cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying Model Form Uncertainty of Epidemic Forecasting Models from Incidence Data

Objective We present a mathematical framework for non-parametric estimation of the force of infection, together with statistical upper and lower confidence bands. The resulting estimates allow to assess how well simpler models, such as SEIR, fit the observed time series of incidence data. Introduction Uncertainty Quantification (UQ), the ability to quantify the impact of sample-to-sample variations and model misspecification on predictions and forecasts, is a critical aspect of disease surveillance. While quantifying the impact of stochastic uncertainty in the data is well understood, quantifying the impact of model misspecification is significantly harder. For the latter, one needs a "universal model" to which more restrictive parametric models are compared too. Methods This talk presents a useful modeling framework for time series of incidence data from contagious diseases that enables one to identify and quantify the impact of model form uncertainty. Specifically, we propose to focus on estimating the time dependent force of infection. The latter is a universal parameters for all contagious disease model. Using a machine learning technique for estimating monotone functions, i.e., isotonic regression and its variants, one can estimate the force of infection without addtional assumptions. We note that most contagious disease model do satisfy this monotonicity assumption, due to a combination of factors: depletion of susceptibles, implementation of mitigation strategies, behavior change, etc. Comparing the resulting "non-parametric" estimate with parametric estimates, obtained by fitting an SEIR for example, can reveal model deficiencies and help quantify model form uncertainties. Finally, we discuss how ideas from "strict bound theory" can be used to develop upper and lower uncertainty bands for force of infection that acknowledge the intrinsic stochasticity in the data. Results We demonstrate the application of the methodology to weekly Influenza Like Illness (ILI) incidence data from France and compare the results to fitted SIR and SEIR models. This comparison can be seen as a nonparametric goodness of fit test, providing one with tools to do simple model selection. Conclusions We present a novel and flexible model to statistically describe the force of infection as a function of time. Comparing the fit to incidence data of that model with the fit of simpler parametric models enables the quantification of model form uncertainty and associated model selection.
Silicon-Based All-Optical Logic Gates and Memories for Low-Latency, High-Speed Cryptography

While cryptographic protocols run efficiently on general computers, there has been a push towards deployment on smaller scale. Achieving high-througput on devices with limited resources makes an all-optical approach an attractive prospect. All-optical logic gates and all-optical memories form the backbone of such a platform.
Advancements in Small-cell Lung Cancer: The Changing Landscape Following IMpower-133.

Abstract The treatment landscape of small-cell lung cancer is rapidly evolving. Results of the first-line randomized trial comparing etoposide/carboplatin/placebo with etoposide/carboplatin/atezolizumab (IMpower-133) were recently published, showing a longer progression-free survival and overall survival for patients receiving atezolizumab. These results changed the standard first-line therapy for the first time in several decades. There are 4 additional ongoing randomized trials comparing chemotherapy alone with chemotherapy plus immune checkpoint inhibition as initial treatment. In addition to these major changes in first-line treatment, multiple second or later line options with new agents are likely to change therapeutic standards in these settings. In this article, we discuss the changing treatment landscape following IMpower-133, highlight new second/subsequent line approaches, and discuss the role of biomarkers in patient selection for these treatments.
Survival Outcomes After Surgical Management of the Primary Tumor With and Without Radiotherapy for Metastatic Rectal Adenocarcinoma: A National Cancer Database (NCDB) Analysis.

Abstract Background With advances in systemic therapies, the role of primary tumor resection may be of increased importance in patients with metastatic rectal cancer. The role of combining pelvic radiotherapy with surgical resection in the metastatic setting is unknown. We utilized the National Cancer Database to examine outcomes in patients with metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma with primary tumor resection with and without pelvic radiotherapy. Materials and Methods We queried the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2014 for patients with stage IV rectal adenocarcinoma receiving chemotherapy. We identified 4051 patients in that group that had primary tumor resection. Patients were then stratified by receipt of pelvic radiotherapy (yes = 1882; no = 2169) Univariable and multivariable analyses identified characteristics predictive of overall survival. Propensity-adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios for survival were used to account for indication bias. Results The median patient age was 63 years (range, 18-90 years) with a median follow-up of 32.3 months (range, 3.02-151.29 months). There were proportionately more patients with T3/T4 disease or N1 disease in the surgery plus radiotherapy arm. The median survival was 46.3 months versus 35.3 months in favor of addition of radiotherapy (P Conclusion This analysis indicates that in patients with metastatic rectal adenocarcinoma receiving chemotherapy, pelvic radiotherapy in addition to primary tumor resection may be of significant benefit.
Police Chief Turnover in Texas: An Exploratory Analysis of Peer-Evaluation Survey Data Pertinent to Police Performance and Turnover:

Turnover of police chiefs is brisk, with the average tenure of a chief of police ranging from 4 to 6 years, but few scholars have examined factors which may impact police chief turnover. This study...
The GlobalEd 2 Project: Interdisciplinary Simulations Promoting Students’ Socio-scientific Literacy

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an instructional design approach designed to facilitate student learning in context-rich settings. GlobalEd2 (GE2) is a PBL curriculum intervention that combines face-to-face and online learning environments into a 14-week multi-player (N > 400) simulation of international negotiations among students in the roles of science delegates on global socio-scientific issues. Although GE2 focuses on science and written argumentation, it is implemented within social science classes that can span time zones, geographic and social boundaries while engaging 400+ middle-grade students in an authentically rich and engaging learning environment. This chapter describes the structural components that have made GE2 successful in promoting student learning across middle school grades, high school, college, and professional education. Further, the GE2 provides a multiyear set of data revealing GE2’s impact on students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KABs). Implications are discussed regarding the instructional framework that has enabled GE2 to successfully evolve over the past 15 years and the future plans for development.
Defining the role of a genetic counselor within pediatric hematology and oncology comprehensive care teams: Perspectives of the provider team and patients.

As genetic testing is increasingly integrated into medical care, the genetic counselor (GC) has emerged as a key member of multidisciplinary (MD) teams. Prior research has demonstrated the importance of role clarification when subspecialties are introduced to these teams given the potential differences in team member expectations regarding the division of responsibilities in clinic. To assess perceptions of a GC's role in four pediatric hematology/oncology clinics, Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) competencies were used to develop two separate surveys for providers and patients and their caregivers. Providers (n = 25) perceived roles related to genetic expertise and coordination of care to be primarily the role of a GC significantly more often than psychosocial roles (p < .0001). Several potential GC roles were perceived as a shared role or the role of another provider, such as eliciting psychosocial history. Patients/caregivers (n = 70) perceived genetic-centric roles as significantly more important than roles related to coordination of care (p = .03) and psychosocial skills (p < .0001). Our findings from a pediatric specialty department suggest that GCs may maximize their potential in MD clinics by functioning as genetic subject matter experts with care coordination responsibilities related to genetic testing. Further communication between team members may be indicated to clarify the division of responsibilities.
Connection: Assisting Neurodiverse Individuals in Forming Lasting Relationships Through a Digital Medium

Many neurodiverse individuals experience isolation in adult life with a significant percentage reporting never engaging in long term romantic relationships. Such social isolation can result in critical behavioral and mental health problems such as anxiety, addiction, and depression. Online socialization platforms can aid in relationship building as they are void of many complexities present in face-to-face communication. We conducted an exploratory study (N=10) with neurodiverse and neurotypical young adults to investigate how to design online socialization platforms that enables creating and maintaining lasting relationships, especially for neurodiverse individuals. We focused on understanding their experiences surrounding online socialization platforms, challenges in using them, and unmet needs. To elicit requirements, we designed a prototype socialization platform, Connection. Our findings reveal that there is indeed a great desire for such platforms among neurotypical and neurodiverse individuals.
Convolutional Approximations to the General Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging Operator

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging aims to reconstruct scenes outside the field of view of an imaging system. A common approach is to measure the so-called light transients, which facilitates reconstructions through ellipsoidal tomography that involves solving a linear least-squares. Unfortunately, the corresponding linear operator is very high-dimensional and lacks structures that facilitate fast solvers, and so, the ensuing optimization is a computationally daunting task. We introduce a computationally tractable framework for solving the ellipsoidal tomography problem. Our main observation is that the Gram of the ellipsoidal tomography operator is convolutional, either exactly under certain idealized imaging conditions, or approximately in practice. This, in turn, allows us to obtain the ellipsoidal tomography solution by using efficient deconvolution procedures to solve a linear least-squares problem involving the Gram operator. The computational tractability of our approach also facilitates the use of various regularizers during the deconvolution procedure. We demonstrate the advantages of our framework in a variety of simulated and real experiments.
Severe Lower Extremity Cellulitis Caused by an Unusual Pathogen: Haemophilus Influenzae Type F.

We present a case of unusual cellulitis of the lower extremities caused by Haemophilus influenzae (HI). A 64-year-old female with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) with a suppressed viral load on treatment, presented with severe, very painful cellulitis of her lower extremity. CT scan did not show any gas or collections; however, she was taken to the operating room for concern of necrotizing fasciitis but no evidence of deep tissue involvement was found. Blood culture and wound culture were positive forHI type F (HiF), a newly emergent pathogenic capsulatedHI that has emerged post-HI type B (HiB) vaccination.
Use of Backup Stem Cells for Stem Cell Boost and Second Transplant in Patients with Multiple Myeloma Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a standard treatment for multiple myeloma (MM). Consensus guidelines recommend collecting sufficient stem cells in case there is a need for stem cell boost for delayed/poor engraftment or for future second ASCT. However, collecting and storing backup stem cells in all patients requires significant resources and cost, and the rates of backup stem cell utilization are not well studied. We sought to examine the utilization of backup stem cells (BSCs) in patients with MM undergoing ASCT. Patients with MM aged ≥18 years old who underwent first ASCT at our institution from January 2010 through December 2015 and collected sufficient stem cells for at least 2 transplants were included in this single-center retrospective study. This timeframe was selected to allow for adequate follow-up. A total of 393 patients were included. The median age was 58 years (range, 25-73). After a median follow-up of 6 years, the median progression-free survival (PFS) of the cohort was 3 years. Sixty-one percent (n = 240) of patients progressed or relapsed. Chemotherapy-based mobilization was used in almost all patients (98%). The median total CD34+ cells collected was 18.2 × 106/kg (range, 3.4-112.4). A median of 5.7 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg (range, 1.8-41.9) was infused during the first ASCT, and a median of 10.1 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg (range, 1.5-104.5) was cryopreserved for future use. Of the patients, 6.9% (n = 27) used backup stem cells, with 2.3% (n = 10) using them for stem cell boost, 4.6% (n = 18) for a second salvage ASCT, including 1 patient for both stem cell boost and second ASCT. Rates of backup stem cell use among patients aged
Adding an international lens to the university striving model: How both global and national indicators influence the Chinese higher education hierarchy:

Institutions that are most attuned to university rankings are known as “strivers.” These striving universities chase prestige by altering policies to match league table indicators, while also bench...
Proof of Principle for Shotgun DNA Mapping by Unzipping

We are developing single-molecule methods for mapping protein-DNA interactions inside living cells by unzipping single chromatin fragments isolated from living cells. One avenue towards this capability involves unzipping random fragments that have been generated by site-specific restriction endonuclease digestion of whole genomic DNA or chromatin, a process we are calling shotgun DNA mapping or shotgun chromatin mapping. A key enabler of shotgun DNA mapping (SDM) will be the ability to assign the individual fragments to their specific sites in the genome, based on the sequence-dependent unzipping force of the underlying naked DNA sequence. We will present proof-of-principle results demonstrating the ability to match experimental data sets for pBR322 unzipping to the correct pBR322 sequence hidden in a library of approximately 3,000 yeast genome sequences arising from the known locations of XhoI recognition sites. We do so via an algorithm that scores the experimental data against simulated unzipping forces from a quasi-equilibrium model (Bockelmann, Essevaz-Roulet, & Heslot, 1997). Our next step is to perform SDM on yeast genomic DNA fragments produced by ligation of XhoI-digested DNA to unzipping constructs. Enhancements of the matching algorithm, data processing, and unzipping simulation will be discussed, along with studies of the robustness of the SDM method as a function of number of sites in genome and other parameters. In addition to the impact on our goal of single-molecule mapping of chromatin from living cells, SDM may have important applications in other areas of genomics, including high-throughput structural DNA mapping and genome-wide mapping of sequence-specific DNA binding proteins.
Meaning matters: Measuring the mental illness identity.

Abstract Drawing on stigma and identity research, we propose and examine quantitative measures of mental illness as a stigmatized identity. Using a web-based panel survey of 1453 adults, we ask individuals who identified as having mental health concerns (n = 1067) to rate adjective-pairs that represent stereotypes associated with mental illness derived from stigma research. Two dimensions of the mental illness identity emerged in our data: Dangerousness and Weakness. Using these dimensions, we examined the relationship between the mental illness identity and well-being (self-worth, self-efficacy, and psychological distress). Both identity dimensions were related to lower levels of self-efficacy and higher levels of distress, however, only perceptions of weakness were associated with lower self-worth. Our findings indicate that specifying the meanings associated with the mental illness identity has the potential to broaden the scope of identity theory and enhance our understanding of the relationship between stigma and well-being.
Covert Authentication Against a Myopic Adversary

We consider the problem of authenticating communication over a Myopic Binary Adversarial Channel (MBAC) while maintaining covertness with respect to the myopic adversary. When the main channel between legitimate parties is degraded with respect to the adversary's channel, we show the existence of an integrated scheme that simultaneously exploits secret keys to ensure covertness and authentication. The main technical challenge we address is showing that authentication may be ensured against myopic attacks when using the low-weight codewords mandated by covert communication.
Visual attention to the source matters: Using eye tracking to understand the FDA's "Every Try Counts" campaign message effectiveness.

Introduction Visual attention is a crucial mechanism in health messaging and campaign persuasiveness. Little is known about how visual attention may translate into cessation-related outcomes in tobacco public education campaigns. Methods Using eye tracking technology, this study investigated the relationships among visual attention, cognitive and affective message responses, and cessation-related outcomes (readiness to quit, intentions to quit, and intentions to seek cessation information). Four different posters from the Every Try Counts (ETC) campaign were used as message stimuli. A total of 80 adult current smokers participated. The associations between their behavioral eye gaze patterns and self-reported message responses and cessation-related outcomes were examined. Results Half of the sample (49.4%) were male, and 46.8% were White-with ages ranging from 18 to 36 years old (M = 21.22, SD = 2.86). Roughly 41% were daily smokers, and 78% had attempted quitting in the previous year. When exposed to campaign ads, only fixation on the FDA logo showed consistent positive relationships with cognitive and affective message responses. Mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects of fixation on the FDA logo on quitting and information seeking intentions mainly through positive affective message responses. Conclusions Visual attention to the FDA logo played an important role in the effects of ETC campaign messages. Implications This study contributes new evidence on the relationship of visual attention, message responses, and ETC campaign outcomes. The current findings suggest that highlighting FDA as a campaign sponsor in visual display may enhance the effectiveness of FDA tobacco education messages.
Generalization Across Multiple Mathematical Domains: Relating, Forming, and Extending

Generalization is a critical component of mathematical reasoning, with researchers recommending that it be central to education at all grade levels. However, research on students’ generalizing reve...
A Cross-National Comparison of Ict Resources and Science Teachers’ Professional Development in and Use of Ict in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

The development and spread of technology in schools as an educational innovation is well-documented worldwide, but the more recent and unique development of science instruction based on information and communication technology (ICT) has not been empirically examined in the Arabian Gulf, specifically.
48 A NOVEL ROLE FOR MYC IN PROSTATE CANCER.

Recent data suggest that excessive c-Myc expression is important in maintaining and preventing the regression of prostate cancer. Separate studies have shown that MBP1 can cause prostate cancer regression in mouse systems. A rapid convergence of evidence from our laboratory and others led us to hypothesize that MBP1 and Myc are interacting in prostate cancer cells to affect tumor progression. Yeast-two-hybrid screening for proteins that interact with Myc yielded several independent isolates of MBP1. Interestingly, Myc and MBP1 have striking functional similarities with regard to apoptosis and gene repression, processes that have direct implications for cancer progression. Considering the role of Myc and the specific role of MBP1 in prostate cancer, we therefore hypothesize that the interaction between MBP1 and Myc is a key determinant of malignancy in prostate cancer. We aim (1) to confirm the interaction between Myc and MBP1 and determine if this interaction is prostate cancer specific; (2) to determine if MBP1 affects Myc9s regulation of target genes; and (3) to determine if the MBP1-Myc interaction affects cellular transformation and cancer-affecting processes. Our preliminary data suggest that there is a strong interaction between Myc and MBP1. We have characterized antibodies and siRNA sequences that can be effectively used to detect and knock down MBP1. Using these tools and others, we will confirm the Myc-MBP1 interaction using coimmunoprecipitation (coIP) experiments. We will also use coIP to identify mutants of each protein that cannot bind the other. We will use quantitative PCR and chromatin IP to establish if MBP1 affects Myc gene regulation, particularly gene repression. We will use the TUNEL assay to determine if MBP1 and Myc affect each other9s apoptosis-inducing properties. Finally, we will assay the effect that the Myc-MBP1 interaction has on cellular transformation, examining anchorage-independent growth, loss of contact inhibition, and the ability to produce a tumor in nude mice. These experiments will be complemented with parallel studies in nonprostate and noncancer cells to determine if the interaction, or its properties, are prostate or, more importantly, prostate cancer specific. These data can potentially yield a diagnostic assay for early detection of prostate cancer. They can also expose an Achilles9 heel of prostate cancer against which drugs can be targeted.
Portfolio Management At The Mexican Petroleum Institute

Portfolio management aims at managing risk in RD 2) the applied research route; and 3) the technology acquisition route, which joins the development route at the validation stage, after the technology has been acquired and assimilated from a third party. The central process is the applied research route, where both the basic research-oriented and the technology acquisition routes converge. [FIGURE 1 OMITTED] Having identified four technology arenas to focus on, as well as having had the Stage-Gate process in operation for a year, the management team decided it was the right time for carrying out a portfolio review of all projects in the pipeline. Prior to the review, there were 83 on-going projects, from which 21 were on the basic research route and accounted for 40 percent of the assigned resources, while 62 were on the applied research and technology acquisition routes, representing 60 percent of the resources allocated to R&D. Structuring the Portfolio Analysis The portfolio analysis was divided into five project categories: 1) basic research projects, 2) applied research projects aligned to core arenas, 3) applied research projects aligned to maintenance arenas, 4) technology acquisition projects aligned to core arenas, and 5) technology acquisition projects aligned to maintenance arenas, as illustrated in Figure 2. [FIGURE 2 OMITTED] The basic research projects required a completely different set of assessment criteria from those used for the applied research and technology acquisition routes. Therefore, these were removed from the prioritization exercise and analyzed separately. They were restructured into platform projects and reduced from 21 to 11. This reduction accounted for saving 33 percent of the budget assigned to basic research projects. It became evident from the case study that it is critical to carefully analyze the projects that integrate the portfolio and recognize their differences. …
The Influence of Axial Conduction on the Thermal Entry-Region Heat Transfer in Magnetohydrodynamic Channel Flow

The influence of axial conduction on thermal entry-region temperature distribution and heat transfer in Hartmann's flow through a magnetohydrodynamic channel is analytically investigated. Viscous d...
Recording Earth's Vital Signs

Fifty years ago, continuous measurements of atmospheric carbon dioxide were begun at Mauna Loa, Hawaii.
Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Tax-Free Liquidating Distribution? Ideological Debates in Taxation and the Repeal of General Utilities

This paper is a legal history of the General Utilities doctrine, the ideological debate surrounding its demise, and the relevance of ideological debates in taxation to future tax policy debates.
Effect of Selenium on the Subcellular Distribution of Glutathione Peroxidase in Rat Liver, Epididymal Fat Pad and Seminal Vesicle

The effect of dietary selenium on the subcellular distribution of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (SeGSH-Px) activity in rat liver, epididymal fat pad, and seminal vesicle was determined. Tissues were fractionated by differential centrifugation, and the subcellular distribution of SeGSH-Px activity was determined by comparison with the distribution of biochemical marker enzymes. Liver SeGSH-Px activity was located in both the cytosol and mitochondria. In epididymal fat pad and seminal vesicle, SeGSH-Px activity was located primarily in the cytosol; association with another subcellular organelle, however, was indicated. In liver and epididymal fat pad, SeGSH-Px activity increased linearly, and, in the seminal vesicle, increased linearly and quadratically, with increasing dietary selenium concentration. Distribution of SeGSH-Px activity among the cellular fractions from the tissues, however, was not affected by dietary selenium supplementation.
Efficient flow-sensitive interprocedural data-flow analysis in the presence of pointers

This paper presents a new worklist algorithm that significantly speeds up a large class of flow-sensitive data-flow analyses, including typestate error checking and pointer analysis. Our algorithm works particularly well for interprocedural analyses. By contrast, traditional algorithms work well for individual procedures but do not scale well to interprocedural analysis because they spend too much time unnecessarily re-analyzing large parts of the program. Our algorithm solves this problem by exploiting the sparse nature of many analyses. The key to our approach is the use of interprocedural def-use chains, which allows our algorithm to re-analyze only those parts of the program that are affected by changes in the flow values. Unlike other techniques for sparse analysis, our algorithm does not rely on precomputed def-use chains, since this computation can itself require costly analysis, particularly in the presence of pointers. Instead, we compute def-use chains on the fly during the analysis, along with precise pointer information. When applied to large programs such as nn, our techniques improve analysis time by up to 90%—from 1974s to 190s—over a state of the art algorithm.
Experimental model of inappropriate sinus tachycardia: initiation and ablation.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to develop an experimental model of inappropriate sinus tachycardia (IST) by injecting a catecholamine into a fat pad containing autonomic ganglia (AG) innervating the sinus node (SN).
Abstract 2993: Dll4 inhibition plus aflibercept markedly reduces ovarian tumor burden and ascites

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Purpose: To determine the effects of Dll4 blockade with and without aflibercept on ovarian tumor burden and ascites in preclinical models. Methods: Using Dll4-Fc and anti-Dll4 antibodies, we evaluated the biological effects of Dll4 inhibition combined with aflibercept in vivo (orthotopic mouse models of ovarian cancer). Reverse phase protein array (RPPA) analysis was used to identify potential biomarkers of treatment response. Results: To address the biological significance of Dll4 expression in tumor cells versus endothelial cells, we used human and mouse anti-Dll4 antibodies in vivo. In the A2780 model, treatment with mouse (REGN1035) or human (REGN421) anti-Dll4 antibodies reduced tumor weight by 61.5% and 82.4%, respectively, compared to the controls (P < 0.05 for both). Aflibercept alone reduced tumor weight by 90% (p < 0.05). The combinations of REGN1035 plus aflibercept, and REGN421 plus aflibercept resulted in the greatest inhibition of tumor growth, reducing respective tumor weight by 95.8% and 93.9%, compared to the controls (P < 0.05). The anti-tumor effects were related to decreased angiogenesis and increased apoptosis. RPPA analysis revealed that caspase3 and GATA3 were significantly increased; cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and pS6-s240_s244 were decreased in response to Dll4 Inhibition plus aflibercept. Among these, GATA3, a transcription factor for E-cadherin, was significantly induced by Dll4 Inhibition plus aflibercept, resulting in the up-regulation of E-cadherin expression in human cancer cells. Furthermore, GATA3 and E-cadherin expression might be useful as potential biomarkers of response. Conclusions: Dual targeting of Dll4 and VEGF shows promise for inhibiting ovarian tumor growth and may have important clinical implications. Citation Format: Jie Huang, Wei Hu, Heather J. Dalton, Justin Bottsford-Miller, Robert L. Coleman, Robert B. Jaffe, Anil K. Sood. Dll4 inhibition plus aflibercept markedly reduces ovarian tumor burden and ascites. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2993. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2993
The Eubacterial Endosymbionts of Whiteflies (Homoptera: Aleyrodoidea) Constitute a Lineage Distinct from the Endosymbionts of Aphids and Mealybugs

Whiteflies (superfamily Aleyrodoidea) contain eubacterial endosymbionts localized within host cells known as mycetocytes. Sequence analysis of the genes for the 16S rRNA of the endosymbionts ofBemisia tabaci, Siphoninus phillyreae, andTrialeurodes vaporariorum indicates that these organisms are closely related and constitute a distinct lineage within the γ-subdivision of theProteobacteria. The endosymbionts of whiteflies are unrelated to the endosymbionts of aphids and mealybugs, which are in two separate lineages.
Factors that control Typha marsh evapotranspiration

There is continuing debate about the controls on wetland evapotranspiration (E-t) and whether marshes are profligate water users. We used eddy covariance to measure the CO2 exchange and E-t by a California Tule marsh in 2003. The marsh was dominated by Typha and Scirpus, and there was a large amount of standing litter that acted as a mulch. Canopy development was broadly related to air temperature, with rapid growth in May and senescence in October. E-t was a few tenths of a mm d(-1) in winter, and 3-4 mm d(-1) in summer. The midsummer Bowen ratio was similar to 1, and the annual E, was 49 cm. The peak rate of E-t was lower than has been reported for marshes based on lysimeter studies, somewhat lower than has been reported for marshes based on micrometeorological studies, and equivalent to, or somewhat lower than, has been reported for upland grassland. The midsummer water use efficiency was 0.0025 mol CO2 mol(-1) H2O, and the delta C-13 of foliage was -27.1 parts per thousand, which are both typical for productive C-3 ecosystems. Transpiration accounted for 80% of total E-t Evaporation from water standing beneath the canopy and mulch layer was only a minor component of the marsh's hydrological budget. The low rate of evaporation from standing water was a result of cool water temperatures, which remained within a few degrees of the nocturnal minimum on most days. We believe the mulch layer acted in a way analogous to an electrical diode that allowed the upward loss of heat from the water to the atmosphere at night, and shut off the flux of heat from the atmosphere to the water during daytime. resulting in cool subcanopy water and low rates of evaporation. Our observations are inconsistent with the hypothesis that Tule marshes are inefficient water users, or that their rates of transpiration and CO2 uptake are unusual compared to upland ecosystems. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Continuum approximation of the morse potential lattice sums in cubic crystals

Abstract Using the continuum approximation of Born and his coworkers, several lattice sums of the Morse potential energy function are calculated for cubic lattices. The results are found to be in good to excellent agreement with the actual values.
Impaired survival of neural progenitor cells in dentate gyrus of adult mice lacking FMRP

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited intellectual disability in humans. Individuals affected with the disorder exhibit a deficiency of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), due to transcriptional silencing of the Fmr1 gene. It is widely accepted that learning deficits in FXS result from impaired synaptic function and/or plasticity in the brain. Interestingly, recent evidence suggests that conditional knockout of Fmr1 in neural progenitor cells in mice impairs hippocampal neurogenesis, which in turn contributes to learning impairments. To examine the nature of the neurogenic impairments and determine whether they impact the morphology of the dentate gyrus, we assessed the extent of neural progenitor cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation in older adult Fmr1 knockout mice. Here, we show that the number of fast-proliferating cells in the subgranular layer of the dentate gyrus, as well as the subsequent survival of these cells, are dramatically reduced in Fmr1 knockout mice. In addition, the number of mature neurons in the granule layer of the dentate gyrus of these mice is significantly smaller than in wild type littermate controls, suggesting that impaired proliferation and survival of neural progenitor cells compromises the structure of the dentate gyrus. Impaired adult neurogenesis may underlie, at least in part, the learning deficits that characterize fragile X syndrome.
Fault Detection and Isolation Filters for Three-Phase AC-DC Power Electronics Systems

This paper develops and experimentally demonstrates a new class of high-fidelity model-based fault detection and isolation filters for three-phase AC-DC power electronics systems. The structure of these filters is similar to that of a piecewise linear observer and in the absence of faults the filter residual converges to zero. On the other hand, whenever a fault occurs, by appropriately choosing the filter gain, the filter residual will exhibit certain geometric characteristics that allow the fault to be detected and, in certain cases, also isolated. Key advantages of these filters include fast detection of all possible component faults and the ability to capture slow degradation in individual components. In order to experimentally demonstrate their feasibility, the filters are implemented on an ultra-fast application-specific real-time processor. While the theoretical framework developed is general, the analysis, simulations, and experiments are focused on widely used power electronics systems implementing three-phase AC-DC converters that are used in, e.g., motor drive applications and distributed static compensators.
Tell Me Where Is Prejudice Bred. In the Heart or In the Head? (Apologies to Shakespeare): A Review of Our Racist Heart? An Exploration of Unconscious Prejudice in Everyday Life

Our Racist Heart? An Exploration of Unconscious Prejudice in Everyday Life, by Geoffrey Beattie. New York, NY: Routledge, 2013. 320 pp. ISBN 978-0-415-61296-9. $24.95, paperback. THE TRAGIC DEATH O...
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SOURCES OF SULFATE IONS IN PORTLAND CEMENT MORTAR: TWO TYPES OF CHEMICAL ATTACK

Abstract This paper compares the effects of chemical attack on portland cement mortar from internal and external sulfate sources. Factors such as cement type, cement content, water to cement ratio, and addition of fly ash are studied with respect to expansion and strength development and it is found that substantial differences exist between the two types of sulfate attack. Expansion values used to evaluate both external and internal attack are discussed and a low bound of maximum expansion corresponding to the beginning of strength loss for internal sulfate attack is proposed. This threshold is a function of cement content rather than a constant.
Cutaneous Verrucous Xanthoma in a Bone Marrow Transplant Recipient with Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa

Verrucous xanthomas (VXs) typically arise on the oral mucosa but have been reported on glabrous skin in patients with graft-versus-host disease or recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). The inciting cause of these tumors is unclear but may result from cutaneous inflammation and trauma. We describe a patient with RDEB who had previously undergone a bone marrow transplant for her condition and subsequently developed an VX on her neck.
Factor orbit equivalence of compact group extensions and classification of finite extensions of ergodic automorphisms

In §§1–5, we classifyn-point extensions of ergodic automorphisms up to factor orbit-equivalence (which is the natural analogue of factor isomorphism). This classification is in terms of conjugacy classes of subgroups of the symmetric group onn points, and parallels D. Rudolph’s classification ofn-point extensions of Bernoulli shifts up to factor isomorphism. In §6, we give another proof of A. Fieldsteel’s theorem on factor orbit-equivalence of compact group extensions.
Crystallization of viruses and virus proteins

Abstract Methods for crystallizing six isometric plant and insect viruses are presented. Procedures developed for modifying, purifying and crystallizing coat protein subunits isolated from a virus forming asymmetric, spheroidal particles, stabilized almost exclusively by protein-RNA interactions, are also discussed. The tertiary and quaternary structures of small RNA viruses are compared.
Theory of strong-field pump—probe spectroscopy in J-aggregates

Abstract A nonperturbative theory for the pump—probe absorption spectrum of Frenkel exciton chains is developed in the early saturation regime. In the J-aggregate configuration, the entire spectrum is blue-shifted in proportion to the pump intensity. The results are in good agreement with experiment.
A study of deuteron quadrupole moment effects in sub-coulomb scattering of tensor polarized deuterons

Abstract Measurements of the tensor analyzing power T 20 are presented for deuteron elastic scattering from 208 Pb at energies below the Coulomb barrier. It is found that, for energies below about 7 MeV, T 20 arises primarily from the interaction of the deuteron quadrupole moment with the nuclear electric field gradient. Contributions to T 20 from nuclear interactions with the target are shown to be very small for E d ≲ 5 MeV. Measurements of T 20 at E d = 4 MeV, accurate to ± 8 × 10 −5 , are presented. After correcting for deuteron stretching and a number of additional small effects, the data are used to make a new determination of the quadrupole moment. The result, Q = 0.282 ± 0.019 fm 2 , is in good agreement with the conventional value deduced from molecular hyperfine structure data.
Verification of epitaxial growth and determination of chain positions in Langmuir—Blodgett films of lead stearate on mica

Abstract We have determined from X-ray diffraction that lead stearate, which like many hydrocarbon compounds does not form good crystals in bulk, can be grown epitaxially on mica using the Langmuir—Blodgett technique. The strong alternation in intensities of the (11 l ) peaks cannot be explained by considering the lead ions only, and imply that the hydrocarbon chains do not close-pack into a triangular array but reproduce the in-plane structure of the lead ions.
Direct comparison of characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients enrolled versus patients not enrolled in a clinical trial at centers participating in the TIMI 9 Trial and TIMI 9 Registry.

Background Questions about the generalizability of randomized trial results to clinical practice have arisen because the overall mortality rate is generally lower in trials, potentially because patients who are at lower risk are enrolled. However, little is known about the characteristics of patients included in clinical trials versus those who are not included.Methods The Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 9 Registry prospectively evaluated patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction at 20 hospitals during the TIMI 9 trial, which compared hirudin versus heparin with fibrinolysis. We compared the characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of patients enrolled in TIMI 9B (n = 3002) with other fibrinolytic-eligible patients not enrolled in TIMI 9B (n = 296) and with those not eligible for fibrinolysis by American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association criteria, at the same centers (n = 282), with the latter groups divided by use of reperfusion therapy.Results Across the groups, ranging from those in the TIMI 9 trial to those ineligible for fibrinolysis, we observed a gradient of higher-risk baseline characteristics, lower use of reperfusion therapy, and higher mortality rates (P < .001). In addition, comparing fibrinolytic-eligible patients in TIMI 9B versus those not enrolled in the trial, the use of aspirin, β-blockers, and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was significantly higher in the TIMI 9B trial. Ineligible patients not treated with reperfusion therapy had much lower rates of use of these medications and the highest inhospital mortality rate (24%, adjusted odds ratio 2.8, P < .0001)Conclusions In this prospective registry, patients not enrolled in a clinical trial had higher risk characteristics and worse outcomes; however, they also were treated less frequently with guideline-recommended medications, which may have contributed to their higher mortality rates. (Am Heart J 2003;145:109-17.)
War responsibilities of the speech correctionist

(1943). War responsibilities of the speech correctionist. Quarterly Journal of Speech: Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 137-140.
Effects of pilocarpine on Drosophila larval salivary gland cells

Abstract 1. 1. Pilocarpine fed to Drosophila larvae in concentrations of 1, 10, 100, or 1000 p.p.m. induced depletion of all synthesized material from the larval salivary gland cells, as shown by loss of cytoplasm granularity and changes in cell shape. 2. 2. Determination of the nuclear and nucleolar diameters of salivary gland cells from the several treatments showed a reduction in nuclear to nucleolar diameter ratio after 10 or 100 p.p.m. treatments.
Bonding vs. Bridging Social Capital: A Case Study in Twitter

Online communities are connecting large numbers of individuals and generating rich social network data, opening the way for empirical studies of social behavior. In this paper, we consider the widely-held view of social scientists that bonding interactions are more likely than bridging interactions in social networks, and test it within the context of the large online Twitter community. We find that indeed users who request to follow others having similar profile descriptions (i.e., attempting to bond) increase the number of Twitter users who reciprocate their follow requests. From a practical standpoint, this result also informs how a new user might interact on Twitter to maintain a high follow-back ratio.
Experiences in measuring the reliability of a cache-based storage system

We present our experiences in benchmarking the reliability of the cache component of a storage system in a development environment. The reliability metrics we measured are availability from the standpoint of the host and maintainability from the standpoint of the system operator. We created errors using software fault injection, and measured their impact using a combination of performance measurement techniques and the rehearsal of maintenance procedures. This paper gives three case studies. The first two describe experiments that recreate very specific breakdowns in the software logic, and the third describes an experiment simulating a memory hardware failure that creates unpredictable effects. We found that, taken together, these various techniques gave us a useful picture of how well our cache management software tolerated faults.
Critical postcraniotomy cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia: risk factors and outcome analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Critical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hypovolemia may cause acute postoperative clinical deterioration in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients after craniotomy for microsurgical aneurysm clipping. We sought to identify risk factors for critical CSF hypovolemia and determine this syndrome's effect on clinical outcome. METHODS: Between April 2001 and June 2004 at Columbia University Medical Center, 16 aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage patients were diagnosed with postoperative critical CSF hypovolemia, whereas 151 patients who underwent craniotomy for clipping were not. The demographics, as well as the presenting radiographic and clinical characteristics, of these groups were evaluated. In addition, a 2:1 matched case-control comparison of patients with and without critical CSF hypovolemia was completed using clinical data, operative variables, and outcome data. Outcome analysis was performed with a battery of tests designed to assess global outcome, cognitive function, independence, and quality of life. RESULTS: There was no difference in clinical grade, Fisher score, age, and sex distribution between patients diagnosed with critical CSF hypovolemia and the general aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage population at Columbia University Medical Center. Subsequent 2:1 matched case-control comparison demonstrated a higher incidence of global cerebral edema on admission computed tomographic scans (75 versus 31%; P < 0.01) and a significantly longer operative time for patients with critical CSF hypovolemia (5 h 18 min versus 4 h 22 min; P < 0.03). No significant differences were observed between groups in outcome assessments at the time of hospital discharge or the 3-month follow-up examination. CONCLUSION: Risk factors associated with an increased incidence of critical CSF hypovolemia after aneurysm surgery include the presence of global cerebral edema on admission head computed tomographic scans and prolonged operative time. In such patients, heightened suspicion of CSF hypovolemia is crucial because rapid and appropriate management obviates excess morbidity and mortality.
"Reasonableness" of Kois Results for Re-Entry Women: Implications for Test Validity:

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the reaction of re-entry women to the KOIS with the view of establishing face validity of its scales. A sample of 56 women participating in a pro...