cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical genetics in the genomic medicine of the 21st century.

The question implicit in my title was explicitly framed by Alan Guttmacher and colleagues1 in an article entitled “Genomic Medicine: Who Will Practice It?” While this question is a general one, my particular concern is with what the roles of medical genetics and medical geneticists will be in what is being referred to as genomic medicine. To answer these questions, it is necessary to define what we mean by “medical genetics and medical geneticists” and by “genomic medicine.” Although this might appear to be a semantic exercise, that is not my intention. Rather, if we are to look at the future role of medical genetics in the practice of medicine, I believe that we really need to understand what we are talking about. I shall start with medical genetics and medical geneticists.
The Enhancement of Fluorescence and the Decreased Susceptibility to Enzymatic Oxidation of Retinol Complexed with Bovine Serum Albumin, β-Lactoglobulin, and the Retinol-binding Protein of Human Plasma

Abstract The fluorescence yield of bound retinol in human retinol-binding protein (RBP) and its prealbumin complex (PA-RBP) were found to be nearly the same and to exceed that of free retinol in petroleum ether by about 9-fold. Bovine serum albumin and β-lactoglobulin also formed strongly fluorescent water-soluble complexes with retinol. The fluorescence yield of retinol complexed with bovine serum albumin was about 4-fold and with β-lactoglobulin about 3-fold larger than retinol in petroleum ether. In the retinol-bovine serum albumin complex the molar ratio of retinol to protein was found to be approximately 1. The greater degree of fluorescence enhancement, the greater stability of retinol in RBP and PA-RBP to spontaneous degradation at room temperature, the relative resistance to extraction of the bound retinol by ether, and the complete unavailability of the retinol in RBP and PA-RBP for oxidation by liver alcohol dehydrogenase, in contrast to the retinol in complexes formed with either bovine serum albumin or β-lactoglobulin, were interpreted as indicating that retinol is bound with greater affinity to the natural carrier protein than it is to bovine serum albumin or β-lactoglobulin. Retinol was extracted from dry preparations of RBP and PA-RBP with ethanol in the cold, yielding apoprotein preparations that were able to rebind retinol, regenerating about 90% of their original fluorescence with the bound retinol becoming again completely unreactive toward liver alcohol dehydrogenase.
Increasing reliability in ad hoc networks through diversity routing

Summary form only given. Key to making ad hoc networks viable is the ability to offer reliable service through an inherently unreliable medium. This talk would address novel mechanisms for increasing reliability in wireless networks through diversity routing. Such mechanisms include disjoint paths routing algorithms for wireless networks when combined with "physical layer" diversity techniques. As an example we would introduce a novel "outage probability" model for measuring reliability in a wireless networks. We would show how the traditional "link-layer" outage probability metric can be extended to a network setting and devise network routing algorithms for minimizing out age probability in a network. We would then show how link-layer MIMO techniques can be extended to the network layer to achieve dramatic reduction in network outage probability.
Identification of heterotrophic nitrification in a sierran forest soil.

A potential for heterotrophic nitrification was identified in soil from a mature conifer forest and from a clear-cut site. Potential rates of NO2− production were determined separately from those of NO3− by using acetylene to block autotrophic NH4+ oxidation and chlorate to block NO2− oxidation to NO3− in soil slurries. Rates of NO2− production were similar in soil from the forest and the clear-cut site and were strongly inhibited by acetylene. The rate of NO3− production was much greater than that of NO2− production, and NO3− production was not significantly affected by acetylene or chlorate. Nitrate production was partially inhibited by cycloheximide, but was not significantly reduced by streptomycin. Neither the addition of ammonium nor the addition of peptone stimulated NO3− production. 15N labeling of the NH4+ pool demonstrated that NO3− was not coming from NH4+. The potential for heterotrophic nitrification in these forest soils was greater than that for autotrophic nitrification.
Annotation Style Guide for the Blinker Project

This annotation style guide was created by and for the Blinker project at the University of Pennsylvania. The Blinker project was so named after the ``bilingual linker'' GUI, which was created to enable bilingual annotators to ``link'' word tokens that are mutual translations in parallel texts. The parallel text chosen for this project was the Bible, because it is probably the easiest text to obtain in electronic form in multiple languages. The languages involved were English and French, because, of the languages with which the project co-ordinator was familiar, these were the two for which a sufficient number of annotators was likely to be found.
THE STATISTICAL EVALUATION OF CANCER SURVIVAL.

Abstract The advantages of the actuarial method over traditional methods for reporting cancer survival have been presented with illustrations from our cervical carcinoma data and the literature. These advantages are: (1) use of all available survival information permits a calculation of more accurate survival rates sooner than with traditional methods; and (2) bias is minimized by assuming that the survival of patients lost to follow-up or dead of intercurrent disease is similar to that of patients completely followed. The importance and limitations of reporting survival rates with their standard errors has been emphasized. By considering all patients observed, the actuarial method obtains the smallest standard error. Adoption of a standard method of reporting survival, preferably an actuarial one, is recommended.
Size-Portfolio Idiosyncratic Volatility with Aggregate Return, Cross-Sectional Return, and GDP Growth: U.S. and International Evidence

Firm size is an essential factor in examining the relation between returns and idiosyncratic volatilities. This paper documents that, when the idiosyncratic volatility is specified by firm size, the size-portfolio idiosyncratic volatility is statistically significant in explaining the future aggregate return. This property prevails for the equally- or value-weighted scheme, the different time periods in the U.S. market, or the international markets. This paper also examines the relation between size-portfolio idiosyncratic volatilities and future cross-sectional returns. The size-portfolio idiosyncratic volatilities are also significantly related to future cross-sectional returns for both the U.S. and international markets. Finally, this paper examines the predictive ability of the size-portfolio idiosyncratic volatility for GDP growth. It concludes that size-portfolio idiosyncratic volatility contain significant information for forecasting future GDP growth for both the U.S. and the international markets.
On the presence of giant particles downwind of ships in the marine boundary layer

This study examines large oceangoing ships as a source of giant cloud condensation nuclei (D_p > 2 µm) due to wake and stack emissions off the California coast. Observed particle number concentrations behind 10 ships exceeded those in “control” areas, exhibiting number concentration enhancement ratios (ERs) for minimum threshold diameters of ~2, ~10, and ~20 µm as high as 2.7, 5.5, and 7.5, respectively. ER decreases with increasing downwind distance and altitude. ER becomes better correlated with ship size variables (gross tonnage, length, and beam) as the minimum size threshold increases from 2 to 20 µm, whereas ship speed has a less distinct relationship with ER. One case study of a container ship shows that there are higher concentrations of sea-salt tracer species behind it relative to adjacent control areas. These results have implications for cloud properties and precipitation in marine boundary layers exposed to ship traffic.
PREPARATION OF ISOPROPYL 2-DIAZOACETYL(PHENYL)CARBAMATE

Isopropyl chloroformate Aniline Triethylamine n-Butyllithium Acetic anhydride 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexamethyldisilazane Isopropyl acetyl(phenyl)carbamate 2,2,2-Trifluoroethyl trifluoroacetate 4-Acetamidobenzenesulfonyl azide Carbamic acid N-(2-diazoacetyl)-N-phenyl- 1-methylethyl ester Keywords: isopropyl 2-diazoacetyl(phenyl)carbamate; diazo compounds; diazoalkanes; cyclopropanation; chiral Bronsted acids
A course in programming and practice: toward small systems

Numerous books and papers discuss approaches for solving problems that arise when software systems are built. Many of these, however, describe methods that seem reasonable only to experienced designers and programmers. To many, these problems often seem unmotivated, especially among students who have only written small programs. This paper describes a programming course intended to teach such students some of the more popular software engineering guidelines and approaches.
High energy transmission electron diffraction and imaging studies of the silicon (111) 7 × 7 surface structure

Abstract Kilovolt electron scattering experiments in the transmission geometry offer certain advantages for surface structure analysis over more traditional techniques. These include the absence of electron exchange effects, the ability to analyze submicron regions, their compatibility with imaging (for the study of chemically important inhomogeneities) and the usefulness of the kinematic approximation for surface superlattice reflections. An experimental 100 kV transmission electron diffraction pattern from the silicon [111] 7 × 7 structure is analyzed and compared with the diffracted intensities expected from two recent models for the 7 × 7 adlayer. Shuffle and glide termination effects are discussed. Thousand-beam dynamical calculations of atomic resolution transmission electron images of the surface superlattice are used to show the high sensitivity of these to charge transfer effects, and the imaging conditions needed to maximize this sensitivity are determined.
Heat processing of tar-bonded refractories

During the heat processing of tar-bonded refractories in a protective atmosphere at 250–400°C the tar at first passes through a stage of fusion and uniform distribution over the entire volume of the products, and then is subjected to pyrolysis, molecular association, and polymerization with an increase in the coking number; simultaneously some of the volatiles separated from the tar are subjected to additional cracking, and the separated pyrolytic carbon is deposited on the channels of the gas exit. As a result there is a substantial improvement in the basic properties of the tar dolomite and tar dolomite-magnesite refractories.
Adhesions after laparoscopic and open ileal pouch–anal anastomosis surgery for ulcerative colitis†

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that a laparoscopic approach to colorectal procedures generates fewer adhesions. Even though laparoscopic ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) is a lengthy procedure, the prospect of fewer adhesions may justify this approach. The aim of this study was to assess abdominal and adnexal adhesion formation following laparoscopic versus open IPAA in patients with ulcerative colitis. Methods: A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed at time of ileostomy closure. All abdominal quadrants and the pelvis were video recorded systematically and graded offline. The incisional adhesion score (IAS; range 0–6) and total abdominal adhesion score (TAS; range 0–10) were calculated, based on the grade and extent of adhesions. Adnexal adhesions were classified by the American Fertility Society (AFS) adhesion score. Results: A total of 43 patients consented to participate, of whom 40 could be included in the study (laparoscopic 28, open 12). Median age was 38 (range 20–61) years. There was no difference in age, sex, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade and time to ileostomy closure between groups. The IAS was significantly lower after laparoscopic IPAA than following an open procedure: median (range) 0 (0–5) versus 4 (2–6) respectively (P = 0·004). The TAS was also significantly lower in the laparoscopic group: 2 (0–6) versus 8 (2–10) (P = 0·002). Applying the AFS score, women undergoing laparoscopic IPAA had a significantly lower mean(s.d.) prognostic classification score than those in the open group: 5·2(3·7) versus 20·0(5·6) (P = 0·023). Conclusion: Laparoscopic IPAA was associated with significantly fewer incisional, abdominal and adnexal adhesions in comparison with open IPAA. Copyright © 2011 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry

Fourier transform mass spectrometry will play an important role in the future because of its unique combination of high mass resolution, high upper mass limit, and multichannel advantage. These features have already found application in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, multiphoton ionization, laser desorption, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. However, its most notable feature is the ability to store ions. This characteristic, when combined with the others, will allow expeditious study of the interaction of gas-phase ions with both photons (photodissociation) and neutral molecules, and the convenient application of this fundamental information for chemical analysis.
MicroRNA signature characterizes primary tumors that metastasize in an esophageal adenocarcinoma rat model.

Objective To establish a miRNA signature for metastasis in an animal model of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Background The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has dramatically increased and esophageal cancer is now the sixth leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Mortality rates remain high among patients with advanced stage disease and esophagectomy is associated with high complication rates. Hence, early identification of potentially metastatic disease would better guide treatment strategies. Methods The modified Levrat’s surgery was performed to induce EAC in Sprague-Dawley rats. Primary EAC and distant metastatic sites were confirmed via histology and immunofluorescence. miRNA profiling was performed on primary tumors with or without metastasis. A unique subset of miRNAs expressed in primary tumors and metastases was identified with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) along with upstream and downstream targets. miRNA-linked gene expression analysis was performed on a secondary cohort of metastasis positive (n=5) and metastasis negative (n=28) primary tumors. Results The epithelial origin of distant metastasis was established by IF using villin (VIL1) and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) antibodies. miRNome analysis identified four down-regulated miRNAs in metastasis positive primary tumors compared to metastasis negative tumors: miR-92a-3p (p=0.0001), miR-141-3p (p=0.0022), miR-451-1a (p=0.0181) and miR133a-3p (p=0.0304). Six target genes identified in the top scoring networks by IPA were validated as significantly, differentially expressed in metastasis positive primary tumors: Ago2, Akt1, Kras, Bcl2L11, CDKN1B and Zeb2. Conclusion In vivo metastasis was confirmed in the modified Levrat’s model. Analysis of the primary tumor identified a distinctive miRNA signature for primary tumors that metastasized.
A ligand exclusion theory of allosteric effects.

Cooperative and allosteric effects are explained by a theory involving not conformational changes but steric exclusion through interactions between multifunctional ligands which bind to common and topologically distinct subsites.
Efficacy of imidacloprid for control of cereal leaf beetle (Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae) in Barley

The toxicity of imidacloprid to the cereal leaf beetle, Oulema melanopus (L.), was measured under laboratory and field conditions. Insect mortality and plant damage were determined from artificial and natural infestations of O. melanopus applied to various growth stages of barley. All rates of imidacloprid formulated and applied as a seed treatment caused >90% mortality to cereal leaf beetle larvae when barley was infested with eggs at the 4-leaf stage, but were ineffective when barley was infested with eggs at the early tillering or flag-leaf stages of barley. This window of susceptibility influenced results obtained in field trials where peak larval emergence did not occur until the early tillering stage of barley. The resulting mortality in plants from treated seeds never exceeded 40% in the field. Foliar imidacloprid, however, caused >90% mortality in the field, and may be another option in the management of the cereal leaf beetle.
Asymptotic Relations between the Thomas–Fermi–Dirac and Thomas–Fermi Atom Models. II. Extension of the Case of Low Atomic Number

The asymptotic relation between the pressure with exchange in the Thomas–Fermi–Dirac atom model and the corresponding pressure without exchange in the Thomas–Fermi model for the case of low atomic number considered in the first paper of this series is generalized by including a correction corresponding to the first‐order Coulomb contribution to the energy of the atom, in addition to the kinetic energy of the electrons alone. Comparison is made with numerical results obtained by direct solution of the Thomas–Fermi–Dirac equation.
Characterization of long-chain carboxylic esters with CH3OBOCH3+ in a small fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer

The usefulness of CH3OBOCH3+ as a chemical ionization reagent was examined by allowing the ion to react with carboxylic esters of various chain lengths in a small Fourier-transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer equipped with a permanent magnet. CH3OBOCH3+ is a strong electrophile and readily abstracts an oxygen-containing group from the carboxylic esters. Long-chain esters exclusively lose the alkoxide moiety to give the acylium ion. The same reaction was observed for saturated, unsaturated, branched and cyclic esters. In each case, the acylium ion reacts further with a neutral ester molecule by proton transfer to yield the protonated ester as a secondary product. This remarkably simple product distribution reveals the molecular weight of the ester, the chain length of its acid moiety, and the degree of unsaturation in the acid and alcohol moieties.
Skeletal advancement for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in children.

Abstract Objective: Maxillomandibular advancement is curative for some adult patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Little is known, however, about the efficacy of this treatment in children. The purpose of this retrospective analysis is to assess the clinical outcomes of children with medically refractory OSA who were treated with a variety of procedures to advance the maxillofacial skeleton. Methods: The records of eight children with OSA (five boys and three girls; mean age, 8.6 years; range, 2 to 17 years) were reviewed. Six children had identifiable syndromes associated with micrognathia, one child had mandibular ankylosis, and one child was nonsyndromic. In five of the children, conventional medical and surgical treatment of OSA had failed; therefore, these children were considered tracheostomy candidates. The remaining three children had had tracheostomies placed in infancy. Specific signs and symptoms with regard to each patient's OSA were identified and recorded. Bronchoscopy was performed ...
The Purification of Botulinum Toxin

Brieger and Kempner 1 were the first to attempt the purification of C1. botulinum toxin. They precipitated the toxic material from culture fluids by adding zinc chloride solution. The zinc compound was decomposed by alkaline ammonium phosphate and the toxin finally salted out of the filtrate with the aid of ammonium sulfate. By this method practically all the toxin was recovered. However, a second purification by the same procedure resulted in a heavy loss. Even in the more recent studies by Bengston,2 Bronfenbrenner 3 and Schi bel,4 the only method employed for the preparation of solid toxins is that of salting out by ammonium sulfate. The adsorption of botulinum toxin on colloids was investigated by Schubel4 who found that the culture fluids were best detoxified by the electropositive metal hydroxides (particularly ferric hydroxide), while the toxin had little affinity for the negative colloids. According to the published data no attempt has been made to recover the poison from the absorbents. Since bacterial toxins resemble enzymes in their physico-chemical properties, particularly in their behavior towards absorbents, it appeared of interest to apply some of the methods used for the purification of enzymes which have been developed by Willstatter and his associates 5 in an extensive series of important studies. As far as a perusal of the literature indicates, similar procedures have been applied only by Karrer and co-workers `? to the purification of the phytotoxins, ricin and crotin, but bacterial toxins have not been tried.
Database concepts used in the LOGOS computer-aided design system

Some criteria for the database construction of a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) System are specified. These criteria are discussed in terms of the LOGOS CAD system. From the discussion of the LOGOS implementation, a generalized approach to database design for CAD systems is proposed.
Relative basicities of carboxylate lone pairs in aqueous solution

Relative basicities of the lone pairs of the acetate ion have been determined using ab initio calculations for the gas phase and Monte Carlo simulations for the aqueous phase. The syn lone pair is found to be more basic by only 1.25 pKa units. This small difference is the result of a large intrinsic preference for the syn conformer of the conjugate acid in the gas phase, offset by an almost equally large preferential solvation of the anti conformer in the aqueous phase. The better solvation of the anti conformer is due to stronger solute–solvent interactions. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Interaction Between the Mu Opioid Receptor and Filamin A

Our laboratory embarked on research to discover proteins the interaction of which with the mu opioid receptor (MOPr) is required for its function and regulation. We performed yeast two-hybrid screens, using the carboxy tail of the human MOPr as bait and a human brain library. This yielded a number of proteins that seemed to bind to the MOPr C-tail. The one we chose to study in detail was filamin A (FLNA). Evidence was obtained that there was indeed protein–protein binding between the C-tail of MOPr and FLNA. A human melanoma cell line (M2) lacking the gene for FLNA and a control cell line (A7) which differed from M2 only in having been transfected with the gene for FLNA and expressing the FLNA protein were made available to us. We transfected these cell lines with the gene for MOPr and used them in our studies. The absence of FLNA strongly reduced MOPr downregulation as well as desensitization of adenylyl cyclase inhibition and G protein activation. A recent finding, published here for the first time, is that FLNA is required for the activation by mu opioid agonists of the MAP kinase p38. Deletion studies indicated that the MOPr binding site on FLNA is in the 24th repeat, close to its C-terminal. It was further found that FLNA lacking the N-terminal actin binding domain is as capable as full length FLNA to restore cells to control status, suggesting that actin binding is not required. A surprising finding was that upregulation of MOPr by morphine and some agonist analogs occurs in M2 cells lacking FLNA, whereas normal receptor downregulation takes place in A7 cells.
The Diversity of O-Linked Glycans Expressed during Drosophila melanogaster Development Reflects Stage- and Tissue-specific Requirements for Cell Signaling

Appropriate glycoprotein O-glycosylation is essential for normal development and tissue function in multicellular organisms. To comprehensively assess the developmental and functional impact of altered O-glycosylation, we have extensively analyzed the non-glycosaminoglycan, O-linked glycans expressed in Drosophila embryos. Through multidimensional mass spectrometric analysis of glycans released from glycoproteins by β-elimination, we detected novel as well as previously reported O-glycans that exhibit developmentally modulated expression. The core 1 mucin-type disaccharide (Galβ1-3GalNAc) is the predominant glycan in the total profile. HexNAcitol, hexitol, xylosylated hexitol, and branching extension of core 1 with HexNAc (to generate core 2 glycans) were also evident following release and reduction. After Galβ1-3GalNAc, the next most prevalent glycans were a mixture of novel, isobaric, linear, and branched forms of a glucuronyl core 1 disaccharide. Other less prevalent structures were also extended with HexA, including an O-fucose glycan. Although the expected disaccharide product of the Fringe glycosyltransferase, (GlcNAcβ1-3)fucitol, was not detectable in whole embryos, mass spectrometry fragmentation and exoglycosidase sensitivity defined a novel glucuronyl trisaccharide as GlcNAcβ1-3(GlcAβ1-4)fucitol. Consistent with the spatial distribution of the Fringe function, the GlcA-extended form of the Fringe product was enriched in the dorsal portion of the wing imaginal disc. Furthermore, loss of Fringe activity reduced the prevalence of the O-Fuc trisaccharide. Therefore, O-Fuc glycans necessary for the modulation of important signaling events in Drosophila are, as in vertebrates, substrates for extension beyond the addition of a single HexNAc.
A streamlined simplex approach to the singly constrained transportation problem

A primal simplex procedure is developed to solve transportation problems with an arbitrary additional linear constraint. The approach is a specialization of the Double Reverse Method of Charnes and Cooper. Efficient procedures for pricing-out the basis, determining representations, and implementing the change of basis are presented. These procedures exploit the pure transportation substructure in such a manner that full advantage may be taken of the computational schemes and list structures used to store and update the basis in codifying the MODI method. Furthermore, the pricing-out and change-of-basis procedures are organized in a manner that permits the calculations for one to be utilized in the other. Computational results are presented which indicate that this method is at least 50 times faster than the state-of-the-art LP code, APEX-III. Methods for obtaining basic primal “feasible” starts and “good” feasible integer solutions are also presented.
Adsorption and flotation behavior of manganese dioxide in the presence of octyl hydroxamate

Abstract The adsorption of octyl hydroxamate on electrolytic manganese dioxide was investigated through adsorption studies, electrophoretic mobility measurements, infrared spectroscopy and Hallimond tube flotation. The adsorption measurements at room temperature and flotation studies show that a peak in adsorption density and flotation response occurs around pH 9. IR spectra indicate the presence of basic manganous hydroxamate complex at the surface. The electrophoretic mobility studies suggest that hydroxamate adsorbs specifically at the manganese dioxide/water interface. Adsorption measurements at an elevated temperature show that adsorption density increases with increasing temperature. It is postulated that the reactive species in adsorption could be the hydroxamic acid species.
VERTICALLY EQUATED TESTS: FACT OR PHANTOM?*

In large scale testing programs it is frequently necessary and desirable to have several forms of a test. Multiple forms are essential for admissions tests such as those used for college selection. When used in this way, the test forms are often equated so as to convert the raw scores obtained from two forms of the test "so that scores derived from the two forms after conversion will be directly equivalent" (Angoff, 1971, p. 562). In the case of admissions tests, equating is essential because comparisons are made between persons who take different forms of the test; and without the equating, persons who happened to take a form of the test that was inadvertently more difficult than another form would be at a disadvantage relative to their peers who happened to take the easier form.
A Conceptual Framework of the Hotel General Manager's Job:

This article, based on the research of one of the authors into hotel general managers' effectiveness, maintains that we can better understand the job of a hotel general manager by analyzing the influences that shape it. The two major contextual elements that influence the job are job demands and relationship issues. These two elements differ according to the time-frame (short-run, intermediate-run, or long-run) under consideration. They give rise to specific job functions and concomitantly suggest various managerial work roles that need to be performed in each job function. Finally, the importance of the communications requirement for being effective in the job is emphasized.
Investigating the use of texture features for analysis of breast lesions on contrast-enhanced cone beam CT

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) has found use in mammography for imaging the entire breast with sufficient spatial resolution at a radiation dose within the range of that of conventional mammography. Recently, enhancement of lesion tissue through the use of contrast agents has been proposed for cone beam CT. This study investigates whether the use of such contrast agents improves the ability of texture features to differentiate lesion texture from healthy tissue on CBCT in an automated manner. For this purpose, 9 lesions were annotated by an experienced radiologist on both regular and contrast-enhanced CBCT images using two-dimensional (2D) square ROIs. These lesions were then segmented, and each pixel within the lesion ROI was assigned a label – lesion or non-lesion, based on the segmentation mask. On both sets of CBCT images, four three-dimensional (3D) Minkowski Functionals were used to characterize the local topology at each pixel. The resulting feature vectors were then used in a machine learning task involving support vector regression with a linear kernel (SVRlin) to classify each pixel as belonging to the lesion or non-lesion region of the ROI. Classification performance was assessed using the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Minkowski Functionals derived from contrastenhanced CBCT images were found to exhibit significantly better performance at distinguishing between lesion and non-lesion areas within the ROI when compared to those extracted from CBCT images without contrast enhancement (p < 0.05). Thus, contrast enhancement in CBCT can improve the ability of texture features to distinguish lesions from surrounding healthy tissue.
Immune responsiveness of monkeys exposed chronically to cigarette smoke.

Abstract Eleven adult male stumptailed monkeys ( Macaca arctoides ) were chronically exposed to either a low dose (human equivalent of 1 pack/day) or a high dose (human equivalent of 3 packs/day) of high-tar, high-nicotine University of Kentucky reference cigarette smoke for 4–8 years. Several parameters of their immunological response were compared to six nonsmoked control animals. The results from these experiments suggest that cigarette smoking does not significantly affect the response of spleen cells to the mitogens phytohemagglutinin or lipopolysaccharide. However, spleen cells from animals subjected to the heavy dose of cigarette smoke demonstrated a significant reduction in their natural killer cell-mediated lytic activity and a decreased response to concanavalin A. These results suggest that cigarette smoking may have a differential effect on lymphocyte subpopulations, and that the effects on the immune response are related to the dose of cigarette smoke.
Eggs to die for: cell death during Drosophila oogenesis

Extensive programmed cell death occurs in the female germline of many species ranging from C. elegans to humans. One purpose for germline apoptosis is to remove defective cells unable to develop into fertile eggs. In addition, recent work suggests that the death of specific germline cells may also play a vital role by providing essential nutrients to the surviving oocytes. In Drosophila, the genetic control of germline apoptosis and the proteins that carry out the death sentences are beginning to emerge from studies of female sterile mutations. These studies suggest that the morphological changes that occur during the late stages of Drosophila oogenesis may be initiated and driven by a modified form of programmed cell death.
Domain and surface structures of sodium tungsten bronzes, NaxWo3 (0.4 < x < 1)

Polarized-light microscopic observations have shown that the birefringent, twin-domain structure of metallic sodium tungsten bronze is exhibited by Na-deficient surface films and hence is not, as had been reported elsewhere, a bulk property. The film can be synthesized by anodic electrolysis in alkaline solution. It is chemically inert, translucent, and often laminates to a multiple layer. The domain structure of the film is hypersensitive to lateral stress and to thermal variation, exhibiting a marked change at the phase transition of the substrate through apparent epitaxial coherence. The domain-wall movement is often slow enough to be visible, and the thermally induced domain modulation is occasionally accompanied by audible high-pitched sound. The bulk structure of the substrate exhibits pseudoperiodic subboundaries that are probably caused by growth defects and the segregation of the sodium atoms. The near-surface of the substrate also shows the sodium segregation that tends to precipitate in periodic patterns. Optical and morphological properties of the substrate structures exhibited no detectable change due to thermal variation or external stress.
Expert systems development: some issues of design process

A discussion is presented of why some Expert Systems (ES) that organizations have developed are not successful. The concept of design process plays a very significant role in the outset of the Expert Systems Development (ESD) process. This concept has not been the subject of much debate and attention in ESD. From the authors' point of view, one of the main issues is how the designer (knowledge Engineer) thinks about the design process. In general, the designers' process is influenced by the knowledge engineer's conception. This paper endeavors to disclose some of the main factors related to knowledge engineer's conception of design process and an attempt is made to put forward a conceptual model of the expert systems' design process. This conceptual model is an initial step towards a successful implementation of ES projects.
Nature of the Action of Testosterone on Genital Tract of the Immature Female Rat.

ConclusionsTestosterone stimulates directly the growth of the uterus and the vaginal epithelium of the immature rat. There is a qualitative difference only in the uterine response in the intact and ovariectomized animal. It does not act directly on the ovary but stimulates it indirectly by way of the anterior hypophysis, resulting in follicle maturation and corpus luteum formation. As a result of corpus luteum formation from hypophyseal stimulation, the Fallopian tubes may show growth activity.
Well-Structured Texts Help Second-Year German Students Learn to Narrate

The past twenty years have seen a significant paradigm shift in foreign language pedagogy from measuring language achievement (based on a defined and finite curriculum, such as a textbook chapter or a grammar lesson) to measuring proficiency (general competence in the foreign language independent of a defined curriculum). Building on the work done previously in language testing by government language schools, the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines (1986) sought to reach consensus about describing and measuring language abilities. These Guidelines give generalized descriptions of abilities at four levels of proficiency (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Superior). With the widespread recognition of these Guidelines have come far-reaching changes in our approach to foreign language instruction. Proficiency baselines have been put forward for the first years of college instruction, and some institutions have tied proficiency standards to their language requirement or to their major. Proficiency guidelines are also changing our approach to curricular design. By understanding the range of abilities at each level of proficiency, we can shift the emphasis of instruction as students progress to allow for the development of the recommended skills. This article will investigate the implications of the Proficiency Guidelines for second-year German curricular design, looking specifically at the standards for the Advanced level (narration of concrete and factual topics in paragraph length discourse). We will then consider how the development of this skill can become a central emphasis of the second-year curriculum by requiring students to summarize the texts they read in class. As text selection plays a critical role here, we will discuss recent research by cognitive psychologists on how we learn from texts, which points to the importance of text structure in facilitating recall. We will then give an overview of some of the materials we have developed for second-year German at the University of Nebraska, and present examples of the scaffolded activities we use in preparing our students to summarize the texts.
Dynamic contrast enhanced-magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) of photodynamic therapy (PDT) outcome and associated changes in the blood-brain barrier following Pc 4-PDT of glioma in an athymic nude rat model

Introduction: Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DCE-MRI) appears to provide an unambiguous means of tracking the outcome of photodynamic therapy (PDT) of brain tumors with the photosensitizer Pc 4. The increase in Gd enhancement observed after Pc 4-PDT may be due to a temporary opening of the blood-brain-barrier which, as noted by others, may offer a therapeutic window. Methods: We injected 2.5 x 105 U87 cells into the brains of 9 athymic nude rats. After 8-9 days peri-tumor DCE-MRI images were acquired on a 7.0 T microMRI scanner before and after the administration of 150 μL Gd. DCE-MRI scans were repeated three times following Pc 4-PDT. Results: The average, normalized peak enhancement in the tumor region, approximately 30-90 seconds after Gd administration, was 1.31 times greater than baseline (0.03 Standard Error [SE]) prior to PDT and was 1.44 (0.02 SE) times baseline in the first Post-PDT scans (Day 11), a statistically significant (p ≈ 0.014, N=8) increase over the Pre- PDT scans, and was 1.38 (0.02 SE) times baseline in the second scans (Day 12), also a statistically significant (p ≈ 0.008, N=7) increase. Observations were mixed in the third Post-PDT scans (Day 13), averaging 1.29 (0.03 SE) times baseline (p ≈ 0.66, N=7). Overall a downward trend in enhancement was observed from the first to the third Post-PDT scans. Discussion: DCE-MRI may provide an unambiguous indication of brain tumor PDT outcome. The initial increase in DCE-MRI signal may correlate with a temporary, PDT-induced opening of the blood-brain-barrier, creating a potential therapeutic window.
Mechanism and thermochemistry of oxidation of HCl and HBr at high temperatures. The heat of formation of HO2

Using currently available thermochemical and kinetic data and estimation methods to analyze the thermochemistry and the kinetic parameters of the elementary reactions involved in the oxidation of HCl and HBr, reaction mechanisms are proposed which account for the previously reported reaction products, the rate law, and the kinetic data. For oxidation of HCl, two competitive pathways, the radical initiation by hydrogen abstraction and the fourcenter reaction pathway, were invoked to account for the observations. In the oxidation of HBr one must invoke a fast surface reaction of the type to account for the reaction.
A review of national information and communication technologies and a proposed National Electronic Initiative Framework

Information and communications technologies (ICT) have had uneven deployment both between nations and within nations. These differences in the use of ICT and the Internet are part of the “digital divide”, an uneven distribution of information and communications technologies and the benefits that accrue from their use. This article examines electronic initiatives to improve implementation of ICT throughout the world and proposes a multi–level national electronic initiative framework (NEIF) including fundamental guiding doctrines, general directives, specific domain areas of activity, and finally deliverables. This framework can serve as a guide to national and NGO (non–governmental) organizations to improve access and utilization of ICT and reduce the digital divide.
Structured Hedging for Resource Allocations with Leverage

Data mining algorithms for computing solutions to online resource allocation (ORA) problems have focused on budgeting resources currently in possession, e.g., investing in the stock market with cash on hand or assigning current employees to projects. In several settings, one can leverage borrowed resources with which tasks can be accomplished more efficiently and cheaply. Additionally, a variety of opposing allocation types or positions may be available with which one can hedge the allocation to alleviate risk from external changes. In this paper, we present a formulation for hedging online resource allocations with leverage and propose an efficient data mining algorithm (SHERAL). We pose the problem as a constrained online convex optimization problem. The key novel components of our formulation are (1) a loss function for general leveraging and opposing allocation positions and (2) a penalty function which hedges between structurally dependent allocation positions to control risk. We instantiate the problem in the context of portfolio selection and evaluate the effectiveness of the formulation through extensive experiments on five datasets in comparison with existing algorithms and several variants.
Functional imaging of rat tumors using a holographic coherence filter

We perform depth-resolved imaging of rat osteogenic sarcoma tumor spheroids using a holographic coherence filter on an infrared camera. Subcellular motility, observed as dynamic speckle, is used as a metric for functional imaging to map out the morphology of the tumor and differentiate healthy tissue from the necrotic core.
Models of sales expectations

Abstract Economists modeling firm-decisions generally have to assume that the firms form their expectations according to some hypothesis. Recently it has been fashionable to assume rational expectations, whereas earlier researchers used a variety of simpler models. This paper provides evidence on which of these various theoretical assumptions is ‘best’ by examining which model best explains observed data on manufacturers' sales expectations. The results suggest that these manufacturers used simple extrapolative or autoregressive models to forecast their sales.
Efficient computation of discrete polynomial transforms

This letter presents a new recursive method for computing discrete polynomial transforms. The method is shown for forward and inverse transforms of the Hermite, binomial, and Laguerre transforms. The recursive flow diagrams require only 2N additions, 2(N+1) memory units, and N+1 multipliers for the N+1-point Hermite and binomial transforms. The recursive flow diagram for the N+1-point Laguerre transform requires 2N additions, 2(N+1) memory units, and 2(N+1) multipliers. The transform computation time for all of these transforms is O(N).
X-ray microcomputed tomography for measuring polymerization shrinkage of polymeric dental composites.

Abstract Objectives The main objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of using X-ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) as a viable technique for accurate measurements of composite volumetric changes due to polymerization. Methods μCT, a non-destructive 3D imaging technique that measures the intensity of content at each voxel, was used to determine the volume of experimental and commercial polymeric dental composites before and after photopolymerization. The experimental composites consisted of various mass ratios of 2,2-bis(4-(2-hydroxy-3-methacryloxypropoxy)-phenyl]propane (BisGMA) and triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) filled with various amounts of barium boroaluminosilicate glass and fumed amorphous silica. Polymerization shrinkage was determined using μCT and shrinkage calculated based on density measurements. Results μCT was successfully used to calculate volumetric shrinkage of dental composites. Results agreed well with shrinkage obtained via density measurements of the same sample. The addition of radio opaque filler was necessary to achieve sufficient contrast between the sample and background. Appropriate image analysis procedures were needed to obtain the volumes of sample specimens. Significance μCT enables the characterization of polymerization shrinkage under clinically relevant conditions. In particular, the sample geometry and the physical state (liquid or solid) are flexible. The current test allowed multiple samples to be measured at the same time. In addition, the ability to accurately measure the size and shape of the object will allow multiple properties to be determined simultaneously.
A Bevalac calibration of a scintillating optical fiber hodoscope

As part of instrument definition activities for the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) we have evaluated a hodoscope comprised of scintillating fibers for possible use in the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS). The hodoscope would determine the trajectories of individual cosmic ray nuclei with 3 ⩽ Z ⩽ 40 and energies up to several hundred MeV/n which stop in four silicon solid state telescopes. We report on the analysis of data from a December 1990 Bevalac calibration of a CRIS test model in which the hodoscope consisted of 200 μm, square cross section, scintillating fibers, and which used silicon detectors for dE/dx - E_(Tot) measurements. The positional resolution obtained with the fiber hodoscope was ∼ 60 μmfor iron nuclei at angles from 0–30° with respect to the normal to the fiber planes. The detection efficiency for iron and silicon nuclei was determined to be > 99% for beam angles of ⩾ 20°.
An experimental study of the neural mechanism hearing

The technical difficulties involved in an investigation of this kind invariably make the information obtained rather insignificant in relation to the amount of time and effort put forth. Experiments must be repeated many times before a dependable method can be developed, and even then an inevitably high mortality in the experimental animals persists Before consistent success can normally be achieved. The data upon which the following observations are based represents a series of chronic experiments carried out in the Laboratory of Otological Research at the Johns Hopkins in 1934, 14 in number, and a subsequent extensive investigation during the past year in the Otological Research Laboratory of the Abington Memorial Hospital. In the first group, partial and graded division of the auditory nerve was carried out under high binocular magnification. In all experiments partial or complete division of the nerve was considered successful only if the blood supply of the cochlea remained intact.