cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A2A antagonist prevents dopamine agonist-induced motor complications in animal models of Parkinson’s disease

Adenosine A(2A) receptors, abundantly expressed on striatal medium spiny neurons, appear to activate signaling cascades implicated in the regulation of coexpressed ionotropic glutamatergic receptors. To evaluate the contribution of adenosinergic mechanisms to the pathogenesis of the response alterations induced by dopaminergic treatment, we studied the ability of the selective adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonist KW-6002 to prevent as well as palliate these syndromes in rodent and primate models of Parkinson's disease. In rats, KW-6002 reversed the shortened motor response produced by chronic levodopa treatment while reducing levodopa-induced hyperphosphorylation at S845 residues on AMPA receptor GluR1 subunits. In primates, KW-6002 evidenced modest antiparkinsonian activity when given alone. Once-daily coadministration of KW-6002 with apomorphine prevented the development of dyskinesias, which appeared in control animals 7-10 days after initiating apomorphine treatment. Animals initially given apomorphine plus KW-6002 for 3 weeks did not begin to manifest apomorphine-induced dyskinesias until 10-12 days after discontinuing the A(2A) antagonist. These results suggest that KW-6002 can attenuate the induction as well as the expression of motor response alterations to chronic dopaminergic stimulation in parkinsonian animals, possibly by blocking A(2A) receptor-stimulated signaling pathways. Our findings strengthen the rationale for developing A(2A) antagonists as an early treatment strategy for Parkinson's disease.
Impact of large cutoff-effects on algorithms for improved Wilson fermions

As a feasibility study for a scaling test we investigate the behavior of algorithms for dynamical fermions in the Nf =2 Schrodinger functional at an intermediate volume of 1fm 4 . Simulations were performed using HMC with two pseudo-fermions and PHMC at lattice spacings of approximately 0.1 and 0.07fm. We show that some algorithmic problems are due to large cutoff-effects in the spectrum of the improved Wilson-Dirac operator and disappear at the smaller lattice spacing. The problems discussed here are not expected to be specific to the Schrodinger functional.
Accumulation of volcaniclastic aprons in the Mount Dutton Formation (Oligocene-Miocene), Marysvale volcanic field, Utah

Volcaniclastic rocks in the Mount Dutton Formation form coalescing aprons of lahar deposits around several volcanoes. The aprons accumulated across a featureless alluvial plain in an arid to semi-arid climate. Under these conditions, debris flows dominated apron construction, building large aprons extending as much as 27 km from the flank of the source volcano. Three distinct but gradational lithofacies assemblages within the aprons show a proximal to distal change from thickly bedded, coarse lahar deposits to thinly bedded, fine-grained ones. This lithofacies change represents a change from channelized flow on the proximal apron to unchannelized flow on the medial apron. Unconfined flow on the medial apron, together with lower slope, caused lahars to deposit the bulk of their sediment load. Most deposition in distal areas resulted from small, dilute lahars. Large lahars capable of transporting coarse sediment into distal areas were rare. The aprons also show a down-apron decrease in abundance of debris-flow deposits, corresponding to an increase in hyperconcentrated flow deposits. This trend represents reworking of more proximal deposits by floods that did not form debris flows, rather than flow transformation from debris flow to hyperconcentrated flow. Arid climate and unchannelized flow prevented the flow transformation that is a common feature of volcaniclastic deposits in the Pacific Northwest, where glacially dissected valleys with permanent streams control flow of lahars away from the volcanoes.
Consistency of Financial Interest Disclosures in the Biomedical Literature: The Case of Coronary Stents

Background: Disclosure of authors’ financial interests has been proposed as a strategy for protecting the integrity of the biomedical literature. We examined whether authors’ financial interests were disclosed consistently in articles on coronary stents published in 2006. Methodology/Principal Findings: We searched PubMed for English-language articles published in 2006 that provided evidence or guidance regarding the use of coronary artery stents. We recorded article characteristics, including information about authors’ financial disclosures. The main outcome measures were the prevalence, nature, and consistency of financial disclosures. There were 746 articles, 2985 authors, and 135 journals in the database. Eighty-three percent of the articles did not contain disclosure statements for any author (including declarations of no interests). Only 6% of authors had an article with a disclosure statement. In comparisons between articles by the same author, the types of disagreement were as follows: no disclosure statements vs declarations of no interests (64%); specific disclosures vs no disclosure statements (34%); and specific disclosures vs declarations of no interests (2%). Among the 75 authors who disclosed at least 1 relationship with an organization, there were 2 cases (3%) in which the organization was disclosed in every article the author wrote. Conclusions/Significance: In the rare instances when financial interests were disclosed, they were not disclosed consistently, suggesting that there are problems with transparency in an area of the literature that has important implications for patient care. Our findings suggest that the inconsistencies we observed are due to both the policies of journals and the behavior of some authors.
Extremal optimization at the phase transition of the three-coloring problem

We investigate the phase transition in vertex coloring on random graphs, using the extremal optimization heuristic. Three-coloring is among the hardest combinatorial optimization problems and is equivalent to a 3-state anti-ferromagnetic Potts model. Like many other such optimization problems, it has been shown to exhibit a phase transition in its ground state behavior under variation of a system parameter: the graph’s mean vertex degree. This phase transition is often associated with the instances of highest complexity. We use extremal optimization to measure the ground state cost and the “backbone,” an order parameter related to ground state overlap, averaged over a large number of instances near the transition for random graphs of size n up to 512. For these graphs, benchmarks show that extremal optimization reaches ground states and explores a sufficient number of them to give the correct backbone value after about Osn 3.5 d update steps. Finite size scaling yields a critical mean degree value ac = 4.703s28d. Furthermore, the exploration of the degenerate ground states indicates that the backbone order parameter, measuring the constrainedness of the problem, exhibits a first-order phase transition.
Optimal treatment of campylobacter dysentery.

A 9 day old Caucasian female infant was admitted to a general pediatric floor from an outside hospital for a 23 hour observation and treatment of dehydration associated with severe diarrhea. Parents reported frequent stools for 4 days prior to admission with possible hematochezia 1 day prior to admission. Stools were occurring every 15 to 20 minutes at times. No vomiting or fever accompanied the diarrheal episodes. The child’s formula was changed 3 days prior to admission with no improvement in symptoms. Her birth history included an uncomplicated vaginal delivery at 38 weeks, with a birth weight of 2.93 kg. No medical problems or abnormalities had been identified prior to this hospital admission. She had no previous contact with sick individuals or exposure to pets. The patient’s mother has alpha I antitrypsin deficiency, but no other pertinent family history was identified. On admission, the patient weighed 2.77 kg and the physical exam revealed soft and flat fontanelles, and pink, wet oral mucosa. Bowel sounds were present throughout and the abdomen was soft and non-distended. Stools were sent to the lab for culture and sensitivity. The
Periodic and aperiodic superconducting microstructures

Abstract We summarize some recent activities of our group involving e-beam and optically patterned,Nbbased, superconducting nanostructures, as well as related computer modeling studies. Thedevices described are: i) Fiske cavities buried in a Nb base layer and driven by an overlyingNb/AlOx/Nb Josephson oscillator junction, ii) Nb/AlOx/AIJAIOx/Nb (SINIS) five-layerdouble junctions which Maezava and Shoji have observed to perform as nonhysteretic SNSJosephson single junctions, and iii) critical current measurements on e-beam patterned, two-dimensional arrays of periodic and aperiodic ferromagnetic Ni 'dots' embedded in a Nb filmWe also describe a method of "base-electrode planerization" leading to more uniform junctionformation. The computer modeling studies involve the stable and unstable solution states in astatic magnetic field of current-biased single and double Josephson junctions. I. Introduction For many years, activity involving Josephson junctions has been narrowly limited to single
Evaluation of the Hand of Certain Flame-Retardant Fabrics

Three types of flame-retardant fabrics available for children's sleepwear were evaluated for fabric hand and ab sorbency. The fabric hand was determined as a linear function of objective measurements of flexural rigidity, coefficient of friction, and compactness and subjective hand rating of the test panel. The analysis of response profile indicated that roughness and openness were preferred to smoothness and compactness for four sets of sleepwear fabrics evaluated. The expected utility value of the test fabric was 0.49, and the level of quality of the IDP fabric was neither high nor low; therefore, there was an equal chance of the class product being accepted or rejected by consumers. The absorb ency of , the test fabrics measured by an average wetting time varied considerably, and it seems from the test result that it was mainly influenced by fiber content and not related to flame-retardant finishes or additives.
Short- and long-term weathering rates of a feldspar fraction isolated from an arid zone soil

Numerous studies have established that laboratory determined weathering rates are several orders of magnitude greater than rates derived from field studies at the catchment or basin scale. The laboratory rates have been determined on specimen minerals or rock isolates which were subsequently crushed. Some samples were pretreated to remove organic coatings and possible carbonate contamination. Using magnetic, density, and size separation, we isolated a plagioclase (An20)-K-feldspar fraction from an arid zone soil (classified as Pachappa, Mollic Haploxeralf). Silica release rates decreased with time and after up to 3.7 years were in the range 0.02 × 10−12 mol m−2 s−1, when surface area is expressed with BET surface area or 0.6 × 10−12 mol m−2 s−1, when expressed with geometric surface area. These Si rates are in good agreement with published field rates, as are the individual mineral dissolution rates calculated from mineral abundance and cation release. These data are in contrast to faster laboratory determined rates based on crushed or ground samples, or shorter reaction times. Based on laboratory studies with and without various pretreatments, we conclude that organic and Fe oxide surface coatings due to natural weathering are not the explanation for our low reaction rates. Apparently even mild treatment such as sonification and sieving results in enhanced weathering which persists for more than 100 days.
Large Sample Theory

In calculus courses, the concept of convergence of sequences is introduced. In this section, we will generalize that concept to include different types of stochastic convergence.
On the Acceleration of Shortest Path Calculations in Transportation Networks

Shortest path algorithms are key elements of many graph problems. They are used in such applications as online direction finding and navigation, and modeling of traffic for large scale simulations of major metropolitan areas. As shortest path algorithm are execution bottlenecks, it is beneficial to move their execution to parallel hardware such as field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). One of the innovations of this approach is the use of a small bubble sort core to produce the extract-min function. While bubble sort is not usually considered an appropriate algorithm for any non-trivial usage, it is appropriate in this case as it can produce a single minimum out of the list in O(n) cycles, where n is the number of elements in the vertex list. The cost of this min operation does not impact the running time of the architecture, because the queue depth for fetching the next set of edges from memory is roughly equivalent to the number of cores in the system. Additionally, this work provides a collection of simulation results that model the behavior of the node queue in hardware. The results show that a hardware queue, implementing a small bubble-type minimum function, need only be on the order of 16 elements to provide both correct and optimal paths. With support for a large DRAM graph store with SRAM-based caching on a Cray XD-1 FPGA-accelerated system, the system provides a speedup of roughly 50x over the CPU-based implementation.
Control, routing and mode-locking generation of light bullets in planar waveguide arrays

A theoretical model of the mode-locking of light bullets in a planar slab waveguide array geometry is presented. The model yields three-dimensional localized light bullets that act as global attractors for particular parameter values. These light bullets can be controlled via non-uniformities in the gain applied to the array. This manipulation is robust and allows for bullet routing as well as the production of the NAND and NOR logic gates.
Effects of Interventions On Relapse To Narcotics Addiction An Event-History Analysis

Event-history analysis was applied to the life history data of narcotics addicts to specify the concurrent, postintervention, and durational effects of social interventions on relapse to narcot ics addiction. Data were based on two face-to-face interviews conducted in 1974/1975 and 1985/1986 to continue follow-up investigations of 581 male narcotics addicts who were admitted to the California Civil Addict Program from 1962 to 1964. A separate hazard rate model was applied to data collected at each interview to reflect the respective stages of addiction careers In the first model, both methadone maintenance (MM) and legal supervision (LS) showed a concurrent effect of postponing relapse to addiction, and the effect of MM was stronger than LS. The second model indicated a higher relapse risk during the year after MM termination (relative to those that had not been on MM) and a positive relation between the length of time on MM and subsequent relapse. The results suggest either that those long-term narcotics...
The Impact of Social Skills Training on the Adjustment of Children with Newly Diagnosed Cancer

Randomized 64 children ages 5 to 13 years with newly diagnosed cancer to either a Social Skills Training experimental treatment group or a School Reintegration standard treatment group. Children who received explicit training in social skills reported higher perceived classmate and teacher social support at the 9-month follow-up in comparison to pretreatment levels, while parents reported a decrease in internalizing and externalizing behavior problems and an increase in school competence. Methodological improvements for Phase III clinical trials are addressed.
Holographic reflective liquid-crystal display

Holographically reflective LCDs are approaching the production phase in Motorola portable products. They add improved performance and product differentiation to TN, STN and FSTN LCDs. Key features include up to two to three times improvement in brightness and contrast and elimination of image degradation due to glare. Without consuming additional power, the hologram provides a backlit appearance which further differentiates the product. Moreover, the current version of the holographic reflector has been tuned to the LCD so that the effective viewing cone is retained or even expanded slightly.
Cytokine-Induced Human Multinucleated Giant Cells Have Enhanced Candidacidal Activity and Oxidative Capacity Compared with Macrophages

The granulomatous response to infection is characterized by formation of multinucleated giant cells (MGC). A model has been developed for the study of MGC using fresh human peripheral blood monocytes cultured in medium supplemented with autologous serum and a combination of recombinant human interferon-gamma and interleukin-3 (100 units/mL each). Differential Giemsa staining demonstrated a 53% increase in candidacidal activity of MGC (35.1% +/- 2.0% of ingested organisms were killed by MGC) compared with identically cultured mononuclear macrophages (which killed 22.9% +/- 1.8% of organisms ingested; P less than .05). There was no significant difference in the number of organisms ingested. MGC stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate produced 2.2 times as much superoxide anion per unit of cytoplasmic protein as identically cultured and stimulated macrophages (34.3 vs. 16.2 nmol of superoxide/microgram of cell protein; P less than .01). This was corroborated with single-cell measurements of oxidative activity using digital image analysis. These observations support the hypothesis that MGC have an advantage in microbicidal activity over macrophages that may be due, at least in part, to enhanced oxidative capacity.
Mechanical Forces in Endothelial Cells during Firm Adhesion and Early Transmigration of Human Monocytes

Transmigration of leukocytes across the endothelial barrier is a tightly controlled process involving multiple steps, including rolling adhesion, firm adhesion, and then penetration of leukocytes through the endothelial monolayer. While the key molecular signals have been described in great detail, we are only just beginning to unveil the mechanical forces involved in this process. Here, using a microfabricated system that reports traction forces generated by cells, we describe forces generated by endothelial cells during monocyte firm adhesion and transmigration. Average traction force across the endothelial monolayer increased dramatically when monocytes firmly adhered and transmigrated. Interestingly, the endothelial cell that was in direct contact with the monocyte exhibited much larger traction forces relative to its neighbors, and the direction of these traction forces aligned centripetally with respect to the monocyte. The increase in traction force occurred in the local subcellular zone of monocyte adhesion, and dissipated rapidly with distance. To begin to characterize the basis for this mechanical effect, we show that beads coated with anti-ICAM-1 or VCAM-1 antibodies bound to monolayers could reproduce this effect. Taken together, this study provides a new approach to examining the role of cellular mechanics in regulating leukocyte transmigration through the endothelium.
Endovascular Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke in the Setting of Anticoagulation

Background and Purpose— Oral anticoagulation (OAC) plays a major role in atrial fibrillation stroke prevention but represents a contraindication to intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator. Intra-arterial therapy remains a potential reperfusion strategy in these patients; however, supporting data are scarce. Methods— Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected consecutive intra-arterial therapies from October 2010 to March 2015 comparing OAC (vitamin-K antagonists and novel oral anticoagulants) versus normal hemostasis versus intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator patients. Primary safety end point is parenchymal hematoma. Secondary safety end point is 90-day mortality. Efficacy end points are successful reperfusion (modified Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction, 2b-3) and good outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score of 0–2). Logistic regression for predictors of parenchymal hematoma was performed. Results— A total of 604 patients were qualified for the study. Baseline and outcomes variables were overall similar for vitamin-K antagonists (n=29) and novel oral anticoagulants (n=17) patients. When compared with normal hemostasis (n=265) and intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator (n=297), OAC (n=46) patients were older and had more comorbidities. There were no statistically significant differences in the rates of parenchymal hematoma (8% versus 5%; P =0.42), 90-day modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 (30% versus 40%; P =0.26), and 90-day mortality (32% versus 26%; P =0.46) among OAC and normal hemostasis patients. Similarly, there were no significant differences between OAC and intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator patients in terms of parenchymal hematoma (8% versus 4%; P =0.16), 90-day modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 (30% versus 43%; P =0.13), and 90-day mortality (32% versus 22%; P =0.18). The use of OAC was not associated with the occurrence of parenchymal hematoma on multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusions— Intra-arterial therapy seems to be safe in patients taking OACs; however, our study showed a nonsignificant increase in hemorrhage and mortality with a nonsignificant decrease in good outcomes in comparison with non-OAC patients. Although these nominal differences may have been related to older age and more comorbidities in the OAC group, larger studies are needed to confirm our findings given our limited sample size.
Assessing Research Competency in a Medical School Environment

The goals of undergraduate medical student research experiences are extremely variable. A uniform tool to assess experiences that link expected competencies to performance is not available. Competencies for students participating in research, aligned with ACGME core competencies, were delineated and an assessment tool was constructed to provide feedback to students. Competencies include Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism. An overall assessment rating is derived and longitudinal assessment of students is possible.
Solubility studies of inorganic-organic hybrid nanoparticle photoresists with different surface functional groups.

The solubility behavior of Hf and Zr based hybrid nanoparticles with different surface ligands in different concentrations of photoacid generator as potential EUV photoresists was investigated in detail. The nanoparticles regardless of core or ligand chemistry have a hydrodynamic diameter of 2–3 nm and a very narrow size distribution in organic solvents. The Hansen solubility parameters for nanoparticles functionalized with IBA and 2MBA have the highest contribution from the dispersion interaction than those with tDMA and MAA, which show more polar character. The nanoparticles functionalized with unsaturated surface ligands showed more apparent solubility changes after exposure to DUV than those with saturated ones. The solubility differences after exposure are more pronounced for films containing a higher amount of photoacid generator. The work reported here provides material selection criteria and processing strategies for the design of high performance EUV photoresists.
A vision for using online portals for surveillance of patient-centered communication in cancer care

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is charged with providing high-quality health care, not only in terms of technical competence but also with regard to patient-centered care experiences. Patient-centered coordination of care and communication are especially important in cancer care, as deficiencies in these areas have been implicated in many cases of delayed cancer diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, because cancer care facilities are concentrated within the VHA system, geographical and system-level barriers may present prominent obstacles to quality care. Systematic assessment of patient-centered communication (PCC) may help identify both individual veterans who are at risk of suboptimal care and opportunities for quality improvement initiatives at the service, facility, or system-wide level. In this manuscript, we describe our vision to implement an assessment of PCC through patient self-report to improve the quality of cancer care and other health services in the VHA. We outline a possible strategy to assess PCC that leverages the VHA's existing initiative to promote use of an online personal health record for veterans (MyHealtheVet). Questionnaires administered periodically or following specific episodes of care can be targeted to assess PCC in cancer care. Assessment of PCC can also be tied to clinical and administrative data for more robust analysis of patient outcomes. Ultimately, the goal of any assessment of PCC is to gather valid, actionable data that can assist VHA clinicians and staff with providing the best possible care for veterans with cancer.
Maximizing quantitative traits in the mating design problem via simulation-based Pareto estimation

ABSTRACTCommercial plant breeders improve economically important traits by selectively mating individuals from a given breeding population. Potential pairings are evaluated before the growing season using Monte Carlo simulation, and a mating design is created to allocate a fixed breeding budget across the parent pairs to achieve desired population outcomes. We introduce a novel objective function for this mating design problem that accurately models the goals of a certain class of breeding experiments. The resulting mating design problem is a computationally burdensome simulation optimization problem on a combinatorially large set of feasible points. We propose a two-step solution to this problem: (i) simulate to estimate the performance of each parent pair and (ii) solve an estimated version of the mating design problem, which is an integer program, using the simulation output. To reduce the computational burden when implementing steps (i) and (ii), we analytically identify a Pareto set of parent pairs t...
The Hyperion 2.1 Green Aircraft Project

The Hyperion 2.1 aircraft is a NASA/Boeing X48B inspired blended wing body aircraft. Hyperion 2.1 is an autonomous unmanned aircraft with a 3.2 m wingspan and a blendedwing-body structure that was designed to investigate two green aircraft technologies: aerodynamic efficiency and hybrid propulsion. The carbon fiber aircraft runs on a Tigon Enertec® hybrid propulsion system, reducing noise and fuel emissions from the combination of high L/D ratio, low weight, and hybrid electric/gasoline propulsion system. The autonomous system serves to increase stability, flight time and distance capabilities expected necessary for a broad range of future applications. Hyperion’s unique architecture and advanced subsystems establish novel technologies that can be incorporated into UAV, general aviation, or other commercial markets. Furthermore, the advantages of quiet and fuel efficient takeoff and landing acquired from the hybrid propulsion system and aerodynamic design have become a top priority for FAA-sponsored regional transport aircraft research in their effort to reduce environmental impact at airports. This paper focuses on one major Hyperion accomplishments of 2012: The fabrication and integration of the carbon fiber internal and external wings, and the corresponding structural analysis produced to ensure structural integrity.
Abstract C30: p53-independent 8-amino-adenosine mediated breast cancer cell death

Nucleoside analogues are routinely used as breast cancer chemotherapeutics however which death pathways they trigger in the various subtypes of breast cancer, based on the p53 biomarker status, has not been adequately assessed. Here we compare the effectiveness of the novel compound 8-amino-adenosine to gemcitabine (a commonly used nucleoside analogue for the treatment of breast cancer). Gemcitabine requires functional wild-type p53 to work as a cytotoxic drug and we asked if 8-amino-adenosine could act as a cytotoxic agent independently of p53. We found that regardless of the p53-status, 8-amino-adenosine was highly cytotoxic in a panel of breast cancer cell lines. 8-amino-adenosine was a more effective cytotoxic agent than either gemcitabine or etoposide in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 (having wild-type p53) or MDA-MB-468 and T47-D, (having oncogenic mutant p53) as well as with the cell line MDA-MB-231 (highly metastatic containing mutant p53). Importantly, in the presence of wild-type p53, in contrast to the outcomes with gemcitabine and etoposide, 8-amino-adenosine did not increase transcription of the p53 target gene p21 or protein levels of either p53 or p21. The death pathway mediated by 8-amino-adenosine in MCF-7 cells was apoptotic as the pan-caspase inhibitor ZVAD blocked cell death and PARP cleavage. Additionally, knockdown of functional p53 by inducible shRNA did not inhibit 8-amino-adenosine mediated cell death, further supporting a p53-independent death pathway. Interestingly, the death pathway mediated by 8-amino-adenosine in the metastatic cell line MDA-MB-231 (containing mutant p53) correlated with an increase in LC3-II and no PARP cleavage, suggesting an increase in autophagy. In conclusion, 8-amino-adenosine is cytotoxic to breast cancer cells with non-functional p53 and may be an effective treatment of breast cancer regardless of the status of the p53 biomarker. Acknowledgement: We thank Steven T. Rosen, Mala Shanmugam and Nancy Krett for the 8-amino-adenosine compound and valuable discussions. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation supported this work. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Second AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; 2011 Sep 14-18; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(18 Suppl):Abstract nr C30.
Safety Related Applications of Simple Optical-Electronic Sensors for Robots:

Many devices have been developed to promote the safety of people working with robots. The most promising appear to be on board passive sensors that involve optical-electronic vision sensors. An approach to evaluation of the adequacy of simple sensors is suggested.
Molecular Marker Detection of Restoring Line Ce 253,Ce 258 Bred by Wild Rice and Their Test Cross Combinations

The present study was conducted to detect the genetic expression of wild rice and cultivated rice parents in their hybridization progenies.Different wild rice(Tiandong,Tianyang,Tianlin wild rice),cultivated rice(IR36,IR24) parents and their hybridization progeny restoring lines(Ce 253,Ce 258) and test cross combinations(Boyou 253,Boyou 258) were used as materials and detected by 120 pairs of primers and SSR markers.It was found that among 120 pairs of primers,6 pairs of primers,viz.,RM28,RM287,RM347,RM303,RM278 and RM154 showed better effects on polymorphism of these rice materials.The amplification products of 6 pairs of SSR primers showed that the DNA fragments of wild rice had been introduced into restoring lines Ce 253,Ce 258 and test cross combinations Boyou 253,Boyou 258,and these fragments were located in different chromosomes.These results indicated that the introduction of nucleus genes from wild rice by distant hybridization would be an effective method to widen the genetic background of restoring line.
Calculation methods and Empirical Research on the Minimum Risk Hedge Ratio of the Stock Index Futures

As an important tool of risk management in capital market,the function of stock index futures is dependent on the determination of hedge ratio.This paper investigates various major calculation methods for the minimum risk hedge ratio on the basis of comprehensive study on the minimum risk portfolio hedge model,and makes a thorough empirical analysis of the Hengseng stock index futures hedge and validates the application of different methods on Hong Kong market.
Sheep Uterine Gland Knockout (UGKO) Model

Endometrial gland development is a postnatal event in the ovine uterus that can be inhibited epigenetically by chronic exposure of ewe lambs to a synthetic progestin after birth. The uterus of neonatally progestinized ewes lack endometrial glands and display a uterine gland knockout (UGKO) phenotype. Progestin ablation of endometrial gland development is specific, because it does not affect development of extra-uterine reproductive tract structures or the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. The UGKO ewe is a useful model for study of uterine development and the role of endometrial glands in uterine function during the estrous cycle and pregnancy. UGKO ewes exhibit altered estrous cycles due to the inability of the uterus to produce luteolytic pulses of prostaglandin F2alpha. UGKO ewes are infertile, and blastocysts hatch normally but fail to survive or elongate during early pregnancy. This pregnancy defect is primarily due to the absence of endometrial glands and their secretions rather than alterations in expression of either anti-adhesive or adhesive molecules on the endometrial epithelium. Genomics and proteomics are being used to identify specific components of histotroph that are absent or diminished in the UGKO ewe and will serve as markers of endometrial function and uterine receptivity.
Modelling thermal parasitic load lines for an optical refrigerator

Optical refrigeration is currently the only completely solid state cooling method capable of reaching cryogenic temperatures from room temperature. Optical cooling utilizing Yb:YLF as the refrigerant crystal has resulted in temperatures lower than 123K measured via a fluorescence thermometry technique. However, to be useful as a refrigerator this cooling crystal must be attached to a sensor or other payload. The phenomenology behind laser cooling, known as anti-Stokes fluorescence, has a relatively low efficiency which makes the system level optimization and limitation of parasitic losses imperative. We propose and model a variety of potential designs for a final optical refrigerator, enclosure and thermal link; calculate conductive and radiative losses, and estimate direct fluorescence reabsorption. We generate parasitic load-lines; these curves define temperature-dependent minimum heat lift thresholds that must be achieved to generate cooling for detectors.
Hypertension crisis among Haitian: Need global attention

Methodology: This is a descriptive, comparative, and correlational study. 277 male/female Haitians who were older than 18 years old and lived in rural areas were included into sample. It was a convenience sampling. The sample was collected in four different rural areas in Haiti from Jan 1 thru Jan 9th, 2014. The subjects who voluntarily walked into a free health clinic were screened with blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic blood pressure), pulse pressure, and heart rate. Descriptive analyses and t-test were used to achieve the study objectives.
Fuzzy detectabilities for fuzzy discrete event systems

Fuzzy discrete event systems are useful models for solving complex practical problems in biomedical and other fields. The theory of detectabilities in conventional crisp discrete event systems investigates state determination or estimation based on event observation. The theory is also important to fuzzy discrete event systems (e.g., disease diagnosis and treatment effectiveness evaluation). In this paper, we investigate fuzzy detectabilities for fuzzy discrete event systems. We first introduce fuzzy discrete event systems with constraints, which provide a new and more realistic model for complex systems. We also extend detectabilities of crisp discrete event systems to N-detectabilities and prove the relation between detectabilities and N-detectabilities. We then define fuzzy N-detectabilities and develop an algorithm to check fuzzy N-detectabilities of a fuzzy discrete event system. The computational complexity of the algorithm is analyzed.
Decompositions of D1 Modules

Continuity and quasicontinuity for modules may be viewed as generalizations of quasi-injectivity. A key property of quasi-continuous modules is that complements are summands. Modules with this special property are called extending modules or C1 modules. We investigate decomposition properties of dual-extending (D1) modules, those modules which are supplemented and for which each supplement is a summand. The notions of hollowness and dual Goldie dimension play a prominent role. Our results are analogous to results for extending modules developed by Camillo and Yousif.
An Examination of the Counting Talk Test's Ability to Discern Individual Variability in Exercise-Induced Metabolic Stress.

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to determine if the counting talk test can be used to discern whether an individual is exercising above or at/below maximal lactate steady state. Twenty-two participants completed VO2peak and counting talk test incremental step tests followed by an endurance test at 65% of work rate at VO2peak (WRVO2peak). The change in relative count time during endurance exercise decreased in those exercising above maximal lactate steady state only (p < .01); however, this change was less than 1 second. Despite a significant correlation during the incremental step test, large changes in counting talk test performance and blood lactate concentration occurred at different points and there was considerable inter-individual variability in counting talk test performance at a given blood lactate concentration. These results suggest that the counting talk test cannot discern whether an individual is exercising above maximal lactate steady state and that it cannot be used to accurately pres...
Feasibility of Assessing Suicide Ideation and History of Suicidal Behavior in Rural Communities.

Suicide in rural areas has not received significant attention in the research literature to this point, although suicide rates are higher among adults and older adults in rural areas than in urban areas. The aims of the study were as follows: (1) establish the feasibility of assessing suicide ideation and history of suicidal behavior; (2) determine preliminary estimates of the prevalence of suicide ideation, and history of suicide attempts; and (3) examine the effectiveness and acceptability of safety and referral plans for individuals whose responses indicated elevated suicide risk, in rural communities with limited access to referral care. Participants were 96 adults aged 40 to 85 years old (M = 57.34, SD = 11.47) residing in West Texas. Our results indicate that 26% of participants endorsed a lifetime history of suicide ideation and/or suicide attempt(s) and 12.5% reported suicide ideation in the past year. In addition, 93.4% of participants reported that participation in our suicide-focused study was an excellent or good experience. Results suggest that individuals in rural communities are willing to talk about suicide, found the experience helpful, and were satisfied with the referral process.
How Well Do We Know Our Students? A Comparison of Students' Priorities for Services and Librarians' Perceptions of Those Priorities

Abstract Perception gaps measure the disparity between the current state and the expected or desired state for a particular phenomenon. This research study examined the perception gaps between how undergraduate students at the University of Mississippi prioritized adding prospective services and how librarians at the University of Mississippi thought students prioritize those services. Card sorts completed by students during a prior study were compared to cards sorts completed by librarians to calculate the perception gap for sixty different services and spaces. The perception gaps for technology-related services were analyzed based on findings from the authors' prior study. The perception gaps revealed several services that librarians either notably underestimated (extended hours, natural lighting) or overestimated (3D printing, removing bookshelves to add study space). The perception gaps for items which students had the most and least interest were also analyzed.
Optimizing medication management for patients with cirrhosis: Evidence‐based strategies and their outcomes

Cirrhosis is a morbid condition associated with frequent hospitalizations and high mortality. Management of cirrhosis requires complex medication regimens to treat underlying liver disease, complications of cirrhosis and comorbid conditions. This review examines the complexities of medication management in cirrhosis, barriers to optimal medication use, and potential interventions to streamline medication regimens and avoid medication errors. A literature review was performed by searching PUBMED through December 2017 and article reference lists to identify articles relevant to medication management, complications, adherence, and interventions to improve medication use in cirrhosis. The structural barriers in cirrhosis include sheer medication complexity related to the number of medications and potential for cognitive impairment in this population, faulty medication reconciliation and limited adherence. Tested interventions have included patient self-education, provider driven patient education, intensive case management including medication blister packs and smartphone applications. Initiatives are needed to improve patient, caregiver and provider education on appropriate use of medications in patients with cirrhosis. A multidisciplinary team should be established to coordinate care with close monitoring, address patient and caregiver concerns, and to provide timely access to outpatient evaluation of urgent/complex issues. Future studies evaluating the clinical outcomes and cost effectiveness of interventions are needed.
Taking One Step Forward in Reservoir Characterization Using Artificial Neural Networks

Reservoir characterization is usually a long and costly process. Engineers, geologists and geophysicists use many different methodologies to characterize the hydrocarbon reservoirs. The conventional reservoir characterization studies normally involve a series of data collection and interpretation processes that can be cost prohibitive. This chapter reviews a collection of methods developed by the author over several years in order to generate a better understanding of reservoir characteristics only using the available data. These methodologies were developed using artificial neural networks and dates back to early 1990s. In this collection of studies, the types of data used for reservoir characterization are wireline logs, core data, and magnetic resonance logs. The outcomes of the reservoir characterization studies using the tools being introduced here are effective porosity, fluid saturation and formation permeability. Based on the amount and the quality of the available data one or more of the aforementioned reservoir properties can be characterized.
A Second-Generation Expert System for Computer-Aided Control System Design

Abstract The CACE-III expert system for designing series lead-lag compensators for single-input/single-output plants to satisfy three frequency-response specifications has been implemented using the Gold Works inference engine and expert-system development tools. The implementation makes use of the frames and user-interface features of Gold Works to provide an environment from which further extensions of the design approach or other design methods can be created in an orderly fashion. The control-analysis program Matrix x has been used to perform the required control-system modeling and analysis calculations at the request of the expert system The tools that have been developed for handling the varied interactions between the expert system and the numerical applications program are described. Also, a number of ways in which the present design system can be improved and expanded are presented
Studies of malformation syndromes VID: the G syndrome. Further observations.

An anatomic study of the organs of a 2-day-old female infant with severe repiratory manifestations of the G syndrome is presented. This case represents the third affected infant and first affected female of the J family. The first 2 male siblings were reported in previous communications. The developmental defects in this case include: failure of closure of the laryngotracheal groove, a high carina, hypoplasia of the left main stem bronchus, complete absence of the left lung, lack of major fissures of the right lung, a tracheo-esophageal fistula, agenesis of the gallbladder, and a stricture of the duodenum.
Adipose Tissue Inflammation and Adrenomedullin Overexpression Contribute to Lipid Dysregulation in Diabetic Pregnancies.

Context Impaired maternal lipid metabolism in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has detrimental effects on maternal health and fetal growth. We previously reported the excessive expression of adrenomedullin (ADM) and its receptors in GDM adipose tissues compared with normal glucose-tolerant pregnancies. In the present study, we determined the mechanisms underlying enhanced expression of ADM and its receptors. Design Omental adipose tissue (OAT) samples were collected from women during cesarian section of term pregnancy with nonoverweight (NOW; n = 9), overweight (OW; n = 8), obese (OBS; n = 10), and GDM (n = 10) status. Results The expression of ADM and its receptors was greater in OATs from GDM than from women who were NOW, OW, and OBS. The expression of adipokines, leptin, and resistin were significantly increased, but adiponectin was decreased in OATs from patients with GDM compared with those without GDM. Macrophage infiltration and TNF-α expression were greater in OAT from pregnant women with GDM than in pregnant women without GDM. Furthermore, TNF-α dose dependently increased mRNA for ADM and its receptor components calcitonin receptor-like receptor and receptor activity-modifying proteins 2 and 3 in OAT explants from women who were NOW. Human adipocytes treated with ADM significantly increased glycerol release in culture medium, and the increases of glycerol in culture medium of OAT from women with GDM were attenuated by ADM antagonists, ADM22-52. Conclusions Increased macrophage infiltration and TNF-α expression in adipose tissue from GDM, but not from OBS, tissues stimulate ADM and its receptor overexpression, leading to enhanced lipolysis and hyperlipidemia. This might contribute to fetal macrosomia and adiposity in diabetic pregnancies.
Prenatal Development of the Humpback Whale: Growth Rate, Tooth Loss and Skull Shape Changes in an Evolutionary Framework

Extant baleen whales (Mysticeti) share a distinct suite of extreme and unique adaptations to perform bulk filter feeding, such as a long, arched skull, and mandible and the complete loss of adult dentition in favor of baleen plates. However, mysticetes still develop tooth germs during ontogeny. In the fossil record, multiple groups document the transition from ancestral raptorial feeding to filter feeding. Fetal specimens give us an extraordinary opportunity to observe when and how this macroevolutionary transition occurs during gestation. We used iodine-enhanced and traditional CT scanning to visualize the internal anatomy of five fetuses of humpback whale representing the first two-thirds of gestation, and we combine these data with previously published reports to provide the first comprehensive qualitative description of the sequence of developmental changes that characterize the skull and dentition. We also use quantitative methods based on 3D landmarks to investigate the shape changes in the fetuses in relation to a juvenile cranial morphology. We found similarities in the ossification patterns of the humpback and other cetaceans (dolphins), but there appear to be major differences when comparing them to terrestrial artiodactyls. As for the tooth germs, this developmental sequence confirms that the tooth-to-baleen transition occurs in the last one-third of gestation. Analysis of cranial shape development revealed a progressive elongation of the rostrum and a resulting posterior movement of the nasals relative to the braincase. Future work will involve acquisition of data from other species to complete our documentation of the teeth-to-baleen transition. Anat Rec, 2018. © 2018 American Association for Anatomy.