cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
WE-E-213CD-10: A Robust 2D/3D Image Registration System for Pediatric Patient Setup in External Beam Radiotherapy.

Purpose: To develop a neural network based registration quality evaluator (RQE) that can improve the 2D/3D image registration robustness for pediatric patient setup in external beam radiotherapy.Methods: X‐ray setup images of six pediatric patients with braintumors received proton therapies were retrospectively registered with their treatment planningcomputed tomography(CT)images. A neural network based pattern classifier was used as an RQE to classify 2D/3D rigid registration solutions as successful or unsuccessful based on features of the similarity value surfaces near the point‐of‐solution. The supervised training and test datasets were generated by rigidly registering a pair of orthogonal daily setup x‐ray images to the treatment planning CTs. The best solution for each registration task was selected from 50 optimizing attempts that differed only by the initial transformation parameters. The distance from each individual solution to the best solution in the normalized parametrical space was compared to a user‐ defined error threshold to determine whether that solution was successful. The supervised training was then used to train the RQE. The performance of the RQE was evaluated using the test dataset that consisted of registration results that were not used in training. Results: With the optimized sampling step size, i.e., 5 mm, in the feature space, the RQE has the sensitivity and the specificity in the ranges of 0.865–0.964 and 0.797–0.990, respectively, when it was used to detect the registration error with the mean voxel displacement (MVD) greater than 1 mm. Conclusions: The proposed RQE can potentially be used in a 2D/3D rigid image registration system to improve its robustness by rejecting unsuccessful registration solutions. The RQE is non‐patient specific and needs only to be trained once for each treatment site. The implementation the RQE in a 2D/3D registration system results only 10% to 20% increase of the overall computation time. The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.
Self-orienting nanocubes for the assembly of plasmonic nanojunctions

Plasmonic hot spots are formed when metal surfaces with high curvature are separated by nanoscale gaps and an electromagnetic field is localized within the gaps. These hot spots are responsible for phenomena such as subwavelength focusing, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy and electromagnetic transparency, and depend on the geometry of the nanojunctions between the metal surfaces. Direct-write techniques such as electron-beam lithography can create complex nanostructures with impressive spatial control but struggle to fabricate gaps on the order of a few nanometres or manufacture arrays of nanojunctions in a scalable manner. Self-assembly methods, in contrast, can be carried out on a massively parallel scale using metal nanoparticle building blocks of specific shape. Here, we show that polymer-grafted metal nanocubes can be self-assembled into arrays of one-dimensional strings that have well-defined interparticle orientations and tunable electromagnetic properties. The nanocubes are assembled within a polymer thin film and we observe unique superstructures derived from edge-edge or face-face interactions between the nanocubes. The assembly process is strongly dependent on parameters such as polymer chain length, rigidity or grafting density, and can be predicted by free energy calculations.
Mono-guanidinate complexes of lanthanum: synthesis, structure and their use in lactide polymerization

La[N(SiMe3)2]3 reacted with 1,3-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide in refluxing toluene to yield the mono-guanidinate complex La[CyNC(N(SiMe3)2)NCy](N(SiMe3)2)21. Compound 1 is monomeric in solution; X-ray structural analysis reveals an unassociated complex in the solid state, with a four-coordinate lanthanum center. Complex 1 reacts with 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol (2 equivalents) in cold pentane to yield the bis(phenoxide) complex La[CyNC(N(SiMe3)2)NCy](OC6H3tBu2-2,6)2. X-Ray analysis indicates a similar structure to that of 1, with a four-coordinate lanthanum center coordinated by a single guanidinate ligand and two phenoxide groups. This compound catalyses the ring-opening polymerization of D,L-lactide to polylactide. Although high molecular weight polymer is obtained, polydispersities are broad and no control over the stereochemistry of the polymer is observed.
LeuO Protein Delimits the Transcriptionally Active and Repressive Domains on the Bacterial Chromosome

LeuO protein relieves bacterial gene silencer AT8-mediated transcriptional repression as part of a promoter relay mechanism found in the ilvIH-leuO-leuABCD gene cluster. The gene silencing activity has recently been characterized as a nucleoprotein filament initiated at the gene silencer. In this gene locus, the nucleoprotein filament cis-spreads toward the target leuO promoter and results in the repression of the leuO gene. Although the cis-spreading nature of the transcriptionally repressive nucleoprotein filament has been revealed, the mechanism underlying LeuO-mediated gene silencing relief remains unknown. We have demonstrated here that LeuO functions analogously to the eukaryotic boundary element that delimits the transcriptionally active and repressive domains on the chromosome by blocking the cis-spreading pathway of the transcriptionally repressive heterochromatin. Given that one LeuO-binding site is positioned between the gene silencer and the target promoter, the simultaneous presence of a second LeuO-binding site synergistically enhances the blockade, resulting in a cooperative increase in LeuO-mediated gene silencing relief. A known DNA loop-forming protein, the lac repressor (LacI), was used to confirm that cooperative protein binding via DNA looping is responsible for the blocking synergy. Indeed, a distal LeuO site located downstream cooperates with the LeuO sites located upstream of the leuO gene, resulting in synergistic relief for the repressed leuO gene via looping out the intervening DNA between LeuO sites in the ilvIH-leuO-leuABCD gene cluster.
A note on the validity of the Sverdrup balance in the Atlantic North Equatorial Countercurrent

Abstract An ocean general circulation model of the tropical Atlantic Ocean is used to study the vertically integrated vorticity equation for the annual mean flow in the Atlantic North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC). It is found that the nonlinear terms play an important role in the vorticity budget, in the western part of the basin. Sverdrup balance does not hold in the region of the North Brazil Current retroflection, where advection of relative vorticity by the mean flow and by the eddies is important. In the eastern part of the basin, these nonlinearities are negligible and the flow appears to be in Sverdrup balance. In the model, the cut-off location occurs at 32 ∘ W . The results suggest that in the western part of the basin, observations relying on hydrographic data neglect two important contributions to the vorticity balance: advection of planetary vorticity by the deep meridional flow and advection of relative vorticity.
Adaptive optics high-resolution IR spectroscopy with silicon grisms and immersion gratings

The breakthrough of silicon immersion grating technology at Penn State has the ability to revolutionize high-resolution infrared spectroscopy when it is coupled with adaptive optics at large ground-based telescopes. Fabrication of high quality silicon grism and immersion gratings up to 2 inches in dimension, less than 1% integrated scattered light, and diffraction-limited performance becomes a routine process thanks to newly developed techniques. Silicon immersion gratings with etched dimensions of ~ 4 inches are being developed at Penn State. These immersion gratings will be able to provide a diffraction-limited spectral resolution of R = 300,000 at 2.2 micron, or 130,000 at 4.6 micron. Prototype silicon grisms have been successfully used in initial scientific observations at the Lick 3m telescope with adaptive optics. Complete K band spectra of a total of 6 T Tauri and Ae/Be stars and their close companions at a spectral resolution of R ~ 3000 were obtained. This resolving power was achieved by using a silicon echelle grism with a 5 mm pupil diameter in an IR camera. These results represent the first scientific observations conducted by the high-resolution silicon grisms, and demonstrate the extremely high dispersing power of silicon-based gratings. New discoveries from this high spatial and spectral resolution IR spectroscopy will be reported. The future of silicon-based grating applications in ground-based AO IR instruments is promising. Silicon immersion gratings will make very high-resolution spectroscopy (R > 100,000) feasible with compact instruments for implementation on large telescopes. Silicon grisms will offer an efficient way to implement low-cost medium to high resolution IR spectroscopy (R ~ 1000-50000) through the conversion of existing cameras into spectrometers by locating a grism in the instrument's pupil location.
Hormonal response to competition in human males

Changes in testosterone (T) and cortisol (C) were evaluated in males competing in a non-athletic laboratory reaction time task. Subjects were randomly assigned to “win” or “lose” by adjusting feedback regarding their task performance. Further, subjects were randomly assigned to either a Close Contest condition (where one person barely “defeated” his opponent), or a Decisive condition (in which the victory was clear). Throughout competition, samples of saliva were taken and assayed later for T and C. Post-competition mood and attributions were also measured. Winners had higher overall T levels than losers, with no significant difference between Close Contest or Decisive Victory conditions. In contrast, C levels did not differ between winners and losers nor did Condition (Close or Decisive) have any effect. Mood was depressed in Decisive losers compared to all other groups. The results indicate that the perception of winning or losing, regardless of actual performance or merit on the task, differentially influenced T (but not C) levels, and that such hormonal changes are not simply general arousal effects but are related to mood and status change.
DNA tumor virus transforming proteins and the cell cycle

Studies using the transforming proteins of the small DNA tumor viruses point to the role of the E2F cellular transcription factor in regulating cell cycle specific gene expression. The evidence derived suggests that E2F is controlled by the retinoblastoma gene product and related proteins, including their associated cyclins. Studies using DNA tumor virus products further suggest the existence of additional pathways of cell-cycle activation.
DIMETHYL SULFOXIDE AS A MILD OXIDIZING AGENT FOR POROUS SILICON AND ITS EFFECT ON PHOTOLUMINESCENCE

Dimethyl sulfoxide acts as a mild room-temperature oxidant of luminescent porous silicon. The oxidation reaction is accompanied by a loss in photoluminescence intensity from the silicon nanocrystallites, indicating that the oxide formed under these conditions is electronically defective. The rate of oxidation is reduced if the reaction is carried out in the presence of the radical traps 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol (butylated hydroxytoluene, BHT) or cumene. In addition, photoluminescence intensity is preserved if the DMSO oxidation reaction is carried out in the presence of high concentrations of BHT. The BHT is proposed to form a more electronically passive oxide layer by hydrogenating the surface radicals (dangling bonds) generated during the oxidation reaction.
Interactions of neurotensin with dopamine-containing neurons in the central nervous system

Abstract Ervin, Gregory N. and Charles B. Nemeroff: Interactions of Neurotensin with Dopamine Containing Neurons in the Central Nervous System. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psychiat. 1988, 12 (Suppl): S53–S69. 1. 1. Neurotensin (NT) is a tridecapeptide that fulfills many of the requisite criteria for neurotransmitter status in the mammalian central nervous system. 2. 2. Neuroanatomical studies have revealed that DA and NT neurons are proximal in several limbic areas and that NT receptors are present on both DA perikaya and certain DA nerve terminals. 3. 3. When injected intraventricularly or directly into the nucleus accumbens (ACC), NT produces effects similar to antlpsychotic drugs e.g. blockade of the hyperactivity produced by d-amphetamine or cocaine. 4. 4. Chronic administration of antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol produces increases in NT concentration in the ACC and caudate nucleus. Atypical antipsychotic drugs produce increases in NT concentration only in the ACC. 5. 5. In certain drug-free schizophrenic patients, the concentration of NT in cerebrospinal fluid is reduced. 6. 6. It appears that NT may modulate the activity of DA neurons in the mesolimbicocortical DA system.
Continuous and intermittent exposure of neonatal rat calvarial cells to PTHrP (1-36) inhibits bone nodule mineralization in vitro by downregulating bone sialoprotein expression via the cAMP signaling pathway.

The development and growth of the skeleton in the absence of parathyroid-hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is abnormal. The shortening of appendicular bones in PTHrP gene null mice is explained by an effect of PTHrP on endochondral bone growth. Whether or not PTHrP influences intramembranous ossification is less clear. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of exogenous PTHrP on intramembranous ossification in vitro . Neonatal rat calvarial cells maintained in primary cell culture conditions that permit spontaneous formation of woven bone nodules by intramembranous ossification were studied. The expression of PTHrP, parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R), and alkaline phosphatase (AP) by osteogenic cells in developing nodules and the effects of PTHrP (1-36) on nodule development was determined over 3-18 days. PTHrP and PTH1R were detected colonies of osteogenic cells on culture day three, and AP was detected on day six. PTHrP and its receptor were localized in pre-osteoblasts, osteoblasts, and osteocytes, and AP activity was detected in pre-osteoblasts and osteoblasts but not osteocytes. Continuous and intermittent exposure to PTHrP (1-36) decreased the number of mineralized bone nodules and bone sialoprotein (BSP) mRNA and protein, but had no effect on the number of AP-positive osteogenic cell colonies, cell proliferation, apoptosis, or osteopontin (OPN) mRNA. These results demonstrate that osteogenic cells that participate in the formation of woven bone nodules in vitro exhibit PTHrP and PTH1R before they demonstrate AP activity. Exogenous PTHrP (1-36) inhibits the mineralization of woven bone deposited during bone nodule formation in vitro, possibly by reducing the expression of BSP.
Analysis of Magnetization Patterns in Perpendicular Recording Using Absolute Best Basis Wavelet Representation

An ideal analysis of read-back signal should include a variable time and frequency resolution capability in order to best represent noise behavior near transitions. Therefore, wavelet analysis methods are well suited for the study of media noise characteristics. The presentation will include a detailed ABB wavelet study to determine the impact of write current, recording density, and head-media separation on the media noise characteristics. The time-frequency resolution capability of the wavelet method will also be applied in the cross track direction to understand the variation of the cross-track noise in the transition and saturated regions. The off-track sections of the track also present themselves as interesting regions to understand the effect of the weaker head fields on the noise.
New Type of First-Order Phase Transition in Ferroelectric Thin Films

It is shown that the depolarization field in a ferroelectric thin film changes the order of the phase transition as well as the magnitude of the polarization and transition temperature.
Regulatory functions of calmodulin

Calmodulin is a Ca2+ binding protein present in all eukaryotic cells that serves as the primary intracellular receptor for Ca2+. This 148 amino acid protein is involved in activation of more than 20 enzymes which mediate a wide variety of physiological processes. Many of these enzymes are inhibited in an intramolecular manner and the Ca(2+)-calmodulin complex relieves this inhibition. Calmodulin is essential for life as disruption of the gene in genetically tractable organisms is lethal. This protein plays important regulatory roles in cell proliferation and is required at multiple points in the cell cycle. The mechanism of enzyme activation by calmodulin and its importance in cell growth regulation are reviewed.
Global Initiative on Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) classification of lung disease and mortality: findings from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study.

Summary Objective To determine whether a modified Global Initiative on Obstructive Lung Diseases (GOLD) classification of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) predicts mortality in a cohort of subjects followed for up to 11 years. Methods We analyzed data from 15,759 adult participants, aged 43–66 years at baseline, in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. All baseline and follow-up data were available for 15,440 (97.9%) of the initial participants. We classified subjects using a modification of the GOLD criteria for COPD (prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV 1 ) stratification of disease severity), and added a "restricted" category (FEV 1 /FVC>70% and FVC Results 1242 (8.0%) subjects died by the end of 1997. The overall rate of death was 8.9 per 1000 person years, but varied from 5.4/1000 among normal subjects to 42.9/1000 among subjects with GOLD Stage 3 or 4 COPD. After adjusting for covariates, all GOLD categories, along with the restricted category, predicted a higher risk of death: GOLD Stage 3 or 4, hazard ratio (HR) 5.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.4, 7.3; GOLD Stage 2 HR 2.4, 95% CI 2.0, 2.9; GOLD Stage 1 HR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1, 1.6; GOLD Stage 0 HR 1.5, 95% CI 1.3, 1.8; and restricted HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.9, 2.8. Conclusion The modified GOLD classification system of COPD predicts mortality in this cohort of middle-aged Americans followed for up to 11 years.
Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-period crossover clinical trial of psyllium fiber in children with hypercholesterolemia

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical trial was designed to test the efficacy of psyllium fiber in lowering elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in children 5 to 17 years of age. Subjects with LDL-C levels >2.84 mmol/L (110 mg/dl) after at least 3 months of a low total fat, low saturated fat, low cholesterol diet were enrolled. Two ready-to-eat cereals, with water-soluble psyllium fiber (6 gm/day) and without, were prescribed for 4 to 5 weeks each, with an intervening 2-week washout phase. Reported compliance rates exceeded 80% in the 20 subjects who completed the study. Mean initial total cholesterol, LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride values were 5.23, 3.60, 1.18, and 2.22 mmol/L, respectively. Comparison of the mean changes (from baseline) in lipid values after the two periods of cereal consumption revealed no statistically nor clinically significant differences in total cholesterol, LDL-C, or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol values. Triglyceride levels, however, increased 0.68 mmol/L (26 mg/dl; p
A new laser treatment for vocal cord papilloma--585-nm pulsed dye.

OBJECTIVES: Microvascular targeting with the 585-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) may provide a new form of therapy to control symptoms caused by recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (RRP).METHODS: Ten patients with RRP underwent 13 procedures under general anesthesia with the 585-nm PDL. A micromanipulator (11 procedures) and a flexible nasolaryngoscope (2 procedures) were used to deliver the laser pulses. Patients were followed postoperatively according to protocol.RESULTS: Clinical examination revealed regression of papillomas in all patients. Seven patients had complete regression after PDL surgery, and 2 patients had partial response to treatment. One patient was lost to follow-up. No complications were present during this prospective nonrandomized pilot study.CONCLUSION: Patients treated with PDL experienced regression of their papillomas. PDL may provide patients with RRP with an alternative treatment without the risks associated with CO2 laser surgery. This procedure also has potential to be delivered on...
Development of Caryospora bigenetica n. sp. (Apicomplexa, Eimeriidae) in Rattlesnakes and Laboratory Mice1

During a survey of the coccidian parasites of reptiles from Iowa, three specimens of Crotalus horridus L., the Timber Rattlesnake, and one of Sistrurus catenatus (Rafinesque), the Massasauga Rattlesnake, were found to be passing oocysts of a Caryospora, here described as C. bigenetica n. sp. Since these snakes (family Crotalidae) are known to subsist mainly on small mammals, oocysts from one of the Timber Rattlesnakes were fed to laboratory white mice (Mus musculus L.) to determine if mammals might be involved as alternate hosts in the life cycle. At necropsy, tissues of the tongue and dermis of the mice revealed a sequence of stages which included mature male and female gamonts, fully sporulated sporocysts, “excysted” sporozoites, and “resting” sporozoites that lay individually in solitary, cyst-like host cells termed “caryocysts.” A coccidia-free Massasauga that was fed an infected mouse, at a time when caryocysts in the mouse would have been present, later passed oocysts similar to those of the original inoculum. These results, along with the discovery of endogenous stages (asexual and sexual) in the intestine of the Timber Rattlesnake and the experimentally infected Massasauga, suggest that this parasite has a heteroxenous life cycle pattern, with sexual stages occurring both in the ophidian and the mammalian hosts.
Robust frequency estimation

A robust estimation method for frequencies of received signals is investigated. The received signals are represented as the sum of sinusoidal signals and an additive noise process. The additive noise is assumed to be a mixture of a Gaussian and an outlier process. The influence function of a robust estimate is derived for time-varying (sinusoidal) signals. The variance of the robust estimate is also derived, using the influence function, and found to be close to both the Cramer-Rao lower bounds, one of which is computed under the perfect Gaussian assumption and the other under the contaminated Gaussian assumption. It is proved that the robust estimate possesses high-resolution properties even when outliers exist. >
Using Prescribed Burning to Restore Granite Rock Outcrop Ecotones in the Piedmont of the Southeastern United States

Rock outcrop habitats in the Georgia Piedmont of the United States host many endemic and rare plants, and the sensitivity of these endemic species to fire is unknown. After surveying 2 granite rock outcrops for 1 yr, we applied a winter burn treatment to their margins to observe the effect of burning on the plant community. Using measures of vegetation class occurrence and species richness, along with hemispherical photographs, soil nutrients, and soil depth, we monitored the success of the restoration effort. Burning did not significantly alter soil nutrients, pH, or the abundance of different vegetation classes. In the 2–yr period following the prescribed burn, burning did not significantly increase canopy openness or noticeably alter total species richness or woody species richness. The burn treatment did not significantly change invasive species richness or abundance, and abundance of the 2 rare rock outcrop endemics present, tenpetal thimbleweed ( Anemone berlandieri ) and granite stonecrop ( Sedum pusillum ), was not significantly impacted. Prescribed fire has been used as an effective tool for managing forests in the Piedmont by clearing fuel buildup on the ground and suppressing invading secondary hardwoods. The findings of our study suggest that prescribed winter burns can be an appropriate management tool for outcrop ecotones, but rock outcrop habitats are variable and the benefits of prescribed fire should be evaluated on a site-specific basis.
Optimal detection of flash intensity differences using rod photocurrent observations

The rod photocurrent contains two noise components that may limit the detectability of flash intensity increments. The limits imposed by the low- and high-frequency noise components were assessed by computing the performance of an optimal detector of increments in flash intensity. The limits imposed by these noise components depend on the interval of observation of the photocurrent signal. When the entire photocurrent signal, lasting 3 or more seconds, is observed, the low-frequency component of the photocurrent noise (attributed to the quantal noise of the incoming light, as well as random isomerizations of enzymes within the phototransduction cascade) is the most significant limitation on detectability. When only the first 380 ms or less is observed, the high-frequency component of the noise (due to the thermal isomerizations of the cGMP-gated channel) presents a significant limit on the detectability of flashes.
Copper status of exposed microorganisms influences susceptibility to metallic nanoparticles

Although interactions of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) with various microorganisms have been previously explored, few studies have examined how metal sensitivity impacts NP toxicity. The present study investigated the effects of copper NPs (Cu-NP) exposure on the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in the presence and absence of the essential micronutrient copper. The toxic ranges for Cu-NPs and the ionic control, CuCl2 , were determined using a high-throughput adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-based fluorescence assay. The Cu-NPs caused similar mortality in copper-replete and copper-deplete cells (median inhibitory concentration [IC50]: 14-16 mg/L) but were less toxic than the ionic control, CuCl2 (IC50: 7 mg/L). Using this concentration range, the Cu-NP impacts on cell morphology, copper accumulation, chlorophyll content, and expression of stress genes under both copper supply states were assessed. Osmotic swelling, membrane damage, and chloroplast and organelle disintegration were observed by transmission electron microscopy at both conditions. Despite these similarities, copper-deplete cells showed greater accumulation of loosely bound and tightly bound copper after exposure to Cu-NPs. Furthermore, copper-replete cells experienced greater loss of chlorophyll content, 19% for Cu-NPs, compared with only an 11% net decrease in copper-deplete cells. The tightly bound copper was bioavailable as assessed by reverse-transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of CYC6, a biomarker for Cu deficiency. The increased resistance of copper-deplete cells to Cu-NPs suggests that these cells potentially metabolize excess Cu-NPs or better manage sudden influxes of ions. The results suggest that toxicity assessments must account for the nutritional status of impacted organisms and use toxicity models based on estimations of the bioavailable fractions.
Initiation of ethanol self-administration in the rat using sucrose substitution in a sipper-tube procedure

Rationale: The concepts of appetitive and consummatory behaviors provide a framework for examining ethanol-drinking behavior. However, traditional studies of ethanol self-administration using dipper procedures make separating the appetitive from the consummatory components difficult. Objective: This study compared the ability to initiate ethanol self-administration using a new sipper-tube self-administration procedure with the older established sucrose-substitution initiation model that employed dipper presented reinforcement. The new model was developed to allow for an assessment of the appetitive and consummatory components in ethanol self-administration. Methods: For the sipper-tube procedure, the rats were initiated to self-administer ethanol using a sucrose-substitution procedure that provided limited access to a sipper tube containing ethanol. This procedure required the completion of a fixed ratio requirement (FR4) in order to gain access to a sipper tube for 20 min. Initially, a 20% sucrose solution with no ethanol was provided in the sipper tube. Over sessions, the concentration of sucrose was reduced and the ethanol concentration increased, until 10% ethanol in water was the solution presented. A second group of animals was initiated to self-administer ethanol using the dipper-presentation procedure employed in our laboratory for many years. This group was used for comparison of the effectiveness of initiation in the sipper-tube procedure. Results: Following initiation, the sipper-tube rats self-administered 10% ethanol in water with intakes averaging 0.75 g/kg during the 20-min drinking period. Increasing the ethanol concentrations as high as 20%, increased intakes as high as 1.5 g/kg. The ethanol intakes observed were similar to those obtained with the dipper initiation procedure but occurred in one-third of the time. Conclusions: The sipper-tube procedure employed here results in similar ethanol self-administration behavior as has been found with a dipper presentation procedure. More importantly, however, it allows for a separation of the appetitive and consummatory components of ethanol self-administration. This separation may prove useful for examining the strength of ethanol-seeking behaviors without the confound of increasing levels of ethanol interacting with the appetitive seeking behaviors.
Geographic Maldistribution of Primary Care for Children

OBJECTIVES: This study examines growth in the primary care physician workforce for children and examines the geographic distribution of the workforce. METHODS: National data were used to calculate the local per-capita supply of clinically active general pediatricians and family physicians, measured at the level of primary care service areas. RESULTS: Between 1996 and 2006, the general pediatrician and family physician workforces expanded by 51% and 35%, respectively, whereas the child population increased by only 9%. The 2006 per-capita supply varied by >600% across local primary care markets. Nearly 15 million children (20% of the US child population) lived in local markets with 4400 children per child physician (average of 22 child physicians per 100 000 children). In addition, almost 1 million children lived in areas with no local child physician. Nearly all 50 states had evidence of similar extremes of physician maldistribution. CONCLUSIONS: Undirected growth of the aggregate child physician workforce has resulted in profound maldistribution of physician resources. Accountability for public funding of physician training should include efforts to develop, to use, and to evaluate policies aimed at reducing disparities in geographic access to primary care physicians for children.
Incidence and control of mastitis during the dry period.

Abstract In a trial involving 402 cows, neomycin sulfate (500mg) was infused into all quarters of alternate cows (810 quarters) on the day of drying off. The remaining cows received neomycin only in quarters with clinical mastitis during the last month of lactation or on the day of drying off (31 quarters). Teats on one side of all cows were dipped in 1% iodophor once each day for wk 1 of the dry period. Infections of Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus uberis, Staphylococcus aureus, and gram-negative rods were eliminated without reinfection from 39% of infected quarters in the group receiving neomycin in all quarters and 20% of all infected quarters of the group of cows which received neomycin only in selected quarters. Infections were established in 5.6% of quarters in the complete treatment group and in 9.5% of the quarters in the selective treatment group. The number of infections established or eliminated was similar in quarters dipped or not dipped in iodophor. There was less clinical mastitis in the complete neomycin treatment group than in the selective therapy group (20 versus 66 occurrences of abnormal swelling; 55 versus 99 occurrences of abnormal secretion). Leucocyte concentrations in milks were similar in both neomycin treatment groups before drying off. During mo 1 of lactation, leucocytes were less in the complete therapy group, but differences disappeared during mo 2. Most new infections were established during wk 1 of the dry period or just prior to or at calving. Streptococcal infections were established most frequently in the early dry period and staphylococcal most frequently at calving. Abnormal swelling and secretion occurred more frequently during wk 1 of the dry period and wk 1 of lactation.
Development and Validation of a Gender Expression Measure Among Sexual Minority Women

Gender expression varies considerably among lesbian and bisexual women and may be related to various stressors and health outcomes. However, no current measure adequately assesses gender expression in this community. Thus, the authors conducted three studies to develop and validate the Gender Expression Measure among Sexual Minority Women (GEM-SMW). First, an initial item pool was evaluated in 3 focus groups with 23 women identifying as butch, femme, or neither. Second, responses from 459 lesbian and bisexual women who completed the revised items as part of an online survey were subject to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), validating 15 items comprising 3 distinct factors assessing appearance, gender roles, and emotional expression. Third, the final model was replicated with a separate online sample of 1,381 lesbian and bisexual women, and measurement invariance (MI) testing demonstrated the stability of the GEM-SMW’s factor structure. The GEM-SMW allows researchers to investigate gender expression with...
Teaching Image Computation in an Upper Level Elective on Robotics

This article offers a case study of how to teach image computation in an upper level elective course on robotics with a significant number of non-Computer Science majors. The MACS 415 course at the Colorado School of Mines is required for the popular interdisciplinary undergraduate minor in Robotics and AI. It is mandated to provide a broad survey of the artificial intelligence tools available to roboticists, including image computation. Teaching image computation in a robotics elective is challenging both because of the limited time that can be spent on computer vision, and because of the attributes of the students. Non-CS majors typically do not have enough programming experience to program DSP algorithms, yet the students' preferred learning style is "hands-on." In order to reconcile this dilemma, we (1) cover a broad set of topics in class, (2) have several laboratory assignments using khoros, and (3) require the students to complete a robot project involving computer vision. The article summarizes the lessons learned to date, which are expected to be applicable to any course with non-majors involving image computation.
Teaching NeuroImages: Leptomeningeal lung carcinoma

A 55-year-old woman with lung cancer presented with leg numbness. Her systemic disease was well-controlled. MRI was precluded by a metallic cardiac device and spinal CT was unremarkable. On 2 occasions, examination of CSF demonstrated minimally elevated protein, but no abnormal cells. CT myelogram revealed bulky disease and CSF obtained a third time during the procedure confirmed the diagnosis (figure). To detect leptomeningeal carcinomatosis with 90%–98% sensitivity, 3 taps are needed. False-negatives can be minimized by withdrawal of 10.5 mL of CSF and immediate processing.1,2
Human activity modeling on shape manifold

In this paper we propose a stochastic modeling of human activity on shape manifold. From a video sequence, human activity are extracted as a sequence of shape. Such sequence is considered as one realization of a random process on shape manifold. Then Different activity is modeled by manifold valued random process with different distribution. To solve the stochastic modeling on manifold, we first map the process on the shape manifold to a Euclidean process. Then the process is modeled by linear models such as stationary incremental process and a piecewise stationary incremental process. The mapping from manifold valued process to Euclidean process is known as stochastic development. The idea is to parallelly transport the tangent of curve on manifold to a single tangent space. The advantage of such technique is the one to one correspondence between the process in flat space and the one on manifold. The proposed algorithm is tested on two activity data base [RS01] [BGSB05]. The result demonstrate the high accuracy of our modeling in characterizing different activities.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Feral Swine: Susceptibility and Transmission

Summary Experimental studies of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in feral swine are limited, and data for clinical manifestations and disease transmissibility are lacking. In this report, feral and domestic swine were experimentally infected with FMDV (A24-Cruzeiro), and susceptibility and virus transmission were studied. Feral swine were proved to be highly susceptible to A-24 Cruzeiro FMD virus by intradermal inoculation and by contact with infected domestic and feral swine. Typical clinical signs in feral swine included transient fever, lameness and vesicular lesions in the coronary bands, heel bulbs, tip of the tongue and snout. Domestic swine exhibited clinical signs of the disease within 24 h after contact with feral swine, whereas feral swine did not show clinical signs of FMD until 48 h after contact with infected domestic and feral swine. Clinical scores of feral and domestic swine were comparable. However, feral swine exhibited a higher tolerance for the disease, and their thicker, darker skin made vesicular lesions difficult to detect. Virus titration of oral swabs showed that both feral and domestic swine shed similar amounts of virus, with levels peaking between 2 to 4 dpi/dpc (days post-inoculation/days post-contact). FMDV RNA was intermittently detectable in the oral swabs by real-time RT-PCR of both feral and domestic swine between 1 and 8 dpi/dpc and in some instances until 14 dpi/ 12 dpc. Both feral and domestic swine seroconverted 6‐8 dpi/dpc as measured by 3ABC antibody ELISA and VIAA assays. FMDV RNA levels in animal room air filters were similar in feral and domestic swine animal rooms, and were last detected at 22 dpi, while none were detectable at 28 or 35 dpi. The FMDV RNA persisted in domestic and feral swine tonsils up to 33‐36 dpi/dpc, whereas virus isolation was negative. Results from this study will help understand the role feral swine may play in sustaining an FMD outbreak, and may be utilized in guiding surveillance, epidemiologic and economic models.
Advancement of Puberty in the Female Rat by Estrogen

Puberty, as defined by vaginal opening, ovulation and the initiation of estrous cycles, has been advanced more than a week in the immature female rat by treatment with low, approximately physiological dosages of estrogen (estradiol benzoate, 0.05 μg/100 g body wt/day). These results were achieved either by short-term treatment with estrogen starting at 26 days of age or by withdrawal of estrogen after vaginal opening at 30 days of age following long-term treatment from day 5. To study the dynamics of gonadotrophin secretion under natural and precocious pubertal conditions, both pituitary and plasma LH levels were measured by the ovarian ascorbic acid depletion method. In early puberty induced by estradiol benzoate, as in natural puberty 7-9 days later, there was a sharp drop in pituitary LH coincident with an equally marked rise in plasma LH, confirming the release of the pituitary trophin into the blood. In the rat ovariectomized at 26 days and treated with estrogen for 4 days the pituitary LH remained e...
Restoration of NK T Cell Development in fyn-Mutant Mice by a TCR Reveals a Requirement for Fyn During Early NK T Cell Ontogeny

NK T cells are a unique lymphocyte population that have developmental requirements distinct from conventional T cells. Mice lacking the tyrosine kinase Fyn have 5- to 10-fold fewer mature NK T cells. This study shows that Fyn-deficient mice have decreased numbers of NK1.1(-) NK T cell progenitors as well. 5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine-labeling studies indicate that the NK T cells remaining in fyn(-/-) mice exhibit a similar turnover rate as wild-type cells. The fyn(-/-) NK T cells respond to alpha-galactosylceramide, a ligand recognized by NK T cells, and produce cytokines, but have depressed proliferative capacity. Transgenic expression of the NK T cell-specific TCR alpha-chain Valpha14Jalpha18 leads to a complete restoration of NK T cell numbers in fyn(-/-) mice. Together, these results suggest that Fyn may have a role before alpha-chain rearrangement rather than for positive selection or the peripheral upkeep of cell number. NK T cells can activate other lymphoid lineages via cytokine secretion. These secondary responses are impaired in Fyn-deficient mice, but occur normally in fyn mutants expressing the Valpha14Jalpha18 transgene. Because this transgene restores NK T cell numbers, the lack of secondary lymphocyte activation in the fyn-mutant mice is due to the decreased numbers of NK T cells present in the mutant, rather than an intrinsic defect in the ability of the other fyn(-/-) lymphoid populations to respond.
Anomalous diffusion in dynamic reflection grating recording in the photorefractive polymers

Summary form only given. Holographic grating recording in photorefractive polymers (PRP) is rapidly growing from proof-of-principle demonstrations to more practical schemes. The main obstacle for practical use of PRP is the necessity to apply a high electric voltage (5-7 kV) to 100-/spl mu/m thick polymer film to insure high-efficiency recording. A conventional scheme of recording is a transmission geometry with slant gratings when a bisector of two recording beams is tilted with respect to the normal to polymer film (and to the direction of the applied field). We suggest a new reflection-type geometry and experimentally show (with HeNe laser) that a diffraction efficiency up to 7% can be obtained without an external electric field in poly(N-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) based PRP. For interpretation of our experimental results we have developed a model of grating recording including local molecular polarization changes and two-dimensional diffusion.
A Combinatorial Approach to Engineering a Dual-Specific Metal Switch Antibody

There is considerable interest in understanding how multiple binding events can be mediated through a single protein interface. Here, a synthetic library approach was developed to generate a novel ...
Microstructure and mechanical properties of twin-roll strip casting low carbon steel

Microstructure and mechanical properties of low carbon steel thin strip by twin roll strip casting were studied,comparing with that by traditional process. Microstructure of strip casting slab is mainly consist of irregular polygonal ferrite with grain size of200-300 μm,coupling with small number of much smaller polygonal ferrite with 20 μm. After one pass hot rolling,the grain size of the thin strip is inhomogeneous along the strip thickness direction. The grains in upper and lower surface of thin strip are refined,and the grain size is about 10 μm. But grains in the center are coarse and the grain size is approximately 40 μm. Coarse grained region takes over50% of the whole strip thickness. Uniformed grains distribute in low carbon steel thin strip by traditional process,and the grain size is about 15 μm. Thin strip by twin roll strip casting has stronger α texture and weaker γ texture than that by traditional process. The yield and tensile strength are comparable by two production process. However,the thin strip by twin roll strip casting process shows obvious continuous yield phenomenon. By contrast,in the thin strip produced by traditional process,a yield point elongation appears in the stressstrain curve.
Abstract 4768: Determination of Rab GTPase-mediated pathways critical for the antimyeloma activity of Rab GGTase inhibitors

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy characterized by the production of high levels of monoclonal protein (MP). This leads to an increased protein folding burden in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in MM cells, resulting in a constitutively upregulated unfolded protein response (UPR) and a lower threshold for ER stress-mediated apoptosis. We have previously shown that inhibitors of Rab GGTase, the enzyme responsible for Rab GTPase geranylgeranylation, disrupt MP trafficking in MM cells, leading to an accumulation of MP in the ER and induction of the UPR and apoptosis. There are over 60 different Rab GTPases in mammalian cells involved in regulating a wide range of membrane trafficking events including exocytic, endocytic, and lysosomal pathways. In this study, we aimed to further define how disruption of RabGTPase function in MM cells leads to apoptosis by knocking down individual Rab proteins. Given the accumulation of MP and induction of UPR, our initial focus was on secretory Rabs. Knockdown of Rab1A/B (>50%) using siRNA in RPMI 8226 cells lead to moderate increases in intracellular lambda light chain in Rab1A/B knockdowns after 72 hours (∼120-140% of control levels by ELISA). However, despite the increase in intracellular MP, no increases in UPR or apoptosis markers were seen by western blot analysis or annexin-V/propidium iodide flow cytometry. Extended time course experiments (up to 120 hours) also did not exhibit any increase in UPR or apoptosis. Knockdown of Rab6A (>60%), another RabGTPase associated with the secretory pathway, did not lead to increases in intracellular lambda light chain or induction of apoptosis. These results suggest that although individual knockdown of Rab1 is sufficient to partially disrupt MP trafficking, either more complete knockdown of the individual Rabs or knockdown of multiple Rabs is necessary for induction of the UPR and apoptosis. Additional optimization of the knockdowns will be performed in order to verify these results. These studies support the further development of Rab GGTase inhibitors that globally effect Rab GTPase geranylgeranylation as a novel anti-myeloma strategy. Citation Format: Kaitlyn M. Dykstra, Cheryl L. Allen, Sarah A. Holstein. Determination of Rab GTPase-mediated pathways critical for the antimyeloma activity of Rab GGTase inhibitors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4768.
Mixed combustion–electrochemical energy conversion for high-efficiency, transportation-scale engines:

This article discusses an approach to exceeding current peak exergy efficiencies of approximately 50% for transportation-scale engines. A detailed model was developed for an internal combustion eng...