cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A conserved acidic patch in the Myb domain is required for activation of an endogenous target gene and for chromatin binding

The c-Myb protein is a transcriptional regulator initially identified by homology to the v-Myb oncoprotein, and has since been implicated in human cancer. The most highly conserved portion of the c-Myb protein is the DNA-binding domain which consists of three imperfect repeats. Many other proteins contain one or more Myb-related domains, including a number of proteins that do not bind directly to DNA. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of diverse classes of Myb-related domains and discovered a highly conserved patch of acidic residues common to all Myb-related domains. These acidic residues are positioned in the first of three alpha-helices within each of the three repeats that comprise the c-Myb DNA-binding domain. Interestingly, these conserved acidic residues are present on a surface of the protein which is distinct from that which binds to DNA. Alanine mutagenesis revealed that the acidic patch of the third c-Myb repeat is essential for transcriptional activity, but neither for nuclear localization nor DNA-binding. Instead, these acidic residues are required for efficient chromatin binding and interaction with the histone H4 N-terminal tail.
A novel method to fabricate bioabsorbable scaffolds

Abstract An emulsion freeze-drying method for processing porous biodegradable copolymers of polylactic and polyglycolic acid (PLGA) scaffolds was developed. Scaffold porosity and pore sizes were measured using mercury porosimetry. Foams with porosity in the range 91–95%, median pore diameters ranging from 13 to 35 μm (with larger pore diameters greater than 200 μm), and specific pore area in the range 58–102 m 2 g −1 were made by varying processing parameters such as water volume fraction, polymer weight percentage and polymer molecular weight. These scaffolds may find applications as structures that facilitate either tissue regeneration or repair during reconstructive operations.
The future of an illusion: Self and its control

Rachlin introduces a new theory before exhausting its predecessor. His earlier model of future-discounting may be developed by integrating over the duration of extended rewards and punishers. The difference in value of an event within a pattern over the event in isolation derives from the deprivation provided by the pattern; yet the pattern attracts because acute rewards are more potent than incremental deprivations.
Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone Analogue Therapy for Central Precocious Puberty: Long-term Effect on Somatic Growth, Bone Maturation, and Predicted Height

The long-acting analogue of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone, D-Trp 6 -Pro 9 -NEt-LHRH (LHRH a ), is effective in the short-term treatment of central precocious puberty. We report the results of two to four years of LHRH a therapy in 27 children with this disorder. Secondary sex characteristics regressed in most patients. Sex steroid levels and basal and LHRH-stimulated gonadotropin levels remained suppressed compared with pretreatment values. Linear growth rates decreased from 11.0±0.8 (SEM) cm/yr before treatment to 5.7 ±0.4 cm/yr at two years of treatment and 3.7±0.7 cm/yr at four years of treatment. Predicted heights by the Bayley-Pinneau method increased from 156.4 ±2.0 cm before treatment to 162.3 ±2.3 cm at two years and 163.4 ±2.4 cm at three years. Five patients treated for four years had a mean increase in predicted height of 5.5 cm. To date no adverse effects have been observed. However, the ultimate safety of this analogue is not known. We conclude that LHRH a appears to be an effective long-term therapy for central precocious puberty. ( JAMA 1986;255:2613-2616)
The effect of toe angle on tendon, ligament and hoof wall strains in vitro

Summary The effect of varying the toe angle on strain characteris tics of the deep digital flexor tendon, superficial digital flexor tendon, suspensory ligament, and hoof wall were investi gated. This study was conducted in vitro using limbs recov ered at necropsy and transected 15 cm above the carpus. Hall effect strain sensors and uniaxial strain gages were used to measure tissue strain. Data were averaged by treatment, and means compared using analysis of variance procedures and Tukeys studentized range test. Deep digital flexor tendon strain decreased (P .05) by toe angle. Strain of the extensor branch of the suspensory ligament increased (P 05) on the dorsal and lateral sides with increasing toe angle. Medial hoof wall strain increased (P
Hereditary partial deficiency of the third component of complement associated with minimal change nephrotic syndrome.

We describe a 10 year old patient admitted to the Children's Hospital of Buffalo with hypocomplementemia associated with steroid responsive minimal change nephrotic syndrome. The sibling also had a low serum C3 concentration and all family members studied hadC3 slow phenotypes. Factor I levels were at the lower limit of normal in the patient and his brother. Functional assays for CH50, total hemolyticC3 and serum concentration of C2, C4−C9 and factors B and H were all within normal limits. This case confirms that a depressed serum complement level can occur in minimal change nephrotic syndrome and indicates that this depression could represent a preexisting inherited rather than an acquired deficiency. The findings are consistent with the pressence of a null or hypomorphicC3 slow allele in hypocomplementemic family members. Additional studies are needed to resolve the association between the inherited partialC3 deficiency and minimal change nephrotic syndrome.
Development of sequence tagged site and cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence markers for wheat stripe rust resistance gene Yr5

The Yr5 gene confers resistance to all races of the wheat stripe rust pathogen [Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Eriks. (P. s. tritici)] identified so far in the USA. Cosegregating resistance gene analog polymorphism (RGAP) markers for Yr5 are available but their use requires skills in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and may not be polymorphic across various varieties. To develop better markers to be used in marker-assisted selection for the Yr5 resistance, sequence tagged site (STS) primers were designed on the basis of the sequences of RGAP markers Xwgp-18 (AY167598) from the spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) 'Avocet Susceptible' (AVS) and Xwgp-17 (AY167597) from the Yr5 near isogenic line (NIL) in the AVS background carrying the Yr5 gene from T. aestivum subsp. spelta (L.) Thell. cv. Album (TSA). Three sets of STS markers (two codominant and one dominant) were developed to amplify a region including a polymorphic 6-base pairs (bp) insertion-deletion (indel). The cosegregation of the STS markers with Yr5 was confirmed with 114 BC 7:F3 lines developed from the cross between AVS and TSA. The STS markers worked well in five out of 17 non-Yr5 wheat varieties, but the remaining varieties had a similar size of fragment to the Yr5 marker. Because the codominant STS markers were based on a 6-bp indel, they could not be separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. Cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers were then developed on the basis of a DpnII restriction site that is present in all non-Yr5 varieties and absent in the Yr5 NIL. The CAPS markers for the Yr5 NIL and non-Yr5 varieties can be separated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The codominant STS markers are easier to score than the original RGAP markers. The CAPS markers are not only easier to score, but also can be used in crosses of an Yr5 donor with a much wider range of wheat germplasms. These markers should be valuable tools to accelerate the introgression of Yr5 into commercial cultivars and to combine Yr5 with other genes for durable resistance to stripe rust.
Sociology and Anthrozoology: Symbolic Interactionist Contributions

ABSTRACTThis essay examines the sociological contributions to anthrozoology, focusing on research from the United States that employs a symbolic interactionist perspective. In particular, the work of Arluke and Sanders highlights the importance of understanding the meanings that animals hold for people. Using a selective review of their research, this essay outlines how a focus on understanding meaning can inform anthrozoological research. Arluke's research on animal abuse reveals how harm must be defined in context. Sanders's research on canine–human relationships documents how people come to understand companion dogs as persons. Both bodies of work rely on careful observation and listening to those who interact with animals. The resulting insights hold methodological promise for anthrozoology.
Documenting the Impact of Assistive Listening Technology in the Classroom

Abstract When assistive technology is recommended for an individual or group in a classroom, the professional must be prepared to provide data regarding the impact of the listening system. Teachers...
Using implicit goal priming to improve the quality of self-report data

We describe a methodology that uses implicit goal priming to influence self-reports. Participants completed a vocabulary task involving either neutral words or words related to the goal of being honest. In a subsequent, ostensibly unrelated questionnaire, participants responded to a series of questions about socially sensitive behaviors involving excessive alcohol consumption. Participants who were exposed to honesty-related words admitted to having engaged in more of these behaviors than did participants who were exposed to neutral words. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for assessing sensitive behaviors in particular and for improving the quality of self-report measures in psychological research more generally, and an agenda for future research is proposed.
SITE-SPECIFIC INSTABILITY IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER: EVIDENCE FOR TRANSPOSITION OF DESTABILIZING ELEMENT

In this study, we show that at least one lethal mutation at the 3F–4A region of the X chromosome can generate an array of chromosome rearrangements, all with one chromosome break in the 3F–4A region. The mutation at 3F–4A (secondary mutation) was detected in an X chromosome carrying a reverse mutation of an unstable lethal mutation, which was mapped in the 6F1–2 doublet (primary mutation). The primary lethal mutation at 6F1–2 had occurred in an unstable chromosome (Uc) described previously (Lim 1979). Prior to reversion, the 6F1–2 mutation had generated an array of chromosome rearrangements, all having one break in the 6F1–2 doublet (Lim 1979, 1980). In the X chromosomes carrying the 3F–4A secondary lethal mutation the 6F1–2 doublet was normal and stable, as was the 3F–4A region in the X chromosome carrying the primary lethal mutation. The disappearance of the instability having a set of genetic properties at one region (6F1–2) accompanied by its appearance elsewhere in the chromosome (3F–4A) implies that a transposition of the destabilizing element took place. The mutant at 3F–4A and other secondary mutants exhibited all but one reinversion of an inversion to the normal sequence) of the eight properties of the primary lethal mutations. These observations support the view that a transposable destabilizing element is responsible for the hypermutability observed in the unstable chromosome and its derivaties.
Two‐dimensional induction log modeling using a coupled‐mode, multiple‐reflection series method

In induction logging, both vertical and radial conductivity variations exist in the logged medium; elementary separation of variables cannot be applied directly to the partial differential equation describing the electromagnetic field in such a medium. A modal expansion method of solution can be designed using modes defined with respect to the vertical coordinate. This method breaks the original two‐dimensional (2-D) problem into a set of independent one‐dimensional (1-D) problems. The receiver signal is decomposed into a direct signal traveling within the borehole and a reflection signal bearing information about the conductivity distribution outside the borehole. The solution is obtained as a coupled‐mode, multiple‐reflection series accounting for repeated mode reflections at the vertical boundaries in the medium. Each term in the series represents the next higher order reflection in a sequence of multiple reflections; results show two terms are sufficient to reach accuracy acceptable for log modeling.
Convection during thermally unstable solidification of Pb-Sn in a magnetic field

Convection and macrosegregation in directionally solidified hypoeutectic Pb-38 wt pct Sn and hypereutectic Pb-64.5 wt pct Sn have been examined during upward and downward growth. Temperature fluctuations are observed along the length of the melt column during downward growth. With increasing Rayleigh number, these fluctuations change from none, to cyclic, to time periodic having multiple harmonics, and finally to random. At the higher convective driving force of 350 K temperature inversion, the transverse magnetic field decreased convective levels, strong random temperature fluctuations (flows) becoming smaller and periodic. The maximum field of 0.45 T was unable to completely eliminate convection. For the lower convective driving force of 150 K temperature inversion, the 0.05 T magnetic field decreased flows, and at 0.15 T, the field caused a dramatic decrease in the characteristic frequency of the temperature fluctuations, indicating a change in the nature of the flow, the waveform of the temperature fluctuations changing from sinusoidal to a pulsed wave. Temperature fluctuations and time delays between thermocouples were used to estimate flow velocities. Irrespective of the convection in the bulk melt (ahead of the mushy zone), longitudinal macrosegregation occurs only if the interdendritic melt mixes with the bulk melt.
Ratsnakes and Brush Piles: Intended and Unintended Consequences of Improving Habitat for Wildlife?

Abstract Brush pile creation is a common habitat management method used to attract wildlife. However, there is a paucity of data regarding effectiveness of brush pile creation and the indirect effects of brush piles on multi-species interactions. Here we document use of man-made brush piles by Texas ratsnakes (Elaphe obsoleta), examine mechanisms behind that use, and present results of a pilot study comparing avian nest success in areas with and without brush piles to determine if predator attraction to brush piles negatively affects the surrounding bird community. Radio-tracked snakes were found in brush piles 10% of the time, despite brush piles comprising less than 0.2% of the habitat by area. More abundant small mammals and more moderate temperatures in brush piles than in surrounding habitats could explain snakes' attraction to brush piles. Nest success of birds was similar in areas with and without brush piles in the year following brush pile creation. Because it may take substantially longer than 1...
Ethical Implications of Biases and Errors in Geographic Information Systems

Geographic information systems combine traditional maps with additional data. The design and use of these systems can introduce a variety of biases and errors. In this paper, we identify and classify biases and errors that arise inevitably from limits on the accuracy of gathered data, from limits on the precision of display technologies, and from the combination of data from different sources. We also propose how designers and users can work with these biases in a professionally responsible way.
Development of transient FE-physics-based model of induction for real time integrated drive simulations

In this paper, the development of finite element-based phase variable model of three-phase wound rotor induction machine, in the presence of saturation and leakage inductances, is presented. The cross and mutual flux saturations are taken into account through the evaluation of inductances at different saturation levels. The leakage inductance was calculated from the suppression of evaluated inductances by respective flux and stored magnetic energies. In this model, the inductances are rotor position dependent. The simulation results show acceptable accuracy as compared to the full FE model but at a faster computation speed and acceptable memory requirements. These computational advantages make it possible for detailed simulation and for the creation of hardware in loop integrated drive simulations and development procedures.
Prevalence of abnormal serum lipids among overweight and obese soldiers.

ABSTRACTThe U.S. military is not immune to the obesity epidemic occurring in the United States and its negative health impacts. We conducted a study to determine the prevalence of abnormal serum lipid concentrations in overweight and obese U.S. Soldiers at Fort Bliss, TX. This was a cross-sectional, retrospective study of medical records of Soldiers who attended weight management classes. Study population consisted of 659 Soldiers who had at least one laboratory measure of serum lipids. The mean age of the Soldiers was 29 years and 69% were classified as obese. The prevalence of total cholesterol above the desirable limit of 200 mg/dL was 30% for men and 16% for females. Seventy percent of males and 46% of females had a low-density lipoprotein concentration above the optimal level of 100 mg/dL. Twenty-nine percent of males had elevated triglyceride levels. The odds of having elevated triglycerides were significantly higher among Soldiers who were older, male, obese, and used tobacco. The risk of elevated ...
Reinstatement of long-term memory following erasure of its behavioral and synaptic expression in Aplysia

Long-term memory (LTM) is believed to be stored in the brain as changes in synaptic connections. Here, we show that LTM storage and synaptic change can be dissociated. Cocultures of Aplysia sensory and motor neurons were trained with spaced pulses of serotonin, which induces long-term facilitation. Serotonin (5HT) triggered growth of new presynaptic varicosities, a synaptic mechanism of long-term sensitization. Following 5HT training, two antimnemonic treatments-reconsolidation blockade and inhibition of PKM--caused the number of presynaptic varicosities to revert to the original, pretraining value. Surprisingly, the final synaptic structure was not achieved by targeted retraction of the 5HT-induced varicosities but, rather, by an apparently arbitrary retraction of both 5HT-induced and original synapses. In addition, we find evidence that the LTM for sensitization persists covertly after its apparent elimination by the same antimnemonic treatments that erase learning-related synaptic growth. These results challenge the idea that stable synapses store long-term memories.
Friendship as a Relationship Infiltration Tactic during Human Mate Poaching

Previous research has characterized human mate poaching as a prevalent alternative mating strategy that entails risks and costs typically not present during general romantic courtship and attractio...
Antisocial behavioral syndromes and body mass index among adults in the United States: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions.

Abstract Objective To describe associations of antisocial behavioral syndromes, including DSM-IV antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and conduct disorder without progression to ASPD (“CD only”), and syndromal antisocial behavior in adulthood without CD before age 15 (AABS, not a codable DSM-IV disorder), with body mass index (BMI) status in the general US adult population. Methods This report is based on the 2001-2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n = 43 093; response rate, 81%). Respondents were classified according to whether they met criteria for ASPD, AABS, “CD only,” or no antisocial syndrome, and on current BMI status based on self-reported height and weight. Associations of antisocial syndromes with BMI status were examined using multinomial logistic regression. Results Among men, antisociality was not associated with BMI. Among women, ASPD was significantly associated with overweight and extreme obesity; AABS was associated with obesity and extreme obesity; and “CD only” was significantly associated with overweight, obesity, and extreme obesity. Conclusions Assessment of antisocial features appears warranted in overweight, obese, and extremely obese women, and assessment of BMI status appears indicated in antisocial women. Prevention and treatment guidelines for overweight and obesity may need revision to address comorbid antisociality, and interventions targeting antisociality may need to include attention to weight concerns.
TRIP-1 via AKT modulation drives lung fibroblast/myofibroblast trans-differentiation

Myofibroblasts are the critical effector cells in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis which carries a high degree of morbidity and mortality. We have previously identified Type II TGFβ receptor interacting protein 1 (TRIP-1), through proteomic analysis, as a key regulator of collagen contraction in primary human lung fibroblasts—a functional characteristic of myofibroblasts, and the last, but critical step in the process of fibrosis. However, whether or not TRIP-1 modulates fibroblast trans-differentiation to myofibroblasts is not known. TRIP-1 expression was altered in primary human lung fibroblasts by siRNA and plasmid transfection. Transfected fibroblasts were then analyzed for myofibroblast features and function such as α-SMA expression, collagen contraction ability, and resistance to apoptosis. The down-regulation of TRIP-1 expression in primary human lung fibroblasts induces α-SMA expression and enhances resistance to apoptosis and collagen contraction ability. In contrast, TRIP-1 over-expression inhibits α-SMA expression. Remarkably, the effects of the loss of TRIP-1 are not abrogated by blockage of TGFβ ligand activation of the Smad3 pathway or by Smad3 knockdown. Rather, a TRIP-1 mediated enhancement of AKT phosphorylation is the implicated pathway. In TRIP-1 knockdown fibroblasts, AKT inhibition prevents α-SMA induction, and transfection with a constitutively active AKT construct drives collagen contraction and decreases apoptosis. TRIP-1 regulates fibroblast acquisition of phenotype and function associated with myofibroblasts. The importance of this finding is it suggests TRIP-1 expression could be a potential target in therapeutic strategy aimed against pathological fibrosis.
Effects of MnSOD-Plasmid Liposome Gene Therapy on Antioxidant Levels in Irradiated Murine Oral Cavity Orthotopic Tumors

Abstract Epperly, M. W., Wegner, R., Kanai, A. J., Kagan, V., Greenberger, E. E., Nie, S. and Greenberger, J. S. Effects of MnSOD-Plasmid Liposome Gene Therapy on Antioxidant Levels in Irradiated Murine Oral Cavity Orthotopic Tumors. Radiat. Res. 167, 289–297 (2007). Intraoral manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2)-plasmid liposome (PL) radioprotective gene therapy prolongs the survival of mice with orthotopic oral cavity tumors within the irradiated field. To determine whether the mechanism involved effects in antioxidant pool, C57BL/6J mice bearing orthotopic oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma SCC-VII tumors received intraoral or intravenous MnSOD-PL gene therapy 24 h prior to 18 Gy irradiation to the head and neck region. Glutathione (GSH) levels and levels of radiation-generated nitric oxide and peroxynitrite were measured in orthotopic tumors and in adjacent oral mucosa. MnSOD-PL transfection of the SCC-VII tumor cells, but not normal embryo fibroblasts, produced acute radiosensitization. Furthermore...
A disk head scheduling simulator

Disk head scheduling is a standard topic in undergraduate operating systems courses. Disk drives were once fairly simple devices with little intelligence. Disk head scheduling and bad block mapping were done exclusively by operating systems. As disk drives became larger and faster, they took on some of these tasks. Modern drives often have a large cache and hide their internal structure from the outside world. In spite of changes in disk technology, the teaching of disk head scheduling has changed little over the last decade. This paper describes a disk head scheduling simulator that allows students to explore traditional disk scheduling algorithms as well as the consequences of modern disk technology. The simulator, which is written in Java and is freely available, can be run remotely from a browser or downloaded for local execution. We present methods for modifying the traditional curriculum to make the presentation of disk head scheduling more relevant and interesting.
Multi-objective optimization under positivity constraints, with a meteorological example

In many practical situations, we need to optimize several objectives under the positivity constraints. For example, in meteorological and environmental studies, it is important to collect various types of data, such as temperature and wind speed and direction, from weather stations. For maintenance purposes, it is convenient to place instruments that collect different weather data on the same weather station. Thus, we need to find the “best” location for a weather station. The “best” means, for example, that the external influences, such as flux of cars passing on nearby road, have a minimal impact on the measurement results. There are several such criteria, so we face a multi-objective optimization problem. In this paper, we show that traditional approaches for solving such problems — such as the weighted sum approach — are not fully adequate for solving our problem. We show that fuzzy heuristics lead to a more adequate approach — of using a generalized form of Nash bargaining solution. We then prove that under reasonable assumptions of scale-invariance, the generalized Nash bargaining solution is the only adequate solution for the general problem of multi-objective optimization under positivity constraints — and, in particular, for the problem of selecting an optimal location for a weather station.
The Use of Microprocessors for Electronic Engine Control

By the 1984 model year, virtually all spark-ignition passenger cars sold in the United States will contain microprocessor-based electronics to meet prescribed emissions and fuel economy levels. Effective implementation of engine control strategies to meet these objectives through the use of electronics, particularly microprocessor-based electronics. depends on a broad knowledge of many diverse engineering disciplines?from basic concepts of emissions control, through microprocessor and semiconductor memory architecture and operation.
Exploring MOL design options for a 20nm CMOS technology using TCAD

A mixed-mode simulation framework is presented to study the AC performance of a 20nm bulk CMOS technology with respect to various options for contact design at the middle-of-line design level. These simulations combine the predictive capabilities of a calibrated two-dimensional TCAD model for a MOSFET with three-dimensional simulations for the layout dependent parasitic capacitances to extract the characteristic parameters of a multi-stage ring-oscillator circuit, such as the ring delay, and the effective switching capacitance. Significant performance degradation is predicted comparing the simulation results for a conventional contact design versus a typical 20nm design considering raised source-drain and a contact bar.
Characterization of Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract effects on the rumen fungus Neocallimastix frontalis , EB 188. Part 2. Carbon source utilization and effects on zoospore production

The effect of a commercial Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract on the utilization of carbon source and zoospore production by the rumen fungus Neocallimastix frontalis EB 188 was determined. In addition, the composition of a soluble extract prepared from the commercial product was analyzed. This extract was added to N. frontalis EB 188 cultures grown on a variety of substrates and periodically assayed for protein, enzymes, zoospore production, and carbon source utilization. The powdered product contained 93% dry matter, more than 3,000 A. oryzaespores per gram, and did not contain strong buffers or high concentrations of salt. Measurable concentrations of DNA, protein, carbohydrate and several enzymes including cellulase and amylase were also found. Soluble extract increased fungal physiology and treated cultures produced significantly higher levels of supernatant protein and enzymes including amylase, cellulase and β-glucosidase. The fungal response depended on culture carbon source. However, culture zoospore production was increased regardless of substrate provided. Culture utilization of glucose was more rapid in treated cultures, yet high levels of the extract greatly inhibited glucose utilization.
Effect of Doppler Echocardiography on Utilization of Hemodynamic Cardiac Catheterization in the Preoperative Evaluation of Aortic Stenosis

Objective To examine the use of Doppler echocardiography in preoperative assessment of aortic stenosis and to determine its effect on subsequent use of hemodynamic cardiac catheterization. Material and Methods We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of 574 adult patients who underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis between 1990 and 1992 at our institution. The use of Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization and the predictive factors for use of hemodynamic catheterization were analyzed. Results After Doppler echocardiography in 423 patients, invasive hemodynamic assessment of the severity of aortic stenosis was performed in only 42% (179 patients). The use of cardiac catheterization declined over time (54% in 1990, 40% in 1991, and 35% in 1992) ( P = 0.003), whereas no significant change in the baseline clinical characteristics of the population or in severity of stenosis as determined by Doppler echocardiography occurred during that time. Multivariate analysis identified the following variables as independent predictors of use of cardiac catheterization after Doppler echocardiography: clinically not severe aortic stenosis, mean gradient of less than 50 mm Hg determined by Doppler echocardiography, Doppler-determined aortic valve area of more than 0.8 cm 2 or not calculated, attending cardiologist not specialized in echocardiography, and earlier year of assessment. Conclusion After Doppler echocardiography, less than 50% of our patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis have cardiac catheterization preoperatively. The use of cardiac catheterization after Doppler echocardiography—thus, duplication of hemodynamic assessment—declined significantly over time during the study period. Decline in the use of catheterization is related to the degree of diagnostic certainty provided by Doppler echocardiography and to the level of familiarity of the attending cardiologist with the technique.
Genome-forward oncology: how do we get there?

Massively parallel sequencing is transforming our knowledge of cancer, yet the medical value of next-generation approaches has not been fully established. From a technical perspective, it is easy to envisage that, within a few years, the primary diagnostic approach for all cancers will be to assess a partial or whole cancer genome sequence; however, the adoption of this approach will ultimately depend on the development of robust and valid models for the tailoring of therapy. Thus, within a short period, the focus of genomic investigation will shift from the current emphasis on discovery in poorly annotated datasets, such as The Cancer Genome Atlas, to ambitious investigations that focus on precise clinical questions. This transition will occur in two stages. The first stage will be a retrospective, ‘genome-backward’ approach, in which patients are treated blind to genomics but consent to prospective germline and tumor sequencing, as well as data sharing. In this way, models that use mutation patterns to predict treatment outcomes can be developed. In a later prospective, ‘genome-forward’ phase, therapeutic postulates that arise from genome sequencing will be used as the basis for clinical trial eligibility or stratification. Specific examples of how these approaches are being studied in breast cancer will be discussed.
Adjuvant therapy of breast cancer with or without additional treatment with alternate drugs

Three hundred ten patients with Stage II or Stage III breast cancer were entered on an adjuvant protocol consisting of a combination of 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (FACVP). In the second phase of the study, patients with estrogen receptor-negative tumors received sequential courses of methotrexate and vinblastine. Other patients, who were estrogen receptor-positive or unknown, were randomized to receive either tamoxifen alone or tamoxifen plus methotrexate and vinblastine. All therapy was completed within 1 year. The estimated disease-free rate at 5 years was 68% among patients with Stage II disease and 52% for patients who had Stage III disease. Among patients with estrogen receptor-positive tumors, disease-free survival was significantly prolonged in patients who received methotrexate and vinblastine in addition to tamoxifen (P = 0.04). However, this difference was less pronounced when all randomized patients (including those whose estrogen receptor status was unknown) were included in the comparison. Although most patients experienced moderate to severe granulocytopenia, infectious complications were infrequent. One patient died of septicemia. Congestive heart failure developed in two patients, one of whom had a history of myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure.
Music Identification with Weighted Finite-State Transducers

Music identification is the process of matching an audio stream to a particular song. Previous work has relied on hashing, where an exact or almost-exact match between local features of the test and reference recordings is required. In this work we present a new approach to music identification based on finite-state transducers and Gaussian mixture models. We apply an unsupervised training process to learn an inventory of music phone units similar to phonemes in speech. We also learn a unique sequence of music units characterizing each song. We further propose a novel application of transducers for recognition of music phone sequences. Preliminary experiments demonstrate an identification accuracy of 99.5% on a database of over 15,000 songs running faster than real time.
Herpes simplex virus RNAi and neprilysin gene transfer vectors reduce accumulation of Alzheimer's disease-related amyloid-β peptide in vivo

Herpes simplex virus RNAi and neprilysin gene transfer vectors reduce accumulation of Alzheimer's disease-related amyloid- β peptide in vivo
The Pragmatic Sanction

The Pragmatic Sanction (pactum mutuae cessionis et successionis), formulated in 1703 and first made public in 1713, has been regarded as the legal basis for the unity of the disparate lands under Habsburg rule until the mid-nineteenth century. Although the Pragmatic Sanction did not prevent foreign powers from trying to seize Austrian territory, it did provide legal justification for the existence of the monarchy as an indivisible whole for well over one hundred years.
Nonlinear control for magnetic levitation of automotive engine vales

Position regulation of a magnetic levitation device is achieved through a control Lyapunov function (CLF) feedback design. It is shown experimentally that by selecting the CLF based on the solution to an algebraic Riccati equation it is possible to tune the performance of the controller using intuition from classical LQR control. The CLF is used with Sontag's universal stabilizing feedback to provide enhanced transient performance farther away from the origin than was achieved with the LQR controller.
The strength of microvascular anastomoses— an experimental evaluation in rats

To determine the longitudinal strength of microvascular anastomoses during early healing, the left femoral arteries of 56 rats were divided and anastomosed with six interrupted sutures of 10-0 nylon. The right femoral arteries served as unoperated controls. The vessels were then harvested immediately, or 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, or 120-150 days after surgery. The cross-sectional surface area was measured and the force required to pull the vessels apart (burst strength) was determined with a tensiometer. Fifty-four of the 56 anastomosed vessels were patent at the time of harvest. All of the operated vessels ruptured at the site of anastomosis when the sutures pulled through the vessel wall. The mean burst strength of the anastomosed vessels was 44% of the contralateral unoperated controls immediately after surgery and did not significantly increase for four to five months. It was concluded that early mobilization of replanted parts is not limited by the strength of microarterial anastomoses.
Quantifying the Information Content of Homing Endonuclease Target Sites by Single Base Pair Profiling

Homing endonucleases (HEs) are native proteins that recognize long DNA sequences with high site specificity in vitro and in vivo. The target site specificity of HEs is high, though not absolute. For example, members of the well-characterized LAGLIDADG family of homing endonucleases (the LHEs) recognize target sites of ~20 base pairs, and can tolerate some target site base pair changes without losing site binding or cleavage activity. This modest degree of target site degeneracy is practically useful once defined and can facilitate the engineering of LHE variants with new DNA recognition specificities. In this chapter, we outline general protocols for systematically profiling HE target site base pair positions in order to define their functional importance in vitro and in vivo, and show how information theory can be used to make sense of the resulting data.
The Effects of Decentralization on Local Health Services: Evidence from Honduras

Poor, rural citizens in developing countries have access to fewer health services and experience worse health outcomes than their richer, urban counterparts. While numerous governments have decentralized their health systems in response to this disparity, we have little rigorous evidence on whether these systems are producing healthier citizens. In this paper I investigate the effects of decentralization on local health services. I implement a difference-in-differences research design at the sub-regional level in Honduras, creating a new longitudinal data set that links quantitative data on the provision and production of health services with demographic, socio-economic, and institutional information, as well as collecting original survey data for local health staff and conducting qualitative interviews with health administrators. My analysis shows that decentralization increases production-based health services in areas that are regional priorities, namely preventive care for women, while having no effect on general or children’s services, and that information, accountability, and connectedness may be key causal mechanisms. These results are robust to specifications including covariates, excluding compositional differences, and using weighted estimation; they also pass falsification tests using placebo treatments, placebo dependent variables, and outcome randomization. Most importantly, this analysis suggests that health sector governance reforms can generate positive incremental improvements in health services for women, and thus having the potential for leading to wider social change with respect to household well-being and economic development across rural communities.
ADAP2 Is an Interferon Stimulated Gene That Restricts RNA Virus Entry.

Interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) target viruses at various stages of their infectious life cycles, including at the earliest stage of viral entry. Here we identify ArfGAP with dual pleckstrin homology (PH) domains 2 (ADAP2) as a gene upregulated by type I IFN treatment in a STAT1-dependent manner. ADAP2 functions as a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for Arf6 and binds to phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3) and PI(3,4)P2. We show that overexpression of ADAP2 suppresses dengue virus (DENV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection in an Arf6 GAP activity-dependent manner, while exerting no effect on coxsackievirus B (CVB) or Sendai virus (SeV) replication. We further show that ADAP2 expression induces macropinocytosis and that ADAP2 strongly associates with actin-enriched membrane ruffles and with Rab8a- and LAMP1-, but not EEA1- or Rab7-, positive vesicles. Utilizing two techniques—light-sensitive neutral red (NR)-containing DENV and fluorescence assays for virus internalization—we show that ADAP2 primarily restricts DENV infection at the stage of virion entry and/or intracellular trafficking and that incoming DENV and VSV particles associate with ADAP2 during their entry. Taken together, this study identifies ADAP2 as an ISG that exerts antiviral effects against RNA viruses by altering Arf6-mediated trafficking to disrupt viral entry.
Collateral Values and Corporate Employment

We examine the impact of real estate collateral values on corporate employment. Our empirical strategy exploits regional variation in local real estate price growth, firm-level data on real estate holdings, as well as establishment-level data on employment and the location of firms' operations from the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the period from 1993 until 2006, we show that a typical U.S. publicly-traded firm increases employment expenditures by $0.10 per $1 increase in collateral. We show this additional hiring is funded through debt issues and the effects are stronger for firms likely to be financially constrained. These firms increase employment at establishments outside of their core industry focus and away from the location of real estate holdings, leading to regional spillover effects. We document how shocks to collateral values influence labor allocation within firms and how these effects show up in the aggregate.
Immunohistochemical Demonstration of Connective Tissue Macromolecules at the Equator of Chick Muscle Spindles

Past structural studies on muscle spindles have in large part focused on identifying intrafusal fiber types, and on characterizing sensory and motor innervations. Connective tissue components of the receptor have received considerably less attention. Cooper and Gladden (1974) have explored the functional relationship between intrafusal fibers and the elastic and reticulin fibrils which surround them, and knowledge about the structure and function of inner and outer capsules has come from the work of Shanta et al. (1968), Kennedy and Yoon (1979), Ovalle (1976) and Hikida (1985). However, the molecular basis of the connective tissue matrix occuring in spindles has yet to be demonstrated. We undertook the current immunohistochemical study to remove some of this uncertainty by evaluating the distribution of nine connective tissue macromolecules in the external lamina of intrafusal fibers and in the outer capsule at the equator of chick muscle spindles.
Reconceptualizing Mass Communication as Engagement: The Influence of Social Media

Copyright: © 2012 Diers AR. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. “For the legions of critics who had previously dismissed platforms like Facebook and Twitter as vapid troughs of celebrity gossip and selfaggrandizement, the toppling of regimes in Tunisia and Egypt suggested that these tools were as effective for organizing protests and revolutions as they were for organizing keg parties. The movements throughout the Arab world appeared to have imbued social media with an irrevocable sense of legitimacy as a tool for fomenting change.” Raymond Schillinger, Web Producer, Documentary Filmmaker, September 20, 2011 [1].
The FI3T Project

This present chapter first describes the current STEM learning initiatives in the United Stated (U.S.) to address the challenge the nation is facing to develop a future workforce that is creative, innovative, and technology proficient. The chapter next introduces the Fostering Interest in Information Technology (FI3T) project, which emphasizes information technology (IT) integration and collaborative strategies in STEM learning. FI3T created a design community where high school students, high school STEM teachers, undergraduate/graduate student assistants, post-secondary STEM content experts, and partners from industry worked together in order for high school students to learn about, experience, and use IT within the context of STEM and explore related career and educational pathways. Following the project design strategies, the chapter describes project events and activities in detail. FI3T concentrated on all four areas of STEM, creating four project-based design teams to address IT use in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. The project sponsored two cohort groups, each participating for two consecutive years with several year-round activities for students to gain IT enrichment experiences within the context of STEM, followed by alumni and follow-up activities. The chapter ends by reporting on the FI3T project research findings. Overall findings indicated that STEM learning experiences supported through technology enhanced, inquiry- and design-based collaborative learning strategies have significant impact on urban high school students’ STEM learning and critical thinking skills. Some degree of impact on attitude changes toward STEM and career aspirations in these fields was also in evidence.
Feeding aversions in terrestrial slugs

Terrestrial slugs (Limax flavus) were administered a feeding test in which they were presented 2 pieces of lettuce. One piece was treated with distilled water, the other with a solution of blended conspecifics in distilled water. Subjects consumed significantly more of the control lettuce treated with distilled water.