cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measurement of the magnetic moment of 33Cl using on-line beta-nuclear magnetic resonance

Abstract The magnetic moment of the mirror nucleus 33 Cl (T 1 2 = 2.51 s , I π = 3 2 + ) has been measured using a β-NMR technique. Produced via the d( 32 S, 33 Cl)n reaction, the 33 Cl nuclei were polarized using the titled foil technique, and implanted in a NaCl single crystal inside a magnetic field. Nuclear polarization, observed through asymmetric β-decay, was destroyed via resonant rf excitation. The 33 Cl magnetic moment, corrected for diamagnetism, is μ = +0.7523(16) nm.
TUBULAR STRUCTURES IN THE PLASTIDS OF ECHINOMASTUS INTERTEXTUS BRIT. & ROSE (CACTACEAE)

SUMMARY Tubules in hexagonal packing arrays were found in the stroma of proplastids as well as in mature chloroplasts of Echinomastus intertextus Brit. & Rose. The morphology of the proplastids in the shoot meristem was variable. These organelles were found as ovoids, cup shapes and long meandering cylinders. Within the plastids, the tubules were oriented at right angles to the plastidial envelope. Usually, the tubules were contained between the inner membrane of the plastid envelope and a stromal lamella. Sometimes, arrays of tubules alternated with sheets of stromal thylakoids forming several layers of tubules which occupied a large volume of the proplastids. Phytoferritin and lipid droplets were common inclusions of proplastids. Grana were extensive and composed a large portion of the volume of mature chloroplasts. In chloroplasts the tubules were restricted to the periphery, often between the plastid envelope and a sheet of stromal lamella. Frequently, round bulges with tubular components were found at the periphery of the chloroplasts. Starch and lipids were found in chloroplasts.
Abstract 5238: Acquired therapeutic resistance is mediated by deregulation of multiple pathways.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The HER2-directed antibody, trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy, has markedly improved outcome of patients with HER2-amplified breast cancer, yet both de novo and acquired resistance occur in a substantial subset of patients. To study the molecular underpinnings of acquired resistance, we have developed a panel of 30 unique HER2+ cell lines that have been cultured to become resistant to lapatinib, trastuzumab and the combination treatment. Each of these models underwent next-generation sequencing to elucidate mechanisms of resistance to HER2 therapies. We hypothesized that resistance may be mediated by modulation of particular pathways - rather than by individual genes. With this idea in mind, we performed a PARADIGM pathway analysis that integrates information from multiple genomic data types to calculate pathway activity scores. The PARADIGM SuperPathways represent 1321 cell signaling pathways curated from sources such as KEGG, BioCarta, and Reactome. We populated the networks with the copy number (ExomeSeq) and expression (RNAseq) datasets that had been normalized to identify contrasts between parental and resistant lines. For each pathway, we computed a Pathway Activity Score as the sum of the absolute value of each node in the pathway, normalized by the total number of pathway nodes. Nearly 30% of the curated pathways (361/1321) are strongly deregulated in at least one of the network models, whereas a much smaller subset (3%) were strongly deregulated across multiple resistance cell line models. Frequently deregulated pathways include hemoglobin chaperone, ATM mediated phosphorylation of repair proteins, the HIF2alpha transcription factor network and the PLK signaling events in the cell cycle. All together, these findings indicate that resistance is mediated through many signaling mechanisms. Furthermore, the acquired resistance-related aberrations suggest possible second-line treatment strategies that may be effective. Citation Format: Laura M. Heiser, Chad A. Shaw, Nicholas J. Wang, Catie Grasso, Pavana Anur, Sam Ng, Theodore Goldstein, Paul T. Spellman, Joshua Stuart, Kent Osborne, Joe Gray, Rachel Schiff. Acquired therapeutic resistance is mediated by deregulation of multiple pathways. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5238. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5238
An Overview of the Effects of Light on Human Circadian Rhythms: Implications for New Light Sources and Lighting Systems Design

Circadian rhythms are seen at every level of biology, from single cells to complex behaviors. The timing of every biological function in mammals is governed by the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), which has an intrinsic period of slightly longer than 24 hours. The light/dark pattern incident on the retina synchronizes the SCN to the 24-hour local time, coordinating and enabling diverse biological functions to occur at the correct time of day and night for optimum species survival. Without exposure to a regular, daily pattern of light and dark, circadian rhythms become disrupted. A wide range of modern maladies, from sleep disorders to cancer, has been linked to light-induced circadian disruption. Light has, however, been defined only in terms of the human visual system, not the circadian system. Light source and systems development should consider the needs of both the visual and non-visual systems. Discussed are the lighting characteristics impacting these two systems and the implications for designing light for various healthcare and medical applications.
Quantitative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Effects of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) on Invasion-promoting Proteins Secreted by Glioblastoma Cells

Glioblastoma multiforme is a highly invasive and aggressive brain tumor with an invariably poor prognosis. The overexpression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a primary influencer of invasion and proliferation in tumor cells and the constitutively active EGFRvIII mutant, found in 30–65% of Glioblastoma multiforme, confers more aggressive invasion. To better understand how EGFR contributes to tumor aggressiveness, we investigated the effect of EGFR on the secreted levels of 65 rationally selected proteins involved in invasion. We employed selected reaction monitoring targeted mass spectrometry using stable isotope labeled internal peptide standards to quantity proteins in the secretome from five GBM (U87) isogenic cell lines in which EGFR, EGFRvIII, and/or PTEN were expressed. Our results show that cell lines with EGFR overexpression and constitutive EGFRvIII expression differ remarkably in the expression profiles for both secreted and intracellular signaling proteins, and alterations in EGFR signaling result in reproducible changes in concentrations of secreted proteins. Furthermore, the EGFRvIII-expressing mutant cell line secretes the majority of the selected invasion-promoting proteins at higher levels than other cell lines tested. Additionally, the intracellular and extracellular protein measurements indicate elevated oxidative stress in the EGFRvIII-expressing cell line. In conclusion, the results of our study demonstrate that EGFR signaling has a significant effect on the levels of secreted invasion-promoting proteins, likely contributing to the aggressiveness of Glioblastoma multiforme. Further characterization of these proteins may provide candidates for new therapeutic strategies and targets as well as biomarkers for this aggressive disease.
Evidence for a Social Psychological View of the Status Attainment Process: Four Studies Compared

Data from a fifteen-year panel study of males, age 17 in 1957 (N = 442) and age 32 in 1972 (N = 340), are adduced to examine a social psychological theory of the status attainment process. Estimates are compared with those based on conceptually similar though operationally nonidentical structural equation models reported in previous longitudinal research. The comparison generally provides strong evidence in support of the social psychological explanation. Research implications of the convergences and divergences of findings across studies are discussed as are the data requirements for more adequately specifying social psychological models of the status attainment process. In The American Occupational Structure Blau and Duncan documented the extent of status transmission operating in contemporary U.S. society, i.e., son's socioeconomic achievements are not independent of family's relative standing in the prestige hierarchy. The classic study provided empirical support for widely held hypotheses about education as a mechanism for the selection and distribution of individuals within different social strata (Sorokin) and as an agent of socialization for inculcating societal values, *This research has been supported by the United States Office of Education (1958-61); by National Science Foundation Grant GS29031 (1971-74); by the Manpower Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Grant 91-55-72-49 (1972-73); by the Grant Foundation, Inc. (197475); by Michigan State University (East Lansing), University of Wisconsin (Madison) and Washington State University (Pullman) Agricultural Experiment Stations; and by the Social Research Center, Washington State University. We gratefully acknowledge the considerable contributions of David L. Featherman and T. Michael Carter to the collection and preparation of the data on which this analysis is based. Critical evaluations of an earlier draft of this manuscript were provided by William H. Sewell, Karl L. Alexander, Duane F. Alwin, Lee Freese, and Vaughn R. A. Call. An earlier version of this manuscript was presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, 1976.
Empirically supported treatments in pediatric psychology: bedtime refusal and night wakings in young children.

Objective: To review the literature for empirically supported treatments for bedtime refusal and night wakings in young children. Methods: An extensive review of the literature resulted in the inclusion of 41 studies that were evaluated according to the criteria established by the Task Force on Promotion and Dissemination of Psychological Procedures (1995). Results: Evidence exists indicating that extinction and parent education on the prevention of sleep problems can be considered well-established treatments. Furthermore, graduated extinction and scheduled awakenings are probably efficacious treatments, with positive routines a promising intervention. Conclusions: A discussion of effectiveness, treatment feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and methodological limitations of the studies is provided. Recommendations for future directions for research in the treatment of these two common sleep disorders are presented.
Vitaxin, a Humanized Monoclonal Antibody to the Vitronectin Receptor (αvβ3), Reduces Neointimal Hyperplasia and Total Vessel Area After Balloon Injury in Hypercholesterolemic Rabbits

The vitronectin receptor (alphavbeta3) mediates several biological processes that are critical to the formation of a neointima after coronary interventions. Blockade of alphavbeta3 could reduce neointima formation by inhibiting smooth muscle cell migration, decreasing transforming growth factor-beta1 expression, enhancing apoptosis, or reducing neovasculature. The effects of short-term administration of Vitaxin, a humanized monoclonal antibody to alphavbeta3, on the responses to balloon injury were tested in hyperlipidemic rabbits. Balloon angioplasty was performed on the iliac arteries of male New Zealand White rabbits that were fed an atherogenic diet for 1 week before injury and until euthanization at 4 weeks. Rabbits were given either saline (control) or 1 of 2 dosing regimens of Vitaxin (high dose, 5.0 mg/kg, and low dose, 0.5 mg/kg), which were administered intra-arterially before injury and intramuscularly on days 2 and 3. High-dose and low-dose Vitaxin were equally effective in decreasing neointima formation even in the presence of hypercholesterolemia, a stimulus to alphavbeta3 expression. Vitaxin reduced transforming growth factor-beta1 and enhanced apoptosis in injured arteries. Despite these positive effects, Vitaxin administration was associated with a reduction in artery size, indicating a negative effect on remodeling. Vitaxin has a potential role in preventing intimal hyperplasia, especially if the negative effects on remodeling can be overcome, by dose adjustment or other strategies.
Effects of age on bone mRNA levels of sclerostin and other genes relevant to bone metabolism in humans

article i nfo Althoughagingisassociatedwithadeclineinboneformationinhumans,themolecularpathwayscontributingto this decline remain unclear. Several previous clinical studies have shown that circulating sclerostin levels in- crease with age, raising the possibility that increased production of sclerostin by osteocytes leads to the age- related impairment in bone formation. Thus, in the present study, we examined circulating sclerostin levels as well as bone mRNA levels of sclerostin using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) analyses in needle bone biopsies from young (mean age, 30.0years) versus old (mean age, 72.9years) women. In addition, we an- alyzedtheexpression of genes inanumberofpathwaysknown to bealteredwith skeletal aging,basedlargelyon studies in mice. While serum sclerostin levels were 46% higher (p b 0.01) in the old as compared to the young women, bone sclerostin mRNA levelswere no differentbetween the two groups(p=0.845).However, genes re- latedtonotchsignalingweresignificantlyupregulated(p=0.003whenanalyzedasagroup)inthebiopsiesfrom the old women. In an additional analysis of 118 genes including those from genome-wide association studies re- latedtobonedensityand/or fracture,BMP/TGFβfamilygenes,selectedgrowth factorsandnuclear receptors,and Wnt/Wnt-related genes,we found that mRNA levelsof theWnt inhibitor,SFRP1,weresignificantlyincreased (by 1.6-fold, p = 0.0004, false discovery rate (q) = 0.04) in the biopsies from the old as compared to the young
An Approach for Document Image Based Printed Character Recognition

Document image analysis analyzes the document images to extract the text and graphics information from image. Printed character recognition is important in the context of document image analysis. Machine learning Approach such as pattern recognition and matching can be applied to document image based printed character recognition. In this paper we discussed the Template Matching approach to printed character recognition. Template matching is found to be an effective technique to recognize printed character as compared to neural network and other classification techniques.
OPTIMIZATION OF A BREAST MASS CLASSIFIER FOR COMPUTER-AIDED ULTRASOUND ANALYSIS

The goal of this research was to optimize performance of a Computer-Aided Diagnostic system to identify, analyze and compare breast masses based on parameters measured in the ultrasound image. We compared case-based reasoning using Relative Similarity to an Artificial Neural Network in order to implement an objective form of the ACR BIRADS scheme to describe and score breast masses. The image feature set was reduced to nine including margins, shape, echogenicity, echo texture, orientation and posterior acoustic attenuation. Both classifiers performed well with a high ROC AZ although RS performed significantly better than the ANN in Specificity, PPV and achieved the goal of very high Specificity without a reduction in Sensitivity. Compared to a preliminary version of the RS classifier this optimized version of RS has significantly higher AZ (0.96 vs. 0.93)
Possible digoxin toxicity associated with concomitant ciprofloxacin therapy.

A 27 year old female with a complex history of congenital heart disease, cardiac surgery, heart failure, and arrhythmias was admitted for a Pseudomonas aeruginosa sternal wound infection and treated with intravenous antibiotics. After discharge and completion of an outpatient course of intravenous antibiotics, suppressive antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin was initiated. She presented to clinic with nausea and anorexia within a few days of addition of ciprofloxacin to her current regimen of medications, which included digoxin. The digoxin was discontinued, with all other medications remaining the same, and the symptoms resolved in 48 h. The dose of digoxin was restarted at 50 % of the previous dose with no further complications. The proposed cause of the nausea and anorexia was digoxin toxicity secondary to a drug–drug interaction with ciprofloxacin. Patients receiving ciprofloxacin and digoxin should be monitored closely for the risk of digoxin toxicity.
Pastoral power as penal resistance: Foucault and the Groupe d’Information sur les Prisons

Whereas Michel Foucault’s writings are an important mainstay in penology, his involvement in the Groupe d’Information sur les Prisons (GIP) is generally given less consideration by criminologists outside France. Recently though, some scholars have revisited Foucault’s affiliation with the GIP in an effort to interpret the nature of his activism by turning attention to Foucault’s published work as it intersects his political engagements. The project here suggests that analyses of Foucault’s participation in the GIP have the potential to benefit even further by tapping into another source of intellectual pursuit, namely his lectures at the College de France. The article uses Foucault’s teachings on pastoral power as a device to decipher his own influence in the campaign to confront unjust conditions in French prisons. Overall, the critique aims to situate Foucault’s thoughts on the pastoral into his personal commitment to challenge prison regimes; by doing so, the discussion moves toward a deeper understand...
DEMOGRAPHY OF CENTRAL AND MARGINAL POPULATIONS OF MONKEYFLOWERS (MIMULUS CARDINALIS AND M. LEWISII)

Every species occupies a limited geographic area, but how spatiotemporal environmental variation affects individual and population fitness to create range limits is not well understood. Because range boundaries arise where, on average, populations are more likely to go extinct than to persist, range limits are an inherently population-level problem for which a demographic framework is useful. In this study, I compare demographic parameters and population dynamics between central and marginal populations of monkeyflowers, Mimulus cardinalis and M. lewisii, along an elevation gradient spanning both species' ranges. Central and marginal populations of both species differed in survival and fecundity. For M. lewisii, these components of fitness were higher in central than in marginal populations, but for M. cardinalis the converse was true. To assess spatiotemporal variation in population dynamics, I used transition matrix models to estimate asymptotic population growth rates (lambda) and found that population growth rates of M. lewisii were highest at the range center and reduced at the range margin. Population growth rates of M. cardinalis were highest at the range margin and greatly reduced at the range center. Life table response analysis decomposed spatiotemporal variation in lambda into contributions from each transition between life stages, finding that transitions from large nonreproductive and reproductive plants to the seed class and stasis in the reproductive class made the largest contributions to spatial differences in lambda. These transitions had only low to moderate sensitivities, indicating that differences in projected population growth rates resulted mainly from observed differences in transition matrix parameters and their underlying vital rates.
Enhancement and Depletion Mode AlGaN/GaN CAVET With Mg-Ion-Implanted GaN as Current Blocking Layer

Current aperture vertical electron transistor (CAVET) was successfully demonstrated by using Mg-implanted GaN as a current blocking layer for nonalloyed source contacts. A maximum source-drain current of (corresponding to 0.22 A/mm of source) and an extrinsic transconductance of 54 mS/mm of source were achieved. Threshold voltage as high as 0.6 V was realized by plasma exposure for 10 min, increasing the transconductance of the device to 140 mS/mm of source. Thus, a normally off CAVET was demonstrated for the first time. The increase in by plasma exposure for a given bias was due to etching of the AlGaN barrier. The shift of threshold voltage and the varied directly with the time of exposure. There was no significant dispersion in these devices.
Preliminary array analysis reveals novel genes regulated by ovarian steroids in the monkey raphe region

We hypothesize that ovarian hormones may improve serotonin neuron survival. We sought the effect of estradiol (E) and progesterone (P) on novel gene expression in the macaque dorsal raphe region with Affymetrix array analysis. Nine spayed rhesus macaques were treated with either placebo, E or E+P via Silastic implant for 1 month prior to euthanasia (n=3 per treatment). RNA was extracted from a small block of midbrain containing the dorsal raphe and examined on an Agilent Bioanalyzer. The RNA from each monkey was labeled and hybridized to an Affymetrix HG_U95AV Human GeneChip Array. After filtering and sorting, 25 named genes remained that were regulated by E, and 24 named genes remained that were regulated by supplemental P. These genes further sorted into functional categories that would promote neuronal plasticity, transmitter synthesis, and trafficking, as well as reduce apoptosis. The relative abundance of four pivotal genes was examined in all nine animals with quantitative RT-PCR and normalized by glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). E±P caused a significant threefold reduction in JNK-1 (a pro-apoptosis gene, p<0.007); and a significant sixfold decrease in kynurenine mono-oxygenase (produces neurotoxic quinolones, p<0.05). GABA-A receptor (α3 subunit; benzodiazepine site) and E2F1 (interferes with cytokine signaling) were unaffected by E, but increased sevenfold (p<0.02) and fourfold (p<0.009), respectively, upon treatment with P. In summary, subsets of genes related to tissue remodeling or apoptosis were up- or down-regulated by E and P in a tissue block containing the dorsal raphe. These changes could promote cellular resilience in the region where serotonin neurons originate.
Regulation of regional norepinephrine spillover in heart failure: The effect of angiotensin ii and β-adrenergic agonists in the forearm circulation

Background: Prejunctional receptors for angiotensin II (A-II) and norepinephrine (NE) have been reported to facilitate NE release. If operative in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), such receptors could participate in positive feedback cycles amplifying sympathoactivation. Methods and Results: A-II and isoproterenol (ISO) would increase regional NE spillover via facilitation of presynaptic release of NE in the forearm circulation of patients with chronic stable CHF. A-II, ISO, and nitroprusside (NP) were sequentially infused into the brachial arteries of 10 patients with chronic stable CHF, which was attributed to dilated cardiomyopathy. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured via plethysmography and regional spillover of NE was measured by using the isotope dilution method of Esler. A-II (5 ng/min) produced a nonsignificant decline in FBF (1.87 ± 0.14 to 1.46 ± 0.1 mL/100 g/min, P = .07) and did not change regional NE spillover (418 ± 128 to 409 ± 121 ng/min). ISO increased FBF from 1.6 ± 0.12 to 4.3 ± 0.7 mg/100 g/min (P < .001). Regional NE spillover increased from 337 ± 86 to 856 ± 300 ng/min (P < .001). Venous NE and regional extraction of NE did not change. NP increased FBF from 2.0 ± 0.3 to 6.3 ± 1.2 mL/100 g/min (P < .001; P = NS v change with ISO) and also increased regional NE spillover (301 ± 99 to 712 ± 288 ng/min, P < .001; P = NS v change with ISO). As with ISO, venous NE and extraction of NE were not altered. Conclusions: Mild vasoconstrictor infusions of A-II do not increase regional NE spillover in the forearm circulation of patients with CHF. The β-adrenergic agonist ISO does increase regional spillover, but the effect seems to be primarily related to flow rather than presynaptic stimulation of NE release. These data argue against an important positive feedback loop involving A-II and NE on sympathoactivation, at least with the dosages of the agonists studied and in the limb circulation in chronic stable CHF.
NATURAL DISTURBANCES AND DIRECTIONAL REPLACEMENT OF SPECIES

The original concept of succession emphasized directional changes in species composition occurring over time on “blank slates” (new substrates or those that followed catastrophic disturbances). In this paper, we explore relationships between different effects of disturbances on residents and the initiation of directional species replacement on sites in a landscape. We present a conceptual model involving recurrent natural disturbances of sites in a landscape containing two species, one of which arrives at sites early and the other arrives late following disturbance. We predict effects of recurrent catastrophic disturbances (no survivors) and non-catastrophic disturbances (some survivors) on the initiation of directional species replacement, assuming temporal gradients in environmental conditions on sites after disturbance. We predict that directional species replacement will be initiated by catastrophic disturbances, and by non-catastrophic disturbances when the early species does not survive, but reinvad...
Monoglyceride lipase in moth flight muscle

Abstract Very active lipases with high specificity for monoglycerides are present in the flight muscle of the southern armyworm moth ( Prodenia eridania ), the salt marsh caterpillar moth (acrea moth, Estigmene acrea ), the cecropia moth ( Hyalophora cecropia ), and the polyphemus moth ( Antheraea polyphemus ). Most of the enzymatic activity of homogenates is associated with large particles (probably the myofibrils or the sarcolemma), but can be solubilized by extraction with high ionic strength KCl solution. No significant di- or triglyceride lipase or esterase activity could be demonstrated in the flight muscle of these moths. A variety of agents that enhance or diminish triglyceride lipase activity in mammalian tissues had no effect on the moth lipases, either in homogenates or in intact muscle.
Objective evaluation of 3-d radiation treatment plans: A decision-analytic tool incorporating treatment preferences of radiation oncologists

Abstract Purpose : Selecting the optimal radiation treatment plan from a set of competing plans involves making trade-offs among the doses delivered to the target volumes and normal tissues by the competing plans. Evaluation of 3-dimensional radiation treatment plans is difficult because it requires the review of vast amount of graphical and numerical data. We have developed an objective plan-ranking model based on the concepts of decision analysis. Methods and Materials : Our model ranks a set of tentative radiation treatment plans from best to worst. A figure of merit is computed for each plan based on probabilities of possible clinical complications such as non-eradication of the tumor and radiation induced damage to the nearby healthy normal tissues, and weights which indicate their clinical relevance. This figure of merit is used to rank the plans. Key issues addressed by the model include the incorporation of individual treatment preferences of the radiation oncologist and clinical features of the patient. Results : A methodology has been established for eliciting the treatment preferences of radiation oncologists. Results of this elicitation, and examples of several plan evaluations are presented. An interactive computer-based tool has been developed as one of a set of tools to assist in the evaluation of 3-dimensional radiation treatment plans. Conclusion : The paper presents a decision-analytic model incorporating radiation oncologists' treatment preferences and an interactive computer-based tool for objectively ranking competing radiation treatment plans. The tool can be used by radiation oncologists for the evaluation of competing plans, or as part of a system which tries to automatically generate optimal treatment plans using mathematical or symbolic techniques.
Iodine concentration behaviour of the hydrogen peroxide-iodic acid- manganese(II)-malonic acid oscillating system

Abstract The iodine concentration behaviour of the title reaction has been investigated. Production and consumption rates under various conditions are reported. Some mechanistic details are suggested.
Cotton Boll Abscission and Yield Losses Associated with First-Instar Bollworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Injury to Nontransgenic and Transgenic Bt Cotton

Field tests were conducted in northeastern Louisiana to determine the effects of infestations by Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) on cotton bolls of varying ages. First instars were caged on bolls of nontransgenic ('Deltapine 5415') or transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner variety kurstaki (Bt) ('NuCOTN 33B') cotton from 29 June to 11 August during 1997 and 1998. Deltapine 5415 bolls that accumulated 179 (7.2 d), 281 (11.2 d), and 253 (10.1 d) heat units beyond anthesis were safe from bollworm-induced abscission at 72 h after infestation, 7 d after infestation, and at the time of harvest, respectively. NuCOTN 33B bolls that accumulated 157 (6.3 d), 185 (7.4 d), and 180 (7.2 d) heat units beyond anthesis were safe from bollworm-induced abscission at 72 h after infestation, 7 d after infestation, and at the time of harvest, respectively. Bollworm larvae reduced seedcotton weights of Deltapine 5415 bolls that accumulated between 58.5 (2.3 d) and 350.5 (14.0 d) heat units beyond anthesis. Seedcotton weights of NuCOTN 33B bolls that accumulated between 0 and 281 (11.2 d) heat units beyond anthesis were reduced by bollworm injury. Deltapine 5415 and NuCOTN 33B bolls that accumulated 426.5 (17.1 d) and 299.5 (12.0 d) heat units beyond anthesis, respectively, before infestation were not injured by first-instar bollworm larvae. These data provide information about late-season insecticide termination strategies for bollworms on nontransgenic and transgenic Bt-cotton. This, in turn, will help pest managers determine when insecticides are no longer eco- nomical during the late season.
First branchial cleft anomaly presenting with a complete duplication of the external auditory canal—A photo anatomic review

Abstract First branchial cleft anomalies are an uncommon group of congenital malformations. Anatomically complex in origin, they present with an impressive array of signs and symptoms. There are several classification systems available, rendering them challenging in terms of preoperative assessment and surgical planning. The objective of this report is to describe the presentation, surgical treatment, and outcome of a child presenting with a complex cerumen containing duplication of the external ear canal running medial to the facial nerve. Diagnostic and management pitfalls in the approach to pediatric patients with first branchial anomalies are outlined. A review of the literature is presented.
Online multi-task gradient temporal-difference learning

We develop an online multi-task formulation of model-based gradient temporal-difference (GTD) reinforcement learning. Our approach enables an autonomous RL agent to accumulate knowledge over its lifetime and efficiently share this knowledge between tasks to accelerate learning. Rather than learning a policy for a reinforcement learning task tabula rasa, as in standard GTD, our approach rapidly learns a high performance policy by building upon the agent's previously learned knowledge. Our preliminary results on controlling different mountain car tasks demonstrates that GTD-ELLA significantly improves learning over standard GTD(0).
Implications of Mexican Health Care Reform on the Health Coverage of Nonmigrants and Returning Migrants.

Objectives. To assess health coverage among Mexicans with US migration experience, before and after the implementation of Mexico’s universal health care program, Seguro Popular.Methods. I used data from the 2000 and 2010 Mexican Censuses to generate nationally representative estimates of health coverage among working-age Mexicans by migrant status.Results. In 2000, before the implementation of Seguro Popular, 56% of Mexicans aged 15 to 60 years with no recent US migrations were uninsured compared with 80% of recently returned migrants. By 2010, the proportion uninsured declined from 56% to 35% (−38%) among nonmigrants and from 80% to 54% (−33%) among return migrants.Conclusions. Seguro Popular has increased health coverage among Mexican return migrants, but they remain substantially underinsured. A creative and multifaceted approach likely will be needed to address Mexican immigrants’ health care needs.
Conversion of Guaiacol on Noble Metal Catalysts: Reaction Performance and Deactivation Studies

Guaiacol, a phenol derived compound produced by the thermal degradation of lignin, was selected as a model compound to study the catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) process for upgrading pyrolysis bio-oils. Guaiacol is among the major components of bio-oils; however, it is thermally unstable which leads to catalyst deactivation. In the present study, four noble metal catalysts (Pt, Pd, Rh, and Ru) supported on activated carbon were tested in a fixed-bed reactor at atmospheric pressure and their performance for the guaiacol HDO process was measured. Our results showed that, among the tested catalysts, Pt has higher deoxygenation activity and shows little deactivation for 5 h. Additionally, the operating temperature for the Pt catalyst was optimized and found to be 300 °C. Finally, results from catalyst characterization demonstrated that polyaromatic deposits, especially the condensed ring compounds, are the most likely cause for catalyst deactivation.
BMET-04LEPTOMENINGEAL CARCINOMATOSIS IN MELANOMA

Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LM) is a rare complication of melanoma that is associated with a poor prognosis. Given limited data in LM in melanoma, we sought to characterize overall survival in patients with primary melanoma who developed LM. We performed a retrospective review at our institution of LM melanoma patients from 1993 to 2014. Inclusion criteria included patients with documented melanoma and LM as diagnosed by cytology or imaging. Median age was 49.5 years (range, 22-79) in 55 patients, 35 male and 20 female. LM was diagnosed by positive cytology in 20 patients (36.4%) or imaging in 52 patients (94.5%). Median survival from diagnosis of LM to death was 9.7 weeks. Additionally, median time from diagnosis of primary melanoma to LM was 27.3 months (range, 0-109) and from stage IV melanoma 7.5 months (range, 0-46). In univariate analysis, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, and LM treatment (no treatment, radiation, chemotherapy) influenced survival. In multivariate analysis, abnormal LDH (p < 0.035) remained a significant predictor of poor survival, while LM treatment with chemotherapy compared to no treatment conferred a survival advantage (p < 0.019). Treatment with radiation and ECOG performance status were no longer significant. Our data offer the largest series of melanoma patients with diagnosed LM and help to characterize the clinical presentation of this devastating late-stage complication of cancer. More effective treatments for this complication are necessary.
Evaluation of 'Solitary' thyroid nodules in a community practice: A managed care approach

Evaluation of thyroid nodules remains a challenge for primary care physicians. To include or exclude the presence of malignancy in a thyroid nodule, radioisotope scan, ultrasound, and fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid generally are used. The objectives of this study were to determine the utility and cost effectiveness of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of solitary thyroid nodules in a community setting; to compare the cost of fine-needle aspiration biopsy with that of radioisotope scan and ultrasound; and to determine whether the practice of obtaining radioisotope scans and ultrasound has changed in the 1990s compared with the 1980s. Patients were referred by community physicians to university-based endocrinologists for evaluation of thyroid nodules. Many of the patients had previously undergone radioisotope scans and ultrasound scans at the discretion of their primary care physicians. All patients underwent fine-needle aspiration biopsy. The biopsy results were evaluated prospectively, and the practice of community physicians' obtaining radioisotope scans and ultrasound scans was compared for the 1980s and 1990s. Eighty-three patients underwent 104 biopsies. In 20 biopsies the specimens were inadequate; the others showed 70 benign, 9 suspicious, and 4 malignant lesions. All four patients with biopsy findings read as malignant were found to have malignant growth at surgical procedures. Two benign biopsy findings were false-negative results. Malignant growth was correctly diagnosed later for one patient at a second biopsy and for the other because of growth of the nodule. The cost of 104 biopsies was $20,800. The cost of radioisotope scans was $22,400, and the cost of ultrasound scans was $10,640. The frequency of obtaining radioisotope scans (84.5% vs 77%) and ultrasound scans (65% vs 45%) was slightly higher in the 1990s compared with the 1980s. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a safe and cost effective initial evaluation modality for smaller community-based centers, as it is at large tertiary centers. The cost incurred ($33,040) in obtaining the radioisotope scans and ultrasound scans could have been saved if fine-needle aspiration biopsy had been used as the initial diagnostic procedure for evaluation of these nodules. Although radioisotope scan and ultrasound scan are of little diagnostic help in the evaluation of thyroid nodules, they continued to be obtained at a high frequency during the last decade.
Alignment through Cross-Functional Integration

Insights into why some organizations are better than others at making effective use of information technology (IT) to support business units will help us better understand the processes for achieving IT alignment. A key factor that affects the alignment of IT resources to an organizations business needs is the integration of the IT unit with the rest of the organization. Integration is the quality of the state of collaboration that exists among departments that are required to achieve unity of effort by the demands of the environment (Lawrence & Lorsch 1967:11). Also termed cross-functional integration, how to successfully manage the interface between IT and business units is not particularly well understood. Therefore, new insights and models that help managers and researchers better understand this ABSTRACT The strategic alignment model presented in the first chapter of this book clearly identifies cross-functional integration as a critical dimension of IT alignment. This chapter focuses on the assessment and improvement of functional integration and presents a model for understanding how cross-functional integration between IT and other functional areas leads to more effective IT alignment at the functional level. By moving to higher levels in this integration hierarchy model, organizations can expect to achieve a higher degree of IT alignment. To provide context, the chapter presents the integration hierarchy model by focusing on the marketing and IT units. This cross-functional interface is a particularly important area for IT alignment given the environmental demand for effective e-commerce and data warehousing solutions. However, as later sections of this chapter will discuss, there are implications for the model for both practitioners and researchers beyond the marketing and IT interface.
Homogeneous Poisson processes

The key characteristic of Poisson processes is that events defined on nonoverlapping intervals are probabilistically independent. We say that a point process has independent increments if for all l1 < u1 ≤ l2 < u2 ≤ … ≤ l n < u n and all n, $$P\left\{ {N({l_1},{u_1}] = {k_1},...,N({l_n},{u_n}] = {k_n}} \right\} = \prod\limits_{i = 1}^n {P\left\{ {N({l_i},{u_i}] = {k_i}} \right\}} $$ The independent increments requirement is sometimes stated in an alternative manner. A point process is said to be without aftereffect if for all n and all t1 < … < t n , $$P\left[ {N({t_{n - 1}},{t_n}] = k|N\left( {{t_i}} \right) = {k_i};i = 1,...,n - 1} \right] = P\left[ {N({t_{n - 1}},{t_n}] = k} \right]$$ Theorem 3.1 Lack of aftereffect is equivalent to independent increments.
Experiment-Assisted Secondary Structure Prediction with RNAstructure

Experimental probing data can be used to improve the accuracy of RNA secondary structure prediction. The software package RNAstructure can take advantage of enzymatic cleavage data, FMN cleavage data, traditional chemical modification reactivity data, and SHAPE reactivity data for secondary structure modeling. This chapter provides protocols for using experimental probing data with RNAstructure to restrain or constrain RNA secondary structure prediction.
Selective and Differential Medium for Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from Foods.

Hemolytic ceftazidime lithium chloride agar (HCLA) has been developed as a selective and differential plating medium for the isolation of Listeria monocytogenes from fishery products. Selectivity is based upon lithium chloride, colistin methane sulfonate, and ceftazidime. When horse blood was incorporated in the agar overlay, L. monocytogenes colonies were easily distinguished by their characteristic blue-gray color surrounded by narrow zones of s-hemolysis. Listeria innocua , a species commonly present in foods, does not produce hemolysis on the medium. Therefore, one or more colonies of L. monocytogenes were easily distinguished from large populations of L. innocua . When used in combination with Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Department of Agriculture enrichment methodology, HCLA was effective in inhibiting competitive organisms, differentiating colonies of L. monocytogenes by their s-hemolysis, and shortening the incubation time at 35°C for presumptive identification to 17-24 h.
A social relation aware semantic access control

Social relations are often used to identify an individual. In the digital world, such relations can be exploited to provide controlled access to private or community contents. This paper proposes an access control model that employs the social relations. Semantic technologies are used for formal specification of the model. The semantic access control model is composed of a knowledge base and access policies. The Web Ontology Language represents the knowledge base and the access policies are expressed through semantic rules. Execution of rules derives the access authorization decisions that state which user can access which contents with a specific privilege. The paper provides a detail evaluation of the proposed access control model.
Anatomic comparison of traditional and enucleation partial nephrectomy specimens

Abstract Objective To compare pseudocapsule (PC) properties of clear cell renal cell carcinoma tumors removed via both traditional partial nephrectomy (PNx) and enucleative techniques as well as quantify the difference in volume of normal renal parenchyma removed between groups. Materials and methods A retrospective review of clear cell PNx specimens between 2011 and 2014 was performed. All patients undergoing tumor enucleation (TE) were included. A single pathologist reviewed the pathological specimens. This cohort was compared with a previously collected clear cell traditional PNx database. Results A total of 47 clear cell partial nephrectomies were reviewed (34 PNx and 13 TE). Invasion of tumor completely through the PC and positive surgical margins were seen in 2 (5.8%) and 1 (7.7%) of traditional and TE specimens, respectively ( P = 0.82). PC mean (0.63 vs. 0.52 mm), maximum (1.39 vs. 1.65 mm), and minimum thickness (0.27 vs. 0.19 mm) were similar between cohorts ( P = 0.29, P = 0.36, and P = 0.44). Gross specimen volume varied considerably between the 2 groups (35.6 vs. 17.9 cm 3 , P ≤0.05) although tumor volume did not (12 vs. 14.2 cm 3 , P = 0.64). The renal tumor consisted of only 37% of the total volume of the traditional PNx specimens compared to 80% of the volume in TEs ( P Conclusions PC properties appear independent of surgical technique. True TEs are uncommon. Regardless, there is considerable volume discrepancy of normal renal parenchymal removed between enucleative and nonenucleative PNx groups.
Towards fast algorithms for estimating Personalized PageRank using commonly generated random walks

Personalized PageRank (PPR) is a measure of the importance of the nodes in graph G = (V, E) from the perspective of some s ∈ V. PPR has been used in many applications, such as recommending who a user should follow on Twitter [6]. Due to the scale of networks of interest, precomputing PPR requires prohibitive storage, while computing exactly at query time is slow. As such, many PPR estimation algorithms have been proposed.
Engineering Therapeutic Enzymes

Biologics constitute a rapidly growing category of pharmaceutical drug products. With over 100 clinically approved therapeutics and many more in development, protein-based compounds represent an important subset among these biomacromolecular drug candidates, ranging from antibodies, anticoagulants, growth factors, hormones, interferons, and interleukins to enzymes. While recombinant gene technology has traditionally played a key role in development and production of these therapeutics, protein engineering offers an additional dimension for tailoring the biochemical and biophysical properties of proteins to the specific needs of clinical applications. Given the tremendous potential of protein engineering methods to alter and improve the function of biocatalysts, our review focuses on recent examples highlighting the advances and challenges in applying these techniques toward the engineering of therapeutic enzymes. More specifically, our review will focus on three categories of therapeutic enzymes: pharmaceutical enzymes where the protein itself constitutes the therapeutic agent, prodrug-activating enzymes where the protein indirectly triggers a clinical effect, and diagnostic enzymes where a protein’s superior selectivity and specificity offer advantages over traditional analytical methods.
The onset and time course of semantic priming during rapid recognition of visual words

In 2 experiments, we assessed the effects of response latency and task-induced goals on the onset and time course of semantic priming during rapid processing of visual words as revealed by ocular response tasks. In Experiment 1 (ocular lexical decision task), participants performed a lexical decision task using eye movement responses on a sequence of 4 words. In Experiment 2, the same words were encoded for an episodic recognition memory task that did not require a metalinguistic judgment. For both tasks, survival analyses showed that the earliest observable effect (divergence point [DP]) of semantic priming on target-word reading times occurred at approximately 260 ms, and ex-Gaussian distribution fits revealed that the magnitude of the priming effect increased as a function of response time. Together, these distributional effects of semantic priming suggest that the influence of the prime increases when target processing is more effortful. This effect does not require that the task include a metalinguistic judgment; manipulation of the task goals across experiments affected the overall response speed but not the location of the DP or the overall distributional pattern of the priming effect. These results are more readily explained as the result of a retrospective, rather than a prospective, priming mechanism and are consistent with compound-cue models of semantic priming. (PsycINFO Database Record