cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brachytherapy or electron beam boost in conservation therapy of carcinoma of the breast: A nonrandomized comparison

Purpose: The results of breast-conservation therapy using breast irradiation and a boost to the tumor excision site with either electron beam or interstitial 19*Ir implant are reviewed. Methods and Materials: A total of 701 patients with histologically conkned Stage Tl and T2 carcinoma of the breast were treated with wide local tumor excision or quadrantectomy and breast irradiation. The breast was treated with tangential fields using 4 or 6 MV photons to deliver 48 to 50 Gy in 1.8 to 2 Gy daily dose, in five weekly fractions. In 80 patients the regional lymphatics were irradiated. In 342 patients with Stage Tl and 107 with Stage T2 tumors, boost to the primary tumor excision site was delivered with 9 MeV and, more frequently, with 12 MeV electrons. In 91 patients with Stage Tl and 38 patients with Stage T2 tumors an interstitial ‘=Ir implant was performed. Tumor control, disease-free survival, cosmesis, and morbidity of therapy are reviewed. Minimum follow-up is 4 years (median, 5.6 years; maximum, 24 years). Results: The overall local tumor recurrence rates were 5% in the Tl and 11% in the T2 tumor groups. There was no significant difference in the breast relapse rate in patients treated with either electron beam or interstitial ‘“Ir boost. Regional lymph node recurrences were 1% in patients with Tl and 5 % with T2 tumors. Distant metastases were recorded in 5% of the Tl and 23% of the T2 groups. The lo-year actuarial disease-free survival rates were 87% for patients with Tl and 75% for patients with T2 tumors. Diseasefree survival was exactly the same in patients receiving either electron beam or interstitial 19*Ir boost. Cosmesis was rated as excellent/good in 84% of patients with Tl tumors treated with electron beam and 81% of patients treated with interstitial implant, and 74 and 79%) respectively, in patients with T2 tumors. Conclusions: Breast-conservation therapy is an effective treatment for patients with Tl and T2 carcinoma of the breast. There is no signiilcant difference in local tumor control, disease-free survival, cosmesis, or morbidity in patients treated with either electron beam or interstitial 19*Ir implant boost. Clinical trials in progress will further elucidate this controversial subject. Breast-conservation therapy, Radiation therapy, Brachytherapy boost, Electron beam boost.
North American Oriented Strand Board Markets, Arbitrage Activity, and Market Price Dynamics: A Smooth Transition Approach

Price dynamics for North American oriented strand board (OSB) markets are examined. The role of transactions costs are explored vis-a-vis the law of one price. Weekly data, February 3rd, 1995 through October 9th, 2009, are used in the analysis. Nonlinearities induced by unobservable transactions costs are modeled by estimating Time-Varying Smooth Transition Autoregressions (TV-STARs). Results indicate that nonlinearity and structural change are important features of these markets; price parity relationships implied by economic theory are generally supported by the estimated models. Implications for the efficiency of spatial market linkages and the dynamics associated with price adjustments are also examined.
Rabies virus infection in Eptesicus fuscus bats born in captivity (naïve bats).

The study of rabies virus infection in bats can be challenging due to quarantine requirements, husbandry concerns, genetic differences among animals, and lack of medical history. To date, all rabies virus (RABV) studies in bats have been performed in wild caught animals. Determining the RABV exposure history of a wild caught bat based on the presence or absence of viral neutralizing antibodies (VNA) may be misleading. Previous studies have demonstrated that the presence of VNA following natural or experimental inoculation is often ephemeral. With this knowledge, it is difficult to determine if a seronegative, wild caught bat has been previously exposed to RABV. The influence of prior rabies exposure in healthy, wild caught bats is unknown. To investigate the pathogenesis of RABV infection in bats born in captivity (naive bats), naive bats were inoculated intramuscularly with one of two Eptesicus fuscus rabies virus variants, EfV1 or EfV2. To determine the host response to a heterologous RABV, a separate group of naive bats were inoculated with a Lasionycteris noctivagans RABV (LnV1). Six months following the first inoculation, all bats were challenged with EfV2. Our results indicate that naive bats may have some level of innate resistance to intramuscular RABV inoculation. Additionally, naive bats inoculated with the LnV demonstrated the lowest clinical infection rate of all groups. However, primary inoculation with EfV1 or LnV did not appear to be protective against a challenge with the more pathogenic EfV2.
Gradient Enhanced Damage Sizing for Structural Health Management

A gradient enhanced method is proposed to extracting a probability density function of damage size based on damage image from structural health monitoring for providing comprehensive information about damage size. A three-step procedure is designed to construct a likelihood function about damage size from intensity image, and a gradient function is employed as a prior to obtain a narrow distribution of damage size in the Bayesian framework, providing the empirical probability density function of damage size, from which the probability of damage size larger than critical crack size can be calculated. The proposed method converts an ultrasonic damage imaging result to probability density function of damage size, potential to fill the gap between damage detection and damage prognosis.
Effect of heterogeneous time delays and link weights on the stability and convergence time of large interconnected dynamical systems: A case study

In this paper, we study the stability (convergence time) of an interconnected dynamical system with respect to its connectivity in the presence of delayed feedbacks sensory inputs/outputs data. In particular, we show that under some conditions, that we introduce and present in this paper, related to the interconnected links time-delays, the less connected a given dynamical system is, the longer it will take for the overall system to stabilize. We address the conditions for obtaining an estimate of the convergence time of the system based on the system interconnections weights and time delays. In particular, we study the conditions under which such property is conserved when homogenous and/or heterogeneous time delays are introduced to the links of the interconnected system considered. Analysis of the affect of arbitrary heterogeneous time delays on the dynamical system links, system stability, and convergence time is also presented.
Multimodal access to verbal name codes.

Congruent information conveyed over different sensory modalities often facilitates a variety of cognitive processes, including speech perception (Sumby & Pollack, 1954). Since auditory processing is substantially faster than visual processing, auditory-visual integration can occur over a surprisingly wide temporal window (Stein, 1998). We investigated the processing architecture mediating the integration of acoustic digit names with corresponding symbolic visual forms. The digits “1” or “2” were presented in auditory, visual, or bimodal format at several stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs; 0, 75, 150, and 225 msec). The reaction times (RTs) for echoing unimodal auditory stimuli were approximately 100 msec faster than the RTs for naming their visual forms. Correspondingly, bimodal facilitation violated race model predictions, but only at SOA values greater than 75 msec. These results indicate that the acoustic and visual informationare pooled prior to verbal response programming. However, full expression of this bimodal summation is dependent on the central coincidence of the visual and auditory inputs. These results are considered in the context of studies demonstrating multimodal activation of regions involved in speech production.
The Traffic in Brides

Petr Lom's film, Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgyzstan, offers viewers a striking visual narration of the deeply routinized practices of bride capture in contemporary Central Asia. In this review, I offer historical context eschewed by the film, observing how, contrary to popular belief, bride kidnapping increased under Russian imperial supervision. It later dwindled in the activist Soviet period, but rose again in the relative anarchy of the postsocialist landscape. What the film invites but does not explicitly entertain is a complex arithmetic of culturally coded understandings of volition, personal property, and alliance.
Intraspecific variation in Podostemum ceratophyllum (Podostemaceae): evidence of refugia and colonization since the last glacial maximum.

As climates change, species of plants and animals must adapt to changing conditions, and their geographic ranges may expand or contract. Populations may undergo bottlenecks that reduce genetic variation, having negative effects on long-term survival. Studies of range expansions and contractions after the most recent glaciations may provide insight into the possible effects of current climate change on distributions and genetic variation in populations of plants and animals.
Population Ecology of Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizards in High Elevation Foothill Habitat

We captured 1078 Blunt-Nosed Leopard Lizards (Gambelia sila) 2396 times between 1989 and 1994 on the Elkhorn Plain, San Luis Obispo County, California. Based on size at first capture, we caught 119 adult (� 90 mm snout-vent length (SVL)) and 430 hatchling/juvenile (<90 mm SVL) males, and 139 adult and 390 hatchling/juvenile females. Sex ratio of males to females was 1.04 (549 males/529 females). Adult G. sila generally became active in April, and activity remained relatively high into July. Hatchlings were first noted in either July or August and generally could be found until early November, except in 1990 when no hatchlings were found at any time. Mean number of adults and hatchlings found active each day differed significantly across years, but as many as 32 adults and 42 hatchlings were seen on a plot during a census. Estimates of population abundance on a plot also varied yearly from 20-164 adults and 0-273 hatchling/juveniles and seemed to be affected either by too little or too much rain. Differences in daily activity varied and were moderately well explained by environmental factors. We estimated survivorship of lizards and found 29.0% of hatchlings from 1992 survived to 1993, and 14.6% of hatchlings from 1993 survived to 1994. The oldest G. sila found was a female estimated to be 4 years, 10 months when last caught, although most adults were not seen after 2 yr. Growth of individuals varied by year: highest growth rates were for lizards that hatched in 1991 and 1992, and lowest growth occurred in lizards that hatched in 1989. We found adult leopard lizards with eggs in all years but 1990. Females generally were gravid by late April or early May, and some females were found with eggs in early July. Female size at first reproduction was about 90 mm SVL, clutch size ranged from 1-6 eggs, and overall mean clutch size regardless of year or clutch order was 3.4 eggs. Many females produced multiple clutches in a year, and we found up to four clutches by a single female.
Stress Strain Characteristics of Gypsum Concrete

The stress-strain curves of Hydrostone plaster mixtures in compression, including the portion beyond peak stress may be obtained with the use of a loading frame. This paper presents the noted characteristics on compression strength and brittleness.
Abstract 15: Loss of Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 is linked to High Blood Pressure

Emerging evidence suggests that chronic inflammation plays a critical role in the development of hypertension. The tumor suppressor protein p53 is a key regulator of inflammation pathways. We therefore hypothesized that loss of p53 activity increases blood pressure (BP) by unleashing inflammatory responses. To test this hypothesis 8-week old p53-null (p53 -/- ) and wild-type mice (N=6, each group) were implanted with telemetry transmitters into the carotid arteries. After a 2 week recovery period post-surgery, BP was recorded continuously for 72 hours. Autonomic functions were assessed using IP administration of Methylatropine (dose 1mg/kg), propranolol (6mg/kg), and ganglionic blocker chlorisondamine (5mg/kg). Daytime BP (MAP: 109.4±2.3 vs. 95.5±1.1mmHg) is significantly higher in p53 -/- mice compared to wild-type mice (P -/- mice (delta HR: 89.9±13.2bpm) compared to wild-type mice (delta HR: 45.9±7.8bpm, P -/- mice have greater cardiac sympathetic tone. Furthermore, the BP response to chlorisondamine is greater in p53 -/- mice (delta BP: 43.3±2.6mmHg) compared to wild-type mice (delta BP: 20.7±2.0mmHg, P -/- mice harbor higher vasomotor sympathetic tone. To gain insight into the involvement of neural components in elevating BP in the null mice, transcriptome analysis was done on hypothalamic genes. Gene Ontological Biological Process (GO_BP) classification of differentially regulated genes revealed genes involved in immune response and inflammation. These includes chemokine ligand 17 (1.8 fold increase, P
Growth of Metamorphic InGaP for Wide-Bandgap Photovoltaic Junction by MBE

Metamorphic triple-junction solar cells can currently attain efficiencies as high as 41.1%. Using additional junctions could lead to efficiencies above 50%, but require the development of a wide bandgap (2.0-2.2eV) material to act as the top layer. In this work we demonstrate wide bandgap In y Ga 1-y P grown on GaAs x P 1-x via solid source molecular beam epitaxy. Unoptimized tensile GaAs x P 1-x buffers grown on GaAs exhibit asymmetric strain relaxation, along with formation of faceted trenches 100-300 nm deep in the [01-1] direction. Smaller grading step size and higher substrate temperatures minimizes the facet trench density and results in symmetric strain relaxation. In comparison, compressively-strained graded GaAs x P 1-x buffers on GaP show nearly-complete strain relaxation of the top layers and no evidence of trenches. We subsequently grew In y Ga 1-y P layers on the GaAs x P 1-x buffers. Photoluminescence and transmission electron microscopy measurements show no indication of phase separation or CuPt ordering. Taken in combination with the low threading dislocation densities obtained, MBE-grown In y Ga 1-y P layers are promising candidates for future use as the top junction of a multi-junction solar cell.
An Acetyldegron Triggers CRBN to Take Down the “Q”

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Nguyen et al. (2016) show that p300/CBP-mediated acetylation of glutamine synthetase (GS) triggers recognition by the CRL4(CRBN) E3 ubiquitin ligase, resulting in its ubiquitylation and degradation in response to high glutamine concentrations.
Reclaiming Ground: Japan’s Great Convergence

Japan scholars relegated to the shadows, haunting the debate like hungry ghosts with no ground to stand on. Not only intellectually but also institutionally, The Great Divergence unintentionally helped obscure Japan from view because it appeared in 2001 just as the juggernaut of Chinese economic dominance rose above the horizon. University administrators, history departments, and global historians writing, as most do, from that perspective of Europe seemed to have found an ‘Asia’ sufficient to their wants, and many desired no other. Even though Japan remained the second and then the third largest economy in the world during the first decade of the twenty-first century, its historical and theoretical importance ebbed. In considering the rise of modern prosperity, it no longer seemed essential to think about Japan. At times Japan even appeared to be written out of world history and global consciousness. In these embattled circumstances, when Ian J. Miller organized a panel exploring Japan’s Great Convergence for the March 2013 Association of Asian Studies meeting, the room was packed. The papers given that day showcased the work of the three contributors to this forum. Inquiring into Japan’s development over three centuries and in three different ways, Federico Marcon, Ian J. Miller, and Robert Stolz in conversation with Brett Walker and myself laid the grounds for a new history of Japan’s convergence as opposed to China’s divergence. The idea was not entirely novel. For instance, Patrick K. O’Brien, analyzing Pomeranz’s achievement in 2010, briefly acknowledges ‘the convergence of Japan’ as opposed to China, India, and Southeast Asia. 4 Brett Walker had written of ijin naru shuren (the great convergence) 1 See, for instance, Manning, ‘AHR Forum’, and O’Brien, ‘Metanarratives in Global Histories of
Pituitary gonadotropin content of aspermatogenic guinea pigs.

SummaryAdenohypophyses from normal and aspermatogenic (ASP) guinea pigs were assayed for FSH (modified Steelman-Pohley assay) and for LH (OAAD assay) content. FSH content of adenohypophyses from normal guinea pigs was 0.38 times FSH content of adenohypophyses from ASP guinea pigs. Relative to NIH-FSH-S3 there was 40 and 108 μg of FSH per gland, respectively. There was no significant difference in luteinizing hormone content between adenohypophyses from normal and ASP guinea pigs. Relative to Armour's LH preparation, there is approximately 5 μg equivalents of LH per adenohypophysis. The increased pituitary content of FSH in the ASP guinea pig is compatible with the thesis that FSH production is affected, either directly or indirectly, by a feedback mechanism associated with tubular elements.
Proposal of an Intrinsic-Source Broken-Gap Tunnel FET to Reduce Band-Tail Effects on Subthreshold Swing: A Simulation Study

High source doping is essential in tunnel FETs (TFETs) to support high electric fields necessary to provide sufficient drive currents. High doping is associated with band-tails in the density of states that decay exponentially into the bandgap, comparable with the decay of the carrier density above the band edge due to Fermi-tails. This is expected to limit the subthreshold swing (SS) and OFF-current in the TFETs. In this paper, we analyze the effects of band-tails on the subthreshold characteristics of III–V TFETs based on GaSb/InAs heterojunction. It is shown that the decay constant comparable with room-temperature thermal energy, $k_{B}T = 26$ meV, can result in significant degradation of SS in TFETs from their ideal value. Electrically doping the intrinsic source could be an alternative, but not only does it increase the coupling between the gate and source contact due to proximity but also complicates the fabrication process. As a solution, we propose an undoped-source GaSb/InAs broken-gap TFET in an i-i-n configuration, which achieves similar performance to that of a corresponding p-i-n TFET while having exactly the same geometry. In the proposed device, the high drive current is supported by the broken-gap tunnel junction, while the Fermi-level pinning near the valence band of GaSb helps in realizing an ohmic source contact for the carriers in the valence band, which eventually participate in interband tunneling at the broken-gap tunnel junction in the ON-state.
Techniques for All-Optical Label Swapping using SOA-Based Wavelength Conversion and Subcarrier Multiplexing

The Internet is growing exponentially and is forcing next generation Internet Protocol (IP) networks to scale far beyond present speed, capacity, performance, and packet forwarding rates.
Pedagogical Perspectives on Corrective Feedback

Teachers are often uncertain about correcting their students’ errors, but students themselves are very clear about what is needed. Survey after survey has shown that second language (L2) learners wish to be corrected by their teachers (Ferris, 1995; Hedgcock and Lefkowitz, 1994, 1996; Leki, 1991). This alone would seem a good reason for teachers to provide corrective feedback.
The Sacred Town of Sankhu: The Anthropology of Newar Ritual, Religion and Society in Nepal. By Bal Gopal Shrestha. (Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom: Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012. Pp. xxii, 615. $92.99.)

Historical ethnographies of entire towns are among the most challenging scholarly endeavors. The sheer number of people, the broad geographical spaces, and the inherent institutional and cultural c...
A Robotic Walker Based on a Two-Wheeled Inverted Pendulum

This paper presents the design and control of a robotic walker based on a two-wheeled inverted pendulum (TWIP) developed to assist mobility-impaired users with balance and stability. Traditional walkers use three or more contact points to create a solid base to augment a user's balance. A TWIP walker can support a user's balance through balance control. A robotic walker prototype has been developed to illustrate its ability to assist human gait and exploit the maneuverability of a two-wheeled mobile platform compared to multi-wheeled system. Presented is a linearized mathematical model of the two-wheeled system using Newtonian mechanics. A control strategy consisting of a decoupled linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller and two state variable controllers is developed to stabilize the platform and regulate its behavior with robust disturbance rejection performance. Results are shown using a physical prototype to demonstrate the ability of the decoupled LQR controller to robustly balance the platform while the state variable controllers regulate the platform's position with smooth, minimum jerk, control when used by a person during standing and walking.
Voriconazole-Induced Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus in an Adult With Aspergillosis.

Abstract A 59-year-old man was treated with voriconazole for chronic invasive aspergillosis and who subsequently developed subacute cutaneous lupus erythematosus (SCLE). The patient presented with a 6-week history of multiple erythematous papulosquamous lesions on his chest, upper and lower extremities, and back (Figure 1). They were nonpruritic and nonpainful. He was afebrile and otherwise well. He had no history of extensive sun exposure prior to the appearance of the eruption. He had been taking voriconazole for about 3 months prior to the onset of lesions. He denied any family history of connective tissue disease.
Integrated processing of plant-derived waste to produce value-added products based on the biorefinery concept

Abstract Background Plant-derived wastes from agriculture, processing, distribution, and retail are generated in large quantities. The majority of the wastes are underutilized and may cause severe environmental problems if not properly handled. The plant-derived wastes are usually rich in lignocellulose and other valuable compounds including protein, fat, sugar, and phytochemicals. Valorization of these compounds in food waste not only reduces environmental concerns but also improves sustainability and economic competitiveness of agro-food industries. Scope and approach This review paper first discussed different phases of the biorefinery concepts and their associated applications, and then introduced recent advances in the integrated processing of plant-derived waste for producing various value-added products. Finally, techno-economic, environmental, and social assessments along with relevant policies were introduced and discussed. Key findings and conclusions During the past ten years, research attentions focused on integrated utilization of plant-derived waste to produce various products have flourished. Compared to production of a single component for food waste valorization, integrated processing of food waste via a combination of different novel technologies to produce multiple products based on a biorefinery concept has significant advantages, including full utilization of feedstocks, minimization of waste generation during processing, synergy effects of different technologies, and diversification of the revenues by covering multiple markets. With the rationale design of biorefinery processes, underutilized plant-based wastes can be valuable resources for the sustainable production of food, chemicals, and biofuels. However, detailed economic, environmental, and social analyses for the biorefinery process are still needed in the future.
Jung and Mysticism

Jung disliked being called a mystic, which was a term of opprobrium often leveled at him by his critics. Nevertheless, Jung was extremely interested in the subjective accounts of mystical experience provided by people such as Meister Eckhart, Mechthild of Magdeburg, and Jacob Boehme. Jung’s basic position is that mystical experience such as they describe is the experience of the archetypal level of the psyche, which produces numinous experience. This material cannot be reductively dismissed. Jung’s approach to numinous experience has not only some similarities but also major differences from the Christian mystical tradition, but can be considered to be a mystical path in its own right.
Serum untargeted metabolomic profile of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern

Background The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern is recommended for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Assessment of dietary intake has been limited to subjective measures and a few biomarkers from 24-h urine collections. Objective The aim of the study was to use metabolomics to identify serum compounds that are associated with adherence to the DASH dietary pattern. Design We conducted untargeted metabolomic profiling in serum specimens collected at the end of 8 wk following the DASH diet (n = 110), the fruit and vegetables diet (n = 111), or a control diet (n = 108) in a multicenter, randomized clinical feeding study (n = 329). Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the associations between the randomized diets and individual log-transformed metabolites after adjustment for age, sex, race, education, body mass index, and hypertension. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was used to identify a panel of compounds that discriminated between the dietary patterns. The area under the curve (C statistic) was calculated as the cumulative ability to distinguish between dietary patterns. We accounted for multiple comparisons with the use of the Bonferroni method (0.05 of 818 metabolites = 6.11 × 10-5). Results Serum concentrations of 44 known metabolites differed significantly between participants randomly assigned to the DASH diet compared with both the control diet and the fruit and vegetables diet, which included an amino acid, 2 cofactors and vitamins (n = 2), and lipids (n = 41). With the use of PLS-DA, component 1 explained 29.4% of the variance and component 2 explained 12.6% of the variance. The 10 most influential metabolites for discriminating between the DASH and control dietary patterns were N-methylproline, stachydrine, tryptophan betaine, theobromine, 7-methylurate, chiro-inositol, 3-methylxanthine, methyl glucopyranoside, β-cryptoxanthin, and 7-methylxanthine (C statistic = 0.986). Conclusions An untargeted metabolomic platform identified a broad array of serum metabolites that differed between the DASH diet and 2 other dietary patterns. This newly identified metabolite panel may be used to assess adherence to the DASH dietary pattern. This trial was registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03403166.
Pain in Sickle Cell Disease

Vaso-occlusive pain from sickle cell disease is one of the most challenging pain syndromes in pediatrics. Pain symptoms can occur in patients of all ages, from young infants to young adults. Pain can represent a very rare event for some individuals, but can be a daily occurrence for others. Pain symptoms in younger children are usually relatively mild and of short duration, and management strategies need to focus on the use of rapidly acting, short-duration analgesics, and comforting nonpharmacologic strategies. Symptoms become more frequent and of longer duration in older children and adolescents, requiring a more complex management strategy. Long-acting analgesics may provide more optimal relief for those with persistent pain, and short-acting analgesics may be needed for breakthrough pain. Selected patients may benefi t from adjuvant analgesics such as antidepressants or anxiolytics. If available, training in the use of cognitive-behavioral techniques may improve self-esteem and perceived control over pain symptoms. As pain symptoms are just one of many symptoms of this complex disorder, the family and the health care provider must work as a team, together with sickle cell disease specialists, so that optimal disease management can go hand-in-hand with optimal pain management. Ongoing clinical research is likely to lead to more effective disease management in the future, which may lessen the burden of pain for patients and families affected by this disorder.
The cytogenetics of solid tumors

All neoplasms have genetic abnormalities. Most neoplasms have visible nonrandom chromosome abnormalities. Interpretation of clonal chromosome anomalies and utilization of this knowledge can refine the histopathologic diagnosis of many tumors. The information gleaned from chromosome studies is in daily use by oncologists for patient care. The genetic data gathered by collaborative oncology groups advance chemotherapeutic regimens, which have, in turn, reduced mortality rates for many tumor types. The genetics of hematologic disorders has had a very significant clinical impact over the past several decades. The genetics of sarcomas, carcinomas, and central and peripheral nervous system tumors are used consistently today in pediatric diagnosis and management. There is an expanding influence of genetic information on the choice of therapeutic drugs for both adult and pediatric patients with solid tumors. Conventional cytogenetic analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, and now array CGH analysis of tumor tissues provide genetic data, which may improve the care and the therapeutics available for patients with benign and malignant neoplasms. This chapter discusses only those chromosomal abnormalities with a known impact on diagnosis, prognosis, or therapeutic response.
Locus assignment of two alpha-globin structural mutants from the Caribbean basin: alpha Fort de France (alpha 45 Arg) and alpha Spanish Town (alpha 27 Val).

Two alpha-globin structural mutants were mapped to their encoding loci by in vitro translation of hybrid-selected alpha 1- and alpha 2-globin mRNA. The more highly expressed mutant, alpha Spanish Town (alpha 27Val), is encoded at the alpha 2 locus and the less expressed mutant, alpha Fort de France (alpha 45Arg), is encoded at the alpha 1 locus. These results further define the distribution of alpha-globin structural mutations within the alpha-globin gene cluster and substantiate the dominant role of the alpha 2-globin locus in alpha- globin expression.
Cooler snakes respond more strongly to infrared stimuli, but we have no idea why

The pit organ defining pit vipers (Crotalinae) contains a membrane covered with temperature receptors that detect thermal radiation from environmental surfaces. Temperature is both the environmental parameter being sensed and the mechanism by which the pit membrane detects the signal. As snakes are ectotherms, temperature also has a strong influence on neurological and locomotor responses to the signal. This study of Pacific rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) systematically examined the effect of body, target and background temperatures on response to a moving target. We presented each snake with a moving pendulum bob regulated at a series of six temperatures against a uniform background regulated at one of three temperatures. Snake body temperatures varied from 18 to 36°C. As expected, we found stronger responses to positive contrasts (target warmer than background) than to negative contrasts, and stronger responses to greater contrasts. However, the effect of body temperature was contrary to expectations based on studies of the TRPA1 ion channel (believed to be the molecular basis for pit membrane temperature receptors) and typical thermal reaction norms for neural and motor performance. These predict (1) no response below the threshold where the TRPA1 channel opens, (2) response increasing as temperature increases, peaking near preferred body temperature, and (3) declining thereafter. Remarkably, this behavioral response decreased as body temperature increased from 18 to 36°C, with no threshold or peak in this range. We review various possible physiological mechanisms related to body temperature proposed in the literature, but find none that can satisfactorily explain this result.
Image Simulation in High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy

The best High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopes (HRTEM) have a resolution approaching 1 A which sometimes leads to the erroneous conclusion that using an electron microscope, all atoms in a structure can be resolved. However, it is not the inter-atomic distances that matter, but rather the projected distances between atoms seen from the direction of the incident electron. In order to obtain interpretable results, it is necessary to orient the specimen such that atomic columns are separated by distances that are of the order of the resolution of the microscope or larger. This is a condition that very often is difficult to satisfy and often limits the use of the HRTEM to studies of crystals only in low order zone-axis orientations.
The development of polyquinane chemistry

Although various bicyclo[3.3.0]octane derivatives have been known for several decades, the chemistry of this ring system and the higher polyquinanes has developed particularly rapidly in the last decade. These developments have been stimulated by a wide range of interests and have encompassed a broad spectrum of research chemists. One may now safely claim that polyquinanes are readily available molecules. The more complex members of this class, particularly those endowed with all-cis stereo-chemistry, take on a “sphere-like” topology and conformational rigidity. As sphericality increases, the ability of a molecule to exclude solvation from its inner core is enhanced. Can smaller molecules or atoms be occluded therein? And what about completely enclosed structures such as the pentagonal dodecahedrane? What unique properties will characterize compounds of this type? It is the quest for such information that will propel the field of polyquinane chemistry rapidly forward in the years to come. The increasing complexity of natural products having multiply fused cyclopentanoid rings will generate a comparably high level of chemical investigation in this field.
Effect of Current Density and Magnetic Field on the Growth and Morphology of Nickel Nanowires

One-dimensional nanostructures due to their unique properties and applications have generated special interests in MEMS and NEMS applications. There have been numerous methods developed to synthesize such 1D nanostructures. One of the most prominent methods is the electrodeposition into the channels in a porous material. It has been found that applied external magnetic field could improve and direct the growth of one-dimensional nanostructures in certain crystallographic directions. However, the nature and behavior of such structures and the influence of the synthesis parameters are yet to be fully understood. Our present work investigates the effect of the current density along with external magnetic field intensity on the growth direction of the one-dimensional Nickel nanowires. In the present study, Ni nanowires are grown using the electrodeposition assisted anodic alumina template method. The grown nanowires are characterized using XRD to determine the crystallographic properties. SEM was then used to characterize the morphology of the grown structures, while EDS was employed to study the composition. Present results clearly indicate that the morphological and crystallographic properties of synthesized nanowires are influenced by the applied current density and magnetic field intensity. Further studies employing Focused Ion Beam to prepare TEM sample are required to investigate the atomic arrangement of the synthesized Ni nanowires to further conform the present SEM and XRD findings.
Developing project management skills: A service learning approach

This paper describes a unique approach to project management education. MBA students enrolled in a project management course have been renovating homes for low-income senior citizens. Concurrent wi...
STATIC PRESSURE DISTRIBUTIONS OVER 2D MAST/SAIL GEOMETRIES

A variable-camber airfoil with integral pressure tappings has been built to investigate the nature of the flows around two-dimensional, highly cambered, sail-like airfoil sections with circular masts. Data have been obtained in the form of static pressure distributions over representative ranges of Reynolds number, camber ratio, incidence angle, mast diameter/chord ratio and mast angle. Two sail shapes--based on the NACA a = 0.8 and NACA 63 mean-line camber distributions--were involved in the test program. All flow regimes present have been identified and related to the salient model and flow parameters.
T follicular helper cell development and functionality in immune ageing

By 2050, there will be over 1.6 billion adults aged 65 years and older, making age-related diseases and conditions a growing public health concern. One of the leading causes of death in the ageing population is pathogenic infections (e.g. influenza, Streptococcus pneumoniae). This age-dependent susceptibility to infection has been linked to a reduced ability of the ageing immune system to mount protective responses against infectious pathogens, as well as to vaccines against these pathogens. The primary immune response that promotes protection is the production of antibodies by B cells - a response that is directly mediated by T follicular helper (TFH) cells within germinal centers (GCs) in secondary lymphoid tissues. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge on the development and functionality of TFH cells, the use of circulating TFH (cTFH) cells as vaccine biomarkers, and the influence of age on these processes. Moreover, we will discuss the strategies for overcoming TFH cell dysfunction to improve protective antibody responses in the ageing human population.
Evolution of Sperm Testing—A Bright Future?

We began work on the development of a microfluidic sperm chip in the early 1990s as part of a larger project that developed chips for a wide range of diagnostic tests. Our rationale in developing the sperm chip was to provide an easy-to-use disposable test device for assessing semen quality (e.g., motility) at the point of care as part of the workup of male infertility (Fig. 1, A and B). A more ambitious goal was to provide a range of tests on a single microchip that would assess a series of factors relevant to male fertility testing (e.g., sperm motility and count, sperm–hyaluronic acid interaction, sperm antibodies) (1) (Fig. 1C). Although our sperm studies were targeted toward improving the understanding of fertility in humans, we also had a clear awareness of the implications of an effective sperm selection and testing technology in animal husbandry. Fig. 1. Sperm motility chips. (A) and (B), The silicon chip A enables testing in triplicate, and the scale (1–10) etched next to the channel provides for semiquantitative assessment of progression of sperm along the channel. In the glass chip B, the parallel grooves in the central semen application areas serve to direct sperm toward the curved analytical channels (4 per test), which prevent delay of sperm migration observed for 90° turns (compare with chip A). (C), Semen testing chip (motility, sperm–hyaluronic acid interaction, and 3 areas for other testing). (D), Lithographic mask for various designs of sperm chip and in vitro fertilization (IVF) chips. Mask location 1 …
Defining Summer Gain Among Elementary Students With or at Risk for Reading Disabilities

Summer reading programs are a form of extended school year services for students in special education. However, previous studies have not reported including high percentages of participants in spec...
The Syk inhibitor R406 is a modulator of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1)-mediated multidrug resistance

In a previously published study, higher levels of spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) were observed in recurrent post-chemotherapy ovarian cancers compared to primary tumors. Syk inhibition was found to stabilize microtubules and potentiate paclitaxel activity in cellular models of taxane-resistant ovarian cancers. We further studied the effects of Syk inhibition on paclitaxel activity in Syk(+) ovarian cancer cell models and in variants selected for taxane resistance. Syk inhibition was accomplished using RNAi and by exposure to the small molecule competitive inhibitor R406, the active metabolite of fostamatinib. Exposure to R406 or to a SYK-specific pool of siRNAs did not alter taxane activity in the OVCAR-3 cell line, which has the most Syk content in our panel of nine human ovarian cancer cell lines. However, treatment with R406 sensitised the multidrug resistant (MDR) variants MES-SA/Dx5 and SK-OV-3/TR to paclitaxel in a dose-dependent manner resulting from the inhibition of the ABCB1/P-glycoprotein (P-gp) drug transporter. These observations are Syk-independent since both MDR cell models are Syk negative. R406 modulated resistance to other known P-gp substrates, and we observed orthovanadate-sensitive ATPase stimulation resulting from treatment with R406. These data indicate that the chemo-sensitizing effect of R406 in taxane-resistant cells previously reported was not associated with Syk but resulted from the modulation of P-gp-mediated MDR.
Hyperspectral band selection using genetic algorithm and support vector machines for early identification of charcoal rot disease in soybean stems

Charcoal rot is a fungal disease that thrives in warm dry conditions and affects the yield of soybeans and other important agronomic crops worldwide. There is a need for robust, automatic and consistent early detection and quantification of disease symptoms which are important in breeding programs for the development of improved cultivars and in crop production for the implementation of disease control measures for yield protection. Current methods of plant disease phenotyping are predominantly visual and hence are slow and prone to human error and variation. There has been increasing interest in hyperspectral imaging applications for early detection of disease symptoms. However, the high dimensionality of hyperspectral data makes it very important to have an efficient analysis pipeline in place for the identification of disease so that effective crop management decisions can be made. The focus of this work is to determine the minimal number of most effective hyperspectral wavebands that can distinguish between healthy and diseased soybean stem specimens early on in the growing season for proper management of the disease. 111 hyperspectral data cubes representing healthy and infected stems were captured at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 days after inoculation. We utilized inoculated and control specimens from 4 different genotypes. Each hyperspectral image was captured at 240 different wavelengths in the range of 383–1032 nm. We formulated the identification of best waveband combination from 240 wavebands as an optimization problem. We used a combination of genetic algorithm as an optimizer and support vector machines as a classifier for the identification of maximally-effective waveband combination. A binary classification between healthy and infected soybean stem samples using the selected six waveband combination (475.56, 548.91, 652.14, 516.31, 720.05, 915.64 nm) obtained a classification accuracy of 97% for the infected class. Furthermore, we achieved a classification accuracy of 90.91% for test samples from 3 days after inoculation using the selected six waveband combination. The results demonstrated that these carefully-chosen wavebands are more informative than RGB images alone and enable early identification of charcoal rot infection in soybean. The selected wavebands could be used in a multispectral camera for remote identification of charcoal rot infection in soybean.
Value of robotic-assisted technique in redo gastrojejunostomy for severe stenosis after gastric bypass

Development of gastrojejunal stricture following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) leads to an increase in morbidity and adverse effects, such as abdominal pain, vomiting, aspiration pneumonia, and malnutrition. Up to 38.5% of patients will require revisional surgery for late anastomotic strictures despite conservative treatment. However, no previous studies focused on revisional robotic bariatric surgery due to strictures after RYGB have been reported. To evaluate our outcomes and assess the advantages of the robotic platform with regard to laparoscopic and open revisional procedures. University Hospital. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent laparoscopic robotic-assisted redo gastrojejunostomy from 2016 to 2018. Demographics, surgical data, medical treatments, postoperative outcomes, and adverse effects were collected. Nine patients with symptomatic anastomotic strictures after primary RYGB underwent robotic revisional surgery. All patients received medical therapy as a first approach, and five patients (55.5%) underwent endoscopic balloon dilation. All procedures were successfully completed with robotic assistance, with a mean (standard deviation) operative time of 184.5 (49.1) min, and no intraoperative adverse effects were registered. Median (range) hospital stay was 2 (1–4) days. One patient presented with a postoperative intra-abdominal abscess and was treated with intravenous antibiotics and image-guided drainage. No anastomotic leak, hemorrhage, or mortality were reported. Robotic assistance seems to be safe and effective for redo gastrojejunostomy secondary to stricture. Even though the sample size is small, we believe that the application of robotic techniques may provide advantages and improve the outcomes in these complex revisional procedures.
Moving Forward: Welcoming the New Editor of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management

I am pleased to announce Dr. David Wilder as the next Editor of the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Dr. Wilder’s contribution to the field of Behavior Analysis as an academician, res...
Mating Disruption by Vibrational Signals: Applications for Management of the Glassy-Winged Sharpshooter

The glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS), Homalodisca vitripennis, is a generalist insect and a major pest of grapevines. GWSS is a vector of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, causal agent of Pierce’s disease that can lead to grapevine death within few years after infection. This chapter discusses the problem and current GWSS control methods. Then, the focus changes to efforts in developing a novel control method that uses synthetic vibrational signals to disrupt mating and, thus, population growth. A step-by-step method for creating effective playback signals is described and discussed. The method was termed “D.I.E.,” which stands for Describe, Identify, and Execute. The first step is to describe the basic biology of the insect pest with emphasis on communication behaviors. From there, one can begin identifying which candidate signals disrupt communication. Finally, execution tests are conducted to determine which signals effectively disrupt mating in laboratory, and more importantly, in the field. While there are still steps needed for large-scale implementation in the field, the basic biological questions related to whether synthetic vibrational signals can disrupt mating are answered affirmatively. The next direction will be to develop a mechanism of signal transmission across large areas. In addition, season long field trials are needed, taking into consideration natural insect movements into and out of treated areas.