDNA mutations preceded and predisposed to alterations in p53 and other nuclear genes, and indicate the need for long-term surveillance of children receiving perinatal AZT.
On the Eve: Gender, Historiography and the Prelude to Revolution

This chapter traces key trends in the primarily but not exclusively anglophone historiography of pre-revolutionary Russian women’s history, published since the 1970s. It touches on the difficulties of conducting primary source research in the Soviet Union in the years before 1991 and on the influence of Cold War divisions, especially in the United States, on scholarship. Exploring the new avenues of research and approaches to old questions, in particular approaches employing gender as a category of analysis, which emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the chapter notes the influence of the new scholarship on Russian history more broadly, in addition to continuities as well as change across the divide of 1917.
James Ackerman (1919–2016)

James Sloss Ackerman, author of two of the most influential books on Renaissance architecture in the English language, The Architecture of Michelangelo (1961) and Palladio (1966), died in the last hours of 2016.1 He was ninety-seven years old and had been active as an art historian since 1949, publishing his last book in the fall of 2016.2 He was a student of Richard Krautheimer, Erwin Panofsky, and Karl Lehman at New York University's Institute of Fine Arts and came to be thought of as the living link to the generation of German emigres who founded modern American art history. It was an honor he earned by his own considerable achievement, much of which aimed to push the profession beyond the lessons of his teachers.3 Figure 1 James Ackerman (photo courtesy of Bill Burke). Ackerman came from an affluent German Jewish family that settled in San Francisco during the California gold rush of the mid-nineteenth century. His interest in art was nurtured by his mother, an amateur potter and patron of local artists, and by the instruction in fine arts that he received in the prep school to which he was sent. At Yale he wrote a senior thesis on abstraction in Paleolithic painting. It was rejected for honors by the department, but, as the inscription in a book he received from visiting professor Henri Focillon put it, he was encouraged to “remain faithful to our studies for which you are so well suited.” He went to the Institute of Fine Arts at NYU in 1942 to study classical sculpture, but within a year he was in the army. Ackerman served in a mobile intelligence unit in Africa and Italy that decoded intercepted communications and traveled in the wake of the Allied front.4 It was this experience that oriented …
Thermodynamic properties of 2–methylindole: Experimental and computational results for gas-phase entropy and enthalpy of formation

Abstract Measurements leading to the calculation of thermodynamic properties in the ideal-gas state for 2-methylindole (Chemical Abstracts registry number [95–20–5]) are reported. Experimental methods were adiabatic heat-capacity calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.), comparative ebulliometry, inclined-piston manometry, and oxygen bomb calorimetry. The critical temperature of 2-methylindole was determined experimentally with d.s.c. Molar thermodynamic functions for the condensed and ideal-gas states were derived from the experimental results. Statistical calculations were performed based on molecular geometry optimization and vibrational frequencies using B3LYP hybrid density functional theory with the def2-TZVPPD basis set. Excellent accord between computed and experimentally-derived ideal-gas entropies is shown. The enthalpy of formation for 2-methylindole in the gas phase was computed with an atomization-based protocol described recently, and excellent agreement with the experimental values is seen. The experimental literature for enthalpies of formation in the gas phase for 1- and 2-ring pyrrollic compounds is reviewed, and comparisons with computed values further support the findings here. All experimental results are compared with property values reported in the literature, where possible.
Photochemotherapy of Skin Diseases

While phototherapy is defined as the application of visible or ultraviolet (UV) radiation to the treatment of disease, in photochemotherapy a chemical sensitizer is administered concurrently and the therapeutic effect depends on photochemical interaction of the chemical and radiation. In the doses used, chemical and radiation alone usually have little or no therapeutic effect. Photochemotherapy utilizing psoralen compounds, including 8-methoxy-psoralen, and long-wave UV radiation is currently used in the treatment of many common skin diseases. Other forms of photochemotherapy not utilizing psoralens have been used in the treatment of certain tumors (see Chapter 23). Topical forms of photochemotherapy have been proposed for treatment of recurrent herpes simplex (see Chapters 19–21).
Nonlocal Dielectric Effects

The content that appears in this chapter has been largely adapted from the following publications: McMahon JM, Gray SK, Schatz GC (2009) Nonlocal optical response of metal nanostructures with arbitrary shape. Phys Rev Lett 103:097403. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.097403. McMahon JM, Gray SK, Schatz GC (2010) Calculating nonlocal optical properties of structures with arbitrary shape. Phys Rev B 82:035423. http://arxiv.org/abs/0912.4746. McMahon JM, Gray SK, Schatz GC (2010) Nonlocal dielectric effects in core–shell nanowires. J Phys Chem C 114:15903-15908. doi: 10.1021/jp910899b. Peng S, McMahon JM, Schatz GC, Gray SK, Sun Y (2010) Reversing the size-dependence of surface plasmon resonances in colloidal nanoparticles. (submitted, 2010). McMahon JM, Gray SK, Schatz GC (2011) Fundamental behavior of electric field enhancements in the gaps between closely spaced nanostructures. Phys Rev B 83:115428. The experimental work that appears in this chapter was done by Peng and Sun. Although, the experimental aspects are not discussed heavily, and the reader interested in such details is referred to Ref. [1].
An Industrial Pain and Stress Program

Chronic low back pain in the industrial worker is an expensive enigma. Successful management of this problem, culminating in return of the injured worker to work, often requires the expertise of an interdisciplinary rehabilitation team. A state-run, vocationally oriented, functional restoration pain and stress management industrial rehabilitation program is described in this article.
Basic Juvenile Skeletal Anatomy and Growth and Development

Timely and accurate assessment of skeletal remains is integral to the progression of medicolegal death investigations, including cases involving child maltreatment. These cases have legal implications that could potentially send the innocent to prison or set the guilty free if the assessment is not made correctly. The skeleton can provide useful information regarding an individual’s health and disease and evidence of trauma. The juvenile skeleton is characterized by nutrition-dependent rapid growth. It differs from the adult skeleton in several ways including anatomy and morphology, physiology, and biomechanics. Since the juvenile skeleton is in a constant state of change, bone morphology will vary depending on the age and phase of development. Integral to investigating child maltreatment is the ability to recognize abnormalities. Since the juvenile skeleton is very different from that of an adult, an investigator who is not well trained in juvenile skeletal anatomy may overlook important evidence or misdiagnose. Therefore, it is essential for researchers investigating the juvenile skeleton to have an understanding of skeletal growth and development and juvenile skeletal anatomy to accurately and efficiently locate and evaluate a set of remains.
Cloning and Expression of a SerratiaMarcescens Gene Encoding Chitinase

Insects, fungi and nematodes contain chitin as integral structural components at one or more stages of their life cycles. Chitinase, either alone or in combination with other hydrolytic enzymes, exerts deleterious effects on representatives of each of these classes of organisms. Engineering plant specific rhizosphere or phylloplane colonizing bacteria to express and secrete chitinase may result in the production of biocontrol agents targeted at specific plant pathogens. A cosmid bank was constructed in the broad host range cosmid, pLAFRl, with partially EcoRI-restricted Serratia marcescens chromosomal DNA to clone one or more of the S. marcescens genes encoding chitinase. Four independent chitinase-positive clones were isolated, characterized and shown to share a common 9.5 kb EcoRI fragment apparently encoding the same 57 kd chitinase protein, the most abundant chitinase produced by S. marcescens. Chitinase is expressed in both Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas fluorescens at a low level in the original cosmid constructs and in constructs which contain the 9.5 kb EcoRI fragment cloned into a pKT230 derived plasmid. A 2.4 kb fragment generated from the 9.5 kb fragment by EcoRI “star” cleavage was inserted downstream of the Pbla promoter, resulting in a highly expressed chitinase construct in both E. coli and P. fluorescens.
Water ingress mapping in photovoltaic module packaging materials

We demonstrate an imaging technique for mapping water ingress in photovoltaic module packaging materials that discriminates high versus low water content regions based on the differential absorption of infrared light corresponding to the water absorption band. The underlying principle of increased absorbance upon water ingress is demonstrated using transmission spectroscopy in encapsulant laminates and an imaging approach is shown to identify moisture ingress in laminate samples.
Localised Therapy and Biopsies of Intraocular Tumors

Focal therapies such as laser and cryotherapy are important treatment options in the management of many intraocular neoplasms such as retinoblastoma and uveal melanoma. Similarly, excisional and incisional biopsy techniques have become increasingly important, as the role of prognostic testing for uveal melanoma has become standard of care. It is imperative that the ocular oncologist understand the advantages and complications of each technique to provide an individualized approach for tumor management.
A multi-stage fusion strategy for multi-scale GLCM-CNN model in differentiating malignant from benign polyps

Computer aided diagnosis (CADx) of polyps has shown great potential to advance the computed tomography colonography (CTC) technique with diagnostic capability. Facing the problem of numerous uncertainties such as polyp size, shape, and orientation in CTC, GLCM-CNN has been proved to be an effective deep learning based tumor classification method, where convolution neural network (CNN) makes decision based on the texture pattern encoded in gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) containing 13 directions. The 13 directional GLCM, by sampling displacement, can be classified into 3 subgroups. Based on our evaluation on the information encoded in the three subgroups, we propose a multi-stage fusion CNN model, which makes the final decision based on two types of features, i.e. (1) a gate module selected group-specific features and (2) fused features learnt from all the features from three groups. On our polyp dataset, which contains 87 polyp masses, our proposed method outperforms both single sub-group based and 13 directional GLCM based CNN model by at least 1.3% in AUC by the average of 20 times 2 fold cross validation experiment results.
First-Year Engineering Student Perceptions and Use of iPad Technologies: A Quantitative Investigation of Mobile Learning

This Innovative Practice Category Work in Progress paper will provide preliminary data about how iPad technologies and applications are being used to facilitate the learning process in engineering education. Frequency of use of iPads for learning, collaboration, and reflection in first year engineering (FYE) courses, as well as overall perception of the value of the iPad was explored. Classifying the specific uses of the iPad in FYE is unique in understanding student perceptions of mobile learning. Frequency and type of use, along with perception of perceived value were measured using a survey asking students who had completed one semester of engineering education to rate how, where, and how frequently they used the iPad in FYE. Perceptions of value to the learning process were measured using a 5-point Likert-type scale. There were 251 usable responses for this preliminary analysis, collected from students using an iPad in both dedicated iPad sections and non-dedicated iPad sections of FYE. Students reported a high level of use of the iPad for FYE outside of the classroom, a moderate to high level in the classroom, and a low level of use for FYE laboratory activities. Students frequently use the iPad for learning and collaboration activities. The iPad is used less frequently for reflection activities. Most students use the iPad to access the course management system and for note taking with the Notability application. Many students also use it for drawing and for watching instructional videos. Perceptions of value are low to moderate, with value for group activities and for improving the FYE experience having the highest mean values. Value for improving the FYE experience is found to positively correlate to the desire to use the iPad for other courses in the future.This preliminary work will lead to additional analysis of the full set of questions from the student FYE survey, additional comparisons between iPad and non-iPad designated course sections, as well as an analysis and comparison to data collected from a second survey implemented with the FYE course instructors.
Association between kidney disease measures and intracranial atherosclerosis: The ARIC study

Objective To test the association between reduced kidney function (assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] and cystatin C [CysC]) and kidney damage (assessed by urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio [ACR]) and intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) by high-resolution vessel wall MRI (VWMRI) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of ARIC participants with data on kidney measures and VWMRI in 2011 to 2013. The main outcomes were presence of intracranial plaques and luminal stenosis. Multivariable models were adjusted for demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, and use of antithrombotic medications. Results A total of 1,762 participants (mean ± SD age, 76.3 ± 5.3) were included. eGFR based on CysC (eGFRcysc) 70% stenosis or occlusion (adjusted OR 2.15, 95% CI 1.32–3.50). Neither ACR nor CysC showed statistically significant associations with ICAD features in adjusted models. In adjusted multinomial models, participants with eGFRcysc Conclusion In community-dwelling older adults, reduced kidney function or elevated kidney damage was associated with ICAD measured by VWMRI. This finding may help to better identify a population at high risk for ICAD.
Bilirubin remodels murine white adipose tissue by reshaping mitochondrial activity and the coregulator profile of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α

Activation of lipid-burning pathways in the fat-storing white adipose tissue (WAT) is a promising strategy to improve metabolic health and reduce obesity, insulin resistance, and type II diabetes. For unknown reasons, bilirubin levels are negatively associated with obesity and diabetes. Here, using mice and an array of approaches, including MRI to assess body composition, biochemical assays to measure bilirubin and fatty acids, MitoTracker-based mitochondrial analysis, immunofluorescence, and high-throughput coregulator analysis, we show that bilirubin functions as a molecular switch for the nuclear receptor transcription factor peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor α (PPARα). Bilirubin exerted its effects by recruiting and dissociating specific coregulators in WAT, driving the expression of PPARα target genes such as uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1) and adrenoreceptor β 3 (Adrb3). We also found that bilirubin is a selective ligand for PPARα and does not affect the activities of the related proteins PPARγ and PPARδ. We further found that diet-induced obese mice with mild hyperbilirubinemia have reduced WAT size and an increased number of mitochondria, associated with a restructuring of PPARα-binding coregulators. We conclude that bilirubin strongly affects organismal body weight by reshaping the PPARα coregulator profile, remodeling WAT to improve metabolic function, and reducing fat accumulation.
Ablation of Ventricular Tachycardia Using a Non-ventricular Site

A 49 year old man with a non-ischemic cardiomyopathy and a mechanical mitral valve presented with unstable ventricular tachycardia for ablation. Multiple procedural and mapping strategies were considered. Ultimately, the posterior superior process of the left ventricle accessed from the right atrium was a critical target site for ablation.
The mean seasonal cycle in relative sea level from satellite altimetry and gravimetry

Satellite altimetry and gravimetry are used to determine the mean seasonal cycle in relative sea level, a quantity relevant to coastal flooding and related applications. The main harmonics (annual, semiannual, terannual) are estimated from 25 years of gridded altimetry, while several conventional altimeter “corrections” (gravitational tide, pole tide, and inverted barometer) are restored. To transform from absolute to relative sea levels, a model of vertical land motion is developed from a high-resolution seasonal mass inversion estimated from satellite gravimetry. An adjustment for annual geocenter motion accounts for use of a center-of-mass reference frame in satellite orbit determination. A set of 544 test tide gauges, from which seasonal harmonics have been estimated from hourly measurements, is used to assess how accurately each adjustment to the altimeter data helps converge the results to true relative sea levels. At these gauges, the median annual and semiannual amplitudes are 7.1 cm and 2.2 cm, respectively. The root-mean-square differences with altimetry are 3.24 and 1.17 cm, respectively, which are reduced to 1.93 and 0.86 cm after restoration of corrections and adjustment for land motion. Example outliers highlight some limitations of present-day coastal altimetry owing to inadequate spatial resolution: upwelling and currents off Oregon and wave setup at Minamitori Island.
Terminal 10q26.12 deletion is associated with neonatal asymmetric crying facies syndrome: a case report and literature review.

The terminal 10q26 deletion syndrome is a clinically heterogeneous disorder without identified genotype–phenotype correlations. We reported a case of congenital asymmetric crying facies (ACF) syndrome with 10q26.12qter deletion and discussed their genotype–phenotype correlations and the potentially contributing genes involving the etiology of ACF. We reported a case of neonatal 10q26.12qter deletion and summarized the genotype–phenotype correlations and contributing genes of 10q26.12qter deletion from DECIPHER database and published studies. Meanwhile, we analyzed the potential pathogenic genes contributing to 10q26 deletion syndrome. The female preterm infant harboring 10q26.12qter deletion showed symptoms of abnormal craniofacial appearance with rare congenital asymmetric crying facies, developmental retardation, congenital heart disease, and pulmonary artery hypertension. The deleted region was 13.28 Mb in size as detected by G-banding and array comparative genome hybridization, containing 62 Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) catalog genes. We summarized data from 17 other patients with 10q26.12qter deletion, 11 from the DECIPHER database and 6 from published studies. Patients with monoallelic WDR11 and FGFR2 deletions located in 10q26.12q26.2 were predisposed to craniofacial dysmorphisms, growth retardation, intellectual disability and cardiac diseases. ACF is a facial dysmorphism frequently accompanied by other systemic deformities. It is a genetic abnormality that may associate with terminal 10q26.12 deletion. Early cardiac, audiologic, cranial examinations and genetic detection are needed to guide early diagnosis and treatment strategy.
Flood Risk Management: Disparate State and Federal Standards

This paper seeks to examine the justification behind and the feasibility of implementing the higher flood standards adopted under Federal Flood Risk Management Standard and other regional authorities at the state and local level, with the goal of reducing floodplain risk exposure.
The essential role of hypusine in eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4D (eIF-4D). Purification of eIF-4D and its precursors and comparison of their activities.

Abstract Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4D (eIF-4D) is the only protein known to contain the amino acid, hypusine [N epsilon-(4-amino-2-hydroxybutyl)lysine]. This unusual amino acid is formed post-translationally by modification of a single specific lysine residue in an eIF-4D precursor protein. Two separate eIF-4D precursors, each of which contains a lysine residue in place of the hypusine residue and each of which thereby serves as a protein substrate for the hypusine modification, were purified from DL-2-difluoromethylornithine-treated Chinese hamster ovary cells by means of a five-step procedure. These two precursors termed PI and PII both have apparent molecular masses of approximately 17 kDa, indistinguishable from that of eIF-4D, but exhibit more acidic isoelectric points (5.1 and 5.25 for PI and PII, respectively, compared with 5.37 for eIF-4D). These physical characteristics, together with other properties, indicate that eIF-4D differs from PII only in possessing the hypusine residue in place of a lysine residue, whereas an additional structural difference exists between PI and eIF-4D. eIF-4D from CHO cells provides a significant enhancement of methionyl-puromycin synthesis, a model assay for translation initiation. Neither PI nor PII stimulates this in vitro system. These findings are the first direct evidence that hypusine is essential for the biological activity of eIF-4D.
Free metanephrine in human amniotic fluid as an index of fetal sympathetic nervous system maturation

Free metanephrine, a major metabolite of catecholamines, was measured in the amniotic fluid of 113 pregnant patients at various gestational ages. The results indicate that prior to 30 weeks the levels of free metanephrine are below the level of assay sensitivity. After 30 weeks' gestation there is a positive correlation of free metanephrine concentrations in amniotic fluid with gestational age. In addition there is a further increase in free metanephrine levels in amniotic fluid with labor.
Knee extension torque variability after exercise in ACL reconstructed knees.

The purpose of this study was to compare knee extension torque variability in patients with ACL reconstructed knees before and after exercise. Thirty two patients with an ACL reconstructed knee (ACL-R group) and 32 healthy controls (control group) completed measures of maximal isometric knee extension torque (90° flexion) at baseline and following a 30-min exercise protocol (post-exercise). Exercise included 30-min of repeated cycles of inclined treadmill walking and hopping tasks. Dependent variables were the coefficient of variation (CV) and raw-change in CV (ΔCV): CV = (torque standard deviation/torque mean x 100), ΔCV = (post-exercise – baseline). There was a group-by-time interaction (p = 0.03) on CV. The ACL-R group demonstrated greater CV than the control group at baseline (ACL-R = 1.07 ± 0.55, control = 0.79 ± 0.42, p = 0.03) and post-exercise (ACL-R = 1.60 ± 0.91, control = 0.94 ± 0.41, p = 0.001). ΔCV was greater (p = 0.03) in the ACL-R group (0.52 ± 0.82) than control group (0.15 ± 0.46). CV significantly increased from baseline to post-exercise (p = 0.001) in the ACL-R group, while the control group did not (p = 0.06). The ACL-R group demonstrated greater knee extension torque variability than the control group. Exercise increased torque variability more in the ACL-R group than control group. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:1165–1170, 2015.
More ubiquitous undetermined games and other results on uncountable length games in Boolean algebras

This paper surveys some of the known theory for countable length games related to distributive laws in Boolean algebras. The results can be naturally extended to uncountable length games, and detailed proofs are given. In particular, we show the following for uncountable length games related to distributive laws in Boolean algebras.When |k <k |=k there is a Boolean algebra in which &#x1D4D6; k 1 (2)is undetermined. &#x1D4D6; k 1 (∞) is equivalent to G II k , the strategically closed forcing game. Under certain weak assumptions on cardinal arithmetic, Player II having a winning strategy for G I k implies &#x1D539; has a dense subtree which is + -closed.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae sln1p-ssk1p two-component system mediates response to oxidative stress and in an oxidant-specific fashion

Abstract Aerobic organisms experience oxidative stress due to generation of reactive oxygen species during normal aerobic metabolism. In addition, environmental γ and UV radiation, as well as several chemicals also generate reactive oxygen species, which induce oxidative stress. Thus oxidative stress constitutes a major threat to organisms living in aerobic environments. Oxidative stress induces the expression of several genes in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. However, the primary sensor(s) that trigger the response is unknown. This study demonstrates that primary sensors of osmotic stress, the Sln1p-Ssk1p two-component proteins, are involved in sensing oxidative stress specifically induced by hydrogen peroxide and diamide, but not by other oxidants used in the study. Wild type and sln1-ssk1 mutant were treated with hydrogen peroxide, diamide, menadione, UV, and γ-radiation. Results show that sln1-ssk1 mutant is only sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and diamide but not to other oxidants. S. cerevisiae contains an additional cell surface osmosensor, Sho1p, that targets the osmotic signal to Hog1p. Data is presented that shows Sho1 and Hog1 proteins are also involved in signaling oxidant-specific cellular damage. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that expression of the mammalian homolog of Hog1p provides protection from oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide. These results suggest that Sln1p-Ssk1p and Sho1p signal transduction pathways participate in oxidative stress response. However, this response to oxidative stress is limited to specific oxidants.
Use of FITC-labeled influenza virus and flow cytometry to assess binding and internalization of virus by monocytes-macrophages and lymphocytes

The binding of influenza virus to the surface of cells and the internalization of virus particles by all or a subset of cells are key points in the pathogenesis of viral infection. The current studies established a method for discrimination of surface-bound from internalized influenza virus. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was attached to the viral hemagglutinin and neuraminidase proteins; the fluorescent virus retained infectivity. A flow cytometric technique was then adapted for study of virus-cell interactions, with addition of ethidium bromide to quench green fluorescence associated with FITC-labeled virus that was cell-bound but remained external. Ethidium bromide was excluded by intact cell membranes, and internalized virions retained green fluorescence. Cells could be examined by fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry, with flow cytometry allowing rapid, kinetic assessment of large numbers of cells and subsets of virus-exposed cells. The data showed that, whereas a majority of both monocytes-macrophages and lymphocytes bound influenza virus, a large percentage of monocytes-macrophages but only a very small percentage of lymphocytes internalized the virus. This procedure provides a simple and effective method to distinguish surface-bound from internalized influenza virus, and allows precise kinetic analyses on large numbers of cells.